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Some Dignity, Please
Liverpool FC were founded in 1892. They've been in existence for nearly 120 years. One would expect a club of such history and tradition to react to even the biggest setback with a degree of dignity, maturity and responsibility.
However, their statement in response to the Luis Suarez verdict read like it was written by a nine-year-old child whose ice cream has just been knocked out of their hand.
Let's take it point by point:
'We find it extraordinary that Luis can be found guilty on the word of Patrice Evra alone...'
Well, we'll stop you right there. Thanks to interviews given by the man himself and information very well leaked to the media by we don't know who (but can take a decent guess), Suarez admitted calling Evra 'something his team-mates at Manchester call him', so the use of the word was never in question.
'It is also our opinion that the accusation by this particular player was not credible - certainly no more credible than his prior unfounded accusations.'
Jesus, we thought this was just the domain of ill-informed idiots on the internet. For what is hopefully the final time, Evra has been caught up in racism rows twice before this incident. On neither of those occasions did Evra make the accusation.
'It is key to note that Patrice Evra himself in his written statement in this case said 'I don't think that Luis Suarez is racist'. The FA in their opening remarks accepted that Luis Suarez was not racist.'
We'll say this slowly - the FA did not charge Suarez with 'being a racist'. They charged him with using racist language. A man does not have to be 'a racist' to use racist language.
Luis himself is of a mixed race family background as his grandfather was black...He has played with black players and mixed with their families whilst with the Uruguay national side and was Captain at Ajax Amsterdam of a team with a proud multi-cultural profile, many of whom became good friends.'
Seriously? The 'some of my best friends' argument? And as some have already pointed out, claiming a man cannot be racist because his grandfather was black is a little like saying he cannot be misogynist because he had a grandmother.
'We would also like to know when the FA intend to charge Patrice Evra with making abusive remarks to an opponent after he admitted himself in his evidence to insulting Luis Suarez in Spanish in the most objectionable of terms. Luis, to his credit, actually told the FA he had not heard the insult.'
Ah, the classic trick of trying to flip around the blame. Are you trying to defend your man or simply say the other guy was just as bad? Also, we're handing out credit for 'not lying about hearing something you didn't' now, are we?
Football365 has not taken a stand on this matter because we have no idea what actually happened and without all of the evidence, it's a far too complex issue to take lightly.
Liverpool are a fine football club, but please, have some dignity. It's hardly a surprise when an element of their support reacts in a certain manner when the club behaves in this way.
They Should've Known, Clearly
Having said that, The Daily Mail manages a despicable character assassination of Suarez this morning.
Under the headline 'How trouble followed the Ajax cannibal', Chris Wheeler constructs a list of Suarez's past misdemeanours as if any of them had anything to do with the current situation.
He opens with: 'Considering Luis Suarez had just received a seven-match ban and been branded the 'Cannibal of Ajax' when he moved to Anfield in January, Liverpool should perhaps have realised their new £22.8million signing might land himself in hot water sooner or later.'
Ah, so they should've known he was going to say something racist, eh? How careless of Liverpool. If clubs discounted potential signings on the basis of some naughty things they'd done in the past, the transfer market would grind slowly to a halt.
Implicated
The Daily Mail website announces this morning: 'United implicated by referee in Chinese match-fixing trial over 2007 friendly.'
Blimey. Sounds serious. Why is this not bigger news?
Well, it might be because it has nothing to do with United at all.
The story gets as far as the third paragraph before it announces: 'Huang was paid 100,000 Hong Kong dollars (£8,000) to let Shenzhen win the toss before their glamour game against United. There is no suggestion of wrongdoing by United or any of their players.'
Just so The Mail knows, the word 'implicated' means that the party in question was involved in the matter. They weren't involved, they were just there. Quite a difference.
Oooooh, Get Her
First-rate bitchery from Michael Owen on Twitter on Tuesday.
In response to a relatively light-hearted dig about him spending a good deal of time on the bench at United, Owen responded to a punter thusly:
'Hilarious when your picture has a big roll of fat hanging over your shorts. Had a successful life have you? Peasant.'
We think this is the only appropriate reaction.
Never Gets Old
You know what never, ever gets old? A pathetic dive, followed by an impassioned and uncomprehending plea which goes against all logic and evidence.
So thank you, Arjen Robben.
Rumour Of The Day
'Chelsea's super-sensitive manager Andre Villas-Boas has had lead pundit Tommy Langley removed from his own club's TV channel for criticising the Portuguese's hardline treatment of disenchanted players. Former club favourite Langley was told he was no longer required at Chelsea TV after he described AVB as 'vindictive' for allegedly not allowing Nicolas Anelka and Alex to park their vehicles in the first-team car park after they had been banished from the squad for handing in transfer requests' - The Daily Mail.
Worst Headline Of The Day
'RVP: It is beige before beauty' - The Sun. It's something about bland football. Awful, awful, awful.
Non-Football Story Of The Day
'A 15-year-old Tucson boy has "significant" injuries after a friend shot him in the penis with a BB gun Monday morning. The two boys were playing with BB guns on the northwest side and the shooting was accidental, said Deputy Dawn Barkman, a spokeswoman for the Pima County Sheriff's Department. Crews from Mountain Vista Fire District responded to the call near West Cortaro Farms and North Shannon roads, said Capt. Grant Cesarek a spokesman for the department. The teen was taken to University of Arizona Medical Center with injuries Cesarek said described as significant, but not life-threatening' - Arizona Daily Star.
Thanks to today's Mediawatch spotter Andrew Sheena. If you spot anything that belongs on this page, mail us at theeditor@football365.com, putting 'Mediawatch' in the subject field.
