a note for first-timers

If it's your first time here and you're new to blogs, the first post you'll see is the most recent so that's where you should be ending, rather than starting. Otherwise, carry on...

Please, feel free to comment - you know you want to.

the youth of today

On the way home from the gym this evening (yes, I was at the gym), I walked past a group of young children playing football in a fenced-off area beside a church on a mild summer evening. It's the sort of scene seen countless times in American films (albeit the children would be playing basketball or some such thing) as an idylic backdrop to whatever's actually happening in the movie.

One youngster - a particularly small and scrawny fellow - had hold of the ball and was getting in some much-needed keepy-uppy practice. Another lad - obviously older on account of his rather chubby and much taller stature - called for the first boy to pass him the ball. Our young Ronaldinho, rather than passing his round friend the ball, played it over his head and into the goal behind him, much to the amusement of two of the other boys playing with them.

Now, this incensed Bellé and he began screaming obscenities at the child half his size. Not satisified with merely bullying him verbally, he proceeded to project a blob of saliva at him to show his disgust at not being given the ball he'd damn-well asked for!

Clearly, Bellé has developed his spitting skills to a much greater extent than his footballing skills and, loath as I am to admit it, I had to admire the distance he was able to achieve at such a young age - it must have been a good ten feet before landing just short of his terrified target. Were I to attempt such a feat, I have no doubt - and no shortage of shame in admitting - that it would most likely have ended up all over my own chin or down my front. But then I've not put in the hours of practice Bellé clearly has.

But what a thing to do! One can only imagine either his parents spit around the house - somewhat unlikely, but possible - or he's seen it on TV and is copying one of his "idols". Perhaps he didn't feel it appropriate to do a full Zidane and instead opted for a lesser display of aggression.

Positively disgraceful. What is the world coming to?