W.T.F. (Weather, Tennis & Football)

Hi all!

Firstly can i just say...What has happened to the weather! It's amazing isn't it, wherever you are in the UK your probably basking in 23+ heat at the moment. Let's be honest though we all deserve a bit of a heatwave in this country..330 odd days of the year I'm not sure you could call it consistent weather, but for this brief spell of exotic weather we all make the most of it! Tops off, down the beach, and the local chavs wearing little else than a Lacoste hat!

A recent day out to the Seven Sisters (picture above) was pretty cool, got a bit burnt too as i think the weather was around 27c which for my northern body is just too hot! I'm more used to 2.7 degrees up t'north. 

Anyway, with the gorgeous weather came an amazing record diminished for a good reason! Andy Murray has won the Wimbledon Title for the first time in his career, ending the 77 year wait for a British Male to win since The Great Fred Perry - who I would just like to add he's from Stockport..(just saying). 
Huh Hum..But to see the whole country rally round Andy Murrray, except a few people who didn't like him because he's a miserable Scottish sod. (not my words) everyone was cheering and willing him on through each set. Now I didn't watch the whole match, I just saw the highlights and they alone were spectacular to watch. Some of the game play he was playing was immense. People are now saying he deserves a Knighthood. Now I'm pretty sure nowadays these get given out to lots of people making them slightly less honorary in my opinion. Fair enough he did do something incredible but there is a lot more people out there who do deserve a Knighthood for recognition for what they have done.

With the tennis now over, thoughts now turn to pre-season football, unless your a cricket fan then The Ashes is your next fix for sport. With the transfer window now open and teams making silly money on random players causing the rumour mill to spin like crazy! It makes me wonder how far will this go, how far will modern football progress until it has forgotten it's roots and where it all began. The premiership is full of foreign players not really caring about the game as football players used to as money is playing a major role in Modern football. It makes you think that our future as a potentially world beating International football team looks bleaker and bleaker as each season passes. Each pre-season there is optimism for the next young star to shine, for example last year it was young Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain who burst onto the scene after signing for Arsenal. I believe that modern football is ruining not only our changes of success but i think football itself. It's turning into more of a business than a sport. Owners are splashing millions on a player because he has a 'good' European tournament etc..
I guess what I'm trying to say is I CAN'T WAIT FOR FOOTBALL TO BE BACK!!....and when i say football i mean Stockport County Football, hoping for this season to be a success which isn't going to be too hard considering we've been relegated more times that I've had hot dinners! I'm literally just about to buy a replica kit (home kit) even though i slated it in a previous blog. It will grow on me!

So a final message to you, enjoy this weather while it lasts!! Feel proud to be British and most of all support your football club!

Adios,

Rick

Success or Failure? Football is back....Soon!

Stockport County - football is back...Soon

Hi all,

As the new fixtures have just been released for the football league and conference, it makes me think at contemplate how far my team Stockport County have fallen. Just 5 years ago we were playing in front on 7000+ fans every game home and away playing the likes of Leeds United. We've just been relegated to the 6th tier of the English Football Pyramid, The Conference North...which seems unbelievable considering the size and history of our club. The reason many believe, including me why we have fallen so sharply in such a short space of time is Club Management/Ownership issues that stem back to when the club was bought by the Supporters Trust and we long the ownership of our stadium. I do believe we're THE biggest club to have fallen to this level in football. Ask anyone who knows football, where Stockport County Football Club should be playing and they will say League One/ Championship level. Our fanbase isn't extremely huge but history shows we've got a consistent fan base that has been through a hell of a lot of sh*t recently. 

As the new season is upon us i wanted to talk about the release of the new football shirts! First of all, they're a bit all over the place They are OK, below to the left is the home kit.

This is the home kit for the forthcoming season..I know, i know were a Part-time, Non-league football club now but seriously? I do like Umbro as a make but this shirt is poor. I'm sorry the previous few seasons kits have been smart and very nice looking, whereas this one looks like its straight of a 2 minute job. 

This is the away kit, again, it's blue but a very similar colour to one of our local neighbours who think their amazing now they're owned by a foreigner with too much money...anyway, i prefer this more than the home kit, simply because it's better designed in my opinion. The retro club crest makes it bespoke.

There is a third kit that is used when we play a team that also plays in blue. This is a Orange and black shirt with an orange crest. I do like this one too, although again it looks very 'off the shelf'!

Anyway, the fixtures have been released and we've got Boston United at home for the first game, now i know i can't go to any games as I live down south now, but I still love every Saturday and every other Tuesday when I can sit down and watch the latest scores and stay on Twitter all day debating with other county fans about a silly decision.. Now we're in the North section of the conference I believe we will be a success ultimately. A good solid team with experience mixed with a bit of youth and pace! 

I am definitely looking forward to this season even though we're in a 'tin pot' league as most people call it but i don't think it will be as easy as people are thinking!

Amino Et Fide

Rick

The Last Of Us ~ Review

Picture taken from Google Image Search

Hi All, this is a review and my thoughts on the latest PS3 Exclusive from Naughty Dog, the creators that made The popular Uncharted series. 

This game was talked about so much by many people around me at work and on YouTube as well as Twitter. This is one of the first type of adventuring games I have bought as I never really got into the whole RPG genres. I have always been more interested in the FIFA and Call of Duty series. 

I had a month before completed the Tomb Raider series so I was just starting to get a feel for these kind of games.

I picked up The Last of Us on release day, without any problems of it being sold out which was quite surprising considering it was getting such as media boost. Having bought it I went home excitable and full of anticipation. I was expecting some good things but nothing of what it actually was! The story line for those who don't know it already is a Virus that spreads across America causing chaos all over the place. It's about a guy Joel and a young girl Ellie, and their struggles to survive the unforgiving world post Apocalypse. Their journey across America to reach a safe zone, an Infected free zone. 

The story quickly gives you the reason why a guy has had a traumatic number of years fighting to survive and a girl who is naive. Now I will warn you as I will be discussing some of the main points in the game so it will contain some spoilers. Now this young girl Ellie has a very unique secret, which forms the basis of the game, she is in fact immune to the Infection. She found this out after being bitten by a type of Zombie in the game, a Runner. Joel runs into a friend who needs help transporting Ellie to a Rebellious elite group of people called the Fireflies. This game is so amazing. I never wanted to put my controller down. It took me around 10 hours to complete, stop and starting taking breaks and working. 

The story line is very dynamic, along with the characters and you soon fall in awe of them and what they have gone through. The graphics on this game are awesome! There is nothing bad about this game I can honestly say except from one thing, the AI is quite well lets say simple minded sometimes... Now what i mean by that is some fight scenes in the game promote Stealth and maneuvering around objects to avoid being seen. Although it makes it easier for the gamer to kill the enemy it doesn't exactly challenge you.

I would say to anyone to buy this game as it has an amazing story and provides a good insight into the future of gaming, with you being able to free-rome virtually anywhere throughout the story, encouraging the player to search for items that you need to build up your inventory like water, paper and tape, along with things to make the Molotov cocktails to set the 'undead' alight. 

I do apologise if this review seems a little odd but I am writing this a day or so after completing it so it can become a bit vague in parts! Be sure to comment with your favourite or worst parts of this game! 

I would definitely give this game around a 9.6/10. 

Give me your thoughts gamers!

Rick

Intro.

Hi, I'm Rick, or Richard for long! This is obviously my first post on here. I have decided that a Blog might be something that I would enjoy doing. My main reason for joining is to talk about some of my favourite topics/ hobbies. Football is my main area of interest but as I'm getting older and experiencing more things I am now enjoying learning new things and I would like to share this with you! Other interests of mine are Computing, PS3 Gaming, Technology and the news!

Also I would like to explain my Title of my blog, i have chosen Hatter's Life, simply because I'm a Northerner that comes from the (Not so) Glamorous Stockport, and Stockport County Football Club were my local team and that is there nickname, The Hatters. I say 'were' because I don't live in Stockport anymore, I have moved down south to live with my beautiful Fiancée Becca. Click Here to see her Blog!

So that's it basically! I am going to do my next blog to talk about the PlayStation game The Last of Us that everyone has been talking about recently...

See you there! 

Rick