Comments on: Football slimefest

By: Raj

Raj — Sat, 11 Oct 2003 13:03:02 +0000

Whilst the rape allegations are horrible I have to disagree on the Rio matter. Rio did not attend a out of competition drug test. The normal procedure for anyt drug offence is that confidentiallity is kept untilthe hearing. The hearing is scheduled for monday but Rio has been prejudged and dropped for England. Surely there hould be some sort of chinese wall between the enforcement side of the FA & the England team so that any punishment can only be applied once a hearing has taken place & not as some sort of prejudgement. As to the England players I can understand their anger. A colleague has been laid out for punishment , probably not because of what he has done, but because the FA feels they must be seen to be tough in the wake of the recent incidents you have mentioned.

By: bobbie

bobbie — Fri, 10 Oct 2003 12:45:07 +0000

ah, sorry jdsm – forgot about the croydon manure supporters – and easy thing to do when round my way it’s all arsenal, arsenal, arsenal.

By: Selina Chen

Selina Chen — Fri, 10 Oct 2003 09:01:35 +0000

Chris but Robbie’s antics were SO funny!

By: jdsm

jdsm — Thu, 09 Oct 2003 20:11:15 +0000

bobbie, “Unless I’m reading it wrong, I’d say Mancunians are less likely to side with Chris?” It was just a little swipe at the fact that most Manchester United supporters live in the south rather than Manchester (where they support City).

By: bobbie

bobbie — Thu, 09 Oct 2003 17:47:34 +0000

re: “forget” Unless I’m reading it wrong, I’d say Mancunians are less likely to side with Chris? I think those quotes were perfectly well placed: whether or not he intentionally missed his appointment, frankly I find it amazing that a professional athlete paid would manage to forget a drug test. All the more shocking, since the penalties are so severe. Hard done by? I don’t think so. This is part of Rio’s job, and he knows it. And what’s happened over the past couple of weeks is (in my opinion) a sad indictment of our increasingly cash-rich, above-the-law, media-led society – whether that’s TV, tabloids or simply celebrity worshipping. And I could never turn away from the beautiful game – but then again, I’m also a rugby union fan. I certainly don’t see the difference as one of class; head to the west country on a saturday afternoon and you’ll know what i mean.

By: Merkin

Merkin — Thu, 09 Oct 2003 17:12:01 +0000

You call that a brawl? I mean I know that was the term that everyone in the media was using but it just looked like a little posturing and shoving to me. As an American non-football-follower living over here. Just curious.

By: jdsm

jdsm — Thu, 09 Oct 2003 16:26:10 +0000

Chris, “jdsm: You seem very confident that no-one appreciates my inverted commas. Have you conducted a survey?” Straw poll of three. Two thirds of respondents agree with me. Pretty conclusive I’d say. Mancunians may be on your side but I’d bet if you went to London it’d be a different story.

By: chave

chave — Thu, 09 Oct 2003 15:10:58 +0000

In your threatened defection to Rugby you are out of touch with much the greater part of the football loving folk of this country, you and the risible Tom ‘shattered dreams’ Bowyer. The point is the recent events have made football all the more absorbing and exciting. It is now not just a great game, but an irresistable Ballardian spectacle. If viewng figures drop one fraction of a percent next premiership weekend, I’ll eat my casey.

By: Chris

Chris — Thu, 09 Oct 2003 14:35:20 +0000

jdsm: You seem very confident that no-one appreciates my inverted commas. Have you conducted a survey?

By: Doug

Doug — Thu, 09 Oct 2003 14:15:49 +0000

I dunno, you could always opt for watching cricket or, more excitingly, grass growing.

By: Nabakov

Nabakov — Thu, 09 Oct 2003 14:14:46 +0000

Michael, re…”nice comment, but what do you mean?” jdsm sorta answered it above – think subsitutes.

By: jdsm

jdsm — Thu, 09 Oct 2003 14:04:07 +0000

Frankly, Rio has been hard done by and no-one appreciates your inverted commas around the word “forget”. The deputy chief of the FA said on BBC World last night that there are procedures for dealing with what he did and that they were not followed. Thus, he has been badly treated. The fact that this has overshadowed the swansong of wannabe demagogue of the week IDS, is no great loss. In general I agree though – footballers are scum.

By: Matthew

Matthew — Thu, 09 Oct 2003 14:01:11 +0000

It’s not entirely clear that rugby players are any better—it might just be that they have less money. It wasn’t that long ago that the England rugyb captain was forced to resign due to allegations of his dealing Class-A drugs, after all.

By: Lucy

Lucy — Thu, 09 Oct 2003 13:40:09 +0000

Just nice page that what I wanted to say

By: Michael

Michael — Thu, 09 Oct 2003 13:39:29 +0000

nice comment, but what do you mean?