Yeah sorry I didn't read all of them before posting, I've got rid of it now. I must say, I hadn't realised that we had quite so many blatant liars in/of this country. Couldn't help but stifle a chortle when the high quality of play in MLS is mentioned. I've just watched the Chicago/Dallas match from last week that I taped. Still - I'm not here to start a fight.
The responses are classic too. Sounds like we (MLS) have lots of friends on that side of the Atlantic. Can't wait until this hits Soccer America, Jeff Bradley, the Clean Sheet, etc. Congrats Kenn.
Listen, before it gets that far: Will, Ridge, Jeff, whoever: Do me a favor, will ya? Let it die. Someone I know just emailed me because he saw it on a Leeds United mailing list. At this rate it's going to be all over the frigging continent by morning, and I'm going to spend all day tomorrow thanking people for taking the time to write in, and explaining that I really quite like most English people, it's just that this one git was a pain in my butt and needed to get smacked around. And in doing so, I've now managed to confirm every stereotype about Americans that the rest of the world apparently holds. Which, for some reason, is okay, but it's not okay for us to hold stereotypes about anybody else.
From: "Derek Gathright" <GRight@hotmail.com> To: <sportonline.complaints@bbc.co.uk> Subject: I am disgusted Date: Tuesday, August 20, 2002 7:09 PM As someone who has come to BBC.com in the past to check on the latest soccer news from across the Atlantic, I can say this... never will I again use you guys as a source of credible journalism as long as David Walmsley is still writing stories for your website. The factual errors in his story ("Gazza joining Footballers Anonymous") just dumbfound me, and when an American MLS fan called him out on it in an e-mail, his first response was "************ off." My jaw dropped. I am writing this letter in response to the entanglement you can find on this webpage http://www.kenn.com/play/wanker.html I cannot fathom a more rude, and a more classless response. And for someone representing such a large media company such as the BBC, I cannot believe he lacked enough common sense to realize that a comment such as that is just completely inexcusable, but apparently he was. I have never been one, or have known an employee of a company, who has lied, and then when a customer calls him on it, says "************ off." While the customer might not always be right, the customer is always due some respect as long as you want to keep them as a customer. But the fact that he was allowed to use Ian Bishop as an accurate source of an opinion on the MLS just baffled me! This man has lied about the MLS before and no doubt holds a grudge against the league for telling him he was no longer needed by the league when his contract expired. As an American, and an MLS fan, I have absolutely no problem with articles bashing the MLS, I'm used to them, and as long as they are accurate, I have no problem with them and find many of them funny. But with the use of blatant lies (which appear to have been edited out of the original article) and completely biased opinions (which are fine as long as there is someone there to represent the other side for a fair and balanced opinion), it is appalling. The MLS isn't a great league, but that still doesn't mean it deserves the disrespect shown my Mr. Walmsley and complete disregard for some of the leagues fans, one of which was told to "************ off." When an author writes in response to someone calling him out on his lies, "With the greatest of respect, "************ off. I'll write what I want if its Ok with you. Want to change it, get a job with BBC, right?" the proper action needs to be taken to prevent further telling customers that basically says, "I have a job here and I can write lies if I want. If you want to change them, get a job here as well." Well low an behold, those factual errors were edited out of the article even with out Mr. Kenn Tomasch working at the BBC sports dept. And the fact that his last to Mr. Tomasch was calling him a racist leads me to believe that this man has no decency at all. Americans and English are both the same race, Caucasians. And to use it in jest shows no regard for the people out there who are truly being persecuted. The acts displayed by Mr. Walmsley disgust me, as well as many others who have seen the argument. And as a reader of BBC.com, I hope that I do not have to read any more articles that display the blatant disrespect for proven facts, especially for such a media, I guess I could say.... empire, such as the BBC. I hope this e-mail is seen by both Mr. Walmsley and his editor and the proper actions be taken to ensure that this behavior is not reflective of the BBC in the future, either by making Mr. Walmsley behave himself, or if that is not attainable, pursue other means. But the behavior shown by Mr. Walmsley is similar to that of grade schoolers and I don't want to be part of it when I expect to be reading actual journalism. Thanks, Derek Gathright DGath@ku.edu
Classic stuff Kenn. I remember reading that piece back when it was first on the Beebs site. Sorry Kenn, but I have to share the exchange you had with some friends of mine in the UK.
Just tell them I don't have anything against English folks. Just this one. The last thing I need is the RAF strafing my house.
It's not like the USAF isn't over there in numbers (though reduced since the 80's) to suppliment the RAF.....or should I have found a quote from a movie to make it less jingoistic?
Don't worry Kenn. I think you've already explained quite fully (and well) that you have nothing against Brits or their footie league, and that it was basically this particular Brit and this particular Brit only who got under your skin. Further explanation unnenessary IMHO.
Oh, well isn't that lovely, my letter that I sent in to sportonline.complaints@bbc.co.uk got bounced back to me. Apparently you can't send them complaint letters now.
Maybe it's time for a form response? Nice new intro anyway since people weren't getting the Fish Called Wanda thing. It seems that BBC may have taken down the article in question - or has it been down for a while? Edit: Whoops, never mind - you have a typo in your link.
Oops. Thanks. I'll look for it. We're all caucasians? Whew. That's a load off. And like that's not going to start something.
Personally, I think the BBC has become refexively anti-American. Take for instance this quote from a link entitled "America Backs Down": As opposed to the British who like murder rape and pillage when they have to go to war? So I guess the British welcomed all those unnecessary casualties during WWI? I think BBC Sport's coverage of the US during the World Cup and beyond mirrors this mindset. It seems to me the only way to get ahead in the BBC these days is (1) complain Tony Blair is a Tory and (2) write anti-US drivel. Expect an article any day that Tony Blair roots for a silly MLS team. (Edited to say -- before someone gets on my case for being anti-UK, I am not, I am just making a point about the BBC)
Any links with that so at least we can come to our own conclusions whether the Beeb is really being anti-American in this report or whether you're just using snippets to further your own point. I hope I'm not sounding too rude when I say that surely if you don't like the Beeb and/or it's coverage/comments on things American, then don't watch/read it. Surely there are more sycophantic US sites you can read?