I am currently writing this with a head full of Lemsip/flu tablets/coffee and a tissue box within reach. Seems like the flu can reach us all eventually. Baring that in mind, I was hoping for an exciting Sunday in which I could settle down in my room, and be entertained from the start of the Japanese Grand Prix at 7 am, which I just about managed to wake up from my comatose state for, until the end of the Ravens vs Chiefs game a full 14 hours later. Needless to say, things didn't quite go to plan...
F1 Japanese Grand Prix - Okay we shall start here, although this wasn't technically the start of my sports viewing week. Having pulled myself out of my bed, I trudged downstairs and made a Lemsip before the start of the parade lap. Hoping for more excitement than the Singapore Grand Prix, I was not disappointed. Yet again, Romain Grosjean was in the thick of the action on the first-lap, taking out Mark Webber with an ill-judged sweep into turn 2, clattering into the Aussie's Red Bull. After the race, the pragmatic Webber came out with another golden quote, this time labelling Grosjean a "first-lap nut case". He has a point though, it was the 7th time that Grosjean had been involved in a first-lap collision, and it appears that even his one race ban from the insane move he pulled at Spa has not changed his reckless, gung-ho mentality. Nico Rosberg also was an unfortunate victim of this battle, his race lasting just 22 seconds, something he humorously pointed out in his video blog after the race. However, the first-lap's biggest talking point was from an incident far less controversial, but far more significant in terms of the championship. Fernando Alonso retired after seemingly collecting a puncture from a passive Kimi Raikkonen's front wing, and as a result span on the very first corner. How no-one managed to plow into his prone Ferrari pays testament to F1 drivers' lightning reactions (unless you're Rosberg...), but for Alonso, the damage had already been done. With Vettel inevitably winning from pole, the Spaniard's lead now stands at just 4 points. With a car that isn't in the same league as the Red Bull's, McLaren's, and dare I say the Lotus', he will struggle to top the standings for much longer I feel. For once, it was the other Ferrari driver left to reap the rewards of Alonso's failure to finish. Felipe Massa, along with Sauber's Kamui Kobayashi, produced drives yesterday that might just secure their seats going into 2013. Massa finished second and on the podium for the first time since Korea in 2010. To be fair, it was the end result of a renewed sense of belief in the Brazilian, having seen his performances improve dramatically since the mid-season break. Kobayashi also gave his home fans something to smile about, coming home third after a tough battle with Jenson Button, just holding him off before the finish. It was Japan's third driver to be on the podium since Takuma Sato at Indianapolis in the 6 car race in 2004 and Aguri Suzuki at the 1990 Japanese Grand Prix. With his team-mate Sergio Perez performing well enough over his two seasons in F1 to earn a drive at McLaren next year, and in the process outperforming Kobayashi, questions were being raised over his future. Nevertheless, I feel he has done enough to warrant a drive next year, and this podium finish should put to bed any doubts over his continued participation at Sauber.
Oh and just a word on Lewis Hamilton moving to Mercedes, and Michael Schumacher retiring. The move is good for both McLaren and Hamilton. Why? Hamilton became too big for his boots at McLaren, and has not been consistent enough to warrant such a lucrative contract that he was demanding. Also, he needed a change of scenery, and should feel more settled at a team that can cater more to his needs to be the number 1 driver (poor Rosberg... again). As for Schumi, he leaves (for good?) with his reputation still intact, and will still go down as the most successful F1 driver to date. Though I thought maybe he would go to Sauber, which Sauber wanted to happen, stepping out of the game now probably is the sensible course of action for a man that has been there and done that multiple times in his career. So we bid you adieu Michael, and long may your legacy live on.
Liverpool FC - It seems we're playing two games every week at the moment, this time a Europa League clash with Udinese on Thursday before playing our Premier League match against Stoke on Sunday. The Udinese game really encapsulated Liverpool's season to date. Great performance marred by several defensive lapses in concentration. Yet again our young players shone where our experienced individuals were found wanting. The best performance of the night belonged to Udinese's Antonio Di Natale however. His touch was impeccable, his finish for the first goal sublime, his work-rate unstoppable. He can be compared to a fine wine or a strong cheese: he has gotten better with age. How he remained at Udinese, who he effectively carried on his own for the whole match, for so long defies belief. Stick him at a league winning club, and he would still be the best player. I have a feeling that AC Milan may be enquiring into his availability before too long. Another loss at Anfield will only dent the confidence that the win at Norwich bought, but we had a chance to rectify that on Sunday...
Yet things never go to plan. The less said about the Stoke game the better. It was boring, tepid (insert similar adjectives here). For all our possession, we bought just two half decent saves from Asmir Begovic, both being 25-yard attempts from Gerrard and Johnson. Suarez's embarrassing dive in the box further made the game a farce, whereas Stoke seemed content with a point from the first whistle. 0-0, two points dropped at home, what more can I say?
Baltimore Ravens vs Kansas City Chiefs - And the afternoon didn't get much better. After a tight win vs the Browns, I expected a rejuvenated Ravens to capitalise on a weak Kansas City team. Even though the Chiefs turned the ball over 4 times, including a hilarious fumble 1-yard out from the Ravens end-zone, the Ravens failed to capitalise, with Joe Flacco throwing an interception of his own. In the end, both sides were limited to field goal attempts with the Ravens prevailing 9-6. It was the first time this season that the Ravens failed to get going on offense, and it bodes badly for us with sterner tests to come. This being said, a win is a win, and with us topping our conference with a 4-1 record, the playoffs become more and more realistic with every passing week. However, Ravens fans expect this as a minimum requirement, realistically, only a Championship game appearance will satisfy their needs. Coming into week 6, I rank the Ravens as the 3rd best team in the AFC, behind the Patriots and the Texans. Therefore, the Championship game would be a good achievement, though again I think the SuperBowl will be a step too far.
For me now then it's back to bed, hopefully I'll be back to full fitness by Wednesday! Thanks for reading, and hopefully next week will provide more entertainment.
Monday, 8 October 2012
Monday, 1 October 2012
The Good, The Greater and The Ugly
Hello sports-fans! Thanks for all the comments regarding last week's post. The main point I have taken into consideration is to make the blog a bit less like a commentary, and have more of a comment style going on. Again, all comments (barring offensive ones) are welcome, and feel free to suggest ways in which I could improve this for all! Anyway, lets crack on shall we?
Liverpool FC - So again, two games for Liverpool this week, starting with the Worthington Carling Capital One Cup tie against West Bromwich Albion. After being thumped 3-0 by them on the first day of the season, I was impressed how well our team of youngsters played against them. We recovered well from a dreadful start, and showed great maturity in hauling ourselves back into the game, albeit with a great hand from WBA 'keeper Ben Foster. Rodgers continues to put great faith into our young players, and it's paying dividends, with Suso, Oussama Assaidi and Andre Wisdom all knocking on the door for regular first team places, joining the likes of Raheem Sterling and Jonjo Shelvey. However the stand-out performer of the game for me was Nuri Sahin. I was heavily critical of him on his debut against Arsenal, saying that he had no right foot, and looked extremely short of match fitness. However, he's gone some way to proving me wrong since then, picking up two goals to help us seal our place in the next round of the cup. His vision and distribution was spot-on, and he manages to be in the right place at the right time to either pick up an assist or a goal. With Gerrard not getting any younger, surely if Sahin keeps this form up Rodgers should be looking to sign him at the end of the season?
On Sunday came our Premier League tie at Carrow Road against Norwich City. Searching for our first win of the domestic campaign, we couldn't have had it much easier. It looked like our sterling performance mid-week had served as a real confidence boost, and had injected even our senior players with a belief that we could still have a good season. Sahin, who now has three goals and three assists in four games, and Gerrard were dominant in midfield, barely putting a foot wrong. With Martin Kelly unfortunately being ruled out for six months with a torn ACL, Andre Wisdom also came in and put in a great performance at right-back. However, star of the match was the much maligned Luis Suarez. In securing his second hat-trick in as many games against Norwich, he showed that he can finish with as much aplomb as Van Persie or Torres (when on his game). One thing that will continue to haunt him is his reputation for going down softly in the penalty area, having been denied a clear stone-wall spot kick for the second game running. Even so, scoring five goals will certainly do a previously goal-shy Liverpool less harm than good, and the performance may be the catalyst to get our season finally up and running.
Ryder Cup 2012 - Wow, just wow. I tweeted with the scores at 10-10 that this could be a comeback of Istanbul 2005 proportions, and it didn't disappoint. After being provisionally 10-4 down on the Saturday, to think Europe won by 14.5 to 13.5 is almost unfathomable. There were some terrific performances on the final day, but to single one player out would be unfair on the others. It was team game, yet it was in the singles performances where Europe really excelled. Now I'm no "golfist", but this had me hooked all evening. I would defy anyone to say that they were bored while watching this, because it had everything that is required in a drama: Tension, hope, jubilation, and emotion. What did disappoint me most though were the USA fans in attendance. I feel that it is right to cheer your team on, it is the done thing. However, you should also be respectful to your opponents, something that the USA has a reputation for not being (Olazabal/Leonard 1999 anyone?). The booing at the end after Kaymer sunk the cup winning putt for Europe was nothing short of disgraceful. Fortunately, this did not carry to the players of the USA, who held themselves with grace and dignity. Bubba Watson and captain Davis Love III particularly were role-models in how to deal with defeat. As the USA dealt with the defeat, Europe's players were jubilant. The emotion at the end was something else, and I think that's why this Ryder Cup will live long in the memory. As a common theme, I think that that one was for you, Seve.
Baltimore Ravens vs the Cleveland Browns - First of all, I have to say it was great to see the real referees return for this match, the first after their lockout had ended. I was worried after Sunday and Monday's game that with the replacements not having any control on the games, something nasty was going to happen. Thankfully, after Monday's botched call between the Seahawks and the Packers (Google it if you don't know what it is), this was put right, and the reception they received at the M&T Bank Stadium was one of relief and heartfelt appreciation that they were back. Now for the game itself. So this was not a pretty win for the Ravens by any stretch of the imagination. Coming off an emotional and hard fought victory against the Patriots just 4 days previously, it was always going to be a lethargic performance, but the expectation of victory was still there. The Browns were very physical, going some way on defense to tearing apart the Ravens O-line. That said, when it mattered, the Ravens got it done, both on offense and defense. Joe Flacco looks more and more like a top tier quarterback with every game he plays, and with receivers like Anquan Boldin and Torrey Smith, it makes his job look even easier. At the end of the day, even if the Browns aren't one of the better teams we're going to face this year, it was still going to be one of our hardest test, and we came through it. Also at 3-1, our record looks very good heading into week 5, with some of the top teams around us faltering at the moment. Up next, the Kansas City Chiefs.
So there we have it for another week, I hope you enjoyed reading, and stay tuned for another post next week, where I will have more Liverpool and Baltimore Ravens coverage, plus another Grand Prix to cover!
Tuesday, 25 September 2012
The Emotional Weekend
Hello everyone, and welcome to the all-new and improved sports blog by yours truly! With the new blog, I shall be covering any sports I have seen in the past 7 days, and then analyse and scrutinise it until I'm blue in the face. To get a better idea of the regular content, look at my previous post! Now without further ado, here is the first post.
The Emotional One.
This weekend has quite possibly been the most emotional of any sporting weekend I have ever been alive to witness. From Football, to the Grand Prix, to the USA, every event I saw had a deeply emotional back-drop. What it left me with though was a great sense that no matter what anybody says, sport brings people together. Whether it be as large as a nation, or as small as a family, sport, much like religion in some parts of the world, is something that people can turn to as a mutual common ground. It relieves burdens and promotes unity. All in all, sport is a wonderful tonic to life.
Liverpool FC - Fresh off the back of the Hillsborough Inquest findings that Liverpool fans were not to blame for the deaths of 96 of their own supporters in 1989, Liverpool have had their own tribulations on the pitch this year. Without a win domestically, and desperately short of attacking options, they look a shadow of not just the team of the halcyon days gone by, but the team of even five years ago. With two competitive fixtures this week, they had a lot to deal with. First off, a trip to Austria to play Young Boys in the Europa League group stage. In the first game of the campaign, it was vital that Liverpool got a win, and they delivered, just. Having led 1-0 through a comical early own-goal, then 2-1 at Half Time, Liverpool's young team were suddenly on the back foot just after the break, conceding two goals in quick succession to be 3-2 down. However, Young Boys tired, and Jonjo Shelvey scored a smart brace to eventually secure a 5-3 victory for the Reds. Though a vastly inexperienced side, there was still cause for concern, particularly with the defending from set-pieces. However, a win on the road was vital, and it'd be the result, not the scoreline or the game-play, that was most vital here.
Sunday then finally saw the most eagerly anticipated match of the season (as it still is in my opinion) between Liverpool and Manchester United. Talk pre-match was of respect in search of 'Justice for the 96'. Sir Alex Ferguson even wrote an open letter to each United fan saying how the sickening chants regarding Hillsborough and Heysel had to stop. Likewise, Brendan Rodgers came out and said he hoped it'd be a new era of 'respectfulness' between the two clubs. In the ground, 96 balloons were let off in the stadium, and fans held bits of card to represent the words 'Truth' and 'Justice'. Even the side-show that was the Evra/Suarez will-they-won't-they handshake was almost consigned to memory, and then firmly put there when the two shook, teaching Terry and Ferdinand a thing or two. You could really get the sense that both clubs were doing their utmost to maintain the accord, and to some extents they succeeded. However, events on the field would lead to their being a change in the atmosphere at Anfield. Contentious refereeing has been a sore point for many a fan recently, and here was no exception. Jonjo Shelvey was harshly sent-off for a lunge on United centre-back Jonny Evans while Liverpool were firmly in the ascendancy, even though it look like half a dozen of one and 6 of the other. Either both or neither should have been sent for an early bath, but as it happened, lady luck had deserted Liverpool. Even with 10 men, Liverpool took the lead through a man fit of scoring such an important goal at such an important time for the club. Steven Gerrard emotionally pointed to the sky in memory of his cousin who died at Hillsborough after he scored in the time of 45:51 (anyone good at maths might see an interesting fact there). It wasn't to last long, as with their first real effort of the game, United's young Brazilian full-back Rafael curled in a sublime shot from just inside the box which eluded Pepe Reina, and went in off the far post. It was a goal of class that United had been lacking up until that point. Then another contentious decision finally sealed Liverpool's defeat. Antonio Valencia went down in the box after a challenge from Glen Johnson, though it looked as if Johnson never touched Valencia, who was on the way down before Johnson had even reached him. Up stepped Robin Van Persie, and United had a 2-1 victory secured. After the game, reports of some Liverpool fans performing aeroplane gestures to the United fans taunting them about the Munich disaster, who responded with chants of "You're always the victims", marred what had been a game based on the basis of respect. Still the result left Liverpool in 17th, and even though it's early in the season, it's still a dangerous place for them to be.
Formula One - The Singapore Grand Prix - To be fair, this was a fairly dull race in my opinion. It only became interesting after Hamilton retired from the lead, leading to chaos from the restart. It was the pre-race tribute to Professor Sid Watkins that really caught my eye. To a casual fan, some may not even know his name, or what he did in/for F1, so I'll keep this short. Sid Watkins was the head of the on-track medical team from 1978-2005. During this team, he is accredited with not only saving the lives of various drivers, such as Gehard Berger, Mika Hakkinen, and Rubens Barrichello to name but a few, but also vastly improving the safety of F1 in general. It was fitting therefore that leading his tribute was former driver Sir Jackie Stewart, who himself lobbied for better safety throughout his time in the sport. Not only this, but the plethora of current drivers who paid tribute to him was fantastic, it really showed the world how this man touched generations, who in turn have much to be thankful for. As for the F1 title race, it's still wide open. Jenson Button may be too far back, but stranger things have happened. Ferrari might not have the quickest car, but it's proving to be the most reliable, having not retired all season with mechanical difficulties, something that has hampered the Red Bull's and McLaren's in the past two races.
NFL: Baltimore Ravens vs New England Patriots - What a game this was! A rematch of the painful AFC Championship game from last year, where the then-Ravens kicker Billy Cundiff missed a last second 32-yard field goal to send the Patriots to the SuperBowl, this one did not disappoint either. Fiery from the outset, the Ravens got off to a slow start and found themselves 10-0 down within the first quarter. Then came the man of the hour (or 3, it was a very long game). Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith, whose 19 year old brother Tevin had been tragically killed mere hours before game-time, caught two touchdown passes from quarterback Joe Flacco, to somehow to pull the Ravens to within 2 points at 30-28 down going into the final 4 minutes. Smith's achievement was made even more incredible by the fact that the Ravens left it up to him to play, and at the start of the match, he was seen visibly crying on the side-lines. It was a big performance from a young man who had so much on his mind other than the game. Then came the real drama's. Several contentious calls from the replacement referee's (please Roger Goodell, sort this situation out, even Barack Obama tweeted that it needs to be resolved!) gave the Patriots the ball at the half way line with 3:30 to play. However, for the first time in the match, the Ravens defense held firm and forced the Patriots to punt. Flacco had to engineer a drive with 2 minutes to go to lead the Ravens from the 18-yard line to within field-goal range. On the first play, Flacco connected with 3rd choice wide receiver Jacoby Jones to take the Ravens to the 43 yard line, just outside field goal range. After Flacco was almost intercepted with an ill-judged pass to primary wide receiver Anquan Boldin, and facing a 3rd and 9, he launched a ball down field to Jones again. The pass fell incomplete, but the pass interference was called on Patriots cornerback Devin McCourty, taking the Ravens to the 16 yard line and a field goal attempt to come with 2 seconds remaining from new kicker Justin Tucker. After the Patriots called a time out during his initial kick, which went straight through, he stepped up again. This time, however, he shanked the ball, and it sailed high in the air. Nonetheless, the ball stayed true enough for the ball to travel just inside the posts, according to the referees, though the Patriots were incensed as they deemed that it had gone wide. There was no review option for the Patriots though, so the ruling on the field stood, giving the Ravens a 31-30 win. In the dressing-room afterwards, Smith gave an emotional tribute to his fellow team-mates, saying that they'd "made this a lot easier to deal with". With the victory, Ravens go to 2-1 and play the divisional rivals Cleveland Browns on Tuesday night.
Hopefully emotions will be more in check next week, and we can just focus on the sport, which is what ultimately, everyone from the fans at Anfield on Sunday, the teams in Singapore, and Torrey Smith in Baltimore wanted to do this time around. I shall leave you with a quote from Smith himself, which he said on his Twitter account regarding the death of his brother. Though not sport related, it still bears true to us all. Thanks for reading.
The Emotional One.
This weekend has quite possibly been the most emotional of any sporting weekend I have ever been alive to witness. From Football, to the Grand Prix, to the USA, every event I saw had a deeply emotional back-drop. What it left me with though was a great sense that no matter what anybody says, sport brings people together. Whether it be as large as a nation, or as small as a family, sport, much like religion in some parts of the world, is something that people can turn to as a mutual common ground. It relieves burdens and promotes unity. All in all, sport is a wonderful tonic to life.
Liverpool FC - Fresh off the back of the Hillsborough Inquest findings that Liverpool fans were not to blame for the deaths of 96 of their own supporters in 1989, Liverpool have had their own tribulations on the pitch this year. Without a win domestically, and desperately short of attacking options, they look a shadow of not just the team of the halcyon days gone by, but the team of even five years ago. With two competitive fixtures this week, they had a lot to deal with. First off, a trip to Austria to play Young Boys in the Europa League group stage. In the first game of the campaign, it was vital that Liverpool got a win, and they delivered, just. Having led 1-0 through a comical early own-goal, then 2-1 at Half Time, Liverpool's young team were suddenly on the back foot just after the break, conceding two goals in quick succession to be 3-2 down. However, Young Boys tired, and Jonjo Shelvey scored a smart brace to eventually secure a 5-3 victory for the Reds. Though a vastly inexperienced side, there was still cause for concern, particularly with the defending from set-pieces. However, a win on the road was vital, and it'd be the result, not the scoreline or the game-play, that was most vital here.
Sunday then finally saw the most eagerly anticipated match of the season (as it still is in my opinion) between Liverpool and Manchester United. Talk pre-match was of respect in search of 'Justice for the 96'. Sir Alex Ferguson even wrote an open letter to each United fan saying how the sickening chants regarding Hillsborough and Heysel had to stop. Likewise, Brendan Rodgers came out and said he hoped it'd be a new era of 'respectfulness' between the two clubs. In the ground, 96 balloons were let off in the stadium, and fans held bits of card to represent the words 'Truth' and 'Justice'. Even the side-show that was the Evra/Suarez will-they-won't-they handshake was almost consigned to memory, and then firmly put there when the two shook, teaching Terry and Ferdinand a thing or two. You could really get the sense that both clubs were doing their utmost to maintain the accord, and to some extents they succeeded. However, events on the field would lead to their being a change in the atmosphere at Anfield. Contentious refereeing has been a sore point for many a fan recently, and here was no exception. Jonjo Shelvey was harshly sent-off for a lunge on United centre-back Jonny Evans while Liverpool were firmly in the ascendancy, even though it look like half a dozen of one and 6 of the other. Either both or neither should have been sent for an early bath, but as it happened, lady luck had deserted Liverpool. Even with 10 men, Liverpool took the lead through a man fit of scoring such an important goal at such an important time for the club. Steven Gerrard emotionally pointed to the sky in memory of his cousin who died at Hillsborough after he scored in the time of 45:51 (anyone good at maths might see an interesting fact there). It wasn't to last long, as with their first real effort of the game, United's young Brazilian full-back Rafael curled in a sublime shot from just inside the box which eluded Pepe Reina, and went in off the far post. It was a goal of class that United had been lacking up until that point. Then another contentious decision finally sealed Liverpool's defeat. Antonio Valencia went down in the box after a challenge from Glen Johnson, though it looked as if Johnson never touched Valencia, who was on the way down before Johnson had even reached him. Up stepped Robin Van Persie, and United had a 2-1 victory secured. After the game, reports of some Liverpool fans performing aeroplane gestures to the United fans taunting them about the Munich disaster, who responded with chants of "You're always the victims", marred what had been a game based on the basis of respect. Still the result left Liverpool in 17th, and even though it's early in the season, it's still a dangerous place for them to be.
Formula One - The Singapore Grand Prix - To be fair, this was a fairly dull race in my opinion. It only became interesting after Hamilton retired from the lead, leading to chaos from the restart. It was the pre-race tribute to Professor Sid Watkins that really caught my eye. To a casual fan, some may not even know his name, or what he did in/for F1, so I'll keep this short. Sid Watkins was the head of the on-track medical team from 1978-2005. During this team, he is accredited with not only saving the lives of various drivers, such as Gehard Berger, Mika Hakkinen, and Rubens Barrichello to name but a few, but also vastly improving the safety of F1 in general. It was fitting therefore that leading his tribute was former driver Sir Jackie Stewart, who himself lobbied for better safety throughout his time in the sport. Not only this, but the plethora of current drivers who paid tribute to him was fantastic, it really showed the world how this man touched generations, who in turn have much to be thankful for. As for the F1 title race, it's still wide open. Jenson Button may be too far back, but stranger things have happened. Ferrari might not have the quickest car, but it's proving to be the most reliable, having not retired all season with mechanical difficulties, something that has hampered the Red Bull's and McLaren's in the past two races.
NFL: Baltimore Ravens vs New England Patriots - What a game this was! A rematch of the painful AFC Championship game from last year, where the then-Ravens kicker Billy Cundiff missed a last second 32-yard field goal to send the Patriots to the SuperBowl, this one did not disappoint either. Fiery from the outset, the Ravens got off to a slow start and found themselves 10-0 down within the first quarter. Then came the man of the hour (or 3, it was a very long game). Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith, whose 19 year old brother Tevin had been tragically killed mere hours before game-time, caught two touchdown passes from quarterback Joe Flacco, to somehow to pull the Ravens to within 2 points at 30-28 down going into the final 4 minutes. Smith's achievement was made even more incredible by the fact that the Ravens left it up to him to play, and at the start of the match, he was seen visibly crying on the side-lines. It was a big performance from a young man who had so much on his mind other than the game. Then came the real drama's. Several contentious calls from the replacement referee's (please Roger Goodell, sort this situation out, even Barack Obama tweeted that it needs to be resolved!) gave the Patriots the ball at the half way line with 3:30 to play. However, for the first time in the match, the Ravens defense held firm and forced the Patriots to punt. Flacco had to engineer a drive with 2 minutes to go to lead the Ravens from the 18-yard line to within field-goal range. On the first play, Flacco connected with 3rd choice wide receiver Jacoby Jones to take the Ravens to the 43 yard line, just outside field goal range. After Flacco was almost intercepted with an ill-judged pass to primary wide receiver Anquan Boldin, and facing a 3rd and 9, he launched a ball down field to Jones again. The pass fell incomplete, but the pass interference was called on Patriots cornerback Devin McCourty, taking the Ravens to the 16 yard line and a field goal attempt to come with 2 seconds remaining from new kicker Justin Tucker. After the Patriots called a time out during his initial kick, which went straight through, he stepped up again. This time, however, he shanked the ball, and it sailed high in the air. Nonetheless, the ball stayed true enough for the ball to travel just inside the posts, according to the referees, though the Patriots were incensed as they deemed that it had gone wide. There was no review option for the Patriots though, so the ruling on the field stood, giving the Ravens a 31-30 win. In the dressing-room afterwards, Smith gave an emotional tribute to his fellow team-mates, saying that they'd "made this a lot easier to deal with". With the victory, Ravens go to 2-1 and play the divisional rivals Cleveland Browns on Tuesday night.
Hopefully emotions will be more in check next week, and we can just focus on the sport, which is what ultimately, everyone from the fans at Anfield on Sunday, the teams in Singapore, and Torrey Smith in Baltimore wanted to do this time around. I shall leave you with a quote from Smith himself, which he said on his Twitter account regarding the death of his brother. Though not sport related, it still bears true to us all. Thanks for reading.
"Be thankful for your loved ones and tell them you love them... This is the hardest thing ever"
Sunday, 16 September 2012
Changes are coming soon!
Hello everyone and welcome to my latest post! I hope you all a great summer, and what a summer of sport it has been!
As you may have noticed, things have been a bit quiet on here, even if my views have gone up considerably (many thanks to all!). Due to a lack of Welsh Internationals, and my inability to see any of the test series against Australia, there has been very little to comment on, for which I apologise profusely.
Therefore, it is with great regret that I am announcing the end to the Dragon Still Roars (boo!).
HOWEVER!
Seeing as people are seemingly interested in what I have to say, from henceforth there shall be a NEW blog, dedicated to sports that I have a particular interest in. As of now, these posts will include updates on:
- The ongoing F1 season
- The ongoing Premier League season
- The Baltimore Ravens in the ongoing NFL league, plus any stories of interest
- The fortunes of London Welsh in the Aviva Premiership
- Home International football fixtures
- And any other sports that I am fortunate to witness
Welsh Rugby fans though, do not fear! I shall still be writing my usual reports on any future match, plus the British and Irish Lions tour. These shall be all given the title of "The Dragon Still Roars" with a subheading, to alert your attention to them!
I hope that all these changes will benefit not only myself as an extension of my career as a budding talker of the sports, but also you, the fans, who will get to experience more variety on this page, with your favourite sports being critiqued and potentially ruined by none other than yours truly!
Thanks for your continued patience and unwavering support (yes I lay it on thick).
David Venables
As you may have noticed, things have been a bit quiet on here, even if my views have gone up considerably (many thanks to all!). Due to a lack of Welsh Internationals, and my inability to see any of the test series against Australia, there has been very little to comment on, for which I apologise profusely.
Therefore, it is with great regret that I am announcing the end to the Dragon Still Roars (boo!).
HOWEVER!
Seeing as people are seemingly interested in what I have to say, from henceforth there shall be a NEW blog, dedicated to sports that I have a particular interest in. As of now, these posts will include updates on:
- The ongoing F1 season
- The ongoing Premier League season
- The Baltimore Ravens in the ongoing NFL league, plus any stories of interest
- The fortunes of London Welsh in the Aviva Premiership
- Home International football fixtures
- And any other sports that I am fortunate to witness
Welsh Rugby fans though, do not fear! I shall still be writing my usual reports on any future match, plus the British and Irish Lions tour. These shall be all given the title of "The Dragon Still Roars" with a subheading, to alert your attention to them!
I hope that all these changes will benefit not only myself as an extension of my career as a budding talker of the sports, but also you, the fans, who will get to experience more variety on this page, with your favourite sports being critiqued and potentially ruined by none other than yours truly!
Thanks for your continued patience and unwavering support (yes I lay it on thick).
David Venables
Sunday, 3 June 2012
Wales vs Barbarians Post-Game
Okay, so that last post seemed a little rushed, but then again, seeing as I did it typing on my phone whilst enjoying a Brains and soaking up the atmosphere, I'm glad that I tried! However, now for the big daddy, the post-game blog!
Wales's so-called second string XV saw off a challenging Barbarians side 30-21 at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff yesterday. However, even though several Welsh youngsters were blooded yesterday, it was ultimately the relative veteran in James Hook that led the charge to defeat the Baa-Baas, as he scored 20 of Wales' 30 points.
Much maligned for his displays in the months leading up to and including last year's World Cup, Hook looked like the player he was once billed to be. He proved that he could lead a back-line effectively, and his kicking, which again had come under scrutiny, was clinical. Yesterday was a game that called on the veterans to step-up, and the ever reliable Ian Evans, and the Jones duo of Alun-Wyn and Ryan, stepped up and led, giving the youngsters a chance to settle with more ease.
Of all the new Wales faces, Harry Robinson was the stand-out. His 60-yard dash for his try was phenomenal, his legs recreating that of the Roadrunner. Even Mils Muliaina, who is an experienced fullback to say the least and no slouch, admired the speed of which Robinson used to obliterate through the Baa-Baas team. Other players who shone were Aled Brew, who packs a solid punch to say the least, and was well worth his somewhat fortuitous score, and Dan Biggar, who gave the kind of performance that helped his Osprey's side to an unlikely victory over Leinster in the Pro-12 final last weekend.
However, it was a more important day for two Williams'. Martyn Williams finally reached his 100th cap, becoming only the third player in Welsh history to do so. Nugget came on to a rousing reception, and after confirming his retirement post game, it was a fitting way to end such a special international career. Also, Shane Williams played his game too, though this time for the Black and White for the Baa-Baas, rather than the customary red. Though seemingly going through the retirement process since December when he scored that magical try in the last minute against Australia, Shane has finally hung up his boots, a week after his club career ended with another last minute try, this time to win the game for the Ospreys. However, there would be no last minute dart over the line this time, but he was inevitably greeted with much love from the Wales faithful. Thank you both Martyn and Shane for all you have done over your storied careers.
For Wales now, it's time to go to Australia for three test matches. Though unbeaten in all six matches in 2012, Wales have not beaten Australia Down-Under since 1969, so it will be a very stern, and true, test of how good this "golden-era" of Welsh players actually are. In the past year alone, Wales have lost twice to the Wallabies, once in the World Cup, and in Cardiff in December, so it is a fair assumption that they go in as under-dogs. However, a close series would be seen as a success, especially given the poor record.
So until a week from now, I bid you adieu!
Final Score: Wales 30 - Tries: Robinson, Hook, Brew. Convs: Hook (3). Pens: Hook (3).
Barbarians 21 - Tries: Rees, Donald (2). Convs: Donald (3).
Dewch ar Cymru!
Wales's so-called second string XV saw off a challenging Barbarians side 30-21 at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff yesterday. However, even though several Welsh youngsters were blooded yesterday, it was ultimately the relative veteran in James Hook that led the charge to defeat the Baa-Baas, as he scored 20 of Wales' 30 points.
Much maligned for his displays in the months leading up to and including last year's World Cup, Hook looked like the player he was once billed to be. He proved that he could lead a back-line effectively, and his kicking, which again had come under scrutiny, was clinical. Yesterday was a game that called on the veterans to step-up, and the ever reliable Ian Evans, and the Jones duo of Alun-Wyn and Ryan, stepped up and led, giving the youngsters a chance to settle with more ease.
Of all the new Wales faces, Harry Robinson was the stand-out. His 60-yard dash for his try was phenomenal, his legs recreating that of the Roadrunner. Even Mils Muliaina, who is an experienced fullback to say the least and no slouch, admired the speed of which Robinson used to obliterate through the Baa-Baas team. Other players who shone were Aled Brew, who packs a solid punch to say the least, and was well worth his somewhat fortuitous score, and Dan Biggar, who gave the kind of performance that helped his Osprey's side to an unlikely victory over Leinster in the Pro-12 final last weekend.
However, it was a more important day for two Williams'. Martyn Williams finally reached his 100th cap, becoming only the third player in Welsh history to do so. Nugget came on to a rousing reception, and after confirming his retirement post game, it was a fitting way to end such a special international career. Also, Shane Williams played his game too, though this time for the Black and White for the Baa-Baas, rather than the customary red. Though seemingly going through the retirement process since December when he scored that magical try in the last minute against Australia, Shane has finally hung up his boots, a week after his club career ended with another last minute try, this time to win the game for the Ospreys. However, there would be no last minute dart over the line this time, but he was inevitably greeted with much love from the Wales faithful. Thank you both Martyn and Shane for all you have done over your storied careers.
For Wales now, it's time to go to Australia for three test matches. Though unbeaten in all six matches in 2012, Wales have not beaten Australia Down-Under since 1969, so it will be a very stern, and true, test of how good this "golden-era" of Welsh players actually are. In the past year alone, Wales have lost twice to the Wallabies, once in the World Cup, and in Cardiff in December, so it is a fair assumption that they go in as under-dogs. However, a close series would be seen as a success, especially given the poor record.
So until a week from now, I bid you adieu!
Final Score: Wales 30 - Tries: Robinson, Hook, Brew. Convs: Hook (3). Pens: Hook (3).
Barbarians 21 - Tries: Rees, Donald (2). Convs: Donald (3).
Dewch ar Cymru!
Saturday, 2 June 2012
Pre-game Wales vs Barbarians
As something new, I am currently writing this from inside the Millennium Stadium where Wales are set to take on the Barbarians in 45 minutes.
For Wales, it's their first game since beating France in the final 6 Nations game in March. With a three game tour of Australia coming up, they have named a relatively inexperienced side, but one still full of talent. Matthew Rees leads the side, which also contains veterans Alun-Wyn Jones, Ryan Jones, and James Hook. Martyn Williams is also in line to get his 100th cap, but starts among the replacements.
The Barbarians field a typically strong team, but one that includes 3 Welsh players: Duncan Jones, Richie Rees, and, playing his last ever competitive match, Shane Williams. Captained by John Smit, and with Mils Muliainia at fullback, they are going to be a tough test for the Welsh boys, even if the final result isn't important.
Dewch ar Cymru!
Sunday, 1 April 2012
Special Post! Saracens vs Harlequins at Wembley Stadium
Now I know that normally this is a very Welsh blog, but for today at least, there is going to be a slight change. I was fortunate enough to receive tickets to go and watch London Saracens play Harlequins at Wembley Stadium yesterday. Seeing as this was such a big occasion for plenty of reasons (it being my first visit to Wembley, and the fact it was a top of the table clash in the Aviva Premiership, plus my girlfriend's brother got to parade around the Stadium itself!), I felt inclined to write a post regarding my day. So enjoy!
We had a painfully early half 6 start from Colchester (my home town, essentially) Rugby Club, from where we took a coach down to The Hive football centre. This was opened in 2009 by then England manager, Fabio Capello, and is the training ground of Barnet FC. The facilities were state of the art, and the size of the bacon butties being handed out were enormous! You may be wondering at this point why we were at the Hive, but there is a reason! There was a Saracens' Champions Cup tournament taking place for the top six under 9 teams that were part of the various tournaments over the course of the the season. Colchester's under 9's were one of the six, and so got the chance to win the Cup. After sinking a large coffee, we went to watch them play their 2 pool games. The first game was an easy 10-0 victory over Harrow for Colchester, and the boy's enthusiasm for the game at such a young age was amazing. I was jumping around like a lunatic on the sidelines, much like everyone else, willing them on to victory. Their second game, against Marlow, was a much tighter affair, with it finishing 0-0. In truth, Colchester were lucky to hold on, but some great defence kept the scores level, and at the end they even had the chance to nick the victory, only to be thwarted with a great last ditch tackle by one of the opposition players. However, it meant that going into the last game of the pool, Colchester were top. They needed Harrow to either draw or win against Marlow, or hope that Marlow didn't score two tries, to ensure they progressed to the final. At half-time though, Marlow were leading 2-0, and on the sidelines, we were admitting that we would probably be in the third place play-off. After the break though, Harrow found a gear that was missing, and charged at Marlow relentlessly, eventually earning a score. On the sidelines, we were jubilant (in good grace though!), and thought that we would be in the final. But will literally the last play of the game, Marlow ran the ball from their own line and scored a game, and pool, winning try, condemning us to third place play-off. The lads weren't disheartened, but ultimately lost 3-1 in a tough match to finish the tournament fourth, not a bad showing at all.
So after a quick bite to eat, we left for Wembley! Arriving at about quarter past 1, we congregated by the beginning of the arc to let the children go off to their parade groups, whilst we went to the gates to take our seats. I was hugely impressed with the Stadium, and the view that we had was very good. For my first trip, it was a little bit daunting, as it is the home of England's national team, and also where my beloved Liverpool won the Carling Cup final barely a month ago. However, a pint soon set me right, and we settled down for the pre-match entertainment. The parade featured all 40 teams of the tournament, from various age groups, all carrying banners, and wearing their teams shirts with pride. It was a great moment for the kids, and they were beaming with pride as they paraded the stadium. Following was the 1600 strong Rock Choir, who sang three numbers. Boy-band McFly were up next, who gave a rousing performance and thoroughly entertained the crowd, who were growing in number by this point. Once they had performed, it was time for the biggie, Saracens vs Harlequins!
Now I must confess, I am not an avid follower of the English Premiership. However, I did know that Harlequins were top by three points, and that Saracens needed to win in order to be in with a chance of coming top. The majority of the crowd were supporting Sarries, as it was technically their home game, but the mix was much closer that I thought it would be, with about a 70-30 split. With no preference, I just wanted to see a good game, and have the best team win in the end. And that is what I got.
Quins started very well, and after a minute and a half, had the game's first try though centre Jordan Turner-Hall, with fly-half Nick Evans converting. The majority of the crowd were immediately silenced, though the Quins in the stands were in raptures. However, Sarries did pull in front with three Owen Farrell penalties, after some indiscipline in the rucks by Harlequins. But yet again, Harlequins were able to move the ball between the backs, and some great play by scrum-half Danny Care and outside centre George Lowe led to a superb breakaway try for their second score. Again, Evans converted to put Harlequins 14-9 ahead. Both sides then exchanged penalty misses before Farrell sent one over on the whistle to make the half time score 14-12 to Quins.
After some more McFly, the second half began with a penalty scored by replacement fly-half Rory Clegg for the Quins to make it 17-12. After a barren period, where the game transcended into a kicking battle, Quins got another breakthrough, stretching the Sarries defence to breaking point before going over to score through Care, and with Evans' conversion being successful again, it left Sarries 12-24 behind. Then came the final 20 minutes of madness. First, Harlequins had prop Joe Marler sin-binned, as the Saracens piled on the pressure in the Quins 22. Three times, Saracens were in, only for the final ball to either be mis-handled or off target. When they did go over the line, great scramble defence from Quins meant that centre Chris Wyles' leg was in touch when he grounded the ball. Then Quins had Care sin-binned as he deliberately tackled a man from an offside position. Down to 13 for a minute, Sarries finally took advantage and scored. Replacement scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth crashed over the line from the penalty resulting from Care's sin-binning, and Farrell scored to leaves the Sarries only five points behind, with 9 minutes to play. Try as they might though, Saracens couldn't get the final breakthrough, and even though number 8 Nick Easter became the third Harlequins player to be binned, Quins clung on to win through 24-19.
In truth, Harlequins were the much better side. They moved the ball through the phases a lot more precisely, and were more determined in the contact area than the Saracens. Until the last twenty minutes, Saracens had a game to forget, and even then, sloppy handling errors meant that couldn't convert their pressure into points. Conversely, Quins will be disappointed with their last twenty minutes, and their ill-discipline meant that they almost snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. In the end though, the right team won.
It was a fantastic day all round for myself, and with the new club record attendance of 83,761 being set at Wembley, a great day for Rugby on the whole.
My next post should be regarding the International Rugby 7's tournament in May, so stay tuned for that Wales fans, as I'll be blogging about their games, and how the rest of the tournament shaped up!
Final Score: Saracens 24 - Tries: Wigglesworth. Convs: Farrell. Pens: Farrell (4)
Harlequins 19 - Tries: Turner-Hall, Lowe, Care. Convs: Evans (2), Clegg. Pens: Clegg
We had a painfully early half 6 start from Colchester (my home town, essentially) Rugby Club, from where we took a coach down to The Hive football centre. This was opened in 2009 by then England manager, Fabio Capello, and is the training ground of Barnet FC. The facilities were state of the art, and the size of the bacon butties being handed out were enormous! You may be wondering at this point why we were at the Hive, but there is a reason! There was a Saracens' Champions Cup tournament taking place for the top six under 9 teams that were part of the various tournaments over the course of the the season. Colchester's under 9's were one of the six, and so got the chance to win the Cup. After sinking a large coffee, we went to watch them play their 2 pool games. The first game was an easy 10-0 victory over Harrow for Colchester, and the boy's enthusiasm for the game at such a young age was amazing. I was jumping around like a lunatic on the sidelines, much like everyone else, willing them on to victory. Their second game, against Marlow, was a much tighter affair, with it finishing 0-0. In truth, Colchester were lucky to hold on, but some great defence kept the scores level, and at the end they even had the chance to nick the victory, only to be thwarted with a great last ditch tackle by one of the opposition players. However, it meant that going into the last game of the pool, Colchester were top. They needed Harrow to either draw or win against Marlow, or hope that Marlow didn't score two tries, to ensure they progressed to the final. At half-time though, Marlow were leading 2-0, and on the sidelines, we were admitting that we would probably be in the third place play-off. After the break though, Harrow found a gear that was missing, and charged at Marlow relentlessly, eventually earning a score. On the sidelines, we were jubilant (in good grace though!), and thought that we would be in the final. But will literally the last play of the game, Marlow ran the ball from their own line and scored a game, and pool, winning try, condemning us to third place play-off. The lads weren't disheartened, but ultimately lost 3-1 in a tough match to finish the tournament fourth, not a bad showing at all.
So after a quick bite to eat, we left for Wembley! Arriving at about quarter past 1, we congregated by the beginning of the arc to let the children go off to their parade groups, whilst we went to the gates to take our seats. I was hugely impressed with the Stadium, and the view that we had was very good. For my first trip, it was a little bit daunting, as it is the home of England's national team, and also where my beloved Liverpool won the Carling Cup final barely a month ago. However, a pint soon set me right, and we settled down for the pre-match entertainment. The parade featured all 40 teams of the tournament, from various age groups, all carrying banners, and wearing their teams shirts with pride. It was a great moment for the kids, and they were beaming with pride as they paraded the stadium. Following was the 1600 strong Rock Choir, who sang three numbers. Boy-band McFly were up next, who gave a rousing performance and thoroughly entertained the crowd, who were growing in number by this point. Once they had performed, it was time for the biggie, Saracens vs Harlequins!
Now I must confess, I am not an avid follower of the English Premiership. However, I did know that Harlequins were top by three points, and that Saracens needed to win in order to be in with a chance of coming top. The majority of the crowd were supporting Sarries, as it was technically their home game, but the mix was much closer that I thought it would be, with about a 70-30 split. With no preference, I just wanted to see a good game, and have the best team win in the end. And that is what I got.
Quins started very well, and after a minute and a half, had the game's first try though centre Jordan Turner-Hall, with fly-half Nick Evans converting. The majority of the crowd were immediately silenced, though the Quins in the stands were in raptures. However, Sarries did pull in front with three Owen Farrell penalties, after some indiscipline in the rucks by Harlequins. But yet again, Harlequins were able to move the ball between the backs, and some great play by scrum-half Danny Care and outside centre George Lowe led to a superb breakaway try for their second score. Again, Evans converted to put Harlequins 14-9 ahead. Both sides then exchanged penalty misses before Farrell sent one over on the whistle to make the half time score 14-12 to Quins.
After some more McFly, the second half began with a penalty scored by replacement fly-half Rory Clegg for the Quins to make it 17-12. After a barren period, where the game transcended into a kicking battle, Quins got another breakthrough, stretching the Sarries defence to breaking point before going over to score through Care, and with Evans' conversion being successful again, it left Sarries 12-24 behind. Then came the final 20 minutes of madness. First, Harlequins had prop Joe Marler sin-binned, as the Saracens piled on the pressure in the Quins 22. Three times, Saracens were in, only for the final ball to either be mis-handled or off target. When they did go over the line, great scramble defence from Quins meant that centre Chris Wyles' leg was in touch when he grounded the ball. Then Quins had Care sin-binned as he deliberately tackled a man from an offside position. Down to 13 for a minute, Sarries finally took advantage and scored. Replacement scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth crashed over the line from the penalty resulting from Care's sin-binning, and Farrell scored to leaves the Sarries only five points behind, with 9 minutes to play. Try as they might though, Saracens couldn't get the final breakthrough, and even though number 8 Nick Easter became the third Harlequins player to be binned, Quins clung on to win through 24-19.
In truth, Harlequins were the much better side. They moved the ball through the phases a lot more precisely, and were more determined in the contact area than the Saracens. Until the last twenty minutes, Saracens had a game to forget, and even then, sloppy handling errors meant that couldn't convert their pressure into points. Conversely, Quins will be disappointed with their last twenty minutes, and their ill-discipline meant that they almost snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. In the end though, the right team won.
It was a fantastic day all round for myself, and with the new club record attendance of 83,761 being set at Wembley, a great day for Rugby on the whole.
My next post should be regarding the International Rugby 7's tournament in May, so stay tuned for that Wales fans, as I'll be blogging about their games, and how the rest of the tournament shaped up!
Final Score: Saracens 24 - Tries: Wigglesworth. Convs: Farrell. Pens: Farrell (4)
Harlequins 19 - Tries: Turner-Hall, Lowe, Care. Convs: Evans (2), Clegg. Pens: Clegg
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