Watch The Massacre!
On Sunday 16, 2008 Barbados was humiliated in a World Cup football qualifier at the feet of the USA 8 goals to zero. The game was played some where in Los Angeles which is on the West Coast. A long trip our boys from Barbados would have had to make. Most Barbadians and indeed the world would have recognized this game for what it was, a David and Goliath match-up, some may even have stretched it to say First World versus Third World (we hate the term!).
In the build up to the game, Barbadians were told that with the infusion of overseas players, the Barbados team would have been able to compete with the USA. The blind recruitment of footballers who had minute traces of Barbadian blood by the Barbados Football Association (BFA) has become the topic of humorous discussion in the US media. The drama heightened when when two players snatched from their country of residence were not allowed to play with the team. The reason reported in the local media suggests that passports were not processed on time.
For Barbadians the sequel to the humiliation will continue on Sunday (23 June 2008) when the return match is scheduled to be played at Kensington Oval. If it is any consolation for the Barbados team, it has been reported that the USA has rested ten players for the return game! The US football team is currently practicing in Florida, the plan is to fly in a few hours before the game on Sunday. It is accepted that most teams in this situation would have preferred to practice in Barbados to quickly become acclimatize to game-day conditions. The arrogance of the American team!
We have taken an interest in the administration of football in Barbados over the years. It is public knowledge that football administrators are more concerned with the trips abroad, and the other perks which are on offer, rather than working hard to strengthen the current football structure. Sadly the same can be said about the policies of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) policies. If Barbados were to have had a realistic chance to restrict the USA to four goals or less, the BFA should have focussed on good preparation. The fact that they lost to Bermuda in a warm-up game should have been a good indicator that the Barbados team was not ready. Bermuda is currently ranked below Barbados in the FIFA rankings.
Maybe the BFA should have forfeited the game!
It has been reported in the local Press that it cost the BFA $500,000.00 to prepare for the qualifiers. The Head of the BFA is Minister of Education Ronald Jones. We are forced to asked Minister Jones what message is the BFA sending to the public in light of this latest fiasco? Maybe a more pertinent question for the Minister is to justify the $500,000.00 expense against the background that the team was under-prepared. Minister Ronald Jones is the Head of the BFA which has failed to generate the required funds to build a football facility, heads should roll.
BU recommends that the BFA should focus on the domestic football structure for the next two years. The sport does provide an outlet to the youth. This is especially true of individuals at the lower end of the socio-economic spectrum. During this time the BFA should suspend participation in international competitions.
77 responses so far ↓
Barbados Football Team Kicked To The Curb By The USA With the Blessings Of Barbados Football Association // June 18, 2008 at 9:04 PM
[...] Nintendo Wii Community – Wii Forums, Wii News and Reviews wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptWatch The Massacre! On Sunday 16, 2008 Barbados was humiliated in a World Cup football qualifier at the feet of the USA 8 goals to zero. The game was played some where in Los Angeles which is on the West Coast. A long trip our boys from Barbados would have had to make. Most Barbadians and [...] [...]
JC // June 18, 2008 at 9:14 PM
I have one question and that is how can a team that has never at least played five consecutive games together beat a team which has. perhaps two questions.
Correct me if I’m wrong but how many players from overseas did they play? 9 And if there were 9 have they ever played together as a unit ?
me // June 18, 2008 at 10:10 PM
well given that local football has become a pot- fuelled bashment extravaganza where most players are pot heads I dont think they had much to pick from. I yearn for the footbal that was played in the 70’s and =80’s
propaganda press // June 18, 2008 at 10:37 PM
comrades we were pulling for an upset after hearing the pompous gringo announcer but it was too painful after 3-0 and we turned it off
Bush tea // June 18, 2008 at 11:00 PM
Ok David,
You just identified 98% of the problem with ALL sport in Barbados. (the officials are only there for the status and the free trips all over the world – and they bring NO Vision, no leadership, no value to the sport)
What you plan to do about it?
Note that in ‘real real’ sports organizations, such failures result in forthright SACKINGS. …. here the top men just go on another trip…
…..cud dear David, only you can get things done bout here…
The Devil // June 18, 2008 at 11:29 PM
While not about football, the same problems seem to affect athletics as well. It was particularly distressing to read about the treatment of young Shane Brathwaite (a world junior champion) in his attempt to get to this year’s Olympics.
Centipede // June 18, 2008 at 11:29 PM
BU _ what’s new? You said “The blind recruitment of footballers who had minute traces of Barbadian blood by the Barbados Football Association (BFA) has become the topic of humorous discussion in the US media.”
Well, what’s so unusual about that? That’s standard. You can see, by the views expressed by many who comment in your columns, that they … along with so many ‘officials’ in policy making positions … that a lot of us are still living in the far past and really aren’t ready for the now world.
Blame it in ‘colonialism,’ “the English” and other scapegoats. You only have to look at the state and attitude of West Indies Cricket and West Indian Cricketers to see how “5th world” we are.
The People's Democratic Congress // June 19, 2008 at 12:29 AM
“Their performance is always going to be a mirror image of who we are and consequenty how we are judged by the rest of the world”, Mr. Andi Thornhill in his column, A Thorny Issue, Midweek Nation , Wednesday, June 18, 2008.
“They are not interested in playing cricket. We have to have something to get them interested in playing cricket. Cricket by now has to be paid like soccer and basketball. All the American sports and international sports are paying these huge amounts of money. We are not doing that in the Caribbean right now with our cricket. Our cricket in the Caribbean is back struck in the 50s and 60s as an amateur-professional sport and it has got to be a professional business”, remarks attributed to Sir Allan Standford in an article by Mr. Ezra Stuart in the Midweek Nation, Wednesday, June 18, 2008.
Generally speaking, the facts are such that it is the history of global/regional interrelationships between and among empires/kingdoms/states/nations, etc, that substantially determines how these political entities and the peoples subsuming under them are to function and develop/decline and how they will continue to function and develop/decline within any global/regional/national environment.
Most importantly, it is really fundamentally because of the European/Western world’s colonial/imperial domination and exploitation of many other peoples and parts of the world over the last 500 years or so, that it has managed to also be very successful in so many relevant international/regional social, cultural, material and financial spheres. Thus, along with their hegemony in those spheres is also the fact of their hegemony in the area of international/regional sporting tournaments, wherefore it must NOT ONLY be realized by many people universally that there is a strong correlationship that exists between the former and the latter hegemonies, BUT ALSO that – in regard of these sports and games themselves – almost all of them that have been played and continue to be played have been invented, studied, tested and thus mastered by these people, really.
For, there are very few sports and games that over the eons the people of Western/European society have NOT dominated and still have NOT continued to dominate, athletically, psychologically, administratively, financially, scientifically, fair or foul. To the contrary, those peoples, regions and political organizations – Barbadians/Barbados incuded -that have been and that so continue to be at the receiving end of this atrocious horrible historical domination by the relevant Europeans/Westerners in the context of international relations, have been and are sure also to be the ones dominated in the international and regional sporting arenas by the sports people of Europe/the West, unless real seismic changes take place in the future at the global/regional social, political, material and financial levels to irreversibly shift the balance of power from European/Western peoples, regions and political entities to Non-European/Western peoples, regions and political entities. Such shifts, in some ways, must also be such that – along with other apposite variables – they are indeed capable of helping to bring about sustainable, great and overall sporting and non-sporting benefits to Non-European/Western peoples/regions and political entites of this world. Must they NOT??
Obviously, there are exceptions to this thesis, particularly with regard to those non-European/Western peoples/regions and political entities that have led and do continue to lead fairly successful anti-imperialist/colonialist nationalist ideological struggles against many aspects of the European/Western way of life and that also have and continue to reap fair/overwhelming success against European/Western sports people in whatever areas of sports and games. E.g the West Indies teams under Lloyd and Richards, against England.
But, notwithstanding the great and successful exploits and achievements of that and other sporting teams globally, the logical argument – based on some of the above assertions – is that NO Barbadian sports/games team WILL EVER be able to do so consistently well against any European/Western sports/games teams in esp. any of those internationally recognized sporting diciplines in which these latter teams have long had great political dominances and historical/cultural traditions in, unless these Barbadian teams are able to win consistently based on, et al, their abilities to secure many apparent competitive advantages in their quests to successfully develop their God-given natural talents as part of the bringing of a winning formula for melting way their opponents; based on the successful linking of their sporting efforts and activities with serious historical, political, ideological and and humanitarian causes, and so as to help secure certain literary, mental and psychological advantages over their opponents to subjugate them; and based on their capacity to involve great amounts of discipline and character in their sporting efforts and activities, so as to help bring about a positive and confident attitude toward achievement of victory over their opponents.
And, finally, the Barbados senior men’s national football team did NOT lose to their American counterparts because of being ill-prepared or because of administrative and managerial failures and glitches – which are some of the arguments many are putting foward for such a loss – BUT because of Barbados’ low rank in the international social, political, material and financial pecking order of nation/states, and because of all of the relevant and attendant effects of that on the historical performances of this sporting team.
PDC
David // June 19, 2008 at 12:50 AM
The not too subtle point which we have made is the role of Minister Ronald Jones who is part of a government who has swept into power based on CHANGE. One should reasonablely assume that he should be able to direct the required skills and vision in his dual role as head at the BFA.
To answer Bush Tea’s question we think that this result should provoked some introspection on the part of the administrators and it may even get reflected at the next election. Plus it is the first time they have been blogged on BU:-)
Yardbroom // June 19, 2008 at 3:46 AM
Sometimes from adversity, flowers of hope can grow. This situation allows us to look at our true state of football advancement, on the world stage.
In our disappointment let us not forget the relative population size of the two countries involved.
There was a time when West Indies cricketers were humiliated playing England…we later reversed that with a vengeance.
Emphasis on grass roots level football – the grass for playing on, not for other useage – appoint officials who know what they are doing.
Our young people have the athletic ability, we know what is required…all is not yet lost.
Inkwell // June 19, 2008 at 5:46 AM
It has to be said… even though accusations of classism and elitism will surely follow.
Barbados football is infested with the wrong people, from the top to the bottom. The sport has become the occupation of the boys on the block, the rasta pot-smoking types who lack even the basic skills of ball control and dribbling.
Watch any video clip of a local inter club match and it looks like pure bedlam, no structure, no flow, no talent, twenty neophytes running after the ball wherever it happens to go (sometimes even the goalkeepers join the melee). Youngsters with any talent stay away from club football like the plague as they do not want to be infected.
The current lot should all be dropped, from the minister back down and a new team started from scratch.
In the 50’s through seventies, there used to be an active inter school football competition between the secondary schools and it was from this pool that most players at the national level emerged, not the block. The lesson has not been learned. Football in Barbados has been for too long a national embarrassment.
I agree with BU’s proposal. Ban international competition for whatever period it takes to build a team (including administrators) which has some talent and can be competitive.
freewilly // June 19, 2008 at 6:03 AM
When are you guys going to learn that little black boys from the third world aren’t suppose to be doing these things like making it to qualifying matches,we are treated just like how the politicians treat the sheeple..we are there to pay taxes and bare the brunt of debt for years while the fat cats live of the spoils..just apply this theory to sport and see that it is no different.. a lotta long talk and no action.
David // June 19, 2008 at 6:43 AM
We all know in advance that for Barbados to kick itself out of international competitions is fraught with the burden of politics. How would it look for Minister Ronald Jones? Certainly it would have political and by extension reputational significance for the gentleman?
Of interest would be how FIFA would react. Some bold decisions will have to be made. Inkwell summarized some of the issues facing football in Barbados. There is the other matter of sponsorship. Companies will not want to associate with a product which lacks the capacity to bring value to its reputation/goodwill in the market.
We will listen eagerly for a statement from the Czar of football in Barbados.
anotherview // June 19, 2008 at 6:48 AM
The sad thing is that football can provide so many opportunities for the youth of Barbados, rich or poor. It is a global game with opportuniotes at many levels. Indeed BU we need to get it right.
Carson C. Cadogan // June 19, 2008 at 7:34 AM
I never believed for a moment that Barbados would beat USA.
The result does not surprise me.
Then again I am a realist. That is why I support the Australian Cricket Team as well.
PiedPiper // June 19, 2008 at 8:06 AM
Frewilly: I think the “little black boys” of Ghana, Cameroon, Mali, Cote d’Ivoire and Senegal would be very surprised to hear that they are not supposed to qualify! Somebody please inform these teams so that they will stop trying so hard!
Bardados ent ready!
ROBOT // June 19, 2008 at 9:31 AM
This is so damn embarassing it aint funny
I read at least one blog where they were making bare sport at we and the way we were dressed
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The big lead.com is the name of the blog
The PRIME MINISTER and the Minister of Sport along with Mr. Ronald Jones need to see that this crap does not happen again
I am puzzled that we as a people can make such monumental mistakes
wtf is going on
ROBOT // June 19, 2008 at 9:38 AM
As for the WIBC
they are the worse
the selectors are the worse
the players are the worse
chris gayle , captain, the worse
gayle want dropping as a batsman
how can we as a people make these stupid mistakes
gayle played no cricket for a while until the last test and you just bring him into a test match as important as the third test as if he is some big bat ———-its a bare joke man!
why did you bring kemar roach into the team and refuse to play him but you play powell
who is a failure
what kinda r’hole is going on though ?
this is crap and we as a people should not stand for such.
JC // June 19, 2008 at 10:06 AM
Robot You to real i love your passion and you are speaking the truth!
Bimbro // June 19, 2008 at 11:44 AM
The mere notion of a Barbados football team capable of playing meaninfully, at international level is ridiculous. My call for a West Indies football team (for years now) excluding Jamaica as they already have a national team, has been greeted with criticism, as usual, so accept the humiliation and keep quiet! You’ve got what u deserved!
Adrian Hinds // June 19, 2008 at 12:17 PM
BU if you are suggesting that the infusion of the foreign players resulted in the 8 love results, think again. I was at the 2000 game at Foxboro Massachusetts, where the US beat Barbados 7-0. What i saw made me wonder why soccer is played in Barbados. The US team then wasn’t necessarily a better team, but the Bajan players were often time seen walking around the field with their hands on their hips, and holding over as if completely exhausted before half time. In fact what i continue to see on CBC tv as soccer in Barbados makes me wonder why they think they can beat somebody. If you can’t beat the US you ain’t stand a chance.
As for beating somebody: A US men’s athletic team recently beat Barbados under 17 team 6-2, they also beat “pro shottas” 3-0 and 2-1. The Barbados team also lost to Bermuda prior to playing the US, 2-1. Deal with this rather than attempting to cast blame now on the 9 foreign base bajan players, who prior to the thrashing were celebrated as giving Barbados a better chance to improve on their miserable 2000 7-0 showing. Was there this number of foreign base players in the 2000 team?
There is no concept of a mighty USA when it comes to soccer.
Adrian Hinds // June 19, 2008 at 12:19 PM
Bimbro // June 19, 2008 at 11:44 am
The mere notion of a Barbados football team capable of playing meaninfully, at international level is ridiculous. My call for a West Indies football team (for years now) excluding Jamaica as they already have a national team, has been greeted with criticism, as usual, so accept the humiliation and keep quiet! You’ve got what u deserved!
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Not that there is any interest in such amongst the fifedoms, but FIFA rules does not allow this.
Adrian Hinds // June 19, 2008 at 12:35 PM
Carson C. Cadogan // June 19, 2008 at 7:34 am
I never believed for a moment that Barbados would beat USA.
The result does not surprise me.
Then again I am a realist. That is why I support the Australian Cricket Team as well.
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Indeed Carson. The number of immigrants playing both soccer and cricket in the US will make the US stronger in both games going forward. If Barbados could not beat them in 2000 i too did not expect a different outcome in 2008.
John // June 19, 2008 at 1:25 PM
The only reason we have a West Indies Cricket team is because colonialism permitted the existence of what was known as the “British West Indies”.
Now each island is independent, logic, but not my heart, dictates the West Indies Cricket Team has had its day.
West Indies Cricket is about heart, at least it used to be. There are some good signs.
Barbados Football however, lacks the investment of heart that West Indies Cricket got in the past.
No amount of funds and stadia can remedy this. We just ain’t ready, willing or able for the world stage.
Real Ting // June 19, 2008 at 1:52 PM
football in barbados is dead on the international scene. there are 5 or 6 tiers of teams in the international game . We are in the bottom tier yet we continue to delude ourselves that we can make it to the world cup. We cannot even compete with 4th tier teams like Jamaica and T&T. To reach a world class level given our population is almost impossible. We did it in cricket but that was because only 7 nations played test cricket and the PASSION which youngsters showed for the game was fanatical. there are so many distractions and pastimes available that the youth of today never develop that passion which fuels excellence. I dont know how it can be turned around. John is so right ; throwing money at the probleb does not make the problem go away it makes the money go away. That $500,000 spent on the US qualifying match could have been put into a stadium or development Because the result wouldnt have been any better or worse. This generation of players is lost. Stop playing international qualifyers for 3-4 years and work on the youth. Get the weed OUT of the football. It is endemic.
Face reality // June 19, 2008 at 2:32 PM
Let’s not blame the players, govt. or officials.
The truth is, the team is not good enough; Barbados football is not good enough.
Have you noticed that it is comparable to West Indies cricket at the moment? Not good enough.
THE SOLUTION IS FOR THE PLAYERS TO TRAIN HARDER (In some cases, they will have to train full time). There is no way a part-time athlete is going to outclass a full-time athlete.
Just a short note. I remember going to Kensington Oval, I think it was around 1969/1970. The UK Ist Division team Chelsea played Barbados. Barbados did well – they only got a 6-0 lashing
Man, I was hurt to the core, couldn’t eat!
Face reality: WE JUST AIN’T GOOD ENOUGH!
Bimbro // June 19, 2008 at 2:35 PM
Not that there is any interest in such amongst the fifedoms, but FIFA rules does not allow this.
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Yep, I’m aware of this Adrian, and FIFA are *rats! I’d join other similar small nations and protest and institute a boycott of them and their families visiting our countries and regions!
FIFA r a load of **it man. **ck FIFA. We MUST have the right to support our own team just like people in most other parts of the world. The west indian authorities are too acquiescent with FIFA!
Technician // June 19, 2008 at 2:51 PM
#
Bimbro // June 19, 2008 at 2:35 pm
Not that there is any interest in such amongst the fifedoms, but FIFA rules does not allow this.
**********************
Yep, I’m aware of this Adrian, and FIFA are *rats! I’d join other similar small nations and protest and institute a boycott of them and their families visiting our countries and regions!
FIFA r a load of **it man. **ck FIFA. We MUST have the right to support our own team just like people in most other parts of the world. The west indian authorities are too acquiescent with FIFA!
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And when we kick FIFA to the curb…..who then will we play??
Dont you realise that the same FIFA is the world governing body?
Face reality said…….There is no way a part-time athlete is going to outclass a full-time athlete.
I beg to differ……..look at our mens Volleyball team. Most of those guys were playing the game part time.
TALKAHOLIC // June 19, 2008 at 2:58 PM
I think that too much attention is on cricket and football……there are a lot of sports like tennis for example where those players do really well and they hardly get financial backing from corporate Barbados…there is a tennis player in particular by the name of Darian King and I find he is an excellent tennis player, he represents Barbados in places like Europe and other Caribbean islands and he does Barbados proud…making me proud to call myself Barbadian…..whenever he has a match here in Barbados I take time out and go and watch him because I find he is a player with a lot of passion for the game and I can see him gettin very far
The scout // June 19, 2008 at 5:41 PM
We all need to go down at the oval Sunday and spurr on the bajans in the revenge match. We would beat USA by 10 to 0. Sorry fellows I was having a daymare not nightmare. When would we stop embarrassing ourselves.
There Is More // June 19, 2008 at 7:02 PM
Further to your post on football – the BFA has made a total mess of the Tiger Malt competition this year too. Please feel free to add my post to the comments, but I ask that you not show my email address and use the name “disgusted football parent”
The Tiger Malt competetion was due to start in January. In never started until March. The Tiger Malt competition covers teams in the following age groups: 9 and under, 11 and under, 13 and under, 15 and under, and the 17 and unders. Girls were allowed on the team and could play in a year below their actual age.
At the opening ceremony the BFA gave out the trophies to the winning teams from LAST year’s competition. Needless to say the kids that went up to receive the trophies for say the under 15 team, were not on that team last year! Then the BFA had a box of individual trophies that they couldn’t give out as they no longer knew who had won them!
Moving on to the competetion – although all the first round games have been played since Easter holidays, no semi-final games have actually happened yet. What was really sad, was that a couple weeks ago, the BFA office was calling the coaches of the various teams asking for the scores! The BFA did not have the results so could not work out which teams had progressed.
The kids are still awaiting word as to when the competition will actually continue. As it is now the end of term, what will happen next term? Due to kids ages, the teams will have to change.
What kind of message is the BFA sending to the football youth of the island about commitment and discipline?
And then we wonder why the our national team is a joke?
bussa // June 19, 2008 at 7:09 PM
I am sitting here reading these comments and I can hardly believe what I am reading. iI this the same society that concentrates on the acedemics to decide who is sucessful in life or not and that sports in school is an extracuricular activity yet we want positive results from our sports men . WE ARE A MATHS AND ENGLISH SOCIETY YOU CANT HAVE YOUR CAKE AND EAT IT TOO. Football for instance is the most popular sport in the world but yet in barbados it is considered a subculture sport .
David // June 19, 2008 at 7:36 PM
Adrian H you are missing our point about the foreign based players. We mentioned only to make the point to suggest that there was desperation by the BFA given the way the recruitment was done.
Another indication of the incompetence of Minister Jones and his team? We want to hear the Minister on this matter.
Sargeant // June 19, 2008 at 7:54 PM
Would someone please inform me why Mr. Jones held on to his position as President of the BFA after he was appointed as a Minister? As someone who supported the DLP I was very disappointed in his decision to stay on and in Mr. Thompson’s handling of that situation. One would have thought that as a Minister there would be enough on his plate to occupy his full time attention but no he has to hang on and present a potential conflict of interest.
Only in Barbados…….Pity
Georgie Porgie // June 19, 2008 at 7:59 PM
bussa wrote I am sitting here reading these comments and I can hardly believe what I am reading. iI this the same society that concentrates on the acedemics to decide who is sucessful in life or not and that sports in school is an extracuricular activity yet we want positive results from our sports men . WE ARE A MATHS AND ENGLISH SOCIETY YOU CANT HAVE YOUR CAKE AND EAT IT TOO.
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Actually when I attended HC, a real “Harrisonian” was supposed to excel at games as well as academics. Cricket in England was certainly at its highest when their captains were from Oxford or Cambridge. Many of our sportsmen of yore were academics of some sort.
Today many of our top sportmen have no brains. You cant win games unless you think! And you don’t necessarily have to be an academic to do so. But academics are expected to think! ‘
Today many of our boys don’t want to stay in school or College or practice the games they play to achieve any level of success!
bussa // June 19, 2008 at 8:19 PM
G.P I was expecting that
reply but that is not the point i was making yes I agree with you that the english system was that that but did they ever rule cricket how many world cups and i am refering to cricket have they won the last time they won a football world cup was in 1966 so let us not use england as a yard stick the point I am making is that taking the talent and making it primary along with the acedemics is the way to go. Premiership clubs in England invest in six and seven year olds with the view that they will come good in the future they education is taken care of so come on G.P I believe that your thinking is not a reflection of what you just wrote.
Bush tea // June 19, 2008 at 9:51 PM
I don’t care what organization you discuss, I can ALWAYS guarantee you that the performance of that organization is DIRECTLY dependent on the kind of leaders it has.
If the head bad, there is no hope for the rest of the body. (where there is no vision…)
Football is a classic case. The real problem is the amount of MONEY that is placed at the disposal of these ‘leaders’. None of these ‘leaders’ are willing to give up these perks even when it is clear that they are not capable of leading the organization.
…how many of you know how much money is placed at the disposal of organizations like the BFA?
..do you realize the 5 star treatment that these officials receive when they travel to international ‘meetings’, conferences etc?
…do you know how much a delegate’s vote is worth to those countries bidding for positions, games, etc at FIFA and even regionally?
…do you know how much money the regional FIFA V.P. distributes at his whim and fancy?
In many sports, it is these ‘incentives’ that cause these ‘mini politicians’ to lobby, fight, and brawl for these positions of leadership – NOT TO bring vision and leadership…. but to gain benefits for themselves….. meanwhile valuable and priceless young talent is wasted away for lack of development.
…so what results do we expect?
The solution for sport improvement is the same needed for education, transportation, health indeed for national development – LEADERSHIP.
…The question is how we achieve this situation of having the best leaders and managers in place in our various institutions?
Asiba-The Buffalo Soldier-still 2 much FAT on the road // June 19, 2008 at 10:41 PM
The reality of the situation is that the socialisation of Barbados mitigates against us playing football to any degree of success.
Football is a team sport. We as a people are hardly united on any matter. The divide and rule mentality forced upon us by our colonial masters have seen to it that we operate as individuals: riducule of each other ; one up-manship; class distinction and class discrimination and such things as the attidude fostered by the much maligned 11 plus exam.
An examination of a football game in Barbados sees 22 players jumping up in a Kadooment band on Kadooment day. f you ever notice how the revellers who jump into bands on Kaddoment day behave you have seen a football game in Barbados: it is the same scenario. There is no observed purpose–just jumping all over the place-no form , no set plays -nothing . just a mass of confusion.
Nobody passes the ball, everybody likes to run after the ball, every body wants the spotlight on him. Everybody wants to score the goal and get all the accolades. The same thing is now happening with calypso in Barbados. This is an attitude problem that comes from the socialisation of our country.
Until we get rid of this attitude which was engendered by the colonial experience we will not play footbal well or any team sport for that matter.–simple !
A-fraid // June 20, 2008 at 12:53 AM
Quote from USA Blog
There were two interesting facets to this match. One was Barbados’ uniforms, which looked like one-size-fits-all, neon gym clothes. Could Nike hook them up as some sort of charity write-off? The other tidbit was Lando’s farmers tan. You would think someone who passes on top-level soccer to live the sweet life at his California beach house could at least muster a decent tan.
me // June 20, 2008 at 1:16 AM
Bush tea wrote,
You just identified 98% of the problem with ALL sport in Barbados. (the officials are only there for the status and the free trips all over the world – and they bring NO Vision, no leadership, no value to the sport).
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
That should be 99% BT. Sometime ago a journalist wrote about the fact that more officials go to the Olympics than atheletes and he was lambasted by the officials. I believe Obadele was of the same view as the journalist. Nothing has changed.
The BOA ,BFA, NSC, in particular are organizations that receive millions of dollars from their parent bodies and no one except a small clique knows how that money is spent. They are accountable to no one. Those monies go to obnoxious officials flying all over the world shopping, galavanting and staying at the best hotels. They contribute absolutely nothing to sport in Barbados. Check their names whether its Stoute, Jones, Bruggadung Johnson, Simmons, Barrow, Erskine King, Frank Gill, Austin Sealey, Maynard its the same over and over. They are useless.
Bimbro // June 20, 2008 at 1:48 AM
Who’s talking about ‘kicking FIFA to the curb’! I’m suggesting forcing them to amend their idiotic, rules!
Yardbroom // June 20, 2008 at 4:57 AM
Although there is some merit in our colonial past being responsible for some of our current thinking. It serves no purpose to blame it for all our “present” ills.
The reason being, our colonial past is History, it will”never” change. To use it as a reason for our failure in a myriad of situations, is often to absolve ourselves from blame.
We must grab the “now” by the scruff of its neck: think, organise, execute.
Bimbro // June 20, 2008 at 6:10 AM
BTW, Tech, if u smoke roung dat little daughter of yours I gun come dong day and give u one lick inna ya batty!!!
Nice day!!!!
Lord!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
yambait // June 20, 2008 at 9:09 AM
Jones is my rep in Parliament. He has lost my VOTE. He is a wannabe Jack Warner without the bank accounts and clout.
Ms.Ting-Boy // June 20, 2008 at 10:05 AM
Barbados is the only football team and administration in the world (that I’ve seen) that the more funding, resources and support they get, the lousier they become.
Last Sunday’s showing (or lack thereof) was sufficient to support my theory that our presence should be kept at a very local level for at least 5 years while a corp group is groomed from schools – with continuation of enlistment being
contingent on classroom performance.
Let’s face it, last Sunday, NO ONE ON BARBADOS’ TEAM MADE AN INDEPENDENT, INTELLIGENT DECISION FOR ONE SECOND OF NINETY MINUTES — and good football is about split-second, sound, decision-making.
They’ll be naturals like ‘Daisy’ and ‘Gas’ Clarke, Eric Alleyne, Jerry Goddard (by the way, one of the most intelligent people I’ve ever met, and I’ve travelled the world) — but the corp of a good football team must come from a majority corp of intelligent individuals and coaches.
Barbados has a reputation for its academic smarts, why this has not transposed to its sports is an administrative issue that can only be solved at the highest levels of government.
This Sunday will be another fiasco, with lots of fouls, but the result will be the same. You can’t coach smarts, you’ve either got it, or you don’t.
Face reality // June 20, 2008 at 10:31 AM
The guys need to train harder. That is an administrative problem. The West Indies cricket team needs to do the same. You cannot be successful in sports without regimented discipline – THAT’S THE SOLUTION TO OUR DELEMMA; IMPLEMENT IT AND WE’RE ON OUR WAY.
David // June 20, 2008 at 10:34 AM
We are prepared to admit that it will be an uphill battle to compete with the likes of the USA and the other countries with the hightech resources to toss around. What we don’t accept is that we can do better when we look around and see Grenada, St. Vincent, Bermuda and the other piny islands making strides and Barbados is going backwards. It tells us that we are getting it wrong.
The people must be first not politricks // June 20, 2008 at 2:02 PM
Particularly in Barbados, we mek bare sport about sport bout hey. We only get involve at the stage when the glory train can bring a little fame to those persons who were not part and parcel of the hard work. We like to see our atheletes begging for sponsorship.
To tell you the truth, I was so friggin embarass by what I saw of the Barbados foot ball team.
It is time to get fresh blood into foot ball but first we got to get rid of the parasites and bah hum bugs.
Ms.Ting Boy // June 20, 2008 at 3:52 PM
Not sure if I’m a loner here, but last Sunday’s showing was the worst level of football I have ever witnessed in a fairly long lifetime — and I’m including village and club-levels here.
At least, at Kensington Oval, the US squad’s greatest obstacle would be climbing the slight incline made by the cricket pitch and the fear of intimidation, but there’s nothing in the B’dos team to stop any team worth its salt from pouring on goals.
The B’dos defense is crowding onto itself in the middle and leaving wide holes at all flanks — and against stocky, less fit, and slow-thinking wingbacks, the US wingers and mid-fielders should have another field day creating scoring opportunities.
8 Goals // June 20, 2008 at 4:06 PM
The officials of the various sports bodies are jokers on ego trips but they have power and money which they use unwisely and for themselves. The atheletes seldom benefit or not at all. I told my grandaughter the other day while listening to head of the Olympic association Mister Steve Stoute that he always talks in the first person like Leroy Parris of Clico. Its as if these people run one man shows. The ahtletes who compete and in Parris’ case the workers dont matter. Ronald Jones should step down for the sake of the sport. The B,dos Football association has embarrased our nation.
John // June 20, 2008 at 7:04 PM
…. isn’t sport one of the reasons we justify the lottery in Barbados?
Maybe we should do away with the lottery !!
Asiba-The Buffalo Soldier-still 2 much FAT on the road // June 21, 2008 at 10:01 PM
Yes Yardbroom
Our colonial past is responsible for eveything that has happened to us as a people-EVERYTHING-
you name any social ill and it can be traced back to our colonia pastl. To deny this is to deny our reality.
To deny this is to deny the damage done to our psyche and to deny this is to deny that we are in mental slavery.
Just like in slavery some of us bought our freedom, some of us are free from mental slavery but it is so entrenched that we are none the wiser.
so YES- OUR COLONIAL PAST IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL —A-L-L of our social ills-ALL
Asiba say so !- SIMPLE !
cheesecutter // June 22, 2008 at 12:48 AM
You mean to tell me after getting beat 8-0 they want me to pay $40,60 and 75 to watch them beat again? bfa got to be crazy.
Learn from the dominica match,$20 and the whole place was jammed.
Some people just dont learn.
Bush tea // June 22, 2008 at 9:18 AM
Asiba the FAT Buffalo etc etc
…much respect to you pal, but your position of blaming all our social ills on our colonial past is not SIMPLE, it is SIMPLISTIC…
…perhaps you mixed up the words.
Asiba, I agree with you whole heartedly that our experience as a people is probably unprecedentedly cruel by any historical terms.
I agree that the scale of inhumanity displayed by the Colonial masters was of biblical proportions….
I agree that we have suffered physical, mental and spiritual trauma from the experience and that this continues to influence our behaviors as we type…
BUT I would also suggest that we have to admit that there are some side effects for which we must be appreciative…
Given the difficulties that has continued to hinder our mother continent (and which would probably have happened anyway) many of the descendants of slavery have found ourselves to a large extent isolated from the misery that has continued to befall most of Africa….Barbados in particular is noteworthy.
As a result of the experience, you live in the no 1 developing country of the world. You are educated at way above world average and significantly above African averages.
…I don’t know how much it has benefited your singing…. but overall I think that we should say that Colonialism has significantly impacted us – but it is more complicated than just blaming all our ills on it.
…besides many communities that did not experience Colonialism suffers from the same ills that we do…
David // June 22, 2008 at 9:41 AM
The BU household have unanimously voted that Minister Ronald Jones, who against all commonsense refused to relieve himself of the position as head of the Barbados Football Association, resign his BFA post effective Monday, 23 2008.
If Brother Jones fails to accede to commonsense he may not be able to contain the political implications. This is free advice Minister Jones, please take it!
Asiba-The Buffalo Soldier-still 2 much FAT on the road // June 22, 2008 at 12:59 PM
Bush Tea
Talking about Africa and trying to imply that we are better off in Barbados is an argument that Asiba-The Buffalo Soldier does not buy.
I would encourage you to read Walter Rodney when talking about Africa /Caribbean
Justice // June 22, 2008 at 1:53 PM
why should ronald jones resign? is he a one man committee?
David // June 22, 2008 at 2:53 PM
It is not a one man committee but he is the leader of the association. Through the ages leaders have accepted the weight which leadership brings sometimes the tendering of a resignation is required. Unfortunately it is something which leaders this part of the world resist. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that we the PEOPLE don’t demand accountability from leaders.
Bush tea // June 22, 2008 at 3:34 PM
David,
Why would he resign?
This is Barbados. Is there a history of leaders resigning on a matter of principle? Does anyone ’bout here take responsibility for failure in their area of responsibility… You didn’t just hear Lt Col Nurse say that over the past seven years Barbados had a model prison service….
If he resigned I would be shocked… I don’t credit him with that level of integrity…
Asiba
…man cool yuh head nuh… You hear me say anything about better off? … all I say is that the situation is too complex to dismiss by SIMPLY saying that all our ills are due to colonialism…
…. what happen? you writing a song about too much colonialism in the place??
Yardbroom // June 22, 2008 at 4:58 PM
Asiba
If our colonial past is responsible for “all” our ills as you say.
Our colonial past cannot change, it is History. Does that mean in one hundred years, in two hundred years, in a thousand years. We will still find it expedient to blame our colonial past, for issues and situations which are within our remit to change.
Our colonial past has had an impact on our conciousness and the way we see things. However, it is for us to make a determined effort to “change” the way we think about ourselves.
Human beings are capable of changing behaviour, and influencing others to change theirs. It is the “determination” to change a mindset – however it arose in the first place – to assist others, and to believe we are in control of our destiny that will continue to make us people of worth.
It is that attitude of mind which will change the situation we are in. Our circumstances and people, cannot and will not be changed. If in the scheme of things we blame something as insignificant as a football defeat on our colonial past.
It shows how far from reality “some” of us have ventured.
Asiba-The Buffalo Soldier-still 2 much FAT on the road // June 22, 2008 at 5:47 PM
Yeah Bush Tea !
I have written such a song –will record it sometime soon
———————————————–
Yardbroom writes
“Our colonial past has had an impact on our conciousness and the way we see things. However, it is for us to make a determined effort to “change” the way we think about ourselves.”
Asiba agrees–200%
BINGO !———-you hit the nail on the head
I wanted someone else to say it because this would reaffirm my faith in the fact that they are many many intelligent bajan people. I have met some older folks that are so ntelligent , so rich with ideas that it boggles the mind.——-but this is an aside.
Your statement is the most profound statement , I have ever seen on this blog or any other blog .
The import of this statement is such that if thought precedes action and we follow through in a logical manner, the social and psychological landscape in Barbados would be changed forever more.
Regrettably there is not sufficient thrust in this direction. His Execllency Errol Walton Barrow understood this and the whole thrust towards free education remains one of the most significant undertakings in this country. It needs to move to the next level.
I have heard one politician and one only allude to the need for phase two of EWB ’s plan.
This second phase would bring about exactly what you referred to in the words I have quoted
Nuff respect Yardbroom !
Action is needed
Asiba-The Buffalo Soldier-still 2 much FAT on the road // June 22, 2008 at 5:51 PM
Hey Yardbroom
the defeat in the football game is not insignificant
Sport is very significant and the way we approach sports might say something about us a a people. For sure on the world stage we will be judged accordingly.
David // June 22, 2008 at 5:57 PM
The point which Yardbroom makes is very significant and does indeed say alot about our people. Isn’t our superior education which we boast to all about suppose to inform the required thinking process to move us FORWARD?
Past State x Current State = Future State
David // June 22, 2008 at 11:20 PM
Here is an example of the advertisement which the BFA had on their website which became the butt of jokes in the US media.
Yardbroom // June 23, 2008 at 12:41 AM
Asiba
With reference to the significance of football! – you know what I mean – are you trying to have me crucified?
Respect
Inkwell // June 23, 2008 at 4:45 AM
David,
We need to be careful. The 99.8% literacy rate that we claim does not indicate that we have “superior education”, but that nearly all of us have basic education, that is knowing how to read, write and do arithmetic. The difference is important.
The regrettable fact is that many of us do not make the effort to take our level of education any higher and while we are technically literate, remain essentially mentally disfunctional and have severe difficulties in moving forward.
There is not only “bad” in our colonial past: there is much good that we have derived, notably our organized school system and our much vaunted literacy rate, considerably higher than contemporary states in Africa and our stable, democratic form of government, absent from many states in Africa.
The above are but two of the positive legacies of our “colonial past”. We need, while remembering the negatives of the past, to make better use of the positives to build better selves and nation.
David // June 23, 2008 at 6:38 AM
Inkwell couldn’t agree with you more. The superior education which we referred to was don e in a relative sense. You used Africa as the benchmark but you could have stayed right at home in the region e.g.Jamaica, EC etc.
Let us hope this period of debate will help our small country to evolve to what is required to sustain competitiveness in the new world economy. A renaissance of sorts.
Terrry White // June 25, 2008 at 7:12 AM
I love football. I have played it competitively, and now recreationally (for over 20years). I see today’s young players with great skill on the field, they can dribble well, they can shoot great.. but, what is missing is the ability to think and carry an attitude that can win a game. They are more obsessed in pulling down each other if a mistake is made (cursing is the accepted language on the field. In fact they have mastered the ability to make complete sentences without using one single pure word) . The meaning of team is absent from even their imagination. To be a combined unit of players who are supportive of each other is a hard thing to master, and if we do not achieve this mastery (team attitude), we can say goodbye to championships, be it in football, cricket, business etc. The question is what is the solution?
EckyBecky // June 25, 2008 at 8:24 AM
“The question is what is the solution?”
Answer: More ‘white’ people in the administration of the sport.
Barbados » Barbados Football Team Kicked To The Curb By The USA With the ... // June 25, 2008 at 3:17 PM
[...] Barbados Football Team Kicked To The Curb By The USA With the …On Sunday 16, 2008 Barbados was humiliated in a World Cup football qualifier at the feet of the USA 8 goals to zero. The game was played some where in Los Angeles which is on the West Coast. A long trip our boys from Barbados would have … [...]
Asiba-The Buffalo Soldier-still 2 much FAT on the road // June 25, 2008 at 11:52 PM
Hey Terry
Read mine and yardbroom’s earlier posts and find the answer to your question of a solution.
More white people in sports is not the answer
EckyBecky // June 26, 2008 at 6:57 AM
Asiba more than anybody else (with his slavery and colonial thing) really wants more ‘white’ people running everything. This would give him somebody to blame instead of facing reality.
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Asiba-The Buffalo Soldier-still 2 much FAT on the road // July 6, 2008 at 6:08 AM
Could not be further from the truth
Given my encounters with history, colonialism and the colonial mentality and my own philosophy
sounds like a book
History, Colonialism and the Colonial Mentality
kronic // July 6, 2008 at 1:38 PM
this is utter foolishness, teams like this should be banned from competing until they get their act together. World Cup qualifier game losing to USA a team not known for football or Soccer ( as they stupidly call it) by eight goals.. Bajans need to stick to cricket and fish !!!
issah awal // August 19, 2008 at 11:05 PM
i will like u help me join your tearm
issah awal // August 19, 2008 at 11:06 PM
i need a sponsorship to help me play football