📢 Wrapped!
Looking back on the best books, movies, music and podcasts of the year
Welcome to The Jerky Loudspeaker - an independent sports and culture newsletter, I’m super excited to have you here! Before you dive right in, let me quickly break down how the newsletter is structured. Think of it like a mini newspaper, with three sections:
Balls, Bats & Baskets - Sports obviously comes first, and in this section I’ll geek out about the happenings in this world of balls, bats and baskets.
Consumption Corner - A weekly review of what I’m watching, reading and listening to.
Deep Dive - Each piece/series in this section will be an in depth analysis of the thoughts and emotions that arise from my interactions and experiences with the arts.
Balls, Bats & Baskets
The Managerial Patience Game
Here’s a sentence that will take you by surprise - Manchester United are title contenders. After last night’s 6-2 blitzkrieg against Leeds, they sit pretty in 3rd place with a game in hand that would put them just two points shy of Liverpool. Olé at the wheel has been a bumpy ride, but maybe, just maybe they are moving in the right direction.
Few managers have had their credentials questioned in the way he has and even fewer have warranted it. The circus around Solskjær has become a weekly cycle. Each win is seen as a testament of his man-management skills and positive influence on the club, while each loss throws up the same old questions about his tactical ineptitude and Pochettino’s availability.
Somewhere along the way, Solskjær and to an extent his players, have gotten comfortable with the precarious nature of his job. Just when he seems on the cusp, United pull out a result like the one last night, to at least temporarily banish the naysayers. Quite like Wenger’s Arsenal in the last few years of his reign.
The 6-1 drubbing to Spurs and the brain freeze for Demba Ba’s goal in the Champions League has firmly established what the floor for this team is. But, the tantalizing nature of their ceiling is what’s kept him in his job so far. Solskjær is a good manager, but is he Manchester United good? Until United plays next, he is.
Take a look at the top six in the Premier League table and you’ll see clubs enjoying the fruits of managerial patience. Many considered Ralph Hassenhüttl as a dead man walking after Southampton’s 9-0 debacle at home last season. The club was obviously rattled, but resisted the urge to pull the trigger. They didn’t win any of their next three games either, but there was the slightest of upturns in performance and a show of spirit (they led for 70 minutes at the Etihad and conceded a 96th minute equalizer at The Emirates). The defeat to Leicester became ground zero from which Hassenhüttl built. They grafted through the rest of the season and finished a respectable 11th. The marginal improvements in the past year became discernible this season and The Saints currently lie in 6th in the league, with the German having implemented a style of play from the first team all the way down to the academy.
Sitting above Southampton are Mourinho’s Spurs. Many are heralding this Tottenham team as the second coming of the Portuguese. The Revenge Edition. Amidst all this talk about a title challenge, it’s easy to forget that Mourinho was among the bookies’ favorites to be the first manager of the season to get sacked. Given their tepid end to last season, it wasn’t an unthinkable prospect.
What changed? Nothing really.
It’s just a matter of delayed returns. One of the few things that was gleaned from the Amazon Spurs documentary was the level of control Mourinho had been afforded at the club and the thrall he held Daniel Levy in. This fawning translated into Mourinho being backed in the transfer window and Spurs starting the new season with a deeper squad more replete with talent. Mourinho has been allowed to Mourinho and the club are now reaping the rewards of their trust in him.
Is it really that straightforward? Nope, just ask Arsenal.
Mikel Arteta’s stock couldn’t have been higher in the first couple of weeks of the season. He was basking in the glow of recently acquired silverware, had galvanized the entire fanbase and had got his talismanic captain to commit his future to the club. The onset of the decline is as surprising as its steepness.
The fact that (takes deep breath) relegation is a real prospect tells you all you need to know about the current state of the club. Yes, there was always going to be a price to pay for a long term project, but that price can’t be a place in the Premier League.
There’s no denying that Arteta deserves the criticism coming his way. The football is unimaginative, the Willian situation is preposterous, the meritocracy he championed is absent is and the squad management is baffling.
But, he doesn’t carry the entire brunt of the blame. The club has been run without direction, leadership and competence for a few years now. Unfortunately it’s under a novice manager like Arteta, the chickens have come home to roost. Transfer dealings have been abysmal, finances have been mismanaged and the connection with the fans has been lost.
Here’s a phrase we’ve all gotten quite used to in the pandemic and Arsenal fans would do well to remember - it’s going to get worse before it gets better.
On the topic of Arteta’s managerial prowess,, I’m reminded of something that was said on the Arseblog podcast - we won’t know how good a manager Arteta is until he’s encountered and dealt with his first crisis.
Personally, I’d persist with Arteta. We’re in this situation because of short term decisions made without a clear plan. Sacking him will be another short term fix. Once the new manager bounce evaporates, the same old problems will arise. Sacking Arteta won’t be unreasonable but it would only make sense if the Board has a successor in place.
For now, Arsenal need to let the Spaniard face the fire. Give him everything he needs so that the place doesn’t go up in flames.
TJL Culture Awards
Looking back on the year that was and the art that is
A few disclaimers before you dive into the list below:
Not all of the books, movies and shows below were released in 2020.
Judgement criteria - I included any piece of art that left an indelible mark on me or kept returning to or consumed excessively. Or all of the above.
Given the small sample size of newsletters I read and documentaries I’ve watched, I’ve excluded these two categories from my list.
Best Movie - Cold War
In the early months of the pandemic, my friends and I formed a Movie Club. The rules were simple - we’d take turns picking a film for the others to watch and then convene on Zoom each week to discuss the film and share our opinions. And it was through Movie Club that I chanced upon Cold War. On the face of it, it was exactly the type of movie I disliked - a period drama in a foreign language that’s shot in black & white. I watched it purely out of compulsion and it ended up making me question everything I thought I knew about cinema. And myself.
Set against the backdrop of the Cold War in Europe in the 1950s, it’s ‘a passionate love story between a man and woman who meet in the ruins of post-war Poland’. While the story is compelling, it’s the aesthetics of the film that stand out. It is visually stunning; even a novice cinephile like myself could appreciate the cinematography.
Cold War was a much needed reminder of all the art that exists outside our comfort zones. The art we’re too scared to consume. The art that will widen our perspective.
Best Movie (Hindi) - Thappad
Thappad is a hard hitting film. It’s the story of a woman in a happy marriage, who files for divorce after her husband slaps her at a party. The social messaging is powerful but isn’t preachy; it’s a formula many Hindi films (see Pad Man) have struggled to crack. Thappad is a testament to how the Hindi film industry has progressed.
Best TV show - This is Us
This was a tough one. The Last Dance and Hollywood were close candidates, but ultimately I couldn’t discount the emotional rollercoaster This is Us took me on.
Given my limited yet scarring exposure to family dramas through Indian television ( pre OTT), I was hesitant about This is Us. But, all my hesitations fell away after watching the pilot episode. As far as pilots go, I think it's on the same level as Breaking Bad and Suits’.
I was attached to the characters in a way that I haven’t been with any other show. I binged four 18 episode seasons in about three weeks and during this period , I:
shouted in frustration and anguish at my screen
hit pause and took a walk around my room mid-episode to process things
had a lump in my throat numerous times
Best TV show (Hindi) - Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story
To some he was a crook who cheated the system. To some he was a trader who changed the game. And to some, he was a god-like figure who rose from rags to riches. The biggest compliment I can give the show is that it manages to portray each of these sides in a balanced manner. It does justice to his story. The casting is on point and the acting is phenomenal. Scam 1992 has reset the template for TV series in India.
P.S The theme song for Scam is ridiculously catchy and sets the tone for the show.
Best Book (fiction) - Normal People by Sally Rooney
Normal People is what happens when John Green books mature. It’s a book about teenagers, written for adults.
Marianne and Connell belong to the small town in Sligo in Ireland and attend the same high-school. Connell is popular and the star of the soccer team while Marianne is private, lonely and mysterious. She comes from a wealthy family while Connell doesn’t. In fact, his mother works as a helper at Marianne’s place. And that’s how the two strike up an unlikely friendship that soon transforms into a relationship. They end up at the same college, but the romance doesn’t carry over. Their social standing in college changes - Marianne’s the popular one and Connell’s the misfit - but instead of drifting apart the two find their lives increasingly intertwined. Their bond deepens and its complexity increases.
Through the lens of their relationship, Rooney tackles questions regarding class, sexuality, toxic masculinity and mental health. Marianne and Connell are imperfect people with a far more perfect and often inexplicably frustrating relationship. Maybe that’s what makes them normal people.
There’s a good BBC TV adaptation that exists for Normal People, but I’d recommend reading the book before watching the show.
Best Book (non-fiction) - Shoe Dog by Phil Knight
Autobiographies, especially those written by businessmen and entrepreneurs, tend to be self indulgent and overly philosophical. But, Nike isn’t an ordinary company and Phil Knight isn’t your usual founder.
It’s an incredibly compelling read that sucks you into the world of shoes, soles and sales. And yet in the process ends up appealing to the athlete inside you, that you may not even know exists. Shoe Dog is the jolt you need, especially in these times.
Best Podcast (Sports) - Guardian Football Weekly
Think of the Guardian Football Weekly like a radio show. A show where a handful of middle aged friends meet to talk about football, trade work stories and poke fun at each other. Now consider that these radio jockeys are some of the most knowledgable journalists in the game and you have a show that the Guardian itself describes as ‘a thrice-weekly dose of puns and punditry, news and analysis’.
It is irreverent, it is informative and it was my most listened to podcast in 2020.
Best Podcast (Non-Sports) - The Tim Ferriss Show
I’ve eulogized Tim Ferriss and his podcast multiple times in this newsletter and you’ll have to bear with me as I do so again. .
What I like most about his podcast is how he makes self improvement such a tangible entity. Each week, he features guests from diverse professional and creative backgrounds and methodically breaks down the systems behind their success.
A podcast is a blend of an interview and a conversation and Ferriss strikes the perfect balance between the two. He creates an environment in which his guests feel comfortable to get vulnerable about their life stories and structures it such a manner that holds the listener’s attention. The episodes are lengthy but the length goes unnoticed.
A good place to start with Tim Ferriss would be his recent episode with Jerry Seinfeld.
Best Album - Dreamland by Glass Animals
Every song on this album is a bop. I don’t even know what this word means exactly, but I know it captures the essence of what I’m trying to convey. Glass Animals’ music has always very groovy, but this album is on a whole new level of waviness.
Dreamland has a distinct psychedelic vibe. While each song does adhere to this overarching sound, I like the different forms they take when listened to independently. So for example, Heat Waves is perfect FIFA music, Helium is the right level of chill to work to, Tangerine is beach music and Melon and the Coconut is the song you want to listen to on a drive. But listen to them all together and you’re put in a trance. The perfect Pandemic album.
In today’s digital world, the music is only one aspect of an album. The promotions, music videos and album art are equally as important. Glass Animals left not stone unturned in the release of Dreamland and the video below is one of the best music videos I’ve watched this year.
I’d love to hear what you thought of this week’s edition! To share your thoughts, comments or if just want to chat, hit me up at shubhank4@gmail.com!
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