Wednesday, September 30, 2015
New arrivals and new destinations
Well it's been a while since I've blogged on this page. Lots happening at the moment. Completed my first year of masters (over 35s) footy at Redcliffe, spent a week in Thailand for a bucks party, won some weight loss competitions, also won a free trip for two to see the Lions v Crows AFL game in Adelaide. The biggest change to the Fraserland family is probably the new addition of Pies the cat. We picked up Pies from the Little Legs Cat Rescue a few weeks ago and he is settling in nicely (apart from the occasional shredded jumper). The real test for Sarah will come in a few weeks time when we travel to Vietnam for 3 weeks and Pies gets to visit his grandma.
Thursday, July 10, 2014
Gold Coast Half Marathon
Well the day finally arrived. After three months of training, covering 350kms. We were well prepared.
Before I start I should mention our target goal times for the 21.1km race.
Me - 1:45
Sarah - 2:11
Suzy - 2:20
We drove down around lunchtime on the Saturday and checked into our hotel in Broadbeach, the lovely Le Chelsea Apartments. We stayed with another couple Suzy and Russ along with their son Oliver. Suzy was also running the Half Marathon. After check in we walked down to the main shops in Broadbeach and begun our carb loading at Sushimoto Sushi Train. After lunch we began the bus journey to Metricon Stadium for the Gold Coast Suns v Collingwood Magpies game. The game was ok despite my team playing poorly. More of a disappointment was not being able to enjoy the beers and especially the Cider bar right behind us.
After the game we headed back to the hotel for an early night and some pasta. A 4am wake up awaited us.
Sunday
4am
Early preparations are underway. A small breakfast of oats, a shower and putting on our marathon gear including our official marathon numbers. We decided to drive and try our luck and getting a park near the start line. We passed some really big bus lines on the way. We needn't have worried though, plenty of free parking at Australia Fair, a short walk from the start. It was there we met up with my mate Jorgo who happened to bring his awesome 7D Cannon SLR Camera. Although it was still dark at this time (5:30am) so the lighting prevented any decent pre-race photos.
This photo was taken with my phone. After we gave all of our gear to Jorgo we headed off to our starting positions. Suzy to the 2:20 group, Sarah to the 2 hour group and myself to the 1:40 start group. It was nice and cold at this time of the morning, but with so many people in one place (around 9000) it didn't feel too bad. I had a quick chat with a couple of people around me, trying to shake the nerves. After a while the crowd started slowly moving forward. I was about 2 minutes from the start line. I did some last minute checks on my GPS watch, turned on my iPod and hit the line running.
The Race
6am
Well I would like to say I started off running, but with a huge amount of people at the start line, it was difficult to get moving despite the fact I was supposed to be in the 1:40 group. Dodging around a few slower joggers I couldn't seem to find an opening. Then my sunglasses fell off, so I nearly got run over trying to rescue them. As soon as I was settled I realised that the pace was started to feel a little slow. I waited for the 1st km marker to check my pace. It was 5:20! Immediate panic as I needed at least 5 minute kms to get under 1:45. I started to pick up the pace and even resorted to running on the pathway, dodging some of the cheer squad to get around the slower runners. I hadn't seen the green balloons of the 1:40 pace runner yet, so I knew I had some ground to make up. The second km flew by in 4:11. So getting closer to my pace. The sun was just starting to peak over the horizon. I felt the group was still a little slow, so back up on the pathway again. Before I knew it, I was 5kms in. My pace was back on track and I started to get glimpses of the 1:40 pace setter. I rounded past my mate Killer who was on target for a 1:45 and tried to catch up to the pace setter. After a small hill climb I reached them. I settled in behind the man in the balloons next to a bloke who was blowing pretty hard. I was finding the pace a little easy, so I jogged up next to the pacer for a little chat. He advised to pick up my pace if I was finding it too easy. There is no point in leaving anything in the tank after the race.
The last 5 kms started to get a little tough, but I couldn't see any pacers in either direction. I was below my goal times for the kms splits that I had noticed, so I thought I was in a good place to beat my 1:45 goal, maybe even get close to the 1:40 time. I put my head down and ran the last couple as fast as possible. The crowd noise was terrific and I was very pleased and surprised to see the big clock reading 1:36 as I crossed (adjusted time was 1:34:10 minus the time it took me to cross the start line).
My stats:
After my initial goal was to get under 2 hours 6 months ago (adjusted to 1:45 after my training), I was ecstatic with my time. As you can see in this video (around the 1 minute 55 second mark).
http://www.couriermail.com.au/
After grabbing a drink I drifted back to the finish line to see how Sarah, Suzy and a few others I knew running the race. I missed the girls, but was able to cheer home my mate Cougar over the line.
After finding Russ we waited to hear how the girls went. Their times were:
Sarah - 1.57.57 (her goal time was 2.11)
Suzy - 2.13.58 (her goal time was 2.20)
Understandably everyone was very happy with their results. We spent the rest of our time on the coast at various pubs to celebrate.
Before I start I should mention our target goal times for the 21.1km race.
Me - 1:45
Sarah - 2:11
Suzy - 2:20
We drove down around lunchtime on the Saturday and checked into our hotel in Broadbeach, the lovely Le Chelsea Apartments. We stayed with another couple Suzy and Russ along with their son Oliver. Suzy was also running the Half Marathon. After check in we walked down to the main shops in Broadbeach and begun our carb loading at Sushimoto Sushi Train. After lunch we began the bus journey to Metricon Stadium for the Gold Coast Suns v Collingwood Magpies game. The game was ok despite my team playing poorly. More of a disappointment was not being able to enjoy the beers and especially the Cider bar right behind us.
After the game we headed back to the hotel for an early night and some pasta. A 4am wake up awaited us.
Sunday
4am
Early preparations are underway. A small breakfast of oats, a shower and putting on our marathon gear including our official marathon numbers. We decided to drive and try our luck and getting a park near the start line. We passed some really big bus lines on the way. We needn't have worried though, plenty of free parking at Australia Fair, a short walk from the start. It was there we met up with my mate Jorgo who happened to bring his awesome 7D Cannon SLR Camera. Although it was still dark at this time (5:30am) so the lighting prevented any decent pre-race photos.
This photo was taken with my phone. After we gave all of our gear to Jorgo we headed off to our starting positions. Suzy to the 2:20 group, Sarah to the 2 hour group and myself to the 1:40 start group. It was nice and cold at this time of the morning, but with so many people in one place (around 9000) it didn't feel too bad. I had a quick chat with a couple of people around me, trying to shake the nerves. After a while the crowd started slowly moving forward. I was about 2 minutes from the start line. I did some last minute checks on my GPS watch, turned on my iPod and hit the line running.
The Race
6am
Well I would like to say I started off running, but with a huge amount of people at the start line, it was difficult to get moving despite the fact I was supposed to be in the 1:40 group. Dodging around a few slower joggers I couldn't seem to find an opening. Then my sunglasses fell off, so I nearly got run over trying to rescue them. As soon as I was settled I realised that the pace was started to feel a little slow. I waited for the 1st km marker to check my pace. It was 5:20! Immediate panic as I needed at least 5 minute kms to get under 1:45. I started to pick up the pace and even resorted to running on the pathway, dodging some of the cheer squad to get around the slower runners. I hadn't seen the green balloons of the 1:40 pace runner yet, so I knew I had some ground to make up. The second km flew by in 4:11. So getting closer to my pace. The sun was just starting to peak over the horizon. I felt the group was still a little slow, so back up on the pathway again. Before I knew it, I was 5kms in. My pace was back on track and I started to get glimpses of the 1:40 pace setter. I rounded past my mate Killer who was on target for a 1:45 and tried to catch up to the pace setter. After a small hill climb I reached them. I settled in behind the man in the balloons next to a bloke who was blowing pretty hard. I was finding the pace a little easy, so I jogged up next to the pacer for a little chat. He advised to pick up my pace if I was finding it too easy. There is no point in leaving anything in the tank after the race.
Thanks to Jorgo for the above shot. So after leaving the 1:40 group, I was starting to feel like I could push a little harder, so I set off looking for the next group of people. After a few kms, I started to see balloons on the next pacer. For a split second I entertained the idea, that is was the 1:30 group, but as I got closer I saw it was another 1:40. There was a different 1:40 group for each section. Not knowing which section was mine, I aimed to beat this group to the finish. It was along this strip that I saw Sarah heading back in the other direction. She seemed to be travelling well and in front of the 2 hour group.The last 5 kms started to get a little tough, but I couldn't see any pacers in either direction. I was below my goal times for the kms splits that I had noticed, so I thought I was in a good place to beat my 1:45 goal, maybe even get close to the 1:40 time. I put my head down and ran the last couple as fast as possible. The crowd noise was terrific and I was very pleased and surprised to see the big clock reading 1:36 as I crossed (adjusted time was 1:34:10 minus the time it took me to cross the start line).
My stats:
After my initial goal was to get under 2 hours 6 months ago (adjusted to 1:45 after my training), I was ecstatic with my time. As you can see in this video (around the 1 minute 55 second mark).
http://www.couriermail.com.au/
After grabbing a drink I drifted back to the finish line to see how Sarah, Suzy and a few others I knew running the race. I missed the girls, but was able to cheer home my mate Cougar over the line.
After finding Russ we waited to hear how the girls went. Their times were:
Sarah - 1.57.57 (her goal time was 2.11)
Suzy - 2.13.58 (her goal time was 2.20)
Understandably everyone was very happy with their results. We spent the rest of our time on the coast at various pubs to celebrate.
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
12 Week Challenge Completed
Wow what a long 12 weeks! But we made it. 10 kgs for Sarah and 16 for me. We smashed past our pre challenge goals and are keen to continue the new lifestyle (after a few celebratory beers of course). We must thank our lovely personal trainer Sami for all her guidance. Sami gave us a continually changing diet and exercise routine and continued to monitor, motivate and push us all the way along the 12 weeks. We also had some help from our training buddies Pete and Adrian. Both did remarkably well in this challenge. Adrian lost a staggering 31 kgs and surely is a favourite to take out the national title.
During the 12 weeks Sarah and I have also been training for the July Gold Coast Half Marathon. We have been able to get our training distances up to 16K and setting new personal best times along the way. The 21K is our immediate goal at the Gold Coast but we might see what challenges we can reach by the end of the year. Maybe even a full marathon one day, who knows?
After the challenge we took some photos to compare against our old selves. Here is me from 2007 and today.
During the 12 weeks Sarah and I have also been training for the July Gold Coast Half Marathon. We have been able to get our training distances up to 16K and setting new personal best times along the way. The 21K is our immediate goal at the Gold Coast but we might see what challenges we can reach by the end of the year. Maybe even a full marathon one day, who knows?
After the challenge we took some photos to compare against our old selves. Here is me from 2007 and today.
Thursday, March 20, 2014
YNB Challenge
Apologies for the big gaps in my blogs. I keep forgetting about this page.
So anyway the end of last year was pretty crazy. Our big trip to Phuket was followed by 4 days at the Ashes test at the Gabba, a trip down to Sydney and Albury for Christmas to visit the relos and also a trek up north to Agnes Water for new years with some mates. These big trips included a bit of indulging and plenty of drinks to undo some of the work Sarah and I had done in our weight management for the year. So we decided to shake things up.
First we said goodbye to our loved, but small Jetts gym and signed up with a larger one. Genesis Lawnton. Around 10 times the size, this gym also appealed with added classes, more machines and a specialised spin class RPM room. They also had a new program coming up in the new year called the Your New Beginning (YNB) Challenge.
The YNB challenge runs for 12 weeks starting on February 17. So we signed up, paid our fee and met our new trainer Sami B. Sami set out our goals, designed our meal plans, provided recipes, organised our training exercises as well as taking us for a personal training session once a week. The program also included group PT sessions every Saturday.
So for the next 12 weeks, Sarah and I had to give up alcohol, takeaway, soft drinks and anything that is basically bad for you. We also have to work out every day. We also took this opportunity to sign up to the Spartan Sprint and Twilight 10km. After Sunday's Twilight run, we will look to register for the Gold Coast Half Marathon.
So far Sarah and I have lost 4 and 7 kgs respectively. 4 weeks down, 8 to go.
Head to www.fraserland.com to follow our progress
So anyway the end of last year was pretty crazy. Our big trip to Phuket was followed by 4 days at the Ashes test at the Gabba, a trip down to Sydney and Albury for Christmas to visit the relos and also a trek up north to Agnes Water for new years with some mates. These big trips included a bit of indulging and plenty of drinks to undo some of the work Sarah and I had done in our weight management for the year. So we decided to shake things up.
First we said goodbye to our loved, but small Jetts gym and signed up with a larger one. Genesis Lawnton. Around 10 times the size, this gym also appealed with added classes, more machines and a specialised spin class RPM room. They also had a new program coming up in the new year called the Your New Beginning (YNB) Challenge.
The YNB challenge runs for 12 weeks starting on February 17. So we signed up, paid our fee and met our new trainer Sami B. Sami set out our goals, designed our meal plans, provided recipes, organised our training exercises as well as taking us for a personal training session once a week. The program also included group PT sessions every Saturday.
So for the next 12 weeks, Sarah and I had to give up alcohol, takeaway, soft drinks and anything that is basically bad for you. We also have to work out every day. We also took this opportunity to sign up to the Spartan Sprint and Twilight 10km. After Sunday's Twilight run, we will look to register for the Gold Coast Half Marathon.
So far Sarah and I have lost 4 and 7 kgs respectively. 4 weeks down, 8 to go.
Head to www.fraserland.com to follow our progress
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Phuket
Ok since I've updated the website, I should update my blog. I wonder if anyone even reads this thing?
Anyway this year marks 5 years since our wedding in Ballina, so we thought a trip away would be a great way to celebrate. The location we decided on was Phuket, Thailand.
We booked our flights through Air Asia, flying out of the Gold Coast to Phuket via Kuala Lumper. The flight left quite early on the Saturday, so we decided to head down the the Gold Coast the day before. We were able to park our car at the hotel for the duration as well. We stayed at the Gold Coast Airport Hotel which was opposite the airport at Cooloongatta.
The flight was nice, although flying with Air Asia meant we had to pay for everything on board. We hired a couple of iPad's for the flight with pre-loaded movies. We also bought a few beers, spirits and food along the way. We had a 5 hour stop over at KL so to kill the time we checked into the Premium Plaza Lounge. It cost us $50 AUD for the 5 hours and included beer, soft drink, some food, WIFI and comfy seats to pass the time. We finally arrived at our hotel around 10:30pm.
Our first hotel was the Centara Beach Resort. A very large resort with three different pools, each with their own swim up bar (although one of them was under maintenance the three days we were there). Their gym was well equipped and we started every day in there. The buffet breakfasts were great and were included in the accommodation.
The first day we hung out around the resort, drinking in the swim up bars, relaxing in our private balcony juccuzi and ordering room service. We tried the Lotus room resturant for their Wok on Fire theme night the first night. You got to choose the ingredients (chicken, prawns, rice, noodles, veges etc) and they cook it up in front of you. Very nice. The other nights we visted the nearby bars and resturants outside. Two Chefs was the pick of them.
On the second day we caught a cab into Patong Beach to do some shopping and have a look around. A very busy place, but we had a nice time. The last day we did a short little pub crawl around Karon Beach.
The second hotel we stayed at was the Radisson Blu Plaza at Cape Panwa. This was a 5 star resort located on the other side of Phuket. We got it as part of a voucher deal. It also included wine on arrival, a couples massage and a day trip for two to Phi Phi Island. The resort was very nice, but a little expensive and also a bit isolated. We enjoyed the pools and the nearby shops and restaurants. The second day there we did the day trip to Phi Phi Islands, which was amazing.
Anyway this year marks 5 years since our wedding in Ballina, so we thought a trip away would be a great way to celebrate. The location we decided on was Phuket, Thailand.
We booked our flights through Air Asia, flying out of the Gold Coast to Phuket via Kuala Lumper. The flight left quite early on the Saturday, so we decided to head down the the Gold Coast the day before. We were able to park our car at the hotel for the duration as well. We stayed at the Gold Coast Airport Hotel which was opposite the airport at Cooloongatta.
The flight was nice, although flying with Air Asia meant we had to pay for everything on board. We hired a couple of iPad's for the flight with pre-loaded movies. We also bought a few beers, spirits and food along the way. We had a 5 hour stop over at KL so to kill the time we checked into the Premium Plaza Lounge. It cost us $50 AUD for the 5 hours and included beer, soft drink, some food, WIFI and comfy seats to pass the time. We finally arrived at our hotel around 10:30pm.
Our first hotel was the Centara Beach Resort. A very large resort with three different pools, each with their own swim up bar (although one of them was under maintenance the three days we were there). Their gym was well equipped and we started every day in there. The buffet breakfasts were great and were included in the accommodation.
The first day we hung out around the resort, drinking in the swim up bars, relaxing in our private balcony juccuzi and ordering room service. We tried the Lotus room resturant for their Wok on Fire theme night the first night. You got to choose the ingredients (chicken, prawns, rice, noodles, veges etc) and they cook it up in front of you. Very nice. The other nights we visted the nearby bars and resturants outside. Two Chefs was the pick of them.
The second hotel we stayed at was the Radisson Blu Plaza at Cape Panwa. This was a 5 star resort located on the other side of Phuket. We got it as part of a voucher deal. It also included wine on arrival, a couples massage and a day trip for two to Phi Phi Island. The resort was very nice, but a little expensive and also a bit isolated. We enjoyed the pools and the nearby shops and restaurants. The second day there we did the day trip to Phi Phi Islands, which was amazing.
The last resort we stayed at was the Novotel, Kamala Beach which was the pick of the locations and our favourite part of Phuket. 3 kilometres of beach with hundreds of bars and restaurants. Can't wait to get back.
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
2013
Man have I been slack with this blog account. Just did a re-launch with Fraserland, new location at Fraserland.com and linked to my blog account to read when I last posted. For those that were eagerly awaiting the next update. Yes we did go to Stanthorpe and it was fantastic. Photos up on Fraserland. Since the last post, Sarah and I began a health and fitness challenge. Results and photos also up on Fraserland. We are both feeling a lot better and fitter. Our next big adventure will be Phuket, Thailand. Which we are very much looking forward to. Before then I will also be heading down to Melbourne for my mate Jimmy's bucks party.
Till next time
Fraser out
Friday, October 19, 2012
Stanthorpe
Think I might take the missus to Stanthorpe this year for our anniversary. Anyone been? Im not a wine expert, but do enjoy the odd glass. Got a great deal on a spa cottage with daily breakfast. Not sure if November is a great time wine wise, but at least it wont be cold. Probably arrange some kind of wine tasting tour, so hopefully we will be able to stock the wine rack at home when we get back. Providing we don't drink it all while we are there.
Our last venture into wine country was Mount Tambourine a few years back. Should be fun.
Our last venture into wine country was Mount Tambourine a few years back. Should be fun.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Gold Coast and Oktoberfest
My favourite part of the year.
Last weekend I went down to Surfers Paradise with an old mate for his birthday. Nothing but warm sun, beach and drinks. Thanks to the Le Chelsea for another enjoyable stay. Highlights were the pasta at Billy Baxters, The Sushi Train at Broadbeach, The Beer Garden nightclub and The Groove Train bar in Robina. Top weekend as always.
This weekend marks the annual Brisbane Oktoberfest at the RNA Showgrounds. Thousands of people enjoying beer, sausage, pork knuckles and the music. If you're bored pop down for a beer, we'll be there, starting just before lunch on Saturday the 13th.
Pics from last year
Last weekend I went down to Surfers Paradise with an old mate for his birthday. Nothing but warm sun, beach and drinks. Thanks to the Le Chelsea for another enjoyable stay. Highlights were the pasta at Billy Baxters, The Sushi Train at Broadbeach, The Beer Garden nightclub and The Groove Train bar in Robina. Top weekend as always.
This weekend marks the annual Brisbane Oktoberfest at the RNA Showgrounds. Thousands of people enjoying beer, sausage, pork knuckles and the music. If you're bored pop down for a beer, we'll be there, starting just before lunch on Saturday the 13th.
Pics from last year
Friday, September 14, 2012
Back
A little late, but I did end up going to the South Island of New Zealand and it was magnificent. I'm still getting together all of the photos and will put them up on my website soon.
Our itinerary was:
Flew from Brisbane to Christchurch and stayed one night there. We had dinner down the road from the motel at the Monteith's Hotel. It was fantastic, the beer was superb and my first taste of NZ seafood was a terrific blue cod fish and chips. Sarah had the pork belly which was massive.
The next morning we flew to Queenstown and checked into our hotel at the Mercure Queenstown Resort, which was nestled on one of Queenstown's massive mountains. The view was spectacular. Since we arrived a little early to check in, the concierge booked us lunch at a restaurant that is only assessable via gondolier. We travelled up into the sky and had a huge all you can eat buffet. We got some great photos, checked out the town and went to bed early after some tasty room service.
Early the next morning we were picked up from our hotel by Real Adventures who took us on an all day tour to Milford Sound. The trip was long, but enjoyable. Once we arrived there, we were put onto a boat that took us on a nature tour around the sound. We got some more photos and got close enough to see some lazy seals. After the long day, we had dinner at the hotel restaurant, which was nice.
The next day we had two things booked in. Number one was an exciting ride on the Queenstown Shotover Jet. A high powered jet boat that goes through the Shotover river and through some canyons. Pretty cool. After that we went into town for lunch and then got picked up for our afternoon event, which was a tour out to the Onsen Hot Pools. We had the indulgence package which included champagne, grapes and an hour in our own private hot tub that had its own retractable front wall and roof that gave us a view over the mountains. After that we went into Queenstown for dinner, Sombreros Mexican Restaurant. Definitely recommended.
After another early morning pick up, we headed out to do some skiing at the Cardrona Ski Fields. Sarah went skiing, I did the snowboarding. Sarah was probably the better of the two of us. We spent most of the day in lessons, so in hindsight we should probably have done two days there. Dinner was room service again...gotta love those room delivered pizzas.
The last day in Queenstown was unplanned, so we just hung around the town. Breakfast was very nice, we killed some time at the Wharf Casino, then some Chinese for lunch and then hit the local wine tasting place. After some very tasty beverages we tried the local Italian place. The service was wonderful and the wine was prefect. The pasta itself was a little bit of a let down, but still an enjoyable day.
The next day we flew back to Christchurch where we once again hit up the Monteiths Hotel (massive chicken wings with sweet chili sauce and sour cream for entree...so awesome). Steaks and Lamb for dinner with some more of their great beer capped off our trip nicely. The next day we flew back to Brisbane.
A terrific holiday that I would thoroughly recommend. We did have perfect weather the whole time, so I guess we were a little lucky. Also with all our early morning starts, we didn't get a chance to check out the Queenstown nightlife, so a return trip with a group of mates will have to be done.
choice trip bro
Our itinerary was:
Flew from Brisbane to Christchurch and stayed one night there. We had dinner down the road from the motel at the Monteith's Hotel. It was fantastic, the beer was superb and my first taste of NZ seafood was a terrific blue cod fish and chips. Sarah had the pork belly which was massive.
The next morning we flew to Queenstown and checked into our hotel at the Mercure Queenstown Resort, which was nestled on one of Queenstown's massive mountains. The view was spectacular. Since we arrived a little early to check in, the concierge booked us lunch at a restaurant that is only assessable via gondolier. We travelled up into the sky and had a huge all you can eat buffet. We got some great photos, checked out the town and went to bed early after some tasty room service.
Early the next morning we were picked up from our hotel by Real Adventures who took us on an all day tour to Milford Sound. The trip was long, but enjoyable. Once we arrived there, we were put onto a boat that took us on a nature tour around the sound. We got some more photos and got close enough to see some lazy seals. After the long day, we had dinner at the hotel restaurant, which was nice.
The next day we had two things booked in. Number one was an exciting ride on the Queenstown Shotover Jet. A high powered jet boat that goes through the Shotover river and through some canyons. Pretty cool. After that we went into town for lunch and then got picked up for our afternoon event, which was a tour out to the Onsen Hot Pools. We had the indulgence package which included champagne, grapes and an hour in our own private hot tub that had its own retractable front wall and roof that gave us a view over the mountains. After that we went into Queenstown for dinner, Sombreros Mexican Restaurant. Definitely recommended.
After another early morning pick up, we headed out to do some skiing at the Cardrona Ski Fields. Sarah went skiing, I did the snowboarding. Sarah was probably the better of the two of us. We spent most of the day in lessons, so in hindsight we should probably have done two days there. Dinner was room service again...gotta love those room delivered pizzas.
The last day in Queenstown was unplanned, so we just hung around the town. Breakfast was very nice, we killed some time at the Wharf Casino, then some Chinese for lunch and then hit the local wine tasting place. After some very tasty beverages we tried the local Italian place. The service was wonderful and the wine was prefect. The pasta itself was a little bit of a let down, but still an enjoyable day.
The next day we flew back to Christchurch where we once again hit up the Monteiths Hotel (massive chicken wings with sweet chili sauce and sour cream for entree...so awesome). Steaks and Lamb for dinner with some more of their great beer capped off our trip nicely. The next day we flew back to Brisbane.
A terrific holiday that I would thoroughly recommend. We did have perfect weather the whole time, so I guess we were a little lucky. Also with all our early morning starts, we didn't get a chance to check out the Queenstown nightlife, so a return trip with a group of mates will have to be done.
choice trip bro
Friday, July 13, 2012
Holiday
Ok, been a while since I last posted. Tax time has come and gone for me. For once the tax man was kind. So the next logical step is a holiday. I've thrown around a couple of options, but the one leading the race is the New Zealand South Islands. The plan is to land in Christchurch, then make my way over to Queenstown. Plenty to do there I've been told. It will probably be cold. Other options are Fiji and on a smaller budget, our own Hunter Valley. Fiji for the beach, the Hunter for the wine. Kiwi-land will be the more expensive option. We did get Flight Centre to do a quote for us. Although Sarah might not be happy with the possibility of driving with snow chains. I would, but unfortunately hire car company's don't care for P platers. Ether way I should be flying somewhere around mid August. Any of my kiwi friends let me know your tips for the South Island if we end up on going. It will be choice bro.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Euro's continued
Ok, so I was off in a few of my tips. Who would have picked Greece and Czech Republic to finish top two of a group that contained Russia and Poland? Especially after the Russians smashed the Czech Republic in the first game. My Spain v Germany final is still on track. The competition is now up to the quarter final stages.
Czech Republic v Portugal
The Czech's will need a bit of luck and players like Rosicky to be ready when Christiano Ronaldo and Nani come to town. Ronaldo is flying and will tear them apart if they are not careful. The Czech's will rely on a bit of experience in their keeper Cech and striker Milan Baros. But i think Portugal will be too strong after emerging from the group of death and gladly playing the Czech Republic instead of Russia.
Prediction - Portugal 2-0
Germany v Greece
The Germans couldn't have planned it better if they tried. The Germans are just rolling along at the moment, not smashing teams, but doing enough. Even in second gear, the likes of Ozil, Gomez and Schweinstiger will be way too strong for the 2004 champions.
Prediction - Germany 3-0
Spain v France
The game of the quarters. Both teams loaded with talent. Spain started a little slow but are still the best squad on paper. Torres is liking his starting spot, Xavi is calling all the shots and they are about to hit their stride. France are struggling a little, but are all class. Benzema is demanding up front and with a little help from Ribery and Nasri, they could cause a big boil over here.
Prediction - Spain 2-1
England v Italy
England are performing very well despite their lead up. New manager Roy Hogdson has the squad gelling very well. Rooney leading the front line with Wellbeck should ask the Italians some good questions. The Italians are struggling to score. Pirlo is pulling the strings from midfield, but the strikers are failing to capitalise. Balotelli could be the wildcard if he gets some time on the pitch.
Prediction - Italy 2-1 (in penalties)
Czech Republic v Portugal
The Czech's will need a bit of luck and players like Rosicky to be ready when Christiano Ronaldo and Nani come to town. Ronaldo is flying and will tear them apart if they are not careful. The Czech's will rely on a bit of experience in their keeper Cech and striker Milan Baros. But i think Portugal will be too strong after emerging from the group of death and gladly playing the Czech Republic instead of Russia.
Prediction - Portugal 2-0
Germany v Greece
The Germans couldn't have planned it better if they tried. The Germans are just rolling along at the moment, not smashing teams, but doing enough. Even in second gear, the likes of Ozil, Gomez and Schweinstiger will be way too strong for the 2004 champions.
Prediction - Germany 3-0
Spain v France
The game of the quarters. Both teams loaded with talent. Spain started a little slow but are still the best squad on paper. Torres is liking his starting spot, Xavi is calling all the shots and they are about to hit their stride. France are struggling a little, but are all class. Benzema is demanding up front and with a little help from Ribery and Nasri, they could cause a big boil over here.
Prediction - Spain 2-1
England v Italy
England are performing very well despite their lead up. New manager Roy Hogdson has the squad gelling very well. Rooney leading the front line with Wellbeck should ask the Italians some good questions. The Italians are struggling to score. Pirlo is pulling the strings from midfield, but the strikers are failing to capitalise. Balotelli could be the wildcard if he gets some time on the pitch.
Prediction - Italy 2-1 (in penalties)
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Euro 2012
One of the biggest football events is about to take place on the far side of the world. The 2012 UEFA European Football championship. The final tournament is played between 16 teams every four years (2 years between the world cups). Unlike many other big world-wide supporting events, the Euro's are tough to follow when you live in Australia. SBS is the free-to-air holder this year and they are treating us to 8 games out of 31. 4 of these are delayed coverage that airs over a day and a half after the game is played. 2 quarter finals, 1 semi final and the final are live. I could live with that as long as the other games were covered by foxtel. Unfortunately that is not that case. The Irish television network Setanta currently holds the rights for every game. So you have to pay an extra $50 to get the channel added to your foxtel packaged for a minimum of 2 months...so i did.
Now the event itself should provide us with the best football nation in Europe (please don't let it be Greece again!). This year's host nations are Poland and the Ukraine. The defending champions are the all conquering Spain, who also currently hold the world cup. Here is my rundown of the key players:
Greece - Samaras (Celtic striker, experienced campaigner)
Poland - Szczesny (Arsenal keeper), Brozek (another Celtic striker)
Russia - Arshavin (Arsenal striker), Pavlyuchenko (Tottenham striker), Pogrebnyak (Fulham striker) Zhirkov (Former Chelsea midfielder currently plying his trade back in his home country)
Czech Rep - Cech (Chelsea keeper, champions league winner), Rosicky (Arsenal midfielder), Milan Baros (Galatasary striker)
Germany - I could list the whole team here, but the key players IMO are Ozil and Khedira (midfielders in Real Madrid), Gomez (striker for Bayern München), Podolski (striker I believe is heading to Arsenal) and captain Lahm (Bayern München)
Netherlands - From what i saw this morning, Schneider (Bayern München midfielder), Van Persie (Arsenal striker) and Robben (Bayern München midfielder) will be their key players. Van Der Vaart (Tottenham midfielder) will provide able support
Portugal - One man, Christiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid midfielder/striker), they will also rely on Nani (Man U midfielder) and Pepe (Real Madrid defender)
Denmark - Bendtner (Arsenal Striker currently on loan to Sunderland) and Agger (Liverpool defender)
Italy - Captain Buffon (Juventus keeper), De Rossi (Roma midfielder), Pirlo (Juventus midfielder) and up and coming superstar Balotelli (Man City striker)
Spain - Again could almost list the entire team here. Great depth at the keeping position with Casillas (Real Madrid), Valdes (Barcelona) and Reina (Liverpool). Ramos (Real Madrid), Pique (Barca), Xavi, Ineista, Fabregas (all Barca), Silva (Man City), Mata and Torres (Chelsea)
Ireland - Given (Aston Villa keeper), Damian Duff (Fulham midfielder) and Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy striker)
Croatia - Look to Tottenham for their stars Corluka (midfielder/defender), Kranjcar (midfielder) and Modric (midfielder)
France - Clichy (Man City defender), Evra (Man U defender), Malouda (Chelsea midfielder), Nasri (Man City midfielder), Ribery (Bayern München midfielder) and Benzema up front (Real Madrid)
England - Tough to name players that aren't key in this team. Hart (Man City keeper), Terry (Chelsea captain and defender), Gerrard (Liverpool midfielder), Lampard (Chelsea midfielder), Rooney (Man U striker) and Carroll (Liverpool striker)
Sweden - Mellberg (Olympiacos defender), Ollson (Blackburn defender/midfielder), Larsson (Sunderland midfielder), Ibrahimovic (Milan striker)
Ukraine - Led by experienced striker Shevchenko (Dynamo Kyiv) and Tymoshchuk (Bayern München midfielder)
My tips will be a Spain v Germany final. I would expect to see England challenge along with the Dutch. Italy and France will be thereabouts. My roughies are Sweden and Ireland. I hope Germany can get up, but i would expect Spain to take out the title again.
Player of the Tournament to be Xavi
Golden boot to be Van Persie
"Niech rozpoczną się Igrzyska"
(let the games begin in Polish)
Now the event itself should provide us with the best football nation in Europe (please don't let it be Greece again!). This year's host nations are Poland and the Ukraine. The defending champions are the all conquering Spain, who also currently hold the world cup. Here is my rundown of the key players:
Greece - Samaras (Celtic striker, experienced campaigner)
Poland - Szczesny (Arsenal keeper), Brozek (another Celtic striker)
Russia - Arshavin (Arsenal striker), Pavlyuchenko (Tottenham striker), Pogrebnyak (Fulham striker) Zhirkov (Former Chelsea midfielder currently plying his trade back in his home country)
Czech Rep - Cech (Chelsea keeper, champions league winner), Rosicky (Arsenal midfielder), Milan Baros (Galatasary striker)
Germany - I could list the whole team here, but the key players IMO are Ozil and Khedira (midfielders in Real Madrid), Gomez (striker for Bayern München), Podolski (striker I believe is heading to Arsenal) and captain Lahm (Bayern München)
Netherlands - From what i saw this morning, Schneider (Bayern München midfielder), Van Persie (Arsenal striker) and Robben (Bayern München midfielder) will be their key players. Van Der Vaart (Tottenham midfielder) will provide able support
Portugal - One man, Christiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid midfielder/striker), they will also rely on Nani (Man U midfielder) and Pepe (Real Madrid defender)
Denmark - Bendtner (Arsenal Striker currently on loan to Sunderland) and Agger (Liverpool defender)
Italy - Captain Buffon (Juventus keeper), De Rossi (Roma midfielder), Pirlo (Juventus midfielder) and up and coming superstar Balotelli (Man City striker)
Spain - Again could almost list the entire team here. Great depth at the keeping position with Casillas (Real Madrid), Valdes (Barcelona) and Reina (Liverpool). Ramos (Real Madrid), Pique (Barca), Xavi, Ineista, Fabregas (all Barca), Silva (Man City), Mata and Torres (Chelsea)
Ireland - Given (Aston Villa keeper), Damian Duff (Fulham midfielder) and Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy striker)
Croatia - Look to Tottenham for their stars Corluka (midfielder/defender), Kranjcar (midfielder) and Modric (midfielder)
France - Clichy (Man City defender), Evra (Man U defender), Malouda (Chelsea midfielder), Nasri (Man City midfielder), Ribery (Bayern München midfielder) and Benzema up front (Real Madrid)
England - Tough to name players that aren't key in this team. Hart (Man City keeper), Terry (Chelsea captain and defender), Gerrard (Liverpool midfielder), Lampard (Chelsea midfielder), Rooney (Man U striker) and Carroll (Liverpool striker)
Sweden - Mellberg (Olympiacos defender), Ollson (Blackburn defender/midfielder), Larsson (Sunderland midfielder), Ibrahimovic (Milan striker)
Ukraine - Led by experienced striker Shevchenko (Dynamo Kyiv) and Tymoshchuk (Bayern München midfielder)
My tips will be a Spain v Germany final. I would expect to see England challenge along with the Dutch. Italy and France will be thereabouts. My roughies are Sweden and Ireland. I hope Germany can get up, but i would expect Spain to take out the title again.
Player of the Tournament to be Xavi
Golden boot to be Van Persie
"Niech rozpoczną się Igrzyska"
(let the games begin in Polish)
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Thirds football
Ok, lets talk local footy. The Mighty Yeronga Thirsty Thirds have just completed their first round of the season (played all of the other 4 teams once). What we can take from the season is this: Another top quality team has joined our competition replacing the outgoing young, fast and strong Bond University as well as the older other 'thirds' team Beenleigh. With one team coming in for two outgoing, we are now down to a 5 team competition. With a top 4 finals finish, the equation is simple. Don't finish last and you will play finals.
The final 5 for me will be in this order:
Pine Rivers Swans - This new team who arrived from Div 3 North are a force to be reckoned with. They are the remaining members of the now defunct Strathpine team, who once won the senior div 1 comp that our Yeronga Seniors used to play against. The new brand of Swan player is big and fast. They love the dry conditions and will be hard to beat at home. Mike Salmon and Nate Boucher among their better players.
Jimboomba Redbacks - The reigning premiers finally have some competition from new boys Pine Rivers. They have been the dominant team of the past few years. The redbacks are an older team with good team structures built around a solid bunch of blokes who have played together for a long time. Their key player is Kim Watson. This bloke is probably the player of our division and is very hard to stop. Old stager 'Ringa' tends to be at the top of the goal kicking list most years. He has recently taken the coaching position and along with the Heppel brothers, Luke Valdes and Bear they form a formidable opposition. They should make the final this year, but might be a little behind Pine Rivers at this stage.
The Woodsmen - Playing out of the Sherwood ground, the Woodsmen have always been a tough team. They rarely have all their players available at the same time, but when they do they can rack up a high score. They are the most improved team this year and could challenge those two above. Their oldest player Mousy is their most skillful, but does tend to get injured. Their star at the moment is Tim Green, back from a spell on the sidelines with a broken arm.
Yeronga - I think we have what it takes to grab the decisive 4th spot. Our mixture of experience and youth is coming together well. This season is probably the newest team we have fielded in a few years. Some great ins and some tough outs (Jorgo, Doutta, BJ and even single game player PT). Skipper Vossy and VC Kieran are the heart and soul of the team. The latter missing a few games recently with a calf problem. Best players are hard to judge, but the form players for us at the moment are: Ben Freke - Tough as nails defender who reads the ball better than the opposition forwards. His run out of defence sets up a lot of our play. Josh P is a new addition with a lethal left foot. Josh is not typical thirds player and would be playing in the higher grades if it wasn't for work. Josh is a fitness machine and racks up huge possession counts. Russ is another key thirds player who has also suffered from injury lately. On his day can be one of the most damaging players in the competition. Russ has sublime skills and is tough to bring down when in possession. Others of note in the season new crop are; Josh H, Nate A, Jordy, Aidan and Bryan. Returning super stars Carlo, Jeremiah, Beefy and DJ Tribe have all been in good form. The next matchup between us and Collingwood Park will be a terrific contest.
Collingwood Park Power - The team we need to beat to make the finals. Like us this team is a combination of a few older players mixed with a lot of young blokes learning the game. Yeronga's last taste of finals came at the Power's expense. Their skipper Duey is the coach's son and their best player. He is tough, hard, fast and can tear apart the opposition. He is also a little hot tempered at times which i'm sure causes Collingwood Park some headaches. Livewire runner Jesse Koining can also be damaging on his day.
Well that's the wrap up. Apologies to those that don't like football, but I'm sure you wouldn't have read this far if you didn't.
The final 5 for me will be in this order:
Pine Rivers Swans - This new team who arrived from Div 3 North are a force to be reckoned with. They are the remaining members of the now defunct Strathpine team, who once won the senior div 1 comp that our Yeronga Seniors used to play against. The new brand of Swan player is big and fast. They love the dry conditions and will be hard to beat at home. Mike Salmon and Nate Boucher among their better players.
Jimboomba Redbacks - The reigning premiers finally have some competition from new boys Pine Rivers. They have been the dominant team of the past few years. The redbacks are an older team with good team structures built around a solid bunch of blokes who have played together for a long time. Their key player is Kim Watson. This bloke is probably the player of our division and is very hard to stop. Old stager 'Ringa' tends to be at the top of the goal kicking list most years. He has recently taken the coaching position and along with the Heppel brothers, Luke Valdes and Bear they form a formidable opposition. They should make the final this year, but might be a little behind Pine Rivers at this stage.
The Woodsmen - Playing out of the Sherwood ground, the Woodsmen have always been a tough team. They rarely have all their players available at the same time, but when they do they can rack up a high score. They are the most improved team this year and could challenge those two above. Their oldest player Mousy is their most skillful, but does tend to get injured. Their star at the moment is Tim Green, back from a spell on the sidelines with a broken arm.
Yeronga - I think we have what it takes to grab the decisive 4th spot. Our mixture of experience and youth is coming together well. This season is probably the newest team we have fielded in a few years. Some great ins and some tough outs (Jorgo, Doutta, BJ and even single game player PT). Skipper Vossy and VC Kieran are the heart and soul of the team. The latter missing a few games recently with a calf problem. Best players are hard to judge, but the form players for us at the moment are: Ben Freke - Tough as nails defender who reads the ball better than the opposition forwards. His run out of defence sets up a lot of our play. Josh P is a new addition with a lethal left foot. Josh is not typical thirds player and would be playing in the higher grades if it wasn't for work. Josh is a fitness machine and racks up huge possession counts. Russ is another key thirds player who has also suffered from injury lately. On his day can be one of the most damaging players in the competition. Russ has sublime skills and is tough to bring down when in possession. Others of note in the season new crop are; Josh H, Nate A, Jordy, Aidan and Bryan. Returning super stars Carlo, Jeremiah, Beefy and DJ Tribe have all been in good form. The next matchup between us and Collingwood Park will be a terrific contest.
Collingwood Park Power - The team we need to beat to make the finals. Like us this team is a combination of a few older players mixed with a lot of young blokes learning the game. Yeronga's last taste of finals came at the Power's expense. Their skipper Duey is the coach's son and their best player. He is tough, hard, fast and can tear apart the opposition. He is also a little hot tempered at times which i'm sure causes Collingwood Park some headaches. Livewire runner Jesse Koining can also be damaging on his day.
Well that's the wrap up. Apologies to those that don't like football, but I'm sure you wouldn't have read this far if you didn't.
Monday, May 14, 2012
Saturday
Well what a big day Saturday was. I won't go into detail about the Pies v Lions game as I don't remember much of it. But the parts i remember were fun. During the day we went down to the Piney for some beers and footy. We also got to meet the DT Talk website guys. These guys really know their stuff.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Hunger Games
To be honest, I'd never heard of the book until the movie came out. And i didn't really intend on seeing it. But i came across the book whilst scrolling though my kindle store and thought I would give it a go. The book is a great read and I'm already onto the second. Suzanne Collins is a terrific writer and also did the screenplay for the film. The film is also quite well done and sticks to much of the novel due in part to her writing and executive producing role. Jennifer Lawrence is spectacular as the protagonist and delivers a memorable performance. Woody Harrelson revels in his mentor role (possible because he gets to have hair) and old man Donald Sutherland plays the bad guy well. I look forward to the sequel. 4 stars.
Friday, May 4, 2012
Playoffs Part 2
For those waiting for the second part of this blog, sorry it took so long.
The West
Spurs v Utah (spurs 2-0)
Still hard to believe the jazz did so well this season without their past season superstars Deron Williams (nets) and Carlos Boozer (Bulls), but they surprised us all. Their current key player, NBA journeyman Al Jefferson has had a terrific season supported well by Devin Harris and some productive rookies. They are out of their depth in this round however as one of the championship favourites the San Antonia Spurs keep rolling along. Even when they rested their all stars Duncan, Ginobli and Parker at the end of the season, they still won. Aussie point guard Patty Mills who was getting around 3 minutes per game was seeing starts and did not disappoint. One game he produced 34 points and 12 assists!! So to summarise, the spurs run very deep and will take some stopping. I don't see the jazz getting anything in this series. Spurs 4-0
Thunder v Mavs (Thunder 3-0)
The defending premiers vs the youngest superstars in the league. The Mavs haven't had a great season. They started with a nightmare 0-7 start before their all star power forward Nowitski pulled them out of a hole. The loss of newly crowned defensive player of the year Tyson Chandler (Knicks) played a big part. The thunder however are flying behind scoring champion Kevin Durant and playmaker Russell Westbrook. Their speed and explosive attack coupled with the shot blocking ability of Ibaka makes them a formidable force. I think the mavs will get one back on their experience, but the series should end soon. Thunder 4-1
Lakers v Nuggets (Lakers 2-0)
The Lakers for some reason were dreadful on the road this year. They could not get it together. Their three all stars in Bryant, Gasol and Bynumm should be able to crush most teams but they seemed to be missing something. Enter Ramon Sessions. This quick little guard focused the laker offence and gave them another scoring option. They have stormed into championship contention and if Kobe can stay healthy, they are a big chance. The nuggets have had an up and down season. But have maintained good pressure on the top teams. Lawson has had a breakout year while former Knick Gullinari played well in spurts. They don't have enough this time however and the lakers will progress, probably after dropping a road game. Lakers 4-1
Grizzlies v Clippers (1-1)
Well after a pretty boring conference competition wise. We now look at this interesting little match up. The grizzlies have a vibrant little lineup that has surprised teams. Former high draft pick Mike Conley is having a great season and should be 2-0 by now after blowing a playoff record 27 point lead late in the 4th quarter in game one...wow. They regained their composure to level the series, but will regret that first game at home. The clippers are the entertainers of the NBA. Blake Griffin is a human highlight film. And with Chris Paul throwing the lobs and draining bombs from downtown, they are never out of any game. A close series this one, i say the Clippers in 7. LA 4-3
Well that's it. My beloved Knicks are now 0-3 and now own the biggest playoff losing streak in NBA history. That's bad...but at least i dont' follow the bobcats...I'm looking at you Michael Jordan...peace out
The West
Spurs v Utah (spurs 2-0)
Still hard to believe the jazz did so well this season without their past season superstars Deron Williams (nets) and Carlos Boozer (Bulls), but they surprised us all. Their current key player, NBA journeyman Al Jefferson has had a terrific season supported well by Devin Harris and some productive rookies. They are out of their depth in this round however as one of the championship favourites the San Antonia Spurs keep rolling along. Even when they rested their all stars Duncan, Ginobli and Parker at the end of the season, they still won. Aussie point guard Patty Mills who was getting around 3 minutes per game was seeing starts and did not disappoint. One game he produced 34 points and 12 assists!! So to summarise, the spurs run very deep and will take some stopping. I don't see the jazz getting anything in this series. Spurs 4-0
Thunder v Mavs (Thunder 3-0)
The defending premiers vs the youngest superstars in the league. The Mavs haven't had a great season. They started with a nightmare 0-7 start before their all star power forward Nowitski pulled them out of a hole. The loss of newly crowned defensive player of the year Tyson Chandler (Knicks) played a big part. The thunder however are flying behind scoring champion Kevin Durant and playmaker Russell Westbrook. Their speed and explosive attack coupled with the shot blocking ability of Ibaka makes them a formidable force. I think the mavs will get one back on their experience, but the series should end soon. Thunder 4-1
Lakers v Nuggets (Lakers 2-0)
The Lakers for some reason were dreadful on the road this year. They could not get it together. Their three all stars in Bryant, Gasol and Bynumm should be able to crush most teams but they seemed to be missing something. Enter Ramon Sessions. This quick little guard focused the laker offence and gave them another scoring option. They have stormed into championship contention and if Kobe can stay healthy, they are a big chance. The nuggets have had an up and down season. But have maintained good pressure on the top teams. Lawson has had a breakout year while former Knick Gullinari played well in spurts. They don't have enough this time however and the lakers will progress, probably after dropping a road game. Lakers 4-1
Grizzlies v Clippers (1-1)
Well after a pretty boring conference competition wise. We now look at this interesting little match up. The grizzlies have a vibrant little lineup that has surprised teams. Former high draft pick Mike Conley is having a great season and should be 2-0 by now after blowing a playoff record 27 point lead late in the 4th quarter in game one...wow. They regained their composure to level the series, but will regret that first game at home. The clippers are the entertainers of the NBA. Blake Griffin is a human highlight film. And with Chris Paul throwing the lobs and draining bombs from downtown, they are never out of any game. A close series this one, i say the Clippers in 7. LA 4-3
Well that's it. My beloved Knicks are now 0-3 and now own the biggest playoff losing streak in NBA history. That's bad...but at least i dont' follow the bobcats...I'm looking at you Michael Jordan...peace out
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Playoffs part 1
The shortened NBA season is over, now time for the players to perform on the big stage. The NBA playoffs.
Bulls v 76ers (Bulls 1-0)
The 76ers are the surprise packet of the NBA at the moment. The lack of stars in a well rounded team scraped into the 8th seed up against the top side in the east. Their franchise player Andre Iguodala has had an interrupted season and is getting good support from elder statesman Elton Brand and scoring punch from point guard Holiday and 6th man Lou Williams. The bulls are strong, but have just lost reigning MVP, Derrick Rose with a torn ACL. They are one up in the series and I still think they run a bit deep to get over Philly in 6 games.
Heat v Knicks (Heat 2-0)
The big three vs the new three. King Lebron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh will be striving to prove they are championship contenders after losing last years final series to the Mavs. While the Knicks are still learning to combine all stars Carmello Anthony and Amare Stoudemire with new sensation Jeremy Lin. Unfortunately this spate of knee injuries in the NBA have cut down Lin and unless they can progress past the first round, you wont see him again this season. The heat are all class and will be too much for my boys. The heat in 4 games and Lebron to come away with the league MVP...but will he finally get a championship ring to go with it?
Pacers v Magic (1-1)
The most improved team up against a Magic team that limped into the playoffs and now without their superstar Dwight Howard. Another round probably ruined by a season ending injury. The magic will struggle to put points on the board without him. The pacers are another depth team with a solid starting 5. Their hopes of advancing will hinge on Granger, Hibbert and Paul George. While Dave West is having a great end to the season and will push the magic in a tight series. I see this going to 7 with the pacers winning with a slightly larger firepower.
Celtics v Hawks (Hawks 1-0)
The celtics came into the playoffs with good form. The old big three of Pierce, Garnett and Allen has almost been overshadowed by the form of their new superstar Rajon Rondo. The hawks team has built solidly over the past couple of seasons and are very tough to beat at home. This made harder by the celtics dropping their opening home game. They will now have to win in Atlanta to push the series. The suspension to Rondo for chest bumping a referee not helping things. Another close series and I think Pierce and the boys will come back and win in 7.
Part 2 we will look to the west, stay tuned.
Bulls v 76ers (Bulls 1-0)
The 76ers are the surprise packet of the NBA at the moment. The lack of stars in a well rounded team scraped into the 8th seed up against the top side in the east. Their franchise player Andre Iguodala has had an interrupted season and is getting good support from elder statesman Elton Brand and scoring punch from point guard Holiday and 6th man Lou Williams. The bulls are strong, but have just lost reigning MVP, Derrick Rose with a torn ACL. They are one up in the series and I still think they run a bit deep to get over Philly in 6 games.
Heat v Knicks (Heat 2-0)
The big three vs the new three. King Lebron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh will be striving to prove they are championship contenders after losing last years final series to the Mavs. While the Knicks are still learning to combine all stars Carmello Anthony and Amare Stoudemire with new sensation Jeremy Lin. Unfortunately this spate of knee injuries in the NBA have cut down Lin and unless they can progress past the first round, you wont see him again this season. The heat are all class and will be too much for my boys. The heat in 4 games and Lebron to come away with the league MVP...but will he finally get a championship ring to go with it?
Pacers v Magic (1-1)
The most improved team up against a Magic team that limped into the playoffs and now without their superstar Dwight Howard. Another round probably ruined by a season ending injury. The magic will struggle to put points on the board without him. The pacers are another depth team with a solid starting 5. Their hopes of advancing will hinge on Granger, Hibbert and Paul George. While Dave West is having a great end to the season and will push the magic in a tight series. I see this going to 7 with the pacers winning with a slightly larger firepower.
Celtics v Hawks (Hawks 1-0)
The celtics came into the playoffs with good form. The old big three of Pierce, Garnett and Allen has almost been overshadowed by the form of their new superstar Rajon Rondo. The hawks team has built solidly over the past couple of seasons and are very tough to beat at home. This made harder by the celtics dropping their opening home game. They will now have to win in Atlanta to push the series. The suspension to Rondo for chest bumping a referee not helping things. Another close series and I think Pierce and the boys will come back and win in 7.
Part 2 we will look to the west, stay tuned.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Traffic
Well this morning I decided to drive into work, so I would have my car to get to footy training. Big mistake. The trip took me 20 minutes longer than my usual train trip...and that includes changing trains. But it wasn't the time that was the worse thing. I kind of accepted it would be long. But the boredom of sitting bumper to bumper for over an hour. With nothing to entertain me except idiotic morning radio DJs. I usually don't listen to the radio in the morning, so i was surprised to realise that all the major commercial stations had changed to talk back radio for their morning shows. Is it too much to ask for a little bit of music? I will definitely be stocking up my car with CD's when i get home. Anyway it was an experience that has made me a better man. But I think next time ill go back to my old trusty quiet carriage on the train with my kindle reader and pass the time hanging out with Harry, Frodo and the gang.....i mean the latest football autobiography.
Monday, April 23, 2012
The roar
Quick blog today. Super busy after a few days off lately.
Went to the A-League GF yesterday. Terrific day and a good win for the hometown heroes. I went sober to Suncorp. A unique experience for me, but worth wile as thanks to Benny and Jeremiah's sister I had a car park right near the stadium. Also due to me finally passing my driving test, I was able to drive myself all the way from Strathpine.
Anyway back to the game. Perth held a slender lead after an unfortunate own goal just after half time, but in typical roar fashion they fought back to equalise through a Barisha header. The game was decided unfortunately by a referee error in my opinion. But the roar deserved the victory nonetheless. Thanks to Benny Stewart for organising the tickets.
Went to the A-League GF yesterday. Terrific day and a good win for the hometown heroes. I went sober to Suncorp. A unique experience for me, but worth wile as thanks to Benny and Jeremiah's sister I had a car park right near the stadium. Also due to me finally passing my driving test, I was able to drive myself all the way from Strathpine.
Anyway back to the game. Perth held a slender lead after an unfortunate own goal just after half time, but in typical roar fashion they fought back to equalise through a Barisha header. The game was decided unfortunately by a referee error in my opinion. But the roar deserved the victory nonetheless. Thanks to Benny Stewart for organising the tickets.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
What's up
Been pretty slack lately with my blogging. But in my defence I have been busy hurting my liver with excessive drinking. With my wife working everyday over the Easter break I found myself home alone in front of the tv, often with a stubby in my hand. On the plus sign, I managed to watch a lot of sport. Most of my teams doing ok. Collingwood managing to scrape over the line against a plucky Tigers team (I say plucky as i hate the term 'brave' that the media uses every time an outsider goes down in a close game). They were plucky because they were down and out a few times, but didn't give up...as crap as they were. Manly pulled themselves out of a form slump to smash the terrible panthers in their first home game for the year, despite missing several key players.
Chelsea had a mixed bag over the week. They qualified for the semi finals in the Champions league last week after a close second leg against Benifica. They also beat Wigan to give themselves a chance of making the top 4, but drew this morning against Fulham to make it a little more difficult. The Knicks got up in a cliff hanger against the Chicago Bulls in overtime thanks to 43 points from Carmello Anthony. My lower league English football team Ebbsfleet United (of which I am a part owner) drew this morning to Braintree Town to ensure our survival in the Blue Square league for another year. A big accomplishment after being one of the favourites for the drop. Liam Daish doing a fantastic job with a limited squad. I may even put my stamp on his contract extension for the next few years.
Well that's it from me in the world of sport. Catch you next time.
Chelsea had a mixed bag over the week. They qualified for the semi finals in the Champions league last week after a close second leg against Benifica. They also beat Wigan to give themselves a chance of making the top 4, but drew this morning against Fulham to make it a little more difficult. The Knicks got up in a cliff hanger against the Chicago Bulls in overtime thanks to 43 points from Carmello Anthony. My lower league English football team Ebbsfleet United (of which I am a part owner) drew this morning to Braintree Town to ensure our survival in the Blue Square league for another year. A big accomplishment after being one of the favourites for the drop. Liam Daish doing a fantastic job with a limited squad. I may even put my stamp on his contract extension for the next few years.
Well that's it from me in the world of sport. Catch you next time.
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