Posted by Sean on July 20, 2008
As regular readers can see, my blogging has been sparse over the last few weeks. I just finished a three week teaching blitz of a Western Civilization course at Santa Monica High School. The class was part of Santa Monica Community College’s dual enrollment program which allows high school students to take classes for college credit. The class was everyday, 8-11 a.m. I haven’t woken up so early since I worked in a stove factory over fifteen years ago.
Rushing through 500 years of history has never been so daunting. The class was enjoyable and the students remarkably bright. One thing that struck me about the high school is how it resembled a prison. I guess Gilles Deleuze was on to something when he wrote that modernity initiates,
The organization of vast spaces of enclosure. The individual never ceases passing from one closed environment to another, each having its own laws: first ..read more
Posted by Sean on June 26, 2008
Russian and Spanish fans scuffled in Vienna before game time. In Moscow, security was tight with an extra 4000 cops on the beat. It was all for not as Russia went down 0-3 to Spain on Thursday, dashing the hopes of a nation. Will little Guus Evgenevich Gorodnikov look to change his name? Ger Clancy, aka The Irishman, explains why the Russians fell and why Russian football has a bright future.
After all the thrills, hype, endless column inches and rave reviews by the pundits, Russia’s Euro 2008 adventure came to an end tonight in a soaking wet Vienna. Tired, leaden-footed and without inspiration, Russia were thumped 3-0 by an excellent Spanish team who now look odds-on favourites to lift the trophy on Sunday night. Spain almost entirely dominated the match and were deserving winners. For the Russians the tournament is over. All that remains are their goodbyes to Austria-Switzerland ..read more
Posted by Sean on June 25, 2008
Russia tries to keep up the momentum as it looks to face Spain on Thursday. Ger Clancy, our ever loving Irishman, breaks down Russia’s run and their chances for the cup.
After more than 16 years in the doldrums, Russian football is finally going places. Not since Euro ’88 have Russian footballers seen the second round of any international major tournament. Now their inspired victory over a highly-rated Dutch team, who had swept away all before them, has landed them a Euro 2008 semi-final spot against Spain. Sure, the Russians have not been without some good fortune in their quest. Nevertheless they are certainly deserving of a semi-final place and their attacking football in the last two games has won them over on the side of many neutrals. The Russians are a win away from a finals appearance, and two from a championship win. This was a possibility unthinkable ..read more
Posted by Sean on June 22, 2008
Posted by Sean on June 21, 2008
Posted by Sean on November 23, 2007
By Ger Clancy , the Irishman
One of football’s most endearing and at the same time frustrating qualities is its ability to propel the weak to the summit, send the great into ignominy and deny an expected victor its spoils at the death. The Russian national team tasted the latter on Saturday night in Tel-Aviv and, in keeping with recent disasters, were entirely responsible themselves for their misfortune. But fate alone didn’t create the events at Ramat-Gan. Not only did Russia play badly; they played terribly. Their performance was what one might have expected from Israel. But already having been eliminated from Euro 2008 in all but name, Israel played like a team on the cusp of dumping football’s old money out of the competition and earning a famous qualification themselves.
Tales of teams with nothing to lose collecting major scalps are nothing new in football. Israel has caused France, ..read more
