Friday, June 11, 2010

Funky Friday - It's All Kicking Off


I've always been slightly agnostic about football. I have tried to see the light - even signing up for a year's membership with Southend United in the early 90s. Although lower-league hoofing and thumping, 8-0 maulings (Crystal Palace) and mid-week aways to Swansea and suchlike would test the faith of a saint.

The World Cup though, is literally a different game. Italia '90 was the tournament that reeled me in with it’s internationally tall tales: Cameroonian stories of snake oil leg-rubs and voodoo doings. Colombia with the fantastically be-afroed Carlos Valderrama and that scorpion kicking-keeper. Eastern European units snapping and nipping about like terriers. Alien dangers unknown in our domestic setting: altitude, heat and humidity - the need to neck down salt tablets?

Don’t worry if you're already suffering from football fatigue, I won't be grinding on about it too much. But as England go up against the USA (formerly Team America if I remember - who I'm sure briefly appeared on TV in the 70s) for perhaps their most public set-to since the Boston Tea Party, I couldn't let the occasion go unblogged could I? For balance I'll fire up something tasty from both nations.

A Manchester band with an instrumental for our national drink and Little Milton's corner shop conundrum (what are grits BTW?)

St Louis Union - English Tea



Little Milton - Grits Ain't Groceries



And perhaps a combo of UK Sports theme teamed with Motorcity Soul - you can catch Mark Vidler's notes (exclusive to this blog) on his football booty right here

15 comments:

chocolategirl64 said...

wOw love those tracks:
now you've appeased the god of footie:
jog on:
^_*

Kolley Kibber said...

What a shame Des couldn't be coaxed into wearing one of those pink frocks.

John Medd said...

I wouldn't be at all surprised if Team America don't stick to the script and give us a good hiding; we struggled against a team of waiters the other night. Once again Vidler tucks it into the top right hand corner.

Cocktails said...

Phew, a football post with good music!

I remember Italia '90 very well too - I think it was the first time that I realised that anyone took soccer even remotely seriously.

lil said...

Fantastic tunes Mondo!
Especially “English Tea & Grits Ain’t Groceries…
(I’m trying to steer clear of the football though, if I can?)

Mondo said...

Cheers Choco - 'Jog on' sounds like a Bolan tune.

Is that Des Lynham ISB? On the subject of kit check out this seventies England trackie top from Admiral - I'd go nuts for one of these

Did you ever see the seventies Team America thing John? I'm sure it was televised from Wembley one Sunday evening (77ish). Had all the fanfare of a Harlem Globetrotters appearance but fell a bit flat really

One more footy post (if I can find the pics) and I'm done Cocktails.

Any idea what grits are Lil? I know the name, but don't have a clue!

lil said...

They're an American, potato side dish, I think?

Mondo said...

Grits - the answer is in! Apparently it's some sort of corn porridge?. Strange as I remember seeing Grit ad's in superhero comics and got the impression it was a newspaper

lil said...

Strange, I always thought it was potato?
I wonder what it tastes like?
I like porridge oats, but can’t imagine what Grits would be like?

davyh said...

I'll pass on the grits, otherwise Little Milton does it for me.

Mondo said...

Think I'll swerve the grits after reading..
The boiled grits are left to cool in a pan or mold. The resulting block of firm, cooled grits are cut with a knife or wire, and the slices are fried in a fat such as vegetable oil, butter, or bacon grease.

and

It is sometimes said that dry grits can be used to kill ants by causing them to explode as the grits expand inside them

Must do a Soul Food post one FF

drew said...

World Cup, remind me again what being involved in one of them feels like again!

Fucking hell grits sound even worse for your health than the deep fried mars bar. I bet it was one of us that invented them after all porridge is ours and if anyone could make it unhealthy well . . .

Mondo said...

My two tots love a deep-fried Mars Bar. Our local pub-cum-chippie The Mayflower (worra combo) - do them. Hard to eat a whole one though..

Have a blog-rocking night tomorrow matey.

Piley said...

Hey Mondo, been right rough with laryngitis and bronchitis... I don't recommend it...

Been World Cup crazy since Argentina 78 (aged 12), oh for the days when you had enough free time to watch every bloomin game! Bliss!

Am outing all my footie sticker books on ebay at the mo. Did you know completed World Cup and Euro books easy command £120+?

P

Mondo said...

Blimey I've got a full sticker book from the 76/77 season - one of these.

What was that nutty ol' arcade game we used to have a lunchtime punt on in Southchurch Rd - the one you could win with a goal mouth cross everytime?