They will play a very big role in the test matches.Monty Panesar is doing very well at themoment, picking up 6 wickets in the second test against NZ. SA spinner Paul Harris had also done well in his last few test matches. They will be veryinteresting to watch.A very exiciting summer with loads of cricket is on its way!. The idea of racism in Brazil must be shocking to some. Hard to believe that such a cosmopolitan country could suffer from this ill.The reality is that racism does exist in Brazilian football at a national level and, to a much lesser extent, at club level as well.Brazil boasts of all colours and creeds, but within the society the ugly face of racism surfaces and exposes our backward ways of thinking regarding certain issues.Racism in Brazil is of the worst kind the kind of racism which people do not even realise is racism.
I am not talking about jeers and antics but of attitudes and choices.An example would be Dida. When he was first called to the national side, commentators would openly debate his ethnicity on television. Comments like “I don’t remember us ever having a black goalie before” were common and went by unopposed by the public or any entity.Many people worldwide don’t know that the Brazilian team is not only picked on merit but the captain and goalie must be good looking, as these two often appear isolated and are very much publicised.Things are slowly changing but by “good looking” the idea was that they had to be white as crude and ugly as that sounds. Unfortunately, these views are openly discussed on television and in magazines.In a 2008 article in an inboard magazine of one of the largest airlines in Brazil it openly states, about the 50th anniversary of Brazil’s first title, that the captain of 1958 was chosen because of his “looks” and not his skills.So it’s the worst kind of racism accepted racism tolerated and unopposed.Poor old Dida had to undergo constant criticism by the media with every error scrutinised to death. Today he may be the best goalie Brazil has but not the best looking.There is a member of the women’s national side called Pretinha This is actually written on her back while she plays. It means in English: Little Blackey.While coaching Gremio Luis Felipe Scolari the current Portuguese coach was secretly taped making racist remarks about a member of the opposing team.
The fact he said those things is bad enough but the fact it was on television and everywhere with nothing coming out of the incident is even worse and consistent with Brazilian tolerance for these things.The incidents go on and on and where Brazil has had a couple of African-origin captains, and well, Dida in goal. However, change is slow in coming and appearance still matters a great deal as the football team is considered the country`s face overseas.Older generations with outdated thinking still remain at the helm of Brazilian football, and the public seem to challenge very little they themselves are only now coming out of a dictatorship mentality where ideals are never challenged.. I just hope he does it somewhere in the western conference.Next, the issue of a new coach will be the focus.With the draft being in Ottawa this year, it is important that the Sens have all hands on deck for the event, meaning a coach needs to be in place before everyone’s favorite demonic imp, Gary Bettman, takes the stage in Ottawa.Brian Murray has confirmed that Craig Hartsburg, Bob Harley, and Peter DeBoer have already been interviewed and has suggested that he will interview one or two more candidates before narrowing down a short list for a second interview.As accomplished as DeBoer is, I don’t want to see a rookie head coach in Ottawa. This team needs experience, discipline, and accountability.Hartsburg seems a bit too quiet for my liking. Hartley is highly overrated and won his Cup on a stacked Avalanche team (See: Michel Therien, 2008 Pittsburgh Penguins).The guy that is getting some media buzz, and who I would like to see considered, is John Tortorella.The Sens need someone who will breathe some life and some fire into them, someone who will call out their at times lazy stars and even sit them in the press box for a game or two.Vinny Lecavalier once had a similar reputation as Jason Spezza lazy, one- dimensional, uncommitted so much so that the Bolts almost gave up on him in a trade that would have sent him to Ottawa for Radek Bonk (Yes, that Radek Bonk, the one who sucks). Unfortunately the trade was vetoed by ownership at the last minute (that one still hurts).The Senators need some passion on the bench, and as much as I think Tortorella may be crazy, he’s also a great coach.Stay tuned for Part Two: The Draft and Free Agency…. It was not too long ago when we had players who shared the same passionate views as that of the fans of their clubs.
They played with heart and fought for the colours they wore on their backs.”My Oh My” have those times passed! PASSION AND LOYALTY IS REPLACED WITH MONEYPassion for the game is no longer what drives our players these days,instead these players prefer to play all for the money. Loyalty, pride, moral values have all beenstrewn to the wind as our players join the shameless race of who can bank the most cash!Players have become soobsessed with money that theyactually give up salaries of around $800,000 (I would love to work for that amount) for somemillions!Honestly I did not mind this at first, because i just saw it as acareer move, but now it’s happening on a much larger andalarming stage.This is just PURE GREED!I also recently realized that slowly, players are not being judged by their footballing skills but by the price tags that they wear The higher the price of the player, thebetter he is. The lower the price of the player, the bigger waste of time he is.Though a player who has been purchased at a low price shows a “surprising amount of skill,” it is suddenly robbery and a case of “how did we let that slip through our fingers?”Even the clubs have become less like clubs and more akin to businesses! It is hard and very sad to admit it but these are mostly our big clubs like, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United,Liverpool, Real Madrid, Barcelona, etc!Everyday they find new ways of making money and plot differentschemes in order to make a profit. In the end the only people who suffer are the fans, who are subject to payingridiculous prices just to see the teams that they love and supported all their lives.Like I said before…
PURE GREED!Our managers are also being affected by this new craze. Over eight managers have been axed ruthlessly by their clubs this season in the BPL. Don’t get me wrong, if you are doing poorly “consistently” then it’s time to leave.But that is simply not the case!Not too long ago managers were able to getsufficient time in order to organize their teams and develop their clubs. However, these days, managers are being sacked because results are not being shown instantly.This will never work because if every manager was to show instant results the ultimate result would still be the same…
