I’m beginning to realise that providing witty incisive tweets on the world cup of football is not as easy as it seems. Especially when the first 3 days of the tournament are spent in various states of inebriation/recovery on a stag weekend and you have a full-time job. Unless of course that full time job is being a journalist who covers football, in which case it doesn’t really get in the way of anything. And anyone who says a lack of wit is the real reason is a damn liar.
Fortunately there has not been much to get het up about. There’s not much to say about (what will almost certainly become known as) Robert Green Fucking Up-Gate that hasn’t already been said by the informed and the uninformed alike. I don’t think it was down to a lack of ability, lack of concentration or nerves. He just did a massive fuck-up. On the other side of the argument, I do think he is the 3rd best keeper in the England squad – behind Joe Hart and Wayne Rooney – but I would start David James. No goalkeeper has ever benefitted from knowing he is constantly one mistake away from being dropped.
There’s been far too much bullshit written about the ball and the vuvuzelas. Everyone always complains about the repetitive buzzing noises at World Cups and this new thing of a new ball being inconsistent is just an element of South African sporting culture the world needs to get used to and stop griping about. Lets put it in perspective, if every game had been full of goals and England had won all the jackasses complaining about the vuvuzelas would have about 4 around their necks. [Any defence I may put forward is off course based on them being used over in WCSA2010 and as soon as Blackburn or Wigan fans start blowing them in August is a different kettle of fish].
On to the coverage: I don’t like Adrian Chiles – I don’t care how relaxed he is on camera. I am also missing the O’Neills, the Venablessess and other major tournament regulars. It’s great to have some European and African big names on the hallowed chairs of the BBC and ITV sets but sometimes it’s just ever so slightly annoying. I do wonder if Dutch or French World Cup coverage has Carlton Palmer or Gary Mabbutt chipping in with some banal points. Gary Links is my boy for if we get to the stage where both channels are covering a game (and lets be honest this is just likely to be the final innit?).
The next update can be expected 6 days after the final
Tuesday 15 June 2010
Dave's TV Sports Review: World Cup Days 1-4
2010 Fifa World Cup. Days 1-4
We’re hiding behind a stag-doo as an excuse for a lack of blogging during this 2010 FIFA World Cup (not quite sure what I can come up with for the last couple of months…oh alright then, drinking) so far as it took up days 1,2 and 3 (and 4 in a recovery stage) but as we settle down during day 5 it’s time to get this show on the road as it were.
So far then Mark ‘Lawro’ Lawrenson has been my most annoying TV 'personality.' Watched bits of Japan v Cameroon yesterday and he just proceeded to moan about everything in the style of a 60 year old man who hadn’t watched a game since the 86 FA Cup Final (‘now that Lawrenson feller for Liverpool, he was a player’ is what I would’ve loved him to have said in my fantasy extension of his old bloke miserable-sodness yesterday) combined with a moody teenager.
*Guy Mowbray: So Cameroon have a chance to test Kawashima in the Japan goal with this free-kick.
Lawro: Yeah that’s gonna happen.
Balls sails 10 yards over bar.
Lawro: Told yer.
*I actually made this transcript up but like to think it gives a flavour of what we were subjected to.
Would go along with the startlingly obvious consensus that Germany have been the best team so far. England and Italy both respected tradition by being ‘disappointing’ in their opening game. Too much is being made about the ball, the vuvuzela’s (‘What are those I hear you ask?’…No I already tried that gag yesterday on twitter) and the fact there’s a few empty seats in some stadiums. It’s appears a modern phenomenon that a stadium always has to full and if it isn’t then ‘questions have to be asked’ of someone and something.
Whilst on the issue of stadiums and crowds I am somewhat disappointed we don’t seem to see as much of the choreographed group dancing that ‘lit-up’ last years Confederation’s Cup. You know the type, about 50 locals turning around, moving back and forward to a tune of ‘der der-der der-der HEY’ that always ends with them giving the guy next to them the high-tens. Then again maybe they did form part of that booze fuelled first few days and if so I apologise.
Quite liked Mick McCarthy’s summarising during Italy Paraguay yesterday. This may cause some derision but I think he is genuinely good at offering some insight despite his broad Yorkshire tones. I’m not denying he will offer predictable opinions on tactics though but these raise a smile for yours truly. Not to the same extent as after 20 minutes of Portugal v Denmark in Euro 96, with the Danes seemingly not having touched the ball and Portugal cutting through at ease, great mate and eldest brother Jon laughed at Jack Charlton saying ‘he’d like to see a big lad up front' but I grin nonetheless.
Will hopefully provide more in-depth analysis on the in-depth analysis as the tournament goes on which should benefit from me being actually sat in front of a screen where I can hear our expert commentators, panellists and summariser.
Happy Viewing folks. Dave
This article originally appeared at: http://www.davestvsports.blogspot.com/2010/06/daves-tv-sports-review-world-cup-days-1.html
We’re hiding behind a stag-doo as an excuse for a lack of blogging during this 2010 FIFA World Cup (not quite sure what I can come up with for the last couple of months…oh alright then, drinking) so far as it took up days 1,2 and 3 (and 4 in a recovery stage) but as we settle down during day 5 it’s time to get this show on the road as it were.
So far then Mark ‘Lawro’ Lawrenson has been my most annoying TV 'personality.' Watched bits of Japan v Cameroon yesterday and he just proceeded to moan about everything in the style of a 60 year old man who hadn’t watched a game since the 86 FA Cup Final (‘now that Lawrenson feller for Liverpool, he was a player’ is what I would’ve loved him to have said in my fantasy extension of his old bloke miserable-sodness yesterday) combined with a moody teenager.
*Guy Mowbray: So Cameroon have a chance to test Kawashima in the Japan goal with this free-kick.
Lawro: Yeah that’s gonna happen.
Balls sails 10 yards over bar.
Lawro: Told yer.
*I actually made this transcript up but like to think it gives a flavour of what we were subjected to.
Would go along with the startlingly obvious consensus that Germany have been the best team so far. England and Italy both respected tradition by being ‘disappointing’ in their opening game. Too much is being made about the ball, the vuvuzela’s (‘What are those I hear you ask?’…No I already tried that gag yesterday on twitter) and the fact there’s a few empty seats in some stadiums. It’s appears a modern phenomenon that a stadium always has to full and if it isn’t then ‘questions have to be asked’ of someone and something.
Whilst on the issue of stadiums and crowds I am somewhat disappointed we don’t seem to see as much of the choreographed group dancing that ‘lit-up’ last years Confederation’s Cup. You know the type, about 50 locals turning around, moving back and forward to a tune of ‘der der-der der-der HEY’ that always ends with them giving the guy next to them the high-tens. Then again maybe they did form part of that booze fuelled first few days and if so I apologise.
Quite liked Mick McCarthy’s summarising during Italy Paraguay yesterday. This may cause some derision but I think he is genuinely good at offering some insight despite his broad Yorkshire tones. I’m not denying he will offer predictable opinions on tactics though but these raise a smile for yours truly. Not to the same extent as after 20 minutes of Portugal v Denmark in Euro 96, with the Danes seemingly not having touched the ball and Portugal cutting through at ease, great mate and eldest brother Jon laughed at Jack Charlton saying ‘he’d like to see a big lad up front' but I grin nonetheless.
Will hopefully provide more in-depth analysis on the in-depth analysis as the tournament goes on which should benefit from me being actually sat in front of a screen where I can hear our expert commentators, panellists and summariser.
Happy Viewing folks. Dave
This article originally appeared at: http://www.davestvsports.blogspot.com/2010/06/daves-tv-sports-review-world-cup-days-1.html
Thursday 3 June 2010
English Squaddies
The main news thus far in England was the announcement of the squad. That being the final 23, and not the semi-final 30. The conjecture and rumour about the make-up of the party for the finals reached fever pitch in the last few hours leading up to Tuesday’s 3pm FA announcement that Wayne Rooney would be going to South Africa. There was a mass hysteria on Twitter as rumours started to leak in the climactic last few hours. For some people it was the X-Factor-isation of the FA. It just made me wish that Twitter had existed in 1998 when Gazza went mental.
As rumour after rumour leaked, apparently via players’ agents, the nation took it’s shock omissions on a piecemeal basis. It led to many people posting stats about why Darren Bent was more prolific than Emille Heskey or citing the amount of Spurs games Matt Dawson has appeared in compared to Ledley King. It was all a little bit pointless as the nation’s bloggers and twitterers were essentially arguing about who would warm the bench for 3 weeks as all the contentious decisions were about people who will not get near the pitch. Matt Dawson will no more play than Matthew Upson, one will just get a nice relaxing holiday – while the other will probably have to report back to pre-season at Spurs a few weeks early (haha – you see what I did there?).
There was, of course, one decision which people deservedly raised their eyebrows at – namely the inclusion of Shaun Wright-Phillips at the expense of Theo Walcott (at least that’s what everyone has decided was the decision, Capello has never stated it was one or the other, it was though wasn’t it?). The news was apparently a massive blow to the young Arsenal striker – as one might expect his hat-trick during qualification had at last seen him back up a bit of the hype. As have about 3 goals for Arsenal. In FOUR years. He was the big story last time with his shock inclusion by Sven and yet was as he done since? (And shush the people asking me what SWP has done in 4 years, that’s not important right now). I think the other City wideman, Adam Johnson has more to be aggrieved at for the inclusion of his pint-sized team mate than Walcott. My advice to Walcott would be to stop being an exciting prospect and produce some consistency at club level – but carry on writing the books. I hear they’re excellent.
As rumour after rumour leaked, apparently via players’ agents, the nation took it’s shock omissions on a piecemeal basis. It led to many people posting stats about why Darren Bent was more prolific than Emille Heskey or citing the amount of Spurs games Matt Dawson has appeared in compared to Ledley King. It was all a little bit pointless as the nation’s bloggers and twitterers were essentially arguing about who would warm the bench for 3 weeks as all the contentious decisions were about people who will not get near the pitch. Matt Dawson will no more play than Matthew Upson, one will just get a nice relaxing holiday – while the other will probably have to report back to pre-season at Spurs a few weeks early (haha – you see what I did there?).
There was, of course, one decision which people deservedly raised their eyebrows at – namely the inclusion of Shaun Wright-Phillips at the expense of Theo Walcott (at least that’s what everyone has decided was the decision, Capello has never stated it was one or the other, it was though wasn’t it?). The news was apparently a massive blow to the young Arsenal striker – as one might expect his hat-trick during qualification had at last seen him back up a bit of the hype. As have about 3 goals for Arsenal. In FOUR years. He was the big story last time with his shock inclusion by Sven and yet was as he done since? (And shush the people asking me what SWP has done in 4 years, that’s not important right now). I think the other City wideman, Adam Johnson has more to be aggrieved at for the inclusion of his pint-sized team mate than Walcott. My advice to Walcott would be to stop being an exciting prospect and produce some consistency at club level – but carry on writing the books. I hear they’re excellent.
Tuesday 1 June 2010
Top 5 World Cup Logos
First things first: and I don’t mean why am I starting with something not really about the best World Cup tackles that nearly killed someone but didn’t even result in a booking. Mainly because Toni Schumacher’s assault on Battiston in the 1982 finals makes it a non-contest. But no, more football-football later, the first Top 5 is logos. Yeah, you think it seems a bit weak reading it, imagine thinking it was a good idea and getting to *pauses to count sentences* fifth sentence and realising this might be a bit wank.
As ever I haven’t stuck to saying what the first thing was at the beginning – even though I went to the length of saying ‘first things first’. So, first things about third: this is the Top 5 World Cup Logos. Not the posters. The logos. I want that to be clear. I recognise that the France 98 poster is pretty good, for something French, but it’s a pretty poor logo. And please feel free to google them, I’m not going to include an image of everything I reference.
And so to...THE TOP 5 WORLD CUP LOGOS!
1. Mexico 1986
Let’s get this straight – a lot of what I write is going to be biased by things like my age. Mexico 86 is the first world cup I remember, but as much as that might influence a lot of factors it doesn’t really come into play here. This is a class logo, a bit like an old BBC logo. . Quite basic and good lettering.
2. Mexico 1970
Not only is Mexico coming in at number one impressive – given they were late
replacement hosts to the ’86 finals – its also part of an historic 1-2. Just look at this bad boy, both of its time but modern too (in a retro 1970-ish way, clearly). The Mexicans clearly do good logo. This is despite them framing ‘honest’ Bobby Moore by putting some jewellery in his bag, I would like to link this up to the Roy of The Rovers picture story of this even but sadly I got rid of my football comic collection in my late 20s before it started to look sad.
3. Italia 90
Simple and stylish – typically Itallian. That’s how I’d describe a lot of Italian clubs’ kits. I’d be lying if this is the phrase I would use to describe this though. This one is purely here because of what the 1990 finals meant to me. And sadly lots of other people who are wankers, but there you go. I’ll be honest I should probably have done World Cup posters: researching this has made me realise they are far superior. On the other hand, though, I know nothing about art so I’d just be talking rubbish trying to describe the style.
4. Argentina 1978
The other thing of course is that the logos weren’t really logos for the first few tournaments: they were just posters (emphasising how I should have done posters instead). The Switzerland ’54 one is too Swiss, but maybe could have got away with it had it just been the red and white logo with the Swiss flag and the year. Or something. Because of all the writing it looks too Swizz whereas this gem is very Argentinean without being too Argentinean – like Gabriel Batistuta.
5. Spain 1982
This is by default. I needed five. If truth be told I don’t really care for Argentina 1978 either. But I’d started writing this and didn’t feel like turning back. So, I thought I’d make the last one a rubbish one as - in some ways – that’s what the World Cup is about. But do you go rubbish-rubbish or really rubbish? See the latter is what recent logos have all been about. Jesus, the Germany 2006 one is poor. Ok, you’ve got a past of evil and that but for fuck’s sake there is being too nice.
You don’t have to be The Teletubbies to appeal to kids. In fact I could stomach the Germany one had it come from Korea and Japan (I am talking about the 2006 logo here, not you know ‘it’). But that logo is bad, as is the Korea one and the new one. But just bad. So it came as a toss-up between the USA 94 logo (Obviously obvious, like all American things) and the Spain 82 one. I’ve plumped for the latter because it’s like they did it at the last minute and rather than decide what to squeeze in they’ve just thrown it all in. I think if they’d not had the flags of the competitors fanned out in the background this one could have been ok.
As ever I haven’t stuck to saying what the first thing was at the beginning – even though I went to the length of saying ‘first things first’. So, first things about third: this is the Top 5 World Cup Logos. Not the posters. The logos. I want that to be clear. I recognise that the France 98 poster is pretty good, for something French, but it’s a pretty poor logo. And please feel free to google them, I’m not going to include an image of everything I reference.
And so to...THE TOP 5 WORLD CUP LOGOS!
1. Mexico 1986
Let’s get this straight – a lot of what I write is going to be biased by things like my age. Mexico 86 is the first world cup I remember, but as much as that might influence a lot of factors it doesn’t really come into play here. This is a class logo, a bit like an old BBC logo. . Quite basic and good lettering.
2. Mexico 1970
Not only is Mexico coming in at number one impressive – given they were late
replacement hosts to the ’86 finals – its also part of an historic 1-2. Just look at this bad boy, both of its time but modern too (in a retro 1970-ish way, clearly). The Mexicans clearly do good logo. This is despite them framing ‘honest’ Bobby Moore by putting some jewellery in his bag, I would like to link this up to the Roy of The Rovers picture story of this even but sadly I got rid of my football comic collection in my late 20s before it started to look sad.3. Italia 90
Simple and stylish – typically Itallian. That’s how I’d describe a lot of Italian clubs’ kits. I’d be lying if this is the phrase I would use to describe this though. This one is purely here because of what the 1990 finals meant to me. And sadly lots of other people who are wankers, but there you go. I’ll be honest I should probably have done World Cup posters: researching this has made me realise they are far superior. On the other hand, though, I know nothing about art so I’d just be talking rubbish trying to describe the style.
4. Argentina 1978
The other thing of course is that the logos weren’t really logos for the first few tournaments: they were just posters (emphasising how I should have done posters instead). The Switzerland ’54 one is too Swiss, but maybe could have got away with it had it just been the red and white logo with the Swiss flag and the year. Or something. Because of all the writing it looks too Swizz whereas this gem is very Argentinean without being too Argentinean – like Gabriel Batistuta.
5. Spain 1982
This is by default. I needed five. If truth be told I don’t really care for Argentina 1978 either. But I’d started writing this and didn’t feel like turning back. So, I thought I’d make the last one a rubbish one as - in some ways – that’s what the World Cup is about. But do you go rubbish-rubbish or really rubbish? See the latter is what recent logos have all been about. Jesus, the Germany 2006 one is poor. Ok, you’ve got a past of evil and that but for fuck’s sake there is being too nice.
You don’t have to be The Teletubbies to appeal to kids. In fact I could stomach the Germany one had it come from Korea and Japan (I am talking about the 2006 logo here, not you know ‘it’). But that logo is bad, as is the Korea one and the new one. But just bad. So it came as a toss-up between the USA 94 logo (Obviously obvious, like all American things) and the Spain 82 one. I’ve plumped for the latter because it’s like they did it at the last minute and rather than decide what to squeeze in they’ve just thrown it all in. I think if they’d not had the flags of the competitors fanned out in the background this one could have been ok.
Welcome to World Cup Blogz!
Ok then - we're nearly there, the sporting event that (despite Jose's claim)tops all others in World Sport. That's right we're only two weeks away from the 24th Walking Grand Prix in La Coruna...ho-ho-ho. No I am not really getting excited about some weird people trying to walk really fast but not actually run, I’m getting excited about the FIFA World Cup.
Hopefully over the next month or so there will be some stuff on here about the mecca of soccer, the World Cup finals. We’ll do some ‘Top 5s’ [Currently being prepared: ‘Top 5 Logos’, ‘Top 5 World Cups’ and ‘Top 5 opening games], we’ll have some opinion and god damn it we’ll have some right good fun. And big exclusive!! I’ve lined up Theo Walcott to do a diary from inside the England Camp, that really will be excellent.
What I’m saying is...let’s just have a right good World Cup 2010 eh?
Hopefully over the next month or so there will be some stuff on here about the mecca of soccer, the World Cup finals. We’ll do some ‘Top 5s’ [Currently being prepared: ‘Top 5 Logos’, ‘Top 5 World Cups’ and ‘Top 5 opening games], we’ll have some opinion and god damn it we’ll have some right good fun. And big exclusive!! I’ve lined up Theo Walcott to do a diary from inside the England Camp, that really will be excellent.
What I’m saying is...let’s just have a right good World Cup 2010 eh?
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