There is certainly something special about watching the world's best compete in front of the world's eyes.
Yet, like the sandpit, the local game of AFL is our reality.
Yes, a few more Olympians might literally pop up on the back of our cereal packets, but by next week it will be our 'games' that have full attention as we run into finals.
Off-field decisions will also capture the headlines again, with clubs focused on the future more than ever.
The roles of list and football managers are being boosted. Richmond is looking for a 'CEO of football'. A what? It's almost as if a grand title will improve the list.
Speaking of the Tigers, hands up if you put them in the bottom two at the start of the year?
It's been an excellent season by Terry Wallace and his team – particularly if they can win the last two games. I was struck by the steely attitude on radio from assistant Brian Royal when he rejected the suggestion that Matthew Richardson's knee injury would see the big man packed away early if the Tigers fall out of the race for the finals. They are a proud coaching group at the moment, still stung by the chaotic dismissal of Greg Miller and the unintentional over-enthusiasm of new director Tony Free which saw him ask too many questions of the wrong people too early.
Whoever joins Craig Cameron and Wallace in making the decisions will be building on a young and improving defense led by Thursfield, Moore and McGuane, a young midfield with a core of Cotchin, Delidieo and Foley, and a forward line which has some handy players in Morton and Riewoldt, but which needs replacements for Matthew Richardson and Nathan Brown in the long term.
The time could be right for a play at Jonathon Brown or Daniel Kerr. Like all clubs in the running for this pair, getting the suitable ammunition will be the real problem.
The Brown saga drags on at Brisbane, with those who know the champion forward saying there must be more too it than simply long-term security.
For the first time there is talk that all is not well between coach Leigh Matthews and at least three of his experienced premiership players.
But the Lions are making the right stand in not offering Brown any longer than three years. Who knows what shape his body will be in by 2011?
If he forces their hand then they have to take seriously what might be on offer from other clubs.
The Lions must decide if this current crop of players can make a serious tilt at a flag while Brown, Black and Power are still up and running.
Rischitelli, Adcock, Brennan and maybe Bradd Dalziel are a promising group, but are they good enough to win a premiership? It's the same sort of question being asked all over the league.
Will Collingwood's desire to land a 'big fish' see the Pies grab Brown? As valuable as the big man would be, a quality, fast midfielder such as Kerr is more important. Next on the list would be another key defender.
Questions are again being asked about the age of Sydney's list which now finally appears on the decline. I disagree with the notion that the Swans can't afford to go right down the ladder for marketing reasons. Surely it's better to go down and bounce back up, than be on a gradual decline. Time will tell if you will ever be able to win a flag again without a top 10 draft pick or two – I doubt it.
Speaking of going down to bounce back up, I can only support the calls for a re-think of draft rules.
Even if you believe there is no such thing as 'tanking', there must be an incentive for sides to do their best to win games of football. Aside from any temptation to try to gain extra draft picks, the potential effect of easy wins for sides still competing for a place in the eight is too great.
There is probably no perfect solution but I would decide the draft order after round fifteen and bring in more prize-money which is awarded for teams finishing down to twelfth.
We may not be playing for Gold, but the desire to get up there on the dais in September is as strong as ever.
