4-4! (AKA "The football thread")

[Jim-NC]

The Penguins-Red Wings is Hockey. The NHL is playing the Stanley Cup Series (best of 7 games).

[DarthMath]

The Penguins-Red Wings is Hockey. The NHL is playing the Stanley Cup Series (best of 7 games).

Ah !! Maybe we have another fan here !!

[Jim-NC]

My vote is for the Penguins.

[DarthMath]

My vote is for the Penguins.

For my part, I bet on the Wings, for a repetition !! They are a real steamroller.
I think that you have enjoyed the 'Canes great season !!

[Jim-NC]

For my part, I bet on the Wings, for a repetition !! They are a real steamroller.
I think that you have enjoyed the 'Canes great season !!

We shall see who wins and who loses. It takes 4 victories to hoist the cup. As for the 'canes, I still see them as the Hartford Whalers. I am very sore about teams up and abandoning cities for greener pastures (read more money for the owner). If I ignore that, then yes they had a good season (a great season includes a trip to finals), and an excellent season includes the cup!

[DarthMath]

We shall see who wins and who loses. It takes 4 victories to hoist the cup. As for the 'canes, I still see them as the Hartford Whalers. I am very sore about teams up and abandoning cities for greener pastures (read more money for the owner). If I ignore that, then yes they had a good season (a great season includes a trip to finals), and an excellent season includes the cup!

Hi Jim,
It seems that it's coming closer ... and without Datsyuk, Draper and Kopecky. Advantage to the more experienced, as quite often. And Bylsma who cannot find the answers. It looks quite good. I think it's going to be finished in 5 games.

Regarding your comments about owners, I share your opinion on the moving teams. I regret the Quebec Nordiques, for example ...
But, on other hand, I understand too that the owners want some rentability for their investments. Sport is a passion, but for the owners it's also a matter of reason and I understand the fact that they don't want to lose their money in a bottomless pit. It's particularly true for the "expansion teams". Look at the financial situation of the Coyotes this year : difficulties to find supporting people, bad results, bad recruiting choices, and all of that since the team's creation or so. From an economic point of vue, I can understand the owner decision to sell.

Anyway, I'm glad to be able to speak a little about hockey. It's not a very popular sport, here in France. But I love this game !!
Bye.

EDIT : A good news for you, Chris. Ancelotti is your new manager. You don't lose anything in comparison with Guus !!

[Hobbes]

Hi Jim,
It seems that it's coming closer ... and without Datsyuk, Draper and Kopecky. Advantage to the more experienced, as quite often. And Bylsma who cannot find the answers. It looks quite good. I think it's going to be finished in 5 games.

Regarding your comments about owners, I share your opinion on the moving teams. I regret the Quebec Nordiques, for example ...
But, in other hand, I understand too that the owners want some rentability for their investments. Sport is a passion, but for the owners it's also a matter of reason and I understand the fact that they don't want to lose their money in a bottomless pit. It's particularly true for the "expansion teams". Look at the financial situation of the Coyotes this year : difficulties to find supporting people, bad results, bad recruiting choices, and all of that since the team's creation or so. From an economic point of vue, I can understand the owner decision to sell.

Anyway, I'm glad to be able to speak a little about hockey. It's not a very popular sport, here in France. But I love this game !!
Bye.

EDIT : A good news for you, Chris. Ancelotti is your new manager. You don't lose anything in comparison with Guus !!

Yes It seems like good news - sounds like they will be spending again also!

[Jim-NC]

The Pens are really doing terrible. I can't believe it's 2 games to 0.

I don't mind expansion teams moving. It's the non expansion teams with a long history in a city, the team makes money, but "they won't surrender to my demands so I'm moving to a new city that will pay me $xxxxxxx". The "if you won't build me a new stadium/arena/field, I will move my team to city x, which will build me the new item". Those are the teams that get my blood up. There is too much of that going on.

[DarthMath]

Yes, sure. I completely agree with that.
But money is money, and we cannot change the human nature, unfortunately ...

[Rafiki]

Ice Hockey?

[Generalisimo]

In times of world crisis... you better watch out your finances...

11/06/2009 09:30, Report by Press department
[SIZE="4"]Record Ronaldo bid accepted[/size]

Manchester United have received a world-record, unconditional offer of £80million for Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid.

At the request of Cristiano - who has again expressed his desire to leave - and after discussion with the player's representatives, United have agreed to give Real Madrid permission to talk to the player.

Matters are expected to be concluded by 30 June. The club will not comment until further notice.

Where is the crisis??...

[DarthMath]

In times of world crisis... you better watch out your finances...




Where is the crisis??...

The crisis is for us, not for them, as it seems ....
You can add Kaka for 70 M. $, David Villa for 50 M $, and maybe Ribery for 50 or 60 M. But Florentino Perez has said that this year investment is going to be profitable in 3 years. So ... why not !!

[Generalisimo]

The crisis is for us, not for them, as it seems ....
You can add Kaka for 70 M. $, David Villa for 50 M $, and maybe Ribery for 50 or 60 M. But Florentino Perez has said that this year investment is going to be profitable in 3 years. So ... why not !!

Well, for the more than $160M they have invested in just TWO players, you can easilly buy a BALANCED team for any First division in the world... it is incredible...
Real Madrid already has a lot of excellent players (Higuain, Van Nistelrooy, Robben, Van der Vaart, etc)... their problem is that they do not have a balanced team.
But of course, C7R will sell a lot more Real Madrid T-Shirts than any other... so business are first...

[DarthMath]

Well, for the more than $160M they have invested in just TWO players, you can easilly buy a BALANCED team for any First division in the world... it is incredible...
Real Madrid already have a lot of excellent players (Higuain, Van Nistelrooy, Robben, Van der Vaart, etc)... their problem is that they do not have a balanced team.
But of course, C7R will sell a lot more Real Madrid T-Shirts than any other... so business are first...

Unfortunately, it's exactly that. And this year, they are going to not have a balanced team again. I feel also sorry for the new coach : managing all these stars and forming a team of only 11 players at the same time on the field is going to be an impossible task for him ( or for anyone else ... ) !!
Or, maybe they must change the rules for them !!
Regarding the investment, Perez said 2 or 3 days ago that Kaka would bring in 80 M.$ next year for the club, so the transfer fee is paid for itself in only one year. It's also true for Ronaldo of course.
But we live in a very strange world, for sure ...

Oh, by the way, it seems that Diegito's team is not in a very comfortable situation in its Amsud qualification zone ... Not a very good news at all !!

[Generalisimo]

Oh, by the way, it seems that Diegito's team is not in a very comfortable situation in its Amsud qualification zone ... Not a very good news at all !!

yes, we look as solid as the Titanic...

Code: Select all

Equipo     PJ     G     E     P     GF     GC     +/-     Puntos
[B]Brasil       14    7    6    1    25    6    19    27
Chile       14    8    2    4    23    14    9    26
Paraguay    14    7    3    4    20    13    7    24
Argentina    14    6    4    4    19    15    4    22[/B]
Ecuador    14    5    5    4    18    20    -2    20
Uruguay    14    4    6    4    23    16    7    18
Colombia    14    4    5    5    7    11    -4    17
Venezuela    14    5    2    7    17    24    -7    17
Bolivia    14    3    3    8    19    30    -11    12
Perú       14    1    4    9    7    29    -22    7

If Ecuador and Uruguay start winning... we are going to need to play against Mexico to get to the WC...

[DarthMath]

yes, we look as solid as the Titanic...

If Ecuador and Uruguay start winning... we are going to need to play against Mexico to get to the WC...

... which is a good thing, no !!

I'm not sure at 100%, but I believe that you must play either Paraguay and Uruguay, and maybe one of the two leaders in your last 4 games. It seems to be quite tough ... and decisive !!
But I have no doubts that my favorite Suramericana team is going to move across the Atlantic next year ( and maybe win the WC, who knows ... )!!

[Generalisimo]

... which is a good thing, no !!

I'm not sure at 100%, but I believe that you must play either Paraguay and Uruguay, and maybe one of the two leaders in your last 4 games. It seems to be quite tough ... and decisive !!
But I have no doubts that my favorite Suramericana team is going to move across the Atlantic next year ( and maybe win the WC, who knows ... )!!

Well, our matches are:
vs Brazil (at home)
vs Paraguay (away)
vs Peru (at home)
vs Uruguay (away)


Too many points were lost already... home and away... so, now we are in a desperate situation, we cannot loose even one match.

I really feel we are more or less like Real Madrid "galacticos"... too much star players... but we are not a "team" yet...

[DarthMath]

Well, our matches are:
vs Brazil (at home)
vs Paraguay (away)
vs Peru (at home)
vs Uruguay (away)


Too many points were lost already... home and away... so, now we are in a desperate situation, we cannot loose even one match.

I really feel we are more or less like Real Madrid "galacticos"... too much star players... but we are not a "team" yet...

Yes, I was pretty right with your future opponents. But don't worry, a good victoy against the very execrated enemy and it's good for the qualif. There is too much potential in this team for a waste.
By the way, what do you think about the appointment of Diego as team's coach ? I'm a little divided about that, but how is it felt from the inside, in Argentina ?

[Hobbes]

It always seems surprising to me when Brazil and Argentina suffer at all in this group as none of the other teams ever seem to be very highly rated (apart from the odd half decent few years - I still remember Cubillas tearing my team apart in Subbuteo back in the 70's).

I don't know if I would like to be a Real Supporter or not at the moment. If I was I would be excited by the new players but would think that troubled times may lie ahead. Interesting for the onlooker. I would rather have one of the flair players alongside a solid player like Lampard though.

Cheers, Chris

[Crimguy]

I'm wondering if Real are done. If they're splashing that kind of cash around, and make some key trades to create a solid back four, they will have an unstoppable force. Are they trying to stretch another year out of van nistelrooy? That guy is a great player, but he's also a fossil.

Van Persie hasn't signed yet. Maybe he'll be their next target? He has a couple years on his contract, but I have a feeling he wants some silverware. Carlos Tevez needs a home too.

On the other hand, losing ronaldo (lets not forget Tevez) does give Liverpool Chelsea and Arsenal some good hopes for next year. While they can replace him, even buy 3-4 quality players, they can field only one player as his replacement. No matter how you slice it, Man U will have a weaker 11 than last year.

[Generalisimo]

I'm wondering if Real are done. If they're splashing that kind of cash around, and make some key trades to create a solid back four, they will have an unstoppable force. Are they trying to stretch another year out of van nistelrooy? That guy is a great player, but he's also a fossil.

Van Persie hasn't signed yet. Maybe he'll be their next target? He has a couple years on his contract, but I have a feeling he wants some silverware. Carlos Tevez needs a home too.

On the other hand, losing ronaldo (lets not forget Tevez) does give Liverpool Chelsea and Arsenal some good hopes for next year. While they can replace him, even buy 3-4 quality players, they can field only one player as his replacement. No matter how you slice it, Man U will have a weaker 11 than last year.

For Real Madrid, they are talking about signing Ribery and Villa too... defense? what's that?

It is said too that the whole "armada holandesa" ("dutch navy") will be sold quickly... maybe that includes Van Nistelrooy?

[tagwyn]

Hey!! The Nuggets did not make it!! Perhaps next year! The Rockies are going great now but did not get off to a good start! The Broncos hired a new coach who ditched their all-star QB and are headed into the toilet for next season. t

[Hobbes]

For Real Madrid, they are talking about signing Ribery and Villa too... defense? what's that?

It is said too that the whole "armada holandesa" ("dutch navy") will be sold quickly... maybe that includes Van Nistelrooy?

Well I'm hoping they will leave something for Chelsea - Ribery maybe?

[Generalisimo]

Well I'm hoping they will leave something for Chelsea - Ribery maybe?

Maybe, you will be able to get Robben back for half the price now that they do not want him anymore...

[Franciscus]

Although a fellow countryman, I consider Ronaldo to be no more than a spoiled brat. His "strange" lack of commitment and teamwork is one of the main reasons for Portugal's team poor showing in the latest European Championship and also for the probable missed ticket to South Africa in 2010. In many aspects he is the opposite of Luis Figo, who IMHO is the greatest Portuguese soccer player ever (and a good man, too).
Ronaldo is not worth a pair of Figo's used socks, and that will become apparent, sooner rather than later.

[DarthMath]

Although a fellow countryman, I consider Ronaldo to be no more than a spoiled brat. His "strange" lack of commitment and teamwork is one of the main reasons for Portugal's team poor showing in the latest European Championship and also for the probable missed ticket to South Africa in 2010. In many aspects he is the opposite of Luis Figo, who IMHO is the greatest Portuguese soccer player ever (and a good man, too).
Ronaldo is not worth a pair of Figo's used socks, and that will become apparent, sooner rather than later.

I agree at 200% with that !!
Manuel Rui Costa was not bad at all too, it's the same kind of conscentious player ...
And don't forget the great Eusebio ... but maybe he was a little more individualist ...

[DarthMath]

Hello all !! Time to bring this thread to life again !!
A new season begin this week-end and we all hope that our favorite teams will do their best to entertain us.
A little word for my English friend Hobbes :
Good luck for the Community Shield. But for me, Go ManU forever !!

[MrT]

Hey all do any of you play Fantasy Football on the FPL site?

If so we can have a league or so?

[Generalisimo]

Hey all do any of you play Fantasy Football on the FPL site?

If so we can have a league or so?

I used to play in there... so, my account should still be active... count me in!

[MrT]

Okay so i made a league... if theres interest great if not np

http://fantasy.premierleague.com is the site to register at and make a team.

Code to join this league: 44531-218796