The title is referring to the recent(ish) interview of Richard Dawkins in "Papa Bear" Bill O'Reilly's show, the "O RLY Factor". No wait, that's not right. Anyway.
(I know O RLY jokes are so '05, but I couldn't help it. *shrugs*)
It goes without saying that Papa Bear is only good to laugh at, and is not to be taken seriously, but he was pretty entertaining in this one. Still pretty annoying, yet entertaining nonetheless.
On the other hand, even though I'm an ardent atheist, I'm not that fond of Richard Dawkins either. He comes off as arrogant, smug and sometimes annoying as well. Basically he oftentimes does the exact same things he's accusing Christians for. I do agree with what he's saying more or less, I just don't like the way he tries to shove his opinions down other people's throats.
At any rate, seeing two rather obnoxious people (especially two who like to force their opinions on others) fight is fun, so for those interested in watching this interview, click here.
Thursday, May 31
Be wevy quiet, I'm watching Wabbits
For some strange, unexplained reason, I felt like watching David Lynch's latest film in the movies. I don't really like Lynch's films, and that's being kind. Yet I had this sort of gut feeling which told me I would like this movie. This was despite Lynch's confession that: "I don’t know exactly how this thing will finally unfold... This film is very different because I don’t have a script. I write the thing scene by scene and much of it is shot and I don’t have much of a clue where it will end."
And boy, does it ever show. Of course, you never watch a Lynch movie for plot or consistency, you watch it for the surreal, menacing atmosphere, the strange images and Angelo Badalamenti's amazing music scores. But Inland Empire suffers from a lack of any sense of consistency, even when compared to the rest of Lynch's movies. At this point I should confess that I've seen most of his movies, yes I'm glutton for punishment.
At any rate, while the plot is all over the place, what really hurts the movie in my opinion is the long length. I rarely complain about a movie's length, but in such a film where you have to search for clues in virtually every scene, three hours is a bit too much. I started feeling tired by the 150 minutes mark or so, and by the end I was outright bored, the movie had lost me. I still kind of liked it, but not as much as I expected.
Anyway, enough Lynch-bashing for one post. If there was something I really, really liked in the film was the little segments with the humanoid rabbits, which were in what appeared to be a set of a 50's sitcom, complete with an audience laugh track that was used on lines that weren't really funny.
The people in the movie I was in preferred to just giggle like school children, but something in those segments captivated me. There was an underlying sense of malice and dread to them, like something bad was going on but you couldn't even begin to understand what, which made things even worse. Lynch at his finest, in other words. Also it sorta reminded me of Silent Hill 3, my favorite SH ever, and that's a big plus. Of course, Rabbits pre-dated SH3, I wouldn't be surprised if I heard that it influenced Konami's game.
So imagine my delight when I found out that Lynch had made a whole series out of that concept. Originally it was only released on Lynch's official website in 8 episodes, and while it's no longer there, other websites now host at least a few of those episodes. Hooray for the internets!
I've watched the first two episodes so far, and well... without spoiling anything, I knew that whoever the rabbits were waiting for was up to no good, but I wasn't expecting that. I almost started yelling "HOLY MOTHER OF GOD!" during a very specific scene.
Also, if Wikipedia can link to Rabbits on YouTube, then heck, so can I. Here's the first episode:
The whole series can be found here.
Lastly... why are rabbits (at least humanoid ones) so damn creepy? I found them seriously unsettling in Silent Hill 3, and I felt exactly the same in Rabbits. I could make a joke about furries here, but I'd rather not.
And boy, does it ever show. Of course, you never watch a Lynch movie for plot or consistency, you watch it for the surreal, menacing atmosphere, the strange images and Angelo Badalamenti's amazing music scores. But Inland Empire suffers from a lack of any sense of consistency, even when compared to the rest of Lynch's movies. At this point I should confess that I've seen most of his movies, yes I'm glutton for punishment.
At any rate, while the plot is all over the place, what really hurts the movie in my opinion is the long length. I rarely complain about a movie's length, but in such a film where you have to search for clues in virtually every scene, three hours is a bit too much. I started feeling tired by the 150 minutes mark or so, and by the end I was outright bored, the movie had lost me. I still kind of liked it, but not as much as I expected.
Anyway, enough Lynch-bashing for one post. If there was something I really, really liked in the film was the little segments with the humanoid rabbits, which were in what appeared to be a set of a 50's sitcom, complete with an audience laugh track that was used on lines that weren't really funny.
The people in the movie I was in preferred to just giggle like school children, but something in those segments captivated me. There was an underlying sense of malice and dread to them, like something bad was going on but you couldn't even begin to understand what, which made things even worse. Lynch at his finest, in other words. Also it sorta reminded me of Silent Hill 3, my favorite SH ever, and that's a big plus. Of course, Rabbits pre-dated SH3, I wouldn't be surprised if I heard that it influenced Konami's game.
So imagine my delight when I found out that Lynch had made a whole series out of that concept. Originally it was only released on Lynch's official website in 8 episodes, and while it's no longer there, other websites now host at least a few of those episodes. Hooray for the internets!
I've watched the first two episodes so far, and well... without spoiling anything, I knew that whoever the rabbits were waiting for was up to no good, but I wasn't expecting that. I almost started yelling "HOLY MOTHER OF GOD!" during a very specific scene.
Also, if Wikipedia can link to Rabbits on YouTube, then heck, so can I. Here's the first episode:
The whole series can be found here.
Lastly... why are rabbits (at least humanoid ones) so damn creepy? I found them seriously unsettling in Silent Hill 3, and I felt exactly the same in Rabbits. I could make a joke about furries here, but I'd rather not.
Thursday, May 24
I guess I jinxed it
So we have a new Champions League uh... champion. AC Milan defeated Liverpool 2-1 last night, my little posting trick didn't work this time around, I guess it doesn't work if you're doing it on purpose, as Liverpool was unable to recover from being 2-0 down.
All in all, it was a fairly boring game, in all honesty. Maybe I'm a bit jaded with football these days, but the whole tempo of the game was pretty tame. Milan just did their job well, scored a (lucky) goal as the first half was about to end, and then proceeded to lock down Liverpool's attackers with incredible precision, almost cold-blooded one could say.
Liverpool didn't do much, all in all. It was kind of disappointing for the club that managed to recover from three down just two years ago, this time around it felt as if they were lacking the willpower to win (eh, cliches for the loss). Perhaps it was Milan's excellent defense, but certain Liverpool key players like Gerrard where nowhere to be found all game long.
In the end, the better team won, so it's all good I guess. And I'm happy for this guy:
39 year old, Paolo Maldini. Milan's captain for so many years I've actually lost count, quite possibly the most complete defender or heck, the best defender ever. Also my favorite football player of all time. So it's all good in the end.
All in all, it was a fairly boring game, in all honesty. Maybe I'm a bit jaded with football these days, but the whole tempo of the game was pretty tame. Milan just did their job well, scored a (lucky) goal as the first half was about to end, and then proceeded to lock down Liverpool's attackers with incredible precision, almost cold-blooded one could say.
Liverpool didn't do much, all in all. It was kind of disappointing for the club that managed to recover from three down just two years ago, this time around it felt as if they were lacking the willpower to win (eh, cliches for the loss). Perhaps it was Milan's excellent defense, but certain Liverpool key players like Gerrard where nowhere to be found all game long.
In the end, the better team won, so it's all good I guess. And I'm happy for this guy:
39 year old, Paolo Maldini. Milan's captain for so many years I've actually lost count, quite possibly the most complete defender or heck, the best defender ever. Also my favorite football player of all time. So it's all good in the end.
Wednesday, May 23
'Tis the time of the season
How did that go anyway, "the time" or "that time"?
At any rate, I don't have time to wonder about that. As I'm writing this, Liverpool is losing 1-0 to AC Milan in the Champions League final. That's soccer, if you're not from this continent. Two years ago, I was writing an email and Liverpool was losing 3-0 to AC Milan again. By the time I had finished the mail, they had tied the game up. So yes, I'm sorta hoping for the same effect here.
I know, I'm hopeless. So what?
Anyway, this week marks the season finales for most TV shows, at least the ones that didn't had their finale's last week. Hello, CSI. Thanks for that cliffhanger, it's gonna be a long wait till October. *grumbles*
(Damn, Liverpool almost scored just now, I told you people there's a reason why I'm doing this!)
Anyway, many people have been overly critical over the season finale of Heroes, which was admittedly rather awkward and with quite a few plot-holes. In all honesty, Heroes was never that good a show to begin with, and plot-holes were abundant all season long. Why change now?
As far as TV shows go, it's kinda dumb, but fun. Sorta like a superhero comic book, but even more cheesy. Sure, there were a few moments of greatness here and there throughout the year (Company Man, that "Days of Future Past" episode) but they were the exception, not the rule.
One major point of criticism was the final "battle" that was over in like three seconds. That was rather anti-climatic, but I never got why people get so fascinated over battles in TV shows. I honestly doubt I've seen a good one on TV. With the possible exception of Jin kicking that Russian Other's ass in Lost, but that was over in a few seconds too.
Speaking of Lost, season finale is on in a few hours and it should be fucking epic. Epic. This show has kicked so much ass in the last couple of months.
I haven't watched 24 yet, but by the sounds of it, I'm not missing much. (Pavlos, if you spoil anything for me again you won't live long enough to see season 7!)
And finally... on to my favorite show in recent years, Veronica Mars, which just had its series finale last night. The finale was completely anti-climatic, but that's to be expected, as it was designed as a season finale with a cliffhanger, rather than a series finale. Too many questions remain unanswered, there is no real closure, and the ending is definitely not a happy one.
But you know, for me, it worked wonderfully like that. For a show that was a massive success with critics but never with the actual audience, a show that went through countless near-cancellations, with Execs tainting it and almost turning it into a teen drama... It felt oddly appropriate to go on such an unhappy note, and definitely not with a bang. Not with a whimper either though, because the last two episodes aired last night reminded me why I fell in love with this show the first time. Brilliant writing, brilliant acting, just quality TV at its finest.
(And again, ahhh! C'mon Liverpool!)
It also made accepting the fact that the series is over a bit harder to stomach, as the suckfest episodes we got in the last month actually made me glad the show would end this year. But at the same time, it's good to see the show ending on such a high note.
Going back to the unhappy ending and how it feels appropriate, one of the main themes of the show since season 1 was the fact that whatever you do, how honest your intentions are, and how much you try... sometimes you'll fail, you'll fuck up, sometimes things will not turn out the way you want them to, no matter how much that might hurt you.
And exactly that is why this ending seems so fitting. Not only because things went south since Veronica and her dad messed up (not putting up any spoilers, watch the damn thing), but because this also works for the series itself. No matter how much its creators tried, no matter what sacrifices they made in order to retain their show on air, they failed. But that doesn't matter. They provided us with three years of quality TV, and that's more than enough.
Also, apparently VM has just been cancelled on Greek TV as well. Figures.
(Ass, 2-0. Grr.)
I'll admit to something here, I used to watch Gilmore Girls until season 6, which sucked all sorts of ass... is the series finale worth watching? Even just for the heck of it.
(Come on, damnit.)
At any rate, I don't have time to wonder about that. As I'm writing this, Liverpool is losing 1-0 to AC Milan in the Champions League final. That's soccer, if you're not from this continent. Two years ago, I was writing an email and Liverpool was losing 3-0 to AC Milan again. By the time I had finished the mail, they had tied the game up. So yes, I'm sorta hoping for the same effect here.
I know, I'm hopeless. So what?
Anyway, this week marks the season finales for most TV shows, at least the ones that didn't had their finale's last week. Hello, CSI. Thanks for that cliffhanger, it's gonna be a long wait till October. *grumbles*
(Damn, Liverpool almost scored just now, I told you people there's a reason why I'm doing this!)
Anyway, many people have been overly critical over the season finale of Heroes, which was admittedly rather awkward and with quite a few plot-holes. In all honesty, Heroes was never that good a show to begin with, and plot-holes were abundant all season long. Why change now?
As far as TV shows go, it's kinda dumb, but fun. Sorta like a superhero comic book, but even more cheesy. Sure, there were a few moments of greatness here and there throughout the year (Company Man, that "Days of Future Past" episode) but they were the exception, not the rule.
One major point of criticism was the final "battle" that was over in like three seconds. That was rather anti-climatic, but I never got why people get so fascinated over battles in TV shows. I honestly doubt I've seen a good one on TV. With the possible exception of Jin kicking that Russian Other's ass in Lost, but that was over in a few seconds too.
Speaking of Lost, season finale is on in a few hours and it should be fucking epic. Epic. This show has kicked so much ass in the last couple of months.
I haven't watched 24 yet, but by the sounds of it, I'm not missing much. (Pavlos, if you spoil anything for me again you won't live long enough to see season 7!)
And finally... on to my favorite show in recent years, Veronica Mars, which just had its series finale last night. The finale was completely anti-climatic, but that's to be expected, as it was designed as a season finale with a cliffhanger, rather than a series finale. Too many questions remain unanswered, there is no real closure, and the ending is definitely not a happy one.
But you know, for me, it worked wonderfully like that. For a show that was a massive success with critics but never with the actual audience, a show that went through countless near-cancellations, with Execs tainting it and almost turning it into a teen drama... It felt oddly appropriate to go on such an unhappy note, and definitely not with a bang. Not with a whimper either though, because the last two episodes aired last night reminded me why I fell in love with this show the first time. Brilliant writing, brilliant acting, just quality TV at its finest.
(And again, ahhh! C'mon Liverpool!)
It also made accepting the fact that the series is over a bit harder to stomach, as the suckfest episodes we got in the last month actually made me glad the show would end this year. But at the same time, it's good to see the show ending on such a high note.
Going back to the unhappy ending and how it feels appropriate, one of the main themes of the show since season 1 was the fact that whatever you do, how honest your intentions are, and how much you try... sometimes you'll fail, you'll fuck up, sometimes things will not turn out the way you want them to, no matter how much that might hurt you.
And exactly that is why this ending seems so fitting. Not only because things went south since Veronica and her dad messed up (not putting up any spoilers, watch the damn thing), but because this also works for the series itself. No matter how much its creators tried, no matter what sacrifices they made in order to retain their show on air, they failed. But that doesn't matter. They provided us with three years of quality TV, and that's more than enough.
Also, apparently VM has just been cancelled on Greek TV as well. Figures.
(Ass, 2-0. Grr.)
I'll admit to something here, I used to watch Gilmore Girls until season 6, which sucked all sorts of ass... is the series finale worth watching? Even just for the heck of it.
(Come on, damnit.)
Monday, May 21
The intro to Starcraft: Brood War
I suck when it comes to title names.
This is the video introduction to Brood War, the expansion pack to the original Starcraft. It's also one of my favorite video sequences in a game, ever.
The original Starcraft game had a pretty nice intro sequence too, very eerie, moody and almost scary, but Brood War's was on a whole different level. It's so well directed, it wouldn't look out of place in a sci-fi movie, with some twinking here and there of course. And then its whole subject matter is also great, which is the reason why I love it so much. In it, as in most of the game, you see the humans for what they are, douchebags, not heroes.
It's something you rarely see in games, but Starcraft did an excellent job at this. And lest we forget, strategy games are hardly renowned for their plots and storylines. This is one of the reasons why I liked the original so much, you spent as much time fighting other humans as you did fighting the alien races. And the atmosphere of that game was amazing. I can't really put this into words, but the storyline and the atmosphere is what made me love Starcraft, even though I preferred the Command & Conquer games as far as gameplay is concerned.
This concept of humans being... well, themselves, was also introduced in Warcraft 3, but then Blizzard of course had to dump it down for the masses and so the humans are again the "good guys" in WoW. If there's ever a Starcraft MMO (and I hope there won't be), they'd better not mess with this aspect of the story.
Of course, most people would roll Protoss, but that's besides the point.
Here's the video:
Tom, if you're reading this, I want a rematch in Brood Wars one day. xD
This is the video introduction to Brood War, the expansion pack to the original Starcraft. It's also one of my favorite video sequences in a game, ever.
The original Starcraft game had a pretty nice intro sequence too, very eerie, moody and almost scary, but Brood War's was on a whole different level. It's so well directed, it wouldn't look out of place in a sci-fi movie, with some twinking here and there of course. And then its whole subject matter is also great, which is the reason why I love it so much. In it, as in most of the game, you see the humans for what they are, douchebags, not heroes.
It's something you rarely see in games, but Starcraft did an excellent job at this. And lest we forget, strategy games are hardly renowned for their plots and storylines. This is one of the reasons why I liked the original so much, you spent as much time fighting other humans as you did fighting the alien races. And the atmosphere of that game was amazing. I can't really put this into words, but the storyline and the atmosphere is what made me love Starcraft, even though I preferred the Command & Conquer games as far as gameplay is concerned.
This concept of humans being... well, themselves, was also introduced in Warcraft 3, but then Blizzard of course had to dump it down for the masses and so the humans are again the "good guys" in WoW. If there's ever a Starcraft MMO (and I hope there won't be), they'd better not mess with this aspect of the story.
Of course, most people would roll Protoss, but that's besides the point.
Here's the video:
Tom, if you're reading this, I want a rematch in Brood Wars one day. xD
This isn't a post about Starcraft 2.
I'm a horrible liar. Of course this post is about Starcraft 2.
"Hell, it's about time."
The unnamed marine in Starcraft 2's trailer put it best. It sure was about time.
You know that a game is going to be huge when it's the #1 news item in the splash screen of World of Warcraft. The PC gaming market definitely needs a successful game that's not an MMORPG at the moment.
(On a side note, can anyone believe it's already ten (10) years since Starcraft was released? Sweet Jebus.)
And am I ever glad that Blizzard's big announcement wasn't a Starcraft MMORPG. Not only did it make little financial sense, as WoW is still going strong, and a Starcraft MMO would be a bitch to balance properly, we didn't really need another MMO. Honestly, the market is becoming saturated as it is, there is no real need for another MMO based on a well-known and beloved franchise.
Of course, this being the Internet, many people were disappointed by the announcement, my favorite type being the ones who accused Blizzard of being afraid of creating something new and original and not as derivative as Starcraft, while at the same time demanding Diablo 3. Ah, Irony, how I love thee.
There are a few things about Starcraft 2 that worry me a bit, but now is not the time for that. Excitement is still high over the announcement, and there's no reason to spoil that mood. I'll make another post regarding this game in the near future.
"Hell, it's about time."
The unnamed marine in Starcraft 2's trailer put it best. It sure was about time.
You know that a game is going to be huge when it's the #1 news item in the splash screen of World of Warcraft. The PC gaming market definitely needs a successful game that's not an MMORPG at the moment.
(On a side note, can anyone believe it's already ten (10) years since Starcraft was released? Sweet Jebus.)
And am I ever glad that Blizzard's big announcement wasn't a Starcraft MMORPG. Not only did it make little financial sense, as WoW is still going strong, and a Starcraft MMO would be a bitch to balance properly, we didn't really need another MMO. Honestly, the market is becoming saturated as it is, there is no real need for another MMO based on a well-known and beloved franchise.
Of course, this being the Internet, many people were disappointed by the announcement, my favorite type being the ones who accused Blizzard of being afraid of creating something new and original and not as derivative as Starcraft, while at the same time demanding Diablo 3. Ah, Irony, how I love thee.
There are a few things about Starcraft 2 that worry me a bit, but now is not the time for that. Excitement is still high over the announcement, and there's no reason to spoil that mood. I'll make another post regarding this game in the near future.
Tuesday, May 8
Devotion
As you may or may have not guessed from my previous post, oh faithful reader, the team I was supporting in the Euroleague final won.
Panathinaikos is the new Euroleague champion, for the fourth time in history. It's the first team in history that has managed such a feat, and its captain Fragiskos Alvertis is the only player who has managed to win the title four times in his career.
It's funny, this guy was just starting when I first started watching basketball, and seeing the amount of titles he has won in his 17-year career was a strange feeling. I guess you don't realize how important or even legendary some people are until they retire.
At any rate, the game itself was excellent. I'm kind of bummed I couldn't have a ticket for it, but on the other hand I'm also kind of glad. Every time Panathinaikos got a decent lead (up to 12 points at some point), CSKA kept coming back again. And again, and again. It made for a very tense game, and given that I get hilariously stressed when watching sports, I'd probably get an aneurysm or something.
But yes, it was a great game and a great final, worthy of the two (arguably) best teams in Europe at the moment. The final score of 93 to 91 is also one of the highest ever for a final. In the end, and in my ever-so-humble opinion, the better team won. Every single player from Panathinaikos did what they were supposed to do, while CSKA depended a bit too much on Papaloukas -who played unbelievable well, by the way. But sometimes one man can't make the difference, at least on his own. Sorry Stan Lee.
An interesting thing, Panathinaikos had offered to do a little tour in the States (sort of like the "NBA in Europe" yearly event, but reversed), and now that they've won the Euroleague, they are allegedly requested to go to Texas to play against the Rockets and the Spurs. The way I see it, after suffering several painful losses lately (former champion CSKA destroyed the Clippers 95-73 last fall), NBA teams are looking for an excuse to bitchslap the finest that Europe has to offer.
It should be interesting, and I hope that Panathinaikos manages to attend. I honestly believe we can defeat the Rockets if our key players are in a good day. It should be a dreadful match as far as beautiful plays and "showtime" basketball is concerned, since both teams are very defensive (unless JVG does leave), but it should still be an interesting and very technical match. When it comes to the Spurs, I don't think any European team can defeat them or any other high-level NBA team.
Yet.
Panathinaikos is the new Euroleague champion, for the fourth time in history. It's the first team in history that has managed such a feat, and its captain Fragiskos Alvertis is the only player who has managed to win the title four times in his career.
It's funny, this guy was just starting when I first started watching basketball, and seeing the amount of titles he has won in his 17-year career was a strange feeling. I guess you don't realize how important or even legendary some people are until they retire.
At any rate, the game itself was excellent. I'm kind of bummed I couldn't have a ticket for it, but on the other hand I'm also kind of glad. Every time Panathinaikos got a decent lead (up to 12 points at some point), CSKA kept coming back again. And again, and again. It made for a very tense game, and given that I get hilariously stressed when watching sports, I'd probably get an aneurysm or something.
But yes, it was a great game and a great final, worthy of the two (arguably) best teams in Europe at the moment. The final score of 93 to 91 is also one of the highest ever for a final. In the end, and in my ever-so-humble opinion, the better team won. Every single player from Panathinaikos did what they were supposed to do, while CSKA depended a bit too much on Papaloukas -who played unbelievable well, by the way. But sometimes one man can't make the difference, at least on his own. Sorry Stan Lee.
An interesting thing, Panathinaikos had offered to do a little tour in the States (sort of like the "NBA in Europe" yearly event, but reversed), and now that they've won the Euroleague, they are allegedly requested to go to Texas to play against the Rockets and the Spurs. The way I see it, after suffering several painful losses lately (former champion CSKA destroyed the Clippers 95-73 last fall), NBA teams are looking for an excuse to bitchslap the finest that Europe has to offer.
It should be interesting, and I hope that Panathinaikos manages to attend. I honestly believe we can defeat the Rockets if our key players are in a good day. It should be a dreadful match as far as beautiful plays and "showtime" basketball is concerned, since both teams are very defensive (unless JVG does leave), but it should still be an interesting and very technical match. When it comes to the Spurs, I don't think any European team can defeat them or any other high-level NBA team.
Yet.
Monday, May 7
Sunday, May 6
Mirror match
Today's the day. It's the Euroleague final, Panathinaikos Vs. CSKA Moscow. Dimitris Diamantidis Vs Thodoris Papaloukas. The three-times Defensive Player of the Year against the two times Euroleague MVP. Arguably the two best European players currently playing in Europe, still. But what's more interesting is that they're both the same type of player, hence the title of my post.
They're both point guards, tall, athletic (for Europeans anyway), fast, and with long hands, which make them excellent for stealing passes and contesting shots. It's thanks to their skills that the Greek national basketball team became a force to be reckoned with again. The only slight difference between them is the fact that Diamantidis is better at taking three-pointers, while Papaloukas is better at scoring inside the paint. The battle between the two should be very exciting tonight.
But what's more important is something that can't be shown with statistics. Just by being on the court, they make their teams better, more coherent. Even if they don't score points, steal the ball or make assists. I'm not sure how or why they do this, but it happens.
All in all, I hope the game tonight will be fun, and nothing like the borefests of Friday. Euroleague basketball isn't as flashy as NBA basketball (even though the recent Rockets-Jazz series was bad enough to almost make me change my mind on that), but there have been some really great games over the years.
Speaking of the NBA and the Rockets, how bad must it be for a team when the coach doesn't trust more than 7 players? Seriously, how can anyone expect the same 7 people to just go through an entire full season and still have stamina left for the playoffs? Yes, I'm sorta bitter because Van Gundy didn't give V-Span enough time this year, but JVG was doing the same to most of his bench players. I don't get it.
Oh well, Warriors-Jazz should be interesting. I wonder if the Warriors have it in them to go all the way to the Western Conference finals. I'll be rooting for them in that series, a Jazz-Spurs WCF series sounds a bit too much like the Euroleague semis for my taste.
Enough blabbing, ΈΛΑ ΜΩΡΗ ΠΑΝΑΘΑ!
Thursday, May 3
Liverpool Vs A.C Milan, round two!
Technically, it's still "tomorrow".
I sort of had this long-winded rant ready about how Liverpool managed to disqualified Chelsea in the Champions League semi-finals because they had the balls to do so and Chelsea just had a lot of expensive players and an arrogant (and pretty douchebag-y) coach. But I decided against actually writing it, as I'd just be reciting what people have been saying for the last few days. Moving on then.
So it's official, the Champions League final here in Athens will be a rematch of the 2005 final between Liverpool (which I'm supporting, as you may have already guessed) and A.C. Milan, a team that was supposed to be disqualified from the competition originally, and only got through in the end because they're A.C. Milan. And people still ask me why I think cosmic irony is the driving force in this universe.
At any rate, it should be a very interesting match. Not because either team is known for their fast-paced football, full of technique and skill, on the contrary. However, their last match in the 2005 final was one of the most memorable matches in recent years, Milan got the lead 3-0 early in the game, but Liverpool managed to tie the game and win the cup in the penalties. Not the most beautiful football game ever, but definitely one I (and others) will remember for years to come.
It's a shame that the tickets for the final are so expensive, I had no chance of getting one on time. I would have loved to hear Liverpool's fans sing "You'll never walk alone" in the middle of the Olympic stadium here in Athens. Oh wells.
What really sucks is the fact that the Euroleague final four (think European basketball) is starting tomorrow, again here in Athens... And the team I'm supporting, Panathinaikos, is taking place in it. Of course I haven't found any tickets for either game, seriously now.
It's funny, I went all the way to Paris when I was 15 to watch Panathinaikos win their first European championship, but I haven't gone to either Final Four that has taken place in Greece, that would be 2000 in Thessaloniki, when I was studying Geology there, and the current one.
I'd say that's pretty fucking ironic as well.
I sort of had this long-winded rant ready about how Liverpool managed to disqualified Chelsea in the Champions League semi-finals because they had the balls to do so and Chelsea just had a lot of expensive players and an arrogant (and pretty douchebag-y) coach. But I decided against actually writing it, as I'd just be reciting what people have been saying for the last few days. Moving on then.
So it's official, the Champions League final here in Athens will be a rematch of the 2005 final between Liverpool (which I'm supporting, as you may have already guessed) and A.C. Milan, a team that was supposed to be disqualified from the competition originally, and only got through in the end because they're A.C. Milan. And people still ask me why I think cosmic irony is the driving force in this universe.
At any rate, it should be a very interesting match. Not because either team is known for their fast-paced football, full of technique and skill, on the contrary. However, their last match in the 2005 final was one of the most memorable matches in recent years, Milan got the lead 3-0 early in the game, but Liverpool managed to tie the game and win the cup in the penalties. Not the most beautiful football game ever, but definitely one I (and others) will remember for years to come.
It's a shame that the tickets for the final are so expensive, I had no chance of getting one on time. I would have loved to hear Liverpool's fans sing "You'll never walk alone" in the middle of the Olympic stadium here in Athens. Oh wells.
What really sucks is the fact that the Euroleague final four (think European basketball) is starting tomorrow, again here in Athens... And the team I'm supporting, Panathinaikos, is taking place in it. Of course I haven't found any tickets for either game, seriously now.
It's funny, I went all the way to Paris when I was 15 to watch Panathinaikos win their first European championship, but I haven't gone to either Final Four that has taken place in Greece, that would be 2000 in Thessaloniki, when I was studying Geology there, and the current one.
I'd say that's pretty fucking ironic as well.
Wednesday, May 2
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