.
Here's a little secret. When you work in scripted programming, made up names tend to sound made up. Think about it, parents spend nine months trying to craft the perfect name for their kid, you spend 4 seconds coming up with "Johnny Waltershine."
Actually, that's not bad for off the top of the head.
Anyway, half of the names you hear in sit-coms or TV dramas are actually lifted from guys the writers went to high school with. Or sometime they get cute. So when last night's 'Law and Order' needed some Russian mobsters, they went EPL on their (likely) unsuspecting cast: Abramovich, Pavlyuchenko, and Arshavin. That's as in Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, Tottenham striker Roman Pavlyuchenko, and Arsenal transfer target Andrei Arshavin. The only clever part was that they made the latter a loan shark, which, if he's holding up the Arse for more cash, ain't all that far off.
But someone on that staff clearly likes his London footie. Still, seeing how crime shows lift 90% of their story lines from actual real-life crimes, they're still kinda hacky.
[Update:: Flash player is fixed (hopefully... and obviously). If it goes haywire again, the audio can be heard by clicking here until we get it straightened out again.]
Thursday, January 29, 2009
NBC Writers: Football Fans or Lazy Hacks?
Thursday, December 11, 2008
UF Quick Throws: A Rumor Confirmed
We heard about this late last weekend or early this week but could not confirm it. But, apparently US Soccer Global can confirm that Roman Abramovich, Chelsea owner, was in NYC last weekend and stopped by Nevada Smith's to watch the Chelsea Spartak London-Bolton match.
I know Chelsea is tightening the purse strings these days, but I hope Roman wasn't so chintzy as to not buy a round for the bar.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Kaka story was complete caca
Alright, so we were wrong about Kaka. No deal is close to being finalized, but the Guardian is normally good for this sort of thing so we thought it must be happening!
However, as a blog, I feel comfortable behind the veil of hyperbole and anonymity, since we're not winning a Pulitzer anytime soon.
If anything, the potential deal that would send the mercurial Brazilian to Stamford Bridge has become more absurd since Friday's revelation. Rumours abound that the Blues are offering well over 150 million Euros now, and they're not the sort of club to be taken lightly. Abramovich has shown in the past that he'll spend however much it takes to acquire the toys he covets most, as was shown when they smashed transfer records to get hold of Andrei Shevchenko.
Roman has two things going for him, in an age when owners are getting increasingly skittish about transfer prices: he's got the cash, and he's got the moxie to keep bidding higher and higher until the other team has no alternative but to sell. Rafa Benitez is struggling with his overlords in trying to get the money for Gareth fucking Barry, and Arsenal are selling everyone in sight.
Such a transfer would not bode well for the league, and I'm not talking about their EPL title chances. Moreso, it's just another nail in the coffin for football in general. The chasm between the newly-promoted and the old guard is wider than ever, and there's simply no way for the Hull Cities and West Broms of the world to compete with a 100 million Euro signing, no matter how many bit players they lure across from other teams' reserve XIs.
Yes yes yes, I realize I'm lamenting like the old man afraid of change, but even so: is anyone worth 100 million Euros? That's some crazy money!
After the jump, a video that shows Kaka's genius on the pitch, along with some delightful non-sequitur videos that have the word "money" in them.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Amy Winehouse does not care if you can have her disappeared
We don't usually delve into the world of Amy Winehouse. Sure, we may have given her a short blurb before, but she is really not our focus. That is, unless she screws over one Roman Abramovich, owner of Chelsea FC, and one of the richest men in the world. Then it's our territory.
Ms. Winehouse accepted a $2 million payment to perform for Abramovich's girlfriend at an art gallery opening. However, it was obvious from the time that Winehouse left London for Moscow, she would be in no state to fulfill her musical duties. Trouper that she is, Winehouse staggered to the stage two hours late and performed. Word is, her set was not that great, and her vagina was completely uncovered.
Sorry about that visual.
Headline joke aside, I'm guessing that Abramovich does not even care. Wasting $2 million on Winehouse is probably the rough equivalent of me buying a water gun at the dollar store. If it works, great, I can annoy my dog. If not, oh well, it was only a dollar. Forbes estimated his wealth at $18.7 billion last year, and that was before he got rid off the free-spending Mourinho. He can afford a few $2 million disappointments now and then.
My favorite passage in this article, though, has to do with why Winehouse needs the money so badly. Against all odds, it's not for drug debts (although that surely plays a role), but to have some British lifers looks after her husband while he is in prison. Can you imagine being one of these guys?Inmate 1: Cor, blimey. That's the mate of that Winehead lass. I wonder what we can get out of him.
Inmate 2: Don't know mate, maybe we can shake him down for a few quid by threatening him with our knuckle tattoos.
Inmate 1:Not going to work, man, have you seen his girl?
Inmate 2:You're right. Perchance to dream, we can ask for, (Austin Powers imitation) one MILLION pounds.
Blake Fielder-Civil: I'll do it! Just don't hurt me. *sobs*
At least, this is how this American (and a southerner at that) believes that very special episode of British Oz would go.
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