Archive for December, 2009

Betting tales – ‘You don’t win anything with midweek bets’

Alan Hansen was wrong, you actually can win quite a lot with kids. What Alan should have told us all, to save him the  ridicule and me the cash, is ‘You don’t win anything with midweek bets’.

I’m speaking from experience, of course. Monday night’s football was meant to be the last hurrah of 2009, an opportunity of a final flurry that would leave [...]

December 31, 2009 • Posted in: Uncategorized • No Comments

Graham Swann. Whatta Man.

Once again, Graham Swann has turn a Test match upside down quicker than you can say ‘England’s number one Twittering twirling dervish of spin’.
But rather than producing a gushy, superlative-filled, ‘We want you as our uncle!’ ode to the Notts’ bowler, Pope and Swift think there it is far more appropriate to nudge you, our esteemed [...]

December 29, 2009 • Posted in: Willow and leather • No Comments

Sometimes all they need is a blog

Now that is much better Alastair. It’s always nice to know that international sportsman take note when you have a point to make. Cook’s gritty, determined, referral assisted 118 was not only a welcome reminder of his talent and skill but also displayed the kind of winning mentality and commitment to the cause that many, [...]

December 29, 2009 • Posted in: Willow and leather • No Comments

Time for The Pretenders to prove a point

Now I am not a big fan of New Year’s resolutions myself but I have some early suggestions for two of the great nearly men of modern sport. Two men who are seemingly integral to their respective teams and yet I am fairly sure would not be missed greatly were they to be absent from [...]

Thomas beats Tiger and Schuey to 2009’s most momentous sporting moment

You can almost picture the scene. It’s late November and some of the world’s greatest sportsmen and women are in a room together, enjoying each others company (as they often do), when the discussion turns to stories in 2009 that have rocked the world of sport. Usain Bolt is one topic of conversation, as if Cristiano Ronaldo’s [...]

December 22, 2009 • Posted in: Egg shaped balls • 1 Comment

No alarms and no surprises, please

How many of you were surprised by the dismissal of Mark Hughes yesterday? Not many I expect. Sure, the timing was slightly strange but from the minute Manchester City’s trillionaires took over Hughes was a dead man walking.
Now, and be really honest here, how many of you were surprised by Fulham’s comfortable stroll to victory against the champions? How [...]

December 20, 2009 • Posted in: The beautiful game • No Comments

Broad may be talking the talk but he needs to keep walking the walk

Earlier this week, Stuart Broad (along with James Anderson but we’ll leave him out of this) has revealed that he will not participate in next years Indian Premier League so that he has every chance of being in tip top shape for England duty. Broad stated that his boyhood dream had been to play for England and therefore that came top on [...]

December 18, 2009 • Posted in: Willow and leather • 1 Comment

Separated at birth – Two below par performers

Â
Â
Â
Â
Â
Â
Â
Â
Â
Â
Â
Â
Â
Â
Not content with being a second rate singer songwriter, Lemar has seemingly had a bit of a career direction. The Fame Academy star is currently attempting to be a secret body double for Birmingham City striker Cameron Jerome. He is doing very well too; on Saturday, Pope and Swift were at St Andrews to watch [...]

December 16, 2009 • Posted in: Separated at Birth • 4 Comments

Giggs yoga verdict makes up for BBC blunder

Pope and Swift weren’t too happy when we found out that Ryan Giggs had won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award on Sunday. We love the Welsh wizard, don’t get us wrong, but feel the performances of others in 2009 deserved more celebration.
Pope and Swift were elated, however, when we discovered that Giggs, [...]

December 15, 2009 • Posted in: The beautiful game • No Comments

Some fresh reasons to hate Lee Bowyer

Now football fans don’t get too carried away. I’m all for forgive and forget but before you start believing all the vicious rumours that Lee Bowyer is a reformed character, scoring crucial goals, playing a calm and professional game and even clapping the fans as he walks off the pitch I have news for you. He is still [...]

December 13, 2009 • Posted in: The beautiful game • 1 Comment