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.
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