Soccer Greatness

by RCCook on Sep 21, 2006 3:44 PM CDT Comment 28 comments

Since I know a few other people follow the EPL, I thought some of you might enjoy this- Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso scored a goal from his own half of the field yesterday against Newcastle.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7032316303141404085&q=xabi+alonso&hl=en

This is the second time in the last six months Xabi has scored a goal from long distance- he put one in against Luton Town last year from slightly further out, though that one was the soccer equivalent of an empty-net goal.

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Did you see

The chick put one in off the kick off? Im a huge EPL fan and a big Liverpool fan. If they got right of that tall suck Crouch i would like them even more.

by cjbray on Sep 21, 2006 4:05 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Bambi on ice

Best soccer nickname ever. Actually, I think Crouchy isn't as bad as everyone says. He definitely looks like a goof out there, though.

You might think I'm crazy. I agree with you.

by trza on Sep 21, 2006 4:08 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Didn't see that

That's pretty awesome, though.

Liverpool is my team as well. Xabi is my favorite player on the squad, so I was stoked when he scored yesterday. They really needed that win after last week's loss to The Russian Mob Money All-Stars.

I've grown to like Crouch, after initially thinking he was Liverpool's answer to Shawn Bradley. I'd still rather see Kuyt and Bellamy start as much as possible, but Crouch has been on fire for England lately.

by RCCook on Sep 21, 2006 4:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Crouch

Plus, you have to love this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96eSrFlUVh0

by RCCook on Sep 21, 2006 4:15 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

robocrouch

love it.

You might think I'm crazy. I agree with you.

by trza on Sep 21, 2006 4:20 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nothing like

a giant doing the robot. I would like to see Bellemy playing a bit more.

by cjbray on Sep 21, 2006 4:20 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Xabi

Woot! He's on my fantasy team. Cue Dustin...

You might think I'm crazy. I agree with you.

by trza on Sep 21, 2006 4:06 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

What?

They have fantasy soccer? How do they score it if every game's 1-0? A player could have a 30 year career playing soccer and never score a goal.

Do they count how many times a guy kicks a ball or what? Does it count more if the ball hits a guy in the head?

It's a mystery.

Nobody cares about your fantasy or video game teams.

by Dustin on Sep 21, 2006 5:39 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Who said

anyone scores in every game? Sometimes it's 0-0.

by Brett Perryman on Sep 21, 2006 5:42 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

haha

yes, because fantasy baseball only has points for runs scored.

by ksf42001 on Sep 21, 2006 5:44 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well

In baseball, there are bases, at least. In fantasy baseball you're basically just counting bases or outs.

Soccer is weird and random. It's total chaos out there as far as I can tell.

Nobody cares about your fantasy or video game teams.

by Dustin on Sep 21, 2006 5:49 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

scoring

http://uk.premiership.fantasysports.yahoo.com/football/details/scoring

Here you are young grasshopper.

by ksf42001 on Sep 21, 2006 5:54 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well, okay.

I get it now.

Nobody cares about your fantasy or video game teams.

by Dustin on Sep 21, 2006 6:06 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I must admit

The scoring is a little it's a little flaky and objective sometimes. Some really stellar players who don't score but are totally vital to their team get screwed, like Claude Makele, a defensive midfielder for Chelsea. It's still pretty fun, though. You definitely get points when one of your players scores a goal from 65 yards like Xabi Alonso did.

You might think I'm crazy. I agree with you.

by trza on Sep 21, 2006 6:26 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

That's true

of any sport but baseball though. There is no way to statistically reflect the quality of a great cornerback, right guard, Bruce Bowen type basketball player, defensive defensement in hockey, it's just what it is.

by Brett Perryman on Sep 21, 2006 6:49 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

objective

meaning subjective

You might think I'm crazy. I agree with you.

by trza on Sep 21, 2006 8:41 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Arsenal are back

And Cesc Fabregas is starting to play like one of the best central midfielders in the EPL. Those are my two HSOs.

Also, I want to see Fernando Torres get to ManU in the next year or so. It would be cool to watch him, C Ronaldo and Rooney together.

by Brett Perryman on Sep 21, 2006 4:22 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Is there some weird sort of Rangers-Reds cnxn?

I make three of us who are 'pool fans & read this blog. That's just odd. Sweet goal from Xabi, & my buddy from the UK just got here and brought me a nice LFC polo. Not bad.

GEAUX TIGERS!!!

by randylsu on Sep 21, 2006 8:51 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Rangers-Reds

That is odd. I just started following them about a year ago. One of my friends (a West Ham fan) turned me on to the EPL at the start of last season. I decided to watch a few matches before picking a club, and nearly chose Arsenal, until I saw Liverpool beat CSKA Moscow in last year's Super Cup.

After reading up on the club's history and watching a few more matches, I became a Reds fan. They can be a bit frustrating to watch at times, mostly because they're so defense-minded, but I think Benitez is on the right track in putting together a championship-caliber club. Not to mention they've done it without spending nearly as much as Chelsea.

by RCCook on Sep 21, 2006 9:44 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I did a similar

thing, and I wound up going with Arsenal, and most of the reasons are are results of Wenger being so freaking awesome, so he's probably the main reason. I like the way they play, I like the way they handle personnel, and I like Henry and several of their up-and-coming guys. I do have a soft spot for both Liverpool and ManU for certain reasons, and the only person in the league that I've found that I don't care for is Abramovich, so I'm obviously not what you'd consider a serious fan of that one team. But I do like them and follow them much more closely than the others. And one way or the other (like torrents, etc) I think I've seen all but one or so of their matches this season and most of their CL run last year.

by Brett Perryman on Sep 21, 2006 11:43 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Interesting

This Liverpool club is an easy one to like. They have some fun players, not least among them Steven Gerrard, who is one of the most inspiring and entertaining players currently out there. They have been a part of two of the most ridiculous matches I've ever seen in the last couple of years, the Champions League Final against AC Milan in 2005 and the FA Cup final against West Ham this year.

As frustrating as Chelsea's unlimited pocket book is, I think they have done a lot to raise the level of play in the premiership in the last few years. They are a great team.

You might think I'm crazy. I agree with you.

by trza on Sep 22, 2006 11:35 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Can't wait for

Man U @ Reading on FSC Saturday.

by Wes Cox on Sep 21, 2006 8:57 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

same here

reading's going to lose, but a guy can dream

by ksf42001 on Sep 21, 2006 9:49 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Speaking of this

anyone know which matches ESPN is showing this next week in the CL?

by Brett Perryman on Sep 21, 2006 11:37 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Champions League

Man United vs. Benfica on Tuesday
Chelsea vs. Lefski Sofia on Wednesday

ESPN seems to favor the English teams, which is understandable, considering they've probably got the biggest following here in the States.

by RCCook on Sep 22, 2006 12:54 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

What about

the other two? They also show another one each day on one of their other networks (I think ESPN Classic). I guess we'll get ManU and Real Madrid until they are eliminated.

by Brett Perryman on Sep 22, 2006 2:07 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs