Context is everything.
One of the reasons that we inhabit planet Fitba is to measure difference.
Who has the best team?
Which team has the best player?
Who will get over the line first?
You need two teams for a match.
Martin O’Neill was correct to say that Rangers were the “benchmark” when he took over the Celtic job twelve years ago.
He knew his team had to measure up.
The league table is, at the end of it, about comparisons.
However, when it came to the mainstream media in Glasgow there was very little that the ordinary supporter had to compare the local hacks to.
I would imagine that last night the audience figures for Clyde 1 Superscoreboard probably went up, especially after 7.00pm for that very reason.
There was, at long last, a comparison on offer.
The big guy from Channel 4 News was in the studio.
Firstly fair play to Clyde for having him on as they probably that knew he wasn’t going to indulge in the usual mutual back slapping.
The only thing that was lacking, I thought, was the anchor reminding Alex Thomson that he was on live radio.
First out of the traps was Hugh Keevins with a white flag at the ready as he basically announced that this “corporate governance” stuff was above his pay grade.
After last night the term “main stream football writer” now has another meaning for me.
The main allegation made by Thomson of succulent lamb laziness on the part of the Glasgow hack pack when it came to Rangers is unanswerable.
Moreover the man from Channel 4 was not some caller who could be faded out or be dismissed as a “fundamentalist” or an “internet bampot” by one of the resident hacks.
As my American cousins would style it Keevins and Hannah were “taken to the woodshed” by Tomo.
It was the radio equivalent of watching Kirk Broadfoot trying to man mark Henrik Larsson.
What we heard was the difference in perspective between those inside the tent and those who wish to pull the structure down and show the people what has been hidden from view.
I’m in the tent wrecking business myself these days…
To paraphrase the Clyde 1 Superscoreboard rather patronising catch phrase “it’s all about comparisons” and last night the contrast was embarrassing.
Enjoy.
http://soundcloud.com/jinkylarsson/alex-thomson-on-clyd
