CUT THE GRIPES, START ENJOYING
MY TWITTER avatar this week is a hot cross bun posted by the Woolies media team with the phrase “yes, we know it’s only January”.
The supermarket chain’s social accounts have had a field day replying to salty, outraged comments about the fruity treats being available so long before Easter with hilarious, sassy replies.
OK, so what does this have to do with sport?, I hear you say. Fair call.
It simply got me thinking that us sports-loving nuffies are increasingly starting to turn into a pack of serial whingers.
Like hot cross bun haters (who don’t seem to grasp the concept that if they don’t want to eat them this early, they’re not compelled to buy them. Go figure), sports fans can find the smallest thing to complain about and turn it into a “hashtag” crisis.
Sport is supposed to be an outlet from our day-to-day lives, one of the joys you get from walking this earth and it should be treated as such.
Before anyone decides to scroll through my Twitter feed and send me pics of old tweets where I’ve been guilty of adopting the “old man yells at cloud” mentality, don’t bother.
I know I’m just as guilty, or worse, than most.
No longer will I get bogged down in cheap shots on easy targets like the Marsh brothers, Nick Kyrgios and rugby union in general.
What’s the initial reaction whenever a national team is named? It’s about what players were overlooked, not who was picked.
What’s the initial response whenever the NRL or AFL releases a draw? It gets picked apart to within an inch of its life on how certain teams may have been “robbed”.
But one of my New Year’s resolutions is to have fun writing about and watching my favourite sports, not adding to the tidal wave of negativity.
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SPEAKING of Nick Kyrgios, perhaps it’s time the precociously talented Canberran takes a break from tennis and scratches his basketball itch.
It’s no secret the 23-year-old has struggled with the demands that come with being an elite athlete in an individual sport, while spending most of the year away from friends and family.
His recent comments that he “couldn’t care less” about his rankings free fall out of the top 50, plus the assertion that if he wins the Australian Open he could walk away from the game altogether, send alarm bells that he needs to get away and refresh his mind.
It’s totally unsurprising that Kyrgios seems happier and more motivated when he’s playing Davis Cup for his country, a team-based culture where other players who can relate to the pressures he goes through can take some of the pressure off his shoulders.
Several times he’s indicated he’d love to have a serious crack at his other sporting passion, basketball.
Australia’s highest ranked tennis player, Ashleigh Barty, benefited from a hiatus of her own when she quit tennis to play cricket with the Brisbane Heat.
She returned to tennis a more refreshed player, more mature as a person and better prepared to cope with the pressures and stress of being on tour for months on end.
The world no. 15, still just 22, revealed recently she “cried every night” speaking to her family on the phone from the other side of the world in the weeks leading up to pulling the pin.
In my opinion, Kyrgios could actually extend his tennis career if he takes 12 months off, escapes the constant bubble of scrutiny he’s under and return in a better mindset.
Even if a foray into basketball doesn’t work out, at least he will have closure and can dedicate himself fully to being the best tennis player he can be.