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Rusty, I thought your mention of the TUEs was good - yes, they're not illegal, but are they always honest, fair? I think this is highly unlikely. The same applies to some aspects of tennis - the medical timeouts have caused controversy for a while. The sad thing is, of course, if it's 'within the rules', we all suffer - the honest athletes, the honest sportsmen and women, the followers of the sports.

Hello, Malone!
I think Team Sky and Wiggins are chancers.
Even their fellow riders and Froome who was in the same team as Wiggins say their use of TUE's is wrong.
Nicole Cooke slaughtered them last week in her statement to the Parliamentary enquiry into British Cycling shenanigans.
I certainly do not think it is right or fair that Wiggins can take a banned substance immediately before three major Tours on a doctor's sayso.
A mere coincidence?
I think not!
It appears that the tennis rules need investigated if an old war horse like Pat Cash thinks players "may" be abusing time outs.
Us spectators want good honest sport.
We should not have to be questioning different aspects of winning achievements.
The final between Roger v Rafa was a great sporting event.
That is what I'll remember, not the time outs.

Hi, Rusty!
How was your walk?
I hope you got home unscathed?
It is still mild here...I think this may be the pattern for the week...but it continues to be damp.
And I have a very filthy dog to clean on my return from every walk!
I had got "Wee Frees" for the clue in the Times QC - I think we have had this before?
But I always knew it as two words, (3,5) and Chambers also gives it as such.
I haven't yet looked at the 15 X 15.......
My daughter has a day off work today- she had various things to do/ sort out, but I think she must be bored as she has just phoned for yet another chat!
We are meeting on Wednesday anyway, for lunch!
I just read what you said at the end of your message to Malone......
but I think the damage is done when insinuations are cast.....
All too often these days, a "smear" will blight someone's character.
I wanted to remember yesterday's match as an epic match between two great sportsmen and good friends......not have it overlaid by "suspicions" of ill-conduct.
It spoils it in my eyes!





Hello, Malone!
I wasn't shooting the messenger.......I just hate it when insinuations are made (in this instance by Pat Cash, whom I usually like) that (my) idols might have feet of clay!
I think it stems from potential disappointment......and it was a shock coming out of the blue as the BBC did not include any of this in its transmissions.

Rusty, I'm glad, in some ways, that I'm not a big follower of cycling - all my illusions would have been well and truly shattered over the last year or so. I'm particularly annoyed with Bradley Wiggins - I read an interview with him, where he was less than complimentary about the female rider who'd 'missed' various drugs tests, then a couple of weeks later I read all about his TUEs. The tale of the mysterious parcel (in that the contents were mysterious) added to my cynicism!

I also think it's sad how easily sports and sportspeople can become tainted. My son always liked Rafa Nadal, but was disappointed to read that Rafa had been involved in the TUE controversy. I don't want to tar all players with the same brush, and it's unfair that the bad behaviour in some sports casts shadows over others, of course.

Elle, glad you agree about the Wee Frees - Weefrees or weefrees would be an awful word.

I didn't think you were shooting the messenger, I was happy to supply more background. I think the 'timeout' debate flares up quite regularly - Djokovic's toe injury, Kyrgios's sore finger, Johanna Konta's 22 minutes absence during a match... I'd be disappointed if there was any question of Roger using gamesmanship in any way - it's something he's never needed to do.

Hello, Elle,
I am home.
No scathes on me!
I have not got that part of the paper.
My neighbourly nurse has it, but I can assure you it is two words.
Wee Frees! (Quite a good clue!)
Yes, a pity, but Cash must have felt the need to speak out.
I am not up on tennis time out rules.
Could they be a bit lax?
What I saw yesterday was two lads playing great tennis in an effort to win.
Played in a very sporting fashion, as it should be.
Pity about Cash bringing up the time out.

Rusty, |I'm not leaping to Pat Cash's defence... but his original comment was in his Saturday column and referred to Roger's perhaps slightly iffy timeout in an earlier match. Roger taking another timeout yesterday perhaps revived the subject, controversy.

OK, Malone, I did not know that.
Could be these rules need looked at?

Sorry, Rusty, I meant the Sunday paper - still before the Final, of course. Yes, the authorities look into the timeout issue every now and again, but nobody's ever come up with a definitive solution - I don't think there is one.

Hi, Rusty!
I am glad to hear that you are back home safely!
There you are, you see, you have actually found a use for the word "scathes"!
We were only talking about that the other day, weren't we?
I am putting the matter of the "time -outs" behind me......I refuse to have my memory of a great match and good sportsmanship tarnished.
And, to me, Roger is one of the good guys and a perfect "gentleman".
I shall let it remain so.
So what is happening with the British Cycling investigation, now that Nicole has spoken out so forcefully, and backed up by Emma Pooley?
Will "justice" be served , do you think?
I am sluggish with the crossword today, I think my mind is not on it!