2017-2018 Premiership Plus Predictions Game - Welcome!

Hi there, chaps - Believe it or not, the summer close season is rapidly coming to an end. with only a few days until the 2017/2018 domestic season starts with a full Championship program next weekend and the traditional curtain raiser The Community Shield Game at Wembley on Sunday, it's time for all of you to consult your crystal balls again. Our pal Man Utd Rules is the current holder of the vaunted LOB Shield, which is winging its way across the Atlantic as we speak to make it to Harlingen, Texas by the beginning of the season. 

After consulting the PPP brain trust again, this is the basic set-up for this season's competition: 

2017/2018 Premiership Plus Predictions Game: 

1. Premiership Champions - 10 points

2. European Qualifiers (Choose #s 2-5 in the Premiership) - 4 points each plus a bonus point for the correct order)

3. Relegated sides - 3 points each plus bonus point for correct order

4. Promoted sides - 3 points each plus bonus point for correct order

5. League Cup winner - 6 points

6. League Cup loser - 2 points

7. FA Cup winner - 8 points

8. FA Cup winner - 2 points

9. Europa Cup winner - 4 points

10. Champions League winner - 6 points

11. La Liga champions - 2 points

12. Bundesliga champions - 2 points

13. Serie A champions - 2 points

14. Premiership top scorer - 6 points

15. First Goalscorer in the Premiership (2 points for actual first goalscorer; 1 point for first goalscorer in the PPP pool)

16. First Player to Get a Red Card (including two yellow cards) in the Premiership - 2 points

17. First Premiership Player to Get an FA Ban for an Off-Pitch Incident - 2 points

18. First Premiership Player to Get a Second Yellow Card for a Silly Offense - 2 points

19. First Premiership Manager to Get a "Vote of Confidence" (shortly before getting the sack) - 2 points

20. First Premiership Manager to Get Sacked in the Premiership - 2 points

21. First Two Premiership Managers to Get into a Touchline Fight - 2 points

Please get me your predictions in the above categories either by replying to this email or on the LOB blogsite by Friday morning, August 11, if you'd like to be part of this year's game (yes, that will give you one week to judge the potential Championship promotion favorites). After that, I'll allow a change in your predictions for "Top Premiership Goalscorer" only up until the end of the Premiership transfer window on August 31; all of the other predictions will stay the same until the end of the season. I'll be updating the standings weekly throughout the season both on the LOB blogsite and here by email. Please let me know if there is a better email at which to reach you. 

Good luck to all of you this season!

A Mid Summer's Night Midweek Triple Header

To make a long story short, the boys of Summer will be entertaining us with two ICC matches and the Gold Cup Final sandwiched in between. It starts with United vs Barca at 7:30 PM from Fed Ex Field on the Deuce, followed by the Gold Cup Final on FS1 , kicking off at 9:30 PM , and concluding with Citeh vs Real kicking off at 11:35 PM on ESPN from L.A. Memorial Colosseum. It's great viewing unless it's past your bedtime!

The Worst 20 Seconds of Football Ever!

The Italian magazine L'Ultimo Uomo recently rated a twenty second of a 1993 Premiership match between Man Citeh and QPR the worst twenty seconds of football ever played. Have a look at the link below and judge for yourself. It is a hilarious, giant mishmash of mistakes and mishaps crammed together. Enjoy:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-4692782/The-worst-20-seconds-football-ever.html

Summer Tour Continues!

So, United have beaten LA Galaxy, Real Salt Lake and Man City. Next up... another Real... of Madrid this time. A battle of some big wigs... I wish United would get back to the top of the heap. I don't know what has happened the Premier League teams... in the 2000s we were were in the CL final almost every year... and of course, in 08, we had both finalist.
Can United, City, Chelsea, Spurs or Liverpool make that step?
Anyway, join me for United's next installment against a Ronaldoless Real

Join me

UWS

Summer Footie with ICC and Gold Cup Action

Juve vs Barca is about to conclude, which is followed by an ICC match with PSG vs the Spuds on the Deuce and concluding with a Gold Cup Semi featuring the U.S. vs the Ticos from Cowboys Stadium on FS 1

2017/2018 Premiership Plus Predictions Game Set-up

Okay, PPP friends. It's that time again. Believe it or not, we're only three weeks away from the start of the 2017/2018 Premier League season. So, this is our chance to chat about what's working well and what needs to be tweaked in our game. Here's the basic set-up that we used last season:

1. Premiership Champions - 10 points
2. European Qualifiers (Choose #s 2-5 in the Premiership) - 4 points each plus a bonus point for the correct order)
3. Relegated sides - 3 points each plus bonus point for correct order
4. Promoted sides - 3 points each plus bonus point for correct order
5. League Cup winner - 6 points
6. League Cup loser - 2 points
7. FA Cup winner - 8 points
8. FA Cup winner - 2 points
9. Europa Cup winner - 4 points
10. Champions League winner - 6 points
11. La Liga champions - 2 points
12. Bundesliga champions - 2 points
13. Serie A champions - 2 points
14. Premiership top scorer - 6 points
15. First Goalscorer in the Premiership (2 points for actual first goalscorer; 1 point for first goalscorer in the PPP pool)
16. First Player to Get a Red Card (including two yellow cards) in the Premiership - 2 points
17. First Premiership Player to Get an FA Ban for an Off-Pitch Incident - 2 points
18. First Premiership Player to Get a Second Yellow Card for a Silly Offense - 2 points
19. First Premiership Manager to Get a "Vote of Confidence" (shortly before getting the sack) - 2 points
20. First Premiership Manager to Get Sacked in the Premiership - 2 points
21. First Two Premiership Managers to Get into a Touchline Fight - 2 points

I'm planning to send out the initial call for predictions next weekend. You'll then have two weeks to get your predictions to me for the season. In addition, UWS has made the suggestion that we allow a change in the prediction for "Top Premiership Goalscorer" only up until the end of the Premiership transfer window; all of the other predictions will stay the same.

So, what would you like to change or add for this season's PPP? Let me know if the next week and I'll make those changes for the call-out.

Billy Bragg on Fresh Air

If you're looking for a really pleasant summer listen, check out English singer-songwriter Billy Bragg's chat with Terry Gross on NPR's "Fresh Air" this week. The Bard of Barking sits down with his guitar for an hour of chat and music, describing his political inspirations and his love of skiffle. You can download it wherever you get your favorite podcasts.

Manc Derby... Texas Style

So, a year after it was postponed in China, the first ever Manchester derby played overseas will be played in front of our very own MUR. I know he won't be here to join me but I hope others will be on. Both teams will be wearing a shirt(pictured above) with a BEE on it remember the victims of the Manchester bombing. #ACITYUNITED


Join me
UWS

A Bizarre Wednesday Evening Combination

It really is an unusual mixture of matches with both Gold Cup  matches and a U.S.L. match involving my local RGV Toros . There are two Gold Cup Quarterfinal matches . Costa Rica vs Panama looks set to head to extra time amidst a tedious 0-0 score line. The Toros vs Orange County F.C. kicks off at 8 P.M. on Watch ESPN. while the U.S. vs El Salvador kicks off at 9 P.M. on FS1. It's a surprisingly busy July evening.

Game #2... the one before David's Match

So, can United improve on their 5-2 win against the LA Galaxy on Saturday.? Tonight they take on Real Salt Lake. I have no idea how good or bad they are but a win is a must. Up next, the Manchester Derby... I bet Dave won't be on LOB on Friday!!

Join me

UWS

United's Season Gets Underway

So, the nightcap to our doubleheader heads to the west coast to see our beloved Manchester United open up a new season against the LA Galaxy... I'll have the same as a few years ago... 7 nil

Join me

UWS

A Little Saturday Night Footer Action

It may be the middle of summer but the football keeps coming hard and fast. We've got a mid-summer night's double header tonight, starting with the US team taking on Nicaragua in their final group match of the Gold Cup. Bruce Arena's boys have notched a draw and a win in group play but haven't exactly been lighting it up. Perhaps tonight will be the night for them to unleash the hounds.

That's followed at 10pm by a summer tour event between Manchester United and the LA Galaxy. That will give us a chance to see what Jose Mourinho has in mind when the Premier League starts up in a month's time. Join me tonight for all the action on FXX and ESPN2.

More Group B Action, This time from Tampa

It's a double header from Tampa . Panama just defeated Nicaragua 2-1 . Now the U.S. take on Martinique, whom they should defeat, but it won't be easy as some of the Martinique team play professionally in primarily the French second division.

A Gold Cup Group B Double Header from the Grand Old Opry City

The CONCACRAP Gold Cup is not exactly a gold medal winning tournament, but it provides us with our footie fix during the Summer. The Tournament started in true Gold Cup fashion with a double header from the stadium. It was two Group A matches from Red Bull arena . Today it's a double header from Nissan Stadium in Nashville. It starts with the two group favorites, which is the U.S. vs Van Halen's Panama that kicks off at 4:30 PM EDT . The second one is Martinique vs Nicaragua, kicking off at 7 PM EDT. If you are footie deprived then join us . The first match is being shown on the local Fox Affiliate and the second one is being shown on FS2.

Happy Birthday, UWS!

Many happy returns to UWS on the occasion of his 53rd birthday. Please join me in wishing Dave a very happy birthday. Enjoy the day, mate!

Concacaf Gold Cup!

No footer on this summer? Psssh! No sooner has the Confederations Cup wrapped up last weekend than another major tournament - the Concacaf Gold Cup - starts up this weekend. The party gets started tomorrow evening with a double header at Red Bull Arena featuring Canada v. Guiana and Costa Rica v. Honduras.

The US gets started on Saturday with a match up with Panama at 4:30pm. You can get all of the schedule information at the official tournament website here:

http://www.goldcup.org/en

The Confeds Tournament Concludes

The Confeds Cup concludes with both the Third Place match and the Final. Both are rematches of group matches that ended in a draw. The Third Place match starts at 8 AM EDT with Portugal vs Mexico from Moscow, where next year's World Cup Final will be played. The final is Germany vs Chile from St. Pete. Join me if you're up!

Premier League Pass

I thought I would post the article that UWS texted to me and MUR about the new Premier League Pass deal that NBC has signed. The media coverage, including this article, has been universally negative about the deal. Yet, I'm still not sure that it affects the matches that we watch on an average weekend. I've rarely switched from the "big" match featured on NBC Sports Network (or the main channel) to watch the likes of Palace v. Southampton, in the way that this article suggests that neutral American fans have been doing. So, as long as I've still got my 7:45am, 10am and 12:30pm matches on a Saturday, that's more than enough. But I'd love to hear your thoughts, gentlemen. Here's the link to the story:

https://worldsoccertalk.com/2017/06/27/premier-league-pass-marks-giant-step-backward-nbcs-coverage-epl/