Now Then Young Man

This week I have mostly been:

- Listening to 9 by Damian Rice. It's ace. If you liked O then you will like 9. It took me a few listens to appreciate it but I've been listening to it all the time this week. I particularly like the song Rootless Tree, he seems a bit angry.....

- Reading The Damned United by David Peace. This is based on Brian Clough's 44 days in charge of Leeds Utd in the 70's. It's told through Clough, split between what is happening at Leeds and also reviewing his past up until that point. It's fiction (obviously only Clough could have told us what he was thinking) but Peace does a really good job of making it seem like you are in the head of Clough as he battles his demons. He does seem to have a real hatred of Leeds Utd and what they stand for. Unsurprisingly the players don't take to him. A very well written book about football, there aren't many of them about.

- Watching Rocky Balboa. Whilst it's probably more Rocky 5 than Rocky it's still an enjoyable film to watch. I felt it dragged a bit in the middle and it does completely gloss over the fact that he wasn't supposed to box again or he might die. However it is well done (it's quite topical in so far that Heavyweight boxing is in a bit of a crisis due to credible champions) and you can't help but get excited when the Rocky music kick's in and he starts training. Stallone must have put in a lot of work for the film as not only did he write and direct, he also got himself in incredible shape for a 60 year old.