Bloggers View…

The blog has been up and running for a couple of weeks now and we would like to thank all of you for reading. Please feel free to share to friends and family or even on your social media. This blog gives you opportunity to get to know us a little bit more as we talk about some of our sporting memories which should even bring light to some of our opinions. Like why Pilly’s blogs are based on facts and history just like Liverpool, why Rob’s opinions are always right on the fence and why Mike has to relate everything to America.

1. Best live Event you have been at…

Rob: A couple things instantly spring to mind. As a United fan match days at Old Trafford are always pretty special, an Ashes test match also comes close (Tickets bought for the Trent Bridge Ashes test for next summer – Cant wait!), and finally the Swansea v Cardiff derby was pretty intense. Undoubtedly one of the best things I have seen live was the Haka. Watching it now still gives me goosebumps. Watch it here…. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fYIUdVNFgU

However, the greatest sporting event I have attended has to be El Clasico. As a football fan it doesn’t get bigger then Barcelona v Real Madrid at the Camp Nou in front of 91,728 people The result was 3-2 to Barcelona with the two greatest players of this generation both on the score sheet – Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi (Pedro Xavi and Di Maria with the other goals)

Pilly: Watching Liverpool at Anfield for the first time was a great feeling, the game ended 2-2 with Villa. Uncharacteristically Peter Crouch put one in the top corner from the edge of the area. An event close to me was watching a couple of mates in the Shooting at the London Olympics, having been involved with their training it was good to see them competing. The stands behind were packed which was fantastic to see.

The event I have enjoyed the most for sheer atmosphere and enjoyment has to be the Cheltenham Festival. I never win anything, but the roar of the crowd is something special.

Mike: I have been so privileged to attend some unbelievable sporting events, the opening game of the 1999 Cricket World Cup at Lords, “Dream Team” Team USA play Basketball at the Olympic games and 9 NFL international series matches including the first ever. My favorite event is actually one of these international series games. Detroit Lions v Atlanta Falcons at Wembley. Anyone who knows me knows I’m as bigger Lions fan as anyone is of a fan of anything. I know the whole 53 man roster and even practise squad players, can recite their draft selections for last 7 drafts and know season and career stats of players.

Therefore getting to watch them live was like a dream come true. It made my day watching players I admire and regard as hero’s like Suh and Stafford, let alone watch one of the greatest sporting comeback ever seen in wembley stadium which sees my team win with a field goal and time hit zero.

2. Most remarkable record?

Rob: A few minutes on Google looking for sporting records turned up a few remarkable records! A couple I particularly liked… 36 red cards in a single football match, the record breaking Wimbledon tie break 70-68, Basketballs Chamberlain’s 100 point game, and finally Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather’s bout with Saul Alvarez grossing a record $150,000,000 (And many more I am sure).

For me the most remarkable has to be the career of Ryan Giggs, who is the most decorated footballer in the history of English football holding many different records.

Pilly: When thinking about remarkable records I go straight to the 18 Major Championships Jack Nicklaus has or the 17 Major Titles Roger Federer has in their respective sports. Spain’s dominance of Football between 2008 and 2012 is also up there, 3 tournament successes back to back; in the manner they did it was just incredible.

However my remarkable record goes to Usain Bolt. The guy has taken sprinting to a new level, which I suspect will not be seen again for a little while. 6 Olympic Gold Medals and 3 World Records says all you need to know. Bolt almost reached 28 mph in his 100m World Record!

Mike: Easy. Brett Farve making 297 career starts in a row. In the most physically demanding sport when the average career length is less than four years to play 297 games in a row is unbelievable. This is even more remarkable when it is done at the quarterback position the one position that gets scrutinized the most and game planned for. Hats of Mr Farve even if you did shred the Lions!!

3. Sporting Hero(s)?

Rob: A lot of my youth was spent playing football and cricket at every opportunity! My two hero’s from as early as I can remember were Ryan Giggs and Graeme Hick (As well as David Beckham a few years later). Pretty much all of my early cricketing experiences involved watch Worcestershire and the legendary Graeme Hick. Ryan Giggs was one of the reason I started following United against my dad’s best efforts to make me support Spurs.

Pilly: Ian Rush is the man I have to blame for the stick I am getting right now supporting Liverpool. When I grew up he was banging goals in for fun…how we could do with him right now! He also had a great moustache. In more recent times Steven Gerrard has had a huge impact on the club. I have a lot of respect for people like Sir Steve Redgrave and Sir Chris Hoy with everything they have achieved in sport.

Mike: Readers who know me know the answer to this, the one and only Dominic Cork. He is the reason on the pitch I always play at 100% and even see red from time to time. Cork in his England days was unplayable, first Englishman with a test match hat-rick and a leader at Derbyshire. Currently I have many in a variety of sports Ndamukong Suh, LeBron James, Ian Bell, Wayne Madsen to name a few.

So there you have it, the first 3 questions done and dusted… Rob sat on the fence with Giggs or Hick, Mike still loves American Sports and Pilly is still stuck in the 1980’s.