Louis & Lewis, Smith & Hamilton, Formula 1 & Gymnastics

Formula 1 World Champion 2016 Nico Rosberg !!!!

For me Rosberg deserved to win the championship this year, 

I do not however believe he is the best racing driver on the grid and yesterday we said goodbye to 2 greats Massa and Button. 2 great talents in a small pool of awesome drivers which includes for me Alonso, vettel and of course Lewis Hamilton, who has to be the best driver in Formula 1 right now. But watch out Max Verstappen is coming and he is going to kick everyones ass. 

 I bet Hamilton was quite deflated at not reigning world champion anymore, having won 3 times.  

Earlier this year we witnessed the specticle that is the Olympics where Max Whitlock stormed through to win a number of medals and become the most successful British Male Gymnast, Well deserved in my opinion. In doing so he took the title away from Louis Smith and this was in addition to Louis standing next to a successful Max at the British Championships in liverpool earlier in the year. Louis Smith was quite visibly gutted, and has since apologised for the way his response looked. 

There's the background and now I will go on to explain how I feel both of the above have let fans down. 

Louis Smith MBE

 Last Month we were reading the headlines that an Olympian who has dedicated his life to his sports has been suspended due to some stupidity on his behalf and I will not be defending him here for his actions.
     I will however pass on a little advice to him (assuming he ever reads this). My career was damaged by similar stupidity albeit not my comments and my political career still hasn't fully recovered 7 years on, friends made jokes and I found it funny at the time. Take this as an opportunity to reflect and regroup, sort yourself out, review friendships and interactions with friends and more than anything else move forward. Social media is like an Olympic final, its great to be part of it but a small slip and it's dangerous and can be all over.
   I'm much more reflective now
Louis Smith  has for me become more arrogant over recent years and I has watched this happen. Maybe fame takes its toll, or maybe to complete immersion that the sport demands has limited horizons, But the bottom line is that his behaviour this year has been an embarrassment and a let down to all his fans.

Lewis Hamilton

Yesterday I watched the last grand prix of the season. and what a fantastic race it could have been, 12 points separated Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. Lewis needed a win but Nico only needed 3rd.
Formula 1 ! the pinnacle of motorsport ! the fastest drivers combine with the fastest machines to display skill and take the win. (I say fastest machines I have opinions on the regulations of the sport).

Yesterday we witnessed a racing driver (I'd say the best in the world) not doing what i would expect. Hamilton was not driving as fast as he could smashing lap records but deliberately driving slowly!!! the championship this year was decided by the performance of driver and car throughout the whole season taking us right to the last race. The only guys racing near the front were 3rd and 4th, 5 laps from the end i turned to my wife and said this is crap I didn't turn on to watch this. I felt really let down.
I remember being in a pub in my youth when the track Love Me Tender came on the karaoke a guy sat near me said "God I hate this, the king of rock n roll singing ballads what was he doing". I thought of this yesterday "the fastest driver in the world going slow".
Is it anything for a win? Is deliberately going slow attempting to fix a result in the same way a cricketer may drop a catch or as goal keeper may let one in ?
Maybe I'm being harsh but something about a driver going slow in Formula 1 doesn't feel right.

2017 new cars, new regs, I think Redbull and Verstappen may well be in the mix at the top of the championship.

Louis and Lewis, good luck in the future and learn from 2016

Ninefoot Park a place to play IDEA

Quote George Osborne in Manchester 16th September 2016 09:20.

"Frankly when you're in politics and do jobs like I have done you put out ideas and launch initiatives that don't get off the ground"

    This is the mantra I am going to use to justify posting ideas on this blog, what's the worst that can happen? the idea doesn't get off the ground.

So this idea is about improving the park near where I live, 

Ninefoot park,

A place of play

Current position

Nine foot park is a large open public space, tree lined containing 2 football pitches and evidence of previous place equipment.

Proposal,

To create an open space with a variety of activities for all ages to enjoy the great outdoors, including places to play, exercise or rest and relax.

The proposal is to set up a local interest/residents/park neighbours group to work in partnership with the public sector to oversee and deliver an equipped open space. This will include aspiration, designing, fund raising (collections, donations and grant funding)and planning the project. Equipment will be procured and installed by professional specialist companies.

Equipment

• 2 sport walls, one for teens and adults and one for juniors, these are the traditional wall with goal and basketball hoop, I wrote of the virtues of kicking a ball in the blog entry about Childhood Obesity, basically unless the ball comes back its really boring.
• 2 climbing frame/ play areas as per the pictures below, this is to cater for different age groups
• 2 twin frames of swings, providing 4 cradle swings and 4 normal swings, it amazes me how people just love sitting on swings. 
• Covered benches are also needed in the park to focus places to sit and spend time
• 1 Adult/teen trim track 1.5 km trim trail including 8-10 different exercises and signage for direction and instruction

Delivery

• Confirm TBC have no plans or reasons to refuse as landowners etc
• Create Group
• Agree roles
• Agree designs
• Create fundraising plan
• Source suppliers
• Install equipment

Before too much work is done we must be clear that the landowner will not have any issues in trying to complete this.  It is also important that we work with the local authority as this will have an impact on deliverability with regards Public Liability, planning permission and landlords consent.

Whilst at this stage this scheme is merely an idea a key to delivering the long term sustainability of the area community buy in is essential. The role of a local interest group is key to the projects delivery however the roles within the group will be varied from soft consultation and participation with events through to part time volunteer role in project management or treasury.

	Costs of project
Phase 1	Childrens play		£40,260.00
		Phase costs	£40,260.00
Phase 2	MUGA x 2		£33,462.00
		Phase costs	£33,462.00
Phase 3	Adult Trim Trail estimated costs		£4,565.00
		Phase costs	£4,565.00
	Project Costs		£78,287.00

these costs are from suppliers I found locally and the photos here are from their website.

 

 

Phase 1	Childrens Play
	Item	Costs
1	bombay under 6 clc/bom	£9,556.00
2	London 6+	£24,329.00
3	city 2 bar cradle swing scsw(2)	£3,055.00
4	city 2 bay junior swing	£3,320.00
	total (including installation)	£40,260.00

Phase 2	Ball Games area estimated costs
	Item	Costs
1	Sportswall Junior Classic	£16,731.00
2	Sports wall Classic	£16,731.00
	total (including installation)	£33,462.00

Phase3	Adult Trim Trail estimated costs
	Item	Costs
1	Tyre Run	£375.00
2	2m Climbing Wall	£675.00
3	Net Climb	1,150.00
4	Heaves & Lying Heaves	£495.00
5	Rope Assault	£950.00
	Customised Trail Data Board x 2
	Pair Trail data board support posts 2.4m x 4	£220.00
	Oval 60 degree Station Indicators x 10	£250.00
	60 degree Cut Station Indicator Post x 10	£450.00
	total (plus installation)	£4,565.00