We can learn from this

On Saturday, we were thoroughly embarrassed and in all places our home territory. However we can learn from this setback. People say this "welcome to the premier league" junk and all that but I know all of us knew what we were getting into in our first couple of games and yeah, this is a rude awakening, but we did not play up to snuff on Saturday and when you don't show up which we didn't then even the average teams (and the team we played against was average) will beat us with no problems in this league.

I can run off a few things from the top of my head of what was wrong Saturday but in reality it wouldn't be fair and I can take a great amount of responsible because let's be honest, I am a defender and they scored four goals on us, so for whatever anyone says, I'll take full responsible for that and gutted that now I will miss the next two games because I thought to save face and not let a fat pudgy b****** score on an open net. People tell me I should have let him score but I am sorry I can't sit there with the pride that I have, let this guy laugh at our players and then score on an empty net. (It is just not happening and I am pretty sure I got majority of the ball on the challenge, the problem I guess is that I went through him).

It is a gut check for us but I think the players we have can bounce back from this. We have a lot of talent here and probably the best thing for us is that we have another game straight away because I've been through training sessions after losses (especially bad ones) and those are the worse ones to be in. So I think this next game on Tuesday will define us, whether we will sink or we will rise up because starting 0-2 in this league will be a bad hole to be in especially with the league being this competitive. Unfortunately I won't have a direct impact in the game, but I'll do everything in my power to make sure that the guy's are ready for this one. LET'S GO BOYS!

Imparting Knowledge

Playing this game for a long while and playing in the same position for about eight or nine years, you know the type of plays to make in a game. As a center back, I need to know when to step in, when to drop off or when to cover my ground. Also my criteria as a center back is trying to do the less running as possible while defending. When I say that I am trying to say, how can I put myself in the perfect position so I don't have to rush myself and over-do things.

Now I am playing on a team where I am actually one of the older guys on the team even at 24. And most of the players who are deputizing in my position is in the range of 21 to about 19. I'm sure they know about the game and they have some knowledge but they have some of the deficiencies that I had when I was in that age. Even though they are looking to play in my spot, I feel somewhat obligated to let guys know how to make certain plays without breaking a sweat or being in the right position that the ball sticks to you. I don't feel like it's an obligation, I feel like helping out people because I wish I had the same sort of help when I was around their ages. I mean don't get me wrong, the coaches did their jobs very well and I learned a lot from them. However there's not a better feeling when a player fills you in on some of their knowledge.

I know what you're thinking, why tell those who might take your spot how to (in fact) take your spot. Well, I feel the goodness in my heart to do so. I enjoy the competition and knowing that there is someone behind me that could potentially take my spot. Plus even if they know how to do the things I know how to do. I believe that I know how to do play my position very well so it'll take some magical work rate and doing your job to perfection to take my spot.

They know that and they know that whenever they need to ask a question. I'm not afraid to share a wee bit of wisdom to the young kids and hopefully they'll think to do the same with others....

Journal Entry 2: Two Weeks On..

March 2, 2010 10:36pm

It's been two weeks since I've been back in Auckland. There has been some adjusting for me to do. Getting into preseason fitness and all. I haven't done a preseason since 08. Yeah that long. Last year I came in somewhat midway through the season so I had to get into fitness without a preseason. It took me a couple of weeks to get up to speed. It's been the same with this year but we have a lot of running to deal with. I'm feeling that I'm getting in pace with the rest. Everybody has been doing preseason four weeks before I got there so of course they are going to be off and running. But slowly but surely I'll be back on my pace myself.

My groin has been hampering me for a bit. It is kind of a bugger and all. I'm trying to manage it by icing, stretching it, and taking days off when I need to. I wanted to use my days to get some needed running in but the groin has put a stop to it at this moment. This groin is being a pain in the a** for me.

Other than that I've just been chillin in the meantime. Getting caught up with my cartoons. They show a lot of Tom and Jerry and Scooby Doo around here. Those toons were my joints back in the day. They need to get back showing Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck around here also. I don't get what Cartoon Network is doing. Let me get this straight, the channel is called Cartoon Network where they are suppose to show 100% cartoons right? Okay so why are they showing the movie Spider-Man on the channel. I'm not talking about the cartoon version, I'm talking about the one with Tobey MaGuire on it. It doesn't make sense, you are a cartoon network. Your name should say it all. Maybe it is my bias towards Cartoons talking here but whatever, they can show Spider-Man on fox or something.

That's it from me. The season starts on March 20. It shall be a good and interesting one. I'm going to enjoy it. I don't have anything else since my last rant was about cartoons. I think I'm slowly going insane here. But I'll be updating soon...

Wayne, You know what has to be done...

JT- "Hmm, this is pretty awkward..."


Chelsea and Manchester City go against each other on Saturday afternoon (early Sunday morning for me) And one wonders what will Bridge do when they go for the customary handshake. If you have been living underneath a rock for a month then I'll briefly tell you what happened. John Terry had an affair with Wayne Bridge's babymama. Now Wayne Bridge is obviously upset about the deal.

What should he do? People say that he should take the high road and shake his hand even if it doesn't mean anything.

Me? I only think of causing trouble so what I think he should do is not shake his hand. Spit on him even when they are in the tunnel and just go for his legs and risk a possible season-ending suspension. Hey, he doesn't plan on playing for England anytime soon according to reports. So why not take the Roy Keane route and try to end a players career. But that's just my thinking, I wouldn't feel sorry for JT at all.

I think Bridge should set-up a bounty on JT's head. It would be obvious if he would recklessly tackle Terry in the game but if you get a guy like Craig Bellamy to do it then, well obviously they would expect that you set it up, but you couldn't prove it unless you got it in writing or on tape. That would be the more reasonable response in my mind.

Then again, I don't like seeing anyone's career being over due to a serious injury but whatever happens to JT in just under two hours, he'll probably deserve it...

Not a Thought

Well I could go on and talk about life in New Zealand. Or I could talk about people moving on with their lives or me moving on with mine or going stagnant with it. But I don't have too much thoughts about these things. I've been thinking but they haven't been the clearest thoughts. Am I missing home? Nah not necessarily. I'm going to miss it during the summer months but that's when the season is going to be so I don't think I'll be missing it too much. I'll probably be in autopilot mode by then, hopefully I'll have a job, the season will be going well or good enough.

Hopefully in the next couple of weeks I can give you in details of how things are going in my head and why I'm feeling the way I'm feeling. Because we come on this blog site for my nonsense and not me saying my brain is on E....

Journal Entry 1: Across the Country. Out of the Country

February 14, 2010 11:30pm

I love being on the east coast. North Carolina is always going to be my home. However I hate the fact that I have to fly cross-country to get there. I started my journey at 1:50pm going to Chicago. My friend DJ was nice enough to take me to the airport. Then I had a two hour delay going on from Chicago to LAX. That flight was a pretty awkward flight. I was in the middle seat and this guy who sat on the window seat was giving me weird looks even before the flight started. I know that I wasn’t the probably problem but he was still looking over. Unfortunately during this time I had gas (maybe too much info but it’ll serve my point) and I was trying to hold it for the longest time since we are in an airplane and all. So I said bump it and just let fly with all the gas I had rumbling in my stomach. So he had a reason to give me those weird looks. Evil? Yeah very evil muahahahaha

Once I got to LAX, I was expecting an hour standing in the security checkpoint because I thought I would have to move to the International Terminal. However I was surprisingly mistaken, I was about to make my way out into the exit, I looked to my left and saw my gate. I jumped for joy in the inside and decided to have my last American Burger King meal (even though it tastes the same here) and jumped on the plane. I got on the ship and I’m ready to go. So when you get this, I’ll be far far far away from some of you and close to others…..

Okay: I'll make a journal of my trip

This time while I am here. I'm going to make it a better effort to chronicle my trip in a journal. It won't be an every week thing. It'll be when eventful things happen during my stay here. So just be expected to have only two entries. First one will be of me heading down here and then probably the second and final one will be when I leave hahahaha.

Of course, I will spill more random nonsense from time to time. That will not change one bit but just don't be surprised when I pull out a journal entry on you. So enjoy. My first entry will be posted in about thirty minutes.