Editorial: The Fallen Ones

Greece the land of a thousand tales and the inspiration of so many stories. One of my favorites is that of Daedalus and his fool-hardy son Icarus...........what you do not know who they are, my I am hurt don't worry Uncle Info is here to bring the fire like Prometheus to illuminate the dark canvases of your minds, yet another Greek mythical icon I think I used that line already but it sounds fresh. Daedalus was the architect of the Crete labyrinth that housed the dark creation of King Minos the Minotaur. The great architect was imprisoned with his son in a tall tower where escape was damn near impossible because he helped a young Greek hero decipher the enigma which was the labyrinth. In a desperate charge to freedom being the innovator he is Daedalus crafted two sets of human sized wings for him and his son Icarus out of bird feathers and droppings from waxed candles. On their avian ascension Daedalus told his son Icarus not to fly to close to the sun for the ductile wings could perish and in Icarus' youthful exuberance he disobeyed and fell to his death in the river below. How appropriate for my little segment here. If you haven't guessed it I'm talking about failures. What you have not probably guessed is that I'm talking about teams who have not qualified for the FIFA World Cup being held in South Africa namely once glorified teams, well I have complied a list of beautiful losers and I will share them with you .

Here's a list of those teams that would have been there but have fell by the wayside (note these are teams of value so you won't see teams like Laos or Anguilla) they will be watching it on tv like me and that gives me comfort.

Sweden (UEFA/Europe)
Norway (UEFA/Europe)
Costa Rica (CONCACAF/Central America)
Egypt (CAF/Africa)
Czech Republic (UEFA/Europe)
Saudi Arabia (AFC/Asia/Middle East)
Tunisia (CAF/Africa)
Austria (UEFA/Europe)
Republic of Ireland (were robbed lol) (UEFA/Europe)
Russia (What happened Guus?) (UEFA/Europe)
Turkey (UEFA/Europe)
Belgium (UEFA/Europe)
Croatia (UEFA/Europe)
Ecuador (CONMEBOL/South America)
Israel (UEFA/Asia/Middle East)
Morocco (CAF/Africa)
Ukraine (UEFA/Europe)
Poland (UEFA/Europe)
Senegal (CAF/Africa)

Okay these are the teams I have picked that could have easily in Durban battling out for that old gold and they are some nations I could have included but didn't like Togo who are basically a one man team and China who maybe trying but are to be honest not that great and the likes of Serbia and Finland who are now starting to grasp football and produce quality players. They are definitely teams in that line up that should be there and to be frank I am very pissed that they aren't. Sweden I am extremely disappointed in you as well Saudi Arabia and the Egyptian scenario was very unpleasant in my eyes and other teams I really hurt for them. Ireland I hope France does not gain a point or score a goal and Henry not get a minute of action and for the likes of Ukraine who have punched above their weight for so many years and have now subducted into the realm I fear of distant return and their hero Andriy Shevchenko has sung his last song for the Kings of Kiev. I will take a look at all of these nations shortcomings and why they could not follow the gold at the end of the Rainbow nation.

Random Bite

I never thought I would have had to do one of these so soon. After Sir Bobby Charlton's death about a couple of months ago I thought the game had loss one of its true gentlemen and my tributes to decease players were coming to a welcoming end. Then unfortunately the Grim Reaper struck and Espanyol's hard nose captain Jarque dies. Now today I regret to inform anyone who has not heard the footballing world has loss another of its mythic stars to the Angel of Death.

Robert Enke the passionate German goalkeeper was passed away at the age of 32 on the 10th of November 2009. It is ironic that the East Germany native passed away on the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Enke's fall was caused by his own devices. Enke orchestrated his won suicide in Neustadt am Rubenberge a sleepy German town. According to German authorities Enke drove his car onto a train track and waited for an arriving train.

The Former Barcelona, Borussia Monchengaldbach, Benfica and Hannover 96 man leaves behind his wife Teresa and two year old adopted daughter Leila. Enke's personal problems may had led to his death, the death of his own biological daughter Lara in 2007 due to a heart defect probably the main contributor of his motives. His wife Teresa revealed to German media that her husband was seeing a psychiatrist for six years due to a serious bout of depression. Enke's current club Hannover 96 president Martin Kind stated that Enke was an unstable person.

Enke played for Zeiss Jena, Borussia Monchengaldbach, Barcelona, Tenerife, Fenerbache and Hannover 96 and was capped by his nation 8 times. In a tribute to his life his current club Hannover 96 has frozen the #1 jersey in his honor while fans of the club have flooded the ADW-Arena to lay flowers in memory of the German pit

bull.

I am really upset about this personally because as I like to say there is more to life than football but how Robert died really broke my heart. Enke was so agile in goal and vocal individual. I really wished he would not have given up on us not for the sake of football but for the sake of your love ones fans and family alike.

Sunrise- 08/24/1977

Sunset- 11/10/2009