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It’s all over for The Corridor of Uncertainty

By Will 3 years ago, at the end of July Add your comment below

Sadly I’m currently in dispute with Andy Clark, the owner of the trademark “The Corridor of Uncertainty”. He asked me to change the name of the blog last week which, as you know, I did - to “The Corridor”.

His lawyers tell him that I am still infringing his trademark. I’m assuming he will also sue Geoff Boycott, the man who created the phrase years ago, as well as numerous broadsheets who use it several times each summer.

It’s all rather pathetic. But until I can confirm whether he’s right or wrong, I need to come up with a different name (again). You’re all far more clever and wittier than I, so it’s over to you. As many suggestions as possible, and if you see one you like please do say so.

If there are any lawyers willing to offer free advice on such matters, do contact me.

Related posts:

  1. Corridor of Uncertainty number plates
  2. Forums at The Corridor
  3. Welcome to The Corridor
  4. An addition to The Corridor

Tags: , , , , |

54 Responses to “It’s all over for The Corridor of Uncertainty”

  • Muffin T Mule wrote:
    July 25th, 2006 at 9.50 pm

    I would stay as you are. The site run by this Clark guy is utter self-indulgent shit and the kind of thing that only he reads. His magazine had a place but has been overtaken by events and is now irrelevant.

  • Anthony Z wrote:
    July 25th, 2006 at 10.11 pm

    How about “gangway of doubt”? Or “Andy Clark is a dull pedant”?

  • Nick wrote:
    July 25th, 2006 at 10.17 pm

    I vote Andy Clark is a dull pedant!

    (would go much stronger but fears said lawyers)

  • Nick wrote:
    July 25th, 2006 at 10.22 pm

    Somehow this has got me worked up a little more than it should. So I sent Andy this petulant, childish email:

    ————–

    You\’re a dull pedant. With a sh*t blog. I\’m sure both your readers (hello Mr & Mrs Clark) will appreciate you keeping the name Corridor of Uncertainty.

    Now go and w*nk over your Geoffrey Boycott videos.

    zzzzzzzzzzzzz

    ————–

    I\’m not proud.

  • Harry R wrote:
    July 25th, 2006 at 10.23 pm

    Over Cow Corner
    Glance to Slip
    Caught Behind
    Mullygrubber
    The Wrong ‘Un
    Off The Splice
    Itchy Box
    Sticky Wicket
    Fast Leg Theory
    The Nightwatchman
    Slog Sweep
    Fully Tossed

  • D Graveney wrote:
    July 25th, 2006 at 10.26 pm

    It’s always amusing when these guys who set themselves up as alternative voices become all establishment and start getting arsy. Not even the ECB or ICC would worry about this. They would just be confident that their brand was big enough to see off any opposition.

    Sadly, Clark doesn’t have the confidence, and seeing what he churns out I can see why. I also suspect he has a small willy.

  • Will wrote:
    July 25th, 2006 at 10.27 pm

    Blimey, that’s woken you all up! Some good one from Harry, ta for those. Full tossed aint bad, nor’s The Nightwatchman for that matter.

  • Nick wrote:
    July 25th, 2006 at 10.33 pm

    Aye, sorry Will, I’ve still been reading avidly over the past few months but hadn’t found any useful words to respond to yours. (Oh and congrats at being mentioned in the Grauniad today, even if they did do their usual trick of editing something beyond comprehension).

    For what it’s worth, here’s my suggestion:

    Andrew Flintoff’s Ankle

  • Harry R wrote:
    July 25th, 2006 at 10.45 pm

    Backing Up
    Clean Bowled
    Block Hole
    Dropped Dolly
    Floater
    Gazunder
    Around The Wicket
    Dead Ball
    King Pair
    How Was That?

  • Kathy wrote:
    July 25th, 2006 at 11.00 pm

    The Red Zone
    Hawkeye
    Snicko

    Over the rope

    Silly Point (my favoured)

  • ben wrote:
    July 25th, 2006 at 11.07 pm

    I just can’t believe some people, this is absolutely ridiculous and has made me really angry!!

    I’ll try and think of some suggestions for a new name, maybe inspiration will strike tomorrow while I’m not working at work!

  • Matt wrote:
    July 25th, 2006 at 11.08 pm

    Good Cricket All Round
    Start The Car
    Short Game’s A Good Game
    Best Blog That Ever Drew Breath
    Pie Thrower
    Chucker
    The Bowler’s Willey

  • Ben wrote:
    July 25th, 2006 at 11.25 pm

    Definitely CRIKIT.

  • Stu wrote:
    July 25th, 2006 at 11.30 pm

    How about, “Andy wishes he could get this many hits”.com

    For what it’s worth I don’t think we should check out this guys site as a result of this - it only gives him traffic, and if he’s got Google Ads or anything, he’ll only make some money out of all this.

  • Nick wrote:
    July 25th, 2006 at 11.35 pm

    There are a few other blogs/message boards called the Corridor of Uncertainty. I wonder if he’ll pursue them the same?

  • RaeA wrote:
    July 25th, 2006 at 11.35 pm

    I love the idea of “The Nightwatchman” but can’t for the life of me see why any cricket terminology wouldn’t have the same problem.

    Is wikipedia being sued becasue it mentions Geoff Boycott but not him (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cricket_terminology#C)

    If anyone would have copyright over the phrase it would seem to me it would be Geoff Boycott not Andy someone

  • RaeA wrote:
    July 25th, 2006 at 11.55 pm

    By the way try a google search on the term .. its being used by everyone from some yahoo message boards to a bloke in India’s personal cricket blog

  • Michael Hardy wrote:
    July 26th, 2006 at 3.23 am

    Interesting approach by his lawyers. The first thing I would do is check whether the mark is, in fact, registered. You may have been told that already. When did you start with the name? There must be at least some doubt as to the inherent registrability of the phrase. Email me if you would like to discuss this away from the public (i.e. his) gaze.

  • Matt wrote:
    July 26th, 2006 at 8.00 am

    No-one got any thoughts on my suggestions :(

    Start The Car and The Bowler’s Willey are my personal favourites. Fromn the other suggestions I really like Gazunder and Fast Leg Theory (which needs to be revived if we are to retain the Ashes IMO, along with Voce, Larwood and Jardine! ;-))

  • japaddy wrote:
    July 26th, 2006 at 9.11 am

    ‘the follow on’…might capture the blogging spirit,as might ’sporting declaration’ although in all honesty nothing yet has the pith of COU, which as a piece of terminology should surely have remained as part of Crickets common wealth.

  • Harry R wrote:
    July 26th, 2006 at 9.41 am

    The Confectionary Stand

  • Wraye wrote:
    July 26th, 2006 at 11.20 am

    The Avenue of Abiguity
    The Street of Speculation
    The Path of Perplexity
    The Highway of Hestitancy
    Boyc’s Boulevard

    … okay, I’ll shut up now

  • Warwick Todd wrote:
    July 26th, 2006 at 11.31 am

    The Bent Elbow.

  • Larry Teabag wrote:
    July 26th, 2006 at 11.41 am

    Jeez, this sucks. I’d be tempted to tell him to stick his idiotic lawsuit up an orifice of his choosing, but then I don’t really know what I’m on about.

    Some possible names off the top of my head:

    Googly Blog
    The Members’ End
    Blog Before Wicket (BBW)
    The Bat and Ball Blog
    Bodyline Blogging
    Views from the Boundary
    The Fifth Official
    Over and Out
    In the Gulley
    Silly Point

    Hell, just about any fielding position would make a decent enough name. Personally I’d go for “Gatting’s Gonads” though. I’ll try to think of some more.

  • Elliott wrote:
    July 26th, 2006 at 12.44 pm

    Remember that poll you ran a while back Will? Last time clarky was giving you hell about the copyright? I was trying to find it before and could. Perhaps you could provide a link to it se we can look at some of the idea thought up in that one? I remeber i came up with quite a few that i cant remeber at the moment!

  • Elliott wrote:
    July 26th, 2006 at 12.46 pm

    YAY i found it! i just realised you have a google search thing at the bottom of your page. It only took me two minutes to find it :P

    http://www.cricket.mailliw.com/archives/2005/10/25/the-corridors-doors-are-closing/

    So everyone check out the suggestions there! :D

  • adrian wrote:
    July 26th, 2006 at 1.16 pm

    Will,

    How about, ‘a stick of rhubarb’…as in ‘My Moother coood ‘ave played that with a …’ etc.

    I’m sure you know what I mean, and has the benefit of still being referenced to the Yorkshireman who should not be referenced to.

    Keep up the good work.

    Adrian.

  • Elliott wrote:
    July 26th, 2006 at 1.19 pm

    Sorry to triple post but i just compiled a list of all the suggestions u have had in BOTH the old post and the knew one. There are a total of 242 suggestions, although there are a few that double up (like some of the fielding position names). So aout 220 to choose from!
    I can e-mail the list to ya if you want…
    Just need to know which address to send it too! ;)

    Oh and for the record i go for any of my sugestions from the old post, ecpially…
    “The Aisle of Anxiety”
    “The Foyer of Bewilderment”
    “The Hallway of Hesitation”
    “The Lobby of Uneasiness”

    Note i had to get the theasurus out to think of them ones! :P

  • FredM wrote:
    July 26th, 2006 at 1.49 pm

    How about “Accounted for tiny hit error” (guess what this is an anagram of)

  • Caroline wrote:
    July 26th, 2006 at 1.52 pm

    “Silly point” gets my vote. Although “Stick of Rhubarb” has a certain appeal . . . Need alcohol to contribute anything original!

    oh . . .oh . . . how about “A waste of bloody money if neither Vaughan nor Flintoff are playing”?

  • James Hamilton wrote:
    July 26th, 2006 at 2.14 pm

    Why not turn necessity into a virtue?

    Call the blog “For the Benefit of Mr Clark” (to the tune of “For the Benefit of Mr Kite”) with a paragraph glued to the top explaining in full Andy’s meanness and hairsplitting.

    Incidentally, I don’t think you’ve got a case to answer here.

  • Wraye wrote:
    July 26th, 2006 at 3.11 pm

    Ah, so I owe my inspiration to you then, Elliott. Didn’t mean to copy your idea. Don’t sue me please ;)

    I like Adrian’s Stick of Rhubarb, so why not compromise and become The corridor of Rhubarb? :) P.S. anyone remember Ronnie Barker’s film called Rhubarb. What a gem.

  • Wraye wrote:
    July 26th, 2006 at 3.24 pm

    damn, Eric Sykes not Ronnie Barker. Sorry.

  • Rob wrote:
    July 26th, 2006 at 4.57 pm

    I thought you couldn’t copyright titles. And The Corridor of Uncertainty is a title. Maybee you should put it in inverted commas and give an attribution to G Boycott - then, you are merely quoting the Yorkshire curmudgeon.

  • JF wrote:
    July 26th, 2006 at 6.50 pm

    What about Stop It Aggers? My favourite bit of commentary…

    Or Twelfth Man?

    Gary Pratt’s Disco Pants?

    Ok getting silly now…

  • india_fan wrote:
    July 26th, 2006 at 7.16 pm

    Slightly seperate issue but in The Times today was an advert for Jon Lewis which had the tagline; “Never-Knowingly Undersold”. This has to be as much an infringement as the CoU one.

  • hmm wrote:
    July 26th, 2006 at 8.58 pm

    Down the legside ( Anti thesis to the current title ;) )

  • japaddy wrote:
    July 26th, 2006 at 9.44 pm

    Corridor of Rhubarb is the best yet.

  • Elliott wrote:
    July 27th, 2006 at 4.51 am

    If Rob is right about the quotes thing then just do that! :D

  • Hammy wrote:
    July 27th, 2006 at 5.01 am

    Some suggestions after reading through the comments:

    Less Boring Than Boycott
    Middle Stump
    Cow Shot Corner
    Tickle Down To Fine Leg
    Less Nauseating Than Benaud
    Not As Irritating As Lawrie & Greig

  • Pratik Shah wrote:
    July 27th, 2006 at 8.33 am

    Hallway of Uncertainty?

    Or how about you grow some spine and take it to Andy. Come on, Will, stop bending over for him.

  • GAMBLOG.co.uk Gambling Blog wrote:
    July 27th, 2006 at 3.38 pm

    The Uncertain Corridor That Is Cricket…

    here is a Cricket Blog called “The Corridor”, that once was called “The Corridor of Uncertainty”, but the unofficial England cricket team fanzine also called The Corridor Of Uncertainty claimed copyright. Now the Corridor of uncertainty blog has be…

  • bichishort wrote:
    July 28th, 2006 at 5.12 am

    Call it Sexy Nekkid Cricket Zone. get a zillion hits. get rich. approach pepsi to start the Pepsi cricket blog. get richer. quit blogging. hire lawyers. sue andy clark. get your name back. start blogging again. call it corridor of uncertainty.

  • japaddy wrote:
    July 28th, 2006 at 5.54 am

    ‘Sexy Nekkid Cricket Zone’ has a very contemporary feel , and it may entice lovers of the 20/20 variations, as a corporate strategy it has also has real symmetry and perhaps even a couple of synergies.

    I’ts not too late Will!! well done bichishort.

  • Alan R wrote:
    July 29th, 2006 at 2.00 pm

    How about “The Hallway of Litigation”?

    Or “Monty Panesar’s Spinning Circuits”.

  • james wrote:
    July 30th, 2006 at 10.06 am

    The Declaration

  • Morden Womble wrote:
    August 1st, 2006 at 12.31 am

    How about

    ‘drifting down leg’

    or

    ‘the ferret’

  • jamie wrote:
    August 1st, 2006 at 1.07 pm

    “Andy’s Corridor of Indecision”

  • Hammy wrote:
    August 3rd, 2006 at 11.37 pm

    Couple more for you Will:

    Stranded on 99 Not Out
    Last Man Standing
    Last Wicket Stand

    I’ve rolled over so tickle my tummy. Sorry, bit harsh that one.

  • Larry Teabag wrote:
    August 4th, 2006 at 8.59 am

    Bat n Pad Blog
    Leather On Willow Online
    Forward Short Blog
    Deep Square Blog
    etc.

  • Jackdawbob wrote:
    August 4th, 2006 at 9.37 am

    ‘Two slips and a gully’
    ‘Standing up’
    ‘Raging bunsen’
    ‘Flight and Guile’ (F’n'G)

    Silly point, as suggested before, sounds good.

    If you want lots of hits, Freddie Naked might do it.

  • Julian wrote:
    August 21st, 2006 at 12.31 pm

    Personally, I think that Andy is probably talking through Geoffrey Boycott’s hat.

    If you look here:

    http://www.patent.gov.uk/tm/indetail/revocn.htm

    a trade mark can be revoked for being a “common term in the trade”. Given that:

    a) It was a common term before 2001.
    b) “corridor of uncertainty” gives 129,000 hits on Google.
    c) The wikipedia definition doesn’t say a thing about the fanzine.
    d) There are other internet sites with the name, including blogs.
    e) It has been used on broadcast media (football, cricket, Guardian, TMS etc.) for ages.

    This is probably true for this term - probably also when it started in 2001.

    Unfortunately it costs £200 to mount a challenge.

    However, your blog, your move, your call.

    Julian

  • Matt Simpson wrote:
    April 8th, 2007 at 9.22 am

    Had the pleasure of meeting the guy in Sri lanka in 2003… hope to catch up with them all again this time out.glad to say he doesnt seem to want to indulge in your brand of brainless mud slinging !

    grow up all of you please its a good title and he got there first ! pick another “silly points” not taken is it ?

    Get over it,like all English cricket fans have to from time to time !

  • Peter Hill wrote:
    April 16th, 2009 at 4.19 pm

    I have unfortunately come across Mr. Clark - he defamed me. His responses to my complaints were rather shallow - and when I responded, he accused me of stalking him! I would typify him as something of a windbag. He would seem to be arrogant as well as uncouth. He writes before he thinks. Not a man whose website I would take much notice of. He indulges in brainless mudslinging himself, but he cannot justify any of it and complains when you take him up on it! As an editor he should know more about the law than he does.

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