Bring out your Good Manners
Well it has been way toooooo long between posts. I must admit that not having the deadline of publishing in the programme has slowed the creative juices. So it seems I work better under pressure. With that in mind I have kicked myself up the butt and given myself the goal of a least one a month.
Hope the wait has been worth it......
Adios Please and Thank you
Many a time I have tried to explain the 4 seasons in one day (plus some seasons you can't quiet name) style Scottish weather to the friends and students here. Recently Barcelona has decided to provide me with some fantastic visual aids, the weather here has been interesting to say the least. With the rain comes the loon-icy, pavements becomes greasy play grounds for the breaking of bones, umbrellas get put up to eye poking height at the slightest dribble from the sky, and the roads become a cacophony horns, screeching brakes and rush hour goes from 60 to 180 minutes. Some of the verbal exchanges wouldn't be out of place in a kiddie’s play park. All politeness goes out the window, flippen ‘Eck I sound like my Grandmother.
I am the first to admit that my knowledge of naughty words is a little extensive and most were probably picked up in a sporting environment. We have all done it, stubbed our toe on the edge of the bed, stood on a piece of Lego, jammed a finger in a door and let it out a mighty sshhhh….UGAR and ffff……UDGE! Pain and frustration are not famous for bringing out the best in you and nothing seems to show that better than a game of football. But is this something to beam at with pride or should tongues be held and tantrums controlled? Has football become over dramatic?
Recently I have found myself watching the “big” teams less and less. Instead of twice or three times a week tuning into a Barcelona FC game I have only been taking in a few midweek games when friends get together. This partly is due to the usual reason, time, work, and other activities coming up, but honestly the desire to watch “top class” is waning. Now don't get me wrong I still love watching the beautiful game and that is it, I wanna watch watch football not a demonstration of an amateur dramatics guide to pratfalls. The slightest whiff of a free kick and certain stars go down no questions asked, well maybe some on their “acting” abilities. They contort their faces into grimaces of pain, roll around like they have firecracker jammed in their belly button! This performance will continue until they get what they want,a free kick or the opposition player receives a card for a non existent foul or dissent. Just what small clubs need more players side lined for games that could prove essential to their club’s season. But should players stop the dramatics or curb the cussing? Understandably frustrations get to some and tempers flare. Maybe we would all go down a little easy in the box to get a match winning penalty. But am also pretty sure we would all struggle to bite our tongues if we thought we had been cheated. Footballers and fans ain't know for their Ps and Qs!
But would a change in etiquette help the game? Call me old fashioned but I think it would! However politeness and respect is a two way affair and authoritative bodies have to take on some responsibility. The rugby World Cup 2015 final was a spectacular event. Two incredible teams playing surrounded by fans, celebrities and plenty of Pyro technics, all smoothly run by the referee and his indispensable band of assistants.
Ok, ok, ok I hear the cries of “you can't compare rugby to football, they have TV refs, we need tv technology” etc and I agree football needs to move with the times to stop the pointless sendings off and the undeserved penalties. However how about a simple change in the manners with the game? (Now I really sound like my grand mother.)
The referees working with the teams to make the game run safe, smoothly and with a degree of entertainment could make a big difference. Less cards, more fluidity to the match and players available. Team captains taking responsibility on the pitch to work with players to prevent over acting and explosive responses. Having the man with the arm band being the main voice between players and refs. Maybe not a yellow as the only punishment for dissent but 10 minutes on the naughty step watching your team struggle without you, 3 trips to the step and your out! Referees learning from errors, being given a voice to explain decision, support when they make mistakes. If a player goes down a the slightest contact and rolls all over the place in apparent agony and the opposition is swearing in his ear about how he is being framed muck ups will occur, patience will be lost. Technology is an answer but shouldn't we try the more mature approach first?
Hope the wait has been worth it......
Adios Please and Thank you
Many a time I have tried to explain the 4 seasons in one day (plus some seasons you can't quiet name) style Scottish weather to the friends and students here. Recently Barcelona has decided to provide me with some fantastic visual aids, the weather here has been interesting to say the least. With the rain comes the loon-icy, pavements becomes greasy play grounds for the breaking of bones, umbrellas get put up to eye poking height at the slightest dribble from the sky, and the roads become a cacophony horns, screeching brakes and rush hour goes from 60 to 180 minutes. Some of the verbal exchanges wouldn't be out of place in a kiddie’s play park. All politeness goes out the window, flippen ‘Eck I sound like my Grandmother.
I am the first to admit that my knowledge of naughty words is a little extensive and most were probably picked up in a sporting environment. We have all done it, stubbed our toe on the edge of the bed, stood on a piece of Lego, jammed a finger in a door and let it out a mighty sshhhh….UGAR and ffff……UDGE! Pain and frustration are not famous for bringing out the best in you and nothing seems to show that better than a game of football. But is this something to beam at with pride or should tongues be held and tantrums controlled? Has football become over dramatic?
Recently I have found myself watching the “big” teams less and less. Instead of twice or three times a week tuning into a Barcelona FC game I have only been taking in a few midweek games when friends get together. This partly is due to the usual reason, time, work, and other activities coming up, but honestly the desire to watch “top class” is waning. Now don't get me wrong I still love watching the beautiful game and that is it, I wanna watch watch football not a demonstration of an amateur dramatics guide to pratfalls. The slightest whiff of a free kick and certain stars go down no questions asked, well maybe some on their “acting” abilities. They contort their faces into grimaces of pain, roll around like they have firecracker jammed in their belly button! This performance will continue until they get what they want,a free kick or the opposition player receives a card for a non existent foul or dissent. Just what small clubs need more players side lined for games that could prove essential to their club’s season. But should players stop the dramatics or curb the cussing? Understandably frustrations get to some and tempers flare. Maybe we would all go down a little easy in the box to get a match winning penalty. But am also pretty sure we would all struggle to bite our tongues if we thought we had been cheated. Footballers and fans ain't know for their Ps and Qs!
But would a change in etiquette help the game? Call me old fashioned but I think it would! However politeness and respect is a two way affair and authoritative bodies have to take on some responsibility. The rugby World Cup 2015 final was a spectacular event. Two incredible teams playing surrounded by fans, celebrities and plenty of Pyro technics, all smoothly run by the referee and his indispensable band of assistants.
Ok, ok, ok I hear the cries of “you can't compare rugby to football, they have TV refs, we need tv technology” etc and I agree football needs to move with the times to stop the pointless sendings off and the undeserved penalties. However how about a simple change in the manners with the game? (Now I really sound like my grand mother.)
The referees working with the teams to make the game run safe, smoothly and with a degree of entertainment could make a big difference. Less cards, more fluidity to the match and players available. Team captains taking responsibility on the pitch to work with players to prevent over acting and explosive responses. Having the man with the arm band being the main voice between players and refs. Maybe not a yellow as the only punishment for dissent but 10 minutes on the naughty step watching your team struggle without you, 3 trips to the step and your out! Referees learning from errors, being given a voice to explain decision, support when they make mistakes. If a player goes down a the slightest contact and rolls all over the place in apparent agony and the opposition is swearing in his ear about how he is being framed muck ups will occur, patience will be lost. Technology is an answer but shouldn't we try the more mature approach first?
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