Hear them roar
Michael Jordan — the GOAT, now and forever — and his amazing Chicago Bulls introduced us to the concept of the threepeat, or winning three straight championships.
But has there ever been a threepeat quite like the mighty Penrith Panthers winning the NRL in 2021, 2022 and 2023?
Having been a Panthers fan for over 30 years, I am a little biased.
It is among the world’s toughest, most even competitions. A properly enforced salary cap gives every team a chance to thrive, and means top teams have to spread the talent around.
Take a look at a recent span (2010-16). Seven seasons, seven different champions. And that is one of the things that makes the NRL so great.
Competitiveness is the lifeblood of sport, but there is also something special about absolute greatness. And these Panthers, led by the wonderful father-son duo of coach Ivan Cleary and halfback Nathan Cleary, are genuinely great.
Up the Pahs!
Here’s an idea
No, seriously, hear me out.
Hawke’s Bay rugby — in disgrace after its appalling treatment of the treasured Ranfurly Shield — should absolutely be stripped of the Log o’ Wood.
I would love to see an action that would simultaneously punish the Magpies for their indiscretions and pour some life back into the Shield.
Put it into the Heartland Championship.
How good would that be? Imagine the excitement in places like Ruatoria and Westport, Oamaru and Ashburton.
Give it to Horowhenua-Kapiti, who finished dead last this season, and ring-fence the Shield in Heartland rugby for two or three years.
Calm before the storm
There is a woman — she shall remain nameless but let’s just say she gets very cross with me if I dare to suggest the All Blacks might not win the World Cup — who is convinced Ian Foster’s men are on track.
She feels it is our national duty to give the men in black our wholehearted support as they prepare for a crunch quarterfinal in France.
Meh. I’m too cynical for all that. I was there in Cardiff in 2007, remember!
The truth is, these All Blacks have not really earned our unconditional faith.
They have been up one minute, down the next over the past two years.
They can look like absolute world-beaters but they can also look like deer in the headlights.
If they fire, if the tight five play out of their skins, if Ardie and Shannon are Ardie and Shannon, if Richie Mo’unga proves he is definitely not a flat-track bully and if Will Jordan gets lots of ball, they can certainly beat Ireland (I’m assuming that will be their opposition) in the quarterfinal.
But I will not be putting my money on it.
Gidday, mates
This news rather slipped through the net in the middle of all these infernal world cups.
Another New Zealand basketball team is now under Australian ownership.
The Taranaki Airs have been sold to Media8, a sports media company fronted by Boomers great and former NBA first round draft pick Chris Anstey.
They follow our own Otago Nuggets, who are essentially with the Perth Wildcats under the umbrella of the Sports Entertainment Group.
Things have worked out pretty well for the Nugs — they have recruited and retained talent, won their first NBL title and brought some real hoops buzz back to the city — so it will be interesting to see how the Airs go under new bosses.
It’s still an interesting concept, having provincial New Zealand sports teams in foreign ownership. Does it bother anyone?
Magnificent theatre
The Ryder Cup never disappoints.
The latest edition of the series had it all: the 4-0 European whitewash on the opening morning; Scottie Scheffler crying; the saga (based on fact or otherwise) of Patrick Cantlay going hat-less in a protest against playing for free; Tommy Fleetwood sealing the deal for the good guys; Rory McIlroy threatening to put caddy Joe LaCava in hospital.
After some unsavoury business (the LIV dramas, mainly), it was nice to be reminded golf still needs the Ryder Cup.
They do bite
The French government has vowed to tackle the "scourge" of bedbugs in Paris that threatens to overshadow the 2024 Olympic Games, Reuters reports.
Social media users have been publishing footage of the insects crawling around in high-speed trains and the Paris metro, alongside a raft of online articles about bedbugs in cinemas and even Charles de Gaulle airport.
Paris Mayor Emmanuel Gregoire said: "You have to understand that in reality no-one is safe. Obviously there are risk factors but in reality, you can catch bedbugs anywhere and bring them home.
"The state urgently needs to put an action plan in place against this scourge, as France is preparing to welcome the Olympic and Paralympic games in 2024."
Off cue
Trousergate?
Chinese snooker player Ding Junhui had to forfeit the opening frame for ... wait for it ... wearing the wrong trousers in his 4-3 win over compatriot Ma Hailong at the English Open on Monday.
The 36-year-old donned his usual brown snooker suit with bow tie and waistcoat, having forgotten about the all-black dress code for the event held in Brentwood near London, Reuters reports.
Despite a friend's quick run to a store to purchase the correct uniform for the game, Ding was late for the start of the match by the time he was ready to play and was docked the opening frame.
Gym queen
It was desperately sad to see the greatest gymnast in history, Simone Biles, come unstuck at the Tokyo Olympics two years ago.
How wonderful to see the sport’s superstar back to her peerless best at the world championships in Antwerp this week.
She led the United States to team victory and landed this extraordinary Yurchenko double pike that will now be named after her.
