a smile at last
What a top-boy Phil ‘the power’ Taylor is. Forget all the nonsense about darts not being a sport, the guy trains, practices, analyses his approach, understands the psychology of his opponents, plys his trade throughout Europe and stays sober during all his matches. OK, most of them.
But all of that pales into significance upon seeing his reaction to first, being nominated in this year’s Sports Personality of the Year and then to, unbelievably, picking up the silver spot. With today’s sports arena being dominated by brand this and brand that, all strictly governed by a sponsor’s PR merchant, how refreshing was it just to see someone sincerely pleased as punch to just being there and ultimately being rewarded in such a manner. He kissed everyone on stage, blokes included, and then probably made of point of kissing everyone in the arena before getting the name of everyone who’d voted for him and popping round to give each of them a big smacker on the lips! Phil ‘the pucker’ Taylor you more than deserve your place on the podium and the obvious place in the nation’s heart.
Actually, I don’t resent any of the podium placed individuals. This year, the deserving recipient of the title, AP McCoy, was the first ever jockey winner in the programme’s 57-year history. And us midges need to stick together. AP’s victory in the Grand National undeniably took him across the finishing line by a landslide – more than 650,000 votes were cast, with the Ulsterman, who has ridden a record 3,383 winners to date, collecting 42%. With the grandmother’s favourite Tom Daly in the running that is a cracking score indeed though I’d love to know just how few votes foul-mouthed wannabe scouser Mark ‘Cav the Chav’ Cavendish actually received. Certainly not mine you’ll have guessed.
Now, whilst I admire the champion jockey’s achievements I certainly do not envy him his diet. Breakfast: slice of toast, unbuttered. Lunch:two jelly babies, a single stick of Kit kat or two sugar cubes. Dinner (which he partakes only four times a week): steamed fish or chicken accompanied by steamed veg. Yummy. At a relatively tall 5ft 10″, AP has to retain a weight two stones under his natural level otherwise he’s not going to be competitive. But it’s not all a life of privations and hardship, occasionally he allows himself a small dollop of Hellmann’s mayonnaise, a lick of a flavoured crisp and once every three months, a steak! Now there’s dedication for you.
The only thing I’m going to pull my face about is Brand Beckham. There’s no doubting that he’s a jolly good chap and all that. Why, I even blame his kids’ ridiculous names on Posh and not him as he was probably round at the au pair’s place at the time. BB always turns up on cue, always does his best, always does the right things and always says the right things… always without every really saying that much. But for the BBC to honour him with a lifetime’s award, at the tender age of only 35, is a step too far. He’s still playing ferchristsakes. I challenge anyone who can remember the genuine emotion shown by Bobby Robson only a few short years ago upon the presentation of the award, to claim BB’s elevation to such a lofty pedestal is anything but an embarrassment.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that BB won’t deserve the accolade but if you want to recognise and reward a lifetime’s contribution to anything it’s a good idea to wait until the person has had a lifetime.
Also, get your hair cut and have a shave. Matt Busby is probably spinning in his grave.
