STAR BAR HIGHLIGHTS

Owen D Saints wrote:
You're an Arsenal fan, were you at the Cup Final between Arsenal at Saints in Cardiff?

Do you feel that Wenger will end up buying our Alex Chamberlain?

What are your thoughts on Theo Walcott's progress?


I didn't get to that match
I wouldn't be surprised if we got Chamberlain. He knows that Arsenal is a place where he'll be developed with patience. Wenger believes in the future, and if Chamberlain has good advisors, they will encourage the move. Sorry Saint's fan's! To be honest, I'd rather we bought players who are more likely to make an immediate impact. We have a great youth academy, and really, our team is young enough. We now need some older players who have experienced winning trophy's. Clichy was the last of our winner's and this is where we should be concentrating.
I can understand the Chamberlain/Walcott comparisons. If we do get him I hope he progresses quicker than Theo. I don't mind Walcott, Wenger, as ever, has been patient with him. A lot of expectation was heaped on Walcott leading up to the 06 world cup. I think it was a mistake for him to be selected. But of course that's not his fault. He's also been unlucky with injuries, and he grew up as a striker, not a winger. I don't think he makes a good winger. His delivery isn't very good, and his speed turns into messy ball control. He's a good finisher and hopefully he get's to play where he feels more comfortable. But I have to say that if he doesn't have a good season this time around, maybe he should move on.

My Grange Hill days are still the best 5 years of my life. I was 9 years old when I started on that, and I look back on it as the world's best youth club!
I was a chubby kid, and there used be a 6 month gap in between shooting the series'. I went through puberty induced changes, and when I returned for series, the viewers' didn't recognise me. There was a little campaign to 'bring back the old, cute Max'! It took a while for me to convince people I was the same actor!

From Cerys Matthews.....




Are you called Cerys or do friends have a pet name for you?
nope. they call me cerys.


If you had not become famous what job would you have liked to do?
right now i feel id like to wade into law or politics. im appalled by our society, how we achieve less that our potential.


What hobbies do you pursue?
i love fishing and reading. especially off shore fishing.


You look great in your photos, what colour do you most like to wear?
black in winter, white in summer. thank you by the way,

Hi, Catatonia did some great songs. Can you tell us about why the band split up? Do you think there is any chance that they might re-form one day?
(Bob's your Uncle).

They were great songs and I'm glad you think so, but by the end I felt we'd come to an end musically, had achieved everything we could together - and it had been 10 years of living and working together so socially it was time to move on too. I felt the urge to explore more, to write more uplifting songs, to go on roadtrips and experiment with different genres. I 've done so much in the 10 years since the band ended especially with meeting and playing with musicians form all over the world. And I'm still learning, still love travelling, exploring...hence title of new album' Explorer'
and eclectic music choice on radio show (Sunday 10-12am BBC6music).
re reforming?
I don't have the urge to re tread these footsteps. They are sacred memories - very special, with all involved including fans, and I don't want to dilute those memories. So no, no need to reform, plus I have what I do now to keep me busy enough.

From Greg Rutherford.....




Hey Half Pint!

I'm a lot better now and about to set off to the World Champs in South Korea. The competition starts in a couple of weeks time. I've had quite a good year since recovering from the injury.

Injuries are part of the course. Weather its track and field or football, its something you have to get used to and its something I've suffered with a lot over the past 6 years since turning professional. So the frustration lessens each time as I know the process etc to get back fighting fit!

Hello Jillyanne

Its great to hear you're getting excited! I hope by next year the entire country can get behind the games and help us host the most amazing show on earth! I truly believe that the British athletes are going to have one of their best ever Olympics. Every athlete I've spoken to thats had an Olympics in their own country have said it was a huge help. You often see with the events like the Diamond Leagues that people in their home country perform well.

I think some of the names you need to keep an eye out for are as follows.

Jessica Ennis - Heptathlon
Mo Farah - 10000m
Philips Idowu - Triple Jump
Myself (Greg Rutherford) - Long Jump
Dai Green - 400mh
Goldie Sayers - Javelin
Jenny Meadows - 800m
A couple of the relays

There is also going to be some huge PB performances from some of the Brits so I expect the list above to feature a lot more names


I'll be going into the Olympics aiming to win. I always aim to win every competition I ever enter. This year I have beaten every major long jumper bar one. The guys I've beaten are the previous Olympic Champ's, World champ's and other world and Olympic medalists. So all things being well and good on the day I'm in the mix!

Hi ya North End Mum,

Me and Chris (Tomlinson) don't dislike each other and when we see each other we always chat. I wouldn't go as far to say we're friends. Its tough when all you want to do is beat the other person all the time. But we chat and we're nice with each other. We're also very different people away from the track. Different tastes etc. So there isn't a lot of common ground.

Hello Bob's your Uncle,

My greatest Achievements in my opinion to date are...

Winning the european jr's in 05 with a damaged ankle that needed surgery which I had later that year.

Going to the Commonwealth Games last year and winning a Silver Medal. No one expected me to due to injuries etc.

Qualifying for the Olympic in 08. It was a terrible situation surrounding it with my grandad about to pass away from cancer so I hadn't trained in a few months due to spending all my time in the hospital with him etc. I then went on to make the final but sadly fell ill and couldn't perform to my potential.

Ive had a couple of very embarrassing moments. Worst being in 2006 when I was jumping for Great Britain in the Europa Cup a team points based event. I for what ever reason didnt take off in any of the jumps and ended up last losing the team a lot of points. I was gutted. Also going to Japan in 07 for the World champs and not making the final. Its a horrible feeling.

From Merrill Osmond.....




half pint wrote:
If I were to try to work with members of my family it would be doomed to fqilure as we would always be quarrelling. Have you and your brothers always worked together happily or were there any problems you can tell us about?

I'm sure we have our issues like every other family but we always manage to work them all out. We're family first.

Saint-Paddy wrote:
I believe you and your brothers had been singing together for some time before you hit the real 'big time' early in the seventies. Please tell us a little about the early years and the different styles of music you sang.
If you had not gone into music do you have any idea what occupation you might have gone into?

We started out singing as a Barbershop Quartet. From there we were booked on the Andy Williams show where we started singing a varity of music. It was when we wanted to branch out on our own and sing some for of our own songs and be more rock and roll is when we got our first number one hit with One Bad Apple

North End Mam wrote:
Hi, It is awesome that you are here, I have been a great Osmond fan for years!!!
Can you please tell me a few amusing stories of times things have not gone quite right, maybe an embarrassing moment or two?
Are you or your brothers (or Marie) superstitious? Any rituals you follow when performing?
And finally.....please please please do you have any influence over the others? Is there any chance one or two of them might come on here to talk to us too???

When you've performed as long as we have there are bond to me some mishaps. There were the times that we had to go onstage after an elephant act and he had done his business on stage and we had to dance around it. I've fall off risers and had to hang there until I was rescued. In Branson we performed on Ice a few seasons so we had spikes in our shoes to keep from falling and we would go out into the audience to shake hands. I shook hands with this one gal and she keep screaming and I kept saying Thank you, thank you...until I realized my spike was sticking in her foot.

We pray before we go onstage - that's really it.

From Nicole Kirkland.....




DellBoy wrote:
During a performance have there been any times things have gone a bit wrong, any embarrasing moments you can tell us about?

There have been so many moments that haven't gone right on stage. I have actually never fallen but I have forgotten my routines a couple of times. When I was little I even ran off stage because i forgot. Nowadays if I forget I just improv and the audience can't tell. But yea there are problems on stage all the time.. just gotta go with it and learn from mistakes.

From Katharine Merry.....




Hi there
A few years back now I was a mentor within UKA working with the the then junior athletes. I found this very rewarding and had one to one contact with many of the senior team now, including Perri Shakes Drayton.
Even when the mentoring within UKA finished I have still kept into touch with some athletes and offered support insight and advice.
It is great to see them flourish and continue to get better.
In terms of ones to watch, then PSD is very good. She does not realise how good she is yet and is a major talent. It is nice to see the likes Asha Phillip coming back into the sport this year and running well after being a super junior and suffering a very bad knee injury. Staying in girls sprint events then of course, Jodie Williams is very exciting. I spoke to her first when she was younger and her Dad and it is good to know she has a great support network around her.
We have had a great couple of years in the junior and under 23 champs and we always have talent, it is just a case of looking after them and guiding them well, as well of course, keeping them interested in the 'big picture' of athletics and sport, which means it will not happen over night!

hello!
Thanks for following my career. It was a long one and could have been more successful not for injury, but I am grateful for the career and memories I have.
The biggest acheivement for me has to be my Olympic medal in Sydney. Being involved in a race with Cathy Freeman in her back yard with all the hype, build up and expectation was super. I will never forget the feelings on that night and feel very blessed to have played a part in that final.
Sadly, even though I was the fastest in the World the following year going into the World Champs, injury struck and I had to miss it and I never fully recovered from the foot problem from that year.
But I can go back through my career and pick other races that meant alot. I was very proud to start representing GB aged just 13 in the 1988 and have 6 years on the GB junior team. Winning the European Junior 200m title in 1993 is very special to me as it was my final year of being a junior and having won silver and bronze individual and relay medals at world and european junior before I was desperate to win an indidivual gold. That medal is special.
Also races like English Schools titles and my 7.35sec 60m run in Cosford in 1989 aged 14 over 60m is an acheivement I'm proud of.
Many races at certain times in my career are special for that moment in time and now looking back.
Thanks for the question.

Hi and thank you for the warm welcome

Yes I was a member of the 4x100 on many occasions through my career before I moved up to 400m and am happy to say that I can not remember being in a team that dropped the baton! I ran the 2nd and last leg and safely got it around with my team mates, even in pressure situations like the Olympic final in 1996!
In terms of working on things to stop the mess happening.....the team do spend alot of time and money working as a 'unit' practicing etc. So them messing it up is not good and unaccepable to be honest, as well as embarrassing!
Maybe because there is more time and money spent of the roles of relay coaches there is more pressure to deliver? I don't know, I don't think so as it should be to our benefit not detriment.
Sometimes the athletes don't concentrate as much as they should and go off from the 'marks' that are set in practice to early etc in races....all of these things are not right and acceptable, and hopefully at the World Champs starting next week and the Olympics next year we can get the stick around in one piece!

Hi
I feel at 36 I have gone through life so far (touch wood!) lucky with embarrassing moments etc.
Only once when I was running did I have the embarrassment of my new running knickers being too small and going right up my bum when running, so that 400m was a sight for sore eyes! After that I always wore cycling shorts, so I was safe! Even in the Olympics I raced in cut offs so they wouldn't go up my bum! (just in case!)
I hope I am not tempting fate now by saying I have been clear if shameful incidents!
I have witnessed a few incidents to other people that are shameful, like when my 2 training partners Darren Campbell and Jamie Baulch were in a lift at an athletics meeting hotel standing behind my old rival and tall feisty double Olympic Champion Marie Jose Perec from France. Darren thought it would be funny to lean over and pinch her bum....she turned around thinking it was Jamie and slapped him around the face!!! It was highly amusing and rather embarrassing for Jamie. I don't think he has really ever forgiven Darren for that, or Marie Jose has ever forgiven Jamie! LOL

[quote="SaintMike"]We have been very fortunate that a number of Olympic hopefuls for next year have come on here to talk to us. Could you possibly give them each a personal open message on here?

GREG RUTHERFORD - to the ginger/strawberry blonde super long jumper. stay fit and healthy mate and the Olympic dream could be yours. Stay out of Nandos and Starbucks (a favourite of yours!) and you will be in tip top shape! x
TASHA DANVERS - we need you back tasha to mix it with Perri Shakes Drayton and the rest of the World. An Olympic medal is in the bank, but we all know you have the talent for more! x
GOLDIE SAYERS - back from injury this year and Goldie my love, it's great to see you back. if I put some cash on you chucking your javelin over 65m in 2012 and grabbing an Olympic medal, then I think my money will be safe! x
KATY LIVINGSTON - I have had the pleasure of watching and commentating on you Katy several times, including when you came 7th in Beijing. As a follower of Modern Pentathlon I always marvel at how you can swim one minute and then ride a horse the next! good luck. x
KATY BURKE - We have yet to meet Katy but am sure we will soon. A tough job ahead vying for Olympic spots with Katy, Heather and Mhairi, so the best of luck heading to 2012. x

Thank you for the nice questions that were posted to me.
It has been a pleasure to come on as a special guest with you guys and may I wish you all the best against Millwall tomorrow!
Also here's hoping you finish the season where you are now....top of the Championship!
I am now off to try and sort my stuff out for my trip to South Korea working with Channel 4 on covering the World Athletics Champs.
Best wishes....
Katharine
Ps, I have had the pleasure of meeting "Le God" Matt Le Tissier on a couple of occasions through work stuff and have to say......he is a credit to your club and a top bloke!

From Nicole Barber Lane (Myra in Hollyoaks).....




half pint wrote:
Have there been times things have not gone quite right on set? Any embarrassing moments you can tell us about please?

Every week!! Wind is a factor for many at Hollyoaks!! That's as much as i'm saying!

From Tasha Danvers.....




Jillyanne wrote:
In your highly successful career what do you consider your greatest achievement?


Bronze olympics '08 all day every day nothing I've done can top that. Other than english schools 93. (Kiddin)

Dell-ta Dawn wrote:
Thanks for doing this.
When you missed an Olympics to have a baby you got a lot of harsh criticism which I thought was extremely unfair. Can tell us a little about that time and how you felt about it?


Don't think I can use the word I really wana use to describe how I felt at that time but it was NOT GOOD.
Much sadness and mixed emotions. Joy of having a child, sorrow that all the hard work I had done could possibly be for nought. Then you already feel bad and put yourself down and read the media to find more criticism. Not an easy time.

SaintsChick wrote:
In your years in the public eye there must have been some times things have not gone quite right in front of people watching. Can you tell us about some embarrassing moments??


Mmmmmm I don't get embarrassed easily.................... but I could have done without falling at the last hurdle at the commonwealth games in 2002.

From Chesney Hawkes.....



saint marie wrote:
Obviously you are still famous but it must have been tremendous to be one of the biggest stars in the country when One and Only was a hit.
Can you tell us any amusing stories about incidents with fans please?

We used to have hundreds of girls hanging out outside my parents house and mum sometimes let them come in to use the toilet. One girl stole a roll of toilet paper and sold it on strip by strip to the girls outside!

Southampton my Home wrote:
Hi
Have you been to Southampton? What memories do you have?

Always a good crowd in Southampton, I've played the Univercity a few times a well as other venues. I often see Matt Le Tissier in the audience!

From Kenny Rogers....



Bob's Your Uncle:
'My favourite songs are Lucille, Islands in the Stream, Love or Something Like It and Slow Dance More. Which are your favourite tracks? (and why??)'

The one that keeps coming to mind is "I wish I could hurt that way again" remember you can only be a virgin once.I think

Albion:
'As a young lad, one of my very first records was Three Wheels on my Wagon by the New Christy Minstrels. That must have been great fun to make, were you on that record?'

that was a long time ago. I could never record anything that great. so no.

North End Mam:
'I'm sure I have read that your mother's name was Lucille. Is there any connection between that and your big hit of that name??

nope. It's a very common name in the U.S.

Mike:
'One of my daughters is a lifelong Dolly fan and she insists that I ask: Can you please tell her any interesting or amusing stories about working with Dolly, either on Islands in the Stream or at any other time?'

I once saw Dolly eat 24 hamburgers in a 6 hour recording session. Dolly also has llama named... guess it? nope Ralph.

Jillyanne:
'Hi Kenny, I am a devoted fan of yours and went to Bournemouth to see your concert a couple of years ago. What memories do you have of the UK? Have you performed in Southampton?'

i must have been on a serious bender. I have no memory of this. I do remember eating an English Muffin once and saying, dang that's tasy.

Dellboy:
'Our Admin Mike seems obsessed with a country singer named Sherrie Austin who has said she will come here but has not yet arrived! From the pictures we have seen she looks a smasher, do you know and rate her? Who are your favourite lady singers??

I googled her... ehhh. I like my ladies the same way I like my coffee cold and with some wrinkles

SMH:
'We have the Live By Request DVD and we play it a lot. I like most tracks but really like Love Will Turn You Around. Great atmosphere on the DVD with the audience interaction. Was it easy to make? Obviously you must have known what the requests would be in advance although it gave the impression that each request was a surprise?'

Thank you for purchasing the DVD. I am so old even if they did tell me in advance I would have been surprised by the time I heard the request.