The Championship

In the back of my head, there's that niggling feeling, accompanied by a voice hammering way "I told you so" to me constantly. That is not made any easier by the number of Chelsea shirts, and all sorts of other apparel from the Blues I've seen since Sunday afternoon. In the end, the better team won granted, but second place never tasted this bitter before. Partially, it's because of the team's own doing. My dear manager, as much as I love the man, didn't do enough on his side. The players (some more than others) did all that was asked of them, and then some. That proved to be in vain. The Great White Hope of Manchester & England did all he could, but his supporting cast let hime down a lot of the time.

This season has been filled with amazing highs(derby victories), and major lows (Bayern and Chelsea), but overall, it's been an excellent season, and a lot has been learned. Many must be sure that the Red Devils will most definitely come back stronger next season. To think, Liverpool were touted to kick on from their previous campaign, and we were the ones who weer gonna struggle more, given summer transfer activities, and their impacts on each team. Our dear neighbours from Anfield, are nowhere to be even seen in the elite now. Having said that, the next 2 finals (UEFA Champs, FA Cup), the World Cup, as well as the 2010/11 seasons should be very interesting. Till August......here's to 2010, Bafana, and good ol UNITED!!!!!!!!

2010...my life : how's it going so far?

Well, 2010, "feel it, it's here!!"....that's what it's like in the country @ the moment. Mna ke ngoku, where do I find myself in the midst of all this buzz and excitement in my country? Once I answer that, bet I can sort out how the rest of this year will go.

In my second year in the African Big Apple, all has not been smooth sailing but I'm still surviving. Personally and academically things have taken a slight turn, but I'm hanging in there. I have finally found a group of friends that comes close to my family in Grahamstown on so many levels, yet at the same time I seem to be regressing further when in their presence..now isn't that oxymoronic and ironic of me. Every night as I lay in my bed before I sleep, that initial question still rings in my ear. I would like to think I'm close to answering it, but truth is, through my own fears of risks, confidene(or lack thereof), I am nowhere near answering.

Let's further break this down, my love-life is a rope of the past that I'm hanging on to for dear life(mind you, holding onto the last strand). I am "c-blocking" myself from what's out there and in front of me somehow. "People" are starting to get worried. I have also potentially dug myself into a hole over a white-lie that could turn blue if not nipped in the bud anytime soon, but I think I can solve that. Monetarily, my situation is as was for the past 4 years....and that needs to change, ASAP. Hopefully, God and myself willing, I shall hit a purple-patch on all fronts.

In conclusion, I shall admit one impediment.....I AM A LAZY FOOL!!!! From what I've both seen and been hearing, that shall do me no favours in life, and especially here in JHB.....so I hope that my crash-course will do me justice, and turn me into the man(of greatness) that I know I'm destined to be. First thing's first though, let me navigate my way through these exams. In the words of Chris McCandless, "The true essence of man is in new experiences". On that note, I hope I am curious enough to explore, and venture out "into the wild' of my life.

Champions League

Forgive me for saying this, but Fanteni could have made the biggest gamble in his career by choosing to come back to South Africa, if it pays off all the better for him, if not.....what a COCK UP he has made. His club have made it to the Group Stages of the biggest club competition in the world, and yet he is struggling to command a starting place at Orlando Pirates. Mabhakaniya, ndiyanithanda, kodwa.....I would rather play UEFA Champs Leauge football if I had the opportunity. Look now....Masilela is gonna be playin, and should he shine, that will increase his fan-base in Europe, as well as raise his value for prospective buyers in the BIGGER leagues. Macbeth Sibaya as well, is gonna be playin Champions League football, at such an important stage in any South African footballer's career, what better place to showcase yur talents to the coach and other scouts than that. If Fanteni wins the Manyathela Award at the end of the season, kudos to him, otherwise if he flops in SA...woaw unto him for coming bacj home when he had a chance at a crack @ the world's best @ the best level club-wise. But ke.....he has made his bed, and for his sake, let's hope it's a comfy one

How it's been

Well......8 months dow the line(BAD I know) and how's Jozi thus far? I'm still alive I guess for one. I have met some of the most interesting people in this time. On the books side, not too shabby either. I scored my first varsity distinction in June(YAY!!!!) and I have to give props to UJ APK.......ababahle oosisi yeha!!!!!!! Unfortunately, I don't have 1 to call my own as yet. The social scene.....I've cut it down a huge bit from my Gtown days, but I must say, 7th aint half bad.

I also love the fact that I've got family with me(luv u cuz) and nearby. It sucks being broke here tho........that's because back in Gtown I never had to worry about my next meal because I knew in res that aspect was covered.........NOT ANYMORE, n that sucks. This year I also took my first steps into a DROS.....and to my suprise, not as D***h as I thought it would be. It has become my spot for sport, and the people I've met there are quite cosmopolitan as well......They come from as far as Manchester....to ekhaya eMthatha, which is always cool xa udibene nowqasekhaya, coz after a while "iyadina into yosoloko ukhumsha.., ungaphela uz'lume ulwimi" as we say, in the sense that you might end up contradicting, as well as confusing yourself after a while...I digress. All in all, I can now safely say that I am starting to feel (dare I say it) at home.

RU will 4ever be my home, because that's the first place I went to after high-school, and I spent two years there, but my CV will show that I have a degree from UJ, and I must make the most of my time here, and get that degree......until then, TUKULUKULUK!!!!!!

Two weeks from hell

Last week, I looked to the fixture against Liverpool with glee, because I saw it as an oportunity for my team to send a message tp our rivals in the league. I was also in good spirit as we had just come off an epic victory over Mourinho and his Internazionale men. All was good, even Liverpools\'s victory the night before was excellent, ove Real Madrid(the once mighty). Oh how they have fallen from grace. Anywho, Saturday came, I went to Dros, and I recall hearing the meakness and fear in one Scouser fan when he tentatively said "I wish we could beat Man United toady." My response was a cool and simple "Let's see who has the better game." As ther match started, both sides were a bit tense, but then they had the first few good chances. Then we broke forward attack after attack, and then we got that penalty. Ronaldo stepped up, and SCORED, applause and cheers ruptoured throughout Old Trafford, and wherever Man United fans across the globe were watching. We took contoll for the next 15 minutes, and the Reina speculatively launched a ball forward. Vidic let it bounce, and I turned away as one would ther moment before a major accident occurs. As I had feared, Torres got to the ball, round Vidic and through Van Der Sar's legs for 1-1. S**T! I though, but no panic. That was until in their third attack after that, Gerrard was brought down in the box. He scored the penalty, and in celebration kissed the camera in the corner, DISRESPECT I thought.

Second half came, it started much like the same, and we were headed forward, and looking much the stronger team in the opening exchanges, but then they caught us on the counter, and Vidic made another error and brought down Torres, when he had just the keeper to beat. All United fans would have argued that Rio got back in time to cover, but nontheless he was given his marching orders. The resultant free-kick made my keeper look like a p**s to say the least, because there aws nothing he could do about it. Aurellio had scored, thenn they made defensive changes, taking off an attacker for a defendr bringing Dossena on, for the second biggest match in his Liverpool life. He too towards the end made Van Der Sar look amateur as he chipped him for their fourth. That result was quite hurtful to say the least, especially because most of my mates are Man-U haters. That week awws just a crap one. I had hope for the weekend, but we lost again, 2-0 to Fulham, who we had beaten 4-0 a fornight prior in the FA Cup at the same venue. To make it worse, the following morning my laptop crasheed. Aint that sum ol' bulls**t?

My team, and the league in general

I, like many United fans am hoping for a clean sweep of all the trophies this season. After last night's battling performance against the Magpies, that dream is looking like a possible reality. The trick now is to navigate the next week, and hopefully come out unscathed from it. At the beginning of the season, I wouldn't hav imagined that we would be in the position we currently find ourselves in. More so on how we started, and Liverpool n Chelsea were like a house on fire. As time went on, and with draws, not scoring, and dropping early points, Chelsea definitely scared me. Then came that afternoon at Anfield. We kept our heads uip though, because it's not coz we played badly that we lost, but rather that everyone had an edge over us.

As time went on though, that win did come, and chances started turning into goals. That was amazing, and going to Arsenal on the 8th of Nov, we were a team in form, but as is said in any sport, you're only as good as your last game, and on the day form counted for nothing. We lost that day, and that was the kast time we lost in the league. That has to speak volumes for what Sir Alex instilled in the players' minds fromm that day on, because Arsenal were also one of the last teams to score against us for a while until Santa Cruz ended that run 2 weeks ago.

7 points clear, in the quarters of the FA Cup, Carling Cup and World Champions, looking pretty in the Champions League.......what more could one ask for. We're not getting carried away, because anything can happen in this beautiful game, but winning those titles all in one season would be sweet, especially the league, coz of the Reds. Tying with them would make us joint sucessfull in English history, and this particular victory will be sweet, because we would hav snatched the initiative from them when they had seriously mounted a challenge for the first time in 19 years.

GLORY GLORY MAN UNITED (x3) AND THE REDS GO MARCHING IN!!!!!!!!!

Out on the streets of Jozi

The past two months have been an adventure to say the least. Changing schools, moving to a new place, bigger than the last place I moved to, Grahamstown. I wasn't sure how I would manage and survive. I felt exactly like Jimmy on his way to Joburg. I have been lucky tho, because of one word....FAMILY. Thank the Lord for making those support structures for a person, somewhere they can always belong. Ndithi Ndila! Ndiphinde ndithi Mhaga! Without y'all there wouldn't be me. They have made coming, and getting accustomed to life in the big city bearable, because honestly it hasn't been easy. But as the saying goes, nothing worth having in life never comes easy.

This time around I have ammased a degree in the School of Hard Knocks aka Life University, and am doing my third year, no jokes. I am now hoping that I am here for life, and that you shall all soon have my name at the tips of your tongues whenever you think of anything moving forward in the South African media industry.

Here's to a new chapter in my life, Jozi. Ndizokutya apho kuwe, wena awuzunditya!!!!!!!

Holla black.