The latest Italian news 22nd aprile 2012

The latest Italian news 22nd aprile 2012

What's going on in the world of Italy? Well, several Italians are being elevated to demi-god status including Paolo Di Canio, who gained promotion to division one for Swindon Town.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17749140
He did it the proper Italian way, fighting with his team, making mockery of other managers (Redknapp), being hated by everyone and then turning it around. Classic.

Strangely there is a Nottingham Forest bar in Milan - a super cool urban bar, apparently, I have not been. I was there last weekend, but I was there for a (relay) marathon so no time to enjoy myself, plus I have still not had an alcoholic drink this year so it would not have been a great thing.

http://milano.tonight.eu/cocktail_bar/nottingham_forest

http://www.nottingham-forest.com/

Website says "Milano-Parma-New York" - maybe it will be going global next year.

It easy to describe where I am from to Italians, and also to the rest of the world. The conversation usually goes like this:
"Where are you from"
"England"
"Which city"
"Nottingham"

Then there are two ways the conversation continues, in order of frequency:

A)
"Huh?"
"You know - Robin Hood (mimes drawing bow)"
"Ah Robin Hood (laughter) - how is Sherwood Forest?"
"It's all gone now"
"Oh"
Conversation over.

or, B)
"Ah - former European Champions"
"Yes - in 1979 and 1980. With Brian Clough of course"
"Who?"

And there we go.

Of course, no one ever mentions Andreas Silenzi - an Italian footballer who came to Nottingham Forest in the mid 90s and was one of the worst signing ever in English football.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrea_Silenzi

In bad Italian news, similar to the Patrice Muamba incident (cardiac arrest on the pitch one month ago, as good as dead, but made a miraculous recovery http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fabrice_Muamba) another young footballer - Piermario Morosini (25 years old) collapsed and died on the football pitch during a match between Pescara and Livorno last week. Absolute tragedy, and the Italian leagues cancelled all matches in respect.

http://www.adnkronos.com/IGN/Mediacenter/Video_News/Dramma-durante-Pescara-Livorno-Morosini-crolla-in-campo_313204895591.html

http://www.tgcom24.mediaset.it/cronaca/abruzzo/articoli/1043141/morosini-muore-in-campo-a-25-anni-stop-al-calcio-pescara-bufera-sui-soccorsi-ambulanza-in-ritardo.shtml

Like Muamba, there was no collision, and he just collapsed and died right there on the pitch. For Muamba he said that there was no pain just a weird feeling, seeing double and then two thumps as he fell to the ground. He was lucky that he got treatment right away, and that there was a consultant cardiologist in the crowd.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17803653

In other Italian news, the tourist hacks who stand outside the Colosseum in Rome dressed as Roman soldiers and pose for photos are being evicted, and has lead to wonderful scenes of gladiators fighting against the police!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/9201344/Angry-Roman-centurions-besiege-Colosseum.html

And although the scenes are amusing, it does make a sad story whilst we are in times of austerity. As usual there are some signs in English which I always find strange.

The video shows a classic Italian fight - lots of gesturing and shouting but no actual violence. Last weekend I took part in the Milano City Marathon, as part of a relay team - some work colleagues were one person short so I stepped in. I think this is a wonderful idea the relay - or staffetta - allows people to take part in a marathon without having to do the whole thing and in my experience has helped some people get to the gym who would not normally go.

http://milanocitymarathon.gazzetta.it/content/staffetta.shtml

Sadly, the weather was absolutely gash and it rained all day, was windy and was as cold as Fok1. For the bags for the relay the organisation was terrible. At the beginning you handed your bag onto a carefully ordered van and then at the end you were told to pick up your bag. It was absolute carnage and there were just screaming shouting crying Italians scrumming down trying to get their bags in a big pile. In the rain. And the rain was washing the numbers off the bags. Classic Italy.

An interesting Italian update from the Costa Concordia issue - the ship ran aground on Friday 13th and then the Friday 13th a couple of weeks ago there was another near miss with the wreckage which is still stuck on the rocks in Giglio.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/9203294/Costa-Concordia-island-faces-Friday-13th-deja-vu-as-another-ship-comes-close.html

The British press talked about this being associated with Friday the 13th - but Italians do not recognise 13 as an unlucky number - rather they use the number 17, and Friday the 17th as an unlucky day. This is because the Roman numerals for 17 - XVII can be arranged as VIXI - or I have lived in Italian which was written on tombstones.