'Lympics, 'lympics, 'lympics!

The beginning of the men's 5000

What now?  No seriously. What now?  I know there’s the Paralympics (which will be brilliant, of course) and the Premier League will shortly grace us with its disgustingly comforting presence. Still though, I ask you... WHAT NOW?!  

Undoubtedly my London 2012 highlight was being there to witness Mo Farah win the gold medal in the men’s 5000m*, followed closely by Jamaica smashing the world record in the men’s 4x100m relay.  During Farah’s last lap of the track the crowd were out of this world.  I’ve seen a lot of live sport but I have never witnessed anything like this.  In. Credible.  

The Olympic Spirit

So it all kicks off this Friday!  I know it's not cool to be a Londoner and to get excited about the Games - after all it's screwing with our travel, we've had to foot the bill, it's going to rain etc - but I could not be more freaking excited if I tried.  At the very least, it's doing wonders for filling the Premier League shaped hole in my life right now.

Britain's very own million dollar baby

Aside from the numerous records that will no doubt get smashed at the forthcoming Olympics, something is about to happen that you will have never seen before.  London 2012 will be the first games in which women are allowed to box.  Make no mistake, it’s going to be awesome.  How it’s taken this long is beyond me, but I’m damn sure that were it not for the will of Jane Couch (MBE) we might have had to wait another 4 years for this to happen.

Until 1998 it was illegal for ladies to get involved with the sport.  During the summer of this year, Jane Couch changed the world of boxing in a ground breaking court case against the British Boxing Board of Control.  Prior to this trial, they had refused to grant her with a boxing licence on the grounds that PMS made women too unstable to box.  Yes, before you ask, that’s the same BBBoC that granted Tyson with a licence.  Twice.   

How have we gone without Chessboxing for so long, I ask you?

Chessboxing.  Two things that sound wrong in the same sentence, let along the same word.  But yes, these two disciplines have been brought together to form what is, I have recently learned, the most incredible hybrid sport you could ever imagine. 

The rules are, there are no rules.  That’s a lie.  There’s tons.  But in essence, the state of play is thus:  two people battle it out for one round of chess (usually for four minutes) at the end of which the board is swiftly removed and both contenders slug it out in for a round of boxing (three minutes).   Rinse and repeat for 11 rounds, or until someone gets knocked out or achieves check mate.

People are amazing

People really are amazing.  As I write this (bar 2 glasses of red) I am indeed sober - this overwhelming affection for my fellow man is not substance induced, but born of the sheer respect I felt when watching the heroic, athletic display that was the final of the Australian Open. 

Oh boy, what a week!

Nothing can get me down at the moment.  Liverpool's dominance over the teams of Manchester has done wonders for my disposition.  Granted, there are still major cracks - evidently I'm not the only one to gripe at Carroll's lack of pace or the pointlessness of Henderson's general presence - but in this past week, our play has been much improved.  Most notably, the KOP is rocking once more.  Dare I say it, I feel as if we've turned a corner.  Boom.

The legacy of the games. All of them.

Things cranked up a notch this week on the topic of the old Olympics.  There seems to be an ever increasing presence of athletes in adverts, in the press and in the general day to day discussions that I'm having - helped out of course by the fact we discovered that 'Golden Balls' is probably going to represent us in the footy.  Anyone who really believes that his inclusion in the team depends on his form is an idiot.  It's a dead cert in my mind that he'll be the focus of team GB.

'I am not a man. I am Cantona.'

I feel it is my public duty to refer you to a brilliant article I came across this week about the wonder that is Eric Cantona.  Read it now and thank me later.

Let's be honest.  Cantona becoming the President of France, is by some way more of a joke than Arnie becoming Governor of California or Boris becoming Mayor of London.  Simply because it is also a bit genius.  All I can say is that if something as crazy as this happens, then I'm glad it was during my generation.

In any case, isn't France already run by a lunatic?  How bad could it really be?

All's fair...

I'll be the first to admit that up until Thursday, I was disappointed in Amir Khan.  I mean I actually even used the phrase 'he needs to man up and move on' at one point (no that does not make me a chav).  All I can say is I'm sorry Amir.  Really.  I've seen the replays of this Mustfa Ameen fellow (the one in the hat) and I completely agree with you - it is a #khanspiracy indeed.

I think in a funny way this whole mess could actually have done Khan a favour though.  During the fight it became abundantly clear that still, he needs to improve his strength.  Pace has of course always been his friend, and now he has a second shot at reinforcing this speed with an extra injection of power.  If he doesn't do it now, he never will.

Hello 2012, goodbye social life...

If the first day of 2012 is anything to go by we're in for a corker of a sporting year.  Even without the Olympics it looks oh so beautiful.  I cannot bloody wait!  

Magic needed in Mersyside

First things first, my thoughts on Liverpool FC.  Racist scandals aside, it is not a good time right now, we run a real risk of rendering ourselves a mid-table club for the forseeable.  It breaks my little wannabe Scouse heart.  This next transfer window is obviously crucial.

Already there are rumours of us making a play for Darren Bent.  He will of course be overpriced, but sadly our position is a secret to no one - we need help and our friends across the pond will willingly  throw money at the problem, in an attempt to do something, anything, to remedy our current mediocrity.  Even my Nan knows this, so Mr McLeish will certainly use it to his advantage.

Aside from caning our bank balance, I'm hoping that we start to showcase the strength of our youth too.  What can Coady, Sterling and Robinson really do?  They're famous at the academy (with good reason) and could put Kirkby on the map, but people need to see them.  At a time when our first team is fairly new to each other, it'd be nice to give these boys a chance.  It would also give us hope, something Liverpool fans are short of for the first time in my memory.

All eyes on Jan 31st...