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headlines in sickness and in health |
December 2005 Edition
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headlines hotspot hotshot sidelines fashion icons home and away sport culture starting blocks life after.... spotlight on what's hot dateline photo album site sponsors
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headlines: Drugs' sports stories never really go away; they just evolve. And while Greek Sprinters Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanon continue to be investigated, having allegedly missed drugs teats before the 2004 Athens Olympics, several other world class athletes are being investigated as part of the fall-out of the Balco case which recently reached a conclusion in only one respect: several top executives of the US corporation have been sentenced for supplying drugs to professional sportsmen and women.
Wales failed in their attempt to repeat history when they lost out to the New Zealand All Blacks. Playing without a handful of their key players due to injury, Wales was not the only team to fall victim to the talents of the Kiwis who successfully beat every one of their opponents in the latest Grand Slam. Last time Wales 'saw off' the Kiwis was in 1953 and their captain could only watch in 2005 and .......!!!!!! hot spot after a rollercoaster year
Last month was momentous for Manchester United for two reasons. November saw the departure of two legends: the first was Roy Keane (1993 - 2005) who finally fell-out with team Manager Sir Alex Fergurson. This was swiftly followed by the early but not unexpected death of hero George Best who represented for many one of the the greatest players of all time. These departures - one in anger and the second as a result of continuous alcohol abuse have left a gaping whole in the Manchester legacy. As teams around the UK paid homage to the career of George Best - representing a generation of sixties/seventies heroes, United fans can look forward to an even less secure future. It's all change at Old Trafford as the new owners come in an unfamiliar shape and size. The Glazers - best known for their ownership of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers - acquired United for around £800 million (US$1,400m). They are now on the look out for a new shirt sponsor to replace Vodaphone who recently withdrew from their £9 million contract. Manchester United is probably the best recognized soccer (football) brand in the world, but even the very visible and vocal Fergurson may fall foul to a new financial strategy from the owners who plan to make a great deal of money from their investment. Events in 2005 - which can only be seen as 'life-changing', may in time prove to be just a mini pre-cursor to the potential changes to come! hot shot Bernie Ecclestone - man of mystery
While the ownership of Formula One has been passed onto new hands, Ecclestone maintains a position both as an equity partner in new owner Alpha Prema, Bambino (the company set up to run the sport on behalf of a group of bankers), as well as holding down a role as a minor shareholder through his company Formula One Management. Not wishing to lose his grip on a very profitable sport, Ecclestone appears to have cleverly increased his influence on F1 while making more money than the rest of us can only dream about. And while Bernie remains pivotal to the very lucrative industry, the future of Formula One remains under a shadow. When contracts end in 2007, F1's future will depend on gaining support from enough car makers to make the event viable. With some of the manufactures including Honda, Toyota, Mercedes and BMW currently demanding a more equitable share of profits and greater transparency and share in governance, F1 needs the support of at least one of the following: McLaren, Renault or Williams. If they fail to 'make the numbers', the sport - as it exists today - will find itself on the proverbial 'scrap heap'. sidelines...... sidelined! Despite the likes of several big names in rugby backing the Japanese bid to host the 2011 Rugby World Cup - including Martin Johnson, George Gregan and Jason Leonard - Japan eventually lost out to New Zealand, who claimed first prize despite the competition from apparent favorites, South Africa. While Japanese teams do not often compete with the top teams who regularity qualify for the World Cup, Japan was more than willing to provide first class venues and facilities to support the tournament. Some see the decision as a missed opportunity and that the game will lose out as once again the powers that be, the International Rugby Board has failed to seize the moment to grow the game into a global sport. So those on the sidelines can only hope that the event will one day live up to its name not only in terms of quality of play but also in terms of 'geographic scope'. fashion icon...... the high tech trend?
As technology continues to play a increasingly pivotal role in sport, there is only one question on our lips: 'are referees and linesman shortly to be replaced by cameras and computers'? By showing the spectator and the TV viewer exactly the same information as the officials and the athletes, does this fashion to remove human input (and error) from competitive sport improve the experience? John McEnroe - famous for his very vocal debates with officials confessed that he would rather take the emotional element out of the game (ie. frustration at human error) and allow technology to deliver a decision; although he admitted after losing his semi-final at the recent Masters event at the Royal Albert Hall in London "that he could see himself arguing with the new tennis fashion technology "Hawk-Eye". The camera driven, computer based addition to the game makes for gripping special effects! All eyes are on the big court side screen as a 'slow-mo' tennis ball approaches the contested line (call). The word 'in' or 'out' pops up at the top of the screen; the tennis payers make a quick joke; and its back to business. McEnroe looks forward a time when there are no referees. He believes that it's a 'win-win' decision; but Federer - among others - disagrees. Therefore, it is unlikely that consensus will be just around the corner..... but in the meantime Hawk-Eye has already made its mark as Jim Courier was the first to make use of the new equipment... and for that, he will go down in history! home and away Away from the action at the Millennium Stadium injured rugby player Gavin Henson (the one who's dating Charlotte Church) made best use of his away day during a Wales/Australia game. He spent part of the day signing copies of his book 'My Grand Slam Year' and the rest of his time at home watching his team mates on TV. This goes some way to explain why athletes write biographies. It helps make profitable use of their injury downtime....! sport culture........ theatre review
Walk Hard, Talk Loud at the Tricycle Theatre, London Politics is never very far away from sport; and back in the late 1930's in the USA, politics, sport and racism were interwoven in such a fashion that they became almost indistinguishable. Abram Hill wrote Walk Hard, Talk Loud in 1939 just before the start of World War II. The play is set on the East Coast of the US in the months preceding the war in Europe. In a country where extensive segregation was underwritten by its legislation; whenever there was an opportunity, greed would always turn a blind eye to its prejudices. Walk Hard was written in the dark days when despite the talent of the protagonist, boxer Andy Whitman, his destiny was always on the cards. His story illustrates the pervasive corruption in the sporting world; and by the end of the play the young boxer's career falls foul of the system. The play is a must, simply and sadly because it portrays a world that in many respects has changed very little over the last 60 and more years. Politics, corruption and sport often go hand in hand in the 21st century; and while the vast majority remain tolerant when it comes to their heroes, bigotry often lies just around the corner. starting blocks.... And Michelle Wie continues to keep her name close to the hearts of the men's tour as she made an attempt to be the first woman in sixty years to make the cut at one of the men's tournaments. Short of only one shot finishing four-over-par 148 at the Casio World Golf Open, it's more a question of 'when' and not 'if' for the sixteen year old Hawaiian. life after..... winning
After winning the very high profile and much debated contest to host the 2012 Olympic Games, London is now recruiting. Once again - as seen in the past when London 2012 originally recruited the US businesswoman Barbara Cassini for the position of Chief Executive (later to be replaced by a Brit, Sebastian Coe) - the powers that be have looked beyond British talent to find the expertise for a couple of the top posts. New faces include Jack Lemley from the US who is heading up the Olympic Delivery Authority. He has in the past earned the nickname 'Terminator' in a career that included overseeing the construction of the heavily in debt Channel Tunnel. And David Higgins from Australia takes on the job of Chief Executive. In his past he was responsible for running one of the construction companies responsible for part of the Sydney 2000 Olympic legacy. This is still early days in the seven year cycle between award of host city and event; however, there is no doubt that these 'foreign' recruits will be trying to avoid the senior executive turnover Olympic 'curse' which has befallen many of their international predecessors.
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