We've lost a legend

I'm really sad to hear this morning that Sir Bobby Robson has died. He was undoubtedly England's most successful manager since Sir Alf Ramsey, leading us to the quarter-finals of the 1986 World Cup in Mexico and the semi-finals of Italia 90. Will any England manager in the future be able to match that?

I especially remember Robson's team that came within a whisker of reaching the final 19 years ago because it was at a time that I was really getting into watching football. I was 13 at the time. It was such a memorable tournament,which England performed below average for in the early stages, and might've even got knocked out by Cameroon in the quarters, but showedfighting spirit and, in the days before inflated ego, star players (and before WAGs!) it was a very good team performance - inspired by Bobby. Those semi-final penalties were indeed heart-breaking.

Back to Bobby and, from what I've read about him - and there will be plenty of tributes in the coming days - he was a true gentleman and manager who was fair and sporting to players, managers and the media. We've lost a true legend of the national game today.

Photo credit: ChelmsfordBlue

What summer?

I’ve just returned from a lunchtime break with my shirt soaked by heavy rainfall. Yes, it’s July and, rather than the warm, sunny days we hope for at this time of year, normal service has resumed and it’s wet, wet, wet.

The Met office has today revised its prediction of a barbecue summer and says that August will be unsettled. It seems the week-long heatwave at the back end of June was the closest to summer we’re getting this year.

We Brits love to make small talk about the weather – mostly how bad it is… too hot, too cold, too wet, too dry. We’re never happy! But for the majority of us, it never really inconveniences us or stops us doing what we want.

Spare a thought though for those living in desperately poor conditions who must deal with really extreme weather which doesn’t just mean they’ve got to stick on a pair of wellies or put up a brolly – floods, drought, freezing conditions affect their health, homes and livelihoods.

Then we’d have reason to grumble.

Photo credit: Hamed Parham

Churches scrub up for swine flu

You can't move anywhere in the UK at the moment for talk of swine flu. There is simply nowhere to hide. Not even church.

Attending my local Anglican church on Sunday morning I received, in the weekly bulletin, a double-sided leaflet outlining the precautions that churches are being advised to take during the current 'pandemic' (is it officially one yet?)

The guidelines include not sharing the peace, ensuring the bread and wine givers 'scrub up' before communion and not passing one big cup of wine around everyone for fear of spreading all those nasty germs. And if it all gets worse, we might have to cancel church altogether and other such mass gatherings.

Whilst I'm very sorry for those families who've lost loved ones due to swine flu and while I wouldn't wish anyone to end up in bed feeling awful for a few days (unless they wanted to avoid going to work), I do feel the whole situation has been hyped up beyond belief these days. Any big news story is the same these days.

Let's keep it in perspective folks - if we get it, the vast majority of us will get better fairly quickly just like we do when we get 'normal flu'. We are so fortunate in the developed world - spare a thought for those living in seriously poor communities facing seriously dangerous illnesses like malaria, TB, Aids, and those suffering from malnutrition and dehydration.

Maybe the Church of England need to think and pray a little more about that and less about which sort of vessel to use for communion.

(Photo credit: Paul Johns)

F1 going off track

Motor-racing (Formula 1 to be precise) is one of those sports I dip in and out of. It depends on whether a Brit is doing well or if it's a particularly exciting season – or if I'm spending time with my father-in-law!

This season has been particularly crazy for F1 and unfortunately it's been in the headlines for all the wrong reasons. After Lewis' brilliant win last October, snatching the title in the final seconds of the season, it's all gone a bit wrong for F1.

Before the season started, proposed rule changes got laughed out of becoming a reality. When things got underway Lewis Hamilton and MacLaren got into a lying scandal after misleading race stewards in the opening race in Belgium. Then last month, eight of the major F1 teams announced they are planning to set up a breakaway championship next year.

Sadly, F1 is all about the money and the greed – just like every sport. Where's the sportsmanship gone? My father-in-law is lamenting the decline of F1 – "it's not like the good old days" is often wheeled out at occasions like this but it's oh so true with this sport.

The injury to Felipe Massa on Saturday puts all of this nonsense into perspective – and raises questions about the safety of this high-speed, high-risk sport. As I write, Massa's in 48 hours' sedation following emergency surgery on the fractured scull he sustained during the freak accident in qualifying. I really hope his recovery goes well and that he's back on the track soon. And when he returns, presumably in 2010 now, F1 might look a very different sport.

(Photo credit: B Givens)

In training

Seven years ago I took part in the Great North Run - a truly amazing event on Tyneside. I found doing a half-marathon pretty tough, mentally and physically,but the support of local people really spurred me on. It was a pleasure to raise lots of money for the Cleft Lip And Palate Association, an organisation that has really helped my cousin since he was born.

(Photo credit: Patries71)

I put my trainers down and didn't contemplate doing any more running until last year, when I did the 10k Two Castles Run between Warwick and Kenilworth Castles, raising money for BMS World Mission. Encouraged by my run-loving brother-in-law, I was really glad to have done it - again local support was brilliant, the sun shone and it was a manageable distance. I did in 54 minutes, which I was chuffed with.

Well, 10K running has now turned into an annual event - as I'm back for another run this September and have started my preparations on the streets of Abingdon. I'm doing the Run10k event at Blenheim Palace in September to raise money for Cancer Research UK, along with my bro-in-law... though I'll be in his dust at the start line no doubt.

So, today I was out for the third of my two-mile runs (just under a third of the total distance on the day), just to get back in the swing of it really. And blimey, it was hot. My knees also felt it and it took me a while to recover from what it not really very far. Need to get that fitness up - and I have two months to do it!

(If you feel you would like to sponsor me for this run, that would be great - you can do so online at: www.run10ksponsorme.org/andrewdubock)

The first post

Today, I'm bravely entering the blogging world. Why, I'm not so sure. I think I'm trying to embrace all this new technology and fast communication. So, welcome to 'Doobs' musings' (suggestions welcome for a better title!) – and here we go...