Tricks that old racers get up to after retirement

[jackiewilson]

Sorry Fuji, Jilly just pointed out that the picture was taken here less than four years ago------guess I look in better shape than I thought?

[jackiewilson]

So Bernie is yet again getting good money for a mediocre product------figures being bandied about are in the monaspheric range! We used to talk in hundreds, then it was thousands, then millions, but only peasants and ex boat racers talk those kinda figures, today it's billions and trillions-------you can laugh, but wait until you order a Big- Mac and there's no change out of a hundred dollar bill! And as for a side of. Fries and a coke-----forget it unless you take out a third mortgage on your mom and dads house!
No matter what ANYTHING costs, remember, it's you that winds up paying for it!

[jackiewilson]

Well Roger, parcels were picked up at 13:00hrs, be interesting to see if you get them before the weekend. Will send Mark some stuff next week, then I can get all the golf stuff in my suitcase, job done!
Billy's bringing four to play at Zellwood ---------we now have ten-------excluding Bert, not bad for half way through September. Rich, you set a precedent !

List up to date,

Rich and Doreen
Craig and Jack
Bill and Betty
Billy and preacher plus 2/3

Bakos is always good for a game------Serra's good for nothing------no doubt a few more will creep out of the woodwork .
Mike Butler says he's coming but I never heard of him playing golf. Sutter plays, but I don't know if he's coming. Anderson plays, but can we consider him an old fart yet?

Its that damn day again tomorrow-------seems like just yesterday was Thursday ------I tell you that old slide of life gets slippier by the day!

[jackiewilson]

Ecclestone finally made the big,big,big time--------£6Billion ------Liberty media were daft enough to pay that for a very ailing F1. I have no doubt that Bernie's share will buy him a few Big Macs and a mega yacht or three!
Beautiful day here-----so I shall toddle of to the car boot sale-----do a couple of hours in the shop------then mosey off down to HAMBLE for a last trip on the Sunseeker . Set to be a calm afternoon, just bought me a Leica so I'll post some piccies tonight, tell me what you think !

[jackiewilson]

Nothing spectacular at the car boot sale today------just a huge pictorial encyclopaedia of JAZZ MUSICIANS -------for 50P ? Everyone you ever heard or thought of, from Brubeck to Basie, !
Was down in Hamble by 12:00 noon-------was going to Cowes but the water was a tad sloppy so we headed back up river and had a champagne lunch-------five of us sank four bottles of bubbly before 15:00 hrs.
Moored up for our picnic lunch when Peter Unwin in Cheetah pulled alongside-----we chewed the fat about this and that ------realised it was over 25years since we last spoke. Time flies when your having fun

[Rotary John]

Formula One is being bought by Liberty Media, a U.S. company that invests in entertainment and sports, for $4.4 billion.

Liberty Media Corp., which is controlled by 75-year-old tycoon John Malone, has ended years of uncertainty about the ownership of the auto racing series with Wednesday's deal.

There will be continuity, with Bernie Ecclestone remaining the chief executive officer of F1. But the 85-year-old Ecclestone will have to work under a new chairman: Chase Carey, the executive vice chairman of Rupert Murdoch's entertainment conglomerate 21st Century Fox.




Formula One has hundreds of millions of fans, and Carey said in a statement that he sees opportunity to develop it. In an interview, Ecclestone said he is optimistic Liberty has the resources, expertise and outlook to drive the growth of F1 -- particularly in the United States.
Lowe says Mercedes can maintain fairness between Hamilton and Rosberg










Liberty said it has initially purchased a minority stake of 18.7 percent for $746 million. A buyout is expected to be completed by March 2017. F1's biggest current shareholder, investment fund CVC Capital Partners, and the other sellers will still own 65 percent of Formula One Group stock, and retain board representation. But CVC, which first invested in F1 in 2005, is ceding control of the sport to Malone's Liberty, which has all the voting shares.

The company says the deal values Formula One at $8 billion, including debt.

Malone, a U.S. cable-industry pioneer, has wide-ranging holdings in sports and entertainment. His Liberty Media also owns Major League Baseball team Atlanta Braves and has a controlling interest in radio company Sirius XM. Malone also controls European telecom company Liberty Global and has investments in U.S. cable company Charter, which recently bought Time Warner Cable, and various cable-TV companies.

"I hope they do a lot because they are American and have had dealings in television in America for a long time," Ecclestone said of Liberty. "They have dealings with a lot of sponsors because of their TV networks and social media which we haven't done (as much) in the past."

The sport returned to the U.S. in 2012 after a five-year absence, with Austin hosting the race under the current deals.

"I am very, very happy that they can come in and do things (for the sport)," Ecclestone, the long-time F1 commercial chief, told The Associated Press. "I have been trying to do things in America for years but not very successfully... maybe they are the people that can get it done."

Asked about challenging NASCAR's supremacy in the U.S., Ecclestone said: "They are the people that should be concerned, of course."

At the time of the sale, CVC had a 35.5 percent stake in F1, followed by U.S. fund manager Waddell & Reed with slightly more than 20 percent. Ecclestone has 5.3 percent stake in F1 but his family Bambino Trust has a further 8.5 percent, rounding up his involvement up to about 14 percent.

[jackiewilson]

Wow, Johnno, that's a shed load of information -----USA is the last place left on earth for F1 to grow.
Like soccer, it hasn't yet seen the rise in popularity that most other sports have enjoyed, the U S has chosen a different set of motor sports to the rest of the world, and an alternative to rugby and soccer.
Maybe things will change if the F1 rule book is chucked out the window and a level playing field is maintained ---------strict formula-----closer competition, (Two horse races will never put bums on seats) .
Me myself have always been of the opine that rugby could take off in America------it's still the greatest physical contact sport ever------and no doubt it could get drawn out from 80 mins to 5 hours with commercialism and spectacular breaks during eighths ( quarters will soon be out the window------not enough time to get the adverts in).
When Beckham gets his Champions league established-----and Murdoch gets behind it-----maybe soccer will find a place in the history of American sport.
Close competition in anything will always draw a crowd--------foregone conclusion, along with corruption, doesn't really make for exciting biting !

I gotta stop preaching----------here endeth the Friday sermon !

[jackiewilson]

Forgot to ask you Johnno----------WHATS 14% OF $8 Billion EQUATE TO ?

[olboatman]

Forgot to ask you Johnno----------WHATS 14% OF $8 Billion EQUATE TO ?

I can answer that.....A LOT OF MONEY!.... lol Gary

[powerabout]

Who could do the job of Bernie?
his CV
Used car dealer
Has raced a car around Monaco - didnt qualify....
Used car Dealer
Has owned a F1 team
Used car dealer
Favourite food, a bacon buttie with brown sauce

[T2x]

Forgot to ask you Johnno----------WHATS 14% OF $8 Billion EQUATE TO ?

1.12 Billion

[jackiewilson]

Well Rich, I'd say that was a hill of beans-------shedloads of steak------barrow loads of burgers -----------and pailfuls of pussy------and he's even older than either Gene or me.
Today Bernie is eating Bear ! A Billion and a quarters worth !

[jackiewilson]

One of the tricks I got up to yesterday on the Hamble river------Peter Unwin dropped by for a glass of wine and a chinwag

[ron54]

Jackie, watching Goodwood Revival today I was reminded that both Tiff Needell and his Dad were both boat racers..

Did you ever meet them/know them/race with them?.......................Phill.

[jackiewilson]

Yup Phill, I knew Tiffs dad and mum very well indeed--------Tony Needell was a marine architect based in half moon st---------liked to be called "Anthony" was a UIM commissioner ----RYA scrutineer------founder member of the LMBRC and a really nice person. Tiff's mother was a lovely person.
Andy Elliot, Tiff Needell and MarkWilson were all junior racers at the London club-------Tiff went into car racing but could not find the sponsorship or money to hit the big time. He tried "Top Gear" ------"Fifth Gear" but never quite made it-----tried commentating boat races, but was never of the same calibre as Murray Walker----Jimmy Baird or Bob Brister or even Walt Yarborough -----Guess you would say Tiff is the "Nearly Man".