We stayed in a Hyatt hotel while in Chicago. It was on Ronald Avenue in, wait for it, the campus of Hamburger University. This whole campus had been developed by the McDonalds Corporation to embrace their head office, training centre and local community leisure facilities.
Everything was geared towards the golden arches. The paintings and prints on the walls all had subtle, or not so subtle, images of Big Macs, Ronald himself, the arches or the produce. It was an amazing tribute to the mass market cardboard burger which has contributed so much to the American, and other countries, huge obesity problems.
So I wonder what sort of degree you get from a hamburger university?
Bachelor of Southern Style Crispy Chicken Sandwich, Master of Tarts or Doctor of The Pattie?
I'm lovin' it......
Sunday 20 September 2009
Thursday 17 September 2009
Idwal Morgan
I lost a very good friend while I was away in Chicago. Idwal Morgan and Peter Thomas, two life members of Twickenham Rugby Club, were walking together in Spain, when they were caught in a rock fall. Idwal sadly did not survive, and the effort Peter made to get assistance was admirable but unfortunately the rescue team were not able to revive Idwal. He will be sadly missed.
I first met him when I joined TRFC in 1981.he was an ex-1st XV player who was now plying his trade in the 2nd and 3rd XV, but his skill levels and commitment were evident for all to see. He only had one eye so you never knew which way he was looking or who he was looking at. This helped when he was selling dummies, or facing up to an agressive opponent when he invariably came out on top!
I have a lasting legacy from Idwal as he broke my cheekbone a few days before Christmas in the mid '80s. Christmas dinner through a straw was an interesting experience!
I also toured New Zealand with him playing in the Golden Oldies festival in Aukland. We played Maori teams, New Zealand internationals and 85 year old Japanese players, and ate and drank like kings. We returned via Hawaii where we played golf, joshed with the ladies of the night (business was quiet) and used Idwal's British Gas id card to gain entry to the most exclusive clubs and bars. He was proud of his involvement with British Gas and the joy on his face as he presented it and exclaimed in his soft Welsh brogue were a life memory.
He will leave a huge vacuum at the rugby club, and his wake will reflect the love and affection in which he was held. I often wish one could have ones wake while still alive as its often the best party you would ever go to. Idwal's will be, the members will see to that. Sleep well old son.....
I first met him when I joined TRFC in 1981.he was an ex-1st XV player who was now plying his trade in the 2nd and 3rd XV, but his skill levels and commitment were evident for all to see. He only had one eye so you never knew which way he was looking or who he was looking at. This helped when he was selling dummies, or facing up to an agressive opponent when he invariably came out on top!
I have a lasting legacy from Idwal as he broke my cheekbone a few days before Christmas in the mid '80s. Christmas dinner through a straw was an interesting experience!
I also toured New Zealand with him playing in the Golden Oldies festival in Aukland. We played Maori teams, New Zealand internationals and 85 year old Japanese players, and ate and drank like kings. We returned via Hawaii where we played golf, joshed with the ladies of the night (business was quiet) and used Idwal's British Gas id card to gain entry to the most exclusive clubs and bars. He was proud of his involvement with British Gas and the joy on his face as he presented it and exclaimed in his soft Welsh brogue were a life memory.
He will leave a huge vacuum at the rugby club, and his wake will reflect the love and affection in which he was held. I often wish one could have ones wake while still alive as its often the best party you would ever go to. Idwal's will be, the members will see to that. Sleep well old son.....
Tuesday 15 September 2009
Call that a half Simon?
Now a week is a long time in politics, and I think I have said that on here before, but just imagine that one weekend you are attending the Patterdale Show in the Lake District, and then paddling a raft in a race, dressed as a viking.
The next week you are teeing it up with the greatest golfer of modern times, Tiger Woods, in the BMW Championship at Cog Hill near Chicago.
Next week its Brentford v Bristol Rovers, but hey ho!!!
So first the show. Well my mucker 'Off the record' Dick has reported the events at the show and on the river here in his blog of 31st August, and a fine summary it is too. There were sheep and dogs, and shepherds and shepherdesses, if one is allowed to call them such these days. To my mind thought the best Sheep were the Black ones I consumed throughout the evening!!
I was excused duties on the raft to be honest as it was unclear whether our new design would take the weight of five of us. As Dick points out in the end it would only carry three such. Still we took part and by all accounts have kept the race alive following our pirate escapades last year.
So myself and SWMBO arrived home on the Monday to be presented with (almost) the trip of a lifetime. I got a call from the BMW golf office in London telling me there was a space at the pro-am prior to the third leg of the FedEx Cup and could I get there?
Well a quick call on Tuesday to the boss, then Virgin Atlantic and finally to Octagon in Chicago and we are both on our way. We arrived to be greeted with a chauffeur and a logo'd BMW and so it went on for the week....shopping madam? we'll drop you off, just call when you need a pickup.....off to the course sir, let us take you....and for three days BMW did us proud.
The highlight arrived on the Wednesday when I got to play the pro-am. The previous night my German colleagues and I attended the partner party where we got to choose who to play with. They fancied a European, but by the time our number came out of the hat they had all gone.
I suggested we went for Lucas Glover. That would sandwich us between Tiger and his team and Sergio Garcia. It would also give us a first tee start and Lucas is after all the US Open Champion. They went with it and that's how we got to be in reception inthe hotel at 5am with the Tiger man himself. He signed a few autographs and drove himself to the course (in a Buick!!).
We followed his group all the way round, and beat them by 4 shots, coming a creditable 4th out of 52 teams, but sadly just outside the prizes. All in all though, a great day, which I shared with Lucas Glover, my caddie Joe, a Chuck Evans Scholar, and a few hundred other people who were gracious enough on the 18th green to applaud my approach putt.
As I mentioned in my blog only a few days ago, golf is one of those games where you can tread the boards on which perform your hero's. On this occasion I was able to do it at the same time
The next week you are teeing it up with the greatest golfer of modern times, Tiger Woods, in the BMW Championship at Cog Hill near Chicago.
Next week its Brentford v Bristol Rovers, but hey ho!!!
So first the show. Well my mucker 'Off the record' Dick has reported the events at the show and on the river here in his blog of 31st August, and a fine summary it is too. There were sheep and dogs, and shepherds and shepherdesses, if one is allowed to call them such these days. To my mind thought the best Sheep were the Black ones I consumed throughout the evening!!
I was excused duties on the raft to be honest as it was unclear whether our new design would take the weight of five of us. As Dick points out in the end it would only carry three such. Still we took part and by all accounts have kept the race alive following our pirate escapades last year.
So myself and SWMBO arrived home on the Monday to be presented with (almost) the trip of a lifetime. I got a call from the BMW golf office in London telling me there was a space at the pro-am prior to the third leg of the FedEx Cup and could I get there?
Well a quick call on Tuesday to the boss, then Virgin Atlantic and finally to Octagon in Chicago and we are both on our way. We arrived to be greeted with a chauffeur and a logo'd BMW and so it went on for the week....shopping madam? we'll drop you off, just call when you need a pickup.....off to the course sir, let us take you....and for three days BMW did us proud.
The highlight arrived on the Wednesday when I got to play the pro-am. The previous night my German colleagues and I attended the partner party where we got to choose who to play with. They fancied a European, but by the time our number came out of the hat they had all gone.
I suggested we went for Lucas Glover. That would sandwich us between Tiger and his team and Sergio Garcia. It would also give us a first tee start and Lucas is after all the US Open Champion. They went with it and that's how we got to be in reception inthe hotel at 5am with the Tiger man himself. He signed a few autographs and drove himself to the course (in a Buick!!).
We followed his group all the way round, and beat them by 4 shots, coming a creditable 4th out of 52 teams, but sadly just outside the prizes. All in all though, a great day, which I shared with Lucas Glover, my caddie Joe, a Chuck Evans Scholar, and a few hundred other people who were gracious enough on the 18th green to applaud my approach putt.
As I mentioned in my blog only a few days ago, golf is one of those games where you can tread the boards on which perform your hero's. On this occasion I was able to do it at the same time
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