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We don't get the X Factor in the US but everyone I know back home in the UK are going on about the twins John and Edward.
Every weekend, most status updates on Facebook are about the show, and the newspapers cover it constantly.
Most people seem to hate them and their progress through the show is a huge talking point.
I'm not that bothered about missing out on their singing talent (or lack of) but I do miss how when there is a big event, the whole country feel involved and everyone, and I mean everyone, is talking about it.
Maybe it's because it's a small island and we all watch Coronation street, we all like football and for 3 or 4 months every winter, The X Factor dominates the nations televisions.
It's the World Cup next year and the whole country will be following. Bars and shops will be covered in England flags and most people you see though out June & July will be wearing an England shirt.
I miss that togetherness.
I think it's something that the US could never experience, and I feel sorry for them that they'll miss out. Maybe 9/11 is the closest they'll get but hopefully such occasions are rare.
So even though I won't see an episode of the X Factor, and I have no wish to, I'll still know all about what's going on and the scandal and shocks that are still to come and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Showing posts with label world cup. Show all posts
Showing posts with label world cup. Show all posts
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Sir Bobby Robson
The weekend before last, on Sunday afternoon, my Wife and I were pottering around the house when I turned on the TV to see what was on.
On one of the sports channels, there was a charity football game between England and Germany. This wasn't any old football match between the two historical foes. This was the teams from the 1990 world cup semi-final meeting again for the Sir Bobby Robson foundation.
Sir Bobby Robson was the England coach for both the 1986 & 1990 world cups. It says a lot for Bobby's standing in the game that so many former players, not to mention a full crownd at St James' Park in Newcastle turned out for the occasion.
Before the game, they wheeled Bobby out in front of the crowd and I was shocked to see how bad he looked. After four previous fights with cancer, Bobby had been diagnosed a fifth time with terminal lung cancer in 2008.
The reason I mention this now is that sadly, Sir Bobby Robson died on Friday and the football world lost one of it's greats.
The 1990 world cup holds a lot of memories for me. It is the first world cup where I watched pretty much every game. England started slowly but made it to the semi-finals, the furthest they'd got since 1966.
If you're not familiar with the outcome of that England-Germany semi final, the Germans won on penalties and it remains the only game of football I have cried over.
The game itself was full of drama, from the Germans' first lucky goal, to Gary Lineker scuffing in an equaliser, to Gazza getting booked and the tears of missing the final should England get through.
A penalty shoot out is a horrible way to lose a world cup semi final. I was 12 years old and after Chris Waddle and Stuart Pearce missed their kicks to let the Germans through, I calmly went into the kitchen and cried for about five minutes, hoping no one else came in. No one did and I wiped my eyes and rejoined the family in the living room.
One of my favourite memories of Bobby Robson is the legendary story of when he greeted England Captain Bryan Robson one day with a 'Morning Bobby.'
To which Captain Marvel replied 'I'm Bryan, you're Bobby'.
For so many reasons, Sir Bobby Robson will be missed.
On one of the sports channels, there was a charity football game between England and Germany. This wasn't any old football match between the two historical foes. This was the teams from the 1990 world cup semi-final meeting again for the Sir Bobby Robson foundation.
Sir Bobby Robson was the England coach for both the 1986 & 1990 world cups. It says a lot for Bobby's standing in the game that so many former players, not to mention a full crownd at St James' Park in Newcastle turned out for the occasion.
Before the game, they wheeled Bobby out in front of the crowd and I was shocked to see how bad he looked. After four previous fights with cancer, Bobby had been diagnosed a fifth time with terminal lung cancer in 2008.
The reason I mention this now is that sadly, Sir Bobby Robson died on Friday and the football world lost one of it's greats.
The 1990 world cup holds a lot of memories for me. It is the first world cup where I watched pretty much every game. England started slowly but made it to the semi-finals, the furthest they'd got since 1966.
If you're not familiar with the outcome of that England-Germany semi final, the Germans won on penalties and it remains the only game of football I have cried over.
The game itself was full of drama, from the Germans' first lucky goal, to Gary Lineker scuffing in an equaliser, to Gazza getting booked and the tears of missing the final should England get through.
A penalty shoot out is a horrible way to lose a world cup semi final. I was 12 years old and after Chris Waddle and Stuart Pearce missed their kicks to let the Germans through, I calmly went into the kitchen and cried for about five minutes, hoping no one else came in. No one did and I wiped my eyes and rejoined the family in the living room.
One of my favourite memories of Bobby Robson is the legendary story of when he greeted England Captain Bryan Robson one day with a 'Morning Bobby.'
To which Captain Marvel replied 'I'm Bryan, you're Bobby'.
For so many reasons, Sir Bobby Robson will be missed.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Reality Bites
So today Jade Goody finally passed away.
If you're not familiar with Jade Goody the BBC, as always have issued a suitable obituary.
To be honest, I feel for Jade and her family, it's pretty awful what she had to go through but this is not really an event on the scale of Diana back in '97.
I remember watching Jade on Big Brother back in 2002 or whenever it was and most her antics were cringe worthy and like all reality tv shows like Big Brother, American Idol, Survivor etc, they're good fun to watch but once the winner is declared, my interest in the contestants ends but there was something about Jade that kept the British public interested.
It's things like this that I miss about my home country. The way one event can unite the entire country. If you talk about the latest goings on in Coronation Street the majority of people will know what you're talking about. Everyone will know the football results, and everyone will know who Jade Goody is, even if they never watched Big Brother. She's made enough headlines of her own since then for people to have avoided her for too long.
When the World Cup comes around I miss home most. The way the entire country stops when England are playing, and all the talk in pubs, on tv and radio and in newspapers is all about the next game. Britain is a country of huge historical significance, but it is also a small island where one event can unite everybody.
Going back to Jade, I must admit I haven't followed her story too closely recently but she seemed to have behaved with dignity and knowing death was on it's way, she made preparations to ensure her children would be looked after when she was gone. I'm sure they will be ok financially but growing up without their Mother, who died at a tragically young age will be tough to take.
Today is also Mother's Day in the UK so a big hug and thank you to all the Mothers reading.
If you're not familiar with Jade Goody the BBC, as always have issued a suitable obituary.
To be honest, I feel for Jade and her family, it's pretty awful what she had to go through but this is not really an event on the scale of Diana back in '97.
I remember watching Jade on Big Brother back in 2002 or whenever it was and most her antics were cringe worthy and like all reality tv shows like Big Brother, American Idol, Survivor etc, they're good fun to watch but once the winner is declared, my interest in the contestants ends but there was something about Jade that kept the British public interested.
It's things like this that I miss about my home country. The way one event can unite the entire country. If you talk about the latest goings on in Coronation Street the majority of people will know what you're talking about. Everyone will know the football results, and everyone will know who Jade Goody is, even if they never watched Big Brother. She's made enough headlines of her own since then for people to have avoided her for too long.
When the World Cup comes around I miss home most. The way the entire country stops when England are playing, and all the talk in pubs, on tv and radio and in newspapers is all about the next game. Britain is a country of huge historical significance, but it is also a small island where one event can unite everybody.
Going back to Jade, I must admit I haven't followed her story too closely recently but she seemed to have behaved with dignity and knowing death was on it's way, she made preparations to ensure her children would be looked after when she was gone. I'm sure they will be ok financially but growing up without their Mother, who died at a tragically young age will be tough to take.
Today is also Mother's Day in the UK so a big hug and thank you to all the Mothers reading.
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