The Don Speaks: Previous columns

2004

It doesn't matter who wins the U.S. Masters in 2004 -- one of the main highlights will be the two rounds of golf played by a man aged 74. This man hasn't made the cut at Augusta since 1983 and he'll shoot somewhere in the 80s, but the crowds will lap up every last stroke. We are of course talking about Arnold Palmer.

In 2001, the 19-year-old Roger Federer announced his arrival on arguably the biggest stage in tennis by the sport's 'governor' Pete Sampras at Wimbledon.

They do say that cream always rises to the top, and that's certainly true of this season's Champions League.

It's almost standard practice for the president of the International Olympic Committee to close each games by praising them as the "best ever."

It's often the case with sporting events that the build-up is more exciting than the actual outcome.

If last year was anything to go by, we should be on the eve of one of the most exciting Formula One seasons in a very long time.

It doesn't really matter what happens in the second round of this season's Champions League -- it's already quite clear who's dominating Europe's premier competition.

Whatever the cause of Marco Pantani's death, the circumstances were tragic.

All sports need great champions. But what they need even more are great rivalries.

It's going to be fascinating to see if football chiefs in England can make a winter break work.

You know that you've got problems when most of the publicity generated ahead of a major championship is negative.

Most successful sportsmen and women dread the moment they're brought back down to earth. But one of the world's hottest talents right now is probably enjoying a stint of normality.

As a sports broadcaster, you know what question you'll be asked first in the light of a positive drugs test: "do you think he or she did it?"

Australian legend Steve Waugh is rightly commanding the attention and dominating the headlines in the immediate aftermath of a glittering career.

2003

As another year rolls towards a close, it's time to hail the heroes and nail the villains who made the sporting headlines in 2003.

Sometimes we're criticized on World Sport for showing football action from South America when the quality can be so much higher in the likes of Spain, Italy and England.

Some things in sport just don't make sense. For example, why is a try worth five points in rugby, what is so global about the World Series and why use the word 'love' when you've just brutally whitewashed your opponent in tennis?

The tennis season is almost over, and the game's top stars can look forward to a long hard rest. Well, all six weeks of it, before they're back on the global treadmill once again.

Drug cheats will never be beaten. Call me a cynic, I accept there will be individual success stories, but I do not see how they will be fully eradicated.

The game of rugby may well have been created in England, but the trophy named after its founder -- William Webb-Ellis -- has never resided in the northern hemisphere, let alone the country of the game's birth.

You haven't walked a mile in my shoes." Those are the bitter and painful words of one of baseball's most celebrated stars. Hank Aaron is rightly proud of his 755 home runs -- a record that stands to this day.

The more things change, the more they remain the same." So said the appropriately named Alphonse Karr, who I suspect never would have imagined his name appearing in an article about racing cars.

"The road to Gelsenkirchen" doesn't have much of a ring to it, sounding like the working title of a low budget war film.

Sensational. Audacious. Global warfare. These are just some of the words used to describe Peter Kenyon's boardroom transfer from Manchester United to wannabe-rivals Chelsea.

So, Ed Moses is planning a comeback. The athlete who made a career out of clearing hurdles has found a new barrier he wants to clear -- the ageing process.

Don Riddell presents World Sport on CNN International at 0930 GMT, 1230 GMT, 1430 GMT, and 2130 GMT daily (also 0030 GMT at weekends and daily in Asia.)

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