Go you good things!

Well, another night, another Origin.
It would be remiss of me not too mention the fact the right team won on the night, making up for the Fluke of the Century (Shaun Timmins field-goal) in the previous game.
If nothing else, these Origin matches are a definite show of where you come from. There aren't too may of my friends from Queensland who don't regard State of Origin as something approaching a religious experience, a chance for us to put the wind up those pesky NSW people who think they're better.
This is especially true when you live south of the border, where walking around in a maroon jersey (like me last night) is like putting on some duck wings at the start of the season and parading around in front of people just itching to shoot something.
The abuse, or verbal encouragement, wasn't too bad. There was one idiot who starting rubbing my hair at the start of the game every time NSW did well (which was often). That sorted itself out eventually (he left the room), while a couple of people tried to insults by calling us Queenslanders.
Short of saying we're God himself, I can't think of a better compliment.
Unfortunately, this view is not shared by those down here, for whom Queenslanders are those pesky things who make a habit of being very loud and annoying and sponging off the NSW Government etc etc.
This "talking down" of Queensland was actually mentioned by now-deposed chairman of the ABA (Australian Broadcasting Authority) David Flint.
Professor Flint was speaking at an official ABA reception in Brisbane in 1998, soon after 11 One Nation MP's had been elected to the Queensland Parliament.
Strangely enough the Queensland election had been deemed to be news all around the world, including the BBC World Service. Prof Flint made the point a lot of these news outlets were somewhat hypocritical when criticizing Queensland.
"But having read some of the reports, and comments, in other foreign media, I find it surprising that I have not previously read or seen or heard of media warnings not to trade or invest, or be educated in France, or Germany, or Austria, or Malaysia, or Indonesia," Prof Flint said.
"Outbreaks of extreme violence, of murders, of requirements for separate passports, or mandatory name changes, the rise of extremely racist parties even in ancient European civilisations have not resulted in editorials that these nations must mend their ways. That they are being watched."
Prof Flint also gave his view that perhaps some of the reporting of the election was clouded by views of people from outside the state. He cites the example of a heading "Finding solutions for simpletons" on a Paul Kelly opinion piece on One Nation in The Australian newspaper.
"It seems that the reporting of the Queensland election has been clouded by the views, preferences and, dare I say it, the prejudices of some of those conveying the news and commenting on it."
Queensland is not perfect - not by any stretch of the imagination. But perhaps some quotes from Australian pressman John Pringle should finish this - just like Prof Flint did.
Australians say that when a stranger arrives in Perth, the first question is
"Where do you come from?"
In Adelaide, it's
"What Church do you belong to?"
In Melbourne it's
"What school were you at?
In Sydney it's
"How much money have you got?"
In Brisbane they say
"Come and have a drink"

If you're ever up that way, come and have a drink.

Professor Flint's speech can be found here