Disappointment* - The Cranberries

Disappointment #1 - The Carling Cup Final

This is the ground where the disappointment took place, the place which have brought much joy to me, a Reds' fan - but not to the Gunners' fans:-

I didn't believe that there would be a day like this - when i publicly declare that i was disappointed that Arsenal lost!!! But such a day has arrived!

Maybe it's cuz the opposition was (as one of me mates describe) the Bank of Chelsea. Prolly, its partly to do wif the Blues' fans raining down missiles on Fabrecas each time he tried to take a corner in the 1st half. I guess the fact that the great sulk (no, no, not Anelka but Henry - no doubt a talented footballer but... *sigh*) wasn't playing helped. Also, the "support the underdog" mentality always prevails in me when the Reds are not playing.

But the thing that won me over was the manner they played in the first 20 mins or so! The young Gunners, some still in their teens, the average age being only 21, played absolutely beautiful football! It's no wonder they outplayed the Reds at Anfield last month. They controlled tha game, they were creative and they were so so skillful! Their passing, their first touch, their control of the ball, their vision - brilliant!

I believe a truly neutral Blues' fan will have to hold up their hands and say that Chelski got their equaliser against the flow of play!!!

In my view, wat really made the difference in the end was not so much the experience of the team in Blue but the players playing in between the posts for both teams. Cech was simply brilliant and prevented many sure goals/goalscoring opportunities. While Drogba's goals were good, they weren't "unstoppable" (like the one he scored against Liverpool last year).

Oh well... i'll always be a Reds' fan but i am excited at the prospect of watching these young Gunners take over the senior team!!!

Disappointment #2 - The 79th Academy Awards

Well, i have a few mini gripes first. Ellen was alrite. She had her moments - like when she referred to Jennifer Hudson and said "Jennifer Hudson is here - she was on American Idol and America didn't vote for her. But then Al Gore is here - and America did vote for him." The other good one was asking Steve Speilberg take a photo of her and Clint Eastwood to put in her MySpace - and she not being satisfied wif Speilberg's first attempt!!!

But generally, it wasn't brilliant - i guess its unfair to compare her with Billy Crystal. But i enjoyed Chris Rock (2 yrs ago) more!

Another mini gripe was the blunder the voice-over person made when The Departed won for ... hmmm... Best Adapted Screenplay i think and she said that it was based on the Japanese movie, The Infernal Affairs!!!! What the...????? How can they make such a mistake????

At least when Scorsese won his Oscar, he set it right by saying it's a Hong Kong movie.

Ah... Scorsese. It's sad that he had to win it this way. People will look back and wonder if he won Best Director for The Departed because he really directed that movie well - or was it because of all his past directing achievements??? Methinks it's more the latter.

And finally - The Departed. Best Movie?????? You've gotta to be kidding!!!!! The original Hong Kong The Infernal Affairs was miles better! It was way shorter but superior in so many ways (save for Andy Lau)!!!! Scorsese took around 2 and a half hours but none of the characters were developed well - not like the HK original. At best, it (The Departed) was an alrite movie - but that's only cuz it had a brilliant storyline.

The only bright spark in The Departed for me was Mark Wahlberg who lost out in the Best Supporting Actor Oscar.

*Sigh* Still, it was not all gloom. Al Gore won - and his appearance wif Leo was pretty good. Jack Black and Will Ferrel's duet was brilliant too! And thankfully, Helen Mirren won!!! Just like her, i was afraid that people were tired of seeing her win all the time!

Oh well... the Oscars disappointing me is nothing new, from the days when Forrest Gump beat Quiz Show, to Cate Blancett not winning for Elizabeth and Shakespeare in Love beating Saving Private Ryan!!!!

Life goes on!

*Track #8 in their 2nd album, No Need To Argue, lyrics by their brilliant lead singer, Dolores.