How Good Are The Olympic Games?
February 28th, 2010

I guess the headline says it all really, even though it is a question. The Olympic games are just the greatest.

Summer or winter, they capture the imagination of an entire planet.

I tell you what though, the winter games certainly are the most dangerous!!! First, sincere condolences go to the family of the Georgian luge competitor who tragically lost his life only hours before the games begun.

Though you look at so many winter olympic events and people’s lives are on the line, or at the very least there’s a severe risk of injury. For example, any events at the sliding centre, downhill skiing, ski jumping, speed skating, freestyle aerials and the list goes on.

Maybe that’s a huge part of the attraction. The possibility of carnage. The agony and the extacy. The human story to go along with sporting triumph.

Which ever direction you come from, watching a human being pushed to the absolute limits always captures the imagination. How good are the Olympic Games? Un-be-lieve-able!!!

Bravo Vancouver. Now for one final day of competition. Can Canada wrap up a near perfect games for the host nation by winning (let’s be honest) the only gold medal they really wanted. Men’s Hockey. In fact, I think most Canadians would trade every other gold they’ve one for just this.

Wow. How heavy the weight of a nation’s expectations on your shoulders must be.

Filed under: Sport — Tags: , , , , — Pete Kvist @ 10:11 pm
Gold, Gold, Gold For Australia!
February 19th, 2010

Congratulations to Aussie Torah Bright who took out gold in the women’s halfpipe at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

Cypress has been good to the Aussies, with Dale Begg-Smith winning silver and now our Aussie flag bearer from the opening ceremony winning the best colour of all. Gold it is!

Already, the Aussies have 2 medals, which is as good as we’ve ever done, so as you can imagine, we are all stoked!

My only disappointment is the fact I’m not there. Boohoo I know, however for someone like myself and my wife, we have been in Canada this time of year for 3 of the last 4 years. Why not this year? Well, truth be known, we are too busy setting up some new businesses.

The only real shame about the Aussies winning another gold is the worst sporting coverage known to man through channel nine in Australia. It is an absolute disgrace. You would think that one of the biggest events on the planet would deserve better from a team who claims to be the number one sporting broadcaster.

Shame, shame, shame!

Let’s not take the tarnish off what was a hugely gritty and determined performance from one very cute young Aussie. A life of dreams lived out in the snow of Canada!

Filed under: Sport — Tags: , , , , , — Pete Kvist @ 9:21 pm
Where To Now For One Day Cricket?
February 11th, 2010

No matter who you talk to, everyone has a different opinion of what to do with 50 over cricket. Mind you, everyone has a different opinion of what to do with test cricket as well.

Here’s my spin on the matter for what it’s worth.

It should never matter what you think or what I think. Not with cricket, not with business, not with anything. That is, if you are trying to have a global appeal.

It’s up to the masses to vote with their money, remote controls and their support.

Twenty 20 cricket has been a massive hit. Here in Australia, they are getting more people through the gates to watch T20 domestic games than they are to International one day matches. Does that tell you anything?

They got three times as many spectators to a twenty 20 international than they did to the one day fixture in Melbourne. Does that tell you anything?

And yet, Australia’s cricketing administration set aside 10 one day matches and only three 20/20 internationals this summer. Why? Because administration did not want to take a “risk”. If a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, they wanted the guaranteed bird thanks.

Maybe administration will continue with their plight of pushing the one day game? Who knows. What should happen though?

I think that the one day game is dead. HOWEVER, not yet. There needs to be a period of introduction. Mind you, when I say dead, it is dead in international competition. At a local and even domestic level, all forms of cricket are played. 15 overs, 40 overs, 60 overs, 2 days, 5 days etc etc.

So the phase out of one day cricket should be gentle, so as not to offend the purist, however when you are raking in the cash for 20/20, why bother with its ugly brother?

People then argue, everyone said that about test cricket when one day cricket came along. All I say to those people is, “we’ll see”.

Filed under: Pete's Thoughts, Sport — Tags: , , , , — Pete Kvist @ 7:57 pm
Watching History
February 6th, 2010

Last night I saw the fastest ever cricket ball bowled in Australia and the third fastest recorded ball in history. So what, I hear you say.

That’s where the point of this blog post comes in. Sometimes it’s superb to bear witness to a historical event. Then others, well, the record will be broken soon enough and no one in the future will remember this even happened.

I remember a friend who wasn’t a wealthy person, telling me about when they heard the Berlin wall was coming down, they took leave from work and immediately purchased an airfare to Germany to be there for the event. Why? So they could be a part of history.

Another friend who is an amateur photographer purchased a flight to Phuket in the hours after the devistating boxing day tsunami to document the destruction and assist in the clean up.

Another friend who left their job to be at the inauguration of President Obama.

Yet another who left their life to be a part of the Sydney Olympics.

These were all ordinary people. Who dropped everything to be a part of history. We’ve all thought of it in the past, but how many of us have the courage to act on it.

For now, being a witness on television is a great step. Being live at the event, something else all together. Maybe it’s time for me to be a part of history soon as well.

Filed under: Pete's Thoughts — Pete Kvist @ 5:15 pm
To Cheat Or Not To Cheat
February 2nd, 2010

In the modern world of international sport, a great deal of scrutiny is placed on athletes to ensure a fair contest. Drug testing is probably the more prominent form of scrutiny and it is becoming increasingly more difficult to cheat the system, or so it would seem.

When you have 28 cameras covering a cricket match though and you know those cameras are following the ball… and you are the captain… why would you try and cheat without even hiding it? Why?

This is exactly what happened to Shahid Afridi in a one-day cricket match against Australia in Perth on January 31st 2010.

For those of you who are not cricket fans, it is against the laws of the game to “tamper” with the ball. The reason is because if you manipulate the ball, it can do weird and funny things when you bowl.

In the past, people have tried putting something on the ball, fiddling with the seam where the ball is stitched, scuffing half of the ball and have even used bottle tops to try and scratch the ball. At least they have tried to hide it from the cameras.

Shahid Afridi must have been a little peckish as between deliveries, he was seen in broad daylight, with no attempt to hide the fact…

wait for it…

biting the ball. Yep, it looked like he had just picked a juicy ripe peach from a tree and was desperate to have the nectar roll down his chin. Only it was with a cricket ball that had the accumulated spit of an entire cricket team on it (spit is legally used to help shine the ball).

So blatant cheating should get a severe penalty, right? We’ll get to that in just a second.

What was Afridi’s defence? He told an Australian radio station after the match that he was “trying to smell the ball”. When further asked if he was smelling it with his teeth, he responded, “that is one way you can do it, yes”.

Hmmm… the plot thickens.

Then when he was found guilty of ball tampering, what did he say? He said that everyone cheated and it was part of the game. Way to cover yourself in glory and be a good role model!

So now for the penalty. Two matches. Yes sir, two lousy games. What a joke. What an absolute joke all around. Afridi and the games administration. They should all take a good long hard look at themselves.

Filed under: Sport — Tags: , , — Pete Kvist @ 9:07 pm
So Much Sport
January 17th, 2010

Well, this is the first Aussie summer I’ve been a part of for three years and only the second in five. To be honest, yes, I would rather be in Canada skiing, living and working, though I can think of plenty of worse places to be right now.

In fact, as I write this, I am sitting at my computer after just finishing breakfast overlooking the east coast of Australia and inland to the glorious Pittwater on what is called a super stunning day. Hardly any wind, comfortable warm temperatures and if this doesn’t feel like you are on holidays, nothing will!

There are some other benefits of being in Australia this time of the year and that is sport! Being in the southern hemisphere, we don’t have too many other countries to fight with for premium sporting events this time of year.

First, there is the cricket. Now, if you are not a cricket fan, you are probably thinking, who cares. But for every Aussie that bleeds the green and gold, nothing beats an afternoon of test cricket in front of the box.

Then there’s the tennis and starting next week, the Aussie Open. How Australia managed to get a grand slam tennis event, I still don’t know, but we’ll take it!

Next, there’s the Tour Down Under cycling which kicks off the pro tour season. With a line up worthy of any of the major European races, we are for sure on a winner here!

Then, there’s always the television if you want to watch the NFL, NHL, NBA, college sports, EPL, etc etc etc.

So much sport, so little time.

The cherry on the cake? Has to be the winter Olympics in Vancouver. The only problem here is that I planned to be there for the event and am not. I know when I am watching the events I will feel bad that I am not there, however television is always the second best seat in the house!

I can still remember when the summer games were in Sydney and if Vancouver has 1/10th as good a time as we had, the place will just go off!

Filed under: Sport — Tags: , , , , — Pete Kvist @ 8:21 am
Where To Now For Cadel Evans
November 1st, 2009

As you may have seen today, Aussie world champion (still sounds good) Cadel Evans has invoked a clause in his contract to leave his Silence Lotto Team (aka Omega-Pharma Lotto).

Thank god!

I think it was pretty obvious what Cadel showed he could do with a good team at the World Champs this year… ah yes, he won quite convincingly!

But it wasn’t just a good team, it was a great team and they dominated a race that the Spanish and Italians should have had a stranglehold on.

So what does this mean for Cadel? Well, his market value is clearly up, as signing a rider with the rainbow jersey (world champ) has to be worth more than any without. Also, he still has ambitions for the Tour de France, which after his results this year still looks within his reach.

Mind you, there was no Contador, no Armstrong, no Wiggins, no Schleck (not seriously anyway) as well as missing other stars when Cadel won the worlds. But not to take anything away from him, it was still a TOP field.

Ok, so back to the question, where does he go now? Well, there are two cashed up outfits, namely BMC and Quickstep that I think would be a side step for Cadel. Why? They don’t have climbers… same as Silence Lotto.

There are however, cashed up teams without a rider the quality of Cadel as well. Take British outfit Sky for instance.

Also, there are teams that would love Cadel that also have big names in their wings already, like Caisse d’Epargne and Garmin Slipstream, not to mention Radio Shack which was linked to Cadel from day one.

If Cadel honestly has designs on a Tour de France victory, it seriously narrows his choices. If he goes to BMC or Quickstep, you can be assured it is for the money!

If he goes to a team already with a big name rider???

Sure, Cadel would be an ideal candidate for a Giro d’Italia or Vuelta Espana win and a fantastic support for another rider at the Tour de France, but listening to him, it sounds like he really want the Tour de France. So I would question if he goes to a team with already noted team leaders.

Speculation, speculation. It’s all good though. This is a great step for Cadel and an exciting one for all cycling fans! If Cadel goes to Sky, then you have half a dozen STRONG chances to take on Contador in next year’s tour and considering there are few teams that can even afford Contador, he may be left with a weak roster around him.

This could be superb!

Filed under: Pete's Thoughts, Sport — Tags: , , , , — Pete Kvist @ 7:24 pm
As I Sit On The Balcony With A Beverage
October 22nd, 2009

Sometimes I think I have backed myself into a corner, though am never willing to throw up the white flag. Often it just takes but a minute to stop and think about it before I realise that my life is pretty darn good.

And no matter where you are in life, so is yours!

I heard someone remind me the other day to think of all the things I am grateful for in life. Of course, you can always look at people less fortunate to get perspective, but what is really great in your life now.

For me, I am always grateful I am healthy and have the use of all my senses. I am married to a beautiful woman who is also healthy and I have a wonderful family.

For now, I just wanted to say how good it is to sit out on the deck of the house where I am currently living and look out across the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean and south along the coast of Sydney.

Sure, not everyone has a view like this, but this is just to make a point.

Everyone who is alive has things to be grateful for. You should think about them every day!

VIP Success Club.

Filed under: Pete's Thoughts, Travel and Lifestyle — Pete Kvist @ 5:35 pm
Never Too Old For Sport
October 18th, 2009

Most people probably haven’t noticed, but the World Masters Games are on in Sydney Australia at the moment. This is living proof that you are never too old for sports.

Categories do not restrict age, not upwards at least, and competitors can be as young as 30 to compete in some sports.

Why am I talking about this? Well, you know all those excuses about not getting off your ass, because it has been too long, or you don’t have enough time etc etc… throw them out the window. There just excuses!

Put it this way. If I told you I’d give you a million dollars if you played sport three times a week for 45 mins over a period of a month, you’d FIND the time. Face it. Your just a lazy so and so with a poor excuse. Now let’s be honest, I’m not saying this because I’m having a go at you, I’m saying it because it is having a shot at myself and my excuses. It just reminds me how lazy I can be and how disgraceful some of my excuses are.

So why not get out there and do something YOU ENJOY! Don’t say, “right, I’m going to go jogging”, if you have never jogged and hate the idea of it! If you have kids, why not play an organised sport with them that you both enjoy? If you have a group of mates, form a team and play something… anything.

Hope I’ve inspired you to make a positive change with the VIP Success Club Blog.

Filed under: Health and Wellness, Pete's Thoughts, Sport, Travel and Lifestyle — Tags: , , — Pete Kvist @ 2:19 pm
Health: Who’s Telling The Truth?
October 10th, 2009

I’ve had a few great discussions with Liz over the last few days about this topic, because it seems, no matter where I look, there are “experts” with completely opposite opinions.

Has anyone else noticed this?

So I got thinking. No matter what I want to believe is true, there’s some crackpot and scientific study to back up any outrageous ideas that I have.

Examples: If you are getting into the gym to build muscle, you want every advantage you can get along the way, right? Right advice is essential. Most people start with a personal trainer. Good place to start. They can help you with weights and programs to get you into shape. So then people walk into a health food store and look at protein powder because they’ve heard it is good. They find hundreds of products, get confused and don’t know where to start. Then a fully trained staff member who’s an expert in the area comes over and offers assistance to which the person responds, “no thanks, I’ll just talk to my personal trainer”. After all, the personal trainer knows everything about getting you into shape, right?

Now, let me get one thing clear, this is not going to be an attack on personal trainers, I have the utmost respect for them. This example could be used in ANY field.

So back to our example… why is it a dumb decision to go back to the personal trainer (in most cases)? Because they are not trained at all in regards to nutrition. And no offence, but a weekend course in nutrition does not give you expert status. People study for years on these things.

But yet guess what? The personal trainer has an opinion and for our example, who are they going to listen to? The person they trust of course.

Like I said though, this example could apply to anything.

But that’s not where the story ends. What about, using the same example, the personal trainer HAS spent a decade studying this subject and so has the store staff and yet they STILL have different opinions! That happens. So, like the subject says, “who is telling the truth”?

Again… and geez, this happens alot, but I have no answer. Just a warning.

Do your due diligence first before making a decision that affects your health, wealth or family. Have an open mind. Don’t just believe what you want to and deliberately find evidence to back it up. The internet can convince you of anything these days!

I hope this helps!

Filed under: Health and Wellness — Pete Kvist @ 11:16 am
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