Round 10 – Lions v Pies

C.C.B.C.B.B.C.B.C.C.C.B.B.C.

I am not having a Paul Friedman episode typing with the Caps Lock on. This is the ‘code’ which I have to decipher to see the state of play in the first half via the internet on my phone. How I miss sitting in front of the tele and watching my Lions play, but with Crows playing the Saints in Melbourne the Lions game get second fiddle again.

I switch on the radio online “There is an aroma of an upset” suggest the ABC commentators as the boys head for the sheds at half time it’s Collingwood 57 to the Lions 42.

“A very entertaining first half… I tell you what, I have been really impressed with the young fellas and this new (Lions) unit… The enthusiasm has been fantastic…” comments former Lion and Norm Smith medalist Shaun Hart.

The phone beeps. It’s Briggsy: ‘Having a real crack’

I am stuffed from getting to bed at 2.15 am Saturday morning after watching the Giro d’Italia and the climb of the legendary Mortirola, an absolute beast of a mountain. Poor Cadel Evans, along with the rest of the field, suffered severe pain going up the 15 km slope as Ivan Basso put on the pace. Basso is back from a 2 year drug related ban, which would normally lose him all credibility in my books, but he looks the real deal (going slower that when he was on the gear, which is a interesting sign) and in superb form, esp climbing. Evans has got a massive ticker but is just not up to it on the really big hills. It is interesting to see how much elite cyclists can just push and push themseleve to and over their limit, far more than footballers have to, for example.

A crescendo rises on the speakers ‘Black kicks, it doesn’t have the penetration… Ohhh, special! Fev hooks it over his left shoulder. It is ridiculous that he keeps doing this!’ The commentators are going completely nuts.

The Lions are down by 3 pts at 3/4 time, 62 chasing 65.

The final quarter commences, Pies score. Then Brown marks, “Cometh the hour, Cometh J Brown so often. He is on his limit at 52 m. He kicks it! What a footballer. It’s lifted the atmosphere at the ‘Gabba.” These commentators are great.

Then Power scores “One of the great servants of this club has energised the Gabba as the Lions hit the front for the first time tonight… They are running Collingwood off their feet at the moment”

Moments later “Johnstone picks up one-handed ala Jared Brennan, superb, kicks to Redden, running, to 51, to Fev-o-la who marks on the goal line!” Brisbane up by 9 points.

“Staker takes a great mark”, another goal saver, according to the ABC.

Collingwood kick a bomb against the tide. Lions by 3 points. Pies kick two more points. 1 point game. “Collingwood have a second or third wind”.

Sheldon marks 45 metres out. He has kicked one goal in his life. “It’s a shocker”. Still a point in it.

I am starting to get nervous now despite all attempts to remind myself that it doesn’t matter, it’s just a game.

22 1/2 min mark. Fev kicks a point.

The ball is spending a long time in the Collingwood forward line. Staker is having a blinder.

The ball heads upfield “To Fevola” who kicks, the three commentators are in unison “OHHHHHH! How good was that?” Goal. I imagine Briggsy on his feet “Fevalinko!”.

26 1/2 min mark. Please sound siren. “Power has been like a mad dog this quarter”.

The siren sounds! The commentators go silent and let the crowd sing ‘We are the pride…’ I forget all about the important and character-building lessons which come from losing, this winning stuff is fucking brilliant! Lions by 8 points.

Brisbane: 13.10 (88) – B Fevola 4, J Brown 4, D Rich 2, T Banfield 2, L Power.

Collingwood: 11.14 (80) – A Didak 2, C Dawes 2, S Sidebottom 2, D Jolly, D Thomas, H O’Brien, J Anthony, S Pendlebury.