That Team South Africa has subjected the nation to pitiful performance at the 2008 Olympic Games is a major understatement. I was listening a day ago to caller after caller on one talk radio station justifying the poor performance of these athletes that we have sent to China; in fact these callers were shifting the […]
Sport
Posted inNews/Politics, Sport
The return of our sporting heroes and leaders
When John Terry strode forward to take that penalty in last season’s dramatic Champion’s League final, he wasn’t just staring at two uprights and a crossbar. He was staring at greatness. I remember the thudding of a million heartbeats in the hushed silence. We were in the throes of uncertainty. Would Chelsea be the victors? […]
Posted inSport
Still no Olympic medals for SA: What’s gone wrong?
This week’s Talkback question on the Mail & Guardian Online: Still no Olympic medals for SA: What’s gone wrong?
Posted inNews/Politics, Sport
It’s the Komphela and Frolick show
And now ladies and gentleman in the category for the biggest embarrassment to South Africa in a sporting drama, the nominees are: Butana Komphela for his moving role as a misunderstood racist in “Whites and Indians don’t understand transformation”, Cedrick Frolick for his valiant attempt to upstage Komphela in “Why I’m mad about Percy” and […]
Posted inNews/Politics, Sport
SA Olympic outfits panned by Ozzie fashion police!
South Africa failed at the first hurdle of the Olympics, if the assessment of two Australian fashionistas is anything to go by. They gave South Africa 2/10 and 6/10 for their uniforms at the opening ceremony in Beijing on Friday night. The first judge felt that the South Africans fell down because a) they looked […]
Posted inSport
China looks forward to making its mark
As the date of the Beijing Olympics draws nearer, the buzz around the Games is increasing. Events of such magnitude will have some problems. As is the custom nowadays the media seems to be focusing predominantly on the controversial bits during the lead up to the sports festival. The IOC is meeting trying to address […]
Posted inMedia, Sport
New Zealand exacts revenge on Australia
In a week in which New Zealanders are still smarting from the defeat of the All Blacks in the Bledisloe Cup (during which a South African referee officiated), they do get to at least enjoy something approaching revenge. The Gruen Transfer is a popular TV show about advertising, featured, somewhat ironically, on the entirely ad-free […]
Posted inNews/Politics, Sport
Patriotism a swear word for South Africans?
24 June 1995 is a date that is deeply engraved in the memory of sports loving South Africans; a date in which the world officially recognised the arrival of our country as a force in the world arena; a date on which millions, glued to their screens, bore witness to the former President Nelson Mandela, […]
Posted inNews/Politics, Sport
Government has failed transformation of sports
In 1998, the ANC issued this statement: “The transformation of sports in our country is one such area where we have done very little.” “… there are still sporting codes which are not truly representative of the South African nation. Both the rugby and cricket national teams remain lily-white despite their much publicised development programmes […]
Posted inNews/Politics, Sport
Down the Nag’s Head: taking the piss about politics, ethics, morality and shandies* in sport.
On the only occasion I ever voted, I placed a cross beside the name of a man convicted of treason; as everyone knows, of course, treason replaced heresy after the mediaeval period as the highest crime one can possible commit against one’s country. Happy Birthday to the criminal, but this story is not about you; […]
Posted inSport
A pilot sports post: First, full disclosure
Warning: This post might offend. I have been thinking about submitting the occasional contribution to Sports Leader, but always feared that I might make very many people very woes. Seriously, I have very strange politics when it comes to sport. It’s a bit like my relationship with cars; I hate them but I love driving. […]
Posted inNews/Politics, Sport
Should South Africa be hosting World Cup 2010?
I read with interest Jon Qwelane’s article “Roll out Plan B, Mr Blatter” which is to be found on the News24 website. In it he calls upon FIFA president Sepp Blatter to use the alternative venue they have set aside for the 2010 World Cup, currently to be held in South Africa. Qwelane sets out […]