Barry's Beef

High Voltage

Terrestial tv has recently been invaded by sport and this, of course, is no bad thing. Normally. Personally speaking I have no time for the Winter Olympics and, whilst enjoying England and Scotland's successes in the Commonwealth Games, am quick to notice that very few 'decent' sporting countries are left in the Commonwealth. It's nice to see the Isle of Man getting a gold medal in the velodrome and a decathlete from Guernsey is currently 5th (although I think he is representing England). England's Dean Macey, an Essex boy from Canvey Island, is currently leading the decathlon, but it is the chap in the picture who was quick to grab my attention with one of the daftest name you'll ever see: Brent Newdick. Still it did make me laugh and splutter like Finbar Saunders, which is always good.
If that is the silliest name, then the silliest moniker must go to Julia Goldsworthy over on Channel 4's The Games. After three events Julia is joint top with Javine 'the Machine'. However, she is introduced as Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Julia Goldsworthy MP; which really does make her sound silly. Everyone knows it should be Shadow Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury. However, no cheap Lib Dem gags here. With her and Javine in the lead it is a two horse race and only Goldsworthy can win here (or there in Sheffield).
I am really enjoying the Games thanks to Jamie Theakston's insincere comments after every event (by the way a chum of mine clean bowled Theakston a few years ago), the ever-excellent Steve Bunce on colour commentary and Adam Rickitt, the Tory MP hopeful and late addition as replacement for Goldie (the gold-toothed Drum'n'Bass ex-Eastender) who pulled out with a fractured thigh bone (ouch!). Whilst all the other male weightlifter contenders were lifting about 65-75 kgs, Rickitt lifted 47 kgs as his heaviest, which I am reliably involved is the weight of a bag of feathers. Actually, I helped the beloved with a flat-pack bookcase from Argos on Saturday that weighed about 20 kgs and that was pretty heavy. Any-the-how, in keeping with British athletics tradition you get an extra point for setting a Personal Best (PB). So it doesn't matter that Rickitts lifted loads below everyone else. He automatically gets a point (for coming last) and an extra point for his PB. And also of amusement is Bernie Nolan getting drunk and slating everyone off.