Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[tikay]

Someone at Sky was very clever to sponsor a TDeF team

I know the budget was allocated very differently too, much more resource to the offtrack support, and that gave them a competitive advantage but whoever lent Sky's name and approved the sponsorship budget, good job!

Yup, very shrewd.

BSKYB have been very "cycle positive" for some time. They have all sorts of cycle-based activities & ameneties, "Sky Rides", all sorts. Guess it fits the "Green/Sustainable" image. 

I find it interesting that they sponsor one of the few sports that isn't on Sky Sports at all.

We live in a strange world.......

[horseplayer]

Someone at Sky was very clever to sponsor a TDeF team

I know the budget was allocated very differently too, much more resource to the offtrack support, and that gave them a competitive advantage but whoever lent Sky's name and approved the sponsorship budget, good job!

Yup, very shrewd.

BSKYB have been very "cycle positive" for some time. They have all sorts of cycle-based activities & ameneties, "Sky Rides", all sorts. Guess it fits the "Green/Sustainable" image. 

I find it interesting that they sponsor one of the few sports that isn't on Sky Sports at all.

agreed i dont understand this at all

as it has been shown on itv4 and eurosport for a while i cant imagine the rights are that expensive (may change now)

[henrik777]

Someone at Sky was very clever to sponsor a TDeF team

I know the budget was allocated very differently too, much more resource to the offtrack support, and that gave them a competitive advantage but whoever lent Sky's name and approved the sponsorship budget, good job!

Yup, very shrewd.

BSKYB have been very "cycle positive" for some time. They have all sorts of cycle-based activities & ameneties, "Sky Rides", all sorts. Guess it fits the "Green/Sustainable" image. 

I find it interesting that they sponsor one of the few sports that isn't on Sky Sports at all.

Why sponsor someone that your customers are signed up for ?

Sandy

[celtic]

Someone at Sky was very clever to sponsor a TDeF team

I know the budget was allocated very differently too, much more resource to the offtrack support, and that gave them a competitive advantage but whoever lent Sky's name and approved the sponsorship budget, good job!

Yup, very shrewd.

BSKYB have been very "cycle positive" for some time. They have all sorts of cycle-based activities & ameneties, "Sky Rides", all sorts. Guess it fits the "Green/Sustainable" image. 

I find it interesting that they sponsor one of the few sports that isn't on Sky Sports at all.

Why sponsor someone that your customers are signed up for ?

Sandy

This, innit. Massive exposure on terrestrial tv for sky in Britain and beyond. V clever imo.

[smashedagain]

Someone at Sky was very clever to sponsor a TDeF team

I know the budget was allocated very differently too, much more resource to the offtrack support, and that gave them a competitive advantage but whoever lent Sky's name and approved the sponsorship budget, good job!

Yup, very shrewd.

BSKYB have been very "cycle positive" for some time. They have all sorts of cycle-based activities & ameneties, "Sky Rides", all sorts. Guess it fits the "Green/Sustainable" image.  

I find it interesting that they sponsor one of the few sports that isn't on Sky Sports at all.

Why sponsor someone that your customers are signed up for ?

Sandy

This, innit. Massive exposure on terrestrial tv for sky in Britain and beyond. V clever imo.

Sky make many clever decisions, especially having Tikay as the face of Sky Poker.
Does anyone else pay £100 a month for their sky and broadband ?

[tikay]

Anyone else watch the golf over the weekend? It was just wonderful, in so many ways.

I watched 2 guys tee off at the Par 3 first, two very popular guys, though with golf, most players are “popular”, the default mindset seems to be positive.

First lad nails his tee shot, right by the hole, huge & enthusiastic round of applause followed. Next lad plonks it right in the bunker. Brief silence, then a gentle, sympathetic, round of applause. There must be a football fan analogy with a missed penalty there somewhere.

For almost 4 days, an Aussie lad looked like winning easily, he was always clear of the field.

Coming down the stretch (getting the lingo?) on day 4, he was home & hosed with 4 holes to go, then the wheels came off, & a horror show followed. The whole crowd seemed to sense his agony, & there was no cheering his mistakes, just good vibes to the kid. Meanwhile, Big Ernie was in the Clubhouse, & about to anti-climatically win the thing unexpectedly if the kid failed to par the last.

Kiddo tees off at 18 & incredibly, unbelievably, plops it in the bunker with “no (forward) shot”. Again, no laughing or dissing, just an understanding of what the kid was enduring.  

On internet forums across the world, “choker”, “bottled it” comments were ten a penny. From people who would never in a million years be talented enough to get themselves in such a position, let alone understand just how tough it must be to hold yourself together under such stress. But the crowd, to a person, were 100% respectful. They understood.

Afterwards, Els has to give the speech. His first words were to empathise with the runner-up, genuinely & sincerely.

Dignity? Just a bit.

Click to see full-size image.

[tikay]

I noticed that Tevez, the Man City footballer chap, was a sort of “Guest” or “celeb” caddie yesterday, too.

I got to wondering.

Supposing the Pro Golfers were all replaced with Pro footballers. What would happen when they holed a birdie? Lap of honour, high five half the crowd, lift their shirt up, kiss their sponsors badge?

And if they holed the putt to win The Open? Dignity in victory, respect for the opposition? Maybe.

Different sports, different folks. Not sure they mix well.

Click to see full-size image.

Click to see full-size image.

[DesD]

Office looks nice...  

Lol, posh, eh?

I've moved TWICE since, though I cannot say the ambience has improved much.

Next month, however, we are due to move into the spanking new £90 million "Harlequin" building, though whether I'll survive that long remains to be seen. A lifetime of feeling insecure means I always think today may be my last day. One day, it will, & I'll be ready.

Mind games. 

Gee, I remember opening the Harlequin discussions back in 2010.  Will be stunning I'm sure, but not as sure as I am that you'll be at Sky Poker until the day you chose otherwise (or they cart you out in a box, God forbid).

[Geo the Sarge]

Anyone else watch the golf over the weekend? It was just wonderful, in so many ways.

I watched 2 guys tee off at the Par 3 first, two very popular guys, though with golf, most players are “popular”, the default mindset seems to be positive.

First lad nails his tee shot, right by the hole, huge & enthusiastic round of applause followed. Next lad plonks it right in the bunker. Brief silence, then a gentle, sympathetic, round of applause. There must be a football fan analogy with a missed penalty there somewhere.

For almost 4 days, an Aussie lad looked like winning easily, he was always clear of the field.

Coming down the stretch (getting the lingo?) on day 4, he was home & hosed with 4 holes to go, then the wheels came off, & a horror show followed. The whole crowd seemed to sense his agony, & there was no cheering his mistakes, just good vibes to the kid. Meanwhile, Big Ernie was in the Clubhouse, & about to anti-climatically win the thing unexpectedly if the kid failed to par the last.

Kiddo tees off at 18 & incredibly, unbelievably, plops it in the bunker with “no (forward) shot”. Again, no laughing or dissing, just an understanding of what the kid was enduring.  

On internet forums across the world, “choker”, “bottled it” comments were ten a penny. From people who would never in a million years be talented enough to get themselves in such a position, let alone understand just how tough it must be to hold yourself together under such stress. But the crowd, to a person, were 100% respectful. They understood.

Afterwards, Els has to give the speech. His first words were to empathise with the runner-up, genuinely & sincerely.

Dignity? Just a bit.

Click to see full-size image.

Have read some great pennage from you over the years TK, this is easily one of the best

Great post

Geo

[bobby1]

Anyone else watch the golf over the weekend? It was just wonderful, in so many ways.

I watched 2 guys tee off at the Par 3 first, two very popular guys, though with golf, most players are “popular”, the default mindset seems to be positive.

First lad nails his tee shot, right by the hole, huge & enthusiastic round of applause followed. Next lad plonks it right in the bunker. Brief silence, then a gentle, sympathetic, round of applause. There must be a football fan analogy with a missed penalty there somewhere.

For almost 4 days, an Aussie lad looked like winning easily, he was always clear of the field.

Coming down the stretch (getting the lingo?) on day 4, he was home & hosed with 4 holes to go, then the wheels came off, & a horror show followed. The whole crowd seemed to sense his agony, & there was no cheering his mistakes, just good vibes to the kid. Meanwhile, Big Ernie was in the Clubhouse, & about to anti-climatically win the thing unexpectedly if the kid failed to par the last.

Kiddo tees off at 18 & incredibly, unbelievably, plops it in the bunker with “no (forward) shot”. Again, no laughing or dissing, just an understanding of what the kid was enduring.  

On internet forums across the world, “choker”, “bottled it” comments were ten a penny. From people who would never in a million years be talented enough to get themselves in such a position, let alone understand just how tough it must be to hold yourself together under such stress. But the crowd, to a person, were 100% respectful. They understood.

Afterwards, Els has to give the speech. His first words were to empathise with the runner-up, genuinely & sincerely.

Dignity? Just a bit.

Click to see full-size image.

Have read some great pennage from you over the years TK, this is easily one of the best

Great post

Geo

+1

[bobby1]

Tony,

When you were away Jeremy Lin signed for a new team after the Nicks decided not to match the contract Houston offered him so one of the most amazing sports stories of this year has taken another twist.

I don't know of you are aware of this story but it has shaken US college sport to the core. The NCAA have announced the punishments today and one of them is a $60 million fine

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

The head coach of Penn State's football team Joe Paterno  had coached them for almost 46 years and been on the staff there for almost 62 years when that scandal broke. This weekend the school removed the commemorative bust that had been there in his honour, although not guilty of any of the crimes he has been found complicit in covering up what the guilty man Jerry Sandusky did. One of the other punishments handed down today was to invalidate 111 of the teams victories which means that Paterno has gone from the winning most coach in history, an absolute legend and one of the senior sports figure in the US to discredited and disgusting.

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


It is a truly breathtaking case and for all his faults in it he went from national hero to dying less than two months after he was removed from his job.

[Machka]

Anyone else watch the golf over the weekend? It was just wonderful, in so many ways.

I watched 2 guys tee off at the Par 3 first, two very popular guys, though with golf, most players are “popular”, the default mindset seems to be positive.

First lad nails his tee shot, right by the hole, huge & enthusiastic round of applause followed. Next lad plonks it right in the bunker. Brief silence, then a gentle, sympathetic, round of applause. There must be a football fan analogy with a missed penalty there somewhere.

For almost 4 days, an Aussie lad looked like winning easily, he was always clear of the field.

Coming down the stretch (getting the lingo?) on day 4, he was home & hosed with 4 holes to go, then the wheels came off, & a horror show followed. The whole crowd seemed to sense his agony, & there was no cheering his mistakes, just good vibes to the kid. Meanwhile, Big Ernie was in the Clubhouse, & about to anti-climatically win the thing unexpectedly if the kid failed to par the last.

Kiddo tees off at 18 & incredibly, unbelievably, plops it in the bunker with “no (forward) shot”. Again, no laughing or dissing, just an understanding of what the kid was enduring.  

On internet forums across the world, “choker”, “bottled it” comments were ten a penny. From people who would never in a million years be talented enough to get themselves in such a position, let alone understand just how tough it must be to hold yourself together under such stress. But the crowd, to a person, were 100% respectful. They understood.

Afterwards, Els has to give the speech. His first words were to empathise with the runner-up, genuinely & sincerely.

Dignity? Just a bit.

Click to see full-size image.

This reminds me of the US Olympic shooter, Matt Emmons.

In the 2004 Athens Olympics he had gold locked up, just had to hit the target and he somehow managed to shoot the wrong target on his last shot in the men's 50-meter rifle!

Then, in the 2008 Beijing Olympics he needed a not difficult score of 7 points to secure gold.  He misfired and got a score of 4.4, the lowest score in the whole competition.

Talk about clinching defeat from the jaws of victory.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/18348092

He's competing in the 2012 Olympics. 

Third time lucky?

[Tal]

The whole Adam Scott business reminded me of a pretty horrible finish in the Winter Olympics Snowboarding in 2006. Lindsey Jacobellis dominates the race. Then celebrates. Just not after she has crossed the line.

[MrDickie]

My good friend from Gloucester was the pilot for the camera crew taking the aerial shots at the Open. Sounds glamorous but flying around in small circles for 10 hours apparently is not.
Its registration is G-EELS because he mainly exports Glass Eels from Spain.
I cant insert pics but here is an old vid.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5whcBpiFHY

[MrDickie]

I noticed that Tevez, the Man City footballer chap, was a sort of “Guest” or “celeb” caddie yesterday, too.

Apparantly he wont be asked back as he never took the bag off even when walking on the green.