University Challenge: "Ave Atque Vale" Dearest Homerton

Interestingly, to anyone interested in events that are not at all either interesting or illuminating, the Roman poet Catallus (he who scribed "Hail and Farewell") didn't also write "What Goes Around Comes Around" (Anon).

Which is only relevant in the sense that one of my two favourite teams lost last night. And Homerton are therefore now out of this year's competition. Boo hoo!

But despair ye not! Because thankfully Balliol, the hooligans who beat my beloved Homerton, were themselves monumentally crushed in an earlier round by Pembroke, my other favourite team.

Thus leaving me with the realistic hope that somewhere along the trail, Pembroke College will take bloody revenge on Balliol for last night's outrage.

Anyway. Gosh Balliol were dull. With the single exception of their brilliant left-winger, Liam Shaw, who last night was the huge difference between the two teams.

As for the others, I've never witnessed so many boring private bunny huddles - as Balliol kept indulgently deliberating on bad-guess answers. Which they invariably got wrong.

Do they honestly imagine their long-suffering TV audience is at all interested in watching four nincompoops endlessly whispering to one another. And besides, what's wrong with an honest, "Sorry, we don't know?"

Homerton were magnificent. Or certainly magnificently entertaining. And charming. Clever and nice. Polite, great fun and perfectly relaxed. Especially considering they lost.

But they only just lost, and another few minutes at the end could well have seen them leapfrog over Balliol to score a memorable and glorious victory. One that would have been talked about for decades.

Oh well. C'est la vie. Or que sera as they say in south west Finland.

Nevertheless I fondly predict Jack Euesden, Frances Connor (loved the earrings lass), captain David Murray and Thomas Grinyer will each go on to enjoy great success in life.

Good luck to them all!

Homerton lost (just) to Balliol 170-145