The Media Wins (Again)

Rarely have I been so disappointed in a sporting result as I was when I heard about Craig Stevens' decision to pull out of the 400m in Athens. Throughout the whole sorry process, which attained an importance in the eyes of the media and therefore in the eyes of the Reality-TV watching classes that I wouldn't have believed possible, both Stevens and Thorpe behaved with grace and dignity. However, for Thorpe to say that he didn't want any pressure applied to Stevens is a bit far-fetched. If he was serious about it, all he had to do was say that he wouldn't swim the 400. Why do Swimming Australia bother having the trials if they can just nominate somebody for a race based on previous performances? They've certainly changed their attitude since I was coaching in Central Queensland in the nineties.

And what about the poor bastard who came third, (Who shall be the answer to the most commonly asked question in Trivia contests for quite some time.), how good would he be feeling right now? If SA applied its own rules correctly he'd be up in Lonsdale Street in Melbourne right now, adapting to a diet of souvlaki and ouzo.

On a brighter swimming note, how good did I feel when Brooke Hanson qualified for the big show? I fair dinkum had tears in my eyes watching her dance down the pool apron to the award ceremony. It reminded me of Jennifer Capriati winning the Oz open. That's why you compete, for the excitement of achieving a dream, not about gloating or strutting about the place making a dickhead of yourself. Although I did enjoy it when the boys in Sydney gave Gary Hall Jr. a bit of an air-guitar demonstration after the 4x100 in Sydney. Only 'coz he's a dickhead.