ESPN Classic

Absolutely stunning - I've just watched the 1973 game between Wales and Audtralia at the Arms Park. Gareth Edwards, JPR Williams, JJ Williams, Gerald Davies, Mervyn Davies, Phil Bennett, Allan Martin, Tom David, Bobby Windsor's first cap. Put that Welsh side up against anyone in World rugby today and they would wipe the floor with them. The Aussies were hapless that day, only last ditch tackling and a couple of missed final passes stopped it being a rout. Still, 24-0 in a very one sided international (4 pts for a try) was a satisfying result.

On a humerous note, Dick Cocks was playing in the back row for Australia.

Alex Zanardi

Alex Zanardi is going to test a modified BMW Sauber next month. Quite stunning when he lost both legs after a Champ car accident in 1999. He won two rounds of the World Touring Cars championships last year.

Quite stunning.

ESPN Classic

I've been saying for ages that there was a market for a "UK TV Gold Sport" type channel on Sky.  Along comes ESPN CLassic with access to most of the BBC archive.  Last night they had highlights from the Oval test between England and Australia in 1975 (David Steele, Bob Woolmer, Tony Greig and Graham Roope batting against Dennis Lillee, Jeff Thomson, Ash;ey Mallett and Greg Chappell), and then Wales vs Australia rugby from 1973.  Later on - the entire Rumbe in the Jungle between Ali and Foreman.  Need I say more?

Bradford

I was watcing the superb satellite channel ESPM Classic last night - MoTD fom the 1980s and other classic sport, when they replayed the highlights of a Division 3 fixture from 1985 between Bradford and Gillingham. 

A bit of a strange game for me to be writing about, especially as I (a) hate football, and (b) dislike Yorkshire football clubs...  No - that was a very eerie game as later in the same season 50 Bradford fans were killed in the disastrous fire, footage of which from the local TV coverage is often used in fire training.  Watching the game was a stark reminder that many of the people present at the Gillingham game, including fans, police, stewards and players, would be tragically involved later in the season.

Even seeing the ill-fated stand, again packed full of people with no hope of escape, crushed behind metal barriers, was moving.



 

Cardiff

Cardif Blues win in France at the 11th time of asking.  Good result against Bourgoin.  Meanwhile, the football team lose to Norwich.  Very good result from Norwich but I do have mixed feelings about that one!  How can a change of manager mean that a team who have picked up 2 points in 5 weeks then win their nnext two undera new manager! 

QI

On the superb QI last night on BBC4, the second question managed to mention Didcot, Wantage and Abingdon in the same breath.  Indeed, Didcot was described as the Gdansk of Oxfordshire.

Superb description - I'll use that elsewhere.

As Sam pointed out, half of the production team for QI live in The Shire anyway.

Common Sense?

Stunningly interesting piece from the Guardian on what it means to be common. Class awareness at its best.