Before we take our wide scan of the football world, our pal Carlito would like to talk to you about the importance of stretching. Even if you watch football rather than play it, the last thing you want to be is tight and inflexible. After all, you’re going to be jumping up out of your seat and raising your fists in celebration a lot*. How embarassed would you be if you pulled a hammy or felt a twinge in your knee or ankle while cheering your team’s success?
Carlito wants you to make a habit of stretching every morning when you get up — especially on game days. You’ll feel better every day for it.
* – Does not apply to Manchester United fans at Old Trafford.
And now, on with the links!
- The Eli Manning-to-David Tyree pass has a name. (Kissing Suzy Kolber)
- One lucky Giants fan sneaks in. (Deadspin)
- Tom Hicks is an idiot in two countries now. (Dallas Observer)
- Football in Colonial Africa. (Pitch Invasion)
- Footballer trafficking in modern Africa. (Guardian Unlimited)
- Is FIFA boss Sepp Blatter a racist? (The Offside)
- One last look back by a Havant & Waterlooville fan. (Hobo Tread)
- The Rochester Raging Rhinos are in real trouble. (Triangle Soccer Fanatics)
- Revenue sharing works in America, but what about England? (Pitch Invasion)
- Mankinis work for Borat, but what about New Zealand rugby fans? (We Are the Postmen)
- AFL attempts to put lipstick on pig. (Fox Sports Australia)
- Hey, did someone say pig? (Friday Metro)
- What we would have seen if the Patriots had won. (FanHouse)
- The Pats’ season ended perfectly — for the rest of America. (The Onion)
- And it couldn’t have happened to a nicer bunch of fans. (With Leather)
- Of course, there’s just as much class in Manchester. (Guardian Unlimited)
- Remembering the Munich Air Disaster. (200%)
- An awesome Fulhamerica photoshop. (Oz City)
- The sad tale of Kevin Hart. (Deadspin)
- Chiefs running back Larry Johnson was just joking. Really. (The Sporting Blog)
- But drugs are no joke for retired NFL players. (Tampa Bay Online)
- Say, is Tiki Barber on drugs? (NFL Experts Blog)
- HBO pulls the plug on Inside the NFL. (Sports by Brooks)
- What is zone blocking? (FanHouse)
- International Rules is the new General Franco. (Setanta Sports)
- A closer look at World Footy News. (AFL Footy Blog)
- Are the Buffalo Bills cheating on their hometown? (NFL Experts Blog)
- Fabio Capello will make you an offer you can’t refuse. (Pitch Invasion)
- Those damn Sepak Takraw prima donnas. (With Leather)
- It’s just easier to be a football fan. (Deadspin)
That ought to hold you for now. It’s a quiet weekend for football in America, with only the sad little exhibition that is the Pro Bowl in Hawaii. There’s a full card in Europe, though, including a Chelsea v. Liverpool match on Sunday and some Six Nations rugby action around the continent. Oh, and there’s also some Aussie Rules in Dubai, though we’re still more than a month away from the start of the AFL season. (I need to find some way to get the rest of the blogosphere talking about Aussie Rules again. The West Coast Eagles’ drug problems won’t be enough this year.)
One more thing: the Carolina Railhawks are holding tryouts this weekend. So if you’ve got some serious soccer skills and are looking for work, get yourself to the Triangle by tomorrow morning. Here’s a little something to inspire you to play…
Enjoy your football, folks.
7 responses so far ↓
1 Simon // Feb 8, 2008 at 7:32 pm
International Rules is the new General Franco. well lost here , care to explain ?
2 Dave // Feb 8, 2008 at 7:37 pm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francisco_Franco
Former dictator of Spain. He fell ill and managed to stay alive for more than a year, and news reports kept telling of his valiant attempt to stay alive. After he finally passed away, there were jokes on Saturday Night Live about how Franco was “valiantly holding on in his fight to remain dead.”
That’s kind of how I feel about International Rules Football right about now.
3 Simon // Feb 8, 2008 at 8:22 pm
Awe , OK we don’t get SNL over here , i sometimes feel to truly understand American culture watching SNL is a must .
4 a different Dave // Feb 10, 2008 at 4:08 am
SNL hasn’t been much good these past few decades. 1970′s SNL is still de rigeur however if you want to stay current on this sort of Americanism.
This is as good a place as any to mention this: if you have access to the TV show FIFA Futbol Mundial (on GolTV here in the States, IIRC), this weeks episode included a segment on Harrow football. Pretty interesting. Harrow football was a major influence on association football. Apart from the fair catch rule, rougher play, and the oversized ball, Harrow football is pretty close to modern soccer.
5 NAB Cup - AFL Interchange Rule Again !! Enough is Enough Mick » AFL Football Blog // Feb 10, 2008 at 8:00 am
[...] you are Dave here is one blogger in the blogosphere that is talking about Aussie Rules Footy. Did you like this article? Subscribe to my RSS [...]
6 Dave // Feb 10, 2008 at 11:48 am
Dave: You’ve read my piece on Harrow Football here, right?
Harrow Footballers Are Dirty
7 a different Dave // Feb 14, 2008 at 10:19 pm
Yes, I’ve read it.
It is fun to actually watch a different football code being played, though, rather than merely reading about it, which is why I mentioned it to anyone who gets that TV program.
I don’t see the FIFA Futbol Mundial video on YouTube, but there is another unrelated video there of Harrow football:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4I3-w9589E
It’s not a very good video though. The segment on FIFA Futbol Mundial was much more interesting to watch.
Might as well link to a video of the Eton wall game too:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yr-K7bbz82Q&feature=related