A Sporting Chance - Titus O'Reily

9780143785224 Penguin Books

Titus O'Reily, the sports historian Australia neither needs nor deserves, returns to examine why our nation's sportspeople can do terrible things and yet be so readily forgiven.

In this great Southern land, a sportsman can be forgiven almost any sin if he is elevated to the mythical status of being a 'good bloke'. So, what does it take to earn the title of 'good bloke'? And can female athletes be good blokes too?

From the corrupt cop who gave us the race that stopped a nation, to the Australian boxing champion who refused to train, Titus reveals the key archetypes of the 'good blokes' at the heart of our greatest sporting scandals-

With ridiculous tales from Australia's chequered sporting history, A Sporting Chance dissects the scandals big and small, the mistakes made in covering them up and traces the path back to redemption. Titus also provides a helpful step-by-step guide on coming back from a sporting scandal, including how to carefully script and deliver the perfect non-apology.

But with the rise of social media, women's sport and the drive towards greater equality, are the good blokes of Australia's sporting landscape an endangered species?

Titus takes you through this rise and potential fall of the sporting boys club in his own rambling and at times incoherent style and asks the question, are Australians really that forgiving of their sporting heroes?