Long Friday Post

[andy steel 0]

Another international week, and the football boredom set in early. Although some Bears have given up on Scotland after the recent Ian Black debacle, added to the SFA's somewhat harsh stance against us, I still hope we win games. It's just that I'm 41, and I know we won't. The well of optimism runs dry regarding the national side at some point, with me it was about 1986. You could see other countries in the Mexico World Cup being far superior to us (Denmark are a good example), countries we would previously have beaten, and I saw nothing then or now to suggest we would catch up.

 

Decrying such ideas as passing football or a sane league structure, our only answer is to look back nostalgically. I heard Chick Young extol the virtues of our execrable 1998 World Cup squad, which featured such footballing giants as Gary McAllister. No-one would deny he had a late career swansong at Liverpool, but in a Scotland shirt he was poor. Not for nothing was he, too, the recipient of boos from the ever patient tartan army. Perhaps he can have a word with Ian Black.

 

But he should mind what he says, or more accurately how he says it. Several incidents this week have focused my attention on language, on the power of words and what people are prepared to tolerate. Firstly, a poster on here who repeatedly uses language abusive to the mentally handicapped to describe people he doesn't agree with prompted me to make a whiny complaint to admin. His comments were removed. Well done, Gersnet.

 

Secondly, the Daily Record writer Gordon Waddell, in describing what he considers Charles Green's wall of indifference to the outside world, suggested he must be 'off the spectrum'. This, for those who don't know, refers to the autistic spectrum and if Charles is indeed such a case, would presumably spend his days in some Govan version of locked in syndrome. Mr Waddell's point is clear; his use of langauge is very regrettable.

 

In his Record profile, the unfortunately bearded Mr Waddell is referred to as seeing the game as a fan would. This is on the grounds, apparently, that he is a Falkirk fan. Old Firm fans are never afforded this accolade, by the way. Plainly, we only see the game as a bigot/glory hunter/Republican/Monarchist/etc etc etc would see it. Tam Cowan, in his early days, was similarly promoted as being just a normal fan, since he follows Motherwell. An interesting insight into how the media is terrified both of offending either half of the Old Firm by - shock! - suggesting that some of their fans might just be football fans, and equally of diluting that pishy mixture of manufactured hatred which sees Old Firm rivalry continue, and keeps newspaper sales up.

 

Alas, however, that attitude probably does sums up how ordinary fans see things like autism or handicap. Anything vulnerable is fair game, especially if one has low self-esteem to begin with; everyone, it seems, needs someone they can kick below them. For that poster on Gersnet it is the mentally handicapped, or perhaps 'tims', for the media it could be the mentally ill or Old Firm fans. I suspect that, for the media, the two concepts are closely linked and while it is statistically likely that two clubs who can muster around 110,000 paying fans every week will contain a fair amount of people who may qualify for the tag 'mentally ill' (itself a problematic expression), were they all in the same psychological boat Scotland would be a strange, strange place to live indeed.

 

It is odd, sometimes. But it's not that bad!

 

It was the aforementioned Charles Green, who, in a statement the length of which would leave even me puce with envy, emphatically set out Rangers position regarding the SPL investigation into EBT's and in so doing reinforced my belief in the power of words and the care with which we must use them. I freely admit to bias: I think the SPL have got it in for us. But I loved this statement, not just for it's stance but for it's language. Clear, precise, setting out the contradictions in the SPL's position toward Rangers, Sevco, company and civil law, it was a masterclass in how to use words to rally your troops, advance your position and summon up strength for the fight ahead. His statement reflected well on the man.

 

And what we say and does reflect on us, our family, and in this context on our club. When I was at school, the headmaster was firm on this - when in the colours of Johnstone High, we were ambassadors for the school and as such, our behaviour was expected to match his standards. Needless to say, not all pupils listened, but at least one did. The same concept, instilled in me at 12, applies when I am wearing Rangers colours. Not just a top or scarf, but my actions as a Rangers fan. How I behave reflects on the club, be it sweary songs on the tube...or worse. When those two idiots from Ardrossan decided to humiliate me (I don't claim to speak for any other fan) by sending some kind of device to various Celtic fans, it reflected unbelievably badly on Rangers. I felt the club should have commented, as a poster on here last week said they did.

 

Should Rangers comment on any act of villainy by their fans? Of course not. If, as a loyal Morrison's customer, you sent a device to the manager of Asda, I would expect Morrison's to tell you never to darken their door again, but I wouldn't expect your energy supplier to be much concerned. If, as a loyal EDF customer, you sent a device to the boss of Scottish Power, I would expect EDF to cut you off, but I doubt Morrison's would go to the same length. It all depends on your 'colours', on the context of your actions.

 

So it is with langauge. Choosing your words carefully does matter. No-one chose his words more carefully than Shakespeare. Nowhere, not even in the little performed 'Timon of Athens', does Shakespeare have a character say 'Rangers Then, Rangers Now, Rangers Forever'; but if he was writing today, and halfway through 'The Tragical Historie of David Murray the First', I reckon he'd hand Sir Charles of Green a speech like the one he delivered yesterday.

 

You might have seen, during the Olympics, Kenneth Branagh & Timothy Spall quoting some lines from 'The Tempest': "Be not afeared; The isle is full of noises, sounds & sweet airs, that give delight and hurt not." I don't know if Mr Waddell is a fan of Shakespeare. I hope so, since words are his living and anyone with a passion for writing can't afford to deny themselves the sheer pleasure of the Great Englishman's writing. I think it would help him, too, to understand that all of us with power denied to others - even a little, Daily Record sized bit of power, or a teeny, Gersnet sized blob - need to think carefully before saying little things which can have a big effect. Not all sounds are sweet; not all give delight; some hurt.

Edited February 23, 2017 by andy steel

[andy steel 0]

There is a thread already in Gersnet Writers about this post. The section about the Ardrossan fans generated much comment in particular. I don't know how to shift the whole thing while editing the irrelevant posts, so I've just lumped the OP in here. Had to get it posted sometime. Apologies to admin if this causes extra hassle!

[alexscottislegend 2,595]

It's a great read Andy, especially the Shakespearean references, but the expression "off the spectrum" has been around for a while now and I'm not sure that when people quote from it that they are actually conscious of linking it to autism.

 

I actually think Waddell is one of the more sane journalists around and he is not a Tim apologist; he gets plenty of stick from them for attacking for example Lennon's outbursts last year.

Edited September 14, 2012 by alexscottislegend

[alexscottislegend 2,595]

Just to add to that: "off the spectrum" actually originates from being beyond the colour spectrum - way before autism was conceived of.

doesn't invalidate your fine writing though.

[calscot 0]

There is a thread already in Gersnet Writers about this post. The section about the Ardrossan fans generated much comment in particular. I don't know how to shift the whole thing while editing the irrelevant posts, so I've just lumped the OP in here. Had to get it posted sometime. Apologies to admin if this causes extra hassle!

 

Pretty sure they came from Saltcoats and Kilwinning. One lived in the same street as my sister.

[foggy dewhurst 0]

a motherwell fans just a septic fan without the bus fare to parkhead

[amms 0]

Just to add to that: "off the spectrum" actually originates from being beyond the colour spectrum - way before autism was conceived of.

doesn't invalidate your fine writing though.

 

I don't know origin of the phrase but Waddell's article was certainly using the phrase in conjunction with his belief that Green was socially or mentally different from the rest of us. Whatever the origins of the phrase Waddell used it in the way Andy describes.

[Cotter 0]

Thanks Andy, I do enjoy a leisurely Friday read and your fine writing fits the bill nicely.

[alexscottislegend 2,595]

I don't know origin of the phrase but Waddell's article was certainly using the phrase in conjunction with his belief that Green was socially or mentally different from the rest of us. Whatever the origins of the phrase Waddell used it in the way Andy describes.

Re-read Waddell's article:admit I'm wrong!

[andy steel 0]

Apologies to all Ardrossan Bears - it's one of my favourite places coz it has nice Scottish architecture and means I am almost on Arran.