All-England...
It appears that Man U have just gotten their form back in time. We thrashed Southampton 4-0 in the FA Cup today, but I missed the first hour of the match in which three goals were scored.
I didn't want to watch it. After going out so disappointingly to Milan in the Champions League, this was just such an anti-climax. It was the first time in years that I felt such an apathy towards a Man U game (barring those League Cup ones), and Peter Schmeichel echoed my sentiment afterwards. He remarked to Gary Lineker that it was somewhat disappointing to see United play so well this afternoon but not trying as hard as they did today on Tuesday night. Then Alan Hansen and Graeme Le Saux chipped in and talked about the "gulf of class" between Milan and Southampton. But I see Schmikes' point. They were showing replays of how hardworking Wayne Rooney was in tracking back and helping his defenders out. Schmikes said Rooney wasn't doing this at all against Milan. I told Zhengnan my housemate that I'll only be interested in any football again this season if Chelsea were to lose their next Premiership game (and United win theirs).
So I tuned in to the online-streamed version of RTM 2 to watch the All-England semi-finals instead. And after having not watched live badminton for so long a period (as I recall the last live badminton telecast I watched was the World Championships in mid-2003), I've gotta say it it was like a welcome breath of fresh air, like falling in love with an old flame once again. I reckon that if I can have another month of serious practice, badminton would still be my best sport of all those that I play. The only pain in the arse about watching streamed programs was that they always get blur after a while and you'll have to reconnect. And it was not easy getting connected to RTM at all. But Zhengnan told me that RTM's streaming can already be considered good. Just that it was far from as good as the BBC's streaming of the Masters Snooker a few weeks back.
So there I was, watching all the matches shown. I've got nothing to say about the Chen Hong - Lee Chong Wei match, because, close though it was, you always felt like Chen has always got that bit extra to step away from Lee if it got too close for comfort. The other matches didn't interest me much, but I would love to have caught the Zhang Ning - Hirose Eriko game, which went to 3 sets. I would like to see how Eriko-chan looks like! Oh and by the way, Gail Emms has the kind of body I like on a woman. Fleshy and solid.
Now every Malaysian who is interested in badminton would just be waiting to see if Wong Choong Hann can turn the apple cart on Lin Dan, the world no. 1, and meet Chen Hong in the final after Chong Wei's loss. Sad to say, it was two defeats in two for Malaysia, and after the first two very exciting games, with Choong Hann winning the second one (and you thought the momentum was with him), it was a walkover in the decider, with Lin winning 15-1.
What happened? I don't know. RTM's streaming was giving me problems almost throughout the entire third game (didn't I tell you it was a pain in the arse?), so I didn't really see if it was Lin Dan who stepped up three gears, or did Choong Hann went into Reverse. Either way, I don't suppose it would have looked very different.
Again, our badminton players are showing that Malaysians don't really possess that tough mentality to be consistent winners on the world stage. Okay we're always thereabouts at badminton, but we don't win anything, at least not consistently enough. But think deeper. This may not be a bad thing. Why are we so apparently weak up there? I think one of the major reasons is because our country is a peaceful place to live and to grow up in. We have had a more stable childhood compared to maybe some of these children from other countries. Growing up in a comparatively peaceful society does not give us a chance to develop a tough mind. Like Thierry Henry once said in a paper, growing up in Paris taught him how to hate. Malaysians are generally not the sort who beat themselves up over failure. We're upset for a while, but then get over it very quickly. And when we're winning in the first couple of rounds at a tournament, our media goes all out and tells everyone that we'll be able to win it this time...only for us to later fall flat on our faces yet again.
You'll see this phenomenon mirrored in the situation of the England football team. They win a couple of rounds at a tournament, and then their media goes and tells everyone "England have the biggest chance thus far to win the World Cup/Euro 2xxx" or something along those lines. And what happens? They go and lose yet again somewhere later.
I think the BAM should continue to work with the coaches they've got now without trying to change anything anymore. The problem obviously does not lie with the coach. It's all in the players' heads. And maybe some fault of the media as well. I suggest they hire a psychologist for the players instead.
Really.
P/S : Even if Lin Dan were to lose tomorrow, he's done enough to prove why he is the world no.1 this past year.
I didn't want to watch it. After going out so disappointingly to Milan in the Champions League, this was just such an anti-climax. It was the first time in years that I felt such an apathy towards a Man U game (barring those League Cup ones), and Peter Schmeichel echoed my sentiment afterwards. He remarked to Gary Lineker that it was somewhat disappointing to see United play so well this afternoon but not trying as hard as they did today on Tuesday night. Then Alan Hansen and Graeme Le Saux chipped in and talked about the "gulf of class" between Milan and Southampton. But I see Schmikes' point. They were showing replays of how hardworking Wayne Rooney was in tracking back and helping his defenders out. Schmikes said Rooney wasn't doing this at all against Milan. I told Zhengnan my housemate that I'll only be interested in any football again this season if Chelsea were to lose their next Premiership game (and United win theirs).
So I tuned in to the online-streamed version of RTM 2 to watch the All-England semi-finals instead. And after having not watched live badminton for so long a period (as I recall the last live badminton telecast I watched was the World Championships in mid-2003), I've gotta say it it was like a welcome breath of fresh air, like falling in love with an old flame once again. I reckon that if I can have another month of serious practice, badminton would still be my best sport of all those that I play. The only pain in the arse about watching streamed programs was that they always get blur after a while and you'll have to reconnect. And it was not easy getting connected to RTM at all. But Zhengnan told me that RTM's streaming can already be considered good. Just that it was far from as good as the BBC's streaming of the Masters Snooker a few weeks back.
So there I was, watching all the matches shown. I've got nothing to say about the Chen Hong - Lee Chong Wei match, because, close though it was, you always felt like Chen has always got that bit extra to step away from Lee if it got too close for comfort. The other matches didn't interest me much, but I would love to have caught the Zhang Ning - Hirose Eriko game, which went to 3 sets. I would like to see how Eriko-chan looks like! Oh and by the way, Gail Emms has the kind of body I like on a woman. Fleshy and solid.
Now every Malaysian who is interested in badminton would just be waiting to see if Wong Choong Hann can turn the apple cart on Lin Dan, the world no. 1, and meet Chen Hong in the final after Chong Wei's loss. Sad to say, it was two defeats in two for Malaysia, and after the first two very exciting games, with Choong Hann winning the second one (and you thought the momentum was with him), it was a walkover in the decider, with Lin winning 15-1.
What happened? I don't know. RTM's streaming was giving me problems almost throughout the entire third game (didn't I tell you it was a pain in the arse?), so I didn't really see if it was Lin Dan who stepped up three gears, or did Choong Hann went into Reverse. Either way, I don't suppose it would have looked very different.
Again, our badminton players are showing that Malaysians don't really possess that tough mentality to be consistent winners on the world stage. Okay we're always thereabouts at badminton, but we don't win anything, at least not consistently enough. But think deeper. This may not be a bad thing. Why are we so apparently weak up there? I think one of the major reasons is because our country is a peaceful place to live and to grow up in. We have had a more stable childhood compared to maybe some of these children from other countries. Growing up in a comparatively peaceful society does not give us a chance to develop a tough mind. Like Thierry Henry once said in a paper, growing up in Paris taught him how to hate. Malaysians are generally not the sort who beat themselves up over failure. We're upset for a while, but then get over it very quickly. And when we're winning in the first couple of rounds at a tournament, our media goes all out and tells everyone that we'll be able to win it this time...only for us to later fall flat on our faces yet again.
You'll see this phenomenon mirrored in the situation of the England football team. They win a couple of rounds at a tournament, and then their media goes and tells everyone "England have the biggest chance thus far to win the World Cup/Euro 2xxx" or something along those lines. And what happens? They go and lose yet again somewhere later.
I think the BAM should continue to work with the coaches they've got now without trying to change anything anymore. The problem obviously does not lie with the coach. It's all in the players' heads. And maybe some fault of the media as well. I suggest they hire a psychologist for the players instead.
Really.
P/S : Even if Lin Dan were to lose tomorrow, he's done enough to prove why he is the world no.1 this past year.
posted by Keith at 11:54 AM
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