Newcastle played in the biggest reserves game in the world ever last night... and won! Both teams had held back many key players because of weekend games and Newcastle were reduced to using 18 year old Tim Krul on his debut as goalkeeper, while upfront Albert Luque was pressed into service as our sole striker. That this game with Palermo in Sicily was televised and had first billing on BBC Radio Five Live, that's impressive for the weakened line-ups. It was, however, and despite the differences in mediums, far more enjoyable watching Newcastle's 'second string' defend a 1-0 lead away than listen to the 'first team' grind out a grim 1-0 victory at home to Fenerbahche. There was fluidity and lightness of touch to Newcastle's game. I was hoping for a draw at best, but the lads, above all Tim Krul, surpassed themselves.

With news that a leading evangelical pastor in Colorado has resigned his position because of allegations that he had gay sex with a man over three years, that Genesis song parodying American televangelists suddenly becomes even more prescient.

The massive gangland war now raging in Naples since Romano Prodi's governments pardoned loads of crims to ease prison overcrowding should get some creative minds going, principally Grand Theft Auto - Naples 2006: The Code of Omerta. Along the lines of Vice City, "you are released from jail with thousands of other hoods upsetting the delicate power balance between the clans - do you have the guts and the ruthlessness to fight your way to the top and become Naples' top don?" I think we are onto another winner here.