2 year countdown begins

Over the weekend, "I took part in the London 2012 Open Weekend challenge" by playing table tennis at different venues in London. Having last played in 2005 on the rooftop of a famous Manhattan building, overlooking the East River, I was pretty rusty on Saturday, at Brunswick Square, and it showed when I lost my opening game (I wasn't fully focused), but won my next 2 games before losing my final game to the best player. On Sunday at The Hub in Regent's Park, I lost both double series (best of five) that I played in, but won my singles series. I also picked up some tips on how to refine my strokes - now I just need to find an indoor table so that I don't have to compete against the elements as well.

Being serenaded by a preocious, bilingual 2+ year old was the pièce de résistance of a weekend full of highlights.

Malevolent rays

I lived in an equatorial country for over a decade where direct sunlight was the norm and I worked in the country who's national slogan is, 13 months of sunshine. I am an avowed sun worshipper (I would never go on holiday to look for snow) who enjoys basking in the sun rays or rather I used to because now I can't spend 5 minutes in the sun without a rash on the back of my hand and neck flaring up. I am currently using 2 creams, one of which needs to be refrigerated, in order to try and sort the problem out, but no sooner do I think I'm on the mend than there's another type of flare up - who knew skin was that sensitive?! Moreover, I mistakenly thought my melanin would protect me.

BAD DOG!!

Yesterday I was in the park doing my usual exercise routine that combines footy-boules, karate katas, juggling and stretching. I was juggling when all of a sudden a Scottish terrier takes it upon himself to get involved. At first, I wasn't having any of it so I kept the balls in my hands and backed away from the excitable mutt. The problem was, this served to make him even more excitable and he started jumping on me. Now, I'm not a pet person and I really don't like dogs jumping on me especially when the grass still has its morning dew.

The owner was trying to call the dog off, but the dog wasn't having any of it - I kept backpedalling in circles with the balls out of sight in my hands behind my back. The owner catches up with me and advises me to stand still which I do and immediately regret it. The dog, now emboldened continues to jump up at me while baring its teeth. Reluctant to call the dog's bluff, I threw the balls on the ground whereupon the dog triumphantly fastened its jaw around one of the balls and ran off. For the next 5 minutes, the owner used all sorts of tricks to get the dog to hand over the ball, but the dog wasn't having any of it. Eventually the dog obeyed a lie down command and reluctantly agreed to give up the ball in exchange for a treat. The owner who up until now had not been able to get close to the dog because he kept running off, quickly put a leash on the dog, wiped the ball down several times and handed it over to me sheepishly saying, "that's the first time he's ever done that".

Does anybody know how I can dog-proof my juggling balls?

According to the Capello Index

Leo Messi's nationality is Spanish - do you think they know something we don't?!

Where life is SO cheap

It will be interesting to hear what the spinmeister-in-chief will say with regard to the IDF's latest atrocity. But an even bigger atrocity is being committed by those countries who refuse to condemn this Rogue State's wanton impunity and belligerence.

All that is required for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing 

Tail wags dog

As you can see from this, the very American sounding Israeli prime minster knows how to get the dog a fetchin' and a carryin'. It does make you wonder just how committed the current Israeli PM is to the peace process. His recent statements before his most recent mend-the-fence trip to Washington were in all probability part of the manipulation process.

Les Trois Mousquetaires

Pas Athos, Aramis et Porthos, mais Christophe, Renaud et Teddy. The latter 3 are beginning to create waves in the world of athletics. While Teddy's performance may have been the most impressive, when he triple jumped 17.90m to go sixth on the all-time list ( he bettered his PB in New York with a jump of 17.98m to go third on the all-time list - WR = 18.43m) and Renaud leads the Diamond League pole vault standings, it was Christophe's 100m run of 9.98s that garnered the most headlines as he became the first white man to break the mythical 10 second barrier. Christophe is 20 so by the time London 2012 comes around, he should no longer be fazed by running in the lane next to Usain Bolt as he may have been on Friday night in Paris where he finished 5th in a time of 10.08s - mind you, Christophe will have his work cut out if Usain Bolt decides to defend his Beijing title as he made his winning time of 9.84s look like the proverbial walk in the park.

Allez Christophe, Renaud et Teddy!!

67

This figure represents the number of years that Madiba has devoted to human rights work - that equates to 72.8% of his lifetime. The first 25 years of his life were spent preparing him for a calling that would see him put his commitment to the struggle for equality before his family.

As a fitting tribute to mark his 92nd birthday, the British Museum is hosting a series of events to mark Nelson Mandela day. As part of the festivities, the museum is asking visitors to donate 67 minutes of their time to charitable causes.

His legacy to South Africa, Africa and the world was his ability to maintain his humanity amidst unremitting inhumanity and I'm sure he would appreciate the symbolism of time as a charitable donation.

HAPPY 92ND BIRTHDAY MADIBA!!

Palinesque (the she, NOT he)

According to this, Bliar never asked the questions that needed to be ask about the post war reconstruction of Iraq. Instead, he assumed the Americans would take care of things and left it at that. For a supposedly intelligent man (I couldn't possibly comment!!), he's decision to bury his head in the sand is Palinesque. What's more, he did a hatchet job on anyone who had the temerity to pursue that line of questioning.

Soft targets

All those countries that have sent troops to Somalia as part of the African Union's peacekeeping force were served notice of their unwelcome presence by the atrocity perpetrated in Kampala as spectators watched the World Cup final.

Policy of total impunity

is how US foreign policy has been described by the man who survived countless CIA assassination attempts. The same applies to it's satellite state, Israel.

He was happy to see us, we were HAPPIER to see him

Whether or not the rumours surrounding his appearance are true, it gladdened my heart to see Madiba beaming his megawatt smile to the full house in Soccer City, Johannesburg and the billions watching on television screens throughout the continent and the rest of the world. As usual, his cameo left us wanting more, but it would have been a travesty for him to have witnessed the skulduggery perpertrated by the Oranje as they sought to disrupt the rhythm of the more technically accomplished La Roja. Thankfully the swift justice that has been meted out during this most historic of World Cups, when moral authority and integrity have been compromised, did not shirk from duty last night and the team that tried/wanted to play football emerged victorious.

Felicitaciones La Roja!! Felicitaciones Campeónes!!

Déjà vu

In 2008, Rafael Nadal won his fourth Coupe des Mousequetaire, his first Wimbledon title and La Roja won their first European Championships in style.

In 2010, Rafael Nadal has emulated Björn Borg again by winning the French Open followed by Wimbledon, La Roja after coming a cropper in their opening match against Switzerland regrouped and steadily improved in subsequent games. Their mastery of possession football came to the fore in the semi-final match against Die Nationalmannschaft where they highlighted the weakness of the latter's counterattacking style - it doesn't work if you can't get the ball and La Roja had the ball 61% of the time. Die Nationalmannschaft expended so much energy trying to get the ball off La Roja that when they did get the ball, they were too tired to do anything useful with it.

I'm with Paul on this one.

Vamos La Roja!!

It's called K-A-R-M-A

La Celeste, you got your just desserts!! You needed to be brought back down to earth after the self delusional rantings of some of your players. Your morality was found wanting and in this most historic World Cup, it should never have been called into question.

Israel as a Strategic Liability?

Those are the words of Anthony H. Cordesman who has written the eponymous titled paper for CSIS. It's only taken 62 years, but at long last the penny has dropped.

Por favor, quédese

Querido Diego

Remember Espagña 1982 and how your frustration at being constantly kicked saw your tournament come to a premature end? Over the next 4 years, you used that experience as motivation for Mexico 1986 and the whole world saw what a motivated Diego can do.

Your first campaign as a World Cup Manager has ended prematurely, but I do believe that once you've had a chance to reflect, you will realise how much better you can make the likes of Leo, Carlitos, Gonzalo, Javier M, Javier P, Otamendi, Sergio with 4 years to prepare - the thought of winning the Jules Rimet trophy on enemy territory should provide you and your players with all the necessary motivation.

Whatever you decide do after discussions with your family, thank you once again for providing us with more unforgettable memories and quotes!

Maradona, Zidane - I THINK NOT!!

Luis Suárez has evoked the "Hand of God" and Sebastian Abreu has compared his chipped penalty that "won" the match for La Celeste with that of Zidane's in the 2006 World Cup final in Germany. Firstly, Luis Suárez, you have just gone to no 1 in the World Cup 2010 Hall of Shame, secondly until you single-handedly win a World Cup then you have no right to compare yourself to Maradona - your actions if anything prove the absence of God. However, as Daniele de Rossi, Luis Fabiano have found, cheating does not pay in this World Cup so you have just ensured that La Celeste will be summarily dispatched by the Oranje on Tuesday.

As for Sebastian Abreu, please come down from the clouds because until you orchestrate your team's progress to the final à la Zidane in 2006, win World Player of the year 3 times, score the winning goal in the Champion's League final with a volley that showcases your superb technique, score 2 goals in a World Cup final and inspire your team to win a continental championships, you really have no right to compare yourself to Zizou.

See you in 4 years time

Your tournament has come to an end a lot quicker than you perhaps thought it would and I hope after some reflection you won't be too disappointed. You were at the heart of a lot of good play and you created chances for your team mates - I find it quite hard to comprehend how you didn't manage to score. I look forward to seeing you complete the set of footballing accolades in Brazil 2014.

Never has SO much been done with SO little

According to this, La Albiçeleste had most of the possession, more shots on goal and more corners, yet they were on the wrong end of a rout - football is indeed baffling.

There's a tennis tournament going on too

I really thought V would earn her sixth Venus Rosewater dish because she's been in good form this year and was seeded 2 at this year's championships. However she crashed out and now it's down to her younger sister to defend the family's honor. While her opponent in today's final should not be underestimated given that she's one half of the doubles team that put the Sister Act out and will also be in the women's double final - the younger sister to win in 3 sets, if necessary.

In the run-up to this semi-final match up, the Scot had talked up his chances against the Spaniard - if ever proof was needed about the gulf between the two when it really matters, yesterday's match provided it.

Pyrrhic victory

By any means necessary, win at all costs - the so called beautiful game or jogo bonito became jogo feio after a premeditated decision deprived the boy wonder of what should have been his 1st World Cup goal. Moral bankruptcy was on display tonight and as the events of earlier on have shown, cheating does not pay in this most historic of World Cups.

Getting their excuses in early

If you are facing a competitor who has beaten you 8 out of 13 times, do you:

1. complain about the opposition being poor losers thus giving said opposition extra motivation?
2. focus on your game and do your talking on the pitch?

In the run up to the women's 400m Olympic final in Beijing, the fastest runner in the world's preparation consisted of focusing on one of her competitors - needless to say, she did not win the Olympic gold as was expected.

La Albiçeleste, de Mannschaft are running scared.

Come down from the clouds

Dear FIFA

Even though you have more members than the UN (205 vs 192), at the end of the day you administrate a game which at it's most basic is 20 players chasing after a pig's bladder (the goalkeepers are for the most part spectators) that they kick away. So I don't know what gives FIFA the right to dictate to sovereign countries how they should run their respective football associations/federations. FIFA is not the byword for good governance and it is to all intents and purposes a cabal. If FIFA imposes sanctions against either France or Nigeria, then FIFA will have an insurrection on its hands.

World Cup 2010 allegiance

, just in case there was any doubt!!

Vamos La Albiçeleste!!