Friday 22 February 2013

What if Henrik Larsson was Oscar Pistorius?


The Oscar Pistorius ‘Hearing’ has moved along to look more like a ‘mini trial’ in what appears to be driven by a prosecution case akin to an episode of the Keystone Cops.

The Chief Investigating officer, Hilton Botha, is first on the scene - who is incredibly facing 7 charges of attempted murder after a crazed drunken shooting at a packed mini bus taxi in 2009 on Police duty, yet he is still serving whilst under investigation. Maybe his CV would get him immediate entry into the football FOCUS group over here?

He shoots his girlfriend 4 times through the toilet door. That’s the bit he’s admitted. She in-turn was in the toilet with the door locked. Yes she locked it to get away from him. Haven’t heard of any burglars locking themselves into the toilet to steal the Shanks of Barrhead ceramic!

Of course the guy is entitled to a fair trial and we can only go on what we’ve been told, but this to me sounds like the biggest crock of bull I’ve heard for a while. He is trying to sneak his way out of this at the same time his girlfriend of less than three months was killed on the toilet seat. Then was lying on a mortuary slab and has since been cremated. He by broadcast reports has been more interested in saving his own skin as he’s been greetin away right on que. I’d prefer to sympathise with the agony she suffered than his switched on ‘tears’.

Now to the rub as to how psychologically tuned in people can get when it’s a national hero up on this charge. It can’t be true, they think, and immediately, I think the majority of folk go into mental lock down. Just like the in-denial Sevconians, this can’t be happening, but it is, and its sane folk who know it’s happening.

Imagine this Pistorius case was instead Henrik Larsson?  We’d be gasping ‘whit’ and yes it would take some getting the head around that Henrik could actually be charged with such a heinous crime. That is what I think is going on in South Africa. Would a black or white man of average status be given bail? No is the answer. He got bail because the Judge thought there was little chance he would disappear. How can that be a reason for bail? Surely the severity of the crime is the ‘premium reason’ reason bail cannot be granted.

If it was Henrik I’d find it hard to take in for a couple of hours. But that would be it. Once I’d heard the evidence to date, as in the Pistorius case, Henrik wouldn’t be getting any sympathy from me. It’s really evident that no matter what country you’re in, this denial is a real mental problem for lots of folk. Just ask a Sevconian, they're living the dream. Their own wee dream on their own little planet.
Final thought. Will Oscar Pistorius be the O.J. Simpson of South Africa? Even money I’d say!        



Monday 18 February 2013

Celtic & the Green Brigade

Celtic's statement today comes directly after a weekend of claims of mistreatment and harrasment from what the GB said came from the Police with involvement from Celtic FC.
Operating as a Celtic fan in our environment can be difficult enough at times. Therefore the last thing we need is in-fighting. So lets try and cut to the chase as quickly as possible!

From a personal level I've been in the thick of Celtic politics for over 23 years and I roughly know the mentality of how a PLC structure works and what it feels like to be re-buffed by the Club you love.

Myself and plenty of others banged our heads off a brick wall fighting the inside mentality of Celtic just under 20 years ago. Getting nowhere for a long time was the order of the day. Still look at the way it turned out now and the Club we have.

The Green Brigade have brought a wonderful sense of occasion and atmosphere to Celtic Park. Lots of politics and suspicions have arisen from both the GB and Celtic PLC and it has to be sorted one way or another now.

As an older guy compared to the GB with a few mental scars Celtic wise - if I can offer the GB advice it would be this.
They have boycotted in the recent past to bring attention to their grievances. They have now proved a point here. Because today Celtic PLC have publicly stated that they are proposing a 'complaints panel' for grievances. The rest is in the Club's statement as to how they propose it operates and with whom.

Take this opportunity now, detail everything that you consider to be wrong in the way you're treated as a Celtic fan, whether it be home or away, and use the complaint panel Celtic have set up. It's a win win situation all round!

Dialogue will win the day when there is this public transparency. Both the Club and the GB should foster better relations between each other, and if there is go-between to help soothe that path then Celtic should look at that also.

The waters are muddy and in any claim or allegation made there will always be another counter claim.
Talk is invaluable. Both sides should get right into it as soon as possible
Hail Hail