Welcome back, dear reader. I apologise for the delay in my weekly column. As you would have read, my girlfriend and I moved from Broken Hill to Townsville, and I took a break from writing on the website until we got settled up here. Now that we’re all sorted out, I can get back to what I enjoy to do, write!
Let’s take a look at the week that was in sport.
Jon Jones retires
If you’re an MMA fan, no doubt you heard the news that UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones has retired. Jones has accomplished many things in his career, good and bad, so hearing this news did not come as a surprise. The man had been holding up the division by refusing to fight Tom Aspinall.
As you may know, this makes Aspinall the Undisputed Heavyweight Champion, and it means the Heavyweight division can get going again. However, I would still give anything to see Aspinall vs Jones to see who is the best.
John Cena’s Pipebomb
I haven’t had a chance to watch much pro wrestling since we started packing up our stuff and moving north, but I was able to watch SmackDown, and it brought a smile to my face. Why, because I was able to watch something that I never got to watch 14 years ago.
If you’re a longtime wrestling fan, like I am, then you would remember CM Punk’s famous Pipebomb promo from 2011. If you don’t, here it is:
On SmackDown, John Cena did a Pipebomb of his own, and I loved every second of it.
Here is that clip:
For me, this was great, and I had the chance actually to watch it close to when it happened (I was a bit behind on watching SmackDown on Saturday). In 2011, when Punk had delivered his, I had stopped watching wrestling because I didn’t have pay TV (or cable, as Americans like to call it), and I was fully invested in MMA at the time. I have watched it many times on YouTube, but it just isn’t the same as watching in the moment, or as close in the moment as I would have liked.
I am happy they decided to turn John Cena heel for his final run, and I’m looking forward to seeing how his final run turns out.
Can’t pick ’em.
I’m not sure about you, but I am having a horrible time with rugby league tipping. For someone who knows and loves rugby league, I should be leading the tipping comps that I’m in. However, I’m sitting 15th out of 42 in one and 501 out of 920 in another. In round 12, when there were only five games, I did not get a single game right. Out of sheer panic, I changed my tip in the Roosters vs Sharks game, and I think karma decided that it was going to punish me for that. I was comforted by the fact that other people that round either only got 1 out 5 or 0 out of 5 right. I’m doing much better in the AFL tipping though.
Referee has been named for State of Origin 3
The referee has been named for Origin three in Sydney, and it’s not good. Ashley Klein will take the reins once again, and it kills me to see him get another go-around. However, there is a bigger problem in the NRL: the refereeing is consistently poor across the board. Whether it is the on-field refs or the ref in. the bunker, they either don not have control of the game, or they are consistently making bad calls. I don’t like to bag the refs, they do an amazing job. It is not easy being a ref, I was a touch ref in the 2000s and I stopped it after one season because it was just too hard. So I don’t like to say bad things, but when there are blatant misses, penalties that are given that are making both fans and players go ‘huh’ then something is off.
Embed from Getty ImagesIt’s a conspiracy I tells ya!
Speaking of Origin, I wholeheartedly believe that Klein was given orders to make sure Queensland win game two. ‘Why is that,’ I hear you ask? There is more money in it for the NRL if we head to Sydney and it is locked up at one a piece instead of having the Blues go to Homebush already having won the series. You might think I’m crazy, but it’s not as crazy, or dangerous, as some of the other conspiracy theories out there (QAnon anyone?). But on a serious note, I really hope the Blues do get the win in game three.
(Highlights for Origin 2 can be seen here)
Well that ends this edition of Mercer’s Mondayitis. Thank you for joining me again dear reader, and I will see you next week.
Until next time, take care!