Hot Tip

Oval Ball: Great news out of the Saints today, with my favourite rover who doesn't run from Booze Buses, Luke Ball, being named captain. So deserving.

So, while it probably means Ball will have a quieter season than last, it means that Riewoldt's $26 price for the Brownlow is looking great, since all he'll have to worry about now is taking marks at CHF and getting it down to Fraaaaaaaaase. Incidentally, Ball $17, Dal Santo $15, Hayes $101.

To be filed under "who gives a sh*t", Dooooogs played well the other night. I would have been more interested had he been traded. Oh to think what we could have got for Doooogs and Gardy...

And, stay tuned for the AFL OFI Team of the Century, containing the best players to have been involved in Off-Field Indicretions, captained by guess who? If you've got selction suggestions, comment me (or email blogsareso2005@iinet.net.au)

Round Ball: Sorry to break it to you, but World Cup 2006 is all decided already.
Try your own predictions with Excely's little spreadsheet. Points to note:

• Germany barely have to get out of bed to get through the 1st round, before a grudge match vs England


• The last Group B match, England v Sweden will be massive (winner plays Poland, loser plays Germany)


• Netherlands will be one of the best teams to watch, but have a cursed run (in a group with Argentina, then have to beat Portugal and Germany, only to meet Brazil in a semi)


• Italy should beat Czech Republic...


• Australia should draw one and win one against Japan and Croatia (patriotism=idiocy)...


• Setting up Italy v Australia 2nd round (just as a side note, I will be in Croatia when they play the last group match against them, and in Italy for that 2nd round match - just thought I'd add that...)


• Some of those 2nd round matches (GER-ENG, POR-NED, ESP-SUI) will probably be decided by penalties, but the spreadsheet can't do it


• I will be watching Germany v Argentina in the QF in Berlin(just thought I'd add that...)


• Despite 6 of the 8 quarter-finalists being from mainland Europe, it still ends up a South American final


• There's still a good chance of a BRA-ITA final (but it had better be more entertaining than '94)


• Argentina $3.75 for a place looks like a good bet


• My knowledge and predictive skills of international sport knows no (lower) bound

Music: Nice article in The Age about music on TV shows, in particular The OC. Interesting to note that Cold Case can't be released on DVD because licensing all the music will cost too much!