The Breakfast Radio Diaries 086 - It's been 26 years at least...

So it turns out I'm not the only coach having a rough year in 2022 and over the weekend I tried something again that I haven't given a go to...since 1996. Amazingly it went okay!

DRAMAS ON AND OFF THE FOOTY FIELD

And we're not talking about my team The Nada Fajita Tornadoes and their inability to even show up some weeks, I mean in the Australian Football League. For those not in Australia, let me break it down into interesting points for you. 

-Earlier on this year the North Melbourne Kangaroos who have had a really rough year, parted ways with their coach, their fourth senior coach in five years. So they've had a caretaker coach in there until they could finalise someone for the senior role. 

-Meanwhile, the Essendon Bombers have also had a pretty average year, so much so their president stepped down only a short time ago. Their coach was also thought to be going too but survived to be able to coach their final game of this season. 

-A few weeks ago the footy world thought that former Hawks coach Alistair Clarkson (pictured avove) was going to announce he was going to sign with North Melbourne which would have been a great relief to Kangaroo fans (Greater Western Sydney were also keen to have him on board but he wasn't keen to leave the state of Victoria) but suddenly Essendon came along, also expressing a desire to have him as part of their team. Now he's got two teams vying for attention, both desperate for a decision.

-'I'll make a decision by the end of the weekend' Clarko announces. Then on Friday, the news emerges that he's off to coach the Kangaroos for a few years. Roos fans rejoice, Bombers fans probably gnash their teeth. 

-In their last game of season 2022, the Richmond Tigers put the Bombers through a world of hurt, shutting things down by 66 points.   

-The board of Essendon decides 'Well that hasn't gone well has it?' and sacks their coach Ben Rutten, even though he still has a year on his contract left. Unsurprisingly fans and the media have a field day with this news, ripping the board a new one.

Now they have no coach but a bit of time to find someone before season 2023 starts.  

-Outside of that Zorko from Brisbane (and once upon a time part of my first Supercoach) reaches new lows in the world of sledging by telling a rival player 'I hope your mum dies.' Yowch.

So plenty to talk about...and that's before we even kick off the finals rounds! (Also well done to the Tysonic Hedgehogs for winning Supercoach this year although I tuned out to what was happening when I got eliminated from the competition a few weeks back and left it there...)

STRAP ON THE BOOTS. ER...SKATES

I was 15-16 years old when I first strapped on a pair of roller blades. And making good use of the provided helmet and knee pads, I got a quick lesson in how to stop rather abruptly by jumping into a chain link fence at the end of slight incline at the school fair.

Hilariously it'd be another 26 years before I tried inline skates again and it only came about because I wanted to help out my little bloke Jackson who seemed to be having a rough time with balance. On a pretty wet and awful Saturday just gone, we found ourselves here: 

Where my original plan was to hire the kids some skates, sit on the sidelines cheering them on and do some stuff on my phone possibly. However that quickly changed when I saw Jacko struggling to even stand up out there at the Albury Skating Centre floor and so I did the best dad thing I could think of - I hired some skates myself to see if I could help him out there. My notes went as follows: 

-Boy these things are uncomfortable.

-Why does one have a missing strap up top? Oh well, we'll just tighten everything else. 

-One does one have brakes on the back and the other doesn't? Also do I need brakes? Let's hope not. 

-My leg strength seems a lot better now than 26 years ago! Those squats and barbell step ups seem to be paying off! Go dad bod!

-(After half an hour) Gah, my knees are really hurting now!

-(After walking back to the car) Wow, I'm glad that session only went for two hours..

  

I'm proud to report, I didn't fall over once. Nor did I have to look for the nearest section of fencing chain link or otherwise to bring myself to a halt. Yes I was probably quite awkward looking compared to the fluidity of those who know what they're doing, but I stayed up and that's the most important thing. And while Jackson took a few tumbles early on (and sat out for some of it, deciding whether to burn the blades or not) I was very proud to see him give it another go. And hey, I restarted the skating clock at the ripe old age of 42 (I probably won't try it again when I'm 68 though..)

TOMORROW

Last solo shift before Lu returns for the rest of 2022. Also I'm sincerely hoping there's some spare jam donuts left over in the work fridge, celebrating those who found out they were Australian Commercial Radio Finalists today. I wasn't one sadly, but will gladly join in on any food related celebrations!

Chat then

-Almigo