Sports Ladder (15th - 21st July)

UP - Germany - It seems like weeks ago that the World Cup came to an end but alas it was just last weekend that Germany claimed their first trophy as a unified state. They were hardly inspiring from start to finish but when it mattered they came up with the goods, stuffing Brazil in the semis before grinding out a narrow 1-0 victory in the final. It won't go down as a classic final but Goetze and co won't care one little bit.

UP - Rory McIlroy - It's been coming for a while. It may well have taken over a year for the Northern-Irishman to sort himself out, both on and off the course, but his marvelous display on the grass of the Royal Liverpool ensured he cements his position as one of the top golfers in the world. Rory led from day one after some scintillating golf and managed to conquer his phobia of Fridays which has consumed him throughout this year. Onwards and upwards for the new world number two.

UP - Nico Rosberg - The German Grand Prix had it all. Crashes on turn one, Hamilton storming through the field, collisions and overtakes left, right and occasionally centre. Yet the forgotten man from the weekend was the actual winner Nico Rosberg. The German, at his home Grand Prix, drove such a calm, cool and collected race that he barely made it onto our screens on Sunday. Now fourteen points ahead of Hamilton, Nico will be relishing this weekends Hungarian Grand Prix.

UP - Kylie Walker - In all the excitement of this weeks British Open a magnificent golfing record went very quietly under the radar on the Ladies Tour. Scotland's Kylie Walker made history this week with the lowest ever score after 54-holes of a tournament after she shot three consecutive 64s to end 24 under par going into the final round. Amazingly after a final round of 71 she needed a play-off to beat promising youngster Charley Hull but she did eventually prevail to win the German Open. Yes, Germany gets another mention.

UP - Takuya Eizumi - Okay, so if you have actually heard of this Japanese mixed martial arts fighter then award yourself a gold star because I certainly had not. To be honest, his sporting achievement wasn't even that impressive as he simply won a fight. But that isn't why he makes this weeks ladder. Clearly it is the absolutely stunning troll face that he pulls after the victory. I just don't understand how he has contorted his face in that position but would love to see this in other sports. Perhaps Rory should have tried this when he sunk his final putt on Sunday.

DOWN - Blackburn Rovers - So the football season is nearly back upon us (its only been away a week!), and domestic clubs have started to reappear on twitter. This week potentially the worst promotional video appeared from the murky depths of Blackburn depicting superfan Alan Birkbeck and his journey to get the new kit. Entitled 'Birdy's Date' the poor fan is seen dressing up appearing to go for a date before it emerges his only date is with a rather hideous new blue and white kit. Haven't Blackburn embarrassed themselves enough in recent years? To watch the video go to http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2692169/Blackburn-launch-new-home-strip-strangest-kit-advert-time.html.

DOWN - Katarina Johnson-Thompson - Britain's new athletics superstar will be absolutely devastated this week as she learned she could not compete in this years Commonwealth Games. The young heptathlete has leapt out of Jess Ennis-Hill's shadow as she set the best score of the year last month. She was heading into the Games as one of the favourites but a last minute foot injury has left her watching agonizingly from the sideline. Remember her name though. She will be the next big thing.

DOWN - Tiger Woods - There has been a lot of talk recently about who will replace Tiger Woods as the big name at the forefront of golf but Woods was determined to prove that he is not done just yet. Unfortunately he proved absolutely nothing as he barely made the cut at the British Open, eventually finishing 23 shots off Rory McIlroy's winning score. The veteran looked well off the pace and barely cracked a smile all weekend. Plenty of work is needed if he is to win another major.

DOWN - Felipe Massa - The poor Brazilian just cannot catch a break at the moment as, once again, he was wiped out of another Grand Prix before being able to complete a lap. Massa did not help himself by blaming Magnussen as it was a pretty obvious racing collision but nevertheless the Williams driver just seems to have run out of luck. With his team mate, Bottas, winning his third consecutive podium, Felipe will really be hoping to have a good weekend in Hungary. Or at least finish the first lap.

DOWN - Alastair Cook - Dear Alastair. On behalf of the Nation could we please ask you to resign as England cricket captain? Yours sincerely, every Englishman everywhere. That is all.

Sports Ladder (4th - 10th February)

UP - Jenny Jones - This week Jenny Jones became the first Briton in Winter Olympic history to win a medal on snow and only the 23rd ever to win a medal full stop. In fact, she won a medal quicker at the Winter Olympics than Team GB managed at the Summer Olympics two years ago. Her bronze came in the Olympics sexy new sport, Snowboard Slopestyle, in which Britain have actually turned out to be surprisingly good!


UP - Dan Evans - British tennis has been dominated in recent years by Andy Murray as well as the rise of Laura Robson and Heather Watson. But could there be a new kid on the block? At only 22, Evans has time on his side and this week rose to his highest career ranking of 123rd in the World. After upsetting Philipp Kohlschreiber and pushing Tommy Haas to three sets the Birmingham born star will be looking to push into the top 100 to cement a regular place at Grand Slams.

UP - Yulia Lipnitskaya - Sometimes sport just makes me sit and wonder what i've done with my life. Watching 15 year old Yulia Lipnitskaya produce two stunning figure skating routines was certainly one of those moments. The young Russian oozed class and maturity as she glided elegantly across the ice. Her two displays helped Russia win the team figure skating event, becoming the youngest Russian gold medalist in the history of the games in the process.

UP - Katarina Johnson-Thompson - In amongst all the Sochi madness, a new British star emerged on the athletics circuit. Johnson-Thompson made a name for herself after an enigmatic display at London 2012, finishing 15th in the Heptathlon at just 19 years of age. This week she took the British Indoor Championships by storm, collecting Gold in both the long jump and the high jump. More impressively, she broke the British high jump record, held by Debbie Marti since 1997. The next Jessica Ennis?

UP - Dama Schmieg - Now i'm sure a lot of you, like me, have got swept up by the Winter Olympic excitement. Now I doubt any of you have got quite as swept up as Dama Schmieg though. Schmieg has created an 150 yard luge course in his own back garden, which takes 45 seconds to get from start to finish. He has certainly become the coolest man in his neighbourhood after his creation, as many have flocked to have a go at the course.


DOWN - Johnny Quinn - They say lightning doesn't strike twice. Quinn would probably dispute that saying after a seriously unlucky opening few days in Sochi. First, Quinn got stuck in one of the toilets without a phone or any way of getting out. So naturally the American bobsled participant smashed his way out, breaking a hole through the door. But it gets worse, as today Quinn and his teammates got stuck in an elevator and had to be rescued. Is Sochi trying to tell him something?


DOWN - Joe Kinnear - The least surprising news in football occurred this week when Jo(k)e Kinnear left Newcastle at the start of last week. Asking people to judge him on his signings and then making not a single permanent signing wasn't a great start. Failing to pronounce the players names didn't help either. Attempting to sign one of his own players who was out on loan also wasn't a bright moment. The list of stupidity goes on. Newcastle fans will be counting their lucky stars that he is anywhere but at St James' Park.


DOWN - Anna Gasser - Poor Anna Gasser. The final woman left to run in the final of the Snowboard Slopestyle final. The only woman left who could get in the medals. Yet she managed to take all the tension out of the occasion with a seemingly unheard of false start. Tumbling down the hill before she was meant to, before comically failing to get back up it. Then when she did get going she crashed out. It just wasn't her day.


DOWN - David Moyes - Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. The pressure is building on the United manager as they conceded a last gasp equaliser to bottom-of-the-league Fulham at the weekend. The signing of Mata looked to be the rejuvenation  that Moyes needed but it has not had the desired impact and the strange tactic of sending in cross-after-cross was extremely unsuccessful. Moyes needs time, there is no doubt about that, but regardless, beating the bottom side in the League is pretty much a must for the new United boss.


DOWN - Kevin Pietersen - The curtain closes on a wonderful England career but not how anyone would have wanted. Pietersen was told by the ECB that he is no longer wanted in the team as his teammates do not trust him. He was also criticised for some of his dismissals during the recent Ashes tour, despite being the highest run scorer in the squad. It is a shame his England career has ended in such controversy as he had the potential to go down as one of the all time greats. Hopefully he still will.