'I'm so happy' — Early morning ecstasy and classic commentary with Sammy J

For three years I've done a Speakola segment on Sammy J's ABC breakfast show. This week's was done after an all-nighter at Melbourne's Federation Square watching the Socceroos.

Dec 7, 2022

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This is the audio of last week’s Sammy J segment (courtesy of ABC) which is a lot of fun. I was still floating after the Socceroos win against Denmark. If you want to read a transcript, it’s below.

The topic for last Thursday’s segment was a little bit of a stretch. Is sports commentary a speech? Hmmmm. When I need it to be it is! I also needed it to be when I had the chance to do a podcast episode with the great Simon Hill, who started out as a football commentator in Engalnd and in recent decades has been the voice of the Australian game.

The World Cup and football has dominated my recent thinking and writing. On my personal blog, Good one, Wilson, I’ve penned fan accounts of watching games. The latest piece launches off this incredible photo by Chris Cincotta, taken at the moment Garang Kuol almost equalised just on full time.

The moment of the Garang Kuol injury time strike captured by Chris Cincotta, Humans in Melbourne. Buy photo here

Good one, Wilson!

So close! — my favourite photo of this World Cup

I wasn’t in Fed Square. I have some regrets about that. Deep down I think I didn’t quite believe. We’d had such an incredible night watching the Denmark game, and Polly convinced me when she said, ‘but will it be as good? I don’t want to spoil…

a year ago · Tony Wilson

I also wrote one about that Denmark game and the wild night in Fed Square.

Good one, Wilson!

Ecstasy and Triumph — with quite a lot of flare

Watch now (1 min) | My sporting soul is full, my Socceroos heart ablaze. It’s true that quite a lot of what I saw last night was quite a bit ablaze. But I mean it in a metaphysical sense. I’ve slept two and half hours in the last twenty-four, and I’m typing on air. How good was it? The Socceroos are in the last sixteen! The 38th ranked team upset the 10th. And we did it wi…

a year ago · 4 likes · Tony Wilson

There’s a transcript of a very fun radio segment below for paid subscribers. I’m grateful to all who have contributed in recent years, and kept me encouraged. If you subscribe to Speakola you get six months free subscription at Good one, Wilson. Just reply to this email with subject ‘Good one, comp’.

Sammy J: Author, speech enthusiast and soccer lover. Tony Wilson. Good morning to you of Speakola and so much more.

TW: Oh Sammy J, I am here. I'm in my Socceroos top. I'm back from Fed Square. I was there!

Sammy J: Have you done an all-nighter?

TW: <laugh>. From the bowels of Mordor ...

Sammy J: This is gonna be the loosest speech discussion we've had in three years!

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