SCHOOL holidays used to be so much fun. Words couldn’t describe how I felt about them as a young boy, but they can now. Nightmarish is a description that comes to mind.
I’m not sure how I got roped into it, but I took my daughter to see a live Sesame Street production, and I knew I was in strife as soon as I walked into the auditorium.
You’d think the cacophony of screaming kids would pipe down once Elmo reared his big red head, but they just got louder.
You wouldn’t describe Elmo’s voice as deep and commanding, but the noise from the crowd meant you had no hope of understanding what the popular Muppet had to say.
Then the kid behind me thought it would be fun to boot my chair to the beat of a song, ironically called 'Happy Kicks'.
I blame his mum; too busy swallowing a Cornetto in world record pace to give a care.
Apart from watching my girl enjoying her day out, the fun part was observing families fall by the wayside during the 90-minute spectacle.
Parents were no match for squirming, crying children, meaning half the theatre was empty soon after the show started with mums and dads reaching for their car keys.
A typically biased parent mentality ensued as I looked at my perfect, well-behaved angel, all until she decided to spill chocolate milk over the empty seat to our right.
I needed a beer, as did a number of frantic dads wondering where it all went wrong.
The day reminded me of Richmond’s performance against the Suns last year, where everything seemed to be going along swimmingly before panic struck.
That evening, Gold Coast’s Karmichael Hunt kicked a goal after the siren as the Tigers gave up a 10-point lead with less than a minute to go.
Richmond’s time for redemption will come tomorrow when they try to right the wrongs against an improving Suns side.
AFL Fantasy stats suggest they should be primed for victory.
Plenty of Tiger stars bring their A-game to Cazaly’s Stadium in Cairns, including Brett Deledio and Trent Cotchin.
Deledio has a huge average of 130 from two matches at the ground, while Cotchin isn’t far behind with scores of 118 and 137.
Richmond’s improved team play in 2013, coupled with big games from two of their stars means the yellow and black army should be celebrating their side’s 10th win of the season and putting memories of Karmichael to bed.
Mr Fantasy’s trade recommendations
In: Pearce Hanley (Brisbane), Garrick Ibbotson (Fremantle)
There’s not much in the way of young, cheap players to bring into your side this week, so topping up with some guns is the way to go this week. Backmen Beau Waters and Nick Vlastuin are struggling with injury and form respectively, so Hanley is the obvious replacement, seeing his breakeven is just 28 this week. And you can’t go past Ibbotson for consistency in 2013.
Out: Jobe Watson (Essendon), Bryce Gibbs (Carlton)
The Bombers will not rush their leader back until he is spot on, especially if they can cement a spot in the top four without him. Bring in another gun to fill the void for the month or so. A poor score of just 60 from Gibbs against the Pies last week was the last straw for many. He has a breakeven score of 129 this week.
