"The poisoned chalice to end all poisoned chalices," as David Davies puts it.

For a man who's had his share of bitter cups to swallow during his life as executive director of the FA, that's quite an assessment.

He concedes the review of the protected list of sporting events is by definition subjective, but he says, necessary.

According to their research, ask 100 people whay they think, and 76 of them will say they're entitled to watch major sporting events on free to air TV, so someone has to decide which ones.

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Sport? It's not about life and death. Know the next line?

Bill Shankly's insistence that football was, "more important than that," is one of the game's all-time great quotes. Of course, it's hyperbole, often taken out of context and every once in a while it's worth reminding ourselves of that.

So how refreshing to hear England's cricket coach Andy Flower, bring an audience of sport's biggest business hitters out of their orbital existence and back down to earth.

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