Going For 4 Gets A Thumbs Up From Me

Other than a few clips on social media, I haven't watched anything from the UFL American football league in the two years since it has been active following a merger between the XFL and USFL.

With that said, I have been intrigued by one of the new rule changes that have been implemented from this season.

The new ruling gives four points for field goals converted from sixty yards or further. 

I caught the first-ever successful attempt over the weekend. I think it will make for some tense closes to games so I am all-in on such a move.

I'm also hopeful that the NFL and team owners are paying close attention to the move. I'd love to see a sixty-yard plus field goal seal a game rather than a field goal sending one into overtime in the dying hours.

Not that I dislike the latter. Those are dramatic. However, I feel going for four would be even more fun for the viewer.

The Clocks, The Clocks!!

I am sure I've written it before, but I shall repeat myself once again: I hate having to change the clocks twice a year.

To be fair, the jump to BST is more easier than falling back to GMT later in the year. However, it still bugs me having to work out the oven clock (my biggest challenge!).  I always end up hitting the wrong button resulting in me having to pull out the plug to restart things (a rookie move I've been doing since, well.. my rookie year!).

The thing that irks me the most about this year's move is that I had to turn the electrics off in my home a fortnight ago. So, I've had to do the clock changing twice within the past few weeks. 

I might come across as barmy stating this, but I should have spent the past two weeks with the wrong clock in preparation for today.

With all that said - microwaves, ovens and radios aside, thing have improved as the years have gone on. Other devices automatically change.

I also welcome another thought during the spring - next time I have to mess with the clocks, it'll be the NFL season.

Unless, of course, I have to switch the electricity off for a random reason before September's kick off.

I Try Asda's Easter Gooey Chocolate Spread

I bought an Easter-themed spread from Asda the other day.

I had a feeling the Easter Gooey Chocolate Spread would remind me of Cadbury's Creme Eggs. 

Bad assumption on my part. It didn't.

By the time I had spread the product over my toast, the 'yolk' (yellow part of the spread) had vanished. I was left with.. well, I was left with chocolate spread.

And that's all it was. Chocolate spread which looks prettier when you look at its jar. 

It's pointless. Buy regular chocolate spread instead.

Wales Out Of World Cup Contention

Wales have boycotted the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

I kid.

They won't be off to the Americas for this summer's tournament following their elimination in a qualifying playoff last night.

After going 1-0 up, and holding the lead, they ended up letting Bosnia-Herzegovina score in the closing moments of regulation. 

With the game still tied after extra time, penalties decided Wales' fate.

Just like in the game itself, Wales were ahead at one point but ended up losing momentum at the most imperfect time.

And that's that. 

For two to four years.

25 Years Ago Tonight.

25 Years ago tonight.

That's how long it has been since the last episode of WCW Monday Nitro aired on TV.

I was quite bemused, the other day, when it dawned on me how long it had been since the infamous episode of WCW's flagship programme went off the air for good. 

That week's instalment aired a few days after Vince McMahon's Titan Sports bought out the WWF's main competitors.

McMahon appeared on Nitro via a live link up from where the WWF was filming WWE Monday Night Raw.

It was quite surreal to see the two shows merged at certain points during the night. Especially in the closing angle which had Vince McMahon brag about owning the competition only for Vince's son - Shane - to appear live from the WCW ring to announce that it was he who had purchased WCW from under his dad's nose.

The simulcast ended with a fuming Vince and a happy Shane mere weeks before the pair would do battle against each other at WrestleMania XVII.

All an angle. Obviously.

I think it's safe to state that the world of professional wrestling has never been the same, good and definitely bad, since those few days in March 2001.

A Couple Of Heroes, A Couple Of Links

Yesterday was quite a day for a couple of my heroes from the past.

As noted in the most recent post, I realised it was Peyton Manning's 50th birthday. I wrote about how he is my favourite American football player ever and linked to the post from over twelve years ago when I shared my experience of receiving his autograph in the mail from the GOAT.

Another bit of news from yesterday was wrestling-related.

Sid Eudy, who worked for some of the top promotions during the 1980s into the early 2000s will be posthumously inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in a few weeks.

Sid Vicious, Sid Justice or whatever other name he would be known as, was one of my favourite wrestlers back in the day.

I wrote a huge blog post about Sid shortly after his passing. I think that highlights just how much of a fan I am.

I obviously welcome the news of Sid being honoured during WrestleMania Week. It'll be nice for his family to experience it all. It would have been cooler to have seen Sid take the stage himself, though. I'm not pointing fingers. It could have been a combination of reasons why WWE didn't choose Sid sooner. It could have also been a choice Sid made to not accept any earlier invitations.

Yesterday's couple of news items aren't just linked by me being a fan of both men. Another thing I thought was cool about the coincidence of them both are linked to a certain building.

Sid headlined Indianapolis' Hoosier Dome for his match against Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania VIII in April of 1992. Manning is also tied to that stadium because that's where he began his pro football career as quarterback of the Indianapolis Colts.

Sid Justice at the Hoosier Dome in 1992

18 Turns 50

I didn't have a plan for today's post, when I was sat at my laptop this morning. I concluded I would wait until later in the day. See if something in the news inspired me.

Well, look what we have here:

Peyton Manning is 50 years old today.

If you've followed this blog throughout its entire twenty-plus years, you will - without a doubt - know that Manning is my favourite American football player of all time.

One of my favourite possessions, as a sports fan, is the signed autograph Manning sent to me twelve years ago. You can read all about it IN THIS POST.