THE winds that almost blew us all away over the weekend robbed me and lots more of our Sky TV signal – and what a blessing that turned out to be.

Instead of sitting through the usual Sunday afternoon diet of Premier League football I, like many others, was restricted to the dear old Beeb and the choice of Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg giving us their version of team spirit (no thanks) or witnessing something that hasn’t happened in the lifetime of anybody under 79 years old... Great Britain lifting the Davis Cup.

Tennis is not everybody’s choice of viewing but if Sky’s offering – West Ham v West Brom– or the procession of cars around an Abu Dhabi parade ring provided entertainment that came within a million miles of the drama and thrills out in Belgium then I’m clearly missing out on something.

On the morning of the third day of the final, one Sunday paper columnist put forward his reason for awarding Andy Murray the title of Britain’s greatest sportsman. By four o’clock the same afternoon it was no longer a one-man fan club. As somebody who has never been able to understand all the animosity towards our greatest-ever player, I was delighted to enjoy Murray’s finest hour as he raced to a three-set cup-clinching victory over Belgium’s David Goffin. Little wonder that he collapsed in a heap after a spectacular winning shot over the head of the stranded Belgian.

Those who doubted Murray’s commitment to the cause – he had an 11-match unbeaten run throughout the Davis Cup – can at least strike that off the list of things they have against the Scot. His heart and soul went into every shot. He’s won Wimbledon, the US Open, an Olympic gold medal, so when he says that this was his greatest moment who can argue?

Recently, ex-Davis Cup captain David Lloyd (not Bumble) accused Murray of not putting enough back into the game of tennis. Well, in case Mr Lloyd still thinks the same, Andy Murray has nothing better to give than the biggest team prize in his sport. He didn’t do it singlehandedly, but he came pretty close.

Viewers will soon be voting for their annual sports awards and if the Murrays and the Davis Cup team don’t come high on the list of candidates for the hop honours then I would get scrutineers to check out the votes.

No, I didn’t miss Sky for a single moment.

WE are simple souls, us rugby league folk. So I was grateful to Tony Colyer for using his Saturday column to try to explain how the game’s Kingstone Press League One will operate next season.

It was a brave effort, but if you want to know how to reverse one procedure and turn a silk purse into a sow’s ear, contact the brain boxes at Rugby League HQ.

For those Raiders fans still wondering what they will get for their money next season and are under the impression that a 15-team league amounts to 14 home games in a 28-match calendar, think again. After 14 games – seven at home, so work that out for gate income – the division will be split into a top eight who will face each other once before a play-off system to decide promotion. But, just so nobody feels left out, the bottom seven will play in separate competition grandly known as the League One Shield.

It’s a trophy nobody will want to win because it’s a prize nobody wants to be involved in. A Losers’ Shield.

The season starts with the iPro Cup – Raiders are at home to Rochdale Hornets – but what looks like an excellent idea loses its attraction when we get to the cup final.

That will be staged as a lunch-time or late morning curtain-raiser to the Championship Summer Bash at Blackpool. Another trophy that is not even considered to be worthy of its own place in the spotlight.

And people who think we fogies, who long for the good old days, are nuts!

PETER WILSON