Back Porch FanHouse http://backporch.fanhouse.com Back Porch FanHouse http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://backporch.fanhouse.com/media/feedlogo.gif Back Porch FanHouse http://backporch.fanhouse.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/South African Soccer Team Outraged at Singing of National Anthemhttp://backporch.fanhouse.com/2009/11/17/south-african-soccer-team-outraged-at-singing-of-national-anthem/http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2009/11/17/south-african-soccer-team-outraged-at-singing-of-national-anthem/http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2009/11/17/south-african-soccer-team-outraged-at-singing-of-national-anthem/#commentsFiled under:



We've all heard some bad renditions of national anthems before sporting events, but I don't know if I've ever heard an anthem sung as badly as the South African national anthem was sung prior to the Springboks vs France game in Toulouse, France over the weekend. South Africans are not amused.

South African web site Phar Side comments:
As many of you may have seen yesterday and witnessed in absolute shock, the South African National Anthem was "sung" by some absolute tone deaf idiot who proved to everyone at the stadium aswell as everyone viewing on TV that he cannot sing to save his life, by constantly going off key and going to his own beat which wasn't even to the beat of the rest of the music. I can honestly say that even my cat Pringles could have meowed the anthem better through the microphone. It was an absolute disgrace and complete mockery of our anthem and our nation.

You could see the look on the players faces that all that was going through their minds was WTF!
South African soccer player John Smit tweeted that he thought the team was being punked. I can't imagine how that "singer" got the job of doing the anthem before the game, but in the future, it would be nice if the French would do a better job of vetting their anthem singers. I'm sure they wouldn't like it if Americans hired Roseanne or Carl Lewis to sing "La Marseillaise."

South African Soccer Team Outraged at Singing of National Anthem originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Michael David SmithTue, 17 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST Fastest Goal in Soccer Historyhttp://backporch.fanhouse.com/2009/11/12/fastest-goal-in-soccer-history/http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2009/11/12/fastest-goal-in-soccer-history/http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2009/11/12/fastest-goal-in-soccer-history/#commentsFiled under:



Soccer has been played for centuries all over the world, but no one has ever scored a goal faster than the one that Nawaf Al Abed, a striker on a club in Saudi Arabia, scored on Saturday.

The Los Angeles Times has the details:
Al Abed, a 21-year-old striker for Saudi Arabian soccer club Al Hilal, on Saturday scored what is believed to be the fastest goal in the history of professional soccer when he hit the back of the net an incredible two seconds after the opening whistle in a Prince Faisal bin Fahad Cup match between his team and Al Shoalah.

Al Abed took the opening kickoff and, noticing that the Al Shoalah goalkeeper had come well off his line, tried an improbable shot from near the halfway line. The ball soared and dipped and came to rest in the net. Al Abed did a little dance before being mobbed by teammates.
Al Abed got Al Hilal off to a lead it would never relinquish; Al Hilal beat Al Shoalah 4-0.

Fastest Goal in Soccer History originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Michael David SmithThu, 12 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST Sunderland Beats Liverpool With Help From a Balloonhttp://backporch.fanhouse.com/2009/10/18/sunderland-beats-liverpool-with-help-from-a-balloon/http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2009/10/18/sunderland-beats-liverpool-with-help-from-a-balloon/http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2009/10/18/sunderland-beats-liverpool-with-help-from-a-balloon/#commentsFiled under:


While those of us in the United States have been focusing on the Balloon Boy, the folks on the other side of the pond have been obsessing about another balloon controversy: In a soccer game between Sunderland and Liverpool, Sunderland won 1-0 on a goal that bounced off a red balloon that had been thrown onto the field.
Sunderland 1, Liverpool 0: More at FanHouse UK | Full EPL Coverage

A fan in the stands batted the balloon -- described by some as a red beach ball -- onto the field, and before the balloon had been removed, Sunderland's Darren Bent took a shot on goal that deflected off the balloon and into the goal. Liverpool wasn't happy about it, but the goal counted.

Sunderland coach Steve Bruce said no one should discount the win just because the goal was so odd.

"I hope the manner of our goal does not become the main talking point because we fully deserved to win this game," Bruce said. "I'm sure Darren's winner will be replayed time and again in quizzes and on football blooper shows but ... we thoroughly deserved it."

Here's video of British broadcasters announcing the balloon goal:

Sunderland Beats Liverpool With Help From a Balloon originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Sun, 18 Oct 2009 12:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Michael David SmithSun, 18 Oct 2009 12:30:00 EST Knife-Wielding Soccer Fan Attacks Player in Bolivia, Game Canceledhttp://backporch.fanhouse.com/2009/08/13/knife-wielding-soccer-fan-attacks-player-in-bolivia-game-cancel/http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2009/08/13/knife-wielding-soccer-fan-attacks-player-in-bolivia-game-cancel/http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2009/08/13/knife-wielding-soccer-fan-attacks-player-in-bolivia-game-cancel/#commentsFiled under:



A soccer game in Bolivia was called off Tuesday when a knife-wielding fan ran onto the field and attacked a player.

Police grabbed the fan and the player was not injured, but the game, between Blooming of Bolivia and River Plate of Uruguay, was halted.

CCTV quotes River Plate player Juan Ramon Carrasco:
"These are things that happen out of desperation. It happens because soccer is huge here. I was here for the farewell of Marc Antonio "Diablo" Etechverry and it was like this. The people get involved. It is a shame but you can't judge everyone the same. Perhaps he is a maladjusted person. But we can't speak about all of Santa Cruz because of him."
The game will be counted as a loss for the home team, which was trailing 1-0 at the time.

Knife-Wielding Soccer Fan Attacks Player in Bolivia, Game Canceled originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 07:59:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Michael David SmithThu, 13 Aug 2009 07:59:00 EST Saskatchewan Wins Grey Cup by Somehow Scoring Canadian Pointshttp://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/11/25/saskatchewan-wins-grey-cup-by-somehow-scoring-canadian-points/http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/11/25/saskatchewan-wins-grey-cup-by-somehow-scoring-canadian-points/http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/11/25/saskatchewan-wins-grey-cup-by-somehow-scoring-canadian-points/#commentsFiled under:

The Roughriders won their third Grey Cup today, their first in 18 years, by defeating the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 23-19 in the 2007 Grey Cup, held at Toronto's Rogers Centre. A crowd of 52,230, mostly clad in Saskatchewan's blinding green, enjoyed a fun filled Canadian afternoon in the former SkyDome, the title game ending a week-long festival of all things CFL. The Canadian national anthem was sung by Winnipeg's own Burton Cummings of The Guess Who The Barenaked Ladies while Lenny Kravitz performed a halftime spectacular worthy of eight years ago.

In a hotly contested match that included three Winnipeg safeties, five field goals, and absolutely zero rouges, Saskatchewan cornerback James Johnson won the MVP award for his three interceptions. Winnipeg's Ryan Dinwiddie made his first CFL start at QB, replacing the injured Kevin Glenn. Dinwiddie came to the Roughriders Blue Bombers by way of Boise State, NFL Europa's Hamburg Sea Devils, and the Chicago Bears, making him the second Bears quarterback to ruin a title game in the same calendar year, an unconfirmed record for North American sports.

Saskatchewan Wins Grey Cup by Somehow Scoring Canadian Points originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Sun, 25 Nov 2007 23:58:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>IrishoutsiderSun, 25 Nov 2007 23:58:00 EST Power Failure! Geelong Destroys Port Adelaide to Win AFL Grand Finalhttp://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/09/29/power-failure-geelong-destroys-port-adelaide-to-win-afl-grand-f/http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/09/29/power-failure-geelong-destroys-port-adelaide-to-win-afl-grand-f/http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/09/29/power-failure-geelong-destroys-port-adelaide-to-win-afl-grand-f/#commentsFiled under:

Geelong Cats supporters had been waiting 44 years for a day like Saturday, and they couldn't have asked for more.

The Cats dominated the Port Adelaide Power from the opening siren and never let up, finishing their dominant season with a 163-44 victory in the 2007 Australian Football League Grand Final.

Geelong's 119-point win was the highest margin of victory in a Grand Final since 1985. They earned it by swarming the ball and taking advantage of the Power's lackluster form. Any time Port tried to handball their way out of a jam, Geelong was there with a key tackle or takeaway. The Power struggled to take a mark the entire game, while the Cats had no trouble running through the center corridor and setting up goals on the run.

How many goals? Geelong outkicked Port 6 goals to 1 in the second period, 7 goals to 1 in the third, and 6 goals to 1 in the fourth, by which time the Power was just waiting for a merciful final siren. Their supporters must have been wondering if someone secretly replaced the Power with the Carlton Blues' reserve team.

All told, it was a shockingly one-sided finish to an electric Finals Series -- not to mention a bit of a disappointment after the last two Grand Finals, which were both decided by one point. In the end, the Cats had lost only one game since the start of May -- against Port Adelaide, ironically enough -- and their dominance throughout the regular season was rewarded with an AFL Premiership title.

Good show, AFL. Let's do it again next year.

Power Failure! Geelong Destroys Port Adelaide to Win AFL Grand Final originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Sat, 29 Sep 2007 11:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>aussierulesDavid J. WarnerSat, 29 Sep 2007 11:00:00 EST How to Watch the AFL Grand Final in Americahttp://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/09/27/how-to-watch-the-afl-grand-final-in-america/http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/09/27/how-to-watch-the-afl-grand-final-in-america/http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/09/27/how-to-watch-the-afl-grand-final-in-america/#commentsFiled under: ,

Being that I live on the other side of the world from Australia, I missed out on the Brownlow Medal ceremony earlier this week -- as opposed to our pals Jeff and Paul here.


Just because I missed that party, though, doesn't mean I'm going to miss out on the next big party -- the Australian Football League Grand Final. It's the equivalent of the Super Bowl for this unique and entertaining football code, and an estimated 300 million people will be watching live around the world.

Of course, watching a live event that starts on Saturday afternoon in Australia means staying up really late on Friday night in America, but you don't have to go through that alone. Dozens of pubs throughout the U.S. and Canada will be hosting Grand Final parties for footy fans in those countries, and the Australian Football Association of North America (AFANA) has a complete list of Grand Final parties taking place on Friday night.

If there's a party near you, you might want to go check it out. Aussie rules -- which is not rugby, by the way -- is a fun game to watch once you figure out what's going on. (Here's a quick primer.) The two teams playing in the Grand Final, the Geelong Cats and the Port Adelaide Power, finished 1st and 2nd in the AFL this year. The Power uses their speed to great advantage, while the Cats like to swarm on defense and move quickly up the center square to get scoring opportunities.

The last game these two teams played a month ago was an instant classic. Port won that game by 5. Will Geelong get their revenge? We'll find out by early Saturday morning.

How to Watch the AFL Grand Final in America originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Thu, 27 Sep 2007 23:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>aussierulesDavid J. WarnerThu, 27 Sep 2007 23:15:00 EST AFL: Port Adelaide Knocks Out Kangarooshttp://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/09/22/afl-port-adelaide-knocks-out-kangaroos/http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/09/22/afl-port-adelaide-knocks-out-kangaroos/http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/09/22/afl-port-adelaide-knocks-out-kangaroos/#commentsFiled under:

It will be #1 vs. #2 for the Australian Football League Premiership, as the Port Adelaide Power blasted the North Melbourne Kangaroos, 133-46, to advance to the Grand Final against the Geelong Cats.

This victory was just as dominating a victory as the scoreline indicates. The Power out-kicked, out-marked, out-hustled the Kangaroos in every possible fashion. The 'Roos managed to stay with Port for one quarter, thanks to two early goals by Shannon Grant, but the Power extended its lead to 36 by halftime and stomped the 'Roos in the third, outscoring them 55-9 in that frame.

It was an injury that spurred that 3rd-quarter run. Defenseman Michael Wilson ruptured his Achilles tendon in the 2nd quarter and will miss the Grand Final. His teammates picked up their pace in the third to make up for his absence in the back.

Brett Ebert, Daniel Motlop and Warren Tredrea all chipped in with 3 goals for the Power, who were the only team to beat Geelong since late April, and that game was a classic. This year's Grand Final could be much the same.

AFL: Port Adelaide Knocks Out Kangaroos originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Sat, 22 Sep 2007 15:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>aussierulesDavid J. WarnerSat, 22 Sep 2007 15:15:00 EST AFL: Geelong Punches Ticket to Grand Finalhttp://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/09/21/afl-geelong-punches-ticket-to-grand-final/http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/09/21/afl-geelong-punches-ticket-to-grand-final/http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/09/21/afl-geelong-punches-ticket-to-grand-final/#commentsFiled under:

Think Australians don't love their football as much as Americans love theirs? Check it: 98,002 people showed up at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday night to watch the top-seeded Geelong Cats hold off the Collingwood Magpies, 92-87, in what's already being called a Finals Series classic.

Gary Ablett kicked what proved to be the game-winning goal with three minutes left to put the Cats 11 points ahead, but Anthony Rocca won a free kick for high contact inside the 50m zone with 70 seconds left. Rocca was hurt on the play, so Paul Medhurst kicked the goal that cut the Cats' lead to 5.

From that point on, the Cats and Magpies both scrapped and hustled to get the ball, and while Collingwood managed to get the ball back inside the 50 one more time, Geelong managed to prevent them from setting up one last scoring opportunity.

Geelong football manager Neil Balme, however, seemed less than impressed, telling a Channel 7 reporter after the game that he told his players not to celebrate too much, because it wasn't a very good win. You'd think any win that gets you into the Grand Final, Australia's answer to the Super Bowl, would be a good one, but Balme insisted that his team could have played better.

Geelong will have to play better if Port Adelaide wins its preliminary final against the Kangaroos on Saturday. Port is the only club that has beaten Geelong since the end of April, and that game was something of a classic, too. A Geelong v. Port Adelaide final could be even better. But will it bring 98,000 to the MCG? At this point, I wouldn't rule that out.

AFL: Geelong Punches Ticket to Grand Final originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Fri, 21 Sep 2007 12:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>aussierulesDavid J. WarnerFri, 21 Sep 2007 12:30:00 EST AFL: Chris Judd Is Leaving the Eagleshttp://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/09/18/afl-is-chris-judd-leaving-the-eagles/http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/09/18/afl-is-chris-judd-leaving-the-eagles/http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/09/18/afl-is-chris-judd-leaving-the-eagles/#commentsFiled under:

I was away for the weekend, so I neglected to mention that over the weekend in the semifinals of the AFL Finals Series, Collingwood knocked off a depleted West Coast Eagles squad, 93-74, in extra time, while the Kangaroos rebounded from a triple-digit loss to the Geelong Cats to defeat Hawthorn, 93-60. Collingwood will face Geelong in next week's preliminary finals, while the 'Roos will take on the Port Adelaide Power.

Footy fans, however, are paying little attention to those games at the moment. All eyes are focused on Chris Judd, the West Coast Eagles star who announced yesterday that he wants to leave the club and return to Victoria.

Try to imagine Larry Bird in his prime announcing that he wants to leave the Boston Celtics and be traded to the Indiana Pacers, because it's closer to his hometown. That's pretty much what this is, and clubs based in Melbourne are lining right up to get their hands on Judd, a former AFL MVP who may be the only real role model the Eagles have. Losing Judd will be a huge blow for West Coast, though they can expect a pretty sweet trade deal for him.

Collingwood and Carlton seem to be the leading clubs for Judd's services, with the Blues offering some very high draft picks, though not their #1 pick. They have denied offering Brendan Fevola in trade, though, which is a shame, because Fevola in Perth could be the greatest train wreck in sports since Tonya Harding. We are all poorer for that trade not happening.

AFL: Chris Judd Is Leaving the Eagles originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Tue, 18 Sep 2007 21:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>aussierulesDavid J. WarnerTue, 18 Sep 2007 21:35:00 EST AFL Finals Series: Buddy Jesus Saves Hawkshttp://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/09/09/afl-finals-series-buddy-jesus-saves-hawks/http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/09/09/afl-finals-series-buddy-jesus-saves-hawks/http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/09/09/afl-finals-series-buddy-jesus-saves-hawks/#commentsFiled under:

He is no longer Buddy Franklin. He is now Buddy Jesus.


Hawthorn Hawks 105, Adelaide Crows 102. Despite dodgy marking early, Lance "Buddy" Franklin kicked 6 goals to spark a Hawthorn Hawks comeback against the Adelaide Crows in the first AFL Elimination Final. After taking their first lead midway through the final quarter, however, four Hawthorn kicks at goal went wide, and a late Adelaide goal helped them retake a slim lead.

That's when Buddy Jesus stepped up and kicked his 7th goal to save Hawthorn, who won their first Finals Series match since 2001. If you want to introduce someone to Australian football, this would be a fine game to show them.

Port Adelaide Power 68, West Coast Eagles 65. Despite Daniel Kerr missing the game after wrist surgery and Chris Judd limping around with a busted groin, things were going pretty well for the Eagles, who were up 13 midway through the third. That's when Ben Cousins popped a hamstring. From that point on, the Eagles were doomed. The equation is just this simple:

No Kerr + No Judd + No Cousins = No Win.

Port came back and won the Qualification Final, and they advance to the Premlinary Finals in two weeks. Oh, and right as the final siren sounded, Power head coach Mark Williams received word that his wife had just given birth to their fifth child. Her water broke at about the same time Cousins' hammy broke. Spooky coincidence, that.

Collingwood Magpies 121, Sydney Swans 87. Meanwhile, Anthony Rocca and the Magpies spoiled a potential Eagles-Swans rematch in the semifinal round. This is a good thing, because judging from Sydney's form and all of West Coast's injuries, the game would never have lived up to the hype it would have gotten. The Swans were outscored 41-10 in the first frame and never managed to recover.

Rocca had 6 goals and 9 marks for Collingwood, and now he can relax and watch his brother punt the crap out of the ball for the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.

Geelong Cats 156, Kangaroos 50. What, you actually doubted that the Geelong Cats were the team to beat in this year's Finals? The Kangaroos kept it close for a quarter, but the Cats outscored them 47-7 in the second frame and 42-12 in the third. Geelong finished with 23 goals, including 5 apiece from Cameroon Mooney and Paul Chapman. The 'Roos, who ended up apologizing to their fans, now have to regroup and face a hot Hawthorn Hawks club next week.

Your full finals bracket is here. For those of you living in America, West Coast v. Collingwood begins at 6:30 AM ET on Friday, and Kangaroos v. Hawks begins at 5:30 AM on Saturday, so set your DVRs accordingly.

AFL Finals Series: Buddy Jesus Saves Hawks originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Sun, 09 Sep 2007 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>aussierulesDavid J. WarnerSun, 09 Sep 2007 10:00:00 EST AFL: Finals Fever Sweeps Australiahttp://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/09/06/afl-finals-fever-sweeps-australia/http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/09/06/afl-finals-fever-sweeps-australia/http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/09/06/afl-finals-fever-sweeps-australia/#commentsFiled under:

As if the start of the Rugby World Cup weren't enough to whet the sporting sporting appetites of our friends down under, the Australian Football League Finals Series begins this weekend, and Finals Fever is sweeping the continent.


Our boys Jeff and Paul there aren't the only ones obsessed with the AFL's postseason party. Everyone raises their game when they battle for the right to be called the Premiers of Footy. The tackles will be a little harder, and the contests for the ball will be even fiercer than before. If you haven't gotten swept up in the wonder that is Australian football, now's a pretty good time to start. The level of play this weekend may top anything seen all year.

Here's your Finals bracket. A quick overview of the games -- and broadcast times for American audiences, so you can set your DVRs -- is after the jump.

Qualification Finals
Winners advance to the Preliminary Finals in two weeks. Losers play in the Semifinals next week.

#1 Geelong Cats v. #4 North Melbourne Kangaroos. (Setanta Sports, SUN 12:00 PM ET / SAT 9:00 PM PT) The Cats have won 16 of their last 17. They've scored the most goals and allowed the least. At this point, they look all but unstoppable -- which means something is just bound to go wrong. Whether it will be against the 'Roos, though, remains to be seen.

#2 Port Adelaide Power v. #3 West Coast Eagles. (Setanta Sports, FRI 5:30 AM ET / FRI 2:30 AM PT) Set your DVRs for this one, people, as it could very well be the most entertaining match of the weekend. Port knows it can beat anybody after knocking off Geelong two weeks ago, but these are the defending champs, and they may have the speed in the midfield to match the Power.

Elimination Finals
Winners advance to the Semifinals. Losers get an early start on their vacations.

 #5 Hawthorn Hawks v. #8 Adelaide Crows. (Setanta Sports, SAT 12:00 PM ET / FRI 9:00 PM PT) The last time these two teams met, Adelaide held the young Hawks to 4 goals on the way to a 71-point thrashing. Is it revenge time for Buddy Franklin?

#6 Collingwood Magpies v. #7 Sydney Swans. (Setanta Sports, SAT 5:30 AM ET / SAT 2:30 AM PT) Sydney hasn't beaten Collingwood since 2005, but they're returning to form and starting to get healthy again, while Collingwood is slipping. Keep one eye on Barry Hall and the other Sav Rocca's little brother Anthony. The quality of their play might dictate this one.

AFL: Finals Fever Sweeps Australia originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Thu, 06 Sep 2007 01:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>aussierulesDavid J. WarnerThu, 06 Sep 2007 01:00:00 EST AFL Round 22 Roundup: Crows Keep Flyinghttp://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/09/02/afl-round-22-roundup-crows-keep-flying/http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/09/02/afl-round-22-roundup-crows-keep-flying/http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/09/02/afl-round-22-roundup-crows-keep-flying/#commentsFiled under:

Adelaide Crows 94, Collingwood Magpies 75. The Crows took care of business and clinched a Finals Series berth, thanks to two 4th-quarter goals by captain Mark Ricciuto. Anthony Rocca kept it close with his 3 goals, but the Crows' late push overcame his efforts.

West Coast Eagles 132, Essendon Bombers 124. Scott Lucas did everything he could to send ousted head coach Kevin Sheedy and retiring star James Hird out as winners, but his 7-goal 4th quarter wasn't enough.


The Eagles managed 19 goals in the first three frames to clinch a third-place finish, but Lucas did manage to prevent West Coast from opening the Finals Series at home.

Port Adelaide Power 117, Fremantle Dockers 85. Second and third place came down to scoring percentage, and West Coast needed to make up about eight points on Port Adelaide. Instead, they lost 24 points, and the Power will host the Eagles next week. Justin Westhoff and Shaun Burgoyne each kicked 4 goals to lead Port.

Sydney Swans 141, Hawthorn Hawks 69. In a tune-up for the Finals, the Swans bombed the Hawks right from the start, running out to a 92-21 halftime lead. The Hawks' loss, combined with the Kangaroos win over the Western Bulldogs, gave the final Top 4 spot to the Kangaroos, who will open the Finals Series at top-seeded Geelong.

All your Round 22 scores are here. Additional stats are here. The Finals Series begins next week. Keep an eye on the Aussie Rules section of Das FanHaus for a full preview.

AFL Round 22 Roundup: Crows Keep Flying originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Sun, 02 Sep 2007 13:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>aussierulesDavid J. WarnerSun, 02 Sep 2007 13:00:00 EST Did Seven Network Buy Stolen Medical Records of AFL Players?http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/08/27/did-seven-network-buy-stolen-medical-records-of-afl-players/http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/08/27/did-seven-network-buy-stolen-medical-records-of-afl-players/http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/08/27/did-seven-network-buy-stolen-medical-records-of-afl-players/#commentsFiled under:

The Michael Vick conviction may be front and center on the American sports radar, but on the other side of the world, the Australian Football League may have just as big a scandal on its hands.

Seven Network, which currently holds the broadcast rights to AFL games, aired a report last Friday about two AFL players' recreational drug habits. Here's your payoff:

The allegations in that report were based on medical records a woman sold to Seven, claiming she had found them "in the gutter" outside a rehabilitation clinic in Melbourne.

Basically, Seven aired a news story about drug use among footy stars based on their private medical records, which may or may not have been stolen. And mass media types claim that bloggers have no ethics?

As you might expect, the outrage over this report has come from every direction. AFL chief Andrew Demetriou called the report "obscene." Patrick Smith, a columnist for The Australian, called it "undiluted sleaze" and "an insult to the journalists who cover sport." AFL players are considering a boycott of Seven's Brownlow Medal presentation. Even the Victorian Health Services Commissioner said she was "personally astonished" by the report and added:

"People should be able to seek health services without fear that their private details will be splashed all over the media."

Indeed. The Victorian Supreme Court has issued an injunction on the report, so nobody can talk about its details -- which never should have been made public in the first place, really. If ESPN had done a report on an NFL star's drug use based on private records obtained through questionable means, Roger Goodell might have yanked Monday Night Football from them the next day. Here's hoping Seven gets punished accordingly.

(H/T: With Malice)

Did Seven Network Buy Stolen Medical Records of AFL Players? originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Mon, 27 Aug 2007 16:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>aussierulesDavid J. WarnerMon, 27 Aug 2007 16:40:00 EST AFL Round 21 Roundup: Cats Streak Endshttp://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/08/26/afl-round-21-roundup-cats-streak-ends/http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/08/26/afl-round-21-roundup-cats-streak-ends/http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/08/26/afl-round-21-roundup-cats-streak-ends/#commentsFiled under:

Port Adelaide Power 106, Geelong Cats 101. Domenic Cassisi ruined a Geelong comeback by kicking a game-winning goal with three seconds left to give Port Adelaide a big win and sent two messages to the rest of the league -- the Cats can be beaten, and the Power is not as soft as you think. Port jumps to second place, less than half a percentage point ahead of the West Coast Eagles.

West Coast Eagles 106, St. Kilda Saints 98. The Saints' Finals Series hopes took a huge blow after they blew a 32-point halftime lead to an Eagles team trying to soldier on without Daniel Kerr. Quinten Lynch kicked 5 goals for the Eagles, who are now primed for another Top 4 finish.

Collingwood Magpies 101, Sydney Swans 76. Collingwood clinched a Finals Series berth and knocked Sydney out of the running for a Top 4 spot in a rough, injury-filled match. Anthony Rocca -- that's Sav's little brother, Philadelphia Eagles fans -- might get suspended for smacking Adam Goodes upside the head while trying to spoil a mark. The 'Pies stay in the Finals Series will be brief if Rocca can't go.

Adelaide Crows 86, Brisbane Lions 60. Meanwhile, the Crows now control their own destiny after dominating the 2nd & 3rd quarters, holding Jonathan Brown to one goal and all but knocking Brisbane out of the race. If Adelaide beats Collingwood on Friday, they're in the FInals. A Crows loss, however, means the Saints could claim the last Finals berth with a win over Richmond on Saturday

All Round 21 scores are available at the AFL web site, with complete stats at Footywire.

AFL Round 21 Roundup: Cats Streak Ends originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Sun, 26 Aug 2007 13:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>aussierulesDavid J. WarnerSun, 26 Aug 2007 13:45:00 EST AFL: You Will Believe a Footy Star Can Cryhttp://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/08/23/afl-you-will-believe-a-footy-star-can-cry/http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/08/23/afl-you-will-believe-a-footy-star-can-cry/http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/08/23/afl-you-will-believe-a-footy-star-can-cry/#commentsFiled under:


You would think that Australian men, with their reputation for machismo, wouldn't be so inclined to reveal their emotions to the world. They would just throw up once, give 'em a smile and head back to the bar. After dishing out the hit in that video, though, Ben Johnson of the Collingwood Magpies admitted that he just couldn't hold it back anymore.

Ben Johnson has revealed he cried in the rooms after taking out Melbourne's Daniel Bell in the front-on clash that led to his six-match suspension this week.

The remorseful Collingwood left-footer said the split-second error in judgment made him "feel sick" and he admitted that while the team sang the club theme song in victory, he sat alone in a toilet cubicle in tears pondering the cost of his action to his teammates, himself and the young Demons player.

"I felt really sick and in a bit of a daze as well. I just wanted him to be all right," Johnson said yesterday.

As for Bell? Well, he was worried that his back might be broken, but hey, no hard feelings.

"He's a good bloke. I was more worried about getting myself right," Bell said. "He was just a little bit unlucky, I did that little bit of a fumble. It quite easily could've been the other way around. I've been in that position a few times."

And that's that. As soon as Bell's neck decompresses, he and Johnson will probably head out to the pub together to have a few beers and moon a few ladies. It's all about the next party in Australia. I really ought to apply for that passport.

AFL: You Will Believe a Footy Star Can Cry originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Thu, 23 Aug 2007 00:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>aussierulesDavid J. WarnerThu, 23 Aug 2007 00:15:00 EST AFL: Jason Akermanis Needs a Good Lawyerhttp://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/08/21/afl-jason-akermanis-needs-a-good-lawyer/http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/08/21/afl-jason-akermanis-needs-a-good-lawyer/http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/08/21/afl-jason-akermanis-needs-a-good-lawyer/#commentsFiled under:

Perhaps Western Bulldogs star Jason Akermanis, who apparently doesn't make enough money to buy extra peroxide for his goatee, should have kept his mouth shut about doping in the AFL.

(The West Coast Eagles) have launched legal action against controversial Bulldogs star Jason Akermanis over his allegations that Eagles veteran Michael Braun used performance-enhancing drugs.

Eagles chairman Dalton Gooding announced the club's legal case against Akermanis and the Seven Network on Saturday. "The whole situation with respect to Michael Braun has been very disappointing," Gooding said ... "The allegations involving Michael were completely baseless, without any fact and purely inappropriate."

Akermanis didn't actually name Braun in his column, but Channel 7 in Australia outed Braun as the target of Aker's ire. The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority cleared Braun of any charges yesterday, and he has denied all charges and stopped just short of calling Akermanis a tosser -- in public, anyway. I'm sure he used plenty of colorful words to describe Akermanis in private.

The AFL also wants a word with Akermanis -- something about bringing the AFL into disrepute with these allegations. Amazingly enough, this incident hasn't ended Akermanis' gig as a columnist. Fox Sports has published his latest column, which begins with this:

It turns out Kevin Rudd went to a strip club a few years ago, got drunk and is a real man after all.

Yes, lawyers see dollar signs here, don't they?

Previously at Das FanHaus:
Akermanis Accusation Angers All

AFL: Jason Akermanis Needs a Good Lawyer originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Tue, 21 Aug 2007 21:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>aussierulesDavid J. WarnerTue, 21 Aug 2007 21:35:00 EST AFL Round 20 Roundup: Brown Kicks Two Points Away From Sydneyhttp://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/08/19/afl-round-20-roundup-brown-kicks-two-points-away-from-sydney/http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/08/19/afl-round-20-roundup-brown-kicks-two-points-away-from-sydney/http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/08/19/afl-round-20-roundup-brown-kicks-two-points-away-from-sydney/#commentsFiled under:

Brisbane Lions 63, Sydney Swans 63. The Swans slowed the game down at every opportunity and did their best to keep Brisbane from scoring, but Jonathan Brown would not be denied. The strong-marking Brown's 55-meter goal in the closing seconds evened the score, denying Sydney two points in the standings and keeping them out of the Top 4. Brown finished with 4 goals. Barry Hall had only one goal and 5 behinds for the Swans. Ouch.

Port Adelaide Power 87, Hawthorn Hawks 82. The Power solidified its spot in the Top 4, thanks to Brett Ebert's goal in the final two minutes. Port now sits in second place, less than a percentage point ahead of the West Coast Eagles, while Hawthorn drops to 4th, 4 points behind the Power and Eagles but comfortably ahead of other clubs on scoring percentage.

Geelong Cats 118, Kangaroos 91. That won't help the 'Roos percentage. Geelong wins its 15th straight on the strength of a 43-1 run in the 2nd half. Geelong has clinched the regular season title, while the Kangaroos remain in 5th place and need one more win to clinch a Finals Series berth. Good thing they have Carlton next week.

St. Kilda Saints 126, Fremantle Dockers 96. Meanwhile, the Saints jumped two points ahead of Brisbane into 8th place and ended Fremantles hopes for the Finals. Fraser Gehrig is your leading scorer of the week with a whopping 8 goals for St. Kilda.

Adelaide Crows 107, Western Bulldogs 73. The Crows also stay the mix for the 8th and last Finals spot by smothering the Bulldogs. Michael Vick would be proud of that. Scott Welsh led the Crows with 4 goals.

Click here for all the Round 20 results. Click here for your updated AFL ladder. The Finals Series begins in three weeks!

AFL Round 20 Roundup: Brown Kicks Two Points Away From Sydney originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Sun, 19 Aug 2007 10:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>aussierulesDavid J. WarnerSun, 19 Aug 2007 10:30:00 EST AFL Round 20 Preview: Down the Stretch They Comehttp://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/08/16/afl-round-20-preview-down-the-stretch-they-come/http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/08/16/afl-round-20-preview-down-the-stretch-they-come/http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/08/16/afl-round-20-preview-down-the-stretch-they-come/#commentsFiled under:

Only three rounds remain in the Australian Football League season before the Finals Series begin, and the fight for a Top 4 spot looks just as intense as the fight for the 8th and last Finals spot. Here's a look at this weekend's biggest games:

Hawthorn Hawks v. Port Adelaide Power. 2nd place faces 3rd place, and losing this game could mean losing a Top 4 spot -- especially with the 4th-place West Coast Eagles playing cellar-dwelling Richmond this week. Can Lance "Buddy" Franklin repeat his 5-goal performance from last week, or is Port out to prove that Brendan Fevola was wrong when he said they weren't so tough?

Brisbane Lions v. Sydney Swans. Sydney has an eye on breaking into the Top 4, while Brisbane is fighting to hold on to 8th place. Can the Lions end Sydney's three-game winning streak? (Setanta Sports, SAT 11:30 PM ET / 8:30 PM PT)

North Melbourne Kangaroos v. Geelong Cats. Geelong may have sewn up the top spot in the Finals Series, but coach Mark Thompson has no plans to rest his starters. The 'Roos lost a tough one against West Coast last week and have been struggling with their goal kicking as of late. Can they catch the Cats napping?

St. Kilda Saints v. Fremantle Dockers. Both these clubs are on the outside looking in and need to win now to save their seasons. (Setanta Sports, SAT 12:00 AM ET / FRI 9:00 PM PT)

Adelaide Crows v. Western Bulldogs. Another last-gasp game for both these clubs, who have both lost three of their last four. Whoever loses this one can just about kiss their Finals hopes goodbye. (Setanta Sports, SUN 2:40 AM ET / SAT 11:40 PM PT)

Collingwood Magpies v. Melbourne Demons. Last week's loss to Richmond was an embarassment for the Magpies. Can they redeem themselves against Melbourne? Or will the Demons be inspired by David Neitz' 300th game and win an improbable second in a row?

AFL Round 20 Preview: Down the Stretch They Come originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Thu, 16 Aug 2007 23:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>aussierulesDavid J. WarnerThu, 16 Aug 2007 23:00:00 EST AFL Fans Discover the Joy of Laser Pointershttp://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/08/16/afl-fans-discover-the-joy-of-laser-pointers/http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/08/16/afl-fans-discover-the-joy-of-laser-pointers/http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/08/16/afl-fans-discover-the-joy-of-laser-pointers/#commentsFiled under:

Never mind the drug problems and the tanking allegations. A new scourge is threatening the Australian Football League -- laser pointers.


Apparently, some cat owner in Melbourne got tired of making videos like that and took his laser pointer to the Richmond-Collingwood match, where he shined it on Tigers captain Kane Johnson and Magpies' player Ryan Cook. Police are seeking the person who did this and plan to prosecute anyone who does it in the future.

Maybe our mystery laser man should have taken his pointer to Telstra Dome on Saturday and tried curing Jason Akermanis of his nearsightedness. "Hey, he's running faster than I can remember. He must be on drugs!" Clearly, Aker missed the laser pointer Michael Braun was chasing as it moved toward the goal square.

Aker can take comfort, though, in the fact that while everyone else is abandoning him, Dick Pound is on his side, and hey, everybody loves that ... oh, never mind.

(And yes, I know that video has nothing to do with the AFL, but seriously, are you not entertained?)

AFL Fans Discover the Joy of Laser Pointers originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Thu, 16 Aug 2007 01:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>aussierulesDavid J. WarnerThu, 16 Aug 2007 01:00:00 EST