andy steel 0 Posted February 1, 2016 Share Posted February 1, 2016 We have to remember that TBB - Spiers' main beef when it comes to football songs has been sung minimally at Ibrox since it was banned by UEFA ten years ago - perhaps a few times at the absolute most. During that period our club and fans have done a lot to address our behaviour and self-examine in the intervening period and other disagreeable crap such as the famine chant have also disappeared. We're still not perfect and we lose our discipline more often than I'd like. However, we're no worse than any other club in that sense while others don't face the same scrutiny. A very fair summary with which I can't argue. I've been in contact with Graham privately many times over the years and have been extremely polite and flexible when it came to discussing his contribution which, unfortunately, often contains the kind of insults you wish our fans to refrain from. Time after time, the guy deflects from the issue at hand, prevaricates over any complaint and assumes the kind of arrogant and obtuse position only a snob like him can perform so well. You have me there, I haven't been in contact with him. That's disappointing to hear, for if he refuses to engage with reasonable people when they have a grievance with his work it doesn't suggest any kind of open mindedness, which is what I would like to believe exists. It may sound simplistic and reactionary to say it but the guy simply hates you, hates me, hates our fans and hates our club. With that in mind there can be no common ground when his MO is to damage our club ahead of any other. He's a liar, a mischief-maker and, above all, a complete and proven fraud. I dunno what to say to that. I'd be very disappointed if that were true, but again I must say you've had more dealings with Graham than I have. That's very dispiriting to read. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
buster. 5,257 Posted February 1, 2016 Share Posted February 1, 2016 Whilst touching on journalists, the general perception and first hand experience.............. Alex Thomson of C4 has been presented as an impartial reporter on the Rangers saga since he got involved. I'd take issue with that and could go into many strands of what is circumstancial evidence to back-up my view but in this case I can draw on personal experience aswell. I conversed with him by e-mail and made certain views/opinions clear which AT proceeded to use in one of his first blogs on the opinion of Rangers fans. Problem was he had twisted my words to suit his narrative. I got what could be described as a qualified apology of sorts but the blog was out there. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
calscot 0 Posted February 1, 2016 Share Posted February 1, 2016 I did find Spiers to be an interesting writer when I was a bit younger but, for the last ten years certainly (and perhaps a bit longer), his commentary has been poor. Yes, parts of it can still be well expressed but, for the most part, I wouldn't say it's any better than any other broadsheet journalist out there. For me he seemed quite intellectual until I started to doubt his content and instead had the impression that he just used a thesaurus and deliberately picked synonyms that most readers (and I suspect also himself) wouldn’t understand. There is a difference to that and using a rich vocabulary to give a varied, more accurate and more interesting prose in an article. I also found his style of writing became very self-indulgent, pompous and full of his own importance. Then his mask started to slip after he fell out with Murray. Richard Wilson is far better (even in his occasionally dumbed down BBC role) and even Tom English writes more fluently when it comes to other sports. I wholly agree with Richard Wilson, don’t know much about TE with other sports but then I can’t imagine his obvious bigotry and narrow mindedness coming out in other sports, so if he’s any good then that will show. I always find it ironic that his biggest argument against Rangers is that he knows the board were “obviously at it”, when it is just as damning for him that we know that he is “obviously at it”. When the likes of Archie does comment in the media - either in print or on TV - he shows up Spiers so easily it reminds me of a professor and a freshman student. All I want when I read a newspaper is balance and an insight that I perhaps don't appreciate on my own. Spiers doesn't provide that and has, increasingly in recent years, instead opted for the kind of obtuse nonsense that you can find anywhere online. Completely agree with all that, and a bit sad that so little of the balance and insight we desire exists these days. I doubt he'll be remembered particularly fondly but he's still relatively young so maybe we will mature in the future as right now, he just looks and sounds like some sort of spoilt public schoolboy. Again I agree, except perhaps in that he’s gone so far down the narcissistic road, that the personal humiliation of taking any sort of U-turn will be far too damaging to his ego. He is as averse to humble pie as he is to succulent lamb. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tannochsidebear 2,429 Posted February 1, 2016 Share Posted February 1, 2016 Andy, with respect, I've been in contact with Graham privately many times over the years and have been extremely polite and flexible when it came to discussing his contribution which, unfortunately, often contains the kind of insults you wish our fans to refrain from. Time after time, the guy deflects from the issue at hand, prevaricates over any complaint and assumes the kind of arrogant and obtuse position only a snob like him can perform so well. We have to remember that TBB - Spiers' main beef when it comes to football songs has been sung minimally at Ibrox since it was banned by UEFA ten years ago - perhaps a few times at the absolute most. During that period our club and fans have done a lot to address our behaviour and self-examine in the intervening period and other disagreeable crap such as the famine chant have also disappeared. We're still not perfect and we lose our discipline more often than I'd like. However, we're no worse than any other club in that sense while others don't face the same scrutiny. Spiers is one of the main reasons for such unfair and dishonest debate. I'd argue such coverage is why there's still an issue right now. People take liberties - fans, politicians and journalists alike. Spiers more than most. It may sound simplistic and reactionary to say it but the guy simply hates you, hates me, hates our fans and hates our club. With that in mind there can be no common ground when his MO is to damage our club ahead of any other. He's a liar, a mischief-maker and, above all, a complete and proven fraud. Absolutely nailed it Frankie, well said. I was just about to take issue with the ridiculous notion that we have not had any self-examination as a Rangers support, but you have put that right too. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
calscot 0 Posted February 1, 2016 Share Posted February 1, 2016 I think one of the biggest reasons for things like the return of TBB is that while the fans to a great extent did their bit after a ton of one sided criticism, deserved great credit but instead have been subjected to a further torrent of unjustified criticism as well as what can only be described as extended abuse by the media. Why change when your critics have no credibility left? 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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