More on Favre / Peter King

Look, this probably interests only me in the limited readership of this blog, but as I write this most of the time for myself, and if anyone is interested enough to read my thoughts then thanks a lot, I am continuing on this line.  If only to remind myself in future why I feel like I do about Favre.

In the US the obsession in certain quarters of the media with Brett Favre  is not something that has passed by many bloggers. Peter King’s love/love relationship with Brett Favre has been noted for years, and some blogs (see link at the end of this piece make good capital out of it). This sort of relationship isn’t on the level at all – when a journalist is basically Favre’s chief Fan Boy and he isn’t afraid to show it, it puts all his other stuff into question – is he really saying what he thinks, or is he letting his rampant idolisation obscure what we all saw. In my view it taints his writing. For example, in this Q&A in his mailbag on CNNSI today:

AIKMAN MADE A GOOD POINT TO ME ABOUT THIS SUNDAY NIGHT. From T. Smith of St. Paul, Minn.: “I read your stats about Brett Favre playing well in these so-called pressure games, but I think it’s a little flimsy. He’s had a lot of bad games too — the six-interception playoff game against the Rams, the end of the game against the Giants in the championship game a couple of years ago. I’m happy he’s here, but I want to see how well he plays in the playoffs before we judge him.”

Good point, and I’m sure Favre would say the same thing. My point was the three games in which Favre has the 11-to-0 TD-to-interception ratio were games with a different kind of pressure, with his father’s death laying on him and the two games against the Packers this year.

When I spoke with Troy Aikman on Sunday night, I thought he made a great case for why he thought Favre would play well Sunday. He said this on the air too, about how he expected Favre to play well, because he’d won 76 percent of his games on this field, and because once the hoopla was over and it was a football game, Favre has played in a lot of pressure games in his life and it’d pretty quickly turn into a football game and not a circus. That’s exactly what Favre said to me after the game. Smart call by Aikman.

Absolutely brilliant. He gets a question from a punter casting doubts on the flawed logic fanboy King uses and the fanboy himself barely hesitates in utilisings it to throw in the fact he chats with all the big stars with a blatant name drop. Imagine Martin Samuel, if you must, saying, “well, yes, when I was speaking to Franz Beckenbauer he made a great point as to why he thought Lionel Messi might play brilliantly for Barcelona in the Champions League final”. If Samuel did that (and fuck me blind, Henry Winter does that sort of thing and it makes me want to scratch his eyeballs out) we’d be screaming, and his editor would rightly ask what the hell he is up to. It is puffery, ego boosting. I’m inwith the in-crowd. It is crap. Who cares what Dallas Troy thinks in answer to a question that points out that the semi-deity that is Favre needs to perform in the play-offs before this Viking fan is convinced? The point wasn’t directed at Troy, it was directed at you. Don’t get some shrill to do your work for you because it backs you up. Why didn’t you ask Thomas Jones instead?

The reason Minnesota won is that they have a better team at this point in time – it really isn’t hard. Favre is an upgrade on Jackson or Rosenfels in all likelihood, but so are pretty much every starting QB in the league – he’s a piece of the puzzle, not the reason for it all, despite what King would have you believe. The Vikings defense is great, and they have if not the best, then one of the best running backs in the league to focus defensive minds. To cherry pick two games against the Packers, and one a few years ago after his father died to show how well he plays in adversity is selective bullshit. Apart from the mid-to-late 90s, Favre has not performed well in the play-offs. The questioner is right, but alas, he doesn’t get to talk to Troy Aikman, so he’s a nobody. There’s no adversity more than trying to battle your team to the Superbowl. In the most recent massive game he played in, Brett Favre threw the key interception.

• THE CASE OF THE THROBBING GROIN. From Fred in Houston, Texas: “Favre’s a drama queen. It can’t just be about the game — it has to be about him and how he overcame this big injury to play.”

The Twitterverse — at least those people who follow me and write me Monday — were all over Favre for his admission to me that he hurt his groin in practice Wednesday, strained it Sunday, and told offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell and backup quarterback Tarvaris Jackson he might not be able to make it through the game. I guess I’d ask you this question: Would you rather have an athlete who didn’t tell you what was wrong with him, or would you rather have an athlete who leveled with you about how he felt? Now, Favre took a lot of heat for hiding his arm injury last year with the Jets. Now he tells me he had a sore groin that affected Packer play-calling in the game and you don’t think he should talk about that? Can’t have it both ways, I’d say.

How dare this questioner even suggest that Brett Favre is a drama queen. Where on earth would he get that idea from? And did he really hide his arm injury from everyone last year? I am not sure he did, I thought it was common knowledge it was toast at the end of the season, and it is why Thomas Jones, for one, was calling for him to sit as he was hurting the team. The only one having it both ways is Peter King. He wants to show he is in the loop by being Brett Favre’s press boy, and then gets all uppity when people call him on it. Oh look, Peter King has a twitter saying Favre’s injured in the run-up to his big game. Oooooh, look, Brett’s playing. Ooooooh, isn’t Brett a real man for taking all that abuse and still winning a game when injured.

Someone may well be having it both ways, but that would be a crass, crude metaphor. Better not call him on it…

HERO WORSHIP, HE ACCUSES ME OF. From Luke Fleeman of Tulare, Calif.: “Peter, you were one of the voices of reason in the Favre retirement saga, pointing out when he fibbed. But now it seems like you’ve joined the choir, falling down to help worship Favre with the rest of the media. I have to say I am disappointed, because I think most of us are just sick of hearing about him.”

My job is to report on what happens in the NFL. On Sunday, the story of the day in the NFL was the all-time passing leader’s return to the place where he parted so bitterly in 2008. Favre played well for the second time this year against the Packers under pressurized circumstances. I wrote about it. I’m not kneeling at his feet. I’m reporting the story of the day in the NFL, interviewing the player, like him or not, who is a polarizing figure.

Hey, look. Peter King gets what he wants – people reading his stuff, which I have to say I find mostly dull, but do read as I love the NFL. But his lover boy relationship with Favre had about a two week cooling off period which King has now forgotten and Brett has obviously forgiven. I am sick and tired with Favre, and actively want him to fail because he’s a prima donna. He should look at great QBs like John Elway, Joe Montana, Dan Marino and, yes, Troy Aikman as retired players and the likes of Peyton Manning (who I dislike purely because he took most of Dan’s records), Drew Brees and Tom Brady (shenanigans with models and actresses apart) who make the game the thing and not themselves. Favre is the show. He wants to be the show. He has people making him the show. That’s why he is loathed.

As always, someone always does it better, so let me pass anyone with the remotest interest in this topic onto this post.

Don’t Call It A Comeback…

On Sunday, for those of you not in the USA, Brett Favre played at quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings in their victory over the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Would it be so that this was the simple truth. A game that looked to be an easy win for the superior visitors became a bit close for comfort before the better team won.

Of course, most of the United States had one thing in mind in making this the most watched Sunday regular season game since the mid-1990s. This was akin, somewhat, to Sol Campbell returning to Spurs in Arsenal colours; if Sol Campbell had been, say, David Beckham, who had made a promise not to move to Arsenal, went off and played for Manchester City for a year, and then transferred to Arsenal. Something like that.

Except here you need to add the personality. Brett Favre was a Green Bay icon. He won the Superbowl with them in the 1990s. He broke quarterback records with them throughout his career. He was the Packers for over a decade. But like all organisations in American sport, you need to plan for the future, and the way Green Bay wanted to go was to get a quarterback in through a high draft pick, let him learn from Favre for a couple of years, then take over. Especially as Favre had given off plenty of vibes, and quotes to the likes of Peter King on CNNSi, that he wanted to retire. In 2005 the Packers drafted with their first round pick Aaron Rodgers. He knew he’d have to bide his time in taking over from a legend….

Rodgers shadowed Favre in the 2005/6 season, a disappointing one for the Packers in which they finished 4-12. The following year Rodgers broke his foot mid-season while filling in for Favre, and missed the rest of the campaign. Rodgers probably would have expected Favre to carry on in 2007 as he was approaching a number of Dan Marino’s records. But the nonsense of Favre’s on/off retirement plans had their germination in January 2006, and it is this sorry saga that will taint Favre in many fan’s eyes…

In January 2006, Favre’s coach, Mike Sherman was fired. Favre indicated in an interview that he was undecided on a return but if he had to say right then “I’d say I’m not coming back”.

OK, everyone can get a bit emotional when your friend has got the boot, and Favre was entitled to change his tune, and did so in April. The Packers were prepared to wait but the new coach, Mike McCarthy wanted a decision reasonably early in the season as to whether Favre would be back for 2007. When the Packers season ended in December, Favre was non-committal  “If today’s my last game,” he said, “I want to remember it. It’s tough. It’s tough. I’ll miss these guys, I’ll miss this game.” 

As we were all to find out, this would be classic Favre obfuscation, but again this would be relatively short-lived delays as in February 2007 he committed to a return. Aaron Rodgers was just two years through a five year deal, and could now be thinking of moving on without wasting too much of his career. Green Bay knew this and although allowed Favre to stay, the lines seemed to be strained. For Green Bay it was a great move, as they recorded a 13-3 record and were a Giants field goal away from meeting the Patriots in the Superbowl. On March 4, 2008, Brett Favre announced his retirement from the NFL.

Six weeks later, the day before the NFL draft, Favre went on the David Letterman show and said he was having second thoughts, and pointedly refused to rule out a comeback. By now the Packers were in a real quandary. Do you say thanks, but no thanks, to a Green Bay legend, or do you make overtures to him to make him stay, knowing that Aaron Rodgers would be well within his rights to demand a trade. If that was the case, then the Packers may have considered drafting another QB for a couple of years down the line. It is hard enough replacing a living legend in your line-up – Miami have never replaced Dan Marino with anything resembling a league-rated QB (although Pennington was superb last season) so Green Bay were caught between a rock and a hard place.

Knowing that the Packers had decided to go with Rodgers, Favre asked for an unconditional release from Green Bay. Now the Packers had his contract, had his registration and also knew full well that one of the teams interested in him were bitter divisional rivals, the Minnesota Vikings. Green Bay were not going to allow Favre to be released then have the potential to embarrass them in the purple of the Vikings straight away. So the Packers declined. Having not been granted the release in July, Favre “unretired” in August (after much of pre-season had passed) and was traded to the Jets (who the Packers would not meet in interleague play until 2010, by which time they hoped he would have hung up his spikes). In the trade, there was a specific clause that the Jets could not trade Favre to an NFC North team without the penalty of some pretty high draft choices.

Favre started well with the Jets, and had them at 8-3 at week 12, but an embarrassing collapse in the team, and Favre’s form culminated in a home loss at Giants Stadium to the Dolphins in Week 17, with Favre abject in a game that could have seen the Jets reach the postseason. Common knowledge was that Favre was finished. There were stories of favourable treatment, elusiveness, exclusivity, which is common in the voracious New York media, but it was clear the Jets thought it was a mistake. Chad Pennington’s form for the Dolphins, after he’d been released to make way for Favre, rubbed salt in the wounds.

On February 11, 2009, Favre announced he was retiring (you keeping count) saying he was unwilling to have the necessary surgery on his bicep tendon to allow him to play again. On February 13 he told ESPN that there was no way he would ever play another NFL game. On April 28 he was granted his unconditional release from the Jets and said that “he had no intention of returning to football.” That last statement is classic Favre – it was not a No. No-one believed him. No-one thought that there was no way he would play again. We all waited. Rumours started to circle about him playing again, almost as if Favre wanted to be wanted, teasing media and fans alike while in retirement. Like Shearer did about playing for England (only he stuck to it). In June the rumours had grown so that Brad Childress, the Vikings coach, made a statement that he was not pressing for Favre to make a decision (going into the season with Tavaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels was not appealing to Vikings fans).

Five days after Childress made this statement, the first signs of a tedious turnaround became obvious. Favre was thinking about it and was interested in playing again AND importantly, he’d had the shoulder surgery. On 17 July he made a promise to the Vikings to commit or not by 30 July. On 28 July Favre announced that he would not come back, saying it was the hardest decision he’d ever had to make (bet that pleased Packer fans). This “retirement” lasted three weeks. On 18 August he announced he would play for the Vikings… The Jets did not have to forfeit anything to the Packers as they had released him into retirement, and the Packers now faced the prospect of playing the Vikings with their icon lining up against them.

They met in Minneapolis a couple of weeks ago, and the Vikings won comfortably. The real meeting would be at Lambeau Field, and this took place last weekend.

After this long contextual piece (thanks to links here and here - since writing this piece, I’ve come across a more detailed one here) it now remains for me to say that I absolutely feel for the Green Bay Packers in this, and the re-deification of this obfuscating self-publicist is the most nauseating sports story of the year. If there were any justice in this world, Favre would get a proper career-ending injury, although it is uncharitable to wish for that. I’d probably settle for getting his arse handed to him in the NFC Championship game by the New Orleans Saints. Throughout this tiresome timeline his chief cheerleaderhas been Peter King on CNNSi. Even he seemed to signal he’d had enough this summer, but his volte face, as witnessed by his columns up to and after this weekends, have been, to quote Private Eye, arslikhan of the highest order.

This Sunday Fox employed a camera that was trained on Favre throughout the game, and afterwards. The stations covering the NFL decided to forego the highlights of other games, and carry live the alway tedious, why the fuck do they bother, press conference with Brett Favre. Deadspin’s take on this hit the nail firmly on the head from my perspective. You know what I think of post-match interviews. Peter King was never going to let go, and his regular column Monday Morning Quarterback was a tribute to fanboyship rather than journalism.

Take this… Favre auditioning for Geoff Capes Syndrome, King lapping it up like the faithful spaniel…

He’s relieved in many ways, as it turns out. Favre told me he pulled or strained his groin in practice on Wednesday and took it easy in practice for the rest of the week. There was never any question he’d play, he said. But about an hour before the game, during pregame warmups at Lambeau with the groin wrapped tightly, he aggravated the muscle on the field. “I told T-Jack [backup Tarvaris Jackson] and [offensive coordinator] Darrell Bevell I may not be able to do it,” he said. “I didn’t know if I’d be able to drop back very well. After I aggravated it, there was no way I was going to be able to move around in the pocket very much. We never called one bootleg the whole game. But we made it through OK.”

And now, I wondered, how was the groin four hours and a lot of lost adrenalin later?

“It’s throbbing right now,” he said.

I’ll bet that wasn’t the only thing throbbing…

King then goes into a eulogy for Favre on Sunday including these gems..

“He got emotional after the game. I was surprised to see him choke up a couple of times to Pam Oliver on the field, but that happened in part because he’d just left an embrace with longtime Packer director of security Jerry Parins, one of his favorite people. “I knew it’d probably be the last time I’d ever step foot on Lambeau Field, and it got a little emotional,” he said.

OK, now: the last time? You sure?

Nope. “I’m reluctant to say that,” Favre said. “You know me. At this stage, I’m game to game. That’s it.’”

Because we are all fucked off with him, that if he tells us his name is Brett now, we ain’t going to believe him.

“He hopes, someday, he’ll be able to go back to Green Bay and get a better reception. One of the things Favre doesn’t often show is how much he wants to be liked in Green Bay. But he does. “I hope the people who booed at least watched the way I played today — with passion, like I always do — and say, ‘That’s why we loved him. He lays it out there on every play.’”

This shows his arrogance in so many ways. Supporters are a strange bunch, we worship players to the point of deities and beyond, yet we know it is always unrequited love. They don’t really care about you. They wouldn’t play for nothing, none of them would. If there was a perceived better place to play, they’d play there. You know, there’s something I will always hold that hopes that Sir Edward of the Norfolk Coastal Town holds something dear in his heart for us loyal WindyBricks, but he doesn’t. I just can’t admit it. Those who have, now despise him with a passion. Favre doesn’t understand that – he thinks you can betray a team by worming your way out of a contract to play for your most hated rivals, and then try to put the blame on your club, and you don’t expect your reputation to be tarnished in their eyes? That’s arrogance. They’ll always respect your game, they might not be in a hurry to respect the person. People who aren’t fans will never accept that.

Peter King then proves what an arse he is with this in the Offensive Player of the Week

Really, could the day have been any more perfect? Four touchdown passes, tying him with Dan Marino for most four-TD games in an NFL career. Watching the man the Packers kept instead of him, Aaron Rodgers, come up short in the fourth quarter when Favre himself came up big. “This one will hurt for a couple of days, physically and mentally,” said Rodgers. Not for Favre. For the second straight game against his former mates, he didn’t try to do too much. Just win. And that was enough. Other players in Week 8 had better statistical days, but no one played as well with the heat turned up as high as did Favre.

This bit – Watching the man the Packers kept instead of him, Aaron Rodgers, come up short in the fourth quarter when Favre himself came up big – is disingenuous. Rodgers outplayed Favre last season (QB ratings 93.8 – 81.0) with teams of, I would say, comparable talent. Aaron Rodgers does not have the twin threat of Adrian Peterson in his Packer line-up. Brett Favre does not have to face that excellent run defense of Minnesota. Comparing the two is like apples and oranges. To try to imply that the Packers made a mistake is cheap shot journalism based on Favre’s superior team beating Rodgers’ inferior one.

It is odious. I hope the Saints take them apart when the time comes.

The Tonic and Not Thierry

My two sporting men of the week, purely because they did the business for my two teams in action, were..

Not Thierry…

Not Thierry’s injury-time free-lick saw off Charlie’s Community Singing Bunker in Unison (I’m not writing that again) in a thrilling game on Saturday. After the “You looking At My Bird” lot took a lead in the first half from a poetic free-kick that deflected in, the Bricks had their backs to the wall against a team who had not lost since their new genius manager (just ask him) took over. That the Bricks did come back was might testament to their spirit. Having missed a few decent chances (as did the Army lot) a low drive through a crowd of players by Grandad Allan levelled the scores. The two lumps the oppo had up front created mayhem, and in injury time they had another poetic free-kick cannon off the same bar the dog chain’s former Brick loanee walloped the last week. However, we broke, won a dodgy free-kick, and Not Thierry hit a low drive which squirmed under the keeper’s body. Gins all round…

Which takes me nicely on to Ted Ginn… aka the Tonic.

 

 

Ted Ginn Jr had not had a good week. Lambasted by the notoriously impatient Dolphins support for being a first round draft bust, especially in the wake of a demoralising loss to the Saints last week, Ginn lost his place in the starting line-up as a wide receiver. Ginn heard it from Dolphins legends, who called him a coward.

His response was a 100 yard kick-off return touchdown. If that wasn’t enough, a few minutes later he returned one 101 yards. It proved the difference in the game. A wise man, well ZS actually, introduced me to the phrase “it is always darkest before the dawn”. I hope this is the case for Ted Ginn. The Dolphins certainly hope so.

Some Early Game Pictures – NFL International Series

And so…to the game….

Point After Is Good

Another Kick-Off - So Soon

Brady Passes To Welker

Brady Looks Left

The Ball Is In There Somewhere...

Touchdown!

Point After Is Good

2009 International Series – Pictures 1 – Pre-Game

A difficult night, with funny light and the distances, but here are some of my efforts…

Pre-game warm-ups

Tom Brady Warming Up

Wembley In The Evening

A Big Flag....

Calvin Harris Performs!

Dirigibles...

Enter The Patriots

Spot The Players...

Out Come The Bucs

Pyrotechnics

Enter Lambs To The Slaughter

I'm a very happily married man

Being Patronised By Dan Shaughnessy

Unlike Dan, who seems to know naff all squared about the Mother Country, I know a fair bit about him and how he is perceived in Red Sox Nation. Carl Everett has done two momentous things in his chequered Boston Red Sox career. He broke up Mike Mussina’s prefect game at Fenway when he needed just the last out – and he christened Dan Shaughnessy CHB – it stands for Curly Haired Boyfriend.

At the moment I’ll let this article stand for itself. When I have more time I will comment more on it. It is the sort of crap I expect from a lazy journalist. We understand the NFL, we have watched it for over 20 years here, and we do “get it”. Our crowds are very different to your crowds. In some respects your crowds are better, in some respects our crowds are better. If you had been at the WindyBricks on Saturday, you’d have seen something all right, CHB.

He is a weapons grade bell-end all right.

I’m with PatsFanUK who commented thus…

“Thanks Dan Shaugnessy – I don’t think you could have written a more patronising article if you tried.

The vast majority of the fans attending the game have been following football for many years, so trust me when I say that we knew precisely what was going on in front of us. There wasn’t much cheering as the game was effectively over by the end of the 1st quarter – it was not an exciting game to watch.

Oh, and as for the Red Sox flag – we have a Sox London Supporters Club and we were all sitting together. We haven’t made a Patriots version yet!”

The NFL in London

I was part of the 84,000 plus people at Wembley last night to watch the Patriots square off against the Buccaneers. Witht he Patriots coming off a 59-0 thrashing of the Titans, and the Bucs 0-6, this looked like a horrendous mismatch, and in many circumstances it was. It is hard to blame the NFL for this as when the match-up was probably finalised, the Patriots were a strong team with their talisman quarterback due to come back, and the Bucs were a decent team, with a decent coach and a not too distant superbowl win in their locker.

Photos are going to follow (inevitably) but some observations;

• I have been to all three games now and last night’s had the best atmosphere. I felt the first year was an “event” and those who like being at “events” may have supplanted those that would have loved to be there. The second year had two teams to which the UK has little affiliation as they were not high profile in the zenith for the NFL in the UK (the 1980s). However, they provided a cracking game. Last night we had the Rock Star New England Patriots, the most supported team in the UK according to most, and also probably the one most loathed. The sound of the Patriots being booed was excellent…. as a Dolphins fan I approve of this message.
• Because it was a blow-out at least we got home earlier. When Brady left the game, so did we, and although WembleyPark was crowded, we weren’t held up. Indeed, if we hadn’t missed the Victoria train by four minutes, I’d have been home earlier this year than the time we got into Wembley Park last year.
• The Wembley sound system was appalling. I could not hear what the announcer was saying.
• £4 for a pint of watered-down Carlsberg is piss-taking in more ways than one. £10 for a programme too….
• They really should stick at one game at Wembley if they know what they are doing. It would be sad if they tried another and it wasn’t well attended. So far the NFL have dipped their toe in the water and like the temperature, but they are confusing the enormity of one event a year with two or more games all attracting the same interest. You want to guarantee a sell-out next season, you’ll have to send the big boys over. If Dallas, Chicago, Washington, Oakland, Pittsburgh or San Francisco aren’t on the list, you will need to sell hard. (I leave Miami, Giants and Jets out of this as they have been over before and I doubt will be back soon).
• Despite everything, it was a great night out, as always, and I’ll certainly be looking to get tickets for next year’s game.

As an aside, I saw this thread on the NFLUK Forum. A fan is upset because people left early. Oh diddums. When are people going to get over themselves. Just because you wanted to stay until the bitter end, to see the last rites of a game which had been determined, had no tension and was all over, including replacing Tom Brady, then why should we. The teams were going through the motions. As they were (and are perfectly entitled to do so) those of us who would rather beat the queues of those who would like to stay, on the way up to Wembley Park, left early and got home earlier rather than shuffle up Wembley Way for an hour in a human crush. I wouldn’t have a go at those that stay, as that is their choice, but don’t have a pop at the likes of me who would rather miss out on practice sessions and beat the crowds. It doesn’t mean I’m less of a fan than you.

And then, when I thought this forum had had its fill of knobheads, I read this…

“Wembley – National Stadium – National Disappointment”

“I know it has been debated elsewhere, but with all the talk of the prospect of two NFL games in 2010 surely the time has come to think about using a different stadium?

I paid £140 plus booking fees for a seat in club Wembley and while the view was reasonable it did not justify the price. But more importantly Wembley failed for me because of its shoddy attitude towards its paying customers.

When I arrived at my seat some thoughtless individual had doused it in beer. I approached the steward and asked for it to be cleaned and he had to go an speak to someone else as he could do nothing. The individual he spoke to was also unable to do anything as they were not permitted to leave their station. The upshot being I had to wait in the hope of a cleaner passing the section. After 15 minutes one cleaner appeared, but was reluctant to do anything so they went off to find another cleaner. By the time a cleaner willing to do the job they were paid for arrived 20 minutes had passed. The cleaner then proceeded to mop the floor where the beer had been spilt but ignored my comments about the need to clean the seat. They then disappeared and I had to return to the steward and tell him that the problem was not resolved and asked to speak to a supervisor. After wandering around the stadium a supervisor was found and finally the seat was cleaned. However, as a result of Wembley’s shoddy treatment I missed the players warming-up.

I have visited many stadiums in the UK and I can confirm that they are all miles better than Wembley. I now know that the Wembley experience is about making money and not giving two hoots for the paying customer.”

Now I’ve been to all but Twickenham in Wembley’s rivals as the best stadium in England. I’ve heard the cries that the Emirates is better, but they are just being contrary, and more importantly for the NFL, it holds 25000 less people. Old Trafford may hold 75000, but Ferguson freaks that it is used for Rugby League, so what the NFL would do to it would be good only if you could catch the look on the Snide’s face. And I was there in 2004 and while it is a great stadium, I am sorry, it doesn’t lace Wembley’s boots. Wembley does have that “wow” factor in my eyes. It is enormous, it has great sight lines, and the “cheap” seats are certainly all I would want. Some have a jaundiced view of American venues. All five NFL stadia I’ve seen from the outside – Miami, Tampa, Baltimore, Giants/Jets and Philadelphia – would have this bloke pissing his knickers if there were a drop of rain – there is no cover. None.

I could not have put it better than the final poster on this thread…

When I arrived at my seat some thoughtless individual had doused it in beer.

Heard of paper napkins?

It’s football not the opera!

Except it is NFL, or American Football in this country. We have the proper game which entails using your feet as the predominant way of moving the ball.

A Little NFL Vignette – The New York Jets

Never liked ‘em. Always been that little bit too full of themselves for a franchise that hasn’t reached a Superbowl in my lifetime (hastily checks records).

I recall a little story from my trip to the States in September 2008. The Jets had just beaten Miami in the opening game of the season, with the help of Brett Favre and the defense bailing them out late. At the time Miami were coming off a 1-15 record and were a bit of a joke. We were travelling south from Rowe, in Northwest Massachusetts, when we switched on New York sports radio WFAN. I was subjected to two hours of the sports jock saying that the Jets should reach the Superbowl and if they didn’t, it would be down to Eric Mangini. On the basis of one win. The radio host believed that they would beat the Patriots that weekend (especially as Tom Brady had crocked himself for the season) and go from strength to strength. They lost to the Patriots at home, faded badly as Favre wore down, and irony of irony, the Dolphins beat them in the Meadowlands in the last game to knock them out of the Play-0ffs altogether.

Imagine what the New York media went like when they won their first three games this season? Mark Sanchez is Joe Montana / Namath. The Jets must be in with a great chance. They must be contenders. I don’t know because I’ve steered clear of it. They lost to the Saints (understandable – they look like a juggernaut), then a heartbreak (tee hee) loss to the Dolphins (how about stopping the Wildcat offense, Rex Ryan, you genius you) and yesterday an overtime loss to the hapless Bills at HOME.

The New York Post responded with equanimity and understanding.

FRAUDS.

Yes, they can accept a home loss to the Bills.

“Frauds.

This is what the big-talking, chest-thumping, swaggerlicious Jets have shown themselves to be since their audacious 3-0 start.

Since then, their performance — in the last two weeks in particular — has been abysmal on alternating sides of the ball.

Last Monday night in Miami, their defense leaked away the lead three times in the fourth quarter en route to a devastating loss.

Yesterday at Giants Stadium, it was the Jets offense — Mark Sanchez in particular — that gifted-wrapped the Bills’ 16-13 overtime victory at the Meadowlands.”

Poor babies. However, you do have a rookie quarterback, however good he may be, so cut him some slack. After all, he did pilot your team to 3 wins to start the season..

Not the Post..

“It was the kind of performance that makes you wonder how long it’s going to take the franchise quarterback to actually play like one.”

Chuck him under the bus after six games, eh. That’s faith.

Last night on Sky, after they showed brief highlights of the Dolphins fantastic win over the over-hyped New Yorkers, there was not a mention of the play of Chad Henne, but instead Nick Halling was falling over himself to heap praise on Mark Sanchez.  Whatever, Mike Holmgren said he was a “good kid” but would like to see how he reacted to the New York media.

My advice is to seek professional help for those who deal with bipolar disorder, or get Alex Rodriguez’s phone number.

Some Monday Thoughts…

All totally at random, but here goes…

While on holiday I managed to watch all 8 parts of Michael Palin’s Pole to Pole. The only thing I would say is that it got a PG certificate but at one point, Mr Palin’s appendage is clearly visible. Excuse me. He also gets his arse out too! I could get all Daily Mail here, but who cares. Actually if you read his diary extracts on line, you get a much better feel for the journey he took. I thoroughly enjoyed it and will look for the others on sale to take up a few more hours of my time.

The next book being read is by Colin Thubron and is called “Shadow of the Silk Road”. Lord knows why, because I read his book “In Siberia” and although he wasn’t as tiresome as the author of Mirrors of the Unseen (Jason Elliot – and I’ll explain why sometime but it revolves around a charicature American, his moaning about tourists, and then an incident with a camera – clue…you were a tourist too, mate) that book plodded. I am wading through it like I would a lake of treacle. Don’t expect a book review for a month.

A quick restaurant review or two. I went to the East Quay fish restaurant on Saturday in Whitstable. Jolly nice, if a little pricey. In Cornwall I had lunch in the Wellington Hotel in Boscastle, and thought the fish left a lot to be desired, but then again, I was a bit grouchy that day. At the Godolphin Hotel in Marazion, the burger was fine, but the staff need hearing aids (the mother-in-law went meal-less). The Norway Inn, on the main road between Truro and Falmouth did an excellent baguette – but lets face it, that’s tough to cock up. Harvey’s Wharf in Falmouth got good reviews from the beloved and m-i-l but I thought my whitebait was cack, and the crippling soullessness of the place probably accentuated by malaise. The sandwich and smoothie at Polzeach (near Rock) was absolutely magnificent – especially the smoothie. Although expensive, I wanted another. That’s the end of food critic corner.

I listened to the radio when the boss of the refs union suggested the Crimson Snide should be suspended. I sometimes wonder if football can get any more up its own arse, and then something comes along to banish those wonderments. Crimson Snide is a law unto himself, he does what he wants, he knows he is untouchable, and yet you feed it. If he thinks Alan Wiley is bad, then my mate Henry VIII would point him in the direction of Phil Dowd!

Hey ho. Rio Ferdinand made a dozy mistake. Why is anyone surprised? Ashley Cole makes an error trying to do too much. Why is anyone surprised? I swear, football can’t parody itself enough.

On the way home from Whitstable I had Charlton v Oldham on the radio. A League One game on Radio Five Live. It may well have been a bad game, but fuck me blind, if that had been Liverpool v Man Utd, frequently a turgid affair, I’ll bet the moans wouldn’t have formed the basis of the commentary. Have a pop at the lower leagues, twats. No-one cares.

The NFL game in London is two weeks away and my tickets haven’t shown up. Worried. Not yet. Ticketmaster said they had been despatched and we were away all last week, but there is no record of them trying to deliver the things.

I will avoid politics for the time being, except to say that Ben Bradshaw must be having a laugh. In general.

Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace prize. According to those that know about this sort of thing, he was nominated just 10 days or so into office. Hope wins you millions. I must confess I laughed. Still, Al Gore won it a couple of year’s back for a powerpoint presentation so credibility is always going to be a problem.

Nice to see Rio win the Olympics – it really needed to go there. If they can afford it, and the infrastructure is there, then it should go there, and wasn’t it amusing to see Chicago go out first depsite the Messiah making their case. Change I could believe in.

Congratulations to the Eden Project for having helpful stewards and attendants – and not utter utter jobsworths. You still couldn’t pay me to actually go in there, but at least I dropped off and picked up the beloved and m-i-l with help from the high visibility jacket brigade.

I have several beers to consume, but will say at the outset that Skinners Cornish Lager is a most acceptable beverage. I have Sharps, St Austell, Skinners, Keltek, Lizard and Wooden Hand to drink – yes, I am getting more into bitters.

It would be nice to see the Dolphins beat the Jets and pop that awful team’s bubble. It won’t happen though. A shame also that Favre and the Vikings are 5-0. The beloved’s Giants are also 5-0 and look the best of the bunch at the moment.

I know the Yankees are the best team in the MLB, but did they really need to be helped by playing Minnesota less than 24 hours after they clinched their place in the postseason and having had to go 12 innings to do so? Why didn’t they just make it clear and ask them to play with one hand tied behind their back while they were at it?

Think it easy to do without Sky Sports (or ESPN America)? I had a whole week without it and it was very bad. With nothing major on the terrestrial channels, it was a case of Sky News or those god awful channels with home auctions and what not. No wonder I watched the DVDs on the laptop (see internet problems).

Nice to see Terminal 4 has had a polish up. However, you get the feeling that the airline industry is in a really bad way at the moment, and it wasn’t exactly a hive of activity there. Maybe it was a false impression.

Now the Sox are out, at least I can sleep without looking up their score on the mobile. The beloved will be happy about that, I am sure.

WindyBricks drew 1-1 with Willie Carson and Julian Wilson’s Magic Roundabout Town, which according to the cognoscenti was a good result. Some bloke on loan scored for us, and Comes Alive got sent off. I missed a 5-0 win over the team managed by “You’ve got to have the gift, but use it at the right time.” Clearly he didn’t and he couldn’t. Not Thierry got a hat-trick, and all of them were from outside the area, and none of them bust the net. The Plassie Scousers soon got rid of “Liverpool FC is Hard As Hell”.

Enough random musings. I will return.

The NFL…

Although the Steelers beat the Titans the other night, the season really gets into full swing tonight as the reduced UK coverage of the sport (no Monday night game, no red button) starts in earnest.

I am no expert, but I see the following:

• I am a Dolphins fan, the wife is a Giants fan. No marriage problems could ensue unless we see them meet in the Superbowl. We aren’t playing each other this season…
• The Dolphins won their division last season so get an absolute howler of a schedule this season. We’ll be lucky to go 8-8, and will probably be as good as last season.
• The Pats have Brady back so look to be the real dangers. And we get to see them in London at the end of October. I fancy them over the Steelers, Titans and Ravens for the AFC title. I think they will meet the latter in the AFC Championship game.
• Can’t say I know a lot about the NFC, but the Bears have got better with a decent quarterback, I think Atlanta are a dangerous customer, the Cardinals will benefit from an easy division, and of course there are the Eagles. I have a hunch my wife’s nemesis may do it this time.
• Philadelphia to beat New England in the Superbowl.

There go my Sunday nights…

World Sport Stadia – Part 5

Dolphin Stadium in Miami. They never let me in to poke around…

Surrounded to the south by wasteland, I went there in February 2007 and it looks a decent stadium.

Short on Inspiration These Days

As life settles down, and the beloved hopefully settles in, and we get the puppy that is currently ill at Old Windsor, and we can get the UK wedding sorted, and we can get our trip up north in February arranged… oh you get the drift. Life is in flux at the moment.

Some observations though from actions etc. in the past few days.

January = Travel Guides on sale. I love these books and will buy up loads on the cheap if available. Add Eastern Europe, Finland, Iceland, Borneo and East Africa to the list of publications. Anyone who has travel guides and they don’t want them, and know me, let me have them!!!

I got a chance to watch Hoffa at the weekend. I vaguely remember seeing it a while ago, and Dmitri not quite as old got me it for Christmas. I was really disappointed by it, to be honest. I then watched Oceans Thirteen, but never really got into it – a combination of factors thwarting my enjoyment of the movie

The Cup has no teams in the draw lower than the Championship. Depressing. But, of course, the TV channels are salivating as not one big boy has gone out yet and they’ve all been kept apart in the 5th round should they make it. I’m thrilled.

Superbowl on Sunday. I’ll tape it and watch it on Monday if the beloved lets me.

For those of you who may not know who he is in Blighty, I suggest you gen up and find out about Rod Blagojovich. Absolutely insane.

Enough. Uninspired Dmitri is signing off….

A Brilliant Advert For The NFL

That was a brilliant NFL game, in the NFC Championship. The Arizona Cardinals defeated the Philadelphia Eagles in a superb game and have shocked the world by getting to the Superbowl. Kurt Warner played magnificently, linking up with Larry Fitzgerald for three TDs, and the Cardinals battered the Eagles in the 1st half, leading 24-6, but the second half saw the Eagles rally, and take a 25-24 lead on three touchdowns (two without additional points after them). When DeSean Jackson took the touchdown in that gave the Eagles the lead, it looked as though momentum had carried them to victory.

Warner and his offense then took the team on an 8 minute drive culminating in a Hightower TD on a screen pass from Warner which was duly two-point converted. Faced with just under three minutes to go and 80 yards to advance, the Eagles drive stalled on a controversial non-pass interference call. Arizona ran most of the time off, giving the Eagles nine seconds to concoct a miracle – which they could not.

Sport is amazing, and American sport does this year on year. It is what happens when a nation puts the competition as the product, not the big teams. This is the football equivalent of Coventry City (sorry, best example) winning the league. They’ll play the Steelers or the Ravens in the final – neither are from New York or Chicago; Los Angeles doesn’t have a team; New England never made the play-offs; and Americas Team are a disorganised dysfunctional rabble who imploded. No-one is surprised that the top five contains the usual big four in English football. New England, arguably the Manchester United of the NFL, missing the play-offs is like Manchester United missing a Champions League spot. It is why American sport is so fantastic. Enough. I tipped the Ravens to beat the Steelers. I won’t be watching this game as it is so late, but I’ll see the result in the morning!

NFL Predictions

Predicting scores is facile, so I go for the two results and a few comments on the manner I see the game going…

AFC – Ravens at Steelers. Cards on the table, I predicted the Colts to win, but have always had a sneaking suspicion that the Ravens would be dangerous, and so it has proved. The Steelers have had a charmed life in some of their games – most notably against these Ravens, and I fancy their luck to run out in a low scoring game. Ravens to win in a defensive battle.

NFC – Eagles at Cardinals – The surprise team against the team lucky to make the play-offs. Fate, chance, and destiny seem to point to the Eagles who knocked off the Vikings and reigning champs Giants with relative comfort on the road. The Cards, touted as the worst team ever to make the play-offs won handily against the Falcons and shocked the world with a demolition job on Carolina on the road, fuelled by Warner and the hugely impressive Larry Fitzgerald, as well as Jake Delhomme’s meltdown. The Cards seem a too good to be true story so I’m going for the Eagles, although if they lose, the beloved will be happy.

1 Down…

I quote…

“Baltimore will fancy their chances against Tennessee, and I think I do too, although it has been too easy to write off the Titans.”

The Ravens move on to face Pittsburgh or San Diego next weekend. They did enough today to see off the number 1 seeds in the AFC.

As I prepare to retire the Cardinals are winning in Carolina, although it is early days and I wouldn’t expect to continue. However, the beloved and I are more focused on the Eagles at Giants tomorrow, and for my health the Giants had better win.

Sporting News And Views

Sure, I’m a bit late, and I’m starting up the new project over at the cricket blog, but I must not neglect my core base of seven and seven eighths so here goes for my comments on the sporting week thus far.

Miami’s result on Sunday did not surprise me, as we were fortunate to be there in the first place, and the positive vibes coming out of South Florida would not be overwhelmed by a loss to a decent Ravens team. Pennington chucking four interceptions was a surprise, however, and Miami’s gameplan has been all season not to turn the ball over and play relatively risk free football. They got stung by their inability to keep the ball, spurning a couple of opportunities and letting the Ravens defense do the rest. The Dolphins now have a base to move on from, and although next year looks a lot tougher with the likes of Indianapolis, Tennessee, Carolina, Atlanta, Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh and San Diego on the schedule rather than the San Frans, St Louis and Kansas City’s of this world the path to the play-offs looks a good deal tougher. The Dolphins are going to need to be patient through the difficult second year.

This weekend’s games should see a cakewalk for Carolina over Arizona (who trampled on Atlanta but are about as good away as Steve Harmison), and I think Pittsburgh will munch on San Diego’s limited offense and score enough points to see them through. Baltimore will fancy their chances against Tennessee, and I think I do too, although it has been too easy to write off the Titans. The big game in the Dmitri household is the beloved’s team, the New York Giants, hosting the beloved’s arch enemy, the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles won in New York when they had to at the end of the season, but the Giants are savvy and smart, and have won the games they’ve had to. Lord knows who is going to win, but for my own health, sanity and prospects for a sunny wife, I am a Giants fan.

Phil Taylor duly won the PDC darts championship, beating Raymond van Barneveld in the final. Maybe now the hyper-ventilating Sky Sports darts commentary team can all have a lie down and breathe again without spreading too much hyperbole around. I have absolutely no idea what is happening with the BDO competition, as I have a faulty washing machine and a dart-hating wife to contend with!

WindyBricks remain in the Challenge Cup after a 2-2 home draw with the mighty gang from the darting palace on Saturday. Dagenham Dave cost us an early goal coming for a cross he could never get too, but WindyBricks piled on what resembled pressure and equalised through the doughty Scottish Landowner (with a c) after his first effort was parried. A goalkeeping gaffe by the visitors gifted the Bricks a 2-1 interval lead as a header from the Alive Again Andrew squirmed through the buffoon’s mitts. However a cynical Stefan Dennis foul gave the visitors reason to feel good, as some northern upstart rifled in a 20 yard free-kick. Off we go up to their place next week. The victors get to go to the bottom of the boat, or the most recent of royal abodes in the next round. One last note, I thought our striker WaxaChump was particularly poor and his replacement by the exploding axeman was more than due.

That’s it for the sporting round-up for now, so see you soon for more old nonsense.

Stick That Favre…..Not Fit To Lace Marino’s Boots

There’s so much to write when it comes to the Miami Dolphins 2008 Regular Season. Last night, in Giants Stadium, Miami defeated the New York Jets 24-17 to clinch the AFC East and nab a play-off spot. That I think this will mean a defeat at the hands of a very strong Baltimore Ravens team is a moot point. Miami’s turn around from circus act to high-level performers is a tribute to the coaching and management at a club that got rid of most of its aged stars, and built itself up on young, hungry talent and players with a point to prove.

 

Without doubt the best thing that happened to Miami took place on 11 July when the ego that played in the body of Brett Favre announced that he wanted to come back. Placing Green Bay in an invidious position, the Packers traded Favre to the New York Jets who believed they could move forward with the aged old crone. In so doing they had to release the frustrating Chad Pennington and Miami, in desperate need for a reasonable quarterback, let alone a good one like Pennington, steamed in. When Pennington so totally outplayed the legend that WAS Brett Favre it made me chuckle like mad. In picking up a “spectacular” player like Favre instead of a “steady” player like Pennington, the Jets imitated their sporting bedfellows in Gotham, the Yankees, in totally missing the point. Brett Favre is all about Brett Favre. The bloke threw 21 interceptions this season, for crying out loud. Sure, he lit up a couple of games with signs of old brilliance, but Favre ignored father time, and kept his sense of importance – and in the most unforgiving theatre in sports, New York City, he fell on his face.

 

Miami are being damned with faint praise – that thing about “soft schedules” is particularly funny, and yes, Miami did not have to play the Colts, the Steelers or a decent NFC team. Nor did the Jets. Miami did lose to some good teams – the Ravens, the Patriots and a first game of the season loss to the Jets, as well as a then in-form Cardinals team. The other loss, a stupid one in Houston, looked like it could have killed Miami’s dreams. However, the Phins did enough to win games – the Raiders, 49ers, Chiefs, Seahawks and Rams were beaten by small margins, but winning in Foxboro and beating the AFC West top two should not be sniffed at. The Jets blew it by being unable to win on the West Coast so don’t come crying. Other funny ones are that we were lucky Tom Brady went down – although Matt Cassel is being anointed as a superstar quarterback and the Pats went 11-5 and missed out. Karma is a bitch.

 

And Miami were 1-15 last season. The sheer scale of that train wreck was beyond comprehension (well at least until this season’s Detroit Lions laced up cleats) and with a strong leader in Parcells and an inspirational appointment of Sparano as coach, the team lost the first two games (a narrow home defeat to the then appointed “super bowl bound New York Jets) to get all us Phins fans thinking “just another year”. A win against the Patriots in Foxboro (I was in Wildwood, New Jersey that day having attended an Irish Festival) turned the season around, and Miami ended up winning 9 out of 10 to win the division. A great performance.

 

Chad Pennington is this team’s MVP. Without him Miami might have won four or five games. Miami also played very sensible football with interceptions limited to a minimum and the innovation of the Wildcat which still takes teams by surprise, although not quite as surprising as it was to the Patriots and their genius coach.

 

At the end of the day, though, it was lovely to see Chad Pennington, fired by the Jets for the corpse of Brett Favre go back to the Meadowlands and show the Jets what they chose to give up. As the New Yorkers wandered home, tails between legs, the laughter coming from South Florida must have been ringing in their ears. Thank you very much, New York.

 

Peter King, where for art thou?

Last Day In The Office….

And a couple of observations for those mad enough to still be with me…

I’m all for this global warming lark. We’ve had a couple of crap summers, so some nice hot weather would do very nicely. Good to see the USA is having a very mild winter as evidenced by this.

And the Bears had to overcome the elements, too, as did the Packers.

The temperature at Soldier Field was announced at 2 degrees, making it the coldest home game in Bears’ history since records started being kept in 1963. The wind chill was 13 below, the second-lowest in recorded team annals, so the longtime rivals known for their ability to play in cold weather were tested by the elements.

You’d think a planet warming like it is wouldn’t be setting record low temperatures. Oh well. I suppose this year is a one-off. No record cold weather last year…

The projected high of 6 degrees for Green Bay, Wis., earlier in the week would feel almost balmy.

At 3:30 p.m. — 2:30 at Lambeau Field — the temperature was 0 degrees, with wind gusts of 12 miles an hour making it feel like it’s 17 below.

Meantime, the Patriots and Chargers began their game in Foxborough, Mass., in windy conditions with a temperature of 23 degrees, the lowest of the three AFC championship games played in Foxborough.

The previous low there for a title game was 27 degrees on Jan. 12, 1997 when New England beat Jacksonville 20-6 to advance to the Super Bowl where it lost to Green Bay 35-21 in New Orleans.

The lowest temperature for any Patriots game at Foxborough was 4 degrees in a 17-14 win over Tennessee on Jan. 10, 2004 in the first round of the playoffs.

Hurry up with this warm weather…mild winters….

Caught the overtime of the Chicago Bears v Green Bay game last night, and apart from looking utterly bone chilling, the Bears appeared to have all the luck in keeping their faint play-off hope alive (I think the Vikings will beat the Giants on Sunday as the reigning champs have less than zero to play for). According to the Mrs Dmitri, last night’s result eliminated the Philadelphia Eagles – and I know that she is utterly devastated about that…

Good to see Ian Bell stating his case to stay at number 3 in the batting line-up. What a fighting knock to make sure we get a draw. Also hilarious to see Yuvraj Singh taking the p*ss out of KP this morning. First he acted as if he got injured picking up the ball, then mimicked a pie-thrower. Nice one Yuvraj… When you get your test batting average up 15 clicks, then maybe you can talk to KP about your play as equals. As KP said “you are not a god, you are just a cricketer. And I’m a better one.” That said, I like the needle, and I must say, Yuvraj did bring a chuckle this morning. Better characters than automatons, and both Yuvraj and KP (although he takes himself far too seriously) are definitely not robots.

Posting may be sparse in the next few days, but those of my readers, old and on the off-chance new, should put their entries into the cricket game below. Come on, give it a go… even my american friends, who can guess and will probably do better than us who think we know!!!

If I don’t post, Merry Christmas. If I do post Season’s Greetings!

The Sporting News, The Dmitri Views..

WindyBricks had a goalless draw against the mob from the palace of darting dreams, and it was, quite frankly, garbage. So we’ll go on about it no more…

Australia v South Africa. Well, well, well. Let me eat humble pie about being mentally tough. Let me also laugh at Australia who for years mocked us for having Ashley Giles. He’d walk into their team as the spinner now. Mitchell Johnson may have claimed 8 wickets in the 1st innings, but he isn’t going to carry you, and what the hell is up with Brett Lee? South Africa knocked the runs off pretty comfortably. Ian Chappell, who is a great authority on the game (just ask him) would probably like this article back…. It is also nice to see Ponting have the hump at the end of a game when his team should have won, but had their lunch handed to them by that nice man Graeme Smith, and the professional Jonty Rhodes impressionist AB De Villiers. That attack of Australia’s looks scary… and according to my Adelaide sources the return of Shaun “Mental Case” Tait is a mile off. No shortage of batting, but will they be able to take 20 wickets on a flat deck?

India and England are going through the motions in Mohali. After an insipid first day, England woke up about 26 hours too late, but by then the Indian fox had escaped the hen coop. All my preconceptions were healthily backed up (bar one or two I suppose) in the next 48 hours. Panesar looked unthreatening, Swann isn’t running through anybody, I’d like my Trojans to do more than clean up the occasional tail ender, and Anderson and Broad need help from the pitch to help England. With the bat, need I say more. Cook got to 50 and got out. Collingwood doesn’t do chasing bg leads, Flintoff bat padded again but at least this time he had some runs, and well, Ian Bell. Need I say any more. And what are we doing sending out a night-watchman for Prior? Eh?

In among all that was the giant that was Kevin Pietersen. A tremendous knock of 144 from our greatest batsman since… well in my lifetime. He is just the real deal, and he visibly intimidates very good bowlers. He’ll need to score 700 runs if we are to regain the Ashes because Strauss apart, this other bunch of numpties aren’t going to add anything to the scores. Sure, we’ll get a ton on a dead track from Collingwood to keep his place; Cook will add some 50s and 60s when we need them least; Flintoff will “bowl like a Trojan” and end up with 3 for 80, and Steve Harmison will be playing for Durham.

On to other things, and the Miracle of Miami is still on the cards. Just one win, and the Phins will reach the play-offs and in all likelihood knock the Patriots out. Miami won a ding-dong game with the Chiefs in freezing Kansas City last night and stand an unlikely win in Giants Stadium away from a first round elimination at home to the Ravens. The Jets, since they had that glorious spell of beating the Pats and the Titans on the road, have flat out choked. Miami have really surprised just about everybody by getting rid of their best player (Taylor), their talisman (Thomas) and virtually all their coaching staff, and in one year have gone from 1-15 laughing stocks to 10-5 contenders. They should be very proud.

I was told their were some premier league fixtures this weekend, and someone got sent off, while a team with a lot of money are now in the relegation zone. Someone also told me that Manchester United are world champions. Funny, I thought that was Italy.

Final thought. Who will finally be responsible for Evander Holyfield dying in the boxing ring. He was shot 8 years ago, yet someone keeps giving him chances to win a World Title when he should be getting medical treatment. When he gets very badly hurt will it just be too easy to blame The Real Deal for squandering his cash, or for the unscrupulous promoters who earn big bucks on the back of his stupidity. This weekend he fought a tree and lost on points. He believed he won. He’ll carry on because he wasn’t humiliated. I think it is just an absolute tragedy waiting to happen. You were a warrior in the ring. You will pay for taking it to the bank too often.

A final, final thought. Hatton is fighting Pacquaio? Oh dear.

Some Observations From The Past Few Days

First Up – Thieving Bastards.

I had my wallet pinched in my local post office on Saturday. The little bastards, or maybe not so little, who used their grubby light fingers to either pickpocket me or take what did not belong to them if I left it on the counter for a split second are now up the princely sum of £20. I hope they use it to buy very poor quality drugs laced with a lethal substance which leads to them being in right trouble. I know that’s not very christian, but f*ck them, quite frankly. I am a clumsy clot, who has lost his stuff before, most notably in Australia two years ago, but this one was pretty damn sneaky. A kind woman found the wallet later, having been chucked in the road, and returned it to me, sans £20. There are some good people around. They hadn’t nicked my WindyBricks season pass, which was a relief of sorts. Nor did the thick f*ckers see a perfectly good gift card in there they could have helped themselves to. Most of the rest of the belongings, including all bank cards and credit cards had to be cancelled, so I am illiquid Dmitri with a begging bowl at the moment.

WindyBricks unexpected resurgence continued on Saturday with a last minute winner in Warsaw for the hard of hearing. The mighty bricks took a first half lead from the Chopping Explosionist, who chose Dresden over Warsaw, who equalled the record of a Norfolk Town with cuddly toys for the Windyones. They equalised. The winner was scored in the dying embers of the game when “Comes Alive” notched a vital couple of extra points in front of the Brick faithful. 2-1 and second behind the Tax Avoiding Jockeys, and back to a point above the concrete cow economists. The mighty dog chains are falling away on the back of another defeat, and when The Palace Team from the Railway Yard come to the Slightly Less Old Than Old Watts Stadium on Saturday, we may get the chance to vault the Tax Avoiding Jockeys, although I doubt it. Make sense of that, did we?

Meanwhile the Miami Dolphins continued their faintly ridiculous run to the play-offs with a third win on the bounce and our sixth in seven. This was completed by for the third game in a row preventing the opposition, this time the 49ers, from breaching our goal-line for a Touchdown. Good on ‘em, because the offense is spluttering like me in a dustcloud. Meanwhile the beloved’s Giants are suffering through injuries, most laughably including their wide receiver shooting himself in the leg. He goes by the name “Brains of the Outfit”. Pittsburgh, my tip at the start of the season, Houdinied their way out of another hole this weekend and look the worst team with a good record ever. Their defense is keeping them alive. The Colts are also on a roll, and could be a dangerous foe come play-off time, as Tennessee, the pace-setters, find it tough going at the moment.

Some quick reviews of things I’ve seen or read in the past week or so….

Film -

Bourne Ultimatum – yeah, yeah, it ain’t new, but I liked it. Well worthy of my attention while ironing the XXL Dmitri work attire.

Book -

Jeremy Bowen – War Stories (Book) – pretty good read, and quite honest about his times in war zones. How he got addicted to being in these godforsaken holes when shot and shell were all around, and how his outlook changed once a colleague got wiped out in the same car as him by the Israelis. I actually like the guy on the news, so he was going to get a pass in my eyes if it was slightly below par, but it was a jolly good read. Top show Jeremy!

CD -

Rogue Audio – Haphazard – Hmmmm. Not sure why I’m writing this because I haven’t really given this my full attention yet, but heard the last few tracks on the CD driving into the office today and was pretty impressed. They actually did a pretty good pared down version of Phil Collins’ “Take Me Home”, but their own compositions including the seemingly merged “Someone” and “Game Face” were very much worth a listen. I shall report back further should I have any comments. Global Underground, the dance label from which this came, have a pretty decent tradition of good CDs, and this isn’t bad at all.

Next on this many varied travel through Dmitri’s addled brain is – feeling sad. Next Thursday will be the 4th Christmas without my mum, and the 3rd without my dad. Every year it is supposed to get less painful, when in truth, it is probably hurting more now than it ever did. I am blessed to be married to a lovely American lady who is currently stuck over there due to the f*cking senseless stupidity of the UK visa system – come in Abu Hamza, you lovely person you – and I’m praying she’ll be here for Christmas, because without her, it’s going to be a shocker. I haven’t really felt like celebrating the last couple of years, and my government’s obstreperousness and tardiness means I’ll probably be “Ever So Lonely” this Christmas again. I pay my taxes to these people, and they control me. No mum, no dad, no beloved… it really is no time to be a depressed Dmitri!

I shall return with some comments on how the Yankees decided that sticking with youth and developing your young pitchers is only allowed to happen for one year before your knee jerks back up and frees the wallet from the trouser pocket. Come in CC. Come in AJ. Who wants to take the evil shilling of the mob from the Bronx next…..

Night night.