Sponsored by
Laws shows selfish stars decent face of football: SMITH ON SOCCER
THE next time you see the teasing pout of Christiano Ronaldo as another shrug racks up the pressure for a move to Madrid, think of this face. Every time you hear Alexander Hleb bleating about a move from Arsenal, think of this face.
Whenever there's another Frank Lampard and Jose Mourhinho Milan reunion story, or Emanuel Adebayor tries to wriggle and twist from one golden hook to another, or Wayne Rooney lights another fag, think of this face.
The face of Brian Laws.
Not because he's a hero -thousands have parachuted for charity and, while it takes bottle to do what Brian did yesterday over the fields of Lincolnshire, that's not the point.
I will think of his face, and that of Blades manager Kevin Blackwell hot and flushed from the training ground, and every other hard-working player and coach who must be as sick as the rest of us watching wealthy, spoiled, cosseted young men, being indulged like medieval princes demanding more and more and more gold.
They are the elite of the professional game, they have the talent and they can do as they like.
And that's exactly what they do, or they'll swan out in a huff.
They may have their charity work and foundations and not all Premiership superstars are self-centred and arrogant.
But it does seem that way at times.
Owls boss Laws, meanwhile, was falling through space with his face flapping in the wind to help raise money for Sheffield Children's Hospital.
It's a reminder to all football fans - and I'm as star-struck as the next when it comes to admiring talent - that there is more to life than the Premiership and the endless pursuit of cash, fame and trophies.
Of course, Laws, like any manager might, saved his best line for a light-hearted dig at his cross- city rivals.
"It wasn't as exhilarating as beating Sheffield United, that was unique," he said.
"But now I've got my backside on the ground, I can tell you it feels fantastic."
"Daniel Grice, who suffers from leukaemia, was the boy who inspired me to do the parachute jump in the first place and his dad, Dave, also did the jump, so today is more about them."
Well done Brian Laws, 15,000ft up in the air with his feet - and his backside - still firmly on the ground.
Speaking of Senor Ronaldo ... he has ruined a million summers for Manchester United fans who, instead of basking in the warmth of a league and European Cup double, have had to worry about where their number one player and number two coach will be next season.
Of course, that means another million anti-United fans will be singing in the rain.
What do you think? Post your comments below.
READ MORE
Football headlines
More Blades
More Owls
More Spireites
More Rovers
More Reds
More Millers
More Ice Hockey
More rugby league
More rugby union
More boxing
Sports columnists
All sport categories
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Sheffield
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: East
