Tipping Only Twenty Rounds 'Till the Finals

Well Jacob's soccer was washed out and postponed on Saturday - his team is up to knock-out finals rounds - so Saturday morning was uncharacteristically un-soccer, though the news that CCM had done over Sydney in front of the latter's fans gave me a wicked inner glow. Jacob and I went to see The Simpsons. Truly, I expected the satire to be a bit more... um... now, or something, and despite a few belly laughs it was pretty average.

But anyway Jacob is about to turn 12 and Saturday night was sort of a present from his Mum and I. She and I shouted Jacob and three of his mates to the Roar vs Adelaide game. For Brigita both a soccer game and Suncorp stadium were completely new and although she may never be back for more, she certainly enjoyed it. It was a great night.

I thoroughly enjoyed the game and, completely prepared as I was for Adelaide to thrash us, I was blissed when we equalised with 10 men on the pitch. From any point of view that is a decent result for the Roar at this stage of proceedings. Adelaide beat us last time, and then went on to win the pre-season cup - only weeks ago. The Roar matched them convincingly. Good show.

Ok, just one other thing. Why the hell all the controversy about yellow cards, hard tackles and Moore's expulsion from the game, when no one has adequately explained why the Roar's goal from a free kick was disallowed just before half time? A Roar player was shepherding the wall? I simply don't understand what rule was brought into play, so if anyone could enlighten me it would be an act of charity.

Moving on though, the games have as usual been well analysed elsewhere, indeed by participants in the Down Under Football Tipping Competition, which I might just start calling The Blogger's Cup, because it's shorter. Mike, who unfortunately has not chosen to join us in the tipping (you still can Mike), has written on the Mariner's vs Sydney game and the Roar vs Adelaide game, and no doubt there's more to come. John has done the same here and here, though I'm certain there was a more elaborate version of the latter post up for a short time. So far Tony has given us an excellent wrap of the first game, and then an also excellent general wrap of the round, including his team of the week. Cecilia gives a general wrap up of the round. Wayne focuses on his beloved Central Coast's game and Neil similarly gives a fan's own account of Melbourne's game, as does Jeccy of the Roar's game, and Dane for Sydney's game. Eamonn, as prolific and diverse as ever, managed a snappy wrap of three of the games (where's Newcastle vs Perth?). And it's only a day after the round.

This incidentally, is my first-base media diet - everything from very expert game analysis to the diverse insights and annotations of fans. The mainstream media comes later, but although it often breaks the stories, it's generally very repetitive and predictable in its responses. The amateur blogosphere has an enormous role to play in sports media in my view. Many a sports 'amateur' will be far more competent at football analysis than someone with a journalism degree or cadetship, after all. It's very early days for A-League blogging.

Tipping competition... that's where I was. Apologies for the scattergun narrative style.

Thanks everyone for entering. The Blogger's Cup, which began as a private (though admittedly public) competition between my son and I grew to six by the end of last season and is now starting at 11! If only game attendances were growing so dramatically. The player missing from last year though is the very player which began the competition's growth by entering his tips by comment. Drsimmo, where are you? People are still welcome to enter on zero points (three of us are still on zero anyway). There's glory to be won, and a prize.

Anyway, I'm tabulating the competition as it goes along and publishing it here. I'll link it from the sidebar before this post disappears too far down. The table after Round 1 looks like this:

Dane 4
Wes 3
Neil 2
Tony 2
Dave 1
Eamonn 1
Hamish 1
John 1
Cecilia 0
Jacob 0
Jeccy 0

If I make mistakes, which in the course of the season is very likely, please point them out politely.

The disadvantage for the host of course, is I have to pick first. My tips for this weekend are:

Central Coast vs Wellington
CCM 3:2

Sydney vs Adelaide
Adelaide 1:2

Melbourne vs Perth
Melbourne 1:0

Newcastle vs Queensland
Queensland 1:3

Jacob's Tips:
Central Coast vs Wellington
CCM 1:2

Sydney vs Adelaide
Adelaide 1:2

Melbourne vs Perth
Melbourne 2:1

Newcastle vs Queensland
Queensland 0:3

One final note. Several people had a go at getting me to make a fantasy-league team, and I finally succumbed and joined Tony's game. It was somewhat against my judgment that it would just take up even more time and that it wasn't about real football or something. But I did it and as well as being kind of fun, I've found it a good opportunity to get to know some of the non-media-star players outside the Queensland Roar. I know some of you people seem to just know them all, but I don't ok. It's also interesting to see who Tony and James picks. James in particular will be pleased he picked Matty McKay, the highest scoring player in Round 1.

To all that which we can't comprehend let alone understand, may the A-League games this weekend as well as the U12s semi-final clash between El Salvador and the Hawks be grand events, may all the players perform to their best, may there be good sportsmanship on and off the field, may the adjudication be fair and effective, and may there be no serious injuries.

Peace.