2012 Sport

Hey, Happy New Year and all that!  I know it is a bit late but it’s my first blog of the year. Yes I am back for 2012, a year that is going to be dominated by sport. This blog will cover the last couple of weeks that I have not written about then next week I will be back with my usual layout that you are so familiar with. So here goes…

Olympics 2012

We have waited as a nation for almost seven years. Given the chance to host the Olympics, the first time since 1948. I can’t wait. It is coming round fast and it is 195 days until the opening ceremony. Let’s just hope that we are ready. A lot has changed since we last hosted the event. In 60 years, from London to Beijing in 2008, the number of athletes increased from 4104 from 59 nations to 11,196 from 204 nations. London looks set to have a record amount of people participating in over 300 events. There are no new events but golf and rugby 7’s have been put into the 2016 Olympics, which is due to be held in Rio de Janeiro.

So will we improve on last time I hear you asking? Yes I think so. We have the confidence and the belief to do better than in Beijing which saw us finish fourth with 47 medals including 19 gold. Our best chance of gold is where we have always dominated, the rowing and the cycling.  However Jessica Ennis, Chris Hoy, Phillips Idowu and Rebecca Adlington look like strong contenders for gold.

I have no tickets, but I get the best view from the television. The main broadcaster of the event is going to be the BBC, again. I am sure they will provide a great service and their red button will allow all sports to be shown. I will be commenting on the Olympics nearer the time but it is exciting times for Great Britain.

Euro 2012

Has anyone really recovered from are abysmal World Cup campaign… because England are back. Yes, it is soon that time again where we are stupid enough to believe that England have a good chance to win a trophy, but only see these dreams crushed as we are usually knocked out early on.  We even came last coming out of the draw. Well we have already advanced on our 2008 campaign where we were knocked out before it even started, a time where we were managed by a guy now known as the ‘Wally with the Brolly.’ Not the greatest nickname but he did ruin our footballing summer.

Our chances are promising but with Rooney banned from the first two games, we need a striker in form, a striker that will score. Step forward Daniel Sturridge. I might be bias being a Chelsea fan but name an English striker in better form. At last we have a decent goalkeeper in Joe Hart. That is usually our biggest worry. Paul Robinson’s miskick against Croatia, David Seaman being lobbed by Ronaldinho and has anyone forgotten about Robert Green’s howler in the World Cup. Nah me neither. We have a fairly easy group and on paper it is only Sweden that proposes a threat to us, but we must think back to the game in November when we beat them 1-0.

So with that in mind, we have a good chance but it is England. You know what they are like.

Stevenage F.C

I am just going to give a quick shout out to my local team, Stevenage F.C. It has been somewhat of a chaotic week for them. I was there when they beat Reading 1-0 in the F.A cup third round. Then the rumours started to turn true as Graham Westley and some of his staff were in talks with Preston North End. It was confirmed on Friday that he will in fact move to them. He has been a fantastic manager for us and led us to three F.A trophy finals and back to back promotions. I was worried what would happen to us on Saturday against Rochdale, who too are without a manager, and whether our form would take a dip. However things couldn’t have been any better as we thrashed them 5-1. Fair play to the players and the supporters.

Darts

Darts have already finished their biggest tournaments of the year with the PDC champions already named and the BDO championship is tonight. Adrian Lewis beat Andy Hamilton to regain his title as the PDC world champion. Both players who were born in Stoke on Trent, the same birthplace as darts legend Phil Taylor hadn’t been playing their best darts and Lewis was lucky to be in the final. He almost lost in the first round but picked it up in the semi-final and final to take home £200,000. Hamilton shouldn’t feel disappointed as it was his first final. Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor had his worst year in the tournament. He was knocked out by world number 38 Dave Chisnall in the second round. I heard rumours that he would retire from darts. I hope not, he has been the main reason why the sport is so popular.

I finish this blog with my…

2012 Top 12 sporting events

1. Olympics

2.  European 2012

3.  Champions league

4.  The English Football League 2011/2012 and 2012/2013

5.  Wimbledon

6.  Superbowl XLVI

7.  Six Nations

8.  Ryder Cup

9.  F.A Cup

10. Snooker World Championship

11. Grand National

12. Europa League