Susan Hated Literature

If you do a search for Zinedine you’ll be told by google that there are over 3,034 results for news stories relating to the headbutt incident. Never mind all the other stories listed and linked to. or just blogs about him. Isn’t it amazing? And don’t you feel just a tad sorry^[1] for Italy whose world cup win is being ignored by the world?

But Zizou’s apology wasn’t really an apology now was it? I’m sorry for the kids that saw it, but I have no regrets? I wonder did he pay attention to what Roy Keane said after the Saipan Incident? Saying sorry, but I’d do it again if I had to? Is that really an apology? Surely if you are sorry for something then you wish you hadn’t done it?

Despite Zidane’s red card, he was handed the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player. It’s a testament to both his brilliance against Spain and Brazil, and to his personality.

Err, no. He got the Golden Ball because the voting happened before the red card, so it can’t have been despite it, cause it hadn’t happened yet.

I finally got around to taken some photos of the new art in Dublin. There is a collection of statues on O’Connell St, and as Tues was a sunny day you can also see blue skies. If only there was an Elmer Fudd to go wabbit hunting it’d be great.
Although they are actually hares.

There are a collection of these bronze sculptures along O’Connell St & Bridge. Mainly hares, although there is one which looks like a monkey sitting on an elephant^[2] but according to Dublincity.ie it is actually a cougar and an elephant.

I’ll have to take a walk up Parnell square to see if I can see the rest sometime over the weekend. Unless I can’t be arsed. Or it rains. Or I forget. Or something else intervenes.

The sculptures are the first outdoor exhibition by the Hugh Lane gallery, and are all by Barry Flanagan.

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Updated Scroll to bottom for new rubbish

So that’s it. World Cup 2006 over and done with. And its a bit strange, cause despite the fact that there weren’t many great games^[1] I thought it was a great competition. Then again I’ve always liked good defending, almost as much as good goal scoring, and this was the World Cup of Defenders. Player of the tournament has to be Cannavaro. He was just fantastic. Still, it did lack those moments of great play didn’t it? And the diving and spoofing.

Which reminds me, it was a great move by RTE to use the Apres Match team to do all of the punditry for the 3rd place play off between Germany & Portugal. After all, no one really cares who wins that. Bill’s analysis in particular offered some wonderful insights, but they all did a great job:

• How can I analyise something that I haven’t seen?
• there with a loopy shot
• a smackaronny of a shot. He’s given that some pelt hasn’t he?”
• Look at the floppy fingers Bill
• But its easy enough for the Germans because the Portugal have been so rubbish Bill. If you look at your man, the spoofer… he says “I’ll do my trademark nonsense… where am I going, my brain exploded, have it back Germany… you win nothing with eejits

I’ll stop now, cause otherwise I could just quote everything they said.

And you can watch them all on youtube; The half time show is where all those quotes are taken from, around two and a half minutes in is the start of the “spoofer” section. But there is also the introduction which had to be split into three sections, and of course the full-time analysis

And Incident of the Tournament must be awarded to Zidane and the headbutt. There’s been a lot of instant condemnation, and while yes it was a stupid fucked up thing to do, we don’t know what Materazzi said to, I want to say deserve but that isn’t right, provoke Zidane’s response. Now obviously a football field is not the place for a headbutt^[2] but I want to know what Materazzi said.

It is really fascinating to see the b’verse covering the world cup and Zidane and the variety of opinions on the headbutt, or as Clicker Conspiracy would have it the “Zizou”:

Zizou - a diabolic bull charge to the chest of an adversary [...] My first reaction when I saw the slow motion replay of our new bovine ritual was to leap out of my seat shouting Thats Impossible! I couldn’t control my glee. And it has only gotten better with repeated viewing. I don’t know what it is about completely random and senseless petty violence that sets me off but this has to be the most poetic execution of such behaviour I have ever seen.

Most people are giving out about it, but to call it the day that football died may be going to far.

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So y’all know what today marks dontcha?

Yup, that’s right, on the 28day of June in 1922^[1] the Irish Civil war broke out as the Free State government ordered the shelling of the Four Courts.

I guess it is in my mind because of TWTSTB, and of course, because of that film I have come to the conclusion that English^[2] people just cannot pronounce O’Donovan. So I want you all to practice, Oh Dun-uh-vun. Not Don as in a professor. That just aint wrong. dun, like he done his woman wrong. Got that? Good, it is quite important.

I’m returning to the issue of the World Cup, so switch off if you want

Only eight left in it now. And Anne, I have a confession. I was cheering for Spain last night. Still you should be happy, cause France won. And played well too, which was nice. by the end of the match I could even believe they might beat Brazil. But that’s getting ahead of ourselves.

I think it may be a sign of age, but didn’t the Spanish team look like group of kids? That Torres fella is so young and dotey looking. Not cute mind. Just a dote. The first time I saw them play I said “they look 12″ and okay, maybe I was exagerating a little, because one or two look 15 or 16, but overall. Young would be my impression of the Spainish.

Was at work, so didn’t watch the Ghana game. Poor Ghana. I didn’t have much hope that they’d beat Brazil, and I was right. But it would’ve been fun if they had.

I didn’t watch England play at the weekend, so maybe they’ve improved^[3] I was watching the hurling. Munster final so it was. Cork and tip. Again, I picked the wrong team and supported Tip, although I’m a big fan of Sean Óg’s, and Diarmuid O’Sullivan’s. And Donal Óg Cusack’s. But still, I spent too many summers in Tipperary not to support them when they are playing. Unless of course they are up against Limerick.

We’ve gone all quiet again in work. The American’s have their history tours this week so thay aren’t around, although I did have to help one student with his spelling yesterday as he wondered about Slainte and Dia Dhuit. Still, three day working week next week. Which will be ever so nice. We have the 4th off to celebrate the Fourth of July^[4] and as it is on a Tues, it seemed a bit silly to come back in on Mon, so I’ve taken the day off and will be in Sligo for a long weekend.

Mind you, I think that we should seriously consider introducing a three day weekend the whole year round. Anyone agree?

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Edit Welcome, Maniac Muslim peoples.

What’s the best thing about the World Cup? Why, Aprés match of course. And what is the best thing about Aprés Match? Why the fact that you can find them all over d’internet. My favourite so far; The Director for the Assimilation of Foreign Games into Gaelic Zones.

Plus, you know, the punching of a Brian kennedy, Chief Musical Gimp.

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Is Sligo turning into the next Limerick^[1] Okay, so Im stirring, but look, bombings, which may, or may not, be related to feuding families.

And onto the world cup, did you watch England play? Was a good match I thought, not great, but 4 goals made it entertaining enough. And poor old Michael Owen. That’s his world cup over and done with, in the 2nd minute, forced to crawl over the sideline. Bet Sven’s glad he brought Walcott with him instead of an established striker, isn’t he?
And then there was his taking Rooney off, and all the camera showing the huge hissy fit Rooney threw^[2]

I was supporting England last night, I wanted them to score a load of goals. Mainly because was hoping that Trinidad & Tobago would beat Paraguay and so go through. But it was not to be.

And while I’m discussing the World Cup, is anyone else annoyed^[3] by McDonald’s attempts to persuade us they are Irish, so that we’ll buy their bigger burger and fill the gap left by the fact that we didn’t qualify? I mean, despite your glocalisation^[4] attempts you are still an international company that doesn’t give a shite about the countries you operate in once you make a profit^[5]

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That has to have been the worst match of the World Cup so far. The US did nothing but foul, and the Italians did nothing but dive. Terrible, terrible game.

I wasn’t too pushed either way when it started, I know I mentioned Italy in the list of about three billion teams that I might support, but honestly, I didn’t really care who won. I assume Italy would walk it and was hoping to see some good goals. Instead what did we get? Stupid, brainless fouling from the US, and the Italians not playing. Or maybe this is as good as they get. Tell you what, in this group I’m cheering for Ghana.

And for once, all those yellow and red cards were actually deserved.

And why on earth did none of the Italians ever look across the line to check whether or not they were offside? Although, in fairness I think twice the linesman was over-eager. But still, they didn’t deserve to win. But neither did the US, despite their definite heart and will to win, becasue they were playing dirty. They should introduce negative points for shite matches.

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In the past 30 minutes I have managed to spill water down my top and stick a wall staple-type-thing in my finger. I wonder what the third will be?

Still, can’t complain as the good weather has stayed longer than expected. Well sorta. It isn’t as warm as it has been, and there is a bit of a wind, but the sun is shining, and it hasn’t rained, so it’s all good.

I’m not going to mention the World Cup till the group stages are over, then I’ll give my impressions of the games I’ve watched, but isn’t it annoying that we aren’t in it?^[1] In other sporting news, I did manage to get out of bed in time to listen to Ireland play New Zealand^[2] but I think this Sat I’ll have to get up a little earlier and actually head to the pub to watch it. The radio is okay, but you really have no idea what is going on, especially when the commentator can’t talk fact enough to keep up with the action, or describes people passing the ball backwards, knocking on, and being turned over as losing the ball. I mean, get a different term.

Almost missed Bones last night, totally forgot it was on. Luckily Grey’s Anatomy started with a double episode last night and so I was just flicking around when the teaser of Bones ended and was able to watch most of it. Even luckier considering that for once this seems like an arcy episode. Does this mean we are near the end of the series?

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