Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[Jon MW]

...
How hard would you think it is to walk in a straight line, or swim or drive for that matter?

Apparently it's very hard.
...

very very very hard in my experience

Click to see full-size image.

There is a very strong physical element to this difficulty in that most people naturally breathe on one side when swimming, but definitely psychological as well.

[tikay]

Has the nightly £110 MTT on Sky idea been scrapped? I see the new WSOP sats so is it no nighly £110er until after the series?

Morning Dan.

To be confirmed. The schedules are currently being rejigged to allow for.....

1) More "room" to generate Viva Las Vegas satellite qualifiers. We really want to push that for a month or so.

2) The "Winter Schedules" (when traffic is at it's highest) will be changed to a large degree, starting now. Traffic slowly declines from Easter, or when the clocks go forward, until the school holidays end in September, & when the clocks go back.  Very little sign of the seasonal traffic drop yet, but "subsidies" (from failed Guarantees, or "overlay") come straight off the bottom line, & it's better to be pro-active, rather than waiting until we have dropped a few bob. It does not make a lot of sense for a site to work hard to generate Margin (in this case Tourney Fees) & then give it back in overlay. (Booooooooooooo!).

I'll keep you informed, I'll know the definitive answer today or tomorrow, as there is a Tourney Schedule Review underway as we speak. 

I hope you are running well over there.

[tikay]

Was surprised and delighted to see that norkage has made its way over to the two proper diaries. That is the type of art I can handle.

Please!

As advised by LilDave, I may upload a little now & then, but we prefer not to disscuss such matters. I feel that I have lowered myself in return for cicks, somehow.

Tikay, have you heard of AKB48?  They're the 'largest' pop group in the world.

Sold $200M of records in Japan last year.  Which is a fair chunk.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AKB48

To be honest, no. Never heard of them on Radio Four, to be sure.

How does any group sell $200m worth of records these days? I thought everyone now downloaded music digitally?

[tikay]

Presuming u have ESPN, u can watch Jeremy Lin and the New York Knicks live tonight. They're playing away at Chicago, one of the top three teams in the league, who also have Derrick Rose at point guard, the MVP of the league last year, lining up in direct oppostition to Lin.

The Knicks have lost five straight and Lin, and to be fair all of them, are coming under pressure. Just saw a preview for the game online which said 'look for Rose to dominate the vastly-overrated Jeremy Lin, his defense is a joke'. Seems the honeymoon is over.

BTW teeks, note when talking hoopies u have to spell words like defense and center the way the Yankee doodles do

I don't have ESPN Jeff, meh.

Another defeat last night, I see......

BULLS 104, KNICKS 99: Derrick Rose erupted for 32 points as host Chicago improved its NBA-best record to 35-9 with its 10th win in 11 games.

Rose shot 5 for 15 in the first half, but turned it up in the final two quarters. He scored 19 points in the second half, including a one-hand flush off a give-and-go that brought the United Center to its feet with six minutes left.

The Bulls improved to 17-3 at home and defeated the Knicks for the second time this season, and for the seventh time in their last 11 meetings.

New York dropped its sixth game in a row and fell into an eighth-place tie with Milwaukee in the Eastern Conference.

All five New York starters scored in double figures, led by Carmelo Anthony's 21 points and Amar’e Stoudemire’s 20.

The Knicks had a chance to pull within three points in the final minute but missed three straight shots before turning the ball over.

Taj Gibson sparked an impressive effort on the boards by the Bulls with eight of the team’s 22 offensive rebounds. Gibson added 15 points, finishing with an emphatic two-hand dunk with 5.7 seconds to go.

Jeremy Lin continued to share point guard duties with Baron Davis. Lin scored 15 points but had some costly turnovers down the stretch. Davis added seven points off the bench to go along with four assists.

Correct terminology? Sorry, & noted. Defense. Center.

PS - Did you notice that last night, Arsenal achieved back to back to back to back wins from behind? (It was Newcastle AT Arsenal, note).

Arsenal's O-fence (phonetic) was a bit lively, that Oxlade chap is extraordinary.

See you @ Walsall on Friday. Hope you slam dunk it.

I did unhappily notice Arsenal's win, I was there in the Arsenal end, taken courtesy of those lovely Blue Square VIP managers. What a fantastic ground the Emirates is, must be the best in the country? Defo better than Wembley. I'll always prefer St James's Park (note correct name) ofc, and I think it's special that on that very same pitch the likes of Hughie Gallacher, Jackie Milburn and Wayne Fereday played, but history aside, that Arsenal stadium is awesome.

At the game I didn't think Walcott was much cop yet I see he got man of the match. Think the Ox looks a far better prospect, I love the upper body strength to go with the pace and skills, Walcott looks like u could push him off the ball. They both play right side tho, and if Arsenal do complete the signing of Podolski, who's a left sided attacker, looks like it's Ox or Walcott, not both. I go for the younger, bigger, more exciting one. Makes u feel old when u remember seeing his old man play too tho.

The Bulls were pretty good last night, but I don't think New York did too bad, or Lin himself. They gave up far too many offensive rebounds, meaning every time Chicago missed they seemed to get a second chance to score. Stop them and they probs win the game despite Rose. U need ESPN now you're into basketball tho, get Uncle Rupert to add it to your sub, they do have poker in there too, u could learn a lot watching Norman Chad.

See you Friday!

There have been many youngsters who have flattered to deceive, but young Ox looks really rather special - what an exciting player to watch, too. Even by the obscenely inflated fees paid for Premier League footballers, the £12 or £15 mill Arsenal paid for him looks a snip, & if they can keep his head in the right place, he has a wonderful career ahead of him.

Just imagine Arsenal when Jack Wilshere returns, hopefullty RVP is still there, & with The Ox maturing. Worth paying good money to watch? I think so.

Click to see full-size image.

[tikay]

Did you see this story on the BBC website Mr TK?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/golf/17354334

Incredible!

All the more so because I made such an oaf of myself at that very hole, & that was off the super forward Ladies Tee, too.

What a thrill it must have been for the kid, too, given how many famous golfers have tried & failed.

It really is a brute of a green even if you can hit it, sloping every whichway, & with the pin usuaslly tucked away near the edge.

Are you a golfer? If so, details please - where, how long, (years, not drives) handicap, etc?

I would love to get back into golf, but the body & eyes are failing badly, I'm afraid, & I did not much enjoy the "social" side of golf - stuffy dinners & all that nonsense.

I'm at the age where I want to - & fully intend to - do my own thing, & that does not include dressing up in a daft jacket, saying "Grace" before meals & 5 course meals with golfers all exchanging golf bad beat stories for upwards of 3 hours. Been there, done that.

But I'd love to get back to the tranquility of playing golf, just a mate for company, & a nice quiet course, with a bit of nature spotting thrown in. I should add that I was thoroughly useless at golf, with a uniquely agricultural swing.

There you go, have some fun with this - this was my "Captain's Day" photo......

So much water flowed under my bridges since then.

Click to see full-size image.

[tikay]

What is your lowest round to par? Wish i was sick at golf

Me? 65 on a 72 par (standard scratch score was 74 though!) was once 8 under through 14 holes in a match too but the guy I beat 6&4 wanted to walk in .... Meh!

Would swap my golfing skills for a WPT title and million dollars in a heart beat though

Did you never think of trying to turn Pro, Greg?

I cannot begin to imagine playing off +2, or shooting 65 on a par 74. Well done you.

[tikay]

What a lovely picture of the 11th at hollinwell there. On the bird front I spotted a beautiful Stone Chat in the gorse down the left of that hole last year. Pretty rare but perfect habitat for it.

It is a bit of a snooty golf club but you go for the course as its awesome and after twenty years of being a member I still never tire of playing it

What do you play off these days, Greg?

I may be getting confused, but I seem to recall you were scratch, or something equally daft. Am I confusing you with Grandad Jeff?

Handicap is +1. I got down to +2 about 7 years ago and managed to maintain sub scratch since I was 19.

Old man Geoff is a 13 handicap bandit these days, chips and putts like God but can't hit it past his own shadow off the tee

For those who do not follow golf, a +2 player has effectively played 2 shots, which go on his scorecard in a manner of speaking, BEFORE he tees off on the 1st, he actually begins the round 2 OVER!

A 28 handicap duffer - as I would be now, I'm quite sure - starts 28 shots UNDER.

Bit like playing snooker & giving someone 12 blacks start.

[tikay]

I thought this was pretty amazing and it's not spanish or from 1972.

How hard would you think it is to walk in a straight line, or swim or drive for that matter?

Apparently it's very hard.

I actually find that hard to believe, but I do, but even harder to understand, or comprehend.

Are we sure it is so?

[tikay]

Any chance of dithering at 7pm tonight?

Sorry Jim, I competely missed that Post.

Had I seen it, I may have popped up, but probably best I missed it, as I was not in the best of shape yesterday, one way & another.

Hopefully, I'll bump into you tonight or tomorrow in Walsall.

Thanks for the invite, anyway.

PS - I thought that was a vey odd & churlish incident that went off just before I left the Luton DC game on Sunday, especially as I was in profit, (always good for the game, surely?) & had a tidy lump of cash in front of me.

The more I learn in life, the less I understand what makes peoples minds tick.

[Junior Senior]

What is your lowest round to par? Wish i was sick at golf

Me? 65 on a 72 par (standard scratch score was 74 though!) was once 8 under through 14 holes in a match too but the guy I beat 6&4 wanted to walk in .... Meh!

Would swap my golfing skills for a WPT title and million dollars in a heart beat though

Did you never think of trying to turn Pro, Greg?

I cannot begin to imagine playing off +2, or shooting 65 on a par 74. Well done you.

Not good enough, although could have made a living as a course based teaching pro. I grew up playing with Oliver Wilson as my county forsomes partner and he was a bit special. Can't get in world top 100 at the moment though! Too many good players around. If you are not playing off plus 4 by the age of 18 then you can forget it!

Justin Rose was the main man when we were kids, always destined for greatness and to be honest was a different gravy. + 4 at 16 and in a different league. I hear he has now done quite well for himself

[tikay]

The diet - & I'll try to resist becoming a diet bore, but the psychology of a diet is key - has started well.

The first few days are crucial, & the success or otherwise is determined early.

My head has gradually moved into the right zone, I've not eaten a single bad thing, & I've reduced the volume substantially.

I'd be prepared to wager a substsantial sum that I'll achieve the target weight within the timescale I have set myself.

The greatest thing about dieting is the sense of well-being it delivers, & I get much more of a spring in my step, though I have to get more sleep. I use a lot of mental energy, but it tires me so.

Rennie intake since I started the diet? Zero.  Nurafen intake - 3 packs, sadly, as I have as perma-headache right now. New bins needed, I suspect, though I've had a bit of stress, too.

Pretty pleased with it overall, if I can be excused the chirp - but it is all part of setting targets, & the mind games.

A 14 stone flabby, as I was, should easily drop 4lbs or 5lbs in week one. And I will, then it'll settle, I hope, to 2lbs to 3lbs for the next 3 or 4 weeks, then maybe down tio 1lb to 2lb per week after that.

OK, no more diet talk until Monday's weigh-in.

[tikay]

What is your lowest round to par? Wish i was sick at golf

Me? 65 on a 72 par (standard scratch score was 74 though!) was once 8 under through 14 holes in a match too but the guy I beat 6&4 wanted to walk in .... Meh!

Would swap my golfing skills for a WPT title and million dollars in a heart beat though

Did you never think of trying to turn Pro, Greg?

I cannot begin to imagine playing off +2, or shooting 65 on a par 74. Well done you.

Not good enough, although could have made a living as a course based teaching pro. I grew up playing with Oliver Wilson as my county forsomes partner and he was a bit special. Can't get in world top 100 at the moment though! Too many good players around. If you are not playing off plus 4 by the age of 18 then you can forget it!

Justin Rose was the main man when we were kids, always destined for greatness and to be honest was a different gravy. + 4 at 16 and in a different league. I hear he has now done quite well for himself

+4? Jeez.

I would assume that at some stage in your early golf days you played up at Lindrick, near Worksop, & met Lee Westwood? I believe he is still associated with it, too.

Truly wonderful course, where the Open Quallies used to be staged, & was, back in the fifties, a Ryder Cup Venue, of all things. Sadly, such a thing could never happen at such wonderful courses nowadays, it has gone all corporate.

It was, of course, way too tough for me, but I have fond memories of the course, very very pretty. I imagine Ralphy boy has played up there, too.

Click to see full-size image.

[RED-DOG]

I used to go lamping on there.

[tikay]

I used to go lamping on there.

Is that rabbit hunting Tom?

I well remember the place was full of rabbits, which I find tather nice, but golf course groundsmen & golfers seem to hate. How can anyone dislike a rabbit?

[RED-DOG]

I used to go lamping on there.

Is that rabbit hunting Tom?

I well remember the place was full of rabbits, which I find tather nice, but golf course groundsmen & golfers seem to hate. How can anyone dislike a rabbit?

This is a basic explanation.



http://www.how-to-hunt-rabbit.com/lamping-with-lurchers.html