JUST WILLIAM: Question Time

This is the first edition of my weekly column, so it should in theory start with a brilliant and personal anecdote of sorts from yours. But the only thing I’ve been able to keep on thinking about in the past few days is a point brilliantly made by another person. That person is Rory Cellan-Jones, the BBC’s Technology correspondent, and it’s as follows: What if we were going through this in 2005? More on that here, in a piece I really recommend you read: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-52052502

There is obviously nothing ideal about this situation, but – to use a crass turn of phrase – there isn’t a better time to be asked to stay home. Not only do we live in an era of high speed internet (for the vast majority) but we have never had more TV, film, or indeed ways to connect to others at our fingertips. And for the sports lovers (which should be all of you reading this) there have never been as many sporting highlights at our fingertips. Indeed, it could be worse.

If you spend a lot of time on the Tweet Machine, you might have seen people asking for their top three – in terms of anything. I asked, and you did not disappoint. You’ll hear and read much more rom me over the coming weeks, but this is nothing without the reader – you – and I want you fully involved. So here is the first – and maybe only edition – of Top Threes.

Authors (thank you @EmmaBurnell)

1️⃣ Toni Morrison
2️⃣ John Grisham
3️⃣ James Baldwin

Kids Shows (thank you @Indyclone77)

1️⃣ Dangermouse
2️⃣ Top Cat
3️⃣ Newsround

Cycling Sprinters (thank you @WillLukerJourno)

1️⃣ Mark Cavendish
2️⃣ Mario Cipollini
3️⃣ Robbie McEwen

Premier League Teams (thank you @bruskyyyy)

1️⃣ Manchester City (2018/19)
2️⃣ Chelsea (2004/05)
3️⃣ Arsenal (2003/04)

Gambles Landed (thank you @dunigan_alex)

1️⃣ Yellow Sam, Mount Hanover Amateur Riders’ Handicap Hurdle (June 25, 1975, Bellewstown, Barney Curley)
2️⃣ Unsinkable Boxer, Unicoin Homes Gold Card Handicap Hurdle Final (1998 Cheltenham Festival, Martin Pipe & Tony McCoy)
3️⃣ Monty’s Pass, Martell Cognac Grand National (5th April 2003, James Joseph Mangan & Barry Geraghty)

Condiments (thank you @DerekGamblepunt)

1️⃣ BBQ Sauce
2️⃣ Tartare Sauce
3️⃣ Big Mac Burger Sauce

Rugby Matches (thank you @MattySarrie)

1️⃣ South Africa 28-25 Lions, Saturday 27th June 2009, Loftus Versfield
2️⃣ Leinster 21-28 Clermont Auvergne, Saturday 15th December, The Greenyards
3️⃣ Wales 15 -17 Ireland, Saturday 21st March 2009, Millennium Stadium

Top Threes, Ever, Anywhere (thank you @PaulTurnips)

1️⃣ The Godfather
2️⃣ The Bourne Ultimatium
3️⃣ Arsenal Players (Pires, Bergkamp, T Henry)

Places To Eat in Exeter/East Devon (thank you @goal_media)

1️⃣ Circa 1924
2️⃣ The Fat Pig
3️⃣ Iconic Waffles

Early ante post fancies for the English Classics (thank you @Kevthepunter) Which Classics? Here are three 3 year olds I’m looking forward to if/when races get back, in no order.

1️⃣ Innisfree
2️⃣ Quadrilateral
3️⃣ Born With Pride

Songs (thank you @flyingpalin)

1️⃣ Flutes (Hot Chip, 2012)
2️⃣ Just (Radiohead, 1999)
3️⃣ Sing for The Moment (Eminem, 2002)

Not content with asking me for my top threes – on anything and everything – you’ve also been sending in your questions on anything and everything. Here they are!

QUESTION TIME EXTRA

Who wins the Virtual Grand National? OR (if it’s been run by the time you see this) Would Tiger really have won a 3rd National? Is the dream still alive for next year?

Lois Davis, via Email

A good question! I can see Tiger Roll winning a virtual race especially if the ground isn’t too testing in the computer simulation.

As for whether Tiger would have won a third National – I think much depends on the ground. Good to soft or better would have given him a terrific chance, but the two that stood out to me were Burrows Saint, who travelled as well as any winner of any National I’ve seen since Hedgehunter when taking the Irish version last year, and Kimberlite Candy, an outrageously impressive winner of the Classic Chase. I’ve backed both for next year.

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In your opinion, who is the greatest prime minister we (Britain) never had?

P.S Can’t you just get curious cat like everyone else?

Harriet SC, via Email

For Labour, let me put forward John Smith. I’m not a Conservative, but to appease everyone: Rab Butler.

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If you had a world cup with each countries’ government forming football teams, who would win?

Florian Stimberg, via email

Possibly my favourite question. Let me put forward France, ironically the current World Champions in football. A French Government eleven would see President Emmanuel Macron, joined by Agriculture minister Didier Guillaume, Culture Franck Riester, Interior Minister Christophe Casanter, Accounts minister Gérald Darmanin, Youth Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer, health minister Olivier Véran & foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, which gives them an excellent core to their first XI. Honourable mentions for Canada, and Russia.

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I love your tweets and i sort of love you. But who are you? And how did you spring fully formed into my timeline?

Stevie, via email

I don’t know what to say, although I am not surprised that my tweets are better than me as a human. For who I am, my previous diary is probably a better explanation

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Could you do 2400 push-ups in 12 hours?

Giles Farmer, Twitter

I couldn’t do 24 push-ups in 12 hours.

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I hope that you’ve all enjoyed quizzing me, and consuming my bad opinions – I promise more of them in the next few weeks – and if there’s anything you want to discuss, then please email william@starsports.bet.co.uk. Until then, be safe and be well! WK

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Views of authors do not necessarily represent views of Star Sports Bookmakers.

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