Fantasy Team GB: The Result

And the last day of the games is upon us, and the result has been decided. With only one pick each left (the same pick), it is time to announce that the winner of the Fantasy Team GB 2012 Olympics is... ME! On the last day of events I pulled it back from 2 points behind to go 1 point ahead thanks to Mo Farah's amazing double and Tom Daley's noteworthy bronze. Good game Mr Heffernan, but, this time at least, the 'expert' has come out on top. The most impressive thing is though, Team GB have won more Golds than we got points. Pretty impressive work there from team GB, well done everyone.

Scott's Picks

Guaranteed Golds:

Tom Stalker – Light-welterweight – Gold - DNM

Mark Cavendish – Road Cycling – Gold - DNM

Chris Hoy – Keirin – Gold - GOLD

GB Men’s Team Track Cyclists – Team Sprint – Gold - GOLD
Anthony Joshua – Super-heavy – Gold

Others:
Louis Smith - Pommel Horse - Gold - SILVER

Mo Farah – 5000m - Gold - GOLD

Savannah Marshall - Middleweight Boxing – Gold - DNM
Bradley Wiggins – Time Trial – Gold - GOLD
Victoria Pendleton – Track Sprint  – Gold - SILVER

Anthony Ogogo – Middleweight boxing – Silver - BRONZE

Dai Green – 400m hurdles – Silver - DNM

Andy Murray – Tennis – Silver- GOLD

Jessica Ennis – Heptathlon - Silver- GOLD

Nicole Cooke – Women's Road Race – Silver -DNM

Jason Kenny – Track Sprint – Silver - GOLD

Women's Team Track Cyclists – Team Sprinters– Silver - DNM

Tom Daley – Individual Diving – Silver - BRONZE

Tom Daley & Peter Waterfield – Bronze- DNM

Women's Team GB Football – Bronze - DNM

Team GB flop of the games -  Rhythmic Gymnastics. This is the only part of the team that did not qualify outright for the games. They only got into the games because of an appeal to the BOA. If they don't come dead last, I'll be amazed. - Finished 12th... out of 12

23 Points 

Josh's Picks:

Guaranteed Gold:
Shanaze Reade (BMX Cycling) - DNM
Dai Greene (400m Hurdles) - DNM
Alistair Brownlee (Triathlon) - GOLD
Anthony Joshua (Boxing, Super heavyweight)
Katherine Grainger & Anna Watkins (Women’s Double Sculls) GOLD

OTHERS
Gold: Tim Brabants (Men’s Kayak 1,000m) - DNM
Gold: Lightweight Men’s Four (Rowing) BRONZE
Gold: Ben Ainslie (Sailing, Finn Class- GOLD
Gold: Ian Percy & Andrew Simpson (Sailing, Star Class) -  SILVER
Gold: Peter Wilson (Men’s Double Trap Shooting) - GOLD
Gold: Mark Cavendish (Cycling Road Race) - DNM
Silver: Jessica Ennis (Heptathlon) - GOLD
Silver: Women’s Hockey - BRONZE
Silver: Sarah Stevenson (Taekwondo, -67kg) - DNM
Silver: Mo Farah (5,000m) - GOLD
Silver: Jonathan Brownlee (Triathlon) - BRONZE
Bronze: Women’s 4x200m Relay (Swimming) - DNM
Bronze: Tom Daley & Pete Waterfield (Synchro 10m Diving)-DNM
Bronze: Men’s Hockey - DNM
Bronze: Holly Bleasdale (Pole Vault) - DNM

Olympic Flop: Men’s Water Polo - Definitely not the worst part of Team GB, but looking at their group, it'll be impressive if they get a point. - Lost all their games, unlucky lads.

22 Points...

Fantasy Team GB - Update

It seems I've massively underestimated Team GB. All my Silver picks seem to have won golds, and people that i thought would falter have not done so. Well done GB. Not so well done me. 21-19 with 3 events that can change the points difference to come...

Scott's Picks

Guaranteed Golds:

Tom Stalker – Light-welterweight – Gold - DNM

Mark Cavendish – Road Cycling – Gold - DNM

Chris Hoy – Keirin – Gold - GOLD

GB Men’s Team Track Cyclists – Team Sprint – Gold - GOLD
Anthony Joshua – Super-heavy – Gold

Others:
Louis Smith - Pommel Horse - Gold - SILVER

Mo Farah – 5000m - Gold

Savannah Marshall - Middleweight Boxing – Gold - DNM
Bradley Wiggins – Time Trial – Gold - GOLD
Victoria Pendleton – Track Sprint  – Gold - SILVER

Anthony Ogogo – Middleweight boxing – Silver - BRONZE

Dai Green – 400m hurdles – Silver - DNM

Andy Murray – Tennis – Silver- GOLD

Jessica Ennis – Heptathlon - Silver- GOLD

Nicole Cooke – Women's Road Race – Silver -DNM

Jason Kenny – Track Sprint – Silver - GOLD

Women's Team Track Cyclists – Team Sprinters– Silver - DNM

Tom Daley – Individual Diving – Silver

Tom Daley & Peter Waterfield – Bronze- DNM

Women's Team GB Football – Bronze - DNM

Team GB flop of the games -  Rhythmic Gymnastics. This is the only part of the team that did not qualify outright for the games. They only got into the games because of an appeal to the BOA. If they don't come dead last, I'll be amazed. - Finished 12th out of 12...

19 Points 

Josh's Picks:

Guaranteed Gold:
Shanaze Reade (BMX Cycling) - DNM
Dai Greene (400m Hurdles) - DNM
Alistair Brownlee (Triathlon) - GOLD
Anthony Joshua (Boxing, Super heavyweight)
Katherine Grainger & Anna Watkins (Women’s Double Sculls) GOLD

OTHERS
Gold: Tim Brabants (Men’s Kayak 1,000m) - DNM
Gold: Lightweight Men’s Four (Rowing) BRONZE
Gold: Ben Ainslie (Sailing, Finn Class- GOLD
Gold: Ian Percy & Andrew Simpson (Sailing, Star Class) -  SILVER
Gold: Peter Wilson (Men’s Double Trap Shooting) - GOLD
Gold: Mark Cavendish (Cycling Road Race) - DNM
Silver: Jessica Ennis (Heptathlon) - GOLD
Silver: Women’s Hockey - BRONZE
Silver: Sarah Stevenson (Taekwondo, -67kg) - DNM
Silver: Mo Farah (5,000m)
Silver: Jonathan Brownlee (Triathlon) - BRONZE
Bronze: Women’s 4x200m Relay (Swimming) - DNM
Bronze: Tom Daley & Pete Waterfield (Synchro 10m Diving)-DNM
Bronze: Men’s Hockey
Bronze: Holly Bleasdale (Pole Vault) - DNM

Olympic Flop: Men’s Water Polo - Definitely not the worst part of Team GB, but looking at their group, it'll be impressive if they get a point. - Lost all their games, unlucky lads.

21 Points...

Fantasy Team GB

With the Olympics starting today, I have challenged my friend Josh Heffernan, who has appeared on this site before, to a Fantasy prediction game. As you will see from my picks, I have a very select knowledge of the events (mainly cycling), whilst Josh knows something about everything. So who will win, Jack-of-all trades? Or the single tracked mind?

So here are the rules, 20 picks, 3 points for correct medal, 1 point if they medal. 5 'Garaunteed Golds', if they win Gold, 5 points. Anything else, nil point.  ]
The flop is picked as tiebreaker, if its a draw on points, the person who's flop does the worst wins.

Scott's Picks

Guaranteed Golds:

Tom Stalker – Light-welterweight – Gold

Mark Cavendish – Road Cycling – Gold

Chris Hoy – Keirin – Gold

GB Men’s Team Track Cyclists – Team Sprint – Gold
Anthony Joshua – Super-heavy – Gold

Others:
Louis Smith - Pommel Horse - Gold

Mo Farah – 5000m - Gold

Savannah Marshall - Middleweight Boxing – Gold
Bradley Wiggins – Time Trial – Gold
Victoria Pendleton – Track Sprint  – Gold 

Anthony Ogogo – Middleweight boxing – Silver

Dai Green – 400m hurdles – Silver

Andy Murray – Tennis – Silver

Jessica Ennis – Heptathlon - Silver

Nicole Cooke – Women's time Trial – Silver

Jason Kenny – Track Sprint – Silver

Women's Team Track Cyclists – Team Sprinters – Silver

Tom Daley – Individual Diving – Silver

Tom Daley & Peter Waterfield – Bronze

Women's Team GB Football – Bronze

Team GB flop of the games -  Rhythmic Gymnastics. This is the only part of the team that did not qualify outright for the games. They only got into the games because of an appeal to the BOA. If they don't come dead last, I'll be amazed.

Josh's Picks:

Guaranteed Gold:
Shanaze Reade (BMX Cycling)
Dai Greene (400m Hurdles)
Alistair Brownlee (Triathlon)
Anthony Joshua (Boxing, Super heavyweight)
Katherine Grainger & Anna Watkins (Women’s Double Sculls)

OTHERS
Gold: Tim Brabants (Men’s Kayak 1,000m)
Gold: Lightweight Men’s Four (Rowing)
Gold: Ben Ainslie (Sailing, Finn Class)
Gold: Ian Percy & Andrew Simpson (Sailing, Star Class)
Gold: Peter Wilson (Men’s Double Trap Shooting)
Gold: Mark Cavendish (Cycling Road Race)
Silver: Jessica Ennis (Heptathlon)
Silver: Women’s Hockey
Silver: Sarah Stevenson (Taekwondo, -67kg)
Silver: Mo Farah (5,000m)
Silver: Jonathan Brownlee (Triathlon)
Bronze: Women’s 4x200m Relay (Swimming)
Bronze: Tom Daley & Pete Waterfield (Synchro 10m Diving)
Bronze: Men’s Hockey
Bronze: Holly Bleasdale (Pole Vault)

Olympic Flop: Men’s Water Polo - Definitely not the worst part of Team GB, but looking at their group, it'll be impressive if they get a point.

He's the right man for the job, but is it the right club for the man?

Brendan Rodgers has recently been announced as Liverpool's new manager, and after his performance in the 2011-12 season you can hardly say he isn't qualified. And the history of the club is only eclipsed by that of Manchester United, so you can see why they can demand the best managers. But I remain unconvinced that this is the right move for a manager so early in their career. Safe to say, Liverpool are not the side they were.

The fans, I'm sorry to any Liverpool fans, are slightly deluded. To even think they had the calibre to reach the top four this season was slightly laughable, Downing and Carroll is not a champions league combination. And unless Rodgers can sign some high quality players to boost his lacklustre squad, two cup finals and pushing for Europa league might just be the best they can hope for. He will be under a lot more pressure next season than he was at Swansea, because nothing was expected with the Swans, I was not alone in predicting the Wales side to go down. The fans will want to see the flowing football he gave Swansea, and hopefully a bit more savvy in the transfer market.

However, should he succeed, the world will be at his feet in terms of his managerial career. If he can build a couple of successful seasons at Anfield, he will be on high demand from every big football team in the world, and his decision to go to Liverpool will be justified. People may think from this article that I think he wasn't a good choice for Liverpool, and that isn't true in the slightest. I think he's a great manager, but a few more seasons at Swansea would have benefited him more.

I wish him luck at Liverpool, but he's going to be up against an over expectant fan base with a mediocre squad.

First published article!

http://crumbsformen.com/sport-roy-hodgson-england-boss

Barcelona: The Worlds Greatest One Trick Pony

For the past twelve months people have been singing the praises of Pep Gaurdiola's Barcelona team. And to be honest that has been truly deserved. They have played some of the greatest football the world has ever seen, with some of the best players I have ever seen play the game. Messi is, in my opinion, the best player to ever grace the game, and he has some brilliant midfield support in the form of Xavi and Iniesta who have helped make Barcelona a dominant force in Spain and Europe. They pass their opposition out of the game, then press relentlessly to win the ball back. But if a team works out a way to stop their passing game, or break past their pressing defence, what's their plan B?

From what I could gather from their games against Chelsea and Real Madrid, they don't really have one. First of all it's important to notice that Chelsea and Real Madrid had very different ways of combating the Catalan giants. Chelsea stood firm at the back and really stopped the Barcelona players running with the ball, whilst Real Madrid immediately moved the ball to the wings and looked to spread the pressing of the opposition, creating space behind .the defenders. But in both games Barcelona looked lost for ideas, completely bewildered that their total football approach wasn't working.

I would stress again that this is not me saying i don't like Barcelona's plan A. When it works, it's amazing. But because all of their players are good passers and like short sharp passing all around the box, they lack tactical dexterity. None of their attackers could stand up to the physical presence of Ivanovic, Terry or Cahill, and they suffered because of it. I were Gaurdiola I would want to be able to throw on a winger and a tall centre forward with twenty minutes to go to give the defence something to think about. It may also help at times for Barcelona to open the game up at times, but I just think they don't have enough confidence in their defence for that, and if they truly want to be the best team in Europe for seasons to come, they need to sort this out. Having Mascherano at centre back in the Champions League Semi-Final is not the answer.

So although I realise I'm hardly qualified to give transfer advice to one of the best sides in the world, I think the solution is pretty obvious. Sign a couple of robust centre backs, and a strong centre forward. Not a massive change in the culture of Barcelona, but the ability to adapt. It has become blatantly obvious in all sports, not just football, that what makes a good team or individual a great in the sport is the ability to change when their quality is under scrutiny.

F1 and The Bahrain Conundrum

Its Sunday afternoon on a racing weekend and this blog's subject is F1. I'd love to use this space to be talking about the brilliant race I watched this morning where 3 of the nicest guys on the circuit finished on the podium, but instead, like the rest of the F1 world, all the attention is on next weeks race. Should it go ahead on moral/political grounds? What about safety grounds?

When it comes to politics, sport should not be used to fix problems, because it can't. Whether the F1 goes to Bahrain or not there will still be civil unrest there, and a large percentage of the population will still be living below the poverty line. F1 still races in China and other parts of the far east despite their poor human rights and labour records. North Korea was still allowed to play in the World Cup despite their awful excuse for a government. On these grounds, F1 should carry on racing wherever the fee has been paid. So far, Bernie Ecclestone's view that 'F1 won't solve anything by not going' is a fair point.


Then you take into consideration that Ecclestone is one of the slimiest people in world sport. As the track was built by the Bahrain royal family, and they're the ones paying the fees, this is basically a huge show just for them. Unless the tickets are offered at 1/4 of the normal price for a grand prix ticket 80% of the population just wont be able to afford to go. By racing at the track, F1 risks creating civil unrest as the protesters look to disrupt anything to do with the royal family. F1 won't heal anything by not racing, but I'm pretty sure they'll cause more unrest by going. F1 shouldn't risk being the scene of protesters being killed just because Ecclestone wants even more money.

The sad thing is a lot of drivers are against it. The last thing they want is someone running onto the track when they're racing at 180mph. A lot of them don't want to go purely because of what they think they'll be supporting. But due to contracts drivers can't really refuse to race if they're teams go ahead with it. And the teams trust the FIA. And the FIA trust Ecclestone. One money grabbing idiot forces a lot of people to do what they don't really want to do. I think most of the drivers would rather just not bother with the Bahrain GP. Plus it's usually really boring anyway.

All in all I just think F1 gains nothing from going, but risks a lot by doing so. I don't like to wish ill on anyone, but the sooner the sport is not in the control of Bernie Ecclestone the better. F1 should not be going to Bahrain.