Win One for Speedo, Lads!

Simon Grayson has had one message this week for the Leeds boys - "win one for Speedo!" Unfortunately, I'll be teaching all afternoon, so I won't be around for the clash against Forest or any of the other mid-week footie, but I thought I'd post this thread for those of you lucky enough to enjoy the afternoon. Come on, you Whites!

Premiership Plus Predictions Game - Week 13

It's nearly the half way point of the domestic season, with 13 matches played and a spate of matches to come over the holidays. Time to check in on the standings for our PPP game:

1. West Ham Rising – 21 points
2. Gooner71 – 17 pts
3. Blue Devil – 12 pts
- Someone Said – 12 pts
- Man Utd Rules – 12 pts
6. AZ Kicker – 10 pts
7. Thomas – 9 pts
- Matthew – 9 pts
9. Yellows – 8 pts
10. United We Stand – 7 pts
11. Simon Burke – 6 pts

A Great End to The Thanksgiving weekend

We start with Swansea vs Aston Villa followed by the main act: Liversox vs Man Citeh where the Sox need to do their duty and beat Citeh. Come join us for the EPL action unless you are busy shopping , finding those once in a lifetime bargains!

The LOB Alternative to Holiday Shopping

I'm up early again to follow what promises to be a fascinating Premiership day starting off at the Britannia with the relegation dogfight between Stoke and Blackburn. So, drop that holiday shopping list and join me for some good old fashioned footie banter.

The LOB Thanksgiving Turkey Award!

I'm starting what I hope will be an annual feature here at the LOB - The LOB Thanksgiving Turkey Award. This year's turkey is former Blackburn and Wales clogger Robbie Savage who has been "gracing" the ballroom floors of "Strictly Come Dancing" this season. One thing's for sure - Robbie wouldn't get away with those twinkle toed moves if he were still playing in the Championship without the likes of Lee Cattermole giving him a kick of the arse. Enjoy!

Champions League Gameday 5!

It's a cracking week in the Champions League, with the penultimate set of group matches. Up today - Citeh at Napoli and the FSC match with United hosting Benfica. Join me from 2:45 EST to follow the wild swings in fortunes.

Premiership Plus Predictions Game - Week 12

It was another wild and wooly weekend in English footer and it's taken it's toll on our PPP standings. WHR is still benefiting from bet on Citeh and Gooner71 on his love for RVP. Meanwhile, Newcastle continue to put a spanner in the works as they doggedly hang on to their CL spot. Here's the latest:

1. West Ham Rising – 20 points
2. Gooner71 – 17 pts
3. Blue Devil – 13 pts
- Someone Said – 13 pts
5. Man Utd Rules – 12 pts
6. Thomas – 10 pts
7. AZ Kicker – 9 pts
8. Matthew – 8 pts
- Yellows – 8 pts
10. United We Stand – 7 pts
11. Simon Burke – 6 pts

Some Monday Night Footie

Spurs host Villa in a Monday night EPL match that will affect the standings at the top of the table. Brad Freidel will be attempting to keep a clean sheet against the club he left last summer. Join us if you can.

MLS Cup Final 2011 Live!

It's the capper on another successful MLS season and it may be David Beckham's swan-song in this country. The Home Depot Center venue must favor the Galaxy but Brian Ching's Dynamo side won't be push-overs. They've both been here before - join me on ESPN from 9pm onward for the festivities.

Back in Business!

We're back in business, boys, with two early morning crackers - Arsenal at Carrow Road to meet scrappy Norwich and my beloved Leeds boys at Turf Moor to meet Burnley. So, brew yourself a strong pot of coffee and join me from 7:45 EST onward for the usual LOB Saturday morning shenanigans.

Blatter's Latest Blather

At the risk of adding further issues and confusion to the OWS movement, I added the name of FIFA President Sepp "50 Bad Ideas a Day" Blatter to the Occupy Fredonia "Big Board" of "Things You're Angry About" yesterday. Blatter's latest own goal? His statements this week that players who receive racist abuse should merely shake hands with their abusers and get on with the match. How much more of this rot does the Beautiful Game have to suffer until Blatter is forced to walk the plank? Your thoughts, gents?

Seeding for the Euros

UEFA announced that England are in the second pot of the draw for the Euros next summer. So the nightmare Scenario is Spain, England, Portugal, and France.

All will be revealed on December 2nd.

Seedings for Euro 2012

Pot 1: Spain, Holland, Poland, Ukraine.

Pot 2: Germany, Italy, England, Russia.

Pot 3: Croatia, Greece, Portugal, Sweden.

Pot 4: Denmark, France, Czech Republic, Republic of Ireland

MUR Participates in Movember

As promised, I have posted my latest picture as I will not be shaving during the month of November as part of Prostate Cancer Awareness. I believe this is sufficient evidence to show that I currently have the hariest face on LOB. I guess all LOBers will have a good laugh at this hideous picture!

The Final Hurdle!

The last four slots for Euro 2012 Poland/Ukraine will be confirmed this evening as the second legs of the playoffs kick off. Unfortunately, as usual on a Tuesday, I'll be teaching all afternoon, so I'll be merely in and out following the scores. But feel free to use this thread to update the LOB throng.

Minute 2:20

I told UWS that some friends had sent me a link which I thought was the Irish commentary going mental over the Estonia result. No, it was this link of the Uruguayan commentary team going mental over the one man demolition of Chile by Suarez. Check it at minute 2:20

England vs. Spain

It's a bloomin' friendly, innit? Let's be havin' ya around noon alright?

France vs. USA Friendly

I closed the shop early to get home in time. Anyone game to join in?

Nigel Tufnel Day Quiz!

1. What area of London are both Nigel and David St. Hubbins from?

2. What was the name of Nigel's first band?

3. What was the name of Nigel and David's first song?

4. What, according to Nigel, is the "saddest of all keys?"

5. What is the name of Nigel's farm?

6. What angers Nigel about the catering in North Carolina?

7. What is Nigel's astrological sign?

8. According to Nigel, "girls run away from" what in Spinal Tap's pants?

9. Why does David say about Nigel - "you're not as confused as he is!"

10. What song does Nigel quit the band during a gig at an Air Force base?

Best of luck!

Five Lessons for Klinsy's USA

Ken Gude has a really interesting piece about the US national side after five matches of Jurgen Klinsmann's tenure, framed around these five lessons:

1. "Progress not Miracles"

2. "Bradley didn't miss any hidden gems in the player pool."

3. "Klinsmann has stabilized the defense."

4. "No Bornstein but still no real left back."

5. "Possession and tempo the basics of an emerging style."

You can read the full piece here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2011/nov/09/jurgen-klinsmann-usmnt-usa-france-slovenia

The bloomin' controversy

Where do you come down on whether England should wear a poppy on their shirts at Wembley against Spain?

I think it's another episode where FIFA under Blatter has stepped in another turd and won't politely excuse itself to go wash up.

Does anyone really think that if Blatter's chum Adi introduced a new even more lightweight and cock-eyed flighted ball with poppies on the panels for the match, that Blatter wouldn't champion it? Or that if Budweiser ran up a range of bottles with poppies, those suds wouldn't flow freely at Wembley?

It was only a matter of time before nationalist elements would be aroused by the story and sure enough, the bigots from the despicable EDL weighed in

Today the news was first that the ref's been instructed by FIFA to abandon the match if England defies the ban on the display of the poppy. Then later in the day, we learned of a compromise involving the poppy on black armbands.

I think the supporters are free to wear poppies and should, en masse. And if someone can do up a huge poppy banner to unveil down one side of Wembley, so much the better. Anything to continue to showcase that FIFA is morally bankrupt and that Blatter is unfit to be its chairman.

RIP Jimmy Saville (1927-2011)

I'm feeling just a wee bit older this afternoon as another cultural icon from my youth - Jimmy Saville - has died at the age of 84. I recently read a brilliant book about DJ culture and found that, far from the buffoon with the big cigar and fright wig on TOTP, Saville was a legendary pioneer who invented much of the early DJing equipment. RIP Jimmy. Who'll fix it now?

Premiership Plus Predictions Game - Week 11

Not a lot of movement in the PPP stakes this weekend, but I thought we might need a check-in before the extra long international break coming up. Here are the current standings:

1. West Ham Rising – 26 points
2. Gooner71 – 18 pts
-. Someone Said – 18 pts
4. AZ Kicker – 15 pts
5. Thomas – 12 pts
6. Matthew – 11 pts
7. Blue Devil – 10 pts
- United We Stand – 10 pts
9. Simon Burke – 9 pts
- Yellows – 9 pts
11. Man Utd Rules – 2 pts

Fall back to Standard Time

Come join us for some not so super matches where the highlight must be Svenless Leicester City vs Leeds as the whites reunite with some old friends in Kasper Schmeichel and Jermaine Beckford while Simon Grayson played for Leicester during their glory days.

Soccer on Central Standard Time

Greetings from the Windy! I'm in Chicago for the History of Education Society meeting, but I'm hoping to be able to skip a couple of sessions this morning in order to follow the matches. First up, we've got high-flying Newcastle against Everton. Another win for the Magpies and who knows? That's followed by the usual 3pm GMT kickoffs. And at the end of the afternoon, we've got the fascinating encounter of QPR v. Citeh. Join me for the usual LOB action.

SAF Celebrates 25 Years in Charge

Sir Alex Ferguson celebrates 25 years in charge of Manchester United. His achievements in his time at the club have been mind boggling to say the least. As far as I am concerned he is the greatest manager in British football history. Other managers have been mentioned because they proved themselves in multiple countries,dealt with difficult owners,and were considered innovators in terms of football tactics and style. Football is a results oriented business and "Fergie" inherited a team that was a about to be relegated and full of drunkards and molded them into one of the best teams in the world. SAF has done it year after year after year. As far as I am concerned he is the best.

MLS is 3rd most attended spectator sport

The MLS has been better attended than the NHL, and this season breezed by the NBA so that now, it's only behind MLB and the NFL in attendence.

Here's the link to the story

Champions League Gameday 4!

You know you're in the doghouse with Fergie when you get a run out at Old Trafford against Galati in the Champions League group stages. I'll be following proceedings on FSC but my full attention will be on the Championship cracker at Elland Road between the Whites and Blackpool. We're an hour back today, with kick-off at 3:45pm EST, so I'm hoping to be joined by some of you as you finish your workdays.

Premiership Plus Predictions Game - Week 10

Another week gone in the Premiership and the naggingly good Newcastle form is still putting a crimp in our predictions style. Gooners benefited this week, however, from the ripping form of their boy Robin van Persie. Here are the current standings:

1 West Ham Rising – 26 points
2. Gooner71 – 18 pts
3. AZ Kicker – 16 pts
- Someone Said – 16 pts
5. Matthew – 11 pts
6. Simon Burke – 10 pts
- Thomas – 10 pts
- United We Stand – 10 pts
9. Blue Devil – 7 pts
- Yellows – 7 pts
11. Man Utd Rules – 2 pts