ethicalstrategy

I'm still waiting to hear about that headline writers job at the Sun.

Much "Adu" about nothing, methinks.

I never thought I'd live to see the day, but Rod Liddle, of all people, has written a brilliant article in today's Sunday Times. As it is behind a pay wall I can't link to it but it is worth the price of the paper. Edit: It is so good I've copied and pasted it here: Trial and Error John Terry was never guilty, except in the eyes of this country's liberal media Rod Liddle We are in a strange place — and a bad place, I think — when the only sensible analysis of a given situation comes from Ashley Cole. When we’re looking to Ashley for guidance and enlightenment, we’re in trouble. John Terry has been cleared of racially abusing Anton Ferdinand on what the liberals, and Garth Crooks, seem to think is a “technicalityâ€; it could not be proven that he had done so. In other words, the sort of “technicality†upon which our legal system is based. His persecution will continue, however, because once an allegation of racism has been made, the bien pensant liberal media, who are nothing if not obsessive on this issue, will not let it lie. The FA will be hectored into taking some sort of action. It is perhaps an even stranger place to be in when you feel sorry for John Terry. He doesn’t seem like a terribly nice chap, does he? And yet, once the liberals have got it into your head that you’re a racist, no matter how misplaced that sentiment, nothing else is of consequence; not context, or nuance, or background, or mitigation or common sense. Or, indeed, outright denial and a valediction from the courts. Terry is therefore in for a continued kicking and unpleasant though he may be (I’ve never met the bloke), it’s hard not to feel a certain sympathy, isn’t it? Cole, giving evidence on behalf of his friend and Chelsea teammate, suggested that the case should never have come to court. Indeed, he is right. It was a hugely costly and absurd farrago. To appreciate just how absurd, you need only look at the words that Terry used — “f****** black c***†— and notice immediately that the word which is alleged to have given offence was the only one not asterisked out by my editor. For a fuller appreciation of the absurdity, though, try to get hold of the chief magistrate’s peroration, his summing up. It runs to 5,252 words, or more than three times the length of Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream†speech. It is, as a work of literature, rather funnier than the speech I have cited, and reads as if it were a brilliant collaboration between Lewis Carroll and Derek and Clive. It is always a pleasure to hear custodians of the law discuss the contextual ramifications of the phrase “f****** knobheadâ€, and Howard Riddle does not shy away from this. But here’s my favourite bit: “There is then the fact that nobody (apart from John Terry) has given evidence about hearing what was said. Either nobody heard it, or nobody was prepared to come to court and tell me what they heard. Anton Ferdinand says he did not hear it. The defence pointed out that this is surprising as the words were clearly directed at him at a time when he was facing John Terry and involved in an exchange of insults with him. I bear in mind the significant distance between the two men at the time; the noise and the evidence of Mr Cole that he could not hear what was said by either person.†So, a prosecution in which the complainant made no complaint, in which the supposed crime was witnessed by absolutely nobody and was therefore always incapable of being proven. Hence the appearance in court of a posse of lip-readers, to peruse television footage with solemnity. The only people who wanted there to be a prosecution were the Crown Prosecution Service, with its institutional incompetence and perpetual desire to be seen as politically correct, and those ravenous sections of the media which become afflicted with paroxysms whenever race rears its head. Of course, footballers should not racially abuse their colleagues, or anyone else for that matter. If such a thing is overheard, the miscreant should be sent off for ungentlemanly conduct, fined or suspended by his club, maybe sent on one of those courses to purge him of his baser instincts. Is it worse to call someone a “f****** black c***†than a “f****** c***â€? They both seem fairly rude to me. Is it worse to invoke the racial background of someone than it is to bring up some allegation from their past in as hurtful manner as possible? Which is worse, for Luis Suarez to call Patrice Evra black, or for Patrice Evra to make a disparaging comment about Suarez’s sister’s vagina? Most normal people would, I think, see a certain equivalence of transgression. I suspect an equal amount of personal hurt or perhaps anger was occasioned by each snarled obscenity, although only one of them is likely to bring great opprobrium and the risk of criminal prosecution. And so the debate moves on to an insistence that all forms of bad language should be expunged from the game. On BBC’s Newsnight, they had a cabal of very middle-class people related to sports of one kind or another being insistent that all this bad language had to be stamped out. One of them, a journalist who once excelled at the exciting sport of ping-pong, demanded that football join the civilised world. No nasty chanting, no bad language on the pitch: why should football, alone, be immune from the standards of decency which pertain elsewhere? But by elsewhere he meant, in reality, within the middle class. Down below, there is no veneer of civilised hypocrisy. My point is not that the working class is racist, or more likely to be racist than its supposed social betters. In fact, the reverse is true: black and Asian people are far better represented in what are working-class trades than they are in the middle-class professions — football being a good case in point, where 25 per cent of our top players are people of colour. That sort of representation does not pertain in journalism, or the law, or politics, does it? It is simply that people express themselves differently below the level of Home Counties journalist ping-pong players. Whether they will be allowed to do so for much longer is a moot point.

Saturday 16th June, I'll be heading to the heart of Catalunya. I'll be sure to remind them

The BBC were plumbing new depths last night. Pearce trying make a huge deal about Robben being subbed and walking round the pitch. He was obviously unhappy to be taken off but that's understandable. As far as I could see he was just getting out of the way as quick as possible. Lawrensen was just an embarrassment. "there's no I in team", "team stands for together everyone achieves more" David Brent eat your heart out. Cringeworthy.

I've no idea what he meant, but I loved him for it and it's one of my favourite memories of the season, along with his "scoregasm" when Torres scored against Barca. Never thought I'd say it, but I've gotten to like Red Nev quite a lot.

There is not a cat in hell's chance that we will get excluded from European competition over FFP. It will go to the courts if need be. It is completely unenforceable. All the while Abramovich is prepared to bankroll the club, we are a going concern. How he runs the club, provided it is legal, is not anyone else's business.

Why would you dislike him or disrespect him just because he has taken the Liverpool job? What did you expect? That he'd say "no thanks, there's no way I'd ever manage those scouse bar stewards"? It is a great opportunity for him. Not wanting him to succeed is different though. That's perfectly fine.

Too late. Missed his chance. We've bigger fish to fry now.

Just watched this too. Noticed Platini diving like Tom Daley. Was an excellent match though.

I meant you! You didn't post your scores or comments.

I think the general idea is that you post your ratings, along with your comments.

Was there any part of what you wrote which surprised you in anyway?

Marcotti is adamant that he was offered a year but won't take it.

Well not quite his whole name: David Luiz Moreira Marinho Actually quite short by Portuguese standards!

That was him after the Barca semi final first leg, outside the Bridge

Is this you?

We were there too I think the guy you mentioned is in this video. A nice little surprise at the end too http://youtu.be/ObQEUkaCsZU Enjoyed the impromptu football kicking that went on, along with the two nutters who decided to stand on top of the police car as it drove through the square! The U-bahn was a nightmare but we got there in the end.

Just been on. Normally, watching someone jog a few hundred metres with a large torch isn't all that exciting. But, in Didier's case I'll make an exception!

I've been watching this thread from when it was first posted. I have kept biting my tongue and saying nothing. But finally I haven't been able to restrain myself any longer. If this is all you could think to post after Saturday night then you need serious help. You, sir, are a moron.

About time big Pete had his own song and that one is fantastic!

Damn. I was hoping it could stay in rumours. Agree 100% with those sentiments Loz. What a man. #thanksdrogba

It is now!

I love Jason Cundy

Block 128, Row 12, Seat 6 I'll never forget it.