amidst-tundra

Let me first say that I wholeheartedly disagree with the notion, outside of football I'm a big ice hockey and speedway fan, both of which are completely financially unviable under the current restrictions and football has been a lifeline as I've been on leave from work for the last six months. I watch football, listen to football podcasts - it's the closest thing to a rhythm of normality in my life until I get back to work as I can't get into the hills or do much of anything. However, as I watch Sky Sports News and BBC news last night creating a moral panic about COVID-19 protocols after a goal celebration by Sheffield United, players that I assume were already tested prior to the game - how can football or say, rugby continue? Rugby in particular involves players in close contact for prolonged periods in a game yet doesn't seem to be subject to the same level of scrutiny. Obviously the landscape of the pandemic has changed in the past couple of months and the Dubai debacle has probably contributed to the closure of football in the lower tiers here, but if COVID tested players are going to be criticized for celebrating a goal - such as the Chorley players in an FA cup giant killing (of sorts), then should all elite sports or elite team sports at least be closed down? Personally I think much of the criticism is coming from outside sport. I can understand why somebody with no interest in football who is say a theatre goer or a gig goer (which I am also in normal times), or someone who enjoys travel - might be aggravated by players failing to adhere to COVID protocol, but little attention seems to be being paid to the fact that the players are being tested. So is it possible to expect footballers (but not rugby players) to constantly be cognizant of COVID protocols? Or should elite sport now fall victim like so many other facets of society?

I guess the correct people to ask would be the clubs choosing to play. Essentially all football should stop, really. I still don't understand why the WoSFL has been turned into a deadrubber, but seeing as a large number of fully professional national leagues down south like the Vanarama National are losing games each week to COVID outbreaks surely all football should close down? And while we're at it people shouldn't be allowed to gather en-masse in shopping centres or high streets. People should be banned from travelling entirely. Plenty of much larger clubs are facing bankruptcy too, so they should stop.

Not sure why the fixation on stopping football? You should take a trip to the Forge in Glasgow right now. Thousands of people crammed into an enclosed shopping centre, many choosing not to wear facemasks or observe directions of travel. If that's OK, why should there be a moral panic regarding lower tier football.

I can imagine the Brexiteers and the booing Millwall fans seething through that.

I also get the feeling that, unlike the other acts, Oti knows Bill can have a bit of input into their acts.

C'mon Bill.

2nd Gala goal was a beaut. Not sure what happened to Gala's defence for the Shire goal.

I really like Santosh, but why does he always look like he's defusing a bomb when he's cooking? That Jono looks like a c*** though.

To be fair, the same can be said about most cities. Paris is a bleak dystopia the moment you step out of the centre. Few cities are picturesque throughout... Dubrovnik? Nuremburg has an amazing medieval old town that's a little bigger than most, but the rest is very much like many medium sized German cities.

I was confused about the love for Maisie? Looked all over the place. Surely 30 would suggest a near professional level, yet if you actually see a group of decent street dancers they look way tidier.

Not an especially great day for the LL teams. Was watching both BSC and Berwick. Thought Dunipace looked the better side, but coughed up some silly goals. VoL getting pumped as well. Maybe it's not high on anyone's radar this year.

Was this not last weeks podcast? Could of sworn I was listening about Clydebank this week!

Visited the Faroes a couple of years ago, flew out of Edinburgh. It's best if you rent a car as public transport is pretty minimal outside Torshavn. The town itself is pretty, but I'm a fan of the Nordic Saga's and its a sort of bleak Shetland-esque beauty. One thing I'd definitely suggest is a trip to the floating lake Sørvágsvatn, It's about a 40 minute drive out of Torshavn and then a forty or fifty minute walk. Bit of a natural wonder. For pubs there are some nice ones in the city, although the Irish pub is pretty meh. It'll be a lot more expensive than Moldova mind. Easily £5/$6 or more for a beer. There are some nice craft beers if you're into that sort of thing and the one brewery (Föroya Bjór) is pretty evident in the pubs. The national stadium is basically in the town, although I didn't get to see a game there (was hoping to catch a domestic game, but the league was on an international break when when I was there). I stayed at Hotel Føroyar which was a bit basic for a four star hotel. Be prepared for it to be windy all the time in the town.

I was lucky enough to visit Hong Kong before everything started to go to crap. I generally don't enjoy megacities but there was something about Hong Kong that felt more alive. For me I love the architecture of Eastern Europe. I really enjoyed Tallinn, especially its old town and old Soviet history, and Kiev. I really enjoy visiting old Soviet states, but I don't much care for the politics. Haven't visited many places in America, but I've always wanted to visit New York but I suspect I wouldn't enjoy it as much as I think I would. A much smaller city, but I really like Luxembourg City as well. I have a bit of an interest in Nordic Saga's. We were due to visit Reykjavik prior to lockdown. For my missus it was more about touring where Game of Thrones is filmed. Either way, Reykjavik looks like a pretty cool city.

I work in the merchant navy. Have visited and managed to get ashore in some pretty remote places like the Ascension Islands and Falklands. Mostly work in the Caribbean now which sounds nicer, but probably isn't as interesting aside from the occasional stop in Guatemala. I've travelled to Faroe Islands where I was gutted not to see a league match and spent a few days in the Exclusion zone in Chernobyl. As someone was saying above, I used to live near Niagara Falls. Absolutely amazing falls surrounded by an absolute shitehole of a town. Getting to go on the Maid of the Mist was cool in a touristy kind of way. One of the weirder things I've always wanted to do was visit the Pole of Cold in Siberia and Norilsk. I guess being born in Birmingham and spending a few years growing up in Northern Manitoba gave me an appreciation for cold and brutal places.