Goal II: Living the Dream

I spent roughly two hours watching Goal II: Living the Dream on Netflix last night and normally I'd be bitching about how I'm never going to get that hour and fifty-six minutes back, when I could have been sleeping.

Although I have to say, as shit as the movie may be, I love the game enough to watch every minute, from the ridiculous cut and paste La Liga and Champions League play to the difficulties of being an up-and-coming star for the legendary Real Madrid.

I think it was perhaps the third shot of David Beckham's tattooed back or maybe the ridiculous predictability of the plot that sort of ruined it for me. Ever watch a movie and kind of enjoy it, but feel ashamed? Sure you do. We've all hooked up with people in our past that are like motor scooters: they're a lot of fun until your friends see you riding them.

And Goal II definitely falls into that category. It's cheesy. Calling it contrived may be an understatement, but I have to hand it to the producers and directors, as they understand how to tap into the fervor of soccer fans. As bad as this movie is, it's worth watching for panoramic views of Madrid and the Santiago Bernabeau, for the footage from actual matches, and for a slight glimpse into the backrooms that dictate the course of the world game.

Then you realize that Rutger Hauer is playing a Dutch coach managing los Merengues. Forget that he doesn't even try to take a stab at an accent from Holland, or that every single character is a caricature, from groupies to agents, to nasty photogs who harass the protagonist.

For a fan, all it takes is a soccer legend feebly trying to deliver a line or two and it's worth watching. Perhaps the worst aspect is the ridiculous wordless smiles the big names have plastered on their faces as they play keepy-uppy and go through training drills. The protagonist, Kuno Becker, even takes some time to play a little sandlot soccer with his newly-discovered half-brother and his urchin friends.

Message received: despite all the money and problems and pressure, the game is what these guys are here for, and even though they may drive Lamborghinis and wear watches the size of Rhode Island, it's all about the childlike love and joy of the game.

I think I just hurt myself rolling my eyes so hard.

The flaws of Goal II are too numerous to list here, but if you enjoy watching the game and appreciate the pomp and drama of soccer at the highest level, it's worth losing a few hours of sleep.

Something To Hang His Hat On

While it looks like the British Asian Sports Awards are a legit organization, they don't do themselves any favors by handing out a Lifetime Achievement award to our favorite malcontent/filmmaker, Vikash Dhorasoo. That's no typo my friends, it really says lifetime achievement next to Vik's name.

I love how the write up for the awards event included this little nugget: "The Ex French mid-fielder, who is the only Asian to have played in a football World Cup final."

Surely they mean a World Cup Final, and not the tournament finals as a whole. Plenty of Asians have played in the finals, but while he was on the French squad who made it to the 2006 final against Italy, he never made it off the bench against Marcelo Lippi's men. Does warming up before the game and kicking balls around at halftime now count as having played in a World Cup Final?

Either way, you've got to give Dhorasoo credit for his off-the-field efforts, but for playing soccer, I don't think so. But hey, it's not everyday that you get to share the stage with top-notch entertainers like Sisqó.

British Asian Sports Awards winners [Asian Image]
Dhorasoo tackles great taboo [UEFA.com]

-ac

So Long Fatty

Just when you thought you'd heard the last of Vikash Dhorasoo troubles, the soccer world gets rocked by the news that the former French international is on the verge of being dumped by his new club Livorno. How new you ask, well lets just say that he signed with the Italian side about a month ago and the Serie A season doesn't start until late next month.

It seems that the medical staff at Livorno has been less than impressed with Dhorasoo's fitness level and are recommending that the club exercise a contract clause that allows them to "scrap the deal within the first 60 days of the signature."

So either he's still hobbled by the knock he took trying out for Fulham last season, or he's gotten a bit chunky. I'll go with the latter, can you just imagine all the greasy food they serve at those fancy film premiers?

Livorno dump Dhorasoo? [Channel 4]

-ac

Lights, Camera, . . . Moggi

Italy's ultimate shiester, Luciano Moggi, is telling anyone who will listen that he's been cast to star in a feature film. When he's not busy fixing matches or working with his son to rig the Italian transfer market, Moggi is at home, going over his lines in front of a mirror. At least that's how I imagine it.

According to the ANSA news service, the former Juventus director general won't be the only non-actor in the film. Reports are that he will be joined by Alessandro Del Piero, Francesco Totti, Gennaro Gattuso, and ex-Roma player Falcao.

Ohh, I can't wait.

Moggi to make movie debut [ANSA]

-ac

Livorno Hires Malcontent/Filmmaker

Just when I thought I'd heard the last of Vikash Dhorasoo and his soccer career, lo and behold, I come across this. Livorno's president is either an idiot or was drunk when he opened up his yap to say that Dhorasoo is "a very strong midfielder of great prestige."

Silly me, and I had thought that the ex-French international had literally fallen off the face of the Earth.

Dhorasooooooooooooo! [The Offside]
Livorno grab Dhorasoo [Channel 4]

Coming To An Arthouse Near You

The ever vigilant Laurie at World Cup Blog does the heavy lifting and gives us the skinny on Vikash Dhorasoo's vanity project. The reviews for Le Substitute are in, and lo and behold, people seem to like it. Not only that, it won the pretentious sounding prix du film francais award at a recent festival.

In the end, this is really for the best. After failing to barnacle himself to a new team in January (note: there wasn't a transfer fee to worry about), he now has a new career to embark on. Happy sailing Vikash, don't forget to write.

Where’s Dhorasoo Now? [World Cup Blog]

-ac

Lights, Camera, Action!

Well, where does Paul Gascoigne go after a life in soccer and rehab? To the silver screen, of course. Gazza will be starring in a sci-fi movie titled "Final Run." Money quote:

Gascoigne will play a character "forced to choose between his own survival and that of the human race," production company SjB Imperial Film Ltd. said in a statement. "Gascoigne, a lifelong genre fan, lends his considerable expertise as both producer and feature actor," London-based SjB Imperial said. "As a part of the key creative team, Paul's input into the script and vision are invaluable."

The italics are mine, I felt that they were needed. No word on a release date or who might be playing the part of the alien leader. I hear that Dennis Rodman might be available.

Paul Gascoigne to Make Film Debut as Survivor of Alien Invasion [Bloomberg]

-ac

Batigol's Italian Adventure

While not of the highest quality, I have to recommend Batistuta: El Rey Leon for anybody who likes pure goal scorers. Production values aside, the DVD does a decent job of chronicling Grabriel Batistuta's 12 seasons in Italy. He had an amazing goal scoring record with Fiorentina and Roma, netting 198 times in 332 appearances. His strike rate for the Argentine national team wasn't bad either, 56 goals in 78 matches (he still hold the national team record).

One thing that struck me about the compilation of goals on the DVD was not how many goals Batistuta scored, but how many of them are piledrivers from all kinds of crazy angles. I could probably count on one hand the number of times he actually places a ball into the back of the net. Most of his goals came about with little backlift and tons of power. Without a doubt, he's one of the best goal scorers of his generation.

While not one of the best films I've ever seen, it's not a bad little disc to pop in when you're waiting around for the weekend's games to start. Not worth buying, but you can rent it through Netflix.

In other eye-numbing news:

• It wouldn't be Arsenal v. Man U if one player didn't rub it in the face of another player. [Who Ate All The Pies]
• Classic, absolutely classic. Thank you You Tube (and The Offside). [The Offside]

----------

This is what I'll be keeping on eye on through Sunday:

Today
Chelsea v. Wycombe
2:30pm ET, LIVE
Setanta Sports USA
Well, if there was ever a time to go up against Chelsea...

Wednesday
Tottenham v. Arsenal
3pm ET, LIVE
Setanta Sports USA
Setanta starts it's coverage of the first-leg of this cup semifinal at 2pm. Only a win will do for Spurs.

Real Betis v. Barcelona
3pm ET, LIVE
GolTV
Barca's chance at staking a claim on first place starts with taking care of that game-in-hand in Seville.

Saturday
Rangers v. Hearts
10am ET, LIVE
Setanta Premium
If Hearts want to dream of another shot at the Champions League, the hard work starts today by getting a result at Ibrox.

Sunday
Real Sociedad v. Athletic Bilbao
10:58am ET, LIVE
World Sport HD
The Basque derby, one of the best matches in the world.

Toluca v. Necaxa
1pm ET, LIVE
Univision
Game of the week in Mexico. Necaxa's my pick to take home the Clausura championship.

Sampdoria v. Inter
2:30pm ET, LIVE
RAI International
[Same Day Delay: 3pm ET, GolTV]
13 in a row and counting, how could you not watch?

As always, check your local listings for dates and times in your area.

-ac

Pele's Musical Stylings

I finally got around to getting Once In a Lifetime on NetFlix. I saw the movie when ESPN aired it a couple of months ago, but I'd been itching to see what kind of extras the DVD had. Besides extended highlights of three Cosmos games (and the oh so good commentary of Jim McKay), including Pele's farewell match, the best part of the extra features section is the deleted scene. It has to do with something called the Pele Cup, and I won't get into it here and ruin it for you if you decide to rent the movie. Suffice it to say it pretty much wraps up, in a nutshell, how half-assed the NASL was back then.

And of course, the best quote from the movie remains, and always will be, this nugget from coach Gordon Bradley: "Talks a lot, and half of it's not worth listening to. The other half I wouldn't listen to either." I'll let you guess what d-bag he's referring to.

In other eye-numbing news:

• SoccerBlog gives us an update on the doorstop with Pele's name on it. [SoccerBlog]
• Just in case you're not getting your fill of Brazilian soccer. [Live Soccer TV]

----------

Here are the games I'll be keeping an eye on through Sunday.

Today
Haiti v. United States
6:30pm ET, LIVE
GolTV
Our first look at what the country has to offer at the youth level. The CONCACAF qualifying tournament in Panama kicks off against one of the weaker teams in the region. Can Freddy Adu put a topsy turvey last couple of months behind him and lead the U-20s to this summer's Youth World Cup in Canada?

Friday
United States v. Guatemala
6:30pm ET, LIVE
GolTV
See above.

Saturday
Liverpool v. Chelsea
7:40am ET, LIVE
Setanta Sports USA
If Liverpool win, and they should, they'll only be five points behind the Blues.

Fulham v. Tottenham
9:55am ET, LIVE
Setanta Sports USA
Will Clint Dempsey get a run out?

United States v. Denmark
4:50pm ET, LIVE
ESPN2
Alright Bob Bradley, let's see what you've got.

Chivas Guadalajara v. Toluca
8pm ET, LIVE
TeleFutura
Last year's finalists kickoff the Mexican Torneo Clausura season.

Sunday
Inter v. Fiorentina
9am ET, LIVE
GolTV
13 in a row?

Arsenal v. Manchester United
11am ET, LIVE
FOX Soccer Channel
This truly is the match of the week, these two never disappoint when they face each other.

Barcelona v. Gimnastic
12:58pm ET, LIVE
World Sport HD
The perfect tonic for a slump: relegation-bound Gimnastic.

Panama v. United States
7pm ET, Same Day Delay
GolTV
The U.S. wraps up group play today against the hosts. I would hope that they'd have qualification wrapped up before playing in front of a hostile, home crowd.

As always, check your local listings for dates and times in your area.

-ac

Oh, That's A Shame

I was in complete agreement with World Cup Blog about the way things have played out for SMiA's favorite filmmaker. It is immensely attractive to not have to put up a transfer fee when signing players during the mid-season transfer window. For that reason, all kinds of clubs have had their eye on PSG castoff Vikash Dhorasoo. Clubs from England, Italy, and Turkey have all been in the running for the ex-French international.

But that all might have changed in the last couple of days. According to today's broadcast of Sky Sports News and this article (second-to-last paragraph) from Reuters, through the Guardian, he definitely won't be playing for Fulham. In an interview with Sky, Chris Coleman revealed that Dhorasoo had injured himself minutes into his trial and therefore won't be joining the team. It remains to be seen how willing his other suitors might be in signing him now. At last count, those teams included Bolton, Portsmouth, Middlesbrough, Manchester City, Livorno, and Galatasaray.

At the present time, I can't seem to find anything about what kind of injury it is or how serious it might be. I've had plenty of laughs at Dhorasoo's expense lately, but this is just sad. I kind of feel bad for the guy.

Dhorasoo Teaches Us How To Be Really, Really Popular [World Cup Blog]
Fulham: no interest in Vikash Dhorasoo [Guardian Unlimited]

-ac

Jogo Bonito

Well if this isn't a sight for sore Fox Soccer Channel eyes. After Rupert Murdoch's henchmen signed a deal to broadcast 12 Brazil friendlies, I wondered what kind of matches we'd have to look forward to. We were treated to games against Ecuador and Switzerland in 2006, and it looks like the new year will kickoff with a match against Portugal live from the Emirates Stadium in London.

Though I'm a little tired of FSC's lineup, I have to say that this Brazilian deal is quite the coup. With a TV schedule that at the moment pairs the EPL with highlights from Japan, the Caribbean Cup, and Australia, viewers will take anything they can get. [Live Soccer TV]

In other eye-numbing news:

• If anything, they (with Setanta) will have the EPL through the 2009-2010 season. [EPL Talk]
• I had world-renowned documentary filmmaker in the betting pool, who had celebrity poker player? [World Cup Blog]
• It's always fun to see a reporter getting taken out on the sidelines. [Soccernista]
• With all this talk about the second-coming of Fernando Redondo, here's a little bit of what the new kid from Boca Juniors has to live up to. [SoccerBlog.com]
• "There's all kinds of places to sit" is my favorite. [ThroughBall.com]

----------

Here are the games I'll be keeping an eye on through Sunday.

Today
Liverpool v. Arsenal
2:30pm ET, LIVE
Setanta Sports USA
Liverpool can't lose to Arsenal twice, at home, in less than a week. At least that's with I'm telling myself, BL might have other thoughts.

Atletico de Madrid v. Osasuna
3pm ET, LIVE
GolTV
For Javier Aguirre's sake, this one's at the Vicente Calderon.

Wednesday
Wycombe Wanderers v. Chelsea
2:30pm ET, LIVE
Setanta Sports USA
How big of an upset would this be for Wycombe? Biggest of the season, in the last decade, in cup history?

Saturday
Manchester United v. Aston Villa
9:55am ET, LIVE
Setanta
Hey, they haven't played each other in a while.

West Ham United v. Fulham
9:55am ET, LIVE
Setanta Xtra (DirecTV Channel 670)
Will Clint Dempsey's work permit come through in time for a substitution appearance in this one?

Chelsea v. Wigan Athletic
10am ET, LIVE
FOX Soccer Channel
Wigan had a result in the bag at the JJB before the balding Dutchman killed them off in the dying minutes.

Blackburn Rovers v. Arsenal
12pm ET, LIVE
FOX Soccer Channel
No result at Bolton, no result at Sheffield United, _______ at Blackburn.

Espanyol v. Barcelona
3:58m ET, LIVE
World Sport HD
The Barcelona derby, could be worth a look with Rijkaard's side needing three points. Ronaldinho and Deco should be back for this one.

Torino v. Inter
5pm ET, Same Day Delay
FOX Soccer Channel
Can Inter keep the good times rolling?

Sunday
Tottenham v. Newcastle United
11am ET, LIVE
FOX Soccer Channel
Spurs got smoked at St. James, look for the opposite result at White Hart Lane.

As always, check your local listings for dates and times in your area.

-ac

The Wallets Just Keep Getting Fatter

In the spirit of the season, the EPL head honchos have publicy revealed what has been known for some time now: England's top league is a cash cow. The going rate for foreign broadcasting rights is steadely going up with every new contract. The current take is just over $1.1B and counting, and as report by The Guardian's Paul Kelso, "an increase of 50% on the last three-year deal."

Just in case Watford and Charlton don't understand the precariousness of their position, the estimates are that the overseas rights for the 2007-10 seasons will be in the $5.9B range. Makes you wonder how our EPL games here in the U.S. will be affected. [The Guardian]

In other eye-numbing news:

• Again, The Gaffer is on top of it. [EPL Talk]
• I'm all for the advertising, but I'm not sure if Bimbo will fly in this country. [Los Angeles Daily News]
• Done right, this could be a great movie. [Vitalfootball]

----------

BL has the Boxing Day rundown below. Here are the games I'll be keeping an eye on through Monday.

Today
Chelsea v. Reading
7:55am ET, LIVE
Setanta Sports USA
How long can Chelsea keep scoring wonder goals and/or winners in added time?

Blackburn v. Liverpool
9:55am ET, LIVE
Setanta Sports USA
I picked Blackburn to finish in the in the top six this season, maybe I should lay off the OxyContin.

Manchester United v. Wigan Athletic
9:55am ET, LIVE
Setanta Xtra (DirecTV Channel 670)
Wigan will feel hard done by after losing to Chelsea, can they muster enough to get a result against Fergie's boys?

Watford v. Arsenal
12:30pm ET, LIVE
FOX Soccer Channel
If they put six past Friedal, how many will they score against next year's Championship contenders?

Hearts v. Hibernian
2:30pm ET, Same Day Delay
Setanta Sports USA
The first Edinburgh derby was played on Christmas day in 1875, and today, both look to make some gains on Rangers for the last Champions League spot.

Wednesday
Feyenoord v. PSV
3:30am ET, Same Day Delay
Setanta Sports USA
I know that BL will be up late to watch two of Holland's big three face off. The Rotterdamers trails the Eindhoven league leaders by 14 points, ouch.

Saturday
Manchester United v. Reading
9:45amET, LIVE
Setanta Sports USA
Reading are on a terrible slide right now, I doubt they'll get it turned around today.

Tottenham v. Liverpool
9:55am ET, LIVE
Setanta Xtra (DirecTV Channel 670)
This could be a good one, the Merseysiders ran over Spurs 3-0 back on September 23rd.

Chelsea v. Fulham
10am ET, LIVE
FOX Soccer Channel
Fulham did the business against Arsenal last month and has played Chelsea tough in the past, winning at home and losing 3-2 at Stamford Bridge last season.

Monday
Newcastle United v. Manchester United
12pm ET, LIVE
FOX Soccer Channel
Containing Kieron Dyer and that little dude from Nigeria should guarantee three points for the league leaders. Then again, I thought Man U would throttle West Ham.

As always, check your local listings for dates and times in your area.

-ac

Posh's Silver Screen Segue

If this doesn't get you excited about going to the movies... I'm sure that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will be throwing a couple of statuettes Tom's way when this masterpiece comes out. [Kickette]

An interesting article about the diversification of the EPL TV pie (hat tip to the Gaffer). [The Guardian]

----------

Here are some of the games of note on TV through Sunday.

Today
Liverpool v. Arsenal
2:30pm ET, LIVE
Setanta Sports USA
Liverpool will be looking for a little revenge in today's League Cup quarterfinal after their 3-0 EPL beat down at Emirates.

Athletic Club Bilbao v. Real Zaragoza
3pm ET, LIVE
GolTV
Can Athletic make it three wins in a row and continue their climb towards mediocrity?

Wednesday
Lazio v. Inter Milan
2:30pm ET, LIVE
FOX Soccer Channel
Inter goes for a club record 10th straight victory.

Newcastle United v. Chelsea
2:30pm ET, LIVE
Setanta Sports USA
With all the important EPL games coming up, makes you wonder what kind of side Jose fields today.

Torino v. Roma
4:30pm ET, Same Day Delay
FOX Soccer Channel
Roma try to keep up with the Nerazzurri who start the day with a seven point lead.

Thursday
Barcelona v. Atletico de Madrid
3:58pm ET, LIVE
World Sport HD
An improving Atletico side try to spring one on a hungover Barca.

Saturday
Aston Villa v. Manchester United
9:45am ET, LIVE
Setanta Sports USA
Are we finally going to see United slip up and drop a couple of points in a row?

Wigan Athletic v. Chelsea
12pm ET, LIVE
FOX Soccer Channel
With so many poor performances lately (not one win in December as of yet), I can see Wigan giving the Londoners some trouble in this one.

Sunday
Vitesse Arnhem v. Ajax
6am ET, LIVE
Setanta Sports USA
Halfway through the season, the Amsterdam club finds itself eight points behind league-leading PSV.

As always, check your local listings for dates and times in your area.

-ac

From Le Benchwarmer To Le Actor

After not hearing much about Vikash Dhorasoo since his October sacking at Paris Saint-Germain, news outlets are reporting that his film, Substitute, debuted last weekend at the Belfort Film Festival in France. It played at the festival both Friday and Saturday, but at this moment there are very few details to be found about how the film was received.

From these blurbs (in Spanish: here and here), I can only tell you that Fred Poulet helped Dhorasoo with the filming in Germany and that the film covers what happened (to the ex-Milanista) from beginning to end. From the players joining up with the team for training before the World Cup to their reception with French president Jacques Chirac after the final against Italy.

As for Dhorasoo's playing days, they might not be over quite yet. Reports out of Italy and England are that Livorno and Bolton are interested in picking up the midfielder. Since he was released from his PSG contract, he won't cost a dime in transfer fees if someone became interested during the January transfer window.

From substitute to movie star [UEFA official site]
Dhorasoo stars in the "Substitute" [AS]

-ac

$1.4 Billion Worth Of Paella

In what is being characterized as the biggest TV deal in the history of the sport, Real Madrid doubled what it is now making for broadcasting rights. This just goes to show you that you don't have to actually produce on the field these days to cash in at the bank. As Dave Chappelle used to say at the end of his Comedy Central show, "I'm rich bitch."

In other eye-numbing news:

• It looks like Fox Soccer Channel has picked up the men's and women's CONCACAF Gold Cup tournaments. As has been mentioned in this space before, FSC has little choice but to go out and get what it can to fill it's schedule. With the college season wrapping up, it'll just be English and Argentine league games sprinkled with the odd Brazil friendly through May. [My Soccer Blog]
• If you missed last night's Serie A highlights, here's what Roma did to Catania. And if you're wondering, it's Portuguese. [SoccerBlog]
• Run, don't walk, to get your hands on With God, Nothing Is Impossible - The Marvin Andrews Story. The DVD is available for only $28.45, quite the bargain. [The Scotsman]

----------

These are the games of note on TV through Sunday:

Tuesday
CSKA Moscow v. Porto
12:30pm ET, LIVE
Setanta Sports USA / ESPN Deportes
This one should decide who joins Arsenal out of Group G in the Champions League.

Celtic v. Manchester United
2:30pm ET, LIVE
ESPN2
If their first meeting was anything to go by, this one should be end-to-end stuff.

Real Madrid v. Lyon
2:30pm ET, LIVE
ESPN Deportes
(SDD: 5pm ET on ESPN Classic / Setanta Sports USA)
Which Real Madrid team shows up: the one that beat Barcelona or the one that lost at Lyon in September?

Wednesday
Inter Milan v. Sporting
2:30pm ET, LIVE
Setanta Premium - Closed-Circuit TV
Winner has the inside track to the knock-out stage.

Chivas Guadalajara v. Cruz Azul
9:30pm ET, LIVE
TeleFutura
Quarterfinal first-leg in the Mexican playoffs. Check your local listings for the other games being played today and tomorrow.

Thursday
Werder Bremen v. Chelsea
1:30am ET, Same Day Delay
ESPN2
I'll put Didier Drogba down for at least two goals in this one.

Saturday
Cruz Azul v. Chivas Guadalajara
6:00pm ET, LIVE
Azteca America
The Azteca Stadium hosts this quarterfinal return-leg. Check your local listings for the other games being played today and tomorrow.

Estudiantes de La Plata v. Racing Club
7:00pm ET, LIVE
TyC Sports USA
Even if they play this one, will there be any Racing fans at the match to see it?

Sunday
Manchester United v. Chelsea
11:00am ET, LIVE
FOX Soccer Channel
They really don't get any bigger than this one.

Valencia v. Real Madrid
12:58pm ET, LIVE
World Sport HD
(Delayed: Tuesday 11/28, 9pm ET on GolTV)
Anyone know what's happened to Valencia? If the freefall is going to stop, here against Real is a good place to start.

VfB Stuttgart v. Borussia Moenchengladbach
1:00pm ET, Same Day Delay
GolTV
Kasey Keller is always worth a look, especially against one of the top teams in the Bundesliga.

Boca Juniors v. Colon de Santa Fe
3:00pm ET, LIVE
FOX Soccer Channel / Fox Sports en Espanol
Boca needs all three points to keep their cushion.

Palermo v. Inter Milan
2:30pm ET, LIVE
RAI International - North America
(Same Day Delay: 3pm ET on GolTV)
That's right, second place hosts first place in what could be Sicily's biggest game ever.

As always, check your local listings for dates and times in your area.

-ac

"Football Cannot Go Faster Than Politics"

I just saw a pretty good documentary about the Palestinian national team and it's quest to qualify for Germany '06. Goal Dreams was shown in July on the Sundance Channel and I recorded it then, hoping to watch it soon thereafter. One thing led to another and I didn't get to around to seeing it until yesterday. While I don't really know why I waited so long to see it, I'm glad I finally did.

It's actually quite a story, entirely surrounding the team's build up for a qualifier against Uzbekistan. The Palestinians didn't have to play in the Asian Football Confederation's preliminary round and were drawn in Group 2 in the second round with Uzbekistan, Iraq, and Chinese Taipei. With only one spot available to move into the third and round, the game against Uzbekistan came at a crucial point during the group's fixtures. Only a win would have allowed them to stay in the hunt for qualification.

This BBC article has the backgound on how the film got made. It's never quite explained why all these players are meeting themselves for the first time. Since the team had played three group matches before the decisive match against the Uzbeks(?), you would think that there wouldn't be a situation where players did not know each other. The filmmakers don't fully explain the reason for this. But this is a small quibble about a movie that on the whole, was quite enjoyable to watch.

Give it a look if you get the chance. It might be a little hard to find at your local rental place, but they do have it at Netflix and, if you've got the scratch, Amazon. [BBC]

In other eye-numbing news:

• If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area, go check out Amando a Maradona on Saturday. It's a 75 minute documentary that's showing as part of San Francisco's International Latino Film Festival. Here's a trailer for the film, with date/time info. There aren't any subtitles in the preview, but I'd expect the actually movie to have them. If anything, the poster for the movie is pretty sweet. [International Latino Film Festival official site]
• For those of you that need more MLS "analysis," you're in luck. After a season that has seen FSC give up on everything but EPL and Argentine games, I guess this was the only way to go. Who's running that place? [Live Soccer TV]
  
• Didn't the defenders leave the wall a little early on this one? [The Offside]
  

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These are the games of note on TV through Sunday:

Today
Israel v. Croatia
12:00pm ET, LIVE
Setanta Premium - Closed-Circuit TV
A tie here would suit England just fine.

Switzerland v. Brazil
2:30pm ET, LIVE
FOX Soccer Channel
A great chance to see how ready the Swiss are to hosting the Euros, while also getting a peak into what Dunga is doing to rebuild Brazil.

Veracruz v. Chivas Guadalajara
10:00pm ET, LIVE
Azteca America
The first round of the Mexican playoffs get started. Chivas is one of, if not the, most popular clubs in Mexico. They haven't won a championship in eleven years.

Saturday
Bayern Munich v. VfB Stuttgart
9:25am ET, LIVE
GolTV
Perennial favorite Bayern are four back as they host the surprise league leaders.

Chelsea v. West Ham United
9:55am ET, LIVE
Setanta Sports USA
It should be interesting to how Pardew approaches this match. Chelsea will be pretty tough to handle knowing that they have to keep pace with a Man U side that plays Sheffield United today.

Middlesbrough v. Liverpool
12:00pm ET, LIVE
FOX Soccer Channel
Two teams that have to get their seasons going right now. The big question: will Rafa's men be able to win their first on the road?

Sevilla v. Valencia
4:00pm ET, LIVE
GolTV
The pick of the week in La Liga.

Cagliari v. Palermo
5:00pm ET, Same Day Delay
FOX Soccer Channel
How good is Palermo? I have a feeling that Cagliari don't really want to find out.

Newell's Old Boys v. Estudiantes de La Plata
7:00pm ET, LIVE
TyC Sports USA
As the Apertura season winds down, Diego Simeone's team has to win out to keep up the pressure on leaders Boca Juniors.

Chivas Guadalajara v. Veracruz
8:00pm ET, LIVE
TeleFutura
The return leg in the Mexican playoffs.

Sunday
Borussia Moenchengladbach v. Hannover 96
10:55am ET, LIVE
GolTV
These two might be bottom feeders, but why not see how two of our own are doing? Kasey Keller had to leave last weekend's match after getting crashed into by a Hamburg player. He says that he should be fit to face off against Hannover and Steve Cherundolo.

As always, check your local listings for dates and times in your area.

-ac

Soccer Culture: Prawn Sandwiches At Old Trafford?

While on a small vacation recently, the missus and I were driving through the beautiful state of Oregon. I picked up the local paper last week and saw this nugget in the sports section. I guess Green Street Hooligans is a popular rental at the local Blockbuster these days. Why else are high school administrators in the Portland suburbs referencing "soccer culture"?

It seems that there have been a couple incidents at the high school level that have the community at large scratching their collective heads. As of October 31st, three referees had been attacked or threatened. Instead of assigning blame where it belongs (overbearing parents and the offspring they incite), hey, let's take a closer look a those silly soccer fans in foreign countries. They like beating on people, right? [The Oregonian]

In other eye-numbing news:
Our buddy Daryl has got this juicy bit of info. It is yet to be confirmed, but folks in the Phoenix area could very well have a reason to plunk down some of their hard-earned coin. I went down to San Diego a couple of years back to catch a game between these two, and let me tell you, there's just as much action in the stands as there is on the field. If this match does take place, look for it to get picked up live by either ESPN or FSC and/or delayed on Telemundo a couple of days later. [The Soccer Weblog]

If you like it Brazilian, but don't get enough of it, it's your lucky day. Start boning up on your Portuguese because you've got over 300 matches to watch. [Live Soccer TV]

Bayern Munich jumps onto the copyright violations bandwagon. [FOX Sports]

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These are the games of note on TV through Sunday:

Wednesday
Gimnasia de La Plata v. Boca Juniors
3:00pm ET, LIVE
TyC Sports USA
Martin Palermo is back from injury to face Gimnasia. This will be the last 45 minutes of the match that was suspended at halftime on September 10th. The game will be divided in two, a 23 minute first half followed by a 22 minute second half. Boca will extend their lead at the top of the table to four points if they can turn around the 1-0 deficit.

Barcelona v. Badalona
4:00pm ET, LIVE
GolTV
Tune in to see if Frank can get his team back on the winning track. A tough patch has seen them lose to Real Madrid and take only one point from two matches against Chelsea. Barca's third division neighbors, Badalona, could be in for a world of hurt in this second-leg round of sixteen Copa del Rey match.

Saturday
Everton v. Aston Villa
10:00am ET, LIVE
FOX Soccer Channel
How many times will the word scrappy be used to describe this fixture in the coming days? Either way, this could be a good one.

Blackburn v. Manchester United
12:00pm ET, LIVE
FOX Soccer Channel / FOX Sports en Espanol
Mark Hughes' team has secured only one point from their last five EPL matches. Not a great record, but I get the feeling that they'll play tough against Man U and come away with at least a point.

Middlesbrough v. West Ham United
12:30pm ET, Same Day Delay
Setanta Sports USA
The Hammers will be sky high coming into this one. I have a question though, what happened to those two guys from Argentina?

AC Milan v. Roma
2:30pm ET, LIVE
RAI International
Milan have to start picking up some points in Serie A and find some support for Kaka.

Monterrey v. Toluca
6:00pm ET, LIVE
Galavision
The best matchup of the week from Mexico. There's some good soccer played in Mexico's top flight, take a look and see for yourself.

Sunday
Ajax v. PSV
6:00am ET, LIVE
Setanta Sports USA
Expect a lively match with only two points separating the two teams at the top of the Dutch Eredivisie.

Arsenal v. Liverpool
11:00am ET, LIVE
FOX Soccer Channel
How will the EPL's grumpy bunch take it if they can't beat the Reds at home? What are the odds of Rafa celebrating a goal on the touchline?

Houston v. New England
3:30pm ET, LIVE
ABC
The only MLS match I'll watch all season. It will likely be Clint Dempsey's last game before he $hip$ out to Europe.

Estudiantes La Plata v. River Plate
4:15pm ET, LIVE
TyC Sports USA
The weekend's big match in Argentina, played in the shiny new Ciudad de La Plata stadium. Both teams come into the match tied for second, one point behind Boca pending the result of Wednesday's game.

As always, check your local listings for dates and times in your area.

-ac

99 Bottles Of Beer On The Wall . . .

While I'm all for team building exercises, but going to Oktoberfest? After seeing Claudio Pizarro arrested for drunk driving last week after drinking at the annual beer festival, I didn't think I'd see Bayern taking the whole team out for some beers. I understand that the festival is important to Bavarian life and culture and that it's a team tradition to go every year. But it just seems strange.

The most interesting thing about this might be the photo gallery the team has set up on it's website showing players, coaches, and management enjoying a liter or two. Notice that of the 21 pictures in the gallery, not one of them is of Pizzaro and his family. You can see the missing picture here.

Make's you want to go rent National Lampoon's European Vacation, doesn't it?

Beers all round [FC Bayern Munich official site]

-ac