justinafrika

“Why did Gabriel, a big, strong 6ft 3in centre back, not put his head on a ball, a yard off his goal line when it was there at a perfect height for him? For one very obvious reason. Because he was pushed. It was as plain as the nose on your face and would have been pure common sense to anyone who’s actually played the game.” "I have to say I had sympathy with Mikel Arteta over his reaction to a flagrantly poor refereeing decision last weekend. I’ve been in his shoes.” "The conclusion that Anthony Gordon’s goal for Newcastle should stand was plainly wrong to anyone with an ounce of knowledge of the game. And of course, Arteta was having to come to terms with the fact that those officials were equipped with the most sophisticated video technology known to man.” "You have to ask yourself how hard it must have been for him when he walked into his press conference, given that he had half an hour to calm down — yet still went for the officials and their decision-making in a big way. I can well imagine how he felt. I would have been boiling.” "It’s all very well for people to say, ‘Arteta’s let his great club down because they have a reputation for class’ but I don’t see it like that. Yes, for me Arsenal have always been one of the classiest clubs. But I saw Arteta as a man whose frustrations were so enormous that he just couldn’t deal with it in the cold, calculated way that all the experts seem to think he should have done.” "The question the refereeing establishment need to be asking themselves is: ‘How do we improve?’ They can go and have their seminars and their get-togethers every day of the week, but they’re still going to continue to make the same mistakes unless they involve people who intuitively understand the game. The ones who’ve actually played it." – Graeme Souness At the least, Arteta’s action in calling on fellow league managers to “please let’s do something about it” has had a positive reaction. The League Managers Association has scheduled meetings with PGMOL to effect urgent change. I tried to see things from Mark Ogden’s, and some others’, point of view but I was unable to lodge my head that far up my own @rse. Arteta’s success in motivating action with his fellow managers to effect positive change for the good of all participants, now that’s true class.

Nah my 140mm Bomber Z2 is easily serviced at RBC with Fox 34 bits, and it’s excellent for bombing down the valley trails near my home. Edit: Fox has owned Marzocchi for the last several years.

I know that you’ve seen and liked this previously, it still brings back fond memories. I was later worried for the guy’s life and kept checking local news reports and with my former state service medical colleagues. I’m not even kidding when I say that my shoulder somehow felt a pleasurable glowing warmth for the following week. 🙈😂

Not just about doping but he does comment about doping and some of the current best GC riders. Some interesting Team Sky, and more current, insights and very much looks like an all around fascinating read. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/oct/10/alex-dowsett-professional-cycling-is-fragile-billionaires-come-in-invest-and-get-blown-away

“...it had decided to award Kumar a medal and certificate even though he was the lone runner in the final." "We are sharing with them details of the athletes who fled.” "I was really looking forward to running against the best athletes, but nobody turned up." Say WHATTTT!? 😂🤣 https://www.reuters.com/sports/athletics/sprinters-wind-after-anti-doping-officials-arrive-delhi-meet-2023-09-27/

“Let's increase the cheese.” - Ali G

I haven’t had any toe strikes yet but they’re not devoid of protection, mostdef have a somewhat firmer additional layer to the front and side of toes. Great for wet weather riding. Feet stayed dry and shoes don’t get soggy-heavy at all. You’re right wrt them being a bit narrow, I usually use UK10 and chose a UK11 and it worked a treat. For reference, apart from riding elsewhere on the half dozen days when the trails were too wet around here, I’ve used them about 26 hours on trails. The soles of these Semenuk Pros are not as sticky as the Michelin-soled Culvert but they show no sign of any wear from my prominent pedal pins. Only looked at them ’cos some comparative reviews rated them as equal or better than Freeriders, and they’ve very quickly become my fave pair.

A bit of perspective: In their last 38 EPL games, Chelski have scored just 39 points!? Enzo Fernández, bought for £107 mil in January, has played in 23 league games and has won just O-N-C-E.

Excellent job by Big Ange and his squad at Arsenal. Their North London derby inexperience was obvious at first. Apart from the brilliant Son, with 18, none of the squad had more than two NLD games. They looked overwhelmed at first, but this gooner has much respect for the way that your team stepped up and got a point, Mr Roddie J.

I saw the footage on the weekend and just cannot get over the casual, unthinking nature of that crime done by those eedjut teens and superb representatives of the Mensa no-hopers’ club. Thankfully, I live in an area with multiple bike paths and lanes and wide pavements with few pedestrians while on my way to the trails or shops or chilled beachfront rides. PS. A George Carlin line comes to mind:

I’ll acknowledge this especially remarkable fact, the rest I don’t like at all. 😇🙈

Function PLUS aesthetics for the win, I’m all in.

https://www.helmet.beam.vt.edu/bicycle-helmet-ratings.html#168

+1 vote for that, but for the more recent 29” versions (from 2022). Loads of fun and with an upgrade of my skills can now rip it on mid- to more gnarly terrain. I also like that it’s more engaging.

Arrived just in time for this afternoon’s trails session. I like the skateboard styling but with proppeh protection for gnarly trails or wet rides (the tongue is also fully gusseted, said the actress to the bishop…).

… and I’m convinced I can, and do, stop even quicker-shorter on my mtb knobblies on tar. There are a few descent spots, on routes or on my way to the trails a few blocks away, where I’m able to go near 70 (yes overtaking cars occasionally) and have had to brake rapidly.

Still have a room setup with turntables, mixers and eclectic vinyl collection for those few times a year that friends come over. Thanks for the idea, I haven’t celebrated my bday for years really (a bit reclusive and a lot skint until recently) and have one coming up. Will mostdef have friends and the fam over for vinyl fun. Again, thanks for sparking the idea.

Extraeffingextraordinary achievement, I didn’t know that and no doubt the mates who watch footie with me will be intrigued. Congrats!

Big Ange seems to be bringing proper change at Tottenham H, and the squad is clearly loving it. One might even say “some good tottie coming”…

An interesting randonneur interpretation from last week’s MADE edition in Portland, Oregon.

Ain’t in the least surprised at Andrew Tate’s expression. This arrogant oke was stoooopid to think he’d get away with all his alleged rapes and human trafficking (the evidence of which he posted on porn sites) and all the extreme misogyny videos he put online. Even worse is that so many millions of teen boys and men were fans of his expressed violence towards ALL females. Every female at every age must be forced to submit to whatever males want he says. Thankfully, my daughters are strong and independent and my likewise son knows better than to fall for this guy’s despicable k@k. Sê ma’ net. That the meme has his image is inadvertent, I guess.

Thoroughly enjoy his novels. Well written. Great storylines and even though my CT days are limited to my studies and frequently visiting my children and friends, I know and can visualise EVERY setting (even the church garden where a body is found in central CT) while reading.

… and, given Finland’s serious drinking culture, so is wife carrying.