The good, the bad and the ugly: a week of sporting contrast...

After a week that had done much to show the positives of our nation, it was shameful to see two boxers disgrace themselves so appallingly in Berlin.

With tripod swinging and bottle smashing to add to his gang-rape, severed heads and toe breaking related misdemeanors, David Haye is an idiot who should no longer be taken seriously.

Derek Chisora is even worse. Planned or not, the weigh in slap was shocking and more akin to a street fighting gangster than a patriot.  

The water-spitting incident was repulsive, and in the press conference whatever Haye’s role, it was Chisora who instigated the ‘brawl’ and repeatedly threatened to shoot and burn his rival.

And was he even joking?

The sad thing was that in the ring he had performed well, drawing boxing if not manly respect from the Klitschko’s as he displayed the durability of a future champion.

But with arrest and jail now a possibility, he may never get the chance, and would he deserve it?

His behaviour, that of an out of control lunatic, contrasted so sharply with the courteous, gentlemanly and intelligent conduct of the two Klitschko’s - true champions throughout.

A disgrace to his sport and country, Chisora would be more at home in the fake, soap-orientated world of WWE Wrestling.

Yet the weekend also illustrated what is good about British sport, as 32.754 seconds of Friday night team sprinting prowess, began 2012 Olympic fever five months early.

 Pendleton and Varnish's world record started the ‘cycle’, but Sir Chris Hoy followed suit, as the real McCoy found his best form since Beijing in taking two individual titles.

Up in Birmingham our much criticised track and field team were performing almost as well. British Records for Mo Farah and Shara Proctor, a world leading hurdles exhibition from Jess Ennis, and a host of other fine efforts from the likes of jumpers Bleasdale and Grabarz.

Both squads must and can find further improvement. But both are very much on track for 2012 and 4^th place on the medals table is an impressively realistic aim.

Cricket has also mounted a notable recovery. Nothing should detract from the disappointment of the test series but the comeback has been strong.

The bowling and field restrictions limiting Pakistan’s spinners have been influential, but Cook and now Pietersen have shown that true class is permanent, while the form of speedster Steve Finn certainly merits test inclusion.

Football has endured a seemingly quieter week, but the return of Carlos “I was treated like a dog but on 250k a week’ Tevez has created further tension.

Financial woes affecting Rangers and Portsmouth are disturbing, while the ever-rising player versus coach row at Chelsea is threatening to erupt.

Chelsea have problems but the plight of London rivals Arsenal is even worse.

After their San Siro obliteration midweek, their tame 2-0 defeat at Sunderland was arguably even worse.

No trophies for another year, and while the fiscally prudent board must be blamed, the coach and players, some of whom are just not good enough, are also guilty.

Robin Van Persie is a man who carries 10 mugs but no cups, but will he or Arsene Wenger remain for next season?

In a Six-Nations rest week, Harlequins, Gloucester and Leicester enjoyed narrow Premiership wins, as Jim Mallinder and Wayne Smith were the latest names to rule themselves out in the battle for England coach.

A comeback win for Roger Federer in Rotterdam, and a 51 ball 117 for South African debutant Richard Levi were other highlights.

And ‘Linsanity’ is sweeping America after Taiwanese-born rookie Jeremy Lin appeared from nowhere to lead the New York Knicks towards the NBA title.

Lin is Basketball’s new star, but let’s hope the golden approach of Hoy is his destiny rather than the thuggish stupidity of Chisora...

An Italian abandoning a sinking ship? Another contentious week of football...

Despite the ‘Kick it out’ campaign, racism has dominated the 2012 football agenda, with an Old Trafford showdown and the England manager its latest victims.

Capello may be our statistically most successful boss ever, but it is tournaments which count, and after the shambles of South Africa, he has left the team in dire straits ahead of this summer’s Euro’s.

He may blame the FA for their lack of consultation, but while some sympathy can be felt, John Terry is certainly not a justifiable cause to defend.

And with Capello out the country and speaking such little English, how were the FA meant to get in contact in the first place?

Since his tax-evasion clearance, Harry Redknapp has risen to saint-like proportions in the media, but doubts remain over his validity for the role.

Is wheeler-dealer, cockney geezer ‘Arry really appropriate, and is his club record really good enough?

Yet as Capello illustrates managerial statistics can lie and there seems no one better, let alone available, for the role.

And the role of manager’s must further be questioned after that farcical Liverpool v United showdown.

Yes, Suarez was stupid to not shake Evra’s hand, and his approach underlines the egotistical arrogance of the modern footballer.

But Evra has no right to take the moral high-ground. He reacted to Suarez’s gesture after withdrawing his own hand and his post-match celebration was disgraceful.

And speaking of hypocrisy, while Dalgleish’s reaction was bizarre, what right does Ferguson have to claim Suarez must be sold? Did he do the same when the ‘shit kicked the fan’ in 1995, or when Rio Ferdinand missed a drugs test?

It needed something special to prove football can still be a force for good, but Zambia’s thrilling African Nations Cup win, and Barcelona’s shock 2-3 reverse at Osasuna went some way to doing that.

And after more sterling displays, Paul Scholes and Thierry Henry show that for some player’s utter class is permanent on and off the pitch.

With dwarf-gate a distant memory, the RFU can view the FA debacle with a glimmer of satisfaction after the Lancaster revolution trundled rather than rumbled on in snowy Rome.

The team remains error-prone and over-reliant on Charlie Hodgson’s intercepting, but with young stars Farrell and Barritt among the highlights, things are looking up.

England’s cause should be helped further by the rearrangement of the France v Ireland showdown, but it is clear Wales are the team to beat after their second half dismantling of hapless Scotland.  

The week’s undisputed sporting hero however is tennis’ Dan Evans, who produced two unexpected and sensational victories in Britain’s nail-biting triumph over Slovakia.

With Colin Fleming and Ross Hutchins becoming a world-class doubles pair and Andy Murray to return, a strong team is in the making, and with Fed Cup success and strong juniors British Tennis could be entering a golden period. You heard it here first...

Some of 2012’s biggest prospects also started this career-defining year in fine fettle, with double gold for Jess Ennis at the UK Indoor Champs in Sheffield, a world-leading pool showing from Becky Adlington, and two stage wins for Mark Cavendish in Qatar.

What our cricketers would do for such success. But they did finally win this week against, well, England, as they prepare for a typically drawn out ODI Series.

The long overdue suspension of Alberto Contador is another symbolic move against the cycling drugs war, but suspicions do remain over other stars, including Lance Armstrong, who came 2^nd on his Ironman triathlon debut in Panama.

Cycling, like British Tennis and Rugby is battling well to re-emerge from the doldrums, and after this week’s shameful shenanigans it could be football which slips far below.

What new twists lie in wait next week?

Drama in cricket, rugby, football...and BUCS Cross Country... in another eventful sporting week.

Sport has that wonderful ability to inspire a multitude of emotions, but it was ultimately football’s political histrionics which stole the limelight this week.

After John Terry’s FA imposed removal as England Captain Fabio Capello’s decision to criticise it on Italian TV was reckless, brazen and unprofessional.

While he might have seen it as a brave attempt to defend a player yet to be convicted, it is a matter which transcends legal grounds, and Terry’s removal was the correct decision. .

 With assault, adultery, and parking in a disabled space among his proven misdemeanours, he is unfitting of a role which is largely ambassadorial in nature.

The Capello-FA divide must either be repaired or ruptured immediately and no more members of that failed generation, such as Gerrard or Rooney, should be made Captain.

As Rugby has shown, tough times require fresh starts and the battle should be between inspirational scandal-free figures such as Joe Hart or Scott Parker.  

That Rugby Lancaster/Robshaw regime got off to a solid if unspectacular start as England intercepted their way to Six Nations victory over Scotland.

A win at Murrayfield can never be taken lightly, but the fact remains that a better team would have opened-up shaky English defence, and much improvement is needed.

France showed glimpses of their best form, but it was George North inspired Wales who impressed most, as they edged out Ireland despite the absence of much of their first-choice pack.

Wales continued their autumnal form, but 2011 seems a different age for England’s cricketers as they sunk to a miserable 3-0 defeat in Dubai.

Credit must go to the Pakistanis, who led by spin-sensation Saeed Ajmal, have a well balanced and vastly improved team.

Yet the tourist’s batsman lost the series as much as Pakistan won it. Serious questions must be asked of our top order, and new faces including Nottinghamshire’s James Taylor must be considered.

England must recover from adversity as all great sports teams do, but with tours to Sri Lanka and India on the way, 2012 could prove a nightmarish year.

The team lacks the ability to succeed when times are hard, that great strength shown by old Australian sides and also currently by Manchester United.

Goalkeeping and midfield woes remain, but after a stunning Stamford Bridge comeback, United could well defend their title come April. 

Screening the match before the Super Bowl was a great marketing coup for the Premier League and with over 111 million US viewers the popularity of the annual NFL extravaganza is astounding.  

Manning’s Giants ultimately edged Brady’s Patriots, but it was a thrilling, rollercoaster of a match putting Ireland v Wales, and Chelsea v Man U in the shade.

And once you get beyond the sheer American-ness of ad-breaks, patriotism and obscure stats, the game’s aura, professionalism and skill is something all of our sports could learn.

Much could also be gleaned from our sporting women as our Hockey and Judy Murray-led tennis teams thrived in the Champions Trophy and Fed Cup.

And despite a fall for Mo Farah in Boston, teenage endurance running is in fine fettle.

Birmingham Uni’s Jonny Hay sprinted to BUCS XC glory in snowy Cardiff before Stroud’s Tom Curr ran an indoor 4-minute mile in the US.

But it is tragedy with which we must end, as the death of Muhammad Ali’s old coach Angelo Dundee was followed by the news that Yuvraj Singh has been diagnosed with lung cancer.

Yuvraj has been a great player in the international and county game and we must all hope that he will recover like United, Wales and the Giants, and not like Indian or English cricket teams.