Eddie Butler is a doG....

In 2004,  Premiership manager Mike Newell was particularly outspoken about the fact his team was forced to play a game at which one of the linesmen ( clue in the name) was actually a woman. The comment which got him into trouble contained the phrase '......tokenism for politically correct idiots.....'

Now footballers are not well known for their high IQ levels, and what Newell actually meant was not the term politically correct but positive discrimination. Had he used that he may have just got away with it.

It seems, however, that the idiots he referred to have moved over to BBC Sport.

I have just watched the highlights of the rugby match between England and Fiji, and a commentator by the name of Sara Orchard has just hysterically screeched her way through the game as if she was a soccer mom on the touchline at a little league match in Chicago. Poor Brian Moore was left to add some semblance of calm, sanity and wisdom to proceedings, skills he is well versed at after years of co-commentating with Eddie Butler. Until now Eddie must be the worst rugby commentator ever, but Sara has definitely claimed his crown.

I do not consider myself sexist, or at least,  no more so than other blokes born in the 1950's, I just have a problem with 'jobs for the girls'. I am very anti female vicars although I am not hugely religious. I just think it is a sacred profession which has worked well for 2016 years and could do so for the same length of time in the future. Lady F1 drivers have been tried but just don't work. I would never pay good money to watch a ladies rugby or football match and I only watch ladies golf to check my swing against theirs as they are closer to amateur men golfers in their shot making and distance control than the male pro's are.

Now don't get me onto the subject of equal prize money for lady tennis players at Wimbledon, or elsewhere. How can a 6-0 6-0 match be afforded the same credibility as a 7-6 6-7 6-4 4-6 21-19 men's match?

But back to the main point. Why was a lady commentator awarded the Fiji game? Who listened to her demo tapes and will somebody re-watch and listen and concur that it was a useful experiment, if only to ensure it never happens again.

In the early days of Sky Sports there was an option to turn off the commentary via the red button and only hear the crowd noise. The BBC also pioneered the option to listen to the radio commentary rather then the television. That was how I avoided Eddie Butler most of the time.  Maybe those options can be reintroduced.

You don't see many referees assistants in the Premiership these days, maybe Mike Newell had a point.

Overheard in a pub....

"My wife didn't like it when I started losing my hair so she bought me a toupee. Then she paid for me to have dental work to straighten my teeth. Then she said I was too small so she bought me a pair of raised shoes for my birthday and then she decided glasses did not suit me and insisted I wear contact lenses. After than she said I was overweight and narrow shouldered so she got me a corset and a jacket with padded shoulders for Christmas and last week she left me because she said I'm not the man she married."

Here comes The Sun

...or maybe not if a very ill advised campaign in Scouseland gathers any more momentum.

The Hillsborough tragedy has hung over the area like a storm cloud,  for many, many years as the families of the victims sought justice for their lost loved ones in light of allegations of  police mismanagement and cover-ups as well as stories of drunken behaviour and irresponsibility on the part of the fans.

That justice was achieved earlier this year when an inquest into the death of the victims indicated they had died as a result of said police actions and that the fans were in no way responsible for the downfall of their colleagues.

The aftermath of Hillsborough continues to have a knock-on effect though as there is now a concerted campaign emanating from the powerful Hillsborough relative group, to ban the sale of the daily newspaper, The Sun, which published derogatory articles relating to the behaviour of fans at Hillsborough, after the event. Their reports have been largely discredited but the after taste remains.

The potential blanket ban on the sale of The Sun would be welcomed by many. It would, however, be a real civil liberties issue. There are many people in the Scouseland conurbation who are not native to the area and who have regularly or occasionally purchased and read The Sun, there are newsagents and other outlets who choose to sell it as it revenue earner.

It has a very well respected racing section, it appeals to a certain demographic who enjoy the eccentric head-line writing and page 3 style journalism, who can forget the 'Phew What a Scorcher' headline when 90 degree temperatures hit the Country, or ' Gotcha' as the Admiral Belgrano Argentine battleship was sunk during the Falkland war?

If Mayor Joe Anderson and his colleagues do ban this publication it will be a sad day for a City which has worked so hard to recover from the cronyism of the Derek Hatton era. It will also go some way towards confirming the remarks of Boris Johnson in The Spectator in 2004.

So lets keep the democratic process, the freedom of the press and the ability of people to buy their periodical of choice and focus on real time problems which we would expect our elected representatives to address on our behalf. Come on Liverpool, you're better than this.

Blind dogs

I am missing my weekly auction visit today, but it gives me a chance to reflect on recent acquisitions and future strategy.

A while ago I purchased a print named "Waiting for Off" byKenneth Ansell

and a cocker spaniel head shot by Reuben Ward Binks. I picked up the spaniel for about £6.50 and some of his pictures from his American period go for over £2000!.This one is more likely to be £200-300 less commission when I sell it in Knutsford in a few weeks. The print might wipe its nose at about £45.

The other coup I had last week was the chance to purchase two claw foot banister posts for £25. This claw foot was the trademark of the builder who built the Shrewsbury estate on which we live. Our neighbours house has one but we didn't. I am unsure whether to retrofit one, or mount it in a glass case in the hall. I will think about that.

Blind drunk

The other side of golf has taken over this week as SWMBO and I lie on a roof terrace overlooking Cascais harbour near Lisbon.
I took the number 12 shirt for a lads tour to Praia d'el Rey and royal Obidos about 60 miles north, at the weekend then joined SWMBO for some r & r. I have always wanted to play said courses but would not rush back. Royal Obidos was the last course designed by Seve Ballesteros and while a good track, it was a bit too tricked up with water hazards and lacked the maturity of Penha Longa close to Cascais, or the Victoria course in the Algarve.

The hotel course was better but the location was so remote that it was difficult to get away. Peniche was the closest village and that took us 30 minutes in a cab. It is one of the main fishing villages for Lisbon so at least we got some good seafood.

The Ryder Cup has been and gone and the result was not too much of a surprise.The Trumpinestas in the crowd did give a view of the future of the USA and it was not a pretty sight. I feel for the good and righteous over there, they really are struggling to know who to vote for. Boris Johnson holds a US passport, maybe he could stand!!

Oh no, he has handed it in so he doesn't get taxed there...bit of a theme!

Blind golf

Last week Wallasey hosted the Ryder Cup for blind golfers from Scotland, England and Wales. The former competed against a combined England and Wales side.

On the proceeding day Wallasey members had the chance to play with and against the blind golfers and to see at first hand how they and their guides maneuvered around the course. There are three categories of blind golf, b1, b2 and b3. The b1 golfers are totally blind and rely 100% on their guide to set them up. They then swing and usually hit the ball pretty well. B2 and b3 category golfers have some vision albeit peripheral or tunnel. They still need help lining up but do have awareness of where the ball is.

I then spent two days spotting balls for these golfers, and met one of the b1 golfers called Barry. Barry was on the books of Coventry City when, in 1976, the team went to an optician to be tested for contact lenses which were becoming popular. That was the first time Barry became aware he was going blind. He still played football for Oxford United but eventually his blindness overtook him and he took up golf.

The golfers I met were all tremendous people who have faced a challenge full on and bettered themselves at their chosen sport. No pun intended but if they could see what they have achieved they would be very proud. Well done Wallasey for playing their part in the event. The Sweaties won 17-7 overall after bossing the first two days.

The Forth Bridge

Our house is a bit like the railway bridge, it really needs keeping on top of or it will go to pot. I have been eyeing the soffits and ornamental woodwork for sometime and finally decided it needed to be replaced or repairs and repainted. The roof could be looked at, at the same time.

So first thing was scaffolding. I knew it would take a bit of work and be pricey but if it is needed only once every 15 years then it's a small price to pay. The crew took it right to the top of the roof, so the painter and carpenter had no problem getting on with the task in hand and they worked well together to get it done while the good weather held. They even put the weathervane back and the 1871 year tag digits which had fallen off.

Then it was down to me! Firstly the windows which the cleaners can't reach had to have 15 years of grime removed so we could see out of them again, then I needed to remove a small forest from one of the gully's. I still have to do a bit of rendering and wait for a cloud burst to see if I have fixed the gutters, but all in all I am anticipating the scaffolding can be removed by the end of the month and the house can look it's best for the Autumn.

That leaves the interior to be smartened up, particularly on the top floor where our Airbnb visitors stay. We have a lady coming today for three nights and then a Corbynista arriving for the Labour party conference a bit later. Every little helps.

It is high, but I can see your house from here !