Time On Hands @Airports

For somebody who works in data and analysis, one would think I’d have a better grasp on the numbers here, but all I know from 2014 is that I flew a lot and spent a lot of time in airports. A silly amount. That said, I’ve got the planning and timing side of things down to an art form now, and I rarely waste time lounging around in an airport. I say rarely rather than never because I did spectacularly goof up recently missing a flight, but if there was ever a legitimate place to add ‘highly skilled traveller’ on a CV, I’d likely scribble it. There are however often times when delays and layovers contrive to upset the best laid plans. When that does happen, there’s only one thing to do to keep sane….people watch.

From Geneva to Heathrow and vice versa, I’m tired of the furniture, the restaurants, the gates, and the Duty Free. The only thing that changes is the people. During 2014 and the hours I’ve spent in the airports, I’ve categorised people in to four main groups based on a very scientific approach (also known as boredom & BS), but I reckon there may just be something in this. I have taken people’s approach to escalators and moving walkways and lumped them in to four categories of people and their approach on life. Random yes, but let’s see if it works....bear with me!

The World Bypassers

These guys are the one who stroll on to the moving walkway and stand there. The whole wide world can just pass them by, even if they are the ones sauntering through the airport, chilled as you like, and probably blocking off the rest of the world who want to pass. They won’t even get irate if somebody gets frustrated with them, that is not their problem. They have a pace and they are happy to be taken to their destination. Don’t try rush them, they won’t be rushed, and actually, they don’t really care what you think. They’re in the zone and nothing is going to ruin that upcoming beach or chill time.

Likely Destinations: Amsterdam, California or Hawaii

The Step Walkers

The escalator may be busy, it may be completely clear, but these guys will prefer to take the stairs rather than the escalator regardless. Whether it’s a phobia of the technological options, a weight-loss/get fit tactic, or they are just on a mission to get there, it is the staircase all the way for these folks. There may be a simple, quicker, easier route to get to where they want to be, but these guys enjoy the challenge. That may involve complicating things a little at times but only because the easy route can be boring at times.

Likely Destinations: Scotland, Iceland or Switzerland

The Efficient Technologists

This group is one which is at ease with technology and buy into being economical with the path they need to take. A to B in the quickest or energy-effective method or route. They may walk on the escalator or the moving walkway, but they will take it every time. Why not get there at a reasonable pace or be economical with your energy? Incredibly logical and practical, they are likely to be superb suitcase packers, and take enough clothes to last them for just the right amount of time they are away for.

Likely Destinations: Munich, Tokyo or Singapore

The Uphill Taskers

OK so I may not have actually seen this happen other than a few pesky kids, but you get the feeling with some people and the serious march they have going on, that they would walk on either the escalator or the moving walkway in the opposite direction if it meant getting to where they needed to be – a little bit like the old Gladiator show when the contestants had to run up the moving travellator. They are either panicking at the thought of missing their flight, or they just refuse to let anything or anyone get in their way. It’s just business they say, don’t take it personally. Cross them at your peril….although innocently (but on purpose) trying to slow them down can only bring some smug satisfaction. That or hope the Easyjet crew ask them to place their bulging cabin case in the impossibly small measuring device.

Likely Destinations: London City or New York

You’re sat there (all 3 of you) reading this thinking you’re a little bit of one or two of them. Or maybe it depends on the circumstance, reason for travel, or destination ahead. I think I’ve gone through all the different phases myself over the years. The biggest thing I have come to learn is that any dramas or delays are almost certainly not the fault of the staff that work in the airports. Likewise, you don’t get there any faster by getting stressed. And last but not least, if you have a bag checked in, definitely do not stress to get on the plane if you’re running late. The hassle of them rummaging through the under-carriage just to find your bag gives you a good 20 minute window…..but don’t whatever you do, upset The Uphill Taskers!

Random Sporting Thoughts

I failed for the first time this year on producing a New Year’s blog making sporting predictions for the year ahead. After essentially promising Floyd and Manny would fight for the last 15 years (it feels that long), I can officially confirm that they agreed to fight this year purely because they didn’t feel the weight of expectation based on my annual blog. We may be a few months into the year, but still plenty to predict and look forward to…..and I have to write another blog for work tomorrow which I have to nail, so I need to get back into this writing business!

Manny & Floyd

We may as well start at the start. I am giddy. I have been known to get giddy about the biggest fight ever numerous times (for numerous read monthly) in the past. This is it though. This is as big as they come. So how do it see it? For once, I am sticking with my initial thought that Floyd wins on points. It is so easy to get caught up in these fights and the hype and go back and forth on them, and I have had thoughts that Manny’s workrate is too much for Floyd. However, I still just have to go for Floyd. Defence is impeccable, he’ll land with enough straight rights and his accuracy percentages will be way way higher. Manny will land more punches, but I’m dubious about how many quality shots he will land. So much will depend on the judges, but if it comes to that which I am pretty sure it will, Floyd will get any favours. It’s one of the reasons they are fighting in Vegas. Floyd on points.

Josh Warrington

You may not know the name but he’s fighting tonight at the First Direct Arena in Leeds. He’s a hometown boy, went to the same school as me, and he is good. You’ll only know him if you’re from Leeds or love Boxing, but remember the name.

Barca or Bayern?

Those two are my picks to go all the way in the Champions League this season, and I am slightly edging Barca. I do think Paris (you may still say PSG, but they actually asked UEFA to change their short name for branding purposes) could test them but I favour Barca to get a good enough result at home while Paris are without some key players in David Luiz, Thiago Motta, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Marco Verratti and that may be a little too much to overcome.

Why Barca over Bayern? Super tough call and little to separate them. I just edge Barca because I think they have the greater individual attacking brilliance to turn a tight game, I think Rakitic has adapted so well and come strong in the last couple of months that they have recaptured their best form, and I just think Barca are tested at the highest level a little more often than Bayern domestically which may give them a marginal edge.

My only hope is that they avoid each other until the final.

Rugby League Rule Change

Saw plenty of NRL the last week which was thoroughly enjoyable. A definite upgrade in intensity from Super League, and fierce competition. The Bulldogs versus the Rabbitohs was a quality match, but there was an interesting moment when a player was forced off through a bad injury which came from a naughty knee to the head. Not pleasant. In those circumstances where a team loses a player through injury due to foul play (could be a penalty or if the referee puts a player on report), the team on the receiving end should be able to use an additional player outside of the four replacements they have on the bench. Seems harsh to penalise a team due to foul play. This goes across multiple sports, but a general frustration of mine for so much punishment that goes on in sport, is that it rarely does not benefit the team that the crimes were committed against in that specific game – it’s the team(s) their opponents play next. #rantover

A Sucker For Stories

Today at 6.30pm UK time the Ottawa Senators will play in Philadelphia in the NHL. The Sens need a point to reach the play-offs. In their last 30 matches, they have won 22, picked up a point in 4, and only lost 4 of those games – an unbelievable run and if they do manage to do it today, it will be a story in itself. The Sens General Manager is a chap called Bryan Murray – he’s been there since 2005. In November, it was announced that he has colon cancer – stage 4 meaning it has no cure, and his deterioration has visibly shown in the last few months. He’s one of those older chaps who you see and listen to and think you’d be happy enough if he was your granddad. I sincerely hope, and I think they will, that the Sens can produce the goods today and do it for him.

Speaking Of Loveable Grandad Types

Sad news of the passing of Richie Benaud yesterday. Another one who just sounded like a gentlemen, an excellent player converting into an excellent commentator/analyst. There are not too many Aussie sportsmen who have endeared themselves to the English as much as Richie – and that is as big an achievement as anything.

Roberto Martinez

Soft Bobby has left the room and here comes Ruthless Robby. I’d sack him personally. Sounds harsh after a record points tally last season, but I’m not convinced by a number of his fundamentals. Transfers are questionable, tactically struggles to change a game in-play, has struggled to juggle his players and prioritise the right games at times this season, and more than anything else, his excessive praise of the players – ‘amazing, incredible, fantastic’ – even in defeat, is beyond believable. Harsh, but I think we continue to decline with him in charge.

Run Like You Mean It

I don't like asking people for money. In fact, I generally don't like asking people for anything but that's just awkward me. For charity, I'm willing to get over that, hence my fundraising for the Ehlers-Danlos Support UK charity. It's a worthy cause for a condition that has affected my family, and plenty of others, and just seems to fly under the radar unless you know somebody who has it.

To coincide with that, I don't really like running neither. However, I'm willing to get over that too for this cause. On May 10th, I'll run the Leeds Half Marathon to raise money for the charity. This one is special to me for a number of reasons.

1. It's the first organised race I will run (if you exclude a 4k fun run when I was about 11).

2. It's in my hometown, and there's something just special about doing it at home.

3. This condition has affected a few incredibly special people in my life, so it's for them as much as anything else. (They will be responsible for any post-run massages, food, drink supplies #justsayin).

4. Let's face it, I'm no spring chick - so it may be now or never!

If I have sponsored you in the past for a worthy cause, bought you a pint, taken you to a terrible game of some sort, or if you've been on the receiving end of any pleasant gesture (if it was unpleasant, just press the X in the top right corner) from anybody in my family such as one of my mum's braisin steak & Yorkshire meals or a piece of my dad's lasagne or if you've attended a family BBQ, then I'll unashamedly ask for a donation.

I don't care however small it is. A donation will likely earn you at least one more of one of the above and my eternal appreciation. The likelihood is that I will not be pestering you for a long time for any future donations and I definitely don't want to have to commit to any more runs in future!

https://www.justgiving.com/ROB-ESTEVA

Roberto xx

Super Sunday

There are very few weeks that pass by that my dad doesn’t ask me what teams and matches to bet on. He usually rattles off the 7-team accumulator he has put a cheeky quid on, and I’ll tell him that makes no sense or gives no value, and he usually ignores me. He asked me on Monday for a Superbowl bet, so he’s going to have to read this blog if he wants a prediction of mine to ignore!

I’m sure the term has been coined years previously but when Sky used ‘Super Sunday’ to describe their football schedule when the Premier League first started, they were on to something. Not the most complex of phrases to come up, but it was just one of those simple phrases that just worked.

So, I’m sat scribbling this blog right now, with Murray v Djokovic on the ipad on SkyGo, I have the England v Australia cricket on the laptop, and I’m watching UFC from last night as live. There’s two reasonable football matches on in the afternoon, though I am already predicting that Southampton v Swansea may be the optimal time for a cheeky afternoon nap. The day is then capped by the Superbowl tonight…..it doesn’t get any more super I guess. Well, I could be driving from Vegas for the UFC to Phoenix….that could be make it a fraction more super, but I’m saving my silliness for later in the year despite the encouragement of a lot of bad bad people.

I’ve been known to attend a sporting event or two in my time, and I’d really struggle to rank them the different types of events in terms of preference. That may be another blog post. Whether it’s the Olympics, the World Cup, or the biggest fight of all time (it’s always the next one basically!), they’re all great in their own way. The Superbowl is right at the very top of the list.

I’ve asked folks for their prediction for the game and this one just seems to be as close to call as any Superbowl I can recall. It is quite rare to get the top two ranked teams playing the Superbowl which is the case this time. Even the bookies are calling this one incredibly close.

27-24 Patriots

24-7 Patriots

23-19 Seahawks

27-20 Patriots

24-17 Seahawks

23-17 Patriots

17-14 Seahawks

24-10 Patriots

24-16 Patriots

27-9 Seahawks

24-17 Seattle

27-21 Seahawks

27-24 Seahawks

13 picks from a bunch of friends, 7-6 Patriots and 2 picks over 48, 1 on 48 and 10 under 48.

Six weeks ago, I placed a bet on Seattle to win the whole show. I’ve since laid it off. How do I see this game going? When looking at NFL matches, my first thought is to analyse the attacking and defensive strengths and weaknesses of both teams, and how I see them measuring up to each other. And parts of this game are quite logical. Seattle have the best defence of the two (and the league), and the Patriots have the best offense of the two (and the league). When you have elite defence against an elite offense in any sport, I generally edge the elite defence – it’s often easier to destroy than create.

If we look at the other side of it, the Seattle offense against the Patriots defence is an interesting one and where this game could be decided. Seattle’s offense is underrated at times and I love how Wilson can make something from nothing. Lynch is as tough a runner as they come. I do think they have their struggles in terms of receivers despite the Green Bay miracle in the conference game.

The Patriots defence is not as good as the Seahawks, but it is as good as they have had for several years now. They started the season poorly but have gradually improved since Browner came in at week 5, and unlike last year when they lost Aqib Talib in the Conference final, they have a fully fit group of players which is key. This Patriots D can stop the run with their mobile linebackers, and rely on their secondary to stop the Seahawks receivers. Measuring these two up is where I think the Patriots have a greater advantage than the Hawks D v the Pats offense.

Both teams have as strong a home advantage when they play in their own stadiums whether it is the noise in Seattle or the cold in Foxboro – I do not see either team having an advantage in Arizona. The timezone factor is not a major issue here – the Patriots have had sufficiently long enough to acclimatise to it. (That said, there have been some naughty fire alarms going off twice in the middle of the night in the Patriots team hotel this week).

All that mumble jumble to say that I have no clue really who is going to win this one – I slightly edge the Patriots (24-20), but this will come down to small details and moments. I sincerely hope that this game is better than last year’s blowout. I sat in some random bar at silly o’clock in Antwerp watching the game, being thoroughly disappointed for the spectacle, but appreciating a superb performance. I do not see either team hammering the other here so I’m hopeful of that at the very least. I will not be having a cheeky bet on either side for this one, but there is one that I do like. I like the under 48 here. Neither of the teams are particularly strong at creating big plays of 20 yards or more. Special teams are well drilled and I do not see many big plays there. I don’t see that many turnovers by either quarterback or team. I do see both teams managing the clock, Seattle running plenty and Brady throwing plenty of short passes as he has all season, and eating up the clock.

Unders may not sound great for a Super Sunday, but that will not make it a bad game. It may not be the most high scoring or entertaining of games but it will be tense, physical and probably a survival of fittest/bravest. This is going to sound elitist, but there is nothing better in any sport, if there are two individuals or teams competing at the top. Iron sharpens iron as they say, and that’s what makes for a Super Sunday and Super Superbowl.

Resolving A New Year!

Another year, another set of resolutions, another increasingly rare blog post. Not only do I have to get back to scribbling some blog posts, I have a bunch of other things that I’m committed to doing in 2015. Following the usual principle, I figure if I write them down, it will shame me into doing them….  

1. Sleep
I’m frequently torn when it comes to sleep. That generally sounds a little bizarre but I’m caught between enjoying being awake that much but knowing I should really get more sleep. 2015 is the year of more sleep.  

2. My mum
A kick ass trip with my mum somewhere this year. Last year I took my dad to Brazil for the World Cup to watch his beloved Brazil team get whipped by Germany (sorry Dad!), I’ll somehow find a way to match that with my mum this year. Suggestions welcome!

3. Running
Ok, well we’ll start with a half – Larry Budd, you and I are on! Expect some Runkeeper movement! Consider it in the diary. I won’t make the silly promise of the Vegas marathon in November again, but it’s on the tentative list if Leeds goes well #justsayin  

4. Charity
Twelve months ago, I was on the receiving end of an impromptu New Year’s Eve shave, kindly administered by my remarkably tipsy (read: hammered) cousin Kev. The generosity did not end there. The family threw some cash into a hat to go to charity. I’ve still got that money sat at home and have done nothing with it. So this year, for any longish runs I manage to get my butt in gear for, I’ll fundraise for Ehlers-Danlos – a syndrome that has affected folks in the fam.

5. Cut the Carbon
So I may have been singularly responsible for the world’s carbon footprint last year. Time to cut that down and enjoy a bit more of the UK and North!  

6. Blog more
The statistics do not lie and if I look at the right side of this page, it’s steadily gone from 75 blog posts in 2010, to 30 in 2011, 24 in 2012, 7 in 2013 and finally 5 piffling blog posts in 2014. I’m a disgrace. I’m aiming for at least one per month to get back up to 12 for 2015.

7. Take my own advice
Funny how most of us are geniuses when we offer others advice. It’s generally solid advice and it’s generally what others would say to you. Yet somehow, we decide to completely ignore it instead of applying it to ourselves! No excuses Roberto, listen to your own advice!

Happy New One folks!