Advice on sport & competition.

How do you experience vicarious enjoyment of a place you've already been to?

Tommy suggests that showing friends around somewhere you've already visited lets you slip back into a 'tourist'/holiday mindset by experiencing their enthusiasm and fresh reactions.

How should you approach a paid coaching session to get the most value?

Don't over-direct a good coach with too many specific requests — let them ask questions and guide the session, since a skilled coach will figure out what you actually need rather than just doing what you ask for.

How do you pick a hobby that will actually stick?

Choose something you're already decent at and genuinely enjoy, rather than forcing yourself into activities (like tennis or traditional gym PT) that you don't naturally like, even if they seem more productive or social.

How do you actually get into a new sport or hobby like fantasy football or UFC?

Tommy suggests you have to genuinely be into something to follow it properly—comparing it to asking someone to just 'start watching a UFC fight' to get into it—implying passive interest rarely sticks.

How should a team manage shared sports equipment so items don't get lost?

Keep a limited, countable set of items (around 10) in a single clean bag, and count them back in at the end of each session to make sure nothing is missing.

What sports equipment is good to bring to a park for group fun?

A mix of frisbees (including a Vortex or Aerobie-style disc), a bocce set, a gridiron ball, cricket stumps/bat/ball, and baseball gloves covers a good range of casual park games.

How should you plan a group activity so it actually happens instead of falling through?

Lock in a specific date within a committed window (e.g. during an upcoming holiday) rather than leaving plans vague, and keep the activity low-stakes/social (hired gear, no pressure) so there's less friction to follow through.

Should you spar when learning to box?

Jess Lucas advises against sparring, saying it's better to use pads or bags since sparring really hurts and mainly teaches you to cover your face.

How can you tell who your genuine friends are when you're in the public eye?

Pay attention to who reaches out to you after a bad performance or loss versus only after wins — that pattern reveals who actually cares about you versus who's just along for the good times.

How should someone find a hobby as they get older?

Let the hobby come to you rather than forcing an identity around it — try things without announcing them to the world, and don't impulsively buy equipment before you've even tried the activity.

How should you handle someone being passive-aggressive instead of direct?

Tommy suggests meeting the moment with calm, friendly directness rather than escalating—open with something like 'hey guys, we're sitting back here and wondering if you're here for the show because you're blocking our view' rather than a vague passive question.

When is a bad time to ask someone to make a decision?

Tommy advises against asking someone to make a decision late at night when they're tired, comparing it to asking what someone wants for dinner right after they've eaten a big meal — they have no interest in engaging.

How do you decide where to watch a footy game in Melbourne?

If you're going to go to the footy, go to the MCG rather than a smaller regional ground like Geelong's, since it offers a bigger, more iconic matchday experience.

How do I find a new hobby or interest (like a sport) that actually sticks?

Don't try to intellectually define or manufacture an interest in advance; instead just start doing the activity (e.g., playing rather than just watching) and let genuine interest develop naturally from direct experience.

How do you move on from a public identity you no longer want (e.g. being known only for one thing)?

Deliberately and repeatedly say no to opportunities that reinforce the old identity, even if it costs you work in the short term, in order to make space for new opportunities that reflect who you want to be seen as.

What can be done to grow interest in women's sport?

James Janssen suggests the onus is on sports programs to proactively engage with their local community, make the sport accessible and affordable to attend, and build storylines/connections with fans rather than relying on media coverage alone.

How should the public react to athletes who make mistakes, like the cricket ball-tampering scandal?

Craig Harper's post (read by Tommy) advises that people should hold wrongdoers accountable and support appropriate punishment, but avoid heaping excessive hatred and judgment that could harm someone's mental health, especially for a mistake made 'in a game of cricket.'