NR Commentary

Manchester United’

Discrimination

The Evra vs. Suarez Racism Extravaganza: When Clubs React and Shouldn’t

by Miriti Murungi

Dial It Back

The Guardian’s Marina Hyde wrote an incisive article framing the slightly absurd aftermath of the Patrice Evra-Luis Suarez incident. If you happened to miss the storm, Evra accused Suarez of racially abusing him at least ten times during last weekend’s Liverpool-Manchester United match. Hyde’s basic point was a simple one: when it comes to the he said-she said, don’t jump to conclusions. But there is one conclusion that is safe to draw from this saga: when two people take diametrically opposing views on whether an incident of this nature happened, not once, but ten times, someone is engaging in high-level, pre-meditated fabrication.

Now, no question, Evra’s allegation is a serious one, but it isn’t the only serious issue raised by the incident. The reaction by the players’ respective clubs should at least raise an eyebrow, if not both. (more…)

Matches

MLS All-Stars vs. Manchester United: An Exercise in Comparison

by Miriti Murungi

Apples to Oranges

People have their opinions on MLS. The level of play, the format, the league’s handling of investment, and referees, among other things, are regular topics of debate. Sounds like a regular league, right? But that’s not enough to stop the comparisons.

Making comparisons is part of our DNA. And I’m not talking about soccer fans; I’m talking about humans. We compare what exists to what we are familiar with. We compare our romantic relationships to our parents’ relationships and the contrived relations we see on TV and in movies. We judge the state of our economies, not by what is, but by comparing what is to what was. Our relationship with soccer is no different. (more…)

Musings

MLS All-Star Game featuring Manchester United and Stephen Colbert

by Clive Longbottom-Fellow, Esq.

Manchester United will be playing the MLS All-Stars on July 27 at Red Bull Arena. This is the second consecutive year that the English Premier League giants will be crossing the pond to face MLS’ finest. It will be a high profile match in one of the league’s premier soccer-specific venues.

A game of this stature, that will surely feature some of the world’s best players, deserves a halftime show to match. (more…)

Fashion & Gear

Nutmeg Radio’s Cool Station: Who Are Ya Designs’ MAN UTD Shirt

by Clive Longbottom-Fellow, Esq.

Manchester United RUN DMC

If I liked Manchester United, I would definitely get this shirt. But I don’t.

For all you Manchester United fans, don’t let that stop you though. We may not support the same team, but I can appreciate a cool shirt when I see one. That’s why this Run-DMC-style MAN UTD shirt from Who Are Ya Designs gets some love on Nutmeg Radio’s Station Cool. (more…)

Uncategorized

Daily Banter – 10.22.2010

by Clive Longbottom-Fellow, Esq.

Yesterday I didn’t care about the doom surrounding Wayne Rooney’s inevitable departure from Manchester United. Today, he’s signed a five-year extension and will presumably be staying at United. BREAKING: I still don’t care. I long for the past when a story wasn’t a story until it was a story. Rooney expressing a desire (more…)

Uncategorized

Daily Banter – 10.21.2010

by Clive Longbottom-Fellow, Esq.

Is it wrong if I’m not particularly moved by Wayne Rooney’s sudden interest in leaving Manchester United? I know his tussle with Alex Ferguson is supposed to be … or rather, is big news, but really, how many dramatic transfers can happen before transfers just aren’t that dramatic anymore? In other news, Somali Islamist group Al-Shabaab cut off the hand and leg of a young school boy in Somalia. Maybe I’m just influenced by the order I read the news on any given day, but (more…)

Globalization

There Goes the Neighborhood

by Clive Longbottom-Fellow, Esq.

Ahsan Ali Syed

The past few years have seen an influx of investors from the Far East, India, and the Middle East looking to break into the English game. Worries about diluting the purity of the English game have become the issue du jour.

These sentiments are not restricted to England. Italy has struggled with the introduction of “others” into Italian society. France’s inverse love affair with African and Arab populations is well documented. This same narrative can be found in immigration debates in the United States where conservatives continuously harp on about our immigrant nation losing itself through, well, immigration. (more…)

Uncategorized

Daily Banter – 7.29.2010

by Clive Longbottom-Fellow, Esq.

Last night, Manchester United put a sound beating on the MLS All-Stars in front of a record crowd at Houston’s Reliant Stadium. The final score was 5-2 to the boys from Manchester. For some reason, this result was sad for some MLS fans. But it shouldn’t be. Everyone just needs to take a deep breath, count to ten, and reflect on what really transpired. (more…)

Culture

Manchester Comes to New York; Some People Care, Others Drink Lemonade

by Miriti Murungi

Bridge Adebayor Toure

They’re here, they’re there, they’re _____ everywhere!

Last week, Manchester City continued its quest to take over the world in New York’s Chinatown. A host of City players, including Kolo Toure, Wayne Bridge, Emmanuel Adebayor, Micah Richards, Joe Hart, and Shaun Wright-Phillips, broke out in a game of pick up soccer much to the pleasure of the handful of City supporters and curious bystanders.

While gasps of, “Oh my God, that’s [fill in overpaid player's name],” echoed amongst the spectators, only a few feet away, New York residents were sitting on benches, playing basketball, and picking their noses, oblivious to the fact that one-third of this year’s best baby momma drama was playing soccer just steps away. (more…)

Musings

Football Managers And Their Mind Games

by The Chairman

Mind Games

The Classless One

Following Inter Milan’s 3-2 aggregate win over Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final at Camp Nou, Jose Mourinho said the following:

“This is the best loss of my life. It is a shame I couldn’t play: I would have been awful on the pitch but I would have shed blood as my players did”.

Judging by his classless romp around the football pitch, it is increasingly evident that Jose Mourinho suffers from an inferiority complex.  I fully understand that the Special One’s teams thrive off of an ‘Us against the World’ mentality, however after the battle has been waged and won, it is imperative that the victors not needlessly shame the losers.   (more…)

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