So Hot

After the supreme disappointment of the France match, there was no getting away from the possibility that those fateful last two minutes would come back to haunt the England team. Thankfully, after two very professional performances, England have qualified for the knock-out stages.

All thanks to Wayne Rooney.

The boy done good. Or, as the heart-on-sleeve Ian "Wright, Wright" Wright said: "He's on fire... he's so hot, he needs an asbestos kit."

And that's what makes the BBC's TV coverage of the games so much better than ITV's:

Studio pundits like Gary Linekar and Ian Wright who genuinely care -- and are passionate about -- the England team. Unlike their counterparts on ITV -- Jamaica's Robbie Earle and Ireland's Andy Townsend -- Ian and Gary have played for England and know what it's all about.

Commentators who a) don't get over excited, b) understand the difference between a big match and a good match, and c) know the names of the English players (unlike Sir Bobby Robson).

No cutting away from the build-up for TV advertisements in the 30 second period between the end of the national anthems and the kick-off.

The quarterfinal against Portugal should be a cracker: The stadium should rock. After that, the semi's could throw up a clash with the lack-lustre Germany. Then France in the final. I can almost see David Beckham raising the trophy up in his hands, with a St. George's flag behind him with "Thame Boys" written on it.