Disqus - Latest Comments for Ivan

Re: Christmas Eve Odds and Sods

Ivan — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 10:08:54 -0000

I firmly believe that the Tottenham team should give away half of their weekly salaries to Berbatov for the privilege of playing alongside him. He is from another planet, way too good for Tottenham, and the question is : what is he still doing there?

Re: Are Arsenal Premier League Title Contenders?

Ivan — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 10:26:35 -0000

Don't write off Arsenal that quickly. Their next game at Everton is a must win, though. And playing at Goodison against in-form Everton will be very very difficult. Keep in mind that there is a long way to go and that United will also choke. It is a 2-horse race, but it is way too early to tell who will come on top.

Re: Transfer window opens

Ivan — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 13:53:42 -0000

The big one is whether Berba leaves Tottenham. It is more than obvious that the Spurs don't deserve him-he is from another planet compared to his teammates (eventhough his understanding with Keane is quite good).
Plus, there are no more than 3-4 teams in the world that he can play for.
United can use him very well, not so sure about Chelsea. Arsenal is stacked up front, not sure if he can fit in Rafa's style of play. Real Madrid has way too many strikers, so does Barcelona. AC Milan comes to mind, Inter has Zlatan and Crespo.
Should be interesting.
United would be the safest bet.

Re: Bolton Deals Derby County a Cruel Blow

Ivan — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 09:24:44 -0000

Feel sorry for Derby. Hope they come right back-they sure have passionate fans.
A random note: after the introduction of Setanta Sports News, I have stopped watching the Fox Soccer Report at 10pm EST since they overlap. The difference in quality is obvious. Maybe I will still check the Report back when Bobby McMahon is there Mondays and Fridays, but that's about it.
Two thumbs up for Setanta Sports News.

Re: Breaking News: The FA Cup is Coming to Setanta Sports

Ivan — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 09:48:20 -0000

Great news. Paying $15-20 to watch Luton-Liverpool is ridiculous. That finally solves the problem. Subscribing to Setanta was one of the best decisions for me last year.

Re: Breaking News: The FA Cup is Coming to Setanta Sports

Ivan — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 13:19:13 -0000

$180/year for one channel-Setanta-is a bit too much, but, I figured, as a religious follower of the Premier League, I didn't have an alternative. Like it or not, the channel is a must. With Setanta Extra, I watch 3 live 10am Saturday games.
3 Saturdays ago, when West Ham came back from a goal down against United, and Chelsea scored a late one (clear offside) against Newcastle, and , at the same time, Berbatov scored 17 goals against Reading(I meant 4), and to be able to watch live all those 3 exciting games: talk about the ultimate Premier League experience...

Re: Dimitar Berbatov Heading to Manchester United?

Ivan — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 10:30:58 -0000

There are only 5/6 clubs in the world that deserve Berba-considering Barca, Real, Bayern, Inter, and Arsenal to be loaded with quality strikers, the only ones left are AC Milan and Manchester United. Berba is the most talented player to ever play for the Spurs. He dwarfs "superstars" such as Klinsi and Ginola. And the attitude of the Bulgarian shows that he isn't happy playing for a team that concedes 3-5 goals/game. Can you blame him?
Get out of Tottenham, Berba-the sooner, the better!!!

Re: Get Well Soon Gaffer!

Ivan — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 09:22:49 -0000

Get well soon!

Re: Happy Valentines Day

Ivan — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 10:02:44 -0000

It is Sven-they already aired the episode last Saturday after the 10 am game.

Re: PK’s Unkind to Spurs, Everton

Ivan — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 10:50:24 -0000

Berbo, Berbo, GET OUT of TOTTENHAM. There are only two strikers in the Premier League that are at your level-Torres, Adebayor. That's it. What are you still doing there? Go to a big four club if you want to win tropheys. (With all my respect to Spurs). And, yes, they did win the Mickey Mouse Cup, but so what.

Re: Fox and Setanta Face Tough FA Cup PPV Choice

Ivan — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 09:58:49 -0000

Maybe they will smarten up and show both games live, NOT on p-p-v. I don't see anybody paying money to see a semi-final on p-p-v, or the final, for that matter.

Re: Americans on Display in Fulham-Everton Match

Ivan — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 14:28:48 -0000

Impressive Johnson. Worked very hard, unlucky not to score. I hope they stay up for the sake of all the Americans on the team. It will be very hard, though, despite today's win.

Re: Spurs 4-4 Chelsea: Why Setanta Needs Cable TV

Ivan — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 09:24:25 -0000

I have DirectTV just for Setanta. The best investment I made last year-totally worth every cent. And, the original programming: Macca's Monday Night, Football Matters, and Friday Football Show: is simply second to none!
Setanta, however, must expand to cable(Verizon) if they want to become a mainstream soccer channel here.
The Spurs-Chelsea game was an instant classic, btw. Wow!!! Can't wait for the big ones on Sunday!

Re: Good For You, Steve Bennett

Ivan — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 10:05:09 -0000

Mascherano's first yellow was ridiculous. THAT WAS NOT A YELLOW CARD. That said, he knew he was on a short leash for the remainder of the game and had to be careful. The sending off decided the game, but, as a Liverpool fan, I have to admit that United were the better team even before the sending off and won deservedly. We are going further and further away from the title. The quality gap between us and the top 3 is obvious.

Re: Saturday Takeaway

Ivan — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 14:44:26 -0000

What a clinic by United yesterday! How lucky were Chelsea and Arsenal.
MLS is getting there, slowly but surely. First game of the season, remember?
How did Barcelona collapse after a 45 minute clinic at Betis: it is beyond me. Probably the game of the week. Will have a hard time v. United in the semis, assuming that both teams eliminate Schalke and Roma.

Re: Release Date for 08/09 Chelsea Home Shirt

Ivan — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 14:43:34 -0000

The headline should be "Fat Franky still looks very fat in Chelsea's new uniforms!"

Re: Tiers of Leagues in Europe

Ivan — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 09:42:05 -0000

Italy should drop to second tier.
Sweden should also drop down: their domestic league is brutal and 3/4 quality players playing for top teams can't mask that.
Greece should go up, in place of Belgium: Belgian football has struggled for at least 2 decades now.
Other than that: you are on point.

Re: Man United 2-1 Arsenal: Same Old Story from Gunners

Ivan — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 11:43:52 -0000

How Arse managed to lose yesterday, is beyond me.
They dominated the game for at least an hour. Gallas: what a leader, huh? He should go. We all remember how he reacted to Clichy's mistake in stoppage time v. Birmingham. His handball yesterday was idiotic, to say the least.
Eboue can not and should not play as a midfielder. Flamini is sorely missed: yes. Gilberto is too old: he committed the faul for the winning goal.
Walcott: I can see Wenger wants to use him sparingly and provide pace for the later stages of the game, but I believe he will be more than a part player next season.
Adebayor's goal was a blatant handball, but he should have had a hat-trick.
United is on course of winning big this season, but can Ronaldo, Rooney, Tevez, Anderson, Carick mask the team's deficiancies? they miss Vidic bad. Brown is attrocious. Pique's debut was ok, at best, but you can't expect much. Rio was all over the place, and almost scored an own goal.
All in all, it was a very strange game yesterday. United got lucky: very lucky. But, Wenger must take responsiblity for his team's collapse since February. Maybe the teams needs a shrink...

Re: Setanta Sports Monopolizes U.S. TV Coverage of Premier League Title Race

Ivan — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 11:12:18 -0000

Setanta has the better EPL games. It is that simple. The channel is well worth buying a satellite and paying $15/month. The best investment I have made over the last year or so.

Re: Manchester United 4-1 West Ham United: 90 Minutes Away from the Title

Ivan — Sat, 03 May 2008 14:51:52 -0000

Who is this guy Katrik? Why does he post here? Does he know what a football is? Jesus Christ. Didn't want to go personal, but even I, a die hard Liverpool fan, will have to say that United are, by far, the best team in the league this year. Very few will disagree(Arsenal has an argument, if the season had finished in February). Chelsea? No tropheys this season. They don't deserve any.

Re: Stoke City, Welcome to the Premier League

Ivan — Mon, 05 May 2008 09:12:30 -0000

Setanta had the game(Stoke-Leicester) on taped delay last night. In terms of drama, this was one of the craziest games I've seen this season. Condolences to Leicester fans: their team was very unlucky not to win yesterday. By the same token, Stoke needs total transformation in order to beat Derby's miserable record from this season. They didn't look like a premier league team on the night. Then, again, you never know. Crazy fans, though. The pitch invasion was great!

Re: New 08/09 Birmingham City Away Shirt Revealed

Ivan — Tue, 06 May 2008 17:55:22 -0000

Birmingham should go down. They just aren't good enough.

Re: U.S. TV Coverage for Wigan vs Man Utd & Chelsea vs Bolton

Ivan — Wed, 07 May 2008 10:16:04 -0000

Just this past weekend , there were three critical games in the Premier League: Fulham v. Birmingham, and the United and Chelsea games. All three were on Setanta. Enough said.
Fox Soccer Channel, for second year in a row, is showing the "second best" Premier League games.
I wander if Setanta Extra is showing the Pompey-Fulham game...

Re: Tottenham’s rebuild to be without Berbatov?

Ivan — Wed, 07 May 2008 13:49:36 -0000

Have said it many times, Berba is waaaaaay too good for Tottenham. He can be a superstar in United/Barcelona/AC Milan, or any top 5 team in the world. He did, however, had an amazing understanding with Keano up top...
Let the bidding war commence.

Re: Fulham Plays a Starring Role in The Great Escape

Ivan — Mon, 12 May 2008 11:38:26 -0000

After United's first goal yesterday, those of us with Setanta Extra pretty much watched exclusively the Fulham game live. What a gaffe by FSC. They have resigned to showing the second tier Premier League games. How very sad.
I can't stop praising Setanta for the quality of its product. From the selection of leagues and games, to the original programming coming from England.
If I had to choose one of the three soccer channels at the moment: Setanta, FSC, Gol TV, it would definitely be Setanta. And Gol TV would come in second: I would take Real and Barca games any day before the crappy Premier League games.

Re: Which Reading, Birmingham & Derby Players Would You Rescue From The Drop?

Ivan — Wed, 14 May 2008 10:31:30 -0000

Why si McFadden not on the list? He is still fairly young and a quality player.
Ridgewell I wouldn't have on my co-ed intramural team: what a misunderstanding he is...

Re: Poll: How Will You Experience the 2007/2008 FA Cup Final?

Ivan — Thu, 15 May 2008 11:53:10 -0000

I am taking a pass on the FA Cup final this season, with all my respect to Pompey and Cardiff. At least the broadcasters have come to their senses, and since Setanta and FSC are splitting the rights as of next season, we won't be bullied into paying $20 to watch a game.
Good riddance, soccer p-p-v. Between Setanta, FSC, and Gol TV, they better have every important soccer match out there(world cup qualifiers, I can see why p-p-v for some games may be the only option).

Re: Van Basten Stunned as Seedorf Quits Dutch Squad

Ivan — Tue, 20 May 2008 10:17:38 -0000

In the company of Italia, France, and Romania, and with a controversial and maybe even inept coach such as Van Basten, I think Holland will finish fourth in their group.

Re: Manchester United–The Champions of Europe | EPL Talk

Ivan — Wed, 21 May 2008 19:33:05 -0000

What a game, what a game, what a game. A great showcase of the Premier League, drama, quality, tears. Heart goes out to Chelsea: whey were a bit better on the night, could have gone either way, but such is football...

Re: UK TV Ratings For Champions League Final

Ivan — Fri, 23 May 2008 10:32:22 -0000

ESPN here released their TV ratings, too. Combined on ESPN and ESPN Deporters, they estimated a record 1.3 mln. saw the game in the US. Not too shabby, considering the game was in the middle of the day during a work day. Hopefully, when they move the final to a Saturday, the profile of the game will only increase here.

Re: Champions League Final Reveals Ugly Side Of English Football

Ivan — Fri, 23 May 2008 10:40:18 -0000

I enjoyed the game: drama everywhere made up for lack of quality at times. It was a battle worthy of a Champions League final. All my friends agree that it was as exciting final as you can hope for: goals, penalties, controversy, brilliant saves, posts, and cross bars, red card...In terms of adrenaline, probably it comes closest to Pool-Milan game(the first one)...

Re: ESPN Deserves Praise For Excellent Champions League Coverage

Ivan — Fri, 23 May 2008 11:56:41 -0000

Setanta got the coverage from the Sky Sports feed. Martin Tylor, Andy Gray were play-by-play, the pre-game, half-time and post-game were sensational: pure quality. There isn't really a better crew than Tylor-Gray: just superb.
That said, ESPN's coverage was OK: after all, this is America, not England...

Re: It’s Official (Finally): Setanta Sports USA Launching On Verizon FiOS In July

Ivan — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 16:44:45 -0000

That is fantastic news for many people. I personally know three people who have cable through Verizon and would jump on the opportunity to subscribe to Setanta!

Re: TV Schedule for Euro ‘08 Group Stage

Ivan — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 12:31:21 -0000

Wow, ESPN got Andy Gray as a commentator/analyst? Amazing! Great job! Well done, ESPN!

Re: Day One: First Impressions of ESPN’s Euro ‘08 Coverage

Ivan — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 10:52:27 -0000

Overall, two thumbs up to ESPN.
First, for picking up Andy Gray who is sheer class. Second, for showing the national anthems.
Third, for decent studio coverage. Well, Foudy is retarded, but so what.
Come on, the tourney is on national television, and we don't have to pay $200 for the first time. And today, with US-Argentina friendly at the end of the day caps a superb day of football.
Sometimes it is easy to criticize ESPN, but I think they have done a way better job this time around. Remember Wynalda, Dave O'Brian, Foudy combination last time around: a horror show.
This time, it is just fine!!!

Re: Viewership Numbers For ESPN Euro ‘08 Broadcasts So Far Are Not Bad | EPL Talk

Ivan — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 10:41:16 -0000

England's national team has been attrocious for years. High expectations, a lot of talent, and nothing to show for. Even if ratings would have been better, it would have been another bitter disappointment. So: good riddance, England, and come back next time when you show you deserve it!
I know ton of people who are watching every second of the tournament: some at work on 360, other, like myself, are DVR-ing all the games and staying away from the internet in the afternoon.
I am sure ratings will go up on weekends and during the playoff stages.
I said it earlier: the ESPN coverage has been nothing short of spectacular: with Gray, Mustoe, Healey, Rae, Smyth, just world class. Compare with the Wynalda, O'Brien disaster.
Well done, ESPN, well done!!!!!!!!!(And I watched a couple of games on HD: beauty)

Re: Viewership Numbers For ESPN Euro ‘08 Broadcasts So Far Are Not Bad | EPL Talk

Ivan — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 14:19:56 -0000

Wow, people took one word very personal. I am obviously biased against footballing nations who have problems with performing basic functions of the game such as stopping and receiving the ball. Such nations, Germany, Sweden, Austria, England, who play kick and run football, are a sore sight for me. And every time they lose, I believe that the Gods of football smile.
That is why Germans, Brits, etc. don't know what to do with technically skillful teams from the Balkans or the Latin countries. Case in point: Croatia v. Germany just now. The Germans made the ball cry: clueless, with total lack of imagination. I have a smile on my face because of that game.
Again, I have my baises in the game, and we are all entitled to an opinion. But I do believe that the Gods of football have a big smile on their face after today's game(or any time a kick-and-run style of play loses to skill).

Re: The Pleasure Of Watching Spain v Sweden In An Irish Pub

Ivan — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 12:44:56 -0000

Hmm, Euro v. Copa '07?
Copa last year had boatload of goals, crazy scores and very offensive display. And Brazil winning yet again without their top two/three players.
This Euro has had 3/4 really boring games, and several superb ones(all the "group of death" except Romania-France), Croatia-Germany, Portugal's games, Spain's games.
And 4-5-1 is definitely not the death of football. I know defense wins tourneys(Greece, Italy in previous two big tourneys), but it seems that offense will win this time around: look at the potential champions: Portugal, Spain, Holland, why not Croatia.
Bottom line, while the European teams are much more disciplined than South Americans in terms of tacics and emphasis on defense, entertainment in this tournament is not lacking. There are plenty of thrills, even with "safety first" approach. Yet, 2/3 of the goals scored so far have been on counter-attacks...tells you where football is going.
My $ is on Turkey today: they are the better side, but we'll see.

Re: Euro 2008 Group A Final Match Predictions

Ivan — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 14:51:37 -0000

Come on, this is 101 mistake: winner of Turkey-Czech will play not Croatia, not Germany.
Game just kicked off: and the Turks are going to win.

Re: Euro 2008 Group A Final Match Predictions

Ivan — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 14:52:05 -0000

I mean, Croatia, not Germany.

Re: Euro 2008 Group A Final Match Predictions

Ivan — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 16:48:33 -0000

What Turkey did was superb: they deserved it! Monster of a game! No other sport can offer this !EVER!!!
Credit to Turkiye!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The referee has mental issues: I wouldn't let him smell the field again! Criminal! Shame since Volcan is a great goalie. That is why teams such as England can never win a big tournament: with all the talent, they have the wrong, loser mentality. Maybe Capello can change this. And, yeah: England not being at this tournament is the best thing to happen to Euro'08.

Re: ESPN Find Magic Formula With Andy Gray & Derek Rae

Ivan — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 09:31:11 -0000

Seconded, Gaffer. Gray went berserk in a typical fashion when Turkey tied the game with "when people ask me why millions love this game, play them this match and ask them to not get excited". Priceless!!!
Gray disagrees with a lot of the yellow cards and the foul calls so far. Not sure if I agree with him all the time, but there is no question that Rae and Gray make fantastic pair behind the mic and enhance the viewing pleasure.

Re: Euro 2008 Group B Final Match Preview & Predictions

Ivan — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 22:41:19 -0000

They should have a decree against Germany and Austria playing football: those two teams made the ball cry today. Germany's 3rd place finish 2 years ago under Klinsy was obviously a fluke on the wings of hosting the tournament. They have consistently being horrendous for the last decade or so. I know they are through and can be dangerous, but they were horrendous: not just today, but in all three games(Come on, they were "brilliant " against an amateur Poland team: give me a break).
Anti-football today. Hope Portugal not just beats them, but humilates them.

Re: Julie Foudy: You Are ESPN’s Weakest Link, Goodbye!

Ivan — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:08:47 -0000

She says "offsides": it isn't plural, it is an "offside", lady! Gullit hitting on her after the Holland's game was hilarious.
But, yes, she is clueless about the game, compared to others. Hey, again, ESPN has done fantastic so far, and I am not going to badmouth them for picking her to sit in the studio.
Remember the dark days when you had to pay $200 for the whole tourney? And the days of a 2 hour Premier League highlights show on your local Fox Sports station in the middle of the night. Or, even more recently, the days of Wynalda, O'Brian, and Balboa in the studio?
Come on, life is good nowadays!!!

Re: Euro 2008 Portugal v Germany Quarter Final Preview

Ivan — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 16:19:49 -0000

The guy blogging these predictions has gotten each and every one wrong so far! Mr. Bestall, the teams should pray from now that you don't pick them to win: it has been like a death sentence.
That being said, every time the Nazis win a football game, a little baby dies. The referee should be strangled somewhere: Ballack's goal was a faul you could see from the Moon! Shame for football that the lumberjacks are going through. Germans are the most technically-challenged footballing nation in the history of the game. I shudder by the thought of them going to the final!UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Re: Powerful Germany Should Breeze Through Turkey Tie

Ivan — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:10:54 -0000

God,
please don't let the Germans win. If they do, they will contest the "worst Euro champion" title with Greece'04 and Germany'96.
Today, the Germans were outplayed by Turkey's third-string team...
I am lighting a candle on Saturday for Spain or Russia. If "team lumberjack" wins on Sunday, they may as well cancel football.

Re: ESPN Has The Power To Make Soccer Successful In America

Ivan — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 22:00:28 -0000

Agreed, Gaffer. If ESPN wants to, it can make soccer mainstream, and if there is a will, there is a way. Same thing applies for promotion and increased influx of $ in the MLS, and getting rid of the salary cap and the single entity structure within the next decade or so, but that is a whole different topic.
Slowly but surely, soccer is getting there, waaaay better than a decade ago.

Re: West Ham United v MLS All-Stars On ESPN Tonight

Ivan — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 10:56:18 -0000

Why wasn't Emilio picked is beyond me. The guy has been a top 3 player in the league 2 seasons running(and a top goalscorer).
I will be watching tonight. Last week, I saw the 3:3 Columbus/ KC game and that guy, Baros Schelotto is absolutely amazing, even at 36/37. The way he reads the game, dictates the tempo, and his ability to change the outcome with one pass is still very rare in the league. Too bad he didn't come here like, 6 years ago. No wander he is a legend at Boca. He is that good.
That said, I am expecting a show tonight.

Re: English Football: Recapturing True Football

Ivan — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:26:02 -0000

Yet another one lamenting the "good'ole days", when the grass was green, the light was bright, and we were all friends. I personally dislike Manchester United(a euphimism), but did you by any chance see last season United's goal(goal of the season for me)with the interplay between Rooney and Tevez, the backheel pass and killer shot? How is this "Americanized", and ugly?
I for one cannot wait for the season to start. And I do sympathize with Wigan, but I can't wait for the season to start not because of them, but because of Torres, Deco, Tevez, Ronaldo, Berbatov, and all the other magicians on the field. I am not getting excited about Titus Bramble and Michael Brown(although the latter is not a bad player).
Face it: it is the best football money can buy, and in less than 2 weeks millions will tune in. The spectacle and global phenomenon called the Premier League dwarfs any "Major" leagues in the US.

Re: Premiership Preview–11. Blackburn Rovers

Ivan — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:29:18 -0000

New coach, without Bentley and Friedel, Rovers will struggle this year. Can see them as low as 15th at the end of the season.

Re: Premiership Preview–10. West Ham

Ivan — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 10:58:39 -0000

Very balanced analysis. If, as you said, they start well, the early momentum can see them finish as high as 8th. Bottom line, they will be somewhere in the middle-between 8th and 13th place.

Re: Premiership Preview–9. Everton

Ivan — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 17:21:45 -0000

Depth is a big issue for them. What if Cahill (like last year) or Arteta get injured? And now they sold AJ. Won't be surprised if they end up after 10th spot this year, or if Moyes quits over lack of $ to spend. I think that with the available resources, he has taken this team as far as they can go.

Re: 2008/2009 Premier League Table Predictions

Ivan — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 11:19:12 -0000

Wow. Everyone predicting Chelsea to win it. Me too, actually. Spurs, as someone already pointed out, still have a bad defense. Will finish 5th-7th. I can see L'pool edgeing Arsenal for third, and Villa is probably the only team that can challenge the big four at the moment.
West Brom will stay up, Blackburn will have a difficult year, Man City are in peril due to recent developments with their scumbag of an owner. It's easy to say that both Hull and Stoke are going down.
Should be another fantastic season, a lot to look forward to. I would have loved to see how 2/3 of the top Russian players fare in the Premier League, but nothing so far.

Re: United Must Recruit a Masterful Striker to Bolster Their Trophy Hopes

Ivan — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 09:56:16 -0000

Berba's coming to town. I dislike United( to put it mildly) but buying the Bulgarian is their best purchase since Ronaldo. Yes, Berba is that good("top 3 strikers in the world" good)

Re: Latest Premier League News From Around The World

Ivan — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 15:11:56 -0000

Interesting articles, Gaffer.
I know that FSC and Setanta aren't on the Nielsen ratings scale(as subjective s an indicator Nielsen is), but I am dying to find out how many people in the United States will get up tomorrow morning, and spend a good 6 hours or more watching the games, from the early kick-off, Arse-WBA, all the way with Sunderland-Pool, and the replays after that.
Does anybody have an educated guess?

Re: Fox Soccer Channel Drops The Ball With Premier League TV Coverage

Ivan — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 17:08:01 -0000

Dolan is quality. Barton did OK for his first time, I thought.
But I was talking to my friend from Sweden during the L'pool game and he told me Torres had scored a minute before I saw it "live" on FSC. Can anybody tell FSC to stop delaying the broadcast. Gaffer, do they have an excuse for it? I think not!
It bugs the be-Jeeesus out of me.
Setanta's programming is a class of its own(never mind the rugby) FSC is a joke in comparison.They are learning, maybe in another decade or so...
Dear FSC: stop delaying the broadcast! stop delaying the broadcast! stop delaying the broadcast!!!

Re: Middlesbrough Dazzles With Opening Day Premier League Performance

Ivan — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 15:47:20 -0000

Let us wait before going nuts about Boro. They had a very good game yesterday, but it is just 1 out of 38. They play at Anfield next week against a very unconvincing Pool team. If they get out and play there, then we can talk.
Arsenal were not impressive yesterday. Granted, Fabregas didn't play but I can't see them win it this season.
Chelsea this morning were scary. Everyone knew that Deco will be a hit: he is a class of his own.
Dolan yesterday lashed out on Dawson from Tottenham, and had every right to. Dawson is one big misunderstanding. Tottenham need Ledley King back, and they need him quickly. Modric disappointed, but it was always going to be difficult in his first game.
Liverpool were pathetic, thank God for Torres. Didn't Rafa know that Torres and Keane are one and the same player, they have overlapping styles and pairing them together is highly unlikely to work(early days, but...)I hope Alonso stays.
Everton will struggle, they need 2/3 players at least to maintain a top 8 finish. Very little creativity there. Without Arteta and Cahill(still injured) they become a relegation-threatened team.

Re: Premier League Wants To Be The NFL

Ivan — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 10:23:42 -0000

Getting rid of promotion/relegation in the Premier League(or any other league in Europe, for that matter) will not happen within our lifetime. And as somebody already mentioned, let us hope that the professional leagues in the US borrow the promotion/relegation model some (Garber, are you listening?Don't tell me it isn't "feasible" at the moment).

Re: Fox Soccer Channel Pays $7.5 Million For Nielsen Ratings | EPL Talk

Ivan — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 10:10:53 -0000

Good move for FSC. Now, maybe, just maybe, they will start showing their live games LIVE, instead of with a 4 minute delay!!!

Re: Poll: How Does The NFL Affect Your Premier League TV Viewing Habits?

Ivan — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 21:57:22 -0000

NFL has absolutely no impact on my football watching habits. On a Sunday late afternoon, I sit back and enjoy a Primera game on Gol TV, usually Barca or Real(the Numancia 4:3 game was a beauty). And, honestly, this past weekend was one of the best Premier League weeks in a while, certainly the best so far this season. NFL? You're kidding, right?
ps: Let us write to FSC and make them start the Chelsea-United game LIVE this time, and by LIVE I mean 11:00am sharp, and not with the extremely annoying 4-5 minute delay!!!

Re: Soccer Fans: Boycott Sony Bravia HD TVs

Ivan — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 14:50:01 -0000

Well, commercial like that is plain dumb and unnecessary. Ergo, I am never buying another SONY product again. And will make sure my friends know about the situation. Very dumn move on the part of SONY.

Re: Andy Gray has been a pleasure to watch

Ivan — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 14:28:38 -0000

ESPN has done superb covering the event. Just imagine the combination of Dave O'Brian, Eric Wynalda, Bruce Arena, and Judy Foudy. God save us all from all these mistakes of nature. No way around the fact that Foudy is absolutely clueless about the game and sounds like a 10 year old next to Andy Gray and Mr. Smythe. The Gary/Healey pairing is top notch. Overall, well done, ESPN. Do not, under no circumstances, bring back mistakes of nature such as O'Brian and Wynalda, and other clueless cronies. Andy Gray has been brilliant!!!

Re: http://blog.inc.com/the-browser/2008/04/a_patch_for_the_h1b_visa_syste.html

Ivan — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 06:53:43 -0000

I am applying for the master's exemption this year(H-1B). I have a law degree from a top law school, have passed one of the toughest bar exams in the country, and have been offered 90K by a leading class action law firm. Newsflash: H-1B isn't necessarily a scam and there are thousands of foreigners like myself "playing by the rules" and dealing on a daily basis with the retarded US immigration system. Hope Congress wakes up in '09 and comprehensively reforms the immigration laws. It is long overdue.

Re: The Gospel according to Tancredo

Ivan — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 11:58:48 -0000

Tancredo is a joke. He is on the wrong side of both history and demographics. And Republicans, with their racist rhetoric, have already made sure they won't win another election in a decade. Racism always loses in America!

Re: Texas as a swing state?

Ivan — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 12:00:08 -0000

I couldn't agree more with the above comment. The GOP's hateful rhetoric on immigration offended Latinos-the fastest growing voting block in the country. The GOP should sideline racists such as Senator Sessions when the issue comes back to Congress next year. A comrpehensive immigration reform is a muct: millions of hard-working immigrants MUST be offered a shot at the American dream!!!