So in England they drive on the left side right? They do a nice job of marking where you should be looking when crossing the street.
At the same time they have a zillion signs that on escalators, people pass you on the left. Highly inconsistent I think!
http://golondon.about.com/od/londontransport/qt/standonright.htm
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Penalty shots-purist or traditionalist?
I was watching a cup game between 2 second or third division teams Peterboro and Swindon. Crappy conditions, raining, pitch is not great. a lot of fouls and several yellow cards. Swindon controls the ball for most of the first half and has a 1-0 lead. The cup match is a semi final and best-of 2 games with goal differential deciding who moves on.
Peterboro scores in the 60th or 70th minute to tie it. The rest of the game is back and forth, end to end but no one can break the tie. The three guys around me on a slow night are intrigued and actually perturbed with me because they are sure who I am for. I know who they are for!
The game ends regular time and it will be a shootout. I start putting my coat and hat and gloves on to leave and one of the guys says: where are you going? I and I say, "well, the rest is garbage, not soccer, I don't care about the random outcome here with the shootout..." He looks at me with such disgust.
I just think that shootouts are not a pure way of determine who is the best team or most deserving. Why not reward the more fit team with overtimes rather than such a convenience of shootouts? Years ago, an NCAA college soccer match with UCLA went several overtimes and was ultimately decided by a walk on's goal, essentially after almost playing two games. That was for the championship!
I think it is interesting that in a game that has been around for so long, it gets tinkered with to suit TV or the fact that teams might be playing 3 times in 8 days. What does the shootout prove? While I think the role of the goalie is so important, most of the action and touches are by the rest of the players. Defenders for instance average 65 a game. Why suddenly misaligned the deciding variable with the goalie?
Peterboro scores in the 60th or 70th minute to tie it. The rest of the game is back and forth, end to end but no one can break the tie. The three guys around me on a slow night are intrigued and actually perturbed with me because they are sure who I am for. I know who they are for!
The game ends regular time and it will be a shootout. I start putting my coat and hat and gloves on to leave and one of the guys says: where are you going? I and I say, "well, the rest is garbage, not soccer, I don't care about the random outcome here with the shootout..." He looks at me with such disgust.
I just think that shootouts are not a pure way of determine who is the best team or most deserving. Why not reward the more fit team with overtimes rather than such a convenience of shootouts? Years ago, an NCAA college soccer match with UCLA went several overtimes and was ultimately decided by a walk on's goal, essentially after almost playing two games. That was for the championship!
I think it is interesting that in a game that has been around for so long, it gets tinkered with to suit TV or the fact that teams might be playing 3 times in 8 days. What does the shootout prove? While I think the role of the goalie is so important, most of the action and touches are by the rest of the players. Defenders for instance average 65 a game. Why suddenly misaligned the deciding variable with the goalie?
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Scotland part 2
So while I am having a Pint (alright, two pints) and chatting about local soccer and the Hibs, I see that a abnd is playing locally called "the Beat" which I was suspicious of (cover band? Knockoff?) Nope. It was them minus Dave Wakeling and they were amazing. What memories of dancing at Todays or Cherry street at Hartwick to that stuff.
Big problem is that everyone else my age was there and reliving those moments as well. Big fat guys and fat girls in a small venue dancing around and jumping. I am too old for the crowd. Not too old for the show-it was awesome and completed a pretty F#@$@g day for me. I had a Guiness in my Hotel room and went to bed!
Big problem is that everyone else my age was there and reliving those moments as well. Big fat guys and fat girls in a small venue dancing around and jumping. I am too old for the crowd. Not too old for the show-it was awesome and completed a pretty F#@$@g day for me. I had a Guiness in my Hotel room and went to bed!
Oh yeah-music. I went to bed Saturday night and watched TV for 1/2 hour. This is tough becasue there are only about 4 channles. Anyway, How I met your mother is on and it is an epsiode where Ted & Marshall drive in a car for hours with a cassingle that is stuck and it plays the Proclaimers "500 miles" over and over and over and over and over and over and over. I went to bed with that Scottish song in my head.
Here is the
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blNOvVaKchE
Guess what they play over and over and over and over and over at the Hibs field?
500 Miles Yep. I am still singing it.
I was a purchaser of cassingles as many of you know. Spell check does not even know what it is, sadly
Scotland visit
I am back "home" in my London Flat. Seems like I was out of the country in Scotland but actually not. More on that news and perspective...
I took a train from London "kings Cross" to Edinburg Thursday AM. (I am getting the hang of the tube system here int eh city-it is really monstrous) You can see the special train platform a nice guy passing by told me I should take:
In case you can't see the picture well, this is a well known-platform and my stuff and bird cage (that is a clue!) is on the cart....
The main points of the visit were to visit as my budddies said I should. Secondly, I went to see the Hibernians or "Hibs" play. I originally planned to see the other team in town play vs. Celt but the scheduled was best for this one.
So the City has two clubs the Hibernians and the Midlothians or "Hearts". What I know about the other team (Hearts) is that they were owed by a rich Lithuanian that "just cared about money and did not care about the game. The team went into bankruptcy and the fans and a Board member (who put in 26 Million Pounds!) are taking it over. The fans will own a big part of it.
The Premier league is broken out somewhat by a couple of "big" clubs called Rangers and Celts. Thye are referred in the northern with more farming type areas as "Sheep shaggers" and the Urban teams like those where I was are called "soap dodgers". Kind of funny because as "big city" as Edinburgh was, it was not that big and sophisticated.
The Hibs have not been doing that well nor their opponent Ross County. The Hibs best player a midfielder and leading scorer in the Scottish Premier league was out on suspension (not sure what for-afraid to bring it up...). The other team is struggling and just sacked the manager.
I picked a random pub near the stadium on one end of the city (Hearts are on the other side) and had two long pints and met fans going to the match. One guy in particular offered to walk with me to the stadium. We talked about how his wife gets annoyed that these 90 minute games are essentially 7 hour ordeals. This guy was a father, has season tickets and spends the time with his sons who go each match. A truly social event yet pretty meaningful.
We show up at the stadium, he shows me the ticket outlet where I need to get my ticket. Not the one that I see at first that will surely have the best seats because I am a "visitor". No. He says that is the wrong one and I need to sit with the Hibs side. OK.
I get a good seat on the end-line about 20 rows up. Not bad attendance in a old buy confy stadium. No frills: no scoreboard, no clock, no crap at halftime on the field......
The grass was not great but.... (Steve you would be Ok with it!)
The game was quick and Hibs attacked intensely immediately. Hibs scored first and crowd went nuts. The crowd by the way was very, very family oriented-more woman than I saw in previous matches. A nice thing was that a recently promoted 19 year old scored the first goal as looked quite at home on the pitch-I did not know he was that young.
There is the opposite side where I had planned to sit.
This next photo I took to show how close the stadium is to day-to day living. The arena/stadium is surrounded by apartments and business. 10 thousand people I estimate walked about 1.5 miles from all directions to get there. Imagine being able to walk so quickly to a match?
Hobs win 2-1 and everyone goes home happy!
I took a train from London "kings Cross" to Edinburg Thursday AM. (I am getting the hang of the tube system here int eh city-it is really monstrous) You can see the special train platform a nice guy passing by told me I should take:
In case you can't see the picture well, this is a well known-platform and my stuff and bird cage (that is a clue!) is on the cart....
The main points of the visit were to visit as my budddies said I should. Secondly, I went to see the Hibernians or "Hibs" play. I originally planned to see the other team in town play vs. Celt but the scheduled was best for this one.
So the City has two clubs the Hibernians and the Midlothians or "Hearts". What I know about the other team (Hearts) is that they were owed by a rich Lithuanian that "just cared about money and did not care about the game. The team went into bankruptcy and the fans and a Board member (who put in 26 Million Pounds!) are taking it over. The fans will own a big part of it.
The Premier league is broken out somewhat by a couple of "big" clubs called Rangers and Celts. Thye are referred in the northern with more farming type areas as "Sheep shaggers" and the Urban teams like those where I was are called "soap dodgers". Kind of funny because as "big city" as Edinburgh was, it was not that big and sophisticated.
The Hibs have not been doing that well nor their opponent Ross County. The Hibs best player a midfielder and leading scorer in the Scottish Premier league was out on suspension (not sure what for-afraid to bring it up...). The other team is struggling and just sacked the manager.
I picked a random pub near the stadium on one end of the city (Hearts are on the other side) and had two long pints and met fans going to the match. One guy in particular offered to walk with me to the stadium. We talked about how his wife gets annoyed that these 90 minute games are essentially 7 hour ordeals. This guy was a father, has season tickets and spends the time with his sons who go each match. A truly social event yet pretty meaningful.
We show up at the stadium, he shows me the ticket outlet where I need to get my ticket. Not the one that I see at first that will surely have the best seats because I am a "visitor". No. He says that is the wrong one and I need to sit with the Hibs side. OK.
I get a good seat on the end-line about 20 rows up. Not bad attendance in a old buy confy stadium. No frills: no scoreboard, no clock, no crap at halftime on the field......
The grass was not great but.... (Steve you would be Ok with it!)
The game was quick and Hibs attacked intensely immediately. Hibs scored first and crowd went nuts. The crowd by the way was very, very family oriented-more woman than I saw in previous matches. A nice thing was that a recently promoted 19 year old scored the first goal as looked quite at home on the pitch-I did not know he was that young.
This next photo I took to show how close the stadium is to day-to day living. The arena/stadium is surrounded by apartments and business. 10 thousand people I estimate walked about 1.5 miles from all directions to get there. Imagine being able to walk so quickly to a match?
Hobs win 2-1 and everyone goes home happy!
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Off to Scotland
I am traveling today to Edinburgh Scotland for a few days. I have always thought of going and two of my esteemed colleagues strongly suggested I go there and I really value each man's judgment. Each guy knows how to have fun and I enjoy working with them very much.
Of course, the plan is to watch a match in that time. The city is home to two clubs in the Premier league one called the Hibernians. They are playing Saturday and I will be there. Next Saturday, the other club "Hearts" are hosting the famous (to me!) Celtic team but this weekend worked better.
Timing is everything right? I am not really a world traveler and when I do, there seems to be some strife where earlier there was none. For example, my wife and I had an incredible vacation a few years ago that started in Greece. The country was almost in a civil war and was bankrupt and the rumblings were just starting when we there.
Scotland is publicly stating that they want to be their own country which you can interpret and debate as much as you want. To me, that is strife!
While I am having these great experiences miles from the US, my Dad is having some major surgery and I am thinking a lot about him and my Mom. I am certainly with them in spirit today.
Of course, the plan is to watch a match in that time. The city is home to two clubs in the Premier league one called the Hibernians. They are playing Saturday and I will be there. Next Saturday, the other club "Hearts" are hosting the famous (to me!) Celtic team but this weekend worked better.
Timing is everything right? I am not really a world traveler and when I do, there seems to be some strife where earlier there was none. For example, my wife and I had an incredible vacation a few years ago that started in Greece. The country was almost in a civil war and was bankrupt and the rumblings were just starting when we there.
Scotland is publicly stating that they want to be their own country which you can interpret and debate as much as you want. To me, that is strife!
Scottish independence: UK parties 'will block money union'
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-26163637While I am having these great experiences miles from the US, my Dad is having some major surgery and I am thinking a lot about him and my Mom. I am certainly with them in spirit today.
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Pub tonight
Lots of matches for a Tuesday night.
The pub around the corner I have been visiting is really something. My new friend Javier from Spain says there are not many like this around anymore as many pubs have become chains. The brewers actually buy them to distribute their product (pretty good beer/ale/bitter/stout) This guy has been coming here for 22 years to watch Spanish soccer with other fans from the area.
This Pub is Utopia: 5 separate areas or mini pubs within all showing different matches that guests want: English premier soccer in one area, Italian another, the Bundesleage in another, and as mentioned, La Leaga. It is really cool and does not feel like a "club": bartenders and fans are there regularly and know each other over the years. I guess it is like Cheers with sports!
Real Madrid won 2-0 for semi-final la copa
The pub around the corner I have been visiting is really something. My new friend Javier from Spain says there are not many like this around anymore as many pubs have become chains. The brewers actually buy them to distribute their product (pretty good beer/ale/bitter/stout) This guy has been coming here for 22 years to watch Spanish soccer with other fans from the area.
This Pub is Utopia: 5 separate areas or mini pubs within all showing different matches that guests want: English premier soccer in one area, Italian another, the Bundesleage in another, and as mentioned, La Leaga. It is really cool and does not feel like a "club": bartenders and fans are there regularly and know each other over the years. I guess it is like Cheers with sports!
Real Madrid won 2-0 for semi-final la copa
Vespas!
This is a city of a scooters, many are Vespas. Yes Vespas. I would fit in so much here if I lived here...
http://www.scootercommunity.co.uk/group/8 Called Vespaholics. Really......
There are shops where used Vespas with 10 thousand miles are going for big bucks (!,450 pounds)
http://www.scootercommunity.co.uk/group/8 Called Vespaholics. Really......
There are shops where used Vespas with 10 thousand miles are going for big bucks (!,450 pounds)
- Model
- Vespa LX
- Vespa LX
- Vespa LX
- Vespa LX
- Vespa LX
- Engine Size
- 50cc
- 50cc
- 125cc
- 125cc
- 125cc
- Colour
- Monochrome
- Black
- Black
- Black
- Monochrome
- Year
- 2006
- 2007
- 2011
- 2005
- 2005
- Mileage
- 7015
- 10985
- 4215
- 23348
- 14472
- Price
- £1649
- £1450
- £2500
- £1600
- £1750
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