Random Thoughts – My Annual Blog Report for 2012

WordPress is kind enough to generate an “annual report”.

It is quite scary to see some of the stats it shows up. Fortunately it does not disclose how many words I have written this year, or else I would have a marker for how much time I could have spent doing other, more productive, things!

First of all, the report tells me about visitors:-

Something Remarkable Happened When Tennessee Played Jacksonville Last Night in the NFL

I write far less about American Football here than I would like to – mainly because the legal aspects are more abstruse (though one day I will recap the USFL v NFL battles on the 1980’s and their implications for Scottish football should the SPL, SFL and SFA not agree on re-structuring).

Last night’s games threw up some remarkable events – Drew Brees of the Saints passing for over 5,000 yards for the second straight season; Adrian Peterson taking his Vikings single-handedly into the playoffs and falling 9 yards short of beating Eric Dickerson’s “unbeatable” single season rushing record; and Washington beating their arch-rivals, Dallas, to win their division.

But the most remarkable took place in a meaningless game, between two teams who have disappointed this year – the Tennessee Titans and the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The season ended with Jacksonville on 6-10 and Tennessee on 2-14. Yesterday showed Jacksonville how best to win – avoid putting your offence on the field at all!

With 3.04 to go in the second quarter the Titans got the ball. They led 14-7 and took over possession on their own 49 yard line.

Tales of Corporate Hospitality at Sport – Part 2

Ah well, it looks as though I won’t get the chance to have my picture taken with Mr Green at Hampden today, as I have the chance of going to a friend’s house to mark his birthday with pakora, pool and a pint. With all due respect to Queen’s Park and their opponents, that actually seems a far more enticing prospect than a wet and windy Hampden.

However, I did want to add to my tale of corporate hospitality events with a non-football related one. If you read the first piece, you might not be surprised to learn that things did not run smoothly here either.

In either 1997 or 1998 (I forget which one) I was given two “corporate hospitality” tickets to the Scottish Open Golf at Loch Lomond. My employer at the time had the tickets for the full week, and I was offered them for the Thursday, being the first day of competition. I was delighted to accept, and suggested to my wife that she come with me. She had never been to a golf tournament before so the prospect of “hospitality” overcame that of “trudging round a golf course”.

The only time before I had been at a golf tournament as a sponsor’s guest was many years ago when the Scottish Open (then a tournament only for Scots professionals) was played at Dalmahoy. I was there as my father’s guest, and as his driver, so could not take advantage of the free and unlimited bar laid on by Dryburgh’s the sponsor.

Breaking News! Rangers Media Forum Gets Something Wrong!

My attention was drawn to a thread on the afore-mentioned Rangers Media today. The clue that it might be of interest to me was that my name was in the heading!

I reproduce the original post, which came from a cheery chappy called Quiet Jim, and which he entitled “Paul McConville – Rangers Tax Case”.

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Word is that Paul McConville, is going to take the fall for the HMRC leak.

My understanding is that Mr McConville has kept his blog ongoing as he was assured that there was no traceability.

Who is the mole?

I can assure you that it is not the bigot McConvile, but he will take the fall.

Phil & agent X were the puppet masters, but patsy Paul will do the time!

McConvile will be deleting his blogs when he becomes aware.

Merry Xmas Paul!

QJ

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I suspect that QJ might not genuinely wish me well.

I can happily confirm the following items in the post are wrong.

1                     I am not taking the fall for any HMRC leak. I have no idea where RTC got his information regarding the tax case. I have no idea whether it was from HMRC, or from Rangers, or Murray International Holdings, or from lawyers, or accountants, or reporters, or Tribunal staff or from witnesses to the case or from somewhere else. I also have no idea who RTC is. So I can happily confirm I’m not taking the fall for any leak!

2                     I have kept my blog going because I want to. I am unsure what Mr QJ means about “traceability”. As I post under my own name, I am unsure how this is me seeking not to be traceable!

3                     I have no idea who the mole is, although I understand he may have come from Morocco.

4                     I am not a bigot, and despite repeatedly asking people who throw that accusation about against me to produce a single shred of evidence, no one ever has.

5                     I am nobody’s puppet, although Agent X and I have had many happy meetings over a scone and a coffee in Auld’s the Bakers.

6                     I do not understand myself to be a patsy, nor can I see what I will “do time” for.

7                     My surname is spelt with two “l”s. Mr QJ got it right once, but wrong twice.

8                     I do not propose to start deleting my blogs, although I do not know what it is that I should be aware of.

However, in the spirit of goodwill to all men, I reciprocate by wishing Mr QJ the best of the season.

A jolly fellow by the name of Mabawsa followed this up with this post:-

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Albion Rovers will be fecked now! Their most loyal ardent supporter taken out of circulation for a wee while. How will they survive ?

Is he still under some supervision order as I am sure that and any potential criminal conviction would be the final nail?

The guy comes across as a serial loser. In the words of Daryll King. “Who? Never heard of him” ….. ultimately so poignant.

Mind you. He could always become a journalist as I hear they allow anyone to join these.Only need to be a confirmed Rangers Baiter and Hater on your NUJ card and you are in!

Hohoho and a Happy 2013 . I shall raise a toast to all their demise with gusto and glee. The toast?In the name of fairness and integrity of course.

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I understand that a caller to Radio Clyde mentioned me, and that Mr King did not know who I was. To be frank, I am not surprised. I see no reason why he should know who I am, and it seems bizarre that there are various people who seem delighted to point that out to me, when I had nothing to do with my name being mentioned to Mr King in the first place!

I appreciate the suggestion that I could become a journalist, although the economic climate means there are few jobs for cub reporters about just now.

Another contributor, Uncle Fester, suggested that I should be “waterboarded”!

However, Mr QJ chipped in with the following:-

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The deleted RTC blog and McConville’s are one and the same.

McConville is like a nodding dog at the back of the car.

Chap, chap …….

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I sadly do not possess an Orwell Prize nor can I claim the credit for being RTC. I don’t get the nodding dog reference – could it be to Churchill…

Andypendek followed up the suggestion that a media role awaits me.

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Whoever is outed as being behind RTC etc will not only not go to jail, but will be feted by both other teams’ fans (not just tims) and the media as a kind of hero. If you hate McConville as a blogger, imagine what it will be like with him as a media pundit.

Be careful what you wish for.

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Quiet Jim then belied his name with:-

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Without fear or favour, we are coming to get you!

McConville is toast

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With marmalade?

I have decided not to quote comments containing profanity, or making rather unpleasant suggestions regarding me. Nor am I posting the defamatory comments about me, and others.

There is also a suggestion that Opus Dei are “behind” whatever the latest conspiracy is, along with the police, HMRC, Crown Office, Uncle Tom Cobley and all.

And there is even the obligatory barb about my volunteering at the local CAB.

Maybe this is proof of Oscar Wilde’s old adage – The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about.

Maybe next time Rangers Media write about me, they can get something right!

Maybe the usually anonymous people who post this claptrap might realise that, by choosing to post under my own name, I am well aware that people can read about my past.

Never mind.

Just off to ring Agent X to check when the next Opus Dei meeting is!

 

Posted by Paul (not patsy) McConville

 

 

 

 

Football Hospitality – More than Pies and Bovril? – Part 1

I have made it big time! No more being ignored by Darrell King – now I am moving to be ignored on a bigger stage

I am a “first reserve” to attend the Queen’s Park match on Saturday as a guest as part of a corporate hospitality package. I agreed to hold myself in reserve to attend and then thought I should check who the opponents were.

Imagine my surprise when I noticed that it was against the club owned by Rangers Football Club Ltd owned, in turn, by Rangers International Football Club PLC!

So, I might have great fun at the weekend, in amongst the pies and Bovril at Hampden. It might even give me the chance to have a chat with some of the Rangers fans, and maybe even Chico Verde himself!

It made me think of some of my past football visits as sponsor’s guest, or a recipient of the wonders of corporate hospitality. I hope that mick excuses me venturing into his area by writing about pies!

The first example taught me that coming to a football match in a suit is not always a good idea. My employer had booked a sponsorship package for an Albion Rovers match at sunny Cliftonhill. As was his wont, he managed to forget to tell anyone that he had done so, until around noon on the Saturday of the game. Needless to say, he himself found something better to do on a spring Saturday afternoon, but his minions were ordered to attend. Fortunately I did not have time to get home to change into a suit, although a couple of my colleagues did so. After all, they felt, it was right to be smart when being match sponsor.