We’ve got some big sport back on TV, things are slowly getting back to normal.

When there’s no elite sport to watch, we’ve seen some of the knock-on effects that occur right around the world. On the good side, we’ve dragged ourselves away from the TV to build that fence, fix the leaking taps, paint that wall or maybe even bake that banana bread. On the downside we’ve eaten a little bit more junk food and put away a few extra beers – which was ok when the daily outfit was just a pair of trakky daks. But not now that most of us are back in regular trousers and jeans.

To see the destruction and devastation that has accompanied the riots around the world has been very sad. The passion and commitment shown by the peaceful protestors across the planet has put the issues of mistreatment, racism and inequality at the forefront of our minds. Hopefully the progress made will see the future look different for everyone. The looting and fighting that’s been side by side with the protests has occurred through a huge combination of things, but it would certainly be fair to say that a percentage of people who have joined the protests have done so purely because they needed ‘something to do’, and no more. From half a world away, this certainly appears to be the case from some of the rioting in England. We all know how fanatical and obsessed the English supporters are about their football (soccer), and with nary a ball being kicked, and the option of “goin’ down pub” out of the equation also, a small number of awful people have done potential damage to all of the good work and progress made.

Anyway, sport is back. Soon we will be allowed to attend the big sport events as part of a crowd. This may bring a bit of peace to the restless lounge lizards. For the past few weeks, watching the live games being played to empty stadiums has been a little strange. A huge responsibility has been placed on one person at each of these games, a little-known person with a giant role to play. It’s the guy or gal who plays the music during the breaks in play. They’ve now got another task until the turnstiles are opened again, which is to include crowd noises (like the canned laughter you hear in the sitcoms) whenever points are scored or something spectacular occurs, like a huge mark, a length of the field intercept, or victory at full time.

One of the funniest things I’ve seen in a while happened in the AFL last week, in the game between Richmond and Collingwood. When there was a lull in the play or a goal was scored we heard a few bars of Acca Dacca, John Cougar and Tina Turner blasting over the PA, but we also heard the ‘crowd’ roar their lungs out as they hit play on the crowd noise tape at regular intervals during the game. Then, a rarity, an AFL game finished in a draw. Almost to a player, heads went down, disappointment was obvious. Nobody wins. The lack of emotion was on display for all to see. The classic statement made by American Grid Iron coach Eddie Erdelatz back in 1953 after a scoreless draw surfaced again “A draw is just like kissing your sister”. Sigh. Everyone was left empty. Everyone except the person in charge of playing the crowd noises, who promptly hit the button which filled the stadium (and our loungerooms) with the sounds of tens of thousands of ecstatic fans!! They were screaming, yet the players were dead silent. Hilarious. It was nice to have something to laugh at in these serious times.