Pacific Quay Musings?

[the gunslinger 3,366]

There is nothing to resolve. The bbc chose not to cover our games. They can start again anytime. 

[JohnMc 2,750]

Carson shouldn't have any obvious antipathy to us, as a Methody educated Belfast 'Prod' you'd expect him to at least have an open mind. I'd be surprised if Carson doesn't at least encourage his Sport's Department to try and rebuild some bridges, but I doubt he'll force it or fire anyone over it. I met his Dad once, we didn't talk about football unfortunately! 

[26th of foot 6,082]

7 minutes ago, JohnMc said:

Carson shouldn't have any obvious antipathy to us, as a Methody educated Belfast 'Prod' you'd expect him to at least have an open mind. I'd be surprised if Carson doesn't at least encourage his Sport's Department to try and rebuild some bridges, but I doubt he'll force it or fire anyone over it. I met his Dad once, we didn't talk about football unfortunately! 

I agree on the antipathy bit.

 

The Chris McLaughlin thing at Easter Road was five years ago, the Richard Gordon/Filip Sebo quip a dozen years ago, James Cook's apology for deliberately portraying McCoist as sectarian was 7-8 years past, The Kevin 'the H-u-n' Thomson file was 13-14 years ago, Michael Stewart's latest outburst was back in March, Cosgrove's lies continual and continuous, ....etc.

 

We need a time line on all the incidents, how many apologies have PQ offered the club in the last three season? Half a dozen at least.

 

The length and scale of PQ's organised careful hate is illustrated by a demonstration that took place in the PQ car park ten years ago. The Police estimated a shade over two thousand Rangers supporters turned up prior to a Saturday match. It was peaceful, lasted half-an-hour, some chants, a letter was submitted at reception highlighting BBC Scotland bias. I was not involved, I stood on the periphery watching. I listened on my radio, Pat Nevin thought Rangers supporters demonstrating was a hoot, and demanded to know why we were demonstrating? Of course, the last thing the Gang Hut was going to do was go out and voxpop the gathering Bears. Instead, they took photos from the top floor, pictures of individuals, these photos began appearing on Sellik forums, a few at a time, asking if anyone could identify the subjects?

 

I suspect Carson will adopt the path of least resistance, he'll kick the can down the road.

[JohnMc 2,750]

13 hours ago, 26th of foot said:

 

I suspect Carson will adopt the path of least resistance, he'll kick the can down the road.

Yes, you might well be right and it wouldn't be a big surprise if you were. 

[26th of foot 6,082]

Cha cha cha changes and Posterity.

 

Last Thursday, the Bears are in Lisbon playing Benfica. BBC Scotland gives us a 15 minute build up with Michael Stewart and Billy Dodds. Liam McLeod commentates from a TV inside PQ. Comments are generally flattering, but we are the entree to the main course being served at ra Stade de Gadd. The Blarney Bhoys join Michael Stewart, James McFadden, and Big Dick in faithful worship of the club carrying the Scottish standard. Three hours of hilarity ensued. Prague pranksters in maroon became the talk of the toon.

 

Neil and ra Bhoys were slaughtered, both by an understrength Sparta that lacked game time and the Blarney Bhoys. Lennon must have listened, he promised to change ra Culture post match. Friday evening had Tom English on his own applying soothing tones. Obviously, he had received the call from Dermot and was intent on reminding the listenership that Neil had won everything and was in no danger. Tom blamed demented Sellik supporters on social media. Funny, the night before, both Tom and Pat sounded exactly like demented Sellik supporters on social media.

 

The fact Michael Stewart spent the entire evening on BBC Radio Scotland confirms he is no longer part of Sellik TV. In this age of transparency, I am sure we will be told what occurred? Michael has recently refrained from Tweeting the joys of Sellik TV and I am told is trying very hard to get back fully into the fold at BT Sport. On Sunday, Liam McLeod commentated live from Fir Park, the disciplined Blarney Bhoys resorted to cheering for ra green'n'grey. Game ends and it's over to Billy("I no longer consider myself a Rangers supporter")Dodds, he gives the team news from Ibrox. There's a further five minutes on the Rangers v Hamilton match where Pat Boner reminds us that Hamilton won the last time 0-1.

 

No live commentary, thus Jane Lewis interviews two female boxers, a golfer, and takes a rugby preview over the next two hours. Billy intervenes with a one minute half-time report, followed by two minutes at the ninety. Well, I suppose you get what you pay for; unless your a Rangers supporter when you receive almost nothing, but you are still expected to pay for. Interestingly, on Sunday evening, Rangers Ladies played Hibs at Ainsley Park in Edinburgh and the game was live on BBC Alba. The difference is they conducted a half time pre-recorded interview with Rangers new signing from Hibs, the interview recently recorded at Auchenhowie.It takes the Gaels to provide a service to Rangers supporters on the western Isles.

 

Posterity.

 

On Saturday, DrStu' went off on another one. Cowan is relating a fellow 'Well fan saying BBC Scotland was really Radio Aberdeen. A reasonable comment, there are several Dandies in key designations. then he reveals he has two mates and the second thinks PQ is a hotbed of Jambos. DrStu' is prepared to see this opinion as legitimate given the summer outpourings of Ann Budge and support received on BBC Scotland by Preston, Stewart, Mitchell, ... etc. However, he proffers taking a walk through PQ and you'll find all of Scottish football in the building. This is in strict contrast to historical BBC Scotland, "undoubtably, it was Radio Rangers".

 

As stated before, DrStu' was the Narrator for the update on Only an Excuse. He failed to mention Mark Walters debut for Rangers at Sellik Park. Truly, it's hard for him to make any decision on BBC Scotland historically; given he was out of the country for 25 years. Further, after suiting his own agenda again, he gets after David Currie, "who's that one that claims he's a Dumbarton fan, you know the Rangers supporter"? This time next year, Cosgrove will be in his seventieth year and he continues his bitter rage at supposed Rangers supporters, because it suits him. It's only last month he was stating his hope of another five years presenting Off the Ball. New, modern Scotland indeed.

 

There's another thing that has crept into DrStu's broadcasting recently, name checking his homies. Of course, Jum Spence is frequently quoted; but in the last few months, we are receiving the voices of Big Kev'(Kevin McKenna), Eamonn O'Neill, and on Saturday, Gerry Braiden, all by proxy. It's only a matter of time before Angela Haggerty appears as a guest, she is already a regular on his Podcasts. Does DrStu' have any Rangers supporting pals, he'll have to walk through PQ once again in an effort to find one.

[26th of foot 6,082]

Relief.

 

Yesterday, Annie McGuire announced via Twitter that BBC Scotland will televise a one hour Hogmanay special of 'Only an Excuse'. It will contain some new material and also show a selected best of montage, previous sketches from thirty years. Annie has asked for favourites to be listed and no surprise her fellow Yahoos have warm memories of the Gorilla playing the big drum in an Orange band. Typical really, as they continue to sing, 'we don't care what the animals say'. 

 

Only an Excuse began on BBC Radio Scotland in the immediate wake of BBC Scotland's epic documentary, 'Only a Game'. The Narrator was Hugh McIlvanney and his voice so distinctive, the piss-take began. The platform was a two-hander for Jonathon Watson and Tony Roper, the material was mostly penned by Phil Differ. Almost entirely, the preferred humour was lifted from ra Sellik 'zine, 'Not the View'. The Editor was school teacher, Gerry Dunbar and Differ was a regular contributor. 

 

The show moved from the radio to live stage shows and these were hugely popular. It arrived on TV at the end of 1989.  Increasingly, the writing credits became a who's who of Yahooery. Chick Young, Archie MacPherson, Arthur Montford, Jim White, ......... etc were constantly portrayed as unswerving H-u-ns marginalisation and demonisation became the momentum, epitomised in the early nineties sketch, "How do you know Ian Ferguson is a H-u-n"? Answer, "because he looks like one". It was the path of least resistance.

 

Gersnetters' views will vary, there were some hilarious sketches in between the wielding of a well honed stick. The end of Only an Excuse will come at a price. I predict PQ will hand the slot over to Janey Godley and her privately educated daughter, Ashleigh Storrie. Oh well, any one got the timetable for fires in orphanages?

[compo 7,037]

1 hour ago, 26th of foot said:

Relief.

 

Yesterday, Annie McGuire announced via Twitter that BBC Scotland will televise a one hour Hogmanay special of 'Only an Excuse'. It will contain some new material and also show a selected best of montage, previous sketches from thirty years. Annie has asked for favourites to be listed and no surprise her fellow Yahoos have warm memories of the Gorilla playing the big drum in an Orange band. Typical really, as they continue to sing, 'we don't care what the animals say'. 

 

Only an Excuse began on BBC Radio Scotland in the immediate wake of BBC Scotland's epic documentary, 'Only a Game'. The Narrator was Hugh McIlvanney and his voice so distinctive, the piss-take began. The platform was a two-hander for Jonathon Watson and Tony Roper, the material was mostly penned by Phil Differ. Almost entirely, the preferred humour was lifted from ra Sellik 'zine, 'Not the View'. The Editor was school teacher, Gerry Dunbar and Differ was a regular contributor. 

 

The show moved from the radio to live stage shows and these were hugely popular. It arrived on TV at the end of 1989.  Increasingly, the writing credits became a who's who of Yahooery. Chick Young, Archie MacPherson, Arthur Montford, Jim White, ......... etc were constantly portrayed as unswerving H-u-ns marginalisation and demonisation became the momentum, epitomised in the early nineties sketch, "How do you know Ian Ferguson is a H-u-n"? Answer, "because he looks like one". It was the path of least resistance.

 

Gersnetters' views will vary, there were some hilarious sketches in between the wielding of a well honed stick. The end of Only an Excuse will come at a price. I predict PQ will hand the slot over to Janey Godley and her privately educated daughter, Ashleigh Storrie. Oh well, any one got the timetable for fires in orphanages?

Watched it once and never again a load of shite 

[Gonzo79 15,293]

Only An Excuse was a busted flush in the mid 90s.  Much like Off The Ball, it's about as funny as toothache now.

[JohnMc 2,750]

When it started on radio in the 80s it was ground-breaking. Apparently clubs used to get tapes of the show and play them on the bus home from games, but Celtic stopped because the send-up of Danny McGrain was so cruel, and accurate, I should add. Davie Hay didn't come out of it well either, the infamous 'who's the best Scottish player of all time Davie?

Pele.

He's not Scottish, Davie.

Always wondered why he never got picked for the national team.' 

Apparently Hay was furious at being portrayed as an imbecile (I thought it was funny). 

 

It's well past its sell by date though, indeed it's a sad inditement of BBC Scotland that it's still trotted out every year. Johnny Watson's a bluenose but I suspect he's the only one these days. 

[26th of foot 6,082]

Steve Clarke is a Genius.

 

The international break lasted a fortnight. Scotland played three games, drew 1-1 in Serbia, and lost 1-0 in both Slovakia and Israel. The Serbian game was a final qualifier for Euro'20, thus went to penalties and Scotland triumphed 5-4. Steve Clarks has managed to accomplish something that George Burley, Craig Levein, Walter Smith, Alex McLeish, and Gordon Strachan could not. Our qualification has been backdoor, and the result of converting ten penalties in a row. Both Israel and Serbia could only manage eight. Steve Clarke is a genius.

 

Steve does not have to satisfy the conditions laid down by ultra-nationalists such as Cosgrove. He demanded constantly both McLeish and Strachan sell their family homes in southern England, "the national manager must live in Scotland". The former Killie boss has kept his family home in southern England and Cosgrove says nothing. Of course, Steve has already thanked Chelsea for allowing his escape from vile sectarianism thirty-odd years past. Maybe McLeish and Strachan attended the wrong school?

 

Keeping the hate warm during long international breaks demands greater creativity. DrStu' has long been a hater of Oli McBurnie. He has taken a number of opportunities to explain his sneering attitude. Despite McBurnie moving clubs on a few occasions for an accumulative £20 million and notching almost 50 goals in over a hundred appearances, Cosgrove is at pains to let the listeners know, "it's not because he's a Rangers supporter". No, no, and thrice no, McBurnie is simply not good enough for the national team. Unsurprisingly, fellow members of the Gang Hut agree with DrStu'. Michael Stewart took his disgust public on Twitter, Big Dick proclaimed McBurnie as being, "disinterested". 

 

Ryan Jack's last two performances have confirmed something I have long thought, once he settles into the demands, the slippers and pipe will appear. Now, this is awkward for the Gang Hut, the only H-u-n in the team is performing. McBurnie is an easier target and he supports the H-u-ns. Oli took to Twitter and replied to Stewart with a single word reply, "Helmut". Steve Clarke protects his players and he briefed off the record, asking for the Gang Hut to lay off. Remember, Steve is on record as publicly thanking Chelsea for removing him from Scotland. 

 

There's a piece of footage doing the rounds, it's recorded inside PQ during the Serbian penalty shoot-out. Two lines of chairs, the back three contain Steven Thomson, Neil McCann, and Billy Dodds. The front two have Tam Cowan and Stuart Cosgrove. As Marshall sts himself for the Serbian fifth penalty, Neil McCan is already off his seat, clapping his hands in encouragement. As our Goalie saves, there is a back row explosion, the front row has Cowan on his feet punching the air. Cosgrove remains seated and raises an arm. On Saturday, Cowan was speculating on how long it will take before the BBC Scotland schedules have both Craig Levein and Michael Stewart in the same studio?

 

This enthuses DrStu' to run interference. Again remember, it's only a couple of weeks past where Levein calmly labelled Stewart, "a Bully" on their show. Cosgrove decided there was even more tension to be mined between Neil McCann and Steven Thomson, "you have to look closely, but there's something cooking there". Neil and Steven were Rangers team mates, playing together in a Treble winning season. I wonder what we'll see or hear first, McCann and Thommo' having a spat, or Cosgrove getting out his chair.

 

Fast approaching his seventieth year and the hate continues to rip out of him, that's what gets DrStu' out of his chair.