Racism: Why it cannot be the 23rd player on the pitch

When is the footballing world going to understand that racism is a cowards way of extinguishing a frutrated mood. For years now, black people have worked hard to gain equality in social circles around the world and breaking the social boundaries that existed amongst our ancestors.

And rightly so.

If you actually think about it, why on earth does the colour of a man's skin matter? What on earth possessed the world to even deliver such outrageous statements? For instance, in Barack Obama, the United States of America has elected it's first black president in history.The first in 223 years. Why has it taken so long?

Although the vast majority across the globe have now forgotten these aged, atrocious ways of inequality among races, it seems football is a sport that is still learning to walk in the metaphorical sense of juvenility.

My thoughts were, that with the campaign's "Let's kick Racism out of Football" and "Stand Up. Speak Up. joined with a bright, positive, social atmosphere, that this sort of execrable behaviour had been driven away, but it seems to have drifted back onto the horizon in recent weeks.
   The stories of John Terry and the freshly erupted volcano that is Suarez versus Evra, have only fuelled the idea that these overpaid, arrogant, cant-get-down-off-their-high-horses footballers, need a preverbial slap round the ear.

I have no particular favoured personnel in either of these cases, but know that the media only want to sensationalise these occurences with speedy assumptions over who allegedly said what and how they allegedly said it. I will always stand by my claim that the word 'allegedly' is a terrible word to use when writing or reading news stories. For me, the word 'allegedly' roughly translates as; "We are not sure what happened or what was said, but we need to jump on the bandwagon, or we risk feeling left out."

When reading about the Suarez/Evra scenario, it cropped up that Suarez responded to the claims that he did use a word to insult Evra, but the word in particular isn't deemed to be offensive in his homeland of Uruguay.

And?

Players have to realise that whenever they emigrate, move home or even simply change jobs, that there are new rules and new boundaries in place. It is illegal in some states of America and Australia to wed a gay couple. Would you ever find someone who broke that law plead their innocence by claiming it's ok at home? That just doesnt cut it for me I'm afraid.

Yes maybe John Terry has been stripped of the England captaincy and put on Trial. Yes maybe Luis Suarez was slammed by an eight match ban. But did you see Suarez unhappy or suffering? He still cheered from the stands when Liverpool won. He was still getting his £100,000 a week wages.




Remarkably, even when he returned, notably against Manchester United, he refused Evra's handshake in the games opening exchanges. And for what?

We seriously need to start imposing more serious punishments, harsher consequences on those who want to muddy the somewhat clear waters with their handheld verbal dictionary of obscenities.

Don't You Cry No More

As I promised, we have another major character taking his place in the supernatural hall of fame. He is now one of American television's most beloved charcters and has earned his place in our hearts. Step forward, Castiel.

 I'm the one who gripped you tight and raised you from Perdition.

 

Castiel first appeared on our screens in the first episode of Season 4, Lazarus Rising. Castiel is an angel, a servant of heaven. Many angels laid siege to Hell to rescue Dean, but it was Castiel who ultimately pulled Dean out of the pit. According to Castiel, he did so "because God commanded it". His hand print was burned into Dean's left shoulder. 

All angels must take on a 'vessel' to manifest on earth, and Castiel has taken Jimmy Novak, as his vessel. Castiel and a group of other angels arrive on earth with the knowledge that a demon army are attempting to break the 66 Seals. Each Seal is said to be a kind of lock to the door of Lucifer's Cage. If 66 seals are broken, Lucifer walks free, and will set about bringing the Apocalypse with him.

Over time, Castiel develops an empathy for the Winchesters, in particular Dean. Castiel begins to question his beliefs and goes against Heaven, ultimately taking the side of humanity.

After Sam sacrifices himself to defeat Lucifer, Castiel set about to rescue Sam from the Cage, but returned without his soul. In an attempt to stop Archangel Raphael from restarting the Apocalypse, Castiel is tempted into an agreement/partnership with the demon, Crowley - a deal that they will both find a way to releasing the souls of Purgatory. This results in Castiel becoming very distanced from the Winchesters, as he hides his secret partnership.

 After he takes in the souls of Purgatory alone, Castiel kills Raphael and demands that Crowley leave. But not before declaring to the Winchesters and Bobby that he is now 'the new God', and that they should bow before him. Taking in the souls and creatures from Purgatory, Cas becomes aware that he has taken in one of God's first creations - monsters called Leviathans. Castiel sets out to smite all those hypocritical and evil people who do wrong in God's name, not realising he is under the influence of the Leviathans. The power becomes too much, and Cas tries to return the souls to Purgatory in an attempt to redeem himself and apologise to the Winchesters.

The Leviathans had other plans.

They cling on inside the vessel, and take over. As Castiel deteriorates, the Leviathans march the vessel into a reservoir and drown the former angel. His trademark trenchcoat washes up on shore, and Dean takes it with him.

 

 Although Castiel hasn't appeared in Supernatural for the last 10 episodes, there is news that he will return from 'death' in coming weeks. Incase you have let yourself and every Supernatural lover down, catch up with a few facts about Cas.

On one occasion, Castiel describes his true angelic form as a "multidimensional wavelength of celestial intent". On another, he says that is true form the size of the Chrysler Building in New York, which is 1047 feet (319 m) in height.

Looking on Castiel's true form will burn out a human's eyes, as Pamela Barnes found when she tried to summon him in a seance.

Castiel is able to teleport himself, and occasionally others, through space and even time. One occurence of this is when he sends Dean back to 1973 to try and save his mother, Mary Winchester, before she cements her demon deal - the deal which ultimately leads to her death.

Our Angelic friend possess a high knowledge of lore and occult objects, including Enochian symbols and even the structure and defense systems of Hell. However, he does come up short in the department of human emotions, customs and behaviours.

Castiel was cut off from Heaven when he helped Dean escape from a fiery angel named Zacariah, meaning he lost a few powers and thus, became unable to heal an injured Bobby. After banishing himself and other angels via the use of an Enochian symbol, Castiel appears virtually mortal by the end of Season 5.

Castiel has been killed twice. Firstly by Raphael and secondly by Lucifer. Both times Castiel was ressurected. He thinks God brought him back, 'new and improved'.

Castiel is said to have existed before Humanity was even a thought. He is, as of 2011, presumed dead.

Lay Your Weary Head To Rest...

Supernatural.

The show made famous by two over- masculine brothers who have ladies throwing themselves at their feet. But Sam and Dean also need their friends.

It's the people that the Winchesters have known that have helped them through the difficult times. One of those is this weeks guest.

Pamela Barnes.

I invoke, conjure, and command... Castiel? No. Sorry, Castiel, I don't scare easy.

Pamela appears for the first time in Season 4 Episode 1, Lazarus Rising. In this Episode, Dean has been dead for a mumber of months following his decent into hell at the end of Season 3.

When Dean miraculously wakes from his 'death', he stumbles upon an empty gas station and discovers a large handprint, burned into his shoulder. When he asks out loud for what's going on, a high frequency ringing sound greets him, destroying the windows of the gas station. When he finally arrives back at Bobby's, the bearded hunter tells Dean he knows of a psychic who could help.

Pamela Barnes is the psychic who says she can contact, via séance, whatever creature has brought Dean back and what has etched his skin. Of course, that particular character is going to be saved for later!

The 'spirit' insists that Pamela stop searching for his face during the séance, or she faces danger. Pamela insists she "doesn't scare that easy", thus resulting in the 'spirit' using the high frequency ring followed by burning out her eyes, shown below.




Pamela reappears in Season 5 Episode 15, Death Takes A Holiday, donning her plain white, glass eyeballs. She is sought out by Sam and Dean when they need her to recite an incantation which allows them to 'die' and roam the spirit world to search for a Reaper which has been kidnapped. Before Sam and Dean can return, a demon fatally wounds Pamela by stabbing her in the stomach. She dies there and then, but not before telling the brothers that Bobby Singer should go to Hell for ever introducing her to them.

• Pamela is an old friend of Bobby's and is a very powerful psychic.

• She has a tattoo on the base of her back that reads "Jesse Forever". It wasn't forever, and it seems like Jesse's loss could be Dean's gain. Or so Pamela says...

• She has a tendancy to flirt uncontrollably with Sam and Dean, and comments repeatedly on the firmness of Sam's ass.

• After she dies, Pamela arrives in Heaven. She is a part of her 'happy memories' and resides in a bar with another side character Ash.

Tune in on Sunday for a major character!