Calacus Weekly Hit & Miss – Cam Munster & ISL
Every Monday we look at the best and worst communicators in the sports world from the previous week.
HIT – CAM MUNSTER
It can be easy to forget about your opponents and the role they’ve played in a sporting event when you’ve been triumphant on the biggest stage.
While some players pass on their commiserations to the losing side during post-match interviews, rugby league star Cameron Munster went a step further by singling out rival playmaker Nathan Clearly after his Queensland side defeated New South Wales to claim the State of Origin series in Brisbane.
Munster had just won the Wally Lewis Medal as the best player of the series, but instead of revelling in his achievement, he used his victory speech to pay tribute to Cleary.
“I just want to shout out to Nathan Cleary – you’ve been killing it all year, I’m a big fan. The way you played this year was outstanding,” Munster exalted to a sold-out crowd at the Suncorp Stadium.
“To our own boys, outstanding, boys. Can’t fault you guys. Far out. Thank you to Queensland and the fans. This one’s for you, guys.”
It’s highly unusual for opposition players to be singled out for praise in team sports and the fact Munster started his speech with comments about Cleary rather than his own team showed the clear respect he has for his opposite number.
Munster’s act of sportsmanship was a fitting end to an entertaining series and his actions deservedly drew widespread support as a result.
MISS – ISL THE INTERNATIONAL SWIMMING LEAGUE
When the International Swimming League was launched last year, it caused considerable controversy.
World swimming governing body FINA threatened any swimmer that participated with a two-year ban from the sport, a threat it eventually revoked when it was clear how many of its biggest names would be taking part.
FINA set up the Champion Series, which has not attracted the same high-profile swimmers or captured the imagination of the public.
The ISL have some of the biggest names and exciting competition, with more than 300 swimmers taking part from 50 countries.
So the organisers have not helped themselves by failing to pay suppliers on time, leading to high profile complaints that threaten its burgeoning reputation which have been going on for some weeks, with one supplier, Livewire Sport, issuing a statement about their concerns.
ISL is still relatively new and needs to build its reputation, so to have let these financial issues go unchecked going into the season’s climax is particularly unhelpful.
While it responded to the debt issues by committing to meet its obligations and address procedural issues ahead of its third season, the concerns overshadowed what should have been a celebration of swimming at the end of its second season.
New suppliers will want further assurances and ISL will have to work hard not to be labelled as late payers, damaging the profile of a competition which should be its only focus.