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Whistlestop Tour of Extreme(ly Odd) Sports

If you're like me, you've got a few sports or sporting events that you're mad about and others that you're more of an armchair fan of. For me, I'd certainly be disappointed if I missed a high profile boxing bout, a World Cup match, or say the 100m final in the Olympics. Sporting moments that you can't watch after the event and have to appreciate the highs and lows of live. Some people though, they have a very wayward and off kilter way of viewing sports, and it seems like the more niche something is, the more they can't take their eyes off it. I bring you to, a summary of strange sports and events:

Is it even a sport?

I like a night out at the Casino as much as the next man and am not shy of splashing the cash in either a physical or internet casino. The energised atmosphere and removal of anything that even remotely indicates what the time is, so that you get lost in the games. The thrill of doubling your money on poker perhaps or slots. It's certainly a fun experience. Even watching others play can be entertaining  as everyone has their style, such as the crazy old ladies scattering chips across countless roulette numbers, the person darting here and there, seemingly betting on 20 things at the same time. Typical casino characters!

And of course nowadays we're never far away from a casino online usa, uk or around the world. It's the click of a button away. All of that is lost though if you 'watch' those late night Casino TV channels. As in not even take part in the live roulette game on offer but actually, just watch it live, like a spectator sport. I knew someone that did this, and it took me about half an hour to even understand what they were doing. They don't play along, they just watch the croupier spin a ball and see which number the ball lands in. Very strange and voyeuristic with no skin in the game! What an oddball!

Thumb Favourites

MMA is getting more and more popular year on year. UFC has gone from relative obscurity to mainstream, with some especially younger fans preferring it to boxing. PPV events draw in huge numbers from fans all around the world. For some though, the latest Connor McGregor fight is of little interest, because they much prefer the spectre of.... Thumb Wrestling. A sport you can imagine someone taking up in the midst of a nervous breakdown, in Thumb Wrestling participants place their hands within a 'Thumb Ring', say  “1,2,3,4, I declare a thumb war” and then duke it out (with their thumbs) to see who is the champion. It's a sport with a World Championship and in the UK there's recently been BBC coverage and a even a piece on Good morning Britain about it. We can only hope that it doesn't wing its way to major sports stations anytime soon!

The Ham National

Okay, I'll admit it, I'm torn with this one. The amusingly named Ham National is effectively a low budget Grand National but for pigs instead of horses. It's not on the same scale (in that I can't envisage hundreds of millions of people tuning into the Ham National) as the Grand National, and is more madcap in nature, but it certainly seems to appeal to some. The invent itself  is part of the Royal Norfolk Show in the UK and draws in both crowds and likely confusion for those who stumble upon it. With the likes of Justin Bieboar and Elvis Pigsley taking part, there is at least an overriding comedy component to the proceedings!

Funny Horse Names

Casual racing fans seem to love the idea that they can have a day at the races, hastily scan the race card of that day's issue of the Racing Post and, like a water diviner, instantly locate a couple of 50-1 winners by name alone.

There is a quiet confidence there, totally unearned of course, but it's there. Sometimes people strike lucky and think that by betting on Betty's Boxset, their deceased old aunt Bet and her love of Last of the Summer Wine DVDs are helping their horse strive for the finish line. Other times they lose and then the endless hard luck stories emerge.

When it comes to horse racing, it's not just punters that look to a name though. Horse owners often put a lot of thought into naming their horses Well, I say thought - some of them take a more humour based or mischievous slant to proceedings. In part hey do this for their own personal amusement, but also, there's the thrill of a commentator enthusiastically reeling off nonsensible or funny horse racing names with no choice in he matter. Anyway, enough of me babbling on, here's a list of real and 'real funny' horse racing names:


Neigh Good

Fur Calf

Wear The Fox Hat

(read those three in an Irish accent!) 


Flat Fleet Feet

Maythehorsebewithu 

Arrrrr

Hugh Janus

Hoof Hearted

Pianist
 
Hoarse
 
Horsey McHorseFace

Ha Ha Ha

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Britains Got Talent Top Acts Past & Present

If you’re yet to watch the most recent series of Britain’s Got Talent, look away now! As well as looking at the 2019 series winner, we’re going to take a trip down memory lane and look at some of the top acts from the show over the years.

Colin Thackery - There is only one place to begin, and this is with the most recent winner of Britain’s Got Talent. This is, of course, Colin Thackery. It wasn’t much of a surprise that the 89-year-old won, considering the audience was chanting his name during the tense final. After serving for the Queen in the Royal Artillery for 25 years, could there be a more fitting person to take part in the Royal Variety Performance? His take on Love Changes Everything captured the nation, and no matter how many years Britain’s Got Talent continues, Colin is bound to remain as a firm fan favourite.  

Paul Potts - From the most recent winner to the very first winner of the hit ITV show; Paul Potts was a mobile phone salesman when he entered the talent competition. Since then, he has released seven albums. His first album, One Chance, topped the charts in nine countries around the gold and went double Platinum. The opera singer has also reportedly bagged £5 million since winning the show. And, of course, who can forget film biopic of Potts’ life? The film featured Julie Walters with James Corden playing Potts himself. It took more than $10 million at the Box Office! In fact, Britain’s’ got talent is one big money-making machine with lucrative sponsorship deals & now even has its own online casino brand in bgt games. Not bad for an old-fashioned talent show.

Attraction - Now, let’s move onto the first foreign act to ever win the show! Attraction is a Hungarian shadow theatre act. Their unique act mesmerised viewers, and since then the act has had a lot of success. Not only have they fronted a TV advertising campaign for insurance, but they have performed in Las Vegas as well. They also featured in America’s Got Talent: The Champions, which took place this year, featuring winners from all over the world. They just missed out on a place in the final, finishing second in the superfan vote. However, Shin Lim, a magician, took the crown. The Canadian-American magician of Han Chinese Heritage had won the 13th season of the competition in America.

Susan Boyle - How can we possibly talk about Britain’s Got Talent without mentioning Susan Boyle? In a big bookie upset, Boyle missed out on the prize, coming second to dance troupe Diversity. A record 17.3 million viewers watched the final. Of course, both acts have gone on to have massive success since the show. Susan Boyle also featured in America’s Got Talent: The Champions, with herself and Paul Potts being the only two acts from the UK show to make the top 12. However, she’s achieved way more than being a top 12 talent show finisher, that’s for sure! She toured the UK and US in 2013-2014. She’s won numerous awards, as well as being nominated for a number of Billboard Music Awards and Grammy Awards. She was also honoured for her contribution to the creative industries in 2012, receiving an honourary doctorate from the Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh.

Lorraine Brown - Now, this name may seem a bit unfamiliar. However, if we say the lady singing with her ironing board, you will probably know who we’re talking about. No, we’re not including this act in the list for her amazing talent or worldwide success. We’ve included Lorraine to give a nod to David Williams and his golden buzzer selections. Is there anything better than seeing the dismay on Simon Cowell’s face when David strikes again? Of course, Lorraine was not the only controversial decision. The comedian pressed the golden buzzer with his foot for Ian and Anne Marshall’s cover of Crazy In Love.

Ashleigh and Pudsey - Much to the delight of Simon Cowell, a dog act won the show in 2012. Ashleigh Butler and her dog Pudsey have remained popular since the show. They have been involved in a number of theatre productions, pantomimes, and a TV adaptation of the book Mr. Stink, which also featured Hugh Bonneville. The pair also journeyed to the United States where they appeared on Jay Leno’s Tonight Show and performed on America’s Got Talent.

So there you have it: some of the best acts, both past and present, from Britain’s Got Talent. Who’s your all-time favourite from the popular ITV show?