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ARTICLES
September 2003
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DB Col -
Trinidad Sports Money extradited to Jamaica and Barbados! |
9th September
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21st September
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21st September
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8th September
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7th September
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6th September
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Trinidad Sports Money
extradited to Jamaica and Barbados!
DANCING BRAVE COLUMN FOR SUNDAY 21ST SEPTEMBER, 2003By Andre. E. Baptiste Date Added: September 22nd 2003 |
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READ ALL ABOUT IT - Trinidad Sports Money extradited
to Jamaica and Barbados! Now is the chance to test yourself! Here are seven
news stories from the last 10 days. Which of them are true and which are
false? On your marks, get set. 1.
A man in Jackville,
Warnerhill, was prosecuted on the very unusual charge of conspiring to entice
others to trespass. He was engaged in a vendetta against his next-door
neighbour, and devised the unusual plan of annoying him by tying a set of
inflated party balloons to his 2.
The lighthouse at the
Arima Race Track in Santa Rosa, which is being moved a short distance, is not
being transported for safety reasons or to avoid erosion. The fact is that
the Arima Race Club has recently hired a feng shui consultant who has decided
that the lighthouse was built in a most unpropitious situation, facing
slightly the wrong way, 3.
Police were called to
a hot Sports Snacks'n'Sandwich bar in a lay-by in Maraval where more than 60
cars were parked and at least 100 people were queuing for service. A little
unrest had broken out, with people throwing water over each other. Police
were curious to know why there was such a demand for food and drink. It turned
out that the Sports bar had recently been awarded a license for celebrating
marriages, and one of their regular Trini Posse drivers had elected to get
married there. The long queue was the wedding reception and the unrest and
horseplay with water were an attempt to sober up the best man in time for his
speech. The fact that Brian Charles Lara was presence was only a conscience. 4.
The Trinidad and
Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC) has discovered a sports-shoes factory run by
National Amateur Athletic Association (NAAA) which was busy manufacturing
shoes that were not designed to be used. They were only going to be handed
over for decommissioning purposes, so that the NAAA could hang on to their
real weapons of distress, the athletes that they select every year to waste
the taxpayers money. 5.
Anxious to reclaim
from the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) the $750,000.00TT she owes it, the
Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board of Control (TTCBC) has been having secret
talks with the present incumbents in Jamaica to see if they can use the same
mechanism that was in Trinidad used on the executive of the WICB. Their talks
are being kept very hush-hush because the TTCBC does not want it to seem as
if it is trying to get the President sent into cricketing exile. On the other
hand, TTCBC would dearly love to get some of its due money, because, as one
executive put it, TTCBC can think of several sporting bodies in the 6.
Athletes seldom make news during the
winter, for the simple reason that athletes are not generally competing
during the winter and it is hard to make records in non-existent races.
However, athletecerealogists were called out in great excitement last week to
a field in the middle of Tunapuna where astounding symmetrical athletic
patterns had been spotted in the bare earth, a series of mostly straight, but
sometimes wavy lines in very tight parallels, suggesting great agility and
mobility. While they were examining the sporting phenomenon, the farmer who
owned the field came past that way
and informed them somewhat curtly that a)they were trespassing, and b) the
patterns were due to the fact that he had ploughed the field the day before.
The athletecerealogists refused to believe him and now think that
out-of-season athletic aliens made the patterns on a day outing. 7.
The Americans have a
secret plan up their sleeve to deal with the threat of any repeat of Strike
Squad heroics at the next World Cup qualifying rounds. As a last resort, they
are going to fly low over Trinidad and Tobago new Football Excellence Centre
and knock down all the plan facilities for cable cars. Did you spot that, in fact, all of the stories
were fake, except for the |
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PLAYERS WITH GLASSES IN FOOTBALLBy Andre. E. Baptiste Date Added: September 21st 2003 |
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Soon we could be witnessing Trinidad and Tobago
footballers in glasses on the field of play. FIFA have given the go-ahead for players to wear glasses during matches.
Fans who reckon their keeper is short-sighted will soon have their suspicions confirmed - and many believe referees have needed specs for years.
Juventus midfielder Edgar Davids already wears special orange-tinted bins because he suffers with glaucoma.
But now every player can go goggle-eyed wearing special sport spectacles, like this designer pair made by Oakley being modelled by West Ham keeper Craig Forrest.
Canadian goalkeeper Craig Forrest , who has tormented Trinidad and Tobago in the past said: "I think the specs are really cool. Sometimes I have heard the fans behind the goal telling me I need glasses and, hey, I'll do anything if it will improve my performances. The coloured lenses are really smart. They'll take some of the glare away from the floodlights during night matches.
"Sometimes you can be dazzled and that's why you let in goals - honest!"
FIFA relaxed their rules on glasses because of advancements in technology and now poor eyesight is no longer a barrier to a player's career.
A statement from world soccer's governing body read: "Sympathy was expressed for players, especially young players, who need to wear spectacles.
"It was accepted that new technology had made sports spectacles much safer."
"I remember at the last World Cup the game being halted because an England player had lost a contact lens, so this is a good step forward.
"Hopefully we will see an improved standard of play as a result."
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Royal OAK Derby ApproachesBy Andre. E. Baptiste Date Added: September 21st 2003 |
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The countdown to the 2003
edition of the Royal Oak Derby is underway, with Derby fever becoming
contagious amongst the racing fraternity in the country. Although many
will audition, only one will be chosen for the part of lead actor and today
we review the candidates for the BUNNY PRIZE of Last place. The
candidates come from across the Caribbean and once again feature contenders
from Barbados.
In traditional fashion though we are back .In 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001, we got it right although in 2002, we lost by a long two lengths, so a return to glory is the objective of this analysis (which took all of five and a half minutes). What follows, we hope is understood, for what it is, an analysis of the inability of the ability of the three year olds on display. In a race that requires ability to win, we look at the disabilities that lead to 15th and last place.
Top of the Class is at 1500-1, to place dead last in this field, but the musical chairs of opinions from jockeys and trainers particularly those involving "under pressure" jockey Ricardo Jadoo, suggests that Top Of Class, may in fact have been over-trained especially in his latest gallop.
Undisputed and Celebration Time come from the same family in terms of ownership. However while both colts have shown some promise in commercials, they have failed to perform under lights on most occasions. Undisputed has the better pedigree. This colt however like Time seems destined to a bit role. Both have been coupled at 1000-1.
Super Grey with the wily tipster who has a lot of knowledge as his trainer may still find that he would need to borrow superman's wings to win, but like his trainer can be a batman and is in at 600-1.
The Bajans are here in three folds; already there is some interspersed betting for one of the Bajans If there is one sign it is that not many Barbadians have made the trip.
In the meanwhile, while the few Bajans and some Jockeys jostle to stay out of this last place betting, the bookmakers (and now there are fewer and fewer and fewer) or the OTB's are not taking any betting on this, for fear of a back lash from concerned and knowledgeable customers. Did I remind everyone that this bet is only available in certain parts of Trinidad not even in Tobago?
At 500-1 is the other Bajan Sweet Dreams with a Trini abroad in Rajpaul Rajkumar, adding fuel to the fire that a Trini man can ride a Bajan better than one of their own, at 250-1 is Royal Red the last of the threesome from Barbados. Trinidadian poker players, turned Gamblers on Race days are putting their well earned cash on Barbadian Jason Maughn not being able to steer Ginger Bay (150-1) the right way around this track, and he may find himself in some difficulty racing backwards
Sir Vidia with Jody Arneaud
in the saddle is trained by President of the Trainers Association; Shaffique
Khan and he could be forgiven for this blatant attempt to pad the
field. Again this colt has shown promise on occasions, and is one that
could run into a place at big odds however, so he at 100-1 to place last.
Now though the real betting begins, because at 70-1 to carry her large frame past the winning post, as the others unsaddle is Sweet Tempo.
At 10-1, we have a bunch of contenders and queue of gamblers waiting to lay on these prices, the Bookies are a little concerned that some trainers and owners connected with several of the contenders are generously unloading blue notes as the odds drop on their horse. Isle Be There and Royal Flush from 10-1 to 8-1.
Due Diligence is at 3-1 and there are a lot of takers and there has been the need for an additional cashier to be called upon to assist with the situation, as the crowds are swarming to the $100 minimum bet line.
In fact, what was observed
was that on Friday, a number of binoculars were astonishingly bought at a
number of Port of Spain establishments, merely with the race in mind and with
a view to see their particular contender for the last place competition
battle his/her way home.
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AN
AMERICAN SALE OF OUR SPORT
DANCING BRAVE COLUMN FOR SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 14TH,By Andre. E. Baptiste Date Added: September
15th 2003 |
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Los Angeles -`Interviewers
ask if the Sporting heroes of the past will ever team up again and do some
justice to our languishing sport' A grand,
end-of-season Sporting Icons
collectors sale in Los Angeles. TO MARK the end
of the hope for any success in the sports of cricket and football primary and
swimming, netball, basketball and rugby, secondary a recent programme of
events celebrating the anniversary of the birth of Sporting Pot-hound's
Flying Circus, a clearance sale is being held to get rid of anything and everything
not used in the season. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, as there
will not be another successful sporting retrospective season for many a year,
God willing, or until one of the current members of our sports administrators
should, God forbid, die, or set off round the world and not come back. The following
selection of choice lots will give some idea of the range of the whole
catalogue available . 1 A dead parrot,
due to his leaking ways on West Indies Cricket Board subterfuge. 2 Another dead
parrot, being the stand-in used for the dead parrot in lot one, in case the
main dead parrot should fall to pieces during recording. He was only found
out because the Guyanese just can't keep a secret. 3 A live parrot,
which was on standby during the filming of the Dead Parrot sketch, in case
both dead parrots should prove unsatisfactory, and another should have to be
killed to provide a fresh dead parrot, though luckily this was only necessary
once when one of the West Indies players interviewed expressed his
dissatisfaction with the late hours kept by Brian Lara in New Zealand. 4 A dead sheep,
yet another loyal West Indian fan who cannot sleep at night, and resorts to
killing a sheep rather than counting one. 5 Another 500
dead sheep, as more people lose sleep when it is revealed that Trinidad and
Tobago cricket has slumped to the same depths as the West Indies team.
Particularly after a number of current test players are seen at several
Carnival fetes. 6 A letter in
French, addressed to the makers of Caribbean Football, or rather CONCACAF and
purporting to be from the genuine Mrs. Strike, the widow of a fan during the
Strike Squad days, a chap who spent all his hard earnings on supporting and
watching the Trinidad and Tobago team performing. He forsake his family, he
forsake his children, eventually he lost his job, and then when he paid for a
ticket bought from a normal purchasing location, he was then deny entrance on
November 19, and in frustration, drank gramozone. His wife is now claiming
damages in the region of 1,000,000 TT for maliciously causing the death of
her husband. The letter says: "I do not mind if you pay me in new or old
money - just pay me as soon as possible." Maybe she was referring to the
plans to make larger sums in the upcoming World Cup campaigns. 7 A letter from
the makers of Caribbean Football to Mme Strike, admitting the malicious
intent, but claiming that they had already had letters from five other widows
of Mr. Strike, and refusing to pay out to any more. It could be coincence
that so many similar cases still exist in Trinidad and Tobago. Let the
Football authorities be forewarned. 8 A missing
Football Federation sketch, thought to have been lost but recently found in a
Foreign TV archive. It seems to tell the story of a branch of Alcoholics
Anonymous and their abortive attempt to invade Regional Football in 21st
century, starting with Guyana, but as it is dubbed in muffled Guyanese and
the original English script has been lost, this is uncertain. What is certain
is that the Guyana Football authorities have involved some Top lawyers to
fight the regional football authorities. So CONCACAF will have to find their
Court clothes and attorney fees shortly. 9 A device for
exploding sheep, so that when Trinidad and Tobago fail again after being
misled, there is not a revolt against Cowboy Hat and his merry men. 10 More than
5,000 TV interviews from round the world with members of the Regional cricket
Boards' Flying Circus, in all of which the guest ROUSE is asked: "And
where exactly did the name Mighty Rouse's Flying Circus come from?" Fans
will be interested to know that more than 458 completely different theories
are advanced in the course of these interviews. In three of them (for
Barbadians, Jamaicans and Vincentians television) the interviewer is even
assaulted by the Rouse, shouting: "Jesus Christ, if I hear that stupid
question again...!". Interestingly, at least 20 of the interviewers ask
whether the Ex Rouse-clique will ever team up with the new boy again Stephen
Camacho and do some more shows for television. At least three Ex
Rouse-sarians promise to arrange it. 11 A letter from
the actress Sharon " Revealing all " Stone, asking if she too could
be included in a West Indies Cricket Board reunion, on the basis that one
more 'stone' would not make a difference to so much concrete brains. It does
not seem to have been answered. 12 A proposal
from a publisher to do the Football Advisor’s Spam Cookbook, revealing some of the best cook
ups to ever be found, whether you are in the office or by the river. It also
does not seem to have been answered. 13 A rejected
take from an animation, in which a giant foot descends from the sky and fails
to squash anything at all, as most people were alerted by the relevant
authorities and are in hiding. If only the Ministry of Sport would response
as if they have some life. 14 A plaster cast
of Dwight Yorke's left foot, on which his giant feet were based, showing that
HE HAS GIANT attributes all around. 15 Several copies
of the Gospel According to St MERVYN, a fake missing book from the New
Testament that was manufactured and distributed as publicity for Life of
Mervyn, and was then taken at face value in several parts of the West Indies,
where there is still a thriving cult based on his teaching of not putting
your back into bowling, if you don't have too. 16 The costume
used by Netball officials in the naked sketch of poorly planned netball
training sessions. 17 A mixed lot of
varied knotted handkerchiefs, in different head sizes, to suit those in
Basketball and Rugby who have allowed the power of control of sport to grow
their hats to an oversize. 18 A mixed lot of
blank tapes, believed to be the very tapes that originally had all the
missing evidence of Football matters of the 1989 programme on, but which were
wiped by the a television crew for reuse. Full sale
catalogue on request from Dancing Brave at reasonable prices.
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TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO AND GUYANA HOLD THE KEYBy Andre. E. Baptiste Date Added: September 13th
2003 |
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FAs the battle for the West Indies Presidency heats up, with just over two (2) weeks left before the President is elected at a Special General meeting on September 30 in Antigua .Newsday understands that Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana are now the key players in the two (2) man contest. This will be the second such election this year for the post of President of the West Indies Cricket Board following the resignation of Wes Hall earlier this year. The First election was aborted after both nominees Chetram Singh of Guyana and Willie Rodriguez of Trinidad and Tobago withdrew themselves for different reasons. This time around, there are again two nominees, 67 year old Teddy Griffith of Barbados and60 year old Clarvis Joseph of Antigua. The Newsday can confirm that Joseph, who resigned as vice-president under the controversial Patrick Rousseau two years ago, has been nominated and seconded by the Leeward Islands and Jamaica respectively. While Griffith, a former Barbados player, and current
chairman of the West Indies Cricket Board marketing committee, has been
nominated by his home country Barbados and seconded by the Windward Island. T he West Indies Cricket Board is pleased to announce the Val Banks, an Anguillan banker who was elected vice president in Dominica, is currently filling in as president until the elections. At the moment , according to the laws of the West Indies Cricket Board, each of the six member countries ( Trinidad and Tobago, Leeward Islands, Windward Islands, Barbados, Jamaica and Guyana) have two votes each , as well that the President and Vice-President each have one vote. With Val Banks in both positions, it is understood he will only be allowed one vote, so that 13 votes are available in total now, not the usual 14. Both Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana have not as yet officially announced their decision. Sources close to the West Indies Cricket Board told Newsday ,” Both Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago are enjoying this situation, as they are now holding the key towards the final decision on Presidency, so we can expect some serious negotiations,” “But there is a strong belief because of the problems that certain members of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board experienced in the past with the Pat Rousseau/Clarvis Joseph led WICB, that Trinidad and Tobago is leaning towards Griffith, also Wes Hall and the Trinidad Board have always had close relations,” he noted. “Guyana on the other hand, have their meeting this coming week, and they will make a decision, whether they announce it or not, we will see, but some believe they are undecided and will await whatever offers are made by the approaching parties,” he said. “Initially Guyana was not happy with none of the nominees and examined several possibilities including former Chief Executive Officer of the WICB, Stephen Camacho, but he was not gathering much support before the nomination day, so they quickly gave up on this,” declared the close source. Newsday understands that the procedure is that it is not the nominees that would contact either of Trinidad and Tobago or Guyana, but instead the respective Boards that nominated them. “As the battle heats up, we can expect that there will be some compromise closer to the date, especially if it seems for instance that Teddy Griffith is going to get overwhelming support, and then obviously Joseph may do the decent thing and concede early to avoid any ugly fighting from within,” he concluded. |
CARL HOOPER WANTS TO PLAY CRICKET AGAINBy Andre. E. Baptiste Date Added: September 8th
2003 |
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Former West Indies Captain Carl
Hooper, who declined selection for the West Indies team during the recent
Australian test series, seems intent on making a return to regional cricket. The Newsday Newspapers
learnt today that Hooper who has been scoring heavily for Lancashire in the English
Second division County Championship, has signaled his intent to play for
Guyana in the upcoming Red Stripe One Day Bowl tournament in October,” We
will be finalizing all details this week, but we can say that Carl Hooper
wants to play for Guyana again, and he has made himself available for
selection, when he was contacted by the Guyana Cricket Board,” President of
the Guyana Cricket Board, Chetram Singh said. “When he was contacted, he
was very eager to return to play for Guyana, and we are very much interested
in having someone of the caliber of Carl Hooper on the team, but this comes
as no surprise to us here, because Carl Has always said he was interested,
and recently he sent an email saying he will be here, we just need to
finalize the dates and time,” he added. Singh was uncertain about
the captaincy of the Guyana team as yet,” We have not yet discussed that, but
of course Carl Hooper would be considered for such a post once he is
interested, but we will take things one at a time, as everyone can see, Carl
is in great form with the bat and his presence would certainly assist our
chances in the Red Stripe Bowl,” On the question of a recall
to the West Indies team for Hooper, Singh stated,” That is really up to the
West Indies selectors, Carl can only go out there and score runs and leave it
up to them, he has never openly stated he does not want to play for the West
Indies, he said at the time, he was stepping down to give a younger batsman a
chance,” “We must be honest and
admit that Carl Hooper is still one of the better batsman in the West Indies,
just examine the interest that County Cricket team have in him, let us give
him a chance to return and play for Guyana and see what happens after that,
but we would have further details on Hooper very shortly,” noted Singh Hooper leads the Lancashire averages now, having scored 1,074 runs from 11 matches which includes a county best for 2003 for him of 177 against Warwickshire. |
Latif suspended for five ODI matchesBy Andre. E. Baptiste Date Added: September 7th
2003 |
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Pakistan captain, Rashid Latif, will miss five One Day
Internationals after being suspended for unfair play. Mr Latif was reported by Subsequent television replays showed Mr Latif dropped the
ball when rolling and picked the ball up off the ground. During the hearing yesterday Mr Latif indicated that he
believed that he had completed a catch under the rules. After hearing the evidence, Mr Procter downgraded the
charge from the Level 4 offence lodged by “Mr Latif should have known that he had not completed a
catch. I have found him guilty of a Level 3 offence of Unfair Play under the
ICC Code of Conduct and suspended him for five One Day International
matches,” said Mr Procter. The suspension will mean that the Under the Code, Mr Latif has 24 hours to lodge an appeal
against this decision. |
Drugs in AthleticsBy Andre. E. Baptiste Date Added: September 6th
2003 |
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UNTIL the National Anti-Doping
Commission (NADC) begins its campaign of drug testing across the various
sporting disciplines, there is really no accurate way to tell how high or low
the levels of doping really are in Barbados. Dr Adrian Lorde, head of
the NADC and a member of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), said there was
really no way to gauge the number of sportspersons who may be using banned
substances. "We don't really
know. I don't think any country can accurately state this. The more tests you
do, the larger the number of people may come back positive, but we just
need to educate the athletes, coaches and everyone about these
drugs," Lorde said. Last week, shock waves
reverberated throughout the island and the sporting world when it was
revealed double Pan American gold medal cyclist Barry Forde, had
tested positive for the stimulant ephedrine three times during two
major competitions this year, and would most likely lose the two gold
medals. "Since we have not done
any studies yet, we really don't know, but in the limited history of
drug testing in Barbados sport, bodybuilding seems to have had the
greatest number of people who have been found positive. So in the
Barbados situation, bodybuilding seems to be one of the main sports
involved," Lorde noted. The levels of marijuana
use are also perceived to be fairly high, especially among
footballers, and this could be problematic when testing starts, since that
drug was also on the WADA list. "Marijuana use socially
in Barbados is fairly widespread and sportspersons and
footballers are just a reflection of what is going on in the community, so
there may be the perception that footballers may be using it quite a lot, but
in conjunction with the National Council on Substance Abuse, we have been
trying to see what we can do to help with that situation if it does
arise." Lorde said all of
Barbados, even those outside of the sporting community, had been affected by
Forde's positive test, and it should serve as a wake-up call
for athletes to be careful with what they use and they should seek more
information on how doping affected them. "It also will encourage them
to attend more of the lectures that have been held by the Barbados
Olympic Association and other bodies over the years on this topic. Also, it might show - depending on what
the result is - that one has to be very careful with the use of supplements,
even the herbs which are now so widely available in Barbados because banned
substances are not always listed on the label," he said. Sportsmen and women will
soon be subject to testing for performance-enhancing drugs like steroids and
even social drugs like cocaine and marijuana. Lorde was recently
reappointed head of the NADC which has undergone a few changes since Reginald
Farley became Minister of Sport. He also said in addition
to testing, they would also be placing more emphasis on education. |
Copyright © 2000 –2003 ndre E. Baptiste.
All Rights Reserved This material may not be published, broadcast,
rewritten or redistributed without the permssion of the author.