Jon Snow and the U.S.A.

Written for www.WoodenCauliflower.com

Link: http://www.woodencauliflowerblog.com/2009/03/jon-snow-and-usa.html

By Ryan Pilot

Jon Snow walks through the doorway. He looks exactly as he does on Channel 4 News, though perhaps a little taller. He is wearing a quintessential Jon Snow tie; colourful and stripy against a white shirt and a suit over his long thin frame. As he takes his seat opposite me, he looks like he is presenting the news to me directly, in real life. It feels quite strange.

Jon, as he introduces himself as, is here at Northumbria University to be interrogated by some of us journalism students. We are all excited to meet him, he one of the best loved figures in the world of journalism and a familiar face to most people.

Jon, now 61 years old, speaks openly about the U.S.A as it starts a new life under Barack Obama. He is critical of George Bush’s response (or lack of response) to Hurricane Katrina’s devastating impact on New Orleans in 2005, which left eighteen hundred dead and the city to gang violence, poverty and police brutality.

He describes it as, “extremely incompetent, I mean massively, monumentally incompetent. Largely because the people that were at risk were very poor, very black people.”

Jon reported first hand on Katrina. He arrived in New Orleans twenty four hours after the hurricane hit on a small fan powered boat driven by a, “lunatic.” He found himself rescuing stranded citizens as he reported live for Channel 4 News. “That is reporting versus saving life. It was a very, very strange business,” he says. “There are desperate quantities of people that need rescuing and we don’t want to spend our time rescuing people, we’re there to film. But in fact of course you just can’t as a human being, go past a house with a man bleeding from the neck or whatever and say, “well terribly sorry but I’m not here to rescue you, I’m here to film you”.”

These comments come as Jon is under investigation from media regulators Ofcom for describing Bush’s reign as a, “nightmare.” Which he explains was, “a very naughty thing to have done.” He says this in the most sarcastic of ways and seems in fact proud of the comment.

“Actually I do think the nightmare is over,” Jon explains. “It was a scurrilous and disgraceful breach of professional etiquette code and I deserve to be soundly beaten and I presumably will be.”

Just as he is glad that the nightmare of Bush is over, Jon is excited by the promise of Obama, “Obama is something new, something different,”

The New York Times recently discovered that Obama overstated his drug use and actually criticised him for not indulging as much as he said he did. “When you compare that with what they did to Clinton who had to deny he even ever inhaled. It’s an extraordinary thing and he’s got away with it,” says Jon. “There’s no way anyone looks at Obama and says “you fucking drug freak”.”

Jon follows these comments with another dig at Bush (he can’t resist). “Actually in fact, and this is what’s so crazy,” he continues, “Bush was an alcoholic and a drug addict for twelve years and became the president of the United States.”

Jon’s colourful comments match his colourful tie perfectly and his explanation for his choice of neckwear is perhaps an analogy for his approach to reporting, “It’s a balance between revolution and complete convention,” he explains. “I mean you’ve got to remain balanced, objective. It seems to me, and heaven knows there’s no one else in here wearing a tie; If you’re going to wear a tie, you should wear a tie.”

Gateshead Thunder is the One to Watch

Written for www.Woodencauliflower.com

By Ryan Pilot

You may not be aware of Gateshead Thunder Rugby League Club. But they could be exactly what you’re looking for. They play an exciting, action-packed sport that doesn’t pause to catch its breath. It is eighty minutes of tough physical battling with few breaks in play. What’s more, compared to football or rugby union, it’s very affordable.

“Everything you want to see at football or a rugby union match you get here. But you’re getting more of it. And that’s a fact,” explains head coach Chris Hood. “And it costs a lot less.”

The affordability factor is a very attractive one, particularly in a time of recession when many are struggling. Match day tickets are £11 or £5 for a child. Compare this with Newcastle United’s £20-£60 tickets and Newcastle Falcons’ £17-£44 match day prices and you can see why the Co-operative recently found rugby league to be the best value major sport in the country.

“With the current climate and the credit crunch, people need sport and something to watch as a release. But then you also need to weigh it up to how much you’re going to pay for it,” says Hood. “I don’t think many sports or many products beat Gateshead Thunder on that.”

If you’re not into rugby, but would like to be, rest assured rugby league is very much an inclusive sport. Union can sometimes be seen as a pastime for the more privileged; popular in universities and private schools with complicated rules. Rugby league is a simpler game, which makes it less alienating and easier to get in to.

“It’s something that covers all sorts of economic and social backgrounds,” says Hood. “There’s no pre-conceived ideas; you don’t have to come from a certain place or be a certain person to play it ... It’s wide-ranging across communities.”

Still not convinced? Well, although the National Rail Cup is already underway, rugby league is really played in the summer when the leagues kick off. So you can ditch that cup of Bovril and pocket full of Fisherman’s Friend that you begrudgingly consume at football matches and concentrate on enjoying the game.

Thunder gained promotion into National League 1 last season, the tier below Super League, and this year marks its tenth anniversary. Local coach Chris Hood, who started coaching with Northumbria University and went on to coach England’s student team, has only recently taken the helm.

“I was immensely proud,” Hood says of taking the position. “Rugby league has been a huge part of my life for over ten years and Gateshead Thunder for that long as well ... It’s huge for me.”
Hood was appointed at the end of January following the controversial sacking of David Woods for professional misconduct. Hood is very grateful to Woods for all he has done for the club and for himself, but is now looking firmly forward.

“What I’ll be able to bring, because I’m from here, is loyalty ... I’ve done nothing but fight to get the club in the situation where it is now ... We’re in the second tier of professional rugby league ... that’s great. But now let’s kick on to the next thing.” Hood says.

There is an underdog feel to Gateshead Thunder. They are not from the traditional rugby league region, the ‘M62 belt,’ and have major clubs like Newcastle Falcons and Newcastle United to compete with for fans. This factor just makes them all the more appealing. And with half the team hailing from the northeast, Gateshead Thunder are a truly Tyneside team that you can be proud to support.