Sorry Frank Skinner - It's Catholicism and Cardiff City (Not West Brom)

Catholic Good. West Brom Bad?

Many moons ago I used to listen to the podcast of Terry Wogan who, with his whimsical way and Irish brogue, and twisted humour (often supplied by his listeners) would have me giggling. Although Wogan had rejected the Faith of his youth, he would often talk of Ireland and so on, and there was something comforting in that. Oh he'd be on the radio in the morning's too, but as any working parent with school-age children will attest, mornings are akin to organised chaos, when a number of whirlwinds pass through the house leaving clothes, food, schoolbooks and much else scattered anywhere and everywhere.

So it was via his podcast I would catch up with his wittering, jokes, observations and so on. There was an added bonus too: you didn't have to hear some of the awful music on the radio playlists. When he stepped down and his breakfast slot was taken over by Chris Evans, it was like losing an old friend. There is something about the 'in your face' shouty-cheeriness of Evans that just doesn't sit well with me. Being cheery every day just seems false.

Frank Skinner the famous comedian has a bi-weekly podcast, which I was overjoyed to discover earlier this year. It has been more than a replacement for Wogan's in that Skinner is just as laid-back, whimsical and jocular but he's a practising Catholic too, and isn't afraid to mention it when religion pops up in subjects. If you enjoy dry wit and observational humour, I can highly recommend his podcast.

The other thing he regularly mentions on his radio show (which the podcast is the highlights of) is his support for West Bromwich Albion, the Black Country football team. Another famous supporter of theirs is the part-Croatian Catholic ITV sports pundit and presenter Adrian Chiles, though I don't know if he's a practising or cultural Catholic. Both he and Skinner were mentioned in a Top 100 list of UK lay Catholics, As is the Norwich City boss and celebrity TV chef Delia Smith, who has mentioned that the Latin Mass means so much to her (a close friend of hers is Sister Wendy the TV art critic).

Whitby Cathedral Synod 596 - Easter Victory

Anyhow, today West Brom are playing host to the world famous Cardiff City FC in the third round of the FA Cup, and they are supported by yours truly and the author of the Ecumenical Diablog, not to forget my uncle Billy, Old Pa Hurley and many other Hurleys.

I would approach the Church to settle this matter but Cardiff is an Archdiocese and Birmingham is an Archdiocese too. It could be as problematic as the argument over the timing of Easter at the Synod of Whitby, which resulted in the final victory of Cardiff City, erm sorry - I mean Roman Catholicism

So, I'm sorry Frank Skinner, but I must give the whole of my sporting loyalty to Cardiff City. But if West Brom do win I won't hold it against you... too much!

May the best team win. So that's Cardiff then (famous last words, I can view humble pie approaching...)


Update 1: Reading my tweets it's almost half-time and it's 2-1 to West Brom.
Update 2: Few minutes into 2nd half: It's all square at 2:2. St David catches up with St George!
Update 3: It's full time. Oh boo hoo.  4:2. We'll have to to do a post-Iraq Tony Blair and "draw a line under it." I need a cup of Glengettie! ;-)