O day, minus 1 (O for Olympic Opening Ceremony that is) :

Well, as Nige our Brisbane correspondent mentioned, the Olympic footy kicked off yesterday our time. The Matildas, the Aussie womens team - I'm sure the lads amongst you will remember THAT nudey calendar they put out earlier this year! - were thumped 3-0 by Germany. I watched the men lose 1-0 to Italy. Naturally the media are bleating on about how unlucky Australia were, and certainly the Italian keeper made a couple of excellent saves. But most of the Olyroos best work was done in the middle of the park, well away from the danger area, whereas the Baby Azurri (or whatever they like to call themselves) always looked like they had an extra gear to go up to if necessary. Viduka was as average as I personally think he always is. I was disappointed though to see the young central defender who Ive touted once or twice for NUFC, Hayden Foxe, make a shocking mistake to let Italy in for their winner. 95 thousand capacity crowd in the Melbourne Cricket Ground, though at times in the first half you couldve heard a pin dropped (in Sydney!) it was that quiet. To be fair though, footy is hardly a big game down south.

I dont know if theres been much coverage in your lounge rooms, but the last few days in Melbourne have also seen sizeable protests at a meeting of the World Economic Forum. Thankfully, compared to Seattle anyway, it was largely peaceful with the notorious Victorian police managing to keep their guns holstered, preferring instead fairly indiscriminate use of the baton. Weve heard all the usual claims and counter-claims of who started it, which interestingly are likely to end up in a court case (watch this space Dougal). The worst incident probably occurred this morning when an unmarked police car slowed down when surrounded by protestors. One went down on the ground, Im not sure why, then the car drove away at full speed right over the top of her. Despite how bad it looked, I think shes supposed to be OK.

There will doubtless also be a few protests in Sydney during the games. Theres been the odd loony (no relation) whos made an unsuccessful grab for the Olympic Torch or tried to chuck water over it, but nothing particularly serious. I just heard an hour or so ago though that when it passed through one of our alternative suburbs called Newtown, a couple of hundred demonstrators chucked fruit etc at the torchbearer, a former Olympian called Jane Flemming. In true selective media style (remember that Rupert Murdoch & Kerry Packer own the media out here), theyve chosen so far not to focus on the anti-corruption type messages of the demonstrators, but on a report that one nutter was sporting a swastika. Quote of the day (so far) read "Its not yet clear who the protestors were representing" !!

More important perhaps will be the smallish protests by indigenous Australians, protests that Ive no doubt will get more coverage late at night on BBC2 or wherever, than here in Sydney. You just get the feeling that nothing and nobody will be allowed to put a spoke in the wheels of Australia coming out of this Olympics smelling of roses. The weightier issues, like Reconciliation or the Stolen Generation, are just going to have to wait. I think even many Aboriginal Australians feel nothing further is going to happen on that front until theres a change of government and weve rid ourselves of the weasly Little Johnnie Howard. It wont stop a bit of flag-waving in front of the camerasover the next couple of weeks mind, and fair play to them I say.

Theres no doubt that the majority of Sydneysiders are now well up for this Olympic party. 18,000 paid to go and watch the gymnasts TRAIN yesterday, including two of my infinitely better halfs sisters, out from Ireland for their holidays, for who absolutely everything here in Sydney is "just grand"!. And, in truth, everything IS just grand. The weather has warmed up just in time. The strong winds have calmed down. Universal reports in recent months claim that Sydney and all its spanking new venues is the most prepared any city has ever been to host a games. The city looks completely amazing, what with all the flowers and banners, and certainly compared to the traffic-congested building site its been this past couple of years. All the IOC-related scandals are history now.

Ill tell you something for free, this place is ready to go off ! Especially with the Swimming first up which the Aussies traditionally do really well in. For those of you who havent yet heard of him, Im warning you in no circumstances to miss watching a young gentle giant of a lad with size 18 feet called Ian Thorpedo Thorpe who, I promise you, is going to blitz them in the pool, especially in the 400 metres freestyle.

Ive been fortunate enough to stay these past couple of nights in a suite in one of the citys 5 star hotels, complete with room directly overlooking the harbour, Opera House and Harbour Bridge. Last night, as we sat there in the dark, sipping champagne (divvent fret, good local bubbly is almost as cheap as beer out here!) we were treated to a magical display for free. I guess they were all part of the final tests and preparations, first of all they lit up the Olympic rings on the Bridge (or Coathanger as its known affectionately) and then, for an hour or so, the sails of the Opera House were lit an amazing and ever-changing variety of colours - deep purple, green, yellow, red etc. To complete the picture there were the coloured neon signs on building-tops everywhere, the lights from Luna Park fun fair underneath the Bridge, as well as heaps of cruise liners and huge private yachts that have descended on the harbour, also all fully lit up. A truly magical sight, and one which will never cease to remind me of how lucky I am being able to live and work here.

Tonight Im nicking off work early to watch the torch come within 40 yards of our house in Paddo, then its a short dash into the city and to one of the many big sites theyve set up where you can watch all the action for free on big screens, as well as all manner of live entertainment. Tonight Im stoked to be heading for the Domain with a few mates to see - if you know them - Vanessa Amorosi, Killing Heidi and especially this brilliant Aboriginal dance music band called Yothu Yindi.

In between some (very light) work these next 16 days, Im off to watch Beach Volleyball at Bondi, Pentathlon, the final of the Football, Triathlon, Marathon, Cycling time trials and two sessions of Athletics finals, including the huge one here with (touch wood) Aboriginal superstar and heroine Cathy Freeman running for gold in the 400 metres. Im also in line to get my hands on various other unwanted corporate tickets for events like the Hockey and perhaps some more Athletics.

As if all that wasnt enough, tomorrow were lucky enough to be off work early to attend the Opening Ceremony itself ! Those that attended the dress rehearsal say it's truly amazing, so look out for me on the telly (and for all the other events) wearing my NUFC top, complete with silly grin. And for anyone thats looking for a taste of Olympic sunshine from Down Under, Ill try to post the odd report up here over the next couple of weeks. I guess its impossible to appreciate how much fun all of this is unless you happen to be in a city when its hosting the Olympics. So to end in suitably cheesy style (to match my mood) wish you were all here !

This is your Sydney correspondent signing off.

-- Anonymous, September 13, 2000

Answers

Bliddy 'ell, I didn't mean to write that much ! Sorry to anyone with a slow-loading computer.

;o))

-- Anonymous, September 13, 2000

Dinna fret about the length as it hardly does justice to Sydney or the Olympic festival. I have watched with absolute envy, Sydney on the news over the last week, and I'm bloody kicking myself that I'm nor down there. It's like there's just this warm fuzzy buzz in my chest when seeing everything that's going on.

On to last nights game. We wuz fuck!ng robbed. We deserved to win, or atleast draw that game. Foxe was a friggin idiot not just hoofing the ball up field. Sometimes the defence scared the crap out of me, playing fancy games when bringing the ball out of defence.

I thought the areas that really let us down, and from which we could have scored a goal were;

1) there was never anyone at the flammin back post when ever a cross was put in. Time after time the ball would end up finding its way out to the back post from a cross an there was never anyone there. On atleast three occassions if there was an Aussie player at the back post we would have scored.

2) there was hardly any support play through the centre of the oppositions penalty area when we were pinging balls in there from left, right and centre. On those occasions when the ball didn't find it's way to the back post, it was left hanging about on the Italians six yard line or penalty spot just begging for a midfield play to arrive lat and lash it in. The one time that we did have some one arriving late (Viduka) we almost scored. As it was the ball rebounded onto Viduka's thigh and just sailed wide.

To often our players were hanging around the the corner edges of the penalty area or behind all the Italian defenders, instead of getting in amongst them.

The one let down of the night were those stupid prematch ceremonies that really looked liked they belonged in the late eighties or early nineties. For @#!* sake, school rock estedfords look more professional, modern and contemporary.

-- Anonymous, September 13, 2000

Thanks Loony, your report has got me in the mood for wall to wall Olympics much more than the BBC ads over here. I wish I was there, enjoy yersel.

-- Anonymous, September 14, 2000

Wow, Loony! You lucky, lucky man! First report is excellent! Keep them coming, by all means! Love all the colorful little details and makes me wish I was there this year....instead of 4yrs ago(while the Olympics were on in Atlanta...do I have bad timing or what?! ;-) ). Well, I can picture it in my mind's eye anyhow from your descriptions. Thanks!

-- Anonymous, September 14, 2000

You sad sad man, I think you have been here too long and I no longer feel an animosity towards you returning to England.

For a supposedly educated man getting excited over a bunch of drug filled professional sports people pretending to be amateurs and doing it for the sport and being watched over by a corrupt bunch of despotic, greedy, selfish and patronising officials beggars belief.

You should be ignoring the first 16 days of this money centred industry and only go to the event that follows days after.

-- Anonymous, September 14, 2000

Which is ?

-- Anonymous, September 14, 2000

Sorry for the delay Josh, pigeon is slow against the headwinds, The Paralympics or as some refer to them the Disabled Games.

-- Anonymous, September 14, 2000

They seem to be scaring off at least some of the drug takers, thereby keeping the official 'rings' cleaner than they've been for some while (!). I on the other hand will be full to the brim with performance- enhancing liquid drugs, so am in no position to point fingers ;o)

I'm actually extremely gutted that my trip back to the UK & Ireland means I'll miss the whole of the Paralympics. I would definitely have attended a few sessions to lend my support. Louise Sauvage for example is one of the finest athletes Australia has EVER produced. I truly hope that the people of Sydney back it well.

-- Anonymous, September 14, 2000

I hope some of you got to see Sydney on last nights news reports. Fek Wembley for a place to go for a concert. Did you see some of the pictures of the concert venues they have for shows during the olympics. Last night they had a warm up concert and bliddy hell almost a million people turned up for it.

-- Anonymous, September 15, 2000

oops forgot.

T minus 3 hours and counting.

Woohoo :-}

-- Anonymous, September 15, 2000

Keep the reports coming Loony!(:o)

-- Anonymous, September 15, 2000

Don't forget to mention the Matildas in all of the reports, as I've got Miss Feb thru to Miss Dec to find an excuse to upload ... On A POSTCARD FROM SYDNEY ....dot com

-- Anonymous, September 15, 2000

Cmon, Loony...where's the opening ceremony report? Or are ya still sleeping off the hangover? Or perhaps you got that certificate in your little suitcase and are off to Greece? ;-)

Still in the middle of it on telly here, but what I've seen so far is breathtaking! The former techy in me is dying to know how they flew that kid over the stadium? Were you able to tell where she was suspended from?

-- Anonymous, September 15, 2000

Thought the opening ceremony was stunning! Vibrant and entertaining - come on lads - I`m dying to know if you enjoyed it!(:o)

-- Anonymous, September 16, 2000

having seen the rest...agree with ya Galaxy. I'd heard rave reviews all day here, but was sceptical until seeing it myself. It really was the best ceremony I've ever seen. Usually there's some/all of it that is nauseatingly hokey. Did have a good laugh when the cauldron got stuck, imagining the technicians running around underneath beating on it and cursing long and loud, while the director/producer was having heart failure and cursing down the headsets. Hee! Those are the moments that make me miss live theatre so much!

-- Anonymous, September 16, 2000