Daniel Clarke

15 years @Betfair_Aus. Lifetime @EssendonFC supporter. Likely out running in spare time. Tasmanian relocated to Melbourne. Opinions my own

[Steve Magness @stevemagness]

The enhanced games are a marketing gimmick.

It’s not for “science” or “hypocrisy."

It’s to market drugs to old guys in the bro world.

They don't care about the athletes. They aren't offering anything new or intriguing. It's a sales pitch for peptides, TRT, and sketchy supplements.

The athletes are to sell the product. And they've roped in people desperate enough to participate...mostly people who got busted and banned from actual sport...or need $$$.

The whole thing is based on a false premise.

First, they try to say, it's controlled/monitored so its safer. BS. The east German doping was controlled and monitored.

When the incentive is to go as fast as you can to win a million dollars, it doesn't matter what some doctor on your staff warns to these athletes, they will push the freaking limit.

And with that, any "science" you try to do is null and void. Because you have no clue what they're actually pushing...especially with a 1 million dollar prize.

Which gets me to point 2...

Second, anti doping works...not perfectly. But look at track, we've had world record holders and world champions who got busted and banned. Some of which are now in the enhanced games...

But more so what it does...it prevents people from going way overboard. With testing, you can't be the East Germans anymore... You'll get busted. So even if there is doping, it's scaled down, which reduces long-term consequences a bit.

Think of it like this, cyclists would turn their blood into sludge to get a boost...but they'd also risk dying by doing so. Anti doping prevents them from going that far.

It's not anywhere perfect, but it works much better than the naysayers think. And at worst it minimizes a no-holds bar drug escapade.

3. Transparency and Choice

When you make PEDS the baseline, you take away the choice. It's either risk longtime health or you have NO shot at the prize.

Yes, some will argue that it's either take them or not in normal sport, but in most sports that's not the case. You can still win a track and field world title clean. I know folks who I feel very strongly have. You can still be top 10 in the world, I've coached folks who have done so clean.

But when cheating is the default, there's no hope. You take away that choice.

4. The trickle down effect is real

Youth sports are insane. You normalize folks taking HGH, testosterone, etc. for the shot at millions...and crazy parent will do that with no supervision. They'll get the drugs for themselves from the enhanced games then dose up their children.

The more we normalize crazy, the more it pushes the incentives to make crazy normal.

I get that's where all of our society seems to be headed. But we have a choice. We get to say what matters, what do we value.

And the enhanced games is not it. The marketers don't have to win everything. We don't have to turn sport into a spectacle where you either have to take drugs that you potentially have to stay on for years or life just to compete.

I've been in sport at the highest levels. I've seen the dirty underbelly in person. But this is not the way.

It's not science. It's marketing. They've admitted the plan is to sell you peptides off this.

It's the latest way for some tech bros who think they own the world to market and sell false hopes and dreams to the guy who feels a bit inadequate because he peaked at scoring 4 touchdowns in a game at Polk High.

We're better than this nonsense.

[Dylan Leach @leachitup]

No.
We do not need extra time.
Pies and Hawks get two premiership points each.
It will make a difference as to where each club will finish in the finals.
There has been under 200 draws in 130 seasons of V/AFL.

No more questions/hot takes will be required on this matter.

[Jonathan Gault @jgault13]

April 26, 2026.

Sabastian Sawe does it.

The first man to break 2 hours in a record-eligible marathon.

1:59:30 to win the most incredible London Marathon in history.

Yomif Kejelcha runs 1:59:41 IN HIS DEBUT and finishes 2nd!

https://t.co/hmS5ykXyu4

[Ben Eisenhart @BEisenhart]

Being in your early 40s is weird, man. People around your age are in every stage of life. You have people who are grandparents. You have people who have newborns. You have people dating 25-year-olds. You have people celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary. Some of them look 60, and some of them look 30. All the bases are covered when you are in your early 40s.

[AthleticsAnalysis @AthleticsEditz]

Gout in his 19.67 split one of the fastest legal closes in history…

10.44 + 9.23 = 19.67 is where I’m at… was 4.50 100-150 and 4.73 150-200!

From memory only Blake (19.26 - 9.09) and MJ (19.32 - 9.18) have closed faster legally, though I could be wrong… @NLS_TF

Gout Goat.

[ESPNcricinfo @ESPNcricinfo]

What a stat 🤯

(via @stephanshemilt)

[Sam Edmund @Sammy__Edmund]

History made in Hobart.
The Mac Point stadium has secured majority support and will pass the Legislative Council.
The stadium has got the magic number of eight votes and so the Tassie Devils WILL enter the competition as the AFL's 19th team.

[Daniel Clarke @danielclarke83]

Too early to call Bazball a failure and that England no longer have anywhere near a suitable temperament to succeed at Test cricket? #Ashes #AUSvENG

[Daniel Clarke @danielclarke83]

Some perplexing anti-Essendon sentiment floating around regarding Merrett. There shouldn't be anything wrong with holding a player to a willingly signed contract instead of trading for unders? Play on #AFL

[Daniel Clarke @danielclarke83]

One of the best finishes you'll see in any sport this year

[John Dean @JohnDean_]

After 42.2km, this is the most insane finish to a marathon you’ll ever see.

A photo finish was needed to determine the winner: Tanzania’s Alphonce Felix Simbu.

#WorldAthleticsChamps

[Daniel Clarke @danielclarke83]

Can't sugarcoat an 8 goal loss but that's about the least disappointing one can be. Just too much of a gulf in skill & experience #AFLCatsDons

[Daniel Clarke @danielclarke83]

Hard to recall a more substandard game in the AFL era. Genuinely unbefitting of full time professionals #afltigersdons

[Daniel Clarke @danielclarke83]

Best half of @essendonfc footy this year by far. May it continue #AFLDonsSwans

[Daniel Clarke @danielclarke83]

Hurricane season. Good weekend to be back in Tassie #BBL14

[St Kilda FC @stkildafc]

Trophy drought since 1966.

We feel you 🤝

[The Spectator Index @spectatorindex]

UNITED KINGDOM: The BBC reports that a thief who stole 17 tubes of Pringles in a series of thefts told police that 'once you pop, you can't stop'.

[Daniel Clarke @danielclarke83]

Snapshot of 3 weeks in Costa Rica. Wonderful country

[Adam White @White_Adam]

Once again. There are three possible results in AFL football. A draw is one of the three. If you can’t win a game in 120 minutes, you don’t deserve more time to win the game. Two premiership points is appropriate. Which might help you earn enough points to qualify for the finals.

[Daniel Clarke @danielclarke83]

Hell of a game of footy. Never quite know how to feel after a draw but a lot to like as a Dons fan #AFLDonsPies

[Daniel Clarke @danielclarke83]

@ToddJDavey Firmly in the No camp until Tasmania became official. Perspective now shifted