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The Superbowl + Christina Aguilera singing the national anthem (should) = entertainment. Am I right?

Koodos to the dude who changed the words to the tune on wikipedia before hand. Christina must have based her lyrics on the site because she sang the incorrect wiki version on the night. Ouch.

But talk about hook line and sinker.

Click here for the full story (and video) - via Daily Mail.

Harrington Out

Padraig Harrington was disqualified from the Abu Dhabi Championships this morning after slow-mo video footage was brought to the attention of officials. The footage showed that Harrington had moved his ball illegally while marking it on the seventh green.

Harrington finished day one of the event just one shot off the lead after carding a bogey free round of seven under par. It had been a perfect start to the 2011 season for the three time Major champ, especially after recent and significant modifications to his swing.

Rules is rules I spose, but it's a shame none the less.

Here's a video of the incident:

Manufacturing Consent

Have a look at this video or read the transcript below. 'tis interesting like.

"Now there are other media too whose basic social role is quite different: it's diversion. There's the real mass media-the kinds that are aimed at, you know, Joe Six Pack -- that kind. The purpose of those media is just to dull people's brains.

"This is an oversimplification, but for the eighty percent or whatever they are, the main thing is to divert them. To get them to watch National Football League. And to worry about "Mother With Child With Six Heads," or whatever you pick up on the supermarket stands and so on. Or look at astrology. Or get involved in fundamentalist stuff or something or other. Just get them away. Get them away from things that matter. And for that it's important to reduce their capacity to think.

"Take, say, sports -- that's another crucial example of the indoctrination system, in my view. For one thing because it -- you know, it offers people something to pay attention to that's of no importance. [audience laughs] That keeps them from worrying about -- [applause] keeps them from worrying about things that matter to their lives that they might have some idea of doing something about. And in fact it's striking to see the intelligence that's used by ordinary people in [discussions of] sports [as opposed to political and social issues]. I mean, you listen to radio stations where people call in -- they have the most exotic information [more laughter] and understanding about all kind of arcane issues. And the press undoubtedly does a lot with this.

"You know, I remember in high school, already I was pretty old. I suddenly asked myself at one point, why do I care if my high school team wins the football game? [laughter] I mean, I don't know anybody on the team, you know? [audience roars] I mean, they have nothing to do with me, I mean, why I am cheering for my team? It doesn't mean any -- it doesn't make sense. But the point is, it does make sense: it's a way of building up irrational attitudes of submission to authority, and group cohesion behind leadership elements -- in fact, it's training in irrational jingoism. That's also a feature of competitive sports. I think if you look closely at these things, I think, typically, they do have functions, and that's why energy is devoted to supporting them and creating a basis for them and advertisers are willing to pay for them and so on."

To read more chekc out "Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media" by Noam Chomsky!

The Ashes - Fourth Test

 

You know it. 

Click here if you don't. Or here if you still don't get it. Or here. Or here. Or perhaps just look here. 

Because this will be epic. I mean EPIC!

McCoy Sports Personality of the Year

AP McCoy has saddled more horse racing winners (over 3000) than any other jockey. The closest jockey to him is Richard Dunwwody at 1699. So McCoy is likely to finish his career with twice as many wins than the next best rider.

Inevitably he has been Champion Jockey a few times. In fact he has won it each year for the last 15 years.

Tonight he was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year ahead of nine other sporting superstars who were all champions in their respective disciplines in 2010.

Here are three examples which show why I think he deserves the respect, adulation and praise he receives.

Example the first, McCoy falls off his horse, remounts, and wins. This video is also probably the funniest thing I've ever seen. All the horses were alright by the way.

Example the second, McCoy wins a race with a horse that does not want to be riden, at all. Don't mind the chap at the beginning, nice comments though.

Example the third, he wins the Grand National for the first time. Emotional moment etc but what a ride. Shivers up the spine stuff and a monkey off the back to boot.

Who is Sepp Blatter?

"I would say they [gay fans] should refrain from any sexual activities."

Mr Sepp Blatter, President of FIFA, has made comments of late which have not gone down well in the international press. When asked about the illegal status of homosexuality in Qatar and if it would affect the World Cup that will be held there in 2022 he cracked a joke (quoted above), before going on in a more serious tone to say "I'm sure when the World Cup will be in Qatar there will be no problems".

Hmmm...

Frankly, many people are getting hot and bothered (and even angry) about how Mr Blatter has acted of late: FIFA's decision to host the 2018 World Cup in Russia and the 2022 edition in Qatar have been heavily criticised and whispers of corruption in the organisation are turning into outright howls.

Our managers go up to eleven

Newcastle Football Club: as solid as a northern rock.

Bobby Robson, John Carver, Graeme Souness, Glenn Roeder, Nigel Pearson, Sam Allardyce, Kevin Keegan, Joe Kinnear, Alan Shearer, Chris Hughton and Alan Pardew.

Eleven men have managed Newcastle FC since 2000.

Maybe they should hire a woman?

Then again eleven is a good number so they might have got it right this time. Right?

Alternative World Cricket XIs (Part 2)

I'll have none of your T20 stuff

As mentioned previously, the team over at espnCricinfo have been working for well over a year to name the all time greatest world cricket team as selected by a panel of cricketing experts. (The panel is made up by former Test captains from all the major cricketing nations, along with a number of cricketing historians and top notch writers.)

A number of alternative teams – each centred around a specific theme – were released in the run up to the big announcement. I posted about three of them already and now I am listing four more.

Yes things are indeed that exciting.

For your money (and your life) by David Frith, cricket writer and historian
David Frith has selected a Play-for-your-life XI who'll "do you proud when it's a choice between not losing and heading to the gas chamber." Eh ok... Spose if Bill Shankly had chosen cricket instead of football as his game he would prove the ideal manager of this lot. Onions' inclusion is a touch bewildering, a little funny and overwhelmingly topical. Injury has stopped him going Down Under.

Nice guys finish first by Ramachandra Guha, writer of cricket history among other things
Ramachandra Guha's Gentlemen XI are those cricketers "who'd break your spirit and shake your hand." Interesting choices here. Note that Guha says that the likes of Adam Gilchrist "stand out because of the contrast between them and their colleagues." Cutting.

On the other hand by Mike Selvey, former Test player, now a cricket writer
Mike Selvey's Lefties XI does not refer to the political ideology of the team (I spose). In a game with lots of right handers it is interesting to see the number of high quality southpaws who have made their mark on the game. Were it not for a slight weakness in the bowling department, this team would win any game against any other.

Over their dead bodies by Peter Roebuck, former player, now a cricket columnist
Peter Roebuck's has gone for a Stodgy XI made up of "slowpokes who will test the patience of the fiercest opponents and the tolerance of the most obdurate viewers." Interesting stuff – maybe the like of Jacques Kallis will forever continue to slip through all of these imagined teams for being either too good (as is the case in this team) or not good enough (as is the case for the World Eleven which was finally chosen).

Play-for-your-life XI	Gentlemen XI	Lefties XI	Stodgy XI
Geoffrey Boycott	Jack Hobbs	Matthew Hayden	Glenn Turner
Bill Ponsford	Victor Trumper	Justin Langer	Geoff Boycott
Don Bradman	George Headley	Graeme Pollock	Herbert Sutcliffe
Ken Barrington	Vijay Hazare	Brian Lara	Bill Woodfull
Sachin Tendulkar	Garry Sobers	Clive Lloyd	Douglas Jardine
Shivnarine Chanderpaul	Keith Miller	Garry Sobers	Ken Mackay
Trevor Bailey	Adam Gilchrist	Adam Gilchrist	Jack Russell
Ken Mackay	Anil Kumble	Wasim Akram	Trevor Goddard
Jack Russell	Derek Underwood	Alan Davidson	Bapu Nadkarni
Graham Onions	Curtly Ambrose	Bishan Bedi	Charlie "Terror" Turner
Danny Morrison	Lance Gibbs	Johnny Wardle	Glenn McGrath

For more info on all of these teams check out cricinfo's specialised page for the World XI.

Andy

"When I was young, when I surfed,
I surfed because Kelly Slater did it
I surfed because it was hyped
I surfed because it got chicks
I surfed because it was the party
I surfed because it got the cool car
and I got all those cool things and they all just became just - eh, just like you know - just stuff.

"But it's all about the feeling I get from riding that wave."
— Andy Irons

Click here, here or here for more.

Epic Star Wars Soccer

I have made a major discovery.

The the best way to watch a soccer match is when you have queued up the Stars Wars soundtrack to play in the background.

In fact I think it's the only way anyone can watch soccer on their own for more than 15 mins.

'Course it's crucial to get the sound levels just right. You want to be able to hear a bit of the crowd and the occasional cliché from the commentators but at the same time, remember, this is soccer: it's boring.

So you need the music loud enough make it interesting. 60 - 40 in favour of the Death Star motif will do.

Seriously give it a go.

I watched a bit of the Liverpool - Wigan draw the other night to the Lord of the Rings OST. It was actually quite entertaining.

Bizzare I know: Liverpool and entertaining used in the same sentence without a shred of irony.

Nothing compares to hearing a snippets from Martin Tyler ("Dirk Kyut is making his way towards the sideline. Yes it looks like playing three games in a week is catching up with him...") to the cheerful wooden pipe led tune of Hobbiton.

After all, everything is better with tin whistles and double bassses.

So ok it's not quite the Wizard of Oz to Darkside of the Moon but seeing as it's live and you want to keep up apperances with your knowledge of the "beautiful" game, I reckon it's an alright ploy.

Ok so maybe lego Star Wars fussball is a bit too nerdy - even for me...

A bad week

It's been a terrible week or so for sport. At least I think it has.

Talks between Serie A clubs and the player's association broke down with the real possiblity of an all out strike at the end of the month.

The World cycling authority UCI demanded swift action against triple Tour de France champion Alberto Contador for illegal doping.

After hitting the winning runs for Pakistan in a sensational One Day match against South Africa, unbeknownest to his team, Zulqarnain Haider secretly fled his team's hotel on the eve of the deciding match of the series, travelled by plane to London, sought political asylum and announced his retirement from cricket after receiving death threats for refusing to throw games. It's being reported that he was ordered to "get in line" for the last game of the series and that his family have also been threatened.

Andy Irons, the iconic virtuoso, former world champion, and (arguably without doubt) the greatest surfer most charismatic in history was found dead in his hotel room.

Photo: "Fir0002/Flagstaffotos"

If you think the last week has been dramatic just look back on it in a year's time. Maybe it will be a watershed. Maybe it'll be a turning point. Or maybe not. It has been a crazy week though.

This was the week Johnny Murtagh left Ballydoyle, the most coveted horse racing stable in the world.

This was the week Valentino Rossi, the most successful Moto GP rider of all time, began his greatest challenge ever by testing his new team's Ducati for the first time.

This was the week three time world champion and world number won (before his suspension) John Higgins began his first snooker tournament after being banned for bringing the game into disrepute amid allegations of match fixing claims.

This has been a surprising, tough, nasty week and largely one to forget. But hope springs eternal and you never know, maybe the likes of Murtagh and Rossi will rise our spirits again and we will look back on this week as the spark of a new dawn in sport.

A hurricane hit Ireland on Sunday night. Surfers found a new wave. Things might be looking up already.

Aprés Match

Some say fact is funnier than fiction. Eh...

"That's what they should do there."

"I do. Look, I'm gonna show them to you. Da Dah!"

Of course satire can always ruffle a few feathers.

Zig and Zag (and maths)

Ireland team to play Chile 1991

The Context:
Ireland, 1991. Lansdowne Road. A friendly against Chile. Some new buckos try their hand in the commentary booth and another begins his career on the field.

The Question:
(Ray D'Arcy, Zig and Zag) + (Bill O'Herlihy, Eamonn Dunphy and Johnny Giles) = what?

The Answer:
Billo Hurling, Amoan Grumpy and Johnny Styles.

9 Darters for free

I've got the Power. Like Bruce

There have been, there are, and there will always be people who are better at doing something than anyone else, e.g. the Don (Bradman), McCoy (AP not the fake one) and Jordan (Michael of course). Am I right?

Phil Taylor is one of these people. He has seen off the challenges of many darting greats: Bristow, Priestley, Part, van Barneveld. He has smashed all records and (one hesitates to say this but at the same time) one wonders if his records will ever be broken. FFS 15 World Championships are included in the 150+ tournaments he has picked up.

Ireland lost but no one died

It's goals are wide of the mark but now it's over and behind us. phew!

Did you hear?

Ireland lost both matches against Australia (and thus lost the series) in this year's International Rules fixture in Croke Park.

So eh no you didn't hear?

Oh well.

Both matches were close: 40 - 47, and 52 - 55.

Who cares anymore anyway?

Trick shots

Cool:

Yawn, why even bother:

Zizou cool as always:

Brazil 1970? Our survey says inn ehh

The Pelé Maradona argument has raged for years
but we all agree on Brazil 1970. Right?

This week Pelé turned 70 and next week Maradona turns 50. Unless you are a small annoying creature that knows the middle names of Cruyff, Beckenbauer and Platini and just wants to be difficult, we all agree they are the two greatest players of all time.

But which is better? Debate over the subject is divisive: friends drop their snooker cues, become even angrier and decide to pick them up again; work colleagues throw precious water cooler plastic cups at each other and then apologise for being oh-so-foolish; house mates ignore each other for weeks on end and play the well-I-didn’t-really-use-the-bins-this-week-so-I’m-not-taking-them-out or other such passive aggressive games.

The Pelé Maradona thing cuts deep.

But there's no cutting when it comes to Brazil’s 1970 World Cup team.

wtf?

I'd like to think that I know a bit about sport. Not lots, but enough. Ditto for youtube.

I'd like to think that it'd take a good bit to confuse me.

And then, eh... well, answers on a postcard please.

Click here, tis worth it

The Managers Strike Back

Holloway is talking about Wayne Rooney and he's angry. Really angry.

Ian Holloway, manager of Blackpool, is passionate about football. His witty one liners and bizarre metaphors have endeared him to the press and fans alike.

He loves Blackpool, he is in fact dedication personified and said that guiding Blackpool into the Premier League was the greatest moment of his life (apart from the birth of his kids). For him, Blackpool is special. So how does he sum the place up?

"I love Blackpool. We're very similar. We both look better in the dark."

Rooney could leave for £5 million next summer

Click here for the story.

If true that means a club could buy him for nothing and give him say a £20 million lum sum as an insentive.

Come on John W Henry.