Easter and Anzac are times to think about the past and how others sacrificed so that we can live.
There are also moments of optimism and excitement about the future this week, ultimately symbolised in THE wedding of the year between Prince William and Kate Middleton.
These themes of resurrection, remembrance, and optimism are also reflected in sport. Terry Serepisos, for example, has risen from the ashes, having saved three of his companies from liquidation, including the company that owns the Phoenix franchise.
He claims to have a five-year sponsorship deal worth more than $10 million lined up for the team, which would be a relief for the troubled businessman who has had to dip into his own pockets and recently relied on some mystery source to keep his businesses afloat.
Talking of floating, the Warriors must be on cloud nine after beating the Melbourne Storm, giving league fans in New Zealand something to smile about after an inconsistent start to the season. Maybe it was the emotion of Anzac Day that helped the Warriors rise to the occasion, putting an end to the Storm's winning streak on home soil.
Unfortunately, the Breakers couldn't break the home advantage in Cairns, but what a match. The commentators kept harping on about the game potentially being the lowest-scoring ANBL final ever (a polite way of saying the most boring) but just as the final hooter was about to blast, the game went from average to awesome.
I'm not an avid basketball fan, but even I was on the edge of my seat joining in with the monotone chanting characteristic of court-side spectatorship in this Americanised game.
Players on both sides pulled out the big shots when it mattered, putting the game into overtime not once but twice. I didn't think my heart would cope.
Do they go into extra time at the Rugby World Cup if there is a draw in the final? They may need several defibrillators nearby if that is the case!
Maybe losing the second game in order to get the home advantage was the Breakers' plan all along. For a New Zealand-based franchise, this would be the best scenario. Sponsors will be happy with the extra exposure, and New Zealand-based fans get an opportunity to see their team not only in action but potentially winning the ANBL.
This bunch of tall, gangly athletes in the only sport where uniforms are getting bigger and looser may be the first team in a transtasman league to win a final, and beat the Aussies. It is no wonder the small-time ticketing system couldn't cope with the demand from sporting opportunists trying to get the hottest tickets in town.
From a money-spinning perspective it is strange that they chose to stay at the 4300-capacity NSEC rather than transfer to the much bigger Vector Arena.
Breakers general manager Richard Clarke put a reality check on the debate when he reminded us that it is about winning first.
The reason playing at home is considered an advantage is because of familiarity and fans. If the Breakers are familiar with the rims and hoops at the NSEC then all power to them.
I hope they produce nothing but net all night long. And it's best we surround these fragile athletes with an intimate audience of their most loyal season ticket-holding fans. We don't want to spook them at a time like this.
This is why so many seasoned and semi-retired athletes are being resurrected. They've been there and done that and keep a cool head in high-pressure situations. As long as they haven't developed a beer gut and double chin while hibernating, they're still an asset to their sport.
In equestrian circles they have Mark Todd, and in rugby we have Tana Umaga, Tony Brown and now Reuben Thorne.
Are we so shallow in terms of talent in New Zealand rugby that we have to resort to club rugby ranks and overseas castoffs?
The answer is yes, and if it works, why not?
The Highlanders seem to have found a muse in Tony Brown, so it is no surprise that the Crusaders have followed suit and will practise their Reuben Thorne chant this weekend.
Here's to the legends that have been, the legends who keep going, and to legends in the making.
