If you get served...

and you serve it back, then it's on.

Gerrard's Game Winner

Stevie G. Here it is...

I believe he's saying:

GOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLL!

Greatest Goal of My Life

and effin A!!! nobody has it on You Tube yet?!?!?!?

well, when you see it...

Liverpool has a 1-Nil lead for most of the match (for about 30, i believe). Carragher gets called for a hand ball inside the box at @ the 85 minute mark, and Aston Villa notches it a 1's. 87th minute...those cheeky bastards from Aston Villa foul Stevie Gerrard...about 10-15 yds outside the 18 (i believe)...

Gerrard buries it around the wall, top right-side corner....GOOOOOOAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLL!!!!!



LIVERPOOL....2-1!!!!!!

Hail Hail...the greatest player in England...

what a beautiful start to the season...next Sunday...

Chelsea goes down!!!!

PIPER'S PUB, 11:00am start.

Bundelsiga Begins, Liverpool Starts Title Run Tomorrow

Never gave the Bundesliga much thought last year. I mean...following 3 different teams from 3 different Euro leagues can be taxing as it is. But after catching the Stuttgart / Schalke 04 game today, that may have to change.

German football ignorance injection: what does the 04 stand for after Schalke? No. Seriously.

Anyway, what an incredibly exciting game. Stuttgart comes back from a 1-Nil deficit in the 2nd to take a 2-1 lead, only to squander it in the last 10 minutes (or so) on a Ivan Rakitic goal (Rakitic is a Croatian dude. Ned, stand up and be proud my friend...or at least have a beer).



Final 2-2.

So tomorrow, I expect Bayern Munich to start out with 3 points against the promoted Hansa Rostock, and my buddy Nick's squad will never look back. After all, they've got an Italian leading them up front now. Luca Toni, along with other signings Ribery and Klose, will get Bayern Munich back atop the German table.

Wanna win? Get the ball to the Italians.

If Bayern wins Bundesliga, and Toni is a major factor, it'll be fun razzing my favorite little Bayern Munich buddy (who has also claimed that Serie A is shat). Maybe I should get my first #9 Bayern jersey? After all, I loved Toni on Italy's National side, but I very well couldn't cheer for him while he was on Fiorentina.


More importantly, the EPL starts tomorrow, and I'm pumpt. My beloved Liverpool went on a major signing binge this offseason. Babel, Benayoun, Veronin, and stud Athletico Madrid striker Fernando Torres = Championship. There. I said it.

Here's how the EPL will pan out this year. Or maybe not:

1. LIVERPOOL
2. Manchester Utd. (sorry Jess)
   
3. Chelsea
4. Arsenal
5. Tottenham
6. Aston Villa
7. Manchester City
8. Portsmouth
9. Newcastle
10. Everton
11. Blackburn
12. Bolton
13. Middlesbrough
14. Reading
15. Sunderland
16. Fulham
17. West Ham
18. Birmingham
19. Wigan
20. Derby
    

Office at Schuba's

HEY YOU CHICAGO KIDS...get out tonite and see Office at Schuba's. I'm really liking these guys & gals. You will, too. Apologies for the late notice, but if you miss them tonight, make sure to see them at the Double Door in 2 weeks:

Fountains of Wayne, and your very own Office, Saturday, August 25th at the Double Door

Ran into Tom, a friend of a friend of a friend (or something like that), a few weeks ago at Pitchfork Fest. Nice young fellow...and I'm told their new album A Night at the Ritz will be out this fall on New Line Records. And HEY...what'ya know....check their MySpace page, and you'll find there's confirmation on that.

Fun, happy, stuff this here band. Kinda New Pornographers-esque, perhaps. And they do a nice little cover of Daniel Johnston's "Walking the Cow." Go to their MySpace page and listen to "The Ritz." It's a hit. Enjoy:

(left click to play; right click to download)
:: Office - Walking the Cow ::

Steely McBeam

I'm at a loss for words here.


sidenote: i did promise 2-a-days

Woodley Hits, Happy B-Day Sid, the Insignificance of Bonds

What was up with the NFL Network this past Sunday...repeatedly interrupting Michael Irvin's Hall of Fame induction speech for the Steelers / Saints game?!?! The nerve of some people.


While our old #55 is laid up in Miami for the pre-season, having another knee surgery, the new #55 is lighting people up. Ever notice when the Steeler brass decides to let someone go (i.e. Joey Porter), they never amount to anything with their new team? My prediction is that the same will result with Porter as a Dolphin.

Lamar Woodley jacks up Najeh Davenport...


kinda reminds me of Kendrell Bell, only a few short years ago, when he jacked up Jerome Bettis in training camp.

More predictions...I went over the Beloved's 16 game schedule, and I'm saying:

12-4

We start the season 5-0 going into the BYE, with a pretty easy schedule:

Sept. 9 at Cleveland = WINNER
Sept. 16 Buffalo = WINNER
Sept. 23 San Fran = WINNER
Sept. 30 at Arizona = WINNER
Oct. 7 Seattle = WINNER

after the BYE, it gets a little tougher, so I'll be realistic here. With 2 weeks prep under my guy Mike Tomlin, we'll split the next 2:

Oct. 21 at Denver = WINNER, but potential loser
Oct. 28 at Cincy = if we win at Denver, then loser; if we lose at Denver = WINNER

Either way, we're 6-1 after the 8th week. Then we come home for 4 out of 5, where we'll hold serve on all the home games, but drop 1 at New York:

Nov. 5 Baltimore = WINNER
Nov. 11 Cleveland = WINNER
Nov. 18 at NY Jets = loser
Nov. 26 Miami = WINNER
Dec. 2 Cincinnati = WINNER

That takes us to 10-2 coming down the stretch. Tough finish to the season, and again keeping it real:

Dec. 9 at New England = loser
Dec. 16 Jacksonville = WINNER
Dec. 20 at St Louis = WINNER

At 12-3, with the division wrapped up and Baltimore fighting for their playoff lives, as much as it pains me to say it:

Dec. 30 at Baltimore = loser

There...

12-4

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Happy belated B-Day to a classy kid, and the best hockey player in the world!! Sidney Crosby turned 20 earlier this week, and still can't legally have a beer. Go hang out with the Jordan Staal, Sid.

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Barry Bonds hit his record breaking HR a couple days ago. And Empties Crushed still doesn't care, or see the significance.

Shit Mayor

Let's Get Organized!!!

Blanco Gets Buried, Inter Buries Man U.

Holy crap. So far behind here. My apologies. We're gonna have to do some Mike Tomlin-esque 2-A-Days to get caught up.

Got to visit the coolest little town in Canada a few weeks ago. Not sure of the actual population of the home of Sleeman, so "little" may be relative here. More on Guelph, ON when I get a chance to download some pix in the next few days, including the best wings ever and limo rides to BMO Field (pronounced "BEE-mo" for you non-footie fans).

Yeah, the game kinda sucked from a Toronto FC standpoint (a 3-Nil loss in which I was finally convinced that Danny Dichio is most definitely awkward). But we had a blast regardless. The squad is completely decimated by injuries, and as a 1st year expansion team, they've got little depth to remedy. OK...we suck. For this year, at least. But without a doubt...we've got the greatest fans in MLS (notice the "we" inclusions :). Our seats were about 20 rows directly behind Chicago's net in the 2nd. I don't think our streamers made it this far though...



Too much fun. Incredible atmosphere. So the loss to Chicago, followed by a nil-nil draw to Beckham-less L.A., puts a serious dent in our playoff hopes. That's OK. We'll be back to BMO and Guelph again...many, many times if I have any say in the matter.

While I've come to grips with the reality of TFC's 1st season in MLS...I've still got Inter Milan!!!!

Any one catch Inter's 3-2 victory over mighty Manchester Utd AT OLD TRAFFORD!?!?!? YEAH BER-BER!!! (take THAT, Jess!!!) Sir Fergie played his starting 11 the entire game in front of 73,000 fans, saying they were looking at this "friendly" as a true test to the upcoming season.

I hear all the time how much better the EPL is than Italy's Serie A. From top to bottom, I will agree. But every time, at least of late, that England's best has met Italy's best...Italy has come out on top. Witness AC Milan's run through Man U and Liverpool to the Champions League title earlier this year. And who just won their 4th World Cup last year?!? So this notion of England's superiority over Italy is bullocks, as far this novice can tell.

OK, while I'm pounding my Italian chest...kudos to Aston Villa for taking down Inter 3-Nil a few days later. Bobby McMahon, on the Fox Soccer Report a few days ago, predicted a 6th place finish for Villa in the EPL. Is my beloved Liverpool in trouble this Saturday for its opening match of the season?

Speaking of football, here's my personal essential football viewing schedule for the week:

FRI. 2:30pm, GolTV, Bundesliga opener, last year's Top 2: Stuttgart vs. Schalke (replay at 6:00pm)

SAT. 10:00am, FSC, EPL opening day, West Ham v. Man City

SAT. 12:00pm, FSC, Liverpool vs. Aston Villa - PIPER'S PUB and Scotch Eggs!!!!

SAT. 7:30pm, HEINZ FIELD, NFL pre-season, Steelers vs. Green Bay

SUN. 11:00am, FSC, Man Utd. vs. Reading; I'll have to DVR this one for Jess. Down, Down, Down...red team's going down. Down, down, down...red team's going down

You Have Bad Taste in Music

First heard about this site a few years ago from a fine young gentleman from LA, who I believe now works for iFILM. I kinda put it on the back burner, until I heard the Jim Rome show mention it last week. If you've never seen this site..go now and check out the Quicktime vids under "Video Documentation." Knee slapping stuff...

You Have Bad Taste in Music

My fav is the "Hoobastank" ridiculing, where he asks the Hoobastank fans to rank the band's 5 best songs. "Evanescence" and "Nickelback..." are also a hoot.

Off to my 1st ever Toronto FC game this weekend kids!!! OOOOO...DANNY DICHIO!!! DANNY DICHIO, DANNY DICHIO, DANNY DICHIO!!!

So. Pumpt.

Steeler Nation

My inside sources have informed me that Steelers training camp started earlier this week in Latrobe. Must see video (for Steeler fans, at least):

NFL Films presents: Steeler Nation

Gets me all tingly and stuff. Since it's pretty essential video, and a little longer viewing time, we'll leave this up in the dorky ESPN-ish "Right Now" section so it doesn't get lost in the EC shuffle. Thanks to Tirpak for this.

More good news!! Not only did the Steelers sign their entire draft class previous to training camp (#1 pick Lawrence Timmons signed earlier this week), but Troy Polamalu was signed to a 4 year extension, making him the highest paid Steeler ever, and the highest paid Safety in the NFL.

This could be the 1st Steeler jersey I've ever owned where the player wasn't gone within 2 years of me purchasing the shirt. Those dubious shirts I've bought, where I was that guy, walking into the stadium with a jersey of a player whose NO LONGER ON THE FRICKIN TEAM...

Hardy Nickerson, Greg Lloyd, Levan Kirkland, Kendrell Bell

Cesar Izturis Hand Puppets

While not a fan, I found it comical that the Bucos traded for Mr. Cesar Izturis from LA last week. Will this make Jack Wilson, the 2nd highest player on the Pirate payroll (the highest being Jason Kendall), expendable?

Football season looms, so who really cares.

The funny part is, Cesar's dugout habits seem to conflict with the whole family friendly environment thingy going on over at PNC. I mean...was the Pirate brass aware that he likes to jam is hands up teammates'...

Izturis' Strange Celebration

Ok...I realize this just posted a few short weeks ago, but now that Mr. Izturis is invading our lovely city, I thought I'd throw it out there again. Hide the women and children.

Sack Vick

So the NFL did the sensible thing, and told Michael Vick not to report to training camp. I love hearing morons who defend this guy by using the "innocent until proven guilty" doctrine.

News Flash: that's in the court of law. If you get arrested on felony charges, your employer has every right to dismiss you, without waiting for a court ruling. Fact is, he's an embarrassment to the NFL, and he's an embarrassment to the human race.

2nd News Flash: this isn't "the Duke Lacrosse case" with a rogue (and now former) prosecutor looking to gain votes. This is a Federal Indictment, which carries a 95% conviction rate. If you want to blindly defend this dirt bag because he plays football, that makes you a dope. What he has done is unfathomable to anyone considered to be a decent human being.

If you haven't read the gruesome details of indictment, GO HERE. Warning, it's pretty gruesome.

While it's appearing more unlikely that Vick will play in the NFL this year, and perhaps ever again, Nike has surprisingly decided to keep him as a representative (as of now). PETA has designed a nicely formed letter, which you can sign and send to Nike, requesting them to sack Vick. So if you're as appalled by this story as I am, CLICK HERE to submit your signed petition to Nike and join the fight against Mike Vick.

They've also got a petition to the NFL to suspend him WITHOUT pay. That sounds good to me, as well. CLICK HERE to join the protest against Vick, and order the NFL to suspend him without pay.

Copa America Final

So if you'd been paying attention to Copa America, you may be saying...HEY! What gives?! No closure?? You're right...but I was outta town during the final, a disappointing 3-Nil loss for Argentina to Brasil, and hadn't watched it until late last week.

Kudos to Dunga and Brasil. They swarmed my tourney MVP Riquelme the entire match, and the powderpuff Doni (despite how bad it hurts me to say it) was awesome in net. Best Match of the Final 4 - Uruguay letting one slip away vs. Brasil.

Here's my all All Copa America Team, for what it's worth, and from what I'd witnessed. I'm going with a pretty unconventional 11 right here (only 3 defenders, 4 forwards), but here's my best 11:

G Doni - BRA
D Zanetti - ARG
D Juan - BRA
D Marquez - MEX
MF Riquelme - ARG - MVP**
MF - C Rodriquez - URU
MF Mascherano - ARG
F Messi - ARG
F Robinho - BRA
F Humberto Suazo - CHI
F Nery Castillo - MEX

Honorable Mentions - Giancarlo Maldonado - VEN, Diego Forlan - URU, Roque Santa Cruz - PAR, Oswaldo Sanchez - MEX, J. Baptista - BRA, Jaime Moreno - BOL, Veron - ARG

Close call with the MVP going to Riquelme over Robinho (Robinho won the official MVP and Golden Shoe with 6 goals), but I just thought Riquelme was the better overall player...seemed everything Argentina did went through Juan Roman. This was confirmed in the Final as Brasil ganged up on him the entire match, and Argentina just shut down. Props to Robinho though, who had a nice little coming-out party.

*************************************************************

Bad week for my beloved Italia. Francesco Totti retires from the National Team. And with the results of Copa America in, FIFA drops Italy to #3 in World Rankings. Disappointing, but objectively I can't disagree.

The fantastic performance of Brasil is even that much more glaring considering they were without their top 2 players in Kaka and Ronaldhino. They were also without vets Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos (both retired from Int'l play), and former in-form, now outta-form striker Adriano. Dunga should have this team primed to win another WC in 2010.

And about the only thing Argentina is missing is a Goalie. Throw in their U-20 World Cup win, and these guys will again be one of the favorites in 2010.

*****************************************************

Off to Toronto this weekend to take in my very first live futbol match. PUMPT!!!!

Pitchfork Sunday

I was gonna make a joke about how this guy needs to mix in a cheeseburger, but word on the streets is that he has some sorta illness, so no poking fun. Fact of the matter is, Bradford Cox from Deerhunter is one of the skinniest humans I've ever seen in person. I confess, while I'm the proud owner of their album Cryptograms (which kicks ass, btw), I don't know much about the band personally. I did hear a freaky story about some blog posts Bradford had written (GO HERE for some scoop), but here nor there...Deerhunter blew me away Sunday. Being the 1st band of the day, I got a spot pretty close, so maybe that had something to do with it. But I thought they were better than anything we saw on Saturday.

Next was the Ponys. And the Aluminum Stage sound system sucked. But kudos to the Ponys, who played on, and never missed a beat. I love the Ponys. Highly recommend checking out their last album Turn the Lights Out from Matador.

Menomena was interesting. Junior Boys was sorta groovy for a moment. The Sea and Cake was OK, but blah. Jamie Lidell was ?? So this was the point of the day where we gorged on pulled pork sammies from Robinson's.

Next...Stephen Malkmus. I admit, I was pretty disappointed when I heard Malk was going to play a solo set, sans Jicks. That said...I enjoyed it.
No...the SM set definitely didn't RAWK, but something about hearing the songs stripped down got me all giddy. A week later, I can't recall the entire set list, but I believe he opened with "We Dance" from Wowee Zowee.

About halfway through, SM brought out Bob Nastanovich, and promptly went into "Trigger Cut." They also played "In the Mouth a Desert." This was cool.

Here's some vid of "Spit on a Stranger", which was played right before he brought out Bob N...


I believe we also got a Silver Jews song mixed in there..."Blue Arrangements." Yes...I'd have preferred to see Janet Weiss and a full band out there, but I was pleased anyhow.

No Neko, and no Dan Bejar, but the New Pornographers still put on one of the best performances of the weekend...


Sorry...we didn't stay around long for De La Soul. I'm pretty nostalgic when it comes to the brilliant Three Feet High and Rising, but 2 songs into their set we realized it just wasn't the same as back in da day.

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QUICK NOTE on a BURGH SHOW: John Doe, from X, is playing at Club Cafe...TOMORROW, as in MONDAY NIGHT!!! Early show starting at 7:00 at Club Cafe. Word from Chicago about the Knitters show this weekend was pretty positive...so get on out to Club Cafe.