Brilliancy in Sport, Your favourite moments

No worthwhile flat horse racing for months now. Only stupid all-weather handicaps...

I am gripped by the Chess. D!ng versus Gukesh! with the splendid GM Maurice Ashley presiding.

See the exclamation marks?

World Chess Championship 2024.jpg


My jaw dropped when Gukesh! played Ke1 in game 7 which was drawn. I was watching without commentary or computer hints. A stupid meaningless move! He lost all his winning edge.

Game 7 Gukesh v Ding.png


Whatever was he thinking? I would have played Ke2 and taken my chances in a tense but manageable position.

Kings need to get to the centre in the endgame. But what do I know?

Ah well, Game 9 now on:

http://worldchampionship.fide.com/

The spectators have the advantage of being able to see what the Computer thinks. The players can't. 😀
 
I bet your friends call you "The Memory Man"! I think you are referring to Jameson Williams of Detroit leaping over the Chicago defense in the Thanksgiving game:

Jameson Williams Leap.jpg


I was rather hoping Da Bears would do my Vikes a favour and win this typical NFC dogfight. Since the World Record leap is 8 feet plus, it didn't look hard to me.

Amazing Game 11 in the chess. Gukesh! destroyed D!ng in this game. This is D!ng's position after Gukesh! has doubled his rooks on the B file. 5 pieces against 3 on the B pawn.

Gukesh Ding Game 11.png


It's all over. I don't know why D!ng didn't preserve some dignity and resign there and then. 🤣
 
I always look at Points For and Against in the NFL. Detroit are way best in the NFC, and the Bills are way best in the AFC,

The Chiefies aren't actually too hot on points. Interestingly, Detroit entertain the Bills next week.

You can guess who I will be rooting for... sorry. 😆
 
Maybe there was nothing else to do in Melbourne....seriously, that's good news for Test cricket.

I haven't been to a Test since the late 70s, when 'patrons were limited to two dozen cans of beer per person' (!?).

One of the last matches was a West Indies/Australia game when Australia was all out on the first day by 5.30pm, Kim Hughes made 100 with a broken toe and Dennis Lillee took two or three wickets including the great Viv Richards. Most of the crowd were still chanting "Lillee, Lillee" for what seemed like half an hour after stumps.

The last game I attended was an Ashes Test where Chris Tavare of England bored the crowd into submission with the most tedious batting I'd ever seen. To liven things up, someone started an ice fight (i.e. grabbed ice cubes from their Esky coolers) which gradually made its way around the crowd, not fun.

Geoff
 
Here's the picture. Formerly mighty Manchester United's Harry Maguire has just headed a 93rd minute winner in the FA Cup last night against the plucky minnows of Leicester City in front of 73,000 nervous home fans:

Manchester United Win.jpg


Detect any hesitancy in celebrating from most of the forward line, who are Professionals? Bit like when the slip cordon and wicketkeeper don't go up in cricket despite a rabid appeal from the bowler.

THEY ARE EXPECTING OFFSIDE TO BE CALLED!

But NO. The goal is given. Doubtless the Referee and Linesman (on the far side, exactly in line with the United front 4) will receive a bunch of flowers from the Manchester United board after the game.

Offside.jpg


At the end of the day, all the winners won and all the losers lost. But I hope United get an away draw at Liverpool in the next round as comeuppance.


Very much looking forward to NFL "Swiftiebowl" on Sunday. I am on the Iggles, which is usually the kiss of death to any team.

But the Americans usually do a better job of officiating than our woeful British counterparts.
 
Here's the picture. Formerly mighty Manchester United's Harry Maguire has just headed a 93rd minute winner in the FA Cup last night against the plucky minnows of Leicester City in front of 73,000 nervous home fans:

View attachment 1418793

Detect any hesitancy in celebrating from most of the forward line, who are Professionals? Bit like when the slip cordon and wicketkeeper don't go up in cricket despite a rabid appeal from the bowler.

THEY ARE EXPECTING OFFSIDE TO BE CALLED!

But NO. The goal is given. Doubtless the Referee and Linesman (on the far side, exactly in line with the United front 4) will receive a bunch of flowers from the Manchester United board after the game.

View attachment 1418796

At the end of the day, all the winners won and all the losers lost. But I hope United get an away draw at Liverpool in the next round as comeuppance.


Very much looking forward to NFL "Swiftiebowl" on Sunday. I am on the Iggles, which is usually the kiss of death to any team.

But the Americans usually do a better job of officiating than our woeful British counterparts.
Media and especially BBC darlings, Manchester United, need all the help they can get.
And an FA Cup game with no VAR is an ideal opportunity.
It's like the Premier League's Profitability and Sustainability Rules.
It says you can only make a £105 million loss over any three year period.
Here's Manchester United's profit and loss figures for the last five years.

2024 -£113.2M
2023 -£28.7M
2022 -£115.5M
2021 -£92.2M
2020 -£23.2M

Yet they're deemed not to have broken any PSR rules.

Something smells very fishy
 
The FA Cup yesterday was a bust for Frank Lampard's and mine own Coventry City. We managed to lose 4-1 at home to the Ipswich Town reserve team, fielding 11 changes from their usual Premier League side.

Ah well, we can now concentrate on the League! 😢

I switched to the Rugger at Twickers:

Sir Gareth at the Rugby.jpg


Why is Gareth Southgate there? Is he hoping to watch another Englandn team that does worse than his soccer team as a sort of consolation?

Amazingly, Englandn beat the French 26-25. And reignited hopes of winning something.

This man is Englandn Rugby's lucky talisman. He must be invited to every game. 🤣
 
I doubt if you need much skill-set to play Offensive Tackle. Just be 6'8" and 365 Lbs and be described as a "Human Wrecking Ball".

In fact Jordan Matata was recruited solely on that basis, knowing nothing about "American Football" or more correctly Football!


I am old enough to have watched William "The Refrigerator" Perry play for Da Bears in the Eighties on grainy black and white television. So, unusually for a Brit, my roots go deep.

He was also called "Biscuit", as in one biscuit short of 350 Lbs.


Much talk on the radio today as to what a "Cheesesteak" is. I of course have thrived on the things at London's best American sportsbar, named Passyunk Avenue in honour of Philadelphia, where you used to be able to buy Nick Foles T-shirts and fall in love with Emily the waitress. But doubtless from today are selling Jalen Hurts ones.

Passyunk Avenue.jpg


TBH, Philly are only my third team after my first pick have usually been knocked out. The Vikes are my first love, followed by the Ravens. All built on DEFENSE! Which wins Superbowls, as everyone knows.

I haven't seen the highlights yet, but listened up to midnight and 17-0 to the Iggles. I am too old now to attempt to stay up to 4 in the morning. I also thought Taylor would be too despondent to sing at halftime, but don't yet know.

Best Regards from Steve in Portsmouth UK.