Listening to some of the award winners at the SPFL player and manager of the month briefings this week was a reminder of the extent of Scotland's football obsession.

First there was Jim Weir, Elgin City's boss, winner of the second division manager of the month award, talking about driving some 1200 miles a week in his day job before, Perth-based as the ex-St Johnstone player remains, factoring in the mileage for his part-time job.

He admitted to having needed a couple of years out of the firing line before taking the Elgin job in November before revealing how, in his mid-forties, he spent his spare time during that sabbatical?

"I went back to play football in the Juniors," he admitted.

Thereafter, this month's Premiership player of the month, Greg Stewart, was asked what he did during a year in the wilderness after having been told as a teenager on Hearts' books that he was too wee.

"Nothing," he replied, before explaining how playing amateur football subsequently rekindled his love of the game.

Football or nothing . . . the choice for so many of our most gifted sportspeople.

Obsession can be dangerous, but in Scottish football's case it can be a force for good if all concerned ever recognise its potential to be the driver of all sports development in this country rather than being isolationist in outlook as it so often seems, consequently generating resentment among "minority" pursuits.

Which only makes it all the more sickening that hundreds of thousands of Scottish households will contribute to the perspective-defying £5.1 billion deal done between broadcasters in this country of Great Britain and its leading clubs with no prospect of much, if any, of it being invested in Scottish grass roots.

This is the latest consequence of this ridiculous split-nationality which sees Scots rightly subject to British trade rules and regulations, but Scottish football clubs denied access to the riches available in their country's top competitions.

Sky and BT have no need to negotiate with the Scottish government before beaming pictures into Scottish homes, a rather different situation to that which exists in Ireland, for obvious reasons.

The vast majority will not care about such political considerations when deciding whether or not to renew their subscriptions, however, such is the craving for English football.

And Another Thing . . .

One of our golf writing brethren was incensed at the weekend at someone having dared describe the R&A as Scotland's shame.

He had a point, given the prejudice surrounding religion, ethnicity and education which, along with sexism, is harboured in some of the darker recesses of this largely beautiful part of the world.

All the more so, it seemed, when the R&A duly announced a couple of days later that seven women were being offered membership.

Yet there was a strange omission.

Given the proximity of two famous institutions in this tiny wee Fife town, this was surely the perfect opportunity to reinstate what was previously considered to be a convention and a statement issued by the other one said as much.

"The University is pleased that women are now able to become members of the club. We wish the R&A every success and look forward to the resumption of the tradition by which previous Principals of St Andrews were invited to become honorary members," it read.

That it was not taken at the first time of asking can perhaps be seen in the context of said Principal, Louise Richardson, having dared to criticise R&A policies last summer, even as the soup-stained tie brigade were contemplating the error of their ways.

Opening doors does not necessarily equate to opening minds. She may have to wait a while yet . . .

And Finally . . .

So France beat Scotland by a single score margin for a fourth successive season and, as Thomas Castaignede attempted to deal gloomily with his nation's apparent embarrassment, the cheer-leaders rushed to tell us how encouraged we Scots should be.

Having somewhat suspiciously joined the ranks of the Twitterati (@KevinFerrieHT) I suggested to followers, earlier this week, introducing a new scale through which to measure Scottish defeats on the rugby field.

In keeping with the God-complex afflicting most who attain high office at Murrayfield and the recurrence of the letter in the various standard descriptions of such matters, then, I offer you the Scottish rugby G-string.

GGG - Glorious

GG - Gallant

G - Gormless

Since this season marks the silver anniversary of Scotland's greatest season and this year is the one in which we are due to win the World Cup we must, however, accommodate more than our now standard adjectives for defeats and consider the possibility of assessing genuine improvement.

Ahead of Sunday's meeting with Wales and all those Lions, then, we look forward to:

GGGG - Good

GGGGG - Great

GGGGGG - Grand