Rarely has the return to action of a sporting hero been celebrated with the gusto in which the golfing fraternity welcomed back the iconic Tiger Woods.
Tiger and his reconstructed knee took to the tee for the first time in eight months at the Accenture World Match Play Championship in Marana.
The last time we saw the Tiger on the prowl was when he won the US Open at Torrey Pines virtually on one leg.
It’s fair to say that even in his absence he had remained the most talked about figure in the sport and the last eight months seemed to have only served to show how dependent golf is on Woods for its global popularity.
Padraig Harrington did his best to fill the vacancy left by Tiger, winning successive majors last year, but he lacks the charisma and awe-inspiring talent of the main man.
Rory McIlroy has also kept the British interest from waning completely with glimpses of his exciting potential but if you asked anyone in Britain to name just one golfer Tiger would almost certainly be the name to pass their lips.
The problem when one man is so dominant in his sport is that anyone who succeeds while the champion is laid off automatically has the validity of their victory questioned – what if Tiger were playing?
Woods won his first match on his return (should we have expected anything else?) but it may take a while for him to get back to his best.
All that is certain is that the world of golf needs a fully firing Tiger because the only way a true successor can step forward is if they step up to the great man’s impeccable high standards.
Thursday 26 February 2009
Wednesday 18 February 2009
Howe has he done it?
Amongst the plethora of worthy films released in the run up to Oscar night was a Daniel Craig film called Defiance.
The James Bond star played one of the three Jewish brothers who defied the Nazi regime by setting up their own community in a forest.
In one of the more moving speeches of the film Craig’s character tries to calm the revengeful feelings amongst his people by suggesting that the best way they can stick two fingers up to Hitler and his henchman is simply by surviving – living is their act of ‘defiance’.
At times this season I have despaired at the plight of my club AFC Bournemouth – how we were hit with a 17-point deduction for off-field financial problems (the same financial problems that – ultimately – led to our relegation to League Two last season) and we seem to have been taken for a ride by a succession of owners.
It has been easy for the Cherries faithful to bemoan our fate and vent our spleens at the various instigators of our demise.
Suddenly, though, there seems to be a different atmosphere around Dean Court.
The Dorset outfit’s impressive performances under our wet-behind-the-ears boss Eddie Howe have brought a welcome return of a more attractive brand of football and, crucially, results as well.
We have taken 11 points from our last 15 and suddenly, instead of looking for someone to blame, a wave of optimism is spreading amongst the fans.
Howe, at just 31, was seen by many as a last resort and a ‘cheap option’ when Jimmy Quinn was sacked at the turn of the year - he was already employed by the club as a coach and had no managerial experience.
But often moves of desperation end up being unintentional masterstrokes.
One of the key moves Howe made was to bring back his old pal and team mate Steve Fletcher.
‘Big Fletch’ may be about as mobile as a phone box and has not scored in five appearances up front, but his effect on the team is invaluable and he has provided a great foil for young strike partner Brett Pitman - who can’t stop scoring lately.
Howe is doing the business but now faces three tough away games in the space of eight days as we travel to Chesterfield, Dagenham and Gillingham.
We are still five points from safety and there is work to be done but Howe’s men have inspired belief at last.
Let’s hope the Cherries can put on our own ultimate show of defiance – let’s survive.
The James Bond star played one of the three Jewish brothers who defied the Nazi regime by setting up their own community in a forest.
In one of the more moving speeches of the film Craig’s character tries to calm the revengeful feelings amongst his people by suggesting that the best way they can stick two fingers up to Hitler and his henchman is simply by surviving – living is their act of ‘defiance’.
At times this season I have despaired at the plight of my club AFC Bournemouth – how we were hit with a 17-point deduction for off-field financial problems (the same financial problems that – ultimately – led to our relegation to League Two last season) and we seem to have been taken for a ride by a succession of owners.
It has been easy for the Cherries faithful to bemoan our fate and vent our spleens at the various instigators of our demise.
Suddenly, though, there seems to be a different atmosphere around Dean Court.
The Dorset outfit’s impressive performances under our wet-behind-the-ears boss Eddie Howe have brought a welcome return of a more attractive brand of football and, crucially, results as well.
We have taken 11 points from our last 15 and suddenly, instead of looking for someone to blame, a wave of optimism is spreading amongst the fans.
Howe, at just 31, was seen by many as a last resort and a ‘cheap option’ when Jimmy Quinn was sacked at the turn of the year - he was already employed by the club as a coach and had no managerial experience.
But often moves of desperation end up being unintentional masterstrokes.
One of the key moves Howe made was to bring back his old pal and team mate Steve Fletcher.
‘Big Fletch’ may be about as mobile as a phone box and has not scored in five appearances up front, but his effect on the team is invaluable and he has provided a great foil for young strike partner Brett Pitman - who can’t stop scoring lately.
Howe is doing the business but now faces three tough away games in the space of eight days as we travel to Chesterfield, Dagenham and Gillingham.
We are still five points from safety and there is work to be done but Howe’s men have inspired belief at last.
Let’s hope the Cherries can put on our own ultimate show of defiance – let’s survive.
Friday 6 February 2009
Ordinary Joe the perfect champion
It is a strange paradox that some sporting champions act like champions while others are the champions they are because they act just like anybody else.
The likes of Muhammed Ali, Maradona and George Best had an amazing charisma off the field that fuelled their sense of greatness and they carried it with them onto the pitch.
Now and again you get a sporting hero who is so amazingly unassuming and normal that you cannot believe they are champions of their field.
Then when you see them in action you realise this ‘man of the people’ approach is central to their whole outlook as they fight every battle as if they are doing it for all the ordinary people out there.
Recently retired Joe Calzaghe will go down in British boxing history as one of the very greatest this nation has ever produced, if not these best.
But you could not get a more contrasting figure to the showmanship of Ali – universally accepted as ‘the greatest’ of all time in global terms.
‘Ordinary Joe’ always comes across as such a laid back, considered human being that you almost felt he didn’t belong in the world of boxing.
But as soon as the bell went Calzaghe came into his own, the Welshman was a fierce competitor with a huge amount of talent but almost as crucial was his grounded nature that kept him rooted in the heat of battle.
He hardly ever seemed to lose his cool and many of his fights were victories of mind and technique as much as strength.
You don’t need to watch Rocky to know boxers often have a hard time giving up the sport and many greats before Calzaghe have been tempted to return to the ring.
I hope Calzaghe rejects the financial temptation and competitive urges to fight again because, with 46 fights and 46 wins, ‘Ordinary Joe’ has something that elevates him out of normality and into the realm of the greats, the best record of all – perfection.
The likes of Muhammed Ali, Maradona and George Best had an amazing charisma off the field that fuelled their sense of greatness and they carried it with them onto the pitch.
Now and again you get a sporting hero who is so amazingly unassuming and normal that you cannot believe they are champions of their field.
Then when you see them in action you realise this ‘man of the people’ approach is central to their whole outlook as they fight every battle as if they are doing it for all the ordinary people out there.
Recently retired Joe Calzaghe will go down in British boxing history as one of the very greatest this nation has ever produced, if not these best.
But you could not get a more contrasting figure to the showmanship of Ali – universally accepted as ‘the greatest’ of all time in global terms.
‘Ordinary Joe’ always comes across as such a laid back, considered human being that you almost felt he didn’t belong in the world of boxing.
But as soon as the bell went Calzaghe came into his own, the Welshman was a fierce competitor with a huge amount of talent but almost as crucial was his grounded nature that kept him rooted in the heat of battle.
He hardly ever seemed to lose his cool and many of his fights were victories of mind and technique as much as strength.
You don’t need to watch Rocky to know boxers often have a hard time giving up the sport and many greats before Calzaghe have been tempted to return to the ring.
I hope Calzaghe rejects the financial temptation and competitive urges to fight again because, with 46 fights and 46 wins, ‘Ordinary Joe’ has something that elevates him out of normality and into the realm of the greats, the best record of all – perfection.
Wenger gambles on Arshavin deal
I have an immense amount of respect for Arsene Wenger but I am worried that his protracted pursuit of Andrei Arshavin will see him become a victim of his own ideals.
Now I’m a big fan of the Russian schemer and I’m not saying he won’t be a success at the Emirates Stadium, but - by spending the whole of the transfer window chasing Arshavin - Wenger has critically neglected other areas of his team.
Yes, they have missed the invention of the injured Fabregas, but Arsenal are not exactly short of creative players and far more alarming over the past couple of seasons has been the sides soft centre.
When Wenger needed to bring in some steel, a player in the Patrick Vieira mould, he instead reverted to type and spent four weeks trying to recruit another silky, gifted, attack-minded player.
The Gunners are facing a very real prospect of missing out on Champions League football next season and the notion of the Premiership’s ‘Big Four’ could soon be trimmed to a triumvirate.
Wenger’s perfectionist nature and unwavering commitment to the beautiful game is commendable but ask any Arsenal fan and I expect they would settle for a few scrappy wins between now and the end of the season if it would guarantee a Champions League berth.
This current Arsenal side has been treated as a team in transition for too long and they need a solid experienced core to push on and that requires investment.
The money is there by all accounts but Wenger again is a stickler for his principles and seems reluctant to pay out the kind of cash he needs to in order to keep up with Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea.
There is a hint of selfishness about Wenger’s stubborness and refusal to change his ways as the victims at the end of the day are the Arsenal fans who have grown used to their team challenging at the top of the table.
Yes football is meant to be entertaining but there is no better way to entertain the fans than by winning football matches.
It will be interesting to see how long until the Arsenal fans keep patience with Wenger and his unique approach if the club continues to be starved of success.
Now I’m a big fan of the Russian schemer and I’m not saying he won’t be a success at the Emirates Stadium, but - by spending the whole of the transfer window chasing Arshavin - Wenger has critically neglected other areas of his team.
Yes, they have missed the invention of the injured Fabregas, but Arsenal are not exactly short of creative players and far more alarming over the past couple of seasons has been the sides soft centre.
When Wenger needed to bring in some steel, a player in the Patrick Vieira mould, he instead reverted to type and spent four weeks trying to recruit another silky, gifted, attack-minded player.
The Gunners are facing a very real prospect of missing out on Champions League football next season and the notion of the Premiership’s ‘Big Four’ could soon be trimmed to a triumvirate.
Wenger’s perfectionist nature and unwavering commitment to the beautiful game is commendable but ask any Arsenal fan and I expect they would settle for a few scrappy wins between now and the end of the season if it would guarantee a Champions League berth.
This current Arsenal side has been treated as a team in transition for too long and they need a solid experienced core to push on and that requires investment.
The money is there by all accounts but Wenger again is a stickler for his principles and seems reluctant to pay out the kind of cash he needs to in order to keep up with Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea.
There is a hint of selfishness about Wenger’s stubborness and refusal to change his ways as the victims at the end of the day are the Arsenal fans who have grown used to their team challenging at the top of the table.
Yes football is meant to be entertaining but there is no better way to entertain the fans than by winning football matches.
It will be interesting to see how long until the Arsenal fans keep patience with Wenger and his unique approach if the club continues to be starved of success.
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