Grahame's opinion is as valid as those who happen to think the drama between Becks and Serioux was kind of cool, as was the audience interaction. Why should Becks be above it all? Why can't he care enough to be human and get mad and try to get even and then do a little dance of celebration? It just comes down to if you prefer soccer to be more like golf or basketball in terms of gentlemanly politeness or competitive trashtalk.
Grahame's opinion in the way it is expressed is soccer coverage at it's worst. He does not mention that the tackle was dangerous, that it was from behind, that no attempt was made to play the ball and that it was late. He portrays the facts in a skewed fashion suggesting Beckham with his PR gloss is a pretty boy responding to being hit "hard".
He doesn't give readers the context to know that Beckham was reacting to a tackle that genuinely could have caused an injury not just in Beckham's opinion but in reality.
Under the circumstances I think a bit of verbal and a bit of shoving from both sides that did not descend into any kicking or punching was pretty innocuous. The gestures and then the shushing of the crowd - well that is sports opera at it's best.
Even in golf people like to see players punching the air and tossing the odd club.
Grahame Jones is pathetic and an embarrassment of a soccer writer. He is the one over-reacting and it is a very poor piece to cover this - actually very brief - single incident from a great game.
I don't know why Jones feels the need to try and assassinate Beckham's character for bugger all put it is petty in the extreme.
If you think that had Beckham pulled the reaction he did playing for Man U or Real Madrid that he wouldn't have gotten stick for it either, I think you're wrong. Some press would no doubt have defended him, but others would have gone after Becks far worse than Grahame did.
As someone who is a Man United fan and has followed coverage of his career since '96 I can hand on heart tell you that press coverage of such an incident in the UK and Spain would have been different.
Serioux would not have gotten off so lightly - even if Beckham was criticised - Serioux would have been roundly censured and the type of tackle fully disclosed and condemned. I'm sorry if it hurts your feelings to have it pointed out that coverage of this sport in the US isn't too great and with only a few exceptions those writers covering it are woefully inadequate - but that happens to be the facts maam.
I actually agree with you that perhaps abroad their would have been more criticism of Serioux's tackle, but I still stand by my opinion that Beckham's reaction would have drawn heavy censure from some corners as well. Some don't like the sports opera, some think Becks is a diva. As far as taking what people think of other sports writers personally - I don't. I've got enough trouble trying to deal with my feelings when people hate the stuff I've written, let alone anyone else's
Andrea I consider you one of the better writers but I don't put Grahame Jones in the same catergory.
I'm not saying Beckham can't be critiqued. Hey he's been getting stick justified and unjustified for years but that's not really the point. Jones is writing in the sports section of the LA Times it is sad to see he is no better than the worst of the tabloid hacks - leaving out the facts necessary to give a reader context - in favour of just taking a poorly written cheap shot. You can't criticise the reaction and then not fully disclose what is being reacted too and be considered a professional or ethical writer - imho.
Here is a link to an article from Feb 2007. A coincidence perhaps.
It seems to me a shame that Beckham is taking heat in the major newspaper in his home teams local market when he is on the receiving end of a dangerous tackle that could have had serious career repercussions.
Honestly, Manchester Evening News in Manchester and Marca, AS Diario and El Pais in Madrid would not have written the piece Jones wrote. He is as someone said a douchebag.
Anyway we can agree to disagree on Jones, as certainly no one could say anything to persuade me that he is a good soccer writer.
10 comments:
Hey Andrea, can you fix your link? you have two http://'s
Dallas is reeling. Also, Grahame Jones with a fairly churlish article on the game.
http://www.latimes.com/sports/soccer/la-sp-soccer20-2008may20,0,5208431.story
Mr. Jones is, to put it lightly, a douchebag.
I hope whoever pissed in his cereal does it again, since that is what a 'childish person' would do!
Grahame's opinion is as valid as those who happen to think the drama between Becks and Serioux was kind of cool, as was the audience interaction. Why should Becks be above it all? Why can't he care enough to be human and get mad and try to get even and then do a little dance of celebration? It just comes down to if you prefer soccer to be more like golf or basketball in terms of gentlemanly politeness or competitive trashtalk.
No Andrea you are wrong sorry. It's not valid.
Grahame's opinion in the way it is expressed is soccer coverage at it's worst. He does not mention that the tackle was dangerous, that it was from behind, that no attempt was made to play the ball and that it was late. He portrays the facts in a skewed fashion suggesting Beckham with his PR gloss is a pretty boy responding to being hit "hard".
He doesn't give readers the context to know that Beckham was reacting to a tackle that genuinely could have caused an injury not just in Beckham's opinion but in reality.
Under the circumstances I think a bit of verbal and a bit of shoving from both sides that did not descend into any kicking or punching was pretty innocuous. The gestures and then the shushing of the crowd - well that is sports opera at it's best.
Even in golf people like to see players punching the air and tossing the odd club.
Grahame Jones is pathetic and an embarrassment of a soccer writer. He is the one over-reacting and it is a very poor piece to cover this - actually very brief - single incident from a great game.
I don't know why Jones feels the need to try and assassinate Beckham's character for bugger all put it is petty in the extreme.
If you think that had Beckham pulled the reaction he did playing for Man U or Real Madrid that he wouldn't have gotten stick for it either, I think you're wrong. Some press would no doubt have defended him, but others would have gone after Becks far worse than Grahame did.
As someone who is a Man United fan and has followed coverage of his career since '96 I can hand on heart tell you that press coverage of such an incident in the UK and Spain would have been different.
Serioux would not have gotten off so lightly - even if Beckham was criticised - Serioux would have been roundly censured and the type of tackle fully disclosed and condemned. I'm sorry if it hurts your feelings to have it pointed out that coverage of this sport in the US isn't too great and with only a few exceptions those writers covering it are woefully inadequate - but that happens to be the facts maam.
I actually agree with you that perhaps abroad their would have been more criticism of Serioux's tackle, but I still stand by my opinion that Beckham's reaction would have drawn heavy censure from some corners as well. Some don't like the sports opera, some think Becks is a diva. As far as taking what people think of other sports writers personally - I don't.
I've got enough trouble trying to deal with my feelings when people hate the stuff I've written, let alone anyone else's
Andrea I consider you one of the better writers but I don't put Grahame Jones in the same catergory.
I'm not saying Beckham can't be critiqued. Hey he's been getting stick justified and unjustified for years but that's not really the point. Jones is writing in the sports section of the LA Times it is sad to see he is no better than the worst of the tabloid hacks - leaving out the facts necessary to give a reader context - in favour of just taking a poorly written cheap shot. You can't criticise the reaction and then not fully disclose what is being reacted too and be considered a professional or ethical writer - imho.
Here is a link to an article from Feb 2007. A coincidence perhaps.
It seems to me a shame that Beckham is taking heat in the major newspaper in his home teams local market when he is on the receiving end of a dangerous tackle that could have had serious career repercussions.
Honestly, Manchester Evening News in Manchester and Marca, AS Diario and El Pais in Madrid would not have written the piece Jones wrote. He is as someone said a douchebag.
Anyway we can agree to disagree on Jones, as certainly no one could say anything to persuade me that he is a good soccer writer.
Thanks to the blog owner. What a blog! nice idea.
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