Sunday Sport - A Bad Week for Some

We start with bad news this week one of the most famous Race Horses of all time Dessert Orchid has died aged 27 years. This Grey won many races and was that popular with the racing public even had a its own website - Dessert Orchid



Another great sports star also passed away this week Hungarian Ferenc Puskas the man many considered the first Soccer superstar. Known as "The little fat chap" Puskas was 79 when he passed away. Ferenc Puskas


While on Soccer my team Leeds United were beaten at home 3-0 by southampton yesterday. I went to the match and believe me the score line does not reflect the way the match went. Ok we have virtually a new back four and they was a bit of misunderstanding for their goals but we had enough chances to win the match. The team is improving and in time the results will come.

Wish we had some of the players in the photo below in the team though (remember them beating Southampton 7-0 :-




England had a friendly match with Holland in midweek and drew 1-1 but to be honest I can't get interested when they are not competitive matches.

At last the England Rugby Union Team won a match following seven consecutive defeats. But don't forget we are still the current world Champs. The victims were South Africa and we scapped home 23-21.

Ok so I suppose for Cactusfreeks benefit I'll have to mention that the Australian Rugby League team hammered our boys 33-10 but only because Sean Long came home. The rest of the squad can now follow him as we are out of the Tri-nations.
Anyway I see our cricketers are now finding some batting form with recent tons for Kevin Pieterson and Ian Bell. With the Ashes soon to start I must remind our friends from down under that when it comes to English Cricket you must fear Yorkshire Fast Bowlers.


The man that is going to destroy your old men is Mathew Hoggard :-

Hoggy's coming to get you Aussies so I thought I'd include five photos cos it will be good practice for when you get sick of the sight of him.

I must mention American Football as it is strongly rumoured that a major match will take place in my country next year at the new Wembley Stadium (if its finished).

American Football at Wembley

While I'm on this Sport I must mention that this weekend there is a big local rivalry match in Alabama and the photo below is for my friend Rachel.

Ok this weeks discussion topic name in your own opinion the most important sporting occasions you have been to. You can consider level of competition such as world title or it may just be big win in a local rivalry match.

Anyway here is mine :-

1. The Grand National 1977 - Ok I'm not really in to horse racing and wouldn't normally expected to be here but Leeds played Liverpool at anfield 11am kick off this day and we went after the match to the race. Now for those that don't know "The Grand National" is the oldest and most famous steeplechase in the world and for those that still haven't realised how big the occasion was, 1977 was Red Rums 3rd victory the only horse ever to achieve this feat.

2. FA Cup Final 1972 - This was the Centenary Final with 100,000 there at wembley to watch Leeds versus Arsenal. Clarke one nil need I say more, our only ever victory in this competition.

3. European Cup Final Paris 1975 - Shit and we lost this one to Bayern Munich or should I say robbed. Paris 75 The Dream ends in Violence

4. Table Tennis World Team Final - Been twice China versus Japan in Birmingham 1978 and China versus France in Manchester 1998.

5. World Championship Boxing - Tom Collins (Leeds) versus Leoniser Barber (Detroit) at Leeds Town Hall for one of the versions of the light heavyweight title. The American won easily just too good for our boy. Best fight was Henry Wharton (York) beating Rod Carr (Australia) for the Commonwealth title, knew it would be a good scrap when Carr stuck the Nutt on Wharton when they went to shake hands at the start.

6. Rugby League Challenge Cup Final - Been twice both in the Eighties, Hull versus Wigan and Castleford versus Hull KR. Not sure of either of the years but I reckon one of my blog friends will tell me.

7. Commonwealth Games - Once went to watch this as a schoolboy when it was held in Scotland (Edinburgh). Its basically a mini Olympics for countrys that were once in the British Empire. I believe there are about 90 countrys take part including very small places such as The Falkland Isles, Jamaica, Jersey, Hong Kong, etc. More competitive countries include Canada, Australia, India, New Zealand, Kenya, etc. I remember going to the Athletics, Swimmining & Boxing, got loads of autographs.

8. Cricket - Been to Two Test matches a long time ago England versus Australia at Headingley and England versus West Indies at Trent Bridge. The Aussie team contained Derek Lillee and Rodney Marsh while the West Indies team I saw had some of their great bowlers in such as Michael Holding, Malcolm Marshall and Joel Garner. Geoff Boycott was in the England team on both occasions.

9. Back to Soccer and no match inparticular but in the late seventies & early eighties I went to loads of England matches (including abroad) and any of them could be on the list. I suppose the biggest was the Home Internationals versus the Jocks. Obviously I've seen Leeds play on many occasions in big European ties, cup semi'finals, big league games, etc. And must add seen us win at Old Trafford that must be up there.

10. Sorry thats about it - must attend a sports event on one of my trips to the US (Hockey, Football, Baseball ?).