By Stewart Weir
Saturday
It is still summer, even if Scottish football has started, or stalled. After kicking off during the second week of the Glasgow Fair, bizarrely, Celtic have this weekend off to play in Dublin. Which begs the question: why start so early in the first place?
Whether there is a ball in attendance or not, there is plenty to still to talk about in football thanks to the transfer window, with one of the most interesting tales coming from the funding methods employed by Stirling Albion to buy striker Darren Smith.
Apparently, profits from the club’s pub go straight into the manager’s transfer fund, which this time around enabled Jocky Scott to purchase Smith.
In other words, pints win prizes. That said, this is Stirling Albion we’re talking about here. So by mid-season, those funds could be getting used to buy more sorrow-drowning drink.
Nevertheless, it is an inspired concept, although I do wonder if Tennent's – sponsors of the Old Firm – have the 1,000,000,000,000 pints on tap to fund the transfers of Messi and Ronaldo…
I notice on my trawls and travels (this time thanks to snookerbacker.com) that World Snooker have installed Nigel Mawer as head of their Integrity Unit to replace the outgoing David Douglas – who had led the series of investigations in to irregular betting scams and scandals around snooker.
Mawer was previously detective chief superintendent in the Specialist Crime Directorate based at New Scotland Yard, and head of the Economic and Specialist Crime Command.
There was a time when being a former Metropolitan Police officer in charge of anything was a stamp of approval. But in light of phone-hacking enquiries, multiple resignations and questions about integrity, does it carry the same clout?
Sunday
We hear a lot these days about sportsmanship and playing sport in the right spirit. In the Test between England and India, there are varying degrees of gamesmanship and sportsmanship as India first appeal for a run-out against Ian Bell, who walked off for tea believing that the ball had gone for four and that the umpire had signalled over.
TV replays showed the ball hadn’t crossed the boundary rope, and indeed Bell should have been out.
However, captains and coaches met, and in the spirit of the game Bell was reinstated. Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni will no doubt be entitled to some award or another for his sportsmanship. For me, Bell – who admitted to being naïve and stupid – should have declined the offer and said that in addition to being naïve and stupid he was also fairly and squarely out.
Monday
If Dhoni gets an award, then so should this guy, for showing just how much sport – and disappointment – means to some people
Dhoni’s India capitulate to England on the final day at Trent Bridge, one expert commenting that the Indian batsmen would be as well to "run up a white flag" when faced with the job of saving a game against the English bowling attack.
And we all know the importance of flags in Anglo–Indian relations.
Tuesday
I had my say about Hearts’ treatment of Jim Jefferies. But Jambos' owner Vladimir Romanov can’t bite his tongue and wants to have his say about how the Scots press condemned his actions.
"Judging by the pre-planned squeals the media monkeys are making, Hearts has hit the point with the move.”
Media monkeys indeed. Of course, I could crack the joke about what do these guys have that Romanov doesn’t?
And the answer is of course… cups.
Wednesday
Rangers go out of the Champions League, losing 2–1 on aggregate to Malmö, even thought they managed to beat the Swedes 2–1 on the night when it came to stupid, pointless red cards.
The Scottish champions' dreams of money-making ties as enjoyed last season against the likes of Manchester United are now at an end, even before Manchester United have kicked off their domestic season.
Still, as I tweeted the other night, at least the Europa League won’t be getting called the Diddy Cup now that both halves of the Old Firm are represented there.
For a while it looked good for Rangers, but their Champions League hopes were buried by Jiloan Hamad’s strike, despite the valiant efforts of Allan McGregor, whose attempt at a save makes him favourite for the “Most Spectacular, Acrobatic If Ultimately Pointless Dive In A Champions League Qualifying Tie” – where he would be the first Gers winner since Ally Maxwell against Levski Sofia in 1993…
Thursday
Hearts beat Paksi 4-1 to move into the next stage of the Europa League, a win new Hearts manager Paulo Sérgio dedicated to his predecessor Jim Jefferies.
"Nobody changes everything within two days," he said. "There is a lot of Mr Jefferies in this game today. I want to dedicate this win to Mr Jefferies. This win is for him too. Our qualification is through his work."
Nice words, delivered sincerely. Just don’t let your owner read them…
Friday
And many are staggered (although not as much as her ex was) that former athletics queen Liz McColgan faces trial over allegations that she battered her husband and threw his clothes out of a window.
The 47-year-old appeared in court yesterday accused of repeatedly punching and prodding Peter McColgan - from whom she separated last year - on the head and body.
Far be it from me to comment or pass judgment, other than to say this is a sad affair. But harking back to last week’s musings, could she just have been in training for this…?
– Tweet Stewart Weir with thoughts and comments, @sweirz
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