Hey there, hi there, ho there (but I'm not quite happy as can be) AmSports fans... fans... fans... (gotta turn that echo off.)

Hope y'all had a happy V-Day (and weren't scrounging about at the last minute for SOMEthing for the loved one) and here's some stuph that has crossed The Sports Desk since the last edition of The esteemed Post.

I wrote about this last year. The annual Iditarod Sled Dog Race will be taking place in Alaska, USA beginning 5 March and is the largest, most famous of dog sledding events, lasting 7-15 days (depending on weather conditions). The international competition of the hundeds of mile course is truly a test of stamina for man and dogs and commemorates a valiant effort to bring necessary medicine to a remote outpost 'out there where the north winds blow' if I may quote Frank Zappa's music musings. Further details can be found at www.iditarod.com on complete history and errata.

So anyway, of the over 80 human-dog teams slated to compete this year is one Rachael Scdoris, who hails from Oregon, USA. Now, women have competed in the Iditarod before, have won the race five times, and 17 women may participate this season, but, at age 19, she is the youngest ever to qualify... and she's legally blind. After long negotiations with the powers-that-be (I assume the sponsors) she will be allowed to compete if followed by a 'visual observer' on another sled so she and her team don't go astray.

Turns out Rachael has been riding her dad's sled since age 3 and has been competing enough to qualify for the Iditarod and I, for one, applaud her efforts.

Moving right along, the coming weekend will be an exciting one for several (and random) varieties of AmSport fans, with the annual pro basketball All-Star Game weekend of events (slam dunk contest, shooting contest, a game between rookies and last year's rookies, besides the fan-voted ASG itself) out in Denver, Colorado (where I hear the skiing is excellent at the many yup-scale resorts FAR out of my price range.)

All-Star Games are rarely actual contests, but they're HUGE publicity events where several million$ are spent.

Further, we find the annual Daytona 500 in Florida and all the supercharged hoopla about specially-designed autos that approach speeds on 190 miles per hour (I don't do metric conversions, I can barely balance my chequebook) going round and around for about three hours and often featuring breath-taking crashes with autos often costing thou$and$ of dollar$ disintegrating and many flames.

Sorta like the 'chase scene' in 'action' movies, only these guys aren't the carefully-prepared stunt drivers following a script. It's a Roman spectacle in itself. I've attended one of these type races in my younger days and illicit substances abound. Folks 'camp out' the night before and much mayhem occurs long before the 'race' itself even begins. It can be like sitting five feet in front of the speakers at a rock music concert, but without the between-the-songs breaks. One talks loudly for at least a day afterwards.

So that would be a wrap for the AmSport report this week, except to congratulate Russian Olympic champion and outdoor women's pole vault record-holder Yelena Isenbayeva for also achieving the indoor vault record by clearing the bar at 15 feet, eleven and three-quarters inches in Kiev last week.

And finally, baseball's spring training has begin in Florida and Arizona, so there are major bytes of speculation heaped upon the major bytes of speculation for a season that does not end until the World Series in October.

As always, additions, corrections and even submissions on events near and dear to your hearts would be gracefully appreciated and I won't even bury them in the flames of an auto in Florida or have a sled dog in Alaska get near them. This is several, a/k/a random, once again over and out and heading for another Pan-Galactic Gargle Blaster.

The Six Nations 2005 at the weekend must have delighted the Irish and Welsh supporters and stunned the English and Scottish fans. The opening salvo was shot by Wales as they cruised to a convincing away win over Italy scoring 6 tries and 4 conversions in the process. This was the first away game success for the Welsh in four years and, after their defeat of England last week, must surely bouy them with confidence.

Up next were the Irish, taking on Scotland at their headquarters, Murrayfield. The first 10 minutes belonged to the Scots and it looked, at this stage of the game, as if the Irish may have a hard job on their hands when they conceded a penalty. By the 12^th minute Scotland had 12 on the board and the Irish none. The Irish fought back, however, scoring a penalty closely followed by a try and conversion. Another penalty, another try though a missed conversion, put the Irish firmly on top at half time with 18 points to 8. 3 minutes into the second half and Ireland surge further ahead adding another 10 points. Another try by Scotland brings them back to 13 points but they missed the conversion and the Irish were, from then on, unstoppable. Two more trys and a conversion see them, at the end of the game, 27 points ahead and with a goal difference of 38, firmly at the top of the table.

England should have found taking on the French easy as they were playing at the home of English Rugby, Twickenham. But, from the outset, they struggled. Without a doubt the English side lost due to their poor aim and by conceding too many penalties. The French took an early lead with a quick penalty in the 3^rd minute. England came back with a try and two conversions putting them 10 in front. Another French penalty closed the gap, but England scored another try only to miss the conversion. At half time the English team should have felt secure leading by 11 points but maybe this was their downfall. During the second half the French fought back slowly adding to their points tally. By the 66^th minute they were only 1 point behind with England continually missing chances and conceding penalties. Minute 69 and France took the lead. Desperation seemed to permeate the English side and yet another miss - this time a dreadful drop goal from Hodgson - sealed their fate. The French victorious, although still not looking a very strong side, and England pretty much waving goodbye to their hopes after only 2 games. With a rest from games this coming weekend the English side should maybe encourage their kickers to improve their aim!

• Saturday February 26: Scotland v Italy (14.00 GMT)
  
  France v Wales (16.00 GMT)
• Sunday February 27: Ireland v England (15.00 GMT)

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