The Wonder Years: 1996

There is nothing like re-living the glory years and a bit of sporting nostalgia. 96 was the year that I remember properly getting into sport and this is a tribute to some awesome moments.

There was a young black golfer who turned professional after dominating the amateur scene for three years. There had never been an athlete come in and shake up the the complexion of a sport quite like Tiger Woods. With a supreme all round game and monstrous driving off the tee, with the physical attributes and ice cold mentality to match, the golfing world was his for the taking.

This was his first PGA tour event and Tiger hits a hole in one. From this moment in 1996, Woods' career went from promising to stratospheric. 

Regardless of what has happened recently with his Lothario like lifestyle and change in coaches and form. Nobody can argue that Tiger Woods transformed the game and image of modern day golf. 

I mean, this is a historic point in time where fat Americans hadn't thought of shouting; ' It's in the hole!'  God, that's annoying...

Professional rugby union was a year old in 1996 and still coming to terms with how professional sportsmen dedicated themselves to training and physical preparation. Rugby league had been using superior and professional training methods for many years in comparison. If you are a fan of both codes and 7s and have half an hour to kill then you are in for a treat!

This is at the Middlesex 7s tournament. I stumbled across this video accidentally and when the Wigan Warriors lineup came on screen I had to watch both parts of the match.

Back then there was a snobbish attitude by union towards the skill level of  league players, but after this performance at Twickenham in 96, the doubters were proved so very wrong. Probably why Wigan were never invited back to play 7s again...

Seeing the calibre of attacking flair from the Wigan team was amazing to witness in the 7s format. Not surprising that most of those guys went on to represent their union countries at international level and even the British & Irish Lions.

The Scottish Premier League was won by Rangers and the Cup by Kilmarnock. Players like Paulo Di Canio, Brian Laudrup, Pierre Van Hooijdonk and Paul Gascoigne graced grounds up and down Scotland in the 90's. Those days seem to have disappeared sadly, but hopefully one day we can have that kind of quality back. Please come back.

Gazza  uniquely entertaining and provoking... 

 

Here we have Gascoigne at Euro 96 at Wembley, scoring that goal against Scotland. Magnificent skill and wonderful celebration of the 'dentist's chair' (Gazza pre-tournament was 'papped' lying in a reclining chair and booze being pored down his gullet).

Again, England lose to Germany on penalties with Gareth Southgate striking the definitive penalty with the assurance of a mouse. They think It's all over... It is.

Football is not coming home Gareth.

What better way to answer the critics and laugh off the abuse from the media...

Other English football news:

• An uncapped David Beckham scores from the half way line against Wimbledon
• Wenger takes over at Arsenal
• Middlesbrough lose in both the league cup and cup final. They are relegated after being deducted 3 points for cancelling a match earlier in the season. Turns out that deduction cost them their Premiership status. Bad times.

Staying with fusstball, Borussia Dortmund won the Champions League with a 3-1 win against a very strong Juventus side. Lars Ricken came on and with his first touch scored this goal:

Screamer. Plus a Scotsman played and won a major footballing trophy. Paul Lambert.

Gooooolazo

Every Sunday I visited the magnificent church of  Football Italia on Ch4. Fantastic format and a wonderfully insightful view of Serie A, when It was the best league with the best players around. Nothing can compare to James Richardson relaxing at a cafe in Rome analysing and translating the back of the Italian newspapers.

My favourite striker of all time still is George Weah. I wouldn't still have a replica Milan top with his name on the back from 1996 if he was average. Weah also scored this goal too.

Play Sports? Got A Beard? You Are Great.

Everyone should appreciate a fine beard and if you don't, well I hate you. They can symbolise many things, like freedom or maturity but mainly just undoubted awesomeness.

Not strictly a sportsman. But a bearded Greek god-like athlete

Much deliberation has been had in creating a list of 6 such hairy heroes. The criteria is as follows:

Type of beard

Style

Coolness

Status of the sportsman

Manliness 

6. James Harden - Houston Rockets - USA - Basketball

James Harden owns the most bodacious beard in the NBA

Dream Team + Beard = Awesome

Anybody who shoots hoops of the calibre of James Harden and can pull off a slick beard should have a bronze statue of them erected. Harden's beard has a Facebook page and Twitter account and has inspired songs and t-shirts. Brilliant.

5. Josh Strauss - Glasgow Warriors - South Africa - Rugby

Great Scot! what a beard

Loves a beardy selfie

I particularly appreciate Josh Strauss's bushy beard. Physically imposing bosh machine and back row forward who puts his facial hair on the line every match.  I'm even more proud to be Scottish, with the knowledge that he plays his rugby in this very country. What a bloke.

4. Paul Breitner - West Germany - Bayern Munich - Real Madrid - Football

"No beard Keegan? Don't touch me..."

Not exactly a beard in this photo. But anyone that  looks
cool with a handlebar moustache, a perm and a yellow Jagermeister T-Shirt is beyond worthy for this short-list

Paul Breitner the marauding left back turned box-to-box midfielder had the 70's beard and perm combination down to an art. Pretty sexual for a man who was one of only four footballers ever to score in two different World Cup finals. Oh... the others were Vava, Zidane and Pele. Enough said.

3. Andrea Pirlo - Juventus - Italy - Football

The Architect

Italian Stallion

Andrea Pirlo was supposedly past it. Declined a new contract by Milan and released on a free. What better way to make a comeback than to grow a beautiful thick beard and pick up Serie A player of the season in the process with Juventus. L'architetto is a truly legendary deep lying playmaker that continues to dominate matches and beard competitions in equal measures.

2. Sebastian Chabal - Lyon - France - Rugby

A day in the life

Vogue

Sebastain Chabal is one of the bearded wonders of the modern facial hair world.  L'Homme Des Carvernes: 'The Caveman', is 6ft4 and almost 18st who's style of play can only be described as Neanderthal like. The contact area is his best friend and in his prime the most feared tackler and ball carrier in global rugby Chabalmania is a thing in France and with wild long flowing hair and a big bushy beard to match he is an icon of the professional game and a beard enthusiast's idol. Viva le barbe!

1. Socrates - 1954-2011 - Garforth Town - Brazil - Football

Dr Socrates- World Cup captain

Too cool to do his own stretches

Socrates who sadly past away in 2011, will be remembered for being one of the very best footballers of all time. He combined technique and grace as a midfield playmaker for Brazil at two World Cups. In my opinion qualified Doctor Socrates was the epitome of cool, having a striking beard and afro/perm look in the 70's and 80's is magnificent. Wearing a headband which read "people need justice",made political statements stylish. Described as a genius, intellectual or legend doesn't do this heavy drinking, heavy smoking, beardly God justice. Even his appearance for the last 12 minutes of a match for Garforth Town at the age of 50 transcended coolness.

All I can say is that this maverick of a man was a one off and brought joy to millions of beard enthusiasts and the other types of people around the world. He will be remembered as the great philosopher of football.

No Harry, not even a woollen beard can hide that melted fox face of yours. Go away