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America, Countries, Sport, UK

Paws for thought… let’s have a British mascot hall of fame

27th September 202627th September 2026 funtime65

And on the back of a night at the ice hockey, here’s a paws for thought… let’s have a British mascot hall of fame.

Paws, as I ought to have known, but do now is Edinburgh Capitals’ lion mascot.

In a pride of big cats, the symbols of sporting teams the length and breadth of this island of Britain.

With Edinburgh’s two football teams, Hearts and Hibs adopting Tynie Tiger and Sunshine the Leith Lynx.

And Scotland represented by Roary the Lion.

Whisper it, we probably owe our southern neighbours for kicking it all off.

With their World Cup Willie for their World Cup in 1966.

Cats and mouse game

And yes, behind many of the mascots’ name is a giggling overgrown school kid, although sometimes it’s accidental.

Or because we are separated by a common language.

As we discovered as an Irish party visiting the Los Angeles Angels baseball team in Anaheim.

And our Angels guide proudly announced they like nothing better than getting their Mickeys out.

Which a man will be arrested for in Ireland.

Hall of Famers

All good fun and banter which, of course, drives fans everywhere.

And which our American friends recognise and mark in their Mascot Hall of Fame.

Wild World: With Anaheim Ducks’ Wild Wing

All the brainchild of Philly Phanatic, David Redmond, who held the position and costume from 1978-1993.

Now the Hall of Fame, like much else these days, is an online site.

After a spell between 2018-24 as an interactive children’s’ museum in Indiana.

Now should you or your mascot feel they belong in the Hall of Fame then you need to persuade the committee.

That you have been going for a minimum of ten years.

And that you have impacted your sport and community.

Inspired fans, and consistently given memorable and groundbreaking performances.

Meet the Mascots

You’ll only join a magical mascots membership.

That includes Cosmo, Miles, Goldy, Mrs Met and in the best tradition of these things, yes, Cocky.

We reckon Paws would be a worthy addition.

Not least because we can reveal that’s where Ed Sheeran has been hiding these past few days.

Countries, Europe, Sport

Power to the padel and the new Wimbledon

9th August 20269th August 2026 funtime65

We always like to be there at the birth of a new phenomenon so we say power to the padel and the new Wimbledon.

It was lights out, all out, this past week as London took its place on the Formula 1-style Premier Padel calendar.

Padel, described to us in Portugal as the child that tennis and squash would have begotten, has taken Britain by storm this summer.

And 20,000 padel fans, new and old, have filed through Olympia to see padel’s finest put through their paces.

And with the type of flair and salesmanship you would expect from the Saudis who are championing the event.

Padel Pedro

Bat’s the way to do it: Champion padel players

Sela chief growth officer Luke Lloyd-Davies predicted: ‘My hope would be it could become a Wimbledon of padel.

‘It is all up for being shaped and discussed with Premier Padel and with the Lawn Tennis Association.’

Padel’s popularity has long been enjoyed in the Iberian peninsula.

Where it is even more popular than tennis and the second highest participation sport after football.

Padel’s beauty is, of course, in its simplicity.

Keeeeep dancin’: With Judy Murray in Portugal

With its underarm serve, smaller enclosed court and glass walls keep rallies alive longer.

The underarm serve, smaller enclosed court, and glass walls keeping rallies alive longer.

And making it simple for beginners including this tyro in Quinto do Lago in Portugal.

Armed then with the tennis skills passed on to me by Judy Murray (only the best).

Padel prices

Its accessibility too makes it a clear winner with Spain and Portuguese courts costing between €6 and €20.

Meaning at its optimum only €5 for the four of you.

Ideal for couples and families on holiday.

Compared to the £100 it could cost you around London.

Just a nod there to the padel people who are trying to hit me up here for a donation for a court around East Lothian.

Although they might want to sign me up as a professional.

Countries, Sport

The Curse of Mayo is lifted… now for other jinxes

28th July 202628th July 2026 funtime65

And hope for all superstitious suffering sports fans everywhere, the Curse of Mayo is lifted… now for other jinxes.

Mayo’s trials are legend in Ireland where they have suffered 75 years of hurt (take that Baddiel and Skinner).

Since they upset a priest officiating a funeral with their boisterous celebrations in the village of Foxford.

On the occasion of the county’s last All-Ireland title in 1951 before this week’s one.

The pastor cursed the squad that they’d win no more Gaelic Football Championships while any of them were still alive.

Mayo for Sam

Fast forward 75 years and 11 lost All-Irelands later the Yew County are All-Ireland champions again.

And you can make of it what you will.

But the last connection with the 1951 team, Dr Mick Loftus died three years ago.

Now the story of Mayo’s retribution has gone viral with the Diaspora and Mayo descendant Joe Biden’s cri de coeur.

With the ex-Prez of the Oo Es of Eh posting ‘Mayo for Sam’… the trophy named for GA titan Sam Maguire.

Gods of sport

It’s never wise to upset the gods (have you seen The Odyssey?) or God, or even the Mother of God.

Particularly in Catholic Argentina, where in 1986 manager Carlos Bilardo pledged to the Virgin of Copacabana.

That if they won the World Cup he would return to give homage.

Only he and Diego Maradona and the boys forgot all about in the excitement.

And Argentina failed to win another World Cup for 36 years.

The squad made amends in 2018 and Our Lady bestowed her blessings on her Argentinian children although she made them wait.

Until that god in human form Lionel Messi led Argentina to World Cup four years later in Qatar.

Don’t tinker with gypsies

Nor is it ever wise to trample over gypsy land…

Just ask Birmingham City, preferred team of the Peaky Blinders Shelbys, who built on gypsy land.

And had to wait 100 years for the curse to be lifted and for them to win their first major silverware.

Even after managers had put crucifixes on the floodlights and urinated at the four corners of the ground.

While fellow English clubs Leeds and Derby have also dallied with the Romany community and lived to regret it.

The Penn is mightier

Sometimes a curse can be imposed across sports as what happened when Philadelphia’s Big Four teams were cursed.;

For the hubris of city builders in 1987.

Who perhaps didn’t think that the Ghost of William Penn, the city’s founder wouldn’t notice that they erected a building taller than the peak of his hat.

On his statue atop the spire of City Hall.

A no-no in the City of Brotherly Love.

When the final beam of the Comcast Center, was raised in 2007, iron workers attached a small figurine of Billy to the beam in an attempt to break the curse.

And it seemed to work with the following year, the Phillies winnimg the 2008 World Series.

Ten years later, when the even taller Comcast Technology Center was topped out.

The iron workers did the same thing and the Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl.

And in other curses

Pitching for success: Cubs’ Wrigley Field

Add to that the Curse of the Bambino (Babe Ruth’s trade from the Boston Red Sox to the New York Yankees) and Merkle’s Boner and the Curse of the Billy Goat placed on the Chicago Cubs.

And you’ll see that there is no limit to price that can be paid for perceived indiscretions.

Though what our own Scotland did to offend the deities which ensures that our football team can never progress.

Beyond the group stages of a major football finals.

Well answers on a postcard… and yes, we all know the joke about Scotland returning home before the postcards.

Africa, Countries, Europe, Sport

Bring on the 2030 World Cup and Spain, Portugal and Morocco

19th July 202619th July 2026 funtime65

And by the time you read this it will be all over so bring on the 2030 World Cup and Spain, Portugal and Morocco.

Which we would suggest, Mexico excepting, is ‘football coming home’ to the Old World.

And closer, and less expensive, for those of us who live in the tip of an island in the North of Europe.

A Nou experience

Barca legends: Messi is still everywhere

Now Spain, Portugal and Morocco are loco about their football as we have discovered first hand.

When we helicoptered over Barcelona (is there any other way?) and gasped at the sight of the Nou Camp.

Only to be told by the pilot that that was the reserve side’s ground.

While Jose, our Special One guide, in Portugal explained.

That under the dictator Salazar he ran the country by the Three Fs… Football, Fado and Fatima.

Portugal’s secular God

All of which became clearer in that Marian site when meeting the niece of one of the Little Shepherds (as you do) in the porch of her house.

And seeing that among the stands of holy relics and statues of Our Lady what stood out was…

A beach towel of Portugal’s secular God, one Cristiano Ronaldo.

Now we’ve flagged up already this year how the AFCON tournament held in Morocco was pitched.

At the kind of prices that would buy you a hot dog and a beer at the WC.

Although once Gianni Infantino gets his claws into that we expect tagines and mint teas to surge in price.

Shirt hits fan in Morocco

While you’ll have to have your wits about you when it comes to bartering.

Again which we found out to our cost when buying the oblig national football team’s shirt in Jemaa el-Fnaa in Marrakech.

Now if you’re reading this in South America, you’ve got the consolation of having single games in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay.

A nod to the centenary of the first competition held in Fray Bentos land back in 1930.

All that’s left now is to pull down the 48 flag bunting from the garden fence.

Who knows who’ll be on it in four years’ time but we do know should Scotland get there then they’ll do it the hard way.

Africa, Sport

Oh, oh, oh, oh Mandela Day

18th July 202618th July 2026 funtime65

And yes it will sound better in his native Xhosa tongue but for the day that’s in it and in the words of my fellow Glaswegian… oh, oh, oh, oh Mandela Day.

The Great Man, and the world hasn’t really had anyone like him since, was born on this day 108 years ago.

And since 2009 has been celebrated, by dint of the UN, as Nelson Mandela International Day.

While in his native South Africa, the Father of the Nation, is celebrated for the whole of the month.

Although, in truth, he is honoured every day of the year.

The name of the game reserve

C’mon the Rangers: With Iain and Hewart in Mount Camdeboo

By all, and certainly by Iain Buchanan, conservationist and founder of Mount Camdeboo Lodge.

In the Great Karoo in the Eastern Cape in South Africa.

Who, after confirming his Scottish roots, led a toast to The Great Man over high tea on the reserve.

Now we wouldn’t be surprised to have seen Iain at the rugby today.

Flying the flags: For South Africa and Scotland

A 12-hour drive is nothing to this rugby nut or in fact any Springboks fan.

Enjoying a braai outside the ground.

Which, of course, is another South African staple, whether in a lodge on a game reserve.

Or in a Gqeberha (or Port Elizabeth when we visited) township.

Because Madeeba turned the perception of the Boks when he donned a rugby shirt at the World Cup final in 1995.

Mandela pray

Of course, taking in a Boks match should be on most people’s sports bucket lists.

As much for sampling the culture of the country (and the braai) as watching the rugby, and Siya Kolisi and his world champion side.

Because you know what I always say, when you go away from home, take in where people play and people pray.

So here on Nelson Mandela International Day, we give up a prayer to Nelson Mandela.

And the poor sides, on this occasion today Wales.

Braai old time: Springbok fan in the township

But it was Scotland and England’s fate before that, who have to play his beloved Springboks.

Now to stay at the Mount Camdeboo Lodge for a week for two in a pod will set you back R 67,088, down from R 83,860.

Which in our British Earth Money is £3,000.

And check out the major airlines because fares will have changed since we last went out.

Caribbean, Countries, Sport

Gary Sobers, a Bajan legend cast in stone

17th July 202617th July 2026 funtime65

When you’re young you don’t mind approaching sporting legends but that gets lost over the years, all of which springs to mind reflecting on the life of Gary Sobers, a Bajan legend cast in stone.

Alas, the old autograph book of the players from that cricket match in Glasgow, including the great Sir Gary’s scribble, is also a thing of the past.

Windies blow in: With Jevan at the cricket

While in the haze of rum from a day out at the cricket at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown I lost the courage to approach the great man, sat in the crowd.

Or ask him his recollections of Old Anniesland or the boy who had crept through the bushes to see him.

In with the bricks

Sobers, for those of us who were lucky to see him back in the day was the OG all-rounder.

And the first to hit six sixes in a six-ball over.

You can imagine just how.

Standing by his statue outside the Bridgetown ground flashing his bat in the air.

Now passing over my own limited cricket career, best score 2, playing with the Sri Lankan staff in the Maldives.

I feel that over the years I have got in with the bricks with West Indian cricket and cricketers and Barbados.

And here in fact is the evidence on the Builders of Barbados Wall of families who have contributed to the island’s history.

The shoulders of giants

And hanging out with fellow Bajan greats Joel ‘Big Bird’ Garner and Collis King.

Although I’ll never live down asking a demure small moustachioed fellow reveller at Foreday Morning during carnival if he played a bit of cricket.

Irie, if you call what Brian Lara did on a cricket pitch, playing a little.

It was, of course, fitting that it was Sir Garfield Sobers who made Brian Lara a special presentation in Antigua.

After he surpassed his world record 365.

There won’t be a cloud safe enough from Gary’s big sixes now.

RIP Sir Gary Sobers (1936-2026).

Countries, South America, Sport

Hutton and why Scots cheer Argentina against England

15th July 202615th July 2026 funtime65

And for the day that’s in it’s hats aff to Watson Hatton and why Scots cheer Argentina against England.

And you thought it was because of Diego Maradona and his Hand of God.

When it was Scottish teacher Hutton, the Father of Argentinian Football, all along.

For it was Gorbals boy Watson who popularised the game in Buenos Aires along with his fellow Caledonian emigres.

Watson, a keen sportsman (obvs) introduced kickball at the St Andrews Scotch School in the nation’s capital in 1882.

And the Glaswegian was behind the formation of the Argentine Association Football League in 1893.

And two years later the Buenos Aires English High School and a former pupil’s team in 1898 which became known as the Alumni Athletic.

Argentinian Alumni

Now historians of Argentinian football will know all about Alumni, the leading lights in that country’s game in the first two decades of the 20th century.

Watson was himself standing on the shoulders of another giant, an Alec Lamont, a head teacher from St Andrews, who two years prior to Watson’s league set up the Argentine Association Football League.

The earliest known league outside of Britain which St Andrews won after a play-off with Old Caledonians.

Our cup of Lipton tea

Now World Cup anoraks will be quick to tell you that the first final was between Argentina and Uruguay.

But it was an established rivalry by 1930, again because of Scots.

Glasgow tea magnate Thomas Lipton donated the Copa Lipton trophy in 1905 for competition between both nations which ran until 1992.

Watson’s son Arnold starred for Alumni and scored in Argentina’s 2-0 Copa Lipton win over Uruguay in 1906.

And that Scottish thread has been running through Argentinian teams ever since.

James Brown’s Boys

With a James Brown, one of the original Scottish settlers to Argentina in 1824 delivering manifold to the Argentinian cause.

Seven brothers and a cousin, all grandchildren of James Brown, would play for Argentinean clubs and six would also play for the Argentinian national team.

Jorge Gibson Brown captained Argentina from 1908 to 1913 and if you recognise that name in a previous Argentina team then ten out of ten.

Jose Luis Brown scored one of the goals as Argentina won the World Cup in 1986.

Vamos Argentina

While World Cup winner and key member of today’s Argentina team Alexis Mac Allister, is clearly one of Jock Tamson’s Bairns.

All of which you can regale your Argentinian friends with when you visit the country’s iconic grounds.

And the museums Museo River Plate, Boca Juniors’ interactive Museo de la Pasion Boquense and the intimate Diego Maradona Shrine at Argentinos Juniors Museo.

While, of course, you can pay pilgrimage to the Father of Argentinian Football himself, Watson Hutton.

At the British Cemetery (Cementerio Britanico) on Avenida Elcano in the Chacarita neighbourhood of the capital, accessible via the Federico Lacroze subway station.

America, Countries, Europe, Flying, Sport

A tale of Lief, Erling and Transatlantic Norse power

11th July 202611th July 2026 funtime65

The Americans have never seen anything like it before, only they have… it’s a tale of Leif, Erling and Transatlantic Norse power.

Because, in truth, Leif Eriksson and the Vikings were the first settlers of North America.

Nearly 500 years before Christopher Columbus.

When the longboats made terra firma at L’Anse aux Meadowes in Newfoundland.

And made their way over the years, four million of them, to the Upper Midwest and the Pacific Northwest.

Mostly to Minnesota, the Dakotas, Wisconsin, Washington State and California.

The Norse Home Country

Well, they’ve been joined, as we’ve all seen in the last month, by crewmen and women from the Old Country.

With the Norwegians giving the Scots a run for their money as the party people of this World Cup.

With their Viking-rooing, or Viking rowing crowd surge.

Even taking over escalators in Boston.

And those very same Scots taking to Norway as their adopted team.

Well, the nearest train station for Shetlanders is Bergen.

Row, row, row your boat

And while none got wet in its production apart from spilled lager.

Modern Norsemen did put their backs into it to row all the way across the Atlantic.

With 338 Norwegian supporters crossing the Atlantic on Norse Atlantic Airways’ longship to New York.

Of course, most of us don’t have that amount of time (and that’s our excuse) so we avail instead of their flights.

The stuff of legend

Norse have been putting on extra seats for Miami for their quarter-final match with England.

And we dare say that Norse flights will be in high demand for the final on Sunday, July 19 in New Jersey.

But here they are, should you be free for next Sunday, from £1,082 return Saturday to Monday.

America, Central America, Countries, Sport

A healthy attitude to altitude

5th July 20265th July 2026 funtime65

And ahead of a certain football game in Mexicoo City here’s how to build a healthy attitude to altitude.

Courtesy of our friends from Denver, the Mile High City.

Where the first piece of advice we were given was around booze.

And that visitors need drink only half as much to get twice as drunk.

And twice as much water as you would at home.

Not easy when you’re at an international travel fair and are being wined and dined around town.

Even when you’re breakfasting at the institution that is The Milk Market.

Food for thought

Breakfast of champions: And that’s OJ, honestly

It turns out too that I should have been side swerving all those lovely sugary treats the Americans do so well.

And rather seeking out the broccoli, bananas, avocado, cantaloupe, celery, greens, bran, chocolate, granola, dates, dried fruit, potatoes and tomatoes.

Which all help you replenish electrolytes by balancing salt intake.

Dressed to chill

Got it covered: Keep cool and your head protected

Now we expect that the England football fans are all dressed in their best retro tops and ready to go.

But maybe those lion and crusader costumes might chafe a bit in the heat and thin air.

Better too having extra protection against the sun which is naturally closer higher up.

A different hat: But maybe not in the heat

Because there’s 25% less protection from the sun up in the air.

So sunscreen is a must.

With Denver receiving more than 300 days of sunshine each year (more than Miami).

So bring sunglasses, sunscreen and lip balm.

Take it easy

The welfare of the people who take the pitch, of course, will dictate the mood.

Of the fans who have followed them out and up to Mexico City.

Our altitude advisers tell us that the effects of exercise are more intense at altitude.

Bandanaman: And the Bandanettes at Coors Field

So if you normally run ten miles a day at home.

Then you’re best to try six miles at altitude until you build up the red blood cells.

The Mile and a Half City

Which, of course, England manager has been reminding us he hasn’t had the luxury to do with his players.

Getting his excuses in early.

He might want to try this one too should his attackers balloon the ball over or if the Mexicans hit their target.

And bear in mind too all of you at the footie or plans to take in magical Mexico City.

The Mile and a Half City.

Which we found a sample deal with £1,032 round trip from Edinburgh with KLM, through Amsterdam and back through Paris with Air France.

Countries, Europe, Sport, UK

When the famous Tartan Army met the Teuton Army

2nd July 2026 funtime65

When the famous Tartan Army met the Teuton Army in the Euros in Germany two years ago it changed everything.

With bonds between the 200,000 Scots and their German hosts forged and rekindled.

And promises made to meet up again in two years time in America at the World Cup.

Alas, our paths weren’t to cross in the US with Scotland and Germany being drawn apart and both being knocked out early.

But did last night at a Scottish-German get-together in Edinburgh last night.

Where we raised a Prost and a Sláinte with Harald, Charlotte and unsere alten Freunde.

And parked any Schadenfreude for England’s travails until they squeezed by DR Congo.

Back at kindergarten

Not, in truth, that the Germans have ever bought into the grudge that England feels for them.

With, in fact, it being the Dutch with whom the Germans share a rivalry.

Now while football was to the fore, and the World Cup is poorer for Scotland and Germany being out.

We were in town to celebrate the links between our countries and learn, of course, new things.

Because, after all every day is a kindergarten day.

And didn’t we discover our hosts for the night. Anderson Strathern LLP, boasted a Nuremberg chest heirloom dating back to 1701?

My German footballing odyssey

My own German footballing odyssey involved Nuremberg .

When I took in my first game in Deutschland, a Bavarian derby with Bayern Munchen during my first Oktoberfest.

And not even getting a smack in the nose back outside the Hofbrauhuis.

For trying to split up two footballing frauleins, from one of their boyfriends I’m saying, has put me off my love of football.

Which was cemented on a memorable tour around the Ruhr, the spiritual home of German football, while also visiting the German football museum.

Where they bask in the glory of four World Cups and three European Championships (count them).

Flower of Scotland in Germany

World in our hands: At the German Football Museum

So everything is still rosy in the German garden and also in the Ruhr region which will bring a different tourist over next year for their very special gardening spectacle.

All of which has got me thinking, mibbeees I should present a trip to the Ruhr Valley as a horitcultural holiday to Der Scary One.

And I slide off to Essen, Dortmund and Gelsenkirchen.