Saturday
Well it was to be expected I suppose.
Last night, Scotland were brushed aside by Belgium in their latest World Cup qualifying tie. As Gordon Strachan rightly said, his players could not be faulted for effort, but added his charges struggled to match the Belgians physically. “We cannot make players bigger, stronger, quicker,” said Strachan, sounding as if he was quoting another sporting motto, minus the Latin.
To a point, I see what he’s saying. Christian Benteke probably strikes the fear of God into opposition defenders, while our assorted bundle of Naismith, Rhodes, Griffiths and McCormack are as fearsome as a Sunday school. The national team boss though would have some substance to his argument if it wasn’t for the fact that the best player in the world was the diminutive Lionel Messi, who is smaller, lighter, but skilful …
Sunday
Boxing, for the most part, is subjective. Spotting which blows landed, those that scored, those that hurt, and those that missed isn’t easy. Still, when you invite along a bunch of judges to score a world title contest, you would think that they’d have half an idea of what they were looking for.
Ricky Burns
(Creative Commons)
Not so American judge Carlos Ortiz Jr, installed for Ricky Burns’ fourth defence of the World Boxing Organisation lightweight title. You see, Ortiz was only looking for one thing; a home winner.
Burns was pummelled by challenge Raymundo Beltran for 12 rounds beating the Scot both in the ring and on most people’s scorecards. Judge Andre Van Grootenbruel of Belgium (who looked neither bigger, stronger or quicker than the other adjudicators) had it 115-113 for Beltran, but British judge Richie Davis returned a puzzling 114-114 draw. Maybe he’s sponsored by Cuprinol for that fence he sits on. Amazingly though, Ortiz Jr had it 115-112 for Burns, the overall contest therefore deemed a draw. Burns retained his title while Beltran left for home believing he had just been mugged.
Not only was this one of the most blatant hometown verdicts ever seen in a British ring, this contest was elevated to arguably the most embarrassing moment in Scottish sport of all time, ahead of Argentina 78, Rangers, Hearts and trying to claim the world elephant polo championship as a respectable sporting title.
Burns had little to say on the matter. He spent Sunday having a titanium plate screwed into his broken jaw, an injury he’d carried from being cracked in the second round. No-one can deny the Coatbridge fighters bravery. What many overlooked however was that being brave or gutsy isn’t part of the scoring criteria. In all of this Burns did nothing wrong, the innocent party. Unlike the sport of boxing …
Monday
Joy amongst grapple fans (said in my best Kent Walton voice) that wrestling has been reinstated as an Olympic sport for the 2020 and 2024 Games after being voted in ahead of baseball/softball and squash. It is, of course, the ancient form of Greco-Roman wrestling that has been included. A massive disappointment for those who had read many a column inch on this announcement hoping to find a mention of mud, jelly, Kendo Nagasaki or Ralph Bates and Oliver Reed.
Meanwhile, I loved the headline attached to the story about squash once again being omitted from the biggest show on earth. “Squash Banging Head On Brick Wall,” it proclaimed. Which to be honest, would probably make more of a spectator-friendly sport than squash itself …
Tuesday
Ikechi Anya
(Creative Commons)
Gordon Strachan’s ‘bigger, stronger, quicker’ line was still resonating when he picked his team to play Macedonia which included Watford winger Ikechi Anya, in from the start after making his debut as a sub against Belgium. And Anya’s selection proves to be inspired as he turns in a Man Of The Match performance in a 2-1 win, opening the scoring. All this as well from someone who probably measures 5’6” stretched out. Maybe through the euphoria of an away win the national team manager didn’t realise he’d knocked down his own argument …
Wednesday
I was amused when I spotted this on Twitter the other evening from the Macedonia v Scotland match programme. I did have a chuckle to myself. It reminded me of the time Celtic came up with the idea to charge photographers for taking pictures at Parkhead. The snappers walked out and so ensued a Mexican standoff.
What to do about photographs though?
At The Mirror, we hit upon the bright idea of using children’s drawings to illustrate Celtic stories while the dispute continued. I particularly recall some brilliant representations Henrik Larsson and Enrico Annoni, but after a few days the clever idea of licensing photographers was binned, as sadly, were the kids cartoons.
Maybe I should start the Macedonian Mirror? Now, don’t all start chipping in for my ticket …
Thursday
Stewart Regan
Ian Black finds out his punishment for betting on football matches including three times against him own team. The ten-game ban, with seven suspended (so effectively a one-match ban for each time he thought either he or his team-mates weren’t up to it) was considered fair by some, though many more thought the suspension far too lenient – especially those who lost money betting on certain games Black was involved with.
Friday
Drug cheat cyclist Lance Armstrong has handed back the bronze medal he won at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. I suppose it’s a start. Now for those millions of dollars in sponsorship and seven machine washed yellow jerseys …
Lastly, SFA chief Stewart Regan reckons the ‘feel good factor’ is returning to Scottish football, this, on the day Scotland fall another 13 places in the FIFA world rankings. Some folk are easily pleased …