There's no escaping it: the 2010 FIFA World Cup starts today and whilst I realise that, for millions, this is going to be a month-long ecstatic orgy of footie, I'd ask the media to spare a thought for those benighted souls such as myself who simply cannot - however hard we try - identify with Bill Shankly's famous quote: "Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you it's much more serious than that!"Certainly that seems to be the case with those global sponsors for whom, for the next few weeks, football represents a serious commercial investment...
And since Signor Ronaldo also has a sponsorship deal with Armani...
...we oughtn't to be surprised if manufacturers of intimate bodywear weren't also providing us with a sporting excuse for keeping an eye on the ball...
I am unashamedly a fan of 'the beautiful game' and will be reveling in the delights served up for us in the next few weeks. But there is a deeper reason to applaud this World Cup!
ReplyDeleteIt is the first time it has ever been held on African soil and marks the progress of a nation rightly vilified for its apartheid regime so recently.
Yet its rugby team team still only includes one black (even though 80% of the population are black) whilst its football squad only includes one white amongst its 23 members!
There is still work to be done!
Well I'm glad to see that you're like me Brian. This morning, lying in bed listening to the "news", I was wondering if I would be able to last the month without pronouncing the F word. This is an F-taboo house! Still, at least you managed to raise the bar with a couple of saucy pics!
ReplyDeletefetang: the sound made in the changing rooms when everyone is pulling at everyone else's J-strap
Yeah - a Sibley Classic!
ReplyDeleteNice to see that you are still on the ball, Brian.
I think it'll be smelling salts time for the Duchess again.
ROB - Well, I expected a response from you on the subject of footie, so I'm glad you didn't disappoint me! In doing so, you make a very important point...
ReplyDeleteSUZANNE and SHARON - Always pleased to oblige, ladies! Love the definition of 'fetang', Suzanne! And don't worry about the Duchess, Sharon, because Gill is on holiday, so Her Grace is currently being looked after by the Under Gardener (the one who is training as a male masseur) and, in consequence, she has little or no time for surfing the internet!
So who gets to sit around watching 22 fit men in shorts all day with no questions asked Mr B ?
ReplyDeleteConvert to football...you know you want to
Well, yes, BOLL, you have a point... ;)
ReplyDeleteThe old romans new this kind of...lively absentmindedness, they called it PANES ET CIRCENSES, very useful in particular moments...
ReplyDeleteBut, EUDORA, didn't that involve Christians being thrown to the lions...? ;)
ReplyDelete