At some point in time everything in the realm of comedy -- well the non-Dane Cooke comedy of the world -- veered toward the arena of irony. Call it the 'Seinfeld' effect.
That said, I doubt the PA man at Old Trafford was going that route when he began piping in Tina Turner's 'Simply the Best' through the stadium loudspeakers after Manchester United clinched the 2008-09 Premier League title after a sleep-inducing -- for me anyway -- 0-0 draw with Arsenal Saturday.
It's quite doubtful that man chose the song, hoping to conjure some laughes for those like me, who associate the treacly song with some classic David Brent material. See for yourself here since I'm against embedding for ebedding's sake.
I hate to crib from 'Saturday Night Live' of all places, but really Old Trafford? That's the best you got to celebrate? Tina Turner, 'We Are the Champions' and a couple decent M-U standbys. At least you didn't go the 'Celebration' route.
Long story short, the sports world needs better celebration music at all levels.
And yeah, the Red Devils are champs for the third time in a row.
As I write this late Sunday night I find myself somewhat drawing a blank about the Manchester United championship run. Yes, the Red Devils were consistent throughout and went about and probably went an entire season's worth of 'Lost' episodes without losing a game in the Premier League over the winter.
For whatever the reason, this campaign didn't jump off the page like last year's. Maybe it was because it was the third time around. Perhaps it was because Cristiano Ronaldo wasn't consistently as out-of-this-world on a weekly basis as he was last season.
United this year were essentially a machine, with the main pistons the twin monsters in the central defense of Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand. In short, barring a slip-up from either of those players, you weren't scoring on United this year.
In turn, of the 27 wins so far by United with a game at Hull to go, nine came by a 1-0 margin and another eight by one-goal. So it wasn't exactly like United were blowing doors off each weekend, they were simply getting results and only had that one rough spell when they lost back-to-back to Liverpool and Fulham.
And there's something comendable about that kind of team.
It doesn't exactly get me churning words out of my keyboard, though.
Credit Sir Alex Ferguson. He rotated his squad with aplomb, centering the weekly lineup around Vidic, Ferdinand, Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney. Granted, it's not tough when you have the option of going with either Michael Carrick or Anderson in the midfield or John O'Shea or Rafael. Or Giggs or Fletcher or Park or whomever. Fergie even coaxed magic out of Federico Macheda's three senior appearances.
Again, take this in the context of Manchester United is the biggest club in the world and has more money (even with the confounding debt scenario), but United opted for quality over quantity and put equal faith in youth for fresh legs.
Are you paying attention Real Madrid, et al?
***
I hate short-changing the relegation affair, but right now my head is spinning and thinking about all the permutations isn't going to do me any favors. Rest assured I'll break this out during the week, time permitting.
Really quickly, adios West Brom. We hardly knew ye. Party is at Roman Bednar's house, apparently.
* Maybe the summary of Newcastle's United plight -- Fabricio Colocinni seated next to Jonas Guitteriez on the bench in the second half of a 1-0 loss to Fulham at St. James. Tons of hair, no talent.
* Mark Schwarzer...I was wrong. He's got game.
* So does Clint Dempsey.
* Chelsea's new form-fitting 2009-10 kit? Err...aren't most Chelsea fans, fat dudes with shaved heads and fat guts? Should be fun.
* Tottenham vs. City, first half, Spurs could have had ten goal -- nine from Jermain Defoe.
* Everyone assumes that today's Portsmouth/Sunderland will be a snoozer. Watch it turn into a thriller.
* In the fantasy game, Kent Darcy's La Academia is doing a victory lap with a week remaining. Unlike Manchester United, his result next week doesn't effect the relegation maelstrom. Penultimate top round honors go to Ian Podraza's Riffs and Bridges FC with 80 points -- playing himself to fifth place and a mythological fantasy Europa League spot. An all-around solid lineup led by Steven Gerrard, Ricardo Fuller and Vidic got the job done.
That's all I got for this morning. Apologies if it feels like I'm going out with about as much gusto as Aston Villa.
That said, I doubt the PA man at Old Trafford was going that route when he began piping in Tina Turner's 'Simply the Best' through the stadium loudspeakers after Manchester United clinched the 2008-09 Premier League title after a sleep-inducing -- for me anyway -- 0-0 draw with Arsenal Saturday.
It's quite doubtful that man chose the song, hoping to conjure some laughes for those like me, who associate the treacly song with some classic David Brent material. See for yourself here since I'm against embedding for ebedding's sake.
I hate to crib from 'Saturday Night Live' of all places, but really Old Trafford? That's the best you got to celebrate? Tina Turner, 'We Are the Champions' and a couple decent M-U standbys. At least you didn't go the 'Celebration' route.
Long story short, the sports world needs better celebration music at all levels.
And yeah, the Red Devils are champs for the third time in a row.
As I write this late Sunday night I find myself somewhat drawing a blank about the Manchester United championship run. Yes, the Red Devils were consistent throughout and went about and probably went an entire season's worth of 'Lost' episodes without losing a game in the Premier League over the winter.
For whatever the reason, this campaign didn't jump off the page like last year's. Maybe it was because it was the third time around. Perhaps it was because Cristiano Ronaldo wasn't consistently as out-of-this-world on a weekly basis as he was last season.
United this year were essentially a machine, with the main pistons the twin monsters in the central defense of Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand. In short, barring a slip-up from either of those players, you weren't scoring on United this year.
In turn, of the 27 wins so far by United with a game at Hull to go, nine came by a 1-0 margin and another eight by one-goal. So it wasn't exactly like United were blowing doors off each weekend, they were simply getting results and only had that one rough spell when they lost back-to-back to Liverpool and Fulham.
And there's something comendable about that kind of team.
It doesn't exactly get me churning words out of my keyboard, though.
Credit Sir Alex Ferguson. He rotated his squad with aplomb, centering the weekly lineup around Vidic, Ferdinand, Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney. Granted, it's not tough when you have the option of going with either Michael Carrick or Anderson in the midfield or John O'Shea or Rafael. Or Giggs or Fletcher or Park or whomever. Fergie even coaxed magic out of Federico Macheda's three senior appearances.
Again, take this in the context of Manchester United is the biggest club in the world and has more money (even with the confounding debt scenario), but United opted for quality over quantity and put equal faith in youth for fresh legs.
Are you paying attention Real Madrid, et al?
***
I hate short-changing the relegation affair, but right now my head is spinning and thinking about all the permutations isn't going to do me any favors. Rest assured I'll break this out during the week, time permitting.
Really quickly, adios West Brom. We hardly knew ye. Party is at Roman Bednar's house, apparently.
* Maybe the summary of Newcastle's United plight -- Fabricio Colocinni seated next to Jonas Guitteriez on the bench in the second half of a 1-0 loss to Fulham at St. James. Tons of hair, no talent.
* Mark Schwarzer...I was wrong. He's got game.
* So does Clint Dempsey.
* Chelsea's new form-fitting 2009-10 kit? Err...aren't most Chelsea fans, fat dudes with shaved heads and fat guts? Should be fun.
* Tottenham vs. City, first half, Spurs could have had ten goal -- nine from Jermain Defoe.
* Everyone assumes that today's Portsmouth/Sunderland will be a snoozer. Watch it turn into a thriller.
* In the fantasy game, Kent Darcy's La Academia is doing a victory lap with a week remaining. Unlike Manchester United, his result next week doesn't effect the relegation maelstrom. Penultimate top round honors go to Ian Podraza's Riffs and Bridges FC with 80 points -- playing himself to fifth place and a mythological fantasy Europa League spot. An all-around solid lineup led by Steven Gerrard, Ricardo Fuller and Vidic got the job done.
That's all I got for this morning. Apologies if it feels like I'm going out with about as much gusto as Aston Villa.
Labels: Monday recaps, Premier League, Soccer
United are the deserved champions, but I want to watch their celebrations again whilst thinking of that David Brent moment. Tee hee.
Newcastle are screwed, most of all by their own myopia. The thought within the team seemed to be that they are a major club and could not go down. Obviously, that has changed.
NUFC also loves their own Geordie-ness to the point where it hurts them. What if Arsenal insisted that their manager HAD to have a 'connection' to London, or even Norph London? Only Mancunians or former MU players can manage at Old Trafford? Those ideas sound silly, don't they - but that is exactly how Newcastle seem to be operating.
As a Fulham supporter I am overjoyed with what Hodgson has done at the Cottage. After Lawrie, it would be hard to NOT be much improved - but Hodgson has really done a great job for Fulham. Why didn't NUFC hire Hodgson? Or another established 'REAL' manager, Hodgson just makes a useful example because he was out of a job last season and just beat Newcastle over the weekend. The Geordie fans wanted 'one of their own' and that is what they got - multiple times with Keegan and now Shearer. Enjoy your overly simplified world view in the Championship, geniuses.
It seems to me the no-brainer celebration song would have been "Saturday Night" by the Bay City Rollers. First off, it was Saturday. Secondly, the song is sweet. Credit to Man U, blah blah blah. They did deserve it. Hopefully Tevez signs with City and has a terrible season.
Newcastle got screwed by three results last week: losing to Fulham, having Hull draw, and Man U drawing Arsenal. A blatant hypocrite like Fergie would DEFINATELY play Macheda, Welbeck, and Kusczak in that game.
I can't even form a coherent insult for the futuristic Chelsea jerseys other than they look stupid but I will likely own one by the end of this year. Looking forward to a summer of Will He / Won't He for Drogba, Ronaldo, etc.
More importantly, looking forward to the mighty Scunthorpe United taking on Millwall on Sunday for entrance into the Championship. As they said in The Football Factory, "f*ckin Millwall!"