Have the Arsenal signed on a few spectators?

It’s becoming all too much to bear.  Another dreadful night of football with the Arsenal not being able to get past Wigan; which they should have done quite comfortably.

Wenger has no excuses this time – he can’t blame the pitch, or the two atrocious refereeing decisions. Arsenal should have won despite this. But they didn’t . And perhaps Wenger needs to admit for once that he screwed up.

His starting lineup showed a great deal of arrogance and disrespect for Wigan. He is not going to win games against the so-called minnows if he insists on picking players who would be visibly more comfortable sitting in the stands watching the game. Even though Arshavin and Bendtner both scored, they were mere spectators for large parts of the game.

The Arsenal are in desperate need of players who are prepared to put in some work; not just wait for the ball to roll up to their feet. Bendtner, Arshavin, Denilson and Chamakh to a certain extent are just far too lazy, and don’t make the extra efforts required to get to the ball in cases where the passes are not 100% accurate.

It’s time Wenger looked at offloading these spectators and employing some honest hard-working no-nonsense footballers, even if they’re supposedly not as talented as this lot. And boy does that defense need some attention. Make-shift is hardly the word to describe the disaster-in-waiting that passes for a defense.

If Wenger thinks he’s going to win any trophies this year with these low levels of commitment on regular display, then he must be the most optimistic professor of football, ever.

The Vampire Diaries does not suck after all…

I started buying these DVD box sets a while ago. Initially, because of my utter delight with the antics of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May, on the BBC production Top Gear, I bought everything I could find related to that series.

At the same time, I started collecting fascinating documentaries such as David Attenborough’s Life series and The Incredible Human Journey and British Comedy box sets such as Fawlty Towers, among other BBC productions. Then one day about a two months ago, I strayed into the TV drama section of my favorite DVD store, and came across Dexter, Season 1.

About the only thing I can bear to watch on television these days is sport, normally just football, rugby and the occasional game of cricket; recently I have been somewhat put off the game of  cricket with the introduction of that atrocious format of the game known as 20-20. I catch my movies on DVD, or in the cinema when first released, when I can summon up the will to share an auditorium with juvenile popcorn-mascerating delinquents.

I don’t watch drama series on television; I have over the years lost the necessary patience and discipline required to stick to a weekly viewing schedule. I did try with Prison Break, but I failed, and that was to my mind the most compelling television I had ever watched, until I found Dexter. I had heard the series being mentioned on a local radio station, and was intrigued, so that made the decision to buy, a little easier; and boy, am I glad I did.

The writers and producers of this series are pure genius; especially the writers. Visual entertainment allows us to escape our invariably dull real lives; it allows us to relate to the characters on-screen and  fantasize for a little while. In this particular case, Dexter, the anti-hero, even allows one to seriously re-examine the suffocating limits of morality; the extremist black and white limits set by religious bigotry can now be challenged. Dexter demonstrates that bad, can be good! I readily admit to fantacizing about applying the gory disposal techniques demonstrated by Dexter, to certain deceitful, arrogant and corrupt members of our own government, here in South Africa.

Dexter, Season 1 went by all too quickly; a testament to how enthralled I was. Recently I found myself looking for Season 2, but could not find it; I did find Season 3, which leaves me delighted in anticipation. However, not finding Season 2, on the shelves, I came across The Vampire Diaries Season 1 and made a rash decision to purchase it; being swayed by the recent public fascination with Vampire movies.

At this point, I need to make it quite clear that I’m a Skeptic and proudly consider myself a member of the community of critical thinkers; which means that I not only have no interest in the occult or supernatural, I find beliefs in them to be rather disturbing. And I did not fail to notice the plethora of television drama series concerned with the supernatural, which fills the shelves of my DVD retailer. It’s actually quite concerting that the supernatural is such a popular theme.

But that just leaves me to explain why I chose to buy The Vampire Diaries. Well, it’s simple. I confess to a secret desire to live forever; and sucking on pretty girl’s necks for a lifetime does seem to be a particuarly pleasurable way to live through eternity. Off course, my aversion to direct sunshine, and the fact that blood-sucking reminds me of politicians, are other reasons.

Anyway, to continue my tale of entertainment seduction; I watched the first episode of The Vampire Diaries a few weeks ago and was utterly disappointed. My first impression was that it was made specifically for love-struck teenagers. The mushy romance permeating through the first episode left me feeling nauseated. I switched off, and threw the DVD box into a cupboard in disgust.

However, a few days ago I happened to be downloading some new software I purchased from Cyberlink, and did not have anything to do, what with my not-so-broad, broadband link informing me that the download would take all off 7 hours. With my internet connection being commandeered for that interminable duration, I turned to my DVD collection. Having already watched Dexter Season 1 and everything else, I turned to the discarded Vampire Diaries in utter desperation.

To cut a tedious story short, I was pleasantly surprised, as Episode 2 seemed to develop beyond my expectations, and so did the following Episodes. The mushy romance is still there, but the introduction of witches and more Vampires has sparked a new interest for me; especially the witches as I have a special empathy for those persecuted by religious bigots.

Anyway, there’s no hope for me now; I’m hooked on The Vampire Diaries too…

The Arsenal Strip Show

Like myself, if you’re an Arsenal supporter, you might be furiously fending off nasty comments from the Chelsea and Manchester United faithful, or just tearing your hair out in exasperation. Against Chelsea yesterday, after yet another promising start, the Arsenal succumbed to the ugly determination and sheer [brute] strength of a lesser deserving team.

My disappointment is so immense, I can’t help comparing watching the Arsenal week after week to going to a strip club, week after week. You get to watch some great ass, but if you don’t get any action from one of the lovelies on show, it becomes an expensive waste of time. Just like the Arsenal; fantastic moves but they don’t get to score…

Football is about scoring goals; the intricate passing and fluent movement should be just a bonus. Sometimes… no most times, an ugly goal or two will do just fine. It’s time some of the players showed that they’re not just ballerinas in baggy shorts, dancing across the turf.

I’m actually convinced that Wenger, being the shrewd economist and tactician he is, is actually colluding with the board by playing percentage football. My theory is that he just does enough with his (showy, but ultimately inadequate) team, winning games to keep the fans interested….just so that they can continue keeping the club profitable. Perhaps he’s trying to seal his place seat on the board of directors.

I read about one fan last night who is determined to start supporting another club. Who knows how many others there are. I know that the die-hard faithful will stay, but these performances are hurting the club.

It’s time Wenger showed us that he can coach as well as make profits. I’ll tear the rest of my hair out in appreciation.

2010 World Cup: Touching but not feeling

It’s finally here. No more days to count down – just hours. The 2010 FIFA Football World Cup is about to kick off in South Africa, and I’m right in the middle of it all; touching it, but unfortunately not feeling it as I should.

Maybe it’s because I’m too busy making sure the world can enjoy all the games in full high-definition and even 3-D, by working on building and maintaining the broadcasting network. Or maybe because I’m so exhausted after months, no years, of working on this project. At any rate, I’m smack bang in the middle of it all, but I somehow don’t get to enjoy too much of it.

I catch glimpses of video feeds coming in from all the stadiums and other parts of the country, while visiting broadcasters, sports networks, radio networks and other media in their cubicles and studios, here at the International Broadcast Centre (IBC) where I’m stationed for the duration of the tournament, but it all seems so disconnected, so far away, almost unreal. And mixed with it all, there’s this multitude of nations and languages from around the world; cameramen, journalists, television presenters, beautiful women and important-looking men, all conspiring to disorient me even further.

It could just be that I’m simply mesmerized by all this show of technology; a lot of which is being used for the very first time in FIFA World Cup history. Perhaps I’m sub-consciously taking it all in and storing it away, for playback at a later stage. In case this is just wishful thinking, will someone please fill me in on the spectacle I’ve missed.

Aaarrrgghh, another bad sporting weekend

Another big match lost, this time 2 – 1 to Chelsea. Arsenal are arguably the best football team in Europe. Manager and coach, Arsene Wenger has with somewhat limited resources, put together some of the best young (and older) talent available on this planet who play a brand of football  which for the purist, is unsurpassed for sheer brilliance, fluid passing motion, and the pleasing effect that remains long after a game has concluded. However, the team is dogged by constant injuries to key players, several at a time. Arsenal contested this weekend’s FA Cup semi-final against the big guns of Chelsea with a completely make-shift back-line, including reserve goalkeeper, because of injuries. If it’s not the midfield or forwards who are decimated through injury, it’s the defense. Will this team ever experience a time when their entire squad are fit and available?

 

 

The Sharks have lost, two weeks in succession, this time by a narrow margin (13-10) to the Crusaders, who are the reigning Super 14 champions (although  their form this season belies that title). The Sharks could have had that title a couple of seasons ago, but were denied by an oversight from the referee. The Sharks have got to be one of the unluckiest rugby teams around; they always seem to cop some of the most dubious refereeing decisions, and somehow manage to get key players injured at the most crucial times. But the team is gifted with some of the best talent anywhere in the rugby-playing world, North and South of the equator. They just looked a bit jaded this week (and last), and maybe that bye this coming weekend is much needed to revitalize and join the fray, anew.

After watching both the Sharks and Arsenal losing this weekend; I considered how monumental bad luck seems to hound both these teams who deserve so much more than they are currently getting in terms of results and recognition. I even contemplated that perhaps there is a supernatural presence out there conspiring against these teams; and maybe a god that resents human achievement does indeed exist…