Ian Holloway is the manager of Blackpool FC. He is very outspoken and entertaining during interviews.
Ian Holloway does not like the 2012 World Cup potentially being moved to the winter.
Ian Holloway does not like Wayne Rooney threatening to leave Manchester United.
Ian Holloway does not like getting fined by the FA for “fielding a weaker team”.
Nearly fifteen years ago, during a high school band trip to NYC, I was part of a well-reasoned insurrection. We had one goal: to commandeer one of the charter buses on a trip a few miles down the road, where the Metrostars were playing the Columbus Crew in the what was the third week of the opening season of Major League Soccer. Our plot somehow worked, and I remember racing up the steps of the Meadowlands to find my seat behind one of the corner flags and watch actual first division soccer in my home country. The Metros lost 2-0, and my general disappointment ended up turning me into a DC United fan for the remainder of the season.
To every action, there are consequences.
Few actions will illustrate this as well as Zinedine Zidane’s vicious headbutt in the 110th minute of the World Cup final. One moment of stupidity and anger overshadows every contribution, every minute played. Even the miraculous goal he scored in the 7th is quickly forgotten.
And worse, his removal – and lack of expertise during penalties – may have been enough to push Italy over the top. I don’t enjoy condemning teams solely on the actions of one player, but I am overjoyed to see Italy win.
[The Guardian](http://football.guardian.co.uk/worldcup2006/minbymin/0,,1788448,00.html):
> It’s hard to do justice to just how horrible that headbutt was – you instinctively recoil like you’re the victim; it’s brutal, you feel the teeth grinding as he rams into Materazzi. You feel your eyelids instinctively magnetising with every replay; it’s as unwatchable as that bit in Scream when Drew Barrymore has her little skinny tummy sliced and diced. That really, erm, put the ‘no!’ in ‘denouement’. Or maybe it was denouemental. I don’t know; I’m tired. But it makes for the most spectacular drama.
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One thing I’ve learned living in Astoria is that no matter who wins, the car horns begin honking soon after.
For once, I’m looking forward to it.