Love is.....

Valentine's day is here again and the boys of Sports Wall are here to tell you about the many different aspects of love...

Fashion Files - Higher, faster stronger

The season continues apace and so too does the fashion fun and in honour of the beginning of the Winter Olympics, we proudly present a bigger, better and more fabulous fashion round up. So saddle up fashion fans and follow us on the trail of sartorial excellence.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone. And may all your festive sport be magical.

Fashion Files - Light and Shade

Its that time of year again. Figure skating is back and the Grand Prix series is upon us. It may be the early stages of the season but already the fashion stakes have been raised. There have been some big, bold costuming statements made this season so let's jump right in fashion fans.

Fashion Files - World Athletics Championships

As you all know we love bringing you a bit of sartorial silliness with our fashion files series and after being inspired by the World Athletics Championships, we decided that we simply had to expand the range of fashion files. So hold on to your (celebration) hats everyone and join us trackside.

he ain't heavy he's (not) my brother

Inspired by Allyson Felix's brother Wes Jimmy Vicaut tries to assist Christophe LeMaitre after his injury in Moscow. Christophe is not so sure....

Early Impressions of Moscow 2013

So the World Athletics Championships kicked off in Moscow today. There were plenty of brilliant early moments; Italy's silver medal in the women's marathon, Mo Farah winning 10,000 m gold and a brilliant beginning to the decathlon competition but I want to focus on the 100 m.

Cartoons a la Francais

Some cartoons I've been working on of Christophe Le Maitre. Firstly a drawing of Christophe celebrating with Jimmy Vicaut inspired by this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_rsrGSV9ps (about 1.05 onwards)

And secondly a drawing of Christophe celebrating with Usain Bolt inspired by this photo http://photo.europe1.fr/sport/christophe-lemaitre-usain-bolt-maxppp-930620/21810095-1-fre-FR/Christophe-lemaitre-usain-bolt-maxppp-930620_scalewidth_630.jpg and christophe's pose inspired by this photo http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/07/26/article-2179282-14328494000005DC-744_468x286.jpg

The Continuing musical adventures of Neymar

A little while ago, in our Olympics hotlist, we told you about Neymar and his fondness for singing. Well it turns out that we were only scratching the surface. So without further ado we present to you Neymar's musical adventures.

The big (aesthetic) guide to Diamond League

Its been a little quiet around here but now we're back. And to mark a year since the London Olympics we're bringing you our big aesthetic guide to some athletes to watch out for the Diamond League.

Agony and Ecstasy at Worlds

So the huge festival of sequins and drama that is the World Championships has once again swept us all along and left us with nothing more than glitter and make up stains. I had high hopes for the men's competition this year. In some ways I was not disappointed.

Four Continents Fashion Files

So we'd barely had chance to calm down from all the fun of European Championships before Four Continents came swaggering along, dripping sequins and carried us all away. Don't resist, just follow me....

Happy Valentine's Day

Today is a special day. Its the day of the patron saint of love, St Valentino.

  So sit back, relax and enjoy Valentine's day, the Sports Wall way.

Zagreb Fashion Files part one

The European Figure Skating Championships traditionally promise plenty of drama, skill and sequins and this year was no exception. Not only do the skaters raise their game program wise, they often raise the bar fashion wise for the first major event of the year. So lets swim through the chiffon and what we can find...

The Grinch part 3

"All I need is a reindeer..."

The Grinch looked around.

But since reindeer are scarce, there was none to be found.
Did that stop the old Grinch...?
No! The Grinch simply said,
"If I can't find a reindeer, I'll make my wife do everything as usual instead!"
So he called his wife Adriana. Then he took some red thread
And he tied a small pair of antlers on top of her head.
And he put an umbrella into her hand, so he could be in the shade,
And instructed her to follow him everywhere, still wearing the antlers he’d made
THEN
He loaded some bags
And some old empty sacks
On the back of his bike
And he hitched up his wife
Then the Grinch said, "Giddyap!"
And the bike started down
Toward the homes where the boys
Lay a-snooze in their town.
All their windows were dark. Quiet snow filled the air.
All the boys were all dreaming sweet dreams without care
Dani and Val were snuggled up tight,
Dreaming sweet dreams all through the night,
Dani dreams were full of holidays relaxing, kisses and joy,
And smiled as he cuddled up next to his boy,
Vale dreamed of being a super cool movie star
Being the hero and sweeping Dani away in his fast car.
Little Marc Marquez dreamed of the pop of champagne,
The top step of the podium and national anthem of Spain,
Andrea Dovi dreamed of lounging by a deep blue pool,
Wearing brand new sunglasses and looking super cool
While the boys dreamt, Casey the Grinch did creep,
Up to the houses without a peep,
When he came to the first house in the square.
"This is stop number one," The old Grinchy Claus hissed
And he climbed to the roof, empty bags in his fist.
Then he slid down the chimney. A rather tight pinch.
But if Santa could do it, then so could the Grinch.
It was difficult to fit his big head, but fit it he did,
And down the chimney, grumpy Casey slid.
He got stuck only once, for a moment or two.
Then he stuck his head out of the fireplace flue
Where the little boys stockings all hung in a row.
"These stockings," he grinned, "are the first things to go!"

The Grinch (part 2)

Then the boys, young and old, would sit down to a feast.
Wise old Loris sat at the head of the table, pride of place,
Telling them stories from all of his three hundred races,
A happy smile on his wise old face,
Further down the table, with his shirt wide open was Randy
Looking cool, French and fine and dandy
At a small table were baby Marc and all of the baby bikes crew,
Maverick Vinales, Toni Elias, Pol Espargaro and Yuki Takahashi too
All were full of smiles and christmas cheer,
And hiding in the corner were Nicky and Colin, drinking beer,
All of the boys came together to meet,
To chat, to be happy, to smile and to eat,
And they'd feast! And they'd feast!
And they'd FEAST! FEAST! FEAST! FEAST!
They would start on chocolate pudding, and colin’s special rare roast-beast
Which was something the Grinch couldn't stand in the least!
And THEN
They'd do something he liked least of all!
Every boy down in moto gp-ville, the tall and the very small,
Valentino lofty and tall, and dani pedrosa dainty and small,
Would stand together their hands clasped tight,
And the other boys would join them and stay up all night,
They would stand all close together, with Christmas bells ringing.
They'd stand hand-in-hand. And the boys would start singing!
They'd sing! And they'd sing!
AND they'd SING! SING! SING! SING!
And the more the Grinch thought of the boys’ Christmas-Sing
The more the Grinch thought, "I must stop this whole thing!
I must stop it all, he said with a groan,
So I can go have my Christmas all quiet and alone,
"Why for twenty seven years I've put up with it now!
I MUST stop Christmas from coming!
...But HOW?"
Then he got an idea!
An awful idea!
CASEY THE GRINCH
GOT A WONDERFUL, AWFUL IDEA!
"I know just what to do!" The Grinch Laughed in his throat.
And he made a quick Santy Claus hat and a coat.
Although he found the whole santa disguise too sappy,
The idea of ruining the boys fun made him very happy,
And he chuckled, and clucked, "What a great Grinchy trick!
"With this coat and this hat, I'll look just like Saint Nick!"

The (stinky) Grinch who stole Christmas

Ladies and Gentlemen, Sports Wall is once again very proud to present our Christmas Story. This year in honour of the retirement of Casey Stoner, we give you "The (stinky) Grinch who stole Christmas".  Its adapted (of course) from Dr Seuss "The Grinch" and full credit to Dr Seuss for the bits of the original story that he wrote. All the additional, new Moto GP bits were written by yours truly. So without further ado, here's part one.

Every boy
Down in moto gp-ville
Liked Christmas a lot...
But stinky the Grinch,
Who lived just south of moto gp-ville,
Did NOT!
Casey the Grinch was miserable all year round,
From April to November, he just frowned and frowned,
No one complained as much as Casey Stoner,
It made the other boys sad that he was such a moaner.
He always blamed everyone else with a sarcastic sigh,
And was so mean he once made Valentino Rossi cry.
The Grinch hated Christmas! And the whole racing season!
Now, please don't ask why. No one quite knows the reason.
It could be that his head wasn't screwed on quite right.
It could be, perhaps, that his leathers were too tight.
But I think that the most likely reason of all
May have been that his heart was two sizes too small.
But,
Whatever the reason,
His heart or his too tight leathers
He stood there on Christmas Eve, hating them all (with pleasure),
Staring down from his garage with a sour, Grinchy frown
At the warm lighted windows below in their town.
For he knew Dani and Valentino down in moto gp-ville beneath
Were busy now, hanging a mistletoe wreath.
He knew they would be laughing and playing kiss-chase,
All their flirting and smiling brought a bitter grimace to his face.
"And they're all hanging their stockings!" he snarled with a sneer.
"Tomorrow is Christmas! It's practically here!"
Then he growled, with his grinch fingers nervously drumming,
"I MUST find a way to keep Christmas from coming!"
For, tomorrow, he knew...
...All the moto gp boys
Would wake up bright and early. They'd rush for their motorbike toys!
And then! The engines, the partying, the laughing Oh, the noise! Noise! Noise! Noise!
That's one thing he hated! The NOISE! NOISE! NOISE! NOISE!

Fashion Files: NHK Special

Last weekend's NHK trophy was the last event before the Grand Prix finals and so it was crucial in terms of qualifying points. As well as being super competitive, it was also very very inspirational. The fashion on show at NHK was nothing short of fabulous, so lets dive in shall we?

Fashion Files - mid season swing

So the grand Prix series has brought us some brilliant skating, some great new programs and some surprising results. But as well as all that the Grand prix series also brings us another gift. A gift that keeps on giving. The gift of figure skating fashion. Let's go through the looking glass ice fans.

Delightfully Dramatic Derby Day

So once again that time of year is upon us, no not Christmas, it is of course the North London Derby. Always massively important, always unpredictable, always dramatic and this year it was no different.