What sports teams do you support?

[Heid the Ba]

Exactly, and that is why the camera cut to him between every penalty. Thye also raved about his routine and focus just before he wanged yet another freekick over the bar, completely missing the point that it is simply a way to get people to look at him.

[Lianachan]

Thye also raved about his routine and focus just before he wanged yet another freekick over the bar, completely missing the point that it is simply a way to get people to look at him.

Now THAT I did see, and I actually had a real life LOL. They banged on about his (theatrically, I thought) pacing out "5 yards back", and said something about how they should have a statue of him in his I'm-about-to-take-a-free-kick pose outside the Bernabeu. That was funny enough, but when he then hoofed it over the bar I thought I'd need medical assistance. I know he wasn't talking about CR, but I think Lord Flasheart put it best when he said "What a POOF!".

[Heid the Ba]

I always find it amusing that Spanish players and media almost universally refer to him as "Christiano" rather than the name he puts on his shirt.

[Lianachan]

I always find it amusing that Spanish players and media almost universally refer to him as "Christiano" rather than the name he puts on his shirt.

Aye.

THIS is Ronaldo.

THIS is Christiano Ronaldo.

[Heid the Ba]

Bravo sir!

[Arneb]

Oooooh, I remember that particular game. I was there, and boy, was it fun! Especially when Schweinsteiger hammered in two free kicks the way divekid would SO likd to have done.

[Arneb]

Germany 1 - 2 Italy.

We meet them, we lose. Simple as that. Boy, that hurt.

[Heid the Ba]

Forza gli Azzuri! Sorry Arneb, they were the better team, I don't know why your lot played so badly.

[Lianachan]

Yes, sorry Arneb. It seems you just cannot beat Italy when it matters. Germany looked like a different team last night from the one in earlier matches. Very weird.

:(

[Arneb]

Heid, Lianachan, that is my problem exactly.

We have seen this in '08, '10 and'12. They play beautiful football, they do top notch defending, fine midfield play and ruthless converting of chances against mediocre to good teams, but they never compete on a par with the top-notch teams that are at the height of their game. Instead, they collapse. It really got to me yesterday; I smashed the remote at the first goal and kicked the table at the second, spilling my alcohol-free beer and yelling unquotable stuff.

I am beginning to think it has something to do with the psychology of the team. Maybe it's a little bit too nice and cozy in Löw land. They lack grit when the going gets tough.

I rememeber a friendly against the Netherlands, down the ages when German football was deep in crisis and everybody called the national team "Rumpelfüßler" (rumblefeet). It was in Amsterdam, and they were taken apart, humiliated, laughed at. 2 - 0, and all of Holland was celebrating. Then, 70th minute, the first free kick, BANG. 12 minutes later, one tough re-taking (by a defensive midfielder, of all people) of the ball beside the opposition's box after a failed attack, one pass, Klose was there, BANG, 2- 2. Stadium was silent.

That doens't happen anymore. They roll over the opposition, or they fracture. It was starting to gert better (Portugal and Denmark especially), but not enough to play the really good ones.

It really gets to me. It really does. And I can't even fault the evil Italians. No diving yesterday, no dying swans, no hidden mean foul play, no stalling for time, just exemplary, concentrated, able, focussed, sometimes brilliant football - the way we want it, really. I didn't think i would ever say this, but I'll probably root for Italy on Sunday whe they will be facing the oily, tedious Spaniards.

[Lianachan]

And I can't even fault the evil Italians. No diving yesterday, no dying swans, no hidden mean foul play, no stalling for time, just exemplary, concentrated, able, focussed, sometimes brilliant football - the way we want it, really. I didn't think i would ever say this, but I'll probably root for Italy on Sunday whe they will be facing the oily, tedious Spaniards.

Yes, Italy behaved themselves and played very well. Helped, no doubt, by whatever it is that stopped your guys from turning up. Much as it pains me to admit it. I drew Italy in the sweepstake at work, so am guaranteed at least runners-up winnings. The winners prize is three times as much, but I'll still be supporting Spain.

[Arneb]

Spain 4 - 0 Italy.

I didn't watch it, as I was slamming down the autobahn at the time, but the radio commentary was momentous enough. It must have been a sublime moment.

Maybe it was a good thing that our gang wasn't exposed to this kind of perfection after all...

I wonder who will end their reign in, what, 6 years, 8, 10? I won't bet money on it, but I can very well imagine Spain winning against Brasil at the next World Cup Final.

The Germans? Ah, forget it.

[Heid the Ba]

Ok, so Rangers won't be in the SPL next season. No surprise there. They have applied to join the SFL and will almost certainly be accepted. It looks increasingly likely that Rangers will start in the Third Division which is where we should be as no other new club (which is what we technically are) would start any higher.

The SPL is the top division, the SFL the next three. There is no good reason for this other than greed by the top 6 - 10 clubs.

Given the loss of most of the first team squad we will have a completely new look but the team should still be good enough to get out of the Third and Second divisions. Most of the young players are staying as they get to play (which they wouldn't if the starters hadn't left) and anyone who goes from the Third to the SPL in three (or four) years with us will have their names sung for years to come.

I am actually looking forward to this season more than any for a while.

The only thing that can go wrong is if the SFL fuck up and let us into the First Division which they might if they take the pay-off from the SPL who don't want us gone for too long. (See craven greed, above).

[Heid the Ba]

It's the Third Division. The SFL put integrity (or three years of a cash cow) over a one off bribe. People are moaning that Rangers won't go to the away games but all it would take would be 2 - 3000 for most grounds to be full. This is a division where crowds of 500 are not uncommon.

Now if someone can just help me find Clyde, East Stirling and Queens Parkon a map I'd be grateful . . .

[spoiler]Cumbernauld, Stennhousemuir and Glasgow respectively.[/spoiler]

[MM_Dandy]

So, do the team and player achievements/records carry over to the new Rangers?

[Heid the Ba]

Yes, when the new company bought the assets etc. one of them was the history and goodwill.

I can't remember, what happened with the Cleveland Browns/Baltimore Ravens/Browns 2.0?

[Heid the Ba]

Well the arsehats who run Scottish football have managed to avoid caving in to their own greed and didn't try to circumvent last week's decision. The Third Division it is.

I have just bought my new "lucky" shirt . . .

It was extremely galling at the weekend to be lectured by Henry McLeish about financial integrity though, his demise as a politician seems to have been forgotten.

[MM_Dandy]

I can't remember, what happened with the Cleveland Browns/Baltimore Ravens/Browns 2.0?

If I recall correctly, when the franchise moved to Baltimore, it was considered a new franchise, while the Browns 2.0 franchise inherited the old Browns history and goodwill.

[Heid the Ba]

Bradley Wiggins won the Tour and did so with class, leading out Cav for the final sprint. A proper victory, done the right way.

[Heid the Ba]

New Rangers won their first game, a giant killing cup win against a team in the divsion above them.

[Lianachan]

New Rangers won their first game, a giant killing cup win against a team in the divsion above them.

Saw some of that on BBC Alba. Noticed that the "new" Rangers were wearing the same strips, same badge, same butchers aprons displayed in the crowd, etc.. Pretty disappointing.

[Heid the Ba]

It is disappointing that the same morons are going to the games.

[Lianachan]

It is disappointing that the same morons are going to the games.

It certainly is. I, obviously, was hoping Brechin would win - mostly for comedy value. I saw a few familiar Rangers players there - what manner of team have you this season then? Many stay?

[Heid the Ba]

It is hard to know who we'll have this time next week. Goian and Bocanegra were supposed to be leaving, but maybe no-one else will have them. There are all sorts of names being bandied about but none could be signed before we got the new licence.

I suspect for the next couple of seasons it will be old warhorses like McCulloch, young laddies from the academy and makeweights and re-treads from the First Division. Some like McCulloch are Bluenoses through and through, others trying to put themselves in the shop window or after a payday. There doesn't seem to be a shortage of people wanting to play for us, though whether some of them are any use is another question.

The problem will come this time next year when who we start the season with is who we finish it with. I think this season what we have is good enough for the Third but there will need to be an oversize squad for the Second.

I also think it is four years back to the SPL.

[Enzo]

I am now rooting for the various badminton teams.


Shuttlecock suckers...