IRELAND GRAND SLAM

I am ecstatic. I still can't quite believe what I witnessed in the courtyard of a buzzing Edinburgh pub last night. Ireland's 6 nations victory over Wales for the Grand Slam is simply one of the greatest sports matches I've seen since Man Utd beat Bayern Munich for the Champions League in 1999. Actually, it was better than that. The atmosphere was there - a clear evening with a BBQ on the go, a big screen and a mass of rugby fans from all the different countries. Obviously, everybody went crazy when that final ditch kick missed and the whistle went. If that had gone over, I'd have been so gutted beyond belief!

What I think is really good though, is that everybody i know, regardless of their background, seems to be celebrating this in unity, which can only be a good thing for Ireland North or South!

Indie Music Sucks

It really does. The thin guitar sound coupled with not much bass and a bit of whingy singing about bridget jones and the likes.

For some proper good new music from some locals, check out The Japenese Popstars. Awesome.

Well well

I watched 30mins of the new Gladiators in a pub this evening. It was alright, but i will withold real judgement til i watch it fully when i can hear it properly next week. The events are still cool, and it looks like good craic. But i am going to put what i think should be changed in bullet points:

• The old theme is not there. Instead we have new 'specially composed' music. Get back to the rock anthems during the games guys. And how can you repleace the mastery that is the original theme tune?
• John Sachs, the original commentator, should be there. Not that the new guy is crap, just Sachs is better.
• It is on a Sunday night at 6pm. Gladiators belongs at the 7pm slot on a Saturday night.
• It is run by Sky One. Personally I don't particularly like Sky at the minute, as they are a rip and like to steal the TV rights to Champions League football. Give it back to ITV. At least then everybody can watch.
• Wolf is not there, and Sky have allegedly not asked him to return for the Legends special. This is with Wolf himself saying he wants to return!

But yea, apart from that it's not bad. It'll be hard to match the 90's version though. Also if we go by the observation that tonight's contestants were not that fit, then the whole media hype that England has been getting fatter for the last 10 years could be very true. Still, we have Top Gear!


In other stuff, i had cracking Irish Nationals, and i am currently about to embark of 5 days of exam slogging. Then i am free to get up at 1pm, play Xbox all day, and watch cult TV shows in the pub.

Something else that has recently made me wonder is the music they play whilst passengers disembark off the Stena HSS. They like to play the type of airy fairy music that you get at the end of movies where the protaganist has just come through some massive ordeal. You know, like when the world has nearly exploded except he saved it at the last minute, but his house got wrecked and he nearly fell off a cliff in the process. Why? At the most the ship may have been rocking and i may have completed Sega Rally after a nervy few races, but it isn't that epic! I would rather disembark to some Thin Lizzy or KC & the Sunshine Band. Flybe once has the right idea, when they played Pick up the Pieces by the funky outfit we call the Average White Band. I tell you, that had us dancing.

If you're wondering why i'm talking (more) crap (than usual), blame Group Theory: An Introduction to Abstract Mathematics. Because of it I can now prove to you inferior people that the square root of 2 is not in fact a rational number. Woohoo!!

Until next time

Guess who just won the Bath Cup again....

Screw the schools cup, the mighty Inst have taken the Bath Cup for the 2nd time in 3 years. Sometimes makes me wish i was 2 weeks younger so i'd still be living the life in the U6 ready to bash out a big time in Whitgift with their expensive cricket ground and flamingoes.

It is awesome really. School swimming was a blast. I do hate Plymouth College a bit more now. They weren't allowed to enter this year cause they're a swimming academy now. If that had only happened last year we would've destroyed, but unfortunately 0.4 seconds made the difference there. But then i may not have swum as stupidly fast. Ah well!

Uni swimming is good craic too though. Off to Sheffield tomorrow for a big 100 freestyle and what will hopefully be two rocket like relay swims.

Anybody remember me saying a few years ago i was going to quit when i left school?

Not happening right now!

Legends of the Core

After 6 months of backtracking, Scots Unis was a step back in the right direction. Thank God for that.

Cheers for the hardcore.


P.S. the Oxegen lineup this year is rather awesome. Anybody who fancies joining me for 3 days of carnage in Kildare this summer is very welcome.

Do you feel the power??!

My week has in effect been made. The greatest TV show of the 90's, Gladiators, is being resurrected. And it's getting it's prime time slot back on Saturday nights!

Let's face it, it was a great show. I loved it. You loved it. It was decent, even family orientated entertainment. And it got the fat kids off the couch. Want to solve the obesity crisis of doom? Then put Gladiators back on TV. Who doesn't find the prospect of battering somebody with a giant duelling stick fun?

However, i am aware of the risks of all this. The 21st century revamp could quite well turn out to be a disaster. Let's face it, no Gladiator will ever replace the mighty Wolf. And the attire worn in the new American Gladiators series quite franky looks stupid as anything. If they change the theme music at all the organisers need a good clout in the bake. Cause it's awesome. Thankfully, some events are returning, and it has been promised that "more dangerous and exciting" events will be provided. Good. Anything to piss off health & safety.

And the best bit is the ref, John Anderson, may well be returning!

I for one will be planning to go see the new series live in London (if ticket prices agree with my wallet). In the meantime, anybody up for auditioning to be an actual Gladiator?

Go 90's TV!

Bleeehhh

Due to phenomenal demand (i.e, like two people), i'm resurrecting this bad boy. How long this streak will last for beats me, but here's a start. If you've no idea of where i am these days, i currently "study" maths, philosophy and german at the University of Edinburgh. To clear a few things up yes, i still retain my original accent, no, i haven't eaten haggis yet and no, i dont have a kilt.

So how is university? It's interesting, i can't say i'm bored. I did and still do have reservations about it, but not to worry, it's nothing to be concerned about right now. I have plenty of fun each day swimming, playing my drums (not enough), annoying Paddy, Geroge Formanning, playing xbox, pulling a few pranks and having a few drinks. The other big upside is that emmm, yea, i have 7 weeks left of teaching in 1st year. Then i don't have to attend another lecture for 6 months (you've all heard me yarp on about this before). A few exams in April/May, and then i'm off for ages.

Well that's all i can be bothered with now. Oh yea, and to clear another thing up, i'm home pretty regularly. You may have seen me having a snowball fight in Belfast at 2am the other week. But for those who remain at home, don't worry, i'll be back to terrorise you soon (and i'll be back for a long time). So eh, until next time!