Indulge me .

The Big Sleep . At peace . Bit the dust . Bought the farm . Cashed in one ’ s chips . Fell off the perch . Kicked the bucket . Peg Out . Pushing up daisies .

Thinking about carking it will be the death of me !

It is my unwanted experience to learn that if you rack up many years in this place , you get the opportunity to meet a lot of people . A lot of people !

Some you ’ ll love , some you ’ ll hate , others are to be tolerated and others to be avoided at all costs .

There ’ s plenty of folks whom I have had little time for , but on the whole , the people who have entered my orbit have made life interesting and gratifying .

It was the passing of true-blue cricket legend and friend , Alan Davidson , which was the catalyst for me thinking about life and what it gives and takes .

I ’ m now starting to delve deeper into the septuagenarian stage of my life and during the break most of us had over the

The King of the Turf , the mighty Kingston Town with the great Peter Cook in the pigskin . Both the horse and rider left a lasting impression on your little mate .

Christmas-New Year holiday period , my mind began to work overtime .

Thinking about how lucky I was back in March 1968 , to gain a journalism cadetship at the old Daily Mirror , which led to me , down the years , meeting a host of athletes who were champions , not only in their chosen sports but as friends and fond acquaintances .

Thinking about the many cobbers I made in journalism – many of whom not only taught me how to do those things journos do but to graduate from a babe in the woods from Riverstone into a man of the world ( ha ha ).

They also taught me how to punt ( badly ), not wear corduroy trousers , safari suits and pegged pants , and that there were other meats besides sausages and chops and a host of vegies apart from potatoes , carrots , pumpkins , lettuces and tomatoes .

And as I thought about those people I was grateful had become part of my life , I started making a list in my noggin ’ about those who are no longer with us .

Then I thought , “ crikey , many of those who passed were younger than I am now ”. I ’ ll just run through those who have gone who really made an impact on yours truly for their intelligence , kindness and …. well , mateship .

There ’ s not anywhere near enough space in this column to name them all but here goes . You should know most of them – especially if you are a baby boomer .

Journalism : Bill Mordey , John Scott , Pat Farrell , Frank Crook , Tommy Brassel , Keith Robbins , Bert Lillye , John Nowak , Ken Laws , Gary Nichols , Bill Perry , Bill Whittaker , Peter Frilingos , Jack Elliott , Jack Ward , Tom Anderson and Tony Horstead .

Horse racing : Terry O ’ Leary , Edgar

Britt , Athol Mulley , Des Hoysted , Geoff Mahoney .

Rugby League : Bernie Purcell , Jimmy Lisle , Ron Willey , Vince Karalius .

Boxing : Wally Carr , Ray Connolly , Tommy Burns .

Rugby Union : Sir Nick Shehadie , Keith

Gudsell , Tony Miller . Cricket : Norm O ’ Neill , Alan Davidson . Athletics : Betty Cuthbert , Peter

Norman . Rowing : Stuart McKenzie . Animals : Gunsynd , Vain , Luskin Star , Kingston Town , Cardigan Bay , Paleface Adios , Zoom Top and Black top .

Now on a brighter note , it is wonderful , I tells ya , wonderful news that Nikita Tszyu has decided to make a return to the square ring where he hopes to emulate the boxing deeds of his father , Kostya , and older brother , Tim .

The 23-year-old has signed with some bloke called Glen Jennings , who inherited the Kostya money-tree after the champion ’ s acrimonious parting from Bill Mordey , the great man who took him out of Russia to become a world champion and earn a big quid .

Glennings also manages Nikita ’ s older brother , Tim .

Nikita hasn ’ t pulled on a glove in anger since 2015 when , as a 15-year-old , he won a junior NSW title in front of a raucous crowd at Richmond Greyhound Racing Club .

He then gave the boxing away to concentrate on his education and returns to the ring after completing a degree in architecture .

You are all aware I love the fistic art

and down the years I ’ ve been ringside at many amateur bouts so please take note of what you are about to read .

I ’ ve never witnessed an amateur boxer dominate his opponents as did Nikita back in 2015 .

He looked like a seasoned professional tackling nine-year-olds , such was his domination of his opponents .

He was a beautiful mover , his armoury included every punch in the book , his defensive skills were amazing and he possessed his old man ’ s steely-eyed concentration .

And from all reports he emulates Kostya and Tim ’ s passion for total fitness , ensuring he enters the ring in peak condition .

I ’ m counting sleeps until this intelligent and exciting young man makes his professional debut .

On looks you couldn ’ t tell Tim and Nikita were brothers – Tim throws to his old man while Nikita inherited the genes of his fair complexioned mother , Natasha .

HIGH MARKS 1 : Waiting for Nikita Tszyu to step into the ring .

HIGH MARKS 2 : Memories of the great Robert Thompson , who has announced his retirement as a jockey . He rode in races for just shy of 50 years , posted a mammoth and record 4447 winners ( including seven Group 1 events ) and had his leg thrown over a horse on race day more than 30,000 times . Legend !