Photograph: DerHexer, Wikimedia Commons, CC-by-sa 3.0
Saturday
I have written quite a bit about boxer Audley Harrison over the years, suggesting at various times he quit the ring. But on Saturday evening the former Olympic champion earned himself another decent pay day – and probably another crack at some title or another – Image may be NSFW.
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when he won the heavyweight Prizefighter tournament at Bethnal Green’s York Hall.
The make-up of the event is simple; eight boxers, fighting three, 3-minute rounds (as in amateur boxing) over a knockout format, with quarter-finals, semis, and a grand final.
Harrison was a worthy winner and pocketed £32,000, plus a four grand bonus for stopping two of his three opponents, including fellow finalist Derric Rossy. So what next for big Audley. Who knows?
And who knows what he might have achieved had he stuck with the short, amateur stuff. Another Olympic gold medal or two like the one he wore in Sydney? It might have been more profitable – and less painful – than being a journeyman pro.Image may be NSFW.
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Talking of pain, I winced when I saw the cover of the QPR matchday programme from Saturday. Puffed on the front was a list of the featured players inside, amongst them Clint Hill. Judge for yourself, but maybe, in hindsight, this wasn’t the best font to use …
Sunday
It’s a busy day indeed on the hospitality and entertaining front at Murrayfield for the Scotland v Ireland game where I’m fortunate enough to spend most of the day in the company of former Scotland skipper Rob Wainwright (complete with pink hair, but don’t ask!) and another Lions veteran, ex-Ireland hooker Shane Byrne.
And yes, Shane still has his mullet. You might think it would only ever have troubled the style police. But Shane revealed that he found himself dropped from the Irish team because he chose to ignore the advice of a grandee in the Ireland camp., namely, to ‘get your hair cut.’
But then the Irish management held Keith Wood up as their shining example of a No.2, in terms of performance, and cranially …
Monday
Since news of his pending appointment first broke on Saturday afternoon, John Brown has been the target from disillusioned Dundee supporters who had expected someone else to replace Barry Smith. Not that the punters were sure if they wanted Jimmy Calderwood, or Gus MacPherson, or Derek McInnes. Image may be NSFW.
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Not that ‘Bomber’ rightly cared either. He was being hired to do a job, and do it he would.
In his playing days Brown was a hero at Dundee (and Hamilton Accies, I should add). But it was at Rangers where he enjoyed the most success and adulation. His move to Ibrox came about only after a proposed switch to Hearts fell through because they suspected his knees might not be up to the job. That didn’t put off then-Rangers boss Graeme Souness.
I recall a number of us being briefed by Souness in the foyer at Ibrox, when someone asked, quite rightly, if signing Brown wasn’t a risk, given that some had suggested he wasn’t fit enough. Souness, hands in pockets and clad in a rugby shirt, cocked his head slightly and glanced roughly in the direction of where the question had come.
“You can f***ing tell him that one,” said Souness. I don’t suppose the journalist ever did. Just like I don’t suppose too many Dundee fans would like to express their upset at Brown’s appointment on a one-to-one basis …
Tuesday
And Ronnie O’Sullivan announces he will end his snooker sabbatical and return to the table to defend his world title in April. Great news for snooker, and one suspects, an equally good call for Ronnie. While he might have been disillusioned with the game, Image may be NSFW.
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Ronnie needs the buzz he gets from snooker, especially the world championship, and similarly – despite trumpeting increased interest in the sport – so snooker’s biggest date needs him. The Crucible without Ronnie starting would, based on what I’ve seen this season, be like watching mere mortals contest the F1 world championship in tractors.
The news comes in the middle of the Haikou World Open, another tournament bestowed with ‘world’ branding in order to make it something it actually isn’t. ITV4 have shoved The Sweeney, The Professionals and The New Avengers from their schedule, like some kind of 70’s coup, to give extensive coverage to the event, with the extremely capable Jill Douglas anchoring in the studio.
There is something strangely familiar about a blonde, forty-something, Scots mother presenting snooker. But I’m damned if I can work out what it is …
Wednesday
I will give credit where credit is due on this one, namely to my good friend (or at least he is when I’m stealing his better lines) Hector Nunns, who suggested that with David Beckham starting his first game for PSG, and having now played in four of the top five leagues in Europe (England, Spain, Italy and France), maybe it was time for a ‘German snub’ story.
I do hope Hector hasn’t given others – or himself – an idea. You know where you saw it first …
Thursday
Lord Nimmo Smith, Chairman of the independent commission appointed by the Scottish Premier League to investigate alleged undisclosed payments to players by Rangers, makes known his findings. Image may be NSFW.
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The only one that matters (to be honest) is that Rangers won’t be stripped of any of the titles they won during the period when EBT’s were operated by the Ibrox club.
In his report, Nimmo Smith concluded; “Rangers did not gain unfair competitive advantage …. in failing to make proper disclosure of the side-letter arrangements.” And; “Nor did the non-disclosure have the effect that any of the registered players were ineligible to play.” Not too difficult to understand, is it?
That, I have to say – and as I revealed on BBC Radio Scotland’s Newsdrive – was pretty much what I was informed the outcome would be last summer when I spoke to people far more qualified than me on such matters.
So why did it take until today for the SPL to arrive at the same conclusion?
Of course, Rangers were guilty (of something) because Nimmo Smith hit them with a £250,000 fine. But honestly, with their 54 league championships still intact, that is no more than the wrist slap I predicted the day before the big announcement.
Still, it didn’t stop some trying to manufacture claims that the entire EBT scheme had enabled Rangers to field better players than their opponents in some of their championship-winning years. which had me searching for something I had written last July.
And to be honest, my thoughts in this article (see under Friday) might just make some reconsider those claims.
Or, come up with something equally ludicrous …
Friday
Tomorrow, it will be exactly 125 years ago – on 2 March, 1888 – that the basis of league football was set out in a letter penned by William McGregor, then the secretary of Aston Villa. While settled in the Midlands, and with a successful drapery business to his name, McGregor was a Scot, born in Perthshire.
The concept McGregor offered to Blackburn, Bolton, Preston and West Brom was simple; to produce a structure “that 10 or 12 of the most prominent clubs in England combine to arrange home-and-away fixtures each season.” So league football was born to the world, thanks to the vision of a Scotsman.
Dear God, please tell me then how we as a nation have arrived at 12-12-18!