Random Laughs

One's Christian Malcolm, finalist in the Men's 200m.
The other's Eddie Murphy.
One used to make people laugh while the other used to win stuff in his college years.
Both are pretty much B-grade now. Your still a legend Eddie.

And yes, that's Colin vs Norbit. Just had to put that.

Entertainment & Apathy Induced Embarrassment

Went to watch Brazil U-23 train at the National Stadium yesterday, and it sure is an eye opener. They played 2-sided-games throughout and I must say, there was rarely a misplaced pass or touch and the intensity was really high, not to mention the level of football on display.

Ronaldinho looked a tad sluggish and is obviously still in a race to get himself fit for the Olympics. Anderson looked assuring, but his antics during training were a minor cause for concern. But he is only 20 and is still growing and maturing, and perhaps his sort of presence during tense periods close to big games or tournaments can help alleviate the general stress on the team. Pato looked sharp and matured for someone his age and is definitely one for the future. The one that impressed me most however is Manchester City's new signing Jo. He is very similar to Adebayor - lanky yet quick, good movement with and without the ball, strong in the air and strikes a mean shot. He will definitely be one to look out for in the coming season as he seeks to repay the mad amount of money paid by Thaksin.

Finally, a few words regarding the Singaporean fans who were present at the session. I felt uncomfortable throughout the session as the people who were really there made me feel like some sort of a misfit. They shouted unsavoury jokes, most of which presented Singaporeans as a bunch of low-lives with poor and blunt sense of humour. I guess they were just doing it for the sake of their own idea of 'good fun', but being funny and being laughed at are two different things.

The kind of frenzy (or lack of) that this match has created somewhat reflects the kind of society we live in. Tickets are still apparently on sale when I expected them to move really fast. Goodness this is Brazil, who will not want to watch it, for a decent price as well! The hustle and bustle of our highly capitalistic system has changed our attitudes towards leisure, to the point of apathy. There are multitudes of distractions and other priorities placed above leisure. I would think leisure would be something we look forward to and work towards, not distract ourselves from. Looks like priorities and attitudes have changed.

(edit: I actually wrote this two days before the Straits Times' Sports Correspondent came up with something of similar content!)

Auld Lang Syne & All That

Next article that should be up by the 3rd of January will be examining the chances of the clubs threatened by relegation at the mid-point stage of the season and offer some solutions that could keep them afloat.

Till then, have an excellent New Year's Eve and a fabolous 2008. Cheers!

Precursor to Revival

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=488545&cc=4716
(Article posted on 7/12/2007)

http://www.bleacherreport.com/articles/2724-European_Football-
Portsmouth-Tottenham_Hotspur-Foreign_Ownership_in_the_EPL_
A_Double-Edged_Sword-081007
(Written on 08/10/2007)

********

Hey Melvin,

The Champions League Group F has proven to be a simple challenge for Fergie's men. No other club in Europe has matched their dominance in the Group Stage, and many spectators would deem them the favorite heading into the knockout rounds.

Wondering if in the next week, you'd be able to write a 250-500 word editorial piece regarding Man U's Champions League prospects heading into the new year?

If you're feeling ambitious, we're also looking for analysis on other top Champions League contenders.

Thanks Melvin—looking forward to hearing from you.

Best,
Zan

--

Zander Freund
Content and Community Director
Bleacher Report Team
www.BleacherReport.com

*********************

Back with a vengeance! Look out for my next article which will probably come in beginning of next week. Sorry for the wait folks...will update soon.

Fragility

The practical aspect of sport is commonly associated with health, happiness and personal/group satisfaction. However the recent death of Sevilla’s Antonio Puerta has once again reminded us the fragility of life, and the obvious paradox.

This certainly rings a bell with Marc-Vivien Foé and his passing away. My sources tell me that there is some sort of distortion of what really happened to him. The official story is that he had an enlarged right ventricle, which made cardiac arrest due to ventricular fibrillation the likely cause of death. Apparently Foé had been taking performance enhancing drugs prior to the time of his death, and I was told that this is common practice for professional players at the highest level. This apparently has something to do with his death. I must state that the nature and legality of the alleged supplement he was consuming are not known to me.

There are risks when you are priming the body to be in its best condition to perform and entertain, through hard work and supplements. Untold and unknown side-effects which are still being researched today can cause physical and psychological harm. R.I.P. Chris Benoit, Antonio Puerta, Marc-Vivien Foé and the countless others who devoted their lives to sporting excellence as well as entertainment of the masses, and paid a price for it. Our thoughts and prayers are with them and their families.

Congratulations Iraq

The Final of the AFC Asian Cup 2007 has just ended and Iraq clinched their first ever title with a 1-0 victory over favourites Saudi Arabia. The 1^st half was a cautious affair from both sides and the match was about to fall into a bore-fest when the 2^nd half lightened up proceedings. In a game of few chances, it was inevitable that Iraq’s match winner came from Younis Mahmoud in the 72^nd minute after lax defending from the Saudis from an Iraqi corner. Saudi’s tepid attempts at getting an equalizer came to naught and the match ended 1-0 to the Iraqis.

Iraq began the match on a 4-5-1/ 4-2-3-1 formation. They were 4-5-1 when they did not have the ball, and when they won possession, they switched into a 4-2-3-1. This was the winning formula as they outnumbered the Saudis in midfield and very often won the 2^nd ball. They looked a little toothless going forward in the 1^st half, the 2^nd was much better as their playmaker Hawar Mulla Mohammed came out of his shell and orchestrated the show. But my Man-of-the-Match is definitely anchor-man Qusay Munir who ran his guts out and protected the back-four magnificently. His strength and dynamism in the middle of the park outshone the weary Saudis. Out-hustled and out-muscled, the Saudis were eventually beaten by the team with more hunger and desire.

The tactics of Iraq meant that there was very little time for Abdulrahman Al Qahtani to make the early passes to the wingers to cross for Yasser Al Qahtani to attack, or a quick ground pass for Malek Maaz to pounce through. It was not just a tactical victory for Jorvan Vieira or a physical and tactical triumph for the players, but also a well needed emotional boost for a country ravaged by war and religious divide. Once again, congratulations to Iraq, Champions of the AFC Asian Cup 2007.

Never Be Beck

David Robert Joseph Beckham has just landed in The City of Angels to embark on a new (and possibly last) stage of his career as a footballer. He may not be the best footballer around, but he has a face that ranks amongst the most recognisable in the world. Evidence of his marketability is obvious in the fact that Real Madrid made more than £300million during his four years at the club, which I think is simply amazing. The combination of good looks, having a specialised football skill, excellent work ethic and his wife all played a part in his career path. Let's discuss each individual points and their relevance.

Beck Then
First things first, I am not going to attempt in providing a wordy article on his career history. For those who are really interested u can Wiki it. I will however pick up from his time at his first professional club, Manchester United. He made his Premiership debut in the 94/95 season against Aston Villa alongside the other members of Fergie's Fledglings. They lost the game 3-1 with Becks scoring. This was the start of a highly successful time at United. Despite his Mickey Mouse voice, his good looks and floppy-hair made him the poster boy plastered all over the rooms of pimply teenage girls.

What transpired from his time at United was his work ethic, professionalism and penchant for perfection, which we will see time and time again. He spent extra time in training perfecting his dead ball accuracy, and this will be his selling point on and off the field. These qualities led him to be the choice skipper for England even though he did not possess any prominent leadership qualities. Much of those qualities grew on him as he took to the field in his new role. Many have said that his captaincy was as much a marketing decision as it was a footballing one.

Ham & Spice and All Things Nice
Then the first turning point arrived. He met Victoria Caroline Adams aka Posh Spice in November 1996. What followed was a two-year whirlwind courtship that resulted in one child, then one marriage in 1999, an appearance on the Ali G show, a zillion pictures, quite a few tattoos, two more children, about 16 hairstyles, an OBE and quite a few red carpets.

The most important thing however is Posh herself. She is his link to the entertainment industry, and she is someone with shrewd marketing and business acumen. My guess is that it was her who suggested a move to glamourous Madrid for the sake of his pride and his brand, and her preference; it was not just because of a flying boot to his head. It is very likely too that his move to LA Galaxy was sanctioned by her as well. We will come to that later. Becks certainly wears the panties in this relationship.

The Real Deal
Moving to Real Madrid in 2003 sparked many to comment that having the skills he had, he would not be able to adapt to the flowing style of Spanish football, which involve moving around with the ball rather than launching long balls forward, as is done in the Premiership. Evidently, he struggled and had more yellow cards than assists.

This downward spiral continued as England was knocked out in the Quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup, Sven left and McClaren took over. He was stripped of his international captaincy and dropped from the squad. To be honest, even I felt this was the right decision on the part of McClaren as I thought he was not good enough. Capello also dropped him from the first-eleven at Madrid and everything looked grey and gloomy for Becks.

This was when he came out and proved everyone wrong. Winning back his place in both teams as a result of sterling performances when given the chance, he was back at it again. The only pity was, he had already signed for LA Galaxy by then, which I consider a step down.

Morphing Abilities
Becks proved his professionalism and work ethic time and time again and none was more obvious, or more admirable than the fact that he manage to change and alter his game to make himself a better player despite his limitations skill-wise. When he was at United, he was a typical winger WITHOUT the ball skills and pace. He needed to receive the ball on the wing open and unchallenged so that he could cross the ball well. At Real he was used in the middle and on the flanks and initially both were unsuccessful. However he changed the way he played - running into space earlier as an option to pass, not holding on to the ball long, receiving the ball with his back facing goal more often rather than wanting to turn and push the ball forward, and maintaining the accuracy of his crosses and free kicks. By adding more intelligence to his play, he has turned out to be a holding midfielder with unique abilities, and far cry from who he was as a winger with no pace or ball-skills.

His presence on the field meant opposition would be wary to give away free kicks, this meant that skilful players on his team will have more space on the ball and could create more havoc as a result. Having refined his playing style to be able to compete with the best in the world, he moves to US-and-A to play a game called soccer.

Beck to the West Coast

Why soccer? These are the plausible reasons I can think of…

1. Hollywood for Posh for obvious reasons.

2. Education for his kids. First choice was UK but after Manchester he will never play for another Premiership team again. US-and-A will be the next best choice.

3. Mad amounts of money to be earned.

4. The decision was made at a point in time when people thought he was not able to compete at a highly competitive and intensive level; hence he could play soccer but not football.

Personal Notes

I used to think he was a useless player with good looks, and I believe many people thought so. He has certainly proved me wrong, and I am a converted fan. It is sad that he is now going to play soccer instead of football. We shall now see if he is able to maintain his place in the England team and if soccer will do him any good.

Adieu, adieu, remember him...He may never be Beck.

Bull's, Cock or Hawkeye?

Ok here is the story, the Premier League is set to test Hawkeye technology in football with a view to remove doubts over goalline decisions. This system is already in its advanced testing phase with tennis, as seen in the recent Wimbledon tournament. The English FA is looking to add certainty to goalline controversy with the help of technology.

What do I think about all this? I would say toss off! What makes football the most watched sport in the world is its uncertainty! The draw-point is really the cliche of the ball being round.

Controversy not only feeds the appetite of the fans, but also gives the media something to stir up and serve to the audience. Losing uncertainty will only add boredom to an already mechanized and routine world that we live in. Sport is one of the few arenas left for people to enjoy creativity, ingenuity and innovation in a non-technological sense.

Who creates these controversies and the emotional roller-coaster ride in the first place? Players with their simulations and antics, referees with their mistakes and astuteness. Fans are kept emotionally high-strung and unstable as a result, not to forget the story-hungry media that is always on the lookout for anything news worthy. The story that is football is made exciting with controversy.

The nature of the game requires the discretion and judgement of the referee, who runs the game and makes the calls. Removing this element may not decrease the well-rooted fan support and firm media coverage, but it will certainly dull the kaleidoscope of emotions that football brings to its fans.

This is the success story of football. Players are human, referees are human, fans are human, please don't dehumanise the very human element that makes the sport what it is today. Say Cock-eye to Hawkeye!

Edited - I thought of a way to at least try to make it more interesting. In Wimbledon you have 3 tries to use the Hawkeye. If the call is yours, your number of attempts will not be decducted but if the call is not, you will be deducted one try.

For football, maybe if the call is yours, the goal stands. If it is not, the other team will get a 1/2 ball advantage, meaning a draw would not be enough in this instance. This perhaps could help make the use of technology more interesting.

It's Called Football, Not Sucker

I decided to write this quick note after I tried Goggle-ing for some football related information. My key words were - football and hawkeye. The results were Iowa Hawkeye football team, American Football. You know what I am getting at...

I would just like to say, football is FOOTBALL, not SOCCER. Football should remain football for two simple reasons. Firstly, football was had its laws standardized in 1863, whereas the American game with no name (in my opinion) has its roots sprouting in 1871. First come, first serve, first right of redemption.

Secondly, can anyone tell me which of the two sports is the most watched and generates the most money in the world? Nuff said.

The American game does not even resemble the name it took, and same goes to the new name they gave to football, soccer. Seriously, W.T.F.

So please, for fuck's sake, it is FOOTBALL and not SUCKER. Go find another name for YOUR dumbass sport that only YOU watch. Thanks.

Now onto football and goaline technology.

Reflections (hate to say I told you so)

1. Nothing better than for Tevez to go to the club who has the most 'live' games a season to showcase himself. MAN UNITED!

2. Torres to the Premiership? Nuff' said! Fiery Fernando or Tepid Torres, we shall see.

3. Henry leaving the Premiership? Well he already is a household name, no need for anymore advertising. He is his own brand.

Bet You Didn't Know That!

Many football clubs have sponsorship deals with bookmakers. This looks like a conflict of interest, to me at least. Should they even be allowed in the first place? I’ll leave you to make up your own mind.

Sports Betting Sponsorships as of 2006-2007 Season

Arsenal - Paddy Power

Aston Villa - 32red.com

Blackburn Rovers - Bet24.com

Bolton Wanderers - Betfred

Charlton Athletic - Ladbrokes, Paddy Power

Chelsea - Ladbrokes, Coral

Everton - Littlewoods Gaming, Coral

Fulham - Coral

Liverpool - Paddy Power

Manchester City - Totalbet

Manchester United - Betfred

Newcastle United - Bet365

Portsmouth - Ladbrokes

Sheffield United - Ladbrokes

Tottenham Hotspur - Mansion

Watford - Ladbrokes

West Ham - Ladbrokes, Pinnacle

Wigan Athletic - Tote Plc

That is 18 out of the 20 teams in the Premiership. Here’s more…

Real Madrid - Bwin

Recreativo Huelva - Interweten

Espanyol - Interweten

AC Milan - Bwin

Palermo - Sportingbet

Udinese - Eurobet

These are just a few of the countless other sport bookmakers who sponsor football teams. Interestingly, the Spanish and Italian teams that I have listed either did very well or did very badly this season...

Bet you didn’t know that!