Happy Birthday LOB!

Lakenheath Old Boys is three years old today. Many thanks to all of you who have participated in our various discussions.

In the past year, we've picked up some new participants and I continue to hope that we can expand our contributor list by pulling in some other Feltwell and Lakenheath alums with whom I've reconnected through the wonders of Facebook.

Our mission continues to be Anglophilic and footie-centric, but we're always open to broadening our horizons with book discussions and cultural and political threads.

Long live the LOB!

United vs. Arsenal Live!

I'm a bit goal starved after yesterday's CL semi-final, so I'm looking for a good old fashioned Premiership goalfest today.

Join me from 2:45 EST for the big one!

Barcelona vs. Chelsea Live!

It's Champions League semi-final time! Chelski enter the lion's den (aka the Nou Camp) as they take on Barca tonight. The Catalan side are definitely the favorites but Guus Hiddink has been sounding confident in recent days, predicting a goal fest.

Can the Blues keep out Messi and co? We'll soon see.

Football Matters

I've really been enjoying "Football Matters," the footie chat show hosted by James Richardson on Setanta. It's fairly easy to grab from around 5:15 p.m. EST on Mondays.

I don't know why FSC hasn't figured out that this format of having real fans of MLS clubs in the audience for a chat show would work really well over here.

Four more please, Andrei

Anybody else up for the Arsenal vs. Boro?

Time to Call the Engravers?

The 4-4 thriller between Liverpool and Arsenal in mid-week has put Manchester United back in pole position in the title race. They host Spurs in the late game this afternoon. Before that, we have loads of interesting matches involving teams at the bottom.

Join me for the Saturday footie fest.

The Guardian Unlimited Music Weekly Podcast

Finding it hard to keep up with the latest Britpop? Well, lament no more. Our friends at the Guardian have recently started up a weekly music podcast hosted by Paul MacInnes inventively titled "Music Weekly."

This week's edition features the guitarist Graham Coxon from Blur as guest DJ. This one is destined to be another favorite of mine along with "Football Weekly" with James Richardson.

You can subscribe to the podcast for free from iTunes or by cutting and pasting the following link:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/series/musicweekly

Midweek Footer

It's the business end of the season in which every match has real significance. Manchester United set off on a tear of three matches in five days tonight, while Chelsea have a dress rehearsal for their Cup Final appearance at the end of May.

Join me if you're watching this afternoon.

Liverpool vs. Arsenal Live!

Arsenal are the literal "walked wounded" as they head into Anfield today, but they could certainly do mortal damage to the Reds' championship hopes today.

Join me for all the action from 3 p.m. onward.

Spinal Tap - Unplugged and Unwigged

Yes, the boys from Spinal are going on the road this month, playing all the hits from "Big Bottom" to, my favorite, "Working on a Sex Farm." Check them out on these dates:

4/22 - Oakland, CA - Paramount
4/23 - Anaheim - The Grove
4/26 - LA - The Wiltern
4/27 - Phoenix - Dodge Theatre
4/29 - Denver - Paramount Theatre
5/1 - Houston - Jesse H. Jones Hall
5/2 - Dallas - Nokia Theatre
5/4 - Jacksonville, FL - Florida Theatre
5/5 - Miami - The Fillmore
5/6 - Orlando - Hard Rock Live
5/8 - St. Petersburg, FL - Mahaffey Theatre
5/9 - Atlanta - Fox Theatre
5/10 - Nashville - Ryman Auditorium
5/12 - Baltimore - Lyric Opera House
5/13 - Washington, D.C. - Warner Theatre
5/14 - Philadelphia - Keswick Theatre
5/17 - Columbus - Palace Theatre
5/19 - Cleveland - Palace Theatre
5/21 - Toronto - Massey Hall
5/22 - Mashantuckett, CT - Foxwoods
5/23 - Boston - Wilbur Theatre
5/24 - Atlantic City - Music Box
5/26-27 - NYC - Beacon Theatre
5/29 - Detroit - Fox Theatre
5/30 - Chicago - Chicago Theatre
5/31 - Milwaukee - Riverside Theatre

SEMI FINAL #2

So, another day at Wembley with a sea of Red fans and Blue fans flowing down Wembley Way.
Let's hope the Reds leave happy today!! Apparently, SAF has decided to leave VDS, Ronaldo and Rooney in Manchester. Will he regret that?
Join me

UWS

Saturday's Alright for Fighting

The last big Arsenal vs. Chelsea meeting ended up in an almighty ruck. They meet again this afternoon in the semi final of the Cup. Before then we've got the usual Saturday Premiership, Championship and Division 1 fixtures to savor.

Join me for all the argy bargy.

Britain's Newest Singing Sensation

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Yes, she may look a bit like Terry Jones in the "Spam" sketch, but Susan Boyle, a 47 year old unemployed Scottish woman is the toast of Blighty this week after wowing Simon Cowell on "Britain's Got Talent." Enjoy!

Buh-bye Tommy

One thing about FSC picking up the CL for next year is that it's finally time to say a unfond farewell to the worst football pundit in the world. He's so flippin' awful, it makes a good story even in a country that would have to you.tube him to find out just why we hate him.

Here's the story from yesterdays's Guardian

CLICK!

Lest you forget, here's a great link that will remind you of why it's great to be shot of him once and for all.

CLICK!

UEFA Cup Live!

Citeh will have their work cut out for them today as they take a 1-3 deficit back to Eastlands in hte second leg of the UEFA Cup quarterfinals.

Can the last English club in the UEFA Cup survive? Join me this afternoon on FSC from 2:45 EST to find out.

Champions League - Quarter Finals Live!

It's crunch time for United and Arsenal. The Red Devils have the stiffer challenge, having to win for the first time in Portugal. Meanwhile, the Arse take a draw and an away goal back to the Emirates where they face Villareal.

The action all starts at 2:45 on ESPN2.

Looking For Eric

I know a certain Manc and a Sheepshagger that will have to see this new Ken Loach movie



"I am not a man.... I am Cantona." I hope he does that bit about trawlers and seagulls too.

Crunch Time!

It's another critical weekend in the Premiership. It starts in just moments with Liverpool trying to bounce back from their mid-week CL disaster with a win at Anfield against strugglers Blackburn. United have a similar brief later against Sunderland and then we round out the afternoon with Newcastle desperate for points at Stoke.

Join me for the action at the top and bottom of the Premiership!

Fox Football Fone-in Gets Chippy

Those of you who tuned into Fox Football Fone-in on Monday night overheard a conversation that I've long been waiting to hear on the show. I was in the midst of taking notes on Gloria Ladson Billings's new "Dreamkeepers" volume when a caller from Atlanta interrupted the cheery chatter between Nick Webster, Steven Cohen and one of the suits from FSC on to stump for the channel's upcoming coverage of the Champions League. The caller proceeded to call out FSC for its substandard coverage of MLS:

Caller: Well, you'd better sort it out before you start trying to cover the Champions League....

Suit: Well, to be fair, we haven't received much criticism about our coverage of MLS....

Caller: ....because all of us out here have JustinTV.

(Ten seconds of nervous dead air)

Cohen: Let me be clear that JustinTV is an illegal channel, so we're not going to be talking about that here.

(Nervous laughter in the studio)

It's the first time I've heard our favorite San Francisco computer geek mentioned in polite circles, so I found it fascinating.

Any thoughts?

It's Not Your Granddad's Crisp!

One of the enduring memories of high school in 70s Britain is enjoying a packet of Cheese and Onion with a pint of Strongbow while playing some pool with the boys at the White Hart. Back then, you basically had a choice of about five crisp flavors. Today, however, you can choose everything from Marmite to Aged Stilton. And Walkers aren't finished. They recently tested some brand new flavors on an unwitting British public.

Below are the new flavors along with the witty descriptions of The Guardian's Charlie Brooker. See if you can match them up:


a. Builder's Breakfast
b. Crispy Duck and Hoisin
c. Fish and Chips
d. Onion Bhaji
e. Cajun Squirrel
f. Chilli and Chocolate

1. "They taste precisely like a tiny cat piping hot farts through a potpourri pouch into your mouth."

2. "It captures the feeling of sitting in a greasy spoon, being dumped via text while your food repeats on you. Depressing."

3. "It's like a lame TV movie about India starring Adam Woodyatt, with a soundtrack consisting entirely of library music."

4. "It's like kissing someone who's just eaten a plateful of scampi. Halfway through, they belch in your mouth."

5. It's vaguely like the smell you get when you bleed a radiator, but sharper, more disgusting and worryingly 'human.'"

6. "They taste like the standard Roast Chicken flavor might if the 'chicken' in them had been killed with a hammer made of compacted sugar."

Good luck!

Liverpool vs. Chelsea Live!

There they go again! It's the old enemies Liverpool and Chelsea meeting again for what seems like the zillionth time in the past few seasons. Join me for the latest chapter in their on-going saga.

On, and Barca and Bayern are on today as well...

Champions League Quarter Finals Live!

Turn off the cellphone, lock yourself in and join me this afternoon -

It's Champions League quarter finals day:

United vs. Porto
Villareal vs. Arsenal

Elvis Costello's Spectacle

If you don't have the Sundance Channel on your cable or satellite system, you've been missing out on Elvis Costello's excellent "Spectacle" show. But, never fear: YouTube has the best of the clips. My favorite episode to date is the one that featured the wonderful Rilo Kiley singer Jenny Lewis backed by She and Him. Here she is doing the gorgeous tune "Pretty Bird" from last year's Acid Tongue album with M. Ward adding some spooky atmospheric guitar behind her. Enjoy!

A Must Win!

Manchester United need to get back on winning ways today against Aston Villa. MUFC are now in second place but a win today will bring us back on top with a game in hand. United can still lose win one more game and win the rest and be crowned champions. I don't want that... I want all WINS!!
Join me


UWS

Back to the Premiership

After an interminable WC qualifying break, we're finally back to the Premiership schedule this Saturday. And it's serving us up some tantalizing fixtures. It all starts in a few minutes with Blackburn vs. Spurs. At 10 a.m. we've got Arsenal vs. Citeh and, my pick, Newcastle hosting Chelski. Oh, and if that's not enough, there's Fulham trying to do United a favor against Liverpool. If you're not a numpty, you'll join me for all the action.

The Cellar

Suddenly we have an exciting run-in to the Premiership season. All of the attention will be directed to the title race between United and Liverpool. However, an equally compelling story is brewing at the bottom of the table.

Here's how I see the table at the end of the season:

16. Portsmouth - 38 points
17. Stoke City - 38
18. Newcastle - 36
19. Middlesboro - 33
20 West Brom - 28

What do the rest of you think?

Shearer Madness?

After all of the excitement of yesterday's triumphant qualifying wins, we need to double back and talk about the Premiership's big story - the appointment of Magpie hero Alan Shearer as the new manager at Newcastle United.

My two cents - a romantic figure is the last thing Newcastle need at this moment in which they need to pick up a minimum of eleven points from their eight remaining fixtures.

What say you?

England vs. Ukraine Live!

Let's hope Roon, JT and Crouchie will be celebrating plenty of goals this afternoon as the Three Lions take on Ukraine at Wembley in their fifth qualifier of the 2010 World Cup qualification campaign for South Africa. Join me from around 2:30 EST for all the action.