The Soccer Thread (IV)

Yeah, I did. Thanks, BC

 

Their form on the pitch has been absolute pants.

 

OK. I'm starting to get the hang of this. Just took a four-point transfer deduction for week two, but I'm happy with my first week's performance.

Thank God for Adebayor. I had no idea why I got double points for him, not knowing diddly about the captain rule. I guess that's karmic payback for the times I got beat by kids of staffers in the NCAA Tournament pool.

 

I'm just glad Spurs beat the Liverpudlians. They played well.

It should also be noted that Charlie Davies scored twice for Sochaux yesterday as a sub in a 3-2 loss to Bordeaux.

 

Gunners looking at 15-year-old American ... http://bit.ly/rvgt1

 

Rowdies are dead last!

I will be relegated to an indoor fantasy soccer league, or something. Oh well.

 

Notice I haven't been bragging about my first-place standing.
The view is nice, but it's a loooooong season.

 

I have yet to see the US game. I did find out the score as there was free WiFi on the train between Edinburgh and Glasgow.

For those interested, I'll have my pics up on Facebook at some point tomorrow evening. I'm a bit beat right now, but damn that was an awesome trip.

Ibrox rawked. Hard. I took a tour of it on Thursday and that was awesome enough as I was in the locker room and out on the field. Magic.

 

Bill Simmons opens his eyes:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/090817

Maybe if he tries to choose a Premier League team again, he'll stick with it this time.

EDIT: Finally slogged through it. Did an OK job with setting up the atmosphere, but does he have to equate everything with some Boston game?

"This was JUST LIKE when Boston Celtics fans hated Ralph Sampson!"

No, Bill. NO it wasn't.

And the last part of the piece turned into the latest "Well-known writer suddenly discovers soccer, decides to attempt to write intellectual-sounding referendum on its place and future in the U.S."

Ugh. No thanks.

 

Really a good piece.
I found this passage particularly interesting, natch:

For instance, I watched Sunday's Liverpool-Tottenham battle, and Steven Gerrard was so ridiculously, dominantly good in so many different ways -- some overt, some subtle -- that I couldn't get over it. He makes difficult plays seem effortless; you never forget he's on the field. America doesn't have anyone like that. Just like in basketball, you can't win championships in soccer without a LeBron/Kobe-type player

Two reasons that was notable.
1) That was a below-average game for Stevie G. If Simmons watched him at his best, what would he think?
2) England has that guy on its national team -- and won't let him loose because, well, what would Lampard think?

 

My favorite line:

Blanco might be 73 for all we know; he moves like the "South Park" guys are animating him.

I saw Blanco play in person earlier this year. He moves like he's had most of his bones fused.

 

A 90th-minute equaliser for the mighty Havant & Waterlooville means it's 8 points from 4 games, a 2-2 draw from Bath City.

I might just do this all season.