The New Yorker: The Critics: The Current Cinema: "The general opinion of %u201CRevenge of the Sith%u201D seems to be that it marks a distinct improvement on the last two episodes, "The Phantom Menace" and"Attack of the Clones." True, but only in the same way that dying from natural causes is preferable to crucifixion."
So, the latest Star Wars movie lives up to all expectations. Now, if he had any sense or ethics left, Mr. Lucas should be paying me to go and see it. Nothing extravagant. I'll accept the price of seeing Episode I and Episode II as reimbursement and, as long as I can take my Palm into the theatre, I'm totally happy to go and see Episode III. By the way, this is an excellent review. Anyone looking to see the latest Lucas disaster should certainly read it first.
17/05/2005
M USA: Manchester United gets bought
Malcolm Glazer, an ageing US tycoon, has acquired a stake in the UK's most internationally famous football club that basically gives him ownership (Glazer Man Utd stake exceeds 75%). As a result, there is little to stop the man removing the remaining shares from public sale. He is, in effect, the outright controller of Manchester United. Despite what fans and some others might think, this guy (who's apparently almost 80 years old) can't be so stupid as not think running Man U will be anything like an American sports team -- surely, not?
It is a terrible thing to happen. Glazer could still prove everyone wrong by pouring money into the club for player signings, but that seems so far away from the US professional sports model that it is unlikely. Equally, one wonders if Glazer has even heard of British football fans. Manchester United is not the team I support, but even I recognise its importance in the game, and it has always been a club I'm more than happy to watch play. It is now, due to the greed of its own directors in listing the company in the first place, in danger of out and out extinction. Although fans plan to 'encourage' Glazer that he has a bad deal, that is a strategy that could just as easily backfire.
Of course, the best way to do this would be to boycott next week's FA Cup Final outright -- but what fan would do that?
It remains to be seen just how Glazer will use his new toy (and that is, I'm afraid what he has bought). Personally, I hope he sits quietly on his investment, and eventually moves on to other pastures, leaving Man U in no worse a state than it is now. Football without Manchester United is just not worth contemplation.
It is a terrible thing to happen. Glazer could still prove everyone wrong by pouring money into the club for player signings, but that seems so far away from the US professional sports model that it is unlikely. Equally, one wonders if Glazer has even heard of British football fans. Manchester United is not the team I support, but even I recognise its importance in the game, and it has always been a club I'm more than happy to watch play. It is now, due to the greed of its own directors in listing the company in the first place, in danger of out and out extinction. Although fans plan to 'encourage' Glazer that he has a bad deal, that is a strategy that could just as easily backfire.
Of course, the best way to do this would be to boycott next week's FA Cup Final outright -- but what fan would do that?
It remains to be seen just how Glazer will use his new toy (and that is, I'm afraid what he has bought). Personally, I hope he sits quietly on his investment, and eventually moves on to other pastures, leaving Man U in no worse a state than it is now. Football without Manchester United is just not worth contemplation.
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