Even though Geoff Richards only got to play for the Wallabies due to injury toll the team faced in 2010, he still had an impressive professional rugby career. Internationally speaking, the former rugby union player and coach got around. For example, although born and raised in England, very early on in his career, Richards was called to New Zealand (which was when he played for the now very famous and successful Wallabies). Another injury that resulted in Geoff Richards being called to play took place in 1981. Roger Gould was injured in the first Test against France at Ballymore. In 2006 Richards coached England at the Women’s Rugby World Cup. He played in the position of fullback.
Meanwhile the Wallabies – officially known as the Australian national rugby union team – has itself had an impressive career since it was established back in 1882 under the name the Southern Rugby Football Union. It has competed in all eight Rugby World Cups and has won two of them (unprecedented at the time). And has also – over the years – won the Bledisloe Cup, the World Cup, the Tri Nations, amongst others.
But what is the story with the Wallabies today? How are they doing now and how do things look as we head into the new year? Well, first off, as of August 2015, Australia was ranked second in the World Rugby Rankings. Perhaps this is why, according to a recent article in FOX News by Christy Doran, it has been predicted that “2016 [will be] the year of the Wallaby. [It is a] team on the rise, led by a coach in Michael Cheika who demands high standards and expects results.”
Geoff Richards may not have been the coach of the Wallabies, but for anyone as connected to an international professional career as he was in his time, he can still take pride in playing the small part he did for that team, back in the day.
Forbes contributor Maury Brown recently shared his opinion that Major League Baseball is better than the NFL, explaining that while the NFL rules in television ratings, he prefers baseball, alongside many others. He lists ten reasons why:
- It’s played in the summer.
- It’s played daily.
- Every ballpark is different.
- MLB.com, MLB.TV, and MLB “At Bat” for Mobile Devices Rules Online
- No lockouts or strikes.
- No concussion threats.
- The numbers matter.
- Baseball is cerebral.
- Baseball has amazing history.
- Free baseball.
See Brown’s full explanation here.
Regis Philbin has returned to full-time television this summer with Fox Sports 1 network’s “Crowd Goes Wild.” He discusses the show on WSJ’s Lunch Break while trying out the new Google Glass.
Sources have confirmed that Patrick Ewing, Hall of Fame center, will become the associate head coach for the Charlotte Bobcats in what many will see as a ‘Space Jam’ reunion.
Ewing and Charlotte owner Michael Jordan appeared in the 1996 classic that featured other famous stars including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Tweety and other Looney Tunes. The two were also long-time rivals when they played for the Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks.
Ewing’s new coaching job will be alongside the team’s new head coach Steve Clifford. The pair have much personal and professional history as well.
Ewing has worked 8 seasons as an assistant coach for the NBA, including Orlando and Houston.
The Tampa Bay Rays have turned to an old formula to shake their recent bad stretch.
Starting pitching, outstanding defensive plays, well-timed hits and shutout relief pitching left the Rays with a 4-2 victory over the San Diego Padres this weekend.
Sean Rodriguez said:
“It felt like it was back to normal. You can never lose that confidence in your bullpen. They’ve earned that respect from us. They’re going to turn it around.”
Joel Peralta added, “We’ve been through a bad stretch and everybody has expected us to do what we’ve been doing the last couple days. It feels great to go out there and win games, especially McGee because I know when he gets going, he’s going to be unstoppable.”
McGee said: “It’s been good to go out there and have some 1-2-3 innings instead of battling through every pitch.”
