It is a great pleasure to sit in the Emirates and watch Arsene Wenger's Red Army play Total Voetbal. But for the sociologist the culture around the beautiful game can also be a goldmine of sociological insight and investigation.
For example, the unexpected and rapid departure of Jose Mourinho as manager from Chelsea to be replaced by relative novice Avram Grant. It was fascinating to see the initial press reaction and comment mania in the blogosphere. One particular exchange of particular interest to media ethics and sociology featured the Times Chief Football Correspondent Martin Samuel, the Times editorial staff and their online newspaper readers.
Let me explain. On 19 September, 2007 Chelsea held a series of talks that resulted in the replacement of Mourinho with Grant. On 20 September Samuel wrote a column for the Times that appeared in the daily edition and online. This moment was a massive one for football writers across the country and few are as influential as Samuel. Wenger famously said that Mourinho needed to do more entertaining on the pitch and less in the press room. An icon of the game was leaving and Samuel chose this moment to expound on a particular theory.
"There is no doubt that these ties are strong and, with Abramovich as owner, Grant as manager and Zahavi a trusted confidant of the pair, Chelsea are not so much Russian these days as kosher." (Samuel, Avram Grant appointment makes Chelsea no more than rich man’s plaything, Times).
On the evening of the 19th it was also very interesting to see how few online publications responded within half an hour to the news that Mourinho was on the way out. TV and radio were all over the story but the sleeping administrators of vaunted 24-7-365 online sites remained largely out of view. When Samuel's story went live on the Times site an initial well articulated reader comment was published by "David Silver" along the lines of "... in speaking with others and reading this story on the train we find it the most anti-semitic piece of writing in a major UK newspaper in recent memory".
To understand how this comment got there it is important to note that the Times' online editors review each potential comment posted to the site for approval. So this comment had passed the editorial gatekeeper for the online version of the newspaper. It was shortly followed by a response post by Koldo, Galway, Ireland: "... can in europe, in 2007, a newspaper have an opinion and a comment on israel and its citizen that it is not consider (sic) antisemitic". In typical dualistic fashion for online comments the debate raged on in the form of those claiming anti-semitism and those denying the charge. Yes it is, No it's not ... Yes it is, No it's not ... that kind of thing.
This is where it gets really interesting. Logging in to the story 15 hours later that evening the comment from Silver was deleted, leaving Koldo's response dangling as the first comment on the post, part of an online conversation now interrupted by the editorial staff at the Times. In fact several of the comments claiming anti-semitism in the article were deleted. For a reader arriving at this time, or anytime after, the comments now read very strangely as ... not it's not, no it's not, no it's not, etc. The readily apparent question at this point is who on earth is saying it is?? The remaining fragments of comment make up not so much a conversation as a bunch of censored letters from a warzone.
It is apparent that someone approved the comments, someone advised deletion of the comments, and readers (and history) are left with the remains. An email query to the Times editorial staff asking why the comments were deleted went unanswered. So what about the ethics of deleting a standards meeting comment posted to the public record?
In order to analyse the situation it was first necessary to get a copy of an archived page from the Times that contained the original post. Many Internet users are not yet aware that this facility is available through use of the Wayback Machine that keeps a daily archive of every indexed web page on the Internet.
Or at least that is what I thought. In trying to access a Times archived page from the 19th the software informed that the Times was blocking access to the Wayback automated archiver. Debate on the impact of the Wayback Machine on copyright and intellectual property has been going on since its inception. There have been several attempts to use archived pages from the Wayback Machine in legal cases as evidence and this has also been cited as justification for blocking it. But I had never actually encountered a mainstream media publication that took this approach, let alone one with a long-standing claim as Britain's "newspaper of record".
In the weeks following Grant's appointment Chelsea executives spoke out about a need to stop anti-Jewish chants at games, insisting the club would not tolerate such actions "whether in written correspondence, on the chat pages, on posters or banners or through singing and chanting". Jewish publications ran several stories warning of potential racism. Samuel - who reportedly has Jewish ancestors (if it matters) - wrote another column, this time insisting that Grant's hiring had nothing to do with his faith but was instead just a typical old boys club act. Samuel writes: "Chelsea believe that much of the negative reaction to the appointment of Grant is suspect, but that which is tainted by prejudice can easily be identified and acted upon or ignored, and the rest does not deserve to be disparaged so glibly". Would that be glibly as in accepting comments from your readers into the public domain, subsequently deleting these comments, offering no explanation for the actions and ignoring further public queries for clarity on the process?
So if a tree falls in the internet forest with no one to hear it and it is later dragged away and all evidence of its existence erased, does it make a sound?
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Football Sociology
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Forces of Nature
Albert Einstein once wrote that "reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one". The incredible exploits of Wim Hof (aka the Iceman) and Manjit Singh (aka the Ironman) suggest that perhaps we live far too literally, encased in our self-made glass boxes, framed by a self depreciating sense of what is possible in life. Hof and Singh share a philosophy that anyone can "move boundaries" in everyday life. The physical and mental achievements of the two beggars belief. In 2002, Hof, 47, swam under the polar ice without any supplementary oxygen for an incredible six minutes and 20 seconds. In January he ran a half-marathon above the polar circle in Finland barefoot. He is currently climbing Mount Everest in shorts! Singh, 57, recently managed to pull a 7.5 tonne aircraft four meters using just a rope attached to clamps attached to his ears. Previously he pulled a double-decker bus with 54 passengers for 55 meters using just one hand. He holds world records for squats in an hour (4288), step-ups in an hour (4235), fingertip push-ups in one minute (152) and parallel bar dips in a minute (124). Both are humble men of lean build who attribute their success to keeping fit, meditation, consciousness and explosive physical power. Reading about their lives should convince anyone that the old standard that we as human beings can do anything we put our minds to is a powerful possibility that can explode the confinements of "reality".
Labels: philosophy, sport
Friday, October 06, 2006
Tiger Woods
Last week I went to the Grove golf course near Watford to watch Tiger Woods. There was a golf tournament going on as well of course, or at least I think that's what those other players were doing walking around with stern expressions looking much smaller than they do on TV. But like many other spectators the point of the whole thing for me was to watch Tiger Woods play golf, not to watch golf. I crouched awkwardly on steep embankments, got three holes ahead of him to wait at the front of the ropes and loved every second of the experience.
Tiger Woods Live is not smaller than he looks on TV. He is immense in his concentration, guile and focus. Physical and psychological power radiates from him like no athlete I have ever seen up close in person. French rugby back Thomas Castaignede wrote about his experience following Tiger on the same day as "a masterclass no sportsman should miss". Dan Bern, an American folk singer in the spirit of Woody Guthrie with the satirical wit of Lenny Bruce, penned a tribute song to Woods way back in 1998 when Tiger was not yet number one in the world.
Sometimes I wish I was Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods, Tiger Woods
Sometimes I wish I was Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods, Tiger Woods
If certain girls don't look at you
It means that they like you a lot
If other girls don't look at you
It just means they're ignoring you
How can you know, how can you know?
Which is which, who's doing what?
I guess that you can ask 'em
Which one are you baby?
Do you like me or are you ignoring me?
Do you like me or are you ignoring me?
Do you like me or are you ignoring me?
And all you need to do that
Is one good pair of big balls
Balls as big as grapefruits
Balls as big as pumpkins
Balls as big as mine
But even though my balls are big
Sometimes i wish they were bigger
Even bigger
Big as the wheels on tractors
Big as the golden arches
Big as the Golden Gate Bridge
Big as the state of Kansas
Big as Mars and Jupiter
Big as the swing in Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods Live is not smaller than he looks on TV. He is immense in his concentration, guile and focus. Physical and psychological power radiates from him like no athlete I have ever seen up close in person. French rugby back Thomas Castaignede wrote about his experience following Tiger on the same day as "a masterclass no sportsman should miss". Dan Bern, an American folk singer in the spirit of Woody Guthrie with the satirical wit of Lenny Bruce, penned a tribute song to Woods way back in 1998 when Tiger was not yet number one in the world.
Sometimes I wish I was Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods, Tiger Woods
Sometimes I wish I was Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods, Tiger Woods
If certain girls don't look at you
It means that they like you a lot
If other girls don't look at you
It just means they're ignoring you
How can you know, how can you know?
Which is which, who's doing what?
I guess that you can ask 'em
Which one are you baby?
Do you like me or are you ignoring me?
Do you like me or are you ignoring me?
Do you like me or are you ignoring me?
And all you need to do that
Is one good pair of big balls
Balls as big as grapefruits
Balls as big as pumpkins
Balls as big as mine
But even though my balls are big
Sometimes i wish they were bigger
Even bigger
Big as the wheels on tractors
Big as the golden arches
Big as the Golden Gate Bridge
Big as the state of Kansas
Big as Mars and Jupiter
Big as the swing in Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods
Labels: sport
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
Motivational Speech
Al Pacino starts his speech with, "I don't know what to say really ...", and proceeds to say it perfectly. On the eve of Germany's World Cup semi-final against Italy one can only hope that the talismatic "Golden Bomber" Jürgen Klinsmann has similar words of wisdom for his inspired troops.
"Because in either game, life or football, the margin for error is so small. I Mean one half a step too late or too early and you don’t quite make it. One half second too slow, too fast, you don’t quite catch it. The inches we need are everywhere around us. They are in every break of the game, every minute, every second. On this team we fight for that inch. On this team we tear ourselves and everyone else around us to pieces for that inch. We claw with our fingernails for that inch. Because we know when we add up all those inches, that's going to make the difference between winning and losing."
Watch the video ...
"Because in either game, life or football, the margin for error is so small. I Mean one half a step too late or too early and you don’t quite make it. One half second too slow, too fast, you don’t quite catch it. The inches we need are everywhere around us. They are in every break of the game, every minute, every second. On this team we fight for that inch. On this team we tear ourselves and everyone else around us to pieces for that inch. We claw with our fingernails for that inch. Because we know when we add up all those inches, that's going to make the difference between winning and losing."
Watch the video ...
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Jonathan de Guzman
Canada keeps ending up at or near the top of global quality of life but no argument seems strong enough to convince some of our sporting superstars not to defect to other countries.
Nationalism may be fading as a social construct but since so many of the major global sporting competitions are based on nationality it makes a big difference to nations when individuals swap sides. For Canada this has been a strangely persistent trend in recent years and it begs the question ... why?
Lennox Lewis famously maintained his amateur boxing status for four more years after losing to Tyrell Biggs in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. In 1998 in Seoul he captured a heavyweight gold medal for Canada before promptly declaring himself a British national for whom he went on to become the heavyweight champion of the world.
Some might point out that Lewis was born in London, England and only moved to Canada when he was 12 so perhaps Greg Rusedski is a better example. After turning professional in 1991 and shooting to the top of the Canadian men's tennis national rankings, Montreal-born Rusedski chose to adopt British citizenship in 1995 and has had a long and successful professional career including losing in the final of the 1997 US Open Championship.
Finally we move to the subject closest to my heart. Professional football or soccer as Canadians like to call it. Owen Hargreaves moved from Calgary, Alberta in 1997 at age 16 to train with FC Bayern Munich, the traditional powerhouse club of the German Bundesliga. By 2001 he was a regular in their starting line-up and faced a choice of national teams. With British born parents he chose to represent England and got his first cap against Holland in a friendly in the summer of 2001. Once a player plays an international match for a country they can never again play for another country so Hargreaves was fated to never wear the Canadian read-and-white. I followed this process closely at the time and was tremendously disappointed with the choice of the Alberta-born player who could have been the pivot around which a whole host of new emerging Canadian players could form a competitive international squad.
Interestingly Hargreaves star has waned in the hyper-competitive English midfield and he looks unlikely to get a call-up for the national side in the 2006 World Cup in Germany. In fact he has not been called up for any international matches since September, 2005. With the wealth of emerging talent in England that might be his last international match ever which is what makes his choice not to be part of an emerging Canadian threat all the more frustrating.
Finally we arrive at the present and another round of this seemingly unending cycle of Canadian sporting heroes looking to shores afar. This time the subject is Toronto-born Jonathan de Guzman, a tremendously talented 18-year-old midfielder for Feyenoord Rotterdam in the Dutch Eredivisie. Apparently he is currently applying for Dutch citizenship and without any international caps will have his choice of national sides. His brother, Deportiva de la Coruna midfielder Julian de Guzman already has 13 international caps for Canada and is a linchpin of our fledgling side, ranked 85th in the world.
But in the notoriously weak CONCACAF World Cup qualifying group (Trinidad & Tobago qualified for Germany 2006) one can only imagine what it would have looked like with Hargreaves and Julian de Guzman planted in front of the back four as holding midfielders, and Jonathan de Guzman nestled in front in a floating role behind Fulham striker Thomas Radzinski. With Tottenham wing-back Paul Stalteri overlapping on the left Canada surely could have posed a serious threat for years to come. With Hargreaves already gone it is crucial for the future that the younger de Guzman join his brother in the midfield to provide attacking threat.
So why might it not happen? These words from Jonathan's father hint at an explanation:
"Between Julian and myself, we don't push Jonathan in one direction or another," their father said. "He is a proud Canadian who would love to represent Canada, but how much sacrifice can you make for your country when you could have a chance to win the World Cup for Holland and participate in it."
A common complaint of all of the defectors is that they were underappreciated in Canada's sporting context, by fans and officials alike. It does seem a bit bizarre that Hargreaves was cut from the Canadian national junior side shortly before departure and that de Guzman has not yet featured for the national side. Seems we should be getting these types of players who are training in top-class European academies on to the field in red-and-white when they are 16 or 17 to give them crucial experiences at a young age. And after all with our host of abysmal recent results what have we got to lose?
Or maybe we should reflect on Jamaica who have provided Canada with countless Olympic heroes over the years including sprinters Donovan Bailey and Ben Johnson and most recently bobsledder Lascelles "Pusher" Brown who just one month after gaining Canadian citizenship helped Canada to a silver medal in the Turin Winter Games 2006 after pushing much-maligned Jamaican sleds from 1999 to 2004.
But what seems clear is the least we can do is let our sporting stars who are working outside of Canada know how much we appreciate their successes. If you are a Canadian who'd like to see one of the world's top young footballing talents lead our nation to future success send an email to klantenservice@feyenoord.nl with the subject ATTN: Jonathan de Guzman expressing your desire for him to suit up for Canada. Also contact the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) on how much you'd like them to overtly express Canada's desire for Jonathan to join his brother in our midfield. If and when Jonathan makes a decision I'll post it in comments here.
Nationalism may be fading as a social construct but since so many of the major global sporting competitions are based on nationality it makes a big difference to nations when individuals swap sides. For Canada this has been a strangely persistent trend in recent years and it begs the question ... why?
Lennox Lewis famously maintained his amateur boxing status for four more years after losing to Tyrell Biggs in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. In 1998 in Seoul he captured a heavyweight gold medal for Canada before promptly declaring himself a British national for whom he went on to become the heavyweight champion of the world.
Some might point out that Lewis was born in London, England and only moved to Canada when he was 12 so perhaps Greg Rusedski is a better example. After turning professional in 1991 and shooting to the top of the Canadian men's tennis national rankings, Montreal-born Rusedski chose to adopt British citizenship in 1995 and has had a long and successful professional career including losing in the final of the 1997 US Open Championship.
Finally we move to the subject closest to my heart. Professional football or soccer as Canadians like to call it. Owen Hargreaves moved from Calgary, Alberta in 1997 at age 16 to train with FC Bayern Munich, the traditional powerhouse club of the German Bundesliga. By 2001 he was a regular in their starting line-up and faced a choice of national teams. With British born parents he chose to represent England and got his first cap against Holland in a friendly in the summer of 2001. Once a player plays an international match for a country they can never again play for another country so Hargreaves was fated to never wear the Canadian read-and-white. I followed this process closely at the time and was tremendously disappointed with the choice of the Alberta-born player who could have been the pivot around which a whole host of new emerging Canadian players could form a competitive international squad.
Interestingly Hargreaves star has waned in the hyper-competitive English midfield and he looks unlikely to get a call-up for the national side in the 2006 World Cup in Germany. In fact he has not been called up for any international matches since September, 2005. With the wealth of emerging talent in England that might be his last international match ever which is what makes his choice not to be part of an emerging Canadian threat all the more frustrating.
Finally we arrive at the present and another round of this seemingly unending cycle of Canadian sporting heroes looking to shores afar. This time the subject is Toronto-born Jonathan de Guzman, a tremendously talented 18-year-old midfielder for Feyenoord Rotterdam in the Dutch Eredivisie. Apparently he is currently applying for Dutch citizenship and without any international caps will have his choice of national sides. His brother, Deportiva de la Coruna midfielder Julian de Guzman already has 13 international caps for Canada and is a linchpin of our fledgling side, ranked 85th in the world.
But in the notoriously weak CONCACAF World Cup qualifying group (Trinidad & Tobago qualified for Germany 2006) one can only imagine what it would have looked like with Hargreaves and Julian de Guzman planted in front of the back four as holding midfielders, and Jonathan de Guzman nestled in front in a floating role behind Fulham striker Thomas Radzinski. With Tottenham wing-back Paul Stalteri overlapping on the left Canada surely could have posed a serious threat for years to come. With Hargreaves already gone it is crucial for the future that the younger de Guzman join his brother in the midfield to provide attacking threat.
So why might it not happen? These words from Jonathan's father hint at an explanation:
"Between Julian and myself, we don't push Jonathan in one direction or another," their father said. "He is a proud Canadian who would love to represent Canada, but how much sacrifice can you make for your country when you could have a chance to win the World Cup for Holland and participate in it."
A common complaint of all of the defectors is that they were underappreciated in Canada's sporting context, by fans and officials alike. It does seem a bit bizarre that Hargreaves was cut from the Canadian national junior side shortly before departure and that de Guzman has not yet featured for the national side. Seems we should be getting these types of players who are training in top-class European academies on to the field in red-and-white when they are 16 or 17 to give them crucial experiences at a young age. And after all with our host of abysmal recent results what have we got to lose?
Or maybe we should reflect on Jamaica who have provided Canada with countless Olympic heroes over the years including sprinters Donovan Bailey and Ben Johnson and most recently bobsledder Lascelles "Pusher" Brown who just one month after gaining Canadian citizenship helped Canada to a silver medal in the Turin Winter Games 2006 after pushing much-maligned Jamaican sleds from 1999 to 2004.
But what seems clear is the least we can do is let our sporting stars who are working outside of Canada know how much we appreciate their successes. If you are a Canadian who'd like to see one of the world's top young footballing talents lead our nation to future success send an email to klantenservice@feyenoord.nl with the subject ATTN: Jonathan de Guzman expressing your desire for him to suit up for Canada. Also contact the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) on how much you'd like them to overtly express Canada's desire for Jonathan to join his brother in our midfield. If and when Jonathan makes a decision I'll post it in comments here.
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
The day Arsenal beat Real Madrid
One of the hardest things to explain to North American sporting fans is what can be exciting about a 0-0 draw in soccer/football. But the Wednesday, March 8 Champions League round of 16 clash between Arsenal and Real Madrid at Highbury in London was simply the greatest sporting event I have ever attended.
And that is saying something as I have witnessed first hand Stanley Cup Finals, World Series baseball, World Cup football, NFL clashes, heavyweight championship bouts, and NBA playoffs. But nothing can compare to the heart-in-throat drama of the pulsating match last night between two teams playing the beautiful game the way it was meant to be played.
Both teams were determined to score and attacked with abandon. The Madrid team features the 'Galacticos' of stars including Ronaldo, Zidane, Roberto Carlos, Beckham, et al. Arsenal are in the midst of rebuilding a team that went 49 games undefeated two years ago but still feature Thierry Henry, the best player in the world, German goalkeeper Jens Lehmann and majestic manager Arsene Wenger. His style contrasts so greatly with the ridiculous antics of the translator Jose Mourinho and his uninventive but sturdy Chelsea squad who will win the English Premiership this year but are once again out of Europe and the Champions' League at the hands of inspired Barcelona.
Wenger's philosophy (I have met him) to football can be summed up by his post-match comments: "I feel we have grown as a team during the last two months. We have shown character and solidarity and always maintained the basic values of our club."
Those basic values include entertainment, style, commitment, class and determination. And it is rubbing off on the fans. At the end of so many victorious games Arsenal fans would have turned to the opposing fans and rubbed salt in the wound. Typical in this case would have been to chant them away: "Adios, adios, adios ... adios, adios, adios".
But not this time. Instead both sets of fans applauded each other, recognizing the brilliance of the matches over two legs. Eyes met as we clapped overhead and the messages were clear. Two sides of the same coin. We were just one shot better over 180 minutes.
And that is saying something as I have witnessed first hand Stanley Cup Finals, World Series baseball, World Cup football, NFL clashes, heavyweight championship bouts, and NBA playoffs. But nothing can compare to the heart-in-throat drama of the pulsating match last night between two teams playing the beautiful game the way it was meant to be played.
Both teams were determined to score and attacked with abandon. The Madrid team features the 'Galacticos' of stars including Ronaldo, Zidane, Roberto Carlos, Beckham, et al. Arsenal are in the midst of rebuilding a team that went 49 games undefeated two years ago but still feature Thierry Henry, the best player in the world, German goalkeeper Jens Lehmann and majestic manager Arsene Wenger. His style contrasts so greatly with the ridiculous antics of the translator Jose Mourinho and his uninventive but sturdy Chelsea squad who will win the English Premiership this year but are once again out of Europe and the Champions' League at the hands of inspired Barcelona.
Wenger's philosophy (I have met him) to football can be summed up by his post-match comments: "I feel we have grown as a team during the last two months. We have shown character and solidarity and always maintained the basic values of our club."
Those basic values include entertainment, style, commitment, class and determination. And it is rubbing off on the fans. At the end of so many victorious games Arsenal fans would have turned to the opposing fans and rubbed salt in the wound. Typical in this case would have been to chant them away: "Adios, adios, adios ... adios, adios, adios".
But not this time. Instead both sets of fans applauded each other, recognizing the brilliance of the matches over two legs. Eyes met as we clapped overhead and the messages were clear. Two sides of the same coin. We were just one shot better over 180 minutes.
Labels: sport
Sunday, February 26, 2006
Sweet Science
Visit Fight Night photos in the Media Gallery
Over 12 rounds ropes on all sides of the ring sag under the mass of two heavyweights. The fight is a brawl. When it finishes Danny Williams sits on the edge of the floodlit mat with the golden belt over his shoulder, joking with reporters. His mother, stage right, keeps knocking the back of the head of his trainer, pointing at his nose, pointing at his ear. A drop of blood leaks from his right nostril but he inhales it back in before the cameras catch it in light.
His mom isn't paying any attention to what he is saying, just rubbing her hands together and licking her lips with post trauma nerves. Her mouth curls in a smile when the reporters laugh and she looks with pride to her son. A TV monitor in the foreground replays highlights of the fight but the sound of glove on body sounds so mute compared to the BOOM BOOM BOOM of real life just minutes before.
Boxing in Britain is a heartbeat of multicultural representation. When Takaloo enters the arena an Iranian beat shakes the speaker stands as the Margate, Kent fighter grooves his way through a gauntlet of fans. His trainers are garbed in the red and green of his native land. Later Amir Khan will showcase his fists of fury in his sixth professional fight and 9,000 fans will pay tribute to the rising star of the British boxing scene. Late in the first round, halfway through the Round 3 destruction of his opponent, Khan gets hit by an uppercut and his gaze drifts for a moment. You wonder if his life is flashing before his eyes and he sees himself in 10 years looking bloated and considering an ill-advised comeback like Prince Naseem Hamed sitting ringside.
But Prince Naseem is a real gentleman, like so many of the fighters we meet ringside. Time for the fans, always equipped with a quip or charming gesture. Maybe Amir Khan is just taking a moment to glance at a group of Muslim youths sitting in the front rows chanting his name. Later these bearded young men will go more Malcolm X than Muhammad Ali challenging British whites who complain to stewards that they weren't sitting in the right seats and were obstructing their view. Men from each group grab the ringleaders before any clash can occur but the simmering heat remains. Fight night all around. Nowhere in my experiences is the social context and struggles of post-London-bombings more evident. "WILLIAMS, BOMA-YE, WILLIAMS, BOMA-YE" starts behind us in an Ali-like tribute to a Muslim convert (Williams, Kill Him) and spreads to quarters of the crowd. SKELTON, SKELTON, SKELTON echoes in response. But nothing compares to the spine-tingling rhythm of the crowd in response and in unison chanting Khan's name with feet on metal stands proving the CRASH, CRASH, CRASH of goosebumps.
The ideas swirl in the air doing somersaults and occasionally crashing into each other with a sound louder than the BOOM, BOOM, BOOM of big men hitting each other. You just have to listen. Racism, Violence, Compassion, Entertainment, Multi-Bloody-Culturalism. In a matrix when you change your position you don't just change your perspective on a matrix, you change the whole matrix. Everything is different. This is true of any social interaction but boxing is one of the more demonstrative social pursuits.
At one point my friend and fight night companion Ilyas Mohammed turns to me as Khan shoots past the adoring crowd down the gauntlet with his hands on top of his head, bridged, and his path uncrowded by a posse of minders: "He's a pro." And my mind wanders to the Muslim boys, Williams' mother, the glory of Khan, the ring card girls, Takaloo's disarming charm, Williams climbing in the ring, and the crowd. Fight fans all looking different. Some of them drunk, some of them involved and a whole bunch of observers. Do we really have to listen that hard to hear the rumblings of the sweet science? Long live the fight game. Real Sociology Live.
Labels: london, photography, sport
Sunday, January 22, 2006
Political Football
Adding his voice to a confused debate on politics and sport, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solano said banning Iran from World Cup 2006 was an option "not to be excluded that could cause more than a few problems for the government of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad".
Might cause a few problems for football fans and players as well. The annoying habit of politicians treating sport like just another arrow in the quiver of political discourse has returned.
Apparently the problem is an Ahmadinejad speech in which he remarks that Israel be "wiped off the map" and called the Jewish Holocaust a "myth". Obviously a ghastly way for a sovereign leader to speak. So it naturally follows that the global community should ban Iranian football players - many of whom currently ply their trade on German Bundesliga clubs - from participating in the World Cup. FC Koln president and former West Germany World Cup hero Wolfgang Overath started the discussion in Dec, 2005: "Such comments from a head of state are really grounds enough to exclude a country".
Maybe the real problem is political courtiers sticking their noses in affairs that are not of their concern. Like football. It's not Ahmadinejad but Mehdi Mahdavikia of Hamburg FC who will lead Iran on to the pitch and the ideas are not to be confused. Noone affiliated with the Iranian football team has made any offensive remarks about anything. Unless you count when Ali Karimi of Bayern Munich predicted (correctly in the end) a trouncing win over Arsenal last year in the Champions League. That might have just personally hurt.
Of the current crop of Iranian footballers the three most high-profile all play for professional clubs in Germany - Mahdavikia, Karimi, and Vahid Hashemian of Hanover. Part of the emerging rich multicultural fabric of German society is the influence of the east, led by bustling and energetic Turkish and Iranian communities.
Fueling freedom of expression and the emerging Iranian blogging community is an infinitely more powerful weapon than football if promoting political discourse in Iran is a goal.
And isn't football supposed to be about the fans anyway?
Iran's youth is presumed to be leaning towards the West. Much is said about the average Tehran teenager's lust for pop music, holding his girlfriend's hand in public places and partying. But he is also an avid football fan. Banning Team Melli from Germany 2006 would be no less of an insult to him than seeing his Pink Floyd cut off by that same West. The night Iran qualified for Germany 2006 was a memorable one. Iranians of all ages defied the rigid islamic morals and danced in the streets of Tehran and other major Iranian cities till dawn. Do Overath and others in the West really wish to deprive the Iranian people of these rare moments of genuine happiness? We hope not.
- Posting from group blog Iranian Truth
Might cause a few problems for football fans and players as well. The annoying habit of politicians treating sport like just another arrow in the quiver of political discourse has returned.
Apparently the problem is an Ahmadinejad speech in which he remarks that Israel be "wiped off the map" and called the Jewish Holocaust a "myth". Obviously a ghastly way for a sovereign leader to speak. So it naturally follows that the global community should ban Iranian football players - many of whom currently ply their trade on German Bundesliga clubs - from participating in the World Cup. FC Koln president and former West Germany World Cup hero Wolfgang Overath started the discussion in Dec, 2005: "Such comments from a head of state are really grounds enough to exclude a country".
Maybe the real problem is political courtiers sticking their noses in affairs that are not of their concern. Like football. It's not Ahmadinejad but Mehdi Mahdavikia of Hamburg FC who will lead Iran on to the pitch and the ideas are not to be confused. Noone affiliated with the Iranian football team has made any offensive remarks about anything. Unless you count when Ali Karimi of Bayern Munich predicted (correctly in the end) a trouncing win over Arsenal last year in the Champions League. That might have just personally hurt.
Of the current crop of Iranian footballers the three most high-profile all play for professional clubs in Germany - Mahdavikia, Karimi, and Vahid Hashemian of Hanover. Part of the emerging rich multicultural fabric of German society is the influence of the east, led by bustling and energetic Turkish and Iranian communities.
Fueling freedom of expression and the emerging Iranian blogging community is an infinitely more powerful weapon than football if promoting political discourse in Iran is a goal.
And isn't football supposed to be about the fans anyway?
Iran's youth is presumed to be leaning towards the West. Much is said about the average Tehran teenager's lust for pop music, holding his girlfriend's hand in public places and partying. But he is also an avid football fan. Banning Team Melli from Germany 2006 would be no less of an insult to him than seeing his Pink Floyd cut off by that same West. The night Iran qualified for Germany 2006 was a memorable one. Iranians of all ages defied the rigid islamic morals and danced in the streets of Tehran and other major Iranian cities till dawn. Do Overath and others in the West really wish to deprive the Iranian people of these rare moments of genuine happiness? We hope not.
- Posting from group blog Iranian Truth
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
Baseball Playoffs
It was of course devastating to watch the Red Sox get swept unceremoniously from the Major League Baseball playoffs. But swept they were. And the evil empire of formidable Yankees are golfing as well. And according to Mark Newman at MLB.com:
"The magic disappeared this October for the Red Sox. But what a year it had been -- starting with the 2004 ALCS and World Series sweep, continuing through the Rolling Rally, and stretching across a full year of touring the World Series trophy around Red Sox Nation. For Red Sox fans, it was fun while it lasted." - Looking Ahead to Round 2 (a beautiful piece of sports journalism)
But it was god awful beautiful to see Roger Clemens dominate the powerful Atlanta Braves lineup for three innings in a win. The online interactive TV at MLB.com is one of the coolest examples of interactive TV on the Internet. As an international fan (outside of the key baseball markets like the US, Canada, and Japan) for a very small fee you can watch all the games live on the Internet or just pick them up in archive, fast forwarding through the boring bits or just playing in the background. Now I have baseball in the house whenever I want it, on my terms, but with all the drama and heartache. The baseball playoffs - what fun.
And what a fantastic story that one fan caught two of the key homerun balls in the Astros-Braves 18-inning thriller. Finally how cool was it to see Clemens grab Chris Burke and pull him into the cameras as they swarmed him, looking for a word from the rocket, who I will always think of with great respect. Make no mistake he is one of the greatest pitchers of all time and his talent for the magical is legendary to fans of America's game.
So three you have it. I'm with the Astros. For now. Can you smell the grass, hear the crack of the bat, the smell of hotdogs and popcorn and the taste of the beer on licking lips. Baseball fever is back and I'm savoring it online. It's the next best thing to being there.
"The magic disappeared this October for the Red Sox. But what a year it had been -- starting with the 2004 ALCS and World Series sweep, continuing through the Rolling Rally, and stretching across a full year of touring the World Series trophy around Red Sox Nation. For Red Sox fans, it was fun while it lasted." - Looking Ahead to Round 2 (a beautiful piece of sports journalism)
But it was god awful beautiful to see Roger Clemens dominate the powerful Atlanta Braves lineup for three innings in a win. The online interactive TV at MLB.com is one of the coolest examples of interactive TV on the Internet. As an international fan (outside of the key baseball markets like the US, Canada, and Japan) for a very small fee you can watch all the games live on the Internet or just pick them up in archive, fast forwarding through the boring bits or just playing in the background. Now I have baseball in the house whenever I want it, on my terms, but with all the drama and heartache. The baseball playoffs - what fun.
And what a fantastic story that one fan caught two of the key homerun balls in the Astros-Braves 18-inning thriller. Finally how cool was it to see Clemens grab Chris Burke and pull him into the cameras as they swarmed him, looking for a word from the rocket, who I will always think of with great respect. Make no mistake he is one of the greatest pitchers of all time and his talent for the magical is legendary to fans of America's game.
So three you have it. I'm with the Astros. For now. Can you smell the grass, hear the crack of the bat, the smell of hotdogs and popcorn and the taste of the beer on licking lips. Baseball fever is back and I'm savoring it online. It's the next best thing to being there.
Labels: sport
Thursday, August 18, 2005
Life Event: Hole in One (1)
The ball leapt off the club on the 132-yard par 3 4th tee at Ironhead Golf and Country Club with a click and a slight slap. For a moment I thought I had hit it my 9-iron thin but it kept carrying to high flight in the mist. The first bounce of the Callaway Warbird ball at the halfway point of the putting surface was soft but solid, the green made moist and slick by a passing flurry of rain.
The previous three holes for me had been a disaster. 7-6-8 on the scorecard. Double-double-triple bogey. My swing was hampered by my confused mental state, the result of woman troubles in personal life, still reeling from the professional decision to reinstate student life as a PhD candidate in London, and physically holding great disdain for the small ring of belly fat that betrayed the comforts of summer for my beer swilling, football mad alter ego. So a lot of swing thoughts and not many of them good. It all changed in a vanishing act.
The swing on the 4th hole felt different and as the ball bounced three times and settled into a gentle role towards the flagstick I watched with bemused curiosity. Unsurprisingly I was the last to tee off on this short hole. Roll. Roll. Roll. Disappear. Poof! But where can a ball on the green disappear? I couldn't have picked better playing partners for this achievement than my Dad, my erstwhile and favorite playing partner and Father Leo Floyd, a great inspiration in my life and a man of such studious virtue as to provide the perfect attesting.
As we drove our carts frantically towards the green, Dad was the first to peer into the cup as we searched for a hidden ridge or cavity. "I can't believe it!" I looked in and lifted my ball from the cup, nestled deeply as if it was born in place. After five years of abundant rounds of golf I made my first hole in one (1). Father Leo and I chest bumped like real men.
Now when we think about life events we typically associate them with specific moments or decisions that transcend to have a cascading impact in our lives. Governments are organizing their online services into life events, moving house, having a baby, getting married, getting divorced. But we know from experience that even small moments, little flickers of light, can have the kind of impact we are talking about. A single moment when you feel a karmic comfort, that for the moment, everything is breaking your way in the cosmos. It's good to feel it, to confirm it is out there and within our grasp at all times.
So from a little moment like a hole in one, not to overstate the significance, a catalyst can be born for a more enthusiastic approach to the complexities and challenges of life. I made birdie on #5 and went on to shoot a very respectable 80 at the Robert Trent Jones Sr layout on the waters of Lake Wabamum, 45 minutes west of Edmonton, Alta on the Canadian Prairie.
The message is to take what we can from the fortunes of life as we navigate the challenges. Know in yourself that inspiration can be found in so many of the obscured corners of life, look and you shall find as it were. Watch and the ball might drop in the cup. Feel the reverberations.
The previous three holes for me had been a disaster. 7-6-8 on the scorecard. Double-double-triple bogey. My swing was hampered by my confused mental state, the result of woman troubles in personal life, still reeling from the professional decision to reinstate student life as a PhD candidate in London, and physically holding great disdain for the small ring of belly fat that betrayed the comforts of summer for my beer swilling, football mad alter ego. So a lot of swing thoughts and not many of them good. It all changed in a vanishing act.
The swing on the 4th hole felt different and as the ball bounced three times and settled into a gentle role towards the flagstick I watched with bemused curiosity. Unsurprisingly I was the last to tee off on this short hole. Roll. Roll. Roll. Disappear. Poof! But where can a ball on the green disappear? I couldn't have picked better playing partners for this achievement than my Dad, my erstwhile and favorite playing partner and Father Leo Floyd, a great inspiration in my life and a man of such studious virtue as to provide the perfect attesting.
As we drove our carts frantically towards the green, Dad was the first to peer into the cup as we searched for a hidden ridge or cavity. "I can't believe it!" I looked in and lifted my ball from the cup, nestled deeply as if it was born in place. After five years of abundant rounds of golf I made my first hole in one (1). Father Leo and I chest bumped like real men.
Now when we think about life events we typically associate them with specific moments or decisions that transcend to have a cascading impact in our lives. Governments are organizing their online services into life events, moving house, having a baby, getting married, getting divorced. But we know from experience that even small moments, little flickers of light, can have the kind of impact we are talking about. A single moment when you feel a karmic comfort, that for the moment, everything is breaking your way in the cosmos. It's good to feel it, to confirm it is out there and within our grasp at all times.
So from a little moment like a hole in one, not to overstate the significance, a catalyst can be born for a more enthusiastic approach to the complexities and challenges of life. I made birdie on #5 and went on to shoot a very respectable 80 at the Robert Trent Jones Sr layout on the waters of Lake Wabamum, 45 minutes west of Edmonton, Alta on the Canadian Prairie.
The message is to take what we can from the fortunes of life as we navigate the challenges. Know in yourself that inspiration can be found in so many of the obscured corners of life, look and you shall find as it were. Watch and the ball might drop in the cup. Feel the reverberations.
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
Wimbledon 2005
Spent an incredible summer day watching the first Monday of Wimbledon with some new Canadian friends. Watched Sharapova, Henman and Nadal (see picture right) practice. Watched a number of matches and just reveled in the atmosphere which was the best I remember at the old English club.
See the pictures in the Chris Brauer Media Gallery for a sense of how close you get to the action.
Off to Glastonbury this weekend so will report on return. Suppose there should be a few stories ...
Labels: london, photography, sport
Friday, June 03, 2005
French Open 2005: Federer vs Nadal
Not since the great Sampras vs Agassi matches at the turn of the century has the tennis world got so excited about a prospective clash. Roger Federer, 23, is the undisputed number one player in the world but the Swiss artisan looking to inherent Sampras' torch has so far failed to capture the French Open, elusive to so many of the greats.
Not since the super-cool Mats Wilander (I loved hearing his commentary on the Eurosport feed from Paris) has a player won the French Open on his debut. Rafael Nadal, the 19-year-old Spanish phenom, can do it this year if he can overcome Federer and take the final.
Media and fans have been anticipating this match since the draw came out for the French Open. Federer won a grinding 5-set encounter earlier this year in Miami that was the match of the season so far. Nadal won their first and only other match. This is tennis at its best!
Not since the super-cool Mats Wilander (I loved hearing his commentary on the Eurosport feed from Paris) has a player won the French Open on his debut. Rafael Nadal, the 19-year-old Spanish phenom, can do it this year if he can overcome Federer and take the final.
Media and fans have been anticipating this match since the draw came out for the French Open. Federer won a grinding 5-set encounter earlier this year in Miami that was the match of the season so far. Nadal won their first and only other match. This is tennis at its best!
Labels: sport
Saturday, May 21, 2005
Arsenal Glory Glory Hallelujah!
Arsenal are FA Cup Champions 2005!
Patrick Viera slotted home the vital strike to clinch victory for Arsene Wenger's Red Army in penalty kicks after 120 minutes of scoreless football.
It was beautiful to see Arsenal grind out a victory after winning with such silky smooth football that the team was accused of not knowing how to compete. This match answered that criticism decisively.
Well done to Manchester United to get to the final and win the battle on the stat sheet but thankfully that is not where the ultimate result was found.
Labels: sport
Stage set for Arsenal FA Cup glory
Football fans worldwide are tingling with anticipation at the thought of this afternoon's FA Cup Final in Cardiff between Arsenal Football Club and Manchester United.
Arsene Wenger's magic, he wears a magic hat
And when he saw the FA Cup,
He said I'm 'avin that!
Check out my new Arsenal photo album of a few matches this season. For some reason I keep getting assigned seats that are very low down on the field. It's not great for action down the other end but there's no feeling like it when they are coming at you!
Hopefully Man U play football and not foul by rota this afternoon. Otherwise we could see a lot more like this picture showing midfield stalwart Patrick Viera getting chopped down by an oaf from Liverpool.
Labels: photography, sport
Sunday, May 15, 2005
Khan Amir sting like Ali?
Hours after the Theatre of the New Ear played out spectacle at a venue traditionally used for classical arts, a ballet of another kind was performed on a springy canvas in Bolton.
Well I guess it depends on how you define ballet:
"To me, boxing is like a ballet, except there's no music, no choreography, and the dancers hit each other."
- Jack Handy, famous for his Deep Thought comedy sketches on Saturday Night Live.
Flyweight Amir Khan, at 18 a big UK talent in a little package, announced he was turning pro after outpointing Cuban Olympic and World Champion Mario Kindelan. Kindelan had beaten Khan in the Athens 2004 Olympics and the Bolton-native was determined to avenge this defeat before turning pro. Many pundits rated Kindelan the greatest amateur fighter in the world.
A quick scan of the media coverage going into the bout. The Cuban coverage reveals the close alignment between national pride and sporting outcomes in the country. In England Khan said he would win and when he won said he would become a legend by 25. Sounds as if he is made of the right stuff for the bravado and theatre that is modern professional boxing, particularly the kind of big title fights Khan will want to land in the future. Reminds a bit of Khan's fighting hero:
"I am the greatest, I said that even before I knew I was."
- Muhammad Ali, the greatest
It was rumored before the Athens games that if Khan wasn't selected for the British team he might fight for Pakistan, the native home of his parents. Instead he become a terrific sporting hero for Britain. Most pubs were filled as the fight was broadcast live on national terrestrial television. In a country that can always benefit from frequent reminders of the values of the diverse multicultural population, Khan is the best fighter and could be doing for East Indians in England what footballer Zidane did for North Africans in France after the successful 1998 World Cup campaign - improving multiculturalism through sport.
Boxing can be a gruesome game but in tales from Rocky, Sugar Ray, Duran, Roy Jones, pre-ear-munching Tyson, and most famously Ali himself, the penchant for great drama and bravery in boxing can rarely be matched. And occasionally as with Ali, it can have global effects. A scan of comments on an Islamic message board to an interview with Ali reveals the depth of inspiration.
- MUHAMMAD ALI IS THE GREATEST! NO MATTER WHO OR WHAT HE'S UP AGAINST, HE ALWAYS COMES OUT ON TOP!!
- I think Muhammad Ali is the greatest boxer in the entire universe! He really inspired me to stand up for Islam and to not be ashamed of who you are! And if someone tries to Taunt you for wh you are then just simply tell them i dont have to be who you want be to be i think he is i just can;'t explain! "Your hands can't hit what you eyes cant see, float like a butterfly,sting like a bee, Rumble young man rumble"!
So enough about Ali and the past, when we could be presently witnessing the birth of a prodigous talent in Khan. He needs to work a lot on his press conference patter to match his hero but his footwork, so improved over his last encounter with Kindelan, set him apart from the Cuban. Floating like a butterfly who has matured to compliment the bravado, Khan shares many of the qualities of his iconic hero, but plans to differ on retirement plans.
"I want to retire from all of boxing by the age of 25, becoming a legend as well at that age. It is a big goal and it is going to be hard to do ... I don't want to get punched all my life so the best thing is at the age of 25 to stop boxing and look after my family." (Sporting Life)
Well I guess it depends on how you define ballet:
"To me, boxing is like a ballet, except there's no music, no choreography, and the dancers hit each other."
- Jack Handy, famous for his Deep Thought comedy sketches on Saturday Night Live.
Flyweight Amir Khan, at 18 a big UK talent in a little package, announced he was turning pro after outpointing Cuban Olympic and World Champion Mario Kindelan. Kindelan had beaten Khan in the Athens 2004 Olympics and the Bolton-native was determined to avenge this defeat before turning pro. Many pundits rated Kindelan the greatest amateur fighter in the world.
A quick scan of the media coverage going into the bout. The Cuban coverage reveals the close alignment between national pride and sporting outcomes in the country. In England Khan said he would win and when he won said he would become a legend by 25. Sounds as if he is made of the right stuff for the bravado and theatre that is modern professional boxing, particularly the kind of big title fights Khan will want to land in the future. Reminds a bit of Khan's fighting hero:
"I am the greatest, I said that even before I knew I was."
- Muhammad Ali, the greatest
It was rumored before the Athens games that if Khan wasn't selected for the British team he might fight for Pakistan, the native home of his parents. Instead he become a terrific sporting hero for Britain. Most pubs were filled as the fight was broadcast live on national terrestrial television. In a country that can always benefit from frequent reminders of the values of the diverse multicultural population, Khan is the best fighter and could be doing for East Indians in England what footballer Zidane did for North Africans in France after the successful 1998 World Cup campaign - improving multiculturalism through sport.
Boxing can be a gruesome game but in tales from Rocky, Sugar Ray, Duran, Roy Jones, pre-ear-munching Tyson, and most famously Ali himself, the penchant for great drama and bravery in boxing can rarely be matched. And occasionally as with Ali, it can have global effects. A scan of comments on an Islamic message board to an interview with Ali reveals the depth of inspiration.
- MUHAMMAD ALI IS THE GREATEST! NO MATTER WHO OR WHAT HE'S UP AGAINST, HE ALWAYS COMES OUT ON TOP!!
- I think Muhammad Ali is the greatest boxer in the entire universe! He really inspired me to stand up for Islam and to not be ashamed of who you are! And if someone tries to Taunt you for wh you are then just simply tell them i dont have to be who you want be to be i think he is i just can;'t explain! "Your hands can't hit what you eyes cant see, float like a butterfly,sting like a bee, Rumble young man rumble"!
So enough about Ali and the past, when we could be presently witnessing the birth of a prodigous talent in Khan. He needs to work a lot on his press conference patter to match his hero but his footwork, so improved over his last encounter with Kindelan, set him apart from the Cuban. Floating like a butterfly who has matured to compliment the bravado, Khan shares many of the qualities of his iconic hero, but plans to differ on retirement plans.
"I want to retire from all of boxing by the age of 25, becoming a legend as well at that age. It is a big goal and it is going to be hard to do ... I don't want to get punched all my life so the best thing is at the age of 25 to stop boxing and look after my family." (Sporting Life)
Tuesday, April 05, 2005
Meet Arsene Wenger and the famous Arsenal
"That was not a football score, it was a hockey score ... in training I often play matches of three against three and when the score reaches 5-4, I send the players back to the dressing room, because they are not defending properly." - Jose Mourinho on Arsenal 5, Spurs 4 before the expiry of the Invincibles.
OK. So maybe it's not the most controversial thing the Portuguese manager has had to say during his short, fantastically successful but turbulent reign as Chelsea chief. And maybe it's too early to pronounce the death of the Invincible Arsenal squad that went 49 games without defeat led by that great professor of footballing economics Arsene Wenger. And don't even get me started on the potential FA Cup final clash to come in the early May Cardiff sunshine (optimistic??) against those fiercest of 21st-century-rivals Manchester United. Wo Mama!
One guesses that Mr Mourinho's intention with this particular shot-across-the-bow early in the 2004-05 Premiership race was to underline the importance of good defending, but he was preaching to the choir. Three out of the last four Premiership champions have featured the stingiest goals against including the last two years when Arsenal and Man U took the title. Chelsea looks set to continue this trend in 2005.
My Arsenal wish list for the remainder of the season is quite simple really. If all/some/none of these wishes come true I shall remain an ardent fan. They'll just make it easier.
- Finish second in the league
- Beat Manchester United in the FA Cup Final
- Destroy Tottenham at Highbury on a Monday evening under the lights
- Beat Chelsea away at Stamford Bridge
One day at Stansted Airport seven years ago ...
I was buying my ticket for Paris when I turned to find Arsene Wenger standing at my side, dressed in his suit, and looking every bit the professor. Arsenal had just been knocked out of the Champions League again and he was heading to France for a few days. Unable to resist I requested a photo (blurry beyond recognition when developed) and we spoke briefly about the team's fortunes that year. We headed in different directions but met again in the waiting lounge as the flight was delayed. We spoke for about half an hour on everything from websites to Canadian maple syrup and of course the mighty, mighty Arsenal. He was every bit the gentleman you see on television, respectful of his colleagues and players, and obviously interested in a fans' perspective, the way a chef likes the chance to sit down with a customer to discuss a meal. We split up again getting on the plane, disembarking in Paris, and going through the vagaries of European Union customs. Before catching a train into the city I hopped into the loo at Charles de Gaulle only to have the manager of the greatest football team in the world walk in and occupy the urinal beside me. If you guessed that Arsene Wenger walked in then you correctly identified the greatest football team in the world :-). So this was the way it was going to be. He was going to follow me around until I gave him a few footballing secrets. So I reached into my treasure troff of knowledge and brought a real gem: "I don't think you should ever take Thierry Henry off the field!" Ever since that day you'll find a healthy Thierry Henry on the pitch for Arsenal. Coincidence?
As Wenger walked away from me I shouted after him, for a moment perhaps slipping into akind of crazy fandom I had not felt since watching Guy Lafleur, the great Montreal Canadians ice hockey player, as a starry eyed nine year old: "We respect you! Thank you!"
"Make way for this man. He deserves our respect!"
The crowd parted and there were a few wry French smiles passing by, a few looks of recognition but mainly just enjoyment at watching another crazy foreigner. Wenger turned back once (It is Love! :-) and I gave him a wave. He had taken my advice. It seemed everything was going to be all right and Voilà the mighty Arsenal go on a seven year domestic rampage that cumulated in the Invincible undefeated season of 2003/04 playing a silky smooth but gritty style of entertainment football. The ball always on the ground, little give-and-gos raising the patrons from their seats. And of course the best player in the world playing on my recommendation If you guessed Thierry Henry then you correctly identified the best player in the world :-).
So Jose Mourinho and his Chelsea machine can mock the bulging scorelines that result from a team continuing to play the flowing style of the mighty Arsenal, despite leaking at the back. While Mourinho sends his players back to the dressing room for scoring to much, early Wenger was said to hold the whistle between his teeth during practices, blowing hard each time the ball rose above shoulder height. "On the ground," he would repeat, as mantra. And Alex Ferguson has got more than his fair share of issues to deal with so he isn't paying much attention to us or his rivalry with Wenger at the moment.
Arsenal fans, and you know who you are. Trust in the professor, the svengali of smooth, he of the furrowed brow, the man in the magic hat! Caveat: Except 4 goalkeepers. Wenger continues to bring the most entertaining brand of football to the English Premiership, competitive with any club in the world. Well I guess the goalkeepers have been entertaining as well, in a way. Look for a revitalized Arsenal squad to storm the gates again in 2005/06. Wenger is chomping at the bit.
For your latest Arsenal news visit:
Arseblog - A comprehensive and current account from true Arsenal fan(s)
Arseweb - A classic with a great archive
Arsenal Football Club - Not as strong on content as the others as censorship prevades but great location for ticket and official club information. Also check out fan columnist Frank Stubbs.
Sporting Life - Latest headlines and scores to keep up to date
Labels: sport
Sunday, October 24, 2004
Hitting fungos with Johnny Pesky
Watching on TV the jets hadn't even finished flying over in the intro to Game 1 when I felt my heart stop for the first time. The Red Sox are in the World Series! Fifteen years ago I sat in the bleachers of the Red Sox spring training facility in Winter Haven, Florida with Johnny Pesky (of the infamous Pesky pole) admiring 24-year-old Ellis Burks' swing (now Ellis Burks is "creaking" around the bases, how time flies) as he joked about the fact that he was born in 1919, the year after the Red Sox last one the World Series and that he wanted to see them win in his lifetime. Waiting for the Red Sox to win the World Series is measured in lifetimes. That's why I am going to Boston to be part of the magic. I visited Air Canada and eBay and will be sitting in the Fenway Park bleachers for Game 6 watching Curt Schilling throw bullets while lucky Johnny will be sitting in the box seats behind home plate instead of in the dugout. We haven't seen the last of the curse but I read an interview with Pesky where he says he's going to run around the infield naked if the Red Sox win the World Series. He still looks pretty fit for an 85-year-old fungo-bat hitting talisman. I think I'd like to see that.
Labels: sport
Wednesday, October 13, 2004
Pedro to step out of Daddy's evil shadow
It's tough enough being a fan of the cursed Boston Red Sox without our own players serving up big fat Don Zimmer bull charges for Yankee fans to drive out of the park. The psyche of Red Sox fans is infamously fragile and when Pedro Martinez gave up an eighth inning lead to the Yankees on September 25 in a game that basically sealed the division for the black hats, it bore an eerie resemblance to last year's unmentionable postseason playoff debacle game 7 of the AL Championship Series. But we certainly didn't need this cherry on top:
"What can I say -- I just tip my hat and call the Yankees my daddy," Martinez said to the Associated Press reporter after the game. "I can't find a way to beat them at this point ... they're that good. They're that hot right now -- at least against me. I wish they would disappear and not come back."
Or how about Manny Ramirez hinting last year just before the big Red Sox/Yankees playoff showdown that he always wanted to play for the Yankees. Red Sox fans would disown their own children for making such a grotesque admission.
So here we go again right? Yankees stormed to a victory in Game 1 and chants cascaded from the bleachers ... "Who's your Daddy?" ... boom boom bo-bo-boom ... "Who's your Daddy?". A dark shadow moved across the land.
But why take the long view of history, why even mention the curse. Why imagine that these players are beaten before they start. It's the luxury of perspective, that there can be many of them.
Let's try this angle. The Red Sox under Terry Francona are obviously a happy bunch, joking with each other on the bench, and taking advantage of new freedoms to each carve their own style. Hair choices are at the forefront as long, shaggy, and sometimes afroesque styles grace the starting lineup.
So maybe some of the karma of the 1972 World Champion Oakland As who led by Reggie Jackson and Rollie Fingers defined themselves through shaggy locks, handlebar mustaches, and great team baseball. While the 2004 Yankees are not lacking in team spirit, this year's edition of the Red Sox look more than ever that they are in it together. So we look at Pedro's daddy quote as a noble attempt to deflect criticism from his manager and teammates and take veteran responsibility, albeit in his unique way.
Well when he walks out on to the mound tonight Pedro is going to have to bottle some of that afroesque defiance because the chants are going to be loud and the only way to quiet them will be good movement on his breaking ball and velocity on the fastball. It's time for the son to define himself out of his father's image. I'll spare you further cheesy cliches. Come on Pedro. For the love of the Red Sox.
"What can I say -- I just tip my hat and call the Yankees my daddy," Martinez said to the Associated Press reporter after the game. "I can't find a way to beat them at this point ... they're that good. They're that hot right now -- at least against me. I wish they would disappear and not come back."
Or how about Manny Ramirez hinting last year just before the big Red Sox/Yankees playoff showdown that he always wanted to play for the Yankees. Red Sox fans would disown their own children for making such a grotesque admission.
So here we go again right? Yankees stormed to a victory in Game 1 and chants cascaded from the bleachers ... "Who's your Daddy?" ... boom boom bo-bo-boom ... "Who's your Daddy?". A dark shadow moved across the land.
But why take the long view of history, why even mention the curse. Why imagine that these players are beaten before they start. It's the luxury of perspective, that there can be many of them.
Let's try this angle. The Red Sox under Terry Francona are obviously a happy bunch, joking with each other on the bench, and taking advantage of new freedoms to each carve their own style. Hair choices are at the forefront as long, shaggy, and sometimes afroesque styles grace the starting lineup.
So maybe some of the karma of the 1972 World Champion Oakland As who led by Reggie Jackson and Rollie Fingers defined themselves through shaggy locks, handlebar mustaches, and great team baseball. While the 2004 Yankees are not lacking in team spirit, this year's edition of the Red Sox look more than ever that they are in it together. So we look at Pedro's daddy quote as a noble attempt to deflect criticism from his manager and teammates and take veteran responsibility, albeit in his unique way.
Well when he walks out on to the mound tonight Pedro is going to have to bottle some of that afroesque defiance because the chants are going to be loud and the only way to quiet them will be good movement on his breaking ball and velocity on the fastball. It's time for the son to define himself out of his father's image. I'll spare you further cheesy cliches. Come on Pedro. For the love of the Red Sox.
Labels: sport
Wednesday, October 06, 2004
Curse in TV torment of Canadian Red Sox fans
Ahhhhhhh. Nothing better than a Canadian baseball fan desperate to watch the action from his favorite team, a private passion of sorts, the beloved but cursed Red Sox. So much for the litany of crappy Sports TV you can access in Canada. All four CTV Sportsnets showing the bloody Yankees (61 comeback wins this year by the way, defined as losing after the sixth inning and winning in the end. Do you know how much 61 lashes hurt?) with a ticker across the bottom explaining that fans can watch the Red Sox v Angels on ESPN2. How about Sportsnet2 instead of repetitive broadcasts seemingly distinct only for hockey and baseball (Sportsnet Ontario fans get more Red Sox games). Anyway TSN seems like it never has anything except golf tournaments where Tiger Woods doesn't win. Crap. Crap. Crap.
It's the second time that my digital box has let me down waiting for the start of a Red Sox postseason game. That's 2/2. A good result if you are Manny Ramirez but not the best for beleagured Red Sox fans weary from the effects of the curse but infinitely optimistic in the deepest of hearts. Come on Red Sox fans look into your hearts. They will win thie year. Say it often enough and you'll belive it too. In the meantime I have resorted to camping out in front of my laptop watching MLB.COM broadcast of the Red Sox v Angels over IP. I guess the tide is turning.
You can't believe the torment of a Red Sox fan having to watch a Yankees comeback deep into the night (12th inning and beyond). Luckily I've got IP. But if I didn't these TV producers need a head shake. Hold on. Just watch the Yankees. We'll bring you the Red Sox somewhere 2 hours in. Great. Thank you for the customer service. I bet your manifesto calls for "Customer-Centric" service. We'll you've got it Sportsnet. Center of shit is still shit, except it is all around.
OK. Yankees came back and won 7-6 and Canadian television has connected with the Red Sox game in the top of the fourth inning. And for all you semi-fans who say there is no curse, I will just laugh louder and we won't be able to hear your naysaying because I'll be laughing so loud. :-)
It's the second time that my digital box has let me down waiting for the start of a Red Sox postseason game. That's 2/2. A good result if you are Manny Ramirez but not the best for beleagured Red Sox fans weary from the effects of the curse but infinitely optimistic in the deepest of hearts. Come on Red Sox fans look into your hearts. They will win thie year. Say it often enough and you'll belive it too. In the meantime I have resorted to camping out in front of my laptop watching MLB.COM broadcast of the Red Sox v Angels over IP. I guess the tide is turning.
You can't believe the torment of a Red Sox fan having to watch a Yankees comeback deep into the night (12th inning and beyond). Luckily I've got IP. But if I didn't these TV producers need a head shake. Hold on. Just watch the Yankees. We'll bring you the Red Sox somewhere 2 hours in. Great. Thank you for the customer service. I bet your manifesto calls for "Customer-Centric" service. We'll you've got it Sportsnet. Center of shit is still shit, except it is all around.
OK. Yankees came back and won 7-6 and Canadian television has connected with the Red Sox game in the top of the fourth inning. And for all you semi-fans who say there is no curse, I will just laugh louder and we won't be able to hear your naysaying because I'll be laughing so loud. :-)
Friday, September 17, 2004
Roll those putts!
Finally took the time to pull together a review page of Vancouver Island golf courses. I've spent enough time on them in the last three years.
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