I love travelling to the mountains and always enjoy hiking in the beautiful terrain. I don’t mind taking on some fairly severe elevation changes and always congratulate myself when I make it to the end of the trail. Secretly, however, I am aware that I am no athlete, I am really not that fit and there are limits to what I am prepared to endure. Amongst the many things that I couldn’t countenance is cycling up a mountain pass but there are plenty who seem to enjoy the torture! Continue reading
My goodness the news today is certainly all about the Oscars. Two stories are dominating the headlines – the destination of the Academy Awards and the trial of Oscar Pistorius. I like movies and so the winners of the awards are of passing interest but it is Pistorius who really fascinates me. The trial of the Paralympic athlete starts today and the judge in the case has allowed the proceedings to be televised. I have to wonder if Pistorius is going to be another OJ Simpson, a man who was such a national hero that a jury just couldn’t convict him. Continue reading
I can still remember the days when football on television was restricted to brief highlights of a couple of games each Saturday evening. Now there is a live match from somewhere in the world broadcast every day and the coverage has been extended to encompass in depth analysis of the events. In addition the commentators are no longer alone. It is now compulsory to have an expert pundit with a microphone which sounds like a great idea but certainly isn’t always for the best. Continue reading
One thing you used to learn as a football fan is that some things are simply inevitable and cannot be avoided. The same fixtures repeatedly throw up similar results and so there are some matches that you know are going to be a disaster before a ball is kicked. There are places that I actually stopped travelling too because I became weary of the bad outcomes but I might have to change my mind about one of them now following the events of the weekend. Continue reading
I am sure that when Liverpool beat Manchester United early in the season they viewed the victory as a significant win against title contenders. As it turned out in this topsy turvy season all they had managed was a narrow win against a mid-table side! At the beginning of the 2013/2014 Premier League season I wrote about my growing weariness with the predictability of it all only to look rather foolish now as the usual order of things has been turned on its head. Continue reading
If England win the world cup it will be a miracle up there with the second coming of Christ. Anything is possible, even the reappearance of Jesus, but some things are so deeply unlikely that they barely warrant consideration and England’s fate in Brazil is one of them. It is not that I am unpatriotic, I am simply a realist and down here in the real world England simply aren’t good enough. Continue reading
I can still remember the days when the only option was a wooden hockey stick and I would take to the field for games at school with some rather sorry looking equipment. Technology marches on and these days a wide range of composite hockey sticks are available, many at very reasonable prices. If you are trying to choose a new composite stick and are new to the sport the terminology can be a little confusing and so here is a quick guide to help you along the way. Continue reading
Being a writer I am fascinated by words and I have always admired those who use them well. I am also passionate about football and amazingly it has been that sport which has yielded many of my favourite examples of how to use our language for the maximum impact. The fans are a constant inspiration with their quite brilliant banners and those who comment on the sport have produced many classic one liners too. Continue reading
Liverpool are flying high thus far this season and their lofty position is due to several truly impressive performances. People are now asking if the club could go all the way this time with many of their major rivals having experienced an indifferent start. I am not so sure that the title is within reach but nothing would make me happier if Liverpool do finish on top. Continue reading
For the ardent football fan who likes to go to most or all of their teams’ games the biggest obstacle to achieving their aim is the availability of tickets. Things aren’t too bad if you have a season ticket but they can be hard to come by if you support one of the top clubs and even that won’t guarantee you a ticket to every game. I have had many frustrations with tickets over the years leading to numerous supposedly shady dealings with less than authorised ticket sellers. What I don’t understand is why these guys are so vilified. Continue reading