MANY people who watched the sport over the weekend will have become depressed about the latest bunch of brave British losers. Tim Henman, the England cricket team and the British Lions have all gone under. Even our lacrosse team got beaten by the Wallabies in the world cup at Wycombe Abbey School.

But what is worse is that most of these defeats are an example of the worship of muscle power that is ruining sport.

Henman, for example, was beaten by a player who has only one real world-class shot. In the ladies' final at Wimbledon it was the same story with the Williams sister (the one who doesn't get ill) overpowering the Belgian who was clearly a more skilful player.

The British Lions had brilliant backs including the godlike Brian O'Driscoll but went under to a team who showed more power, particularly elbow power.

Some sports are now so much simply about power that they are decided in the gym rather than on the court or the cricket pitch.

There must however be some areas that have resisted the onslaught of the musclebound. Anyone for a game of crown green bowls?

Your numbers will soon be up

IT is a truth universally acknowledged, as Jane Austen would say, that a single man in possession of a sports car must be in need of a life.

The reckless passage of these overgrown schoolboys up the M40 suggests they care very little for their sad and empty lives. Which makes two of us.

But when they attempt to speed their journey by one car length with no concern for other drivers it is time for action. It is also irritating when you're travelling at 70mph to find one of these children flashing you from behind. Move over of course, I do not. In fact I make it my business to slow down further and hopefully speed the heart attack that is their birthright.

I need only add that I have your registration numbers and will be passing them to police at all speed.

EastEnders it ain't

OUR house has recently got a set top box, which give us access to lots more channels of awful television. It does at least allow us to see the new series of The West Wing, the only thing worth watching on television.

The show tells the story of a liberal White House struggling to introduce a range of social changes in the teeth of strong opposition.

Could you imagine a British series that was funny, intelligent and took on big issues such as capital punishment, drugs, selling cheap drugs to Africa to fight Aids?

EastEnders or Brookside don't really fit the bill do they?