Well of course I signed up for spot duty here. I love top-flight football, in many ways the opposite of the NFL.
The NFL is micromanaged, start-and-stop lawyerball with armored athletic specimens banging into each other—all under the watch of a dozen officials on the field and the ether. Fútbol is the simplest game, almost instinctive. And the players look like usual folk; the clock never stops; and one ref, who is seldom in the way, lords over the action. Some quibble with the “action” part: apparently, some sports fans are into “scoring”. And there’s even those who demand (demand!) a “win or lose outcome”.
Kidding. It takes a special kind of asshole to hate people for not liking the same stuff you like. Besides, watching fútbol involves the bargain that any game will end 0-0. The flip side is that the sport allows an inferior team to keep any game contested and even steal a win with a single counterattack, a converted foul, a gnarly corner, or fluky foosball ricochet. Hell, the single goal of a 1-0 final score has its own jazzy march:
Aside from the goals, top-flight fútbol delivers: the skill with which the players toy with, bend and smash the ball and also how they kick and elbow the shit out of opponents. Yeah, aggression is very much a part of the game, despite the common image non-fans have of fútbol players. For instance, this is Zlatan Ibrahimovich:
And here is how a REAL FOOTBAW FAN would see “Sultan Abragovich:
If you’re on the fence about fútbol (to like it, not on whether be apathetic or a haytah), this morning offers one of the best possible matchups.
Real Madrid v. Barcelona FC – 6 AM Central (BeIn Sports Muthafuckas!)
Well, heh heh, offered. Stupid time zones. Should’ve been an evening game. Maybe it’s a security concern, with the Catalonian parliamentary elections this week favoring pro-independence parties in the wake of crushing… You now, let’s table the issue until I’m less bitter about politics. How about a soft deadline of January, 2037.
Real and Barcelona are embarrassingly stacked. On the Guardian’s 100 top players in the world for 2017, Barcelona has nine. Real Madrid has 13. Thirteen! 1 and 2 are Messi and Ronaldo, respectively. And many are mad that Ronaldo is second (now or ever). It’s a fierce argument, but it gets dumb fast. Ronaldo has the numbers and has won every trophy but the World Cup—and the memerati are still doing that Penaldo crap. Yeah, he won his fifth Golden Boot this year by kicking penalties.
Don’t get me wrong: I like tired crap. But this best / worst, champion / dildo Boolean judging… Enough! These two are fierce competitors with incredible skills. All you need to appreciate it is eyes. But yeah, Messi by a mile.
Still, Luis Suárez is my favorite player [dodges empties of fancy beer]. I hope he breaks Sergio Ramos’s nose, accidentally.
Over in England (with special guest, Wales):
Everton v. Chelsea – 5:30 AM Central (??Slated NBC-affiliated channel)
Regarding the hosts, the boycott continues. This space shall not be soiled.
/hat tip to King Hippo
//burns hat with cig
Instead, let’s all enjoy Antonio Conte in his underwear.
Manchester City v. Bournemouth – 9:00 AM Central (NBCSN)
Cherries go to Man City!
[vulgar machinations, palpitations]
Let’s move on.
Southampton v. Huddersfield Town – 9 AM Central (Rich Folks Package)
Number 12 v. 11 on the table. Both teams average less than a goal a game. Woof.
West Ham United v. Newcastle United – 9 AM Central (NBC Mold)
West Ham is two points clear of The Relegation Zone, Newcastle is 18th. Both average less than a goal a game. Suggested refreshment to enjoy this game:
Stoke City v. West Bromwich Albion – 9 AM Central (Don’t)
17th v. 19th! See above.
Swansea City v. Crystal Palace – 9 AM Central (CNBC)
Swansea’s comfortably in 20th place, 12 points in 18 games, TEN GOALS. I saw Crystal Palace last Saturday. They looked great, but they are managed by human Gerald Scarfe caricature Roy Hodgson.
I don’t trust the guy.
Brighton & Hove Albion v. Watford – 9 AM Central (Neighbor’s Feed)
Oh man, this EPL season has a shitload of Albion.
Burnley v. Tottenham Hotspur – 11:30 AM Central (NBC)
Is Louis C.K. still managing Burnley? [checks] Yes.
I remember Burnley; this February they were eliminated from the FA Cup by a 5th (FIF) division team, Lincoln City FC. And will you look at that: now Burnley is 6th on the Premier League table. Well… Burnley has nine wins in 18 games, with 16 goals and 12 against. I haven’t seen Burnley since, but those numbers scream *beep *beep…
Like a… Bus parking. *beep. Psh. Pearls before swine, man.
Spurs are 7th. Yes I can hear the grave dancing from here. But I like Pochettino, and Kane and Alli. Here’s one reason: you play hard and the manager has your back. Spurs have 31 goals—I’m calling it: 2-0 San Antonio.
Leicester City v. Manchester United – 1:45 PM Central (NBC)
Listen Lester: I’m still not over the Ranieri sacking. As far as I’m concerned, the EPL title is very, VERY mostly due to him. Feh.
Yeah OK. I get it. Top-flight fútbol is cutthroat capitalism. For owners, loyalty is a shade of sentimentality, which clouds business sense [spits]. On the other hand, fuck this guy.
Go Foxes.
I still feel I need a lesser footy team. For some reason to whatever extent he follows it (basically none) Padre Weaselo likes Bayern Munich. Any takers? All I know is not Liverpool because the guy who owns the Grit Sawx own them too. But that requires me ever watching them.
I think the Bundesliga is basically Bayern Munich and no one else. English Premier is generally at least 2-3 teams with a chance.
Athletic Bilbao
Ok, I like the idea of blaming you all for the LA thing. I’m starting Nelson Agholor, Paul Richardson, and Sammy Watkins.
The true meaning of christmas, NSFDFO version.
h
ttps://78.media.tumblr.com/5c8456338edc3e3291cfe03dbafed0d1/tumblr_p1f49vRsYb1udk29oo1_500.gif
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6c-46ze1YvQ&t=278s
Merry Christmas yall!
I’ll be back later….
By the way, I’m playing for the consolation prize of next year’s FF entry fee, and with Davante Adams ded, I need to reshuffle my thin WR corps further. Thoughts on what to pick out of this pupu platter? I need three of:
Agholor vs Oak
Paul Richardson @ Dal
Zay Jones @ NE
Sammy Watkins @ Ten
Ted Ginn vs Atl
Will Fuller vs Pit
I’d say first three
First three is my current plan. Major second and third and fourth doubts
& Sammy Watkins. Tenn is gonna get slaughtered…..
WHY CAN’T YOU GUYS HAVE ONE CONSENSUS OPINION I CAN BLAME LATER
you have consensus on first two. Flip a coin on Zay v. Ginn v. Watkins, or pull a card out of a shuffled deck.
Or just play the guy nobody has suggested (Fuller) out of contrarian juju. Maybe it will give extra “Jew on Christmas” luck?
At least luckier than Easter, amirite?
this guy gets it!!
We are Siamese if you please chuh chuh
other cat: “you see dis fuckin’ guy?”
I bet on the Tits +6.5, they are desperate and will keep it close, plus there has to be some emotional hangover after running train on the SeaTruthers at their place. How often do you see ANYONE demolish two credible sides ON THE ROAD consecutively in the NFL?
Agholor for sure, probably Richardson and Ginn.
Watson, Aglohor, Ginn.
I like this as a name.
Good law firm, imho
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/government-scientists-blocked-from-the-biggest-meeting-in-their-field/ar-BBHa2Fh?OCID=ansmsnnews11
We can’t have our scientists exposed to the dangers of science
JFC.
Good to know that Browns-like incompetence happens in other sprots too (i.e. Bournwithnomouth, soccer)
Is it still ok to not care about soccer? Beyond the mindless hate of the 90s to the curated indifference (until and unless jingoism and excitement lead to US World Cup fandom).
Sure it is. I’m into it because A) I get paid to broadcast it B) It’s better than 90% of what’s on TV on any given Saturday morning
Lesser Footy or fútbol, goddamnit
Just for that, this is what you get:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CH1XGdu-hzQ
Yoja!
That song will be stuck in everyone’s brain all day today.
You’re welcome.
Absolutely, to each their own. I give 0 shits about the NBA and I am ok with it.
They still have a league?
hell 2 da naw, “the association”
GOOOAAALLLL to TEH MIGHTY FULHAM!
yes, I know, but I have to be excited somewhere.
in top 2 yet?
No. Not even close.
FIX YO’ SHIT
THREAD: With regards to the Mike Cernovich AMA last night: https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/7liww8/im_mike_cernovich_journalist_author_and_filmmaker/
Cernovich is an alt-right cretin who (I am not making this up) is currently divorced and is living in his girlfriends’ parents’ basement. His biggest claim to “fame” is helping push the Pizzagate narrative (did I say narrative? I meant fantasy) and getting Sam Seder fired for about 24 hours.
In addition to mocking the life out of his current living situation and his “Gorilla Mindset” book (which I assume is every toxic MRA and PUA strategy distilled into a series of four and five word sentences his followers can make sense of) the commenters gave him hell about his lisp.
Much in the same way that the kids on South Park mock Scott Malkinson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrrrv7iO68g
I’ve got a lisp myself. Depending on who you ask (my ex-girlfriend) it’s pretty prominent or (my mom) it’s barely noticeable. So you’d think it would bug me a bit that people would mock Cernovich for the same disability* that I suffer.
*It’s not a “disability” by any stretch of the imagination; I just can’t think of a better word.
But I’m 100% fine with it. In fact, I think it’s hilarious. And here’s why. Jean-Paul Sartre’s got a great quote about how Anti-Semites approach an argument: “Never believe that anti-Semites are completely unaware of the absurdity of their replies. They know that their remarks are frivolous, open to challenge. But they are amusing themselves, for it is their adversary who is obliged to use words responsibly, since he believes in words. The anti-Semites have the right to play. They even like to play with discourse for, by giving ridiculous reasons, they discredit the seriousness of their interlocutors. They delight in acting in bad faith, since they seek not to persuade by sound argument but to intimidate and disconcert.”
If you doubt this is how people like Cernovich treat their arguments with “libtards and cucks” I have a bridge to sell you. So I think it’s absolutely FANTASTIC that people are eschewing the notion of trying to engage with pieces of human garbage like Cernovich on an intellectual level and instead just shitting all over him based on any and all vestiges of weakness he displays. It’s exactly what he’d do when employing his “Gorilla Mindset” to play on the insecurities of women he’s trying to “seduce” (like the one whose parents are currently providing him with shelter).
Tho it’s nithe to thee him getting a tathte of his own medithine.
yeth thirrr!!
That said; Mike Mayock is one of my favorites; both “draft expert” and announcer. Seriously; his never bothered me or made me feel compelled to make fun of it.
Yep, Mayock’s legit. I’m sure this sounds ridiculous but there’s a difference between mocking someone to be funny (Mayock) and mocking them to make them feel like shit (Cernovich).
Do you mean mocking the draft? There is; I felt uncomfortable mocking Mayock. This other asshole; not so much.
THIS. Whimsical nature, no malice behind it. We are just being crass/dickish, but with no malice in our hearts.
I like to think this place is an elevated plane where we can discern such grey zones, and talk it out when there are issues.
I prefer mocking actions rather than uncontrollable characteristics, but hey.
I make fun of Lispy McGee because I am just terrible, but I also praise his work. Wish he was still announcing TNF on NFLN.
A hearty “Fuck that guy” to that guy
What. In. The. Actual. Fuck. Did I just read?
Oh, just me ranting about stuff that sensible people shouldn’t care about.
Not really; this shit could easily have gotten people fucking killed. I deserves even more ranting.
http://www.cnn.com/2017/06/22/politics/pizzagate-sentencing/index.html
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/12/10/business/media/pizzagate.html
heads up. The Space x falcon 9 launch has some cool pictures.
If you didn’t see it last night….. check it.
https://www.space.com/39197-spacex-spectacular-rocket-launch-views.html
gotta deliver them Iridium 4 satellites.
Vandenberg launches are the shit. I’ve had to explain them to groups of people at a time.
Yes that’s a space ship. No they’re not aliens. Yes we’ve done this before. Yes it’s safe to go home now. Please consider saving money for your children’s education.
So I assume KavadudeIsmail’s live blog this afternoon will save us from all of our families! Unless you are involved in Festivus activities.
It’s cold and wet here in CT, with family descending in a few hours.
I prefer this view.
She got that Bikini Body & Booty
hey girl!
let me surf over to you and we can talk!
Apparently Bournemouth have a defender named Adam Smith, and I would think that would be an unfair advantage in any English league because he could handball everything and no one could do anything about it because he would just call it the Invisible Hand.
Can’t wait for tomorrow to find out if deviantBastard’s comment is going to hold up for an unprecedented third week in a row.
I mean, we should change it, but it just keeps being relevant.
Hot take: You should only be allowed to name your kids the names of cars you can afford.
Is that why he is called Marcedes Lewis? Like Sorny or Magnetbox?
LOL
“This is my daughter, Uber.”
Is that why Sarah Palin named one of her kids “Tundra”?
/is not aware of this being true, but it sounds perfectly plausible.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdFJ-hFFdI8
Doug Stanhope on Sarah Palin and her kids. I cannot emphasize enough that you should not click on this at work, or in the company of decent human beings.
HOLY FUCK, I should have played this at last night’s family gathering, then people would stay off my ass about how I refuse to engage with others.
She only names her kids things she doesn’t understand like “Trig” and “Charity”
now THAT is some quality commentin’
So nice to wake up and see that the team you like won.
Speaking of, AFLW is starting in less than two months!
I got up, thought that I would listen to teh mighty Fulham and then watch the Clasico! Alas the good guys won early.
dude Sane is fast! soooo quick!!!!! like quickity quick….
Man City Agurreao with the score!!!!!!!!!!!
Can’t wait to watch him disappear in next year’s World Cup!
I can’t wait for everyone to disappear from next year’s World Cup when the Chechens attack.
I am with you, my buddies from Zaragoza invited me to come with them and I politely declined. Both Euros that I have been to the ONLY violence and issues I saw/had were with the Russians.
I’m not all unhappy that the US isn’t going to Russia and I won’t be unhappy if they miss Qatar as well.
Fuck FIFA.
blow it all the fuck up
cool article about the Price is Rite: http://www.urbo.com/content/this-guy-cheated-on-the-price-is-right-and-made-them-change-their-entire-system
It’s too early. I have to work because I’m a suck. Any other poor souls working today?
This pilot should be careful where she does her yoga. A sneaker wave could get her and she wouldn’t even know it. SMH
Working 12 hours today! At least I have footy to watch
meee tooo!!!
Next week I hear back on a job I interviewed for on Tuesday. So theres that.
Good luck! Which porn company will you be fluffing for?
I am using this the next time someone tells me about a job interview.
I should be working even MOAR, but I put in 12+ hours of billable time yesterday (in addition to 2 hours with family) so my brain is kaput.
If the upfit construction guy adds his two cents, I will have to compile his edits and run a new master blackline Lease, proof that and send out to the team today. But the other thing lingering in my mind takes too much internal CPU.
Boss asked me to work moar today and I said I could only do an extra hour. I haven’t started Christmas shopping or anything. Combine that with other errands I’ll have to do tomorrow, the only football I’ll get to watch will be the stuff I catch passing by stores with games on.
Im doing last minute online gift cards etc. Some I have to print out, but others I can at least get delivered by Christmas with the inlaws Thursday
everybody but my mom got $$ this year LMAO
“12+ hours of billable time yesterday” equals two hours of work, three hours of watching Bowl games and 7 hours of thinking about how much he hates work.
Or is that just me?
holy fuckballs, I saw maybe 10 plays of the match I actually gambled on. For once I actually had to DO SHIT. This was NOT what partnerhood was supposed to be. WHERE ARE MAH UNDERLINGS??
Teaching, but I only have three students.
Fuck. I always watch the Classico. Am now on Pacific time so everything is earlier. Cant argue with the result though!!! Vamos barca.
Greatest ever. Puyol. Come at me.
Whatcha doing in BC?
Oh, wait, Christmas. Where in BC are you?
In laws for xmas. In Salmon Arm for the festivities. Will be escaping for a couple days to Kelowna and wine country with my buddies! Plus the Rockets Blazers game on Wednesday
I have a soft spot for Bournemouth, because they were the first promoted team that made any sort of noise when I started following the Premier League, (and also b/c I think I recall Sill hated Bournemouth), but my Christ they are going to get lit up like that raggedy-ass Charlie Brown Christmas tree we put up last night.
Heh heh always circles back to our enemies.
there is nothing in the world MOAR powerful than hate
City seems to be good at this football thing.
Damn. Slept in and missed the 0-0 chelsea match and el classico.
Man U-Leic City doesn’t happen till later….. soooooooo………..
Something called Bournemouth is playing soon though
good call. Man City gonna finally loose today? or what?
Gonna go with “what”
Ever since Man City got that steel mill they just play so much more liberated.
Keep reaching for that rainbow, boys!
My favourite part of last night’s annoying extended family pre-Xmas gathering that I got roped into – my kid got a present from my sister that I swear to God and Sonny Jeebus are a dead ringer for Trailer Park Boys’ Ricky’s track pants. “Awesome, you got track pants!” I exclaimed. My sister: “They’re leggings”
Fuck right off, I had a pair just like ’em in high school. They’re Adidas track pants, and now apparently in style for high school ladyfolk. Ricky rules the world, y’all.
Everything old is new again?
Cut to: Hippo “accidentally” wearing them one day with the excuse, “Oh, I thought these were mine, aren’t we so similar in taste/size?”
Then cut to: Hippo’s defenestration.
I call them trackies as well, Mrs Cola calls them leggings too.
I love that the pic of Hodgson looks like he just went to town on the coke pentagram.
DonT does amazing work with teh pictorials.
La Liga and EPL have the same competitiveness at the very top as the Bundesliga this season. Yikes.
Makes for good Champions League matches though.
true dat, need to remind myself to pay better attention to those
Hey didn’t expect I would wake to the dying embers of el Clasico, but there ya go. Viva Catalonia!!
Happy Festivus
Go Foxy Soccer, Brighton, and Tottenham