On the Eve of the new Season...

[godsshoeshine]

true

but they only play around 1 game a month. if every single ccc game that setanta plays involves toon, then thats still 36 matches i have to watch online. might as well watch them all online and save $150 unless i get into rugby or something

[vansmack]

Setanta is playing the first leg of this playoff on Saturday at 7:40am:

Millwall vs Leeds

I'm pulling for Millwall, but who would you rather face next year?

[godsshoeshine]

good question

the cynic in me wants to keep leeds down, but the sport fan in me says playing bigger teams is more exciting. as far as milwall goes are they going to be easier to beat next year? maybe. should i worry about easy points? i dunno

[godsshoeshine]

after thinking about for like 5 minutes i cant root for leeds in anything

[vansmack]

after thinking about for like 5 minutes i cant root for leeds in anything

I have befriended one of the American investors in Millwall and will be pulling for them.  If he can get them back to top flight football I will be in a good position for a job (if I decide to make the move).

[godsshoeshine]

do you really want the millwall supporters of all people starting threads with THE DIRECTOR OF LEGAL AFFAIRS IS AMERICAN AND A MANUSA SUPPORTER or SEND THEM BACK TO SAN FRANCISCO

[godsshoeshine]

CALIFORNIA MAFIA OUT

[vansmack]

do you really want the millwall supporters of all people starting threads with THE DIRECTOR OF LEGAL AFFAIRS IS AMERICAN AND A MANUSA SUPPORTER or SEND THEM BACK TO SAN FRANCISCO

Of course I do!  Before he had even seen a game at The Den, he decided to take his family to see his new team.  I asked him where he was going to sit.  He said the owners box of course.  I said, OK, don't take your kids the first time and expect to be hassled like you have never been hassled before.  And whatever you do, don't wear a suit - not even a tie.

He ignored me, his little girls ended up crying, and I became de facto voice of reason in his home when it came to his football team.  He was asking the wrong questions - how do I relate to the English working class?, etc.

I told him there was only one way for these folks to forget you are an American - get them into top flight football.  Spend some money on young guys and veterans to teach them.  Work your way up through the leagues and they will love you.  Fail, and they might try to kill you. 

I think that made him realize what he was getting in to. 

[godsshoeshine]

i like how the first paragraph of their wiki acknowleges that they have the most violent supporters in english football

[vansmack]

However, more optimistic than last year against Man Utd. where we also finished 0-0 in the first leg.

Somebody had better check on Barca.  He may need reviving.

[stu47]

unbelievable........

[godsshoeshine]

i guess inesta provided said reviving

pretty happy about the final. its what the people want

[vansmack]

I've already taken the day off.

[vansmack]

i guess inesta provided said reviving

Can we talk about the audacity of him kicking the ball off the outside of his foot into the top corner with no time left?  I might try that in practice (and never convert), and he might try that early in the game, but with virtually no time left?  Incredible chutzpa.

[Barcelona]

one of the best days in my life, so great to face Man. Utd. in Rome at the end of the month.

Really, reading the live coverage in BBC and some papers in the UK it didn't seem that the anger towards the referee was that bad during the game. I think it was more the frustration of having had so close and then losing it in the last second. With one player more how can you put Belletti in and take Drogba out? you are playing at home against 10 players!

Really, if the referee wanted Barcelona to move to the final, he would have never shown the red card to Abidal, to me that was not even a yellow card. If the ref wanted to have Barcelona pass to the next round, he would have shown a red card to Essien for a nasty tackle to Iniesta. As for the penalties, to me, the only one was the hand by Pique, and I am still not sure. I hate seeing the Chelsea players and Hidding saying what they are saying, they laughed at Barcelona players for complaining about the referee after the first game, but today Chelsea is doing the exact same thing. Ballack, get a life!!!