It’s easy to be critical when you don’t know what someone is going through. Behaviour can be irrational, and from my own experience one can sometimes do things while even knowing that they are not the right things to do. One can try to cover up one’s own troubles and just be open to more criticism, afraid that talking about it can be painful. This week, former Portsmouth goalkeeper John Sullivan said he was retiring from professional football since he couldn’t cope with his depression. Being a professional footballer would seem to be a dream job, but anyone can have a troubled mind. After his catastrophe at the York game, his last for Pompey, there was immense criticism, some scathing. Football fans are an emotional bunch, and spend hundreds of pounds on a regular basis, and so they are entitled to criticise. But it can be hard being on the end of that. Hats off to John for being so brave to talk about his problems. Good luck to him and I really hope he comes through it.
Very aware that I haven’t blogged much just recently. Obsessions are an obsession of mine – the current is fantasy football. It would be nice to enjoy the football for what it is, given there have been some great matches, rather than cheering on just one or two players in each match. The fact that I am top of the works fantasy football league doesn’t help me with my obsession. Winnings could be as much as £20, with £15 and £10 for second and third. Anything I win will be going to SANDS, and one other manager has promised the same with his prospective winnings. Normally I would say that the winning is the most important thing, rather than the money, but this time, there is a financial incentive too to do well.
The said World Cup is taking its toll with a number of late nights and so many of those late games going to extra time and even penalties. Nearly over now, just another 8 games to go (and to hang on to my lead). Plans to expand the future finals from 32 to 48 or even 64 teams cannot be sensible. Some of us need to lead a life around football!
Feeling a bit run down, and need, in order of importance, to sleep more, to eat more sensibly and to regain/maintain some level of fitness. Considering taking Friday off for a long walk just to keep my feet and legs in shape, not to mention my stomach. Have been taking the stairs, four floors worth, once again and am having aches in my left knee, probably the only medium term negative physical effect of doing that 11 week trot up country. Seems fine when I walk distances, but it’s just stairs that trouble me.
Friday is another massive day in the calendar. It’s English Grammar Day. So if for some reason I am at work, perhaps if the weather is particularly bad or I need to finish off something, you need to be careful if you speak to me, since I intend to turn into a grammar Nazi and correct every grammatical foible that I hear. I will also be undertaking spot checks on Facebook during the day. You had better steer clear of me with your “the data is”, ” when I was younger”, “to be honest”, ” whose/who’s”, “your/you’re”, ” its/it’s”, “affect/effect” etc. if you know what’s good for you.