As regular as clockwork unfortunately, and there go the Ashes. Hmmph.
And it got me to thinking, as all these Australians with smiles on their faces wandered around the place, why do I support the English in the cricket? Was asked that the other day, in a genuinely quizzical and curious manner. After all, I am living in Australia, and it's not as if they were playing New Zealand- who, coincidentally, also got done today, by the Sri Lankans at the Basin in Wellington.
Perhaps it is the fact that the Australian cricket team seem to be basically perfect at the moment, and the fact that as a Kiwi, I have seen too many humiliating losses to the Aussies, especially in the cricket, to really want to go for them. Wow, that was a long, convoluted sentence just gone there.
I don't mind some of the Australian cricketers, Gilchrist and Lee come to mind specifically, as also I have never liked Warne or Ponting, but as a team they are just so devastating, that of course I like to see them knocked off their perch, be it by us, the Poms or anyone else.
I don't actually mind Australia in most other sports, apart from rugby and swimming. Of course, it annoys the heck out of me that the Wallabies have got two World Cups, and the All Blacks always seem to peak in non World Cup years, but as long as it isn't a World Cup final, I can quite happily support the Australians - again, I can't stand George Gregan as an individual.
In the swimming of course Australia is all over the record books and medal tallies - when the rest of the world goes for personal bests, Australians seem to be disappointed if they don't get a world record. And don't get me started on the Give Australia As Many Medals As Possible Games, aka the Commonwealths.
Was thinking, and there is one sport I do always support Australia in, unless playing New Zealand - the netball. Partly because only six nations seem to play it, also because the trans Tasman games are the best out. Also perhaps rugby sevens, because it is so wham bam wow over in fifteen minutes, straight onto the next game.
Of course, 'bigging up' the English cricketers made me think what am I doing in Australia. I think I contribute to the country, even though I'm not a citizen - I work, and pay taxes, and add to that all important GDP - but the other thinking is that I'm here taking an Australian job blah blah blah, and if I don't support the country in sport what am I doing here. Then again, I thought we had freedom of speech and democracy in this country - apart from the Ashes perhaps.
And then thinking about what annoys me so much about most Australian sports teams - it's the arrogance I think, the we know we are going to win even before the coin is tossed. Of course, what I see as arrogance can be seen by Australians as self confidence - and suddenly there is the answer, because my own self confidence yo-yos so much, I can't understand people, sports teams, a country with that sunny disposition.
Thinking specifically Oz and NZ, over this side of the Tasman the national day is celebrated as the perfect landing in 1788 in an empty country (or terra nullus, I think the Latin has it). Whereas Waitangi Day back home is more a day for discussion, or sometimes argument, because there was a treaty signed with the native population there, and there have been mistranslations ever since. Have always thought Anzac Day should be the national day in New Zealand, rather than February 6.
Then the thought comes, well if I'm not happy with Australia, why don't I go back home. Let me tell you, the thought crosses my mind more than occasionally. Of course, in Wellington, my home town, I have two couples who are close friends, and apart from the job, the accommodation and the rest, it would be perfect. Of course, most of my friends are scattered to the four winds.
And my family being in Brisbane is how I somewhat accidentally ended up here. The Accidental Alien perhaps, somehow escaped being shipped to Woomera or Nauru.
Sorry, just having one of my cynical moods here. Today at work didn't help either.
Paul
And it got me to thinking, as all these Australians with smiles on their faces wandered around the place, why do I support the English in the cricket? Was asked that the other day, in a genuinely quizzical and curious manner. After all, I am living in Australia, and it's not as if they were playing New Zealand- who, coincidentally, also got done today, by the Sri Lankans at the Basin in Wellington.
Perhaps it is the fact that the Australian cricket team seem to be basically perfect at the moment, and the fact that as a Kiwi, I have seen too many humiliating losses to the Aussies, especially in the cricket, to really want to go for them. Wow, that was a long, convoluted sentence just gone there.
I don't mind some of the Australian cricketers, Gilchrist and Lee come to mind specifically, as also I have never liked Warne or Ponting, but as a team they are just so devastating, that of course I like to see them knocked off their perch, be it by us, the Poms or anyone else.
I don't actually mind Australia in most other sports, apart from rugby and swimming. Of course, it annoys the heck out of me that the Wallabies have got two World Cups, and the All Blacks always seem to peak in non World Cup years, but as long as it isn't a World Cup final, I can quite happily support the Australians - again, I can't stand George Gregan as an individual.
In the swimming of course Australia is all over the record books and medal tallies - when the rest of the world goes for personal bests, Australians seem to be disappointed if they don't get a world record. And don't get me started on the Give Australia As Many Medals As Possible Games, aka the Commonwealths.
Was thinking, and there is one sport I do always support Australia in, unless playing New Zealand - the netball. Partly because only six nations seem to play it, also because the trans Tasman games are the best out. Also perhaps rugby sevens, because it is so wham bam wow over in fifteen minutes, straight onto the next game.
Of course, 'bigging up' the English cricketers made me think what am I doing in Australia. I think I contribute to the country, even though I'm not a citizen - I work, and pay taxes, and add to that all important GDP - but the other thinking is that I'm here taking an Australian job blah blah blah, and if I don't support the country in sport what am I doing here. Then again, I thought we had freedom of speech and democracy in this country - apart from the Ashes perhaps.
And then thinking about what annoys me so much about most Australian sports teams - it's the arrogance I think, the we know we are going to win even before the coin is tossed. Of course, what I see as arrogance can be seen by Australians as self confidence - and suddenly there is the answer, because my own self confidence yo-yos so much, I can't understand people, sports teams, a country with that sunny disposition.
Thinking specifically Oz and NZ, over this side of the Tasman the national day is celebrated as the perfect landing in 1788 in an empty country (or terra nullus, I think the Latin has it). Whereas Waitangi Day back home is more a day for discussion, or sometimes argument, because there was a treaty signed with the native population there, and there have been mistranslations ever since. Have always thought Anzac Day should be the national day in New Zealand, rather than February 6.
Then the thought comes, well if I'm not happy with Australia, why don't I go back home. Let me tell you, the thought crosses my mind more than occasionally. Of course, in Wellington, my home town, I have two couples who are close friends, and apart from the job, the accommodation and the rest, it would be perfect. Of course, most of my friends are scattered to the four winds.
And my family being in Brisbane is how I somewhat accidentally ended up here. The Accidental Alien perhaps, somehow escaped being shipped to Woomera or Nauru.
Sorry, just having one of my cynical moods here. Today at work didn't help either.
Paul
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