Mad BAFTAs

When I saw the post on pitpass about the US GP being included on the list of BAFTAs, I thought the editor had gone mad. But I had a look at the BAFTA site, and sure enough, the US GP is listed as one of the most, well I assume exciting, sports events of 2005.

The BAFTA site says only "Coverage of a sports programme as transmitted. In the event of being shortlisted, one hour only is permitted" Now I 'm sure I don 't need to remind you that the US GP was one of the most disgraceful moments in F1 history as 14 cars were withdrawn at the last minute because they were worried about having to go round corners (I apologise for phrasing it thus, but they really could have braked). So the race itself was for just six cars, and although there was a teeny bit of excitement when Rubens and Schuey nearly took each other out, that 's not great television.

What might have been great television though, and I didn 't see all of this, was the hour before the race, when several chickens were running round, looking for their heads and trying to work out how to get everyone to race. I can only conclude that 's the hour that will be selected, but if that 's the case, then it 's politics and not sport isn 't it? I remember spending about half of the race on the phone to my father and brother, so it definitely provoked a reaction - but to think it 's the best bit of sports television in a year seems wrong to me.

I also watched the Liverpool AC Milan match live. Unlike my friend Bill who gave up when Liverpool were 3-0 down at half time, that 's when I switched on. And sat riveted for the next hour and a bit as the scousers fought back to snatch victory. That 's great TV. And great Sport. The sort you want to ring your friends about and say "Did you see that? Wow!"

A bunch of millionaires preening themselves and ignoring the feelings of hundreds of thousands of American fans in the stadium, and hundreds of millions of viewers worldwide is not great, and it 's not sport.

So I guess it 'll win the award then