Tantric
Friday, June 29, 2012 at 9:01PM Once again, it's sounding like everything (the new manager and two very well documented targeted players) are done and dusted and that Spurs are waiting on their pre-arranged pencilled-in date to make it all public due to contractual obligations/new Spurs shirt/insert your own conspiracy theory here.
Every thing is set and Spurs are holding back, much like you would do with a beautiful woman. Hold back as much and as long as possible because the climax will be spine-tingling. Why finish up quickly? Tease and dictate and then detonate. What would Sting do? Then again, to be fair, following Spurs is less missionary and more Sadomasochism. But we don't complain. I don't complain. I never complain. I sometimes beg. We still talking about football?
As for all the rhetoric and conjecture? Most of it, especially anything relating to transfers and rumours, and the resulting ideology behind it resonates from one place.
Social media.
Long gone are the days when you only had a conversation at the pub before and after the game or at school/college/work on a Monday morning. Teletext Clubcall adverts whilst waiting for page two of the latest scores to appear. Not forgetting the original Titans of ITK and attention seeking, the tabloid back pages (especially on a Sunday). The latter dethroned by the Gods of the modern grapevines. All consuming knowledge with us royally drunk on consumption. It's like the Matrix with one hundred thousand Oracles sitting on a park bench. The rest are made up of Keanu Reeves, thousands of them, with sharp tongues running around a lot and kicking. Harry Redknapp will probably claim he had something to do with that.
Every thought is instantaneously shared. Which could quite easily be the outstanding reason to avoid social media altogether. Every piece of commentary, action, incident, goal, sound-bite is micro-analysed and dissected. Before you can blink there are memes, animated gifs, appreciation threads and usually plenty of obsessive 'let me get there first' shouting to claim fifteen seconds of notoriety before it fades into the next million repeats. Once upon a time, real life gave us mad jokes and iconic moments of our lives and now you spend your time talking about something 'epic' on the internet that happened on the internet.
There is no time for pausing.
At the best of times there is a lack of any true understanding of irony or sarcasm unless it comes accompanied with previous nods to comedy via caveat. Everyone is a critic and nobody can take criticism whilst some like to dish it out and block you before you can respond. Back pages of the tabloids? When was the last time anyone ever used the back page of a tabloid as the catalyst for major discussion? They only mirror what was said 24 hours earlier on someone's time-line. Tomorrow's news is what its always been, thoughtful commentary on what occurred a day earlier. Unless it's been made up to fuel the next day's hellmouth of debate online. Social media is today's news now and is mostly driven by our own desire to drown out other people's ego's with less thoughtful commentary.
It might look messy, it is messy, it's usually full of Messi. There's no denying it. If you follow the right amount of people, a mixture of fellow supporters, journalists, writers you'll have yourself a scenic majestic volcano of pulsating lava. Just don't stand too close or you'll burn. It's alive, constantly breathing out (hot air, lol). A glorified frenzied chat room with message board qualities. A community I guess. You can even meet people off Twitter and go down the pub with them. It's usually an anti-climax that. Mainly because at the best of times I can only muster two sentences worth of speak at any given time. Which ironically works out to about 140 characters.
But still, what would we do without it?
Possibly spend more time outside for a start. Conversing with the missus on the latest Eastenders story arc (Derek Branning and his Spurs robe? I reckon he was a Shelf Sider myself, pwoper norty) or perhaps allowing my daughter the luxury of an occasional walkabout when unlocking the airing cupboard for her twenty minutes of light. So much joy to behold, yet all lost whilst with me firmly seated in front of a pc/lap top/smart phone. Forever refreshing, desperate for that one last tweet before logging off. But oh no, I just thought of something really witty, I have to log on again. Oh ffs, my wi-fi is playing up, no dinner will have to wait a second, I've got something to share and God darn it the Internet has to know!
Placing the vanity driven Instagramed photos of people's dinner aside and a variety of other chat and forum-like discussions (usually arguments) I honestly can't think of a better medium than Twitter for information sharing. Like a beautiful wild fire that destroys but its flames mesmerise all that stare upon it. Yeah sure, you have to work your way through some of the smoke but I never feel like it's a wasted journey. Not just referring to transfer gossip here. But the amount of exquisitely crafted writing to be had is just fantastic. Not just fellow Tottenham bloggers, but across the board from all over the planet. It's a rich resource. It can also bring people together (oh cringe mate cringe). Sat online one late evening last year, the idea to finally record a podcast was birthed with a drunken exchange online with a like-minded individual. Some would say we've never been sober since.
My dinner. Because to understand me you need to understand what I eat.
We've all been discussing the imminent managerial appointment of Villas-Boas for weeks now, so much so that the definition of imminent is about to change to 'an event that is predicted to occur within a one hundred year period'. The signings of Vertonghen and Sigurdsson have also been well documented. The cull of Bond and Jordan, I thought had already been confirmed weeks back but only appeared to make the official site and the newspapers the other day. No word on Allen, I guess he survived.
Social media is making most news outlets fairly redundant for breaking news. They play catch-up or just repeat/rehash old news. One source copying from another and so on. News outlets end up reporting on something that might have originated from a genuine source or a dubious one yet by the time it's published nobody cares. Ouroboros.
Many take every word to be literal and yet in the next sentence argue against its legitimacy. Such is the luncay that it allows for the transparency of agendas to be made very obvious and in a positive way. This gives the power back to the people that in the past mostly did the reading and had no way to knock heads together (Teletext with a chat room would have been laugh a minute).
I'm simplifying things I know. Many journalists tweet a slice of news then write an article if relevant which is published online and then printed the next day. Others just go to print the next day based on something they've read online. Whilst Twitter itself is constantly regurgitating everything whether it's online or in print or on tv, forever feeding its over-populated nest. And somewhere Jim White strokes a white cat. So come this weekend or as much touted, the 1st of July, just pretend to be surprised/excited when we finally welcome the new THFC manager with a signing or two standing alongside him. We are the generation guilty of having far too much time on our hands and constantly wanting to know everything yesterday. Yet in amongst it exists diversity and originality. You just have to fight your way through to find it. Like so much in life, it's unnecessary and yet essential. Damned be the paradox.
There was an X-Files episode where someone ends up uploading their concious to the internet. I reckon most of us are already plugged in beyond escape. But you can get away from it every so often. The pub is never going to disappear. But guaranteed whilst you're enjoying your pint the bloke next to you will be photographing his and uploading it to share to his followers with the tag-line "I'm in the pub! Have we signed anyone yet?"
Follow me on Twitter.
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I'm not being ironic there, seriously, follow me.
Reader Comments (32)
I stopped reading when I saw that green s**t on the plate next to your dinner!!!!!!
weres the steak from??
So so boring
You have a good point about social media and the madness that it brings upon us. We're always craving for the latest gossip and your X-Files reference seems to reflect my day at the office trying to keep up with what Vertonghen's agent said to someone somewhere 5 minutes ago :D
And I follow you on Twitter.
I don't think that watercress has been dressed. Fucking disgraceful.
That green stuff was dipped into chip fat if it helps?
Our former manager can't help gobbing off about Spurs even after he's gone. Check out his break from golf on SSN. Cretin.
Yeah yeah yeah!! All very philo bleedin' sophical but are you in the know or not me old china?
Yes I am. But I can't share. I'll just claim it after the fact.
Always a pleasure spooky ,scarely true ,anyway must get back to newsnow tottenham, wasnt there something i should
be doing tonight ?? oh yes its my best friends birthday and i should be there already .
2q's...
Is that neat vodka you're washing your steak down with ? If so - kudos to you.
Top right of your steak is what seems to be a fingerbowl filled with some kinda suspect liquid. A little clarification here would be helpful.
Tks
This piece revoves around social media and Spurs rumours etc. but it can well be generaslised about the use of social media in general and how easy it is to mislead (and I mean lead in the wrong direction) people. Its use is powerful and in the main we do not have the savvy to critique what we read. E.G. a couple of weeks back Modric was supposedly signed already for Man U---someone should tell Real Madrid and PSG!!! The result is we have generations of young and not so young individuals who lack any critical thought and consequent action. Its the reason why much of what we call the social-political world is chaos just like the transfer windows!
some v good points there Spooky. My little 'uns are growing up only knowing mobile phones which do things when you wipe your finger accross the screen. i remember reading about Chris Waddle going to Marseille for 4.5m on the back of the Mail back in 89 and felt devastated. i loved him. can you imagine the back pages ever breaking a story again (or the Mail actually telling the truth for that matter).
I know everyone is expecting AVB - I am expaceting AVB but I am not sure if it isgoing to be AVB dont ask me why probabkly the curry but I think its going to be bigger than AVB shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
I remember when Waddle was sold. Sad times.
Oh Mcspur, that's why you're Scottish!!!
You follow me on twitter no full stops and bags of two liners full of the truth. The problem i have is this when ABV was Chelsea's boss i could not stand him and yes i called Harry but only when he left Defoe on the benched at Villa. But all these managers underestimated desperate teams Fergie Wenger Daglish Abv Mancini Pardew all lost games they thought they should win. Three of them lost there jobs and one of them has won the lottery by being named our boss if you believe the rumour mill . When you sack your manager three things need to have happened one you failed badly in your club and fans expectations two he lost the dressing room and thirdly all the fans want him sacked. Lets look at the other two managers who lost there jobs for not getting in the top four King Kenny lost his job for two reasons losing games and the FA cup but most of all for damaging the image of Liverpool by misguided loyalty to one of his players. Now our supposed future Manager he lost games the dressing room and finally the fans and the sack replaced by another Manager who got sacked for losing 13 games while West Brom Manager. Now for our Harry who beat the tax man beat a heart attack lost third to a man who had a World class striker 15 years experience of finishing in the top four a 60,000 stadium and lastly by playing West Brom with Fulop in goal baring gifts from the newly announced England Manager Woy. What some of the Harry out brigade have not worked out is this Fergie lost 3-2 too Blackburn and 1-0 against Wigan and lost an 8 point lead and the title so did Mancini and Arsenal also nearly blew there chance of third Ferguson never got sacked or Wenger and Mancini City only won because QPR knew Bolton where relegated in a relaxed 3 mins. We finished one point behind Arsenal we lost 7 points to bad officials Stoke being the worse we played some of the best football lauded by Ferguson and even Merson. No Mr Levey Harry never lost the ten points lead the injury's bad luck desperate teams the media frenzy for Harry and England Modric Walker and Bale being tapped every game we won the silent FA Levey saving transfer money for our new manager. And lastly he never lost the dressing room or all the fans and wih all these distractions still manage to beat Chelsea and Newcastle to 4th shame on you Mr Levey and all the misguided fans who think a raw 34 year old will get us higher than 4th. This is a word of warning to AVB after the January window closes when jobs will be under threat from disgruntled chairman and fans. This is what you will come across if your not sacked before points and shocks will increase twofold energy levels will increase beyond the normal points you think would be easy will be lost. The FA will turn a blind eye while Sky rejoice in a relegation scrap and a top four battle on the remaining few weeks of pure drama. Thanks Harry Bond Joe for the memory's of some great football in spite of the loud jealous tapping of other managers and the Russians and Arab black gold. Coys
Is that your rant over davspurs? so i gather your backing A.V.B to the hilt then ?? you bellend he hasnt even walked into
his office and you cant wait for Spurs to fuck up so you can come on here or another blog to say i told you so ,why dont you feck off to vital spurs where your just be a breakfast snack ,,talk about miserable .
On a lighter note yeah Waddle in the Mail ,i was doing a paper round then and used to read all the rags so i suppose
i was a media whore even then [Harry beats me hands down mind] ,,i remember we could of had Gazza ,Linekar and waddle my dream little triangle and then when sold him .
COYS or in davspurs world AVBISACUNTANDWEREDOOMEDFOEVER
You know this would've invited more than a few "didn't read lol" gifs on TFC :-D
Spooky - unlike norfuk yid I`m not sore that your steak isn`t surrounded by swedes and carrots.
However I am seriously impressed with your prowess if you can tweet a fit bird, meet her down the pub, exchange only 140ish characters and end up teasing and dictating before detonating. Mind you I always rated you, in fact I almost signed you once but your contract was soooooooooooo one sided I couldn`t afford the compo.
Dav the team did well in spite of harry not because of him. It was deterioration fast as he was buying in old players and not playing young ones ( unless they were his 'favorites). This lack of rotation caused the team to visibly tire at the end of the season. There were no tactics (or wrong ones.. (Bale on the right WTF??)I cant remember us scoring much from set pieces through the year .. (isn't this what coaches ..er coach?). The older players were all crocked by the end of the season and the 'other 11' had forgotten what a pitch looked like. I do agree there were a whole heap of situations, decisions and crap thrown at our beloved Spurs through this season and it is a testament to our boys that they (the players) did so well in spite of it, however harry often felt the need to add to it .. If you remember he seemed keen to offload Modders last year, take the cash and buy another coachload of geriatrics?
Our team did well, and I hope they do as well with AVB if he comes in, but chin up buddy, if they can do as well as they did with someone who negates his actual job entirely and coaches by just saying' go out there and run about a bit'.From what I saw at least AVB gives a damn because Harry never did.
.......by the way Spooky if that `dip` is joachim Loew`s sex wee - come on son, down in one take one for the team!
Bale out of GB team with back injury.
Pure Hunter S. Thompson, Spooky. Were you riding the dragon when you wrote that piece? A Lysergism for the COYS boys? I appreciate the honesty and heart stapled to sleeve. Gutsy and vulnerable both.
Bring on AVB! I just want to hear his plans for the club. (How do you say "run around a bit" in Portugeeser).
I'm glad Bale is out of the GB squad. Means less chance of him getting crocked for the season. Now they can play Bellamy to their hearts content...and the best of British luck to 'em as my Ma used to say.
Keep it up, Spooky.
Right all you on here who say i want Spurs to fuck up meet me on any field in England but your dukes up and your head gear on and i will kick you in the Bollocks. Lets get one thing clear i will love Spurs no matter who takes control and the fact you think i will come on hear and say i told you so if we fuck up is an insult to me and our cockerel . I told you Harry and Spurs would struggle to get points after January and Harry only bought older players because Leavey kept is wallet shut for the new Manager when and if Harry got the England media job. If Harry had finished 5th behind Newcastle i would have called for is sacking but he got the ship steadied in time but Chelski inspired by Abv sacking and a friendly ex player installed suddenly started running around a lot and won the champs league with a keeper who looked shaky under ABV suddenly started saving everything thrown at him and along with Arsenal and desperate Wigan and surprise packet Newcastle where the form teams all done with extra work rate. During that final month there was shocks all over football Wigan beat Liverpool Utd Arsenal Newcastle should have beat Chelsea so why are you all questioning Harry tactics when all these managers got beat by a team doomed in the bottom three. Yes Harry panicked and went for a draw at Villa but remember City 3-2 Norwich wonder strike by a player who had never scored Villas goal off Gallas head none of these is a sacking offence. What you need to ask is this the new manager has to better 4th with a stronger Chelsea Newcastle Liverpool win over the players who loved (MEDIA FRIENDLY) Harry Kaboul Bale Ekotto Friedel Parker Van and others so Davspurs wont get a chance because the media who wanted Harry for England will do it for me . I live near all these teams Liverpool Everton City and Utd yet i chose Spurs aged ten so my loyalty is unshakable and to have no scars shouting com on you Spurs all over the North West shows i learned how to duck and dive and kick some bollocks.(Colin sc and Spoookyy ) Oh and another thing i can see the future and Abv will get sacked for us finishing? that's for my mind only COYS PROVE ME WRONG
The Boy from Brazil.
Times saying were signing Oscar.
De La Renta?
what happened to talk of Pep and Jose coming in and going for the title?
Very underwhelmed by reports of Boas and Blanc under consideration.
Never mind the title we will be lucky to qualify for the Europa with either of those.
@confused - Europa league`s all we can dream of now remember? But at least we can also dream of a manager who takes the thing seriously and accepts that for next season at least that`s the level we`re at. I can`t stand the ethos of aspiring to simply qualifying for CL with no real hope of winning it, rather than actually going after the competitions that we are in.
Talk of pep and jose was exciting but probably unrealistic.
However, I`ve seen nothing to absolutely confirm that our man will be AVB or Blanc, only regurgitated tripe in the press which is all they can report as Levy has kept his cards so close to his chest, probably helped by the distraction of the Euros.
There is still the chance of a surprise appointment, maybe.
Everyone ready for Super Sunday?
Fasten your belts everyone, it's the first of July!
Errrr hello football gods....1st July......manager?...cent def?....modric replacement? 3x strikers?........31st August here we come....I look forward already to jim white blowing up as we unveil...pep...vertonghen...moutinho...ade..de Jong. At 11.52..11.56...and 11.59 respectively...