Net Ball!

Sydney CityRail Train to Airport-  After the Badgers amazing win we decided we needed to go to a sporting event on our last full day.  We saw there was a net ball game at the Sports Centre in the Olympic Park so that was our best and only option.  Now before this trip we had never heard of the game net ball and the only things we learned over the course of the month were from a couple posters and one highlight on a news station.  From those brief looks we knew the object was to put a ball through what looked like a basketball hoop with no backboard.  I also thought I saw women (this is a girls sport only) hitting each other so thought there was potentially tackling involved.  Based on those assumptions how could we go wrong…

We walked into the arena and it was fairly packed with people and there was a lot of energy so we figured it must be an exciting game.  That was the most exciting part of the next 1 hour and 15 minutes.  Not sure if we have a lot of net ball fans or players following our trip but let me apologize in advance if you are either of those things.  Net ball is quite possibly the most pointless and boring sport ever played by anyone…and I have watched several hours of cricket on tv on this trip so that is saying a lot.  We were right about the object being to put the ball through a backboardless hoop but could not have been more wrong about the tackling.  There isn’t just no tackling…contact of any kind is strictly prohibited.  I can’t really describe the game but my best attempt would be to say it is a combo of ultimate Frisbee (can’t run with the ball or dribble it, only can advance it by passing) and basketball (ball and hoop).  There were many parts of the game that were hard to watch but the worst was probably that one of the rules doesn’t allow the defender to block  shots.  So basically the entire object of the game is to lob the ball into your biggest player as close to the hoop as possible and then she turns and lays it in with no defense.  All the points scored were from 5 ft. or closer to the hoop and probably at least 80% by one player and only 2 total players scored per team.  Why does one person score all the points…well that is because she never leaves the basket area the whole game…just stands right by the hoop and waits for the ol’ lob pass so she can lay it in.  Oh and the person shooting can’t jump when they shoot….ok have to stop talking about it.

At least no backboard meant our view wasn't obstructed



Aussie's might come up with some strange sports but at least they sell beer and nachos!

The gym was almost full with people...I will never understand why

Our last night we had a pint of Toohey’s at Sydney’s oldest pub and called it an early night…I think we are officially tourism’d out.  Well that is except for this morning when we did a final walk around the Opera House and one last look at the bridge.  We currently are waiting to board our flight for LA that will last roughly 14 hours.  You might think we would be dreading that but actually we are a bit excited because we have 1.5 seasons of Entourage left and are looking forward to finishing it!

Pints at Fortune of War founded in 1828...no word if the digital juke box was there back then

Last views of Opera House and bridge

A few things we are really looking forward to when we get home:

-ESPN/Sportscenter, watching live Badger games, American style nachos, DVR, Captain Morgan (not Jamaican style), regular ketchup, tuna melts, working out/eating better, Super Bowl highlights and coverage and all Packer related things, family and friends obvi, chicken wings, clean clothes, driving our cars on a normal side of road, non runny scrambled eggs

Update:  We have arrived in LA!