On the subject "Exposed in Red" we next turn to the sporting world. In London. In this building:
There has been some hacking going on there too in the last while. On Saturday Blackburn "Rovers" F.C. beat Arsenal F.C. the only way Blackburn could beat Arsenal: with a second-rate Arsenal lineup...on a shot that the Arsenal goalkeeper swatted as if he was playing volleyball...knocking it into the path of another Blackburn guy... who hacked and scuffed it into the turf...causing it to bounce in the air...then off the goal post...nothing but net. Ah jeez.
That embarrassment knocked Arsenal out of the Football Association (FA) Cup. That combined with today's exposure by Bayern Munich in the same building may knock Arsene Wegner out of the manager's box. Wenger is a brilliant manager, one of the best in the world. He hacked on that lineup card against Blackburn, though. He fielded a reduced roster to save his stars for Bayern in the Champions League, thinking that Arsenal's second string could beat second division "Rovers" at home.
They expect greatness at Emirates Stadium in North London. They haven't gotten it since 2005. Arsenal has not won a single trophy in eight years. They had a hacker's chance in the FA Cup. They had no chance to be European "Cham-Pee-Ons!" Yet Wenger sent out Team Pink against Blackburn. Arsenal is owned by an American, Stan Kroenke, who charges the highest ticket prices in the English Premier League, whose team plays in a massive new stadium in a high-rent district in one of the world's most glamorous cities, who gets gobs of TV money, who makes money hand-over-fist. Yet Arsenal have sold their best players to others teams in recent years. To make more money. It's the Americanization of an English football club. Anyone who has seen a professional basketball game in New York or Los Angeles or Miami will recognize the scene described in the Daily Mirror:
Arsenal...attract some spectators who may not be there primarily for the football. A season ticket holder writes to say that, at a recent match, two male supporters in front of him were discussing cheese when the linesman put his flag up for a free-kick. The ensuing conversation went like this:
FAN 1: "What was that for?"
FAN 2: "He was offside."
FAN 1: (sounding impressed):"How come you know so much about football?"
FAN 2: "I don't. I heard the chap behind me say it."
To see and be seen. The scene's the thing, not the football.
That embarrassment knocked Arsenal out of the Football Association (FA) Cup. That combined with today's exposure by Bayern Munich in the same building may knock Arsene Wegner out of the manager's box. Wenger is a brilliant manager, one of the best in the world. He hacked on that lineup card against Blackburn, though. He fielded a reduced roster to save his stars for Bayern in the Champions League, thinking that Arsenal's second string could beat second division "Rovers" at home.
They expect greatness at Emirates Stadium in North London. They haven't gotten it since 2005. Arsenal has not won a single trophy in eight years. They had a hacker's chance in the FA Cup. They had no chance to be European "Cham-Pee-Ons!" Yet Wenger sent out Team Pink against Blackburn. Arsenal is owned by an American, Stan Kroenke, who charges the highest ticket prices in the English Premier League, whose team plays in a massive new stadium in a high-rent district in one of the world's most glamorous cities, who gets gobs of TV money, who makes money hand-over-fist. Yet Arsenal have sold their best players to others teams in recent years. To make more money. It's the Americanization of an English football club. Anyone who has seen a professional basketball game in New York or Los Angeles or Miami will recognize the scene described in the Daily Mirror:
Arsenal...attract some spectators who may not be there primarily for the football. A season ticket holder writes to say that, at a recent match, two male supporters in front of him were discussing cheese when the linesman put his flag up for a free-kick. The ensuing conversation went like this:
FAN 1: "What was that for?"
FAN 2: "He was offside."
FAN 1: (sounding impressed):"How come you know so much about football?"
FAN 2: "I don't. I heard the chap behind me say it."
To see and be seen. The scene's the thing, not the football.
