At the end of the 1956 movie Rocky Graziano (played by Paul Newman) utters the line to his wife that gives the film its title:
“Somebody up there likes me”.
I was speaking to a buddy of mine yesterday who is the creative force behind Celtic Canvas Art.
On my phone, he is “Scenery John” because he has provided the backdrop to my last three state plays in Glasgow.
I recalled a conversation with him a couple of years back when I complimented his artwork (it really is stunning-he has such a fine eye for visual detail- you can check it out here) and I remarked about the importance of emotionally manipulating the audience.
The real drama in a theatre must happen inside the head of the paying public.
If they see everything playing out in front of them from the first minute then there is no creativity on display.
I have remarked here on many occasions that Sevco is a sitcom.
Well on Sunday it was a cruel episode.
The tantalising prospect of victory over their larger richer neighbours was dangled in front of them not once, but twice.
Each time Celtic levelled the score.
Then, with a man sent off Brendan Rodgers introduced Odsonne Édouard.
Young Master Murts could call on Jason Cummings from the bench.
The former is on loan from Paris Saint-Germain.
By way of contrast, the latter chap is on loan from Nottingham Forest in the English Championship.
It is reported that Celtic have agreed on a fee of €7m with PSG for the young French striker if Rodgers decides to make him a permanent acquisition.
That is a fee that Sevco could not even go near.
As the world knows Odsonne Édouard scored the winner and Jason Cummings did not.
A glaring chance did fall to Alfredo José Morelos Aviléz.
Sadly, for the Colombian, he couldn’t score.
Somewhere, in a parallel universe, a fictional Chinese football club are very happy that they did not splash out billions of inter-galactic yuans on yer wan.
If you see the game from the perspective of the home crowd then it was cruelty personified.
One up, then level.
Scored again, then level.
A man advantage.
Then beaten.
When Odsonne Édouard made it 3-2 it was a knockout blow.
Moreover, it is a psychological wound that will be difficult to heal inside the Sevco dressing room.
Now they know that Celtic are better than them.
At the end of the match, poor Murts looked like he had been in the ring with the real Rocky Graziano.
Now, The People might make their way to Hampden next month full of hope.
Remember they were full of anticipation for the league match before Sunday.
However, to the saddened onlooker it will be the shambling gait of the punch drunk has been.
They tell strangers that they coulda been somebody, coulda amounted to something.
The reality is that nobody up there likes them.
Nobody at all.
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I’ve just watched the Hibs game there OMG the HONEST MISTAKES are unbelievable again . Sevco have to be 2nd by hook or by crook or is it just me ? , no wonder Neil Lennon goes off his head as Celtic and Hibs Manager n we know we are right ?
They could have been contenders, instead they got a one-way ticket to Palookaville. (On The Waterfront)
Celtic were lucky to win on Sunday.
All the gloating and ‘Ten in a row’ shit makes me puke, we have become that part of them that we most despised.
And it’s Forest, not Forrest.
Yeah, the Refs did their part didn’t they? How lucky of Celtic to create a master class goal when playing with 10 men for 1/3 of the match! Yeah, all LUCK!
I agree.
And our club is looked after by people who are on high salaries to do so.Dont like the we are richer rhetoric
In what universe were Celtic * lucky* They were the better team esp in the second half They came back twice then won, that takes skill not luck Thats why we’re Champions Don’t be obtuse, it was a well fought victory As for 10 in a row Why shouldn’t we aspire to it It is in our hands
This movie is in my top 5 ….
I was 12 when I saw it…
Great film….
Cheers Phil.
Don’t know if you posted that record picture by purpose or not but I had forgotten the reason that Sevco gave for the made up rejected bid. They were holding on to him for the title run-in.
Does it not make poetic justice that the man they claimed was going to be the main man in a title race was the guy that cost them a draw on Sunday. A blind man could have scored that 3 foot tap in.
Can’t imagine our Defence being as bad in Semi must get Compper fit with Chris Ajer at centre back if back 4 Ralston KT. Play them ever game to the semi Bain in goal HH
Hear hear,defence needs real work,Boyata looked like a cat on hot tin roof he was an ABSOLUTE bag of nerves.
In BR We Trust.
Think it’s interesting and notable that because we won on Sunday a very serious question was never asked of Brendan. Don’t get me wrong, I love the job he is doing for us and I also like him personally.
But that doesn’t mean that he can’t make mistakes or should be free from being questioned about decisions he makes. Boyata had not played in 5 weeks due to a knee injury and looked totally out of sorts to the point that he cost us dearly with several bad mistakes. Would love to have seen someone ask Brendan if he had any second thoughts about putting him in a hard match like that, when he certainly appeared rusty.
As in On the Waterfront……they could have been contenders – if it wasn’t for the shower of beggars, tramps and thieves who aren’t happy until they rinse the deluded bennies of every penny they hand over, in the past, present and future if they have one. That film was all about bullying, violence and corruption so we can all see the parallels here. Sevco will never even reach heights of mediocrity, their fans know but just can’t accept it and their fiscally impotent board are laughing all the way to the pay day loan companies. HH
Apropos the boxing narrative.
This game was Joe Louis vs Billy Conn.
It was all within his grasp, but poor tactics let him down…..
Murtie mightn’t deploy sophisticated tactics but he does seem to have his team play in the zone where he knows they can mess us up without being pulled up for it. For the semi final we need to overcome the constant shirt tugging -complaining won’t work, of course – only a flimsy crepe paper style disintegrating jersey will address this problem. Leave the shirt grabber holding a scrunched up handful of hoops and highlight the ridiculousness of it not being punished. I can remember England wearing a strange net like shirt at Mexico1970 so us wearing something flimsy and rippable makes great sense.
It would have stopped Forrest being flung to the ground in the second minute the other day and the ball being sent up to the Boyata/Windass “contest”.
Let all involved know that we are letting them know that we are on to them as well as a long way ahead of them.
The Edouard goal not only won the match, it likely condemned Sevco to the grave with Oldco. They’re already flimsy accounts will be well ****ed without Champions League squillions.
Great win on Sunday against the odds have almost certainly confirmed 7 in a row. I would however be nervous about the semi final. If we give away silly goals we may not be able to overcome this handicap again. It is vital a focused efficient Celtic turn up.
No stupid fouls to give encouragement to “unbiased” officials to make a few honest mistakes.
Phil, you always make me laugh and your on the money about them, ha,ha.