A Song for Max 01/04/2008 Today I was going to write an explanation of the necessity that Mosley resign his post as FIA president but, with even Bernie Ecclestone abandoning him with his latest statements, it seems that most people are getting the point. Say what you will about invasion of privacy and ability to do the job regardless, the fact is the embarrassment alone is enough to disqualify Mosley from the position. His acceptance that he cannot go to Bahrain this weekend says it all.It was while pondering this matter that I stumbled upon the perfect "song for Max" at this juncture. I make no apology for printing out the lyrics here - they seem so apt."Embarrassment" by the group Madness(Thompson/Barson)Received a letter just the other day,Don't seem they wanna know you no more,They've laid it down given you their score,Within the first two lines it bluntly read.You're not to come and see us no more,Keep away from our door,Don't come 'round here no moreWhat on earth did you do that for?Our aunt, she don't wanna know she says,What will the neighbours think they'll think,We don't that's what they'll think, we don't,But I will, 'cause I know they think I don't.Our uncle he don't wanna know he says,We are a disgrace to the human race he says,How can you show your face,When you're a disgrace to the human race?No committment, you're an embarrassment,Yes, an embarrassment, a living endorsement,The intention that you have booked,Was an intention that was overlooked.They say, stay away,Don't want you home today,Keep away from our door,Don't come 'round here no more.Our dad, he don't wanna know he says,This is a serious matter,Too late to reconsider,No one's gonna wanna know ya!Our mum, she don't wanna know,I'm feelin' twice as old, she says,Thought she had a head on her shoulder,'Cause I'm feelin' twice as older,I'm feelin' twice as older.You're an embarrassment...Of course, Max will not go without a fight. He has made sure that his position is virtually unassailable but he is going to find it impossible to do his job. And it's the embarrassment that will break him ultimately - once he has found that he is no longer taken seriously.How long that will take, I don't know. His will to hang on to power is obviously strong - but then, so is the groundswell of protest against his presidency. It is merely a matter of time...
Clive
Steven Roy It really is a shame that this weekend's race isn't in Europe or Australia where ther would be a big crowd with humourous banners. Max may be persona non grata his weekend but he is unlikely to see caricatures of himself trasmitted on worldwide television. Of course he will only get a short reprieve from that sort of publicity but it gives his lawyers time to work.I am sure I read on a website this morning that Woking Council are going to make the last Monday in March a local holiday in celebration of his embarrassment. Date Added: 01/04/2008
Clive That would be fitting indeed, Steven! Date Added: 01/04/2008
Marc So, you have something against the song Springtime for Hitler?I think it fits the occasion.To say nothing of Bernie's quotes of a couple months ago: “Everything has changed, hasn’t it? Racing has become one of the last well-behaved sports. There are not enough sex scandals.” Date Added: 02/04/2008
Clive Springtime for Hitler was a spoof song written for one of Mel Brooks' movies - being Jewish helped to get away with things like that. I thought Madness' Embarrassment was pretty appropriate, Marc, not least because the name of the group fits quite well with Max's nickname.The Bernie quote must be pretty embarrassing for him too - do you think it will teach him to think before he speaks in future? Date Added: 02/04/2008
Björn Svensson I have now taken my responsibility as a member of the European Union, and written a letter to the European Commission about my thoughts of what have to be done in the FIA.I hope that publishing it here will not do any harm.First of all, i would like to make it clear that i do not write this mail because of Max Moselys recent published private business. Even though that is a factor that put fuel on a fire that have grown in my brain for quite a while now.It is understood that this federation has gotten it's legitimacy through the European Union.But what i just cant understand is why such an organisation needs to be such enclosed club, that not even one singel private person has anything to say when it comes to it's preceedings and conduct.What i believe is that there's need for a drastic change in how long a president of the FIA can stay in his seat. And there also needs to be something done about how he ends up in that seat.As for the now ruling president of the FIA, Max Mosely, it has come to my attention that he and his family was closely in contact with Adolf Hitler, and that Adolf even was a witness on scene when Max got married.Even if this happened a long time before Max got elected to become president of the FIA, i think that no matter of what merit he may have got, just the fact that he have been connected to the head of the Nazist German goverment should be enough to not even alow him to enter the election.There must be someone who has a more suitable background, and has even more interest to rule the world of motorsport so it stays safe and secure.I am well aware that i'm not a politician, and have just as little insight in what is happening in the world of European politics. But i am deeply engaged in what is happening to my beloved sport of Formula One, and that sport has taken such a beating during the last years, so i'm just glad it is still up and running.There have been so many rulechanges, and added rules during the last few years so the teams and team-managers need whole armys of lawyers to interpret the FIA book of rules. I what way is this making the sport more cost efficient? Changes are needed, and that fast.Sincirely.Björn Date Added: 02/04/2008
Peter Boyle Max's PARENTs were married as guests of Hitler.Much as I loathe Max, I wouldn't hold this against him.He can't help his parentage.He can however help his conduct and judgement, and given the above and, worse, his father's leadership of the facistmovement in the UK, it is extremely unsound judgementto role play SS uniforms and prisoners. I gave him the benefit of the doubt, on the assumption he might be a sane person who is repelled by all thingsNazi, especially because of a tainted reputation since birth.However, recent news indicates he is attracted to all this.Instant dismissal required. Date Added: 02/04/2008
Clive Very impressive, Björn - I hope it has some effect. One small point: it was Max's father, Oswald, who was married in the presence of Hitler. Date Added: 02/04/2008
Clive I agree that Max's parents should not be relevant, Peter, unless he makes them relevant, of course. I think the F1 world has generally been quite sensitive in not mentioning such things, even when in disagreement with Max.But there is no doubt that he has to go after this affair. Date Added: 02/04/2008
peterg First visit to your blog, via dr vee.If it takes a lurid sex scandal from NOTW to rid motorsport of Mosley, then so be it.I'm convinced he is digging in only for an attempt at a pay- out from NOTW in a legal suit & will then retire. Let's hope he is ejected from office post haste. Date Added: 02/04/2008
Clive I think it's the first time I've seen your blog too, Peter - you do NASCAR as well!I agree that it hardly matters why Max goes at this point, he must just go. My fear is that he will hang on long enough to do even more damage. Date Added: 02/04/2008
Clive Oops, got you confused with Peter Boyle up there, Peter. Sorry about that. Date Added: 02/04/2008
Steven Roy It looks like we were right when we said threatening to sue the Sunday Times would bring Max's downfall. It's fine for Max to run his own little kangaroo court but you don't threaten Rupert Murdoch unless you are squeaky clea and Max has never been that. If we all thought his comments were stupid knowing what we knew you have to wonder how he could possibly have made them knowig what he knew. He must be totally deranged and out of contact with reality but I guess running your own private little fiefdom will do that every time. Date Added: 02/04/2008
Steven Roy For the last two hours I have had Peter Cook and Dudley Moore singing Goodbye in my head. Date Added: 02/04/2008
Clive Yup, Steven, it seems it's true that absolute power corrupts absolutely. And it was a monumental case of stupidity on Max's part - had he really been reading the blogs, he would have been able to see this kind of thing coming. People keep telling me how intelligent he is and what a fine lawyer but all I've been able to see is a petty little man drunk with power and using it to further his own agenda.Let's hope the "goodbye" is not long in coming. Date Added: 02/04/2008
Journeyer The way this is going, Max will probably dig in. If it was him in the vid (and his statement never denied it), he'll at least want Murdoch to go down with him. After all, at this point, what else does his have to lose? He's lost his dignity already and the job will follow suit. So might as well raise hell for someone else too. Date Added: 02/04/2008
Clive The word "meltdown" springs to mind, Journeyer... Date Added: 02/04/2008
Björn Svensson I apoplgise for mixing Max and his father, but i still think that one's childhood is important to take to think about, atleast when it is about the kind of work Max does.I can't say i have ever related any of his work-ethics or the way he submits rules or regulations to anything near fachistic or something sprung out of the mind of a nazi.But it is quite obvious in the recent happenings, that the old childplay never really leaves ones mind, and what you used to play when young still can be fun even when reaching a respectable age.Having a father such as Max's, must in some ways have formed him and have given him his values in life. It does to everyone else. Date Added: 03/04/2008
Clive Max was quite involved with his father's attempt to re-start his political career in the sixties, Björn, and then opted to go into law, following which he became interested in motor racing. He remained an admirer of his father, however, and fell out with an older brother who wrote a book arguing against their father. So there is no doubt he was influenced to some extent at least. Date Added: 03/04/2008
RSS comments feed
Back to the main blog
You may use some HTML in comments. For bold text use <strong></strong> and for italic text use <em></em>. If you know what you're doing feel free to use more complex mark-up but please no deprecated tags, break tags or JavaScript.
Enter the code shown above: Name * Comment * Email * URL
