JT: Retirement and the Kangaroo Court

International retirement is a preemptive FU to the FA

Today John Terry retired from International football. I don’t know what I think about it just yet in regards to whether it is a good or a bad decision on his part, but I don’t think that anyone can really be too shocked by his choice.

The Chelsea captain earned 78 caps and captained the side 32 times. One way or another you can only imagine that John’s international career would have been done and dusted.

Here’s his statement:

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Irony, Thy Name is Ferdinand

You couldn’t possibly have seen this one coming. For years, Manchester United and English national team defender Rio Ferdinand has dedicated himself to ridding soccer of its ugly and pervasive racism. Recently, he has seen his brother, Queens Park Rangers defender Anton, embroiled in an ugly did-he-or-didn’t-he case involving Chelsea (and England) star John Terry. Terry was ultimately acquitted of racially abusing Ferdinand the Lesser, although he is now being hauled up on charges by the FA, whose authority apparently supersedes that of the Crown.

John Terry racial abuse trial under way: what does Chelsea do if he’s convicted?

The long-anticipated (or long-dreaded, depending on your perspective) racial abuse trial of Chelsea center back John Terry commenced in London this morning, and already my ambivalence is mounting. For those unfamiliar with the case, Terry stands accused of calling Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand a … brace yourselves here, tender American reader … “fucking black cunt” in a match last season. In the US such behavior, if proven, would get you fined, ostracized and probably suspended. In the UK, however, it’s actually illegal, and while Terry faces nothing more than a fine if convicted, it certainly won’t do his reputation any good.