Well, I certainly put my foot in my mouth with my most recent post-the one in which I was whining and opining about the Winter Olympics being a yawn, yawn event. My post was hardly cold to the touch when I found that they, or some secretive delegate, had struck back at me with a kick in the teeth so devastating that it sent me reeling! The first hint of impending wrath was dealt last Monday when Chelsea, that much-hated club from that much-hated London, went to the Etihad Stadium and beat Manchester City-the first home game of the season in which City dropped a point!

And worse was to follow!

Since August last, we football/soccer fans in the US have had our eyes glued to the NBC Sports Network at weekends and some weekday evenings in order to watch live the Barclay’s Premier League matches. Well, horror of horrors, today I carried out my customary Saturday morning tuning to Channel 448, the Comcast cable channel that airs the BPL games in these parts, only to find that Olympic speed skating events were being shown! It appears that NBC have the Olympic franchise and some genius (that’s a pejorative) has decided that there will be more revenue from thrusting these non-sports events down our throats for the next three weeks, than would be gained by showing a few BPL games; and just when the top of the league is being heavily contested in the run-up to the season’s end.

I suppose I shot myself in the foot by complaining so loudly about these games, and now my vociferousness (a nice 14-letter word!) is being revenged. But I am not repentant-one has to stand up for one’s principles. Send the Olympic Games back to Olympia, or wherever, and give us our football back.

Grrr!!