June, 2003

As expected, Sunday was spent mostly vegetating in front of the TV set or stuck in front of the PC trying [in vain] to get something done. I finally succumbed to temptation and read up on the tactics and intricacies of managing a team on CM4; and subsequently started a game managing Lazio – a big team in financial trouble. A bit of a tougher challenge, because in addition to striving for success, I also have to keep my best players. Managed to finish 6th in the first season – not too bad I reckon since I had a spending budget of £2.3million.

European GP day today, and while I’m not too big a fan, I did choose a team to follow [no, not Ferrari but BMW Williams, chosen based on the sole criteria that Beemers are my dream car]. Not a bad haul for the team today – with Schumacher Jr. and Montoya both ending up with a 1-2 podium finish. Schumacher Sr. failed to get a podium finish, and young Finnish star Kimi Raikonnen had to abandon the race when his engine started emitting smoke. Quite a shame, really, because he was doing quite well ahead of the pack. Sauber managed a point through Heidfeld.

No Wimbledon today – so I suffered a mild withdrawal syndrome. Nonetheless, things are back in action tomorrow, so I’ll be working from home from 1pm onwards. A couple of potentiall interesting games – Srichaphan of Thailand will play Andy Roddick, Henman plays Nalbandian, Grosjean plays Ferrero but most importantly, Agassi plays Phillippoussis. Needless to say, I will be glued.

As an aside, I’ve added a few new features to the blog – namely to the links section, and also an ‘about me’ bit which I hope to expand in the very near future. Oh, and I should be putting on the PPS button as well – since I’m one of the betatesters

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FIVE RELATED LINKS
The Dugout – Championship Manager portal
Paradorn Srichaphan – Asian Hero
European GP – Tag Heuer Site
Soccernet - has a compilation of articles on Marc Vivien Foe
BMW Williams

Saturday today, and despite being awoken by a phone call at the ungodly hour of 0830, I am very much relieved it is the weekend. This means I can have a lie in, vegetate, watch TV and do nothing without an inkling of guilt.

Okay, so there is little that is stopping me from that on any other day, such is the freedom that PhD students have; but somehow not going to the office or taking the day off on a weekday reeks of skiving off, and I don’t feel totally at ease with that.

I’m starting to pack my stuff now – putting the things I don’t foresee myself needing in the next 7 days into various boxes and cases. My room is now full of various sized boxes – would probably take a picture of it all if it wasn’t for my boyfriend taking a little trip to Venice without me.

I actually do have a shortlist [or perhaps.. a long shortlist?] of things I need to do over the weekend – updating my website, my photoblog, some Malaysian Soc business, not to mention the packing. But the tennis is intriguing. First up was my choice for champion Andre Agassi playing Younes El Aynaoui from Morocco; so that kept me occupied for a good 3 hours and a little bit more.

Then went out to town to catch a movie – Bruce Almighty. It would be really interesting if this one makes it to Malaysian shores, given that Daredevil did not. The movie is a sweet romantic comedy, really, but was very much blasphemous, especially since Morgan Freeman played God. I left my inhibitions at the door, but still failed to enjoy the movie as much. Maybe it was Jim Carrey and his stupid faces.

So yeah.. that was my day, really. Not a bad start to the weekend, and am looking forward to yet another day of having fun staying indoors tomorrow.. hehe. Oh, and I’ve finished reading Harry Potter. Not quite sure yet when a post-mortem can be conducted, though.
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FIVE RELATED LINKS

The Saturday Show – what I watch every Saturday morning!
IMDb site for Bruce Almighty [with reviews]
Latest from Wimbledon
Harry Potter headlines
Jim Carrey – no pressure to be funny [Ananova]

At the age of 28, Cameroon midfielder Marc Vivien Foe collapsed on the football pitch during the 72nd minute of a Confederations’ Cup Semi Final, and died.

It was believed he suffered a heart attack or an aneurysm [no post mortem has, as yet, been conducted] and after paramedics and doctors failed to resuscitate him for 45 minutes, he was pronounced dead. His death casted a silent shadow over the footballing world, mourning for a player who undoubtedly had so much more to give.

During his lifetime, Foe played for Lens and Lyon in France, and West Ham United and Manchester City [on loan] in the English Premiership. While his name was never uttered in the same sentence as other midfield stars like Zidane, Figo, or Beckham, the hard tackling midfielder more than contributed to Manchester City’s fine run in the Premiership this season. In the 35 games he played for the Mancunian side, he scored 9 goals – a handsome tally for a midfielder.

I last saw him play [on TV, of course] in Cameroon’s game against Brazil of the same tournament – quietly confident, marshalling the midfield in his own way. He was substituted in the 60th minute.

I even remember paying him a compliment during that game.. ‘Bagus betul Foe ni main.. sayang on loan jer kat City‘.

‘Sayang dia patah kaki dulu,’ my friend added.

It could have been a different story had he not broken his leg in 1998 – the other team in Manchester [United, that is] were in line to sign him and probably would have. But it was with City that he made his mark in the Premiership, and it is City who will retire his number.

He will be the last person to have worn no. 23 in City’s colours – a befitting tribute, some might say, to the man who also scored the last ever goal at Maine Road.

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Cameroon won the match against Colombia, and will play France in the Final this Sunday. Suddenly, a second rate tournament not even telecasted live in most parts of the world, has regained global interest. Not quite the way it wanted to, though, I suppose.

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FIVE RELATED LINKS
Cameroon star Foe dies [BBC Sport with other related links]
Watching a man die and a sport mourn by Phillip Cornwall
Marc Vivien Foe Official Website
Thierry Henry’s tribute to Foe
Premiership Star Dies on the Pitch