The end is nigh
Just six games remain in a tournament that will not only never be forgotten but could and should have lasting effects on both football and women’s sport in this part of the world.
After all the artificial hype and the Fifa nonsense and the blabbering about legacy and the guilt trips over not buying tickets early enough, the Women’s World Cup has been a remarkable success, and possibly the best is yet to come.
Some of the crowds have been truly extraordinary, some of the games truly remarkable.
When the dust settles, we will really start to see the impacts of the once-in-a-lifetime event.
You cannot tell me there will not be thousands of girls around the country wanting to play football next season.
Now that is what I call a legacy.
What a star
Michelle Alozie is just your run-of-the-mill sportswoman.
Oh, wait, she really is not.
She started and played every single minute for Nigeria during the World Cup, which is obviously impressive.
But what really impresses is that Alozie has a bachelor’s degree in molecular biology from Yale University, and works as a part-time cancer research technician at Texas Children’s Hospital.
Boomfah
Speaking of Nigeria, did you watch England star Chloe Kelly’s game-winning penalty against the Africans on Monday night?
Did you say something like "holy moly that was a rocket"?
Because it was.
Kelly’s penalty was the fastest shot recorded at the World Cup at a scorching 110.79kmh.
What is extra amazing is that shot was more powerful than the hardest-hit Premier League men’s shot last season, a 107.2kmh relative dribbler by West Ham forward Said Benrahma.
Still think women’s sport lacks power?
All Blacks thoughts
1. What the heck happened to Damian McKenzie in the first half in Dunedin?
2. Is the Ian Foster redemption story already basically complete, or is it World Cup victory or bust?
3. Finlay Christie better than Brad Weber? Nahhhhh.
4. How good would a back three of Will Jordan, Mark Telea and Leicester Fainga’anuku look?
5. Just a bit risky to take a crocked Brodie Retallick?
Oh, Otago
A colleague highlighted an unusual aspect of the All Blacks’ 33-strong World Cup squad.
It includes players from 13 of the 14 major unions.
The sole missing union? You guessed it: Otago.
Contrast that with the 1999 World Cup — AND YES WE ALL KNOW HOW THAT TURNED OUT —when no fewer than nine Otago players made the cut.
I’m not convinced it means a whole lot any more.
Yes, it would have been nice to have a son of Otago like Ben Smith still around, but there are still three Highlanders involved — and one of them, Aaron Smith, is basically an Otago sporting great.
Provincial affiliation is really tenuous now, anyway, as most All Blacks never appear in the NPC.
The next Otago All Black? Fabian Holland in 2025.
Who’s got the power?
There was a time when I would sooner drive shards of bamboo under my fingernails than watch some bloke bashing another senseless on the floor during the junkyard brawl known as the UFC.
It still does little for me, but I acknowledge the star power of someone like Israel Adesanya, the middleweight colossus who will defend his title again in Sydney.
Is the "Stylebender", pound for pound, the biggest thing in New Zealand sport?
Watch this space for the annual Otago Daily Times sport power rankings to find out.
Storm warning
We all hate the Crusaders.
Most of us find Manchester City rather distasteful. And the less said about the English rugby team, the better.
But you have to think the Melbourne Storm are up there (down there?) for the most classless sporting team in the world.
This was a couple of weeks ago now but they had a 25-year celebration before they played the Parramatta Eels, and past and present players brought out six NRL premiership trophies.
Six?
Oh yes, the Storm conveniently overlooked the fact they were stripped of two trophies, in 2007 and 2009, for systematic rorting of the salary cap.
Absolutely outrageous behaviour.
