Emily Barker and the Red Clay Halo, Hoxton Hall, 8 March 2013

Posted on March 9, 2013 by John S

I went to see Emily Barker and the Red Clay Halo at Hoxton Hall, just north of the City, on Friday night. It was the last of three gigs in London featuring songs from the forthcoming album, “Dear River”. It’s an album on which Emily reflects on the pull of home – place, people, memories. Home is Western Australia, although she has lived in the UK for 12 years now. The Blackwood River has a special place in her heart – hence the title of the new album, I think.

While the subject matter of the album is wistful, the sound is rockier, more up tempo. More electric guitar, with cellist Jo Silverston plugging in the bass guitar a lot more. And there’s a drummer, Nat Butler. There are some rousing choruses which I expect will become favourites in time. They were well received tonight.

Hoxton Hall is a funny kind of venue. It’s a small theatre hall, I think. It’s neither intimate pub, nor grand space in the style of the Union hall, where I last saw Emily and the band. The gig was a sell out, but there were no more than a couple of hundred people, who might not have filled the space out had the staff not brought out loads of chairs just before the show started. There was a brief support slot, from a singer songwriter whose name I didn’t catch and her sidekick on slide guitar. They made some nice sounds but didn’t get a lot of time to make a big impression. And some of the introductions made you stare at your feet: “This one’s about my mother when she was going through the menopause”: “This one’s about my parents, who haven’t been in the same room for 15 years” were my favourites. Oh dear!

But hey, once Emily and the band were into their stride, that was all forgotten.  There was a nice mix of new songs and old favourites (I can call them that now – I’d never heard any of them a year ago!). I’m not great at picking out titles of songs I haven’t previously heard,  but I liked the way “Letters” built to a climax, and the way that “Sleeping Horses”, which recalled childhood impressions, featured more of that lovely strummed electric guitar which helps make “Pause” such a wonderful song. And I’m glad to say Emily played that one – it wouldn’t be the same without it. There was a passionate song, with more electric guitar, about the native people of Australia, called “Spadeful of Ground”, and a touching paean to that favourite river, “Blackwood”.

There was a nice touch, too, when Emily’s husband (Dom, I think) came on to sing the Frank Turner parts on “Fields of June”. He really went for it and I’d say it was the liveliest moment of the gig. Then he returned to the back of the hall, where you could se him watching his wife in admiration. Who wouldn’t?

Yeah, it was just all so good, as ever. I’ve seen Emily and the band four times now over the past year and have loved every minute of every concert. It’s the mix of beautiful songs, wonderful playing from all the band and Emily’s aching, tender vocals. And a sense that they are all really enjoying themselves. You can’t help but smile with them.

Can’t wait to hear the new album!

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Sportsthoughts (66) – Quins lose at home again, 16-27 v Exeter

Posted on March 3, 2013 by John S

I have a lot of fun blogging about how good Quins are. So here’s one for balance. Second defeat in three at home. The first was 16-17 against a resurgent Wasps. Not a great performance, but a game that could have gone either way. In between, brilliant victories at home to Leicester (see Sportsthoughts 64) and away to Sale. So no cause for panic, but something isn’t quite right.

Now it would be easy to blame it on the loss of five key players to the Six Nations: Robshaw, Care, Marler and Brown to England,  Kohn to Wales. And yesterday, when the pressure was on, we did miss Chris Robshaw’s all-action leadership, Mike Brown’s marauding from full back and Danny Care’s probing and pace. But it was still a strong team – there’s depth in the squad and loads of good youngsters coming through.

One could also just write it off as a bad day at the office – it happens. And Exeter are maybe a bit of a bogey team. They beat us at their place too. And fair play to them: they were good yesterday. Took us on at our own running game in the first half and then turned the screw in the second half with some real precision kicking from fly half, Gareth Steenson, which pinned the boys back in their own half.

Before the game, when the teams were warming up, we saw Steenson practising his kicks. Not aiming between the posts: he was positioned out wide virtually on the try line, aiming for the width of the post. And he was getting close. We didn’t watch for long – our thoughts were on a nice pint of IPA in the bar – but I bet he connected at some point. Practice makes perfect. His kicking during the game was as good as it gets.

The ref didn’t help Quins either. No complaints about balance – he penalised both sides equally. But just about every scrum, and much of the breakdown, led to penalties or free kicks. He was super-fussy. So the game had no flow, and Quins’ game is based on tempo. It was hard to get any with Mr Rose.

No, for me, the loss stemmed most of all – notwithstanding Steenson’s brilliance – from a mini identity crisis… or two. Both possibly the result of just a touch of complacency – like maybe we could try things out against mid-table Exeter. Well, no, we couldn’t.

Identity crisis (1). No 8, Nick Easter, playing in the second row. Now, of course he did a decent enough job, being such a good all-round player. But all those crafty hands from the back of the scrum, those surges and offloads, just weren’t as much in evidence. He had less freedom.

Identity crisis (2). Who was running the game, Nick Evans or Ben Botica? The question arose when Ollie Lindsay-Hague, playing full back, had to go off, injured after about twenty minutes, after a surge down the left wing. George Lowe could have been brought on as a winger, with Tom Williams going to full back. Instead Botica came on, and instead of playing full back, went to fly half, with Nev going to full back. So who was running the game now: Nev or Ben? Who’d take the kicks?

The first penalty that came our way was quite a way out. Just on the edge of Nev’s range. Easily within Ben’s range. Nev asserted himself (rightly, as the main man, maybe not so having ceded the fly half role). Direction good, but fell just short. Murmurs that Ben should have taken it. Uncertainty. Who’s in charge?

Next up was in Nev’s range, but Ben took it. Missed. Six points lost.

For the rest of the game, Ben took most of the penalties for three points, but after a while Nev took most of the other kicks. No harm in that, but it didn’t feel planned. Nev, at full back, faded from the game, marginalised. Not something you’d ever say about Mike Brown. Or, for that matter, Nev.

So, as the second half progressed, Steenson’s kicking started to pin Quins into their own half. The return quicks weren’t as good. And the running was hampered by some inaccurate passing and poor handling. Matt Hopper, usually brilliant, seemed to be involved in most of the worst errors and was eventually substituted. Not that George Lowe changed much when he came on. He couldn’t.

Despite all of this, Quins stayed ahead for most of the game – Ugo Monye having scored an excellent try early on – until the last quarter. That’s when their superior fitness and skill – and forward power – usually takes its toll on the opposition. Not today. Exeter gained the upper hand. Steenson engineered a try for one of the second rowers, Damian Welch, and then, with five minutes left, Quins completely mucked up a kick out from the 25 and let the Exeter full back, Luke Arscott run in for another try.

Around where we were sitting, some of the die-hard fans were really angry, and stormed off before the game ended. I would never do that myself – I think you should always stick it out until the whistle goes. Support the team through thick and thin.  But it showed how frustrating things had got. And what a great job Exeter had done on us.  I’m sure it’s a blip, and maybe a useful kick up the backside for any of the players who have started to believe their own publicity. But we must make sure that identity crisis doesn’t develop into anything bigger.

It’s interesting. Nick Evans is one of the best players in the Premiership, and was voted as the best by his fellow professionals last season. There was great relief when, recently, he agreed a new two year contract, despite interest from France and Japan. And yet, there is now a young pretender, Ben Botica, who has been outstanding when Nev has been injured, or when the games don’t warrant his presence (the LV Cup mainly). Ben is the long term future, so must play enough not to get frustrated and leave.

It’s a good conundrum for the management, having two great fly halves. But also a challenge to keep both happy – and to avoid the loss of direction we saw against Exeter on  Saturday.

It always has to be clear who is in charge.

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Have You Heard? – (34) “Chemical Imbalance” (DJ Die Mix) by Karime Kendra

Posted on February 28, 2013 by John S

If you like your dance music stripped back to a raw drum and bass beat, with a pretty vocal floating on top, then try this.

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I reacquainted myself with this track last week, when I was writing about a brilliant compilation series of CDs in the 1990s called “The Rebirth of Cool”. There were seven volumes between 1991 and 1998. The underpinning philosophy was expressed in the sleeve notes of volume “Phive”:

We don’t know what to call this music. This isn’t Acid Jazz. This isn’t Trip Hop. This isn’t the Blues. And this isn’t Retro-rural Sixties-soul-tinged-guitar-heavy plot-recovered rock-revivalism either. Although all of the above are on here somewhere – hidden between the soundtrack music, the industrial noise, the post-rave beats and the pseudo easy-listening.

But try and find a label to define the music on this album as a whole and you’re lost. This is Clint Eastwood music. This is the Music with no name.

Underpinning the whole series was a sense of jazz, either in the sounds, or the philosophy. A philosophy of innovation and fusion.

By volume seven, in 1998, the jazz element – in the sounds – had faded. But it was still there in the attitude. “Chemical Imbalance” is pushing the boundaries. The drum and bass pioneers – DJ Die who remixed this track is one of them – were totally redefining dance music.

And the great thing about pop music is that everything gets absorbed. Drum and bass is now, in many respects, mainstream. To take one example, it’s incorporated in Tinie Tempah’s massive 2010 hit “Pass Out”.

Enjoy!

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Sportsthoughts (65) – Undone by Bale: West Ham 2 Tottenham 3

Posted on February 26, 2013 by John S

Oh West Ham what are you doing?

2-1 up against a very good Spurs team with 14 minutes to go, and blew it. Great chance to go 3-1 up spurned by Matt Taylor. It would have been so good!

A sense of the inevitable as Spurs’ possession ratcheted up the pressure. Goalmouth scramble made it 2-2 and then what we all expected. A magnificent strike by Gareth Bale. 3-2 to Spurs and no way back for a West Ham team on their last legs.

Is Gareth Bale the best player in the Premier League at the moment? I would say so. He’s got everything: pace, energy, strength and an ability to pass and cross at speed and shoot from just about anywhere. Only Robin van Persie gets close to him at the moment.

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He wasn’t the sole reason for Spurs’ victory tonight, but in the end he made the difference.

The evening began with a tribute to Bobby Moore, the great England and West Ham centre back, who died twenty years ago.  I paid tribute to him before in my Sportsthoughts 28. If only we had a defender like him now.

Spurs’ first – another excellent Bale strike – was down to the inability of two or three defenders to get close enough to the man. A degree of panic I think.  But overall West Ham played well in the first half and deserved their equaliser, a penalty from Andy Carroll after he’d been brought down by ex-Hammer Scott Parker. Carroll had a decent game, putting himself about. But I despair really to see the Hammers – the Academy of Football  (once upon a time) – playing such basic stuff. Up to the Big Man at every opportunity.

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And I must criticise those West Ham fans who booed Scott Parker’s every touch. He was absolutely magnificent when he played for us. In the relegation season, two years ago, he was unstinting in his efforts in a poor team. So good was he that he won the Sportswriters’ Footballer of the Year award. Even to get noticed in a relegated team would be something – he was considered the best. I think most of us understood that he had to stay in the Premier League to ensure his England career, with the European Championships coming up. He’d done his bit for the Irons. But I guess some people just can’t see beyond the tribal enmities, and Spurs are the team many West Ham fans love to hate.

The second half was mostly Spurs. The West Ham keeper, Jussi Jaaskelainen, had a fantastic game. So many breathtaking saves. Certainly the Hammers’ man of the match. But it was West Ham who went 2-1 up. A nice through ball to Joe Cole, who controlled it brilliantly and stroked it home from a difficult angle. Cole played pretty well, showed some nice touches, but in a framework that doesn’t really make the best of his skills. Frustrating!

Then there was that Taylor miss, and the wait for the inevitable.

2-2 ……… 2-3.

I don’t think we West Ham fans can complain. Spurs were the better team. We almost sneaked it, but Bale did for us in the end. It’s going to be a grim struggle for the rest of the season, although we probably only really need a couple of home wins and a couple of draws to ensure safety.

And then what? Another season of booting it up to the Big Man? What’s the point? May as well support Stoke.

No, it has to happen. Sorry Big Sam. One of our past greats is waiting in the wings.

The man from Rome, via Swindon…..

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Paolo di Canio!

(Photos from Google Images)

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Have You Heard? – (33) “Little Sunflower” by the East New York Ensemble de Music

Posted on February 20, 2013 by John S

OK, so this is obscure! But it’s good.

It’s school half term this week, and I had a few days of holiday left before the end of March, so I decided to take the week off. Be around for the kids, but also spend some time writing and cycling. On the writing,  a chance to push on with my book about my musical journey. I’m on a chapter right now about jazz and fusion – fusion being all that music that has a bit of jazz and a lot of something else. Or maybe the other way round.

That’s when I found myself today listening to a brilliant two CD compilation from 2005 called “New Thing!”. On the Soul Jazz label. It’s fusion music from the seventies and eighties mostly. Jazz but not jazz. And downright weird much of the time.

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My favourite track is “Little Sunflower” by the East New York Ensemble de Music. It’s from a 1974 album called “At The Helm”.

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The band are led by a saxophonist called Bilal Abdurrahman and he plays some far out sounds. It’s the high pitched sax – the soprano – that makes the tune, as well as a Korean instrument called the Piri, which according to my research (a click on Wikipedia of course) is a bamboo version of the oboe. There’s an element of the snake charmer about it, especially at the beginning. There’s some cool jazz in midstream, before the end when everyone gets to wig out.

So, thirteen minutes of obscure jazz, and vaguely eastern weirdness. Worth listening to? Oh yes, I promise you. This is one of the best jazz tracks I’ve heard – ever.

Not in the John Coltrane or Miles Davis class, but in the next division.

Give it a go!

 

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Sportsthoughts (64) – Quins 25 Leicester 21: Danny returns!

Posted on February 18, 2013 by John S

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With the Six Nations in full flow, club rugby has to make do. If you are a top club – like Harlequins – you lose some of your best players for a couple of months. The ones who are first picks for the fifteen you lose altogether. In Quins’ case, Chris Robshaw, Mike Brown and Joe Marler. The ones who are in the squads but not playing all the time might be let back to the clubs in the weekends where there isn’t a round of internationals.

This weekend was one of those. It coincided with a top of table Premiership clash between Quins and Leicester. Quins got scrum half Danny Care back. Leicester welcomed fly half Toby Flood, No8 Thom Waldrom and talisman Manu Tuilagi back into the ranks.

We went to the Stoop with some trepidation. The previous weekend the boys had lost at home to Wasps, 16-17. Should have won, but Nick Evans had an off day with the boot and the sheer pace of the Wasps wide men – Christian Wade and Tom Varndell – cut us up a few times. Nev threw a pass for an intercept for Varndell too. We never clawed that seven point lead back.

And now Leicester, who’d taken over at the top of the table after that Quins loss. It was always going to be tough: now it seemed tougher.

But Quins started the game well. Taking the game to Leicester, trying to punch holes through their defence. Throughout the match that was a big ask. The Leicester defence is awesome, a brick wall, aided by the fact that the referees don’t seem to penalise them for offside. (For those unfamiliar with the rules, offside is when defending players drift ahead of where the ball happens to be, otherwise known as “the gain line”. If they do that they get their tackles in earlier than they should be able to do)

But after six minutes, Nick Easter – the mighty Nick Easter – threw a long pass, which was intercepted by Toby Flood (probably offside) and he had the pace to go all the way for a try. 0-7 after the conversion.

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For the rest of the first half Quins stayed on top of the play and clawed back points with penalties from Ben Botica, who kicked flawlessly – Nev had withdrawn from the game at the last. But near the end of the half, after some technical infringement at a scrum which led to a Leicester penalty, from which they won the ensuing line out, Leicester scored another try.  Good pressure, can’t deny that. 18-12 to Leicester at half time.

We weren’t feeling too optimistic about Quins getting back, but they came out in the second half with real attacking intent. And then the breakthrough moment…  Leicester infringed near the half way line, Danny Care took a tap and sprinted. Past one then another, at high speed. Checked to see if anyone was better placed than him. Answer, no, so he dummied and swerved and raced through for an amazing solo try. Converted by Botica to put Quins into a 19-18 lead. Ben then converted another penalty to make it 22-18.

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Quins then scored another try after a brilliant move with Ben Botica at the centre of it. But it was disallowed after a long TV adjudication, apparently because Matt Hopper obstructed a Leicester player who may have made a tackle. Er, well, maybe…

So close to finishing off the game!  Inevitably Toby Flood got a penalty back for Leicester. 22-21. Ugh!

It was tense! The trouble with rugby is that a team can be on top, as Quins were, but it is so easy to give away a penalty. The quirks of a referee can determine a game. And Wayne Barnes, ref on the day, is as quirky as they come.  Quins fans are convinced that Barnes is against us. But on the day he was even-handed. After the game, the Leicester manager claimed he’d had it in for them. So I guess he got the balance right – both sides hated him!

In those final minutes, after some more forward pressure, Quins got another penalty and Ben put it over for a 25-21 lead. It still felt tense. Leicester are renowned for late comebacks. They are the Man Utd of rugby. But it all went right for Quins at the last. Some more great forward play earned them a penalty. Ben kicked to touch, Quins won the line out and hoofed it into touch. Game over!

So close. Two really good teams slugging it out. Both weakened by the international call ups, but still strong. Both with immense defences. Only three tries: one a freak error (by Easter), one superbly fashioned (Leicester), and then the moment of individual inspiration – Danny boy! He was razor sharp all game, probably benefiting from the England training regime and the competition with Ben Youngs for the England scrum half slot. But that try was just one of those moments of instinctive genius. One of those moments we live for when we go to the games.

Really important for Quins to win this one after losing to Wasps. Puts us top of the Premiership again and feeling we can beat anyone. Because Leicester, to their credit, are always the acid test.

Danny Care got the Man of the Match award, and no-one will quibble with that. But really it was a game when every player was in with a shout. Such a close and intense game, that everyone had to be on their mettle. Danny won the game with that moment of brilliance, but Ben Botica kicked every penalty and conversion offered to him and everyone else did the business too. A magnificent team performance.

#COYQ

(Check that hashtag on Twitter)

Photos from Google Images.

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Sportsthoughts (63) – Six Nations: the story so far

Posted on February 10, 2013 by John S

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So after two rounds, how are those predictions from Sportsthoughts 61 looking?

Well, most important, it’s looking good for England so far. In the first game, with a bold attacking performance at Twickenham, they beat Scotland 38-18. Until the last quarter it was a pretty close game – Scotland gave it some, too, and scored two excellent breakaway tries.  Central to England’s victory was some superb play at the breakdown by England’s forwards, with captain Chris Robshaw to the fore, and a cool display of kicking by young fly half, Owen Farrell. Both on the spot kicks and the tactical kicking in open play, he was masterful. He kept the points board ticking over in the first half, building the platform to let rip in the second. Couldn’t argue with him being chosen as Man of the Match.

Today, in the driving rain in Dublin, this young England side really came of age. The game required totally different tactics than last week. Today it was all about kicking for territory, moving the defending line forward, wrestling for the ball in the rucks and mauls, and kicking the penalties when they came. Not pretty – rugby really only for the purists, where those nuances of territory and possession are endlessly fascinating. I think I’m almost there these days, though I’d always rather see the backs let loose for some running rugby. It was an intense physical struggle. Tempers frayed frequently. There were handling errors galore, especially by Ireland. That was a big difference: England held on to the ball better and stayed more in control. It was a mature performance, capped by another excellent kicking display from Owen Farrell.  Interviewed afterwards he said taking those penalty kicks weren’t so different to the endless kicks in training. Well, not if you are cool enough to shut out all the pressure of a big game. Which he seems to be. The mark of a top athlete.

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And Chris Robshaw got Man of the Match, for another marauding performance. I was pleased about that. Quins bias of course.

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Oh yeah, and England won 12-6.

And then there was France. I predicted them to be second, with a real fear that they would sweep all before them, England included. They’ve lost two out of two. Away to Italy and home to Wales, which they may have regarded as their most winnable games. Maybe that was the problem. They have all the talent, but half the time just don’t function as a team. Next up is England at Twickenham. Traditionally they don’t do too well there, but you just can’t rule out them waking up and giving England a pasting. I wouldn’t bet on it though. No, never bet on the French.

Ireland looked superb in the first half against Wales, then held on for victory as Wales came back in last week’s game in Cardiff. Today they were outwitted and outmuscled by England. A team in transition and maybe third – or perhaps second, given France’s implosion – will be about right.

Wales will be pleased to win in Paris after losing at home to Ireland. They aren’t convincing at the moment, but have the talent. Don’t rule out a surge in the remaining games.

Scotland can take confidence from a spirited display against England and a good victory against Italy. Italy can take pride in beating France. I wouldn’t bet against Scotland beating Wales and maybe even Ireland. Things could be close in the pursuing pack.

Pursuing England. I’m not gloating. It’s only two games in. Anything could happen. That’s the glory of the Six Nations. But I think England can be quietly confident that something good is building.

We’ll see…

France in two weeks time… allez les Anglais!

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Photos all from Google Images.

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Sportsthoughts (62) – “My Time” by Bradley Wiggins

Posted on February 3, 2013 by John S

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I’ve just finished reading Bradley Wiggins’ autobiography, “My Time”, featuring his amazing 2012, when he won the Tour de France and the Olympic time trial gold. And three other top road races: Paris-Nice, the Tour de Romandie in Switzerland and the Dauphine-Libere in France. An extraordinary series of achievements, like nothing any British road cyclist has ever achieved before.

It’s an enjoyable read – it’s mostly about success, after all. Not a work of art, but for anyone who enjoys cycling, and maybe others too, it’s an inspiring story. If you’ve been reading my blogs, you’ll know how much I’ve enjoyed Bradley’s feats over the past year, so I’ll admit to reading the book with a very positive mindset, but hey what’s wrong with that?

Why is it inspiring? Well, partly it’s just sharing the triumphs, enjoying the personal insights; but it’s also the appreciation of what went into those triumphs. For me there are three things that Bradley highlights which are lessons for all of us if we want success, especially when we are part of a team.

1. Preparation

The book is at its most fascinating as Bradley describes his training regime for 2012. The preparation for the 2012 Tour started almost as soon soon as the 2011 Tour ended. Especially for Wiggo, as he was forced out of the 2011 after he was caught in one of the big crashes and broke his collarbone.  He was back for the Spanish tour, La Vuelta, where the Sky team did pretty well, but didn’t win it. Lessons were learnt from that.

One of the most striking things was the training he did at home over the winter of 2011-12. In his shed at the bottom of the garden, on what was probably the ultimate exercise bike, hooked up to the computers at HQ at the Manchester velodrome. Heaters turning the temperature up to 35 degrees celsius. Instructions pumped down the line about the intensity, the power, everything. The impression is that this was a new approach to cycling, where in the past a lot of the hard training had been done in races themselves, in the early part of the season.

Then the training camps in the mountains of Tenerife and Mallorca. Really testing the athletes – the team, not just Bradley – working on the power, the ability to up the tempo at crucial moments.  I love all the jargon: torque, cadence, wattage, TSS (training stress scores). I’ve been imagining it as I cycle up a gentle hill in Ealing – not quite the Alps – what’s my torque? Have a got the right cadence here? Ah, great, it just brings home what a feat of endurance any competitive cycling is, never mind the pinnacle of the sport.

2. Teamwork

Maybe there was a time when a swashbuckling individual would win the Tour through sheer brilliance. Eddie Merckx perhaps. But no longer. It’s all about putting the best cyclists in a place where they can win, be it the sprints or the overall classification. Bradley Wiggins won the Tour de France because Sky knew he had the capability to do what was necessary. The role of all the other team members was to make sure he was in the position to do it. The book describes how that happened, but also how, from time to time, it almost went awry. The classic moment, which was clear to see on the TV coverage at the time, was when Chris Froome launched an attack on the breakaway group in one one of the Alpine stages. He said it was to take time out of the Italian, Nibali, who was his rival for second place. But it looked to all of us like a grab for first place, and within the Sky confines it was a clear breach of instructions. He was reined back by the team management, but it led to questions – briefly – about who was really the best. Inexcusable in a team sport where roles are so clearly defined. It’s the only place in the book where Bradley has a go at a team mate. Generally he is full of praise, especially for Mark Cavendish, who put aside green jersey aspirations to help the team.

The message – you only win things when you are genuinely a team. Applies in any workplace as much as top level sport.

3. Sacrifice

To achieve something like victory in the Tour de France, the preparation, the focus, is phenomenal. Inevitably, that means that some of those nearest and dearest to you are neglected. Bradley clearly feels this very strongly. It takes great understanding and support from your family. Younger children especially won’t understand why you aren’t there for key moments in their life. It’s part of the pact for success – you can’t have everything. We all have to make choices. People at the very top of their game have to be selfish. They may regret it. They are human. Bradley addresses this with great honesty.

Those three themes tell us what it takes to win the Tour de France. There are some lovely, moving moments in the book, when it is coming together. Again, there are three which really hit home for me, brought a gulp or shiver to the spine. Or a hint of a tear, until I remembered I was on the Piccadilly Line, heading home!

The first was when Bradley won his first yellow jersey, after the first major climb, on Stage 7, to La Planche des Belles Filles in the Vosges, near Nancy. He describes movingly how much that meant to him, to join the pantheon of yellow jersey wearers in the world’s greatest race. He knew his history, knew whom he was joining. It was like nothing else would matter – at least he had that now. No-one could take it away from him.

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First ever yellow!

The second was in the second time trial, a race to Chartres. The last day before the run into Paris. Already two minutes ahead of the field, so no question of having to take time out of anyone, like Cadel Evans. But still there to be won. Feeling at the peak of his form, all the training, all the preparation, coming to fruition. Knowing that if he just did what he knew he could do, he would be the Tour de France winner.  He did that and more. He took first place in the time trial, taking more time out of all his rivals. As he rode the race, he was in his own victorious bubble, guided along by Sean Yates, his tour director, on the radio. Everything went to plan. The culmination of all that preparation, teamwork, sacrifice. Cloud Nine.

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I’ve won the Tour de France!

The third was just the way he sought out his family – wife Cath and children, Isabella and Ben, after Cav’s victory on the Champs Elysees. (Where Bradley played a major part in riding out for Cav – no simple victory procession – this was a team, a return of favours.) He did the same when he won the Olympic time trial. Both times he didn’t seem to know where they were. In the midst of victory, finding them was the most important thing. Just a reminder, and a moving one: he’s just an ordinary man, with ordinary feelings. But with an extraordinary talent.

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Leading out Mark Cavendish on the Champs Elysees

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Victory parade with son Ben

Wonderful, feelgood stuff. But there are dark moments. Like in 2010, when things went wrong on the bike after a fourth place in the Tour de France in 2009, and he suffered the loss of his grandfather, George, who had been very much a father figure in his life. Or, of course, the drugs insinuations. How could he and Sky get so good so quickly? This in a sport that has been riven by cases of doping and just recently ripped apart again by Lance Armstrong’s confessions. To any doubters I’d just say read the book. Read the passionate denunciation of drugs, his explanation of why he could never contemplate taking them. And the the whole description of how the Sky team brought a new level of preparation and planning to road racing. It may be less glamorous than the idea of individuals relying on pure talent, but it is the professional way. Advancement through small margins. Attention to every detail. Science as well as inspiration. That’s how Bradley Wiggins won the Tour de France and the Olympic Gold.

But there is inspiration too. Proof that if you try hard enough, care enough, are willing to put in the hard yards, you can achieve your objectives. Your dreams.

A lesson for us all.

(Photos from Google Images)

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Sportsthoughts (61) – Six Nations 2013 predictions

Posted on February 2, 2013 by John S

Saturday 2 February marks the beginning of this year’s Six Nations rugby tournament. Always one of the highlights of the sporting calendar and a great pick-me-up in the gloom of winter. Last year my Sportsthoughts 10 set out why I love the tournament and made some predictions. Needless to say, they were all wrong. Sportsthoughts 17 made my excuses!

Last year I thought Ireland were just too strong for everyone. They came third. The strength of their provinces – Leinster, Munster, Ulster – didn’t feed through to the national team.  Wales, who I had down to come fourth, won the Grand Slam! England did marginally better than expected: 2nd rather than 3rd. And France were a poor fourth. Italy and Scotland occupied the bottom two slots as usual, but Italy 5th and Scotland 6th. I’d predicted the other way round.

I’ll give it a go again this year nonetheless. So here’s what not to put your money on!

1. England

2. France

3. Ireland

4. Wales

5. Scotland

6. Italy

England first because we just can’t ignore that victory over New Zealand, and the steady improvement before it. A young team still, which could malfunction, but I’m betting that they have got it together now and are the team to beat. I’m going for a Grand Slam.

So Jim Telfer, ex-Scotland player and rugby coach says, ahead of the England-Scotland game this Saturday, that England are “arrogant”. Widely reported in the media, as intended by Telfer, I’m sure. But hardly original. The Scots have been moaning about English arrogance since time began. Chip on the shoulder stuff. Let’s see how the game goes.

The French could easily win the tournament. If the Heineken Cup is a pointer, then they will triumph. Their teams in the quarter finals look strongest. But all of them have a lot of foreign players in key positions. So as usual the question is, which France will turn up? I think they will beat all except England.

Ireland are rebuilding, as some of their stars reach the end of the road. Their back line is still exciting and dangerous and Brian O’Driscoll is back for maybe one last hurrah. I’m not sure their forwards are quite right yet, but, hey I could be wrong. But probably not. I’m betting the French and English forwards will be too much for them this time around.

Wales have been ravaged by injuries recently and their coach, Warren Gatland, is absent, preparing for the Lions’ tour of Australia. But it looks like quite a few of the injured players are coming back just in time, so they could revive. Their teams in the Heineken Cup have been disappointing. So it’s hard to predict much success for them, but they will always be capable of a surprise. No Grand Slam this year, but this 4th place prediction could easily be wrong. There is a lot of talent in the Welsh team.

Scotland and Italy are interchangeable. They simply don’t have the squads to compete over the whole tournament. Scotland will always raise their game against England, driven by historical hatred, but there are four other games when something else than bitterness is needed. Wooden spoon contenders with Italy.

I’m not totally convinced by England. Not enough Quins boys in there yet! If France play to their potential they could be immense. I think this year it will come down to these two, but it is all fine margins. Watch out for the winner of Wales v Ireland getting on a roll, and turning everything on its head.

So all I know is that it is going to be a brilliant, unpredictable tournament as usual. A winter warmer.

Swing low, sweet chariot!

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Sportsthoughts (60) – So Close! Brentford 2 Chelsea 2

Posted on January 28, 2013 by John S

The FA Cup. Not what it used to be – time was when it felt as important as the League and the winners played in their own competition in Europe – but still capable of firing the imagination. Eventually it is usually won by one of the big sides, and in recent years there haven’t been too many upsets. But this season something seems to have happened. The minnows have bitten back.

The League Cup – currently labouring under the title of the Capital One Cup – set the tone, with Bradford, from League Two (ie, the fourth division) reaching the final, beating Wigan, Arsenal and Aston Villa (over two legs) on the way.

And this weekend there has been a whole load of “giant killing” acts. Millwall beat Aston Villa on Friday (not very giant killing given Villa’s previous flop). On Waturday, non-league Luton toppled Norwich and League One Milton Keynes Dons stuffed QPR. Today League One Oldham beat Liverpool 3-2 and Championship Leeds (once mighty Leeds but no longer) ambushed Spurs 2-1. And none of them looked like flukes. The top teams get complacent, put out semi-reserve teams, and the lower league teams may be beginning to get better, as training and technique improves at all levels.

Which brings us on to the West London derby that hadn’t happened since 1950, Brentford v Chelsea. League One promotion hopefuls against the Premier League arrogant aristocrats.

Brentford are my local team, 20 minutes walk down the Windmill Road. Just over the A4. Over the years I followed them a bit, but despaired at the awful football they played. They had a really good spell seven years ago, when they were poised for promotion and beat Premier League Sunderland in the FA Cup in January 2006. Things were looking good, but the management immediately sold their best striker, DJ Campbell, for a paltry half million to Birmingham. The goals dried up, promotion was missed and they slid back into obscurity. I stopped going a lot, as I got into the Quins rugby as a season ticket holder four or five years ago. The Bees stopped buzzing for me.

So I felt like a bit of an interloper when my friend Smithy offered me a ticket to today’s game. The big one. But I couldn’t resist the chance to see the Bees pit their wits against the Chelski.

The game was on at the absurdly early time of 12 noon. On a Sunday! A tweet from the Pope (yes I follow him  – or his press office) reminded me it was a time for the family and for worship. Er well, Smithy and I met for a fry up at Cafe Nell on Northfields Avenue at 10 am and then walked down to the Lord Nelson pub near the A4 for a couple of pints of London Pride before the game. Before 11.30! The things you do for football…

There was a cracking atmosphere inside the ground. A tremendous sense of anticipation. The Chelsea fans cuttingly sang “You’re only here for the Chelsea” (which was kind of true in my case) but the Brentford boys riposted with “Champions of Europe, you’re having a laugh”. Which, as the first half progressed, was very telling. And they had great fun booing the pantomime villains, John Terry and Ashley Cole.

Brentford started tentatively, but as they began to realise that some of the Chelsea players weren’t really up for it – step forward Marko Marin and Oscar – they grew in confidence, dominated midfield and deservedly took the lead, through Marcello Trotta. The fans went crazy. 1-0 to the Super Bees!

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Chelsea came out in the second half with a bit more purpose, helped by the fact that Juan Mata was on. He became the fulcrum of the team, gave it shape and confidence. It was no surprise when Chelsea equalised. Oscar, liberated by Mata’s arrival, with a classy outside of the boot finish.

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It didn’t look too good for the Bees, but they regrouped and pressed forward. A lovely pass by striker Clayton Donaldson put subsitute Tom Adeyimi through and he was brought down in the penalty area. Young midfielder Harry Forrester put the penalty away. 2-1!

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Inevitably Brentford sat a bit too deep after that and Chelsea dominated. In the end they got a deserved equaliser, a lovely curled shot from Fernando Torres, who’d had a frustrating game.

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With a few minutes to go you feared the worst, but Brentford closed the game out for a replay at Stamford Bridge.

That will be great for Brentford financially, and I hope I’ll be able to go to the replay. I was impressed by some of their play today – more sophisticated than what I witnessed when I used to go to see them regularly. There were some promising players in the team. Harry Forrester and captain Jonathan Douglas were impressive in midfield. The young left back, Shaleum Logan, showed good skills and the sign of class – time on the ball. And I like the the way Clayton Donaldson put himself about, especially when he went to sole striker in a 4-5-1 in the last twenty minutes.

Chances are that Chelsea will polish off the tie fairly easily in the replay. But you never know. Wouldn’t it be great if the Bees humiliated John Terry and his complacent gang?  Not that they’d care all that much, as they have bigger fish to fry in the Premier League. But manager, Rafa Benitez might, as the hard core fans are still against him. Contrast with the Bees manager, the German Uwe Rossler. Top player in his time and looking pretty slick as a manager too.

I don’t really go for the “magic of the Cup” cliche that all the commentators trot out. But it is a time for fans of the smaller clubs to dream, and Brentford’s performance today showed that those dreams can have meaning.

Come on you Super Bees!

(Photos courtesy of Google Images. Took a few shots on my iPhone, but managed to delete them updating my iPhone software tonight. Grrr….)

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