Sunday 11 January 2009

Get a grip or I’m going to throw a googly


Australia Day, our national day, is on the 26th January so for the next few weeks I am going to feature some posts focusing on the Australian way of life. If you have any questions about Australia, let me know.


Australia has been in the international press in recent weeks with headlines like:

The end of an era

The crumbling of an empire

The last rites, and

A test of faith in land of tragics.


Sounds serious.

And yes, it really was.

Except, it had nothing to do with the media waxing lyrical about the end of the world as we know it. And everything to do with the lackluster performance of our National Cricket Team.

You see Australia was just one loss away from giving up its official number one ranking to South Africa following a series loss for the first time.

It was not only a near national calamity but it had all the earmarks of being a terminal catastrophe.

For those of you who don’t have a clue what cricket is, it’s a summer sport. A game. With bats and balls. Look here if you happen to be bored, lonely, have a penchant for watching grass grow or come equipped with a Y chromosome.

This series of games saw men weeping into their beers, with one hand on their hearts and the other making all sorts of strange sign language at the TV. They could taste defeat and rather than wait it out many chose to dive deep in the throes of an early mourning. So much so, that I half expected to see them parading around in unadorned black clothing before the series was even over.

For many Aussie blokes their world stopped for a few days. Simply because they couldn't take their eyes off the TV screen or their mind off the pending national humiliation.

It was painful and pitiful to observe. In fact, it was more than that.
It was P - A - T - H - E - T - I - C! At one point I had the idea of setting up some kind of intravenous beer contraption to save the poor souls from having to lift a can, bottle or glass to their mouths. I figured that they needed all their strength to cope with the grieving period which was soon to follow. All loss is painful. Even if it does happen to involve grieving over a game of bat and ball!!!

Australians, on the whole, are sports mad. It comes with the wide open spaces and the warm weather. And cricket is just one of the many sports we are obsessed with. We are joined in our cricket obsession by people living in England, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, South Africa and the West Indies. Ugich Konitari , a wonderful blogger, has written many fantastic posts about cricket in India.

As long ago as 1859 an English guidebook to Australia reported that "the mania for bats and balls in the broiling sun … exceeds all rational excitements". And it’s still the case.

For me, the most taxing part of cricket is trying to understand the meaning of the 300 or so ridiculous terms which describe the game. If you read them you would swear the game was played by maidens who wore slips, had a handicap and who possessed both a short and long leg.
Thankfully........just the taste of defeat was enough to unite the nation.

It seems that the collective chest thumping, screaming at the TV and all round general moaning must have rallied the team. Right at the last minute. To win the final game of the series. By a hair's breadth.

It's said that in times of economic uncertainty, we can count on two certainties. People seek greater solace in their sport and the sales of lipstick increases substantially.

Given the Aussies in my life seem to already play, watch and talk sport 24/7, it's not going to get any better is it? I guess this just means that during the long days of winter sports, followed by the even longer days of summer sports, I may just have to disappear every now and then to buy myself a new shade of lipstick.

So tell me does sport have much meaning in your life or to those close around you? How do you cope?


Some Aussie blogs to visit are Dee from Aussie Antics who has a great post about Vegemite and Le at Third on the Right who has a post about Australia Day. More Aussie bloggers will be featured in comings posts. And Braja, do Aussies in India make pavlova on Australia Day too?

UPDATE: I've also decided to have a SECRET AUSSIE GIVEWAY (promise, no spiders) to be drawn on Australia Day. The pack will contain mementos of Australia based on each of this month's posts (and yes, our cricket team will most definitely be included in the pack, sorry). Anyone who leaves a comment on my posts from January 11 -25 will be entered into the draw.

73 comments:

  1. Lilly, I was married, for 23 years to a man who played golf, watched, golf, loved golf. ho hum. Every weekend, we had to watch golf tournaments on tv. He played regularly (still does, I'm sure). It got worse when we were able to get the Golf Channel on TV.

    Thank God, I met a man who doesn't play sports (he caddied as a kid), doesn't really watch sports (an occasional football game). but he'll watch chess tournaments all day if he could find one on TV.

    I just hope the ex is boring the hell out of his future ex-wife every weekend with golf.

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  2. Oh Joanie too funny. Seems like men maybe the same all over the world. I like sports but in a balanced way, ok while lying on the couch, but I do other things too!!

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  3. Cheers mate.
    I am a non cricket loving or beer guzzling Aussie. Cherry Ripes, Twisties and Pav are what do it for me...I wonder if I could make a national sport out of repacking the esky with food stuffs :)

    When are you moving to QLD Lily? I would love to come down and have a Caramello Koala with you...but, I don't have an eating disorder, I can eat a whole one myself so we won't be sharing. One each, okay.

    Mxxx

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  4. Wow what a post, I was tired from just reading it, was glad your country won, I have watched the olympics socker when the USA played but I am not much for watching it the rest of the time.

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  5. My brother umpired cricket for pocket money while in school. We used to collect cricket cards as kids, but I don't watch it anymore. I think we had a test match board game too. I agree the cricket woes have been painful to watch, imagine if we HAD lost! Oh the horror! Men all over the country would have had to take a day of mourning.

    You know, there is a contraption that drip feeds beer into your mouth, you sit the can on a contraption off your hat with a tube from the can to your mouth - they think of everything!

    I watch the AFL grand final on TV if my team is in it.I stick to my horse sports now.

    I love pavlova too!
    Thanks for the link!

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  6. Bloody cricket :)

    That's a true blue Aussie saying for you, Lilly!!

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  7. I am married to a man that thinks the sun rises and sets on ESPN. He can regurgitate any and all information that he hears come from any sports cast or news pertaining to sports. This trivial information means absolutely nothing to me. Why do I care what rank this team is? Why do I care what draft pick this guy is, or what college he went to? I have NO idea why Brandon thinks this is important. But he does, so I hear it.

    I enjoy watching my team, or the superbowl, but every sport, every team?...No, I have too much to do and think about and blog about....I have no time!

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  8. Whst's wrong with cricket? Some of us with 2 X chromosomes like it because the players are HOT!!!

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  9. I don't know jack about cricket..but I understand..I'm exactly the same way when it comes to football..and my life is turned upside down by the wins and losses of the cowboys..it's sad..but don't know any other way..I'm just sad that we don't have a term in football called a googly...what a great word..one of my good friends lives in sydney and he keeps me up with all the goings on down under...some day...yes, someda..I will visit Australia, my second favorite country after USA.

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  10. Oh... Cricket is like Football here. Us football, not soccer.

    I want to go to Australia...

    Maybe one day

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  11. In this state, it's basketball.

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  12. my bags are packed and i'm ready to read...!
    sticky wicket and all :)

    here...driving is a sport! LOL

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  13. thanks for the shout out Lily dear - and no I do not do cricket.

    Thankfully, even though MIC is a kiwi, he does not do cricket either - motorsport of the wo wheeled variety is KING in this house - hugs le

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  14. Lilly,

    But how amazing ! We have our Republic Day on 26th of January too. Our actual Independence day is Aug 15, but the British Governer general(Lord Mountbatten) still stayed on . He disappeared as of jan 26th a few years later, we became a Republic,and we have since then the President of India.

    And yes, this whole series loss of Aussies in cricket has been avidly chewed and analysed here, with pictures of Ponting, opinions of Shane Warne, speculations about Hayden, and finally, World cricket Rankings....really, who cares ! One more year and they will start all over again.....

    I look forward to your many googly-posts, and lets hope we hear from Des at some point too...(Expert comments, you know)....

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  15. Ugh, vegemite. I'd rather eat a witchety grub anyday.

    It doesn't matter what country it is, men need to cry over their sports stuff.

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  16. Super funny post- I was laughing out loud. I don't know anything about cricket, but I think it's akin to baseball.

    Men and their sports, a complete mystery in Australia and the US.

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  17. Punkiepie, I just asked one of my excessively-cricket-obsessed family members about the explanation for a googly.

    Its when you bowl a off break with a leg brake action.....

    (maybe its the other way round. Ah well, its so confusing, who cares. Just say googly. You know thats where Google got its name from....)

    Is that clear ? :-)

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  18. We're not very sports oriented in this household. For some reason, I never really got involved that much as a youngster. I suppose it came from working "voluntarily" in the family service station from open, 6:00 am to close 10:00PM most everyday including Sunday while growing up.

    My boss is a football fanatic, and I was treated to any number of tirades about how terrible the Cowboys were playing this year. I also get to listen to the game all the way back from the deer Lease when I ride with him. At times it seems too much for my non-sports mentality, LOL.

    I do play golf, not well mind you, and enjoy a nice Sunday afternoon at the course.

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  19. @ Megan - who prefers a BBQ to cricket - you are so right, me too!!! LOL! Hopefully the move will be soon. And aren't you lucky - guess who doesnt eat caramello bears??

    @ Margaret - yes we play soccer here, or football as its called in the UK, but its not as popular yet here as a sport as our other kinds of football or cricket but it's getting there.

    @ Dee- thanks for the memories - I forgot the cricket cards and my brother had that cricket game too. My father and brother played cricket non stop and Des was an excellent player right up to his
    50s. All his grandsons now play too. And some of his granddaughters. Oh I can't do AFL. Rugby Union and Rugby League are ok and I watched football when living in the UK too. Cricket I like if watching it live but on TV? I'd rather watch the grass grow.

    @ Braja - True Blue was the theme I was running with for the month -hence all the blue - thanks, oh perceptive one. Bloody cricket - thats all you needed to say. Gotcha!!! Oh and do you do anything for Australia Day when over there? I found that I did more when I was living out of the country then in.

    @ Sandi - of course you have no time for goodness sakes - 14 children? I bet they al love sports though too - well their Dad can tell them all about it! Cannot wait to catch up with your blog.

    @ Sarah - ok, you know that I kind of fancied a few players in my day. Imran Khan is all I am saying. The retired Pakistani cricketer who is now a politician. Gorgeous still to this day.

    @ Yellowdog Granny - well keep reading my blog through January and you will be able to throw some things into the conversation with your Aussie friend. Basically a googly is ball bowled by a bowler that looks as though its going one way but spins the opposite way by the time it gets to the batsmen. So its a tricky ball and gets the batsman off guard. There are so many terms like that in cricket. They are hilarious!!!!

    @ Saundra - yes we have football in winter here - we have four different types, Rugby League, Rubgy Union, Autralian Rules and Soccer. A lot of sport! Now we have lots of tennis happening too at the moment. Well I hope you get to visit some time too.

    @ Tiffany - basketball is a great game. One of the best I think! We love it here too.

    @ The Muse - sticky wicket and all - loved that so!!!

    @ Le - yes its a slight exaggeration to say all guys like cricket but it just seems that way at the moment. And oh while I am sitting her I have just been told that the 20/20 cricket game starts tonight. Joy, Bliss, oh hell!!! Here we go again. And the cricket is only interrupted to watch the tennis.

    @ Ugich - ow wow I never knew that either. I am learning so much from you. Arent you lucky you are a republic we are still hiding behind the Queen's skirts! Surely we can get to be a republic soon. OK well on Australia Day I am going to have something Indian to celebrate India becoming a Republic. Maybe it will rub off on us. The Queen is on our coins and notes still. Any suggestions for food I could do would greatfully be received.

    @ Miles per hour - its an acquired taste I have to say but I only ever eat Vegemite on toast - thinly spread. Wichety grubs - they look juicy enough but no, never even seen one let alone been close to eating one! Thanks for dropping by.

    @ punkipie - Well yes there is a bat and ball and fields people too so in that respect yes. Glad you stopped by I will come and visit you too. Ok, Basically a googly is ball bowled by a bowler that looks as though its going one way but spins the opposite way by the time it gets to the batsmen. So its a tricky ball and gets the batsman off guard. There are so many terms like that in cricket. They are hilarious!!!!

    @ Ugich - thanks for that. I was going to ask Des except I rang him to ask and he is watching cricket again - and all he wants to talk about are daisy cutters and dingly dobblys or some such thing. He said Shane Warne was the king of Googlys and also something else which I forget now. Oh the terms are hilarious are they not? No point in asking him! He watches the Australian Tennis Open soon too so he won't be resurfacing until Australia Day I expect!! LOL

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  20. @ Eric - well you are civilised. An afternoon of sport is enough I think. But hey, whatever people love to do. Its just that when its one thing at the expese of everything else then it can drive one up the wall. Guess thats how other people feel about our blogging. You need to give your boss yellowdog grannies blog address. She said she followed the cowboys too!!! Then again maybe Matt does too!

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  21. Beudy, Bonza post Lilly. When are you going to do a post on Australian slang that could be funny? I like cricket too but then a lot of Poms do.

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  22. Thoroughly enjoyed this post and love your new banner!
    You go, girl!
    Jlo

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  23. I'm not a sports fan, but my Dad and brother were football and baseball MAD. My mother always hated that on weekends, or huge color television was one game after another.

    Until she was laid up with a bad back, for a long time.

    Then, my mom starting watching sports, and my Dad and brother taught her everything she needed to know about the games.

    One Sunday afternoon, as I was walking into their home (I was an adult at this time), I heard my mother yell, at the top of her lungs, "Go you SOB, GO!"

    Alarmed, I ran into the house and my mom was, of course, watching some sports game with my father. I laughed, but it made me feel good to see them having such a good time together.

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  24. @ Stefan - yes I have that in the works.....he he.

    @ Jude - mmm. I am changing headers every month - this was to represent a true blue Aussie month.

    @ Gran - I love that story. Actually my mum is the same. She yells at the screen during the football. She was a football widow then a cricket widow. She had to grow to like the sport or it would have been hard for her I think as my Dad loved playing sport. My parents met on a tennis court though so....as for me I just whinge and don't watch unless we are talking finals. When I lived in the UK a lot of my time was spent at sporting stadiums through my ex's business. I got involved in soccer and grew to like the game and the gossip that went on behind the scenes of most top sporting clubs. LOL!

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  25. Hi Lilly!
    Cricket does not mean much to me (don't feel bad--I'm not into sports in general except basketball and tennis). I remember watching some great cricket matches in Singapore, they had a beautiful field there. I had no idea what was going on, though. :)

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  26. Your post makes me so glad that I'm married to someone who is NOT obsessed with sports (although, he does watch some Australian rule football now and again). Hubby is more of a 'free, creative spirit' like myself. One in a kind (having dated - in the distant past - men who were terribly obsessed with sports)! Here in the UK, football is the awful obsession of young and grown men! p.s. I'm looking forward to looking at the other Aussie sites you've mentioned:)

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  27. We have football and it's the playoffs right now. The good news is that I love watching it as much as my husband does!

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  28. I onced dated an Englishman who tried to explain the intricacies of cricket to me, but I'm afraid he was casting pearls before swine. The part of my brain meant to hold info about sports doesn't seem to retain very well.

    On the other hand, after checking out your pavlova link, I think I'm in love!

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  29. Cute post! I'm excited to ready your upcoming one's about Australia...it is one place that has always intrigued me!

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  30. Stopping by from SITS! I must say that I, and my family are really into sports, well one sport - College Football! We yell, jump up and down and what not during games - it's pretty intense. However, we're not alone. In the South everyone (or most) are like that so it's not uncommon.

    That being said, there is a limit; I mean at the end of the day it is just a game and the world's not going to end over it. It just takes a little perspective :)

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  31. I lived with a bunch of rugby players in college. What an experience!!!! But I loved every minute of it...
    I have always wanted to go to Australia, I am intrigued by your giveaway!

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  32. Lilly, although I have never watched or understood cricket, I certainly understand the obsession (especially of a sport which is the pride of the country). I love sports, have always loved sports and played just about every sport I could play as I grew up.

    The problem (or benefit, as I like to view it)here in America is that we have so many sports to choose from. And it's not only professional sports, this country is even more mad about college football and basketball than we are about some professional sports. And then there is, especially here in Texas, the complete obsession with High School football. It's almost like a religion here.

    And the mourning of men when their sports team doesn't do well is something I am ALL too familiar with. Our local professional baseball team has been in existence for 36 years and has never made to the World Series!

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  33. Hi Lilly, thanks for stopping by my blog, Bad Habit. This blog is great...love the videos on the thread below this one.

    Regarding sports, I'll admit that I know absolutely nothing about Cricket. We don't see much of that in the U.S., but from what I understand it's becoming more popular.

    To be honest, I'm a big baseball fan and spend a good part of my summer at the Chicago White Sox games. But don't get me wrong...I don't go just for the game, watching the guys stretch out on the field is a big part of my interest. ;-) My son always cringes when I take out the binoculars before the game begins, which is an additional perk....creeping out your kids. Every parent should take great glee in creeping out their kids. :-D

    Hope to see more of you...I'll add you to my blogroll. :-)

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  34. Great post along with the comments!
    I'm not much of a sports fan, but my husband and daughter are. Lovely tribute to Australia Day.

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  35. Lilly,
    When I was in college and dating a football player, I cared passionately about the game/the team's results.
    Now I barely know when the SuperBowl is....

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  36. Dear Lilly,
    I had been Australia 5 or 6 times and it is indeed a beautiful country.

    Your post on Aussi way of life will be truly complete if you cover what is written in a book 'Mutant Message Down Under' by Marlo Morgan. [My opinion and suggestion for your consideration].

    Looking forward to your interesting posts on Aussie way of life!
    Vivek

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  37. Thanks for the linkage, Lilly! If you're ever in New York, you need to stop by Tuck Shop, which you can see has Vegemite coming out the windows:
    http://tinyurl.com/8fzenq

    As for sports obsession, guilty as charged. I did work in sports journalism for years, so I used to pass it off as professional occupational hazard; nowadays, I have no excuse other than addiction. At least I limit myself to North American hockey and football.

    Out of curiosity, what other sports do Aussies go nuts over? Cricket, soccer, and rugby, I expect -- others?

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  38. I am so enjoying my visits with you and your amazing Australia. I was fortunate enough to spend three weeks (years ago) traveling in Australia and New Zealand. I fell in love with both countries. I traveled solo and met so many amazing people and saw so many incredible sights!

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  39. Your idea of sharing some Aussie facts will no doubt be very informative and entertaining. Your blog is full of juicy tidbits. While we are on the subject of this sunny country, consider this:

    Many non-Australians are still under the impression that Waltzing Matilda is the Aussie National Anthem. Some locals and foreigners would certainly like it to be!

    In watching The Dish movie, spectators learn that one of Australia's contributions to world history was that the Parkes Observatory received the images from Neil Armstrong's Apollo 11 Moon landing. The images broadcast around the world were thanks to Australian technology and team effort. Not everyone realizes obstacles that were overcome.

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  40. I am Canadian. That should give you a HUGE clue as to what our national sport is. Yup. Hockey. We are the home of Wayne Gretzky. Does that mean anything to you? Probably not. For a long time we had the world's biggest shopping mall too. I'll bet I have your attention now, don't I??? lol

    Anyway, it always boggles my mind how supportive and loving "true" hockey fans are. When their team is winning.

    However.

    When the team starts to lose, it is those loving and loyal fans who will be the first to start cracking jokes about how bad they are. And they just get angry. It's truly not only pathetic, but stupid.

    Like they could do any better, right? Ugh.

    Personally, I'll take soccer, ANY DAY. Especially if it is one where I happen to be playing! lol

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  41. Its true I for one love my sport. I've lived all over the world including Sydney and Aussies love more sports than most. If you think of other countries you mainly think of one or two sports. Australia has so many popular ones including that aerial ping pong game.

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  42. I've definitely heard of cricket, but I've never watched it and I've never played it. I liked this post.

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  43. Woo Hoo!! Hi Lillyness! I don't know doodlysquat about cricket, but I love to read your blog. You're the funniest one!
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia ;0

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  44. @ Mandy - no I think that is what the game is about only those on the field know whats going on but they do indeed have beautiful fields to play on so if you like watching grass grow its your kind of game, LOL!

    @ Cath M - well girl you had better get used to this seeing you are moving to live in Australia!! Is your partner Australian?

    @ Queenie Jeannie - I have seen your football games before but it kind of moves so slow I dont get that either. I do like baseball and basketball though, does that count!

    @ Jeanne - oh gosh, except you got it wrong its swine before a pearl...when it comes to cricket. Yes the English dislike our team intensely because they beat us once and it hit the papers for weeks and weeks. We have a friendly ongoing rivalry with our English cousins. They of course think we are still all criminals given the English settled in Australia and sent all their convicts here. Thank God is all I can say!!

    @ Tiffany - thanks, well I hope you get to visit one day plus go to see your MIL's homeland in Thailand too!

    @ Island Girl - thanks for dropping by - well its a good thing all the family enjoy it too!

    @ Koopermom - Rugby players - oh that would have been a bit rough! Thanks for dropping by!

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  45. Lilly. LOL! Yes, he's Aussie through and through!

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  46. I'd like to say "those silly men getting all riled up over a game!!"

    But alas I can't. I am a freak when it comes to my basketball team (GOOO UTAH JAZZ) And I to scream at the TV. jump up and down and pretend life is over if they lose a big game (which the do a lot!) I'm a sports fiend. I love baseball too...but not with the same fervor. So I can totally relate to the crazy obsession with Cricket. I'm glad you pulled it out in the end...now do I get to buy lipstick too?

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  47. I love the idea of you packing the whole Australian cricket team into a box (along with some other mementos - in my imagination each cricketer is about six inches high) and sending it off to some unsuspecting blogger on the other side of the world :)

    The main question I have about Australia, as a Brit who hasn't made it into the southern hemisphere at all yet, is how to plan a trip to such a huge country. Is it actually even possible to visit opposite sides of the island in one visit?? (without internal flights) Or is it more like the US, where you can sort of take it a state at a time? Any info/ideas appreciated because Australia blows my mind! :)

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  48. I hate sports with a passion. That's why I married my husband.

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  49. Hey Lilly
    I don't watch Cricket because I don't understand it. It confuses me to watch all those guys in white, I can't make out what team each is on! LoL ~ I do have a question, does your water swirl down the drain the opposite way of mine?

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  50. Hi LILLY
    Last episode of my Australian mystery novel I had my main character Pip lament that Oz newspapers didn't seem to grasp the fact that ALL people living here aren't sports addicts.

    The period over Christmas to mid January is the silly season here when you can only get sport on the front pages or, for that matter, for hours on end on the tele.

    I wish to yell from the rafters that there ARE many Aussies out there who aren't couch potatoes staring at cricket et al or, for that matter, competitive sports people.

    Spare a thought for us.

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  51. Hi again Lilly
    You may not have got the second message I left for you - I'll something Australian too and will link with you.
    June

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  52. Funny headlines for cricket of all thigns. Yes, know the game well--had to play it for my school all through highschool.

    I look forward to your posts on Australia. My mother lived there after the Japanese invaded Malayisia. She septn three years of her teens there that were very happy times, except for the fact they lost everything to the Japanese, jsut making it out on the last boat.

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  53. This post said to me "Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah"


    Ha Ha, I hate sports. Although I do like looking at David Beckman. But thank goodness my husband doesn't do sports either.

    I only understand the game of Baseball, it is the only game I will watch. Oh wait, I love gymnastics, but guess that really isn't the same.

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  54. @ Matt - yes I thought you would understand somehow. Oh gosh, it gets down to the high school level? Thats interesting then. We have four different types of football. All popular - cricket, tennis, basketball, golf, a lot of different water sports. They do have baseball here but not to the same extent as you do.

    @ Mary Ellen - I hear you LOL!! Thanks for visiting.

    @ Christine - I knew there was a reson I understood you and love your blog. You are sensible!

    @ Annie - LOL - funny! Even I might even know when the Super Bowl is on and I dont even live there.

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  55. I used to watch a lot of golf, and get all crazy about the Ryder Cup.

    "Joanie's" comment made me laugh out loud!

    The only thing I know about cricket is that I know absolutely NOTHING about it. It has never been televised nor played in my presence. Ever .... so my comment will be a little lack-luster!!!

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  56. Thanks so much for your visit and your kind words....If you are interested in seeing more of my pictures, the Archives are filled with them...I don't even know how many pictures I have uploaded in this past year...or even in the last few months....Anyway, there is much to see....

    As to Sports.....Well, it is NOT big in my life, at all....I do watch the Occassional Golf Final, especially if Tiger Woods is playing, but it is not something I mark on my Calender as a "must see"....no sports stuff is....And we have so many Sports channels on the cable, it is insane! And I live alone, except for my Cat, and as luck would have it, no Sports stuff interests him, either! So, I cope by watching lots of Movie Channels that have NO Advertising...lol! Now....THAT is what I am hooked on...!

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  57. Dropping by from sits. I spent a month in Australia so I know what cricket is. We have our football fanatics here. LOL. Have a great week!

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  58. Sport is a great thing but I have never understood the fascination with golf at all.

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  59. one thing I'm not is a sports fan so I would probably go nuts having to live thru this-lol. However, never say n ever--because you never know what I might enjoy watching.

    Hubby likes football, I disapear into the house someplace when he watches that.

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  60. "So tell me does sport have much meaning in your life or to those close around you? How do you cope?"

    The only sport I know is eating and shopping;)

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  61. found you through Chasingwentworthmiller.

    I can't believe how involved people get with sports teams. You'd think they were on the team themselves. Incredible.

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  62. We're a little freaky about the Red Sox. There. I said it. I'm not proud of it either.

    I really did like learning about cricket though. Those poor bastards seem a bit hopeless with all of their wallowing. At least I don't let anyone WITNESS me when I'm crying in my beer about a loss to the Yankees.

    I'm very much looking forward to the educational slant to you blog! Yay Lilly!

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  63. @ Vivek - thanks for the suggestion and I will look at this book!

    @ CT - ok well we play lots of sports the main ones are - Rugby Union, Rugby league, Australian Rules, Soccer, Hockey, Cricket, Basketball, Netball, golf and everything in between.

    @ Helen - that is wonderful that you came for a visit. And you travelled on your own too!

    @ Nikki - you can get all excited about basketball that is an action paked game - and you can get yourself a lipstick too!!! That is a balanced life, no?

    @ Rachel, thanks I will cover that in one of the posts I do.

    @ The Blonde Duck - lol I can assume then that its peaceful in your home.

    @ The Mind of a Mom - yes it does apparently - how strange is that. Oh so you get cricket on TV there, who would have thought? Its a wonder there is not more cricket in Canada actually given you are part of the British Commonwealth and all.

    @ Liara - thanks for that, it was really interesting. I am going to put up some unknown facts about Australia.

    @ Rhonda - well we play hockey here too and some ice hockey although with this warm weather you can see why its not such a big sport here. When are we going to see a video of you playing soccer?

    @ Banoffi - yes and aerial ping pong otherwise known as Aurtralian Rules I dont understand either. And why do the players wear such short tight shorts?

    @ Carmensincity - thanks for dropping by Carmen and for your comment. Is poker a sport?

    @ June - Maybe a link to Paternity might be good.

    @ Mmmmm - woo hoo a person who understands cricket! You should get an award of some kind. Yes, my grandfather was a prisoner of war to the Japanese for five years in Singapore. Changi Prison. I went there a couple of years ago to see. Can't imagine the horror really but he went on and lived till he was 94. Amazing man. My mum wrote a book about him and his life there.

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  64. @ Wheres my Angels - what is ther not to love? LOL!!

    @ Speedcat Hollydale....oh forgive me because for a long time there I thought you were Joanie's ex husband. I saw the mention of obsessive golfer and I immediately thought of you. Any clues why?

    @ Shelia - why thank you sweetie!

    @ Oldold lady of the hills - yes I wll be coming back to look at your pictures - loved the ones I saw too!

    @ Ms Cupcake - great you got to visit Autralia!

    @ Magee - me either I did try and learn and started to throw the ball and ot hit it - apparently that is frowned upon, who knew?

    @ Dawnie - yes knew we were alike!

    @ Jade - Hilarious comment made me laugh out loud!!

    @ Bern this - yes and the sad thing is they get involved in the team more than the players. The players are professional sportsmen who will switch teams if they get bigger contracts. Its kind of sad in many ways. I saw it up close with football in the UK. Thanks for dropping by.

    @ For Myself - yep poor bastards NOT! Wallowing, yes! Happens the world over I guess. Thanks for your comment and will be over to catch up with you soon.

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  65. So kind of you Lilly to think I'm skinny and young...but alas that picture was of some poor unsuspecting Home Depot gal named Tammy...who was kind enough to pose for a picture lol. I only WISH I looked that good!

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  66. Sounds an awful like the world series. New Englanders take their baseball seriously, much more seriously than Californians (where I'm orginally from) or even most of the rest of the country. Even kindergarteners here are quoting batting stats. Bizarre!

    Sounds like no matter what country you live, no matter how different the cultures, men will always be more into the sport of watching sports than they ought to be!

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  67. Thanks for giving me some insight into the game of cricket. Men here act that way about football. I have 3 televisions in the house so I can retreat to my bedroom and watch whatever I want when football is on the big t.v. in the living room. Just put one in the office so I can blog and watch at the same time! Some men here watch football all weekend from Friday night to Monday night.

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  68. @ Nikki - who needs to be skinny an dyoung when we can be funny!!!

    @ Alyson - they are the same the world over, tis true.

    @ Judy - ah, the advantages of so many TVs. Seems women know how to muli-task. Blogging, and viewing at the same time!

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  69. Lilly, even though I'm supposed to have two X chromosomes, I love my cricket. :) And yes, I was with the whole "it's the end of an era". However, I have toned down over the last couple of years...when I was back in India, I would not miss a single game played by Australia and I'm even guilty of missing school/uni due to wanting to watch a particularly exciting day's cricket. Coming here, I haven't had access to cable telly but still follow it religiously in the summer! :)

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  70. @ Psych Babbler - well I have heard that Indians love their cricket even more than Aussies. You are not going to be alone on this one here. Thanks for your comment and hope you are going well!

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  71. Big F watches no sports.....I watch FOOTBALL!!!!!!!! Philadelphia Eagles to be exact :)


    peace
    #2

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  72. @ sista - its a disease this sport watching I am telling you!!!

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Thanks for your comments.