| National swim coach Mark Schubert takes leave By PAUL NEWBERRY 2010-09-16T16:39:17ZMark Schubert has taken a leave of absence from his post as head coach of the U.S. national swim team.... hosted.ap.org |
Minnesota Twins first-round playoff seats snapped up within an hour Minnesota Twins fans will have to be on their feet if they want to get first-round playoff tickets from the team's box office. feeds.bizjournals.com |
Commonwealth Games 2010: Fran Halsall sings wrong England anthem • Halsall began singing Land of Hope and Glory on podium• Anthem was changed to Jerusalem following a public voteFran Halsall stood on top of the podium, gold medal around her neck, watching the St George's Cross be tugged up the flagpole. As the opening notes came through the tannoy she opened her mouth and belted out the first words: "Land of hop..." Hold on. Has somebody blundered? Halsall caught herself just in time and did a double take, then struggled to stop herself bursting into giggles, clenching her lips tight as a grin tugged at the corners of her mouth.It was not the organisers who were at fault – England have switched their anthem. Out went Land of Hope and Glory, used by the team at the every Commonwealth Games since 1930, and in came Jerusalem. Halsall was not the only one taken aback. On Australian TV the perplexed presenters did a little quick research before announcing that England had chosen their new anthem "from the soundtrack of the film Chariots of Fire".Team England did announce the decision, back in May, it just seems no one was listening at the time. They put it to a "public vote". Though actually the poll was carried out by YouGov, who surveyed all of 1,896 people. "The nation has spoken!" crowed England's Commonwealth games marketing director, Duncan Lewis, "The response from the public has been absolutely fantastic and we are delighted to accept Jerusalem as the anthem for England." Mmm. 52.5% of "the public" voted for Jerusalem, 32.5% for Land of Hope and Glory and only a lowly 12% for God Save the Queen. Presumably the remaining 3% were, like most of the rest of us, indifferent.Jerusalem is tediously familiar for cricket fans, who are treated to it before the start of every single day of every single home Test the team play. Never mind that the words are taken from William Blake's obscure allegory about how grim England had become in the early 19th century. The version being used in Delhi was recorded especially by the Grimethorpe Colliery Band, and runs to two minutes and 43 seconds. It is being played in its entirety here, which meant Halsall was standing there trying not to laugh for what felt like a very long time indeed.Commonwealth Games 2014SwimmingAndy Bullguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
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