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Listed below are comments made by pvandck between Sunday, 16th August 2009 and Sunday, 11th October 2009.

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Berlusconi the fighter 02:04am on 11 Oct 2009 54. At 09:56am on 10 Oct 2009, WolfiePeters,
That was pretty much spot on, although perhaps a bit simplified (the constraints of time and space no doubt). Corruption though is THE big deal in Italy and the one thing that Italians will not deal with. The answer as to why is obvious. Taxes are so high (owing to people not paying their taxes!), and the cost of living high relative to income, that almost everyone is complicit in some way or another in some tax dodge or other - even if it's paying the dentist in cash for a discount. This has led to very large numbers of people, particularly professional people like dentists, making it a matter of practice.
For example, you pay your dentist in cash for a 10% discount. But the price includes IVA (VAT). So the dentist pockets the cash, including the IVA element, minus the 10% discount - which is actually embezzlement of the State's money, never mind the amount not declared for personal taxes. This kind of practice seems to be so wide spread. And there is no difference between this behaviour and what the Government gets up to.
Berlusconi the fighter 01:45am on 11 Oct 2009 I am a British ex-pat living in Italy for 10 years now. While it is certainly true that many Brits don't really understand Italian Politics, I don't think this is true of Gavin Hewitt.
The Italian commentators responding in this blog fail to point out the one significant difference between Italy and the other major European democracies, and one reason why the Political situation in Italy is so bad.
It is simply that the Italian Government controls the State broadcaster, RAI. Governments of all persuasions have the right to (and do) make Poilitical appointments to the the boards of directors. The Government controls what journalists say. The State broadcaster is in practice a Political service rather than a public service. In fact the three main channels, RAI 1,2 and3, are each affiliated to one of the Political right, centre or left. Italian Politicians, who must be the most self-serving, least civic minded individuals in any Parliament in Europe, see no reason and have no personal motivation to separate public service broadcasting from Government. This system of control is right out of the "Mussolini Elementary Guide to Fascism".
When this system changes to something resembling the system in other major democracies, then other changes will undoubtedly if slowly follow. As someone pointed out on BBC World today, if Italy were applying to join the EEC today it's application would be refused simply because Italy doesn't comply with the EEC criteria for a democracy.
Many Italians, in so far as they are informed, do tend to be in denial about the state of their Country. It's not unusual to see fingers and criticisms pointed in other directions, as if that somehow mitigates or negates the rotten state of the State. I feel very sorry for Italians in general for having to tolerate such a shambolic and dangerous situation. But I am tempted to ask who made this situation possible? Is it that, in spite of the desperation of many Italians to oppose and change their rotten lot, Italy's Government(s) and the utterly rotten Political system is merely a reflection of Italian society as a whole?
Italian renaissance for Sampdoria 10:15pm on 06 Oct 2009 "Everyone knows of Cassano's reputation for doing stupid things in the past..."
This is actually because, good player or not, he is a very stupid, immature man. He is a delinquent child in an adult's body, prone to babyish tantrums, who behaves as if the world revolves around him. This makes him a pretty undesirable liability for a national team, and Lippi's antipathy towards him is quite understandable. I for one hope he doesn't get recalled to the National team until he's learned to grow up a bit - which on the evidence so far probably won't be this side of his old age pension.

mwanakatwe - Del Neri might be the "laziest manager" but he does have a track record of some success. He was also responsible a few seasons ago for the impressive rise of Chievo. When he left they went downhill.
Button deserves credit for rearguard fight 00:12am on 03 Oct 2009 Good blog in my view.
If Barrichello this, if Hamilton that, if Alonso or Vettel something else. "If only..." seems to be the popular way to put down someone's efforts without coming up with a coherent argument.
If Button hadn't been taken out at Spa he might have got some points. If the team had sorted out the car's problems regarding lack of heat in the tyres... if only.

The results are what they are and they show that, thus far this season, Button has been the best driver and has rarely been out of the points. If he wins then he deserves it, and the others don't. I mean, who deserves to win this year's championship (and the championship in question is this year's, not last year's or next year's) more than a driver who has six wins and is hardly ever out of the points?
Best moments of Berlin 5:17pm on 24 Aug 2009 Unfortunately you can only have eight items in a top eight! Obvious really, and I agree with all of them. I thought this was one of the best, if not the best, athletics meetings of all time - for so many reasons. The venue, the atmosphere, the competitors' performances and camaraderie, the reactions of the spectators, Berlino obviously. It was the joy of it all I think that made the event what it was, and it was bout so much more than the athletics.
I watched each day's events on Italian tv (because that's where I live) and, with the exception of the woman who interviewed the competitors and translated their comments who was humourless, characterless and uninformative, the commentaries were good and in keeping with the general atmosphere. But whenever I got to see some of the British commentary it did come across as a bit po faced and tedious at times - especially Steve Cram and Colin Jackson (those two definitely need to lighten up a bit).
Can I also single out for humourlessness and self-obsession one Mr Tyson, Gay and the Jamaican women's relay team who snubbed high fives with Berlino.
But these things don't detract at all from the best athletics meeting ever and only serve to highlight all that was good about it. Credit must go to the planners and organisers for making it all possible.
One mustn't forget to mention this blog too. It has been a joy to read - always interesting and informative, and sensitive. A big thankyou to Tom Fordyce!
Berlino the Bear - love him or loathe him? 10:11pm on 22 Aug 2009 Many of the athletes seem to like Berlino - one Mr Bolt for starters. Yes it's the athletics world championships, I know, but it is sport and a celebration of the world's finest. If the mascot was detracting from the action then I suppose there might be some grounds for complaint, but it isn't. I've loved the athletic performances, which have been admirable, and enjoyed immensely the involvement of Berlino in the celebrations. He/she is very funny and, as others have said, at long last doing what a sporting mascot should do.
A massive "bravissimo" to whoever thought it was a good idea!
The men who witnessed sporting history 1:06pm on 22 Aug 2009 @JobyJak wrote:

"Sport proves that we are all inherently evil, and only on a level playing field can the world unite"

Speak for yourself there. Don't presume to speak for anyone else.

Otherwise once again a very nice, sensitive and well balanced piece by Mr Fordyce - a true gem of a sports journalist amongst so much mediocrity at the BBC.
Semenya left stranded by storm 11:15am on 20 Aug 2009

Sorry, double negative. It should read: "The IAAF is in an unenviable position and had no real choice in the matter..."
Semenya left stranded by storm 11:13am on 20 Aug 2009 What @TrojanOtter said!
So many of the posts here seem to be nonsense based on either prejudice or simply a lack of knowledge.

Firstly, if Semenya fails the gender testing it does not mean she is or has been cheating. If she has been brought up as female and thinks of herself as female then she is most definitely not cheating - even if it turns out she isn't eligible to compete. I don't know why people find that difficult to understand.

Secondly, gender testing isn't routine any more in athletics and nor is it obligatory. The IAAF isn't in an unenviable position and had no real choice in the matter, because this only started to be an issue a few weeks ago when Semenya's times improved so suddenly and dramatically. That kind of improvement in performance is highly unusual and therefore suspicions are justified.
The testing as I understand it was carried out prior to the start of the competition and they are waiting for the results, which take quite some time. It would be unjust to ban her from competition without proper testing, so obviously she has been allowed to compete.

Of more concern to me is the lack of critical thinking, surfeit of simplistic thinking and possibly unintentional prejudice shown in some of the responses here to Mr Fordyce's original blog post. How on earth one equates Semnya's case with that of the old East Germany is incomprehensible. Then to say that it was ok for Kratchvilova so it must be alright for Semenya shows an ignorance of history. As for accusations of racism, as levelled by some in South Africa, they fail to provide motivation and are just barmy.

Whatever the outcome of this it's still very sad for all those directly concerned, and very damning for those who seek to cast blame or make capital out of it.
Ancelotti's song and dance 10:43am on 16 Aug 2009 I don't think Mr McNulty knows much about Silvio Berlusconi. Can I just say that to some of us in Italy Silvio Berlusconi is not mercurial... except in the toxic sense. Of far more use to Ancelotti will be his experience working at the top of the game, and therefore his achievements under intense public and media scrutiny, in a Country where football is the unofficial religion.

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