Well it got a bit drunken, not sure about messy. Many highlights, a few being; availability of a decent fry up with black pudding in the morning and then having a beer with the Kenyan team on the final night. They played really well and were a sound bunch of lads.
Regarding the China thing, I heard they’d freed up BBC news site over the weekend after years of blocking so I tried this afternoon and got on OK, fingers crossed.

To be honest its all a bit distasteful, not the Chinese site blocking - I accepted things might be different when I moved to China, but the way everyone keeps throwing in the Olympics without taking any time to understand the wider situation of China. Its development, its history, its culture, its mindset and how Rome wasn’t built in a day. Even Flowers has a vote on it without any discussion. How many have ever discussed China with a Chinese person? Really looked at what is desirable versus what is practical and feasible? What can be achieved today versus what can be achieved in a longer time span?
Throughout I got foreign news and Chinese news, the local people’s opinions and the midpoint of it all. The Western view will always side with the Dalai Lama without question but little thought is given to the overall situation. Its always black and white in the media, nobody looks into anything with any depth and certainly there are massive blinkers worn whenever China is in the news.

Either way I can access again after a few weeks absence so, mei wen ti, zou ba.

GarethinChina’s last blog post..BLOG idol - The Winners Show!

Ji here Zack - I’ve seen the American Eagles in action during my time playing for Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo - we played in Vegas, San Diego and Arizona - an awesome way to make 20 friends - just add !

Arvind, for a man of intelligence the definition of ‘yobs’ & ‘decent guys’ sounds ridiculously simplistic, particularly when grouping into football vs rugby fans; you’re only saving grace is your realisation of this lazy generalisation.

Think GiC’s & Urban Pagan’s discussions below are more illuminating.

So its purely class driven, even though loads of ‘firms’ had bank managers and brokers included in the fighting crew (if you believe the stories). Admittedly the likes of Carlton Leach, Bill Gardener and Cass Penant weren’t your local councilors but many anecdotes of footy yobs declared members came form all walks of life.
Sure its not some kind of machismo, bonding alpha male type of thing? They make it abroad for world cups and the like.
In addition you have to take into account many Rugby fans also play the game or used to and on the pitch you need to be polite to the ref and certainly you can’t question their decisions. Maybe the entertainment governs the behaviour, not many punch ups at screenings of gone with the wind but people believe violent films promote violence in the audience - although Rugby does have its share of punch ups and violence.

GarethinChina’s last blog post..BLOG idol - The Winners Show!

It can get a bit messy with 15 ‘men’ in the after match bath…

One difference that always amazed me was the rugby pysche up - hitting yourself on the head before going out onto the field?

Yep, it’s a complex cookie this one.

Few years back I read a very good book on the subject of hooliganism, possible causes, etc., a real academic discussion & attempt to explain the reasons behind how it started & why it continues. The book was ‘Football Hooligans - Knowing The Score’ by Gary Armstrong, who was ‘embedded’ (to steal a phrase from the Iraq war) with a Sheffield United FC hooligan firm, the Blades Business Crew (BBC). Not an easy read, often going into very dry & academic sociology & criminology on the issue (Armstrong has a PhD in both), but worth persisting if you have a real interest in hooliganism.

I’m still not wholly convinced by all the arguments made in the book, but seems that most sociologists generally agree that football hooliganism arises due to town/city/regional tribalism, & as such tribalistic & ritualistic match day events (including violence) acts to enforce & create (a male) identity within the group/firm/crew. Historically it grew out of industrial working class culture, & included in this development were concepts of masculinity (e.g. strength & dominance through force).

Why football & not rugby? Don’t know, but could be partially explained by explanations given by GiC (on pitch example of rugby players deference to the ref vs the often antagonistic response of footballers) & Urban Pagan (historical violence between football towns), but think these may only be small factors in how & why it seems particular to football.

5 points for a try - when you ground the ball over the opposition try line.
2 points for a conversion, this is when you get the chance to kick the ball over the posts after a try is scored, directly in line with where the try is scored but any distance you like up or down the pitch.
3 points for a penalty. This is where you try and kick the ball over the posts from the ponit of the infringement (alternative is to kick for distance as if the ball goes out of lpay then you get the throw in as it was your penalty).
3 points for a drop goal. This si where you drop the ball on to the floor and then try and kick it over the posts, essentially you half volley it over the posts.

GarethinChina’s last blog post..Go! Smell the lost ART

Well we did have the evenings to consume more ale down Lockhart Road and see some Eastern European dancing.