The New Season Starts Here!

 

It's been a long barren summer without a lot of top level footer, so I'm even more excited than usual for the start of the new season. It all starts this morning at 10am with the beginning of the Championship season. Recently relegated Burnley got off to a winning start at Huddersfield yesterday - can their promotion rivals match them today? 

That's just a teaser for the Community Shield match, the annual curtain raiser for the season. This one has even more spice than usual, as both City and Liverpool have new look attacks. I despise the big money that City have to throw around but I have to admit that I'm looking forward to seeing Erland Haaland rip it up. 

Of course, I've got my hands full with the twins this season, but I'll hope to join you for at least some of the action. Bring it on!

2022/2023 Premiership Plus Predictions Game - Call Out

 

Greetings, PPP friends - It's been an odd summer without much top level football around the place. Fortunately, we're only two weeks away from the opening weekend of the 2022/2023 Premier League Season, which means it's time to put your thinking caps on again and compile your predictions for the new season.

So here's the basic set-up for this year's game: 

2022/2023 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 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 losers – (2 points)

7. FA Cup winner – (8 points)

8. FA Cup loser - (2 points)

9. Europa Conference League Winner (2 points)

10. Europa League Winner (4 points)

11. Champions League Winner (6 points)

12. La Liga (Spanish) Champions (2 points)

13. Bundesliga (German) Champions (2 points) 

14. Serie A (Italian) Champions (2 points)

15. Premiership top scorer (6 points)

16. Premiership Leader in Assists (4 points)

17. Golden Gloves winner (Goalkeeper with the most clean sheets; 2 points)

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

19. First Player to Score a Hat-trick in the Premiership (2 points) 

20. First Player to Get a Red Card (including two yellow cards) in the Premiership (2 points; 1 point for first in pool)

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

22. First Premiership Player to Get a Second Yellow Card for a Silly Offense (2 points)

23. First Premiership Manager to Get a “Vote of Confidence” (Shortly Before Getting the Sack) (2 points) 

24. First Premiership Manager to Get Sacked in the Premiership (2 points)

25. First Two Premiership Managers to Get into a Fight (2 points) 

26. PFA Player of the Year (2 points)

27. PFA Young Player of the Year (2 points)

We'll all be playing for the resplendent LOB Shield, which you'll see our current champion David Goldstein (aka, Man Utd Rules) holding up in the image below. Please get me your predictions in those categories by replying to this email (remember not to "Reply All" so that your picks are anonymous) by Friday morning, August 5, before Palace kick off against Arsenal at 3pm EST. As I've got my hands full with two month old twins right now, I've asked David to take over from me this season in 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!

Welcome to Wrexham!

Our LOB pal Doug Fusella alerted me to a new docuseries to be aired on FX starting in August. It's called "Welcome to Wrexham" and builds on the unexpected success of "Ted Lasso." Apparently back in 2020, Hollywood types Ryan Reynolds and Rob McIlhenny bought fifth-tier Welsh strugglers Wrexham F.C. in and effort to turn their prospects around. It sounds like a lot of fun. You can check out the preview here: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9hLsktkGfA