Things I still don't get about Australia - No. 30

Sports. It's come up before in this occasional series about life here in the Off World Colonies but I do wonder how Australia came to take sport so seriously, and in particular Aussie Rules, the 'game they gave the world' (even though the world never took it out of the box and might even have taken it back to the shop if it wouldn't have caused hurt feelings). This weekend saw the AFL Grand Final which, improbably given how high the scores can get, resulted in a 68 all draw and a replay next Saturday, which in turn dominated news programs on Saturday evening ahead of a light aircraft crashing between Melbourne and Geelong, a woman dying after somehow launching her car into the roof of someone's house and the Victorian police covertly investigating phone records of journalists and politicians. The main political news at the weekend was that Prime Minster Julia Gillard said she hoped the football final wouldn't result a draw because Australia had already had one this year with the election, and then - ho, ho - it was a draw after all.

And that was the news this weekend, September the ..... Jesus Christ, everybody. I know being a Pom my opinion doesn't count for much, but it's just bloody sport. It's a really watchable game and over the last several years I've got into it so that Saturday afternoon footy is as much a part of my weekend as it is for millions born and bred here. You've got me, okay? It is a bloody good game.

But for all that it's still just a bloody game. Get a grip, will you.

But not there.