Work goodies, Rome goodness and post-Clasico woes...
I refrained from posting my feedback on the Clasico until after the UCL game as I was hoping to be able to say things like 'KARMA" and 'paybacks a bitch' but alas that last minute goal ruined my plans. Too bad, it had been such a great day until that point. So I'll start off the LJ cut with an update on my 'positive' day, follow up with Rafa-love and a belated Clasico rant and picspam...
Today was Dave's (aka, hot Iker/Cesc intern) last day at work *sobs*. He arrived with a parting gift for the staff...donuts. OK, so no big deal but then he goes and gives me a Real Madrid mini-soccer ball. Yes, I gushed. And then we proceeded to discuss UCL, Real Madrid and the state of the Serie A League for the next 20 minutes (much to the dismay of those around us, I'm certain). I'm so going to miss him. The new intern, Tobin, starts today. He's sweet. Also today was a meeting with our auditors. I forgot how cute Alex was. Is it wrong that I actually enjoy being audited and getting to work with him for two weeks? BTW, his boss looks scarily like Colin Firth o_O Next up came Michael, our tech guy, bearing coffee for all. It was a great day of freebies. I know I despise transfer season with a passion but really, I have one of the greatest jobs in the world. Michael indicated that our Blackberrys should arrive next week. I really can't wait - not so much for the business side of it - more so for the ability to use the internet during my two hour commute. Yes, I will be able to post to LJ and Twitter more frequently now. YAY.
On to a Rome wrap up. Rafa - what can I say? 5th ATP title this year (it is only May), 15th Masters Series (that's one more than Fed and second only to Agassi in the recordbooks), a 38-3 record for the season and a fourth Rome title. And he is ONLY 22. And was that him speaking Italian during the awards ceremony? soooooo cute. Next up: Madrid Masters. This year its a clay tourney in the Spring time rather than an indoor event in the Fall. Too bad the Real Madrid boys have away games. I'm certain they'll be in attendance all week though....in other words, don't blink during any of the matches.
And speaking of Real, it's time for the dreaded post-Clasico wrap up.
It would be a lie to say that I'm not disappointed. I am. But coming off the game on Saturday I think I was more so jaded than anything. Not shocked. The Liverpool UCL game was by far the more shocking result. It was frustrating. I've watched this team all season and since Juande took over the team has played incredibly well if not flawless at times. Yet the two most critical games in the season, Liverpool UCL and Barca Clasico, produce the two most flawed performances. I'm left here sitting and wondering what the heck just happened. They were not horrible. Granted they didn't play well, per se, well at least not as great as they are capable of playing. But I refuse to believe either Liverpool or Barcelona are THAT much better than Real Madrid. Real were constantly scrambling whether on offense (which was rare) or on defense (which was all too frequent). There was no coherent or cohesive game plan that I could discern. I can't blame any one player for the results - the whole team just seemed somewhat lacklustre. I sometimes wonder if their success throughout the season doesn't truly affect their self-perception. At times it seems like they just expect to win as though it is the natural divinely ordained outcome - yet they fail to remember that they DO have to work for that win. In both games, they had the ability, the talent and manpower to win but in both cases they failed miserably. Of course the rumours of a team overhaul are even more persistant now. As Real Madrid fans we will just have to put up with that from now on until the start of the 2009-10 campaign. Let's just say I know who I'd keep and I know who I'd toss without even giving a second thought. And I don't believe the team needs a complete overhaul. Just some tinkering here and there. That's all it will take.
First Gago..trying to figure out what he needs to do to single-handedly save the team...
Clearly, whatever he tried, didn't work...
Gago: *maybe if I fix my hair and look pretty no one will notice how I botched that up*
Raul: *OMG how can he possibly look so good at a time like this*
HIguain: *if he even attempts that eyelash flutter thing I'm going to kill him*
Captain Raul searches the heavens for divine assistance...
But unfortunately, "Zeus was wearing his Messi jersey"...
I still argue that Athena supports Higuain...
And the Goddess of Wisdom attempted to impart some battle strategy to her great warrior...
But alas Gonzalo was lost in translation...damn that Ancient Greek :-(
After the first half I think Iker was just plain worn out...
So he decided to kick back and watch the rest of the game...
Poor baby...he did a great job. It really could have been a lot worse if it wasn't for him.
I'm saving my fav pic of the game till last...
Why this one you ask? Barca celebrating a goal is hardly something I would normally enjoy but if you look at the closeup of the front row RM fans in the background you'll know why...
Yikes...don't piss of the little ones....that's right Barca, be afraid, be very afraid. You never know where Madridistas are lurking. Even your local school playground isn't safe anymore. Next year, we're calling in the big guns...the toddlers. Mwahaha...
Today was Dave's (aka, hot Iker/Cesc intern) last day at work *sobs*. He arrived with a parting gift for the staff...donuts. OK, so no big deal but then he goes and gives me a Real Madrid mini-soccer ball. Yes, I gushed. And then we proceeded to discuss UCL, Real Madrid and the state of the Serie A League for the next 20 minutes (much to the dismay of those around us, I'm certain). I'm so going to miss him. The new intern, Tobin, starts today. He's sweet. Also today was a meeting with our auditors. I forgot how cute Alex was. Is it wrong that I actually enjoy being audited and getting to work with him for two weeks? BTW, his boss looks scarily like Colin Firth o_O Next up came Michael, our tech guy, bearing coffee for all. It was a great day of freebies. I know I despise transfer season with a passion but really, I have one of the greatest jobs in the world. Michael indicated that our Blackberrys should arrive next week. I really can't wait - not so much for the business side of it - more so for the ability to use the internet during my two hour commute. Yes, I will be able to post to LJ and Twitter more frequently now. YAY.
On to a Rome wrap up. Rafa - what can I say? 5th ATP title this year (it is only May), 15th Masters Series (that's one more than Fed and second only to Agassi in the recordbooks), a 38-3 record for the season and a fourth Rome title. And he is ONLY 22. And was that him speaking Italian during the awards ceremony? soooooo cute. Next up: Madrid Masters. This year its a clay tourney in the Spring time rather than an indoor event in the Fall. Too bad the Real Madrid boys have away games. I'm certain they'll be in attendance all week though....in other words, don't blink during any of the matches.
And speaking of Real, it's time for the dreaded post-Clasico wrap up.
It would be a lie to say that I'm not disappointed. I am. But coming off the game on Saturday I think I was more so jaded than anything. Not shocked. The Liverpool UCL game was by far the more shocking result. It was frustrating. I've watched this team all season and since Juande took over the team has played incredibly well if not flawless at times. Yet the two most critical games in the season, Liverpool UCL and Barca Clasico, produce the two most flawed performances. I'm left here sitting and wondering what the heck just happened. They were not horrible. Granted they didn't play well, per se, well at least not as great as they are capable of playing. But I refuse to believe either Liverpool or Barcelona are THAT much better than Real Madrid. Real were constantly scrambling whether on offense (which was rare) or on defense (which was all too frequent). There was no coherent or cohesive game plan that I could discern. I can't blame any one player for the results - the whole team just seemed somewhat lacklustre. I sometimes wonder if their success throughout the season doesn't truly affect their self-perception. At times it seems like they just expect to win as though it is the natural divinely ordained outcome - yet they fail to remember that they DO have to work for that win. In both games, they had the ability, the talent and manpower to win but in both cases they failed miserably. Of course the rumours of a team overhaul are even more persistant now. As Real Madrid fans we will just have to put up with that from now on until the start of the 2009-10 campaign. Let's just say I know who I'd keep and I know who I'd toss without even giving a second thought. And I don't believe the team needs a complete overhaul. Just some tinkering here and there. That's all it will take.
First Gago..trying to figure out what he needs to do to single-handedly save the team...
Clearly, whatever he tried, didn't work...
Gago: *maybe if I fix my hair and look pretty no one will notice how I botched that up*
Raul: *OMG how can he possibly look so good at a time like this*
HIguain: *if he even attempts that eyelash flutter thing I'm going to kill him*
Captain Raul searches the heavens for divine assistance...
But unfortunately, "Zeus was wearing his Messi jersey"...
I still argue that Athena supports Higuain...
And the Goddess of Wisdom attempted to impart some battle strategy to her great warrior...
But alas Gonzalo was lost in translation...damn that Ancient Greek :-(
After the first half I think Iker was just plain worn out...
So he decided to kick back and watch the rest of the game...
Poor baby...he did a great job. It really could have been a lot worse if it wasn't for him.
I'm saving my fav pic of the game till last...
Why this one you ask? Barca celebrating a goal is hardly something I would normally enjoy but if you look at the closeup of the front row RM fans in the background you'll know why...
Yikes...don't piss of the little ones....that's right Barca, be afraid, be very afraid. You never know where Madridistas are lurking. Even your local school playground isn't safe anymore. Next year, we're calling in the big guns...the toddlers. Mwahaha...