Seems like even the yanks know 'pool are wankers

LONDON (AP) -- Liverpool striker Craig Bellamy added a new twist to the problem of soccer violence last week when he attacked a teammate.

Yes, a teammate.

The Wales forward allegedly hit John Arne Riise in the legs with a golf club while Liverpool was in Portugal at a training camp preparing for a Champions League match against defending champion FC Barcelona.

Bellamy now faces a fine of $155,000 and an uncertain future with the 18-time English league champions.

If teammates whacking each other with golf clubs after a night out isn't absurd enough, consider the reason for the fight -- they were arguing about a karaoke competition.

Karaoke!

The news of the fracas definitely wasn't music to the ears of George Gillett Jr. and Tom Hicks, Liverpool's new American owners.

And it shouldn't, because soccer -- and Liverpool -- has had an ugly enough past when it comes to violence.

At the 1985 European Cup final at the Heysel stadium in Brussels, 39 people were killed when Liverpool fans charged their Juventus counterparts and a stadium wall collapsed.

Hooliganism in soccer hasn't been confined to just Liverpool, of course.

On Feb. 2, 38-year-old policeman Filippo Raciti was killed by rioting fans after Catania played Palermo in the Italian league. That incident led to the suspension of league play for a week and security measures that have forced some teams to play in empty stadiums until standards are met.

There have been other soccer riots and fighting all over the world, but it's still worrying to read about a professional soccer player hitting another -- especially in the legs.

Luckily for Riise, he was not injured. If only the same could be said for the image of Liverpool and soccer.

Hunt you down (like a dog)

Hello. Just thought I'd note my recent rise up the Down the Line table. I have you, Caro, in my sights already. And I can see D-Rak -- predictor ordinaire -- on the horizon. The fact that D-Rak has a notoriously weak finish only adds to my resolve. So, as the title says, I will hunt you down like a dog (even though I'm not sure which of us is the dog in this analogy).

For Nic - from Rak snr.

The Times
January 10 th, 2007

A seven-year-old boy was at the centre of a courtroom drama yesterday when he challenged a court ruling over whom should have custody of him.

The boy has a history of being beaten by his parents and the judge initially awarded custody to his aunt, in keeping with child custody law and egulations requiring that family unity be maintained to the degree possible.

The boy surprised the court when he proclaimed that his aunt beat him more than his parents and he adamantly refused to live with her.

When the judge then suggested that he live with his grandparents, the boy cried out that they also beat him.
After considering the remainder of the immediate family and learning that domestic violence was apparently a way of life among them, the judge took the unprecedented step of allowing the boy to propose who should have custody of him.

After two recesses to check legal references and confer with child welfare officials, the judge granted temporary custody to Liverpool FC, whom the boy firmly believes are not capable of beating anyone.

Fucking hell, it's quiet around here these days.

So I in hono(u)r of just mistaking Nic for David on the phone, I thought I should post something. Not that I have anything to say, but I can link to a good time-wasting football video on YouTube. Which is your fave?

Also, what's been going on in the Fantasy League recently? I haven't seen anything since I drowned in mid-table obscurity a few months back.

And that just leaves me to say that I'm looking forward to seeing the Arse get a good kicking in the game tomorrow.

It's that time again...

In honour of this competition being a marathon and not a sprint, I bring you my annual "I've almost reached midtable obscurity" post.

Who'd have thought that a few weeks attention to my team would have resulted in a tie with Nick Crossick, my nemesis from last season?

And this is despite the fact that Assou-Ekotto is so rubbish that he got -1 this week, the first week I have him on my team. Welcome!

So watch out!! I'm on my way up!!

That is all.

Interview of the day.

Here's a little treat for Arse fans out there -- a footballing interview that's actually quite entertaining. Caro, fyi: Perry Groves is an Arsenal player from back in the day when you were a Man Utd fan.

in the interests of blog blocking

I think we'll all be glad to see the
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of Nick's last post/

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To continue my well worn but well loved theme of posts tangentially related to football, and still encompassing my other interests, I bring you this:
spot the footballer