Well, I reckon it's not really on asking a man in my condition to produce articles, or a even a paragraph or two, at this kind of notice, but needs must, so let us consider the possible talking points. Our big brothers over the water finally getting a win to keep Mr O'Neill in office? The bad weather and what kind of winter we are looking forward to? The &*^*&*$ Secret Shoppers? No, none of these, I think we will go with referees; again.
An old mate of mine of more learned attitudes than you often find in these parts was in Dublin the other day to listen to a blind Italian opera singer, and very good he was too I am told. But for some reason it got me thinking about referees, and their foibles. Some have more than others of course, but a common one is often thought to be an inability to see what seems obvious to others, and to see other things which nobody else in the vicinity can see at all. Which is where the blind opera singer comes in. He couldn't see the audience or the band, but he knew what was happening, even if he didn't know where he was. Maybe refs are the same, sometimes they get the facts wrong, but equally it doesn't often end up with the wrong side winning, now does it? Usually a bit whinging of the, "I thought we were holding them nicely and could nick it on the break", or the "Well, we could have scored six if the ref had given all the stonewall pens", type, but rarely, "there is no doubt we would have won the game, but for the referee". Except for that fiasco down at Bishops a few weeks ago of course....