I probably shouldn't be writing a blog post in the state that I am in right now. The reality is that I lost a good mate. Someone that you could totally rely on. A true supporter of the game today. I write these words in the spirit of himself. Nick Dauner aka Pretzels.
I do realize that I am a shot and a couple pints of Magner's into my evening, just had a few with some of the faithful at the pub. I don't think Pretzels would have had it any other way. Great guy this one was, is, and always will be.
It was nice to see the good bunch out in force, taking over the cafe seating on a very warm October night. It was good to share a few jokes and a few memories. Like a private memorial for a good person who touched all our lives.
I am just glad I had him get a Kooper's burger. It's all about the oppurtunities, you may miss them if you don't grab them. I do hate the whole "seize the day! I just watched that Robin Williams movie bullshit! The reality of it all is that ones flame can be snuffed in an instance.
I know I probably shouldn't be writing anything right now. I said that in the beginning. However, I lost a mate, so please forgive me and indulge my selfish babbling.
Sometimes you are up, sometimes you are down. Sometimes you are relegated.
I'll be seeing Pretzels on the terraces, one day, I know that's an immortal truth.
There's only one Nick Dauner There's only one Nick Dauner walking along, singing a song walking in a Dauner wonderland!
Champions league mid-week group stages for me only mean one thing and one thing only... I will not and can not call out sick to enjoy a few pints at the pub. From what I understand though. This mid-week might have been one to enjoy at least for 92 minutes.
A Certain Scouser decided to give me a few updates, while I was deciding on whether or not a few clients actually qualified as low income or trying to pull one over on good ol' LeChat. The texts started off friendly enough. I mean what more can you ask for. Good friends sending you updates.
Oh, apparently, ChelskiGirl was sending text but I didn't get them because they went to my email. In an effort to save face, she blamed the I-Phone.
I'm looking at you! ChelskiGirl!
So, like Liverpool's chances at winning the league, A Certain Scouser's texts went from this nice friendly tone to garbled letters to rumblings of suicidal tendencies. I tried to give some reassurance but the Scousers were playing O'Lyon.
In order to keep some semblance of mental notes that I try to gather here and espouse onto my causal and not so casual readers, I must admit I am partial to Lyon in Ligue 1. However at the time, I did not realize who the Scousers were playing. My condolences were heart-felt though.
OL OL OL
Anyways, let me get away from Scousers for a moment. I do value my life and wallet and recently did get my car back from the mechanic. All wheels are currently attached and I still have my stereo.
Monday evening, I want to definitely give a shout out to Sheffield. Texting You Fill Up My Senses made for a better day than the one I was actually having. Cheers Mate!
OH! Interesting news. I don't know how many of you follow the Show Racism the Red Card campaign but it is one of the few movements out there that I actually give a care about. It seems that after the Rangers lost to whoever they were playing, there was some amount of racial abuse hurled towards Maurice Edu as he was getting into his car to go home.
Here you have a case of a player at his home ground receiving racial abuse from the knuckle dragging miscreants who consider themselves supporters of their club. Now I know I am not holier than thou or anything like that and I've said a few things myself but nothing of this kind of magnitude. Here's the article, if you care.
Oh and thanks to a good friend of mine for showing me this article as well. Not to change the subject but I'll just quote part of it from the IrishTimes.
French soccer manager Raymond Domenech is public enemy number one in Ireland after dismissing the Irish soccer team as second-rated has-beens.
"They are the England Bs,” he told an Irish journalist with a Gallic shrug.
"There won’t be any surprises in the World Cup play-offs," he sniffed. "We know precisely what to expect.”
This weeks blog, like my beautiful little Volkswagen, is having a hard time starting. I am sure that the finishing will be much better than what the Scousers had going on this weekend however. (Apologies to all my Scouse friends, you may want to stop reading now.) I believe there was some kind of benefit or get-together on Friday. I only picked up a smattering of what was going on from A Certain Scouser after I was a couple beers into a happy hour before band practice. Needless to say I was unable to attend. I do enjoy their little soirees.
However, I will admit. The beach ball party on Saturday morning was a lot more fun.
Alright, alright, I can feel the ice-picks being thrown across the intertubes now.
So I wasn't in a hurry to watch the first match. I really didn't care too much, either way. I slept in for a few and luckily my car decided to start. So far it was appearing to be a good day.
Making my way into the pub, I get stopped by some of the Chelski jokers about my blue colored jacket. It happens all the time. I quickly opened up and pointed to the cannon on my old school top and laughs were had. I was then told to not turn around and look at the screen.
With confusion on my face, I slowly peer over my shoulder and see it. Villa up and Chelski making very little impact. I smiled, yes only smiled and maybe chuckled a bit and waved myself on. I spoke to ChelskiGirl and Mini-Mourinho before heading down to the Arsenal end of the pub.
I am seriously just going to claim the whole back booth area. For some reason, all our games seem to be on at the same time as the Scousers. And with Irish being a Scouse loving Irishman, we know whose going to be on the main screen. No offense on that, like I've said before, hardest working man in the business. Plus the Scousers do have a rather large contingent, even on beach ball day.
LilBlondieGooner and her man were at the end of the bar. First thing that comes out of her mouth was something along the lines of 'You're late, I expected you to be here already.' Not much I could say, except I decided to sleep in and no one cares about Chelski playing Villa. I now stand corrected.
Also, apparently you can order fruit and toast. Yes, fruit and toast. Go figure.
Well I settle down in the back booths after making some Joe Cole comments and order up some breakfast. A little more substantial than fruit and toast. However this prompts LilBlondieGooner into calling me fat. So I am keeping that one in a little notebook. She will get hers. *insert evil laughter*
I have to admit, nothing too exciting happened. The Gunners showed up, a little sloppy to say the least. Someone started singing 99 Red Balloons after Sunderland scored against the Scousers. Well it was sung quite a few times but no one could get past the beginning of the song.
I did give consolations to my Scouse friends. It was really a dubious decision by the Ref, who by the way, is always a bastard. I was reading in the Guardian about how it should have been disallowed, which is what my immediate thought was.
I might be an annoying Gooner sometimes, but HEY, I do know what's fair and what some of the more obscure rules of the game, for the most part. It is nice to have some kind of confirmation of the fact without having to look it up in a rule book.
Anyways, it was a positive, albeit London weather like, Saturday for the pub and football, and most of all the Arsenal. Everyone dropping points, except for the bloody Scum. I still can't believe they are one point ahead of us.
Yah, Game in Hand, I know. Still Scum sit above The Arsenal in the table. Sunday
My Sunday was suppose to be heading down to the pub to harass City and catch up with ACMilan. However, German engineering sought to derail my attempts at forming a resistance by staging an occupation of my back yard. Or the Scousers nicked my starter. Someone is plotting against me. So I spent most of the day figuring out that my battery was not the issue and that I would have to go to a real mechanic.
What do you Germans and Scousers have in common...
The English version. You know, whatever you do, don't mention the war.
OH I need to pass on this story, as well. ACMilan, which I must mention, calls me late in the day with a wonderful tale that needed to be witnessed. He sends me an MMS with himself posing with a bunch of guys from a reggae band. He calls it his good luck charm.
Apparently, when all hope was lost. These guys started setting up to perform at the pub that night. ACMilan asked if they could hold off for a bit while the game was finishing. They agreed and were messing around a bit. ACMilan said they started playing Three Little Birds, and Milan started playing like they were all a bunch of 20 year olds, coming back and winning their match against Roma.
He said the music just fit, everything was just working, clicking on all cylinders. Then he started singing, "Don't worry bout a thing, cause every little thing, is going to be alright." Which I will admit, hearing ACMilan singing Bob Marley, was a highlight on a rather dismal Sunday.
MONDAY - World Cup Playoff Draw
As many of you may or may not know, I do not get much time to access the intertubes from work. Today, during my lunch, half not thinking, I decide to have a look at the good old Guardian. The Guardian goes well with cheesesteak subs apparently.
Very interesting indeed. I was expecting the draw to go a little different. I did not expect to be drawn against the Irish. It's going to make for a very uncomfortable mid-November at the pub. My only consolation is knowing that the French games will be on the big screen. I hope that SlainteLOSC does decide to turn up. United we must stand in a sea of green.
I must point out that this still does not discredit my World Cup conspiracy theory. It just proves it, more or less. Ireland could actually be a contender but what would FIFA do if they actually took the thing? Seriously, if Ireland does get lucky and beat France, then at least they can say they beat one of the better teams out there and have proof that they are a serious contender. My guess is there is always wishful thinking or luck of the Irish. HA!
