London Olympics (part 3) Hottest ticket in town

If you were to ask most of the British public what their personal highlight of the London Olympics were, you'd get a multitude of answers. I sense the names Ennis, Wiggins, Farah, and Hoy would feature regularly. Of course the bulk of the British sports loving members of the public are not nuts about basketball.

In the second week of the Olympics the basketball tournaments moved from the Basketball Arena to what became the North Greenwich Arena. For three days I made journeys down to North Greenwich to watch some of the world's finest players.

Friday saw us witness the Spanish team produce a great second half comeback against Russia. On Saturday night, with a 9pm tip off, we saw the womens gold medal game between USA v France. Now when the tickets first went on sale this was my biggest catch. I must admit that the idea of seeing a gold medal presented, the flags rising, the anthem played, it all was part of the experience I had hoped for. France kept it close for 15 minutes but there was little doubt that the USA women would gradually wear them down, and they did.

Now just before the Games started I was told that more tickets were being released. I went online in desperation rather than hope. In a flash it appeared on screen, there was a ticket for the mens basketball funal. The only issue was the price, the ticket was near courtside, the most expensive ticket in the house. A quick conversation at home, ended with the statement "it's a once in a lifetime opportunity", and so I bought it. Needless to say it was the most expensive ticket that I've ever purchased.

On Sunday morning I'd arranged to meet some friends in the bar where the night before we had cheered Mo Farah to success in the 5000 metres. After a couple of beers chatting over the basketball tournament, it was a case of taking my seat. With my camera in hand I watched Knicks Carmelo Anthony & Tyson Chandler warm up, somewhat closer than when I watched them at Madison Square Garden in February.

Here was my chance to watch LeBron James and Kobe Bryant two genuine NBA all stars who I'd never watched live before. The game itself lived up to expectation, Spain kept it close and indeed went ahead in Pau Gasol they had one of the games outstanding performers. His brother Marc acquired fouls too quickly and his absence on court cost Spain dearly. Just as Spain got close in the 4th quarter Le Bron stepped up, my enduring memory will be of him driving to the basket and dunking the ball.

 At the end the USA won 107-100, the Spanish players knew that they had got "that close" but it was the star spangled banner that played.

A week later with the memory of the game still vivid, I'm just so pleased I bought that ticket.

London Olympics Part 2

The London Olympics covering so many different sports allowed me to engulf myself in one of my fascinations - sports photography.  I'm fascinated at how sports photographers capture the moment. Writing a couple of days after the Olympics finished, I've started to wade my way through the last two weeks newspapers to cut out and keep a scrap book of sports photos that will hopefully act as an additional memory and souvenir of the London Olympics.

Of course there are many who see the written  paper media as a declining form, and since this is a blog, I've decided to devote an entry to photos from 2012 of one particularly discipline - track cycling.

I've chosen track cycling because the photography seemed to capture speed,skill, danger and colour. The uniforms and speed seemed to present an almost surreal image. Perhaps because this was a discipline where Team GB excelled it caught my attention more, but the photographers work on occasions seemed to move into the realm of art.

These two photos are of Jason Kenny who won gold in the mens sprint.

The above photos are of Chris Hoy who at London 2012 became Britain's greatest olympian overtaking the haul of gold medals won by rower Steve Redgrave.

The photo below is of Laura Trott who won two gold mdals at the London games, here she's seen in action in the womens' sprint.

 This photo is of the team pursuit and probably ranks as my favourite photo of the Olympics

 I include some photos of Victoria Pendleton whose performances captured the elation and heartbreak of the Olympics

Finally a photo of the womens team pursuit which seems to sum up effort, concentration and commitment.

London Olympics - Week 1

During the build up to the London Olympics it was easy to be cynical, there was plenty to be cynical and indeed angry about. The failure of a private sector firm to employ and training enough staff, leaving a public sector organisation ( the British Army) to pick up the pieces. The corporatisation of the games,not only the role of sponsors but the choice of them. Fast Food Chains, Chemical and Oil companies etc. Finally the establishment of VIP lanes on London roads, fast tracking officials wnen ordinary commuters were threatened with impossible journeys.

However once the games began the focus turned to sport as it should. In week one we were fortunate to have several tickets for the basketball arena. On the first Sunday morning following instructions we aimed to be at Stratford at 7am that's two hours ahead of the first game. The threatened long delays to get through security were non existant, as the army ensured that the process was smooth and efficient.

It was our first sight of the Olympic Park and the various sites. We made our way to the basketball arena to see Tunisia v Nigeria, not necessarily the most enticing fixtures to drag neutrals out of bed on a Sunday morning and indeed there were many gaps in the stands. Of those present many had little or no knowledge of the sport, and I acted as an informal advisor. By the second game Brazil v Australia, more spectators were arriving, the game was of a higher standard.

After the session end we made our way through the park knowing we'd be back later in the week. The opening days saw few medals for Britain ( I'm not happy with the marketing term Term GB), however rowing and cycling are two sports where we began to achieve. Now being a poor swimmer, rowing offers little attraction to me, but cycling has without doubt been absolutely compelling. As I found myself shouting at the TV screen as British cyclists won gold medals, none more so than Victoria Pendleton.

On Wednesday evening I returned to the basketball arena to see womens basketball. My seat which I'd bought late  turned out to be courtside and I was able to see two fine games Croatia v Czech republic and then USA v Turkey. However with the final game tipping off at 10.15pm, it was no surprise that the arena emptied well before the end. Nevertheless it did give me the opportunity to see the stadium lit.

Thursday afternoon and we saw two more games , this time the highlight was seeing Manu Ginobili ply his trade for Argentina. The opportunity to see a three time NBA champion was a highlight, then a close fought game between Russia and Brazil.

Friday saw the first athletics session at the Olympic Stadium. This would see the Park at its fullest as 80,000 spectators made their way to the stadium for a chance to see Jessica Ennis start her campaign to win a gold medal in the hepthalon. No one should underestimate the pressure that Ennis has been under. London 2012 demanded a poster girl to sell the games, and she has fulfilled the role. The crowd in the stadium could not have been more supportive of all the athletes. Cheering British performers while encouraging others. It has something about our culture that often the warmest applause was reserved for those athletes clearly out of their depth, yet determined to compete and give their best.

Athletics as a spectator sport is not like team sports, the passion is in the performance. The crowd is a better gender balance and definately family orientated. For all that I 'm delighted to say I was in the olmpic stadium, and I saw Jessica Ennis complete two disciplines on the way to her gold medal.


Saturday night was one of the most successful nights in British sporting history. Three gold medals in little over a hour. Jessica Ennis was followed by Greg Ritherford in the Long Jump and Mo Farah in the 10,000 metres.  Collectively the success of these athletes together with others over the first week lifted the spirit across the country, at a time when celebrity culture is everywhere, these men and women proved that Britain does indeed have talent.

Their success also said much about modern Britain. The country shared the success not only of Jessica Ennis, a mixed race woman from Sheffield but also Mo Farah, a young man who came to London as a boy, a refugee from Somalia,a muslim, who went to school  here, and supported the Arsenal. When Farah told a reporter, this is my country , I grew up here, and I'm proud to wear the vest of Great Britain. He spoke words that sum up modern British society. Nationality is about identification, not necessarily where you were born.

Hustings!

Saturday usually means sport but today I'm travelling to Norwich for the Eastern Region hustings meeting for the Green Party leader. Having recently joined the Party I have a relatively objective position, I don't know any of the candidates personally, all I know is what I've read on websites and twitter.

The job of leader will be a difficult task, with Caroline Lucas as the Party's only MP, I sense that the media will continue to go to her for quotes, interviews and appearances.

The post of deputy leader is also being contested and it is Green Party rules that the two positins must be held by one man and one woman, therefore this will be a factor that members will need to bear in mind when casting their votes.

As a new member I'm interested in how candidates feel they can attract new voters and indeed members at a time when progressive voters will see the priority as ridding the country of the Tories, and probably many will see Labour as the natural route to achieve this.

There are four candidates for leader and like me they will travel to Norwich today. This may also give me an opportunity to meet some members from Essex for the first time:

The meeting began at 5.15 there were around 50 people crammed into the hall. Each candidates made a three minute opening statement and questions followed from the floor: the questions covered a number of themes included: how to attract traditional Labour voters ? the candidates view of Scottish Independence , how to elect more Greens ?, the party's view of trade unions, and what can we learn from the international green movement.

Overall it was a very positive experience, the mood was positive, none of the candidates criticised each other ( a tendency in internal elections), I got a chance to meet a number of members including a few I'd met in Norwich earlier in the year. I was also able to talk to two of the deputy leader candidates who also attended the hustings. By the time I got back to Essex, I had resolved who to vote for when the ballot paper arrives in the next few days.

5 Days at Amla's Test Match

After the first two courses of the summer, the tour of the West Indies and the rather curious one day series (rain affected) against Australia, the South Africans and the summer have finally arrived. With the greatest respect to the previous series this is very much the highlight of the cricketing summer. In years gone by Oval tests were often described as home games for the West Indies, largely because of the large west indian communities in south London, now however the same could be said for South Africa, and there was no shortage of " saffers" in the ground as Andrew Strauss won the toss and elected to bat on the first morning.

This is the first year as a "Surrey and England" member, this means you pay more but are guaranteed a designated seat for England games at the Oval. However as I usually take guests to some days of the test match, this means my viewing was split between the Lock and Bedser stands.

The first morning saw the early departure of Strauss and the dominance of Alastair Cook. Cook is the rock upon which England innings have been built since the Ashes victory in Australia. At the end of the day England stood at 267 for 3 and there was the expectation that they would move the next morning towards a score of around 500.

Friday morning was dull and overcast, it was when rather than if it rains. Wickets soon started to tumble in these conditions, although in some cases poor shot selection was as much responsible as conditions. England rather stumbled to 385, with the general concensus that this was a bit below par for the wicket. Nevertheless after lunch Petersen fell for a duck and South Africa were 1-1. England still felt they could compete on level terms in this game., however the next two days would prove otherwise. By the end of the second day South Africa were 80-1 and early wickets would be needed on Day 3,

The Saturday of a test match, a sell out crowd, the sun beginning to breakthrough and a wicket benign and offering little to the bowlers. New balls came and went and Smith and Amla began to pile on the runs. Amla had offered a chance to Strauss on 40 , but he and Smith plundered the leg side  and runs started to accumulate.

Smith scored a century in his 100th test and fell to Bresnan . England's only wicket of the day , meanwhile Amla joined by Kallis kept on so the day ended at 403 for 2. Amla finshing the day 183 not out.

Sunday, a real summers daybelonged to Amla. He posted the highest score by a South African batsman in test cricket when we went past 278 and then went past 300, the first batsman to do that in England since Graham Gooch in 1990. At lunch Smith declared, frankly had he not declared I have little doubt that Amla could have put Brian Lara's 400 under serious threat. He finished 311 not out.

As the South Africans left the field the ground rose to applaud Hamish Amla off the field. Once again, cricket had shown what makes it such a wonderful sport. Spectators regardless of the allegiance appreciate and applaud skill and dedication

England needed 252 to make South Africa bat again , while some commentators suggested that Smith should have batted another session, the South African captained was determined to leave sufficient time to bowl England out. It has to be said he got the tactics right. The quick loss of Cook, Trott and Pietersen started the rot and at stumps England were 67 for 4.

The only question was could England save the match by batting the whole day, the short answer was no. Although Bell and Prior showed the type of concentration and commitment needed. Sadly for England when Steyn took the new ball wickets began to tumble again and by mid afternoon the tail began to disintegrate and it was only a matter of overs before South Africa claimed victory by an innings and 12 runs.

This is sadly only a three match series, England need to regroup ahead of the 2nd test in Leeds next week. Question marks remain over a couple of the selections, but for the first time in a several years England had taken a "hammering".

The End of Linsanity

It was like a shooting star burning bright but destined to fall to earth. The idea of an undrafted American Asian point guard taking the NBA and New York City by storm was more a story made in Hollywood than on the floor of Madison Square Garden. However last February it happened, the name Lin dominated the American media like no other and I was glad I was there to witness it.

Six months and knee surgery later, Jeremy Lin has signed for the Houston Rockets, the Knicks could not matcgh the Rockets financial package. In the complex world of salary caps and luxury tax, keeping Lin would have crippled the Knicks financially, and so in spite of online petitions Lin moves to Texas.

The NBA keeps its most marketable worldwide asset. The Knicks quickly acquire a reliable, experienced point guard in Raymond Felton and the fans in New York are left with the memories of the night that Lin schooled the Lakers, the back to back covers of Sports Illustrated and a mountain of Linsanity T shirts.

From Sports Illustrated:

HOUSTON (AP) - Jeremy Lin is leaving New York and taking Linsanity to Houston.
The New York Knicks announced Tuesday night that they will not match the Houston Rockets' three-year, $25 million offer for Lin, a restricted free-agent.
New York officially had until 11:59 EDT to decide whether to re-sign Lin, who became an international phenomenon in the media glare of the Big Apple.
The Rockets made it tough for the Knicks to sign off on keeping him by backloading their offer sheet with a $15 million salary in the third season. If the Knicks agreed to that deal, they would've faced a hefty luxury tax in 2014-15 because of other big contracts on their books - between $30-40 million.
Lin now returns to Houston, where he spent about two weeks in December during training camp. The Rockets liked what they saw in the undrafted point guard, but had to waive him because they had Kyle Lowry and Goran Dragic on the roster.
The New York Times initially reported the Knicks' decision, citing an unidentified person briefed on the situation.
One sports consultant said the adjustment to the offer sheet was a stroke of genius by Rockets general manager Daryl Morey.
"The Rockets deserve a lot of credit for the way they've gone about this,'' said Marc Ganis, president of Chicago-based SportsCorp. "It was extremely intelligent - with an assassin's touch.''
The Knicks, though, gave Lin his first shot, picking him up after the Rockets waived him. He was briefly demoted to the developmental league, recalled and finally got his chance when coach Mike D'Antoni put him in with the Knicks floundering at 8-15. Lin scored a career-high 25 points in a 99-92 win over New Jersey Nets and "Linsanity'' was born.
Lin had slept on teammate Landry Fields' couch the night before, still refusing to get his own place as he headed into that week, knowing the Knicks would have to decide whether to cut him or guarantee his contract for the rest of the season.
But Lin proved more than just an overnight sensation - he had 28 and 23 points in his first two NBA starts, and then scored a career-high 38 in a 92-85 victory over Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers.
The stock price for Madison Square Garden Inc. surged on the production and popularity of the team's international star. Lin also made the Sports Illustrated cover in consecutive weeks, only the 12th athlete to hold that distinction since 1990. On Tuesday, Lin had more than 829,000 followers on Twitter.
The more opponents saw Lin, though, the more they seemed to figure him out as the season wore on. He went 1 for 11 with eight turnovers in a humbling, nationally televised loss in Miami and the Knicks dropped their first six games in March.
D'Antoni resigned in mid-March and Lin hurt his left knee less than two weeks later. The Knicks revealed on April 1 that Lin needed surgery to repair a meniscus tear and would miss six weeks.
The Knicks made the playoffs behind surging Carmelo Anthony, but bowed out to Miami in the first round. The Rockets, meanwhile, missed the postseason for the third straight year and have spent the offseason completely rebuilding their roster.
Houston has been trying to put together a package of assets and draft picks to offer Orlando in exchange for disgruntled All-Star center Dwight Howard. In the process, the Rockets lost the unrestricted free agent Dragic to Phoenix, then traded Lowry to Toronto in exchange for a future first-round pick with lottery protection.
With no true point guard left on the roster, the Rockets turned back to Lin. The Knicks may have shown their hand when they brought back Raymond Felton in a sign-and-trade deal with Portland.

Houston, meanwhile, jumped at the chance to reacquire their popularity in China, where Yao Ming became a larger-than-life figure. Many Rockets landed lucrative shoe contracts with Chinese companies on Yao's coattails and Rockets' games drew massive television ratings there.

Walking Away

July 12th and I've accepted an invitation to attend an event to mark the retirement and departure of a number of teachers where I used to work. It's a year since I stood in the same hall and delivered the same sort of speech that I'll hear tonight before bowing out after 20 years working there.

I listen to speeches some mercifully short , others rather long, some eulogies others genuine messages of thanks , I reflect on the past year. In the past twelve months,much has changed around the place. Not in terms of structures, the sports hall is still not complete, but the faces are altering fast. The institution has moved on and I now feel I have.

I think I have now finally detached myself, both from the job I did and education in general. I'm now the first to admit that I didn't realise it would be to leave it all behind. Last July when I stood in the hall I felt I could walk away, but it wasn't that easy.

I've just written a card to someone who I worked closely with congratulating them on retirement, in it I wrote "don't look back", but frankly over the past year it's been hard not to take the occasional glance.