St. Patrick's day

St Patrick's day is just around the corner, and it is amazing how big a deal it is here. There are St Patrick's day parades, Guiness cook-outs and a St Patrick's day eating competition shown live on Spike, a TV channel here.

Yes there is an extreme eating competition and I am not sure what shocks me more - the fact that there is an extreme eating competition or the fact that I know there is an extreme eating competition.

The world champion of extreme eating is not an American as most would expect, but is in fact a lean Japanese fella, who trains(!) for the competition. I am amazed that it is shown on tv here, when I can't find the 6 nations rugby - or in fact any rugby on here. You see, you can watch tennis, American football, basketball, Ice Hockey, college sports, gymnastics, cheerleading competitions, and Crufts (as well as other dog shows). So I suppose I shouldn't be too outraged. But why an eating competition? I have seen 2 people involved in an eating competition at close quarters and it really isn't a spectator sport (yes Chris and Ian that was you two and I felt sick watching you).

Rugby is too tough for Americans to play and that is not my opinion. You see when Teddy Roosevelt was President of the US he watched a game of rugby and considered it too violent and barbaric for Americans to play, so they invented American Football. Anyway I don't want to revisit my previous arguments against American Football.

Enjoy St Patrick's day if you are into that sort of thing, if not just enjoy your Saturday.