All week I’ve been telling myself that it is a healthy thing that discriminatory chanting has come under the spotlight prior to Euro 2012. The world needs to focus on those who are unable to find an outlet for their testosterone without picking on the vulnerable.
We know all about discriminatory chanting in Scotland, you could say, we’re up to our knees in it, so I’ve been slightly uncomfortable at the tone to some of the reporting about Poland and Ukraine. It feels a bit like we’ve decided, ‘They have it too, let’s talk about them. Not us’. When I say “us”, I don’t mean you, of course.
Fair enough, I thought, let’s bring this issue out, but at the start of the second half between Netherlands and Denmark when BBC commentator Jonathan Pearce reported “We haven’t heard any racist comments here today. Not when the young, black, Dutch left back got the ball, or at any other time” I figured this is more about xenophobia than racism. Xenophobia about Eastern Europe.
We’re no wiser about how to deal with our testosterone-fuelled under-achievers with a purpose to find than anyone else. In fact, we’re worse for allowing our intellectuals to indulge in the last refuge of the scoundrel.
My money is on the Polish and Ukrainian fans emerging from this tournament with a better reputation than some of their Western European counterparts.
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Jackie Mac
I like Banville
Book of Evidence is very good,loosely based on real events (famous double murder happened in the early 1980s,Mcarthur was the guys name,he was arrested hiding out in the Attorney Generals house )
Jackie Mac.
I read The Book of Evidence years ago. It’s an incredible work. Banville’s use of language flows magnificently and the central character is one of the coldest, nastiest pieces of work you will ever encounter.
Enjoy it.
Jackie Mac
John Banville is top drawer.
Munster Senior Football Championship Semi Final Half Time .. Cork 0.07 Kerry 0.04
jackie mac —-
The Book of Evidence ?
I read it . It bored me -I struggled to finish it . It felt like I was reading a pale imitation of a Nabokov novel.
John Banville,good to see him appreciated here.
I would also recommend the novels he writes under the pseudynom “Benjamin Black”
They are a serious of crime thrillers set in Dublin in the 1950s.The usual corny stuff (heavy drinking loner type with an eye for the ladies as the main investigator) but a good read nevertheless
The bould Hector’s bhoys….. Tá ár lá anois
s’alright
Poland 0 Italy 1 (Rossi)
While you lot have your minds elsewhere, the Euros have started today, the games are different and the groups are different (as are the hairstyles). ESPN 533.
Oscar Knox, @wee_oscar is now trending in Ireland http://t.co/n67O3lrI — Trendsmap Ireland (@TrendsIreland)
Trending in Ireland?? HAHA go wee Oscar.
Give me a minute & ill share the tweet which has caused this…
I much prefer Benjamin Black to John Banville .
Christine Falls is a great read [ in my opinion ]
Bored in hospital so I made my own flag for the @DonttellMerkel guys! #donttellmerkel #donttellmyma #COYBIG @FAIreland http://t.co/L6JFoWi1 — Oscar Knox (@Wee_Oscar)
God bless Wee Oscar and his ma and da.
South of Tunis
Enjoyed Christine Falls,but I thought the Book of Evidence was a great book.
All a matter of taste I suppose.
knoxy
Brilliant – good luck to Oscar. And to his team :-)
glassaghwho on 10 June, 2012 at 14:40 said:
any decent way to watch the GAA – apart from Premier Sports
Zbyszek
Irelands Green today and half of Irelands in Poland…… Enjoy the craic amigo. I know you will.
Hx2
We done that in response to the ‘dont tell merkel’ guys who have become famous for their flag…
Gotta love the Irish sense of humour! :) http://t.co/emtSDA8m — Phillip Schofield (@Schofe)
Oscars twitter has gone MENTAL. Literally can’t keep up with all the retweets & new followers! :-)
Bom dia,
About the Messi show yesterday.
When it was at 2-1 I got a call to go meet a few people in the local here in Rio (appropriately called the “Jobi”). Of course, the watching crowd were a bit partisan, to say the least, but everybody was enjoying the level of fitba on display.
Until, Messi scored THAT goal.
The fitba fan/purist/bairn in me couldn’t contain itself, and had roared out the obligatory “Yessssssssss” and was on my feet applauding vigorously, before the missus reminded me where I was.
You know that way when the penny drops and you look around to a sea of silent faces? Well, that was me…..
However, thankfully, the wee waiter (who we’ve known a long time) had the presence of mind to announce to the stunned crowd “It’s OK. He’s Scottish. Celtic, you know”
I do not exagerate when the mood seemed to swing from dark thunderous clouds to clear, sunny skies in a heartbeat.
Much happiness ensued, thereafter (and the nett result is that the concensus of opinion is that Messi’s a great player, his only fault is he’s not Brasilian)
So – Thank you Celtic (again)
Irish fans stage protest in Poznan
Great goal fae Messi but,the defending was
pretty poor :O)
charles kickham on 10 June, 2012 at 14:51 said:..I’m watching here on RTE in ireland so don”t know of any links ..Its now Cork 0.08 Kerry 0.07 .. 42 mins gone
What is the Stars.
Yes -it must be a taste thing .
Many a person has told me how good John Banville is — I read The Infinities / The Book of Evidence / The Sea / The Untouchable . I struggled with them all. I find his style to way too elaborate / slow and heavy handed. As I read him , I constantly thought Henry James does this stuff better , Beckett does this stuff better and Nabokov does this stuff way way better.
Each to their own CSC —-Way down south.
Rioskorrie
Missed your post last time. The project I was on was suspended until next year so unlikely I’ll be back in Brazil until then. I’ll catch a game next season with any luck. Keep up the great work with the Bhoys from Brazil!
Cheers bhoys, I’ll get it. Haven’t read Benjamin Black – it’s next on the list
A poster last night compared Messi’s third goal to Jinky’s second at Ibrox in ’67.
It is a fair comparison.
Although Leo started his run about 20metres further out, Jinky had to plough through a quagmire pitch, carrying a sodden jersey and finish with his “wrong” foot, striking a suet dumpling of a ball.
Apart from that and the ball finishing in the samr spot in the net, the goals were remarkably similar.
Two great goals from two great players.
thomthethim CQN (genuine) Badge Wearer on 10 June, 2012 at 15:08 said:
Great description. In other words, Jinky’s goal was better!
http://twitter.com/Conchurmc/status/211812491427188736/photo/1
Kitalba
How sinister it is to read Paul’s article again re. the Bobo emails…
In the context of what we now know it’s even more shocking than when I first read about it. I think Dougiegate erupted shortly after this and it wasn’t given due consideration.
Thanks for reminding us.
Richie. Ships (or in my case – laybarges) in the nighth and all that sorta stuff. Anyway you know where to find us now. Should be a good crowd there for the Ireland game too. I’ll get Bruce to buy me a chopp on your behalf.
Cheers !!
Should someone hold authority when willing to sign documents without knowing their contents. Ogilvie is a complete incompetent or a liar. Scottish football is a corrupt joke.
http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/football/ogilvie-i-will-quit-if-asked.17828438
That’s really interesting reporting from Andy Burton on SSN, re 14 arrests at the Euros (10 Poles, 3 Irish and 1 Croatian). ‘to put that in context, there were in excess of 19,997 others who were not and are here having a great time’.
You don’t always get the context outlined.
glassaghwho on 10 June, 2012 at 15:02
cheers mate
i have an online link – so watching it just now
just looking for a better quality link
more moves than a bag of worms
roll on thursday
Alasdair Lamont@BBCAlLamont
Another day, another Charles Green/Rangers story http://bbc.in/LeL7U3
Retweeted by Phil MacGiollaBhain
minty & whyte will need to keep up wae charles :)))))))
Deary Deary me you would think he was trying to get some STUPID STUPID HUNS to buy season tickets or something
——————–
Alasdair Lamont@BBCAlLamont
…contracts expire (with SPL board approval). No guarantee of that of course, but Green says he has a list of 19 targets (5 at Euro 2012)
HAIL HAIL
if they are looking for an airline to sponser the stadium….how about these guys
http://www.hunair.hu/
Just received another postcard from Hector….
This time from Tokyo – seems to be enjoying his trip, lucky so n so !
____________
Dear TC
What can I say? WOW ! That’s what ! Such an awesome city is Tokyo. So clean and tidy and everything is very efficient – just the way I like it, you know me. The food is great, especially the snake meatballs and I even tried my hand at some fen shui with Mr Inamoto – he says hi by the way.
Tell the folk at the Big House that the keys should be deposited with Liz’s manservant over at No11 and that I should be back in time to set them straight in the months to come. Tokyo’s been ace, still some rubble in outlying territories due to earthquake sadly. Big House Demolition could learn a thing or two. Off now across the western ocean, as it were, to Mongolia of all places. Genghis calling ! Mad or what ! Not due back til the winter – woopeedoo !
Your old pal, Hector.
leftclicktic
Surely he must mean 19 players aged 5!!!
HT
:))))))))