From The Margins
Aoife Herbert
PEOPLE are steadily forgetting about the outstanding grace and glory of Euro 2008, a competition which for me restored all faith in the beautiful game at a professional level.
Of course there was still the occasional splatter of cheating and diving, but overall, the immense quality of the soccer played outweighed the rare outbursts of petulance and cheating.
Eamon Dunphy was in his usual castigating form while Spain stole the hearts of many a neutral and deservedly won the competition.
In terms of entertainment and quality, there wasn’t much more you could ask for, but now the world of professional sport is anticipating the arrival of a new competition – the Olympic Games in Beijing. While a haul of Irish medals is not widely anticipated, we can still look forward to an immense sporting occasion.Unfortunately, many of us still remember the trials and tribulations of Michelle Smith.
What is it about a scandal that makes memory untouchable? As a kid, I remember a very sombre sitting room as the family gathered to hear her side of the story on the Late Late Show.
I was wishing for an answer, desperately hoping that there was a glitch somewhere along the line.
I so badly wanted to hear something which I could believe in – something which would tell me that she earned those medals and she raised the tricolour wholeheartedly after a genuinely clean performance.
Of course, there were some questions she refused to answer, a lot of grey areas, even more divided households and a fair amount of confusion. Did she? Didn’t she?
I guess we will never really know for sure, but without doubt it is something which will always remain in memory while broaching the subject of the Olympic Games.
Other memories? A screaming classroom of kids roaring on Sonia to her victories through a little snow-dotted TV; the begging associated with being allowed to wait up to see the late evening boxing; Wayne McCullough, Andy Lee’s broken hand, and the variation of colour and the amazing strength of the numerous athletes. The divers, acrobats and gymnasts all competing for the pride of their country and to justify the immeasurable preparation and dedication these athletes give to their sport.
Beijing 2008 is definitely something to look forward to, despite the the doping scandals and the cheating. There is still a firm belief in the genuine quality and brilliance of the elite athletes of the world.
IT is hugely disappointing to hear of Ronaldinho’s move to Italian giants, AC Milan.
I feel had Man City succeeded in bringing the undoubtedly gifted Brazilian to the Premiership, it would have benefited the league immensely.
Despite his irritability and apparent disinterest at Barcelona, I still feel he is far from finished, and the magic in his toes would have gone far in igniting Man City’s hopes of drifting away from mediocrity.
