Dart Attack

In the modern era diet has become an important aspect of sport. In the majority of contests the days of pre-match steak and chips are long gone, revolutionised by the continental approach of pasta and carbo-loading. And so, in these food sanatised times, welcome refreshment comes from the mouth of one professional sportsman, as transcribed in the latest Observer Sports Monthly; "Some of the younger lads are careful about their diet, but I don't follow with all that. Its got to be the full English hasn't it? Or stew. Any stew".

These words come, sadly not from Chris Hoy who presumably sticks to the cow pies and Bran Flakes, but from professional darts player Martin 'Wolfie' Adams. For those not in the know Wolfie is reigning Winmau World Masters Champion, captain of England and ranked number three in the world going into this week's World Professional Darts Championship at the Lakeside. His nickname stems not from a deadly playing style, or a vicious ruthless streak on the oche, but because with his beard he's really hairy, you know, like wolf.

You'll be glad to hear that Martin Adams tips are not just restricted to pre-match food, they extend to drinking; "A lot of the Europeans don't know how to pace themselves, go out in the last four because they've had too much to drink. I don't count the number of beers I've had - its how you feel. You know". And of course there are Adams' frankly metro-sexual approach to style and gift-giving; "I've bought a sovereign in the shape of a wolf for 25 years of marriage. The wife got a platinum."

Cynical people would highlight the above quotes as a reason why darts is anything but a sport. Its something done to prolong your stay in the pub when its raining out and not a sport worthy of national television coverage. However, I'm of the other persuasion, darts is not only a sport, but a great sport at that. Its a great sport because no matter how much television coverage it receives, both the sport and its participants remain humble and in touch with their roots. Would a top flight footballer regularly head down to his home village team between games, the same way a darts player returns to his local like a pedigree homing pigeon? Darts is a sport, darts players are human and a darts crowd is full of more involuntary comedy than a whole series of My Family. Watch darts... its the past and the future combined.