Good Things Must End!

G'day Tragics,

Remember that bully at school that used to punish you with wedgies and intimidation?  That guy/girl would always be bigger, tougher and hold a blanket of fear over everyone that crossed their path.  School life for them was a breeze...they were kings of the castle.

Fast forward 20 years and you may see that bully walking down the street, overweight, shy and the same size that they were in Primary school.  Things flip and they now kiss the footprints you leave behind.  Life's funny like that and so is sport.  All good things must end.

Currently there is a wave of once dominant forces in world sport that have lost that "bully like" aura and have slipped back into the pack with the "also rans".

The Australian cricket team dominated world cricket for 15 years and didn't the Australian public love them for it.  A batch of superstar retirements, a nutty selector, the quagmire 3 forms of cricket has caused and in my opinion a batch of young players with heads the size of Texas, has launched Australian cricket into freefall.

Never has the Australian cricket team been less popular and on the nose.  You would think that such a long period of success would buy some slack from the cricket loving public, but success breeds a hunger for more success, it appears that eventual failure is not an option.

Tiger Woods and Roger Federer are a pair of individuals that have had no peer in their respective sports.  Lately and for very different reasons, both have been struggling to stay balanced on top of Everest.

We have always expected these chaps to win or be at the very top of their game.  To watch them flounder is uncomfortable...like introducing your missus to an ex....it's awkward.  This may be why "experts" are floating the idea for these lads to hang up their Nike deals.  Bit silly isn't it?

So it's OK for a bunch of unknown mud crabs to ramble along on the golf or tennis tours ranked at 137 for 15 years, going completely un-noticed like a muppett-like ninja, but the blokes that have been number 1 for 10 years and have "crashed" into the top 20 should give the game away?  Sport is funny isn't it.

People can't handle seeing their sporting heroes fall from the top of the tree.  Fans take it personally and live their sporting dreams through their heroes.  You're not a true tragic if you disagree with this.

Being a proud Tasmanian, it's been devastating for me to watch Ricky Ponting carry on like a tool at times and not make any runs.  Sad thing is, he is still in Australia's top 3 batsmen.  Time to go Rick?

Knowing when to give the game away and go out on top is a skill.  In a team sport this is impossible.  Team sport success, like interest rates is cyclic.  There are periods of winning, but the natural evoloution of a team will see low patches roll through.  Only the exceptionally managed teams have long periods of success (eg. Yankees, Man U and Geelong).

Back to individuals.  Retiring on top is ideal, then moving on completely is the best option in my book.  Too many of my sporting idols have made complete dicks of themselves by becoming commentators or media personalities.  This is how I'll remember them and it hurts.

The more I see of Boonie, the more I can't stand the 5 foot 2 Tasmanian with the flared pants....and the diamond earring....So many try to go out on top, then ruin it with a comeback, Tony Lockett, Michael Jordan and even Hingis spring to mind.

In sport, all good things come to an end...it's just so hard for athletes and fans accept.....Tragic!