Zathras

Dammit. We're going to lose this game.

The amount of publicity that it gets compared with breast cancer is frankly scanalous.

On further reflection, despite his not beign that good any more, Fowler would probably make a decent move for a club like New England. The name recognition of Liverpool is outstanding here (especially in Boston, although Celtic would be better.) That's really what these types of players are about. BUT he'd have to deliver on the pitch also. MLS is a league where a good finisher can do well, but NE already have an excellent poacher forward in Twellman, so if it were to happen, I'd be interested to see what happens to Taylor.

BULLSHIT! Hey, I'll admit I was wrong, but I am shocked that there was nothing on this side of the Atlantic about it. The Soccer community has a lot of insiders who usually would put that information out there.

Why??? If they did get seriously involved (which I have my doubts about) I reckon they'd quickly be one of the best sides in the world. I thought they were already 4th or something daft in the world rankings before the World Cup? Obviously down to differences in the different regions, but still, hardly shite is it? They were top 10 iirc, as were Mexico by virtue of their being in CONCACAF presumably and winning almost all of their 'competitive' matches. I meant they'd be genuine World Cup contenders which, in all honesty, they simply aren't at present. They do pretty well already but they aren't in the class of the likes of Brazil, Italy, Argentina, etc. They would be if it usurped one of the top 3 sports over there I reckon. TBH not even we took that ranking (7th) seriously, though we did appreciate being above Mexico since we pretty much own them. The ranking was swollen not really by CONCACAF games (any CONCACAF game is worth 75% of a UEFA game) but by a series of friendlies agains European opposition where the opponents were using B-squads. We beat Norway B 5-0 with our B squad, but it counts as a full international with MORE rating than a competative CONCACAF game because of the opposition. That coupled with winning the CONCACAF Gold Cup was enough to do it. I think the rankings are a lot better now, but the best ranking system is one that uses the same method as they use to rank Chess Masters. It's called ELO and it ranks the top 20 thusly: Brazil France Italy Argentina Netherlands Germany England Portugal Croatia Spain Czech Republic Denmark Romania Uruguay Switzerland Sweden Turkey Greece Mexico USA http://www.eloratings.net/world.html

Comes up with some Italian bs; not a drop of Italian blood in my family for at least eight generations--Portuguese, Indian, Scottish, Irish, English, German and Polish but no Italian!

These deities on wheels you're sending by are spot on! Since when is Buddha a deity?

I'm having trouble getting the transparancies to work. Here's the crest: Any help would be appreciated.

Two goodies from the old board: And do we have Paranoid: Bitter:

IIRC Coppell was planning to start a relatively inexperienced side himself--who's playing?

Bullshit. What? My comment, or the possibility that Fowler was heading to USA??? Saying that the rumor is bullshit. It's not going to happen. I said I may have misheard as they (the folk on the radio) were talking about it when I walked in the room with the radio on. I'm 90% certain that is what they were saying, but without hearing the whole conversation I can't be certain. One way or another, we'll see. As good a striker Fowler is, I would have thought he was too imobile to do any good in America. We'll see. Considering the amount of rumors surrounding players and the DP rule, the fact that there's been virtually nothing about such a move on this side of the Atlantic suggests that it's nothing but tabloid/agent talk.

Well, that and people like Lothar Matthaus going. Beckham's a 'movie star' if you like in soccer terms. I think he'll raise the profile in the short-trem but I think it's about as popular as it will ever get in the US given the competition. You'd know more about it than me though tbh. What are you saying about Matthaus? He was a failure in every way imaginable over here. Didn't play well, didn't excite crowds and wasn't a name which brought attention. This differs from Beckham in the last facet 100% and from the former two possibly (we'll have to see) I'm saying top players only go there when they're finished. In this respect Matthaus and others are the same as Beckham. While most of the country is calling for him to be recalled to the England squad? I don't disagree that this has been the case, nor do I see it as changing in the forseable future, however I think that you'll see fewer players do it. It'll be more like the Brazilian and Argentine models, IMO.

Bullshit. What? My comment, or the possibility that Fowler was heading to USA??? Saying that the rumor is bullshit. It's not going to happen.

Bullshit.

Well, that and people like Lothar Matthaus going. Beckham's a 'movie star' if you like in soccer terms. I think he'll raise the profile in the short-trem but I think it's about as popular as it will ever get in the US given the competition. You'd know more about it than me though tbh. What are you saying about Matthaus? He was a failure in every way imaginable over here. Didn't play well, didn't excite crowds and wasn't a name which brought attention. This differs from Beckham in the last facet 100% and from the former two possibly (we'll have to see)

The past being the NASL? It's a different reality now. In the NASL days, noone played soccer, no one had heard of soccer. Half of the population couldn't even have named Pele. Now soccer is the most played sport for youth in this country now. The game is familiar to people. The fact that there is a reason to go to a game will be enough to bring out people who otherwise wouldn't go, and it will catch on with at least some of them. The sport is more popular now than it ever was in the past, with MLS running things in a much more intelligent way than the NASL ever did. The DP rule is going to be an interesting test, but I have a feeling it'll be a rule that goes away after the 'trial period.'

He won't 'transform' the game over here, but he will raise its profile, which was the aim (he already has.) I don't think even the people spouting it believe half the shite they've come out with about him. It's all media speak.

And now the truth comes out: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/soc/4579693.html His base salary is less than Shearer's.

Aye, you're right he's been posting yesterday. Hadn't seen his posts yet though.

welcome back yer turncoat bastard. I've found you a new avatar:

tbh.

Galloway: I'm going with you to Cuba tomorrow. Kaffee: And the hits just keep on coming. I don't know if it's the place you're thinking of; I'm sure it's been said in many places/films. It's in The Boondock Saints too.

A Few Good Men

While we're lucky that Bremen and Sevilla play each other, I have serious doubts about getting past AZ. I could see them dumping us out.