Just in case you didn't notice (actually I haven't done much yet to help you), the
lite part in
futbolite is a way for me to dare and wander in anything other than football. Because, yes, unlike what some people might
think I do breathe, eat, drink and s*** without football on my mind.
I had
Mark's same dilemma on Thursday watching prime time television. Admitting that normally my linguistic competences limit my choice, this time I could actually zap between intelligible-sounding channels, namely Rockpolitik on Italian (state) tv, the MTV EMAs and various football matches (in German or French, but thank God watching football does not trouble much the left cerebral hemisphere)...you see I'm at it again! What promised to be a spoilt-for-choice situation could almost degenerate into a prize for the most pathetic tv entertainment, which nowadays seems to be the order of the day.
Presuming I could bear only the music on Celentano's show, including the fabulous Crozza and
Cornacchione, I was rather looking forward for a couple of performances at the EMAs. Madonna is always fascinating. At 47 her live act is still powerful and spectacular. She's always had producers who allow her to 'make all the others look like a bunch of amateurs', in Mr Robbie Williams' words. The latter was also fun as he's always somewhat unpredictable (actually I'd like to go to one of his concerts). Coldplay are good and their sound is rather complete notwithstanding being
snubbed by some (yes, please do have a look at the link). But that deserves another blog.
What bugs me most is the dismal and horrid multinational that MTV has become (for quite a number of years now), where music has long been relegated in terms of the station's sell-to-teenagers target. Of course you have to take such awards with a pinch of salt. It takes just a look at the various categories of nominees to figure out that what mattered most were the 13 million teenagers who 'voted' and the coverage the commercial partners (even bigger than MTV) get. The
legendary Black Eyed Peas together with U2, Coldplay and The Gorillaz for 'best group' says it all (oh, so Black Eyed Peas are actually a group! hmmm).
Anyway, I ended up missing on some (and they were indeed a few) good parts of Rockpolitik, missing half of Coldplay's performance and not knowing any of the Uefa cup matches results...;)
It cannot really be hailed as a literary masterpiece. But one of the autobiographies I enjoyed most was certainly George Best's. His life had enough to fill way more volumes than his own 'Blessed'. These days a lot will be written on one of the most talented and contrasting figures of the game. I will not even attempt to go through the cliche' of his ups and downs and his career highlights and misfortunes.
This is why I'd like to remember him like this, the 1968 European champion and Golden Ball winner: the fifth beatle, the first football icon, the flair player who took the mickey out of the opposing defenders, the kid from Northern Ireland who would never have the chance to play in a world cup, who could confuse even Matt Busby, the lover of women....and uncluckily his own destruction.
