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Anonymous asked:meow?
meow.
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fortune and love favour the brave.
Ovid -
what a great night of football. thanking you!
(Source: la-vecchia-signora)
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hahaha!
(Source: qoafosho, via patswanson)
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Campioni!
“Dal Paradiso all’Inferno e ritorno in Paradiso…”. As put by the President of Juventus FC Andrea Agnelli, what was achieved this morning was more than just a 28th (30th) title. It was a redemption. An ascension to the rightful position at the top of Italian football; an ascension done in the identifiable Juventus way.
Since the 2006 Calciopoli scandal until the beginning of this season, Juventus have suffered through their worst period in modern history. Stripped of her Grand Old Lady aura of class and dignity after being embroiled and scapegoated in what was a systemic and widespread scandal (this story isn’t over), Juventus played a season in Serie B in 2006/2007, the first such time this has occurred in over a century of history.
Even though players remained loyal (Nedved, Trezeguet, Camoranesi), there was something different when they made their return to Serie A. They lost credibility, respect…and the impregnable arrogance that served i bianconeri extremely well for nearly 110 years.
Coupled with the closure of our (the only club in Italy to own their own) stadium for renovations, Juventus was forced to play in the former 2004 Winter Olympic Stadium, sharing with Torino FC. The stadium was small, never reconciling with the underlying Juventus mentality of excellence. If anything it was the perfect symbol of the lost years…years sans a trophy and without any significant achievement.
A string of coaches after promotion back to the top flight failed to bring success. The football department struggled to find resources, with money funnelled to the building of the new stadium and recouping the losses of revenue sustained after the year in second division. Well known Italian football identities Ciro Ferrara and Luigi Del Neri failed as managers.
Under the former, Juventus spent big money on poor players (Diego, Amauri and Melo). The game plan was narrow, unimaginative and ultimately cost the Juventus legend his job.
There was little improvement under the latter. Yet he came with one important addition: Giuseppe Marrotta. A shrewd businessman and successful football director; it took him two seasons to balance the squad, the books and purchase players that were finally able to challenge.
If winning the titile was the ascension, the opening of Juventus Stadium at the beginning of this season signified the resurrection. A new era had begun. A 40,000-seat masterpiece…the best stadium in Italy packed to the rafters week in, week out. The aura had returned. Understatement never suited La Vecchia Signora…it was time for some swagger!
New money flowed in, and with the appointment of club legend Antonio Conte, a man dripping with the values that run deep as a club, optimism followed. The Gospel according to Juve found a man willing and able to communicate it.
All Juve needed was a catalyst. That was Andrea Pirlo. Cast aside by his long-time club AC Milan, the most creative player in Italy found a new home…and if the on-field direction of the club needs an attributive factor, it is him.
Flare, vision, creativity and width, backed with a solid back 4 that never stopped working. 4-3-3. The old attacking Juve. Constantly pressing, constantly harassing, constantly with the ball.
From the tireless work of Stephan Lichtsteiner, to the hard nosed Arturo Vidal and the best goalkeeper in world football, Gianluigi Buffon, Juventus were a thrill to watch…and from the outside looking in, they enjoyed playing with each other as well.
Finally there was Alex Del Piero. The captain, the legend…if anything personifies the club, it is him. There is no doubt Marrotta must give him one last contract. There are simply no words.
So it comes that Juventus have returned to where they belong, to the top of the tree…with a Coppa Italia final in two weeks to boot.
They are Serie A Champions of 2011/12, undefeated. Pure paradise! -
(Source: hipsterbranding)
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(Source: bammanelo)
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nothing.
From Machiavelli to Plato to Bodie Thoene apathy is described as a drastically dangerous vacuum within which evil can manifest. In the realm of power to build ones kingdom upon it is futile…nothing ultimately of good will materialise.
At this juncture we are faced with a complete mess.
A Government that is as close to illegitimate as we can get without it ever being so…not only scathingly unpopular amongst the people but rotten to the core with scandal after scandal proving the table on which rests the Executive is vastly unstable.
The party that holds the majority within the Government is a basket-case. The few good policies that have been implemented are shadowed by in-fighting, poor judgement, leaks and historically poor election results that eat away at the Labor movement every day. Focus groups and external influences have removed the ire of accountability. They have all but lost their traditional base; they stand for little and the voters know it.
The cross-benchers are dissatisfied. Wilkie upset that his much-needed Pokie Reforms will not be considered seriously. Two others that have sold their political careers to hedge with a side that have proven that the decision to do so was a mistake. Their only tether is that of their word.
We have an Opposition led by a man with little vision or policy, part because of his disposition, part because it isn’t an imperative. This Government is giving him an arm-chair ride to the Prime Ministership. Why would he change his tact now?
A moderate, intelligent, principled politician sits in a narrow portfolio contributing next to little to the public discourse whilst his far-right colleagues prepare to usher in a strikingly polarising figure to the highest office in the Commonwealth. Minus one thought of regret.
The 24-hour news cycle provides daylight to every harmfully ignorant thought of these apparatchiks. From the complete misrepresentation of asylum seekers to the simplification of the economy, the Australian people are fed drivel and those with misguided intentions lap it up on mediocre, populist, soap-box mediums such as The 7pm Project and Q&A. If they guised at the larger picture, the futility of their contributions would become clearer.
Scandals are popular because they’re real. In the midst of a leadership spill we see the dog-fighting spark of our elected representatives. Shame that it’s only present when their hold on power is most at risk.
If it weren’t so tragic, if it weren’t so important, then it would almost be a comedy. The race to the bottom has reached new depths and there isn’t a bottom in sight.
To keep treating the Australian people with the contempt that they do not deserve will continue to breed apathy.
Our system is dependent on unflappable confidence. Apathy in a House that governs us is as dangerous a situation that one can attain…a situation that needs to be prevented.
A statesman who stands for something…for someone…needs to come forth. One who can turn public affairs into the noble pursuit of the great thinkers, heralding in a new era of substance and style.
There are candidates. Yet until they are presented as such there is but nothing to look forward to. -
This is all on you, David Stern, you scumbag.
From now until the day he leaves the commisioner’s office, I never want to hear about how that greedy fuck cares about player safety or the quality of the product. He took the NBA brand and squeezed it like a sponge that was bone dry, hoping to drop every last penny he could into the pockets of the owners and the league. There have been many casualties due to his greed, but none more heartbreaking than the reigning MVP.
Prayers go out to Derrick Rose for a speedy recovery. Hopefully he returns next season, even better than before.
As for the NBA commissioner? He should step down at the end of the season. Good riddance, once & for all.
(w.w.)
(Source: theagonyofdefeat)
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perfect.
(Source: ethandesu)
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The Preezy of the United Steezy
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I’m all about this.
(Source: carlovely, via fauxfridakhalo)
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ha!
(Source: br0ku, via blowyourownjob)
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