Last Saturday the FA Cup Final was a pulsating, well-played match between two football teams, Portsmouth and Cardiff - a considerable improvement on the tedium personified that was last year's Cup Final between Manchester United and Chelsea, a match in which two rather lucrative sets of chess pieces barely moved across the board for 90 minutes.
By chance those two teams were playing tonight in the European Cup Final (in Moscow of all places). I walked down the main road this evening, which is usually fairly busy, but on this occasion was deadly silent during the match, with barely a car or a sane human being to be seen. It brought back memories of Euro 1996, when England were playing Germany (again) in a fateful penalty shootout. The atmosphere in Colchester then was equally tense, and I knew the result of both matches without having to look at any coverage.
A selection of random reflections, on various subjects.
3 comments:
Did you know that the term 'soccer' is actually an *English* term first used by public school types here in the late 1800's - a shortening of the term 'Association Football', similar to 'rugger' coming from 'Rugby Football'. It has since become the standard name for the sport in places such as the USA, Canada, and Australia, where the term 'football' means other sports, such as 'American Football' or 'Australian Rules Football'.
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Where_did_the_term_soccer_as_opposed_to_football_originate
I watched the first half of the final last night, then flicked it over to see 'The Apprentice' and see Raef get the boot by Sir Alan. I'm sure you will be happy to know that Mandy is *VERY* happy her team won a third Euro title!! I don't know any Chelsea fans, but I guess even if I did they would be very quiet at the moment. ;)
Oh yes, I'd forgotten about Mandy. If Chelsea had lost the semi-final, it would've been a Man United-LIVERPOOL final in Moscow - now there's a thought!
Yes, Mandy indicated that a Liverpool v Man Utd final would have been more nerve-racking for her -- mainly because she works with several Liverpool fans....in Liverpool! I think it would have been great for her to go into work after *that* victory!!
Are you going to watch any of the Euro matches coming up? USA play England soon as well.
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