speeeeeeedie

Bayern Munich's president, Uli Hoeness has been sent to 3 plus years in jail for tax evasion. He stashed away millions in Swiss bank aanounts. http://espnfc.com/news/story/_/id/1748670/bayern-munich-president-uli-hoeness-found-guilty-tax-evasion-trial?cc=5901

Lazio say that this dude is 17; http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/feb/14/joseph-minala-age-41-backed-lazio-president?CMP=EMCFTBEML853

Are you English? If so what a shameful post.

One of the HBO channels I have has been showing the Sopranos every night for a month or so now. It's now up to season 4. Absolutely cracking TV. I have seen all of them more than once but watch every night. I need to get into Game of Thrones and Homeland.

It is being widely reported ver here that Armstrong admitted on camera to Oprah that he did indeed take PED"s throughout his career. The interview is to be aired later on this week. It looks like he is gearing up for lawsuits that will clean him out, and the redemption media circuit that will make it all back for him.

Today was the 8th consecutive day of 35oC+. Heat records are being broken all over the place on the US east coast. It's meant to rain tonight but no sign of it yet.

I thought it was taking the mick. If it's true it's a cracking story. The quotes are brilliant. I do wish I owned a diamond encrusted soda stream.

Big Love. It's about a bloke in Utah married to 3 women. It finished a few months ago. I enjoyed it.

Watched Hangover 2 at the weekend. Dross. I enjoyed the first, but the less said about this one the better.

Quality miss. Whatever happened to the great goals topic? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UtxP47TYSo

I read an article which said that 14 of the 51 participants in Wrestlemania VII are now dead. Included in the list was Macho Man's ex-wife Elizabeth. I have to defend American football somewhat. It really isn't a game for the faint hearted, despite all the pads. In fact that makes it worse.

Misadventure verdict. Some interesting points from the coroner. I can't see how limiting the sale of booze under the concourse would help in the future. Policing coaches is another tricky one. His mother's comments raised an eyebrow.

I'm in the legalise camp. Only last week the US governemnt finally adjusted sentencing times for people convicted of crack vs. powder cocaine possession/dealing making them equal. Previously people caught with crack were treated far more harshly than people caught with powder. It's still not right but they are at least thinking. Unfortunately it's an easy stance for politicans, they can't lose. They come off tough on drug offenders and it makes them look good. It's a complicated issue affecting everybody. Mexico is not in good shape, and the USA are now using post September 11th anti-terror powers to go after them as departments worried about having their budgets cut need something to do.

I can indeed recommend Usha. Good food, good service, and plenty of room. I also went to the Inn at Whitewell the other week, absolutely fantastic. It's well worth a trip out there.

I wonder where the research for this article was done; LET's where are they now?

Most are young lads but there is one who's 40, and 1 who's 45.

It looks like it's curtains for Mourinho. There's no way they will beat Chelsea. If I was Mark Hughes I would be a worried man.

Fletcher's ban stands; UEFA will not overturn ref's decision. Quite right if you ask me. Next they need to hand Drogba and Ballack a healthy ban.

It's also the only thing you can use as a benchmark. Barton is a plonker, but he's done a lot less than Lee Hughes and Luke McCormick(?). Sign him up. Do you remember Le Saux attempting to stamp on Roy Keane at Ewood when hurdling him years ago? Specific examples are a bit useless. If you watch football based on the players' characters you'll never go to a game.

Rovers should sign Barton. He's exactly what we need; a young, English, box to box midfielder with an eye for goal. We should be able to get him on the cheap as well due to his status as damaged goods and the possiblity that he may end up doing bird again some day. He might be a complete n0b but most footballers are. The latest incident has brought up all his ills. He was p!ssed off and put in a stupid tackle out of frustration, plenty of players have done that. Bellamy is rated by many as the best striker we've had since Shearer yet he's been in trouble numerous times; slapping a girl in a nightclub, belting Riise with a golf club, nearly giving Bobby Robson a heart attack but the fans loved him when he was here. The national media don't care about us so Barton may give us some extra coverage.

I saw it and thought that he was taking the mick.

Amazing this. 2 short years ago he was roundly slated, me included, for ball$ing up England. He's proving why he's a good manager now, he has a certain charisma that players like which will get you places. Maybe it wasn't all his fault after all.

I have to agree that Cole is a complete idiot. His bird is well worth one (even if Cletus' theory is true), but that doesn't always suffice, especially for pampered idiot footballers. It's not like he was pulling classy chicks either; one let him carry on after he'd barfed, the other didn't care about him wearing wellies whilst on the job. Where did he find them? The local Netto? It's a sad case all around but I doubt he'll ever learn from it.

In order to develop footballers have to play in a team. Academy coaches have to have 11 players who are signed on 3 year (with 5 year option if they're deemed good enough) scholarships once they leave school. If they only signed lads who were going to make it there would be about 2 in each academy. They sign players for positions, they sign players with potential, they also sign potential stars who need a team to develop nurturing. The academy only last for 3 years, they have to go somewhere else after that or they don't get a game, the reserves is the next level, and certainly not a good barometer for being close to the first team. An academy coach will look at who he's got and think "Right, next year I need a left winger, 2 full backs, and a striker." So they go out and get the best they can whether they are currently training with the under 15's or not. Granted if John Barnes, Ashely Cole, Wes Brown, and Shearer signed he'd have 4 stars on his hands who would progress quickly. But more often than not they get decent players who can play that position but don't quite have it but will serve a role, get an experience they'll never forget, a fit bird, no real academic qualifications, and a decent non-league career at the end of it. If the academy was about developing players to make money and I was a coach, I'd sign every striker around. However, most of them would end up pants as they couldn't all play up front every game; then I'd get the sack. However the academies are supposed to bring on the team of the future, but they never do.

Based on history, and the general cynicism of the English people the first reaction is "she's after money." Hughes, Vick, et al. weren't accused by someone after money or fame. They were caught based on concrete evidence against them. Rape is a very tough one to prove, especially when a girl is allegedly seen coming out of a hotel room after been given the run through by United's new 5-a-side team. I was listening to a talk radio show here the other day. The host was on about some woman who claims to have bedded Tony Parker (San Antonio Spurs basketballer - married to Eva Longoria). The host's view was that any woman going public with such info is either after money or fame. I'm not agreeing, I just find it interesting he was talking about it the same day this kicked off. OJ's civil trial conviction has about as much weight as a gnat's bollock$. He's still not paid a penny of the judgement, and never will.