Madison Square Garden occupies two city blocks in lower-Midtown Manhattan between 7th & 8th Avenues and West 31st and West 33rd Streets, basking in the notoriety of its epic history. Howard Cosell called countless fights here; thousands of bands have played MSG and a scant few seven years ago, the Concert for 9/11was held here. The New York Knickerbockers play here (lately not so gallantly) and the New York Rangers hockey team calls Madison Square Garden home.

ROD'S DIARY - MAR 3-4 CURITIBA

Santiago show day today and trying to catch up with this. But what a day yesterday, England embarrassed yet again at rugby and cricket. Beaten by the Scots is bad enough, but playing lousy again and after such a good win against France. We were 30,000 ft up over the Andes when it was played but I was recording on my slingbox. Luckily a Welsh mate texted me the score (and of course of the Welsh win!!!) so I didn't bother watching it which saved me the pain. And then bowled out for 110 to lose first test to the Kiwis, what a terrible performance. The England men's hockey team are at the same hotel as us here in Santiago -- they play India in their World Cup final today so lets wish them good luck, perhaps we can get one win over the weekend but it will be tough as India is very strong at hockey. And if anyone thinks hockey is a "girls" game think again, I played a couple of times at school and it was far more terrifying than rugby!!!

RODS DIARY MAR 2 SAN PAOLO PART 2

A very nice chap called Antonio Carlos Castro from Placar, a big Brazilian football magazine, was at the football yesterday and offered Steve's team the opportunity to go see the big match -- Corinthians v Palmeiras -- you should have seen their reaction, like kids with santa. "What, go and see not only a big match in Brazil but also a local derby, they don't get much bigger than that. Yes PLEASE santa!!"

ROD'S DIARY MARCH 1

Aaaahhhh Brazil... what can I say of a love affair that has been going on 23 years since our first visit to Brazil for Rock in Rio, yes, the same Rock in Rio which appears on LaD DVD. So much happened in San Paolo I could write a novel, not just some diary notes. This may not be the most beautiful city in the world architecturally or aesthetically, but the people are wonderful and .....sorry Costa Rica, Mexico and Colombia, you're great but.... the fans here are still the reigning champions of the world even if by a reduced margin now!! What did I say before about our Latin fans. The audience was almost organic, alive, intense, like a many tentacled beast with every arm raised and waving, clapping or punching in the air. Yes, every one. And the noise.....but I am jumping ahead just a bit.