J Bloom

Editor-in-Chief @hockeywrldnws - Chairman of the Hockey Writers Club - #hockey Player, Coach, Umpire and Analyst. Sponsored by @siamhockey_
Views are my own

[J Bloom @jjbloom_]

RT @hockeyWrldNws: Governing bodies receive millions in funding but not 1p makes it to Masters Hockey.

Is it time for change?

@IMGAmaste…

[J Bloom @jjbloom_]

@FP_News_247 @grok is this real?

[J Bloom @jjbloom_]

You don’t win a Test match on the Day 1.

You win it with the throwdowns in the dark, the early nets in February, the discipline to leave outside off.

Leadership’s the same — it’s a game of inches before it’s a game of runs.

Top read, this. @kleidos1

https://t.co/t75H64EWPW

[Kleidos @kleidos1]

Preparation Is the First Act of Leadership
Elite preparation begins long before the first Test.

Preparation is partly technical.
But its first dimension is psychological framing.

https://t.co/JmoAT0mGjh

@root66 @benstokes38 @MichaelVaughan @mstarc56 @legsidelizzy

[J Bloom @jjbloom_]

What is wrong with the image @RoyalMail

Useless

[J Bloom @jjbloom_]

@elonmusk @elonmusk are you going to be gaining a licence in the UAE anytime soon?

[Stan Collymore @StanCollymore]

Suicide.

I'm choosing to be deliberately blunt and provocative in this post because it's necessary. Government, charities, football clubs are all pushing water up a hill in highlighting what is undoubtedly a major health crisis.

You take a rope.
You put it up in a garage or a tree nearby or far away.
You're thinking about every loved one you'll leave behind as you put that rope around your neck.
Then you drop.

Some are decapitated.
Some aren't.
All are found by someone who has a lifetime of trauma that will never leave them.
A son.
A daughter.
A brother.
A sister.
A mother.
A father.

I know 2 men who hung themselves.

One was found by his Mom.
One was found by his brother.
Neither have recovered fully. 20 and 30 years on.

A life sentence for people who were already worrying, terrified their loved one may do something.

So just visualise the above and ask, "is there another way"?

A segway for a moment.

I do a few Q&A's every year. Tales of yesterday with a 99% male audience of my age group.

After the stories and fun, my last question back to the audience is..

"Hands up if you struggle with a mental health issue".

Nobody ever puts a hand up. Despite 1 in every 3 of 500 attendees statistically struggling.

"Ah, nobody, that's fucking brilliant! Well I do! ". I then graphically tell people, stunned into silence about how a rope around my neck in the middle of nowhere jolted me to go home and cry like a baby to my Mom.

After the Q&A has finished, something always happens. I'll be chatting to a few guys, saying bye and one by one, men will come over and whisper " I struggle".

Or my mailbox the next day will have 30 emails from guys, their partners or kids saying " Dad/Uncle /Brother was there last night and what you said hit them hard".

And that's how some people realise that it's time to speak to a pal or family member or even rant to me in an email. It works, I often get a follow up email a year or 6 later saying that they took responsibility for their suicidal feelings and are now flying.

Humans are programmed to want to live, to have families and to keep the species growing and thriving. So for a human to want to short circuit that desire isn't normal, and it should never be spoken of as normal. It's the ultimate red flag.

If you suspect your mate, Dad, Brother, Uncle is struggling mentally, they deserve your intervention.

They deserve a " are you OK, please tell me what's up".

They deserve an opportunity to get past wanting to hang a rope over a tree or in a garage and slowly struggle until they die and you find them.

If you've been there and trust me I have plenty, then you'll know that text out of the blue, or a footie mate or one of your kids asking jow you are can open the curtains to some sunshine.

Because when suicide is your only answer, the room is already dark, and you can't see a way out.

So please, fucking pretty please, ask that husband, Dad, Uncle, Cousin, footie pal TODAY how they are.

You may be shocked what comes back but extremely glad that you asked.

For those who struggle, you're not alone.

[Sam Roberts 🖐🏻👍🏻 @SamRoberts_27]

Oasis tonight at the end of live forever

[Old Georgians Hockey Club @OldGeorgiansHoc]

We're back on the big stage!
Old Georgians face @HCRotterdam in the #EHL Final 8 on 18 April in Den Bosch.

After finishing 3rd last year, we’re coming back stronger.

Let’s make history.
#EHLFinal8 | #OGHC | #EuroHockeyLeague | #Hockey | #RoadToGlory | #Rotterdam | @ehlhockeytv

[Hockey World News @hockeyWrldNws]

Lee Morton, one of Scotland’s greatest-ever players, steps away from the national team during a stellar season with Amsterdam & Gonasika in the India Hockey League. 🇸🇨🏑

A proud Scot making a tough call—what’s behind his decision? Read more 👇
https://t.co/Gz4BNArT2J

#Hockey #LeeMorton #Scotland #AmsterdamHockey
| Hockey World News

@Blue_Sticks @ScottishHockey @AHBCAmsterdam

[Hockey World News @hockeyWrldNws]

England: Holcombe Release Nick Bandurak Statement

CLUB STATEMENT

Holcombe Hockey Club confirm that, following the departure of Nick Bandurak in his playing capacity for the Men's 1XI, after a...

#hockey | #HWNews | #media | #England #featured
https://t.co/POgbutlHZP

[Hockey World News @hockeyWrldNws]

Nick Bandurak's Forced Departure from Holcombe: A Disappointing End to a Decade of Excellence

In a move that has sent shockwaves across the hockey world, Nick Bandurak, one of the sport's biggest stars, has been left out...

https://t.co/pPRmnHSCfK

@HolcombeHC #hockey #news #breaking #sport #fieldhockey

[Nick Bandurak @NickBandurak23]

Absolutely gutted to be removed from my team and my club against my will.

I’ll be using this next month to get back to match fitness and hopefully find a club that sees the value I can bring.

I’m looking forward to this next chapter and the opportunities now available to me.

[Hockey World News @hockeyWrldNws]

Olympics: Annan's Special Ending to a Chinese Fairy Tale

For the third consecutive Games, Alyson Annan will be coaching the women's hockey final. In Rio 2016, she lost with the Dutch team to Great Britain,...

#hockey | #HWNews | #media | #Netherland
https://t.co/8AcMq2lIdt

[J Bloom @jjbloom_]

@sploshmedia @OneLoveSAW @eurosport @discoveryplusUK He's not the only one that does that.

Players turned commentators that played with her also pronounce it Cost-a-low.

@AmyCostello6 please clear this up. Is that the correct way to pronounce your name?

[J Bloom @jjbloom_]

The GOAT 🐐 is back.

Come on @LewisHamilton let's go again.

#BritishGrandPrix #britishgp #MercedesBenz #Formula1 @MercedesAMGF1

[J Bloom @jjbloom_]

England football and Saturday night Fajitas... @oldelpaso had other ideas 😱

5 months before the expiry and they try to add this extra bit of flavour to the wraps.
How mouldy will they be come November🤔

@oldelpasouk do better, you're making @sainsburys look bad

[Hockey World News @hockeyWrldNws]

OLYMPICS: @TeamGB Announces Great Britain Hockey Squads for #Paris24

#hockey | #HWNews | #media | #greatbritain #olympics
https://t.co/imYj3UZj96

[Hockey World News @hockeyWrldNws]

The @BBCSport was the first to release the @GBHockey olympic selection.

@LauraUnsworth4 is selected for her fourth #olympics, whilst @Balsdon_Grace only makes the reserve list.

On the men's section, @olliepayne0 is selected ahead of @JamesMazarelo in goal, and @NickBandurak23 & @7Forsyth miss out, with just one recognised forward selected.

https://t.co/luZ5FaxWrv

@TeamGB #hockey #paris2024

[J Bloom @jjbloom_]

@angusjporter @hockeyWrldNws @bonhectare @GBHockey @TeamGB @Samuel_Ward13 @NickBandurak23 @7Forsyth Agree Wardy is in great form. However, I think the point of the post, and the stats, are more to question why only one of these is going to Paris.

But only one can lead the goals to game ratio.

[J Bloom @jjbloom_]

@bonhectare @hockeyWrldNws @GBHockey @TeamGB @Samuel_Ward13 @NickBandurak23 @7Forsyth I completely disagree with that, Bandurak has the best goals to game ratio from any of the midfield/forwards in the team. That includes Sam Ward.