David EdwardsHero and Villain: Stanley Gene vs Ricky Ponting
November 9th 2008 23:28
I wept openly last night, for two sporting moments touched me deeply. One moment touched me gently, prompting a wave of emotion that I was unaware i even possessed. On the other hand, one sporting moment touched me in a strange place, like a devious paedophile breaching the unwaivering trust of an innocent child.
The first moment was the retirement of PNG hero, rugby league stalwart Stanley Gene. The scoreline, 46 - 6 in favour of Australia, was irrelevant to Gene, and indeed, his team-mates. The unbridled enthusiasm and sheer happiness that Gene displayed was humbling, leading a cynical Sportingmind to re-evaluate the true meaning of sport.
The second moment was the decision by Ricky Ponting to bowl his part-timers in response to a lagging over-rate, symptomatic of poor captaincy.
And indeed, these were two different types of tears. Tears of joy, empathy, respect and admiration in one case; tears of anger, spite, disbelief and hoplessness in the other. How could Ponting do this, i asked? Why??
Much has been made of Gene's actual age. Clearly, he has been unable to produce a birth certificate. One would assume that, given his appearance, it would not be unreasonable to say he may have been around during a time when sea-shells were the main form of currency in PNG. Nevertheless, Gene's post-match interview with Matthew Johns was fabulously candid: a (Kokoda?) trail of tears streaming down his weathered face, his guttural, earnest responses portraying a man deeply contented with his lot.
SportingMind has always supported Ricky Ponting as a cricket captain. Stopping short of descending into a simile-laden damnation - ala Peter Roebuck, SportingMind will agree that what happened last night was wrong. The series appears out of reach now, lost forever thanks to half an hour of inanity. Television producers could have taped the session, cut out the ad breaks, changed it to black and white, sped it up slightly and added a laugh track, because this was no less laughable than a retro Benny Hill skit, sans the sexual innuendo.
Jason Krejza's 12 wicket match tally has been praised by all and sundry, with most commentators forgetting that in the process he conceded about 500 runs. SportingMind has been one of the more outspoken critics of Krejza, at one point indicating a preference for the more qualified off-spinner and statesman John Howard. Krejza is fairly innocuous, in fact his success says more about the lacklustre form of the other Australian bowlers than it does about Krejza himself. The less said about Cameron White, frankly, the better.
Give Ponting a stint on the sidelines for this one, i say. Let him learn the meaning, the true definition of sport. Not the Webster's definition, but the Stanley Gene definition. Which is more meaningful, i think.
-SportingMind
The first moment was the retirement of PNG hero, rugby league stalwart Stanley Gene. The scoreline, 46 - 6 in favour of Australia, was irrelevant to Gene, and indeed, his team-mates. The unbridled enthusiasm and sheer happiness that Gene displayed was humbling, leading a cynical Sportingmind to re-evaluate the true meaning of sport.
The second moment was the decision by Ricky Ponting to bowl his part-timers in response to a lagging over-rate, symptomatic of poor captaincy.
And indeed, these were two different types of tears. Tears of joy, empathy, respect and admiration in one case; tears of anger, spite, disbelief and hoplessness in the other. How could Ponting do this, i asked? Why??
"Cheer up Stanley Gene, Oh what can it mean....Daydream believer..."
Much has been made of Gene's actual age. Clearly, he has been unable to produce a birth certificate. One would assume that, given his appearance, it would not be unreasonable to say he may have been around during a time when sea-shells were the main form of currency in PNG. Nevertheless, Gene's post-match interview with Matthew Johns was fabulously candid: a (Kokoda?) trail of tears streaming down his weathered face, his guttural, earnest responses portraying a man deeply contented with his lot.
SportingMind has always supported Ricky Ponting as a cricket captain. Stopping short of descending into a simile-laden damnation - ala Peter Roebuck, SportingMind will agree that what happened last night was wrong. The series appears out of reach now, lost forever thanks to half an hour of inanity. Television producers could have taped the session, cut out the ad breaks, changed it to black and white, sped it up slightly and added a laugh track, because this was no less laughable than a retro Benny Hill skit, sans the sexual innuendo.
A tough day at the office for Punter..
Jason Krejza's 12 wicket match tally has been praised by all and sundry, with most commentators forgetting that in the process he conceded about 500 runs. SportingMind has been one of the more outspoken critics of Krejza, at one point indicating a preference for the more qualified off-spinner and statesman John Howard. Krejza is fairly innocuous, in fact his success says more about the lacklustre form of the other Australian bowlers than it does about Krejza himself. The less said about Cameron White, frankly, the better.
Give Ponting a stint on the sidelines for this one, i say. Let him learn the meaning, the true definition of sport. Not the Webster's definition, but the Stanley Gene definition. Which is more meaningful, i think.
-SportingMind
| 64 |
| Vote |
Shared on
Subscribe to this blog
Comment by Norm
Consumption Malfunction
Equal and Opposite
Arses and Elbows
Footy Power
I reckon Punter should get a shot as Iago to Stanley's Othello in Bell Shakespeare's latest production. Sadly, I think John Wood and Ernie Dingo have the front-running.
Comment by David Edwards
Sporting Mind
Ponting should take some time out and work with the Bell Shakespeare company. It would give an outlet to his devious manipulations and propensity for tragic betrayal.
Comment by Norm
Consumption Malfunction
Equal and Opposite
Arses and Elbows
Footy Power
I'm thinking you should write the foreword, if not the entire contents, to his autobiography. If you wrote the whole thing, you would be the ghost-writer as Ponting, in the guise of Hamlet, tries to trick Boony, playing Claudius, into admitting that he killed off the drinking record on the flight from Australia to England held by his father, played by Rod Marsh.
In other words, you'll play Bacchus. I hope you like wine, because you'll need to be able to drink a lot of beer.
Classic comment, by the way. Accurate, yet far-fetched.
Comment by David Edwards
Sporting Mind
I would be more than happy to act as the ghost (writer) of Ponting, in the name of his autobiography.
Every time i get on a plane and order a beer, some clown inevitably makes mention of the Bacchus/Boony beer drinking feat. Hopefully i am not slain by a stewardess - playing the role of Hamlet - through the divisive curtain for attempting the beer drinking record - me playing the role of poor Polonius.
In doing so, i am offering a metaphor for Australian cricket. As Polonius/Bacchus, i am acting as Cameron White, the lovable leg-spinner who makes way for the cantankerous Krejza, who plays the role of Claudius. The stewardess is Hamlet (or is it Ponting), faciliating the implosion of Aussie cricket through a series of tragic events.
I'm confused, naturally, but that's Shakespeare for you.
Comment by Norm
Consumption Malfunction
Equal and Opposite
Arses and Elbows
Footy Power
I don't see why we, as sport-lovers, couldn't go on to put more words into the mouths of our sporting subjects' mouths than even we could imagine possible.
They are our loyal subjects after all. And you've underlined the hidden meaning behind the economic crisis and our new found acceptance of the figures that Krejza has returned.
Get money in your purse.
Comment by David Edwards
Sporting Mind
Each sportsman can inadvertently serve as a metaphor for everything. Krejza's figures, as you mentioned, exemplify the daunting figures that are bandied around recklessly by politicians. Ponting is a metaphor for reckless political leadership and selfish self-serving policies. Stanley Gene is the embodiment of the American dream, whereas Cameron White could be seen as a "lame-duck" President, simply biding time before his imminent departure.
Or, sport is simply "an active diversion requiring physical exertion and competition". I don't know which school of thought i subscribe to.
Comment by sportsbar
Sports Bar
Fret X
Perhaps Punting took it to heart, because he went missing yesterday... The protagonist 'slow over rate' played with the aussies mind and turned them into shadows of their former selves...
They were puppets dancing to a master that had no face...
Only in death (or loss) will the fallen hero realise what a goofball he has been...
-Sportsbar
Comment by David Edwards
Sporting Mind
It was incredible how slow Hussey's bowling looked. Harbajhan played him as if he was his father, gently patting back down the pitch the strained efforts of an 8 year old boy.
Comment by sportsbar
Sports Bar
Fret X
looks like the chase is over before it even had a chance of starting
Comment by damian
Urban Telegraph
Sports and All
The Squirter McGee Diaries
Comment by David Edwards
Sporting Mind
After spending a few weeks in PNG, Howard would check out the nearby Nauru detention centre and feel a wave of remorse, leading to his championing of Australian citizenship for all refugees. Rudd would agree with the initiative, in the knowledge that a tongue lashing from the newly venerable Howard would result in an instant decline in the popularity polls.