Now do you see why I never send Xmas cards!
What a tadoo eh blog buddies. Jeez I would hate to be in Moaninho's house on Xmas morning if he doesn't get what he asked for from Santa. Still he can always blame everyone else can't he, he's good at that.
A lot has been spoken and written the past few days, although not that much about the game itself eh, but my favourites comments were both on the wonderful Football 365 letters page. Firstly this
Quiz For Essien...
I notice that Essien has asked for time to adapt to English football. Clearly the game here is very different to that played in other parts of the world. We are rather old-fashioned and require players to tackle the ball, and not opposition players’ knee-caps and teeth. Perhaps his suspension can help his adaptation process; he can take a multiple-choice exam:
Q: You see a Bolton/Liverpool/Arsenal player with the ball. Do you go for:
A) His knee cap or leg area in general, after which you fall over and feign injury in an attempt to divert punishment;
B) Throw out an arm and knock out one of his teeth;
C) The ball;
D) A place on the bench on £20k a week after the evil media has ruined your career with spurious allegations.
Still, as he states, nothing he has "ever done has been deliberate". Which presumably means he will look bemused and humble when he scores.
The answer is of course A B and finally D. Also this from a Liverpool fan
"The worst ones are usually the result of bad luck"? No lad, it was the result of you being an absolute coward, turning your back on an horrendous challenge (please stop using the word tackle when talking about Essien - it's an insult to the art of defending) that was nowhere near the ball.
"I don't agree with re-refereeing a game after it has happened, it just produces more controversy." Just how wrong can one sentence be? If an assault has been missed in the game then it has to be pulled up afterwards, otherwise players could literally get away with murder as long as the ref and his assistants don't see it. What does provide more controversy though, is a guilty player not accepting his punishment on the chin and spouting b***ocks like this two weeks later!
Essien better buck his ideas up or sooner or later he will come against a player who will protect himself by going in to a challenge even higher than Essien does. And if he then breaks his leg? Bad luck lad, it's a man's game.
How's this for an alternative punishment then? I call upon all fans of teams that play Chavski to boo Michael Essien's every touch. If it can happen to Peter Crouch for being tall and selected for England, why not Essien for being a spineless no-mark?"
Finally, and hopefully the last time I will mention the C word...no Christmas kiddies, perrr-lease...this week. The same site today published a new entry of the funniest thing ever to appear on a football site, 'the Gary Neville Diaries' If you have never seen it before check out the old entries too. It really is absolutely brilliant. One of the funniest things on the 'Net
What else has been going on in Baldsville? Most of the news that has reached me this week has, unfortunately, been of the sad variety.
I was disappointed to read about the death of old 'Rooster Booster' yesterday, the 2003 Champion Hurdle winner. It was some kind of haemorrhage apparently so he did not suffer but still a shame. Rooster was a real rags to riches story, from average handicapper to Champion Hurdler, something that tends to happen far more often in jump racing than its' wealthier counterpart. In my mind another one of the millions and trillions of reasons why National Hunt Racing is better that the Flat. Nothing like an objective argument eh...and that was nothing like one? Back to Rooster though, the sport has now lost arguably its' two best loved horses in a couple of months and it really is a shame. On the other hand thems the breaks and the stage is there for new heroes to fill there shoes which will invariably happen. I shall miss the old fellow come Xmas time though when he would have almost certainly have lined up in the Xmas Hurdle on Boxing Day, this year being held at Sandown of course.
Another piece of bad news that reached Baldman Towers came in yesterday's 'Eggs on Toast', which for all American Viewers is the Racing Post 8-)...how mad was that eh? Yer man who wrote the book finding this blog. As I said at the time though if you have not read the book (Horseplayers a Life at the Track by Ted Mclelland) a good read...where was I. ah yes, yesterday's Bible (that is something else we call it). An article tucked away on page 6 stated that Sportspages, the legendary sports bookshop in Caxton Walk, just off Charing Cross Rd, is in administration and in real danger of being closed down. That is terrible news blog buddies. I know the one in Manchester had closed down earlier this year but now this bombshell. Anyway that is Manchester. Things close down all the time there don't they 8-).
I was actually in the shop a few weeks ago, stocking up on several things, and I have to say that I was surprised that they did not have a couple of titles I had seen elsewhere. Now I know why. I have always made a point of trying to buy as many of my sports books there as possible, regardless of the price elsewhere. The reason for this is the same as that when I try to patronise a number of specialist record shops when I can, in preference to the big chain stores. The reason is simple boys and girls. I can sometimes have obscure tastes in both sports books and records. If I was to go to Waterstones or Virgin/HMV to save a couple of pennies, for the relatively mainstream stuff, then what would happen when I wanted that most obscure of titles? I think you know the answer to that. Megastores don't always equal progress and are not always a positive thing. There ARE sometimes more important things than saving a couple of quid.
Anyway, after reading the article yesterday I found out that they have not been buying any new titles for some time, which would explain my recent problem.
I stayed on the 'bus home from work an extra stop yesterday and popped in to speak with them. What the guy in the shop told me was not the most positive thing I have ever heard. It does not look very good. It really is a huge shame but in the days of mail order they may have been left behind and become somewhat obsolete. I mean the rent alone on their current premises must be astronomical. Indeed the original owners and founders of Sportspages have been running their own such business online for some time after having to sell several years ago.
Although I have bought many many books from this shop I think its' biggest contribution to my life was to fuel my baseball obsession. Back in the day...the bald bloke with the young trendy expressions again. What am I like eh...when I first became bitten by the bug that is America's pastime, and long before the world became a smaller place with the Internet etc, the only place to buy baseball books was Sportspages. In fact so good were they that, on many of my trips to the States... I was going at least twice a year every year in those days, primarily to watch baseball... most of the books they were stocking were almost impossible to buy in the 'land of their birth'. Now that was impressive. I know this because I tried to get stuff whilst I was there but I ended up ordering though Sportspages when I got home!
Around this time I was buying, and usually reading, at least one baseball book (sometimes more) every week. I could not get enough of the history stuff, especially New York Baseball 1946-1961 ish...Joe D, Teddy ball game (Bo Sox I know but worthy of a mention), Yogi, the Scooter and of course the M and M boys, The Mick'(y) Mantle and Roger Maris, and of course Jackie Robinson and 'Da Bums' of Brooklyn. If I ever went on Mastermind I always thought it would be my specialist subject lol 8-). It really was a golden age of the sport.
The serious point though is this, without Sportspages I would never have gained my knowledge and love of the great sport of baseball I enjoy (and boy do I ever ENJOY it) today. I would never have read 'the Boys of Summer' one of the greatest books ever written full stop, never mind baseball books, 'Ball Four', the Heart of the Order', The Curse of the Bambino ...and many more. It does seem so sad it is about to be no more.
Similarly, during the 'rise of the fanzine era', post Hillsborough it was my first port of call for books and fanzines from multitude of different teams. I didn't just read the Arse' stuff you know.
Possibly my most lasting memory though was waiting around in the shop on the day that the Sporting News Green Book was about to be delivered. Read Rothmans...ish of baseball. There are of course many such publications but this was always the first that included the rosters, fixtures etc. It used to come out around Spring Training time, early March and was a significant diary point in my year. In those days, pre NASN, C5 etc I used to have one or two games shipped over on video every week. This was of course pre-Internet days (the mid to late 80's) so facts and figures like this were much coveted. It is probably a bit silly to say that I owe a debt to a shop but without them, and of course being lucky enough to have them at the bottom of my street too, my life would have been much poorer. Fact.
Even if someone buys and rescues them, which looks highly unlikely, they will need to reshape the whole company. Perhaps they may need be more mail order focused, a bit like High Stakes? It will be a sad day if and when it goes though. Mind you it probably will not stop me becoming a vulture when the inevitable closing down sale ensues. What can I tell you blog buddies, you know I'm weak already!
I haven't felt this way since City Sounds closed in Procter St. City Sounds was my first stop for most of my soul albums, mainly imports, from my soul boy days. Big fuck off wedge (loads of hair honest), pegs, Hawaii shirt etc etc. They were the days eh? I felt like a million dollars and looked like a right cunt. Capitalism has a lot to answer for sometimes...and yes I do include myself as being culpable in this. RIP Sportspages? I certainly hope not.
I read that, not for the first time this season there were a number of arrests, 9 to be precise, at Giant Stadium in New Jersey at the Jets game on Monday night. There was also a double stabbing. Most of it was thought to be drink related. I wonder when we are going to hear the first rumblings that it was like a 'soccer match'. English disease my arse eh? Hmm
It appears that now my name is not even allowed to be mentioned in the Stalinist world of the Gutshite wesbsite. It was brought to my attention that an incident from one of my home games, from days gone by, has been cited in a story...well his name is on it but given his track record I wouldn't put your house on the fact that he actually wrote it... by the Anti Christ himself. How pathetic is that eh? Not only have the 'powers that be' (sic) made every attempt to erase my existence from their world, save for a few very old stories tucked away, but my name is not even to be mentioned when an incident that is written about actually took place in my house. They get worse don't they eh 8-). "A dark night in Covent Garden". Hey, maybe I don't live here anymore? I hadn't thought of that. The fucking idiot can't even bring himself to even say my name. They can rewrite history on their web site all they want but they can never rub out the truth. Sad doesn't do them justice does it?
Similarly I am not sure he should be revealing details about this incident in the first place too to be honest, even more so considering who the person is and their relationship to the site. He may not have named the person in question but I still think it is pretty bad show to reveal details of what is essentially a private situation anyway. Mind you he has plenty of previous for this doesn't he? I suppose we should be grateful that, unlike when he did it to me, he IS actually telling the whole truth this time.
Well that is it for me today kiddies. I am still at work and, seeing as all the teachers and school based stuff have fucked off for Humbug/Festivus. I am on the easy list this week darlings. Yes Siree Bob.... I wish! I have two big reports to write and I cannot be arsed in any way shape or form. Motivation seems to have gone away for the holidays I am afraid and just when I needed it too 8-(
Fuck it really could be time to get a new job you know
It also looks like I cannot watch Arsenal Reserves at Donny tonight either. I have heard Gilberto has been made captain and find this an insult to every supporter that I will probably watch a film or something. A man who should not be allowed to carry the bibs at training captaining MY team. It's an absolute disgrace I'm sorry.
Don't believe the hype
The Beast
A lot has been spoken and written the past few days, although not that much about the game itself eh, but my favourites comments were both on the wonderful Football 365 letters page. Firstly this
Quiz For Essien...
I notice that Essien has asked for time to adapt to English football. Clearly the game here is very different to that played in other parts of the world. We are rather old-fashioned and require players to tackle the ball, and not opposition players’ knee-caps and teeth. Perhaps his suspension can help his adaptation process; he can take a multiple-choice exam:
Q: You see a Bolton/Liverpool/Arsenal player with the ball. Do you go for:
A) His knee cap or leg area in general, after which you fall over and feign injury in an attempt to divert punishment;
B) Throw out an arm and knock out one of his teeth;
C) The ball;
D) A place on the bench on £20k a week after the evil media has ruined your career with spurious allegations.
Still, as he states, nothing he has "ever done has been deliberate". Which presumably means he will look bemused and humble when he scores.
The answer is of course A B and finally D. Also this from a Liverpool fan
"The worst ones are usually the result of bad luck"? No lad, it was the result of you being an absolute coward, turning your back on an horrendous challenge (please stop using the word tackle when talking about Essien - it's an insult to the art of defending) that was nowhere near the ball.
"I don't agree with re-refereeing a game after it has happened, it just produces more controversy." Just how wrong can one sentence be? If an assault has been missed in the game then it has to be pulled up afterwards, otherwise players could literally get away with murder as long as the ref and his assistants don't see it. What does provide more controversy though, is a guilty player not accepting his punishment on the chin and spouting b***ocks like this two weeks later!
Essien better buck his ideas up or sooner or later he will come against a player who will protect himself by going in to a challenge even higher than Essien does. And if he then breaks his leg? Bad luck lad, it's a man's game.
How's this for an alternative punishment then? I call upon all fans of teams that play Chavski to boo Michael Essien's every touch. If it can happen to Peter Crouch for being tall and selected for England, why not Essien for being a spineless no-mark?"
Finally, and hopefully the last time I will mention the C word...no Christmas kiddies, perrr-lease...this week. The same site today published a new entry of the funniest thing ever to appear on a football site, 'the Gary Neville Diaries' If you have never seen it before check out the old entries too. It really is absolutely brilliant. One of the funniest things on the 'Net
What else has been going on in Baldsville? Most of the news that has reached me this week has, unfortunately, been of the sad variety.
I was disappointed to read about the death of old 'Rooster Booster' yesterday, the 2003 Champion Hurdle winner. It was some kind of haemorrhage apparently so he did not suffer but still a shame. Rooster was a real rags to riches story, from average handicapper to Champion Hurdler, something that tends to happen far more often in jump racing than its' wealthier counterpart. In my mind another one of the millions and trillions of reasons why National Hunt Racing is better that the Flat. Nothing like an objective argument eh...and that was nothing like one? Back to Rooster though, the sport has now lost arguably its' two best loved horses in a couple of months and it really is a shame. On the other hand thems the breaks and the stage is there for new heroes to fill there shoes which will invariably happen. I shall miss the old fellow come Xmas time though when he would have almost certainly have lined up in the Xmas Hurdle on Boxing Day, this year being held at Sandown of course.
Another piece of bad news that reached Baldman Towers came in yesterday's 'Eggs on Toast', which for all American Viewers is the Racing Post 8-)...how mad was that eh? Yer man who wrote the book finding this blog. As I said at the time though if you have not read the book (Horseplayers a Life at the Track by Ted Mclelland) a good read...where was I. ah yes, yesterday's Bible (that is something else we call it). An article tucked away on page 6 stated that Sportspages, the legendary sports bookshop in Caxton Walk, just off Charing Cross Rd, is in administration and in real danger of being closed down. That is terrible news blog buddies. I know the one in Manchester had closed down earlier this year but now this bombshell. Anyway that is Manchester. Things close down all the time there don't they 8-).
I was actually in the shop a few weeks ago, stocking up on several things, and I have to say that I was surprised that they did not have a couple of titles I had seen elsewhere. Now I know why. I have always made a point of trying to buy as many of my sports books there as possible, regardless of the price elsewhere. The reason for this is the same as that when I try to patronise a number of specialist record shops when I can, in preference to the big chain stores. The reason is simple boys and girls. I can sometimes have obscure tastes in both sports books and records. If I was to go to Waterstones or Virgin/HMV to save a couple of pennies, for the relatively mainstream stuff, then what would happen when I wanted that most obscure of titles? I think you know the answer to that. Megastores don't always equal progress and are not always a positive thing. There ARE sometimes more important things than saving a couple of quid.
Anyway, after reading the article yesterday I found out that they have not been buying any new titles for some time, which would explain my recent problem.
I stayed on the 'bus home from work an extra stop yesterday and popped in to speak with them. What the guy in the shop told me was not the most positive thing I have ever heard. It does not look very good. It really is a huge shame but in the days of mail order they may have been left behind and become somewhat obsolete. I mean the rent alone on their current premises must be astronomical. Indeed the original owners and founders of Sportspages have been running their own such business online for some time after having to sell several years ago.
Although I have bought many many books from this shop I think its' biggest contribution to my life was to fuel my baseball obsession. Back in the day...the bald bloke with the young trendy expressions again. What am I like eh...when I first became bitten by the bug that is America's pastime, and long before the world became a smaller place with the Internet etc, the only place to buy baseball books was Sportspages. In fact so good were they that, on many of my trips to the States... I was going at least twice a year every year in those days, primarily to watch baseball... most of the books they were stocking were almost impossible to buy in the 'land of their birth'. Now that was impressive. I know this because I tried to get stuff whilst I was there but I ended up ordering though Sportspages when I got home!
Around this time I was buying, and usually reading, at least one baseball book (sometimes more) every week. I could not get enough of the history stuff, especially New York Baseball 1946-1961 ish...Joe D, Teddy ball game (Bo Sox I know but worthy of a mention), Yogi, the Scooter and of course the M and M boys, The Mick'(y) Mantle and Roger Maris, and of course Jackie Robinson and 'Da Bums' of Brooklyn. If I ever went on Mastermind I always thought it would be my specialist subject lol 8-). It really was a golden age of the sport.
The serious point though is this, without Sportspages I would never have gained my knowledge and love of the great sport of baseball I enjoy (and boy do I ever ENJOY it) today. I would never have read 'the Boys of Summer' one of the greatest books ever written full stop, never mind baseball books, 'Ball Four', the Heart of the Order', The Curse of the Bambino ...and many more. It does seem so sad it is about to be no more.
Similarly, during the 'rise of the fanzine era', post Hillsborough it was my first port of call for books and fanzines from multitude of different teams. I didn't just read the Arse' stuff you know.
Possibly my most lasting memory though was waiting around in the shop on the day that the Sporting News Green Book was about to be delivered. Read Rothmans...ish of baseball. There are of course many such publications but this was always the first that included the rosters, fixtures etc. It used to come out around Spring Training time, early March and was a significant diary point in my year. In those days, pre NASN, C5 etc I used to have one or two games shipped over on video every week. This was of course pre-Internet days (the mid to late 80's) so facts and figures like this were much coveted. It is probably a bit silly to say that I owe a debt to a shop but without them, and of course being lucky enough to have them at the bottom of my street too, my life would have been much poorer. Fact.
Even if someone buys and rescues them, which looks highly unlikely, they will need to reshape the whole company. Perhaps they may need be more mail order focused, a bit like High Stakes? It will be a sad day if and when it goes though. Mind you it probably will not stop me becoming a vulture when the inevitable closing down sale ensues. What can I tell you blog buddies, you know I'm weak already!
I haven't felt this way since City Sounds closed in Procter St. City Sounds was my first stop for most of my soul albums, mainly imports, from my soul boy days. Big fuck off wedge (loads of hair honest), pegs, Hawaii shirt etc etc. They were the days eh? I felt like a million dollars and looked like a right cunt. Capitalism has a lot to answer for sometimes...and yes I do include myself as being culpable in this. RIP Sportspages? I certainly hope not.
I read that, not for the first time this season there were a number of arrests, 9 to be precise, at Giant Stadium in New Jersey at the Jets game on Monday night. There was also a double stabbing. Most of it was thought to be drink related. I wonder when we are going to hear the first rumblings that it was like a 'soccer match'. English disease my arse eh? Hmm
It appears that now my name is not even allowed to be mentioned in the Stalinist world of the Gutshite wesbsite. It was brought to my attention that an incident from one of my home games, from days gone by, has been cited in a story...well his name is on it but given his track record I wouldn't put your house on the fact that he actually wrote it... by the Anti Christ himself. How pathetic is that eh? Not only have the 'powers that be' (sic) made every attempt to erase my existence from their world, save for a few very old stories tucked away, but my name is not even to be mentioned when an incident that is written about actually took place in my house. They get worse don't they eh 8-). "A dark night in Covent Garden". Hey, maybe I don't live here anymore? I hadn't thought of that. The fucking idiot can't even bring himself to even say my name. They can rewrite history on their web site all they want but they can never rub out the truth. Sad doesn't do them justice does it?
Similarly I am not sure he should be revealing details about this incident in the first place too to be honest, even more so considering who the person is and their relationship to the site. He may not have named the person in question but I still think it is pretty bad show to reveal details of what is essentially a private situation anyway. Mind you he has plenty of previous for this doesn't he? I suppose we should be grateful that, unlike when he did it to me, he IS actually telling the whole truth this time.
Well that is it for me today kiddies. I am still at work and, seeing as all the teachers and school based stuff have fucked off for Humbug/Festivus. I am on the easy list this week darlings. Yes Siree Bob.... I wish! I have two big reports to write and I cannot be arsed in any way shape or form. Motivation seems to have gone away for the holidays I am afraid and just when I needed it too 8-(
Fuck it really could be time to get a new job you know
It also looks like I cannot watch Arsenal Reserves at Donny tonight either. I have heard Gilberto has been made captain and find this an insult to every supporter that I will probably watch a film or something. A man who should not be allowed to carry the bibs at training captaining MY team. It's an absolute disgrace I'm sorry.
Don't believe the hype
The Beast
posted by Stevie Bennett at 5:11 PM
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