Love Fifteen

Roger Federer's win at Wimbledon makes him the most successful tennis player of all time and confirms his status as a global sporting icon. Not only is he a tremendous tennis talent he also comes across as an all round nice guy and very humble despite his wealth and success.

I can't help feeling very sorry for Andy Roddick who actually possibly played the better tennis through much of the match. His rocket of a serve did not hit the 75%+ success record it did in dismissing Andy Murray on Friday but it proved impossible for Roger to break this lethal weapon until 15-14 in the fifth and final set, demonstrating just how hard he is to overcome on grass.

But today belongs to Roger Federer and his incredible achievement of 15 Grand Slam titles in a little over 6 years. At the age of just 27, Roger has a long time left in the game if he remains fit and motivated he must surely now be gunning for Jack Nicklaus and his 18 major Grand Slam titles.

Only time will tell but until then the Nike advert commemorating today's victory is fitting praise to a sporting hero. The advert includes John McEnroe, Serena Williams and Tiger Woods praising his talent and achievement and fittingly ends with the tennis analogy of his achievement as - "Love Fifteen".

Well done Roger. You have earned and deserve all your success!

Ping Pong's Coming Home!

Only Boris Johnson could represent London as he did tonight! The Beijing Olympics closed with a truly stunning closing ceremony to rival its Opening Ceremony - and all after a truly stunning Olympic Games for British sport.

Finishing fourth on the medals table, behind China, the USA and Russia, proves that our investment into sport through the National Lottery is both productive and worthwhile. Our sporting men and women became heroes for young and old alike and return with a haul of gold, silver and bronze beyond our wildest dreams on the 8th of the 8th 2008.

Even tonight the British played a massive part in the success of these Games. Our contribution to the Closing Ceremony let no one down and showed that the London Organising Committee have a distinctive concept as to how our Games will be staged.

Leona Lewis, David Beckham and Boris Johnson all represented the very best of British tonight and showed we can live up to the honours of hosting the Olympic Games.

Well done Team GB. Here's to 2012!

Misery For Both Sides Of The Old Firm!

Football is a "funny old game" and the misery of fans manifests itself in many ways.

Tonight we learn that, last night, one Celtic player was assaulted and another arrested at a Glasgow Nightclub and that Rangers are to sell their best player to the English Premiership - and to none other than, former Celtic Manager, Martin O'Neill's Aston Villa.

Living in a household with split loyalties the sense of despair felt in our house is tangible. Firstly why can't extremely well paid football stars not keep themselves out of trouble in our City Centre and secondly why would Rangers sell their best player when their fans are already despondent about their early season form.

Having worked for a football club I know the provocation players face from the mindless fans of opposition clubs. There is no excuse, however, for them not avoiding conflict by surrounding themselves with an entourage who remove them from trouble hot spots or simply by walking away and leaving places where there is a threat. You don't see players from the better controlled Premiership clubs in fights or under arrest because they make it their business to know where their players are and to ensure their safety at all times!

Football truly is a funny old game and one most of Glasgow love to follow. If the Old Firm clubs and their players don't shape up and start behaving themselves it will be them who suffer in the pocket as we, the fans, desert them in our droves in search of better role models to adore.

Will The Olympics Be Free And Fair?

The Union Flag was raised today in Beijing's Olympic Park. With the Olympic Games now less than 3 days away, every news channel is full of stories about China, the preparation of athlete's from across the world and speculation about whether the ideals of Olympic Games can be delivered in one of the most secretive State's on the planet.

The Olympic movement stands for everything that ordinary human beings wish our planet to achieve. Freedom to express ourselves, excellence in everything we do and the ability of every participant - no matter your colour, creed or relative wealth - to be treated equally.

The challenge for China throughout the Games is two fold. Firstly they must show that China understands that it now benefits from freedom to trade with the rest of the civilised world and that in return it must act as a responsible partner by preserving the human rights of its people.

We don't need the Chinese government to jump through hoops or to betray their history. What we need them to do is to ensure that their people, (who supply so much of what we consume in the West), are treated fairly, that their companies conform to basic levels of social corporate responsibility and that the economic development policies they pursue allow our planet to have a sustainable future.

The second thing we require of the Beijing Olympic Games is that the athletes competing are able to do so on a level playing field. Drugs cheats, even their own, must be weeded out and denied any medal joy. Athletes from around the world must be also able to compete in acceptable air quality, so that they are not disadvantaged by having to compete in an atmosphere they could not possibly be used to.

And finally, every athlete must be treated equally. I am horrified to hear that the British Olympic Association have made arrangements for our athletes to have better equipped rooms than the standard rooms given to athletes from poorer nations by throwing money at Games organisers. Every athlete should be able to pick from a menu of equipment for rooms and the host country, as organisers, should be required to bear the cost of this to ensure the Olympics truly are Games of an even playing field and not Games where those with the most money can buy their way to small advantages.

I am in no doubt that British athlete will win more than our fair share of medals thanks to our investment, in this country, into elite sport. I am equally sure our athletes would want to see opponents from poorer nations afforded the same living conditions as they will enjoy to show that the medals they win are won on talent, dedication and preparation alone.

So, in brief, China and Beijing have a lot to prove over the next few weeks. The Olympic Games, and the Para Olympics that follow them, mean the world's attention is focused on China as a nation and how they treat athlete, journalist and spectator. They have a lot to live up to and a lot to lose. I hope China will prove its doubters and detractors wrong and show us a willingness to deliver and perform to the Olympic ideals. Only time will tell if I am right!

A British Winner In An International World

During Wimbledon I wrote about Andy Murray's need to keep on winning if he wanted to make Britain proud of his achievements when everyone else was writing he needed to smile more to become a national hero.

By winning the Cincinnati Masters last night, (a 7-6, 7-6 victory over Novak Djokovic), Andy proved himself a winner of the very biggest grade of tournament on the planet short of a Grand Slam and someone the whole of Great Britain can be proud of at a time when we have very little to be thankful for.

With the Olympics and the US Open to look forward to over the coming month I don't expect to see a smiling Andy Murray on the international stage, nor do I want to see that. What I and the whole of the country want is gold medals and a British Grand Slam champion and if Andy can deliver that he can be as sultry as he wants with our blessing!

Football, Football, Football

It seems that no matter where you turn the European Football Championships take central stage despite none of the home nations having qualified to grace its fields.

While Elaine and I are great football fanatics I can fully understand the frustration of all those who are not connoisseurs of the beautiful game and yet their favourite TV programme, very often a soap opera, is moved to a lesser channel, put back to a later time or even postponed altogether.

With the evolution of TV and the switch from analogue to digital TV signal imminent, I wonder whether all football fans wanting to watch a live football match at a major championship on the BBC will one day simply press the 'red' button to watch the match of their choice. This would ensure that regular programme schedules do not need to be changed for those wanting to keep to regular routines!

Well perhaps one day, but until then at least Elaine and I are spoilt for choice when it comes to our football coverage at Euro 2008!

Pride - What It Means To Mr President

I grew up feeling very much a part of Giffnock Tennis Club. Instead of having nothing to do and only street corners to hang about on, I had a sport to play and a safe venue at which to practice. This allowed me to develop as a person in an atmosphere that provided me with both a sense of community and in and environment where members were encouraged to develop shared values.

This year, as President of Giffnock Tennis Squash & Hockey Club, I set out to try and further a sense of community amongst an ever more diverse membership and pondered, at the time of our AGM in February, what might happen during the year to make me feel proud!

This afternoon I watched Giffnock's Gents 1st Team, sponsored by A.C. Taylor Coachworks, narrowly beat Newlands in the semi-final of the Scottish Cup - a 5 - 4 victory in front of around 60 - 80 spectators. As the balance of the match ebbed and flowed, (with Newlands looking favourites to win after a first round where their second couple beat Giffnock's second couple), I could feel the enthusiasm of our support for their Club and could sense that they felt part of a team playing against Newlands that was more than just the six players who took to court.

At the end of the match I spent just a few moments looking at the elation on the faces of our support and could see just how much qualification to the final of the Scottish Cup means to them, the heart of the Club. Next week we go to Edinburgh to the home of Scottish Tennis at Craiglockhart to take on Stirling University for the biggest prize in Scottish club tennis. I know it will be a very difficult task to beat the Cup winners for the past 2 years running, but know that the Giffnock Team, and its support, will give everything in the hope of bringing the Cup back to Giffnock.

Already this year our Ladies 1st Hockey team were runners up in the European Cup Final, our Gents 1st Hockey Team won National League Division 3, our squash teams all performed admirably in their respective leagues, our Ladies 1st Tennis Team looks set to win Division 1, Our Gents 2nd and 3rd Teams are holding their own in Divisions 1a and 1b respectively and our Gents 1st Tennis Team look certain to retain their Premier Division title. In other words, all is well on the sporting front.

So today I felt proud to be the President of Giffnock Tennis Squash and Hockey Club. Sport is such a terrific environment in which to bring people together and tonight I even more determined to work to ensure the future of Giffnock in what remains of my Presidential year!