I'm a bit of a football tragic (as in, the world-game type of football, the one some countries call "soccer"), and like many football nutters, I have a wishlist of games I want to see.
I've been going over a list of football clubs around the world that I *really* want to see play at their homeground someday. Amongst your usual Manchester Uniteds, Barcelonas and of course the club I actually support Portsmouth FC are also a few others like St Pauli in Hamburg, Germany; Japanese club Shimizu S-Pulse; and AFC Wimbledon.
AFC Wimbledon are a really interesting story. Born out of the ashes of the original Wimbledon FC, based in the middle of London, when that club folded and relocated itself to a completely different part of the country (becoming Milton Keynes Dons, or MK Dons for short), the fans rebelled in the most spectacular way. They not only formed their own club, the now rising AFC Wimbledon, but they sued the owners of MK Dons, they demanded back the trophies won by Wimbledon FC, organised boycotts of MK Dons games, and in general embodied the whole "Crazy Gang" spirit that made the original Wimbledon such an awesome club.
I have no idea why I've been thinking about this fantastic club lately, but good on 'em for just being. Here's hoping they'll make the Football League soon (maybe in the next two years? It's possible, and they have big shoes to fill in the old Wimbledon, who had a similar meteoric rise through the football league in the 80's :)
AFC Wimbledon Website
Blue Square South Conference Website
Showing posts with label editorial. Show all posts
Showing posts with label editorial. Show all posts
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Monday, February 9, 2009
The CFA
Anyone who's had an eye on the news in Australia is aware that we're on fire right now (in a very, VERY bad way) - we've just had the most intense fires ever on Feb 7th 2009, resulting in a death toll of 173 people (at approx 3:30 PM AEST on Feb 10th, figure still climbing), hundreds of homes destroyed (including a mate of mine) and an estimated damage bill of $2 billion (AU)
Facing this down at the front line has been the Victorian CFA - The Country Fire Authority - who are a completely volunteer force of firefighters who face up to this task every year, every summer. They've never had it worse than this year, though.
Towns have been obliterated, and literally don't exist anymore - towns like Kinglake, Steel's Creek, Strathewen, and St Andrews. Tales are emerging of people running down the street desperately seeking shelter whilst homes explode around them, of the sound of jumbo jets bearing down on them whilst they desperately spray a garden hose on their roof, of one particular man, burnt and peeling skin dropping off his arms, carrying his daughter approaching another family in a field and asking them to look after his daughter as he had lost his two other daughters, and his wife.
The heat was so intense in the blazes that it has been melting alloy wheels. It has killed more than fire itself. Gas cylenders, fitted with a pressure release valve so that they release gas when they get too hot, have been exploding in any case. People driving in cars, desperate to get away, have had major accidents and pileups as they frantically leave the areas under attack from the flames. Many were simply not able to outrun some of the fastest moving fires ever.
It's been... well, excuse the French, but fucking awful to have this going on not 50km from where I sit typing this. Yesterday, I mourned. Today, I'm trying to move on, and work myself back into the swing of things. I've organised a blood donation run at my work. It's an effort which is snowballing nicely. I've managed to complete some actual work, also. I'm planning my grocery shopping around Friday, the day on which the Coles supermarket chain is putting all it's profits to the Bushfire appeal.
But that's nothing compared to what the CFA have done. They are always there, always the heroes, against overwhelming odds. What few homes and buildings that could have been saved were, and only thanks to them. Many rescues have been completed because of them. And many of them have seen things that no-one should see.
My thoughts go to all affected, both victims, and CFA volunteers alike - many are one and the same. I wish I could write a fitting tribute; a short story, a song, or something, but such a thing would need a little more planning than this.
HELP:
Donate Blood
Give to the Red Cross
Give to the Salvation Army
Facing this down at the front line has been the Victorian CFA - The Country Fire Authority - who are a completely volunteer force of firefighters who face up to this task every year, every summer. They've never had it worse than this year, though.
Towns have been obliterated, and literally don't exist anymore - towns like Kinglake, Steel's Creek, Strathewen, and St Andrews. Tales are emerging of people running down the street desperately seeking shelter whilst homes explode around them, of the sound of jumbo jets bearing down on them whilst they desperately spray a garden hose on their roof, of one particular man, burnt and peeling skin dropping off his arms, carrying his daughter approaching another family in a field and asking them to look after his daughter as he had lost his two other daughters, and his wife.
The heat was so intense in the blazes that it has been melting alloy wheels. It has killed more than fire itself. Gas cylenders, fitted with a pressure release valve so that they release gas when they get too hot, have been exploding in any case. People driving in cars, desperate to get away, have had major accidents and pileups as they frantically leave the areas under attack from the flames. Many were simply not able to outrun some of the fastest moving fires ever.
It's been... well, excuse the French, but fucking awful to have this going on not 50km from where I sit typing this. Yesterday, I mourned. Today, I'm trying to move on, and work myself back into the swing of things. I've organised a blood donation run at my work. It's an effort which is snowballing nicely. I've managed to complete some actual work, also. I'm planning my grocery shopping around Friday, the day on which the Coles supermarket chain is putting all it's profits to the Bushfire appeal.
But that's nothing compared to what the CFA have done. They are always there, always the heroes, against overwhelming odds. What few homes and buildings that could have been saved were, and only thanks to them. Many rescues have been completed because of them. And many of them have seen things that no-one should see.
My thoughts go to all affected, both victims, and CFA volunteers alike - many are one and the same. I wish I could write a fitting tribute; a short story, a song, or something, but such a thing would need a little more planning than this.
HELP:
Donate Blood
Give to the Red Cross
Give to the Salvation Army
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)