#RogerFederer men's GOAT!

Yesterday was men's Wimbledon semi finals day. Federer beat Nadal and Djokovic won the other semi. I ended up watching most of both matches on the BBC and as a result listened to a lot of punditry - ha! (as if there is nothing more useful to do!)

Boris Becker at one point referred to Federer as one of the "goats". He then explained goat stood for "Greatest of all time"!

This is a classic topic for any sports fan in any sport. Who is the greatest of all time? Fangio, Senna or Hamilton? Marciano, Ali or Tyson?

Any discussion is a mix of subjectivity, objectivity, bias and of course your view will be tempered by your era - your experience - your exposure. No one can be right but of course but there can be consensus.

Becker and GOAT reference gnawed away. So here is my thought on the tennis "GOAT".

First of all I generally agree with the view that it is impossible - almost pointless trying to compare eras. How can you compare say Rod Laver of the 1960's using a wooden racket and cat gut - with Borg of the 70's, and later Connors and McEnroe and Lendl and Sampras. How can you compare them with the modern player who typically have an entourage of experts supporting them from dieticians to psychologists and tactical analysists?

Suffice to say they were all great players. Suffice to say at various times they dominated their era. Suffice to say they would have risen to the challenge of any era and have been a great player.

Another discussion point is criteria to consider and use. The most grand slam titles, Wimbledon wins especially, holding all major titles at the same time, the longevity of career - number of weeks ranked world number 1 - great matches - personality ????

Ok this short blog needs to be brought to the boil! My pick as the GOAT? ( I better say I claim to be no tennis expert - but I have an armchair based opinion supplemented by a lifetimes participation in amateur sport - ha!)

I cannot with all credibility argue the case for Andy Murray - but without doubt his journey and his Wimbledon wins are especially stand out for me. I have so much regard and respect for him. A true great.

I am going to focus on Federer, Nadal and Djokovic. I do so on the following basis. They are all three in the mix regardless of what criteria you use. They are all three undoubtedly truly great players that have been around for a longtime. I think the fact that the next generation have failed to knock them off their perch underlines there exceptional abilities. So my GOAT is one of these three.

Here is my summary.

Nadal. I cannot stand him but I recognise he has had a great career and deserves to be up for consideration. He has been and remains a fantastic competitor - an animal on court (and I mean that as a compliment). His record is exceptional - particularly at the French Open. However I cannot vote for someone who uses gamesmanship to the extent he does. His time wasting tactics and OCD machinations are blatant but he gets away with it through weight of personality.

Djokovic. The youngest of the three and possibly still plenty more to come. (He will probably beat Federer today in the 2019 Wimbledon final. (age difference the telling factor). Djokovic's titles record could ultimately accrue to be the largest. He is an exceptionally talented player and a fantastic competitor (as they all are) but what sets him apart is his incredible athleticism. He is generally regarded as the best serve returner in the business as a result. No one can do the splits like him and recover. His fitness is legendary.

Federer. Class! Federer's record stands up against anyone on any criteria basis. 8 Wimbledon singles titles (the blue riband event) says so much. He has it all - will to win - fitness - athletic ability of course. But what puts Federer into a different league - a status beyond the rest is the manner in which he plays. Federer is silky smooth. His ball striking appears effortless. His timing is supreme. No one else plays like him. There is no grunting and groaning - no histrionics - no rubber man contortions. He bounces the ball and serves (see Nadal!) He glides around the court. He is a supreme tactician. He makes such few unforced errors. Surely there has been no greater exponent of the game of tennis than Roger Federer. (and no one has won more titles yet!). He just exudes 'class' and for me that is the telling factor - the thing that sets him apart from the exceptional journeyman rest.

So Roger Federer is my Greatest of all time - my GOAT - ha!

#Greatesttennisplayerofalltime Men's GOAT?

Yesterday was men's Wimbledon semi finals day. Federer beat Nadal and Djokovic won the other semi. I ended up watching most of both matches on the BBC and as a result listened to a lot of punditry - ha! (as if there is nothing more useful to do!)

Boris Becker at one point referred to Federer as one of the "goats". He then explained goat stood for "Greatest of all time"!

This is a classic topic for any sports fan in any sport. Who is the greatest of all time? Fangio, Senna or Hamilton? Marciano, Ali or Tyson?

Any discussion is a mix of subjectivity, objectivity, bias and of course your view will be tempered by your era - your experience - your exposure. No one can be right but of course but there can be consensus.

Becker and GOAT reference gnawed away. So here is my thought on the tennis "GOAT".

First of all I generally agree with the view that it is impossible - almost pointless trying to compare eras. How can you compare say Rod Laver of the 1960's using a wooden racket and cat gut - with Borg of the 70's, and later Connors and McEnroe and Lendl and Sampras. How can you compare them with the modern player who typically have an entourage of experts supporting them from dieticians to psychologists and tactical analysists?

Suffice to say they were all great players. Suffice to say at various times they dominated their era. Suffice to say they would have risen to the challenge of any era and have been a great player.

Another discussion point is criteria to consider and use. The most grand slam titles, Wimbledon wins especially, holding all major titles at the same time, the longevity of career - number of weeks ranked world number 1 - great matches - personality ????

Ok this short blog needs to be brought to the boil! My pick as the GOAT? ( I better say I claim to be no tennis expert - but I have an armchair based opinion supplemented by a lifetimes participation in amateur sport - ha!)

I cannot with all credibility argue the case for Andy Murray - but without doubt his journey and his Wimbledon wins are especially stand out for me. I have so much regard and respect for him. A true great.

I am going to focus on Federer, Nadal and Djokovic. I do so on the following basis. They are all three in the mix regardless of what criteria you use. They are all three undoubtedly truly great players that have been around for a longtime. I think the fact that the next generation have failed to knock them off their perch underlines there exceptional abilities. So my GOAT is one of these three.

Here is my summary.

Nadal. I cannot stand him but I recognise he has had a great career and deserves to be up for consideration. He has been and remains a fantastic competitor - an animal on court (and I mean that as a compliment). His record is exceptional - particularly at the French Open. However I cannot vote for someone who uses gamesmanship to the extent he does. His time wasting tactics and OCD machinations are blatant but he gets away with it through weight of personality.

Djokovic. The youngest of the three and possibly still plenty more to come. (He will probably beat Federer today in the 2019 Wimbledon final. (age difference the telling factor). Djokovic's titles record could ultimately accrue to be the largest. He is an exceptionally talented player and a fantastic competitor (as they all are) but what sets him apart is his incredible athleticism. He is generally regarded as the best serve returner in the business as a result. No one can do the splits like him and recover. His fitness is legendary.

Federer. Class! Federer's record stands up against anyone on any criteria basis. 8 Wimbledon singles titles (the blue riband event) says so much. He has it all - will to win - fitness - athletic ability of course. But what puts Federer into a different league - a status beyond the rest is the manner in which he plays. Federer is silky smooth. His ball striking appears effortless. His timing is supreme. No one else plays like him. There is no grunting and groaning - no histrionics - no rubber man contortions. He bounces the ball and serves (see Nadal!) He glides around the court. He is a supreme tactician. He makes such few unforced errors. Surely there has been no greater exponent of the game of tennis than Roger Federer. (and no one has won more titles yet!). He just exudes 'class' and for me that is the telling factor - the thing that sets him apart from the exceptional journeyman rest.

So Roger Federer is my Greatest of all time - my GOAT - ha!

#Glastonbury2019 How it was for me.

The Glastonbury Festival for 2019 was a long time coming and now it is over for another year. I am just back from 5 nights at Glasto in tents with 6 mates. I feel drained and ? - elated ? As ever Glastonbury was uniquely special - so laid back - but so intense - a simple - but complex emotional amazing rollercoaster ride. I remain in awe - so chuffed and so privileged to have been part of it. Am I being over the top - maybe but it is how it has felt - feels right now sat at my desk - ha!

This is an account of my Glasto because everyone's Glasto experience will be different - personal to them - who they saw - what they did - what worked for them - what didn't. Glastonbury is so large - so diverse - so original - you are taken on a unique journey even if you start and finish each day in the same place. Just on that even within our small group there are sizeable differences. Kev ( Bob Harris) and Rich have been going to Glasto for years. Kev loves finding new bands - niche bands and covers a lot of ground. He is hard core. Kev has come up with some great recommendations of bands to have a look at. Rich and Rog are perhaps more traditionalists. Rich particularly seems to prefer smaller scale older performers who have a memorable back catalogue. Geoff, Steve and Mike go where the mood takes them. Steve particularly likes to be down the front. That is a tough gig but has its rewards of course. I am into big  stadium rock and roll - 3 guitars and drums do it for me. I have an aversion for one man and a banjo - ha!. I also love the dance stuff. It takes all sorts of course and Glasto offers it all.

Just before I talk about the music I want to mention a couple of other things.

Firstly the guys I go with. Several have been mates for years - back to school days. It would be worth going to Glasto just to be with them - even if there wasn't any music. It is impossible for me to describe how priceless it is to exist with them in tents for 5 days. The humour, the self mocking, the mickey taking, the banter, the people watching, the situational stuff, the history, the laughs that were commonplace made being there just fantastic. Just a few for posterity - what goes on in Rich's tent - Rommel, Roger's shoes - (Rog cracks me up when he starts ripping into me - usually about my clothes - farmers friend or eat - fish!), Kev (Bob Harris) and bargain hunt (Steptoe), Mike and the height tax and his navigation skills, Geoff and the folding camp bed, filling the kettle and the boy band, Steve and the spectacle of his portable shower - Mike on his knees, Hari Krishna and the comb. Just fantastic. How much a belly laugh - we certainly had our monies worth!

The second comment is the way Michael and Emily Eavis run Glastonbury. They have a wonderful ethos. They are not commercial megalomaniacs or high handed dictators. For instance - unlike many festivals you can bring your own booze and food and consume it wherever you want. It is brilliant how they have prevented ticket resale and touting. Of course tickets are hard to come by because of demand but allocation is fair - everybody has an equal chance at an equal price. This year there was a focus on use of plastic. They made a decision to stop the sale of single us plastic bottles on site - a positive step forward. But they were not draconian. There was still a lot of waste at Glasto - still a lot of gear left at the end - too much - but a seed has been sown and I am sure they will gradually take people with their gentle lead and the festival will be the better for it. So much better that way. They treat festival goers with respect and there is an overwhelming Glasto way of tolerance and reasonableness. They are such good people.

The final point - watching Glasto on the TV. I watched a bit when I got home - a great perspective. But I have to say it is nothing like being there. First of all the big stage view is rarely that clear. TV pictures sanitise and emphasis becomes perhaps more on the visual than the music. In the real it is the opposite. The sound is different. The biggest difference of course is being in the audience rather than looking at pictures of the vast crowds. It is totally something else. Sometimes the crowd can be a nuisance but mainly it is just incredible to be there all revelling in the music - singing and dancing (moving!) and interacting along together. It is just outstanding when it jells - and it so often does. Now and again you get an overwhelming feeling of wow - I am here - can this be real - a feeling of good fortune and privilege. It brings tears to your eyes - and having discussed it with the lads I know I am not unique in feeling this. It is so special.

OK the music - who did I see?

We arrived early Wednesday afternoon in the sun. We set up camp in our usual field - and had a chilled beer or two before heading out for a walk around early evening. Rich had a plan and we ended up - I am not sure where - but we were in a bar with a good stage. We are right at the front - low key - and The New York Brass Band come on. (they are from Yorkshire - no doubt from the great tradition of colliery bands.) What a set. It was really tremendous - brilliant interaction with the audience. They were there for fun - didn't take anything too seriously. The bandleader introduced his daughter on vocals and she put down her trumpet. They really set the standard for the rest of the week. See them if you can. I came away thinking that was pure Glasto - unexpected gold.

Thursday still not an official day (no main stage acts) we are in the Greenpeace Park for "Beans on Toast. One guy with a guitar. There is a big crowd. He is a poet - lyrics are clear. He is of the left. He has a sense of humour. His message was direct and gritty and well observed. His politics are not mine but I respect him - he seems authentic. Having said that I had my fill and he won't be on my list to see again - ha!.

Later we end up in Strummerville to see amongst others Frank Turner doing a solo acoustic set. Frank came with a big billing. Kev, Rich and Rog really rate him. I want to be kind to my mates! I thought he was pretentious. Where Beans on Toast was authentic I read Frank as not. (Eton and LSE educated - investment banking - titled family). He even went on about how he was just back from Africa  (Sierra Leone) where he had been feeding starving babies. Kev says I have him totally wrong - he is a man of the people. I might well have - but actually I found him deeply irritating and I couldn't get out of there quick enough - ha ha! Each to his own - sorry boys!

Finally we get back to Avalon Fields to see Keston Cobblers Club again. Rog loves them. They are a small status high energy folk band. Great fun. There was a wonderful little cameo. For one of the songs Jules? the lovely sister of the main brother/sister duo says there will be a dance competition for the next number with a prize. She chooses a couple out of the audience as winners (the man was on the shoulders of the lady!) and invite them on the stage. The lady is presented with a box and asked to open it and read out what it says to the audience. You guessed it! It says will you marry me? It was so lovely - such a genuine surprise and so well done. The bride to be was speechless. The young guy who was quite shy was beaming when she said yes. It was joyous - a tear in everyone's eye. We felt compelled to kiss the bride to be and shake the betrotheds hand. Brilliant. Rog later arranged for a photo with us and Jules. A great laugh xxxx

And then Friday. Glasto starts proper. Gently fuelled with cider (we took 80 litres of the real stuff) we head to The Other Stage for the opening big stage act. The Vaccines. Great start - lots of jumping around - a big crowd in the sun. Later we watch the Wombats - I really liked their first album. Understandably perhaps they want to show case more of their newer stuff. It fell a bit flat for me but I enjoyed it.

To the Pyramid stage for Bastille. Huge crowd. They deliver. Great. We then split. Amazingly - ha -  Kev, Rich and Rog off to see Frank Turner and his band after Sheryl Crowe! Say no more. It is very hot.

Friday is a big day for me. I am going to see one of my long time fav bands live for the first time. Interpol. I get to John Peel early and find some shade - drink some cider and listen first to Aurora. I describe her as ethereal - a Norwegian Kate Bush - but without the power. She is sweet. Then Pale Waves. I didn't know them. Their first time at Glasto. Their lead vocalist and guitarist is a feisty rock and roll young lady with attitude. Really enjoyed them. A proper band. They will make it big I think. And then Interpol. Everything I hoped for and expected. They are a real class NY Indie band. A fantastic set. I cannot understand why they are not Pyramid headliners - but then what do I know - ha ha!

Saturday - brilliant weather to get very hot. We head for Pyramid for the Proclaimers. Everyone knows their songs.(I'm gonna be (500 miles). A great way to start. People watching around the Mandela bar a bonus. Amazing what the ladies don't wear when its hot - lol! ( for once we have a half serious discussion. For instance we were dining at Hari Krishna (nothing to do with the free nosh - ha!) In the queue is a young woman with a startling figure and all she had on top was a couple of small heart shapes stuck to her nipples. Now here is the question - should we be seen looking or not - ha !? The consensus was yes - but I feel uneasy. I am not a voyeur and I am sure she was not trying to get the attention of blokes of our age - ha!)

After the Proclaimers Kev mentions Gerry Cinammon. I make a case to see him too because he is on at The John Peel stage and it will be "quieter and cooler up there". We head up the hill. It is jam packed! He obviously has a massive following. We stood in the sun - enjoyed most of his set - before wilting.

Clashfinder is tricky this Saturday. Eventually we take up residence in The Pyramid. Anne Marie and then Hozier - neither my bag. Then the controversial Janet Jackson. A big production - mass dancers, backing singers etc. JJ constantly had wind blowing through her hair (for effect!). There was an antipathy to her. It wasn't storming although it was high energy. It seemed a bit synthetic - over staged - a poor man's Michael and of course there is a negativity towards MJ now to say the least. Mixed feelings.

I am in the midst of a dilemma. Killers are headlining. I know it will be great but I have seen them 3 times before. I really want to see the Courteeners - I have missed them before. There is a clash. I head for The Other Stage. I watch Sigrid. She is an engaging young woman. I like her. Then Courteeners. They are what I really like - 3 guitars and a drummer. The place rocks - and I really get into it. Brilliant. Good decision. Now what to do? The closer is Chemical Brothers. The lead from  Courteeners said a must watch - they will change your life! I know it would be amazing but it has been a long hot day. I head back to Avalon to meet up with my mates. Hobo Jones and then Just Two Mother's 80's disco. It doesn't quite happen. Rog and I head back for a 1 am early night!

And then it is Sunday - the final day. It is going to be a good one. It is a day to take up residence for The Pyramid stage. Some of the lads take chairs.

On the way over Kev and I stop off at The Other stage to see Slaves. What a great decision - right up there as a highlight of this years Glasto for me. The 2 guys give it everything - the energy is fantastic. It is real - it is raw - it is talented. Towards the end of the set they played a slow tender number. We were blown away. It was so unexpected - so poignant. Kev and I and the audience all reacted the same. We were stunned. We had tears in our eyes. I don't know how they did it. I said to Kev I am going to give you a hug mate. We laughed about it but bloody hell - it was brilliant to watch them.

We get over to The Pyramid. The atmosphere is that lovely Sunday buzz. Everyone there is there for the right reasons - to enjoy being at Glasto. It feels wonderful to be there.

Years and Years are on. They were perfect in the sun. The lead guy makes a speech from the heart about being gay. It was moving. Everyone applauds.

David Attenborough makes an impromptu speech about global warming and the state of the planet. It was understated. The crowd are riveted and full of respect in a way they are not for some of the shouty campaigners given a voice at Glastonbury. What an amazing life he has led.

And then it is Kylie in the veterans slot. Ok for some hardcore Glasto supporters Kylie is not cool. But Kylie is fun - and she has never done anyone any harm. She was perfect for the occasion. Like the vast majority we loved her set. She went down a bomb. We were "spinning around". Well done Emily. Well done Kylie. Great stuff.

Miley Cyrus and Vampire Weekend passed me by a bit. I was chatting, dozing and taking on the cider maybe - but I have good thoughts from being there.

Then the big one for me. I really rate The Cure but had never seen them live. I love their music. It was a 2 hour set as the closing headliners. I shall love them for ever. It was fantastic. I was totally into it for two hours often with eyes closed just taking in the music. What a place to be - what an emotional privilege.

But alas and inevitably Glasto comes to an end for another year - or at least the music does. It has been amazing.

There is talk of next year already - the 50th Glastonbury anniversary. We all really want to go. It will be amazing if we can get tickets again. If it doesn't happen it will be a real shame - but I have my memories of three and for that I will always be extremely grateful. Thank you again Kev and Rich for making it happen for us. xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A few snaps but mainly it is seared in the memory bank.

Hari Krishna bistro and the comb

Early days setting up camp

Interpol in John Peel. Fantastic.

Where is Rog?

Keston Cobblers Club and the proposal at the Avalon Café Stage

New York Brass Band (from Yorkshire)

#IoWFestival2019 a Sunday day ticket - Keane especially xxx

I am writing this short blog as much as anything as a personal diary record. Sunday was Fathers Day and the ticket was a present. I am going to Glasto in a couple of weeks - but the IOW Festival is relatively on our doorstep and we can hear the base boom from our house with a good prevailing wind. As I have explained before the scale and variety of Glasto knocks the IOW into a cocked hat so to speak but that does not mean the IOW is not a top festival and very important to the Island. It is certainly hard to resist when it is just a few miles down the road and we need to support it.

Some boring housekeeping! As with all festivals weather can have a major impact and the rain coming in cast a shadow over this years IOW. However I was amazed on site. There was no mud to speak of in and around the main arena. The reason for this is the festival organisers have learned lessons from the past. The IOW has been at the same site for years and they know where the problem areas can be. They laid carpets of wood chips in areas which could churn up before they churned up. They did well.

Another couple of changes noticed. The festival organisers really have cut through on paper and plastic waste. Festival goers now using bins to a much greater extent. The other one - flags on long poles in the audience. This nuisance has largely been curtailed by some way or another. An improvement.

So the music - this was not a vintage year - certainly Biffy Clyro not my idea of a closing headliner - but each to his/her own.

We saw - Bjorn Again - an Abba tribute band. It was good fun because the audience were determined to enjoy it and of course everyone knows their stuff. For me the Bjorn Again get away with it because they look so like the band originals - rather than because their musical rendition is anything special.

It was then Tom Walker. His performance reminded me of seeing John Newman a few years back now and I think there is a Rudimental connection. Tom Walker is talented and being on stage at the IOW meant a lot to him. I really enjoyed his set.

I have had the opportunity to see Madness a couple of times before - but passed them up. Daft really. They put on a great show - would be hard to find a more professional outfit. Suggs is so easy on the mic and his engagement with the audience is so natural and spontaneous. One quip he made that made me chuckle - he looked up at the sun breaking through - and said " they would never understand this in Africa - its brightening up this afternoon !".

Jess Glynne didn't turn up at short notice - which was controversial. Poor old John Giddings had to face the crowd. I wasn't devastated like some as I had seen her before at Glasto but it was a shame.

I mentioned Biffy Clyro wasn't for me - so we passed on Richard Ashcroft too even though he is great on the big stage - and went to The Kashmir for some real ale before heading over to the Big Top early to see Keane. That was a good decision as many people had similar thoughts. Keane did a fantastic set - the crowd totally engaged. I didn't know Keane had split and reformed. They were blown away with the reception they received. We were close - had a tremendous view. One to remember. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3s5GhkE-ic&feature=youtu.be

So a day ticket - not the same as immersing yourself in a full on festival but I really enjoyed it. The music was middle of the road - not what you would call edgy - but it didn't matter. It was easy and fun - so what more do you need?

Thank you Isle of Wight. Early bird tickets are already up for sale for next year.

#etc

It is early Saturday morning and I am just back from a jog to Ryde. I leave for Glasto on Tuesday so there is a lot to do. My intention is to have a clean living weekend in the knowledge that 5 days under canvas at the Festival will be anything but - ha!

Anyway I haven't really got time available for too much blogging - but it is a sort of discipline and a few things came to mind while out there this morning that I would like to commit to paper so to speak - albeit in precis format. Here goes - it is pretty random :

• Diesel vehicle pollution. Part of my run is along the Seaview Duvver. It is by the sea. Passing vehicles are rare. The air is clean. However when it happens (it happened this morning) - boy do you get a whiff of diesel fumes. I am not talking about clapped out vehicles - any vehicle. I guess the fact the air is clean makes the introduction of fumes a stark contrast - as a few grains of salt in your coffee! Goodness knows what we are breathing in urban areas - but the sad thing is it is less apparent and as a consequence possibly less of an issue for many. Roll on electrification!
• Mark Field - the Government Minister that manhandled a woman gate crashing a speech at the Mansion House to make a Climate Change Protest. Here is the video https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-48717002 . What happened has proved highly controversial. What would you have done. It is too dismissive to say it was only a peaceful demonstration. It is easy with hindsight. The debate is highly politized and he has as many supporters as detractors. 
• The Woman's Football World Cup.The BBC are promoting it big time - screening matches prime time. Should they be complimented or condemned. Why complimented - they are promoting equality. Why condemned - it is a decision based on political correctness rather than fuelled by established public interest. Is it social engineering? Woman's football has a minority following at the present time. That might change - I guess that is the point.
• The Tory Leadership and who will be the next Prime Minister. Johnson or Hunt - a dubious choice. I want Johnson - am I really saying that - can he really be our Prime Minister!? I have no doubt he is not suitable and it will end in tears. However he gets my support because he is not afraid of his own shadow and he is an optimist. We need someone to say we are a great country and not fall over in a politically correct neurosis every time the liberal elite say boo. Hunt is clever - but he is a snake. He is the safe establishment figure. I know who I would prefer to led by - and certainly have a few laughs on the way. I am sure Boris will win. He has got to the point where the more remainers, the left , the establishment and liberal elites try to undermine him the more determined his electors will be to give him their vote. I guess it is similar to the Trump phenomenon. Supporting Boris is a way of putting up 2 fingers to all those who are trying to rob the majority of their democratically won Brexit decision and this pretty much all it comes down to.
• My brother Rob posted a fantastic article written by Andy Shaw for Spectator Life in 2016. When I read it I thought WOW - how inciteful - how perceptive - how intelligent - it summarises my views much more succinctly than I can do myself. I commend it to you - here is the link - https://life.spectator.co.uk/articles/a-handy-guide-to-left-wing-people-for-the-under-10s/

A handy guide to Left-wing people for the under 10s

Andy Shaw

28 October 2016

• Finally - remember to look on the bright side. My son James goes to the IOW Running Club every Thursday. Recently I have been thinking - as I am there I might as well do a run rather than go to the pub. This Thursday was the Club Championship 10k. While there are prizes for the fastest mainly it is running against your nominated time - with emphasis on running for all - not the Olympics! I did it. Out of about 70 runners I was close to last - which was annoying not because I was close to last but because it was such a grind - and while I kept going it felt like a battle all the way. But a quick reflection - I did it - I can do it - and I should be thankful for that. I was pleased to put the effort in and everyone at the Club are really nice - really supportive. They call me Papa Shoulder - which says it all I guess.

#CanadianGP2019 Vettel & Hamilton

Like most blokes I know I take an interest in most sports.

I am not a motor head or an F1 devotee - but I follow the F1 races and have an opinion - albeit a lay opinion. - (while I admit to not being an expert I do think my opinion is objective!)

WHY AM I WRITING THIS BLOG TO GIVE MY OPINION WHEN I ACKNOWLEDGE I AM NOT AN EXPERT? SIMPLE  - BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE THE POINT THAT SO OFTEN OBJECTIVE AND FAIR DECISIONS ARE CRITICISED BECAUSE FANS AND PUNDITS LOSE THEIR OBJECTIVITY THROUGH PARTISAN BLINKERED SUPPORT. THIS IS A CLASSIC EXAMPLE.

Yesterdays' race had a controversial outcome. A quick summary :

• Vettel led from the start - his Ferrari was faster on the straights.
• Hamilton in his Mercedes kept close and pressured throughout and threatened to overtake in the latter part of the race as tyre wear became a bigger factor.

What happened next?

A quick summary :

• Vettel under pressure made a mistake and veered off the track onto the grass.
• Vettel got back onto the track in front of Hamilton but Hamilton had to brake hard to avoid a collision.

What happened next?

A quick summary :

• Hamilton claimed immediately over his radio - Vettel had lost control under pressure from him and left the track. He stated Vettel against the rules of racing had immediately rejoined the track on the racing line - which was both dangerous and stopped him from overtaking to lead.
• The matter was immediately referred to the stewards by the Mercedes team and during the race the stewards decided Vettel had broke the rules and penalised him with a 5 second time penalty.
• Vettel was incensed when he heard the decision. His argument - once on the grass he battled for control of the car and it took him in front of Hamilton - there was nothing he could do about it - he had no options - it was a racing incident.
• Hamilton was able to stay within 5 seconds of Vettel and while Vettel crossed the finish line first Hamilton was awarded the race.

Now my objective lay analysis - ha! :

The decision was controversial in my view not because of the interpretation of the rules but because of partisan determined lack of objectivity - as so often is the case in sport.

Certainly passions run very deep in F1. 

The Tifosi (Scuderia Ferrari) are some of the most fanatical and partisan fans that exist in the world - in any sport. They are ultra Ferrari biased.

Lewis Hamilton is disliked by many - loathed by some. The reasons are unclear to me. He is quite clearly the most brilliant driver of his generation - probably of all time - but many want to contest that. He has an unorthodox life style too - maybe that is a factor. Clearly jealousy of his sustained and phenomenal success is the biggest factor. 

There are also churlish past F1 drivers throwing in their tuppence worth. Very often their take is F1 is not like it used to be - too many rules - in their day men were men - you sorted it out on the track. (they also got killed!) 

The decision of the stewards :

The rules

A number of F1 regulations apply to this sort of incident. One says: "Should a car leave the track the driver may re-join, this may only be done when it is safe to do so and without gaining any lasting advantage."

The question here being, did Vettel gain a lasting advantage by doing what he did?

Another says: "Manoeuvres liable to hinder other drivers, such as deliberate crowding of a car beyond the edge of the track or any other abnormal change of direction, are strictly prohibited."

And another: "It is not permitted to drive any car unnecessarily slowly, erratically or in a manner deemed potentially dangerous to other drivers at any time."

How the stewards saw it

Hamilton was piling on the pressure, always within a second of the Ferrari. And then Vettel made a mistake.

He went in to the Turn Three/Four chicane too fast, had a snap of oversteer, took to the grass and rejoined the track. As he did so, he had another snap, caught it, and continued to drift wide out to the kerb. Hamilton, whose front wheel was in front of Vettel's rear, had to back out of it and Vettel retained the lead.

The stewards investigated the incident and decided to penalise Vettel, saying they "reviewed video evidence and determined that (Vettel) left the track at Turn Three, rejoined the track at Turn Four in an unsafe manner and forced (Hamilton) off track. (Hamilton) had to take evasive action to avoid a collision."

How Vettel saw it :

He raged about it on the radio during the race: "You need to be an absolute blind man to think you can go through the grass and then control the car. I was lucky I didn't hit the wall. Where the hell am I supposed to go? This is a wrong world I tell you. This is not fair."

How Hamilton saw it :

Hamilton said: "The Ferraris were really quick. I just had to put him under pressure and force a mistake because they were so quick on the back straight that even if I got close into Turn 10 he would just pull away. And he made a mistake.

"Ultimately the rules say when you go off you have to come back on in a safe manner and I was alongside and I had to back off to avoid a collision and I guess that's why they made the decision."

It is very clear to me the stewards got it right - both in terms of the rules of racing and in terms of fairness and commonsense.

Clearly Vettel made a mistake. Clearly he in effect barged back across Hamilton on to the racing line and if Hamilton had not taken evasive measures there would have been a crash. If Vettel had not cut Hamilton up Hamilton would have taken the lead. Vettel did break the rules.

The mute point (and Vettel's defence) is Vettel's car was out of control from going onto the grass (where traction is lost) and Vettel did not deliberately drive back onto the racing line in front of Hamilton to prevent him overtaking. The reason why this is a mute point is whether it was deliberate or not it was caused by an initial mistake of driving off the circuit onto the grass - by Vettel under pressure from Hamilton. How he dealt with that mistake and any down side from it (deliberate or not) is clearly Vettel's responsibility. 

One thing is for sure if the roles had been reversed the Tifosi would have brought the house down in indignation. 

Objectively the stewards made the correct decision - although I would have preferred not to give Vettel a 5 sec penalty but to have ordered Vettel to allow Hamilton to take the position that would have been his if Vettel had not broken the rules.

Long live controversy in sport - ha!

#Glasto Clashfinder

Tis early morning. A big birthday. My original plan was to be away (mainly to avoid fuss) but have let head rule heart and I have stayed around - (a change of manager at my business - so the wrong time to be up a mountain without a signal - ha!). (I try to rail against reasons not to do things- but this time I have succumbed.) Of course I love being with my family - not being with them is the down side of being away - I can be with my family today xxx.

I woke early and had already planned to go for a decent run. I view it as putting something in the bank to draw down on later in the day - when no doubt I will have a beer or two. This time last week I was doing the London Vitality 10k. This morning I did a similar distance - but it was a huge contrast. Last weekend it felt like I was in a race and I was surrounded by thousands of people. This morning there was no one around and I just plodded along oblivious of time. Consequently I had plenty of time to think - and that usually turns into a basis for a blog.

Where did my thoughts take me this morning? Thinking about age - I started off by being a bit reflective - how things have changed - concerns over the future that might affect my darling grand children - but I quickly realised that could be a bit heavy for a birthday - so I parked it - for another day.

I started thinking about Glastonbury which is coming up towards the end of this month. Once again I have been jammy enough to get a Glasto ticket - that is three in a row. I am going with the same group of school mates - 7 of us - two of which I went to infant school with. Amazing really.

The Glastonbury line up has just been finalised. Within no time at all the Glastonbury "clashfinder" app is published. If you are going to Glastonbury I recommend you use Clashfinder.

Glastonbury is such a vast festival - huge by comparison to other UK festivals. The challenge Glastonbury offers is its greatest asset - choice. There are so many stages (79 this year) - so many acts performing (2800 performances this year) at the same time - you might want to make decisions about who you are and are not going to try and see. Clashfinder is an app - basically a spreadsheet - that aids you in making those decisions more easily.

I am going to set out in bullet points the considerations I use when making choices. I do so now in order to remind myself of my past strategy before I delve into this years Clashfinder! Here are my tips :

• Relax. You cannot do it all. Be flexible. Pace yourself!
• Be reconciled to missing some you plan to see - and look forward to seeing some you have not even thought about. That's Glasto!
• It's great to see bands you know and like but every year you will come across performers that you hadn't considered and they turn out to be memorable.
• Some people see part acts and move on to catch another. That has never worked for me.
• Don't underestimate the time it takes to move from one arena to another (or how tiring it can be.) Obviously at the end of a performance there is an exodus so walkways can get busy.
• I am going with a group of mates. It's good to have a personal Clashfinder plan but I will temper it with what others have in mind. We are together a lot - but we do our own thing too. We use Avalon as a base. Usually start and end with beers there.
• Glasto is mainly about music of course - but there is so much more. People watching is amazing. The whole spectacle is amazing. Food choice is massive. Take your time - take it all in - and chill - ha!

So I am going to get stuck into Clashfinder next.

I have a limited list of must sees. The Cure, Kylie in the legend tea time slot on the Sunday, Interpol - an old favourite that I have never seen live, Slaves, Idles, Hot Chip if I can, Courteeners who I keep missing! and probably The Killers because they put on such a big show even if they have become a bit cheesy. I have seen them several times before including last year at the IOW - and they never fail to deliver because the audience know every song so well and get stuck in to singing them.

There are loads of others to juggle around.

Enjoy your Glasto and try not to tie your self in knots with Clashfinder - ha!