http://www.spiritoffootball.com/2006/blog Football's equivalent to the Olympic Torch Sat, 12 Jul 2008 20:48:22 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Time's up! So that's it then for another four years. A final game and a final post. This is Battersea Park to Munich spliced together for you all. It still rather roughly edited and still needs voiceover -- we're working on it... South Africa next time... Watch out! http://www.spiritoffootball.com/2006/blog/2006/07/10/the-finishing-post Time to get up So then, on with our imaginary chronology of The Ball. You may remember that it checked in to a hostel in Erfurt and fell asleep. Well, eventually, it awoke from its slumber and bounced on to check out the fervour of our German hosts as their team ... http://www.spiritoffootball.com/2006/blog/2006/06/21/video-the-ball-awakes Yes, it's one big ball that we all live on together. If there's anything more important than football -- it's this. We do nothing but shoot ourselves in the foot every time we foul the earth. So let's play fair with it. Sign it somewhere by all means, but pass it ... http://www.spiritoffootball.com/2006/blog/2006/06/21/happy-solstice-one-and-all Phil's still cracking on at dawn While The Ball sleeps on in Erfurt, there's just time for a short interlude while Phil explains the secrets of German curtains... at the crack of dawn, just when he needs them most. http://www.spiritoffootball.com/2006/blog/2006/06/21/video-interlude-its-curtains-for-phil The Opera Hostel in Erfurt Okay, time for another "behind-the-scenes" look at the life of The Ball in Germany. Phil and I arrived in Erfurt from the Opening Ceremony in München to find that Andrew's Spirit-of-Football project had run into horrendous sponsor problems and that most of what they had been ... http://www.spiritoffootball.com/2006/blog/2006/06/21/video-the-ball-checks-in Germany's other pundit -- other than Rudi Völler, that is I've been reading on various blogs, most humorously in this post on twohundredpercent's blog which I came across because he commented on our post on the Guardian blog (was that the equivalent of a blogging love-in?) that the commentary on the ... http://www.spiritoffootball.com/2006/blog/2006/06/20/you-think-you-have-dodgy-pundits Flags hanging in the Hauptmarkt in Nürnberg Andrew, Phil and I headed to Nürnberg for the England v Trinidad and Tobago game to see what kind of atmosphere these two sets of fans brought to the city. Actually, that's not quite true -- Andrew had a ticket for the game -- ... http://www.spiritoffootball.com/2006/blog/2006/06/20/video-turning-turk Andrew, Phil and I went to Nürnberg to check out the city during the England v Trinidad and Tobago game and found a city of two halves Trinibagan drummers strut their stuff On the one hand the Trinibagans dancing, laughing, playing and inviting everyone else around them to do so too. Check ... http://www.spiritoffootball.com/2006/blog/2006/06/19/video-explosive-tnt-drummers Andrew kisses the badge And then shows Phil that he prepares for the England v Trinidad and Tobago game in other more unusual ways. http://www.spiritoffootball.com/2006/blog/2006/06/19/video-football-is-pants The Phantom Fouler reports from England that, according to an article in The Sun, the ball which was used in the 1966 World Cup final is travelling to Germany for a few days. Apparently, its presence will "inspire England to victory over Sweden". Hmm, I thought that was Sven's job, but ... http://www.spiritoffootball.com/2006/blog/2006/06/19/another-ball-travels-to-germany Phil just can't tear himself away from the beautiful game... UPDATE: thanks to the Phantom Fouler for pointing out that it's almost impossible to make out the title of the book that Phil fell asleep reading. So here the spoiler -- it's Hunter Davies' I Love Football... http://www.spiritoffootball.com/2006/blog/2006/06/19/video-some-people-love-football-a-bit-too-much Oh pilsen Korea! How do they do it? Where does it come from? Can England borrow some? http://www.spiritoffootball.com/2006/blog/2006/06/18/luck-of-the-red-devil Read our post on the Guardian's site here Yet another interview (photo: Dixi at Opera Hostel, Erfurt) Phil calls us "media puppets" as we seek publicity for The Ball. I know what he means. We both find dealing with the press -- whether tv, radio or written -- difficult to say the ... http://www.spiritoffootball.com/2006/blog/2006/06/18/our-first-published-article All Germans we have come across have been very welcoming and friendly if a little disinterested in the spectacle of the World Cup. We left England with a blaze of flags lighting our trail and are surprised to find little of that fervour over here. While the people beam with ... http://www.spiritoffootball.com/2006/blog/2006/06/18/i-love-you More news from home -- it looks like our local co-op is making a bit of a meal of its vegetable branding. Icebergs in the icebox? Strange goings on in the fridge http://www.spiritoffootball.com/2006/blog/2006/06/18/lettuce-play-football Warning: this post is not intended for the technically-challenged! Okay, I just can't resist posting this -- even though I haven't been able to see the stream itself -- but it really does promise to be what it says on the tin homepage: "The best, most ridiculous, most redundant graphical implementation ... http://www.spiritoffootball.com/2006/blog/2006/06/16/the-world-cup-in-ascii Actually, that's not entirely true -- Phil's on his way back home in a couple of days and whilst I'd love to carry on posting videos, it's not going to be easy filming with a crew of, er, one. In fact, filming with just the two of us on the ... http://www.spiritoffootball.com/2006/blog/2006/06/16/normal-transmission-to-resume-shortly Some people seem to be referring to the following as "the Hand of God, Part 2" Well, cheating or not, surely Peter Crouch has to be pleased with the association to the legendary pint-sized one. Okay, that's enough Crouch-related stories for now. http://www.spiritoffootball.com/2006/blog/2006/06/16/more-crouchery This video by spizzenergi (anyone remember Where's Captain Kirk?) made me laugh. And the burning question in my head is: why didn't he do his robotic dance yesterday when he scored? What was he thinking? Next time, eh, Peter? There will be a next time, won't there? http://www.spiritoffootball.com/2006/blog/2006/06/16/inside-the-head-of-peter-crouch Izzy plays the flute for England It's not so easy being on the road sometimes. I miss my partner Anna and her daughter Izzy -- I can't wait to see them again. In the meantime, this little video keeps me smiling. I haven't forgotten about your flag either, Iz... The shrub at ... http://www.spiritoffootball.com/2006/blog/2006/06/14/video-what-i-miss-most