To Russia with love…..

I don’t know if the voting for the World Cup would make a good plot line for a James Bond film – not enough world domination, no sexy Bond girls (Mrs. Beckham? Thanks, but no thanks).

I have never been a big fan of anything English; being born and raised in Scotland does that to you. Living in Thatcher’s testing ground for wondrous things like the Poll Tax makes you slightly anti England. That and the fact that when Scottish athletes (read David Wilkie, Allan Wells) won Olympic medals they suddenly became British but Daley Thompson et. al. were always English. So it might come as a surprise that I am writing something that supports England, and whilst I am at it, Australia (another sporting bunch of Xenophobes)

It came to pass that FIFA has announced the winners of the bids for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, with biggest surprises being that England received just two votes in the first round of the voting for the 2018 tournament and were rapidly eliminated; Australia actually fared worse gaining just one vote for the 2022 World Cup.

Much has been publicised re. the alleged corruption in the voting process, and living in New Zealand I have not seen the Panorama documentary on the alleged tainting of the process. It goes without saying though that Wikileaks have produced some rather unsurprising allegations about President Putin and his supposed links to organised crime. It is very easy to put two and two together and make four.

Would I have gone to England to see the World Cup – no; will I be going to Russia – hell no!! And as for Qatar the answer is again NO! It must be the smallest population to ever receive one of the world’s biggest sporting events. The prospect of air conditioned, indoor games must have impressed FIFA delegates more than any ‘gifts’ they may have received from one of the most wealthy nations – which also happens to be the biggest producer of greenhouse gases per head of population. Good to see environmental issues are a priority  for FIFA too!

Another picture of the week!

It's a funny old game

Football, or in particular the Premier League. Once upon a time it was viewed as a four horse race between Manchester United (Scum), Arsenal, Chelski and Liverpool. Oh how the mighty have fallen.

I got up this morning and watch the Liverpool -v- Blackpool game. In any normal season this would be a banked for the reds, especially playing at home in front of the Kop. Against all odds it was Blackpool who looked the better team, more composed on the ball, more up for the game. Once upon a time Liverpool were invincible, but that was long before the Gillette and Hicks ownership debacle. A more or less home grown team, the only foreigners being Craig Johnson, Jan Molby (with the dodgiest Scouse accent ever) and Bruce 'Jelly legs' Grobelaar. The likes of Souness, Dalglish, Hansen, Toshack, Rush, even Sammy Lee! They were a team that were total football, all in a British style. Against Blackpool the standout for me was Charlie Adam, a bit of a journeyman at an early age. Bought for just half a million quid (that would get you one of the Chelsea first teams shin), he personifies the British game, uncompromising but with pace and skill and a desire to win.

So who is to blame for Liverpool's demise (and that of their neighbour Everton); well in Liverpools case the answer is complex. I personally don't think Roy Hodgson can be blamed; he's done well with Fulham, but he inherited a right pigs ear of a squad from Rafa Benitez. Is it Gillette and Hicks, who the fans believe are the problem? Well they have been tight fisted with transfer funds and undoubtedly know bugger all about proper football (and like the Glaser's at Scumchester), instead trying to make a fast buck. For me the blame lies with the players - the Liverpool players were a disgrace; lethargic, disinterested, weak. Previous Liverpool teams would have died for Shankley, Paisley, Fagan - the only thing these lot would fight for would be bigger bonuses.

So what about their nemesis at the other end of the East Lancs Road? They too have Yankee owners that appear to be destroying the club. Maybe it is simply that the likes of Sunderland know how to take a game to them, are not afraid to give it a go - and frankly they deserved to win at the Stadium of Light.

And Chelski - well they make it a one horse race, give them the title now; they have shown they are the team to beat, they have the depth of talent and still retain a desire to win. My prediction is that money talks and City will end up as runners up this year and may go one better next year.

Blackpool, I hope they stay up, they deserve too for the tenacity of their players and the tactical nouse of their manager, Ian Holloway

Women, football and politics make the world go round...

And round and round....

I was down at football today, last day of the kids season and all games really were games of two halves, given the gale howling down the field. Whilst there I bumped into Iain Breadmore, a mate from the football club, who kindly offered a critique of this blog, basically an 'are you happy getting all that political shit off your chest?', which is a succinct appraisal of what I have been trying to do - right the wrongs of the world by my views, the pen is mightier than the sword (or in this case a Blogger blog).

It got me to thinking of a few things, namely the relationship between the fairer sex (of which my boy gave a very sexist appraisal at the dinner table - that's for another day), football and politics. Now as I have stated before, my views are my views, they are out there, they are open to challenge and often I will say stuff to provoke a reaction.

I love women - I also like girls, I can't say love, because that would have the risk of being perceived as being a member of a secret club like the Catholic Church, except their hierarchy prefer little boys, at least that's what the media says. Where would we be without strong women, the care of a mother and hey, if they hadn't popped us out, enough said.

So why football and politics? Well both are making major in roads to both; my baby plays in a mixed football team, they took out division three undefeated (in fact they didn't even drop a point) and the stand out players, in this correspondents opinion, were the girls. They got stuck in, did exactly what they were asked (well more than the boys anyway) and played with spirit and malice in equal measures. Ladies football shows that football is no longer a game for the boys. Which brings me to the next bit, politics. (The link here is that I enjoy a feature called 'The Knowledge', which is an irreverent and amusing look at football; I often end up on political pages as well).

Why oh why is it that white, middle class red neck American women with deluded ideas, think they can transform America? Enter exhibit one and exhibit two. First up is Alaska's favourite space cadet Sarah Palin, wannabe vice president, mate of George W Bush - a woman with the brains of a moose and the family from hell - her daughter is now on Dancing with the Stars in the US - wow, that adds to your credibility!! In a recent rant she pointed out that the failure of the Republican Party was down to extrnal factors outside her control

"It's been made absolutely clear that those who hold these, I think, common-sense and pretty mainstream positions, who are attacked, unfortunately, some destructive false shots don't just come from the far left, and that's what I'll admit to learning in these last couple of years.
"But those in the liberal media: you're worse for using, in that lamestream media, those unsubstantiated untrue hits, it's not fair to our country, it's not fair to the electorate, it's not fair to our democracy, and it is not fair to our troops willing to sacrifice all for our freedoms, journalists, ok?"

So, what gives you the right to invent words Sarah? 'Lamestream' - WTF??? She clearly doesn't like the press, but Sarah, you provide them with heaps of free ammo!

Enter stage extreme right exhibit two Christine O'Donnell. Spot the similarities, same scarlet jacket, same teethy grin (God loves his American orthodontists), same stupid ideas. From the Guardian article (the full bit is on the link) -

Her views on evolution, sexual purity and medical research have made her a figure of ridicule in the US media, as have her chaotic personal finances.

Today new details emerged of an interview with Fox's Bill O'Reilly in November 2007 in which she made the claim, without any foundation, that: "American scientific companies are cross-breeding humans and animals and coming up with mice with fully functioning human brains."

But grassroots supporters, many who regard the media as liberal and biased, see her as a welcome change from men in suits. O'Donnell's spokeswoman, Michelle Lauren, said the campaign's website had crashed on Tuesday night because of the volume of traffic generated by her win. Her campaign, which had until then been run on a shoestring, raised $850,000 in the first 24 hours, Lauren said.

So, it is all the media's fault, O'Donnell is clearly correct, labs are creating mice with human brains to take over the world - hang on, aren't you lot creationists who dismissed Darwin as mumbo jumbo?

The point - well, ladies continue to nurture your families, continue to be yourselves, enjoy and love football, but please, please, pretty please, do NOT hang out with Republicans, they will warp your mind, make you take positions well outside your competence, but more importantly make you look like a clown!

Don't steal my clubs colours Promise Keepers!!

Whilst out and about recently I observed several large banners for a group called 'The Promise Keepers". No, they aren't the latest house/hip hop fusion band, but yet another evangelical bunch of god botherers. Those that know me well will appreciate my views on religion, in particular evangelical Christianity. No surprises for guessing that they hail from the US, but in the land of the long white cloud (and the flocks of sheep), lots of 'men' are flocking to this bunch.

Whilst Tamaki and his black shirt wearing sycophants seem to have cornered the disenfranchised Maori and Pasifika communities, this mob seem to be after the real men; the rugby playing, dairy farming, National voting pakeha. So, what do they actually 'preach'

SEVEN PROMISES OF A PROMISE KEEPER

1. A Promise Keeper is committed to honouring Jesus Christ through worship, prayer, and obedience to God's Word in the power of the Holy Spirit.
2. A Promise Keeper is committed to pursuing vital relationships with a few other men, understanding that he needs brothers to help him keep his promises.
3. A Promise Keeper is committed to practicing spiritual, moral, ethical, and sexual purity.
4. A Promise Keeper is committed to building a strong marriage and family through love, protection, and biblical values.
5. A Promise Keeper is committed to supporting the mission of his church by honouring and praying for his pastor and by actively giving his time and resources.
6. A Promise Keeper is committed to reaching beyond any racial and denominational barriers to demonstrate the power of biblical unity.
7. A Promise Keeper is committed to influencing his world, being obedient to the Great Commandment (Mark 12:30,31) and the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19,20). 

The interpretation according to me.....

1. We all believe a fairy story
2. Are you sure you are not into hip hop, referring to everyone else as 'brother'
3. So they are environmentally friendly, caring and virgins!
4. Their wife looks like a pig
5. Ah, shades of Tamaki - pray for your Pastor (because he is doing no good and needs your forgiveness)
6. Convert everyone to Christianity - go be a missionary!
7. Read the fairy story and believe it - Darwin was evil!!!

I am happily waiting for the day when one of them is caught with his mouth around the phallus of one of the other 'devotees - it will happen! This lot are right up there with the Exclusive Brethren; indeed there male only clan reminds me of that other male bastion, the Taleban.

Lastly, their website is all blue, so can you please desist in using orange and black for your website; those are the colours of Ngongotaha AFC!