Geoffrey Boycott
I like Geoffrey Boycott and his pithy comment.
And now he has a web site, where we can read him even more.
What is technically interesting about his web site, is that it is almost-pure WordPress, with just a little tweaking and customisation. In other words it uses the same techniques as this blog does.
Who in their right mind would pay a fortune for a proper web site, when you can have an easy-to-update one based on something like WordPress or Blogger?
One Law for Footballers and One for Everybody Else
I’ve just heard Marlon King‘s agent saying how disgraceful it was that his client was immediately sacked by Wigan Athletic. He certainly believes in the title of this post. Nearly all people going to jail will find that their job suddenly doesn’t exist.
I’m afraid that those who break the law should expect all the punishment they get. And if you read Marlon King‘s entry in Wikipedia, you’ll find that he has not been totally innocent in the past. So in my view after King was found guilty, the sentence was fair. My late wife might well have argued that he needed a few months more.
The agent’s defence of his client was loyal, but contained little else of merit.
Farewell – David Shepherd
British umpires tend to be characters and there was none greater than David Shepherd.
He was also a very good umpire, beloved by fans and players alike.
The Balloon Wins It!
There was a farcical goal in the Sunderland Liverpool match yesterday, that won the match for the home side.
It will probably end up as one most watched videos on YouTube. There are quite a few copies there already.
Darren Bent took a shot and it cannoned off a beach ball, that the Liverpool supporters had thrown onto the pitch.
Brazilian Farce
I watched the qualifying for the Brazilian Grand Prix last night. What a farce!
But then has it ever been thus in the rain?
I went to motor racing a few times before I was married, although I didn’t actually see a Grand Prix until I went to Spa last year. That incidentally was a complete waste of time and money and I’d never bother to go again, unless I was paid to do it! It’s so much better on the television.
One race from that era stands out.
We all went to Brands Hatch to see the Sports Car Race called the Guards Trophy. It used to be run in something like Appendix J, but that wasn’t the real title. Basically the cars were driven by seven litre stock-block engines and had all enclosing bodywork. The primary exponent of this formula was John Surtees, who drove a Lola. This race was notable in that it was seeing the debut of the new Felday 5 four-wheel drive car with the bigger engine. Jim Clark was driving the older Felday 4 car with the two-litre BRM engine.
It should be noted that in those days, race meetings like these attracted all of the top Formula One drivers like Clark, Hill and Surtees.
And then it rained.
Heavily, too!
Cars went everywhere and eventually the race was abandoned and restarted. Except for the immaculate Surtees, who just drove round in an impressive display of how to drive in the wet. Clark was second fastest, despite being very much down on power.
How to Show Football on Television – 2
It seems that the farce of showing the Ukraine-England match on television has had an effect.
The FA, who don’t really have a reputation for being media savvy have decided to show the England-Macedonia Under-21 International on Friday on the web.
Here’s their press release.
The FA has announced exciting details of the first England game to ever be screened live and for free exclusively on TheFA.com.
On Friday 9 October, The England v Macedonia 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Championship Qualifier at Coventry City’s Ricoh Arena will be streamed live on TheFA.com (kick-off 7.45pm BST).
The FA took the landmark decision to air the game for free on TheFA.com after UK broadcasters confirmed they were unable to schedule the match during peak-time.
Commenting on the move, Ian Watmore, Chief Executive Officer of The FA said: “This is the best way to ensure as many fans as possible around the country get the chance to see England’s young stars in action for free.”
Fans logging on to watch the game can look forward to seeing some great young players in action. Stuart Pearce has assembled an impressive squad including Theo Walcott – returning to the England Under-21s set-up fresh from scoring in Arsenal’s 6-2 defeat of Manchester City at the weekend.
Watching the game is simple. Just visit TheFA.com at 7.45pm on Friday night, click on the link to the game and enjoy all of the action free of charge.
Note the words “free of charge”.
The FA have certainly got this one right. To be fair they had nothing to do with the other farce.
Some Horse!
Sea the Stars achieved immortality on Sunday, by winning the Prix de l’Rac de Triomphe at Longchamp on Sunday.
According to Paddy Power, he might even win the Irish Sports Personality of the Year! I doubt it though, as Brian O’Driscoll is long odds-on!
Some years ago, we went to Longchamp on Arc day. The reason was that a horse we had bred, was running in one of the supporting races. According to the odds, the horse only had a modest chance. But no-one had told her!
Unfortunately, this memoral day is not recorded on film, as I din’t take a camera! I learned the lesson then and always have one in my pocket now!
How to Show Football on Television
Or rather how not to! This article in The Independent outlines the mess and problems caused by making Ukraine-England Internet only on a Pay-per-View site.
But like the earlier fiasco with ITV-Digital and the Championship and the failure of Setanta, it probably illustrates that there is a price viewers will pay and a price they will not. And those broadcasters that pay too much will end up going bust.
I have Sky and watch quite a bit of sport on their channels, like cricket, tennis and of course football. In general it is good value and it sustained me through some of the darker times since my wife died.
I have also subscribed to ESPN to take the extra Premier League matches. Whether I will continue to take the extra coverage for ever, is open to debate, as I have no interest in American Mickey Mouse sports, like basketball, baseball and American football.
But to return to the Ukraine-England match, that will only be shown over the Internet. I have watched some football in this way, through the Sky web site. The quality wasn’t that good and I suspect that here in deepest Suffolk, I would only get a very bad picture.
But in a few years time, this will be the way that many of us will not only watch football, but much of our television. But it will need much faster broadband and a proper device to put the pictures on a large screen.
I won’t be in England this weekend, but if I was, I’d be listening on BBC Radio Five. When it was pointed out to a pub landlord that it was being broadcast this way, he hadn’t realised it. But at least it might get a few punters in his pub! Especially, if he had wi-fi for a few laptops!
Who’d Have Believed it?
England beat Sri Lanka last night in a nervy match. But I suppose it was easy in that it was by six wickets!
I’m just looking at yesterday’s Racing Post. It had headlines like “Sri Banka” and “Punters abandon wounded England”, with England quoted at 85-40 to win.
So did I have a small wager?
No!
Belarus
With the post about Droyt, I felt I should put up some of the pictures I took of Belarus.
I’d actually gone there to see England play football and thoroughly enjoyed the trip. The people were friendly, there was absolutely no trouble and we were blessed with some very good weather. England won too!
Holocaust Memorial – Minsk, Belarus
This memorial was tucked away in a quiet park behind the hotels. Strangely, you can’t find much about it on the Internet, except for a small article about how it was vandalised in 2006.
Afghan War Widows Memorial, Minsk
This memorial to the widows of the Afghan War was built some time after the war actually ended. The war doesn’t fit well in Russian history, but it made a serious mark on it.
English Wreath on the Victory Memorial, Minsk
This wreath was laid by England supporters and the ceremony was totally unreported in any English newspapers. I did manage to find a reference in a Belarusian News Agency and there is a bit on the British Embassy web site.
But then there was no trouble and newspapers have their stereotypes.
This is a getting to be a sombre series of pictures, so here’s one of the beautiful girls of Minsk.
Girls of Minsk
There were so many and all were very well-turned out. But then one of their problems is that they outnumber the men considerably.
Minsk is also blessed with large numbers of street statues.
Street Statue in Minsk
None seemed to credit any of the sculptors. I always like sculpture in preference to painting, I suspect because one of my uncles was a serious one. He though, knew of the difficulties of making it a career, so he was earned his living as an engineer. But a good one!
At Belarus England in Minsk
Note the police, who were friendly like everybody in Minsk. There was no trouble at all. And England won.
One day, I’ll go back to Belarus. Perhaps in the Lotus.
The Anonymous Widower 