cornerstone

Pessotto didn't think it was a penalty either (I am a bad, bad man....)

Not quite what I had planned!

Well obviously that is the most terrible thing about terminal diseases - folk wasting away so that they're not even 'themselves' at the end of the line. ...... Attempting to lighten things.... On a different note, did you spot that your team's wage bill just went down 70k a week?

Shards of glass on the carpet - what a great, great idea! I'll be honest, that watch is going to look pretty stupid on his wrist now!

Obviously that's not so cool - Take it easy down in London. (kind of wish I'd read that before my most recent new topic - foot in mouth)

I thought, it's June it's summer - I'll cheer everyone up. And then I thought - not here it isn't. It's winter, dark and cold (within Australian limits obviously - 18 degrees C and sunny). But the swimming pool is cold...brrrr.... So to cheer everyone up I bring you 'Clock of the Day': the DEATH CLOCK. Death Clock Apparently I'm to pencil in June 2049. Which is giving me the power to battle through to 2050 - nice round number, gives me a chance to reminisce to the local newspaper about everyone celebrating the new millenium in the wrong year, about when the British Empire encompassed the Falklands, Diego Garcia and a penguin called Gerald, etc. I especially like this clock because IT ASKS NO QUESTIONS ABOUT DRINKING!! A free pass! The moral of the story to you procrastinators out there is that you've been putting off painting the spare bedroom for months and months, your life is ticking away - fuck it and get laid! Cheers!

The Tunisian returns!

Fair enough. One hope for Australian football is the move to the Asian qualifying groups, and cup competitions for domestic teams. At least this way there doesn't have to be four years between drinks. The domestic league has scored a massive own goal with the move to Fox Sports - they need exposure not dollars. Foxtel is shite, and most people know that (and don't receive it). The domestic inter-code bunfight will be interesting. Ch 7, 9 and 10 are very much tied up in the the success of sport on television. They help to entrench cricket, NRL and AFL. But they also have interesting problems with audiences splintering...

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Plus you only have to play Ireland!

You're quite right about this. You can have all the possession in the world, but you've got to score. Australia couldn't, and given the amount of possession they should have created better chances. They were fortunate to have been playing against 10 men for forty minutes - it was a massive advantage to have Luca Toni (who I rate) substituted for another defender. (Lippi left on Del Piero, so it was like a double boost for Australia!). If Australia couldn't score in normal time, I didn't really see it happening in extra time either - Italy can soak up pressure all night long. And then, as you say, it comes down to chance. It was seriously cruel to go out to a non-penalty with the last kick of the game - but even without it some different cruelty could just have come a few minutes later in extra time. Congrats Italy! I hope they do really well - they are a superb team.

Nightmare. Still, Australia did incredibly well... Such a shame because it's an easy quarter final against Ukraine = semi final, and after that who knows?

Just quickly.....

Cheeky! I only moved to Australia after I worked there. That means if I worked in a bar, then you worked in a boules/petanque factory! I drank in quite a few bars though.... Geez - be careful - that's a delicate piece of equipment you've got there - not a battering ram!

I totally forgot about this - the 'bad air' clip is still on my desktop. Total classic! Great work!! So funny!!

Well, yes, the Dutch had it coming to them That was a good half for a game with no goals. The Italians are superb coming forward - Luca Toni's movement is incredible. Or it was until he got scythed! Only 6 degrees here, so kind of glad I'm not out in the street.

Very cheeky.... We'll fly back thank you very much!! (Actual Qantas plane pictured). And once we've flown back, all our players can then fly back again to where they live! Small world! I used to work in Maidenhead too. Lived in Windsor though. Thus Rolf a well-known local with his constantly flooded living room (MOVE goddamit!)

It seems I'm no El Hadji Diouf That was the decent thing to do!! Did you then watch it?

Maidenhead/Bray?! As for the rest

Ach, pure AFL hardcore you! As for Rolf, I think he counts as a naturalised Englishman by now - yours to keep!

Ken is definitely Melbourne Yakuza. At first glance, a normal upstanding citizen, but (I wager) take off the shirt and you'll find nothing but Rolex tattoos

Easy tiger - when has Australia done that? They've had Graham 'three yellows' Poll as a referee, but otherwise the whistle seems to go as soon as a hair moves on an opposition player's head. However, that said, you are probably right that the fun may begin today! I expect 'physical'.

Just for amusement, Radio National really got into the spirit of things with this ditty: From many nations hear the sound; The World is oval - it ain't round, In one more year we'll be in heaven, The real World Cup is in '07