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Messages - dodge

2
The Sports Desk / Re: AO 2021
Need to remove nationalism from Tennis.  Has Hamilton advanced the cause of British F1?, or Stroll the cause of Canadian F1?  Tennis represents the country at Davis/Federation Cup, Olympics and Commonwealth games.

I get that there is an inclination to barrack for someone from your country.

In terms of Kyrgios' underarm serve - they're genius.

Can't watch Djokovic play.  His on court persona is horrid, while he is a great tennis player, I'd rather watch a brick wall.  Hopefully Tsipsaris and Thiem can improve and not be the 'Andy Roddick's' of years gone by.
3
The Sports Desk / Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread
Losing the cricket theme, but it is an interesting conversation.

In the work circles that I have, diversity focus is particularly on boards - young, old, gender, ethnicity - but still needing to do the job.

I think that quotas have helped the Labor party get many of its women in.  Sure, the talent started off with a low bar, but as time has gone on, it has shown other women that politics is something that they can be involved in, so more have become involved.  Society has to be better off for that.  AFLW will be an example of that, and I actually don't mind watching women's cricket.

I certainly feel for those who are pushed out of the workforce because they aren't 'diverse'.  Employing someone is all about discrimination until the final one is chosen (typo in that CV, next, don't like your name, next, CV too long, next, CV too short, next, hasn't got 5 years experience for a job that needs none, next - then all the issues that Thry has described, but none written down or spoken about)
4
The Sports Desk / Re: AO 2021
All I saw was that Osaka was 2-0 down in the first set.  The score suggests a great win.  She's an excellent player.  Williams is another that I don't watch (although I would watch Osaka, which makes this match quite conflicting!)
5
The Sports Desk / Re: AO 2021
Muchado's medical timeout is just something for everyone who is on the AO teat to get upset about/ talk about/ express outrage over.   Non- story.

I have watched more matches this year than other years and picked some good ones - I have also just walked away from several that are tripe.  Won't watch Djokovic as a rule.
6
The Sports Desk / Re: Stosur vs Sheik 2015
I'm not sure that she is a 'natural' tennis player.  She seems to lack instinct and when it doesn't go right, it goes horribly wrong, and she can't arrest it.

I like Stosur and will always wish her the best.

What I don't understand is patriotism at the tennis.  Tennis is an individual sport and not played 'for the country'.  I couldn't give a stuff where a player comes from - if I like them, I'll support them.  If I don't, I won't.

I really like watching Kyrgios play, tantrums and all, because he plays ridiculously good tennis when he is on.  A bit like Maxwell for cricket, Fev in footy - great when they're going, embarrassing when they are not.
7
Blah-Blah Bar / Re: Influencers
My kids have too much screen time...Ryan of Ryan's toy reviews (kid about 13 now) apparently gets $14mil per year from reviewing toys on youtube.  Kids can't get enough.

My wife showed me a video on her phone the other day.  Our 5yo daughter videoed herself "Oh, Hi.  Thanks for watching.  Welcome to my channel" and on it goes for 15 seconds or so ending with 'Thanks for watching'.  She has done 10 or 15 of them.  It is hilarious to watch, but scary at the same time!  I was telling a friend and they said their daughter adds 'don't forget to subscribe'.

What worries me is adults who get caught up in all the crap.  Really, you get influenced by these people?  Amazing.  They seem to be everywhere.  I am glad I have no idea of who any of them are.
9
Blah-Blah Bar / Re: CV and mad panic behaviour
Just a question:

My understanding is that one of the vaccines reduces the symptoms/effects in the person who has received it, but doesn't reduce the transmission towards other people.

Is this correct?  If so, how is it a panacea - it would require the masses to be vaccinated for it to have a lasting effect of reducing the virus? Is this how all vaccines work? If not, please pretend I didn't ask the question!

I have only had the flu shot a couple of times - I've never had the flu.  Partly my constitution, partly luck, partly others having had it?

I'm not sure where I sit on this one - certainly believe in vaccines (polio, measles etc seem to have done pretty well!), certainly not a conspiracy theorist, I trust reputable science, but I don't have the same sense of conviction about this.
11
The Sports Desk / Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread
Nice display, Capcom.  I think the international balls are still hand made >$120 each (possibly $150 by now).  The 2 piece balls that we play with are $50+ each.  This season with all games being one dayers, it is expensive!

As an aside, a lot of comps have the first couple of grades playing in coloured clothes for one dayers.  The have now reverted to whites, as Kookaburra don't have enough stock of white balls to cover the number of one dayers!

12
The Sports Desk / Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread
Great final session to watch.  Great that India decided to chase the runs - meant the game was alive until the last couple of overs and that all possible results were still on the table.

Overall the series was a good one to watch/follow with no side out of a game, apart from the India brain fade in Adelaide.  Pity the pitches were so placid.
13
The Sports Desk / Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread
Crash - it's very frustrating.  Drop in pitches ensure loss of character of the 'natural' pitches - a bit like $10 wine - doesn't matter what bottle, if the grape is the same, it will taste the same.

A couple of things:
20/20 has changed the focus of cricket from a contest to run scoring.  Test cricket is about the contest.  A great test match is first innings both done mid day 3 with a difference of 30-50 runs and a run chase of 230 on a deteriorating wicket finishing on the fifth day.  A good 20/20 or 50 over game is described through the runs scored not wickets taken.  Can you imagine a 20/20 where the score is 75 to 78, because the pitch was a bit green?  There would be an outcry.

Bowlers are sacrificed for batting pitches and have to contain, as there aren't often suitable conditions for them to utilise.

From what I gather, our bowlers haven't spent a huge amount of time trying to get the batsmen out, rather bowled without imagination, getting the balance between bouncers and line and length wrong.

The Australian cricket program is now pretty poor in terms of test match prep.  Players were getting picked for tests on 20/20 form.  This does appear to be changing, but there isn't enough Shield Cricket around the test matches.  I'm not sure of the quality of Shield matches (they tried to address this to some point this season, but got interrupted).  Travis Head's first class batting average is under 40.  What are we expecting of him at test level?  We all know Wade's limitations, yet he gets selected and people don't vehemently disagree - first class average is a tick over 40.  At least Cam Green's is over 50.  Who are the others putting up their hand?

I'll actually forgive the batting to some degree.  When you know we're going to be 2 for nothing with the openers out, then it is pretty tough.  There aren't many screaming out to be opening for Australia.

Overall, I'm not sure of the quality of the Australian Second XI.

Finally, there doesn't appear to be a strong captaincy candidate.  We need a Tubby, or AB - both managed to get a lot out of their players.  Waugh and Ponting had a couple of great sides that didn't really need captaining.  Tim Paine has repaired some damage that was done to the image of the team, but we need a captain that is great tactically.  Two Victorians spring to mind, so that won't happen, but Finch and Maxwell certainly understand the game and can inspire.  Henriques is also a good skipper, but not up to international level.
14
The Sports Desk / Re: God help me
He was wearing an arm guard, just not on that arm.  I don't think I have ever seen an arm guard on both arms.

He played it so poorly that being hit was the only outcome.

Maybe players need to spend some time practicing evasive action.  (If it was me batting, I would have been on the ground at square leg before Cummins had let go of the ball!)
15
The Sports Desk / Re: Formula 1
Imagine the press if it was Hamilton not Russell that got the wrong tyres.  What a stuff up!

Russell won't be at Mercedes if Hamilton is, particularly if Hamilton has any input.

Hate to be Russell and have to go back to a Williams this weekend.