Frankly, I feel useless here in the Post. Everybody in Hootoo-land is
geared up for The Movie and nobody seems to care about my AmSports report, regardless... and what's worse, I can't find a damn thing to write about this week - and I'm after deadline, as usual. Baseball was played, the pro basketball playoffs continue this weekend and pro AmFoot held its annual draft, garnishing million$ on college pigskin prodigies. A pigskin is the semi-ovoid ball they use to run, pass and kick, and some of the players certainly look like they've just eaten the whole of the animal.

I DO have one sporting note, however, as the fishing season has definitely begun in streams, rivers and inland lakes, for salmon, trout and bass especially. I'd say you'd need about four bass to equal the meat of the salmon and trout and, for some odd reason, freshwater perch are much more expensive that mass-harvested ocean perch.

Go figure.

So, shortly and fished-ly (not a Babel fish, thanks!) I shall close, do pre-game preparations for the beloved Cleveland Indians baseball game
against their across-the-lake rival Detroit Tigers by mixing a batch of
Pan-Galactic Gargle Blasters... this is several, a/k/a random, over
and out.

Things are really tense as the Zurich Premiership gears up for its final weekend of play. With two teams vying for the top spot and five others struggling to avoid relegation - including my beloved Northampton Saints - it is going to be a nail-biting feast of rugby. To prove this I shall prattle no more but provide you with the current standings and upcoming fixtures - perhaps it will whet your appetite.

This Saturday at 3pm BST:

• Bath v Leeds
• Leicester v Wasps
• Gloucester v Saracens
• Harlequins v Sale
• Newcastle v London Irish
• Worcester v Northampton

The Champions League witnessed another two games this week. The Dutch side PSV lost to AC Milan by 2-0 - oops! - but the English match between Chelsea and Liverpool resulted in a goaless draw. The return games will be played next week as will the Semi-finals first leg of the UEFA Cup - no British interest but a solitary Dutch team, AZ, are still hanging in there.

The World Snooker tournament from The Crucible reached the matches deciding the quarter finalists on Wednesday with a couple of surprising results. Shaun Murphy from Rotherham pasted previous champion Steve Davis by 13-4. Murphy dominated the game from the start and an off-form Davis just couldn't keep up.

Scotsman Alan McManus found himself lagging 5-9 after Ian McCulloch from Lancashire played a blinding afternoon session. McManus pulled a few back in the evening but McCulloch was too strong and ran out the winner at 13-8

Seven times winner Stephen Hendry was stopped in his quest for an eighth title by Matthew Stevens of Wales. As they started the final session they were locked together at 8-8 but poised at 11-9 Hendry missed his chance to close the door and Stevens capitalised with a stronger set of nerves and four wins in a row. Final score 13-11.

The biggest surprise of the night was the match between Peter Ebdon and Ronnie O'Sullivan. Ebdon was very much viewed as the underdog, especially after O'Sullivan opened up a significant lead of 10-6 in the morning. But Ebdon plodded along - taking three minutes over just one shot which clearly ruffled O'Sullivan who prefers a faster-paced game. But, as we all know, it's the tortoise who wins the race and it was Ebdon who galloped over the finishing line with a 13-11 win.

The semi finals are played over a possible 33 games and extend from Thursday to Saturday (if they go all the way of course!). The final will take up most of the viewing time on BBC2 on Sunday relegating my rugby to a late-night round-up early Monday morning . Luckily most of the UK has a Bank Holiday on Monday as that is when the final rounds will be played.

Did I Leave The Iron On?

Archive

Several a.k.a. Random 

ShazzPRME

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