That's why mums, dads, kids and the whole Tartan Army go to Iceland

Well...

First off let me refute any claims of incessant positive chat from this mouth. I must say, I did thoroughly enjoy my evening at a wet Three Sisters bar. At least the company was good because the show was not. Iceland should probably have been a couple of goals to the good before the mighty Kirk Broadfoot rose like a salmon from a river to head home our first.

I have to say, when I heard Broadfoot was in the side, I think my reaction bordered on "What the ****?! 4-0 to Iceland... minimum." But, credit to him, he rose above his "limited talent" (quote - George Burley) to scale the heights of mediocrity for Scotland last night.

A missed penalty from McFadden (okay, he scored the rebound but still) and a red-card for Stephen McManus nearly led us back from the brink of victory, but somehow we clung on and ground out a 2-1. Which, at the end of the day, doesn't really make up for defeat in Macedonia.

Relentless positivity? Aye right. If we'd gone to Croatia and won 4-1 (well done to that young Walcott by the way...) I would have said amazing things. But - with the current crop of players at least - we're still a long way from anywhere. We massively overachieved in the "Group of Death" last time out with France, Italy and Ukraine. But we have to face facts - merely qualifying for a tournament with the quality that we have will be an enormous achievement in itself.

Iceland are hardly world-beaters - yes, I know, you can only beat what is in front of you - but then, neither are Macedonia. At times they made us look pretty ordinary - especially at the back. Yes there were positives - Maloney and Commons on the wings allowed us to actually get some crosses into the box. But really, there are far too many in that team that are just there to make up the numbers. Our Under-21s narrowly missed out (another glorious Scottish failure!) on qualifying, and there are some decent prospects there. Surely it is time to give some of them a run out in the first team?

Anyway. Jeff does have a union flag on his phone. I'm saying nothing about it - merely confirming.

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The endorsement of the PM

This was brought to my attention by someone with a lot more time on thier hands to scour the internet than I.

Interesting that they see an endorsement by Gordon Brown to be "coveted".

Try telling that to Iain (Duncan) Gray...

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National (or global) Security

Something bothered me about this whole big CERN experiment thing. Well, not so much bothered me, but got me thinking.

I know there’s only something like a one in 50 billion chance that the Earth will end as a result of this experiment. Or probably even less. (Incidentally, how mad would you be if you stuck a fiver on that? Just won £250billion and the world is about to explode/ implode/ end).

Anyway, the point is this. Say that the governments of France and Switzerland were fine with this experiment (which, of course, they are) and let them go ahead with it.

However, say another government (for the sake of argument Germany, since it is close) decided that these scientists were off their rocker – even with the smallest chance of destruction – and wanted them to stop the experiment before it began. But then the French and Swiss Governments refused to stop them. Say then, couldn’t the German government (again, hypothetically) consider this a direct threat to their existence - a national security threat if you will – and take action accordingly?

I know, I know. I’m talking hypotheticals. And the use of Germany as the opponent of the scientific experiment is bad for a couple of reasons – historically and practically.

But the point is this: If a country considers this a risk the future of the world, wouldn’t they be prudent in finding a way of stopping the experiment (by any means necessary)?

*disclaimer – I’m not proposing that there is any danger (don’t want to induce mass panic). It is a hypothetical!

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He couldn't stay away

He retired.
Gave up on the one thing he loved.
Left at the pinnacle of his success.
Made other things a priority.
Left fans wishing he'd change his mind...

But now... he's back!

Back to doing what he does best.
Back to a strenuous regime.
Back to deliver his message to a global audience.


I refer, of course, to Lance Armstrong - American 7-time Tour de France winner and cancer survivor.

What's that? You thought I meant Scottish Tory Boy?

Oh.

Well. He's back too. (Hooray!)

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