Fisticuffs, Bradman and the Toon

You're right - there's no connection whatsoever between these topics, but here's a quick pot pourri of observations that have come to mind in the last 3 days since the cricket ended:

1. Not sure if this made the news back in Europe, but The Australian reported gleefully on an outbreak of fisticuffs in the Adelaide Oval car park shortly after England had sealed victory in the Second Test. Just some youngsters who have a bit too much to drink? Or an Aussie backlash against some Barmy Army taunts which had gone a bit too far? Absolutely not. The culprits were old age pensioner and former Australian captain Ian Chappell (67) and knight of the realm and well known fisherman Sir Ian Botham (55). Some argument over ancient history dating back to the late seventies, since when they have not been on speaking terms. Sort it out, guys!

2. Before leaving Adelaide for Kangaroo Island, I made a ritual visit to the Sir Donald Bradman museum. To cut a long story short, Bradman remains the greatest ever batsman ever to play cricket and finished his career with a Test match batting average that is written indelibly on many a cricket fan's memory - 99.94. Equally well known is that Bradman only needed 4 runs in his final innings to finish his career with an average of 100 - but he made 0, bowled by a English chap named Eric Hollies who is famous for this reason alone. Someone told a Bradman anecdote during the cricket which tickled me, so I thought it worthy of a wider audience (sorry guys, I can't remember if it was John, Dave or Jon but I suspect we can rule out the lovely 'Helga'):

During the early nineties, England came to Australia with one of their weakest ever bowling attacks who were repeatedly put to the sword by the Aussie batsmen (see also my earlier entry "Snow, sledging and Mr Cricket"). Elder statesman Bradman was interviewed on this subject on TV:

Interviewer: Sir Don, how many runs do you believe you would average against the current England bowling attack.

Bradman: Most likely 50 to 60.

Interviewer: But how can that be? You averaged almost a hundred in Tests and everyone's calling this the worst bowling attack the Poms have ever brought to Australia....

Bradman: That's true enough, but you've got to remember I am over 80 years old.

3. These days it takes a lot to suprise me in the crazy world of football (or "soccer" as everyone here calls it to avoid confusion with the hallowed Aussie Rules Football). For example, last week's shenanigans over the choice of host nations for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups barely registered a raised eyebrow, so predictable was this latest FIFA "shocker".

But what has been going on this week at Newcastle United really takes the biscuit:
- Sacking Chris Hughton as manager in the first place: bonkers (as my friend Paul, exiled Geordie in New York, put it: apparently he was sacked for winning the Championship, getting a weak team to mid-table and beating some big clubs along the way).
- Appointing Alan Pardew in his place: barking mad (Pardew, as a failed former manager of West Ham and Charlton, needs no introduction to many readers of this blog)
- Giving Pardew a five and half year contract: seriously insane.

Comments please (don't hold back Glenn).