Surprises All Round!

Lewis Hamilton at the 2011 Australian GP
Albert Park, Melbourne.

What is going on in the world of sport this week?! Given my recent appearance on "Flash And The Fat Stig" I'd say it's best to start with motorsport, and in particular the huge news that Lewis Hamilton has signed for Mercedes-Benz for the 2013 Formula 1 season. My initial reaction was that it's a massive mistake, but now I'm of the opinion that it's a big gamble that might pay off although I'm not so sure about any Championships. It appears that the relationship between Hamilton and McLaren had reached it's natural conclusion although there's nothing to say that in a couple of years Hamilton could be back at McLaren. I would even put a cheeky £5 on it. It also makes Jenson Button's position interesting. Now the team-leader, next year is pivotal because questions will be asked if the young Sergio Perez upstages him. I back Jenson to be in the hunt for the title next year.

Jenson Button, Albert Park, Melbourne
2011 Australian Grand Prix

Disappointingly that move seems to mean the end of Michael Schumacher's comeback. The only options I can see for Schumacher are Sauber or Ferrari and while he has history at both, his desire for another Championship and race wins rules out Sauber. Ferrari need someone to fill the seat for one year until Sebastian Vettel comes on board to partner Fernando Alonso and the choices seemingly are to keep the underperforming Felipe Massa or take on Michael Schumacher for one last hurrah. Alonso prefers to have a submissive team-mate so it'll be interesting to see how he reacts to the team if Massa is not only replaced by a 7-time World Champion, but if Sebastian Vettel then takes over from Schumacher! This is all mere speculation of course, but it makes Formula One unmissable for the forseeable.

To listen to us waffling about motorsport in general, including an extra "Explicit Content" bit at the end, the podcast is available here: http://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/flash-and-the-fat-stig-mp3/id517526346

Come On You Spurs!

In Football, at long last Tottenham Hotspur have beaten Manchester United in the Premier League. It's been long enough since they last did it in the league (2001) but even longer since they did it at Old Trafford (1989). I was probably the biggest doubter of Andre Villas-Boas when Spurs sacked Harry Redknapp in favour of the Portugese man, but while I'm still not convinced by him I am slowly coming around to him. April and May will provide the answer to how much of a success he has been/will be at Tottenham.

We have just witnessed one of the greatest comebacks in sporting history at the Ryder Cup. After being 9-4 down to the USA, Europe have just secured a victory by 14.5 to 13.5! That is incredible! Ian Poulter sparked a magnificent comeback right up there with Kimi Raikkonen's 2007 F1 Championship, Australia's 2006 Adelaide Victory in the Ashes, and Liverpool's 2005 Champions League Final against AC Milan. Fantastic sporting action in 2012 to go with the Olympics!

My own sporting future looks pretty bleak, it has to be said. If I had the financial clout, I would be in Australia right now with Macquarie University playing a part of the cricket season there. If my visa comes through before December there's a chance I may play some part. But as it looks the Australian Department of Immigration won't be issuing my visa until April and so unfortunately it means I will miss out on cricket until at least April, and then I will have to enter Australia by a certain date to make the visa valid. This potentially rules out cricket in the English summer here next year too, and while I had already accepted I had played my last game for Bovey Tracey CC I had not accepted I may face a year without playing any cricket. Missing 12 weeks in 2009 was bad enough but 12 months would be tough to take.

Away from sport it is now just 12 days until I am on my way back to Australia for a two-week trip. The main purpose of the trip is to attend a wedding, Jess's sister Sarah is marrying her long-time partner Garth. It should be a great day and it will be the first time I meet a lot of Jess's family. That makes me slightly nervous, I have to admit! But the family that I have already met have made me feel very welcome and part of their family, and we really hope that not too far in the future that will be the case. Perhaps the planning for our big day can properly begin after this? It all seems like a dream and so far away at the moment.

Beautiful Sydney Harbour

Every girl dreams about the day they get married, or so I'm led to believe! All I know is that I didn't start thinking about it until I met the one I knew I wanted to marry. I knew what I wanted the day to be like and I know things that I would love to happen at our wedding but money being the overbearing ruler of life, some things will not happen. I'll keep the details of my dream to myself for now, but I am certainly looking to Sarah and Garth's wedding for inspiration. It's the closest thing Jess and I will have to compare and I think it's fantastic to have that opportunity.

There is a well known song by The Darkness called "Is It Just Me?" and every time Jess and I are apart the words to it are completely appropriate. Music is a very powerful tool and I'm not alone in finding songs and words that fit my mood at that time. I also have a habit of having a favourite song for a period of time that I'll play over and over again, then move to another song! There is something slightly haunting about the lyrics when I'm in this situation. "Is it just me, or am I all on my own again?" for example. Or as autumn and winter approach "Do you yearn for me when the nights grow cold?" The element of truth in the songs we listen to is after all why we listen to them. "Til Death Us Do Part, to have and to hold, I want to give you my love."