F1 Opinions Sought

I have been doing some thinking about blown diffusers, and how they interacted with driving styles, in particular, how smooth a driver is.

I'm also aware that having just me judging how smooth a driver is is not a good idea, and so I've set up a survey on Surveymonkey and I'd be grateful for any responses - http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/LX6WZQD

What's In A Name On A Sports Shirt?

This post was inspired by Jed Thian's post about the New Zealand All Blacks looking for a shirt sponsor - http://cargocollective.com/alternativerugbycommentary/Jedi-s-Blog.

Now those of you that don't follow rugby union might think the above post is a little ... over-the-top.  But it's not.  The idea of the All Blacks is something so strong.  You knew that if your team were coming up against the men in black, inside that shirt would be someone who was probably large and undoubtedly good at rugby.  You knew your lot were in for a beating.

And because New Zealand is a small country, and this is the sport that it is world-class in, it's incredibly important to most New Zealanders.  The other sports teams are named with reference to the rugby union side.  The rugby league team and the sevens team both go by the All Blacks, the cricket team are the Black Caps and the hockey team are the Black Sticks.  And so on, because I know there's a few I've missed.

It's not just a shirt, it's an idea.

I accept that financial needs exist, I'm a realist, but I have my doubts about people who are unable to raise the money on the back of the All Blacks brand as it exists.

It's not like I hate all shirt sponsors, I still think Skint Records sponsoring Brighton and Hove Albion was a nice touch, but that was a case of a sponsor that fitted the team they were sponsoring.

On the other hand, there's something about the idea of the unsponsored team.

If we move to a sport I know better, football, there used to be the ideal of Barcelona, the people's team.  Communal ownership and no shirt sponsor.  A couple of seasons ago (starting in 2006) they put UNICEF's name on their shirts, which, while it looked odd because there were words on the front of Barcelona's shirt all of a sudden, wasn't shirt sponsorship, they were doing it for free, in fact, they were even donating money to UNICEF (~ 1.5 million Euros per year).

But looking back, I can't help but wonder if they were just preparing their supporters for the idea of having a shirt sponsor, because suddenly they have one, the Qatar Foundation For Education, Science and Community Development, which, while I get that Qatar are getting into football (roll on 2022 etc), doesn't really link up with Barcelona's identity of being uncompromising outsiders.

Because part of the attraction of Barcelona was that they were the anti-establishment team, the Catalan champions who happened to play in the Spanish League, the team owned by their fans, the team who never had a shirt sponsor.  And they can't say that any more, they'll never be able to say it again.  Even if, after this, they go back to not having a shirt sponsor, they'll have to asterisk any time they say "the team that never had a shirt sponsor" with *except for seasons 2011-2016.  And that's if they go back to not having one.  It takes the shine off the idea of Barcelona, and I have a terrible feeling it'll do the same to the All Blacks.

Euro 2012 Final

So we're down to 2 teams, and I think it's hats off to the Spanish newspapers who predicted this after the match in the group stages.

Barcelona now contribute the most players, 7, all of whom play for Spain.  Juventus and Real Madrid come next with 6 each.  The only team guaranteed to have a player on the winning side is Manchester City.

Semi Final Time

Thankfully there was only one game that went to penalties.  I know they're probably the least worst method, but that doesn't mean I have to like them.

Semi-final diagram -

It makes sense that Portugal and Spain are locked together, while Germany and Italy hang off the centre, given the number of Portuguese players that play in Spain, and how most of Germany and Italy's players play in the league of their home nation.  Real Madrid still contribute the most players (10).

If you view the diagram as communities, they are Italy, Spain, Germany, Portugal, Real Madrid and Athletico Madrid.  Why the last one I do not know.

Quarter Finals Team Diagram

Having redone the national teams vs league teams diagram in light of the group stage results, it now looks like this

Obviously, it's less spread out because there are fewer teams in it to act as pulling factors.

Bayern Munich no longer contribute the most players, Real Madrid do, as all 11 of their players are still in, while 4 of Bayern Munich's players have been eliminated.

The divide between Greece, Germany and the Czech Republic and everyone else is still there, which is interesting, as Croatia, Russia and Ukraine are all out, and I thought it was the links to them that were pulling Greece, Germany and the Czech Republic up and out.  It's obviously not.

Interestingly, if you look at it using modularity as the partition, Chelsea becomes it's own group, alone amongst the other teams.

Group C - Not the group of death so much as the group of unbearable sadness

Italy are doing that thing again. I have a horrible feeling that Ireland will somehow beat them and then Spain will lose to Croatia and Italy will be out. Why do you keep doing this?!

I'm sad that Ireland are out, yes, I know they were outsiders but ...

Starting to rewrangle the players vs clubs data ready for the quarters, and yes, removing Ireland has moved Russia up to near Croatia and the Czech Republic, proving my point, I think, that there is still a divide down the old Iron Curtain.

Interestingly, if you do the communities thing after removing Ireland, not only are Sweden and the Netherlands one lump, so are England and Spain.

Euro Group Stage - After Game 1 for All Groups

It's been a much more interesting, and tighter, competition than I was expecting, especially with Denmark beating the Netherlands.  I think it's still awaiting that one match to really kick start it, unless that match was Italy vs Spain which I didn't get to see much of.

Once again, the team I care most about are the ones I am going to be seeing the least of, but I suppose it has it's advantages with regard to stress.  Also, I'm starting to think that Italy do better when I don't watch them, which I am aware is irrational.  There are those teams and players where I know I have no effect, like Saints, and then those players were I know I am a terrible omen, like Ivanisevic.  I didn't watch a single match of his live in 2001, which part of me regrets but most of me is going 'yes, but it helped him win'.  At least I know that Ivanisevic would appreciate my logic.

Finalised diagram

Correct as of 7 pm last night.

The two withdrawals from the Croatian team, both of whom play for German clubs, have moved Croatia further out towards the Ukraine, which I think amplifies my point about there still being a divide down Europe in terms of where people play their club football.

Given that they still seem to be having friendlies

And people keep getting injured (poor Ivica Olic this time), the update of the diagram will have to wait, especially as I think this one will change the shape of the diagram quite a bit.

I understand why they have friendlies (especially in the case of Roy Hogson, who has been thrown in the deep end with a vengeance), but I start to think they could be more trouble than they're worth.

I feel desperately sorry for Gary Cahill, and wish him well.  It also means that the updated graph will need updating.