“Sydney-Hobart better than sex”: deranged sports fan

DECEMBER 2004: Friends of self-confessed sports fanatic Warren ‘Boofer’ Harrington are deeply concerned for his mental health after he announced today that watching the Sydney-Hobart yacht race on television was “better than having sex”.

Harrington is well known around Cabramatta for his love of NRL, cricket, boxing and motor sport. He also has a passing interest in soccer, tennis, golf and basketball, and regularly takes holidays whenever the Olympics or Commonwealth Games are on.

Friends have tolerated his occasional dabbles with sports such as netball and ice-skating, but believe he has now “well and truly lost the plot” after spending this year’s Christmas-New Year period avidly following the Sydney-Hobart.

“Give me a beer and a bit of sport on the TV and I’m right for the day – or the week,” Harrington told the Bladder.

“I’ve seen some ripper stuff on the box over the years: Lionel Rose, Brocky at Bathurst, Bevvo hitting that four off the last ball to beat the Windies, all the good State of Origins.

“But I don’t reckon I’ve ever seen anything to match the Sydney-Hobart. The start, where all those boats are jostling for position, well that’s just magic. And once they’re out at sea it’s just thrill-a-minute. You don’t want to leave your seat for a second.

“This is what sport is all about. Honestly, the buzz I get watching it on the tele … it’s hard to describe. It’s definitely a sport just made for television. I reckon it’s better than sex!

“Well, it’s better than the sex I have, anyway.”