I’m in total agreement with you kartiya, particularly in regards to the real Australian culture.

You’ve highlighted an interesting point though – the main benefits of sport are in a pastime context, as opposed to an industry context. The advantages of exercise and discipline for kids and so on aren’t relevant to me when I tune in to watch Queer as Folk and instead get the cricket. So sport as a pastime activity sport is great, but as a big commercial industry…well, it steals the spotlight too often, that’s all.

I would love sport if were to be taken back to grass roots – lose all the commercialisation, betting, stupid Beckham haircuts, rumours, players constantly changing teams, etc etc. Of course that will never happen and so sport will stay what it is: a massive hype over not that much.

Not to mention, rigid team discipline isn’t exactly for everyone. I know I would never react well in that environment.

Perhaps the issue of those young Australians that participat in sport at a young age and continue to be healthy as a result of aspiring to be one of those professional sportspeople should be examined. That they are looked after by the government in relation to schooling is positive as well. I think it is an excellent initiative to encourage young Australians. The fact that elite sportspeople get more than their fair share is good on them.

Although I found this article interesting I think the responses to it are even more illuminating. It degenerated into a lot of discussion on the value or otherwise of funding the arts. There was no discussion of Saul's opening point about the comparison with East Germany. I think that was the interesting point.

I think the comparison with East Germany can be stretched a bit further. Like East Germany of the 70s we spend money that we don't have on things that don't matter while neglecting things that do. Why haven't we got some global brands? Why don't we have a high-tech industry worth a damn? Why don't we have any of the world's top universities?

It seems to me that we are living in a fool's paradise where we live off money other countries lend us, which we use to bid up the price of our real-estate and spend on fripperies such as elite sport that we don't need. What is going to put food on the table in tweny years time when the iron-ore runs out? A strong university sector producing graduates working in a vibrant high tech economy with strong global businesses and brands, or fast swimmers?

Unlike Saul, I do begrudge money for sport, at least when the universities are sneered at by the minister for education and financially run down. It's depressing to see the fuss made of sports persons and Ashes defeat while Australian Nobel prize winners are lucky to get a brief mention near the end of the bulletin.

I think the comparison with East Germany of the 70's is a good one. If some commonsense as to priorities is not brought to bear, we can look forward to a future similar to that of East Germany of the 80's and 90's. That is no future at all.

PAB.

PAB , Have you noticed those top shelf ,well run "legal drugs" companies [ alcohol and tobacco ]sponsoring our elite sport and conditioning the minds of our young ? I once saw an Aboriginal country music concert given in northern Australia sponsored by VB , great company, very ethical !
Australians would prefer to give awards to sports people or those in arts and science thanks.

Hello there Saul. Is it really any wonder that sport is so revered in Australia? Have a look at our academics, professionals etc in regards to Indigenous Australians. Whilst our supposed educated people were continuing thier middle class prejudice against both the working class and Aboriginals, that sport of working class boofheads and morons rugby league, were accepting and encouraging thier Indigenous brothers to stand up and fight for themselves.

Untill our universities begin to accept working class culture and the values of calling a spade a spade instead of a sophisticated earth moving apparatus complete with adjoining handle, then sport will continue it's dominance and rightly so.