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One of the teams performed a slightly self-conscious lap of honour at the end of this match, but not the justified one. The bouquets and plaudits deserved to be thrown and offered to Chelsea, whose players have made what could have been a dismal, depressing season for English football memorable for the right reasons.
Had the European Championship debacle been followed by disappointment in Europe and a tired, predictable chase for the Barclays Premier League title, the 2007-08 season might have fizzled out, a damp squib from every angle. Instead, the first all-English final in the Champions League will be preceded by the most exciting final day of the league in the modern era, with Chelsea locked on points at the top of the table with Manchester United, with all the delicious permutations that implies.
No Premier League season has ever been this close, indeed, only two have gone to the final day with the destination of the title still to be decided, and statisticians were forced to trawl back through four decades to find a final set of fixtures as beautifully poised.
The last comparable date was May 11, 1968, when Manchester United and Manchester City were joined at the hip on 56 points at the top of the old first division. Manchester United lost 2-1 at home to Sunderland, Manchester City won 4-3 away to Newcastle United and the prize went to Maine Road (although United stole their thunder, and how, in the European Cup final some days later). There have been other occasions when rival teams have played games in hand at a later date, collected the trophy from a beach as Derby County did in 1972, or played catch-up in an incredible head-to-head match as Arsenal managed to do away to Liverpool in 1989, but in terms of nail-biting spectacle, people with radios glued to their ears, false alarms and the potential for emotional turmoil at opposite ends of the country, this is as good as it gets.

timesonline.co.uk

When the Terry Schiavo case became national news in 2005, discussions took place among families, friends, even co-workers, about how we would want to be treated in similar circumstances. Arguments flared about whether Schiavo’s husband or her parents should determine her fate. Unable to communicate her own end-of-life choices, and without anything in writing, the legal case had dragged on for years.
The Patient Self-Determination Act, passed by Congress in 1990, was enacted specifically to fund education about end-of-life choices; minimize unnecessary medical treatment; reduce federal health-care spending, much of which is centered around end-of-life care; and increase the use of Advance Directives.
Nevertheless, only about 25 percent of Americans have documented their preference about whether they would want withdrawal of treatment or all possible life support, under what circumstances and who should speak for them if they are unable to communicate.
Hospitals provide forms for patients but offer little assistance or advice. Lawyers get scant training in this area, often including Advance Directives purely pro forma as part of estate planning.
Obviously, there is no certainty about what treatment you will receive or who may end up speaking for you if you do not make your own choices known. Yet even those who have completed documents have no assurance their decisions will be honored.
What if the doctor or medical facility disagrees with your wishes? California law says advance directives must be honored or requires you be transferred to another provider or facility. You or your surrogate must know to ask.
What if a third party intervenes and everyone ends up in court? Most of us are clear we do not want to suffer Terry Schiavo’s fate, nor do we want a third party to decide.
Are there ways to ensure your choices will be honored? Yes. They include that documentation of your choices must be entered directly into your medical chart. In the middle of the night, medical personnel will only go by what is in the chart, including whom to call for a decision.

mydesert.com