From the Orient

Reading on every other US weblog that the Boston Red Sox have won the World Series (world? but they haven’t played the English champions “DML Sisters”:http://www.hitandmissrounders.co.uk/FixturesResults/Tables.htm yet :).

I learn from whump.com that the Red Sox last won the World Series in 1918, so there is hope for Tottenham (1961), Man City(1969) and Liverpool (1890) yet.

Wondering what on earth was going on in English Football I wandered over to a “statistics site”:http://www.nozdrul.plus.com/zfeweb/england/league/engchamp.html#c1920 and discovered that not much was happening because virtually all the players had been called up for the war. The first post-war winners in 1920 were “West Bromwich Albion”:http://www.baggies.com/, their first and last success. I don’t think the will have any chance of making a Red Sox style comeback this season and winning the league. Now that would be impressive.

Random associated points relating to football: Many complaints about the lack of variety in who wins the league these days, yet it’s been that way for a while now. Look at the 70’s. The only non-big clubs winning back then were a Brian Clough anomaly. In the 90’s Blackburn Rovers won it Chelski style by throwing a lot of money at the team in a very short space of time. A few years later they were relegated.

Also, many complaints about tackling in football. Apparently Arsenal would like it banned because they are girls[1]. And as for them moaning about penalties … what goes around, comes around and I only have to say Pires Portsmouth. It’s a good job they lose rarely, cos I can’t take their moaning for long.

[1] Van Nistelrooy on Cole excepted. No need.

Sad news - John Peel has died of a heart attack whilst on holiday in Peru.

I’ve just been watching Michael Palin struggle with the altitude in the Himalayas and commented how hard it was for me at that altitude when I went to Cuzco.

In today’s age it would be hard to understand the influence of John Peel with current DJ’s playing prepicked packaged music, yet John Peel was still going strong and introduced us to some of my favourite ever bands. I’m off to put on some Fall and Wedding Present.