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Robin Parke

'TIS the season of goodwill but not, in one case anyway, of good taste.

 As the world spins towards next week's millennium there is further evidence, if any was needed, that some people will do anything for money.

 I refer to the possible fight between the respective daughters of the greatest boxer of all time, Muhammad Ali, and his greatest rival, 'Smokin' Joe' Frazier.

 It is an early nominee for the prize of the most tasteless idea of the new century.

 Frazier's daughter is Jacqui Frazier Lyde and she is a practising lawyer aged 38. She has not fought professionally but has now applied for a licence in Pennsylvania.

 Laila Ali is aged 21 and won all three of her fights to date by knockout.

 Although a lifetime ardour for professional boxing has cooled somewhat in recent years, there is still enough attraction about a quality contest to get me on a plane or, at least, in front of a television set.

 But there is no place for women in this game and it is to be regretted that the authorities permitted it originally on the grounds of equality.

 Women have shown in virtually every sphere that they can be the equal of men, but not in the boxing ring. It is a shoddy, gimmicky affront that could surely not entice one true boxing fan through the door.

 It is difficult to reach a nadir if the starting point is zero, but this possible Ali-Frazier female battle does truly plumb the depths.

 Cashing in on famous family names for the sake of financial gain is sordid. What's left - the real Ali and Frazier IV?  It would seem that South China and Happy Valley failed to cash in on Christmas goodwill when the Senior Shield final was played at a decidedly chilly Hong Kong Stadium on Thursday night.

 The oldest knockout trophy in local football has always been a fixture in the calendar at the end of any given year.

 In the past it has been played on Christmas Day and inquiries with the Hong Kong FA and players involved could not elicit an immediate reason as to why yesterday would not have been ideal.

 There would surely have been three times the number of spectators for what was a cracking game of football.

 It is clearly difficult enough to get people to watch local games these days without spurning public holidays if, or when, they are available.

 There is a lot to be said for tradition in any sport and fixed dates in the annual calendar then become part of the occasion. By having a traditional Christmas Day final, fans and their families can include the game in their entertainment plans for the day.

 There used to be an entire league programme in Britain on Christmas Day but that has long fallen out of favour so that players could be with their families.

 While one would be churlish to knock the basic idea, a football game on Christmas Day would categorically mean missing the turkey at lunch. But it would still be there later.

 For those of a Celtic persuasion, New Year has always been a bigger occasion with Hogmanay a treasured date.

 In days gone by here, there were views held among Scottish expatriate players that the HKFA's fixtures committee put down a New Year's Day game involving them because they knew what usually went on the night before.

 Almost certainly untrue but the yearly moans and mumblings could have had you doubting.

 On at least one occasion, a club took the precaution of taking their players to a hotel on New Year's Eve and fixing up a special dinner - non-alcholic drinks available only.

 One beer was allowed at midnight and then off to bed. Team officials may have well felt they had done the right thing but somebody forgot to tell them about minibars and the availability of alcoholic beverages through room service, paid for in cash.

 The result the next day did not go in favour of the drinkers.

 But there was no hard and fast rule and probably still isn't - except in relation to the longevity of a career.

 I recall having a heart-to-heart talk with the near-legendary Walter Gerrard - happily still with us in Hong Kong - on the eve of a game for Rangers against Happy Valley.

 He was in dispute with the club and was not even sure if he would be playing the following day. As happens, one thing led to another and we left a now gone and lamented Happy Valley drinking establishment to greet the dawn.

 The big fellow did play that day - and scored four to beat Valley on his own.

 That happened quite a long time ago now but we'll leave it with a story that's bang up to date.

 First-team players at a top English football club were called in early to pre-season training. They were sent on a week-long special get-together to help them keep the correct weight, eat proper diets, maintain a careful check on fluctuations in weight and, would you believe, have psychology sessions.

 They returned to normal pre-season training after a week. Their coach, a successful one of the older school, said: 'I have just one question: how do you measure heart?'  Until next week, Y2K and the remnants of Millennium Eve permitting.



Daughters' punch-up plan sets century mark for bad taste