Sunday in the FA Cup!

Morning, chaps! We're wrapping up the FA Cup 4th Round this morning. First up, is the romantic match-up between lowly Carlisle and Premiership perennials Everton. That's followed at 11 by the evil match-up of MK Dons and Chelski. Tune in from 8:30am to Fox Sports 2 and join me here on the blog for all the cup action.

Wahay - It's FA Cup 4th Round Saturday!

After a long workweek, it's a pleasure to be joining you for a morning of FA Cup 4th Round footer. United became the first side into the 5th Round draw with a hard-earned 1-3 win over threatening Derby County. Now UWS and MUR and sit back and relax and watch the others. Join us for all the action this morning, starting Colchester v. Spurs. The romance of the Cup - it's right here on the LOB!

Michael Moore on WTF!

Need something good to listen to in order to ease your way into the weekend? Look no further than a fascinating conversation between WTF podder Marc Maron and leftie provocateur Michael Moore. Michael's got a timely new documentary film out this week called "Where To Invade Next." It won't be making it's way to WNY any time soon, but some of you with access to arty theaters might have the chance to check it out. Enjoy!

Quiz time -- Club nicknames

It's myyyyyyyyyyyyy-eye-eye-eyeyi-i, it's my favorite waste of time. 9/11 is the score to beat. CLICK HERE

Capital One Cup - Semi Final Update

This evening saw the semi final stage of the Capital One wrapped up, with Liverpool and Man Citeh emerging victorious over Stoke and Everton respectively. This has major implications for our PPP game, as several of you chose Stoke to lose the final. So here are the players still in it:

Blue Devil - Liverpool as loser (2 points)
The Red Devil 1FCK - Liverpool as winner (6 points)
The Red Dragon - Liverpool as winner (6 points))
Swansong - Liverpool as winner (6 points
What's Up Wheaton Simon - Liverpool as loser (2 points)

But the person in the best shape is United We Stand who has picked Liverpool to win (6 points) and Citeh to lose (2 points).

Bring on the Wembley final!

Premiership Plus Predictions Game - Week 23 Update

Morning, chaps - it's your weekly check-in with the PPP scores and news. With Arsenal taking a tumble this week and Leicester back on top, all of us backing the Gunners took a tumble down the table. Indeed, the scores got a bit compressed this week, as the result of that change, as well as Boro and Hull exchanging places. Only one player benefited from all of this - Swansong - who's back on top and, indeed, nine points up now. If Leicester do end up pulling off the unlikely, the shield may well end up at winging it's way back up to Fredonia to the McCord household. Here are the current standings:

1. Swansong - 36 points
2. What's Up Wheaton Simon - 27 pts
3. The Red Devil 1FCK - 26 pts
-  Man Utd Rules - 26 pts
-  Yellows - 26 pts
6. Gooner71 - 25 pts
7. Chelskilad - 24 pts
8. The Saint - 23 pts
-  The Red Dragon - 23 pts
10. The Blue Devil - 20 pts
-  Someone Said - 20 pts
12. West Ham Rising - 19 pts
13. United We Stand - 12 pts

It's the Typical Sunday Premier League Double Header

It's the typical Sunday double header starting with the Toffees vs the Swans from Goodison Park . The struggling Swans are playing their first match with their new manager. This is followed by what is Arsenal vs Chelsea, normally a match between two top teams, but Chelsea are struggling this year despite recent improvement under Guus Hiddinck. It will be interesting to see what transpires.

Wahay! It's Premiership Footie Time!

It's been an extra long week for us in the East, with the first week of the semester corresponding with the onset of real winter weather. Fortunately - if the power stays on - we can relax in front of some quality Premiership stuff this morning. First up - Liverpool traveling to Carrow Road. Then the 10am EST fixtures, including United entertaining The Saints. Then finally Citeh traveling to meet the Hammers in the late one. Join me for all the LOB banter this morning, eh?

Premiership Plus Predictions Game - Week 22 Update!

Afternoon, chaps - I'm checking in with my usual Tuesday report on the goings-on in the PPP. Not a lot has changed this week, with the top six and the bottom three in the Premiership still the same. A not very big club from Yorkshire has somehow slipped into the sixth playoff spot in the Championship - a temporary situation, at best, surely. Atletico, Napoli and Bayern are tops in their respective leagues.

As we enter this week, we've got a full slate of FA Cup replays to contend with, but here are the current standings:

1. Gooner71 - 36 points
2. The Red Dragon - 30 pts
3. Blue Devil - 28 pts
- Swansong - 28 pts
5. Someone Said - 26 pts
6. Red Devil 1FCK - 23 pts
7. Man Utd Rules - 21 pts
8. Chelskilad - 20 pts
- What's Up Wheaton Simon - 20 pts
- Yellows - 20 pts
11. The Saint - 15 pts
12. United We Stand - 12 pts
- West Ham Rising - 12 pts

Blogging the Democratic Debate!

Evening, folks - it's the night of the last Democratic Party Presidential debate before the Iowa Caucuses on February 1 and I couldn't be any more giddy with excitement. The DNC has done its level best to dissuade people from watching these debates scheduling them on Saturday nights and evenings before major holidays when NFL playoff games and "Downton Abbey" are going on. Still - I'm here tonight Feeling the Bern and blogging. It's snowing outside but I'm warm and toasty inside The Cottage. I hope you'll join me for all the political banter tonight.

It Starts With the Sunday Dog and Pony Show

We start with Liverpool vs United , which is normally a marquee fixture, but has been referred to as a pub match by the Neviller. LVG is not best pleased about that comment. well , it's sixth vs ninth , so the Neviller has a point. That is followed by the Potters vs the Gunners. A victory for the North London will put them back at the top of the Prem

A Visit to Not a Big Club

Morning, chaps! This weekend sees an epic rivalry between my beloved Leeds and Not a Very Big Club. Of course it's a police-enforced early kickoff starting at 7:30am EST, because as we all know Sheffield fans are all a bunch of hooligans. So, there's nothing else for it - we'll just have to show them how to play football this morning. Come on, you Whites - MOT!!

Premiership Plus Predictions Game - Week 21 Update

It's been a busy schedule this week, with the FA Cup 3rd Round over the weekend and now a full slate of Premiership and Championship matches this mid-week. The good news is that we're all still in the FA Cup going into the 4th Round. In the Premiership, Arsenal are still on the top and Sunderland, Newcastle and Villa are on the bottom. United and West Ham have swapped places. And Roma are now on top of Serie A. Otherwise we're in the same spot. Here are the current standings:

1. Gooner71 - 32 points
2. The Red Dragon - 29 pts
3. Swansong - 26 pts
4. Blue Devil - 24 pts
5. Someone Said - 22 pts
6. Man Utd Rules - 20 pts
7. The Red Devil 1FCK - 19 pts
- What's up Wheaton Simon - 19 pts
- Yellows - 19 pts
10. The Saint - 15 pts
11. Chelskilad - 14 pts
12. United We Stand - 12 pts
- West Ham Rising - 12 pts

David Bowie RIP 1/8/47-1/10/16

Sad news out of England this morning as the death of David Bowie was announced. I am not as educated in music as many on this blog or my brothers. I texted Mike asking his thoughts of DB.
He said he was "very upset. An all time great. Only McCartney will be bigger. Bowie is on par with Dylan and Wonder. After them it's just the 'others'"
He shared a nice short video that says it all
Click below
Ricky G on David B

Your thoughts?

UWS

You Better Not Laugh, You Better Not Boo, Our Dr. Bob is Fifty-Two!

It is our fearless leader's birthday today. It is is also Kate's birthday tomorrow. Hope you have a great couple of days ahead. Enjoy the Fingerlakes
Happy Birthday both of you

UWS

Sunday Action in the Cup!

Morning, chaps - I decided to skip the early match-up between Oxford and Swansea in favor of a bit of extra kip this morning. But there is still plenty of FA Cup action today. Next up is the intriguing fixture between Chelski and Scunthorpe. Then at 11am is the mouthwatering prospect of Spurs v. Leicester, two of the most in-form sides in the Premiership going up against each other. Join me for all of it here on the LOB!

The Best Day of the Season!

Good early morning, chaps! Ah - the FA Cup Third Round - can you smell it in the air. Despite the antics of the FA, television companies and Premiership managers, it's still the best day of the season. The romance of the Cup is still very much alive here in the Cottage. I'm all set to enjoy a full morning of FA Cup action, starting with Wycombe v. Villa at 7:30am EST. That's followed by the bulk of the fixtures at 10am, including the all-Premiership clash of Arsenal v. Sunderland. And then we end the day with United vs. the Evil Blades at 12:30pm. Join me for all the fun here on the blog, won't you?

The FA Cup 3rd Round Starts Here!

It all starts here, lads! It's the Third Round of the FA Cup - my favorite weekend of the season. Back when we were kids, it was all over in a flash, with all fixtures kicking off at 3pm GMT on a Saturday afternoon. Now, because of the vagaries of the FA and the big money involved in televised footer, we have the Third Round spread across the entire weekend. We purists can gnash our teeth at that, but it means that we've got a Friday evening fixture, Liverpool traveling to meet up with lowly Exeter, currently 16th in League 2. It's the romance of the Cup and all that, so don't forget to join me around 3pm this afternoon here on the LOB!

Quiz time: W*****r in the middle edition

Can you identify these men who spoil your pass time? 14/15 for the Gooner. Good luck. CLICK!

Capital One Cup Update

With Romelu Lukaku's winner settling things at Goodison Park this afternoon, the first legs of the Capital One Cup have produced a very distinct possibility of a Merseyside Derby in the final.

If that weren't exciting enough, here are the implications for the PPP:

Interestingly, no one chose either Everton or Manchester City for either winner or loser in the League Cup. The following LOBers chose Liverpool as the eventual winner:

Red Devil, 1FCK, Red Dragon, Swansong, UWS

The following have Liverpool as losing finalists:

Blue Devil, Chelskilad, Simon

In addition, Red Dragon and The Saint have Stoke as losing finalists.

Given that, you'd have to say that The Red Devil, Red Dragon, Swansong and UWS are in pole position. In a tight PPP game, those six points could be crucial.

Capital One Cup Semi Final Live!

It's Capital One Cup semi final time, chaps. This competition has had a large bearing on the outcome of the PPP game each season, as the winning team is worth 6 points and the losing finalist 2 points. Today it's Stoke v. Liverpool at the Britannia. Most seasons, you might fancy Liverpool; however, Sparky Hughes' Stoke are playing better stuff than they've usually been accustomed to in the Potteries. Join me from 3pm onward on BEin and here on the blog.

Premiership Plus Predictions Game - New Year Edition

Happy New Year, boys! The matches have come thick and fast these past two weeks, but the picture is largely the same, with Arsenal on top and Villa on the bottom. The only changes - United have crept back up into the European slots and Atletico now lead in La Liga. For many of us, that means that we picked up four points for United and lost four points on Barca in La Liga. So, Gooner and The Red Dragon are now tied for the tops. Here are the current standings: 

1. Gooner71 - 35 pts

-  The Red Dragon - 35 pts

3. Blue Devil - 28 pts

4. Swansong - 27 pts

5. Someone Said - 26 pts

6. Man Utd Rules - 25 pts

7. The Red Devil 1FCK - 24 pts

8. What’s up Wheaton Simon - 22 pts 

- Yellows - 22 pts

10. Chelskilad - 19 pts

11. The Saint - 14 pts

12. United We Stand - 12 pts 

13. West Ham Rising - 11 pts

Sunday in the Premiership

I can't tell you how good it feels to be back in my chair in the Cottage looking forward to watching a Sunday schedule of Premiership matches with you lot. First up are the champions, still struggling at the bottom of the table, against the over performing Crystal Palace. Then at 11am is the intriguing fixture of Everton v. Spurs. It's raining in Britain but I'm cozy here. Join me, won't you?

The First Premier League Matches of 2016

The First Premier League matches of the calendar year will be played today starting with the Hammers vs Liverpool and concluding with Watford vs Citeh. It's also the start of the second half of the season along with the start of the January transfer window. Let's see what's in store.

The New Year's Resolution Thread

Happy New Year, LOBers! This is the time of year when we share New Year's Resolutions in this space. Last year in this space, I vowed to: 1) Get married; 2) Finish the Book; and 3) Break the 50 Lap Mark. Done, done and done (at least once this year). However, there are plenty of things I’ll be working on this year. This includes:

1. Get the Book Published - Now that From Martyrs to Murderers has gone to the publishers, I now have to shepherd it through to publication, hopefully this year.

2. See More Live Music - The few live music experiences I had in 2015 were so vivid that I want more of it. Whether it's on my own campus or in more far-flung areas, I want to fill my head with some good music this year.

3. Get on the Bike - Given the milder than usual weather this fall, I've been able to ride the bike around town a bit more and get my fitness level up a bit. That means that this spring and summer, I want to get rolling on some longer rides.

So, what's on your list - do tell.