2012 has the potential to be an exciting year. Well, it has if you're an England-based sports fan.
In June we have the European Football Championships based in Ukraine and Poland. Although I hold out no hope at all of England doing well (they NEVER do), it should still be an interesting tournament, and - unlike the World Cup - there are no easy games, and competition will be fierce. Expect the usual over-hyped expectations of England's chances from a hysterical media, who will also do their best to undo any chance we might have as they go in search of any scandal at all. The bottom line is actually that everything depends on the players and sadly, they're neither good enough nor disciplined enough to do any good in the tournament.
And then in late July and August we have the London Olympics! Truly exciting, once-in-a-lifetime stuff. Despite the doom-sayers and negative words of the vocal minority, the fact is that England (and Britain) has already embraced the Olympics and will continue to do so right through to the end of the Paralympics. The fact is - we love the Olympics coming to London!
Stadiums are mostly ready, tickets are nearly all sold out, merchandise is selling well - it's going to be a momentous occasion. I have no doubt that - unlike our footballers - our GB athletes will find the crest of the wave and be carried on in to unprecedented success.
The mood of the nation will be lifted by the excitement of the occasion and the gold medals that we'll win. Let's hope the weather doesn't spoil it!
