If you happen one day to be fortunate enough to be invited to Leeds, or even just a visit to Lausanne, you’ll be afforded the opportunity to see the Esteva library. Don’t expect to see Chaucer, I had more than enough of muppets like him at school. Don’t expect to find the latest crime thriller by Patricia Cornwell – coming from Leeds and having lived in Liverpool and Barcelona, I’ve first-hand experience of that kind of stuff. Apart from the Dexter series, you will find a predominantly sports-autobiography based collection. There are plenty of other gems in there, but either way, it is sport pretty much. That will not surprise most people who know me, and if it does, then we need to get to know each other a bit better and you need to buy me a drink.
I strongly lean towards autobiographies. I am fascinated to learn about the sportsmen and women that I admire and the psychology behind what makes them what they are. I mentioned it in a previous blog post, but my recent reading of Andre Agassi’s book was a real eye-opener, and gave me a completely different perspective of him.
Sat on my bookshelf in Lausanne is one particular book written and given to me by a friend of mine when it came out gift just over a year ago. It is called Englischer Fussball by Raphael Honigstein. In one particular chapter, it details a trait which he argues is very English – the need to suffer unnecessarily, taking the long route, and even taking a subconscious enjoyment from it. Being faced with adversity or some form of pain – physical or psychological – and being able to show that you can truck through it, survive and overcome it. I know there are certain elements that sit somewhere in my mindset along these lines, and I think it is the same with many folks. Whether it is a typically English thing, I am not so sure, I know others who are similar. It is not a case of eliciting sympathy or attention, it is purely a mechanism that works in the brain, probably to build psychological strength. That is my logic anyhow, maybe some folks think differently. Unquestionably some folks like to suffer and then have the hard luck story to tell – it is a similar thing in the sense that telling those stories is just as key to them as anything else and they thrive from it.
It is far from being a positive characteristic. I tend to avoid it at work for example – one would probably be fired in no time for procrastinating and taking inefficient routes. However, it is one which we can so easily fall into and even take some pleasure from. This may sound totally strange to some people also. Why suffer in any shape or form, or waste time, when it is completely unnecessary? There is no real logic behind any of it, I guess it is just how some people are and I know there are random parts of me like that.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
The Blues and the Bees
Tuesday night was a pretty special evening for me as Brentford played Everton in the Carling Cup at Griffin Park. To most people, it sounds pretty unglamorous and it was on the whole, but special nonetheless. It was a slightly surreal evening as the team I have supported since 1985 were up against the Bees, where I was a Director on the Board for three years.
I flew back to the UK for the game, and a reasonably unpleasant dental appointment, and it was a fantastic evening. Sadly, the Toffeemen’s woes continue and they were beaten on penalties. It was another pretty poor performance in truth and while they were the better side, the Bees missed a penalty. David Moyes has a fair task on his hands to get this season turned around pretty swiftly. All pretty disappointing from that perspective, but on the flip-side, it was A the Carling Cup and B. there is no other team I would rather my boys be giant-killed by than the Bees. At this point, I should go on about the Cup being a Mickey Mouse competition and nobody being interested in it…..
The atmosphere was fantastic – understandably as this was a huge game for Brentford and Everton brought 2,000 of the 9,000 fans down for this one. In a stadium of just over 10,000, it was almost a sell out and it made for a close intimate atmosphere. Seeing what it meant to the fans and the directors was great. Having been on the board, I know just how important these kind of games are to a club the size of Brentford – every year we prayed that the team could get to the stages of the cup where the Premier League teams joined the competition and that we would draw them for the financial windfall that comes. Beating one of them is all the sweeter – even a diehard Evertonian can appreciate that.
Returning to Griffin Park certainly brought back plenty of memories. It was the first time in 16 months since I resigned from the board that I was going back – and needless to say, I received some glory hunter comments. How anybody can call an Everton fan a glory supporter is beyond me, but I take the point! It also allowed me to see some familiar faces and catch up with two old friends – and I’ll emphasise the old PW, I now know you read my blog!
People often ask me how it was being on the board of a football club. I often say it is far from being as glamorous as it sounds. I suspect being on the board of a top Premiership team has slightly more glamour about it, though I suspect Bill Kenwright and Sir Philip Carter were not thinking that last night. For me, my three years at the club were generally quite passive and I spent most of my BFC time observing protecting the interests of the person I was representing on the board rather than playing a hugely active role. Given I had little time outside of work and commuting, this was my main priority, but it was an incredible learning experience. One which I certainly would not have gone through had it been a Premier League club and one which I would not take back at all. From onions on the burgers to what happens on the pitch, I was exposed to everything. Of course, everybody is most interested in the football side of things, the team, the transfers – everybody playing the role of manager and offering their views on who we should buy, sell, start and drop.
When I joined the club, they were going through a pretty severe rough patch having sold several key players to balance books and replacing them with cheap alternatives. Surprisingly enough, it didn’t work. Things have improved in the last 18 months however since they have received investment. I also note quite a shift in perspective from the fans too – not just from last night, but on the message boards and forums I read. There is much more positivity around and less focus on wanting to shoot the directors. I was always pretty fireproof given that I was representing the main investor at the club, but I was always a little taken aback at some of the criticism some fellow Directors received. Having gotten to know them on a personal level, it was tough to understand – regardless of mistakes being made, there is not a bad person among the current crew with all of them having BFC at heart. I was delighted for them after the game, they deserve it for the time and money they put into the club – with never a hope of getting any of it back out.
Even after the nine hours sleep in the last two days, the toothache, two delayed flights and a miserable loss, I’ve enjoyed the journey and I am pleased for the Brentford boys. Hopefully the result for both teams will spark them in the league where both are in a similar situation and need to improve. The next game cannot come quick enough for Everton and me.
I flew back to the UK for the game, and a reasonably unpleasant dental appointment, and it was a fantastic evening. Sadly, the Toffeemen’s woes continue and they were beaten on penalties. It was another pretty poor performance in truth and while they were the better side, the Bees missed a penalty. David Moyes has a fair task on his hands to get this season turned around pretty swiftly. All pretty disappointing from that perspective, but on the flip-side, it was A the Carling Cup and B. there is no other team I would rather my boys be giant-killed by than the Bees. At this point, I should go on about the Cup being a Mickey Mouse competition and nobody being interested in it…..
The atmosphere was fantastic – understandably as this was a huge game for Brentford and Everton brought 2,000 of the 9,000 fans down for this one. In a stadium of just over 10,000, it was almost a sell out and it made for a close intimate atmosphere. Seeing what it meant to the fans and the directors was great. Having been on the board, I know just how important these kind of games are to a club the size of Brentford – every year we prayed that the team could get to the stages of the cup where the Premier League teams joined the competition and that we would draw them for the financial windfall that comes. Beating one of them is all the sweeter – even a diehard Evertonian can appreciate that.
Returning to Griffin Park certainly brought back plenty of memories. It was the first time in 16 months since I resigned from the board that I was going back – and needless to say, I received some glory hunter comments. How anybody can call an Everton fan a glory supporter is beyond me, but I take the point! It also allowed me to see some familiar faces and catch up with two old friends – and I’ll emphasise the old PW, I now know you read my blog!
People often ask me how it was being on the board of a football club. I often say it is far from being as glamorous as it sounds. I suspect being on the board of a top Premiership team has slightly more glamour about it, though I suspect Bill Kenwright and Sir Philip Carter were not thinking that last night. For me, my three years at the club were generally quite passive and I spent most of my BFC time observing protecting the interests of the person I was representing on the board rather than playing a hugely active role. Given I had little time outside of work and commuting, this was my main priority, but it was an incredible learning experience. One which I certainly would not have gone through had it been a Premier League club and one which I would not take back at all. From onions on the burgers to what happens on the pitch, I was exposed to everything. Of course, everybody is most interested in the football side of things, the team, the transfers – everybody playing the role of manager and offering their views on who we should buy, sell, start and drop.
When I joined the club, they were going through a pretty severe rough patch having sold several key players to balance books and replacing them with cheap alternatives. Surprisingly enough, it didn’t work. Things have improved in the last 18 months however since they have received investment. I also note quite a shift in perspective from the fans too – not just from last night, but on the message boards and forums I read. There is much more positivity around and less focus on wanting to shoot the directors. I was always pretty fireproof given that I was representing the main investor at the club, but I was always a little taken aback at some of the criticism some fellow Directors received. Having gotten to know them on a personal level, it was tough to understand – regardless of mistakes being made, there is not a bad person among the current crew with all of them having BFC at heart. I was delighted for them after the game, they deserve it for the time and money they put into the club – with never a hope of getting any of it back out.
Even after the nine hours sleep in the last two days, the toothache, two delayed flights and a miserable loss, I’ve enjoyed the journey and I am pleased for the Brentford boys. Hopefully the result for both teams will spark them in the league where both are in a similar situation and need to improve. The next game cannot come quick enough for Everton and me.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
What I have learned this week
Calgary really is an insane city – snow in September already. Easy to think it sounds so cool, but only when you experience do you feel sorry for those who have to survive it.
I have realised that a pair of jeans that fit properly make a massive difference to one’s appearance.
I learned this week that perhaps I do have a slight man-crush on Brandon Flowers – I cannot wait for his concert in Zurich in October.
I realised that I actually welcome injuries to boxers when I cannot go to a big fight that I want to see and one guy has to pull out injured meaning I could possibly go when it is rearranged. I’m not proud of that one but it is true.
I am not one for doom and gloom and I actually consider myself to be quite a positive person. However, when you think something cannot get any worse, the truth is, it can.
I am going to Oslo next weekend and I am genuinely excited. Never been up anywhere up there before, and I cannot wait.
I remembered this week that people often believe newspapers when they want to believe them, and do not believe them when they do not want to.
I learned this week that I do still need to lose some weight and a couple of love handles. Half marathon training starts Sunday.
I learned this week that footballers do cheat on their WAGS, but they are sometimes set up – read Peter Crouch. His credit card was stolen and he was going to collect it in the hotel in Madrid, and it was portrayed as an affair.
I learned this week that there is a new star blogger in town.
I have realised that a pair of jeans that fit properly make a massive difference to one’s appearance.
I learned this week that perhaps I do have a slight man-crush on Brandon Flowers – I cannot wait for his concert in Zurich in October.
I realised that I actually welcome injuries to boxers when I cannot go to a big fight that I want to see and one guy has to pull out injured meaning I could possibly go when it is rearranged. I’m not proud of that one but it is true.
I am not one for doom and gloom and I actually consider myself to be quite a positive person. However, when you think something cannot get any worse, the truth is, it can.
I am going to Oslo next weekend and I am genuinely excited. Never been up anywhere up there before, and I cannot wait.
I remembered this week that people often believe newspapers when they want to believe them, and do not believe them when they do not want to.
I learned this week that I do still need to lose some weight and a couple of love handles. Half marathon training starts Sunday.
I learned this week that footballers do cheat on their WAGS, but they are sometimes set up – read Peter Crouch. His credit card was stolen and he was going to collect it in the hotel in Madrid, and it was portrayed as an affair.
I learned this week that there is a new star blogger in town.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Bouncebackability
One trait among athletes and in people in general that I admire the most, is the ability to hold it together psychologically when things are going tough and to fight back. The team that is losing and fights back to get a result, the boxer who has been whipped for 11 rounds and knocks his opponent out in the 12th, the guy down the street who has been diagnosed with cancer and fights through it and survives. The problem however was how to describe the process without too many words – there was no particular adjective to explain it.
A couple of years ago, a new word was introduced into the English dictionary following a campaign on Soccer AM – one of my favourite television shows – and it finally filled the void. Bouncebackability was born.
This was no more evident than on Saturday when HJ and I were on Merseyside for Everton v Man Utd. My boys played quite well apart from some comedy defensive moments, largely due to a poor performance from Sylvain Distan. 3-1 down with only injury time remaining, the Blues somehow managed to bounce back and score two goals in the 92nd and 93rd minutes to draw 3-3. The whole place erupted…or so we heard. I am not proud of this, in fact I am ashamed, but I insisted that we leave on 90 minutes. I was fighting off a cold, and was fed up at 3-1 and figured the boys had no chance with Utd in control of the game. It’s a rule I have always abided by – never leave before the final whistle. However, over the last couple of years, with a fairly fast paced lifestyle, I have developed a rule – I will leave on 90 minutes if there is a difference of two goals or more. Well it well and truly bit my butt this time, and we were victims of a severe case of Bouncebackability.
We experienced another example of Bouncebackability recently. My adorable little niece Mia had her first day at school around ten days ago. The little monkey was so excited about her first day and was having a great first day until she fell off the climbing frame and broke her collarbone. She had a rough day and a half, but then she just seemed so positive and brave about it all. Granted, she was enjoying a sweet and ice cream diet, but I was amazed at how she dealt with it all. She was on good form and she had the ability to bounce back amazingly well. I guess kids have greater recovery powers – I don’t think I would have been so lively as she was.
I would hazard a guess that anybody who has seen the show Soccer AM knows all about Bouncebackability. I would also guess that most folks here in Switzerland and anywhere else outside of the UK have never heard of it. Well, now is the time to adopt it. Throw it into a conversation when appropriate and spread the word.
A couple of years ago, a new word was introduced into the English dictionary following a campaign on Soccer AM – one of my favourite television shows – and it finally filled the void. Bouncebackability was born.
This was no more evident than on Saturday when HJ and I were on Merseyside for Everton v Man Utd. My boys played quite well apart from some comedy defensive moments, largely due to a poor performance from Sylvain Distan. 3-1 down with only injury time remaining, the Blues somehow managed to bounce back and score two goals in the 92nd and 93rd minutes to draw 3-3. The whole place erupted…or so we heard. I am not proud of this, in fact I am ashamed, but I insisted that we leave on 90 minutes. I was fighting off a cold, and was fed up at 3-1 and figured the boys had no chance with Utd in control of the game. It’s a rule I have always abided by – never leave before the final whistle. However, over the last couple of years, with a fairly fast paced lifestyle, I have developed a rule – I will leave on 90 minutes if there is a difference of two goals or more. Well it well and truly bit my butt this time, and we were victims of a severe case of Bouncebackability.
We experienced another example of Bouncebackability recently. My adorable little niece Mia had her first day at school around ten days ago. The little monkey was so excited about her first day and was having a great first day until she fell off the climbing frame and broke her collarbone. She had a rough day and a half, but then she just seemed so positive and brave about it all. Granted, she was enjoying a sweet and ice cream diet, but I was amazed at how she dealt with it all. She was on good form and she had the ability to bounce back amazingly well. I guess kids have greater recovery powers – I don’t think I would have been so lively as she was.
I would hazard a guess that anybody who has seen the show Soccer AM knows all about Bouncebackability. I would also guess that most folks here in Switzerland and anywhere else outside of the UK have never heard of it. Well, now is the time to adopt it. Throw it into a conversation when appropriate and spread the word.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Snipplings
HJ and I were in Nice airport last week and we people-watched for a while. Some sad farewells and some joyous hellos as folks watched their loved ones depart or arrive. Made me think that Airports are actually Churches – full of ups and downs and not too much middle ground. There is either great delight (weddings, christenings – arrivals) or there is sadness (the funerals and farewells). There are even folks who pray in both too!
So, the UFC have decided what better way to celebrate my 31st birthday than to schedule a huge event in the one place I have dreamed about watching a big fight for years now – December 11th, Montreal. I have no alternative but to go, and direct flights from Geneva make it all the more appealing. GSP on the card….what more could I ask for? Who is coming? I'll buy first round!
NFL season starts on Thursday and I am going to go on record with my Superbowl prediction. Ravens v Packers and I think the Ravens win the shootout.
I worked at the Switzerland v England game yesterday. My observations: Jo Hart showed his first signs of the vulnerability this season – it will be interesting to see whether it is a sign of things to come. Jagielka – I love this guy as much as any, but I think some of the praise is over exaggerated….I do not feel completely comfortable with him at this level and want to see the same against top class international strikers before being convinced by him. Some English journalists are pretty horrendous people. I expected the Swiss more than anybody to clamp down on smoking in the stadium but they were very relaxed about it. First half was one of the best halves I have seen from an England team for some while.
Read a whole lot on holiday last week – I have missed reading in recent months. Book to recommend – Andre Agassi’s autobiography. Very interesting read, but very much based on his psychology and what made him the guy he is. Far more emphasis on that than the actual sport – depends on whether that side of it interests you. It did me. One point in the book where he beat his dad at tennis when he was 9-years-old reminded me of when I used to play badminton with some mates after school with our English teacher who was pretty sharp. He used to hammer us every time, took no mercy, but I gradually started winnings points. After weeks and months of training and practicising and plenty of beatings on court, I eventually beat him and the feeling was amazing. Which leads me on to another book recommendation – this one comes via a colleague. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell – The Story of Success. He discusses the “10,000-Hour Rule", claiming that the key to success in any field is, to a large extent, a matter of practicing a specific task for a total of around 10,000 hours.
Footballers and infidelity – do they genuinely think they can get away with it? I will never understand the logic of some many of them. The irony is, the wives/fiancées/girlfriends are generally prettier than the ones they are cheating on them with. I feel sorry for the intelligent and clever footballers who are honest and loyal but probably stereotyped as being just as thick as so many of their colleagues.
So, the UFC have decided what better way to celebrate my 31st birthday than to schedule a huge event in the one place I have dreamed about watching a big fight for years now – December 11th, Montreal. I have no alternative but to go, and direct flights from Geneva make it all the more appealing. GSP on the card….what more could I ask for? Who is coming? I'll buy first round!
NFL season starts on Thursday and I am going to go on record with my Superbowl prediction. Ravens v Packers and I think the Ravens win the shootout.
I worked at the Switzerland v England game yesterday. My observations: Jo Hart showed his first signs of the vulnerability this season – it will be interesting to see whether it is a sign of things to come. Jagielka – I love this guy as much as any, but I think some of the praise is over exaggerated….I do not feel completely comfortable with him at this level and want to see the same against top class international strikers before being convinced by him. Some English journalists are pretty horrendous people. I expected the Swiss more than anybody to clamp down on smoking in the stadium but they were very relaxed about it. First half was one of the best halves I have seen from an England team for some while.
Read a whole lot on holiday last week – I have missed reading in recent months. Book to recommend – Andre Agassi’s autobiography. Very interesting read, but very much based on his psychology and what made him the guy he is. Far more emphasis on that than the actual sport – depends on whether that side of it interests you. It did me. One point in the book where he beat his dad at tennis when he was 9-years-old reminded me of when I used to play badminton with some mates after school with our English teacher who was pretty sharp. He used to hammer us every time, took no mercy, but I gradually started winnings points. After weeks and months of training and practicising and plenty of beatings on court, I eventually beat him and the feeling was amazing. Which leads me on to another book recommendation – this one comes via a colleague. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell – The Story of Success. He discusses the “10,000-Hour Rule", claiming that the key to success in any field is, to a large extent, a matter of practicing a specific task for a total of around 10,000 hours.
Footballers and infidelity – do they genuinely think they can get away with it? I will never understand the logic of some many of them. The irony is, the wives/fiancées/girlfriends are generally prettier than the ones they are cheating on them with. I feel sorry for the intelligent and clever footballers who are honest and loyal but probably stereotyped as being just as thick as so many of their colleagues.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Jim'll Fix It
Having worked into the betting industry for four and a half years and working on a betting fraud detection project at Uefa for over a year, I have a reasonable amount of experience in the area of betting and corruption within football. I say football, but for football you can read virtually any other sport where there is serious competition and decent amounts of money involved. That may be distressing news to some folks, but it is true. Football is the one which grabs the headlines, but it happens in virtually every sport.
North American sports? Barring steroids, innocent and virtuous I hear you cry. I would put my last penny on some NBA, NHL, MLB games being fixed. Three leagues that play over 80 regular season games per team will have match fixing for sure. The misguided view in North America among many sporting administrators is that because betting on individual matches and match events outside of regulated casinos and sports books (online betting is illegal – try access your Betfair account over there) is prohibited, games cannot be fixed. Unfortunately, and this is the case in Europe also, it is short-sighted and they fail to recognise that the big money is floating around in Asia.
So many sports have been infiltrated. Snooker – there have been so many instances in recent years involving key players where they have either purposely lost matches or frames. The same has happened in tennis. Look at the revelation today regarding cricket and it is not even the final result that has to be fixed. The alleged corruption in that game surrounds three no-balls being balled. Somebody has caught somebody out here, but this happens all the time. When you can bet on suck minor details of a game, it creates opportunities for greater corruption which becomes increasingly impossible to detect. Players involved in such corruption are far more likely to become involved in a fix if it not involving the final outcome of the game – imagine the tennis player serves a double fault in the second set and at 4-2 up – would you be able to tell he did it on purpose? That is another misguided view by administrators looking for purely fixed outcomes rather than specific events.
So, the question is, will the States lift their restrictions on gambling over there any time soon with all the potential further corruption it could bring? I’ll bet that they will purely for the financial benefits it brings the country. The big cash is in Asia, but they can take a slice of the pie too. Cynical to think that way, but my guess is that it will happen sooner or later.
There are some pretty good books on match-fixing and corruption. Andrew Jennings book ‘Foul!’ and Declan Hill’s ‘The Fix’ are quite eye opening and a good start to learn how it works. The one issue they do not deal with is how it can be stopped. Cynical Bobby says it cannot unfortunately. There will always be lowly paid or greedy players who want to make a quick buck, and there will always be people out there throwing temptation their way. It is pretty sad to think that way, but I fear it will continue and even more so with the poor economy right now. It is a bit like the crusade against drugs in sport – unfortunately, the culprits will always be that one step ahead of the administrators.
North American sports? Barring steroids, innocent and virtuous I hear you cry. I would put my last penny on some NBA, NHL, MLB games being fixed. Three leagues that play over 80 regular season games per team will have match fixing for sure. The misguided view in North America among many sporting administrators is that because betting on individual matches and match events outside of regulated casinos and sports books (online betting is illegal – try access your Betfair account over there) is prohibited, games cannot be fixed. Unfortunately, and this is the case in Europe also, it is short-sighted and they fail to recognise that the big money is floating around in Asia.
So many sports have been infiltrated. Snooker – there have been so many instances in recent years involving key players where they have either purposely lost matches or frames. The same has happened in tennis. Look at the revelation today regarding cricket and it is not even the final result that has to be fixed. The alleged corruption in that game surrounds three no-balls being balled. Somebody has caught somebody out here, but this happens all the time. When you can bet on suck minor details of a game, it creates opportunities for greater corruption which becomes increasingly impossible to detect. Players involved in such corruption are far more likely to become involved in a fix if it not involving the final outcome of the game – imagine the tennis player serves a double fault in the second set and at 4-2 up – would you be able to tell he did it on purpose? That is another misguided view by administrators looking for purely fixed outcomes rather than specific events.
So, the question is, will the States lift their restrictions on gambling over there any time soon with all the potential further corruption it could bring? I’ll bet that they will purely for the financial benefits it brings the country. The big cash is in Asia, but they can take a slice of the pie too. Cynical to think that way, but my guess is that it will happen sooner or later.
There are some pretty good books on match-fixing and corruption. Andrew Jennings book ‘Foul!’ and Declan Hill’s ‘The Fix’ are quite eye opening and a good start to learn how it works. The one issue they do not deal with is how it can be stopped. Cynical Bobby says it cannot unfortunately. There will always be lowly paid or greedy players who want to make a quick buck, and there will always be people out there throwing temptation their way. It is pretty sad to think that way, but I fear it will continue and even more so with the poor economy right now. It is a bit like the crusade against drugs in sport – unfortunately, the culprits will always be that one step ahead of the administrators.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Boxed In
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
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
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.
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