There has been a great buzz around the Team GB camp over the first couple of days in Vienna, where I'm covering my fourth European Maccabi Games.
Goalkeeper Matt Davis was relieved to get through customs after losing his passport on the plane. But the penalty-saving expert made up for this blooper by showing a safe pair of hands when it mattered in the opener against Belgium.
After flying in from Gatwick on Tuesday night, you could literally smell the history of a city that not all Jews are comfortable visiting.
Some people have questioned the logic of holding the second largest Jewish sporting event in the country where Adolf Hitler was born, but the scene at the opening ceremony was a sight to behold as more than 2,000 Jews, aged 15 to over 60, paraded around the Viennese City Hall Square, watched by at least 2,000 spectators in a celebration.
Already, some of the teams have experienced highs and lows but it's early days and I expect several squads will have some silverware to declare when going through customs next week. It was great to see the open football team get off to such a great start and they'll be full of confidence as they look to bring the gold medal back home.
● Eyal Berkovic has never been one to hide his opinions. In the week of match-fixing allegations in Ligat Ha'Al, the former West Ham and Manchester City star shot from the hip about the league he played in for seven years before rising to fame.
"Israeli football stinks from the top," Berkovic said. "I've been a player in Israel so this doesn't surprise me. There have been rumours about gambling in Israeli football for years and nothing has been done about it. In my opinion the entire matter will end in another week without any results."
● Adam Fegan has left North London Raiders to take on a coaching role in the youth section at Wingate & Finchley. Club chairman Jonathan Adelman, Jonny Blain and I will form the Raiders A's management team for season 2011/12.
● Members of FC Team have set up a memorial match in memory of Peter Moss who died in the Marrakesh bomb. The MSFL team will take on a Tottenham Hotspur XI at Gosling Sports Park Stadium on August 21.
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