Liv-er-pool !!

[Defuz]

For those of you who don't have a clue....my favorite team just won the most prestigious club level soccer game in the world....the UEFA Champion's League final......LIV-ER-POOL !!!

Not many people around these parts have a clue what I'm on about, but my son and I were going nuts today and burning up tons of minutes on our cell phones. I'm also friendly with a couple of guys within the Hornets organization who are soccer nuts too, and we were burning some time up too. In basketball terms, they just won the NBA finals and then some. It was one terrific game. My team was down by 3 after the first half but scored three to tie it up in the second. After a scoreless o-t we won it on penalties......awesome!

LIV-ER-POOL

[Wingman]

Fuz, are you originally from Liverpool or do you just like their team? I read the other day that NFL Tampa Bay Bucs owner Malcolm Glazer just recently bought Manchester United so he now has an American and European Football Team! Do Manchester and Liverpool play in the same league? Congrats to Liverpool and all of their fans!

[Defuz]

Fuz, are you originally from Liverpool or do you just like their team? I read the other day that NFL Tampa Bay Bucs owner Malcolm Glazer just recently bought Manchester United so he now has an American and European Football Team! Do Manchester and Liverpool play in the same league? Congrats to Liverpool and all of their fans!

I'm from nowhere near Liverpool. I was watching a game one day when I was about 6 years old when they were playing and I wanted them to win. Been a fan of theirs ever since.

Yes, Glazer bought Man-U. Many in England are up in arms about it. They're scared he's some kind of corporate raider along the lines of Gecko from Wall Street (Michael Douglas in the movie), and that he's going to use the team for his personal reasons saying to heck with the team. I think their fears will die down soon enough. Much ado over nothing.

Yes, Man-U and Liverpool are in the same league and have been rivals for many, many years. The top teams over the years are: Liverpool, Man-U, Arsenal, Leeds, Spurs, Chelsea.

To so many in the rest of the world soccer is life. It would be like rolling up the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL & NASCAR into one sport.....and then double it.

Thanks for the congrats....it was a heck of a game. Awesome.

[Defuz]

Now, if only the US & England would play in the final of the World Cup next year I'd be happy as a pig in poop......every pun intended...

[Trueblood]

Now, if only the US & England would play in the final of the World Cup next year I'd be happy as a pig in poop......every pun intended...

How's the national team looking? Is Rooney now considered the top player over Beckham and Owen? What about Rio Ferdinand? Is there a legitimate shot at a cup?

[Defuz]

How's the national team looking? Is Rooney now considered the top player over Beckham and Owen? What about Rio Ferdinand? Is there a legitimate shot at a cup?

I've detected a lot of positive feelings about England's chances of late. Their stock is certainly rising. Not too sure about the Rooney v Beckham question. Rooney's the up & comer, but beckham enjoys tremendous hype. Owen is still a stud. I see England as a legitimate contender for the cup next year, as long as they are more willing to adapt to the international game.

Traditionally they have been very 'stiff' in their style of play, not ajusting well to South American teams or styles of play they're not used to. But, Sven is doing a much better job with them of late.

After a disastrous 1998 effort from the USA, we amazed everyone in '02 with a quarter final appearance. Brilliant. We are also enjoying a surge in talent of late which shows promise for the future. But I believe that our best shot will be in the 2010 cup when some of that talent has matured. I just hope we put in a good showing again, as we do have the players that can perform on the international stage.

[THAJCODE]

Congrats--and the way they won it was extra sweet too!

[Defuz]

Congrats--and the way they won it was extra sweet too!

It was more than extra sweet. It was downright loaded with a ton-a sugar!

Thanks for the sentiments

[Trueblood]

I've detected a lot of positive feelings about England's chances of late. Their stock is certainly rising. Not too sure about the Rooney v Beckham question. Rooney's the up & comer, but beckham enjoys tremendous hype. Owen is still a stud. I see England as a legitimate contender for the cup next year, as long as they are more willing to adapt to the international game.

Traditionally they have been very 'stiff' in their style of play, not ajusting well to South American teams or styles of play they're not used to. But, Sven is doing a much better job with them of late.

After a disastrous 1998 effort from the USA, we amazed everyone in '02 with a quarter final appearance. Brilliant. We are also enjoying a surge in talent of late which shows promise for the future. But I believe that our best shot will be in the 2010 cup when some of that talent has matured. I just hope we put in a good showing again, as we do have the players that can perform on the international stage.

Thanks for the England info.

Yeah, I remember the US performances in the WC. Up and down. Blown to pieces in '90. Impressive performance in '94. Pathetic again, losing 2-0 to Iran to cap it in '98 and then being the world's sweethearts in '02 after 9/11 and nearly beating the Germans in the final 8 and beating Mexico in the sweet 16.

The problem is that I just can't get overly excited about the US in soccer because hardly anybody else does. If you recall, South Korea made a nice run in '02 as well and every morning at around 3 am or so on days that they won, they would be shouting and honking horns in the street when everyone else was trying to sleep. Similar with Mexico. When the US beat Mexico, a great victory to be sure, I couldn't hear a peep. Unfortunately, nobody cares.
I still take my hat off to them though. They played great and I hope they do it again but an England championship would mean so much more to the people there than an American one would, I almost find myself rooting harder for them.

[Defuz]

True, a championship for England would mean so much more. In all honesty, I think a championship for the US would hurt as much as help. It would help by raising the popularity of the game, but that wouldn't last. However, it could also make some believe that we've arrived at the top and that there's no need to pay further attention as we're the best. Not that it'll happen though....just my babbling/thoughts/ramblings/lunacy !!!

[Trueblood]

Defuz: Did you see Michael Owen's hat trick yesterday against Colombia? If not, England won a friendly, 3-2 in the Meadowlands after beating the US 3 days earlier in Chicago, 2-1.

[whoah whoah]

umm... i wont state my last year at franklin?

i love soccer...

but i was watching around the horn and i heard the end of something about beckham and the MLS? whats up with that?

hows freddie adu doing?