Curiosity Corner: Know Your Initials, Alex Ferguson and famous nicknames

KNOW YOUR INITIALS

It’s TD this week

1: He played for Dundalk and so did his brother, Pat

2: A stylish centre-half who won an All-Ireland with Dublin

3: Pundits engage in them, sometimes ad nauseam

4: They have won Dublin senior championships.....

5: .....and he has been on Cork All-Ireland teams

6: Shamrock Rovers are exercising this right now in one of the League of Ireland competitions

7: All-Ireland winners, Des Foley (Dublin), Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry) and Seán Flanagan (Mayo), were successful when they tried to become one of these at the end of their football days

8: Managers have quite often to make these

9: What every team and individual strives to be

10: They’re supreme on the Gaelic football field

IT HAPPENED AT AN AGM

A proposal at a Louth football club’s annual general meeting a number of years back must have been very good because it met with immediate approval. “I’ll second that,” said a delegate.

In fact, it must have been very, very good. No sooner had the seconder sat down than another delegate was on his feet. “I’ll third that,” he declared.

Unsurprisingly, there was no need for a show of hands. The name of the club shall remain nameless.

FIND THE FAMOUS RACE HORSE (AND BALLET DANCER)

JINKY SIN (8)

HE SAID

“Our future is solid. I could pick 11 kids. City can’t do that” Alex Ferguson, in July of 2012, just before the new season began.
His Manchester United side were crowned league winners for the 20th time in the club’s history nine months later, finishing 12 points clear of their city rivals.

Soon after that, the Scotsman retired from management. United haven’t won the title since, while Man City blaze a trail, constantly looking over their shoulders and the team Fergie once made great.

FAMOUS NICKNAMES

The Baltimore Bullet (Michael Phelps, Olympic gold swimmer)

Great White Shark (Greg Norman, golfer, husband of tennis star, Chris Evert, for a time, and founder of the rebel LIV Tour)

Chunky (Liam O’Brien, winner of four Al-Irelands with Kilkenny hurlers)

The Boston Blockbuster (Rocky Marciano, World Heavyweight champion)

The Crafty Cockney (Eric Bristow, World darts champion)

Bite Your Legs (Norman Hunter, Leeds and England footballer)

Beano (Brian McDonald, Laois footballer, winner of an All-Ireland minor)

The Long Fella (Lester Piggott, Derby-winning jockey)

Louisville Lip (Muhammad Ali, aka Cassius Clay, Olympic and World boxing champion)

The Yankee Clipper (Joe DiMaggio, Baseball great, one-time husband of Marilyn Monroe, and mentioned in the Simon & Garfunkel hit, Mrs Robinson)

Up For Your Ball (Paddy Hoey, Louth football of the 1930s)

Rosie (Benny Henderson, Drumcondra and Dundalk League of Ireland footballer)

Jock (Paddy Haughey, Dublin All-Ireland footballer and brother of former Taoiseach, Charlie)

Little Mo (Maureen Connolly, Wimbledon tennis champion)

Himself (Arkle, winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup three times and regarded as the greatest steeplechaser ever)

ANSWERS

Know Your Initials: 1 Terry Davey, 2 Tommy Drumm, 3 Television Debates, 4 Thomas Davis’s, 5 Tony Davis, 6 Total Dominance, 7 Teachta Dála, 8 Tough Decisions, 9 Top Dog, 10 The Dubs. Find The Racehorse: Nijinsky.