John Terry and Arjen Robben's fake injuries in the Porto agreed draw; Bellamy and Riise's supposed altercation; Bellamy's golfswing goal celebration; Gooners reserves and Chelsea millionaires in their pseudo-brawl; Robbie Keane's sending off; Alan Wiley's biased performance refereeing Wigan v Newcastle; Bennett's opening and match settling penalty when he virtually suggested that Gerrard should dive to the ground; Andy Johnson's pirouette; Portsmouth's market positioning and David James comedy of errors plus attempts at creative theatrics; Lille marching off the pitch; Wenger and Mourinho camping it up big style in the "war of words" pre-final; Ferguson complaining about intimidation; Coleman dissing Walton...
This is nothing but theatre.
"Power is only too happy to make football bear a diabolical responsibility for stupefying the masses" - Jean Baudrillard.
Then there is Páirc an Chrócaigh and Hill 16 and the Easter Uprising and the pre-match tears and 43-13 after politely applauding the anthem of the crown - one of those rare occasions where a dose of nationalism is not only valid but compulsory. And there were Celtic's two last gasp goals... Just totally fucking brilliant and uplifting sport.
There's a conclusion to this post somewhere but I've just been on a 50 mile cycle ride and it was blowing a hooly and I'm not really focusing...
