acrossthepond

Yes, it's definitely a process, as you describe. It doesn't happen overnight. But how do you think each generation becomes more tolerant? Some magical dust falls on them every 30 years and they become a little less racist? No. It's a general effort by individuals, lawmakers and society in general to leave behind some of the baggage of the past and become more open-minded, and I think this trial comprises a very small part of that effort. I didn't mean that Terry being prosecuted for calling Ferdinand a black cunt would suddenly mean people all over Britain would start saying to themselves, 'You know, racism really isn't OK after all' and it would vanish from their minds. But I do think it is part of a general movement toward intolerance of intolerance and that can only be a good thing.

And one more thing - I agree that the public money spent on this trial is really disproportionate to the crime and can be called something of a waste of money. But it happened in public, on live television broadcast all over the world. Terry had a chance to put it to bed in private, but he didn't, and that means it has to play out in public as well. Surely it's better this way than trying to pretend it didn't happen in the name of saving taxpayer money and letting millions of children worldwide see it's ok to call your opponent racist name?

You relate everything to these delusions you have about 'scumbags' living in Britain and putting a stop to whatever you consider to be ye olde British way of life. I don't see what Terry and Abu Hamza have to do with each other, except that they're both lowlives who should be punished by law. And if you didn't notice, Abu Hamza is in jail and has been for the last 8 years. The issue at hand is racism, not immigrants coming in and 'ruining' Britain. Terry made a racist attack on Ferdinand. You don't appear to deny this. How is the trial a waste of time, then? How better to show young people that this kind of behavior is not acceptable. Because it isn't as important (to you, anyway) as the aforementioned 'scumbags', so it just doesn't matter? It's all very well to say shake hands and move on, but that comes after an apology. If Terry had been a man and a role model, he would've gone to Ferdinand after the game and apologised for saying what he said in the heat of the moment (if it really was.) He tried to deny it ever happened instead. So no, I wouldn't shake hands over that. As for the Queen, she did a brave and difficult thing by shaking hands with someone whose organisation was responsible for killing her cousin, but she is the head of state of the United Kingdom and had to do it for the good of her country. I know I wouldn't be able to.

No, I can't think of many more serious things than proving to Britain that racial prejudice is no longer tolerated in the 21st century. That doesn't sound like a waste of taxpayer money to me at all. As for 'acting like men', I know I wouldn't shake the hand of, or be seen at a press conference with, someone who had abused me because of my skin colour. I doubt you would either, if racial abuse of white people were something common enough for you to have ever faced it in your life. @PL: Not even worth discussing the topic with someone who thinks Terry might not be guilty.

Can't believe some of the pure shite posted in this thread. The bottom line is that one Englishman, who was the captain of England and a role model to children across the nation (and possibly other nations considering the Premier League's worldwide audience) called another Englishman a fucking black cunt. If he'd stopped at fucking cunt, we wouldn't be discussing this right now. But he brought colour into it and that's just not fucking acceptable in the 21st century. Some say Terry is an idiot (true) and it was the heat of the moment (true) so he said something he shouldn't have (true) and we should let it go at that (not true.) It was the heat of the moment and Terry was wound up and wanted to insult Ferdinand. Fine. But there he was, angered and stung, and one of the possible insults he came up with was that Ferdinand was black. Why was that even on the menu? How was "black" even being considered as an insult or a name to call someone? Maybe, if Terry gets done for this (to the fullest extent of the law, as he undoubtedly should be), it will send a message that racism is not tolerated in British society and that skin colour is simply not something one can abuse another person over, and twenty years from now it won't even cross the mind of the next idiot to get angry and spit out a bit of bile. Anyone who disagrees belongs in the Stone Age with Terry, Stevie, and Leazes.

My 92-year-old grandmother from Berwick says, "He/she went up in a blue light and came down in a pink one." Another fun game to play is UK words that mean something else in US english. The three I get pulled up on most often are lush, canny, and tramp. Lush means an alcoholic over here, canny means cunning but in a mean-spirited way, and tramp means a slut, almost exclusively female (the homeless are called bums over here, or hobos.) You can play the game backwards too, "fanny" being the most egregious offender.

Desperate attempt to make it sound like Steve Kean is anything but an astonishingly shit manager and Venky's anything but delusional idiots who have no idea what to do with a football club. They make Ashley look like a safe choice, and Kean makes Tony Adams, Ian Rush and Paul Ince look like solid appointments.

Great value on that deal like. Good luck to him, never good enough but put the effort in. I hope to see that 3m re-invested.

About time somebody stuck the boot in regarding the breathtakingly arrogant demands by Dekka for appreciation of Mike. We owe him absolutely nothing, tbh, and one great year (during which Fat Mike tried to rename a piece of Newcastle history, not only meaningful to the club but also to the city) does not wipe out the previous four years of piss-taking, insults, and abysmal treatment of club legends and club history. Actually, it doesn't even come close. The best he can hope for is the current state of ambivalence towards him. Maybe in time, if he continues on this relatively improved course of spending money and not rampantly taking the piss, he might get the fans on his side. Certainly he won't do it by ordering us to love him.

"Maghedia"?? Is this Game of Thrones or something?

Then eat something.

Good win, although defensively we were somewhat suspect. Young and Milner were shit all game. Cole was poor as well. Gerrard faded badly at the end (and also probably snatched a goal from AOC.) Sweden were much dirtier than I remember them being, and 'Ibra' is a grade A wanker. Bye-bye, you scruffy pinhead. Yet another major tournament at which he's done nothing to justify his hype. Plenty to build on for next game, good job lads.

Good riddance. One of the most instantly dislikeable people in English football. Wonder where he'll end up - most likely he'll pack it in and stick to television appearances.

Ugh.

Passable for a first game in the tournament. Hopefully we won't go for the same defensive outlook against Ukraine and Sweden. I thought Milner was pretty poor, but we're so short of midfield options that I'm not sure who I'd play instead. France lacked a real out and out forward. Benzema didn't really contribute except for a few long-range shots. Debuchy looked really good though, same with Cabaye. I'm a little concerned that Carroll didn't make it on. He's the best "Plan B" that we have and Plan A wasn't working too well today so I would've liked to have seen him. All in all not terrible. We can do better.

Saved! What a match. If this is any indicator of how this year's tournament will be we're in for a treat.

Crackpot ref. I'd rather the Greeks won considering the racism we're seeing from the tournament's illustrious hosts but they're down to 10 men and have La Liga's most card-happy ref firmly against them. Not going to happen. If I were them I'd concentrate on not getting anyone else sent off - if those were two yellows I'm Roy Hodgson.

I played WoW for the same time period although I was never in a top guild (or even did much raiding at all.) Did you play Diablo 2? It was brilliant, although the loot system was pretty much the same.

I'm very excited for this, although I think England are going to be shit to a level previously unheard of. No knocks on Hodgson - he's the man for the job, a dignified and experienced campaigner - but our side wasn't good enough even before injuries. Still should be a feast of football. I fancy Spain to take it again.

I'm the biggest Blizzard fanboy there is, but I have to admit this game sounds horrific and a terrible, terrible error on Blizzard's part. Will not be buying, very disappointed. Maybe in a year or so when they sort it out....

I'm not sure what you expect him to say. Imagine if a newly appointed NUFC manager began his first presser with "Well we're a bit of a provincial northern club without a lot except a strong fanbase and a foundation to build on." Wouldn't go too well. Same if Rodgers began his first public statement with "We've been shite for 3 years and we've not got a chance at challenging for the title until we sort out some of the underlying problems here." Of course he's trotting out the same old BS. He knows he's got to arselick the Kop or what happened to Hodgson will happen to him.

I'd certainly rather keep him. He only needs to look at the track records of basically everyone who has left us in the last four years to know he'd be making a mistake.

The female supporters of either side should come out and mud wrestle in the centre circle for the win. I'm sure this settlement would be amenable to Blatter. The only room for improvement I can see would be if bribes were involved.

Man, Whelan loves the sound of his own voice. He just can't get enough of running to SSN and telling them all about how Martinez is off to Liverpool and it's a poisoned chalice, etc etc etc.

"payasodemierda" means Shit Clown in Spanish. I'm sure the name was chosen ironically but it about sums him up.