Brad Fittler is a mainstay of Nine's NRL coverage as sideline commentator and weekend pundit. He's also the eponymous wrangler of Freddy's Pass Off ‒ the most chaotic segment on TV.
Category: sport
Sporting fandom is a realm of unbridled passion. In loving a team, rationality and perspective tend to be the first casualties. Having a second team makes sport fun again.
Gambling in sport is by no means a new phenomenon. It’s been written about at length, each season heralding a new swathe of jarring sponsorships (RIP Brookvale) and controversy.
Why do we support a club in the first place? Maybe it’s family tradition. Maybe it’s regional loyalty. Often, it’s witnessing a moment of magic or defiant comeback at just the right moment in childhood when our allegiance is up for grabs.
Allianz Stadium was a strange place to be on Friday night. The Waratahs had declared their intention to bin the box kick and get back to running rugby during the week. It was a bizarre admission of erstwhile poor tactics. Perhaps more a desperate plea to fans.
Oh yes, maximum! This week we settle in with Hampshire's finest, Mark Charles Jefford Nicholas. Face value Gives the impression of having been a very Dapper Dan in his pomp. In truth, he’s probably just grown into an age that suits him ‒ and that age is 59, which doesn't seem right. Rarely caught in anything … Continue reading Sport People on TV: Mark Nicholas
At least there's no immediate threat of the machines taking over... The lights are not long out on the inaugural day-night Test in Adelaide and reviews are of the rave variety. The crowds turned up. Pundits pontificated excitedly - at excessive length - about a pink ball which ultimately behaved itself. And the cricket, despite … Continue reading Trust Issue: Cricket’s DRS Farce Continues
Sports journalism is a topical business by nature. Desperate to fill column inches, writers will always jump on a timely issue. A few months ago, the Women's Football World Cup was the bandwagon du jour. The plucky underdog narrative was available. And the Matildas duly obliged with a strong showing. "Turns out our girls are … Continue reading The Obscene Neglect of Women’s Football in Australia (and Everywhere Else)
It's a path frequently taken. Reach the pinnacle of a sport. Conduct teary retirement press conference. Receive cushy commentary gig for life. This is how it works, and that's fine. Inviting viewers to tap into the thoughts of the best in the business - especially those fresh out of the game - makes perfect sense. The problem arises in … Continue reading Shane Warne: Chief Symptom of the Ex-Pro Punditry Club
We’re grown-ups. Surely we have stuff to do… A ball moves. Hit or kicked or thrown by strangers. Who run. And jump. In formation. Some spit. Expectation swells and abates then swells again as the ball goes over the net. Or into it. Or over the line. Or through the thing. The numbers change. Another … Continue reading Why do we emotionally invest in sport?
