Singing, Matildas, the WC Team
Ok, the song was too ambitious. And, especially without a high profile campaign, Australian fan singing culture will take some time. Thankyou to those here on on facebook that came up with other excellent suggestions for songs Australians could sing.
But I remain unapologetic for my advocacy. Here's one of my favourite You Tubes to give you the idea of what the sporting community can aspire to. Note that these are pretty everyday folk, most of which would not sing much, and they are singing a song. They are not singing it feebly, like they might dutifully back up a Happy Birthday. They are using their lungs and their bodies to make full sound. It is an ancient form of worship, and there is good evidence that it is good for you and that it is one secret to a long life. Singing is good, but try saying that to the great unwashed with their stereos and Ipads. The football game can teach the World to sing, and the football experience is better for it. Magic, but yes, it will take some time.
Just a couple of pointers, for those interested in what's going on. The first Matildas Asian Cup game, vs Vietnam, will be televised this afternoon on the ABC at 5pm. If you want to know what's going on with the team, Merryn Sherwood provides the best blogging (amidst a virtual silence of media incidentally).
Anyway, this Asian Cup campaign, which is also a qualifier for the Women's World Cup, could have been tailored as a curtain opener for the World Cup South Africa. And I do love it that I've seen most of the team play live watching W-League games down at Ballymore.
Calling for a national campaign to promote a football song is only one example of my naivety. I also called for fans to close ranks at this time, because there is simply no good outcome available for criticism of the coach or players. We might be God's answer to soccer genius, but if we support the Socceroos campaign, the only way to help them now is by support. We can tear them apart like dogs afterwards.
Anyway it was naive. The bloggers are at it. 'Pim's hopeless', 'his selections have doomed the campaign' etc. Pim's the guy I know is an expert, so I choose to trust him. Les Murray wrote pretty intelligently on this theme, and I think now that a week has gone by since the naming of the 30, there's the odd 'Hey, let's support the team now' type comment here and there, and fans are calming down. In retrospect it would have been more realistic of me to expect a week of undisciplined sledging and expression of anx, and suggested that then we calm down and support the team. Then again I could just face that advocacy is a waste of time.
But if you want an excellent technical account of the team, why Pim selected them and what we might expect Pim to do with each of them, I humbly refer the reader to Tony Tannous. He's a highly informed technical writer who writes well, and he doesn't seem to bother with grinding axes. In fact if you're a Socceroo fan who wants good football-educated journalism about the World Cup as it unfolds, bookmark him now.
Sorry for the rambling nature of this post. I've got a lot on before I fly.
Go the Matildas.
But I remain unapologetic for my advocacy. Here's one of my favourite You Tubes to give you the idea of what the sporting community can aspire to. Note that these are pretty everyday folk, most of which would not sing much, and they are singing a song. They are not singing it feebly, like they might dutifully back up a Happy Birthday. They are using their lungs and their bodies to make full sound. It is an ancient form of worship, and there is good evidence that it is good for you and that it is one secret to a long life. Singing is good, but try saying that to the great unwashed with their stereos and Ipads. The football game can teach the World to sing, and the football experience is better for it. Magic, but yes, it will take some time.
Just a couple of pointers, for those interested in what's going on. The first Matildas Asian Cup game, vs Vietnam, will be televised this afternoon on the ABC at 5pm. If you want to know what's going on with the team, Merryn Sherwood provides the best blogging (amidst a virtual silence of media incidentally).
Anyway, this Asian Cup campaign, which is also a qualifier for the Women's World Cup, could have been tailored as a curtain opener for the World Cup South Africa. And I do love it that I've seen most of the team play live watching W-League games down at Ballymore.
Calling for a national campaign to promote a football song is only one example of my naivety. I also called for fans to close ranks at this time, because there is simply no good outcome available for criticism of the coach or players. We might be God's answer to soccer genius, but if we support the Socceroos campaign, the only way to help them now is by support. We can tear them apart like dogs afterwards.
Anyway it was naive. The bloggers are at it. 'Pim's hopeless', 'his selections have doomed the campaign' etc. Pim's the guy I know is an expert, so I choose to trust him. Les Murray wrote pretty intelligently on this theme, and I think now that a week has gone by since the naming of the 30, there's the odd 'Hey, let's support the team now' type comment here and there, and fans are calming down. In retrospect it would have been more realistic of me to expect a week of undisciplined sledging and expression of anx, and suggested that then we calm down and support the team. Then again I could just face that advocacy is a waste of time.
But if you want an excellent technical account of the team, why Pim selected them and what we might expect Pim to do with each of them, I humbly refer the reader to Tony Tannous. He's a highly informed technical writer who writes well, and he doesn't seem to bother with grinding axes. In fact if you're a Socceroo fan who wants good football-educated journalism about the World Cup as it unfolds, bookmark him now.
Sorry for the rambling nature of this post. I've got a lot on before I fly.
Go the Matildas.
Labels: Matildas, Singing, World Cup 2010
posted by Hamish Alcorn at 7:38 am
2 Comments:
It's the argument that could partly go either way, really. Yes, it's good to now back Pim's decisions and the squad, but there is nothing wrong with healthy debate and public scrutiny. The more talk there is about the Socceroos the better. While the Socceroos can do no wrong, it all boosts hype. At some stage it'll come crashing down, and the scrutiny will be poisonous - but until then, bring on the media and blogger frenzy!
I'd love you to check out our new blog:
http://www.thefootballsack.com
:-) Cheers mate!
You're right Matt. Bring it on indeed - all of it. Part of my mission to maintain a positive spin throughout the campaign is because its against my own nature. :)
Thanks for bringing attention to your blog too. I've bookmarked it for now. I try to keep an eye on all Australian amateur football blogs. And linked we are sort of a bigger 'product' than we can be alone. Cheers.
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