What sports teams do you support?

[Arneb]

Hmm. Maybe I am just not the typical fan. I assume the worst for Hertha anyway, always, without exception. A rare success will evoke a grumbling "bah, they were just lucky", the ususal defeat will garner a shrill "I told you so". I try not to let my temper spill over into the rest of my life - something for which a sunny pair of demanding kids is just the right kind of training.

[Heid the Ba]

Afghanistan -v- Scotland tomorrow, not the usual AK47 -v- SA80 variant but stick/ball/catch in Dubai as we don't want to go there and there is no way we would get a game finished in the weather and darkness here at this time of year. They are actually a decent side given the exodus to Pakistan where they picked up the game. Ethnically some of Pakistan's best players have always been Pashtun, now they just get to play for Afghanistan if they choose.

[tubeswell]

... Ethnically some of Pakistan's best players have always been Pashtun, now they just get to play for Afghanistan if they choose.

So they get to choose?

[Heid the Ba]

As long as they have a parent or grandparent born there, yes. Though how you would prove that I have no idea.

[Heid the Ba]

Dakar time of year again.The Minis aren't having it there own way this time which is good, though one is still leading.

You have to love French organised races, like Le Mans giving the Aston Martins numbers 007 and 008, Dakar gave the VW Beetle derived entry 353, as close to Herbie's 53 as they could get.

[MM_Dandy]

As long as Scotland is still part of the Empire, I feel I should offer my most sincere apologies on behalf of America for having hoisted upon you yet again some of the worst that North American professional sports has to offer in sports that you aren't all that interested in, anyway. For example, just a few moments ago, an NBA (pro basketball) game tipped-off in London. At least the game features the New York Knicks - there's a chance you may have heard about them. The other team is the Milwaukee Bucks. Chances are that you haven't heard about them. The Knicks are currently 5-35 and have lost 15 straight games. The Bucks are better; 20-19 currently, but they're still from Milwaukee. Both last won a championship in the early 70's, and aren't likely to win another any time soon.

Again, I am sorry. So very, very sorry.

[Heid the Ba]

I have heard of both teams, but had no idea the game was taking place,

[Lianachan]

I have heard of both teams, but had no idea the game was taking place,

Likewise. I assiduously eschew Lunnin, and all that transpires there.

[Heid the Ba]

Rangers are slowly starting to circle the plughole. Horrendous mis-management since we went bust means we are going bust again with our lender of last resort wanting security over the stadium as part of the deal for the loan.

That and we play the league leaders this evening, in the previous games this year we haven't looked like winning.

[Heid the Ba]

Rangers 'til I die, I'm Rangers 'til I die . . .

There was a demonstration before the game, the board are selling us down the river, and who knows where we will be next year.

Then the game was abandoned due to snow.

Still circling the plughole . . .

[Heid the Ba]

And we lost two nil to Celtic in a cup semi-final yesterday. Apparently we were simply awful and should have lost by a hatful. Family commitments meant I couldn't watch the game, thankfully.

In more upbeat news my Jets supporting mate has got us tickets for the game against Miami at Wembley in October. Upbeat if you ignore the Jets having a new shit coach and Geno Smith at QB. And little in the way of defence. But apart from that, what can possibly go wrong?

[Arneb]

Meanwhile, nobody, no one AT ALL is surprised at

Werder bremen 2 - 0 Hertha BSC

It's like the way a giant tree tips over after having been felled. It still looks pretty upright, but everyone knows it is, indeed, going to come down, and you can't do a thing to stop it.

[Heid the Ba]

Ouch, you are getting close to the relegation zone. Still, you are above Dortmund.

[Lianachan]

If only Ross County were getting close to the relegation zone, instead of standing firmly in it. No, actually, they're lying in it twitching.

[Heid the Ba]

At least you know you have games against Rangers next season, assuming we are still in business.

[Lianachan]

The best we can hope for is a play off spot, which would probably be against your lot. If it's over 2 legs, you simply MUST come up here for a refreshment.

[Heid the Ba]

If we finish second we have a two leg playoff against the winner of the 3rd/4th playoff, probably the Dirty Hibbees, then a two leg playoff against second bottom team in the top division, probably County, St Mirren or Motherwell. I can't see us winning the second play off.

[MM_Dandy]

We had a mini-blizzard here yesterday, and so for once, I really didn't have anything other to do than to watch the Super Bowl. It was an exciting game - I'll give it that.
Otherwise, I can't remember ever watching a full game of anything between two people or teams that I disliked so very much. The Spurs/Heat NBA Finals were both teams that I didn't like, but as long as I could imagine that Boris Diaw didn't exist, I could begrudgingly congratulate either team. They had a modicum of class, anyway.

On the other hand, the Seattle Seahawks may very well be the most classless professional team in North American sports. They are poor winners, and, as demonstrated yesterday, very poor losers. The Patriots won*, but they are a terminal illness away from entering the Lance Armstrong Zone of Despicability. The NFL will never vacate any of the Patriot wins or titles, not so much that they don't deserve it, but more because the NFL under Goodell has proven itself to be utterly incompetent. In the end, the Cheating D-Bags "beat" the Classless A-Holes because of an astoundingly stupefying play call at the end of a closely contested game. I guess that's really about the best that I could have hoped for.

[Heid the Ba]

I agree wholeheartedly about the SuperBowl, which I never watch because it is on in the middle of the night here. I didn't even watch the one the Pack won 4 or so years ago.

I was hoping for a meteor strike.

[Arneb]

BTW, how could this "Deflategate" happen?

In football, (yeah, alright, soccer) the federation responsible for the competition being played (national, continental, world) gives the specs for just about anything, field, goals, markings, balls, etc., and the referee is responsible for everything being up to spec when play starts. Is that so difficult? How could someone who is party in a professional game possibly be responsible for the quality of the ball?

[Heid the Ba]

The NFL allows teams to scuff up the balls they use on offense so they have effectively given the teams carte blanche to do what they like with them. I suspect all teams do it to a greater or lesser extent, given that all QBs and coaches are micromanagers who worship consistency I would be astonished if neither knew it was being done.

[Heid the Ba]

The NFL will never vacate any of the Patriot wins or titles, not so much that they don't deserve it, but more because the NFL under Goodell has proven itself to be utterly incompetent.

Arguably very competent as the NFL continues to make vast sums of money for the owners. Absolutely incompetent at anything they claim like leadership, sporting integrity or protecting the game but great at lining the owners' pockets.

In the end, the Cheating D-Bags "beat" the Classless A-Holes because of an astoundingly stupefying play call at the end of a closely contested game. I guess that's really about the best that I could have hoped for.

It is the sort of play the Pack would have run, but Rodgers wouldn't have thrown that pass. Despite what everyone says Lynch does not have a good record of getting in from the one yard line.

[MM_Dandy]

Good point about Goodell. And it should be noted that New England defended that particular play better than anyone would have expected. Still, with the ability to stop the clock one more time, why not let either Lynch (who already had a 3-yard touchdown in the game) or Wilson try to run it in, or at least pass out of a goal-line package?

[Heid the Ba]

Absolutely, run play action and then roll out either passing to the corner or Wilson taking it in. Rinse, repeat.

[Heid the Ba]

Hertha!

We have the Dirty Hibbees later.