ESPN Classic

February is the month when England’s FA Cup competition – surely the world’s leading domestic club knockout contest – gets serious.

After the giant-killing fun of the third and fourth rounds, this is where the competition hots up and the big clubs roll out their best players.

The ‘big four’ – Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United – have all enjoyed recent FA Cup glory, and there’s a programme devoted to the exploits of each this month.

He’s 31 years old this month, but ‘The Doctor’ already seems to have dominated his sport for more years than many might care to remember.

In fact, Rossi has only been riding the motorcycle racing world’s mega bikes since 2000, but has already racked up dozens of memorable performances. 

Classic remembers his ten best this month; from Donington in 2000 to Assen in 2007.

February is traditionally associated with the epic Wengen and Garmisch-Partenkirchen men’s downhill races,
 so what better time could there be to remember some of World Cup skiing’s best ever events? 

French viewers will particularly enjoy being transported back to 1996, the year of Luc Alphand’s downhill domination. 

The French Super G of 2004, meanwhile, put the final seal on Hermann Maier’s astonishing comeback from injury.

For years they’ve been the stuff of legend and nostalgic conversations based on sketchy memories, but now ESPN brings the World Cup’s past back to life by replaying some of the competition’s greatest ever games.

February features a look at the 1986 and 1990 tournaments, 
with goal-drenched matches including the USSR v Belgium and Brazil v France from Mexico ’86, 
and Germany v Yugoslavia from Italia ’90.

In parts of Europe, the continent’s basketball championships are an even bigger deal than their football equivalent, and during the 1990s they served up a variety of all-time classic matches.

The very best of these are remembered this month, including 1991’s epic final between Italy and Yugoslavia,
 and 1993’s equally compelling semi-final between Greece and Germany.

The 20th century’s greatest boxer is remembered with a smile by Classic this month, both for his other-worldly abilities inside the ring and his charm and humour outside it. 

The 1964 fight where he first “shook up the world” with victory over reigning heavyweight king Sonny Liston is replayed in full, as is a memorable ‘Audience With...’ programme from Britain’s ITV network.

Unmissable stuff.

To many sports fans, the arrival of 2010 means that the countdown to the next football World Cup is well under way.

But rugby lovers also have something to look forward to, with the game’s showpiece tournament due to take place in 2011.

To whet a few appetites, this month Classic recalls two action-packed World Cup semi-finals featuring France from 2003 and 2007.

Plus, there’s an exclusive interview with the legendary Philippe Sella.