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PERFETC ENDINGS
In one Charlie Brown cartoon, Peppermint Patty wonders aloud “Do all fairy tales begin with ‘Once
GO AND TELL YPOUR FATHER
The story is told of a coach who called one of his Colts players aside during
COOL SIGHTINGS
There is a wonderful, and very telling, scene in the hugely popular 1993 film Cool Runnings
PRETENTIOUS DRIVEL OR PROSAIC DOGMA
When we choose a sports team, we select players primarily on their ability in their specific
BLOCK HEAD
Charles Schulz first introduced the world to Charlie Brown in 1950 in his Peanuts cartoons. While
DO THE MATH
Remember the topic of ‘inequalities’ in Maths? We know what the sign for, as well as
SMART THINKING
When we go for an interview, we will no doubt appear in jacket and tie (for
DELETE THE ELITE
Wayne Goldsmith was the Australian physiologist who in 1992 was tasked to identify talented athletes and
A CROSS TO BEAR
It is uncanny how anagrams can have such close correlations to each other and mean almost
WHEN GOOD IS BAD
A long time ago, a teacher was trying desperately hard to enthuse his Form One English
PILGRIM’S PROGRESS OR SPORTMAN’S SUCCESS
Almost four hundred years ago, while he was confined to prison for twelve years, John Bunyan
A SACK RACE OR SACRIFICE
Have we ever wondered why junior schools have a sack race at their Sports Days? It
IT IS ALL RATHER FISHY
Finding Nemo was a hugely popular and successful film, winning an Oscar for the Best Animated
WHO WILL LET THE DOGS OUT?
Dogs do some amazing things! At different times and in different places we have seen dogs
ORPHANS OR FANS
HAVE we ever considered how many orphans there are in the world? One estimate has given
UNSTOPPABLE
After being taunted and mocked by his opponents, even having his head kicked and his integrity
ON THE TRACK OFF THE TRACK
Coming first is essential, is it not? It is the whole point of sport, we are
WHAT THE F IS MISSING
There is a wonderful cartoon that has one character saying, “Benjamin Disraeli said ‘There are three
DREAMS DASHED
The dream of every youngster who plays sport is to play it at the highest level,
THAT IS CRAZY!
Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May are well-known television personalities from their hugely popular worldwide
PLAY ME
MARILYN Monroe once famously said that “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend” and it is a
LOST OR FOUND
Back in 1970, the American author Richard Bach published the book ‘Jonathan Livingston Seagull’ that “tells
SUCCESS IN SILENCE
MANY years ago, a group of boys were taken to see a play in London by
Upgraded!
Here you are, on a long, long flight back to reality after a spellbinding six weeks
WHAT ARE YOU MAKING?
Children come up with the most amazing statements. Sometimes they can be very amusing, as any
WHY NOT
At the funeral recently of a young man who had committed suicide, the pastor unapologetically expressed
YOU ARE RIGHT
We may have come across the following scenario before: Two brothers were raised by an alcoholic
BROACHING COACHING AND POACHING
IN 2014 a Mathematician calculated that there are 177,147 ways to tie a tie, although he
WHEN WILL THEY EVER LEARN?
EGO must go! That is the short answer to the as-yet unposed question. It is directed
GOING TO THE DOGS
IT will probably have escaped the attention of all but the most astute, kindest and most
The nitty-gritty of integrity
Speech days or nights are not the favourite occasions for the vast majority of pupils, in
HIP HIP FOR SPORTSMANSHIP
EVERYDAY, the sports pages, be it online or on paper, report on incredible feats and stories
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT
“If you had seen my school reports, you would see why I wanted to be a
THE GREAT DIVIDE
Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Paul Scholes, Bobby Charlton, Wayne Rooney – we have probably all heard
THE SMILING ASSASSIN
John Arlott has been mentioned in a previous article and, as well as having a gifted
THE BETTER WAY FOR THE BATTER
What do the following people have in common: John Arlott (the famous cricket commentator with a
ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS
There was a classic moment in one of the early ‘Pink Panther’ films when Inspector Clouseau
IT IS GOOD TO BE THE UNDERDOG!
A man once had a beautiful Labrador dog called Duke who used to sit in front
EVERYTHING IS RELATIVE
It is assumed that all readers are educated people here so let us consider a few
LEGEND OR LEGACY?
The All Blacks rugby team has been studied over the years to ascertain how they had
IT’S A DISGRACE
In 1982 the pop group ‘Tears for Fears’ reached Number 3 in the UK charts with
THE STATUE OF SPORTSMANSHIP
John O’Donnell is a former Australian cricketer and current cricket commentator. When he was made captain
SOMETHING BIGGER
For many a parent, it is a moment of huge delight and pride to witness his
PARENTS AND REFEREES
People often say that parenting is the hardest job in the world. It is interesting in
A MORAL VICTORY
At the end of a recent sporting fixture between two rival schools, parents of one of
FACTS, RESULTS AND STATISTICS
“Now, what I want is Facts. Teach these boys and girls nothing but Facts. Facts alone
IS SPORT THE ANSWER?
A favourite piece of graffiti of a previous generation said, “Jesus saves” after which a wise
EVERY MINUTE COUNTS
In the 2023 FA Cup Final, Ilkay Gundogan scored for Manchester City within twelve seconds of
SCOFF AT THE FROTH
Picture a glass of beer; that may well be a refreshing sight for some – indeed
CHARGE TO THE LIGHTIES BRIGADE
“Should you always do what others tell you to do?” That was a question that Michael
HONOUR HONOUR
At one stage or another, we have all enjoyed an informal game of touch rugby or
GETTING SHIRTY
The shirts that sports players wear today may be made from different material after extensive research
IF YOU DO WHAT YOU LOVE
The thought of marriage can be quite daunting, if not terrifying, for some, even to the
FEAR FACTOR
Emma Hayes has been in the spotlight recently, unsurprisingly no doubt, as the manager of the
COOL SWIMMINGS
The 1993 film, ‘Cool Runnings’, may not have won any awards but it did win many
A COACH MUST COAX
Mention the phrase ‘hair-dryer treatment’ and most sports followers will think immediately of one name –
IS ANYTHING WORSE THAN LOSING?
Ryan Cotty was capped forty-eight times for the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team as a
IT NEVER ALWAYS GETS WORSE
In addition to the optimist and pessimist giving their views as to whether the figurative glass
ANYONE FOR SECONDS?
There was a tradition at a Hall of Residence of a historic university overseas that at
FOREVER AND ANON
So, what do the following have in common? Freddie Mercury, Magnus Magnusson, John Stephen Akhwari, Winston
FROM HERE TO AFFINITY
Sir Ken Robinson was not by any stretch of the imagination a sportsman. While one of
MINING GOLD
It is claimed that over sixty-nine countries around the world now host their own version of
COMMON NON-SENSE
Many readers will be familiar with the mock obituary that was published in The Times newspaper
BEING MEN
Have you ever wondered what Snoop Dogg, Rabbie Burns and Rudyard Kipling have in common? Furthermore,
YOU’RE INVOLVED IN THE F WORD
Gordon Ramsay is perhaps the one celebrity most well-known for his use of the F word,
HEART STRONG
Louis Armstrong is known to many generations as one of the greatest jazz singers and trumpet
IT’S A FIX!
Those who love their sport may not exactly be fans of the celebrated novelist Jane Austen
KILLING IT!
‘The Killing Fields’ was a powerful film about the Khmer Rouge regime under Pol Pot in
HERE’S TO HEROES!
Many people will know the Serenity prayer, written by Reinhold Niebuhr, which states: “God, grant me
IF AT FIRST YOU DO SUCCEED…
Many of us will be familiar with the litany of anecdotes used to finish the saying,
PROS AND CONS
In 1968 Joni Mitchell had a hit song called ‘Both Sides Now’ where she sang “I’ve
IT IS ALL A BIG CON!
“Voilà! In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the
I CAN’T GET NO SATISFACTION!
There is a very old and familiar proverb that says, “a rolling stone gathers no moss”;
DRIVEN TO DESTRUCTION
There is nothing more beautiful than driving through the rocky crags of the Matopos, through the
SCHOOL OF SPORT: THE LONG RUN
While the attention of many of us may be drawn to the Olympic Games being held
CONTEST NEEDS CONTEXT
Many a parent has taken massive pride in their child’s sporting achievement at junior school where
IS IT ONLY A GAME?
The passing of a soccer player recently has sparked a massive torrent of tributes from all
THIS IS SPORT
How often have we come across someone saying “TIA”? It is most often offered as an
PATENT TALENT
Tiger Woods was interviewed on television at the age of 2, played his first tournament aged
LATENT TALENT
Rudeness is generally not considered to be a special talent; indeed, it would for the most
PRESSURE IS A PERSON
Take any sport and we are likely to find a strong rivalry existing between certain teams.
PRESSURE IS A PROMISE
Cesc Fabregas began his footballing career with Arsenal for whom he made over two hundred appearances,
PRESSURE IS A PLEASURE
People often joke about the sense of direction that members of the female sex allegedly have
PRESSURE IS A PREREQUISITE
Danielle Collins and Jessica Pegula were both born in the US within three months of each
PRESSURE IS A PRIVILEGE
Becoming a School Prefect is the dream and goal of many pupils. It is a huge
MISTAKEN IDENTITY
Professional tennis comes up with some astonishing statistics. Many will know that the longest match took
WHAT CAN BE DONE FOR SCHOOL SPORT?
There is a very old song by a man called Harry Belafonte, that came in the
WHERE IS SCHOOL SPORT GOING?
‘The Professionals’ was a popular, American western film, released in 1966, that followed the story, of
WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?
“Houston, we have a problem!” Those words from the dramatic 1995 award-winning film ‘Apollo 13’ may
WHO IS IN CHARGE?
It may appear to be a silly question but let us consider it for a moment:
KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES
In 2016 the action-comedy film ‘Keeping Up with the Joneses’ was released in which a suburban
FOR EVERYTHING THERE IS A SEASON
Weather patterns have certainly been changing over the years, as we have experienced throughout these last
BOTTLE IT
There is the old joke that an Englishman, a Scotsman and an Irishman were stranded on
MAN UNITED IN GLORY
Football fans love to air their voices loudly during matches and many clubs have their own
WHAT SHOULD WE DO?
In a previous article we considered whether a player is good at a sport because he
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
In 1967, Aretha Franklin was transformed from a domestic star into an international one through the
CELEBRATING CELEBRATIONS
Over the years there have been some extraordinary as well as trademark celebrations of sporting success.