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Originally Posted by BoyBrumby
Not just limited to the cricket side, this ever so annoying never say die attitude. More or less every Aussie sports team (or at least the ones I notice) seems to have it.
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Myth
No. Australians do no have it. Take swimming for example. In 2000, 2004 and 2008 Australia went in with swimmers having times the best in the world to only choke. There is no greater choker in sport than Liesel Jones. Libby Trickett is another choker. Eamon Sullivan twice set world records for the 100m free (lead-off in 4x100m relay and semis of individual) before falling apart in the final in Beijing.
Even in tennis Pat Rafter missed a great oportunity to win Winbledon against Goran Ivanisevic. Or Lleyton Hewitt against Safin at the Aus Open 2005, though to be fair Safin played well and had schooled Federer in the semis.
As for the Wallabies? Are you kidding me? What about the Wallabies pathetic capitulation at Eden Park against the All Blacks last year? Or letting the All Blacks win at the last moment in Sydney? What about dominating Ireland only to have them equalise in the dying moments in the northern hemisphere tour last year? Or worse, the pathetic game against Scotland where they dominated possession but couldnt score?
And of course there is Greg Norman (and Australian golfers in general). Australian golfers have 2 majors in the last 15 years. Elkington in 1995 and Ogilvy in 2006.
As for the Kangaroos ... rugby league is much more popular in Australia than it is in Britain or New Zealand. You would expect us to dominate though the Kiwis have had some big wins over us (world cup and the league tri-nations)
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Even the bleedin' Soccerroos have it; 1-0 down v Japan in the last world cup with about 8 mins left and they win 3-1 and twice behind v Croatia and twice equalise for the point they needed to advance.
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Well, the Socceroos were twice victims of absolutely pathetic refereeing. The goal Japan scored should never allowed and apparently the (English) ref decided that you needed 3 yellow cards before you were sent off during the Croatian game.
But lets not forget how many times Australia failed to qualify for the World Cup. Most of all the game against Iran in 1997 after being up 2-0 at home, and 3-1 on aggregate let Iran score two away goals to go through.
Oh, and yeah, Greg Norman at the 1996 Masters.