The Final ODI

      Today is the date of the final ODI match between England and Pakistan and after this match what will be known as an infamous tour will come to and end.  Pakistan arrived in England on the 5 July and in just 80 days this tour has possible damaged the sport of cricket irreversibly.  With the allegations, of the Pakistani players, of Spot fixing, deliberately bowling no-balls to set up betting coups, in the fourth Test match and the irregular scoring patterns in the thrid ODI.  It would be hard to say that Pakistani cricket, as we know it, will survive and they may have shot themselves in the a foot after Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Butt said he had heard from bookmakers that England had been paid to lose Friday's third one-day game at The Oval. 

For me I am amazed at the England players continues to play the series and here is why.

NFL Week Two Review

       After a awesome Week One of NFL, we were once again treated to another awesome weekend of football but it was one that ended in tragedy.  The Sunday evening match between the Colts and the Giants gave us a Manning brother showdown didn't disappoint with big brother Payton showing Eli how it is done.  A brilliant comeback by the Texans against the Redskins, recovering from a 10 point deficit in the fourth quarter going on to win in overtime.  The Jets showed what they were made of, offensively and defensively, against the Patriots only allow them to score in second quarter whilst scoring 28 points in return.  Monday Night Football picked another gem of a game with the New Orleans Saints score a 37-yard field goal that barely fluttered through as time expired.  But Week Two was ended in tragedy as Denver Broncos wide receiver Kenny McKinley has been found dead in his home in an apparent suicide according to the police in the US state of Colorado.

The Commonwealth Games Problem

      Last night England and Scotland's Commonwealth Games teams stated that they are concerned the poor quality of the athletes village in Delhi may put the whole event in doubt.  Scottish officials found their original accommodation to be "unsafe and unfit for human habitation" and England are "optimistic" they will compete, but say urgent work is needed before the Games begin on 3 October.   But this is not first time that the go ahead of the Delhi Commonwealth Games have been questioned.  There have been multiple reports on the sub-standard infrastructure, athletes village and and questions about the security and safety of the participants and their teams has also been thrown into the mixer.  Even the organisers have said "have got two days to do what's probably going to take about two weeks".   My questions are should of this edition of the Commonwealth Games been moved from Delhi?  If so when should it have be switched and where would it go?

The O'Sullivan Enigma

Last night Ronnie O'Sullivan fired a remarkable 10th 147 break at the World Open in Glasgow after halting play when on nine points to check the prize for a maximum.  He was told there was no separate purse but cleared up to beat Mark King 3-0.  The 34-year-old appeared content to end on the pink in the final frame and had to be persuaded to pot the black Before you read what I am going to say I would like you to watch this interview done by the BBC.  From this there are two questions to be asked.  Has Ronnie O'Sullivan finally lost all interest in the sport of Snooker?  And does he have the right to ask for a performance related bonus that used to be standard?

Blackpool - The Side Out of It's Place

       Last Wednesday I talked to you about the defensive approach which weaker sides can take when they play tough opponents.  Well today I want to talk to you about a side that have decided to play attacking football no matter who they face.  Of course I mean Blackpool, they are a side that openly admit that they shouldn't be in this league.  As most people know by now Blackpool were relegation candidates in the Championship last year but a good run of form got them into the play-offs and everyone knows the side on form usually wins the play-offs.  Blackpool didn't disappoint the won in Wembley to earn their place in the Premiership.  Manager Ian Holloway is the first to admit that they don't have a side ready for the Premiership but after their 4-0 loss to Chelsea insists he will stick to his team's attacking approach in future after a more defensive system backfired at Chelsea.

The Sunday Sport Round-Up

Another fantastic weekend of sport for our viewing.   A very entertaining derby will let Ferguson forget about Liverpool and look towards Man City and Chelsea, more controversy in cricket as coach and captain speak out, a Brit wins a sprinting jersey in the Vuelta, the Great North provides plenty of shocks and performances and snooker unleashes one of it new speed formats. But on a slightly more disappointing note another shooting in Delhi puts more doubts and questions about the Commonwealth Game.

Always the Bridesmaid Never the Bride

      That proverb is used to describe someone who is good but not the best, but who is sporting greatest runner-up? 

      When asked this question it really does test the sporting knowledge of a person.  By looking at a persons answer you can also see what they claim as greatness.

      When I said the greatest runner-up I do not mean the best performance in a single sporting event that ended up coming second.  What I am looking for is the over all time what person or team over time has finished 2nd so many times it doesn't even matter if they won on the odd occasion?