(no subject)
I like Bentley. Note, if you will, that I didn't just say 'I like Bentleys', seeing as the cars themselves are now entirely the preserve of blinged-up rappers and Sheikh's with more money than The Vatican. However, I do like Bentley- the company itself- mainly because of the way they went about the gentlemanly pursuit of motor racing in the 1930's.
When Bentley participated in Le Mans 24 Hour race between the wars, their drivers would start the race at 4pm on the Saturday in the usual racing overalls. However, as the sun set they would pit in and change into suitable evening attire- suit, bow tie, the works- and carry on into the early hours where they would promptly change back into their freshly cleaned and pressed overalls. And on one tremendously debonnair occasion, a driver was called in for an unscheduled pit stop and when he asked what was up was told "sorry, Sir, but the champagne's running out and we just wondered if you wanted the last glass". He accepted and still finished second. He was beaten by a fellow Bentley which was actually pulled into the pits just before the last lap so it could be cleaned and polished and look appropriately gleaming as it sauntered over the finish line. Now THAT'S motor-racing.
After the 1930s, Bentley didn't win at Le Mans for over 60 years and didn't even participate for a good few decades yet still remained utterly synonymous with the place. Why?
Simple. Because people may remember an achievement- but what they'll REALLY remember is the way the way you went about it. For example- it's very possible that this season Chelsea could achieve the same treble that Man United pulled off in 1999. But there's no chance of them receiving anywhere near as much adulation- simple becuase their football is brutally effective where United's was cavalier and attacking and they've gone and shopped their way round Europe whilst United has a strong core of British players, many of whom came through the ranks.
In a nutshell, we could call this Michael Schumacher Syndrome.
And it's not just sport, but the world of music where it can be seen in action too. It's why Keith Richards is Keith Richards and Pete Docherty isn't. Both have filled themselves with enough chemicals to comatoze China and both style themselves as dandyish outlaws. However, Keith Richards has the good grace to make his job look like the best in the world and permanently has a look on his face thattells us he's the luckiest bastard on the planet and he knows it. Docherty, on the other hand spends all his time in Southwark Crown Court explaining why he'd not kicked the skag and been caught shoplifting.
In fact, the more you think about it, achievement is pretty much irrelevant compared to how you go about things, particularly in Britain. We are, let's face it, the only country in the owrld that could produce both the biggest empire the world has ever seen AND Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards.
To prove my point, let's turn to space exploration.
In recent year's, both Britian and the USA have sent probes to Mars, and promptly lost them. NASA's effort was put together with immense effort and cost by the finest minds money can buy. It was loaded with delicate scientific equipment, put into a nice big rocket, fired into space and monitored from Mission Control in Houston right up until someone realised that the computer controlling the descent onto the red planet had been programmed in metric but fed instructions in imperial and proceeded to hit Mars with the speedometer showing five figures (in metric and imperial).
Britian, on the other hand, had a probe assembled in a University by a mad professor with huge sideburns which was christened 'Beagle 2'. It was loaded with a Blur CD and a spade, strapped to a kite, flung into space and monitored by people with binoculars squinting a bit. It also made it as far as Mars before going quiet and deciding to knock off work early.
The world mourned 'Beagle 2', the plucky little space explorer that was made out of recycled cans of Tango and held together by blu-tak but fell just short of the finishing line. The NASA probe was never meant to go wrong and only did so because one of the boffins had made the sort of balls-ups that people with title 'boffin' really shouldn't. The planet, as one, gloated.
And that's why America will always be America, why Chelsea won't be Arsenal, and why there's always a part of you that hopes the next time you watch 'Die Hard' Hans Gruber will actually get away with it.
And take Pete Docherty out in the process.
When Bentley participated in Le Mans 24 Hour race between the wars, their drivers would start the race at 4pm on the Saturday in the usual racing overalls. However, as the sun set they would pit in and change into suitable evening attire- suit, bow tie, the works- and carry on into the early hours where they would promptly change back into their freshly cleaned and pressed overalls. And on one tremendously debonnair occasion, a driver was called in for an unscheduled pit stop and when he asked what was up was told "sorry, Sir, but the champagne's running out and we just wondered if you wanted the last glass". He accepted and still finished second. He was beaten by a fellow Bentley which was actually pulled into the pits just before the last lap so it could be cleaned and polished and look appropriately gleaming as it sauntered over the finish line. Now THAT'S motor-racing.
After the 1930s, Bentley didn't win at Le Mans for over 60 years and didn't even participate for a good few decades yet still remained utterly synonymous with the place. Why?
Simple. Because people may remember an achievement- but what they'll REALLY remember is the way the way you went about it. For example- it's very possible that this season Chelsea could achieve the same treble that Man United pulled off in 1999. But there's no chance of them receiving anywhere near as much adulation- simple becuase their football is brutally effective where United's was cavalier and attacking and they've gone and shopped their way round Europe whilst United has a strong core of British players, many of whom came through the ranks.
In a nutshell, we could call this Michael Schumacher Syndrome.
And it's not just sport, but the world of music where it can be seen in action too. It's why Keith Richards is Keith Richards and Pete Docherty isn't. Both have filled themselves with enough chemicals to comatoze China and both style themselves as dandyish outlaws. However, Keith Richards has the good grace to make his job look like the best in the world and permanently has a look on his face thattells us he's the luckiest bastard on the planet and he knows it. Docherty, on the other hand spends all his time in Southwark Crown Court explaining why he'd not kicked the skag and been caught shoplifting.
In fact, the more you think about it, achievement is pretty much irrelevant compared to how you go about things, particularly in Britain. We are, let's face it, the only country in the owrld that could produce both the biggest empire the world has ever seen AND Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards.
To prove my point, let's turn to space exploration.
In recent year's, both Britian and the USA have sent probes to Mars, and promptly lost them. NASA's effort was put together with immense effort and cost by the finest minds money can buy. It was loaded with delicate scientific equipment, put into a nice big rocket, fired into space and monitored from Mission Control in Houston right up until someone realised that the computer controlling the descent onto the red planet had been programmed in metric but fed instructions in imperial and proceeded to hit Mars with the speedometer showing five figures (in metric and imperial).
Britian, on the other hand, had a probe assembled in a University by a mad professor with huge sideburns which was christened 'Beagle 2'. It was loaded with a Blur CD and a spade, strapped to a kite, flung into space and monitored by people with binoculars squinting a bit. It also made it as far as Mars before going quiet and deciding to knock off work early.
The world mourned 'Beagle 2', the plucky little space explorer that was made out of recycled cans of Tango and held together by blu-tak but fell just short of the finishing line. The NASA probe was never meant to go wrong and only did so because one of the boffins had made the sort of balls-ups that people with title 'boffin' really shouldn't. The planet, as one, gloated.
And that's why America will always be America, why Chelsea won't be Arsenal, and why there's always a part of you that hopes the next time you watch 'Die Hard' Hans Gruber will actually get away with it.
And take Pete Docherty out in the process.