"There's a small place inside us that they can never lock away, and that place is called hope."
-- Andy Dufresne
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Don't You Know You Need Some Time All Alone
Congratulations to Ms. Stacy Villescas for correctly naming "Winding Wheel" by Ryan Adams as the Wednesday Song of the Day.
Folks, I've been trying to tell you for years now that Ronald Reagan was simultaneously referring to the U.S.S.R., the Yankees, Nickelback, and Manchester United when #40 began speaking of "an evil empire", but a story brought to my attention today by the lady friend takes the cake.
A man "angered" by Manchester United's defeat to Barcelona in the final of the Champions League killed four people when he drove a minibus into a crowd celebrating the Spanish side's victory, police in Nigeria have told CNN.
First of all, this is why soccer is captivating and, at the same time, completely insane. The fact that a group of Nigerians would be crowding into a street to celebrate the victory of a Spanish club in a European competition says much about the worldwide reach of soccer's popularity, particularly the popularity of the large European clubs such as Barcelona, Liverpool, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, and yes, Manchester United. I'm a huge fan of the NFL, but I don't think anyone was gathering on the street corners of Lagos, Nigeria to celebrate last year when the Steelers won the title. Well, unless they were excited about the influx of Cardinals t-shirts that would shortly be making their way across the Atlantic. Kurt Warner: He's huge in Lagos!!!
More importantly, though, this is the kind of story that continues to give soccer fandom a black-eye. In America, we have the occasional riot/drunken gathering/couch burning expedition by college students when their school brings home a national title or we have an alcohol induced dust-up between Yankees and Red Sox fans in the bleachers on a hot July afternoon. No one gets too worried about things, we all shrug it off as the normal course of events in the sporting world, and we move on without much hand-wringing or blame casting.
Can you imagine, though, if something like this happened in America, if a Patriots fan had run down 4 Giants fans in Cambridge, MA two years ago after Super Bowl XLII? I'm pretty sure Keith Olbermann's head might have exploded, although I'm not so sure that's a bad thing, but I digress.
Congratulations to Mr. Joseph R. Halbert for correctly naming "Sabotage" by the Beastie Boys as the Tuesday Song of the Day. I said it to the lady friend this weekend, and I'll say it again here: "Sabotage" gets my vote for best music video of the 90's.
You might disagree with me on that point, and if you do, I would love to hear your suggestion for the #1 spot.
Question of the Day:
What is the first word that comes to mind when I see the following photo? Answer: Schadenfreude. Sweet, sweet schadenfreude.
Congratulations to Mr. Alan Robertson for correctly naming "Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay" by Otis Redding as the Wednesday Song of the Day.
Big news today in the legal world with President Obama's nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to replace David Souter on the Supreme Court. While everyone else will spend hours poring over Judge Sotomayor's legal opinions, I say that the one true test of her qualifications to serve on the high court is a full breakdown of the high-jump technique of the other "famous" (I use the term loosely) Sotomayor, the current world record-holder in the high-jump, Javier Sotomayor.
Question of the Day:
Justin, can I root for Manchester United instead of Barcelona tomorrow's Champions League Final?
Answer:
Sure, if you would have also supported the Axis in World War II.
Current Reading American Caesar--Douglas MacArthur1880-1964 by William Manchester
One Thing I Have Found, There Are Just Two Ways to Go
After repeated requests by John Middleton, I'm going to address the thrilling, yet ultimately disappointing events, of last Tuesday, April 14th, 2009.
Before I jump into the actual match, I need to lay a little groundwork. A week earlier, at Anfield, Liverpool lost to Chelsea by a 3-1 scoreline. In a competition such as the Champions League, which features two-legged matches until the Final, and which values the number of away goals that a team scores if the match is ultimately tied on aggregate at the end of two legs, Liverpool was in a deep, deep hole as they headed to StamfordBridge in London to face Chelsea?
Oh, I should also mention that Liverpool was without an injured Steven Gerrard. Juuuuuuuuust great, my friends. In the name of fairness, Chelsea was also missing their Captain, John Terry, but in a match that, at a minimum, needed to see Liverpool score 3 goals to have any chance of advancing to the semi-finals against Barcelona, the absence of their leading goal-scorer this season, as well as the man who is a strange mixture of lucky charm and inspirational leader, did not bode well as the match began.
But what a beginning it was, my friends. Just 19 minutes into the match, the White Brazilian #1, Fabio Aurelio, struck a very, very clever free-kick past Chelsea goal-keeper Petr Cech to start the scoring.
Looking back, this is exactly where the pain began. Was it painful at the time? Of course not, but this is where the hope began, which ultimately made the pain at the match’s conclusion all the more stinging. If you’re scoring at home, we’re currently at 1-0 on the night and 3-2 on aggregate. Game on.
A mere 9 minutes later, Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso is hauled down in the box by a Chelsea defender. As the referee pointed to the penalty spot, high-fives were raining down where I watched the match with two other Liverpool fans as well as one Chelsea supporter. After Liverpool’s best-bearded player, the aforementioned Mr. Alonso smashed home the penalty, there were a high number of fist-pumps/Caucasian dance moves. At least I think they were dance moves. They might have been seizures. There’s really no way to tell the difference. If you’re scoring at home, we’re currently a 2-0 on the night and 3-3 on aggregate as we enter halftime in West London. Almost to the top of the mountain, my friends.
As the second half began, I remember having thoughts similar to those experienced by Bill Simmons during Game 6 of the 1986 World Series. Before I proceed, I should note that this game was not nearly as big as Game 6 due to the fact that this was a Champions League quarter-final and that this game did not hurt nearly as much as Game 6 hurt the Sports Guy, but I did think this: Man, I hope we’re recording this. It will be GREAT to watch in the future. Not good from a karmic perspective, my friends. NOT GOOD.
A mere 6 minutes into the second half, we begin to lose cabin pressure. A cross came in from the right towards the Ivorian Diving Champion, Didier Drogba, who put a slight touch on the ball, which was enough to disorient Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina, who allowed the ball to slip behind him into the waiting goal. Now, we’re at 2-1 on the night and 4-3 on aggregate. Liverpool are slightly battered, but they still need that 3rd goal.
What happened 6 minutes later probably falls into the “Stern of the Titanic actually lifting clear of the North Atlantic” category of “This REALLY is not going the way we need it to”. After winning a free-kick just outside of the Liverpool penalty box, Chelsea defender Alex (yes, just one name) absolutely rockets the ball past Pepe Reina.
I’m not sure if I can find the words to accurately describe the pure physical power that was exhibited by Alex’s free-kick, but just in case I cannot, here’s footage. We’re now at 2-2 on the night and 5-3 on aggregate.
Things really began to spiral out of control at the 76-minute mark when Xabi Alonso gave the ball away in his own half, leading to the Liverpool defense looking like the Keystone Kops as they attempted to chase down Drogba, who ultimately passed the ball back to an on-rushing Frank Lampard, who needed only one chance to direct the ball beyond Pepe Reina. At this point, my body lost all signs of tension/hope, and I slumped down on the couch to watch the last 14 minutes only out of apathy/duty. The ledger now says we’re at 3-2 on the night (advantage Chelsea) and 6-3 on aggregate.
Despite the fact that it has now been co-opted for a World of Warcraft commercial, there is great truth in the following line from The Godfather III: “Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.” At the 81st minute mark, just as I was thinking about what I needed to do after watching the match, the White Brazilian #2, Lucas Leiva, pops up with a goal to bring Liverpool back to 3-3 on the night and 6-4 on aggregate. Granted, this means that the Reds still need to score 2 goals in the last 10 minutes at a place where, before tonight, they had needed 4 games (in the Champions League) to score 2 goals, but I’ll say this: These last 10 minutes should, at the very least, be exciting.
Less than a minute later…okay, I’m all the way back in, ladies and gentlemen. Dirk Kuyt, the Flying Dutchman, has headed home a pinpoint cross from winger Albert Riera.
The Tiger Woods-esque fist pumps and Caucasian dance moves have returned in full force. The students on Arrested Development may have chanted “Four more years” for Steve Holt (complete with raised fists), but all I’m asking for is “ONE MORE GOAL, ONE MORE GOAL”. We’re now at 4-3 on the night (advantage Liverpool) and 6-5 on aggregate, meaning that if Liverpool scores one more goal, they’ll be tied on aggregate and Liverpool will win on the away-goals rule.
That sound you just heard was a cry of anguish from Waco, TX and a cry of joy from Dallas, TX. When Frank Lampard scored his second goal in the 89th minute, ol’ Frankie Boy took the scoreline to 4-4 on the night and 7-5 on aggregate. If this is the Battle of Little Bighorn, this is where Custer is lying on the ground, looking up, and all he can see is the sky and the face of a lot of angry Indians, all the while thinking,” This really is not going to end well.” 3 minutes later, the referee blows the final whistle, Chelsea moves on to the semi-finals to face Barcelona, and Liverpool heads back to the northwest of England to mount a final challenge for this year’s Premier League Title.
All in all, and barring the fact that Liverpool and Chelsea are two of the biggest clubs in the world, this match ultimately reminds me of the final game from the immortal 1994 film Little Big League. You know the movie, my friends. The kid, Billy Heywood, is bequeathed ownership of the Minnesota Twins by his grandfather, he ultimately manages the team into the playoffs, where they lose on a stunning catch by Ken Griffey, Jr. at the fence to rob a Twins player of a homerun that would have been a game-winner.
When you watch the movie, you know that the Twins went into that game with a huge mountain to climb, you watched them put up a gallant fight, but in the end, the mountain was just too steep that day, and the bad other guys won in the end. Liverpool went into this match needing a miracle, and they almost pulled off that miracle, but sometimes it’s asking a little too much of the soccer/football gods to pull off Istanbul: Part II against an opponent as strong as Chelsea.
Close the Shutters, Draw the Shades, Filter Out the Everglades
Congratulations to Mr. Joey Halbert for correctly naming "Mighty Quinn (Quinn the Eskimo)" by Bob Dylan as the Monday Song of the Day.
I'm not exactly sure what's going on in the following video but it looks like somebody has little too much time on their hands, a rudimentary understanding of MS Paint, and a desire to do a mediocre tribute to the "Clint Eastwood" video by Gorillaz.
Now that I've assured that anyone who had any desire to read this post has now left, I'll move on to another topic sure to alienate my readers: The Champions League!!!
As a quick refresher, the competition is currently at the quarterfinal stage with 8 teams remaining. The matchups are as follows:
Villarreal F.C. (Spain)
Arsenal F.C. (England)
F.C. Porto (Portugal)
Manchester United F.C. (England)
F.C. Barcelona (Spain)
F.C. Bayern Munich (Germany)
Chelsea F.C. (England)
Your favorite and mine, Liverpool F.C. (England)
Let's walk through the matchups just so you can get out of here at a reasonable hour:
Villarreal F.C. versus Arsenal F.C.
In a rematch of their semi-final matchup in 2006, the Yellow Submarine from Spain meets the faovrite club of Nick Hornby and Osama bin Laden. Even though Villarreal boasts the services of the half-American/half-Italian Giuseppe Rossi, the Gunners, with the help of Van Persie and Adebayor up front, will move on to face the winner of...
F.C. Porto versus Manchester United F.C.
You would think that a team from a region famous for making port would be able to pull some sort of Samson/Delilah-style trick on the English Evil Empire, but the club that American taxpayers love to subsidize is probably a bit more wily than that. I'm really not sure how Man.U. keeps getting these kinds of draws, except that Tim Geithner, as part of the bailout plan with A.I.G., is probably threatening to publish some sort of incriminiating phots of UEFA President Michel Platini. It's a bit far fetched, but in the corrupt world that is European soccer, I doesn't seem quite that outlandish. The EEE should win this matchup going away.
FC Barcelona versus FC Bayern Munich
In the only showdown that does not feature an English team, we'll probably see a ton of goals scored, but again, since an English team is not involved, ESPN will almost certainly not show either of the matchups. Despite strong performances in both matches from Ribery & Co. (Bayern Munich), the attacking presence of Eto'o, Henry, and Messi will give Barcelona that extra magic necessary to advance at this stage of the competition.
Chelsea F.C. versus Liverpool F.C.
And now, what you've all been waiting for, the yearly grudge matchup between the Reds and the Blues. This marks the 5th straight year that Chelsea and Liverpool have clashed in the Champions League, and if last year's matches are any indication, at least we have hopes of more scoring this year. Guus Hiddink's arrival as manager of Chelsea has reinvigorated the attacking presence of Drogba and Anelka, but right now, Liverpool is a force of nature. In their last three matches, against some pretty stout opponents (Real Madrid, Man. U., and Aston Villa), the Reds have won by a combined score of 13-1.
I'm not sure how the current two week international break is going to affect their momentum, but a team with leadership like Benitez and Gerrard will certainly be focused when they walk out to face Chelsea on April 8. Despite the forthcoming cries of homerism from John Middleton, Liverpool's current form has been so strong, I would be crazy to bet against them. Also, I would denying all that is good and right in the world if I didn't pick the Reds to triumph.
Current Reading The Kings of New York: A Year Among the Geeks, Oddballs, and Geniuses Who Make Up America's Top High School Chess Team by Michael Weinreb
When I Get Off of This Mountain, You Know Where I Wanna Go?
Congratulations to Ms. Stacey Villescas for correctly naming "Make You Feel My Love" by Bob Dylan, Adele, Garth Brooks, et al. as the Tuesday Song of the Day.
Sure, there are a lot of folks out there on the ol' interwebs who brought you the video of David, the magnificent child who was stoned out of his gourd after leaving the dentist's office, but who has two-thumbs and is giving you the "David After Dentist REMIX"?
This guy.
P.S. Yossi Benayoun and the rest of the Liverpool Football Club thank you for your continued support after today's 1-0 win against Real Madrid in Spain. Yossi Benayoun, my favorite Israeli since David Ben-Gurion.
In the spirit of further alienating my readership by engaging in a process of self-aggrandizement, I'm taking this opportunity to get my Champions League predictions out there for all the world to see (as if it, or you, cared) before the Knockout Stages begin later today back on "The Continent" and Mother England.
If you are like my Dad and wonder,"Now which competition is this one?", well, I have the answer for you, courtesy of that fount of all (slightly reputable) knowledge, Wikipedia:
The UEFA Champions League, which evolved from the European Champion Clubs' Cup, is a seasonal club football competition organised by UEFA since 1992 (or overall in its older format since 1955) for the most successful football clubs in Europe. The prize, the European Champion Clubs' Cup (more commonly known as the European Cup), is the most prestigious club trophy in the sport.
Armed with that knowledge, I give you the following predictions for which clubs will advance to the Round of 8 (predicted winners in bold):
Chelsea FC (England) vs. Juventus FC (Italy)
Readers of this blog know that my dislike for Chelsea is only surpassed by my dislike for the English Evil Empire, but my choice of Juventus here is not motivated solely by dislike for the West Londoners, but my belief that Juventus will be able to put the defensive vise-grip on a Chelsea side that has struggled to score goals as of late. Sorry, Johnny Boy.
Villareal FC (Spain) vs. Panathinaikos FC (Greece)
I would be lying to you if I thought that I could provide any type of in-depth insight on this matchup, but since Villareal is playing well right now in La Liga and they have the American-born scoring machine that is Giuseppe Rossi leading the attack, I'm going with the "Yellow Submarine" from Spain to advance.
Sporting CP (Portugal) vs. FC Bayern Munich (Germany)
Toni, Ribery, Klose, Podolski, Ze Roberto, Schweinsteiger and the rest of the reigning German Bundesliga champs will be too much for one of weaker teams remaining in the competition to handle. Bayern wins this one going away.
Atletico Madrid (Spain) vs. FC Porto (Portugal)
Atletico Madrid, besides being the former club of one Fernando Torres, gave Liverpool all they could handle during the Group Stages, and I fully expect them to advance past a Porto side that is not quite as strong as they have been in past years. Atletico striker Sergio Aguero, who is Argentinian, is currently adjusting to life on the Argentine national team playing for his father-in-law, Diego Maradona, who is widely known as one of the greatest players of all time. It's the Argentinian equivalent of LeBron playing on the U.S. National Team for his father-in-law Michael Jordan, only if Jordan had history as a rampant cheater and one time cocaine addict. So, basically it's nothing like that.
Olympique Lyon (France) vs. FC Barcelona (Spain)
In what should be one of the more high-scoring matchups of the round, look for Barcelona to mow through the French like the German Army in 1940. Also, if you have not been following the exploits of the phenom that is Barcelona's Lionel Messi, here's a sample of what he's capable of with a soccer ball at his feet.
Arsenal FC (England) vs. AS Roma (Italy)
Out of the other clubs in England's so-called "Big Four" I have the most affection for Arsenal, but they have been quite toothless recently in front of the goal, and I think the Italians can steal a crucial win today at the Emirates Stadium in England. Also, when Arsenal goes to Rome in early March for the second-leg, their fans will be less concerned with supporting their team and more concerned with how to avoid getting shanked by the Roma fans. Hooligans, they're FANNNNTASTIC!!!!
FC Internazionale Milan (Italy) vs. Manchester United FC (England)
It's the English Evil Empire versus the club that Liverpool knocked out of the tournament at the same stage in last year's competition. At this point, I'm going with the "Doubting Thomas" corollary, in that I have to see Man. U. actually lose before I'm going to pick against them in a two-legged competition. That was as painful for me to write as it was for you to read.
CF Real Madrid (Spain) vs. Liverpool FC (England)
Even though the Reds have had some recent hiccups, including Sunday's home draw against Manchester City, and Real Madrid has been lighting La Liga on fire lately, I still think Liverpool will emerge victorious. Torres is going to relish his trip to Madrid tomorrow night to play against the club he grew up despising, and Gerrard's return to the lineup after a three-week absence will provide the necessary spark that Liverpool needs to get past the Spanish juggernaut.
I suppose I should cue up some sort of entrance music, but in lieu of any musical accompaniment there's only one thing to say:
Much like the Russian Army to Georgia, I have returned with a vengeance, my friends.
I kid, I kid, but nonetheless, after a week in Mexico and a week and a half exploring the American West, I'm back in the Lone Star State and ready for that third and final year of law school to start on the 25th.
Here's what to look for in the next few days:
Grand Teton, Yellowstone, and Arches National Park Re-caps (Woooooooooo!!!)
Liverpool's Champions League qualifying campaign begins today and the Premier League season begins on Saturday at Sunderland. Prepare your comments of derision in advance.
The Texas Rangers: The Most Entertaining Baseball Team that Will Almost Certainly Not Make the Playoffs?
Chinese Female Gymnasts: Olympic Champions or the Target Audience for Dora the Explorer?
Michael Phelps: Better Than Mark Spitz, or, more importantly, Better Than Everyone? Ever? Yes, even YOU.
John McCain and Barack Obama: Which Candidate has Successfully Integrated the Most Wind-Turbines Into His Campaign Commercials? Which Candidate Will Be the First to Ride a Wind Turbine in Tribute to the Deranged Pilot in Dr. Strangelove?
It Don't Take No Sherlock Holmes to See It's a Little Different Around Here
Excuse me, everyone, I have an announcement to make...
It's safe to come out, my friends. (After today), the Liverpool F.C. posts are done until...at least late July/early August.
I know, I know. The disappointment may be too deep for you to speak right now.
Sometimes, when the things you love come to an end, you must soldier on the face of adversity. When things grow dim and the way looks bleak, just remember the resilience of the mouse that fell into that tub of cream, who, instead of accepting his impeding death, defiantly chose to churn that cream until it turned into butter.
Okay, you've got me, folks. This story has nothing to do with mice, nothing (hopefully) to do with the excessive use of cliches, and everything to do with experiencing disappointment from something as ultimately meaningless as sports.
Despite a great effort today at the always forbidding Stamford Bridge, the Reds lost to Chelsea 3-2 and 4-3 on aggregate to crash out of the Champions League. Meanwhile, the Blues advance to face Manchester United in the inaugural All-English Champions League Final on the 21st of May in Moscow.
Despite telling various friends earlier today that I would stoop so low as to root for the "English Evil Empire", I've actually changed my mind. I'm rooting for the meteor.
Yes, that's right, the definitive stroke over the course of the two matches was the own-goal scored by Liverpool's John Arne Riise, but hey, I'm not throwing the guy under the bus or anything. Speaking of which, how many times has the phrase "threw him under the bus" been used in the last 48 hours after the latest Obama/Rev. Wright dustup? My apologies for the digression.
As a sports fan, it's often difficult to remember that disappointment really is the normal state of affairs. As they say, only one team's season can end with a victory, but that doesn't mean that millions of us don't get much too excited about something that will almost certainly end in a letdown.
Sure, Liverpool have won the European Cup/Champions League 5 times, the English First Division/Premier League 18 times, and the F.A. Cup 7 times, but technically, they've lost the First Division/Premier League over 90 times, the European Cup/Champions League 48 times, and the F.A. Cup over 129 times.
Sheesh. You would think that by placing my allegiance with one of the only remaining Major League Baseball teams to have never even played in a League Championship Series I would have learned how to deal with this "LOSING" type thing, but if I've learned anything in 24 years of being a male, it's how to have a selective memory.
Now that I look at that last paragraph, I realize how depressing it is, even for Finals week.
Congratulations, once again, to Mr. Jeremy Masten for correctly naming "Supermassive Black Hole" by Muse as the Tuesday Song of the Day. Jeremy, I think your streak might be the DiMaggio mark for Running Down a Dream. In the midst of the debacle that is the Rangers 2008 season, you have risen above the outright putridity to salvage some semblance of excellence.
Just how disheartening was John Arne Riise's 94th minute own goal yesterday which gifted Chelsea a highly undeserved 1-1 draw at Anfield in the first leg of their Champions League semifinal with Liverpool? So disheartening that Lance Agan, not normally a futbol aficionado, saw fit to send these condolences:
I know we talked on the phone about it last night, but can I go ahead and tell you (again) what happens? OK, so Liverpool is up 1-0 with time stoppage time running out. I mean really, there's maaayyybe a minute left and the game will be over, the Reds victorious.Anyway, in a last-ditch effort to score, Chelsea centers the ball from the corner, and out of nowhere comes a Liverpool defender, and get this- HE HEADS IT INTO HIS OWN GOAL!! The game is now tied, 1-1. Holy cow, I did NOT see that coming!Man, I don't even like soccer/futbol and this one hurts. I can't begin to imagine how bad it must suck for you.
The one point of solace for Riise is the fact that he is not a Columbian citizen nor does he play for the Columbian national team. After scoring an own-goal against the United States during World Cup 1994, Columbian defender Andres Escobar was murdered upon his return to Columbia. John Arne, make sure you stay away from anyone and everyone that looks like the late Pablo Escobar.
The Liverpool-Chelsea saga continues next Wednesday in West London at Stamford Bridge. Hope is waning, but it is never lost.
You Caught Me Under False Pretenses, How Long Before You Let Me Go?
In approximately 37 minutes, Liverpool and Chelsea will kickoff their 3rd Champions League semifinal duel in the last four years.
Due to the fact that I will be in class during the match, it is currently being recorded for later viewing at Vice President Cheney's "Undisclosed Location". Also, I'm going into strict radio silence, which means that all phone calls, text messages, smoke signals, sign language, obscene gestures, rhythmic gymnastics, emails, Facebook messages and/or wall posts, will be met with a stony silence that only a scorned lover could provide.
I Wish I Was the Evidence, I Wish I Was the Grounds
Chalk another one up on the “Great European nights at Anfield” tribute board. There is no better place to be in the world when Liverpool pull off a victory like this. The walls shake, the roof rattles and the ears are strained to exploding point.
Rafa Benitez’s Reds performed another Champions League miracle after twice looking like they were heading out of the competition last night. Now it is a third semi-final showdown with Chelsea in four years — and you would not bet against Rafa doing the business once again.
Fair warning to Running Down a Dream readers of all ages: there will probably be a vagabond around these parts for the next month spewing pro-Chelsea F.C. rhetoric. He goes by the moniker "IMV". You might know him as John Middleton. Don't fall prey to his schemes. As always, believe in the Reds, my dear readers. They will never steer you wrong.
Congratulations to Mr. Luke Reeves as the winner of last week's Caption Contest for his submission of the following entry on the "jumping bull" picture:
[Camera man directly underneath bull with arm raised] "Ok Babe, I'm no doc but I'll give it a shot. You're gonna need to turn your head and cough."
Granted, Luke was the only person who took the time last week to enter the contest, but there is something to be said for his persistence, my friends. Shame on the rest of you.
This Week's Photo
My submission: "At long last, the true effects of sitting in front of a Lite-Brite map of the world night after night were revealed to a shocked nation."
As always, place your entries in the Comments Section. The Caption Contest runs through Sunday (4/6).
Now if you will excuse me, I'm off to Dick Cheney's "undisclosed location" to avoid spoilers related to the Liverpool-Arsenal Champions League quarterfinal match taking place at THIS.VERY.MOMENT.
Perhaps you dreamt that the coverage of The Beautiful Game had disappeared from the pages of Running Down a Dream, but you were wrong, my friends, oh so wrong.
Last night in Nashville, the U.S. Men's National Team secured a spot in the Beijing Olympics with a 3-0 victory over our neighbors to the north, Canada, also known by some as "America's Hat".The preceding picture probably destroyed whatever Canuck readership I had for this blog, but judging from the visitor location map to your right, I think I'm going to be okay without that portion of my audience. Well, at least for a few days.
Anyway, here's a video of all 3 goals from the match, including two free-kick goals from your friend and mine, Freddy Adu.
You know what? Judging by the venom that I receive for soccer posts, I'm just going to combine my weekly Liverpool post into this one simply to spite all of you.
The draw for the Champions League quarterfinals and semifinals was last Friday, and the results look a little something like this:
Manchester United (England) v. AS Roma (Italy)
FC Barcelona v. Schalke (Germany)
Chelsea (England) v. Fenerbahce (Turkey)
Arsenal FC (England) v. Liverpool FC (England)
Yes, that's right. Liverpool somehow managed to draw Arsenal in the Round of 8, and if the Reds progress past the Gunners, they have the joy of (most likely) meeting Chelsea for what would be their third Champions League semifinal clash in the last 4 years with the Blues.
I'm not saying Man. U. paid off anyone at UEFA, but if you see some European guys with new dental work in the near future, well, you know where the cash for that came from, don't you?
Statue of Liberty Play, Only Works Once, Don't Throw It Away
In what is becoming a regular occurrence 'round these parts, Mr. Joey Halbert has once again won the Caption Contest (related to last week's photo of Brett Favre on Draft Day) with this submission:
"A deal with Wrangler? No, they're way too baggy. It's Girbaud or nothing. Yeah, make sure they know I shave my quads."
It really was a simpler time back in the early 90's when people could wear jorts without looking like a renegade member of New Kids on the Block. Ah, if the early 90's were the Golden Age for jorts, surely Brett Favre was the Pericles of that age.
(Turning to Camera Two)
If you missed it, and I'm sure you did, Liverpool pulled off what the press are labeling "An Italian Job" in securing a great win 1-0 yesterday in Milan against Internazionale to advance to the Champions League quarterfinals. I would regale you with video of the wonder strike by Fernando Torres that ensured the Reds' place in the Final 8, but UEFA polices the internet like the Feds police Eliot Spitzer (and the hits just keep on coming, folks). The draw for the quarterfinals and semifinals is taking place Friday in Nyon, Switzerland, and you can rest assured that Running Down a Dream will have full coverage of the festivities.
Update: After getting called out for neglecting to mention the most recent Song of the Day Winner, I must congratulate Mr. Andrew Tuegel for naming "Staring at the Sun" from U2's 1997 album Pop.
Do not worry, my ever-faithful readership. I have not fallen into some piney-woods black hole during my return home for Spring Break. I'm just trying to lay low for a week before things get started again in the Land of the Bear on St. Patrick's Day.
I'll be back tomorrow with the winner of last week's Caption Contest, thoughts on Liverpool's outstanding 1-nil victory over Inter Milan at the San Siro today, and more fun than should legally be allowed in the blogosphere.
Until then, stay safe, stay smart, and don't go to Eliot Spitzer for advice on "after-hours" activities.
Clinton had sounded like a traditional executive, as someone who gathers the experts, forges a policy, fights the opposition, bears the burdens of power, negotiates the deal and, in crisis, makes the decision at 3 o’clock in the morning.
But Obama sounded like a cross between a social activist and a flannel-shirted software C.E.O. — as a nonhierarchical, collaborative leader who can inspire autonomous individuals to cooperate for the sake of common concerns.
Clinton had sounded like Old Politics, but Obama created a vision of New Politics. And the past several months have revolved around the choice he framed there that night. Some people are enthralled by the New Politics, and we see their vapors every day. Others think it is a mirage and a delusion. There’s only one politics, and, tragically, it’s the old kind, filled with conflict and bad choices.
Hillary Clinton has fought on with amazing resilience since then, and Tuesday night may well bring another surprise, but she’s always been the moon to his sun. That night in November, he defined the campaign.
What's going to happen in Texas, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Vermont, faithful readers of Running Down a Dream?
Any predictions, prognotistications, or views into the political crystal ball?
Here's my predictions:
For the GOP, I see McCain winning Ohio, Rhode Island, and Vermont, but narrowly losing out to Huckabee in the Lone Star State. That would not exactly be the vote of confidence that McCain needs heading into the fall against an re-invigorated Democratic party, but it seems to be a result that would reflect the fractured state of the Republican party at the moment. For the Dems, I see Obama winning by a fairly comfortable margin in Texas, winning by a close margin in Vermont, but losing squeakers in Ohio and Rhode Island. That means Senator Clinton will almost certainly stick around through the summer, even as her margin for error continues to diminish.
Wait a second, while we're in the predicting mood, here's my thoughts on today's second-leg Round of 16 matchups in the Champions League:
Arsenal-AC Milan: Despite the fact that midfield maestro Clarence Seedorf will likely miss the match for Milan, the return of Kaka, Andrea Pirlo, and Alessandro Nesta bodes very well for the defending champions. Milan will advance with a 2-1 victory at their home ground, the San Siro.
Barcelona-Celtic: After winning 3-2 at Celtic Park a fortnight ago, Barcelona are the heavy favorites to advance in this tie. Even though Celtic will fight hard to withstand the Barcelona effort at the Nou Camp, the Scottish side simply do not have the ability to hold back weapons like Henry, Messi, Ronaldinho, Eto'o, et. al. Barcelona advances with a rather comfortable 3-1 win.
Manchester United-Lyon: Karim Benzema's 54th minute goal for Lyon in the first leg of this tie made things interesting, but Carlos Tevez's 87th minute equalizer put the Red Devils in prime position to advance to the Round of 8. Tonight at Old Trafford, I expect Man. U. to continue to push down on the accelerator and bring home a 2-0 victory. I don't like it one bit, but the Red Devils are going to be awfully difficult to stop this year.
Fenerbahce-Sevilla: After capturing a 3-2 home win in Turkey, Fenerbahce heads into their match with Sevilla with a slight advantage, but the Spanish side always play well at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan. Despite a noble effort from Fenerbahce, I expect Sevilla to capture a 2-1 win at home to advance to the Round of 8.
With goals from Dirk Kuyt and Steven Gerrard, Liverpool captured a 2-0 home victory in the first leg of their Champions League Round of 16 encounter with Inter-Milan:
For some perspective, this was only the second loss of the entire '07-08 season for the Italian club, and with a good showing on March 11th at the San Siro in Milan, the Reds will move on to the Champions League Round of 8.
Programming Note: At the request of Cris Carpenter, Sing Song 2008 thoughts and analysis will be given later this evening.
Nobody Said It Was Easy, No One Ever Said It Would Be This Hard
Congratulations to Ms. Stacy Villescas for correctly naming "A Day in the Life" by the Beatles as the Thursday Song of the Day. Stacy, if you want to think of a win in the illustrious Song of the Day contest as my Christmas gift to you, so be it.
The UEFA Champions League first knockout round draw was held this morning at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland. Here's how things shook out for Europe's elite footballing clubs:
Arsenal FC (England) v. AC Milan (Italy and current Champions League title holders)
OlympiqueLyonnais (France) v. Manchester United FC (England)
Yes, that's right, Liverpool drew the two-time defending Serie A champions who also happen to be on a 16 game unbeaten run to open the 2007-2008 Serie A campaign. Does that mean that the Liverpool faithful will not be thrilled by the chance to take down Inter and claim victory in the legendary San Siro? No sir. Every one of the teams left in the competition at this point is capable of greatness and the Reds must live by the maxim of "Face them now or face them later."
In the other matchups, the Arsenal-AC Milan matches are going to be outstanding. It is always fun to watch the old guard take on the up-and-comers and this is definitely the case with ArseneWenger's "kids" taking on the battle-hardened lineup from AC Milan. At this point, I'm going with Arsenal to progress. Man. U., as usual, drew a Lyon side that is talented, but at this point must be considered among the weaker remaining teams in the field of 16. Barring any significant injuries between now and February, I'm picking Man. U. to win this matchup in a fairly easy fashion. It pains me just to write that. The Celtic-Barcelona matches are probably going to a more entertaining version of the Rangers (Scotland)-Barcelona matches during the Group Stages. I have no doubt that Celtic Park will be a sight to behold when Barca come calling, but I think that Ronaldinho, Messi, Henry, Eto'o, Deco & Co. will just be too much for Celtic to contain; Barca moves on to the Round of 8. The Schalke-Porto matchup is a combination of some of the lesser-known teams remaining in the competition but the Germans clawed back from an early deficit to claim the second qualifying spot from Group B and Porto won Group A, the same group as Liverpool. Even though Schalke is a strong team, I think the individual brilliance of Porto's playmakers like Quaresma, Lisandro Lopez, Sektioui, and Lucho Gonzales will guide the Portuguese giants to victory. Roma-Real Madrid presents a very interesting Round of 16 matchup due to the star power and name recognition presented by both sides. I know that there are a lot of people who are pointing to Madrid as the team that will the trophy in Moscow, but I have to go with Roma in this matchup. The leadership of Francesco Totti and the brilliance of Mancini will lead the Italian side to the Round of 8. Olympiacos versus Cheslea is a case of a relatively unknown team against a squad that is world-renowned. It should be noted that key Chelsea players such as DidierDrogba, Michael Essien, and John Obi Mikel will be back from national team duty at the African Cup of Nations in time for these matches, and I expect Chelsea to advance from this pairing. You don't know how much I endured composing that last sentence as well. Finally, Fenerbahce versus Sevilla, even more than Schalke versus Porto, presents a matchup between the competition's two dark horses. Even though Sevilla has won the last two UEFA cups (the NIT to the Champions League's NCAA tournament), they still manage to fly under the radar thanks to the fact that they play in the same league as media darlings Real Madrid and Barcelona. In what will no doubt be some highly entertaining matches, I see Fenerbahce advancing to the Round of 8.
Remember kids, it's the most wonderful time of the year.
I'm a huge fan of the NFL, but I don't think anyone was gathering on the street corners of Lagos, Nigeria to celebrate last year when the Steelers won the title. Well, unless they were excited about the influx of Cardinals t-shirts that would shortly be making their way across the Atlantic. Kurt Warner: He's huge in Lagos!!!
