Sticky Wickets

Yesterday, we (somewhat randomly) went for a tour of the MCG - Melbourne Cricket Ground, which is enormous (even by US standards) and gorgeous. They play both cricket and AFL (Australian Rules Football there). Tour was A+++ despite my near total lack of interest in this topic.

The guide was an older guy (there was a group of guides at the start and the average age must have been north of 70, all men) who exuded love for both the sport and the venue. On the one hand, I am a bit envious of people who have this sort of passion for anything, including professional sports. On the other hand, I wish that passion were invested in, say, finding alternative energy sources.

(Spoiler alert: it doesn't matter how much alternative energy we find or how well it works. We will still keep on burning ever more oil, gas and coal).

It was fun to learn a bit about how cricket and AFL works. AFL sounds like rugby, likewise super-violent, and nobody wears protection, as a sort of badge of honour. Cricket sounds super tedious, but I guess that's OK if there is a beer supply and you bring a stack of magazines and an iPad with you ;)

The NFL is coming here to play a game (a real game, between two American teams). I didn't know that they do this regularly, around the world, to drum up interest. Apparently it is very popular. I had no idea.

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