We are all former students at Lakenheath High School and other public schools in East Anglia. We were in school in the 70s and 80s and drank deeply from the well of British culture of those decades - the pints, the telly, and of course the footie!
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Fabio's First Squad
Don Fabio has announced his England squad for the Switzerland friendly and he's flipped the bird to Becks and Robbo, who are both left out. At the same time, he's given Gabby Agbonlahor his first foray in the full squad. The bad news - apparently Capello's a fan of Jermaine Jenas, Stuart Downing and Nicky Shorey. Here's the full squad:
Carson (Aston Villa), James (Portsmouth), Kirkland (Wigan); Bridge (Chelsea), Brown (Manchester United), A Cole (Chelsea), C Davies (Aston Villa), Ferdinand (Manchester United) G Johnson (Portsmouth), King (Tottenham), Lescott (Everton), Richards (Manchester City), Shorey (Reading), Upson (West Ham), Woodgate (Tottenham); Barry (Aston Villa), Bentley (Blackburn), Carrick (Manchester United), J Cole (Chelsea), Downing (Middlesbrough), Gerrard (Liverpool), Hargreaves (Manchester United), Jenas (Tottenham), Wright-Phillips (Chelsea), Young (Aston Villa); Agbonlahor (Aston Villa), Crouch (Liverpool), Heskey (Wigan), Owen (Newcastle), Rooney (Manchester United).
The DNC's misguided decision to strip us Sunshine Staters of our delegates tonight means that only the Clinton insiders are interested in the Democratic primary results tonight. But on the GOP side...yeehaw, it's a barnburner!
It's official - Dennis Wise will leave Elland Road today to join Kevin Keegan at Newcastle Utd. I was never a huge Wise fan, but I have to admit that he and Gus Poyet had formed a solid fighting unit this season. The problem is that it's hard to hang on to successful people at our level. So, first we lost Poyet to Spurs and now Wisey to Newcastle. Sad days at Leeds, indeed.
It's a big night in South Carolina. After a particularly nasty couple of weeks of campaigning on the Democratic side, some questions will be asked: 1) Has the Clinton's race-baiting eroded the Obama support among whites? 2) Has Bill Clinton's behavior damaged his wife's campaign? 3) Is this the end of the line for native son John Edwards? Join me for the answers.
This is what the Hawks are used to playing in front of!!!! The FA Cup is back!! Villa and Rovers also have a Premiership match up and the Mighty Leeds need to get their fingers out at Luton!! I won't be around for the morning because I have three boys that never stop playing sports!! I will read the blog when I am around.
So, the sad news today is that Dennis Kucinich has dropped out of the Presidential race. He never imagined that he'd be successful in seizing the nomination but, like in 2004, he was using the campaign as a platform for progressive views. Unfortunately, the corporate media has done a more efficient job of freezing him out this time around. So, we're left with establishment candidates on both sides of the race at a time when the country is in a quagmire in the Middle East and the economy is in the crapper.
If you're watching the Republican debate live from Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton at 9 tonight on MSNBC, join me for a good political natter.
It may have been overshadowed by the sad news about Heath Ledger, but the Oscar nominees were announced this morning. For best film, it's No Country for Old Men, There Will Be Blood, Michael Clayton, In the Valley of Elah and Juno. Which gets your vote?
I don't ordinarily watch Serie A, but here's one reason to start tuning in to AC Milan's matches: Alexandre Pato. The 18 year old Brazilian is the new phenom in world football, having arrived at Milan last weekend amid the kind of hype that can make an adult wither. Instead he inspired an underachieving Milan side to a 5-2 win over Napoli, scoring one and laying on two for pie-boy Ronaldo. He reminds me of a young Michael Owen before defenders sussed him and the injuries kicked in. So watch and enjoy - the kid is a bit special.
Dave found this website that provides Facebook-style social networking opportunities for LHS alums. It looks pretty good. You can sign up and post photos and whatever other details you choose to have others see at:
It's the first time that all three championship rivals have played at 3 p.m. on a Saturday since, well, since Kevin Keegan was last at Newcastle. I would luv it, luv it, luv it, if you'd join me for the festivities.
Yes! Old Badger Head is back in the Prem. where he belongs. Newcastle announced today that Keegan will lead the side with fellow Magpie great Alan Shearer as his assistant. Get ready for the onslaught of a seven man attack and scorelines of 6-4 and 7-2. Should be grand!
It's another big Presidential campaign night, with several wrinkles that should make for interesting blog chatter. The big stakes in Michigan are on the GOP side where Mitt Romney is attempting to win his first big prize of the season largely through his family connections in a state that his dad used to run. John McCain is running a hard neck-and-neck race with him. The Democrats are largely ignoring the state as the DNC chair Howard Dean stripped it of its delegates over a spat around the primary schedule (we in the Sunshine State face a similar situation). So they'll be convening in Vegas for another big fight night with a debate that will be televised on MSNBC at 9 pm. If you're following any of this, give us a holler on the blog tonight.
So, Fat Sam is out at Newcastle having been sacked yesterday. And not before time, either. Hopefully this will be one more nail in the coffin of his career. But there are still questions to be asked: Will Shearer be next on the hot seat at St. James' Park? Does he have his coaching badges? And what about Joey Barton's future?
It's the first primary of the 2008 season. I remember my first - in 1984 - when I went up to Nashua to stump for (gulp!) Gary Hart. This time around the poll's are predicting Obama in a cakewalk. The GOP side is a little closer with McCain hoping that all the independents won't sign up on the Democratic side to vote for Obama, so that they can tip the balance for him against Mitt Romney. Should be a thrilling night. Join me if you're watching.
Some plum fixtures came out of the hat this morning. The big news is that Fat Sam can't buy a break. Even if his faltering Newcastle get through their replay with plucky Stoke, they'll face Arsenal at the Emirates in the next round. Chelsea will travel to Wigan, United will face either Reading or Spurs at home and Liverpool have the tantalizing prospect of a home match with non-leaguers Havant and Waterlooville if they can knock off Luton in their replay. Here's the full draw:
Arsenal v Stoke City/Newcastle Coventry v Walsall/Millwall Oldham v Huddersfield Town Swindon/Barnet v Fulham/Bristol Rovers Wigan v Chelsea Luton/Liverpool v Swansea/Havant & Waterlooville Southend v Barnsley Southampton v Norwich/Bury Man Utd v Tottenham/Reading Portsmouth v Plymouth Derby/Sheff Wed v Preston Watford v Wolves Peterborough v Charlton/West Brom Sheff Utd v West Ham/Man City Mansfield v Middlesbrough Tranmere/Hereford v Cardiff
Dissertation be damned, I'm setting up to watch the intriguing Burnley vs. Arsenal match from Turf Moor of FSC. And there are plenty of other good matches today, including Liverpool's trip to Luton and a tricky fixture for Big Sam's Newcastle at Stoke.
How many more Premiership clubs will fall today? Join me to see.
Iowa has winnowed down the race to perhaps three viable Democratic candidates and five viable Republican candidates. They'll all be on stage tonight starting at 7pm as part of the ABC/Facebook debates. Here's hoping they won't be posting candid photos of their drunken college parties!
It's FA Cup 3rd round time, the greatest day in the English football calendar, and there are plenty of intriguing Cup fixtures on the docket, including Ipswich vs. Portsmouth, which FSC will kindly show us at 10 a.m. Sadly, my beloved Whites won't be there for the first time in its history. We'll be hosting Northhampton at Elland Road.
The New Year has brought yet more chaos for my beloved LUFC. Dennis Wise was interviewed by police Wednesday after an incident in which he chased a thirteen year old delinquent who had thrown stones at his posh ride.
What next - will we pick up Joey Barton in the January window?
Read more here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/west_yorkshire/7169845.stm
After the long, torturous campaign process full of polls and media blather, the day for the voters is actually upon us. Naturally, I'm glued to the news today and I'm going to stick my neck out and predict wins for John Edwards and Mike Huckabee today.
What say the rest of you? If you're watching the results this evening, drop by for a chat.
It’s time again to reflect on memories of the year that’s just passed. Last year, in this space, I claimed to be an inveterate optimist. That optimism has both been rewarded and punished. So, yes, as in every year there have been ups and downs. Here are some of the most memorable:
Game of the Year – The Copa America Final, in which Brazil’s Baptista and Alves dismantled Argentina – the best side in international football.
Goal of the Year – Taylor “Double T” Twellman’s bicycle kick goal in the Eastern Conference Final against Chicago. Shame about the Final.
Player of the Year – Carlos Tevez. The Hulk single-handedly saved the Hammers’ bacon last season. This season he’s made a seamless transition to leading the line for ManYoo with Wayne Rooney.
Team of the Year – Inter Milan. Take a look at the recent derby with AC Milan – no mugs, those lot. With Toldo, Matterazzi, Zanetti, Solari, Figo, Suazo, Cruz and Ibrahimovic, they can afford to leave the likes of Patrick Vieira and Hernan Crespo cooling their bums on the bench. They’re frightening.
Soft Spot – Sven’s new-look Citeh. Arsenal and ManYoo aside, they’re playing some of the best stuff in the Premiership this season. With the silky smoothness of Elano and Petrov you can almost forgive the presence of the lumbering Richard Dunne on the backline. And their new 19 year old find Kelvin Etuhu appears to be English. Pinch me – I’m dreaming!
Best Moment – A shrimp boil meal with the Gooner and family and then celebrating the ultimate of improbabilities in the footie world – the U.S. taking the lead against mighty Argentina in the Copa. For a moment, anything looked possible…then the Argentinians destroyed us, and we could only sit and admire the art and beauty of their football.
Worst Moment – A tie between Leeds’ tragic and historic drop to the third tier of English league football and England’s disastrous collapse in the Euro 2008 campaign. I still rue not following the Croatia game live, thinking that it was all in the bag only to return at half time to a 0-2 deficit.
Funniest Moment – GOL TV’s Geordie madman Ray Hudson’s Copa America commentary. My favorite Hudsonism – “I’d pay good money to see Juan Roman (Riquelme) hang up his washing on the line.” Click on the YouTube clip above for more moments of Hudson magic.
Hope for 2008 – Fairly obvious again; promotion back to the Championship for the Whites. Wisey seems to have righted the ship; if it weren’t for the ludicrous fifteen-point deduction, we’d be ten points up on league leaders Swansea. Oh, and perhaps Don Fabio can make something of England? There’s always hope for the next campaign, eh?
And thanks to the LOB contributors for brightening the footie this past year.
We are all former students at Lakenheath High School and other public schools in East Anglia. We were in school in the 70s and 80s and drank deeply from the well of British culture of those decades - the pints, the telly, and of course the footie!
Don Fabio has announced his England squad for the Switzerland friendly and he's flipped the bird to Becks and Robbo, who are both left out. At the same time, he's given Gabby Agbonlahor his first foray in the full squad. The bad news - apparently Capello's a fan of Jermaine Jenas, Stuart Downing and Nicky Shorey.
