Dylan Howard

Dark times for the Demons

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 20:50:15 -0800

Forget the Gold Coast. Put Western Sydney on hold.

The heart of the competition's oldest club might claim to beat true for the red and the blue, but that ticker is out of rhythm.

These are dark times, bleak and black. ...

Too many Cooks spoil the broth

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 14:45:30 -0800

Brian Cook is the best in the business.

He's the nation's pre-eminent sporting chief executive, who currently resides in an office at the Geelong Football Club, but could walk into any club or league in the land, launch a successful takeover and write his own pay cheque to do so. ...

Big, banned Barry Hall

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 08:56:14 -0800

Sometimes the scoreline pales into insignificance compared with the most important contest of all: life.

Sydney's shock revelation that its psychologist Grant Brecht had ordered Barry Hall to be shelved indefinitely is not a gross overreaction, but a reminder that athletes are susceptible to the rollercoaster of life, as much as anyone.

In the classical stereotype, sport stars are meant to be as optimistic as a used car salesman. ...

Barry Hall. What were you thinking?

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 10:03:54 -0800

Big Bad Bustling Barry Hall. What were you thinking?

To debate the answer to that question is a pointless exercise. No-one, in their right mind, could provide the explanation why the hot-headed Swan chose to wage war with his left fist, putting Eagle Brent Staker that far into next week it could have - according to brain experts - had him leaving Sydney in a coffin rather than a commercial jet. ...

Pre-Season Cup v Priority Draft Pick

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 10:12:53 -0800

IN the pursuit of crappiness, tanking, the game's most powerful man would seem confused at best.

By forcing Sydney coach Paul Roos to front an inquiry into the serious charge of match-fixing - one based on the interpretation of a remark uttered to a player - chief executive Andrew Demetriou is not only guilty of sullying the reputation of one of the code's great servants, but also a mecca of hypocrisy. ...

We need more from Ben Cousins

Thu, 07 Feb 2008 14:48:27 -0800

Ben Cousins still has a story to tell. He hinted at it, but the full version is not for release - just yet.

The Brownlow Medallist's first public appearance in Sydney on Wednesday felt a bit like eating an entree, only to told there was no main course.

You were left wanting more.

It took, of all sportspeople, the loud-mouthed Anthony Mundine to coax him into the spotlight to help promote the anti-drug message to youth.

It was a welcomed sight. ...

Sorry that was no apology

Thu, 24 Jan 2008 10:47:46 -0800

FORMER Prime Minister John Howard couldn't say that precious word, sorry, until he was staring down the barrel of losing his job.

Perhaps it was because Steve Johnson knew his was safe that he couldn't bring himself to mutter an apology.

The problematic Cat, who police clocked driving at 78km/h above the speed limit last week, fronted the media in what was supposed to be a stage-managed show of remorse. ...

The 'Tilley' season

Wed, 23 Jan 2008 12:35:57 -0800

It is Open season on Craig Tilley. Don't know him? He's the bloke being blamed for Lleyton Hewitt's Melbourne Park exit.

He'll be hung, drawn and quartered in Garden Square later today.

There have been calls for the South African-born tournament director to resign – and if not, be sacked - after he made Lleyton Hewitt and Marcos Baghdatis play their now infamous marathon five-set, 4 hour 45 minute match in graveyard hours.

Tilley is unrepentant. ...

The dark side of tennis

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 11:11:54 -0800

TYPE tennis and violence into a Yahoo!7 news search.

This columnist found 379 responses at 9.44pm on Wednesday.

Newspaper articles, online, from outlets right around the world: Los Angeles Times, the UK's Daily Telegraph, The Times of London, Daily Mail, International Herald Tribune, Bangkok Post and Boston Globe et al en masse.

Check on Thursday. There will be 10 times that.

Melbourne is about to face the brunt of worldwide condemnation. ...

Hewitt stumped

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 11:27:34 -0800

Lleyton Hewitt and the Indian cricket team have a lot in common. Sore losing.

When big-serving Victorian Chris Guccione blasted Hewitt out of the Sydney International last week, the former world number one responded with a petty analogy.

It's just not cricket, he moaned.

"I feel like the cricketers, I think," the former world number one said. "What's going on with all the refs these days? They're useless. ...