mediation XI (an early Valentine)

Also, Karlos has Fox Sports World so I´ve been happy as a little pig in some glorious mud watching EPL whenever my greedy little hands get the remote. Today I saw Man U beat WBA one-nil. WBA played well, maybe even well enough to deserve a goal, but cést la vie. Also Liverpool beat Southampton one-nil (thank heavens!) -- Sinama-Pongolle in the first half, which made me happy since I think he´s quite an asset. He´s young, and French, more´s the pity, but he has great energy and an eye for passing as well as for scoring, which is more than one can say about Cisse (not to speak illof the injured). They didn´t broadcast that game, however.

I have this to say about watching good football, and in particular, Man U today (Rooney was back, bless his thick thuggish neck) -- it is an immensely satisfying experience. It has all the elements of a good day at work: it requires concentration, it requires a sense of humor, there is a need for honor and balance (and when it´s a good game both of those abound), and the energy flows just as much in the languid moments as it does in periods of intense activity.

Graham Poll officiated, bless his heart, which always tears me apart the tiniest bit because he takes himself so seriously (they make ironic T Shirts with his silhouette and the caption is "The Graham Poll Fan Club: He´s Making Good Decisions!") -- but I´ll say this for him -- he knows how to keep a game going.

Watching them play together is just an absolute joy. It´s different than watching a Liverpool game -- my heart is always in my throat, then, and although I think on balance Benitez is doing quite well, the Reds still play as disparate parts (the Armada, Stevie, assorted Finns & Frogs) that sometimes come together as a team, rather than as a team, full stop.

Ah, but to watch Manchester United in fine form! Giggsy running like a Welsh Tasmanian devil (he scored). Scholes is always, always, always a treat -- plus Rooney, his truly massive, still-adolescent, fleshy chin jutting out from under his tiny deepset eyes, still eager to prove he was worth the money. Rio knocking everyone back towards the middle -- I´m not a big Rio fan, but he does his job well and I think he´s a good captain. Pat Carroll stunningly magnificent in goal -- kiss Old Trafford goodbye Tim Howard, they don´t need you anymore (is there a curse on American keepers in the EPL? Brad Friedel´s a menace to Blackburn´s tally sheet as well). O´Shea, jumping about, with a lookof perennial disappointment on his face except when someone else scores (how Irish!), and Alan Smith -- didn´t get much of the ball actually, his one attempt bounced off the crossbar, but he´s so cute and blond, what can I say? Ferguson brought on Keano in the second half, which always makes me happy, although I wonder how many seasons he´s got left, and that makes me sad. Ronaldo and his metallic boots I can take or leave but he played well, Heinze too, Nevilles first and second -- you know, your standard Man U lineup when no one´s injured -- but ah, what standards to have!

I love it. I love it with my whole self, all my cells and axons (I know that´s redundant), with my fingernails, my toenails, my eyelashes, my bellybutton, my tastebuds, my synapses come alive, I love seeing them charge down the field almost abreast, Giggsy and Scholesie and Keane, the Old Guard, passing it all around and up to Rooney, to Smith, the present and the future of English football together, all breathing the same fire, all looking for the same sweet spot, be it hit by their foot or someone else´s.

Say what you will about hairdryers and throwing boots and hyperactive mastication, but the Scotsman bloody well knows how to put a team together. If Rooney can avoid the fate of Gazza, and here´s hoping he can, it´ll be due to his mum, Coleen, and Sir Alex. Well, probably not Coleen, actually. She´s a bit pikey. Probably just his mum and Sir Alex.

And ... I´m spent. I would hyperlink it all, but I´m on Karlos´computer and I don´t quite know how the keyboard works (it keeps making this "ç" and I don´t know why or how to stop it).

So, in case I don´t post again before New Year, here is a summary of what I´ve blogged so far:
Ethiopian food, go-go, Red Sox, A Grand Don´t Come For Free, Wonderland, EPL = good.
InDecision 04, strange behaviour from any corner, travelling sans earplugs/discman = bad.

Tra-la!