Every day I read up on my boxing news, and I have to admit to having mixed feelings today when I read about Audley Harrison potentially close to sealing a deal to fight David Haye. It is a big fight in the UK but it is a mis-match and shouldn’t really be happening. This comes off the back of Vitali Klitschko signing up to fight Shannon Briggs last week. There are so many fights out there that would be amazing to watch, but so many politics that are preventing them from happening. The dream fight of Pacman and Floyd is the biggest one out there and the one which everybody would love to see but seems unlikely to be happening in the near future. There are so many like that, and it frustrates me intensely.
Boxing right now is in a really difficult situation and is struggling economically. Not only are fans less likely to shell out big bucks to watch a fight in an arena or on pay-per-view, but television companies are not prepared to throw money at boxing any more. At such a difficult time, you would expect those involved in the sport to be rallying around and trying to spark interest by staging the best possible fights. That is not happening. In fact, quite the reverse. The fact is, that while so many promoters refuse to work with others, and some boxers avoid fighting others, it is completely understandable that folks are losing interest.
Think about it from another perspective and one that has become extremely evident in recent weeks and months. The betting perspective. Look at the last 3-6 months of fights, and see how many shocks or surprises there have been. Not many at all. Try predict the outcome of as many fights as possible in the next six months, and I would put my neck on the line and say that I could successfully predict 95% of the fights that will be made. That is not to say I can make money from it – the bookies are not stupid. But what other sport can expect to retain such an interest when the probability of the favourite winning is something like 95%? This has been the secret of the UFC’s success – evenly matching fighters against each other and putting the best against the best.
Try betting on UFC fights – it is not easy at all. That said, there are far more opportunities to pick good bets than in boxing. It is very rare for a boxing fight to be close to 50/50 in the betting market, even 60/40. Many of the fights in the UFC are. I have to admit to not being a big fan of betting on either of the sports however, and it is rare I do. Individual sports are notoriously tough to bet on – how do I know whether a fighter has a stomach bug coming into a fight? It is one example, but there are many pitfalls on gambling on these two sports and I am not a huge advocate apart from betting for fun.
Anyhow, if the promoters and fighters will not put the fights that everybody wants to see together, then I am going to do it – albeit on my blog that nine people follow.
David Haye v Vitali or Vladimir Klitschko – A number of journalists have identified Tomasz Adamek as a great opponent for Haye and I would love to see it too. That said, there is so much history with the Klitschko’s now, it has to happen with one of them and it is the biggest fights out there at Heavyweight.
Manny Pacquiao v Juan Manuel Marquez – I do not want to see Pacman face Margarito or Cotto again, and if it is not going to be Floyd, the Marquez is the only other fighter in recent times who has come close to beating him. Personally, I thought he won at least one of the fights they had, and there is unfinished business between the two.
Amir Khan v Tim Bradley – I fear that Khan will be paired with some more older and slower fighters like Barrera who he will be able to dominate. I would love to see him line up against Bradley and it would be a really close fight. I like Bradley a lot ever since watching him beat Junior Witter. He takes on all comers and is rock solid without being spectacular. It would be a very close fight and a tough one to call.
Lucian Bute v Carl Froch – This will almost certainly not happen until 2011 or even 2012 as Froch is tied up in the Super Six tournament. However, this fight, in Montreal, would be unmissable and a classic fight in my view. I’ve rambled before about my dream to watch a big fight, UFC or Boxing, in Montreal and this could be the one. Bute is a star in Montreal and I would love to catch him against Froch who would bring a decent amount of English fans over which would really spark the atmosphere as well as being a great fight
Monday, August 23, 2010
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Growing Pains
One of the things I look forward to the most, after my early season football enthusiasm has died down, (and trust me, it was shot down in flames on Saturday), is spending time with my niece and nephew. I probably see them on average about once a month, and it is amazing to see the difference in them each month. My niece is four and my nephew is going on seven months. Seeing how they grow physically is amazing. There are obvious signs such as a random tooth emerging in Max’s mouth, or Mia’s hair growing ridiculously long, but just seeing them change is amazing.
More so than the physical side, I love to see how they develop psychologically. Mia never fails to make me laugh with some random comment she comes out with and it always amazes me how she can be so savvy at such an age.
That and a conversation I had last weekend made me wonder what moments and experiences we have as children impact you as an adult. The common view is that children learn at a much faster rate than adults and can absorb more in their memories. I am sure that is related more to alcohol consumption personally, but that too is generally related to age.
When I was a child, there were two main incidents that stand out to me and reflect certain things now. The first one was when I was about four years old at my Auntie Francis’ house. Me and my sister were playing in the car park and as I ran around the side of a car, a pitbull flew around the side and hit me front on and sent me flying. It barked and snarled and little Bobby was flat on his back and petrified. It took a long while until I became comfortable with dogs, and even now when I see my lady so natural with them, I know I am not so at ease with them as others even if I am improving.
The second experience was part of the conversation last weekend. When I was eight years old, we went on a family holiday to Ibiza. Now, this was not clubbing Ibiza, and I was only seven, but maybe I just fancied myself as a lady’s man more at that stage than ever after. We met a lovely family and I took a shine to one of the daughters who was about 15. Anyhow, I never liked sunbathing and I never liked swimming or getting wet much – baths and washing were overrated in those days. So little Bobby used to sit in 25c temperatures by the pool, fully dressed – trainers, jeans, the lot. My dad thought it would be hilarious to pick me up and launch me into the water with my clothes and shoes on. I can still picture to this day being under the water for what felt like an eternity and gasping for the surface. Reality is, it was probably about 5 seconds if that, but for a kid who was not comfortable in water, could not swim and drank half of the pool, it seemed far longer. Add to that, little Bobby’s pride was notably damaged at being humiliated in front of this Kylie Minogue lookalike, it was not a highlight in my career. I can swim now and if you threw me in the middle of the Atlantic or Lake Geneva, I’d sure as hell give it my best shot of staying afloat and moving somewhere. It is far from my comfort zone however. Maybe it made me shy in front of ladies too.
So I always wonder what my niece and nephew take in their young lives that they will remember and what impact it will have on them when they grow up. When I took my nephew to the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley 16 months ago, seeing his enthusiasm and awe during that day will stay with me forever. I enjoyed that as much as my boys beating Man Utd that day….probably knowing that that is a moment he will remember for the rest of his life. Funnily enough, I probably wouldn’t switch those swimming pool and pitbull experiences for a Wembley day now. For sure the Wembley day is pretty darn cool, but I guess they all shape who we are. Ask my sister, the pitbull day is probably one of the best moments of her life, so the pain is probably worth it. I guess it is all about sharing them with folks we care about.
More so than the physical side, I love to see how they develop psychologically. Mia never fails to make me laugh with some random comment she comes out with and it always amazes me how she can be so savvy at such an age.
That and a conversation I had last weekend made me wonder what moments and experiences we have as children impact you as an adult. The common view is that children learn at a much faster rate than adults and can absorb more in their memories. I am sure that is related more to alcohol consumption personally, but that too is generally related to age.
When I was a child, there were two main incidents that stand out to me and reflect certain things now. The first one was when I was about four years old at my Auntie Francis’ house. Me and my sister were playing in the car park and as I ran around the side of a car, a pitbull flew around the side and hit me front on and sent me flying. It barked and snarled and little Bobby was flat on his back and petrified. It took a long while until I became comfortable with dogs, and even now when I see my lady so natural with them, I know I am not so at ease with them as others even if I am improving.
The second experience was part of the conversation last weekend. When I was eight years old, we went on a family holiday to Ibiza. Now, this was not clubbing Ibiza, and I was only seven, but maybe I just fancied myself as a lady’s man more at that stage than ever after. We met a lovely family and I took a shine to one of the daughters who was about 15. Anyhow, I never liked sunbathing and I never liked swimming or getting wet much – baths and washing were overrated in those days. So little Bobby used to sit in 25c temperatures by the pool, fully dressed – trainers, jeans, the lot. My dad thought it would be hilarious to pick me up and launch me into the water with my clothes and shoes on. I can still picture to this day being under the water for what felt like an eternity and gasping for the surface. Reality is, it was probably about 5 seconds if that, but for a kid who was not comfortable in water, could not swim and drank half of the pool, it seemed far longer. Add to that, little Bobby’s pride was notably damaged at being humiliated in front of this Kylie Minogue lookalike, it was not a highlight in my career. I can swim now and if you threw me in the middle of the Atlantic or Lake Geneva, I’d sure as hell give it my best shot of staying afloat and moving somewhere. It is far from my comfort zone however. Maybe it made me shy in front of ladies too.
So I always wonder what my niece and nephew take in their young lives that they will remember and what impact it will have on them when they grow up. When I took my nephew to the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley 16 months ago, seeing his enthusiasm and awe during that day will stay with me forever. I enjoyed that as much as my boys beating Man Utd that day….probably knowing that that is a moment he will remember for the rest of his life. Funnily enough, I probably wouldn’t switch those swimming pool and pitbull experiences for a Wembley day now. For sure the Wembley day is pretty darn cool, but I guess they all shape who we are. Ask my sister, the pitbull day is probably one of the best moments of her life, so the pain is probably worth it. I guess it is all about sharing them with folks we care about.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Blackburn v Everton
Blackburn v Everton – 14th August, 2010
Everton Squad: Howard, Mucha, Turner, Neville, Hibbert, Coleman, Jagielka, Distin, Yobo, Heitinga, Baines, Rodwell, Osman, Pienaar, Arteta, Cahill, Bilyaletdinov, Gueye, Fellaini, Saha, Vaughan, Yakubu, Beckford
Absentees: Anichebe (Injury), Joao Silva, Agard, Baxter, Mustafi (Not Selected)
Diniyar Bilyaletdinov, Tim Howard, Steven Pienaar, Phil Jagielka, Jack Rodwell and Seamus Coleman were all away with their countries this week and returned with from international duty with no injuries reported. Howard travelled to New Jersey in the States and Billy played in Russia so those were the two who travelled furthest. Howard starts for sure, Billy perhaps not. Given the travel, his average form in pre-season, I think Moyes goes with Pienaar and Osman down the wings. The relationship with Pienaar seems reasonable still – we will hopefully avoid a repeat of the Lescott situation of last summer where Moyes excluded him.
Tim Cahill has a slight knee issue but he is expected to play. It was a bonus that the Australian coach left him out of their friendly and I would expect him to start this game just behind Louis Saha. Some fans have shown preference to Beckford being given a start but I consider that highly unlikely. Given the opposition also, Saha is the best option here and I am fairly certain he will get the nod.
Fellaini and Heitinga are in the squad despite limited training. I would be surprised to see both of them start this game. If anything, I think Moyes will leave both on the bench and uses Phil Neville as a defensive midfielder or will sit Jack Rodwell in there. With Neville in that position potentially, I think Tony Hibbert plays at right-back. I have wondered in the last few weeks whether we will see Moyes take a punt and go with the impressive Seamus Coleman. If the game was at Goodison, then possibly so but I cannot see that happening today. One minor thing to note, and there may be nothing to it but Neville is listed among the defenders in the squad announced on the website – almost sure to be nothing in that, but it would be no surprise if he starts at RB and Rodwell or Heitinga at CM.
Expected XI
Howard
Hibbert, Jagielka, Distin, Baines
Neville
Osman, Arteta, Cahill, Pienaar
Saha
Prediction
I strongly like the look of Everton here. Against the likes of Blackburn and Bolton, I feel that they suit us well in the sense that we can match them physically, but we have greater quality and technique to make the difference. Blackburn will be highly motivated and ready for this one – I just feel that the Blues will have too much for them. The emphasis all summer has been on making a fast start to the season and they will feel that this is a winnable game for them. The feel-good factor is there from Arteta pledging his future with the club and despite the poor performance and result against Wolfsburg, the spirit is high. This will not be an easy game, but I expect a draw at minimum, and I think they can edge this game.
Everton Squad: Howard, Mucha, Turner, Neville, Hibbert, Coleman, Jagielka, Distin, Yobo, Heitinga, Baines, Rodwell, Osman, Pienaar, Arteta, Cahill, Bilyaletdinov, Gueye, Fellaini, Saha, Vaughan, Yakubu, Beckford
Absentees: Anichebe (Injury), Joao Silva, Agard, Baxter, Mustafi (Not Selected)
Diniyar Bilyaletdinov, Tim Howard, Steven Pienaar, Phil Jagielka, Jack Rodwell and Seamus Coleman were all away with their countries this week and returned with from international duty with no injuries reported. Howard travelled to New Jersey in the States and Billy played in Russia so those were the two who travelled furthest. Howard starts for sure, Billy perhaps not. Given the travel, his average form in pre-season, I think Moyes goes with Pienaar and Osman down the wings. The relationship with Pienaar seems reasonable still – we will hopefully avoid a repeat of the Lescott situation of last summer where Moyes excluded him.
Tim Cahill has a slight knee issue but he is expected to play. It was a bonus that the Australian coach left him out of their friendly and I would expect him to start this game just behind Louis Saha. Some fans have shown preference to Beckford being given a start but I consider that highly unlikely. Given the opposition also, Saha is the best option here and I am fairly certain he will get the nod.
Fellaini and Heitinga are in the squad despite limited training. I would be surprised to see both of them start this game. If anything, I think Moyes will leave both on the bench and uses Phil Neville as a defensive midfielder or will sit Jack Rodwell in there. With Neville in that position potentially, I think Tony Hibbert plays at right-back. I have wondered in the last few weeks whether we will see Moyes take a punt and go with the impressive Seamus Coleman. If the game was at Goodison, then possibly so but I cannot see that happening today. One minor thing to note, and there may be nothing to it but Neville is listed among the defenders in the squad announced on the website – almost sure to be nothing in that, but it would be no surprise if he starts at RB and Rodwell or Heitinga at CM.
Expected XI
Howard
Hibbert, Jagielka, Distin, Baines
Neville
Osman, Arteta, Cahill, Pienaar
Saha
Prediction
I strongly like the look of Everton here. Against the likes of Blackburn and Bolton, I feel that they suit us well in the sense that we can match them physically, but we have greater quality and technique to make the difference. Blackburn will be highly motivated and ready for this one – I just feel that the Blues will have too much for them. The emphasis all summer has been on making a fast start to the season and they will feel that this is a winnable game for them. The feel-good factor is there from Arteta pledging his future with the club and despite the poor performance and result against Wolfsburg, the spirit is high. This will not be an easy game, but I expect a draw at minimum, and I think they can edge this game.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Is The Grass Really Greener?
There have not been enough random thoughts recently – or certainly not enough that I have put down in writing so I am determined to produce more in the coming weeks – especially before the football season starts.
The best news of my summer, from a sporting perspective, was hearing that Mikel Arteta has signed a new contract at Everton. He had two offers from other clubs – clubs playing in European competitions, who undoubtedly offered more money than was on the table at Everton. For him to sign a new five-year deal with Everton was huge. In recent years we have lost some of our better players to teams with bigger budgets than us – Rooney and Lescott to name two – and who could blame them. Arteta’s deal signals a change in that and it is a key season for the club where there are actually some expectations on them for the first time in a long time.
Arteta’s decision seems increasingly rare in football these days. How many players turn down bigger money (he will be on big money at Everton regardless so he won’t be stacking shelves at Asda when he retires) and European competition to stay loyal to the club where he has made his name? The answer is not many. He would have contemplated what was on offer at the other clubs, and if his press conference after signing is to be believed, he has decided to stay at Everton as he has settled in the area and at the club, and is loved by team-mates and fans alike.
It is so easy to think that the grass is greener - something different, something new, or something else that somebody has is better than what you have. I think it is human nature. I wrote my blog regarding big decisions a few weeks back and I completely stand by that. Big decisions can also mean continuing doing the same, not always resulting in a change. Change is not always good, and recognising that is far from easy. I guess it comes down to an appreciation of what one has and what one knows, and clearly that is something that Arteta considered to be most important and the right thing for him.
It was only last weekend that I had this exact discussion with a good friend of mine. We spoke about Switzerland and if and when we decide to move on. It is easy to complain about the cost of beer, our jobs, the weather, travelling etc, but it is only when we think about the alternatives do we realise we have a pretty good gig going on. For me, the time I realise it most is when I go home to Leeds. That sounds awful and I do not mean it in that way. I love Leeds – the city not FC. It is purely when my friends and family ask what I have been up to, that I realise things are good. It is easy to dream about living in a country where a pint does not cost £5, where customer service and hospitality is excellent, and bureaucracy does not weigh you down. But flipping the coin and thinking of the positives of where you live, work, and friends you have, is just as important in realising that life is good. It is often said that you only realise how good something was when it has gone. I guess the secret is to take Arteta’s advice and recognise and enjoy what you have.
The best news of my summer, from a sporting perspective, was hearing that Mikel Arteta has signed a new contract at Everton. He had two offers from other clubs – clubs playing in European competitions, who undoubtedly offered more money than was on the table at Everton. For him to sign a new five-year deal with Everton was huge. In recent years we have lost some of our better players to teams with bigger budgets than us – Rooney and Lescott to name two – and who could blame them. Arteta’s deal signals a change in that and it is a key season for the club where there are actually some expectations on them for the first time in a long time.
Arteta’s decision seems increasingly rare in football these days. How many players turn down bigger money (he will be on big money at Everton regardless so he won’t be stacking shelves at Asda when he retires) and European competition to stay loyal to the club where he has made his name? The answer is not many. He would have contemplated what was on offer at the other clubs, and if his press conference after signing is to be believed, he has decided to stay at Everton as he has settled in the area and at the club, and is loved by team-mates and fans alike.
It is so easy to think that the grass is greener - something different, something new, or something else that somebody has is better than what you have. I think it is human nature. I wrote my blog regarding big decisions a few weeks back and I completely stand by that. Big decisions can also mean continuing doing the same, not always resulting in a change. Change is not always good, and recognising that is far from easy. I guess it comes down to an appreciation of what one has and what one knows, and clearly that is something that Arteta considered to be most important and the right thing for him.
It was only last weekend that I had this exact discussion with a good friend of mine. We spoke about Switzerland and if and when we decide to move on. It is easy to complain about the cost of beer, our jobs, the weather, travelling etc, but it is only when we think about the alternatives do we realise we have a pretty good gig going on. For me, the time I realise it most is when I go home to Leeds. That sounds awful and I do not mean it in that way. I love Leeds – the city not FC. It is purely when my friends and family ask what I have been up to, that I realise things are good. It is easy to dream about living in a country where a pint does not cost £5, where customer service and hospitality is excellent, and bureaucracy does not weigh you down. But flipping the coin and thinking of the positives of where you live, work, and friends you have, is just as important in realising that life is good. It is often said that you only realise how good something was when it has gone. I guess the secret is to take Arteta’s advice and recognise and enjoy what you have.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Putting the ‘Con’ in Convenience
Do we actually learn a new thing every day? If daily news counts, then I guess we probably do, otherwise I am not too sure. I certainly do find that I learn plenty when we are on our travels and our last one was no different. Over the last five days, we have spent time in one of the most remote places – Freeport, Nova Scotia – I have ever been (check a map if you don’t believe me), and good old Prince Edward Island. So here is what I learned.
1. Mosquitos exist in Canada. Canadian Mosquitos love me. I would prefer a sharp kick downstairs as opposed to 20+ itchy Mosquito bites.
2. I never knew these existed but they have drive thru ATM machines in North America! Talk about convenience. In reality, they are not quite so convenient. I saw one person lean out of their car, almost falling out to press the buttons. The other issue with it, is that if somebody wants to take a chance and mug somebody taking cash out, they can take the cash, card and car if they do it properly. I will avoid this one I think and not one of the thousands of cool North American features that I would export.
3. Tail winds. I am not referring to the human kind. Flying to Halifax was six hours and ten minutes. Flying back took four hours and fifty minutes. Truly insane just what a difference it can make.
4. On checking in with BA to fly from London to Geneva, they asked that I specifically sit in the window seat and Hannah in the middle – reason? There was a minor travelling alone and they men are not allowed to sit next to them. Not once have I heard that before.
5. I did not so much as learn this but it was more a case of stirring memories of just how good Dairy Queen blizzards are. One of the best, cheekiest, desserts around.
6. Drinking alcohol in a car, as a PASSENGER, is illegal in Canada. I can understand the logic of the driver not being allowed to have a swig while driving, but I have yet to meet anybody who has failed a breath test for inhaling alcoholic fumes coming from somebody else’s bottle.
1. Mosquitos exist in Canada. Canadian Mosquitos love me. I would prefer a sharp kick downstairs as opposed to 20+ itchy Mosquito bites.
2. I never knew these existed but they have drive thru ATM machines in North America! Talk about convenience. In reality, they are not quite so convenient. I saw one person lean out of their car, almost falling out to press the buttons. The other issue with it, is that if somebody wants to take a chance and mug somebody taking cash out, they can take the cash, card and car if they do it properly. I will avoid this one I think and not one of the thousands of cool North American features that I would export.
3. Tail winds. I am not referring to the human kind. Flying to Halifax was six hours and ten minutes. Flying back took four hours and fifty minutes. Truly insane just what a difference it can make.
4. On checking in with BA to fly from London to Geneva, they asked that I specifically sit in the window seat and Hannah in the middle – reason? There was a minor travelling alone and they men are not allowed to sit next to them. Not once have I heard that before.
5. I did not so much as learn this but it was more a case of stirring memories of just how good Dairy Queen blizzards are. One of the best, cheekiest, desserts around.
6. Drinking alcohol in a car, as a PASSENGER, is illegal in Canada. I can understand the logic of the driver not being allowed to have a swig while driving, but I have yet to meet anybody who has failed a breath test for inhaling alcoholic fumes coming from somebody else’s bottle.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Destination Anywhere
It is 15:21 CET and I am four hours into a flight from London to Halifax. It is usually this stage of a flight where I have eaten, watched a movie, and I become seriously bored. That’s when random thoughts tend to enter my head and today is no different. I’ve made several things to do lists, and I’ve had my two beers – I’m driving at the other end. So, I am going to scribble some random thoughts about overrated and underrated cities and countries that I have been to….and the next few on my hit list.
Top 3 Most Overrated Places
Lisbon – I generally make the best of most cities and countries that I visit, but Lisbon was highly unattractive to me. Down the coast, there were some cool places, but the city itself left me distinctly unimpressed and I thought it was a little scruffy if I am honest. This was back in 2004, and judging by the road works and construction going on, there was a fairly major overhaul of the city going on. The truth is, it desperately needed it. I am prepared to give it a second chance, but I hope it has raised its game since the last time I visited.
Dominican Republic – I cannot be too scathing about this place despite having to spend a larger than usual percentage of my time in the washroom in Dom Rep – I was not the only one neither. It was a fantastic holiday, and so so relaxing. That all said, the advice generally given was not to leave the resort where you were staying which is fairly understandable if safety is a concern and I was not prepared to test my skinny 18-year-old physique against some of the big Dominican boys. The experience in the resort was pretty good, and we had a great time – but for me, rather than fly for ten hours and for a fair amount of cash, I would sooner stay in Europe, find somewhere warm and stay in that resort for half the money, a fraction of the travel time, and spend more time by the pool than in the loo.
Milan – From the outside, you hear plenty about Milan and it being so central to the fashion world. That is not a key factor for me sadly, but I did expect a fair bit more glamour than I was presented with when I spent three months there studying. I accept the history in the centre of the city, but at the same time it is pretty darn scruffy. It probably did not help that the time I spent there and the other visits I have made were in the winter – not many cities look great when it is cold and miserable, but Milan certainly did not. There are many positives to Milan, and it was above average in my ratings largely due to the fantastic eating options, but I consider it to be fairly overrated in the grand scheme of things.
Top 3 Underrated Places
Barcelona – This may not be the case for many people, but I actually think Barcelona is underrated by a lot of people. I only really got to know it intimately when I lived there for a year. It has everything and I defy anybody to come up with a better, more complete city than Barcelona. When I was there, they had major petty crime issues, and that has improved in the last few years at least. Likewise, their football team was garbage when I was there, and they have turned pretty good. Those issues aside, I genuinely believe it has everything – weather, history, culture, beach, nightlife, shopping….the list goes on. Most people think highly of Barcelona, but it beats NYC and London for me, and it is the World City Champion in the Esteva Book.
Germany – This is a fraction bit ambiguous, but I am sticking the country as a whole as I have been to loads of cities in Germany and the truth is I have not found a bad one yet. Is it a huge tourist destination compared to neighbours? Not in the slightest. Would I whisk my lady for a romantic weekend to Germany? Probably not. But it is a fantastic country with plenty of great cities. Plenty of good beers, plenty of history, plenty of greenery to bbq or play football, and a great vibe to cap it off. Did I mention the beers? The people in particular are probably the best thing about Germany. Not many English admit to that but the truth is, the English and the Germans are incredibly similar, it is just that nobody wants to accept it.
Halifax – I’m not talking about the cosy Yorkshire town nearby Leeds, more so the one in Nova Scotia, Canada. This was the first Canadian city that I landed in and spent a short amount of time there, and I love the atmosphere in this city. There is a big student population there which almost certainly contributes to it, but it has a more intimate feeling to it than some of the other vast Canadian cities. It helps that there is a sensational pizza place called Salvatore’s and it helps that I am landing there in ninety minutes and I am famished. But that aside, it is not one of those cities which grabs the headlines, but it is a cool place to visit and to live and for that reason, it strikes me as being underrated.
The Top 5 Unvisited by Rob City/Country Hit List
Montreal – Unquestionably one of the places I have to visit in the next 12-18 months. I will admit that it is partially because I want to see a big boxing of UFC night there and sample some of this amazing atmosphere and spirit. Heck, I would even go watch the Habs for a bit of that. Nobody I have met has had a bad word to say about the city, and I have a feeling that it is a city that I could fall for.
Denmark & Norway – I like cold weather. I like beer. I like hard working football players who are not particularly talented but try their best. Denmark and Norway are on the list.
Boston – Isn’t Boston just a cool city? That is what everybody keeps telling me. HJ and I have talked about a classic American road trip at some point and this would be one of my key cities to spend some time in. I think it is fairly safe to stop at traffic lights in Boston too, which is why it ranks ahead of Baltimore on my list – I’ve watched too many episodes of The Wire. A big sporting city and a bit of Irishness never hurt anybody.
Australia – Another generic one like Germany – maybe there is a theme here. Countries and people who traditionally have big banter and rivalries with England, are ones I enjoy most. I would argue the same here also, I suspect part of the thing with the Aussies is that they are more like the English than they would like to admit and vice versa. This is one honeymoon possibility for me. I could never live there – it is too far from my football team, and errrr….the family. But it is one place I would love to visit and experience despite the massive spiders.
Chicago – Same as Boston – see above bar the Irish influence I guess.
Top 3 Most Overrated Places
Lisbon – I generally make the best of most cities and countries that I visit, but Lisbon was highly unattractive to me. Down the coast, there were some cool places, but the city itself left me distinctly unimpressed and I thought it was a little scruffy if I am honest. This was back in 2004, and judging by the road works and construction going on, there was a fairly major overhaul of the city going on. The truth is, it desperately needed it. I am prepared to give it a second chance, but I hope it has raised its game since the last time I visited.
Dominican Republic – I cannot be too scathing about this place despite having to spend a larger than usual percentage of my time in the washroom in Dom Rep – I was not the only one neither. It was a fantastic holiday, and so so relaxing. That all said, the advice generally given was not to leave the resort where you were staying which is fairly understandable if safety is a concern and I was not prepared to test my skinny 18-year-old physique against some of the big Dominican boys. The experience in the resort was pretty good, and we had a great time – but for me, rather than fly for ten hours and for a fair amount of cash, I would sooner stay in Europe, find somewhere warm and stay in that resort for half the money, a fraction of the travel time, and spend more time by the pool than in the loo.
Milan – From the outside, you hear plenty about Milan and it being so central to the fashion world. That is not a key factor for me sadly, but I did expect a fair bit more glamour than I was presented with when I spent three months there studying. I accept the history in the centre of the city, but at the same time it is pretty darn scruffy. It probably did not help that the time I spent there and the other visits I have made were in the winter – not many cities look great when it is cold and miserable, but Milan certainly did not. There are many positives to Milan, and it was above average in my ratings largely due to the fantastic eating options, but I consider it to be fairly overrated in the grand scheme of things.
Top 3 Underrated Places
Barcelona – This may not be the case for many people, but I actually think Barcelona is underrated by a lot of people. I only really got to know it intimately when I lived there for a year. It has everything and I defy anybody to come up with a better, more complete city than Barcelona. When I was there, they had major petty crime issues, and that has improved in the last few years at least. Likewise, their football team was garbage when I was there, and they have turned pretty good. Those issues aside, I genuinely believe it has everything – weather, history, culture, beach, nightlife, shopping….the list goes on. Most people think highly of Barcelona, but it beats NYC and London for me, and it is the World City Champion in the Esteva Book.
Germany – This is a fraction bit ambiguous, but I am sticking the country as a whole as I have been to loads of cities in Germany and the truth is I have not found a bad one yet. Is it a huge tourist destination compared to neighbours? Not in the slightest. Would I whisk my lady for a romantic weekend to Germany? Probably not. But it is a fantastic country with plenty of great cities. Plenty of good beers, plenty of history, plenty of greenery to bbq or play football, and a great vibe to cap it off. Did I mention the beers? The people in particular are probably the best thing about Germany. Not many English admit to that but the truth is, the English and the Germans are incredibly similar, it is just that nobody wants to accept it.
Halifax – I’m not talking about the cosy Yorkshire town nearby Leeds, more so the one in Nova Scotia, Canada. This was the first Canadian city that I landed in and spent a short amount of time there, and I love the atmosphere in this city. There is a big student population there which almost certainly contributes to it, but it has a more intimate feeling to it than some of the other vast Canadian cities. It helps that there is a sensational pizza place called Salvatore’s and it helps that I am landing there in ninety minutes and I am famished. But that aside, it is not one of those cities which grabs the headlines, but it is a cool place to visit and to live and for that reason, it strikes me as being underrated.
The Top 5 Unvisited by Rob City/Country Hit List
Montreal – Unquestionably one of the places I have to visit in the next 12-18 months. I will admit that it is partially because I want to see a big boxing of UFC night there and sample some of this amazing atmosphere and spirit. Heck, I would even go watch the Habs for a bit of that. Nobody I have met has had a bad word to say about the city, and I have a feeling that it is a city that I could fall for.
Denmark & Norway – I like cold weather. I like beer. I like hard working football players who are not particularly talented but try their best. Denmark and Norway are on the list.
Boston – Isn’t Boston just a cool city? That is what everybody keeps telling me. HJ and I have talked about a classic American road trip at some point and this would be one of my key cities to spend some time in. I think it is fairly safe to stop at traffic lights in Boston too, which is why it ranks ahead of Baltimore on my list – I’ve watched too many episodes of The Wire. A big sporting city and a bit of Irishness never hurt anybody.
Australia – Another generic one like Germany – maybe there is a theme here. Countries and people who traditionally have big banter and rivalries with England, are ones I enjoy most. I would argue the same here also, I suspect part of the thing with the Aussies is that they are more like the English than they would like to admit and vice versa. This is one honeymoon possibility for me. I could never live there – it is too far from my football team, and errrr….the family. But it is one place I would love to visit and experience despite the massive spiders.
Chicago – Same as Boston – see above bar the Irish influence I guess.
Friday, July 23, 2010
A Hard Day's Night
I am an absolute sucker for stories like these. So much so that I am going to share them. I absolutely love my Boxing and MMA, and when I am caught up in watching these guys put their health and bodies on the line, it is easy to forget that they are normal people. Normal people who have the same hardships as so many others. One is a story about a fighter struggling to make ends meet. Another is about a boxer whose wife has been fighting for her life. I have such admiration for these guys.
http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news;_ylt=AnxErNSF5THKW6aJQnLf1oiUxLYF?slug=ki-guerrero072210
http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/news;_ylt=AiIkODNrsWBHdW.EVnw_6jU9Eo14?slug=ki-volkmann072210
I'll also praise Kevin Iole. Easily my favourite journalist who covers Boxing and UFC. Superb pieces and I thoroughly enjoyed reading both of them.
These are the kind of stories that keep everything in perspective.
http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news;_ylt=AnxErNSF5THKW6aJQnLf1oiUxLYF?slug=ki-guerrero072210
http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/news;_ylt=AiIkODNrsWBHdW.EVnw_6jU9Eo14?slug=ki-volkmann072210
I'll also praise Kevin Iole. Easily my favourite journalist who covers Boxing and UFC. Superb pieces and I thoroughly enjoyed reading both of them.
These are the kind of stories that keep everything in perspective.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
What we do for love
Anybody heard of a boxer called Steve Molitor? I am guessing most non-boxing fans have not thus I will introduce him. Molitor is Canadian and a Junior Featherweight world champion with a record of 32 wins and just the one defeat. He is not a particularly powerful puncher as his 12 knockouts suggest, but he is technically very good and one of these gritty kind of guys, which I appreciate and enjoy watching. He came to my attention as he has fought in England a handful of times and beaten three English guys. He is due to fight another in September - Jason Booth - and I expect him to outclass him also. He seems like a really good bloke whenever I have heard him speak or read stories about him.
There is a twist in the tale however. His older brother Jeremy is currently in prison serving a term for murdering his partner. It is a pretty gruesome story which you can google if you wish. Anyhow, the way in which Steve deals with it is quite noble in my view. He completely accepts what his brother did was disgusting and appalling, but he visits him frequently and voices his love and support for him despite his actions. He has never sought to accept, justify or explain his brother's action, but has stuck by him.
It's an interesting story and one which has made me think a fair bit. I guess that is a form of unconditional love. Virtually everybody else would disown the guy other than family and in many instances, I suspect the family would also. It reminds me a little bit of when I was younger, how my mum used to tell me that if I did anything illegal, she would be the first person to go to the police. I know she would have still loved me, but she would have thrown me to the wolves, and I have no doubt about that. It was a fair incentive not to do anything bad and thankfully I never did get in any serious trouble.
It is a pretty sad and grim story really, but I genuinely admire Steve's stance. It cannot be easy for anybody in that position, and I am not sure how I would feel in the same situation. One thing is for sure, putting it aside and becoming a top class boxer is pretty impressive and he is one who I have a lot of respect for.
There is a twist in the tale however. His older brother Jeremy is currently in prison serving a term for murdering his partner. It is a pretty gruesome story which you can google if you wish. Anyhow, the way in which Steve deals with it is quite noble in my view. He completely accepts what his brother did was disgusting and appalling, but he visits him frequently and voices his love and support for him despite his actions. He has never sought to accept, justify or explain his brother's action, but has stuck by him.
It's an interesting story and one which has made me think a fair bit. I guess that is a form of unconditional love. Virtually everybody else would disown the guy other than family and in many instances, I suspect the family would also. It reminds me a little bit of when I was younger, how my mum used to tell me that if I did anything illegal, she would be the first person to go to the police. I know she would have still loved me, but she would have thrown me to the wolves, and I have no doubt about that. It was a fair incentive not to do anything bad and thankfully I never did get in any serious trouble.
It is a pretty sad and grim story really, but I genuinely admire Steve's stance. It cannot be easy for anybody in that position, and I am not sure how I would feel in the same situation. One thing is for sure, putting it aside and becoming a top class boxer is pretty impressive and he is one who I have a lot of respect for.
Friday, July 9, 2010
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times
Well the World Cup is almost over. 64 games, one month, comes to a close on Sunday with a pretty decent final awaiting us. As anybody having read my pre-tournament analysis will know, I rate Spain as the best team around right now. They started slow with a poor loss to the Swiss, and had some average performances along the way, but they seem to have peaked at just the right time with a truly world class performance against Germany in the semis.
I heard early in the tournament some interesting information about Spain’s preparations at altitude training and how it had all been timed so that they would peak in the knockout phase of the competition. All of which sounds pretty sensible, plausible and logical. I also heard that England had done the same, following a similar regime. Unfortunately, they were unable to get through to the stage when that work would pay off!
I fully expect Spain to win the final. The Dutch have done well and surprised me somewhat, particularly the game against Brazil. They have won all their games in the tournament and are unbeaten in something like 25 games which is pretty impressive. That all said, I do not think they have faced a team like Spain.
There are a number of key elements which strongly favour Spain and how I expect the game to play out. Spain’s midfield is the best in the world bar none. I would go as far to say that there is no other national team that comes close to rivalling them in that area. Having seen Van Bommel exposed frequently against Brazil and Uruguay – I have no idea how he did not receive at least three bookings in those two games combined – they will really struggle to keep hold of the likes of Xavi, Iniesta and co. Even more so than the Germans did. Schweinsteiger has been fantastic the whole tournament, one of the best central midfielders. He was completely nullified in that game, and I expect Wesley Sneijder to face the same difficulties.
The other area is defensively. Holland have been somewhat flattered I think in this area, and I think it is a weakness – particularly against teams and players with excellent movement. I like Heitinga and he is probably the best of the bunch, but he will find it hard to deal with David Villa. Likewise down the flanks, especially Gio’s side, Spain will profit here.
The main factor in Holland’s favour is Arjen Robben. I’ve rambled about this before but I think he would be considered as one of the top five players in the world had he not suffered injuries and changed clubs so often. He could cause Capdevila and Ramos all kinds of problems and he will have to be at his very best if the Dutch are to have a chance of winning this game.
Otherwise it is Spain all the way for me, and rest assured I will have a pound or two on them for this game.
As much as the final entices me, I have been severely disappointed with this World Cup. I have enjoyed many of the games, but the actually quality of the competition has been incredibly low. In fact, I would go as far in saying that it was only the game between Spain and Germany where we saw some of the highest quality football. Otherwise, the competition has been littered with average games, and even the entertaining ones were largely down to refereeing mistakes, or poor defending/goalkeeping. How many absolute moments of brilliance can you remember from this one? There are not many at all. So many of the best players in the world also massively underperformed. Messi, Ronaldo, Rooney, Kaka....I could go on. Once again, just strengthens my belief that the Champions League is the best football competition in the world. I take Spain out of the equation as I rate them as comfortably the best team in the world, but every other team has significant weaknesses in their team. While it has been a success for the first WC held in Africa, I think international football is at a pretty low point right now.
I heard early in the tournament some interesting information about Spain’s preparations at altitude training and how it had all been timed so that they would peak in the knockout phase of the competition. All of which sounds pretty sensible, plausible and logical. I also heard that England had done the same, following a similar regime. Unfortunately, they were unable to get through to the stage when that work would pay off!
I fully expect Spain to win the final. The Dutch have done well and surprised me somewhat, particularly the game against Brazil. They have won all their games in the tournament and are unbeaten in something like 25 games which is pretty impressive. That all said, I do not think they have faced a team like Spain.
There are a number of key elements which strongly favour Spain and how I expect the game to play out. Spain’s midfield is the best in the world bar none. I would go as far to say that there is no other national team that comes close to rivalling them in that area. Having seen Van Bommel exposed frequently against Brazil and Uruguay – I have no idea how he did not receive at least three bookings in those two games combined – they will really struggle to keep hold of the likes of Xavi, Iniesta and co. Even more so than the Germans did. Schweinsteiger has been fantastic the whole tournament, one of the best central midfielders. He was completely nullified in that game, and I expect Wesley Sneijder to face the same difficulties.
The other area is defensively. Holland have been somewhat flattered I think in this area, and I think it is a weakness – particularly against teams and players with excellent movement. I like Heitinga and he is probably the best of the bunch, but he will find it hard to deal with David Villa. Likewise down the flanks, especially Gio’s side, Spain will profit here.
The main factor in Holland’s favour is Arjen Robben. I’ve rambled about this before but I think he would be considered as one of the top five players in the world had he not suffered injuries and changed clubs so often. He could cause Capdevila and Ramos all kinds of problems and he will have to be at his very best if the Dutch are to have a chance of winning this game.
Otherwise it is Spain all the way for me, and rest assured I will have a pound or two on them for this game.
As much as the final entices me, I have been severely disappointed with this World Cup. I have enjoyed many of the games, but the actually quality of the competition has been incredibly low. In fact, I would go as far in saying that it was only the game between Spain and Germany where we saw some of the highest quality football. Otherwise, the competition has been littered with average games, and even the entertaining ones were largely down to refereeing mistakes, or poor defending/goalkeeping. How many absolute moments of brilliance can you remember from this one? There are not many at all. So many of the best players in the world also massively underperformed. Messi, Ronaldo, Rooney, Kaka....I could go on. Once again, just strengthens my belief that the Champions League is the best football competition in the world. I take Spain out of the equation as I rate them as comfortably the best team in the world, but every other team has significant weaknesses in their team. While it has been a success for the first WC held in Africa, I think international football is at a pretty low point right now.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Paying the price
As an Everton fan, I think I am quite mellow on the whole. I am as passionate as anybody, I just don’t swear as much as I used to when I was a kid or like some of my fellow Evertonians in Lower Gwladys.
I guess more than anything I am realistic. I appreciate the situation surrounding the ownership and Bill Kenwright. He has his critics, he has many of them. I have a soft spot for him however. I wrote to him a few years ago while I was a Director at Brentford about a number of points, and he called me up only a few days later to discuss the letter. I found him extremely personable and an absolute pleasure to talk to. Does that make him a great chairman? Not at all. But I defy anybody working in English football to say a bad word about him, and he is respected throughout. Challenging and questioning key emotive issues such as the stadium move was always likely to upset some folks, but he is following principles which he strongly believes will take the club forward and I admire that. Would I like to see David Moyes with an unlimited transfer budget? Hell yeah! Would I like to see some random American, Russian or Sheikh come in and take the club over? Not at all. I only have to look at Man Utd and Liverpool to dissuade me from that.
Moyes is much the same. Even more so, I have the utmost respect for him and I rate him extremely highly. I haven’t met anybody who is not impressed by him in fact. I understand that they have not always been able to play the most attractive football, but he has done an amazing job with the funds and players at his disposal, and I would not swap him for anybody. Things are moving in the right direction on and off the pitch, and I have high hopes for next season if we can keep some key players fit, and hopefully not lose any of the star players.
All that said, I’ve been hit by some news in the last few days, and it is fair to say that I am absolutely fuming about it. Dan Gosling has reportedly left the club as a free agent after an administrative error saw a verbal offer of a contract not put into writing. How can this possibly happen at a professional football club? At the same time, the fact is, the player clearly has been tempted to leave and take advantage of the loophole. In that sense, there is nothing too much one can do. It should never be allowed to happen however. Given that the club have made a slight change to their transfer strategy in aiming to invest in younger players from across Europe, and taking advantage of the Bosman ruling, it amazes me that they can allow this to happen. Gosling signed for the club in 2008 for around £1.2m rising to £2m on appearances and milestones. To allow him to slip through the net and take advantage of this loophole is appalling. People in many industries lose their jobs for far less than this, and I would love to know who is to blame for this one. I suspect we will learn a lot once the club make it official and report on the official website. These kind of mistakes and comical financial losses happen at other clubs frequently. It should not happen at ours. I can forgive them for losing a match, not being the best team in the world, not having the most money, but this is different. Bad bad form.
I guess more than anything I am realistic. I appreciate the situation surrounding the ownership and Bill Kenwright. He has his critics, he has many of them. I have a soft spot for him however. I wrote to him a few years ago while I was a Director at Brentford about a number of points, and he called me up only a few days later to discuss the letter. I found him extremely personable and an absolute pleasure to talk to. Does that make him a great chairman? Not at all. But I defy anybody working in English football to say a bad word about him, and he is respected throughout. Challenging and questioning key emotive issues such as the stadium move was always likely to upset some folks, but he is following principles which he strongly believes will take the club forward and I admire that. Would I like to see David Moyes with an unlimited transfer budget? Hell yeah! Would I like to see some random American, Russian or Sheikh come in and take the club over? Not at all. I only have to look at Man Utd and Liverpool to dissuade me from that.
Moyes is much the same. Even more so, I have the utmost respect for him and I rate him extremely highly. I haven’t met anybody who is not impressed by him in fact. I understand that they have not always been able to play the most attractive football, but he has done an amazing job with the funds and players at his disposal, and I would not swap him for anybody. Things are moving in the right direction on and off the pitch, and I have high hopes for next season if we can keep some key players fit, and hopefully not lose any of the star players.
All that said, I’ve been hit by some news in the last few days, and it is fair to say that I am absolutely fuming about it. Dan Gosling has reportedly left the club as a free agent after an administrative error saw a verbal offer of a contract not put into writing. How can this possibly happen at a professional football club? At the same time, the fact is, the player clearly has been tempted to leave and take advantage of the loophole. In that sense, there is nothing too much one can do. It should never be allowed to happen however. Given that the club have made a slight change to their transfer strategy in aiming to invest in younger players from across Europe, and taking advantage of the Bosman ruling, it amazes me that they can allow this to happen. Gosling signed for the club in 2008 for around £1.2m rising to £2m on appearances and milestones. To allow him to slip through the net and take advantage of this loophole is appalling. People in many industries lose their jobs for far less than this, and I would love to know who is to blame for this one. I suspect we will learn a lot once the club make it official and report on the official website. These kind of mistakes and comical financial losses happen at other clubs frequently. It should not happen at ours. I can forgive them for losing a match, not being the best team in the world, not having the most money, but this is different. Bad bad form.
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