Brian McDermott Walks the Plank

As I had feared, Brian McDermott has paid the heavy price for our recent run of poor form, most notably that 6-0 drubbing to Not a Big Club on my 50th birthday. Next out of the club - Ross McCormack. (sigh)....

More Midweek Footie Madness!

I'm marooned in the office on a bitter cold winter day, but that doesn't mean that I can't follow along with the good stuff this afternoon. The marquee match this afternoon is Spurs hosting Citeh. Both sides are in improved form, so it will be fascinating to see how they line up. Anyone care to join me?

A Midweek Classico!

Morning class taught, driveway shoveled, I'm settling in to enjoy an afternoon of the good stuff on a bitter cold but sunny WNY afternoon. The marquee match-up is of course the Merseyside Derby. The Goodison Park edition earlier this year was a 3-3 thriller, so I'm hoping for more goals today, especially from my GBB The Chunk. I'll also be looking to my Mighty Whites to break the five-match loss streak today as we host the Tractor Boyz at Elland Road. Join me from 2:45pm for all the action!

Daft Punk with Pharrell and Stevie at the 2014 Grammys

In case you missed it, here was the one special moment at last night Grammy Award ceremonies, with the Daft Punk robots joined by Pharrell Williams, Stevie Wonder, and Nile Rodgers. Snippets of "Le Freak" and "Another Star" thrown in for good measure and lots of dancing among the celebs in the front row. Enjoy!

Premiership Plus Predictions Game - Week 22 Update!

Another big weekend in English footie behind us, it's high time to take stock of our PPP standings again before the mid-week fixtures kick in. Spurs are back in the top five, much to the consternation of Gooner and Simon, Palace have leapfrogged out of the relegation zone and Reading are back in the promotion race, so it's all change in our standings, with United We Stand in top spot. A few words about the implications of the Cup results and 5th Round draw. All of the big sides cruised through their 4th Round matches, so most of us are still in it, but the 5th Round fixtures (especially Citeh v. Chelski and Pool v. Arse) mean that some of us will go crashing out at that stage. Here are the current rankings:

1. United We Stand - 30 points
2. The Red Dragon - 26 pts
- Yellows - 26 pts
4. Matt - 25 pts
5. What's Up Wheaton Simon - 24 pts
6. The Red Devil FCK1 - 23 pts
7. Sporting Real Salt Lake United Football Club Juniors FC - 22 pts
- West Ham Rising - 22 pts
9. Gooner71 - 21 pts
10. Man Utd Rules - 20 pts
- Swansong - 20 pts
12. Someone Said - 19 pts
13. Blue Devil - 17 pts
- Chelskilad - 17 pts

FA Cup 4th Round Live!

Is the FA Cup dead? No sir; not in this house. Despite the absence of my beloved Whites in the 4th Round, I'll be up bright and early to watch Bournemouth v. Liverpool. Care to join me? You know you do!

Punking a Load of Chelski Numpties

Thanks to our LOB friend Sporting for alerting me to this hilarious clip in which a load of chelski poseurs pretend they know what they're talking about when asked about potential signings of fake players. My favorite - Dutch youngster Win Nowt. Enjoy!

"The Trip to Italy!"

Excellent film news out of Blighty this week that comedians Steve Coogan and Rob Bryden have teamed up again, this time for a "Trip to Italy." For those of you who missed out on their 2011 debut "The Trip," run immediately to your nearest video boutique and watch it tonight. Here's a taste of the sequel. Enjoy!

Footie Trivia of the Week

If it's Monday, it's time for another brain-teaser - here you go: "Which footballers come before and after this sequence of footballers? Why?"

A Sunday Footie Double Header

A typical Prem Sunday which starts with the opening act, Swansea vs the Spuds and concludes with the big one: Chelsea vs United. Chelsea have never lost a Prem match at the Bridge in either of Jose's spells in charge. If United want to end that streak then they need to pull their fingers out and stop sucking. Come join me for all the banter.

Time to Stop the Rot, Brian!

After four losses, including a 6-0 drubbing at the hands of local rivals Not a Big Club, it's well and truly time for Brian McDermott and his Leeds side to pull their fingers out and stop the rot. Unfortunately, we're hosting top of the table Leicester City at Elland Road this morning. That means that we'll have the television cameras on us. Join me on BEin and here on the LOB for all of the scrutiny this morning from 7:15am onward.

Premiership Plus Predictions - Week 21 Update

Before we get into the hurly burly of another weekend of European football, it's high time that we take a look at the current standings of our humble PPP Game. Not a lot has changed in the past week and yet a mere reshuffle at the bottom of the table with Cardiff dropping in and West Ham dropping out, seems to have made a huge difference. Here is the current table:

1. The Red Dragon - 31 points

2. United We Stand - 29 pts

3. Yellows - 25 pts

5. Man Utd Rules - 24 pts

4. West Ham Rising - 23 pts

8. Matt - 22 pts

7. What's Up Wheaton Simon - 21 pts

8. Swansong - 20 pts

9. Gooner71 - 18 pts

- The Red Devil FCK1 - 18 pts

- Sporting Real Salt Lake United Football Club Juniors FC - 18 pts

- Someone Said - 18 pts

13. Blue Devil - 17 pts

14. Chelskilad - 16 pts

Footie Sunday

It's A typical Sunday double header with implications at the top of the table starting with  The Toon vs Citeh and concluding with the Potters vs Pool. Join me to see is Chelsea are still top of the table by the end of the morning.

An Early Morning Birthday Wish

All I want for my birthday is a nice win for the Leeds boys against a not very big club - come on, you Whites! MOT! Join me early doors for the Yorkshire Derby, won't you?

Isn't It Nifty…. Look Who's FIFTY!!!!!!!!!

Can you believe it? A HALF OF A CENTURY!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOB!

Hope you have a great day

Dave and the rest of the LOBers

2014 New Music Preview

We're only a week into the new year and I've already got three cracking tracks in my "2014" playlist. Check out, for example, this new single from Broken Bells, the band featuring James Mercer from The Shins and the DJ Dangermouse. The new All Songs Considers pod out this week previews a bumper crop of tasty new tunes coming out in the new year. So strap in and enjoy the latest ear candy!

League Cup Semi Final - City v. West Ham Live!

It's another icy cold day here in Fred-town and you know what that means - no reason to miss out on the League Cup action! Fix yourself a hot mug of mulled cider and join me on the LOB for all of the mid-week action.

League Cup Semi-Final Live!

I'm getting to it a bit late, but if you're around this afternoon and not half frozen, join me for a cuppa and a look at Sunderland v. United, won't you? Cheers!

Premiership Plus Predictions Game - Week 20 Update

Happy New Year, chaps. We've just got past the busy holiday period, so it's time to take stock of the PPP standings. A lot of things remain the same - Arsenal improbably on top of the Premiership, West Ham and Sunderland at the bottom, Luis Suarez on a scoring tear (20 Premiership goals and counting!). With the League Cup semi-finals on tomorrow, it's notable that only Matt (Citeh) and West Ham Rising (West Ham) have picks still in that cup. Here is the current table:

1. The Red Dragon - 30 points
2. Yellows - 29 pts
3. United We Stand - 26 pts
4. West Ham Rising - 22 pts
5. Man Utd Rules - 21 pts
- What's Up Wheaton Simon - 21 pts
7. Swansong - 20 pts
8. Matt - 19 pts
9. The Red Devil FCK1 - 18 pts
- Sporting Real Salt Lake United Football Club Juniors FC - 19 pts
11. Someone Said - 17 pts
12. Gooner71 - 16 pts
- Blue Devil - 16 pts
14. Chelskilad - 15 pts

RIP: Eusebio (1942-2014)

Spare a thought today for the passing of one of the all-time footballing great, Benfica and Portugal striker Eusebio, who died today at the age of 71. As fortune would have it, Gooner and I were just talking over the holidays about who we would have in our pantheon and Gooner listed Eusebio as #4 after Maradona, Pele and Cruyff. I'd have him slightly further down my list, after Pele, Maradona, Cruyff, Beckenbauer and Zidane, but there is no denying that he was up there. The ultimate of greatness, to my mind, is that a player did it for club and country and the highest level - and Eusebio certainly did that, for Benfica in the European Cup and for Portugal at Euro '64 and most spectacularly as the top scorer at England '66. He'll be greatly missed as an ambassador for the game.

FACup Third Round Sunday

 We start bright and early so make sure you have a strong pot of coffee. First It's Forest vs the Hammers at 7 AM on FS2 followed by Derby County vs Chelsea on FS1 at 9:15 and concluding with Man United vs Swansea at 11:30. The fourth round draw is at 9 AM.

The Best Day of the Season

The romance of the Cup is in the air this morning, as I'm settling in with a cup of coffee and bagel to enjoy the 3rd Round - still the greatest day of the season. Last year, we were invading Tejas and holing up at the MUR Castle in Harlingen for the festivities. This year, I'm bunkering inside The Cottage on a snowbound Fredonia weekend.

It's all about Fox this morning. We start with Blackburn v. Citeh on Fox Sports 1 in a few moments. That's followed by Rochdale v. Leeds at 10am and then the big one - the North London Derby - on the regular Fox channel at 12:15. Join me for all the action!

New Year's Resolutions 2014

Last year in this space I had three New Year's Resolutions to kick off 2013:

1. Buy the Cottage
2. Get tenure
3. Ask out Kate Douglass

Mark all three of those as done, so I'm feeling rather chuffed about 2013, especially after the "Annus Horribillus" that was 2012. I even shed ten pounds in the fall without saying anything formal about it. So, here are my 2014 Resolutions:

1. Get a book contract - I've been shopping a manuscript for my second book around for a while in 2013. This year, I'm hoping that one of them gives me a nibble.

2. Get a good start in my new job as chair - In July, I'll start in my new position as chair of the Department of Curriculum & Instruction at Fredonia. Wish me luck, won't you?

3. Move Kate into The Cottage - If things keep going well, I'm hoping that Kate will move in when her lease runs out in the summer. We'll be doing a trial run in the spring.

So, that's me - what are you resolving to do in 2014?