10 things needed for a super August | Thebigtip

When looking through the sporting calendar at the beginning of the year, only one month stood out as a must watch period. Who cares for November's Melbourne Cup and first Ashes Test when in July the World Cup is on? As can be evidenced by the stirring renditions of the national anthem at Socceroos’ matches and the late night hoards at the Fan Fest, tens of thousands of sports fans across the country took time off work during this month to experience this mega event proving again how big it really is.

But July severely disappointed the diehard sports fan. Apart from the Socceroos bowing out of the first round in yellow and red card ignominy, the whole tournament was quite boring. The only interest in the final was to see how few players Holland would have at the end or if Arjen Robben would actually get touched before he went down in a screaming heap.

The month started badly when Mark Webber literally flew out of contention of the F1 driver’s championship; it got worse with Australia’s unconfident performances in the one day cricket series against England and their thrashings by Pakistan in the T20’s. Cadel Evans fractured an elbow effectively ruining any chance of competitiveness in Le Tour and even worse on the injury front was Michael Barlow’s broken leg. Dream Teamers turned to Garry Ablett to endure his worst month of football in years. Disaster!

So here is a list of 10 things that if they occurred during August would renew and reinvigorate all sporting fans’ faith:

Collingwood’s bubble bursts

The Magpies are a love/hate side, and with more people hating them than loving them, let us hope that they somehow find a form vacuum and stop playing premiership-like football. Is there anything worse than a Collingwood fan after they win? Probably only Joffa in a gold jacket. Actually the best scenario is for Collingwood to play in the Grand Final and be that far in front that the gold jacket is donned only for a rampaging Ablett or Reiwoldt to steal a victory from the ashes…. Now that would be gold.

Red Bull thinks about their team

When will Mark Webber be given the credence he deserves? Or more the point when will the Red Bull team realise that Sebastian Vettel is not the golden boy they make him out to be? Webber has been made to apologise time and time again over nothing and has been given a talking to after almost every race for the simple reason that he is challenging the German. An Alonso-Webber partnership next year would not be a bad solution to the whole drama.

Team Australia

Corporate Australia catches on that, yes, cycling is actually a mega sport and it is growing ever faster in the country. Thus they announce that an Australian based side is to be established. And no, Cadel Evans will not be the leader. Imagine “Team Austar” or “Team Four ‘n’ Twenty” bunched up front in the Tour de France, one after another in the famous green and gold…. O’Grady followed by Gerrans, Evans, Rogers, Lloyd et al with the specific instructions that one has to be in every breakaway that occurs. Dreams can come true.

Horse racing becomes relevant

It is the state of the industry right now, but Thoroughbred racing’s status as a legitimate top grade sport in this country relies on one horse to be fit, healthy and winning. It has been three years since Makybe Diva captured our hearts on the track and it can’t be left to Bart Cummings to provide the entertainment each year. Ironically So You Think is actually trained by the great man meaning this could be a win win for horse racing. The authorities need to have a look at this, maybe ballot a few good horses out of the major races so he can have an easier run, but we need a champion desperately…