Dear Santa,
I know I have left this late, but if you can fly around the world in one night delivering gifts to one and all, surely you can pull off a few Christmas miracles for The Gurgler in 2016.
I know you’ll check the list twice as the sang advises, but we have been good all year. We’ve gone to a Sheffield Shield games, and several intrust Super Cup games and the final. We’ve tried to watch as much sport as possible, and even got Foxtel to ensure we cover it all. We watched all the F1 races despite the deteriorating interest factor, and got involved in 4 Fantasy comps, ran 3 Tipping Comps, released our year long Tipping competition Tipstradamus 2000, and bet whenever and wherever we can.
So if we have been as good as we say, can you please help us out with a few Christmas wishes as below.
Leicester to win the EPL or at minimum finish Top 4
Whilst fans of the big EPL clubs will say it’s not quite right to have a side like Leicester on top of the table, what a story for everyone else and neutrals alike.
They should be nowhere near the top – bottom at Christmas last year, being led by players like Jamie Vardy who was in Non League not too long ago, and Riyad Mahrez was a Championship name of note unknown to EPL, even their manager was roundly panned and lampooned after his previous management gigs at the beginning of the season.
But now the team who are the first to go from last at Xmas the previous year to first 12 months are on the verge of something special, and it gives a fan of any low lying EPL or Championship club hope. It didn’t take debt creating splashing of cash, just a good side with good honest players, playing their hearts out in front of fans who are loving life. With the emergence of Crystal Palace and Watford in the top 10, the extra money has allowed the lower ranked clubs to catch up, and wins the big teams could have guaranteed in the last few seasons is no longer the case.
Jose to return to EPL with someone
In this day and age of bland, robotic sportspeople, blabbing equally bland and clichéd babble, Jose was something different, and depending on his mood either entertaining or a must watch.
Barca v Real Madrid UCL Final
With Barcelona fielding probably the greatest forward line up of any side ever, it will probably not be long before someone flashes a 9 figure sum in front of one of them to move elsewhere. And what a joy to watch they are, playing as a tight selfless unit intent on destroying all in their wake. The other big team in Spain has one man who operates as an entity himself – Ronaldo – and it would be fitting to see the two sides head to head in club football’s biggest stage.
Someone to challenge Lewis Hamilton –
This includes you Mr Rosberg BEFORE Lewis Hamilton puts his feet up. It ‘s all good winning when it really doesn’t matter and your teammate is off partying and making music. If the rules are rigged so no one can have a better engine than Mercedes, at least try and get a decent team mate battle for us neutrals.
F1 not stuff up new rules for 2017,
Ensure that there’s no loophole like the Double Diffuser debacle of 2009. New Rule introduced to limit aerodynamics, one the architects of the rule change then found the loophole to combat it and thus Brawn won most of the race early in 2009 before others could catch up. It essentially took one year of dominance away from RB. Early signs of the wider tyres and better front wings show that cars will be much faster, and overtaking reduced again. Great, either less overtaking or more gadgets to make a pass happen.
PNG Hunters to win the Queensland Cup
The PNG Hunters were the real people’s team in 2015, and came so close to a Grand Final and then who knows…But similar to buzz created by Jets with their different entertaining style and finals wins, PNG have that added sparkle of the Jets and the buzz would multiply that by 7 million times. OK not quite, but you get the point.
Willie Minoga to play NRL this year
With the new eight interchange rule update impact off the bench will be more crucial than ever, and Big Willie is ready. A move to the Townsville Blackhawks gets him one step closer as the Cowboys feeder club.
Rod Pampling to win on the USPGA Tour in 2016
Here lies a great potential Aussie battler story in 2016. Winning his card back after losing it a while ago, his hard work on the second tier Web.com tour has been reward with a US PGA tour card. He has won on the US PGA Tour, and another win in 2016 would be no less than he deserves according to us.
Miguel Angel Jiminez to represent Spain and win at the Olympics
I have given up hope of The Mechanic winning a major, despite his hole in one heroics this season on the European PGA, but maybe he has one more good tournament in him, and who wouldn’t want to see the man on the Olympics dias with Gold Medal and cigar.
NRL expansion
At least talk about it. NRL needs some fresh new blood and relocation is not going to happen. Surely a few less rounds but two extra teams will be good for all involved.
Tomic or Kyrgios to win Wimbledon
Both are very hard to like but it would be nice if one of these two could reinvigorate Australian Tennis by performing heroics on the tennis court, not being a turd. It’s a fine line between Australian’s loving a confident winning sportsman and an arrogant under achiever.
More sporting movies.
Surely the story of Pedro Chaves, Machtig Mihi Panis or any sporting notable could be worth a film. Rather than remaking yet another 90’s movie.
Sepp Blatter to officially forced out of FIFA in a ceremony where he is shot out of a cannon.
Whilst his 8 year suspension from all football related activities was announced, followed by his usual style of press conference of complete ignorance of his own guilt, does anyone truly believe he will not return to the FIFA presidency until all the appeals are done. If and when the end is officially here and there are no more avenues for hide saving, bring on the cannon.
Brad Hogg spins Australia to T20 World Cup win.
Australia have yet to win the T20 World Cup, and why not have Brad Hogg leading the charge. Whilst 10 – 20 years more senior than a lot of candidate, few could argue at his effectiveness in last year’s Big Bash, and even less so about his enthusiasm.
Channel 9 to go broke and can’t afford Test Cricket coverage rights –
We know this one is unlikely Santa, and I probably haven’t been near good enough, but I’ll gladly pay to watch Tests not involving Michael Slater and co. Please let someone else have it, they’re stealing our summer with their in joke lovefest.
