Closing the Transfer Window

It's transfer window closing day in Britain, and there are plenty of shiny objects to look at. Who do you want your favorite club to scoop up? Who do you want to hang onto? Who would you like to see the back of? It's all on show today until around 5pm GMT. You can follow the transfer deals here:

http://www.football365.com/transfer-blog/8457402/Follow-The-Fun-Games-On-The-Live-Blog

Hump Day Footer

What better way to combat the mid-workweek blues but to sit back, relax and enjoy some Premiership footer? We've got six matches in the Premiership, highlighted by Liverpool's visit to the Emirates to meet Arsenal. I'll be around for most of the match - join me if you can!

US v. Canada Live!

It's an unexpected, bumper day of footer today, rounding off with a "non-sanctioned" international between Jurgen Klinsmann's boys and our friends to the north. It'll be an all-MLS affair, so it might be a good evening to scout out some young American talent. I'll be on hand around 9pm to watch on ESPN2 and blog to my heart's content. Join me if you're not watching the American Idol auditions - or some other bollocks.

Relegation Dogfight Tuesday

I'm back at Blue Devil HQ after my morning class today to enjoy this afternoon's Premiership and Championship matches. There are a number of matches involving relegation threatened sides, but nothing beats the titanic contest at Villa Park between Villa and Newcastle - two sides in terrible form with managers under pressure. And - thank the stars - FSC has it live from 2:45pm onward.

Trivia Time!!!

Haven't had one of these lately!
In honor of this weekend's excting ties in the FA Cup, I came across this question.


Seven players have scored in the FA Cup final since 2000 whose surnames end in a vowel (penalty shootouts not included). Who are they?

I got 6 out of 7


Good Luck
UWS

Sunday Cup Triple Feature

A very early morning to all of your LOBers out there. Chelski get us started at 7am EST as they travel to Brentford. Liverpool wrap us up at 11am EST with their trip to Oldham. But the highlight of the day, in my humble estimation is the epic encounter between Leeds and Spurs at Elland Road. Wish Billy Bremner and Dave Mackay were still around for this one. Come on, you Whites!

FA Cup 4th Round Live!

Wahay! It's 4th Round time in the FA Cup and I couldn't be more excited. We start early with Stoke v. Citeh. Then there a load of interesting ties at the 10am EST hour. And we wrap it up with United v. Fulham at 12:30pm EST. If you're not watching the Cup and blogging on the LOB tomorrow, you're officially a numpty.

Phoenix from the Flames - Part 3

For your entertainment this Friday afternoon, here's another from our series of Phoenix from the Flame homages. In this edition, we have Roberto Mancini (MUR) grabbing at Mario Balotelli (Blue Devil) in a training pitch bust-up at Citeh.

And in case that's not enough entertainment for you this afternoon, here's another classic Baddiel and Skinner clip featuring Gerry Francis:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFXiPSYqRWY

The January Transfer Window Blues

I'm feeling the January transfer window blues today, as news come across the wires that Luciano Becchio has handed in his transfer request. Somehow our new moneybags consortium can't meet his wage demands. In other transfer news, Wilfred Zaha is having a medical at United as I type and Mohammed Diame has decided to stay at Upton Park rather than move across London to Arsenal. You can keep up with all of this nonsense here:

http://www.football365.com/transfer-blog/8429823/Follow-The-Lovely-F365-Transfer-Blog

So who would you like your club to buy? And more importantly, who would you like to hang on to?

Premiership Plus Predictions Game - Week 23 Update

We're through another exciting round of English domestic footie today with the advance of Bradford City and Swansea to the League Cup Final. Unfortunately, that knocks out the last three of our PPPers who had picked Chelski for the cup. In the league, Liverpool are back up into the European slots, so several of us have got points for that one. And Robin van Persie keeps on scoring. Here are the current standings:

1. Man United Rules - 30 points
2. United We Stand - 29 pts
3. Thomas - 28 pts
4. Matthew - 25 pts
5. West Ham Rising - 18 pts
6. AZ Kicker - 14 pts
7. Blue Devil - 13 pts
- Someone Said - 13 pts
9. Chelskilad - 11 pts
10. Gooner71 - 9 pts
11. Red Devil FCK1 - 8 pts
- Simon Burke - 8 pts

League Cup Semi Final Action!

The semi-finals of the League Cup wrap up today with Swansea v. Chelski. Arsenal are also having a go at the Hammers today in their long-delayed re-scheduled tube strike match. Join me this afternoon, if you around.

Southhampton v. Everton Live!

I'm taking advantage of another quiet Monday afternoon in the office before the semester starts in earnest next week to check out this afternoon's Premiership clash between Southampton and Everton. If you're similarly engaged, please join me on the LOB.

A Super EPL Sunday in the Capital

We have two fantastic EPL matches in the capital , starting with Chelsea vs Arsenal and followed by Man United's trip to Shite Fart Lane. Join us!

Saturday in the Premiership

The big matches may be tomorrow but there are still plenty of stars on show today. I skipped the early Championship match in favor of an extra couple of hours of sleep. However, at 10am, we've got Liverpool v. Norwich. In the aftermath of Suarez's comments, it will be interesting to see if he starts. I'll also have my eye on Elland Road where Leeds take on lowly Bristol City and I'll be hoping to see Becchio on the team sheet. Join me this morning, won't you?

Premiership Plus Predictions Game - Week 22 Update

Before we get into the whirlwind of another big weekend in English football, let's have a quick check on the PPP standings. A little shifting at the top of the charts (Chelski and Spurs switching places again) has produced another shifting at the top of the PPP. Another note - all of our participants are still in the FA Cup as all of their teams safely navigated the 3rd Round hurdle. The 4th Round kicks off a week Saturday. Here are the current standings:

1. Man United Rules - 29 points
2. Thomas - 26 pts
- United We Stand - 26 pts
4. Matthew - 24 pts
5. West Ham Rising - 16 pts
6. Blue Devil - 11 pts
- Someone Said - 11 pts
8. Chelskilad - 10 pts
9. AZ Kicker - 9 pts
10. Gooner71 - 6 pts
- The Red Devil FCK1 - 6 pts
12. Simon Burke - 3 pts

Phoenix from the Flames #2

In our second installment of the LOB's tribute to Baddiel and Skinner's "Phoenix from the Flames" series, Fernando Torres has a pout on the bench when sacrificed for Demba Ba, who actually scores goals.

And in case that doesn't satisfy your "Phoenix" jones today, here's the classic Peter Beardsley episode: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cH6NVrMWwq0

Wednesday FA Cup Action!

I'm back from my tedious meeting in time to catch the second half action from today's Cup ties. Join me if you're around and about, won't you?

FA Cup 3rd Round Replay Time!

I've been motoring through the work this morning in order to rationalize skiving off this afternoon and watching the FA Cup 3rd round replays on some dodgy Internet links. Center stage (at least in my eyes) is the all-Championship clash at St. Andrew's between Brum and my beloved LUFC. Join me for all the action from 2:45pm onwards.

Coming soon... Sepp on the couch

As soon as 2015, the world of football could be confronted by yet another Blatter horror-show. He wants to be a TV personality offering insight from the commentary couch. I say this only works if Tommy Smyth can be signed as his couch-mate.

A Couple of Big 'Uns

So, yesterday was a bit of a bore on the telly with three games and not a goal in sight. Will today be any different? I bloody well hope so!
Join me for two huge matches in the Premier League this morning. The first one is the clash of the two Northwest giants at Old Trafford. This match is always one the biggest matches in any season. This year is no different. I, of course, want United to thrash Liverpool 6-1 and it be a walk in the park. Sadly, this United version isn't capable of making things easy for themselves. I'll just take a win.
It is then followed by the match the Dahlgren brothers were in attendance for last season... let's hope for the same result

Join me

UWS

EPL Saturday Resumes

After an excting FA Cup weekend we go back to the EPL matches. We start with  Evil QPR vs Happy Harry's former team ,Spurs. This is followed by the 10 AM matches. There is not a late match.

Cheers to you, Blue Devil Bob!

Happy Birthday, fearless leader.

John Hodgman on Guest DJ Project!

You may know John Hodgman from his occasional bits on The Daily Show as the know-it-all pundit or from his frequent film roles. This week, Hodgman sits down in the KEXP studios in Santa Monica for a chat about his favorite five tunes. The results are unpredictable and entertaining. Download it from iTunes and the other usual outlets.

Footie Moments of 2012

It's time to take stock of the moments that had us leaping off the couch and yelling at the telly in 2012. Here are my favorite moments:

Team of the Year - Brazil: The most impressive display I saw all season was in Landover, MD in May where a powerful Brazil side absolutely destroyed the US side 1-4. What I hadn't realized at the time is that this is a side for the future, with seasoned veterans such as Marcello and Thiago Silva not even in their mid-20s yet. They will be a frightening prospect for the next world where they will be (gulp!) hosts.

Player of the Year - Andres Iniesta: Unlike most footie fans on the planet, I'm not a Messi fanatic. Instead, I'm picking a guy who's team actually won something big - the European Championship. When the Spanish are ticking, it's Iniesta at the middle of the gears. I noticed this season the way that he always receives the ball sideways on, while immediately turning away from the approaching opponent. This means that he (and Spain) hang on to possession. Sometimes that can be dull but there is no challenging its effectiveness.

Games of the Year - The simultaneous coverage of the season ending matches on all of the Fox networks at the end of last season. Of course, this was capped by Sergio Aguerro's late, late winner but the highlight for me was Joey Barton losing his mind after getting himself sent off. An incredible afternoon of football watching.

Goal of the Year - A fairly obvious choice; this ridiculous 30-yard bicycle kick by Zlatan in the recent friendly v. England. The big Swede can be a bit lazy, but when he's on his game, oh my! I've never seen anything like this. Enjoy the clip above with commentary from an enraptured Stan Collymore.

Disappointments - Inevitably, England's exit in Euro 2012 in yet another penalty shoot-out.

Hopes for 2013 - With the new ownership deal at Leeds, my main hope is that we can move beyond our current status as a mid-table Championship side that sells off its shiniest assets during every transfer window and then patches up the gaps with emergency loan deals. Open up the purse strings, lads!

How about the rest of you - what got you worked up watching the beautiful game this year?

Phoenix from the Flames #1

Over the weekend, we had a chance to have a wee kick-about in Harlingen, during which we re-enacted several recent magic footie moments. This is our homage to "Phoenix from the Flame," our favorite segment from the Baddiel & Skinner Show. If you've never seen it, cut and paste this link in order to see the classic Steve Morrow episode:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHbSCF1eu0o

This is our own humble effort, featuring MUR as Luis Suarez, deliberating handballing his way to a winning Liverpool goal and breaking Mansfield hearts this weekend. More to come...

The LOB New Year's Resolution Thread

Alright, I'm about a week late getting to these, so it's high time to start this thread. I'm flying back to Fred-town after a wonderful few days in Harlingen and the ideas are flowing. Here goes on this year's resolutions:

1. Keep expanding the LOB: I can't tell you how cool it was to reconnect with JDLC on Saturday after 25 years. I'm continually amazed at how thoughtful and interesting the kids that we were thrown together with all those decades ago in East Anglia have become in adult life. I hope we can keep growing this project that we started six years ago.

2. Get the book published: Last year I resolved to finish the proposal for my second book and to shoot it off to publishers. Done. In October, I sent that to Teachers College Press. I've earmarked a Social Education series that edited by Bill Ayers (yes - the same Bill Ayers who Barack Obama was accused of "palling around with" back in 2008). It's now got past the first hurdle and is on the desks of eight external reviews. Hoping for the best in 2013.

3. Buy a house: At the beginning of the academic year, one of my colleagues announced that she'd be retiring at the end of the year. I've admired her house, which is a small, single family unit located two blocks from campus, for some time now. I approached her about this a few week's back. Now I'm dreaming of a house warming party in late summer on the deck in the back of the house.

So - that's quite enough for me to tackle in 2013 - what about the rest of you?

Movies of 2012-Happy Birthday Bob!

10) Chronicle:

A fairly recent development in movies is the concept of found footage films. This development has unfortunately led to the existence of such (god forbid I call them) movies such as The Blair Witch Project, and the Paranormal Activity series. Then in early February came Chronicle, the story of three friends in high school who inexplicably develop telekinetic abilities, all of which is depicted through the main character’s camcorder as well as security footage from various locations. 

Was it groundbreaking? No. Was it a fresh take on the sci-fi/ superhero genre? Not nearly as much as it seems to think. Was the use of found footage more than just a little gimmicky? Absolutely. So why did this make my cut? Because the fact that someone made a found footage film that was actually watchable is something I was not prepared for. The acting wasn't great, but its characters are ordinary people who only realize their being filmed upon their introductions, so any weak acting performances are actually deliberate. In short, the film boasts a talented cast of actors who know how not to act. And in a "great power, great responsibility" story such as this, that only works to the films advantage.

9) Hunger Games:

This is another film that doesn't register as one of my all time favorites, or comes that close. Based on the first installment of a series of young adult novels of the same name, Hunger Games depicts an alternate dystopian future in which a totalitarian government rules over 12 colonies that had unsuccessfully attempted a rebellion some time before the events of the film. To instill a sense of fear into the colonies as well as allay any future possibility of rebellion, a tournament is held in which 2 children from each colony are randomly selected to compete in a televised battle to the death (the eponymous Hunger Games). When young Primrose Everdeen is chosen as a contestant, her older sister, Katniss, volunteers to compete in her place.

This is another film that doesn't register as one of my all time favorites, or comes that close. But I'm not part of its target audience. The movie actually pitches itself to the 12-16 demographic, which considering its rather dark premise is pretty risky. But it does exactly what anything based on young adult material should set out to do. It serves as what I like to call a "segue series", meaning that it helps to ease the transition between material made for children and material made for adults. Though it is slightly manipulative, it doesn't pander to its audience, and doesn't pull any punches in terms of content, which is more than can be said for a lot of series aimed at that demographic. I do think pathos wasn't evenly distributed between characters, but again, not part of the target audience. Now that the Harry Potter and Twilight series are over, residual fans of those series will likely look to another series, and if they should choose Hunger Games, then it's a step in the right direction.

8) Looper:

In the future, time travel is finally discovered, and immediately outlawed. But does that stop people from using it? Hell no. Looper depicts an alternate future in which the mafia uses time travel as a method of disposing of “undesirables”. Once sent through time, these undesirables are executed by agents recruited from the relative past (the movie's present, try to keep up!). Joseph Gordon-Levitt portrays one such agent, who is one day tasked with executing his future self, played by Bruce Willis. When he fails, both versions of the character must fight for their survival, as well as their now respective futures.

I really had to flip a coin on whether or not to include this one. For the first two acts, the film does everything right. The plot is interesting, the performances are top notch, and the chemistry between Levitt and Willis is great. Then comes the third act of the film, in which it gradually turns into a completely different, less interesting film. If not for that, this may well have made my all time favorites. But as it stands, the first two acts more than qualify it for eighth place.

7) The Avengers:

Set in the Marvel Film Universe, when the demigod Loki returns from exile to take over the world, The Strategic Homeland Intelligence, Enforcement, and Logistics Division (S.H.I.E.L.D.), assembles a team of some of the Marvel Universes greatest heroes and anti-heroes. Among this team are Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, The Hulk, Nick Fury, Black Widow, and Hawkeye.

Four years ago at the conclusion of Iron Man, the possibility of The Avengers was hinted at, but being unable to choose between optimism and pessimism, I dismissed it as a rumor. Yet the subsequent marvel movies continued to hint at it, and eventually, unlike many other instances, the hype paid off. Nearly everything about the film comes together. It utilizes the best elements of its nearly 50-year-old source material and almost effortlessly brings out the best in its colorful cast of characters. It doesn’t do for the comic book movie genre what The Dark Knight did, but it didn’t try and it didn’t have to. In essence, this is everything that a Michael Bay movie should be:  a fast-paced escapist thrill ride with an impressive usage of CGI without the mediocrity over which you could start a drinking game. Hopefully this film is an indicator of what we can expect from Joss Whedon in the near future.

6) Skyfall:

When James Bond is left for dead following a failed attempt to stop a mercenary from releasing vital information on undercover operatives placed in terrorist organizations by NATO states, he uses it as an excuse to retire. But when MI6 comes under attack from a former operative, he comes out of retirement to eliminate the threat.

It says a lot when the 23^rd installment of a franchise manages to not only live up to its predecessors, but quite frankly manages to surpass many of them. Daniel Craig has, in my opinion, firmly established himself as the second best James Bond (cause no one beats Connery. They just don’t). It reintroduces several classic elements from Bonds past that are sure to strike a nostalgic chord or two, as well as new elements that serve as welcome additions to the canon of the franchise. With an intelligent, if somewhat confusing plot, and well directed action sequences, Skyfall does great justice to its franchise, and lays down the foundation for many more installments to come.

5) Les Misérables:

Based on the classic novel and musical by Victor Hugo, Les Misérables takes place at various points during the French revolution, and follows Jean Valjean, a recently paroled prisoner who violates his parole and forges a new identity for himself to find work. Eventually he is recognized by his former guard turned police officer, Javert, and is forced into hiding, setting in motion a series of events far beyond themselves.

As I’ve yet to read the book or see the musical, I can only judge this movie as a stand-alone effort, as opposed to a faithful or even accurate adaptation. As it stands, it definitely works. The production values are incredible, and the performances were top notch. Setting aside a few forgivable problems with the pacing, my primary issue with this film is not necessarily that it’s a musical, but that the cast constantly sings throughout the entire movie. This is a story that conveys brutality meant to evoke strong reactions from an audience, and I feel that plain spoken dialogue during its more intense scenes would’ve been much more appropriate and effective. This wouldn’t be an issue with a stage production, but with film there’s more of an emotional disconnect with an audience, and I just feel that the characters should be allowed to actually feel what they’re singing about without having to narrate how they feel in song throughout the whole film. I’ve been called anal for citing this as a criticism, and perhaps I am a bit, but that doesn’t mean I have any contempt for the film. On the contrary, I have a great deal of respect for it. Anyone can see that a great deal of effort went into making it as good as it was, and the results more than paid off.

4) Moonrise Kingdom:

Set in 1965 on an island in New England, Moonrise Kingdom is the story of Sam Shakusky, a recently orphaned, 12-year-old “khaki scout,” and Suzie Bishop, the oldest of four children brought up in a troubled marriage. After maintaining a pen pal relationship, they finally agree to run away from their respective homes to meet in secret. Not too far behind them are the island’s local police captain, Suzie’s parents, and Sam’s scoutmaster and troop.

I wouldn’t have know of this movie had a friend of mine not casually suggested it. I tried to look up the plot online beforehand, but turned up no results. Looking back, I count that as a blessing, because honestly, no one should know what this movie is about before seeing it. It can’t be accurately summarized in a few minutes and it can’t really be sold to a target demographic. I can usually form an opinion about a movie within a short period of having seen it, but after having first seen Moonrise Kingdom, I had to think long and hard before I had a fully articulate opinion. And it dawned on me that for the first time in a long time, I’d seen something that was actually original. I mean it. I can only think to compare it to Wes Anderson’s other works, and that’s a very loose association. I can’t say that this film appeals to everyone’s tastes, and I think it’s because it’s confusing. Not that it’s hard to follow, but it’s capable of evoking nearly every emotion from an audience. It’s funny, it’s dark, it’s touching, it’s shocking, yet somehow it never becomes uneven. How? Because that’s life. It’s not always idyllic, and it’s not always dystopian. It just is what it is, and I can’t think of any other film to have pulled that off with such finesse.

3) Lincoln:

I don’t really feel it necessary to go into much detail about the plot of this film since pretty much everyone knows the context to some degree. Lincoln follows the eponymous president during the last four months of his life as he tries to persuade Congress to pass the 13^th amendment in order to outlaw slavery. I’m just going to address the elephant in the room here, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. That was an actual thing that happened and it was awful. Which makes it all the more fortunate that this film came out a few months later to undo every bit of damage done by Vampire Hunter. It marks a surprising directorial return to form for Steven Spielberg, it utilizes the talents of a wide variety of character actors that you don’t always see on the big screen, and it gives yet another in a long line of superb performances from Daniel Day-Lewis. But when it comes right down to it, I think its greatest strength is also its greatest flaw. It’s essentially 150 minutes watching a bill get passed that manages to be exciting. But that’s where I think it also suffers a bit. I don’t think I’m giving anything away when I say that the bill gets passed and slavery is abolished. This might just be me being anal again, but when most of the suspense generated by the film depends on whether or not the bill will be passed, the effect is somewhat diminished. I’m well aware that this movie isn’t trying to have a surprise ending, and it certainly shouldn’t deter anyone from seeing it by any means. Its many strengths more than make up for this one flaw that most likely only bothers me personally, and it’s not enough to keep me from seeing it again.

2) Argo:

Based on the 2007 account of the “Canadian Caper,” Argo follows Tony Mendez, a CIA operative charged with rescuing six U.S. diplomats from Tehran, Iran, during the Iran Hostage Crisis of 1979. To do so, he joins the diplomats and has them pose as a film crew scouting a location for the fake film, Argo.

I was torn between Argo and Lincoln for the #2 spot, but I decided to go with Argo. As much as I hate to admit it, Ben Affleck is a great director, and it really shows in Argo. Part biopic, part caper, Argo is a subtle, intelligent, funny, and suspenseful film with flaws that are very few and very far between. I only wish I had more to say about it.

1) Life of Pi:

Based on the 2001 novel of the same name by Yann Martel, Life of Pi follows a 16-year-old Indian boy named Piscine Molitor "Pi" Patel who becomes stranded in the middle of the ocean following a shipwreck, of which he was the only survivor. That is until he discovers that an adult Bengal tiger that was also on the ship managed to survive. With the tiger, “Richard Parker,” as his only companion, Pi not only has to defend himself, but also has to form an uneasy alliance so as to survive and maintain his sanity during his isolation.

I can’t really think of anyone this film wouldn’t appeal to. Its acting is superb, its visuals, both live-action and CG, are spectacular, and its plot never ceases to intrigue. What caught me off guard was how it raised so many interesting questions about faith, religion, and whether or not humans and animals are capable of overcoming their respective natures, yet it never once settled for any easy answers. Rather, it allowed for the audience to come to their own conclusions. While it presents a familiar premise, it effortlessly avoids cliché at every turn. With more than enough action to satisfy younger audiences and enough heart and intelligence to fascinate adults, Life of Pi easily deserves its place as my favorite film of 2012.

The LOB Boys Invade Tejas!

Rick Perry may be considering secession from the Union, but the LOB was in full gang-nam style deep in the heart of Texas this week. We met up last night with old LHS friend JDLC for some authentic Mexican fare, drinks and a lot of reminiscing. Thanks to MUR for hosting what has been a terrific reunion. Can't wait for the next one!

Sunday Cup Action

We're up early here in Tejas for the Sunday Cup action with Arsenal hosted by the Swans in Wales. Join us for all the action today.

The Best Day of the Footie Season

The day begins with Brighton vs Newcastle on FSC+. These teams last season in the Fourth Round when the Seagulls won in an upset 1-0. There will be two televised matches at 10 AM As Sotton v Chelsea will air on FSC and Peterborough United vs Norwich is on FSC+ as Young Fergie hosts the team they sponsor. We conclude Third Round Saturday as the Hammers host Manchester United in a marquee matchup. The late match will air on the regular Fox network. Come join us for the Third Round of the FA Cup in what should be an exciting day.

Premiership Plus Predictions Game - New Year Update

Happy New Year, LOBers! We've had a furious couple of rounds of matches but it hasn't shifted things too much. MUR has been knocked off the top by Thomas, do to Spurs and Chelski switching places at the top. RVP has increased his GBB total to 15 goals, now, so his fans among us have benefited. Here are the latest standings:

1. Thomas - 31 points
2. Man Utd Rules - 30 pts
3. United We Stand - 29 pts
4. Matthew - 24 pts
5. West Ham Rising - 17 pts
6. Someone Said - 14 pts
7. AZ Kicker - 10 pts
- Blue Devil - 10 pts
- Chelskilad - 10 pts
10. Gooner71 - 9 pts
11. Simon Burke - 6 pts
12. The Red Devil FCK1 - 5 pts

Happy 2013, LOBers!

A very excellent early New Year's morning to all of you in LOB land! I'm up to watch WBA v. Fulham, which starts in a few moments. At 10am, we've got a full slate of New Year's fare, including Wigan hosting ManYoo and Leeds hosting Bolton. Finally, we've got Arsenal v. Soton at the Em. Join me for all the festive footie this morning, lads!