CUE's BETTING TIPS (20/21_08_2016]

Since we all want to pretend last week didn't happen (I tipped over2.5+Liverpool win, mind you), right this way for this weekend's tips:

BARCELONA X BETIS:
If you're one of those that call 1.10 'one point ten', just return your certificate to your school. With a letter of apology for good measure. That over with, one-point-ten is the odd on a home win here. Not much, but they all count in an accumulator.
Home win.

HOUNDURAS X NIGERIA:
A shambolic showing for Nigeria at Rio could end on a high should they pull off a win here, which I think they will. P.S: This tip has nothing to do with my nationality.
Nigeria victory.

BRAZIL X GERMANY:
The one trophy in International football that eludes Brazil. Against the workmanlike, efficient if unspectacular Germans, I'm calling a comprehensive Brazilian victory.

BURNLEY vs LIVERPOOL:
An easy boost to my accumulator. Away win; and that's a banker.

LEICESTER vs ARSENAL:
They're Arsenal, consistent inconsistency is their hallmark. Wenger's set to recall Ozil, Koscielny and/or Giroud for this blockbuster between last season's first and second. With no Kante in a wonderfully porous midfield, retention of Messrs Mahrez & Vardy coupled with the addition of Nigerian speedster, Musa to Leicester's lineup, this is another high-scoring contest that could go either way.
Over 2.5goals.

BRISTOL CITY vs NEWCASTLE:
Finally, inevitably, Benitez and his acolytes got their acts right and now they're set to steamroller all in their path.
Away win.

CELTA VIGO X LEGANES:
Lega-gini, I hear you say. Exactly.
Home win.

ZWOLLE vs PSV:
Save for a heroic push from Feyenoord, PSV will win the league at a canter.
Away win.

ATLETICO MADRID X ALAVES:
A banker to cap it all off.
Home win.

Good luck people. Have fun.
--->>>Captaincue.

MO' FARAH: A Confirmation Bias

        Thanks to YouTube, I'm inundated with sporting moments I missed due to my age; thus, I know an awful lot about the landmark achievements and remarkable feats of athletes at the five-ring tourney pre-#Athens2004, which, as it happens, is the first Olympic tournament I can vividly recall. Its always fun to watch these retro-footages to get a feel of the ambience, style and politics of yore.

        Being exposed to sporting porn on the internet, one is bound to appreciate the efforts, achievements and legacies of compatriots: Ajunwa, Toriola, Onyali, Ogunkoya et al., and those NOT of Nigerian descent: Isinbayeva, Jesse Owens, Comaneci, The bloody Dream Team, Gebrselassie, Bekele et al. These aforementioned athletes, and more like them, have put in incredible performances over the years, while some (Bolt, Phelps, Murray) are STILL doing great things with their careers at the Olympics. This piece though, is about another contemporary great - Mo' Farah - the British long-distance running legend who just defended his 10,000m title from the London Olympics at its sequel; #Rio2016.

        I'm not going to extol his athletic accomplishments (seriously, wiki him), so I'm just going to discuss the crux of this piece. Minutes into the start of a 10,000m race, where all contestants are crammed into the inner lanes of the track, Mo' tripped over his own foot, fell, rolled on the hard ground, narrowly escaped having his head trampled by an unsuspecting runner, who, thankfully, flew over Mo'. That's hardly worth a 140-character tweet, but I'll tell you what is. And then some. He picked himself up, dusted himself down, licked his wounds (insert any beautiful figure of speech about moving on) and proceeded to win gold in a race that had a horribly calamitous beginning for him.

        One is never tired of hearing grass to grace stories at major sporting events like the Olympics, but you must forgive me for exploring a much simpler and infinitely basic one, the "winners don't quit" narrative. Despite, or rather, in spite of the inauspicious start to a long, long race, he put on the steely determination of a coldblooded, pigheaded, focused lion -- went in for the kill, and made it.

        Extrapolating lessons and values from one field (sport) to a much bigger one (life) might seem rather simplistic, but the inherent similarities are existential. In pursuit of a goal (or gold), you might falter, drift or worse still, fall. But like Mo' did, there's no time to feel sorry for yourself for an unforseen and unfortunate contingency. You keep moving with the singular intent of achieving your goal. Its only proper to end this with the D.H. Lawrence poem that Master-Chief John Urgayle quoted in G.I. Jane:

     "I never saw a wild thing sorry for itself.
      A small bird will drop frozen from a bough
      Without ever having felt sorry for itself."

        It rrrrrings true. When it comes to heroes, I'll always advocate drawing the line between admiration and worship; as no mortal is worthy of being worshipped. Acts though, that single-mindedness, that chutzpah, that middle-finger salute to a difficult challenge; that's an act worthy of emulation. Bravo Mo' Farah; a modern hero.

(Nigeria's football gold in 1996 trumps everything)

---CAPTAINCUE (...is a freelance writer taking on gigs for unridiculous money. Send me a direct message on Twitter @Captaincue or send me a mail with your writing needs at kaptaincue@gmail.com)

Cue's BETTING TIPS (13-14/08/2016)

Hey. I took a sabbatical for reasons explained here, but I'm back for the new season though. Without much ado, here we go:

HULL vs LEICESTER:
The new season has to start with a banker like this one. Jesus is coming back, that's expected. Hull, will be relegated, that's inevitable. A club in shambles -- a depleted squad, terrible administrators, no manager and not a single signing; the perfect recipe for a poor season. No one expects Leicester to repeat a (still) weird feat, but jump on a straightforward Leicester win here.

ARSENAL vs LIVERPOOL:
Beautiful two-footed Cazorla, Xhaka's grit, Lovren's wife, a centreback pairing of Holding and Monreal, Sanogo on the bench, Gegenpressing, rampaging Mane with a price tag to justify, Klopp's grin etc. This has the makings of a high scoring contest.
Over 2.5 goals & Liverpool win.

BOURNEMOUTH vs MAN UNITED:
United faltered under Moyes & LvG because they couldn't dispatch 'small' teams, but I think Mourinho will buck the trend and bully these small teams all season long. Pogba will sit this one out, still, I think United have too much quality for the home side (who have recruited well by the way).
Away win.

MAN CITY vs SUNDERLAND:
Moyes has bought a new defense and will look to remake some tainted reputation, I just don't think the rebuilding will start at the Etihad. New coaches, new players, new systems. All these promise a bucket load of goals in what will be a ridiculously open contest.
Over 2.5 goals

EVERTON vs TOTTENHAM:
A potentially cracking match here, but Koeman is still settling in his new home. Tottenham on the other hand, have kept their nucleus and improved on it. They'll narrowly shade this one thank you very much.
Away win

MARSEILLE vs TOULOUSE:
Toulouse narrowly escaped relegation last season, lost their talisman Wissam Ben Yedder (brilliant name) & replaced him with Ola Toivonen (poor man's Zlatan). One would think it'd be a straightforward win for Marseille, but you'd be wrong. A big side punching below it's weight and unforgiving fans isn't the exact combination for success. Still, with Diarra, Thauvin, Gomis & Cabella, they'll edge a tight one.
Home win.

VITESSE vs ADO Den Haag:
Impressive comfortable wins for both sides last week, but Chelsea Mk II (aka Vitesse) have that bit of superior quality that should see a comfortable home win here.
Home win.

NEWCASTLE vs HUDDERSFIELD:
Having lost their opener, Newcastle have a chance to make good on their status as favorites for the title. With record attendances and adoring fans who've found a new hero in Bemitez, they'll kick start their season with a win here.
Home win.

KRYLA SOVETOV SAMARA vs KRASNODAR:
Foot of the table vs Top of the table. In Smolov (4goals in 2games), Krasnodar have a livewire striker who'll feast on Samara here.
Comprehensive away win.

Right, that's your lot for the weekend. Good luck people.

--->>>Captaincue.

FUCKING ALBATROSSES

I was a teenager with a little rebellious streak which made it nigh impossible to meet up with deadlines for submission of stuff at school. Still, for prosperity's own sake, I've had to tweak my character over the years. In order to make up for the loss of freedom in some phases of my life, I (over)compensate for these concessions in other aspects -- this bibulous blog as a prime example. I dos what I likes.

I used to be okay at academics, you see -- then I wasn't anymore; for reasons I'll detail in my autobiography should I lead a successful life. It was real tough moving on with my life when I had an extra year, I despaired as I never thought such a fate would befall me. My self-esteem was shot to pieces. I surreptitiously engaged in a smorgasbord of self-loathing and misery. I buckled under the overburden pressure of expectations.

Thankfully, by hook & by crook, by doing everything within and without the book, by sheer force of willpower, by providence of the cosmics and by the phantom undertow that propels our lives in the direction it goes, I graduated college after an unusually long time in that bench. When I saw my name on the graduating list, I just dipped my hands in my pockets and looked on in astonished bewilderment. "Is that it?", I remember I though.

I copiously thanked friends and family for the support and slept without a speck of worry on my narrow chest. A terrible weight had been lifted off of my shoulders, momentarily. It wasn't long until it dawned on me that graduating college literally and figuratively meant graduating into another phase; hence, another albatross perched on my ill-equipped shoulders. Still, after the catharsis, I needed time off for convalescence. 11months has done me the world of good, it seems.

In retrospect, I fucking needed that break. To work on my character and shii. I let go of my faux-machismo persona. I stopped feeling sorry for myself whenever someone would remark that "Ah, its like you like this shirt o". No, I don't like that shirt, I just don't have many. (Some people are bastards btw). I've stopped hiding my fingers under the table because I'm a nail biter (sorry). I've started going after thick, yellow, honest-to-God big women that catch my fancy without caring if I get turned down. I took an 11month break from posting pieces without offering an explanation because I felt it was the right thing to do. I needed the break to revitalize my hunger for success, to recharge my batteries, to get my bearing and to set sail on the path I chose. To see its okay to NOT strive to someone's idea of an ideal. To see it's okay to let your inherent personality manifest.

On the soul searching journey that ensued, I realize I had a late start. The wait was especially painful and particularly testing. Now my accounts are still lean as ever, my temperament still requires work, my views are still somewhat peculiar, but, thankfully, finally, I'm gradually coming into my own.

That man in 'House of Cards' said "There are 2 kinds of pain. The sort of pain that makes you strong or the useless pain; pain that is just suffering." I think I know the sort I had to deal with. Progress hasn't been linear gaskiya, and the trajectory hasn't always been upward, but the variables in this equation are being solved.

I'll end this polemic with an aphorism I came up with; that its okay to be less than perfect. What a hard-learnt lesson that was. What an invaluable dogma that is.

--->>>Captaincue.