Boycott ESPN

I just wanted to state for the record how shabby ESPN has become. And, yes, this has everything to do with the fact that they own the US rights to televise Champion's League games, but show only one and sell the rest to the Setanta Pub Channel (which charges way too much $$$$ for the privelege of watching a soccer game). ESPN showed none of the games today, even though there were some great matchups with Bayern Munich taking on Arsenal and Real Madrid v. Juventus. Instead they showed 4 consecutive World Strongest Man competitions. Are you kidding me? Why would they show such crap programming when there are several world class soccer matches to choose from? And tommorow they are only showing Manchester United v. AC Milan, when they could show what is the clear glamour matchup of the draw--Chelsea v. Barcelona, argurably the two best teams in the world right now. With the NHL dead, wouldn't this be a great opportunity to promote the world's most popular sport? Imagine if they showed Chelsea v. Barcelona in primetime on ESPN (rather than send it to the minor leagues on ESPN2). I gaurantee that if ESPN gave world class soccer (not the woeful MLS) this kind of exposure, it would become the fastest growing sport in America (and they would see the fastest growing profits). Instead, I have to feel lucky that they show a single game.

As a soccer fan, and as a sports fan, I am going to start a boycott of ESPN. This isn't a pure boycott, because they own so many of the games out there in every sport (even when they don't show them, they own them), and I can't do without sports--actual games. What I can do without is trash, low cost production, filler programming like World's Strongest Man and Poker, and any non live sports programming other than Sportscenter. From this day on, I am not watching anything on ESPN that is not a) an actual game, b) Sportscenter (or a similar news program). The nearly constant games on Fox Soccer Channel and GolTV stand as examples of what ESPN could be. Im obviously not saying they should focus on soccer, but they should go back to focus on showing games, rather than Around the Horn and the like. Remember when MTV used to show music videos? I don't want to get to the point where I have to think back to the days when ESPN actually showed live sports. So I'm not going to support any of their trash programming anymore. As much as I like PTI, it is part of the problem. I'm doing my small part to end the MTV-ization of ESPN and I hope you'll join me.

Landon Donovan talks about Playing in Germany

I'm glad he finally got out of the lousy MLS and is playing with the big boys now:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writers/grant_wahl/
02/18/donovan.qa/index.html

CHANTS CHANTS CHANTS

There were some great chants on Wayne Rooney's unceremonious return to Everton's Goodison Park today at the FA Cup. Apparently the Everton fans are rather bitter about his move to Old Trafford. Who knew? It's once a blue, never a blue, apparently. Or, as the United fans taunted, "Once a blue, always a red." Here are three of the more audible chants:

--Judas, Judas, Judas, Judas

--Die, die Rooney, Rooney die

and

--You're a fat bastard, you're a fat bastard

For some great English chants you have to check out this page: http://www.footballchants.org/

For more fallout from Rooney's Merseyside reunion take a look at this article: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/headlinenews?id=325548&cc=5901

Hooliganism is alive and well.

And We're Live at Highbury, it's the FA Cup

5:17 am Good morning everyone, we're halfway through Arsenal's cup tie versus a Coca Cola Championshsip team, Sheffield United. I'm just starting the minute by minute updates, but I've been watching from the first whistle. I would have started posting earlier but it's mighty difficult getting motivated to get up at 4:30 in the morning, much less getting up and writing. That's one of the obstacles to being a fan of English soccer in the Pacific time zone.

5:22 As the newly minted Fox Soccer Channel's Nick Webster tells us at the close of the first half, "this is what the FA Cup is all about." It's been a great 45 minutes of football, muted only by the fact that the Highbury crowd is so quiet. They are used to seeing the likes of Chelsea and European titans visit their stadium, and I guess they just can't get very fired up for a match against a lower division team. The players have been up for it though. Arsenal has fielded a squad laced with youngsters (Fabregas, Flamini, van Persie, Reyes, Eboue, Clichy) and, unlike myself, they have had no problems getting up for this game. If there is one quality that the Arsenal tykes all share, it is speed. Arsene clearly has his scouts on the lookout for players with lightning speed--he feels he can teach them the rest. To fit into Arsenal's fast-break game plans, speed is the first requirement.

As quick as the Arsenal players are, Sheffield United did not come to Highbury to watch the Arsenal players run quickly, they came to win. I confess I don't think I know a single Sheffield player's name, but please forgive me--there is not exactly a whole lot of first division soccer on ESPN in the U.S..

The two most dramatic highlights of the first half involved referee mistakes. That's quite a surprise, I know. Dennis Bergkamp was sent off for a rather innocuous confrontation with a Sheffield player late in the half, so Arsenal are down to ten men for the remainder. In the way of apologizing to the Highbury faithful for his rash decision, the ref disallowed a clear Sheffield goal off a sharp header that beat Almunia. The score should be 1-0 to the Sheffield, but we'll start the second half on even terms, except for Arsenal being down a man.

Some other first half notes: the Sheffield gaffer Neil Warnock has been extremely animated on the sidelines, and, with Bergkamp out, Freddie Ljundberg is Arsenal's captain.

5:40 Alright the second half is underway. We'll see what Arsenal's next generation of starters are made of over the next 45 minutes.

5:42 Right away Arsenal are on the attack, with Lauren's right back replacement, Aboue, nearly cutting in for a goal, but it was a great reaction by the keeper.

5:43 Freddie goes down in the box. Strike that. Freddie dives in the box. Freddie has a good diving technique: at the first moment of minimal contact with the opposition, stop moving your legs forward and just fall to ground. Next, roll like you're in a fire drill at least 3 times. Finish with a look of disgust aimed at the ref.

5:46 One of the Sheffield players is cramping on the pitch. Keeping up with Arsenal's pace can wear on a lad.

5:52 Sheffield are really throwing men forward when they are on the attack, as they should with their advantage in numbers. Can little Sheffield take down the mighty Gunners of London? Arsenal may be an English team, but, for the second game in a row, there are no English players wearing their shirt today. There are two players from Africa's Ivory Coast, though. What is the opposite of 'xenephobia'? Arsenism?

5:57 Jose Antonio Reyes picks up a yellow.

5:58 Robert Pires comes on for van Persie.

6:01 It appears Sheffield is playing a 3-3-1-3. This is always a dangerous tactic against Arsenal, ten men or not.

6:04 Reyes almost scores on a strong strike of the goal that narrowly misses slipping in between the crossbar and post.

6:05 Toure almost scores on a rocket of a free kick. But it went straight to Kenny, the United keeper.

6:10 There are fifteen minutes left to play and the Highbury crowd is starting to sound a bit restless.

6:11 GOALLLL! And it is Robert Pires who plays the role of super sub, scoring after Kenny couldn't hang onto a short range strike.

6:15 Just ten minutes to go and things are looking bleak for Sheffield. Arsenal is controlling the ball. Sheffield United make a few substitutions. Too bad they don't have the depth of Arsenal.

6:18 Almunia looks a bit tentative taking care of a cross. An Almunia mistake may be Sheffield United's best chance of salvaging a replay at this late stage of the game.

6:19 And in comes the amazing Pascal Cygan. Strike that last note. A Pascal Cygan mistake might be Sheffield United's best chance of salvaging a replay at this late stage of the game.

6:23 WOWWWWW. ARSENAL HAND BALL IN THE BOX. PENALTY! It's Senderos who made the mistake. Senderos? Never heard of him. Didn't even know he was on the pitch. This is probably his last Arsenal game.

6:24 GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!! Sheffield United equalizes. It's 1-1 thanks to Andy Gray's cool shot that sends Almunia the wrong way as stoppage time begins. Little Sheffield gets the miracle it needs. And it was well deserved. They've really played hard today and kept up with the speedy Gunners.

6:27 GAME OVER. That's the beauty of the FA cup. A little team gets some glory against one of the biggest squads in Europe. This one will be decided in a replay, with Sheffield hosting. See you then.

The Lead is Down to 9 Points

Roy Keane led a storming Manchester United through a Robbie Savage-less Birmingham at Old Trafford, scoring his fiftieth goal for the club. To the south, in London (all of my geographical knowledge of the UK is based on my limited knowledge of where the premiership teams are located relative to each other) Chelsea couldn't break through against Manchester City and were left with one point. Kevin Keegan, David James and the bunch must have been feeling altruisitic towards their crosstown rivals to play such an inspired 90 minutes. They came away with four points against Chelsea this year and held them scoreless over 180 minutes--a considerable accomplishment. There is no more unpredicatable team in the EPL than Man City. If they can ever get any consistency, they may challenge for the 4th Champion's League spot one year soon.

So Chelsea's league lead is down to 9 points now--not an impossible figure for Sir Alex's squad to shoot for.

GollllllllllllllllllTV is Coming

DirecTV is adding GOLTV on February 22nd. GOLTV has the Spanish league (every Real Madrid and Barcalona game) and the Italian league, amongst others. Betweeen FSW and GOLTV, my non-soccer life should perish in a matter of weeks.

ManU-Arsenal

After watching another amazing Arsenal-Manchester United matchup I am starting to really appreciate this rivalry. It has become one of the most anticipated matchups in the world, and it is in its prime right now. This was a game with incredible goals all around and United won by coming back from a goal down twice. The only wretched player on the field was the Arsenal keeper Almunia (I don't know why he is still getting starts. Please see my previous post regarding this guy-- he is just fundamentally pathetic.). The quality of the games consistently surpass all pre-game hype, which is a considerable achievement. Both teams are top-notch and should be for years to come, thanks to United's deep pockets and Arsenal's new stadium on the way in 2006. It is times like these when it is nice to be a soccer fan. In terms of history and current form of the teams, I rank this as the second best rivalry on earth right now, just behind the Yankees-Red Sox feud. Nothing in the NFL comes close, The Lakers, Celtics and Knicks are all in decline, and the NHL is currently non-existent. The passion, history and high standard of play of the Yankees-Red Sox fixtures is the only equivalent in American sports. If only United and Arsenal met 19 times a year...