1) Failed to land a ticket for Tony McCoy’s last day as a jockey on Saturday? You’re not alone. Eye some career highlights instead: 2002’s crazy day at Southwell when McCoy’s Family Business fell at the 10th but still won after he remounted – thanks to all the other horses falling too; 2000’s Queen Mother Champion Case with racing’s official Best Finish Ever; Wichita Lineman at Cheltenham in 2009; Pridwell at Aintree in 1998; Best Mate in 2002; 2010’s overdue Grand National win at the 15th attempt, as described by the man himself; and the festive BBC gong that followed.
2) Kim Sei-young won the Lotte Championship in style.
3) Football bits and pieces: Recognition 1-1 Deja Vu on Sky’s classified results; acrobatic idiocy from this goalkeeper in the Amman derby; and Ronaldo, still got it, as seen in this 16-goal charity match.
4) A tidy set of cricket slip catches in the wake of Chris Jordan’s zinger against West Indies in Antigua last week. First, here’s a theatrical classic from Chris Gayle, from so long ago that the West Indies opener was still deigning to play Test Cricket. His brilliant, tumbling effort is also matched by Mahela Jaywardene here. And how, of course, could we ever forget this athletic thing of beauty, from Andrew Strauss at Trent Bridge in the golden summer of 2005.
5) Ronnie O’Sullivan’s likely £250 fine for breaching world snooker’s sense of style - beating Craig Steadman in his socks – ranks as a pretty mild disgrace alongside these sickening scenes. But even the next Ronnie O’Sullivan, aged three when this was filmed, can muster a pair of sandles.
6) It may be an advert, but this effort for Cycling Canada is still a thing of beauty.
Our favourites from last week’s blog
1) Drift-triking down the world’s steepest street in Dunedin. Do not try this at home.
2) Leo Messi’s 400.
3) Watch out world, British ice hockey is coming!
4) Oh Lourdes! (And for a different – and more painful – view.)
5) To the Western Desert in Australia and some serious on-board footage. And then back to Camp Nou and Toni Bou.
6) Welcome to the world of pickleball.
Spotters’ badges: BlackCaesar, Salsiccia, whobroughtoranges, BlackCaesar, fmgazette.
