Sports wrap

AFL: It is coming down to finals time. The Hawks have left it very late to try to avoid the ignominy of being the first premiers in a decade of missing the finals in the following season. It will not be any easier with Buddy Franklin having been suspended for the match against the 8th placed Bombers.

Can St. Kilda regain the form that saw them cruise to 18 straight wins in time for the finals? They certainly have not picked the best time to get the shakes (albeit having only lost the two games with missed goal kicks at the death).

The Pies, Bulldogs, Crows and Geelong have started to peak at the best time and will, short of mass injuries be the crucial players in the final series.

Cricket: If you have been asleep for the past 2 days, you would have missed Australia losing the Ashes for the 2nd time in 4 years. Ponting now has a memorable place in history as being the only Australian captain since Billy Murdoch in the late 1800's to lose two ashes series in England.

NRL: With two games to go, there are 11 teams vying for the top eight finals positions. At this time of year, all other rugby league transgressions are forgotten (and this year that is amazing to think, given there were plenty) and the main focus becomes the unusual finals system. People have more luck trying to understand Einstein’s theory of relativity than understanding the McIntyre system. Nevertheless, the outcome is that in early October one team will lift the premiership.

Rugby Union: After the bore that was the Bledisloe kick fest, union supporters should not expect too much more with the kick reliant Springboks about to touch down in Australia for the their Tri Nations match with the Wallabies. Having said that, if drop goals and place kicks are for you, you will be like a big kid in a cake store.

Tennis: The US Open is only just around the corner…

Athletics: Australia ran (4x400m team), jumped (Watt and Hooker) and threw (Samuels) their way to their best world championship results. And with Jana Pittman to come back from a toe injury (possibly sustained when she kicked ex hubby out of the house) Australia’s athletics team looks like it is in good hands come London 2012.

The main international news of the Championships was Bolt’s blistering sprints in the 100m (9.58s) and the 200m (19.19s)! The man has pushed the bounds of human speed more than Rick Astley did to pop music.

Of course the championships could not go without its share of controversy…enter the man/woman Caster Semenya! Not since the East Germans were competing have we seen bigger biceps, thighs and abs on a girl.

Soccer/Football: The English Premier league has kicked off again and what a start. The goals have been amazing and in bucketloads. Manchester United and Liverpool, both early favourites for the title, have come unstuck against less fancied teams. And maybe, just maybe, the bazillions sunk into Manchester City by the arab oil sheiks might actually pay off…

On the local scene, the A-League has also kicked off with a bang. The Gold Coast have walked the walk so far, Sydney’s European influence has paid immediate dividends, and North Queensland are by far the most dreadful team. Robbie Fowler must be thinking if only he was God he might be able to get himself out of there.

Will he wont he saga finally concludes: Ronaldo

It has been 12 months in the making but Real Madrid CF have finally got their man and Ronald has got the club he's always wanted. 

With more rumours than a girls school playground surrounding Ronaldo's possible departure, on 11 June 2009 Real Madrid CF agreed to pay Manchester United a world record $163 million fee for the Paris Hilton kissing hair gel industry sustaining global football star. Yesterday, Real Madrid CF put the finishing touches to the personal terms of Ronaldo's transfer and he is now officially a part of the Real Madrid CF Galacticos revolution.  It is reported that he will earn about $23 million per year for the next six years! that equates to about $442,307 per week! Amazingly, that is just his base wage and doesn't include payments for image rights or shirt sales. 

So how will Ronaldo's move effect all interested parties?

The English Premier League has lost one of its stars, and it may well effect its marketability in the short term, but with the mega brands that are the 'top four' clubs, the league will surely find another star to re-brand the league into all parts of the world. In contrast, La Liga is growing from strength to strength behind quality players plying their trade in the league (boosted enormously by Kaka and Ronaldo's move), a strong national team (excluding the recent USA loss), and better tax rates than those in England.

Manchester United are now minus their biggest and most influential star. Ronaldo could turn a game in a second. You only need to ask a string opposition goalkeepers, namely Arsenal's Almunia and FC Porto's Helton, who thought there was no danger with Ronaldo on the ball 40 yards from goal. However, Manchester United now have a substantial transfer kitty and it will be interesting to see who they put in the red number 7. 

Real Madrid CF have obviously gained a megastar both on and off the field. They are in the midst of a Galacticos revolution having already spent at least $300 million on players during the past month, and with another 2 months before the start of the season, the bank manager must be reaching for the valium at the thought of the possible future spending. There is no doubt, however, that Real Madrid CF will be a serious threat in all competitions.

Many English Premier League supporters may argue that Ronaldo's departure is a good thing with the amount of complaining he did each game, not to mention diving more than Greg Louganis. This behaviour is more acceptable in La Liga, so Ronaldo should fit right in.

Finally, with Spain, like everyone, being hit by the global financial crisis, many Spaniards are questioning the rationale of Real Madrid CF's spending.  It will similarly be interesting see how Ronaldo integrates into a team where he will be earning in some cases three or four times the amount of his team mates. All will be forgotten however, if the Los Merengues have a successful season. Only time and silverware will tell.