Bellamy may stay with Newcastle

BBC SPORT Craig Bellamy - you are a clown. What exactly have you done in football to justify the £6 million price tag. Sure you've kept a lot of physios in business at every club you've ever been to, but I struggle to remember any goals you've scored let alone medals won. Now will you please just go quietly, there's a good chap.

Max Mosley in talking nonsense shocker

Planet-F1.com Seems to be the way of F1 administrators for a long time. Come out with one really good idea but hide in there a stupid idea as well just to make sure the good one doesnt get accepted. This time it's a salary cap (good - Schumi's rich enough) but also an upper age limit (stupid idea - we have enough young pay drivers in F1 right now - dont need any more thank you).

But that's Max for you. He does talk a lot of sense sometimes but he needs to filter out the crap ideas now and again rather than coming out with everything he's been told. Back to the drawing board again my friend.

Sid Watkins steps down

Sporting Life Has any man done so much for safety in Formula One or maybe even in motor sport in general. Probably not - so as he steps down I'm sure racing drivers the world over will think about this great man.

The one story I remember right now is probably one that did not get all that much publicity but in his "Life on the Limit" book he told this story about how in his surgery one day (i mean this guy was in charge of medical care in F1 and he still had a "surgery") and Ayrton Senna came to him with a facial nerve problem. Needless to say the good doctor sorted him out but it just showed a very human face to a great guy. Thanks Prof

Davidson eyes F1 race seat in '06

BBC SPORT and it would be about time too. Ever since winning the Formula Ford Festival way back when I've thought that Anthony had the talent required to make it in F1. Sadly being British he doesnt carry the financial clout of the Italians and the South Americans, so sure enough he gets left to sit on the sidelines seriously in danger of being the best driver never to get a proper shot at F1. If he gets a drive in 06, then it'll be about 3 years overdue - team bosses - get on with it!!!

Some thoughts about Formula 1

GrandPrix.com > Eff One Not my mumblings for a change but the highly entertaining ones from Grand Prix.com

Dreadful song...

I thought one of the points of a cover version of an old song was to either recreate the original in some way, or to do it better (or perhaps to cash in without much effort) but yesterday I heard for the first time the mauling that Ronan Keating & "not Cat Stevens anymore" (his new name escapes me right now) gave to the already diabolical song Father and Son. The original was syrupy tat but the cover was just shocking. "Not Cat" clearly cant sing anymore so just spoke his way through the record and to be honest Ronan didnt sound all that interested. And to think this was nearly Xmas number 1......

Broadcasters unite for Radio Aid

BBC NEWS Now this is an idea I like the sound of - UK Radio Aid. Definately another good reason to donate to the appeal if you havent already. Was listening first thing today and liked the sound of Dermot and Davina together again. One little gripe though - why do all competitions on some stations have to use those "81123" type text-in numbers - not all of us have mobiles you know and even those of us that do cant use them because our network dont allow it. Sort it out please and dont exclude some of your audience.

Dark times for the Dakar

Official Dakar Rally site It's been a hard week for the Dakar. 2 deaths on the rally and a couple more amongst followers of it in a road crash. When you go watch motor racing your ticket reminds you it's dangerous but as a fan i can't help but be affected by these guys doing what they love and ending it all because of it.

I heard an otherwise inspired interview on Eurosport a few nights back and because of a death of another top rider late last year the interviewer asked if there might be a reason for the apparent increased risk. The not-particularly inspired reply was "too much speed" - no kidding - but then this got me thinking. When I was a kid growing up watching motor racing i remembered the Dakar as a marathon on awful terrain, and now more and more I'm getting the feeling it's turning into a series of higher speed special stages - with the result that the guys are going much faster.

No disrespect to the likes of Colin McRae but if the tarmac and gravel rally boys can come over and win stages first time out (ok - this was Colin's second crack but he won some last year too) but they never used to then could it be that something has changed. In attempt to make it safer by making the stages easier they might have introduced the speed that is causing the accidents.

I'm no expert on Rally Raid but I cant help thinking that the sport has changed - and maybe it needs to go back.

Harry says sorry for Nazi costume

BBC NEWS Nice one Harry - I'm sure your grandad would approve!!

I want Christmas back

I really can't get used to being back at work again. What with coming back from holiday, going out all the time, then christmas and all its joys and stresses, then new year and now work straight away I just don't feel like my feet have really touched the ground in months. Maybe it's just a bit of a downer but i'd rather snap out of it soon, and get back to my usual cheery state as soon as poss.

Oh well, a nice weekend coming up so have to make the most of that.....

Footy official not admitting a mistake - how unusual

ThisisLondon
Yes, the linesmen....oh sorry...."assistant referees" (yeah whatever) do a fine job occasionally. But there were people standing in the meat pie queue at Old Trafford who could have told you that the Pedro Mendes shot was a goal. Maybe if the linesmen (doh!) actually learnt how to run up and down a bit quicker then they would see things occasionally. I'm not holding my breath.

A few funny things came out of this though - mainly the United keepers brave attempt at chucking the ball in his own net - and more importantly lots of silly jokes. Here's one now - an FA statement apparently.....

An FA spokesman after the game absolved the linesman of any responsibility for the apparently mistaken decision not to award a goal to Spurs after a shot from the halfway line crossed the goal line by at least a meter.

"The shot came in from an unusual distance and as such caught the linesman out of position forcing him to race back towards the goal as the play developed", explained the spokesman, "As he ran, the United scarf he was wearing under his shirt came loose and fluttered up into his face obscuring his view and preventing him from making the call. It was just one of those things."

In response to further questions from the Press the spokesman explained "If they don't already have a United tattoo most officials on game day try to wear a scarf or a replica shirt under their regulation kit to show their support for the worlds greatest club. The linesman in this case had chosen to wear a United scarf, a common choice that is in keeping with FA guidelines. The root cause of the problem lies not with the linesman but with the players and management of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club who broke one the most important unwritten rules of the English FA: They placed a shot on target at Old Trafford. Martin Jol is new to this country and perhaps he s not yet familiar with some of our finer traditions. Fortunately if he doesn't yet understand that for the greater good of the game visiting teams, by tradition, are not expected to try to score at Old Trafford then our officials are in a position to help Mr Jol make that cultural adjustment."

Chuckling to himself the FA spokesman added "The goal had to be disallowed to avoid us descending down a slippery slope that would be bad for the national game. It's a fine line the officials have to walk. If they award a goal this week, next week someone might expect a penalty or ask that Van Nistleroy be booked for diving. Can you imagine? That would just never do. No no no. Shocking, just the thought of it."

A CBE for Dave Richards

GrandPrix.com Here's a novelty - a deserving New Year's Honours winner. Dave Richards has succeeded in more or less everything he does - except publicising the World Rally championship. I wouldnt bet against him achieving that this year.

I should add here that there were some other deserving winners - future sporting legends Kelly Holmes, Tanni Grey and Matthew Pinsent spring to mind.

Tales of Florida - part 1 of many (possibly)

Right I warned you all so anyone still reading this really should know what they're letting themselves in for. First tale of Florida isnt the best but i was wearing a T-shirt from this place today so we'll start there. Subject of this little ramble is the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney MGM Studios.

The screams of the victims on the ride when you're approaching it are enough to put lots off - not me though. The blubbing of my son after going on the first time was nearly enough but not quite....(arent I sweet). It's not complicated....a little bit of travelling along in a little carty thing then some Twilight Zone style mumbling and shattering clocks - you know the sort of nonsense.....then

Plummeting....not just going down quickly but absolute scream out loud dropping - down oooh 13 floors or so. Then going up again, just high enough to see out of the carefully placed opening in the shaft so sunlight beams in blinds you and your screams can make it out as well to the worried looking passers-by.

Apparently each ride is randomly programmed so you might get the full 13 floors or you might not but all in all - great stuff. More soon no doubt when i dig out some more cheesy t-shirts!