I was rooting for Chelsea yesterday. As an Arsenal fan, I would normally not. Even for neutrals, it was difficult supporting a team bankrolled by a Russian oil tycoon. They are not a glamour side, but in fact are the worst Chelsea team for years.
Nonetheless, it is their story that moved me. Their triumph over two of Europe's best teams in Barcelona and Bayern is a testament to human spirit and teamwork. They showed that faith indeed can move mountains. A lesser side would have capitulated a long while ago, but they stood together and with a bit of luck, defeated the odds to scale the pinnacle.
For many of the old guard, such as Didier Drogba, Petr Cech, and Frank Lampard, the final was the culmination of years of hard toil. They had gone through seven managers since Jose Mourinho, but time and time again the European Cup eluded them, often in dramatic circumstances. But they persevered and deserve the fruits of their work, especially Drogba and Cech's outstanding performances.
Yesterday, I attended the Joint minority bar judicial internship program's orientation for this year's intern class. I remember taking part just a year ago as a student intern in last year's class. At that time, I was like the others yesterday - mystified about the law but eager to learn. This year, I have come back as an alum and am glad to see the new faces who will continue to make the program strong.
My experience last summer has led me to where I am now. Through the program, I met Yang and learned about AABANY. I joined the association before the summer and have actively participated in its programs, such as helping to plan this year's program. I also met Emily, with whom I share a similar background. That led me to working with her at Success and becoming interested in education reform.
The journey remains long and there are many opportunities and challenges ahead. I will board the next train tomorrow. Where that leads me is unknown, but I must be the conductor of my own route. As I close one chapter for another, I will not forget the journey thus far - everything that I have learned and everyone whom I have met. One day, I hope to find myself like the old guard of Chelsea yesterday, holding aloft a grand prize after years of hard work. For now, I content myself with knowing that my investment last summer in the JMBJIP is coming to a full circle.
Showing posts with label Soccer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Soccer. Show all posts
Sunday, 20 May 2012
Wednesday, 9 June 2010
World Cup 2010 - the quick and useful preview
On Friday, the first World Cup on the African continent will kick off with 32 teams vying for ultimate glory, even though only a handful have a realistic chance. It will nonetheless be a historic tournament (aren't we saying this every four years?) that will shine the world's cameras and lights on the Republic of South Africa. Let's hope the tournament excites fans with skills and performances on the field, and few distractions off. With that blessing in mind, the most charitable that you may find me to be, let's run down the groups and likely winners. My predictions in no way represent my views or those of my superiors, and confer no liability for possible yet imaginative harms at law, i.e. intentional infliction of emotional distress, abridgment of privileges and immunities of certain countries and their fans...
Group A: Will South Africa's early exit bring some relief from those vuvuzelas? Who will be the French tabloid king, Domenech, Henry, or Ribery?
Group B: Want a sneak peak of Maradona running naked down the streets of Buenos Aires? No thank you. Can Greece's play be the new siesta medicine?
Group C: What's the next round of the taxation without representation Anglo-American feud?
Group D: Can Germany's sterling national social insurance system find a cure for its ailing team?
Group E: Will it be another year of Dutch illusionists looking at the starry night of a lost World Cup?
Group F: Pensioner rights and Medicare lobbyists are looking at their cohorts in Italy. To insure or not?
Group G: Who will emerge from the Group of Death - the best team in the world, the sulky boy and gang, Sven, or the inscrutable yet almost literally bringers of death?
Group H: They are no longer cursed but may still be fragile (e.g. to anyone parking an airplane). Will Spain deceive again, as is likely?
Among the favorites, I cannot pick Argentina because of an unstable coach, nor England because of a dysfunctional team, nor the Netherlands because of their still lack of balance, nor Spain because they will once again fall short. It has to be Brazil: not pretty at all, but solid enough to bag their sixth.
Group A: Will South Africa's early exit bring some relief from those vuvuzelas? Who will be the French tabloid king, Domenech, Henry, or Ribery?
Group B: Want a sneak peak of Maradona running naked down the streets of Buenos Aires? No thank you. Can Greece's play be the new siesta medicine?
Group C: What's the next round of the taxation without representation Anglo-American feud?
Group D: Can Germany's sterling national social insurance system find a cure for its ailing team?
Group E: Will it be another year of Dutch illusionists looking at the starry night of a lost World Cup?
Group F: Pensioner rights and Medicare lobbyists are looking at their cohorts in Italy. To insure or not?
Group G: Who will emerge from the Group of Death - the best team in the world, the sulky boy and gang, Sven, or the inscrutable yet almost literally bringers of death?
Group H: They are no longer cursed but may still be fragile (e.g. to anyone parking an airplane). Will Spain deceive again, as is likely?
Among the favorites, I cannot pick Argentina because of an unstable coach, nor England because of a dysfunctional team, nor the Netherlands because of their still lack of balance, nor Spain because they will once again fall short. It has to be Brazil: not pretty at all, but solid enough to bag their sixth.
Wednesday, 10 March 2010
Sick, old men of Europe
Manchester United 4-0 AC Milan (agg 7-2)
Real Madrid 1-1 Lyon (agg 1-2)
So, the two most successful clubs in Europe (in terms of total European Cups won, 16 combined) are dumped out today. AC Milan was clobbered by Man U at Old Trafford, and more surprisingly, Real Madrid knocked out when they could only draw 1-1 at home. Whatever their grandeur, these clubs are sick; they are old; they are unsuited for the elite of the European club game.
AC Milan came in with little expectation after losing the first leg at home. However, in that game, they were at least competitive and gave Man U a good game. In today's match, they were simply horrible. A makeshift defence contained Ronaldinho, and more worrisome in the long term, the back four just could not keep up with Wayne Rooney and the Man U strikers. The whole team is old, and desperately needs rejuvenation. It was nice to see David Beckham get a rousing ovation from the home crowd, and he did show some skills. But all in all, AC Milan were horrible and just look plain old. Soon they'll be eligible for Medicare.
More surprising is Real Madrid's draw, which eliminated them on aggregate since Lyon won in the first leg. Once again, for six years running, they were knocked out in the last 16. For a club that spent over $400m, it is an embarrassment of riches, especially since the final will be played in their home stadium in May. Their loss was surprisingly since they were heavily favoured. Once again, the midfield and attack, so prolific in La Liga, just could not measure up to European competition. The defence, long a weakness, crumbled by conceding a fatal equalizer. Something sick is going on at Real Madrid, which nobody - the team, management, the media, or people like me - can figure out. On the plus side, maybe it feels right that excess spending leads to no results.
Real Madrid 1-1 Lyon (agg 1-2)
So, the two most successful clubs in Europe (in terms of total European Cups won, 16 combined) are dumped out today. AC Milan was clobbered by Man U at Old Trafford, and more surprisingly, Real Madrid knocked out when they could only draw 1-1 at home. Whatever their grandeur, these clubs are sick; they are old; they are unsuited for the elite of the European club game.
AC Milan came in with little expectation after losing the first leg at home. However, in that game, they were at least competitive and gave Man U a good game. In today's match, they were simply horrible. A makeshift defence contained Ronaldinho, and more worrisome in the long term, the back four just could not keep up with Wayne Rooney and the Man U strikers. The whole team is old, and desperately needs rejuvenation. It was nice to see David Beckham get a rousing ovation from the home crowd, and he did show some skills. But all in all, AC Milan were horrible and just look plain old. Soon they'll be eligible for Medicare.
More surprising is Real Madrid's draw, which eliminated them on aggregate since Lyon won in the first leg. Once again, for six years running, they were knocked out in the last 16. For a club that spent over $400m, it is an embarrassment of riches, especially since the final will be played in their home stadium in May. Their loss was surprisingly since they were heavily favoured. Once again, the midfield and attack, so prolific in La Liga, just could not measure up to European competition. The defence, long a weakness, crumbled by conceding a fatal equalizer. Something sick is going on at Real Madrid, which nobody - the team, management, the media, or people like me - can figure out. On the plus side, maybe it feels right that excess spending leads to no results.
Sunday, 3 January 2010
Leeds's upset a tale worth telling
Today, in case you missed it or weren't aware, Leeds United, a team playing in the third tier of English football, defeated Manchester United, the reigning Premier League champions, 1-0 in the third round of the FA Cup. This result is the highlight of the weekend and ranks among the great upsets in the competition's long history. Many casual fans have not heard of Leeds United, but they know Manchester United and perhaps the FA Cup well. Casual supporters of Man U may dismiss this result as a fluke or criticize their team for losing to a "minnow". Man U haters and many neutrals may crackle at their embarrassment. Those views hardly do justice to the unique history of Leeds United and Manchester United, or to the ideals that define the FA Cup.
Leeds United and Manchester United used to be one of English football's biggest rivalries. They are proximate neighbors - Greater Manchester and Yorkshire - which bred a healthy and natural rivalry. In the 1970s and early 1990s, both challenged for top honours, and often at the expense of each other. In 1992, Leeds pipped Manchester to the league title, which still rankled Sir Alex Ferguson. Many names have been associated with the rivalry, including War of the Roses reminiscent of English medieval history (Leeds is the white; Man U the red). Both sets of supporters were equally fervent and constantly compared themselves and their teams with the others'.
Nonetheless, Leeds United, after reaching the height of a semifinals appearance in the European Cup in 2001, saddled itself with investment in poor players and more critically, ill-advised loans (sound familiar?). In three years, its finances imploded and Leeds was relegated from the Premier League in 2004. Since then, it plummeted quicker than anyone could have imagined and dropped to the third tier of English football, something unheard of before. Gone into administration in 2007, it seemed as if Leeds was staring into the abyss.
Their supporters' faith, however, never waivered. Even in the toughest of times, they stood firm behind the club. The old rivalry with Manchester United ebbed into insignificance, as one team was winning domestic and European honours while the other scrapped for survival in the lower leagues. Things finally looked up when Ken Bates bought Leeds United in late 2007, and Simon Grayson started managing the team in early 2009. This season, Leeds started with eight consecutive wins and now sit atop League One, en route to promotion to the second tier of English football.
What made today's upset so special was the special history between the two teams and the flavour it brought to the FA Cup. Even though they played in different leagues, the two teams, their managers, players and fans all looked to today's encounter. To them, the rivalry hardly died. On the field, however, Leeds were the better team. They outplayed Man U, and deserved the triumph. The story befits a FA Cup upset, at a time when the world's oldest club competition is in danger of irrelevance, especially by the bigger teams in the Premier League. But it hardly is just any giant killing. The unique history between the teams, especially the recent history of Leeds, makes it a story of redemption. For a team that struggled so long and whose fans suffered through administration and relegation, Leeds will remember this victory, in the enemy's home ground no less, in their lore. Many speak of the 'romance' of the FA Cup, and nothing like a war of the Old Roses can rekindle that evanescent romance.
Read about the result here: http://www.thefa.com/TheFACup/FACompetitions/TheFACup/NewsAndFeatures/2010/ManUtdLeedsUtd030110.aspx
Leeds United and Manchester United used to be one of English football's biggest rivalries. They are proximate neighbors - Greater Manchester and Yorkshire - which bred a healthy and natural rivalry. In the 1970s and early 1990s, both challenged for top honours, and often at the expense of each other. In 1992, Leeds pipped Manchester to the league title, which still rankled Sir Alex Ferguson. Many names have been associated with the rivalry, including War of the Roses reminiscent of English medieval history (Leeds is the white; Man U the red). Both sets of supporters were equally fervent and constantly compared themselves and their teams with the others'.
Nonetheless, Leeds United, after reaching the height of a semifinals appearance in the European Cup in 2001, saddled itself with investment in poor players and more critically, ill-advised loans (sound familiar?). In three years, its finances imploded and Leeds was relegated from the Premier League in 2004. Since then, it plummeted quicker than anyone could have imagined and dropped to the third tier of English football, something unheard of before. Gone into administration in 2007, it seemed as if Leeds was staring into the abyss.
Their supporters' faith, however, never waivered. Even in the toughest of times, they stood firm behind the club. The old rivalry with Manchester United ebbed into insignificance, as one team was winning domestic and European honours while the other scrapped for survival in the lower leagues. Things finally looked up when Ken Bates bought Leeds United in late 2007, and Simon Grayson started managing the team in early 2009. This season, Leeds started with eight consecutive wins and now sit atop League One, en route to promotion to the second tier of English football.
What made today's upset so special was the special history between the two teams and the flavour it brought to the FA Cup. Even though they played in different leagues, the two teams, their managers, players and fans all looked to today's encounter. To them, the rivalry hardly died. On the field, however, Leeds were the better team. They outplayed Man U, and deserved the triumph. The story befits a FA Cup upset, at a time when the world's oldest club competition is in danger of irrelevance, especially by the bigger teams in the Premier League. But it hardly is just any giant killing. The unique history between the teams, especially the recent history of Leeds, makes it a story of redemption. For a team that struggled so long and whose fans suffered through administration and relegation, Leeds will remember this victory, in the enemy's home ground no less, in their lore. Many speak of the 'romance' of the FA Cup, and nothing like a war of the Old Roses can rekindle that evanescent romance.
Read about the result here: http://www.thefa.com/TheFACup/FACompetitions/TheFACup/NewsAndFeatures/2010/ManUtdLeedsUtd030110.aspx
Friday, 20 November 2009
Game Injustice, Personal Justice
Wednesday's contentious World Cup qualifer between France and Ireland has the sports world (well, the non-American one) buzzing. In case you missed it, with Ireland leading 0-1 in extra time, and the match going to penalties, Thierry Henry, one the best players in the world, used his hand twice - blatantly and deliberately - to control a ball that led to France's equalizer. France advanced to the 2010 World Cup finals while Ireland went home. It is incontrovertible that Henry cheated and many, including the Republic of Ireland, have pleaded for a replay. Nonetheless, Fifa and the French Football Federation have denied any calls or appeals for a replay.
I would like to address several issues from the incident:
1) Should a replay be granted? Yes, a game of such magnitude - qualification for the World Cup almost means life and death for many nations - should not settled on an illegal incident. During the match, Ireland outplayed France and deserved penalties to settle the incident. Granted, even without the incident, Ireland wasn't guaranteed to advance, but having a replay would settle the matter in a less controversial way. There is plenty of time in the upcoming months to hold a replay.
2) Is Fifa's position justified? No, by flatly refusing to consider a replay, Fifa underscored its inherent undemocratic hypocrisy. As the governing body for the sport, it alone has jurisdiction and the responsibility to enforce the laws of the game. At the very least, it should take time to consider. Fifa's position in any other context would be a travesty of justice unbecoming of the 21st century. It weakens its so-called commitment for "fair play" - how can Fifa expect the sport's players and followers to be fair when it itself cannot? Moreover, Fifa's action even calls into question its long-established independence from governmental oversight and regulation.
3) What does the incident hold for Thierry Henry's career? When Henry retires, what he failed to accomplish will outshine what he did. I admit that Henry is a terrific player who has won nearly every trophy to be won (World Cup, UEFA Champions League). But as a person, he comes off as aloof and even conceited: his continual self-promoting celebrations, his refusal to talk to reporters, his complicated family life. As a leader, he failed, such as leaving Arsenal at its critical developmental stage in 2007, and failing to unite the French dressing room. Now, with this act of dishonesty, his legacy will suffer more. His apology today came off too late, weak on its grounding, and a bit insincere.
I would like to address several issues from the incident:
1) Should a replay be granted? Yes, a game of such magnitude - qualification for the World Cup almost means life and death for many nations - should not settled on an illegal incident. During the match, Ireland outplayed France and deserved penalties to settle the incident. Granted, even without the incident, Ireland wasn't guaranteed to advance, but having a replay would settle the matter in a less controversial way. There is plenty of time in the upcoming months to hold a replay.
2) Is Fifa's position justified? No, by flatly refusing to consider a replay, Fifa underscored its inherent undemocratic hypocrisy. As the governing body for the sport, it alone has jurisdiction and the responsibility to enforce the laws of the game. At the very least, it should take time to consider. Fifa's position in any other context would be a travesty of justice unbecoming of the 21st century. It weakens its so-called commitment for "fair play" - how can Fifa expect the sport's players and followers to be fair when it itself cannot? Moreover, Fifa's action even calls into question its long-established independence from governmental oversight and regulation.
3) What does the incident hold for Thierry Henry's career? When Henry retires, what he failed to accomplish will outshine what he did. I admit that Henry is a terrific player who has won nearly every trophy to be won (World Cup, UEFA Champions League). But as a person, he comes off as aloof and even conceited: his continual self-promoting celebrations, his refusal to talk to reporters, his complicated family life. As a leader, he failed, such as leaving Arsenal at its critical developmental stage in 2007, and failing to unite the French dressing room. Now, with this act of dishonesty, his legacy will suffer more. His apology today came off too late, weak on its grounding, and a bit insincere.
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