HEART-WARMING...

Maybe it`s my new found image as born again Mr. Nice Guy that is encouraging me to see things from a different perspective, but I found little to complain about and much to warm the heart in this weekend`s sporting events.

It started with England winning the limited over series against New Zealand in fine style and it might have been the glorious sunny weather down there that made watching it that much more enjoyable, as we here seem to be stuck in a very determined spell of cold, gloomy weather.   But well done to Alastair Cook and his troops and especially the upcoming group of young players coming through and boding well for future days in the sun.   (I still have regrets about not becoming an international cricketer, but that`s another story.)

I followed the heroics - yet again - of our cyclists in the World Championships in Minsk and was astonished to see that they had lost none of the momentum they had from their triumphant Olympics.   What an inspirational group of young talent we have there.

On the football front, it`s good to see my neighbour`s beloved Gillingham regaining top spot in their division but things were not so good for our street`s fleet-footed wideman Scott Wagstaff and his Charlton chums, who lost at home to Nottingham Forest.   As for the Saints, well, I`m consoling myself with the notion that I would have taken two points from the games against Manchester City and Newcastle, whereas in fact we managed three.   Silver lining time.

But the most heart-warming events were probably the Capital One Cup Final yesterday and England` Rugby Union win over France.   Not so much for the results or even the performances, but more for two aspects which the rest of professional sport would do well to emulate.   Yesterday`s Wembley Final was memorable for so many reasons - Swansea`s first ever major trophy and Bradford becoming the first club ever to reach a Wembley final from the fourth tier of English football - but it was the sheer enthusiasm and enjoyment displayed by the supporters of both teams that was so refreshing.   No hint of trouble, no malicious chanting, nothing other than raucous, genuine encouragement and mutual respect.   

And once again the attitude and behaviour of the English and French rugby teams was quite remarkable in a game of considerable intensity, non-stop endeavour and not a little brutality.   But not once was there the slightest hint of dissent towards the referee, who was, as always in rugby, respected and appreciated for the difficult job he had.   If only football`s Premier League would show even half the restraint and respect shown by yesterday`s football crowd and Saturday`s rugby players, how much more heart-warming might the `matchday experience` in the `best league in the world (tm)` become.