Project 365 – Day 37
This week's read, review copy via Twitter
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‘Try to get a plus out of minus’
‘Always praise your enemies’
‘Admit your mistakes openly, people will like you more for it’
Jimmy Hill
‘Failure in itself is not important. It’s what you learn from it that counts.’ Dave Sexton
Its quotes like these that make me want to read sports books. John Motson, by his own admission not a sportsman, is of course the best known voice of football, certainly for my generation. What I didn’t realise is his involvement in other sports, particularly Wimbledon a few years back.
The book is written in chapters of subject matter rather than chronological order which meant I was jumping back and forth in history but it makes sense to do it that way. I’m always in awe of anyone who remembers facts and figures in sports when I can’t remember what the score was last week but of course its Motty’s job to know these, and impart them to us, the humble viewer.
Motty regards himself as a fully fledged Londoner, despite being born in Salford Hospital in Manchester – United territory. Like any neutral, he refuses to be tied to into any team but justifiably talks about all the teams that are close to his heart. His father being a Reverend meant they lived in different parts of the country and also Motty attending boarding school.
There are some amazing revelations in the book and I particularly like the fact that the BBC used to use a private jet to get broadcasters to games in the good old days until they had complaints after an on air accidental admission in the early 1970s. Unfortunately it happened during and energy crisis bought on by a miners strike.
I’m not sure about Sven-Goran Eriksson in Mott’s all time England manager top 10 but I believe the list is not to be taken too seriously!
The book served as a reminder of the times that the BBC lost coverage rights to top level football. I guess that during these times my interest in football also took a dip was no coincidence. Football and BBC and synonymous for me, I’m not of the Sky Sports generation but of course I will not turn down an opportunity to watch a live match on any channel.
I was most riveted by the World Cup chapter and the sensitivity shown in talking about the football disasters that are all too familiar, as is the talk of football hooliganism. It’s only in recent years I feel almost comfortable at a match on my own but I still will not attend an away match. There’s a humorous moment when Jack Nicholson joined Motty in the Wimbledon commentary box, uninvited but most welcome.
Motty also imparts opinions on the way forward with football and the best idea in my opinion was a BBC sports channel. We have Radio 5 so BBC Sports must be next. Please?
A great read if you love sports, if you love football, if you love Motty or all three.
7½/10
Smile factor 7½/10
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Project 365 – Day 36
Couldn’t resist another Valentines card, but wasn’t the other one about food too?
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Project 365 – Day 35
First Valentines card sent to NYC….
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Movie – Edge of Darkness
I imagined this to be like ‘Taken’, an excellent film along almost the same story line: father seeks revenge after his daughter is taken. Except this time, there is no chance of getting her back; she is murdered at the beginning so Mel Gibson’s character sets about looking for the killer.
Whilst still edge-of-the-seat stuff, this film is much more of a thriller than an action movie. ‘Taken’ was about how many people can be killed in the process of retrieving daughter, this is more about finding clues, a real detective film as luckily for us, the father is in the Boston police.
That’s not to say there isn’t some humour and lots of emotion, but any Ray Winstone character is always going to manage a laugh from us, even in the bleakest of moments. The plot soon centres on the daughter’s workplace where highly classified defence department goings on reveal government corruption and a maze of cover ups.
Not too gruesome to leave you with nightmares, this is actually an almost sophisticated thriller, in the style of State of Play.
If it was indeed filmed in Boston, a city I visited just once over 10 years ago, I see they have stopped the big building project, aptly called ‘The Big Dig’. It was still raining though; it had to be to wash away most of the evidence at the murder scene.
Worth a watch, I’m glad I did.
7½/10
Smile factor 7½/10
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Project 365 – Day 34
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M&S Sultana cookies, best cookies in the world. Renamed Classified cookies after the department I ran back in mid 1990s. Getting a run for their money with another M&S favourite in recent years. No doubt they will feature on project 365 soon.
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Project 365 – Day 33
- Getting ready for Valentines
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Diary – February 1st 2010
Happily out of touch or just getting old?
One of the very few things I missed about England when in New York was the Jonathan Ross show although it was almost compensated by the Dave Letterman show, five nights a week. Fortunately (for me) Mr Ross was taken off the air for most of that time due to a dubious BBC error. I never did understood why he got penalised for an error on a pre-recorded show. Isn’t that down to the producer?
Annyyyyyyhooow……now that I’m in England, I’m relishing a weekly fix of Match of the Day (although I actually saw more live matches whilst in NYC via Setanta broadband), that I can buy all my food in M&S and I very much look forward to the Wossy show, usually with a slice of M&S New York Cheesecake when watching it on a Friday.
But last week, when I found out who Jonathan’s guests were, I could not bring myself to watch as I have no interest in hearing what these two people have to say. Furthermore, I cannot fathom that public demand for them is such that they have managed to secure a slot on the biggest chat show in the country for what? – I have absolutely no idea. Which two people – I’m not going to mention their names here but I’m sure you know.
Although not a fan of reality shows, talent shows are a different matter. After all, I grew up with Opportunity Knocks and New Faces (again, ask your mother) but in the current selebrity culture, I fear people just want to be famous, not express their talent, when they audition for the modern equivalent.
So I did not watch JR for these two or the cast of The Misfits. This show, I’m guessing is not for my age group but I did turnover to try and find out more until an extremely irritating east end/Essex accent (no offence) put me off. So I waited to tune in just for the very fabulous Kim Cattrall who must have been wondering what has happened to the normally brilliant Jonathan Ross show. No wonder she was bored enough in the Green Room to be reading her lines.
If I’m ignorant as to what is happening in modern day Britain, I’m blissfully so.
If it’s a generation divide, then I have an excellent excuse.
Granted our host was under the weather and not at his best, perhaps just as well this was the case this week and not when the show was full of fascinating and/or funny people.
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