[Football] Decent Guardian article

jimhigham · Apr 7, 2019

There’s an interesting Barney Ronay piece in the Guardian about the semi final. It looks at the application of VAR and the increasingly unequal nature of the competition. The link to the full piece is below but you have to love this little nugget...

“It seemed fitting also that it should be Brighton’s fans who cheered loudest in those moments, the entire end on its feet applauding the players for reaching this far, for an energetic performance, and for the gift of one of those fun, frisky Saturdays where football becomes a carefree thing once again, even in defeat.”

https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2019/apr/06/kyle-walker-var-escape-football-fa-cup-semi-final-brighton?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Leekbrookgull · Apr 7, 2019

Just look at the eyes,Walker knows what he is doing. As to VAR it will simply never work in as much the three officials only can give what they see when they see or miss it

trueblue · Apr 7, 2019

jimhigham said:
There’s an interesting Barney Ronay piece in the Guardian about the semi final. It looks at the application of VAR and the increasingly unequal nature of the competition. The link to the full piece is below but you have to love this little nugget...

“It seemed fitting also that it should be Brighton’s fans who cheered loudest in those moments, the entire end on its feet applauding the players for reaching this far, for an energetic performance, and for the gift of one of those fun, frisky Saturdays where football becomes a carefree thing once again, even in defeat.”

https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2019/apr/06/kyle-walker-var-escape-football-fa-cup-semi-final-brighton?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

His piece is excellent. Balanced. Read Jonathan Northcroft’s in The Times if you want the polar opposite. Self-appointed uber-tactician patronising us horrendously and only just managing to alter his pre-conceived notion that City’s flowing football would rip us apart. In summary, they weren’t trying, basically.

trueblue · Apr 7, 2019

trueblue said:
His piece is excellent. Balanced. Read Jonathan Northcroft’s in The Times if you want the polar opposite. Self-appointed uber-tactician patronising us horrendously and only just managing to alter his pre-conceived notion that City’s flowing football would rip us apart. In summary, they weren’t trying, basically.

Interestingly, since I last looked (at about 10pm last night), they have removed my comment from the Times website criticising the article - inserted 2 paragaphs near the top which offer Albion's performance some respect and removed the paragraph that pretty much said City weren't trying. Must have struck a chord with someone. I wish I'd screen-capped the original now.

zefarelly · Apr 7, 2019

The Guardian is one of the few newspapers which isn't fascist owned propaganda.

aolstudios · Apr 7, 2019

zefarelly said:
The Guardian is one of the few newspapers which isn't fascist owned propaganda.

Hated by the right & the St Jeremy cult in equal measure. Must be doing something right

Shooting Star · Apr 7, 2019

Strongly dislike the Guardian's politics but love their sport insight. This paragraph sums it up and why I would hate to be a fan of the top teams.

"And yet for all the closeness of the final score, Brighton were never really that close. The Cup was once a great leveller. It isn’t any more. Nothing is a great leveller. There isn’t enough levelling available to breach the gap between a team that has been built with what the budget allows, and one that has been built with no limit to the possibilities, no break on the imagination."

Harry Wilson's tackle · Apr 7, 2019

Shooting Star said:
Strongly dislike the Guardian's politics but love their sport insight. This paragraph sums it up and why I would hate to be a fan of the top teams.

"And yet for all the closeness of the final score, Brighton were never really that close. The Cup was once a great leveller. It isn’t any more. Nothing is a great leveller. There isn’t enough levelling available to breach the gap between a team that has been built with what the budget allows, and one that has been built with no limit to the possibilities, no break on the imagination."

If you are in a position where money is no object then the spirit can be saved if you use it for the greater good. City have the chance to build a lasting infrastructure and transform their players into role model citizens. In fairness to them, the way the nation has been drooling over Saint Raheem, they appear to realise this. None of the nauseating Racist Ron style crowing and sneering. Anyway, being a shit normally results in it coming back in spades. I remember teaching an arrogant student with a rich daddy, penthouse apartment, sports car, boy did he make a tit of hiself when his marks weren't all that. Tried to make something of it, and ended up getting a reprimand. Eventually sloped off with his tail between his legs. City can't help the gift of money that has been thrust upon them, and they can't help the way lazy journalists report on them, but they can Do The Right Thing in all things, and I personally left Wembley yesterday without animosity. I would have felt very different if it had been the other half of that damp city.

beorhthelm · Apr 7, 2019

zefarelly said:
The Guardian is one of the few newspapers which isn't fascist owned propaganda.

it is, just the other wing of politics. however this doesnt detract from their football reporting, nor should it of the other newspapers where sports dont follow newspaper editorial.

SollysLeftFoot · Apr 7, 2019

Got to hand Ali J some credit for not throwing himself to ground like he's been shot. Unfortunately, I reckon thats gone against him.

trueblue · Apr 8, 2019

trueblue said:
Interestingly, since I last looked (at about 10pm last night), they have removed my comment from the Times website criticising the article - inserted 2 paragaphs near the top which offer Albion's performance some respect and removed the paragraph that pretty much said City weren't trying. Must have struck a chord with someone. I wish I'd screen-capped the original now.

They've now restored my original complaint, after changing the report - which subsequently makes it read like nothing more than a sour grapes whinge. Sneaky,

Icy Gull · Apr 8, 2019

trueblue said:
They've now restored my original complaint, after changing the report - which subsequently makes it read like nothing more than a sour grapes whinge. Sneaky,

Time to go back and make a comment about how they have changed the report?

Knocky's Nose · Apr 8, 2019

SollysLeftFoot said:
Got to hand Ali J some credit for not throwing himself to ground like he's been shot. Unfortunately, I reckon thats gone against him.

My exact thoughts. If he'd have collapsed to the floor like he'd just had his skeleton ripped out, then clutched his face screaming, they'd have been down to ten men and it could all have been different.

Herr Tubthumper · Apr 8, 2019

jimhigham said:
There’s an interesting Barney Ronay piece in the Guardian about the semi final. It looks at the application of VAR and the increasingly unequal nature of the competition. The link to the full piece is below but you have to love this little nugget...

“It seemed fitting also that it should be Brighton’s fans who cheered loudest in those moments, the entire end on its feet applauding the players for reaching this far, for an energetic performance, and for the gift of one of those fun, frisky Saturdays where football becomes a carefree thing once again, even in defeat.”

https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2019/apr/06/kyle-walker-var-escape-football-fa-cup-semi-final-brighton?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

He’s a brilliant journalist

Bold Seagull · Apr 8, 2019

beorhthelm said:
it is, just the other wing of politics.

So easy to say, oh it's just the same, just the other wing of politics, but not true, not even close to being similar. The Guardian is owned under Trust where financial and editorial independence is enshrined in it's governance. There is no wealthy owner who can dictate the editorial. CP Scott's centenary essay a blueprint for independent journalism around the world.

dejavuatbtn · Apr 8, 2019

Quite a good one in the “I” this morning.

Wozza · Apr 8, 2019

Bold Seagull said:
So easy to say, oh it's just the same, just the other wing of politics, but not true, not even close to being similar. The Guardian is owned under Trust where financial and editorial independence is enshrined in it's governance. There is no wealthy owner who can dictate the editorial. CP Scott's centenary essay a blueprint for independent journalism around the world.

Yes, 'independent', but blatantly left wing.

Dick Swiveller · Apr 8, 2019

Love this from the comments.

Since you clearly haven't been watching football very long I'll give you a history lesson. Please bear with.

There was a time called the late 90s. We used CDs back then and eurodance music was cool. During this era taking your shirt off was the default goal celebration of a good 30% of strikers in world football. Contrary to popular belief you didn't need to have a six pack, it was for everyone, the people's celebration you could say. You didnt need a reason to do it, you could just had the option of having fun at your job.
At one point I think Alan Shearer was the only person in football not taking his shirt off (although he did consider it once).

Another good 20% would write various messages on their undershirts and display them with pride after scoring. You have to understand, footballers didn't have Instagram back then so how else were you supposed to say hi to your mum and propose to your partner and give your home town a shoutout?

Anyway, nobody gave a toss about this. And nobody got offended either. People were generally harder to offend back then. Hard to imagine right?

Then one day somebody in some boardroom of some multinational company decided that this act was costing them millions because clearly the only time viewers could possibly ever see the shirt sponsor and the kit manufacturer was when those specific players scored. Because when you're watching the replay, you're clearly just focusing on the shirt sponsor and when the player puts his shirt back on your eye would never subliminally scan the shirt as the player pulled it down.

Drooling over the latest kit at the local shopping mall never happened....ever! So when Liverpool scored for example, people wouldn't think of ordering a Carlsberg. When West Ham scored, people wouldn't think of buying a fresh pair of doc martins and so on.
Clearly this was the biggest plague in football and there was plenty of time to solve racist, homophobia, match fixing and other minor issues later.

So then in 2004, FIFA decided to save football sponsors everywhere and outlaw this primitive practice and save the livelihoods of millions of moderately successful multinational corporations, some of which are still around today.

And that's why in today's day and age you have to be ripped to take your shirt off after scoring.

Bold Seagull · Apr 8, 2019

Wozza said:
Yes, 'independent', but blatantly left wing.

It's a funny term 'blatantly', like it should disguise where it sees it's political position. Independent journalism doesn't prevent the paper from having a preferred political stance. There is a difference between that an outright dogmatic propaganda.

Wozza · Apr 8, 2019

Bold Seagull said:
It's a funny term 'blatantly', like it should disguise where it sees it's political position. Independent journalism doesn't prevent the paper from having a preferred political stance. There is a difference between that an outright dogmatic propaganda.

Sure, but you'll be familiar with the newspaper called the Independent which was formed to be free from proprietor influence AND party political bias.

The Guardian uses a different definition of independence and, despite taking the moral highground, offers a myopic view of the world.

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[Football] Decent Guardian article

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