What Would Hayden Do?

It's never been a secret that Matthew Hayden is a devout Christian. Tracing the shape of the cross on his chest (to celebrate scoring a hundred) made sure of that.


He recently told Brisbane News that "When I'm in trouble it's always something to think about. I ask myself What would Christ do in this situation?".

Despite his best efforts, Hayden (like all of us) still doesn't match up to that sort of standard. Does that make him bad? I just think it means that he's not God (no matter how many centuries he scores).

Fortunately, God doesn't require us to be completely perfect. Apparently, that's part of the reason for Jesus - and the cross that Matt Hayden so often illustrates. But it's good to wanna be more like Jesus - the same way many cricketers wanna be more like Matt Hayden.

Loyal Lockyer

There's been a bit of talk recently about rugby league players taking up various offers, either overseas or in rugby union - even if it means breaking a contract. Even if it means deserting the team part way through a season. Why would someone do this? Often the reason is cold hard cash ... and lots if it.

So it's very refreshing to see a player who is not led around like a dog on a lead by the person with the biggest cheque-book. Last week, Darren Lockyer broke the record for the most games played by a Brisbane Bronco player (298, if you were wondering).


Arguably the best player in the world, he was asked if he would ever consider an offer from rugby union.

Rugby league has given me so many great things and this club has as well ... There might be an opportunity out there to make a bit more money but I feel like I owe the club and the game plenty ... I'm not going to go and leave the game to clear a bigger cheque.

For mine, the ability to see life beyond the dollar signs, makes Lockyer a star person as well as a star player.

Olympic Excitement

Read an article about the mental processes that athletes go through during their training - in the hope of winning gold at the Olympics.

It was an article in Christianity Today (of all places) and it compared the situation to that of a Christian - with one important difference. The Christian's hope is based on God, rather than on our individual strength or speed.

Justin Langer on "Luck"

This week i was reading Justin Langer's book. In it, he re-tells a fictional story (i guess if it was in the bible it would be called a parable) about a farmer's luck.

I thought it re-emphasised that often things that happen are just things. As the farmer says, "who is to say if it is good luck or bad luck?"

Doing it for Number 1

I never thought i'd devote a whole piece to Mark Gasnier, but his signing with French rugby club Stade Francais reveals something about the guy.

Columnists like Andy Wilson and Gorden Tallis have written about his hypocrisy, and the effect on rugby league. But i'm more interested in motivation.

Players say a lot of things in interviews. How much they love their club. How proud they are to be selected for their state. How strong the team spirit is. How they are honoured to be part of the history of the game.

Then a foreign club, in a different sport, comes along with a fistful of euros. Suddenly all of that passion, team spirit, honour go out the window. At least they do if the player is as self-centred as Gasnier...

I've had to react to it and I think this is the best reaction for me

My opinion of Gasnier has never been terribly high, but now it's lower. And it seems i'm not alone. A poll on the fox sports website asked what should be done to prevent situations like this. Currently, the most popular repsonse is "Do nothing - the NRL doesn't need these blokes". I guess Gasnier got one thing right:

I'm not going to be missed that much.

Speaking for myself, he's not going to be missed at all.

Brainy Footballers

Yes, you read right - it's not a typo. A 16-10 game three win has won Queensland the 2009 State of Origin series - that much we knew. Then in the post-game, Billy Slater tells us more.

Apparently, seconds prior to the match-winning move, he and Thurston we ready to run a different play - on the other side of the field. In a spur-of-the-moment decision, Thurston decided to switch to the left side. Slater "just followed him" for the winning 4-pointer.


What impresses me is the speed and clarity of thinking. While us mere spectators are struggling just to deal with the tension and cheer for our team, there's Jonathan Thurston. He's run several kilometres, been in dozens of physical collisions (the word tackle doesn't do it justice) and has millions of people watching his every play. He also knows he will receive the ball within seconds.

In between catching his breath and weighing up his options, he finds a second to analyse the defensive line, and identify a potential weakness. Maybe not the same kind of intelligence that works out the square root of 289, or can distinguish between the music of Chopin and Bach, but in terms of summing up a situation and taking decisive action - it's right up there.

Something to think about, next time i'm taking 15 minutes just to decide what to have for dinner.

Error Count

So i was chatting with friends about the topic of "sin". Often it's portrayed as the evil and malicious actions, deliberately designed to hurt others for our own advantage. But i've also heard that literally, the word "sin" is just the "falling short of the mark". In other words, to be not perfect.

As you might imagine, this is when my mind switched to sport. In rugby league, one of the half-time stats is the error count of both teams. Clearly, it is good to have a low error count - and many half-time speeches by coaches revolve around just that. However, i have yet to see an error count of zero - because there is no such thing as the perfect game.

Similarly, i think God (in my opinion the ultimate coach) understands that we are only human (after all, that's the way we were made) but still would like to see us reduce our error count - after all, we can achieve so much more if we're not continually dropping the ball.

State of Origin - Part 2

Last night's 30-0 win by Queensland can be considered one of the most convincing in State of Origin history. What makes it more amazing is that it comes after the team's (self-admitted) sub-standard performance in game one of the series.

So what makes the difference? Sure, Steve Price returned from injury - but in the meantime Justin Hodges had also been suspended. And the other two selection changes don't fully explain the transformation from a side that conceded 18 points, to a side that keeps the opposition scoreless.

Though rugby league is played on a 120m x 60m field, sometimes the most important plays happen in a much smaller space - the heads of the 26 players involved. And this is where life is like sport.

Often the most important things are our attitude, and the support of our "teammates".

When is a Team not a Team?

Perhaps it's not a surprise, but at parties i often get into conversations about sport. Last night i was asked this philosophical question, while discussing the departures of Ben Hannant (pictured) and Friday night's 4-try hero Denan Kemp, from the Brisbane Broncos at the end of this season.


Technically it was about how many players have to leave before it's no longer the same team? The best i could explain was that it is similar to an extended family, where new people are born (or married) into the clan, while others pass on. Over time, the composition changes but it's still the family.

Baseball

Today i read a piece "life is like baseball". Writer, Howard Butt, describes baseball batting ...

You hold a rounded stick. From 60 feet 6 inches away, a sphere hurls your way at 90 miles per hour. In less than one-half second you must judge the pitch and give it your best swing. If the pitcher adds spin, curve, or drop, it's that much harder. And if you hit the ball? Nine skilled athletes do all they can to stop your progress.

Put like that, it's no wonder that a player is considered a champion if he succeeds one time in three. Often the situation is difficult. Perfection may be out of reach, but we aim for the best possible result.

Honesty Stroke

This morning I watched televised golf.

That's not something i'd normally say. For that matter it's not something i'd normally do! But there was an ad break in the cartoons, and even tv golf is better than ads.

Anyway, a guy was lining up a putt when, for no apparent reason, the ball moved. He didn't touch it, hit or kick it - it just moved. Now golf being golf, there's a rule that basically says once you've taken up your stance and the ball moves - it counts as a stroke (doh!).

So this guy goes and tells the course official what has happened. He gets a ruling that it is a penalty stroke, and he has to re-place the ball. So he put the ball back to where it was - a whole 3mm away! That's a rotation of about one dimple on a golf ball. It only just showed up on the replay.

So the player would have been the only person in the world who knew what happened. He could have played on. No-one would have looked at the replay. No-one would have known. But this is clearly a guy who knows about honesty, and only wants to win if it's fair and square.

For me that's real character. He may not collect the trophy, but he has integrity. And there's plenty of people who don't have either.

Super Tyree in SuperBowl

OK, it's a month or two ago, but Superbowl fans would remember David Tyree's amazing catch from Eli Manning's pass to set up the NY Giants 17-14 win in the 2008 Superbowl.


What we didn't know, and what's even more amazing, is Tyree back-story. As covered by the NY Times, Tyree has turned his life around - with God's help. Bigger than any superbowl comeback, "It’s more than just a feel-good story. It’s about destiny and purpose."

"My life was oviously in disarray". He describes his former self "at the pinnacle of sports. But I had no joy. I had no peace." Apparently it all changed when he picked up the Bible.

Walking - Ponting

One of the more discussed issues in cricket is "walking". In short, if you are out, but the umpire gives you 'not out', do you leave voluntarily?

Aussie captain Ricky Ponting is one player who appears to be firmly in the 'no' camp. Today, in the first match of the new year, Ponting (on 17) appeared to edge one to the wicketkeeper. Ponting stayed, and the umpire ruled that he didn't hit it.

Then on 55, Ponting inside-edged the ball onto his leg. Ironically, the same umpire again judged that Ponting didn't hit it, and hence gave him out lbw.

And this is the basis of 'non-walker' theory - that when an umpire error goes against you, you have to leave. Therefore (they say) when a decision favours you, you should get to stay.

But the thing that really tips it (for me) is the carry-on of players when they do get given out. There'll be a short stare at the umpire (long enough to make a point - short enough not to be fined for bad sportmanship) a glance towards the bat (in the case of inside edge) all followed up with some grumpy stomping off the field (like a child being sent to their room).

Of course, they'll say that it's all just a natural reaction, and impossible to supress. Yet when they "get away with one", the emotion of guilt seems much easier to hide.

In my view, if batsmen are going to claim "the umpire's the one who decides if i'm out", then it has to be true when it doesn't suit - not just when it does.