The last Tithbits for February 2021, and I think we’re all still reeling from the hammer blow that was esteemed French droids Daft Punk switching off after 28 years.

Couldn’t they have just performed together One More Time?

My one conclusion from being caught up in the Facebook news blackout

The ONE WEEK that FB chose to have the Australian government spitting the dummy by turning the lights off on the Coalition’s mainstream media overlords, was the one week Crazy Craig specifically requested for his Lucky Lips tip…

Which managed to find itself in the first dead heat win in an Australian Group 1 in some 20 years.

I get a bit misty thinking of the low ratings that post could’ve pulled if the Government hadn’t crapped themselves harder than the Federal Member for Cook did in the Engadine McDonald’s on September 20, 1997.

So out of sheer boredom, I watched the Holey Moley finale

Sure, having the contestants sink a hole-in-one to win the competition was a solid way to build up the drama, but if you ask me, for a course designed by Greg Norman, instead of having to land a hole-in-one to win the title, it would’ve been a far more appropriate ending, and a far funnier ending, if all the contestants had to attempt a simple 5-foot putt.

Think about it.

A 5-foot putt to win a title.

It’s the seemingly simple task that The Shark had great difficulty with…. many times.

A Simpsons impression of Stephen Hocking

What’s the over/under on how many 50m penalties get paid for that stupid man on the mark rule in the Carlton-Richmond season opener before the Rules Committee realise how stupid a rule change it is and still dig their heels in.

10? 12? 13?

Selection headaches for the Trevor Chappells at Manning Jack Attack

First of all, over the last couple of days I was searching with the mindset that we were only going to require a replacement for Rocket, who suddenly decided to drive to Victoria (Via Snowtown and Adelaide) one week into a 6-week tournament that he paid for, as you do.

My first choice replacement (Duff) had something on (Probably golf), my second choice replacement (Richie from 45 No Hope Av) has to fly to Queensland so he can drive a truck back to Perth, then on Monday I got a telegram from Ron letting me know that he’ll be at Ascot tomorrow watching his wonder mare Regal Poyse in Race 7, which suddenly left us 2 bowlers down, ahead of a game on the grass against a tough opponent in Ten Pin, and if you went and checked out the bookies markets, the Trevor Chappells would be out to $7.

Thankfully, Half Price was able to send out an SOS to the Manning Darts crew (Who now don’t have a bowls team), and this week, the Trevor Chappells will feature Ronny and her mysterious neighbour, who have both featured for Team 180 in the past, and for all I know we’ll get creamed, but thanks to the Manning Magicians, the key is this week won’t be a forfeit.

On the other hand, I am disappointed Ron won’t be available, because we missed a once in a lifetime chance to pull off a team featuring the two Ronnies:

Speaking of runners in tomorrow

HONOUR RAMPAGE, RACE 11 AT CANNINGTON, 9:51PM AWST.

BACK TO HER BELOVED 275M, AND SHE’S GOT BOX 7.

IF YOU WANT MIDNIGHT MADNESS ON THE EAST COAST, JUST WAIT FOR THE RAMPAGER.

WorkSafe Victoria going after the Cranbourne Turf Club and Ken Keys in Mikaela Claridge’s death

If Claridge’s untimely death on the sand dunes at Cranbourne in near total darkness 18 months ago is the incident that finally helps finish off the out-dated practice of riding trackwork at full pelt in the howling dark of 4am, then her death won’t be in vain, and it might also help address one of the biggest issues in Australian racing – The burnout of participants from years of 3am starts.

Still, I imagine the decrepit racing authorities in this country will keep plugging their ears back and shout ‘lalalalalala’ while trying to maintain the old chestnut that Australia’s climate isn’t suited to training horses in morning daylight, and the fact that several major racecourses are on public lands.

Make it happen.

Make it happen.

It’s a testament to the off-field entertainment value of the NRL that Tommy Turbo allegedly pinging his hamstring racing a stranger in the Manly Corso isn’t even in the Top 5 off-season moments for 2020-21

Apparently that young fella who took on Tommy is a Wests fan… Explains this latest bit of news from the Betoota, which as of last Thursday is a legitimate news source:

SIR Andy Murray’s ‘very Scottish’ thoughts on the Australian Open

From the BBC:

The 33-year-old expected Medvedev to push Djokovic closer in the final, but knows only too well how hard it is to beat the world number one in a Grand Slam final.

“It’s different standing to return or to serve in a Grand Slam final, than a quarter-final or a semi-final, when you are coming up against someone who’s won 17 of them,” he continued.

“It’s pretty intimidating and the younger guys have not shown that they are particularly close. At the US Open, (Dominic) Thiem did what he had to do to win the event, but if Novak hadn’t put a ball through the line judge’s throat, it would have been the same outcome, I think.”

Hold up Sir Andrew:

“If Novak hadn’t put a ball through the line judge’s throat”

Geez, I didn’t realise tennis had turned into Moral Kombat…. Still, Nick Kyrgios would be a Top 10 player if it was.

Ahead of the MOUNT PANORAMA 500, I’ve been enthralled with the Supercars YouTube Channel uploading 17 years worth of old races

So this is something that’s been news for 2 weeks – Every race from 1997 to 2014 (The golden age of V8 Supercars) will be uploaded for free onto the Supercars YouTube channel by the end of this year, so while I wait for this weekend, and for them to upload the Oran Park Fireball of 2000, and the infamous title-deciding final race of 2006 when Rick Kelly ‘nudged’ Craig Lowndes out of contention, I’ll give you a sample of what is already there:

At random, here’s Race 19 of 2013 at Hidden Valley, a somewhat forgotten race that featured one of the nastiest Lap 1 pile-ups you’ll ever see:

So the A-League referees had to apologise to the Central Coast Mariners after the VAR decisions against them last Friday:

Another great irony – VAR was introduced as a means to help fix up centuries worth of pissing and whinging about refereeing decisions, and it’s pretty much made things even worse thanks to how the IFAB (FIFA + the British & Irish confederations who wrote the damn rules) have worded the rules regarding handball.

Of course, the Mariners did release a statement in reply: