Happy 5th Birthday, LOB!

Today marks five fantastic years of chatter on this forum. Many thanks to all of you who have made LOB the place to go on a Saturday morning. I hope you'll join me for an epic day of blogging as the English footie world nears its climax. I'm hoping some of the anniversary mojo will rub off on my beloved Whites as they travel to Burnley for a last-chance saloon match to qualify for the play-offs. See you around 7:45 am EST.

Never Mind the Bollocks....

As usual, the Daily Show provided the antidote to the fawning pro-royal coverage in the American mainstream media. Cut and paste the following link for Jon Oliver's excellent bit from last night's show:

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-april-28-2011/royal-wedding-excitement-in-london?xrs=share_fb

Enjoy!

Footie Trivia of the Week

It's been a long stretch since our last trivia question but with our 5th anniversary looming this weekend, I thought it was high time to revisit the Trivia Corner. Here's one that I got from the Guardian pod this week:

"There is only one footballer who has ever played international football for his country in four different decades. Who is he?" (Hint: he is still currently playing)

Good luck, chaps!

Champions League Semi Finals Live!

Manchester United are racing toward a glamour Champions League final with either Real or (more likely) Barca next month. But before that, there's the annoying hurdle of Schalke 04 who sport a resurgent Raul. In the Premiership, Stoke City have the chance of reaching (relative) safety today against Wolves. Join me for all the action from 2:45 pm onward.

Championship Footie Live!

Right - it's time to pull our fingers out. The mighty LUFC have been making heavy weather of some relatively easy fixtures in the past month, so much so that we've allowed Forest, Burnley and even Hull think that they have a chance of pipping us for the last playoff spot. No mas. With three matches left, we need to start winning. First up - Palace away. They're struggling; we should put another nail into the coffin. Come on, you Whites!

Easter Footer

Greetings from the Nation's Capital. I'm ensconced in Gooner Central for the holiday weekend footer. We get started bright and early with United v. Everton followed by the usual 3pm GMT kickoffs and round-off with Chelsea v. the Hammers. Join me for the hunt for points at the business end of the season.

If It's Wednesday....It's the North London Derby?

Who the hell is programming the fixtures this season? It used to be that the North London Derby - one of the marquee events of the season - was smack dab in the middle of the Boxing Day schedule. Now - it's popping up on a random Wednesday evening in April? I have a feeling that before we know it, the Champions League Final is going to be scheduled at 3am on a Monday morning to suit the Singapore gambling mafia. But I digress....if you're watching, drop in for a natter, won't you?

Tuesday in the Premiership

Manchester United can bounce back from that Wembley disappointment on Saturday and take one more inevitable step toward the title with a win at St. James' Park this afternoon. We also have the non-inconsequential Championship match-up between Burnley and Boro, in which I'll obviously be rooting on the Northeasterners. If you're around today, drop in for a cuppa around 2:45 EST.

Premiership Plus Predictions Update - Week 32

Apologies for not having updated our game recently. Since we're coming down to the "business end" of the season, it's high time to check in on the standings. Since I last totted up the scores, a lot of us crashed out of the FA Cup with that Yaya Toure goal at the weekend. But we've picked up points with Everton run of form and Blackpool's lack of form. I'm also indicated here the choices of those who are still in the running for the FA Cup and Champions League. Here are the current standings:

1. United We Stand - 33 points (Citeh in FA; United in CL)
2. Thomas - 32 points (Barca in CL)
3. ManUtd Rules - 28 points (Barca in CL)
4. Matthew - 27 points (Real in CL)
5. Gooner71 - 23 points (Barca in CL)
5. Someone Said - 23 points
7. Simon Burke - 20 points (Barca in CL)
8. Blue Devil - 18 points (Barca in CL)
9. AZ Kicker - 15 points (Barca in CL)
10. West Ham Rising - 14 points (Barca in CL)
11. Blubber Boy - 9 points (Real in CL)

Soccer on Sunday

Can Arsenal make the Davids even more grumpy this morning? We'll soon see as they kick off at the Emirates against a resurgent Liverpool looking to close the gap with United at the top of the league. As for the FA Cup semi final kicking off simultaneously - is anyone excited to watch Bolton and Stoke? Didn't think so....

The FA Cup Derby... and some league matches!

So, all the fans in Manchester have all had to make the trip down to Wembley to play a match that should have been played in the Midlands or in Liverpool
Join me for the big match!
Okay, there are some league matches out there too. Looking forward to WBA continuing their unbeaten run against Chelsea.
Bob's lot better get the fingers out and get a win today at Elland Road against Watford

COME ON UNITEDS!!!

Oh - What a Goal! Volume 2

I seem to remember a similar effort to this one from Robbo at Shite Fart Lane, but that one was a one-hopper. In any case, Colombian keeper Quinonez Wilson is claiming a world record with this 83 yard bomb that goes straight in. But what about his opposing keeper? In the stock phrase of the commentator, "he'll want that one back!"

Progressing to the semis of the Champions League? You're having a larf, Harry

I'm fairly sure that Madrid won't be able to serve up a spank-fest two weeks in a row. Surely not, eh?

They're Back at It!

It's another big day in European footie, highlighted by the second leg of United's CL semi-final clash with Chelski. I'll also have more than an eye on the Championship fixtures, highlighted (for me) by my Leeds boys' travels to the Ricoh Stadium to meet Derby County. High stakes stuff, then. Join me if you can for the action!

In Rooney's defence...

I just finished watching the spuds vs. orks on the Premiership Review show tonight and it struck me that during Crouchie's goal celebration, it's pretty obvious that he's saying "F**k off" to the adoring and unevolved half of North London. And unlike your favorite Gooner, when he says it to spuds fans, he's got a smile on his face.

Cameras everywhere and field mikes too, so what's the difference between what Rooney got caught yelling and what Crouchie and pretty much every other premiership goal scorer runs about yelling after they score?

F&%king What? It's the Weekend!

After a punishing week of tedious, contentious meetings, I'm really looking forward to putting my feet up and watching a bit of the good stuff this morning. It all starts in a moment with Wolves v. Everton. The 3pm GMT fixtures are dominated by ManYoo v. Fulham and there's even a vital, late Championship clash between Swansea and Norwich. Join me for the weekend's best.

LOB Summer Reading

I'm about five weeks shy of summer vacation at this point, so I'm starting to collect summer fun reading. We've had some good experiences hosting reading circles here in previous summers, so how about it? Here are the books that I'm looking forward to reading this summer and might make for a good read here at the LOB:

Jennifer Egan - A comic novel about the music industry.

T.J. English - The Savage City: A survey of New York City in the 70s.

Manning Marable - Malcolm X: The recently-diseased historian's definitive biography.

Steve Martin - An Object of Beauty: Comedian Martin's tongue in cheek novel about the art world.

Rob Sheffield - Talking to Girls about Duran Duran: Rolling Stone critic Sheffield's collection of musings about 80s music.

David Sirota - Back to Our Future: A liberal culture critic looks at the influence of 80s tv and movies on American politics of the past thirty years.


Sarah Vowell - Unfamiliar Fishes: The alt historian Vowell looks at the Spanish-American War.

Feel free to suggest your own picks. Happy reading!

Oh - What a Goal!

Lost among the rubble of Inter Milan's epic 2-5 home loss to Schalke on Tuesday was this cracking opening goal by Dejan Stankovic. Enjoy!

More Champions League Quarter Action!

If it's Wednesday afternoon, it's Champions League time again. I'm willing to give Barca a free berth to the semis with Real already but I suppose they at least need to turn up today against Shakhtar. But the real action today will be between the two English sides left in the tournament live from the Bridge in a matter of moments. Join me if you're watching.

Champions League - Quarters Live!

It's down to biz in the Champions League again today with the first two quarter-final fixtures, including Spurs at the Bernabeu. I'm getting here late today and will likely have to drop in and out because of the craziness of the day. If you're around, chip in won't you?

Stephen Colbert sings "Friday" on Jimmy Fallon!

Just in case you missed it late Friday night, Stephen Colbert sang Rebecca Black's anthem "Friday" on Jimmy Fallon's show as part of a charity agreement. Warning: this version is a lot of fun but do not be tempted to Google the original video, unless you're a 12 year girl or you really want to poke your eyes out - it is heinous. Enjoy!

Football Venn Diagrams

Best one imho, this Balotelli one. Saddest one, the Alumnia effort.

Agree, disagree, here's the LINK

Sunday EPL Football

Come join us for some Sunday Action as Fulham host Blackpool in a relegation battle in which the winner should be much closer to safety and the loser is firmly involved in a relegation struggle. Sunderland host Man Citeh in the second match. If Citeh win then they move into third place.

A Tale of Two Uniteds

At 7:45 am EST, Man Utd will kick off at Upton Park and the mighty LUFC will kick off at Elland Road against Forest in a must-win Championship match. So, put on an extra pot of coffee and join me early - it should be epic!

What's on at the Movies?

I realized in horror the other day that it was the end of March and I still hadn't seen any movies actually released in 2011. Now, to be fair, the early spring is usually a film wasteland when the majors dump the films that haven't screened well on unwitting film geeks. Knowing this, I usually spend January and February catching up on Oscar picks that I hadn't had a chance to see in November and December. But by this point, I've usually seen two or three decent efforts (e.g., "Shutter Island" and "The Ghost Writer" in 2010). This year....nothing. The only thing on the horizon seems to be the new Paul Giamatti movie "Win-Win," which hasn't quite made it to western NY yet.

So, what's out there worth watching? What have you enjoyed so far this year? Keep in mind, now, that I'm a 47-year old with no kids in tow, so I can't really get away with dropping in on the likes of "Rango" without risking arrest for pederasty. So movies for adults only, please.