Blood Sport

I know we Africans have a special passion for football.  I talked about this during my World Cup Fever period probably ad nauseum. This unfortunate event in Zambia shows that our love for football can be twisted.  The loss of life here was unnecessary.  We have a particular passion for English football, all you have to do is look at the minibuses emblazoned with their love for Premier League teams.  However, this was one match and not an important one at that.  I am really happy that Chelsea beat Man U coz I really can't stand them and their fans are even worse but there was no need for things to come to this. :( is all I have to say...That and I'll bleed blue forever...

Me, Chelsea Stadium, March 2009

There is a way to love the game without turning it into a blood sport.  Stampedes are very common in Africa at stadiums in particular.  That is usually due to poor infrastructure.  Let us not exacerbate the problem by causing unnecessary loss of life at bars and other viewing venues.

Regeneration

Usually to regenerate I watch films and sport.  However, this is heavy season in Hollywood and even though I enjoyed Black Swan immensely, it did nothing for my mental peace! Sooooo good I highly recommend.  I also highly recommend the King's Speech.  Very excited for Oscar night...





Unfortunately, I cannot rely on Chelsea for a pick-me-up either seeing as it seems their good fortune has gone down the toilet since their brilliant start to the season.  I have no idea why Torres is now on the squad, I feel another Schevschenko (no idea if that is the right spelling and I don't care that is how much I couldn't stand his uselessness) coming on and I am not amused. AT ALL.

And to make it worse, Rafa got injured at the Aussie Open (yes it has taken me this long to recover from seeing him reduced to tears as he fought on so as not to retire in the quarter finals against his countryman Ferrer).  After such a brilliant 2010, I am sad to see his season start out this way.  I hope he recovers for the American hard court interlude before the clay court season start.  I love seeing him win the French - it never gets old, so I am hoping that things will work themselves out. I am glad he was honoured with the Laureus Sportsman of the Year award this year because he deserves it.  He works so hard and fights to the bitter end.  Very inspiring. Looking at his lovely bod as he models for Armani Jeans is a great substitute for the lack of gratification from sport at the moment though he he he...

6-0 Baby: Now That's The Stuff Chelsea!

Ah, my beloved Chelsea is back to their winning ways :)! Was wounded after BBM gloated about the Man U Community Shield win and told me that my team is old and they need to get rid of the dead weight.  Old legs don't create a 6-0 scoreline - that's all I have to say about that.  Sure it was against the newly promoted West Brom but it is still hard to score 6-0 at the Premiership level.  I am over the moon :)!

Congrats to Drogba, his hat trick shows he is recovering from surgery just fine.  I will not comment on Malouda's hair.  Why is he following in Drogba's footsteps with uselessness albeit it with cornrows...I just have to focus on the two goals he scored...

If you missed the wonderfulness, or if you want to relive it here are the highlights:


chel vs wba ht
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2nd Half
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AWESOME POSSUM START TO THE SEASON!!!

Not A Happy Puppy Blues :(

I do not believe in hating, but if ever there was anything to dislike with a passion it is Manchester United.  Man U sycophants are even worse.  Not since the days of Cantona have I cared for that team, especially seeing as most of the fans love the team because they love to win, not because they believe in the team at all.  My best friend BBM is a classic example of this type of nonsensical support. Bleh!

My love for Chelsea is pure. Since 1996 I had a feeling when Ruud Gullit came on board that this team would build itself into something phenomenal, pledged my allegiance and Chelsea came through.  I will bleed blue forever!  And I love that it has a solid African contingent with my favs Essien and Kalou and even though Drogba rubs me the wrong way, he is good at what he does so we support him too.

However, I am annoyed by the Community Shield result. Yes eventually champions have to lose but, man! to frikking Man U at the start of the season?! Kalou as usual was clutch , at least putting Chelsea on the scoreboard albeit late in the game.  Drogba has admitted to carrying around a groin problem for 6 years that he has only just fixed and now has to get match fit learning to play without the injury!  Plus he is getting over the crazy World Cup arm incident too.  Glad that Essien is wetting his football feet again. 

Chelsea need to shape up and start the season well.  

"Welcome To Lagos" Concluded

The last episode of the BBC's Welcome To Lagos looks to the future, while focusing on a slum under constant threat of demolition.  It is located on a beachy patch right across from Victoria Island, where everyone aspires to live in its big houses one day.  You can't help but like Esther, she had me at "Chelsea for Life"! Anyone who bleeds blue is good with me he he he...

As we watch Esther keep house at the beach, her hair changes from weave, to braids, to gelled with a hair piece to unkempt and in equal measure we witness the twists and turns in her tale.  She is there to dig a ditch to protect the homestead when the rains come and the sea swells up and takes up more of the slums space, destroying anything in its path.  She dreams of a better life without needing a man to help her get there.  She tries the best she can with the circumstances she has been dealt with the pride, dignity and resourcefulness of a strong African woman.  And with a little silliness too :). All with a smile and an unfazed optimism, even though she lives with constant uncertainty.

We also see a traffic cop turned beautification squad leader and traditional dance instructor (! ;}) romp through the streets tearing down any illegal construction.  He is a Lagos native whose pride in his roots has led him to clean up his city during the day and teach they young their culture in his free time.  Although his tactics may be a rather crude and rough, ultimately he is carrying out his orders.  However, one cannot help but wonder about how there is no care for people's belongings and goods as this "beautification" is being carried out, and where they are to go as the better places the Government are planning to build have not been created yet.  Progress is a double-edged sword.  While it is clear that chasing away the area boys to clean up the patches they trolled is creating Green spaces that both benefit the people and the environment, the guerrilla-style slum destruction seems a little too chaotic and callous.

Either way it is clear that Lagos is moving forward and there is nothing to stop the city from thriving and becoming a megacity rivaling any around the world.  We will have wait to see the social costs borne from all of Lagos' economic development.

All in all this was a well crafted docu-series that I felt gave me insight into a part of Lagos life.

The Hope of Africa - The Black Stars

Africa kicks off the Quarter Finals with Ghana playing Uruguay.  Tieing Senegal and Cameroun, they are the third African team that has been able to go this far in the World Cup.  I think they can go the distance.  Not because of sentimentality, although that is definitely a factor, but because the boys want it.  They realise the importance of this and have taken to the World Stage with such aplomb.  People have been saying they are young, and this has shown in their unnecessarily flourished play and unwise choices, but I think they have been learning as the tournament has progressed and have learned to check their egos.  At this level it is no longer about talent and tactics.  It's about desire and passion. I just hope they are able to overcome their injuries that have been plaguing them since the Africa Cup earlier this year.

I think the game with the USA showed this.  I personally think that the US underestimated the Black Stars, even though they had beaten them in the group stages of '06.  My roommate disagrees, but I think that the starting line-up reflected this.  I don't think that the US coach really thought about who they were playing.  The commentators on ESPN were going on about how Ghana hadn't scored in regular play and had only advanced on penalties and so this proved that they couldn't go the distance.  The USA had been wronged in the group stages but were able to come through, but you can't win the World Cup by drawing, you have to find the win, no matter how.  And that is what Ghana did.  They came out guns ablazing and within minutes were up 1-0.  I know there was the controversial penalty that gave Ghana the win in 2006 but the one given to the US in 2010 was bogus, there was not enough contact there what was that???!!!

The USA are almost there when it comes to competing in the World's favourite game, but to really be a force in world football you have to play for the love of the game first, and to win second, not the other way around.  There is too much pressure put on results in American culture, instead of finding joy in the process.  You need to enjoy football because it is the most heart wrenching game played.  You have to be able to get past the bad calls, the divots on the pitch, and the amount of work it takes to get the ball in the net.  And the only way to do that is to enjoy playing for the sake of playing.  It's not about how much money that you throw at it, how many training camps for young players you have, it's about understanding what football means and loving it.  It's not something that can be learned, you need to have it coursing through your veins.  I do not remember ever not loving football.  It is just the way.  You see it and you love it.  No one has to convince you.  

I have come to the conclusion that the reason that Ghana has come this far is because they are young, full of passion, have nothing to lose and have a player that is the fruit of Mr. Boateng's loins.  This theory is made all the more credible by the fact that the other team I am impressed with that is in the Quarter Finals is Germany.  And they are young, full of passion, have also made a coupla silly mistakes and also have a player that is the fruit of Mr. Boateng's loins.  Prince and Jerome are brothers! I rest my case ;}! Unfortunately the boys are feuding over the injury that caused Ballack to miss the World Cup.

The Black Stars have to win tomorrow not only because my heart can't take any more drama, but also because innocent people may suffer the consequences.  When the score was 1 all at full time I called one of my best friends, R4L and she knew why I was calling and purposefully sent me to voicemail. So I left her an awful message berating the Black Stars and threatened to abstain from all things Ghanaian, meaning I would not speak to her again if they lost.  Luckily they got it together and Gyan scored within minutes of extra time and all was well.  We later buried the hatchet.  Got a call from Ghana from OXFORD SHIRT and told her to slap about a coupla Ghanaian boys to let them know that even though the Black Stars got through, I was not impressed by the need to go into extra time to get the job done.  Now it is at the point where if there are any more shenanigans, R4L, OXFORD SHIRT and COMBINE (who is in South Africa and could have direct contact with the team if she wanted because she is one of the most resourceful people I know) will suffer the consequences.  And my little one FOOLISH FOOL, who always tells me that the Black Stars will make it will be demoted to village idiot status! There is no more room for error.  I want an African team in the Final and if my sangoma who is on probation at the mo manages to get it together we hopefully get the first African win to boot.  

The only way is to dream big.  By stifling our potential in order to make small triumphs and self-protect we ultimately only limit ourselves and deny the world progress.  Yes it is a risk, but when you dare to achieve success at a greater level, the impact is infinite when you succeed.

We should not underestimate what this game will do for Africans not only in football, but in our lives in general.

GHANA GHANA!!!! MAY THE BLACK STARS LIGHT CONTINUE TO SHINE IN AFRICAN SKIES!!!!

Here is a video R4L found of the Black Stars celebrating after their Round of 16 win.  Hopefully we will all be like this again soon!

False Redemption Comes In Green :(

I AM NOT A HAPPY PUPPY! Was already upset with Nigeria, but the optimist in me was hoping that their first loss and/ or the fact that this is an African World Cup would spur them to success. And when Uche scored in the 15th minute, I was duped into believing that this was possible.  There they were flying like the Super Eagles they can be, and I was hoping that Nigeria would soar to victory.

But their flight was shortlived and they came crashing down after Kaita was red carded for a very stupid loss of composure on his part.  They then went from Super Eagles back to Mediocre Pigeons when Greece scored their  FIRST GOAL EVER! at the World Cup and then into Headless Chickens when Obasi missed a chance to take Nigeria ahead and then Greece scored AGAIN!!!! At least I can take solace in the fact that Mikel was spared the embarrassment of being part of this underachieving squad!

And to make it worse France decided to join in with a complementary Poulet Sans Tete performance and lost 0-2.  Will both of my teams in Group B fail to qualify??!!!

At this point I only have unwavering confidence in Ghana and Cote D'Ivoire, South Africa are definitely out.  Cameroun and Algeria could surprise me but right now I am so riled up I cannot put too much into that, my heart can't take it! :( Knowing me I still will anyways. It seems I am a glutton for punishment...

Watch World Cup Kick-Off Concert TODAY!!!

It will be on at 8pm CAT, 7pm UK Summer Time, 6pm GMT, 2pm EST and 11am PST.  To watch it online make sure to go to World Cup Vevo, where there is also a countdown to when it will be showing. It will also be broacast live on TV, so check your local listings. It seems ESPN are dedicated to making up for their 2006 coverage and will be broadcasting the concert live on ESPN 2 :)

World renowned artists Alicia Keys, Black Eyed Peas and John Legend are featured, and of course Shakira will be there to perform the official song with Freshly Ground.

I am glad to see that the majority of the acts are African:  Amadou and Mariam, Angelique Kidjo, BLK JKS, Hugh Masekela, K'NAAN, Lira, Mzansi Youth Choir, Soweto Youth Choir, Tinirawen, The Parlotones, Vieux Farka Toure and Vusi Mahlasela.

And here is K'NAAN's song, Wavin' Flag - The People's Anthem, that is considered the unofficial World Cup Anthem:

And here it is featured in the World Cup Coca Cola campaign:





And here is Pepsi's response but they should know that Coke is unrivaled in the World and particularly in Africa. On the continent it is basically the ONLY choice coz it tastes better for one and in South they were one of the first companies to support Black businesses and businessmen during Apartheid. Having Drogba, Lampard, Messi, Kaka and Henry in the ad plus having an Akon song is nice but won't be enough to sway people to stock Pepsi over Coke I'm afraid! It's a good ad though I do have to say...