A Keeper is Born

Well, maybe not really, but I played my first keeper position in last night's game. Our regular keeper was out and I have a cold and haven't been feeling quite up to snuff, so I volunteered to play the 2nd half with the gloves on.

And it was a good thing, because after a couple of hard runs in the 1st half, I was dogged! Playing keeper was fun! I wasn't particularly great at it, but it was a different way to look at the game. There is something exciting about having 20 players moving in your direction, picking out the offense and thinking, "Oh, shit! They're coming for me!"

My career clean sheet lasted about 20 minutes. I made a couple of saves, leaped for several crosses and corners, and found myself woefully out of position! The goal on me was a one-on-one with the striker on the right side. I came out to reduce the angle, and he coolly slotted it far corner. Very professional on all sides!

Anyways, the team is coming together. We've got a couple of new bodies and it looks like we'll have good numbers for the matches, which is oh, so important in the over 40 league! We will still probably not win a lot of matches anytime soon, but we're in it for the fun and for the challenge of trying to play quality football.

W.T.F.

Because of this news story, I'm introducing a new feature called W.T.F?! He's back. It's hard to articulate how wrong, sick, disgusting and greedy this is. If there is a hell, everyone involved in this book and interview are getting their names placed in the reservation book right now.

Crisis at Anfield? Nick Webster thinks so. And after the drubbing administered by Arsenal Sunday, I'd have to agree. Liverpool looked so flacid, a truckful of Viagra couldn't have helped the team. Arsenal was Total 90 and the Reds were Futile 90.

Love the note about Arsenal's style. So true. And yes, Charlize Theron is hot.

And Thierry Henry is satisfied he stayed at Arsenal. Good for us and good for the EPL.

Wayne Rooney involved in an early hours dust-up at a nightclub? Shocked. I'm just shocked.

And Michael Ballack needs a rest? I know these guys play high octane football, but as a 42-year old playing every week all I can say is, give me break! You should've stayed in the Bundesliga.

3 to the Good for the Gunners

Great game from the Gunners today, slicing, dicing and generally playing around Emirates with Liverpool. Wow, whatever happened to the team that won the Champions League? Arsenal passed around them with ease and aplomb, and the Reds hardly looked to make a threat, other than Jamie Carragher breaking people's legs with his rash, from the back challenges.

3-nil for the Arsenal. And the goal scorers would be the usual targets...Not! Flamini, Toure and Gallas.

Had a run today and the rainy weather was kind enough to let up long enough for me to jog around the neighborhood. I was surprised by Foreigner's Cold As Ice on an old iPod mix I chose. I hadn't heard that in a long time. Was a time, when I was in 7th Grade, that I thought Foreigner was it. I probably wouldn't buy that record if it came out today, but there's something about the music of your formative years that you never lose the feeling for. Tomorrow, I'll probably choose something more contemporary for the run, say a little System of a Down. 

Here in the underwater kingdom of Pugetopolis, we're dealing so much water that it's almost easy to forget about soccer and other mundane matters. How much water do we have? Well, the Parks Department actually cancelled our Saturday soccer game due to the pitch being under an inch of water. I said play on, but the powers that be thought it dangerous.

Around the world...despite my better instincts, I'm actually starting to root for the Red Devils. You know the saying that the enemy of my enemy is my friend? Well, it's nice to see a team that looks like it can out-foot Chelsea to the league title. Make no mistake, Chelsea is Satan's team and must be defeated at all costs.

To that end, Tottenham dispatched them 2-1 Sunday, while Man U dismantled Bolton to clearly secure 1st place. (Of course, since they lost, that prompted Jose More-Whine-Yo to kick and scream and threaten to hold his breath until his face turned blue. Can you imagine the time his parents had with him when he was a kid?)

Look, Arsenal is not going to finish in the top 2 this year. They're are a year away from figuring out what to do after they're done with all those glorious passes (Hint: see the white sticks. Aim between 'em!). At best, they're gunning for 3rd or 4th place. So, then, it's up to SAF and his Devils to fight for what's right in football. And, to boot, they're not playing a bad brand of soccer, at all.

Why is it...

...that the most anti-gay people usually turn out to be the gayest? Mark Foley. Now, this Ted Haggard guy. Any freshman psych student can tell you that reaction formation is a common behavior for people to deal with emotions or desires that are disturbing or run counter to one's beliefs. See Dr. Sanity for a discussion on defense mechanisms. But, gosh, when you're leading your state's fight against gay marriage, paying for gay sex is probably just a really bad idea!

So, if you want to find out who's in the closet in your community, I recommend starting with the local ant-gay marriage coalition.

K-Fed!

It's here! Not since the last album by Shaq, has a rap disc been so eagerly awaited.

But seriously, folks, great game by Arsenal in the Champions League yesterday...well, at least it was a great game everywhere but in CSKA Moscow's 18. There, the Gunners' touch betrayed them. 24 shots on goal, something like 65-75% posession and no goals to show! Tomas Rosicky missed a wide open - and I do mean wide open - net. Couldn't find the ocean from the dock, as they say. Still, a beautiful display of flowing, passing football and the Gunners are still alive for a knockout round spot. Nov. 21st is the day for the next game.

Tough match for the Bhoys and especially for Gary Caldwell. But, like Arsenal, still alive.