Friday, February 15, 2008

Winter Review Rant


While my co-writers practice "real" journalism alas left to my own rythm, the cut n' paste incision of mid-term grades and bad weather in Savannah shades. Winter headlines find Villa breaking into the top five seeds whilst Arsenal holds league lead, despite sacking Big Sam Newcastle is in trouble again as Keegan's renewal can't stop the skid. In fact many managerial faces have changed, awash in the hard rain of expectations involving strategy, glory and g-d. Tottenham appointed Ramos and Chelsea shoved Jose aside, Fulham sacked Sanchez, Bruce got the blues and left City for Wigan while Ally took his place and Paul Jol is now in charge of Derby with egg on his face. Sunderland fights relegation having topped Wigan as Derby fans recite incantations amid PR relations at their club's 9 point BPL funeral.

Man City steals points from United at derby spun as Munich tribute 50 years ago to the day, Sven adds gems in the transfer window as clubs shuffle their cards, money-bags Liverpool deny lowly Luton gate fair during FA Cup draw as civil war rages around Rafa. England's manager Capello stands stern at helm of first win against the Swiss, new faces playing in new places before a tense Wembley crowd.

Controversy collides with 70-plus-thousand fans down in Texas land, a night that saw Altidore start and score beautifully was marred as Clint Dempsey's goal, the game-winning third was pulled back for offsides. Honestly, get me a crew from Germany, Australia, Switzerland, or any nation neutral to the USA v Mexico game, someone not possibly corrupted by money, pressure or outright bias! As a side note I watched that game on Telemundo because the announcers are that much better despite the extreme language barrier. So get wise US journalists, send your camera crews to England so they can learn how to shoot the beautiful game. Trust me on this one, not every sport needs a sky cam.

Why ask the impossible of titanic telecasting corporations? Simple, because the arrival of Figo and Zidane are eminent when considering the entertainment group that owns the LA Galaxy recently bought Luis Figo's contract. Now, will these players alone change MLS for the better? Probably not. What MLS needs is an overhaul of US sports ideas; strip down the regional division system for a league table for the love of g-d! New blood could come into the league if USL became the eqivalent of lower league football in England, but this won't happen because of the profit and incentive driven business of owning exclusive rights among other scruples. And another thing, shift the league's schedule to match the rest of the world, this bullshit is really fucking up our national team.

Enough MLS venting, back to rhymed ranting. Catch Saturday's FA Cup draw, United v Arsenal, the only game by far, worth watching. With ECC knock-out stages to come next week I can only hope that crowd violence doesn't rear its ugly, unwanted head. Until then, peace.

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