Battersby

In this post I am honouring the sports people and sports teams of 2007 with the Battersby Sporting Honours 2007, and these awards are dominated by rugby.

And I will also make predictions for sport in 2008.

Here we go...

THE 2007 DUMB SPORTSMEN AWARD

This award goes to four New Zealand rugby players, for these comments that they made:

"Nobody in rugby should be called a genius. A genius is a guy like Norman Einstein."

New Zealand's Jono Gibbes during New Zealand's state of mourning following yet another rugby World Cup disaster for them.
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"I can't really remember the names of the clubs we went to."

New Zealand back rower Chris Masoe when asked if he had seen the Pyramids during a sightseeing tour to Egypt.
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"David, I don't know and I don't care."

New Zealand forward Troy Flavell when asked by the team's head coach, David Nucifora: "Son, what is it with you? is it ignorance or apathy?"
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"The 21-year old who turned 22 a few weeks ago."

1980s New Zealand star Murray Mexted, commenting on Andy Ellis, the youngest of New Zealand's Test scrum halves
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THE 2007 FOOT-IN-MOUTH AWARD FOR GOBBING OFF ABOUT THE OPPOSITION

"It doesn't matter whether it's cricket, rugby union or rugby league, we all hate England."

Australia rugby team's chief executive John O'Neill before their game with England in the Quarter Final of the Rugby World Cup........England went on to win the game 12-10
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2007 SPORTS TEAM OF THE YEAR

The England rugby team for reaching World Cup Final against all the odds - and defeating the arrogant Aussies along the way.
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SPORTING PREDICTIONS FOR 2008

Winners of the English Premier League - Manchester United
Winners of the Scottish Premier League - Glasgow Rangers
Winners of FA Cup - Arsenal or Liverpool or Man United or Chelsea (the last team outside those "Big Four" to win it was Everton in 1995)
Winners of Carling Cup - Arsenal
Winners of European Cup - Arsenal
Winners of the 2008 Six Nations Championship - England
Winners of Euro2008 - Germany
Nations to get most medals in Beijing Olympics - China, USA, Russia
Winner of men's US Open title - Andy Murray
Winners of Ryder Cup - USA