We are at 16 competitors! One more to go. Hey salmacis, are you Huw Morris? Please change your Manager or Team name so that it includes your SpoFi name. This also applies to you Joseph Bieda. I know it's you, etrader9, (because I did wkly updates last season) but pls do it for billsaysthis, who will be doing our wkly updates this season. SF: Just in case ... If PremierLeague.com sends you a request to change the *unsuitable* part of your name, you'll have seven days to change it to something suitable. Otherwise, they'll consider you "in breach of terms and conditions." I don't know what that means, but I don't want to have you kicked out of the league.
So, we have me, ttrendel, catfish, trox, corpse, mbd1, FB, sauril, billsaysthis, Ufez, squealy, gspm, Fooker, etrader9, Calmy (yay!), and salmacis. Where's pfuller? mossy? jasonbondshow? elsoltano? Drood? eckeric? cory? jipe? etagloh? 86 (get in here, you Everton-loving git!)? With these guys, we'd be at 26! Whoooooo! This season is going to rock! Also, how you like my kit?
justgary has just posted this thread to the sidebar. Thanks! And here we go!
It's very goth. I suppose black is apt seeing as you'll soon be mourning any chance of winning this season. Great, we haven't even started the season and I just heard one of my players is injured.
There you go, squealy, starting off with the trash talk. Good. We need that. Last season, it was really only SF and FB mouthing off. Everyone was too bloody polite. However, you and Birmingham will be soundly trashed by me and Liverpool this season. Oh yes.
Do you have to give them an email address when you sign up? I don't remember...and so where did you guys see it say Star Unsuitable?
Like last season you mean? :-P So the little "i" symbol by the player goes red when they're injured. Is it supposed to symbolise blood?
It says Star Fucker as far as I can see.
All I know is, we need to rock this table. Collectively.
SF: Under Manager, it used to say "Unsuitable" where "F*cker" was/is. But it's back to the expletive now. So it was your Last Name field they were messing with. And yes, you have to give them an email when you sign up. Just in case you win those free tickets to a Premiership game, you know. squealy: Previous performance does not predict future performance. I think Birmingham will survive this season, but not against Liverpool. The red is for "warning", is it not? You and your bloody-minded theories. As for my kit, I chose black it was rather ironic given my team is the Red Dragons. Black is also Liverpool's away kit color. When we come visiting, we're like the black death. All shall fall before us. Go Reds!
You know, aside from the minor technical glitches we've experienced, that really is an excellent site. Looks like activity in the transfer market will be penalised by the "agents fees". What a clever and annoying idea.
I will blind all of my opponents.
Jesus wept. That's a crime against nature corpse.
Oi wc2002, ,one of the pleasures of Sportsfilter is that people engage and debate, it is a refreshing change from most football message boards which are populated by morons whoser idea of banter is "your shit and u know u r." Or people who suppose themselves to be better than the rabble but are so one eyed it renders all discourse meaningless. Don't knock polite.
Shit. Why can't we have a spellchecker?
Who needs a spellchecker? your shit and u know u r
What if you really are shit and you know you are?
Then you're the Dingles.
Beat me to it.
well said FB.
Oi wc2002, ,one of the pleasures of Sportsfilter is that people engage and debate FB, you're right, of course. You know I was joking, don't you? I always enjoy our interactions, as well as those with the other nutty soccer SpoFiers and other non-soccer fans here.
wc2002 - what's the policy on non-SpoFiers joining in?
We have a policy?
If we don't, we need one.
Well, it's sorta private (except for the fact that the code is posted in a public forum). I guess I don't have a policy against it.
Is there a problem w/ non-SpoFiers entering? We usu. have more problems getting people to join (and keep playing throughout the season) than we do stopping people from joining. The only non-SpoFier (I think) is SF's buddy etrader9 (Bosiak Bashers) -- he was in the league last year, and was a great competitor. He would've been a top contender if he hadn't started 17 wks after everyone else! So I don't have a policy and I don't have a problem w/ non-SpoFiers joining either. Esp. if they are friends of SpoFiers.
Non-Spofiers have to buy the beer at the end of season party.
What is the policy on Iraqis joining?
It all depends who the fuckers are.
I've got an Iraqi scientist who says there aren't any WMDs but he says he watches the Premier games on FSW, a couple of the Republican Guard guys...really nice guys, they love the Premiership...and the Information Minister...he says you are all going to perish and drown in your own blood this season.
I was adressing the other fucker, old chap. I don't mind Iraqui's.
One day after the link was posted on the Sidebar ... and we're still at 16. I don't think we have to worry about people joining. What happened to all the players from last season? C'mon!
If you build it, they will come.
FB, i don't either... Every Iraqi i have ever met has been a nice person with a strong grasp of reality...unlike most Americans i meet.
What happened to all the players from last season? Who are we missing?
SF: See the 10 people we're missing from last season.
I'm in. Bet you missed me off the list didn't you?
Who's kwacky? and who's Noah? Is that you 86?
Err, I'm partly to blame for kwacky. As if we needed more bluenoses here. ;-)
No, it's fine. Any pal of squealy is a pal of mine. Party on!
Our list of warriors has reached 18! Bravo! A quick look at team allegiances: world cup - Liverpool t trendel - Man U catfish - Arsenal trox - Arsenal CORPSE - Arsenal (what the ... a trifecta?) mbd1 - Spurs (you poor sod, change it) Fat Buddha - Birmingham sauril - Newcastle BillSaysThis - Liverpool Ufez Jones - Newcastle Squealy - Birmingham g s p m - undeclared (wot?!) Star Unsuitable (hahahaha) - Liverpool joseph bieda (etrader9) - Man U Big Calm - undeclared (what the...) Salmacis - undeclared (hmmm) Kwacky - Birmingham Noah Egorin - Newcastle
Heh. We've got a couple of orthopedic surgeons from England on loan at our lab right now. I asked one of them today if she had a favorite Premier League team, and after a bit of hmmmmmmm she came up with "I used to like Tottenham Hotspurs." And 5 seconds later we're talking about Mrs. Beckham. I don't think she was too into sports; I'll ask our other resident tomorrow.
Am i Star Unsuitable again?!
mbd1 - Glory Glory Spurs! Don't change a thing.
So here's the breakdown thus far: Liverpool: 3 Birmingham: 3 Newcastle: 3 Aresenal: 3 Man U: 2 Spurs: 1 (with a bullet!) Undecided: 3. How lame. Where are the Chelsea fans when you need them? Rovers? WTF people, aren't we more diverse than that?
that's right, gspm is a 'favourite team' free agent. I didn't grow up watching EPL (or its 1st Div predecessor) and haven't lived in England and don't have any natural access to have a team to call my own. So I wanted to be honest so I put my favourite team as 'that team from Shaolin Soccer'. But they didn't use that.
Starfucker, yes you are unsuitable again, old chap. You can hardly blame Big Calm for keeping shtum can you? Some striker from PSV Eindhoven was interviewed on 5 live yesterday and asked why he turned Spurs down. He in return asked why he would want to go to a club with no ambition. He didn't mention crazy God botherers though.
Objection your honour! I am not "undecided". I would merely rather shoot myself than declare a preference for a current Premiership team. As far as I am concerned, they can all go and rot! And all you North Americans supporting Liverpool, Man Utd, Arsenal and Newcastle, shame on you.
I tried to list my team as Moor Green FC, but it wouldn't accept anything other than a premiership team. I'm AVFC (of course) now.
Salmacis, you can be an honorary Blues fan, if you like.
"I'm AVFC (of course) now" Why? Are you a palaeontologist?
Put myself down as a Birmingham fan? God god man, are you mad? I actually have a couple of Wolves players in my fantasy team. I ran out of money and had to fill up my squad with the worst, cheapest players I could find!
Worst, cheapest, oldest, drunkest; you name it they got it. We really need to get a Dingle involved on here for a bit of balance. Can they work computers?
They can but they have to have special keyboards. You can get them on e-bay, just search for "mashomatic products. Normally next to the banjos in "Toys Am We"
Why? Are you a paleontologist? /bewildered. What? AVFC=Paleontologist? Salmacis, you can be an honorary Blues fan, if you like. Salamcis, if your life is too full of happiness, may I recommend you becoming a Blues fan, in order that you get your fair share of humilitating misery. Ta. Wolves got beat by Morecambe 6-1 (conference team) in a pre-season friendly last week. Heh. Imagine how they're going to do in the premiership.
Turns out our other orthopod is a Man U fan, as he grew up in Manchester. He thought that getting an American with Tourette's Syndrome on the highest profile EPL team was funny. Paleontologist = ancient history?
1 point to mbd1 Villa used to be a big club. That was some time ago. Last season they finished 16th (when they fans thought they would finish 6th) and the club have just announced losses of more than 11 million. Get into a "debate" with any Villa fan and you can bet your mortgage that, as he losses his footing, he'll say "ah but, we've won stuff you know". All Villa fans live in the past.
You think Peter Schmiechel didn't have Tourette's?!? Ok, let me talk about Villa's future instead then. We've got a squad full of bright young things - the average age of the Villa players on the pitch is about 23-24, and David O'Leary has plenty to work with. I can see next season being a tough one, reminiscent of West Ham last season, but we won't go down because there's plenty of other teams around who'll sink before us. After we get through this season, I can see the following season being a really really good one, with all of our bright young things at the top of their games. Yes, we've lost a bit of money, but we're one of the very few Premiership clubs with no debts. Villa aren't ancient history - we shall rise again.
You starting trouble already kwacky? I hereby disown you (until your season ticket is going spare). :-P
Salmacis, I was being flippant. I had to stick a couple of Wolvews players in as well, when I ran out of money, only subs though. Big Calm, thanks for the chuckle old chap, it's brightened a dull afternoon.
Well, you have to try to put a brave face on things. Now where's that Venezuelan billionaire got to, that's what I want to know. Anyone picked Robbie Savage for their fantasy team?
Ummm, I did. But I don't know much about the players beyond the big names. I thought his name sounded TOUGH. Savage, GRRRR! Yeah, that and I'd also heard of him vs not having heard of most of the other 3rd or 4th choice midfielders (you know, 3rd or 4th choices after budgetary concerns eliminate all but two of the top tier of guys). I also picked Danny Murphy because StarFucker doesn't like him and I have to give him a go before I can reach that same conclusion. Err, or maybe I didn't make those picks. I don't see anyone else talking about their picks. I might change.
First rule of Fantasy League team selection; you don't talk about Fantasy League team selection.
You mean I don't get to dazzle you with my amazing picks?
Okay, i am getting more than annoyed at this site and we haven't even started the season yet... I can NEVER fucking logon...it takes forever!
SF - when you are logged on and on the "My Team" page, save that as a favourite. Using this method to go there bypasses the login process. I would imagine you'll need to have cookies enabled on the pc. Big Calm - you want to share your picks with the rest of us, feel free. And I'll feel free to nick any I hadn't considered.
I can NEVER fucking logon...it takes forever! Maybe you should log on as Star Unsuitable!
Ok, but no stealing my ideas (or cackling): Enckleman Mellberg Riise Southgate Vieira De-La-Cruz Okocha Jenas Henry van-Nistelrooy Ormerod Subs: Oakes, Irwin, Pennant, Impey
Fuck it...i changed it, after finally logging on! Irwin?!
HahA Enkleman. The only way he's going to get you any points is if he puts it in the back of the net himself. Which he will do. Good call. I assume Sorrenson [sp?] isn't coming to town? As for the South American business man: don't tell me you fell for that one? Deadly Doug made it up to silence the handful of bored schoolchildren who thought they could oust him. You fell for it, didn't you?
For the record: Friedel Upson Neill Pistone Dabhisarse Dunn Jensen Lampard Barry Bellamy Henry subs: Nash Dunne Butt Boa Morte I did have Marsden but he's in for an op, so that Barry bloke has taken his place.
Irwin: Former Man United defender, now at Wolves. Complete muppet, but will play often and is dead cheap. Enckleman: Despite a few howlers last season (go on, rub it in, you know you want to), he's a fine keeper who'll do us a lot better than Sorensen even if he does arrive. Plus he's dead cheap in this fantasy football - it was him or Jussi Jaskelainen. Venezuelan Billionaire: Oh yes, sometimes you have to go on blind faith in order to cheer yourself up eh?
To be fair, both of your teams are rubbish. :-P *starts scribbling frenzied notes*
This is going to be fun. At least for the first couple of weeks, until I realise just how bad my team is...
my team was picked randomly. like last year, I have no idea what I'm doing. I would be happy if someone told me if I have any lemons. 1: Ricardo 2: Short 3: Kishishev 4: Carsley 5: Gilberto 6: Savage 7: Wright-Phillips 8: Marsden 9: Henry (C) 10: Owen 11: van Nistelrooy Subs: 12: Coyne 13: Campo 14: Flitcroft 15: Stubbs
A superb strike force, a good midfield, and an unheard of defence. I think you'll do just corpse, though you might want to think about swapping Robbie Savage for someone else, as he does have a tendency to pick up red and yellow cards by the bucketload).
picked solely from a high points to cost ratio, since I have NO FRIGGIN CLUE: Friedel (C) Mellberg, Kenna, Stubbs, Unsworth Flitcroft, Murphy, Sinclair, Fernandes Owen, Beattie subs: Jaaskelainen, Cunningham, Tugay, Djorkaeff
oops just fine.
Corpse: Marsden will miss the start of the season - so you'll need to swap him. Yes Squealy, my team is shit, but I openly admit I haven't got a fecking clue ;-)
Oh why the hell not, I don't think anyone's going to be stealing my 'expertise'. The (Darling) Fascist Bully Boys: Friedel (c) Mellberg Hughes Lundekvam Savage Lampard Murphy(just for SF) Fernandes Peterson Radzinski Shearer(I like the old bastard). Subs: Enckleman, Flitcroft, Stubbs, Traore. Um, who the hell are most of these guys, anyways?
Yeah Clammy, all those red cards eh? Care to enlighten us on Savage's career total? Thought not.
(Aside from the criminal slagging of Sir Robbie from the dark side of the city....) corpse, seeing as you asked, apart from Marsden being injured as kwacky mentioned, I'd wonder how often Ricardo will play. My suspicion is that Howard might get quite a shout in goal. But then again who can predict the actions of the Imperial Lord Ferg?
I have to fight the never-ending temptation to change my team ... I must say corpse's randomly-generated team is superb. I almost want to copy it. Damn.
It will be interesting to see whether certain formations have an inherent advantage or not. In most fantasy football games, the majority of the points are scored by forwards, which means playing with as few defenders and as many forwards as possible. Which makes my 4-4-2 formation look a bit dumb in retrospect.
I'm playing 4-3-3 as it stands. I must admit though as a novice to online football fantasy games I'm impressed by how easy it is to change formations and squad members. Good call on the choice of sites wc2002. I'd tell you my team, but as well as being a secretive bastard, I expect a few changes before deadline day.
Corpse, old chap, Short has a knackered knee and is unlikely to start the season. Savage is a very bad pick, gets loads of yellow cards, gives free kicks away and rarely scores. He will have at least 3 suspensions. Kwacky, you are a disgrace mate, I would rather field ten men than pick a Villa player.
FB you're right (for once in your long and scornful life) Someone flog me, quick }:-)
I am playing 2-5-3. And that's all I'm going to say. My team may embarrass me, and far be it for me to thump my chest before my points are firmly in hand. (Oh Lord, pls let my picks not suck ...)
btw, I'm chuffed that we've garnered 109 comments already (110!). Really looking forward to this season's competition -- and billsaysthis's reporting!
right. Barry is no more. Fernandes take a bow.
Good pick, Fernandes. Is Corpse the chap who came from nowhere last year to score many millons of points, or was that someone else? If so I feel faintly embarrassed offering him advice.
I was as high as second last year, but tailed off at the end of the season. I don't think I had a lot of high scoring weeks, but I was relativly consistent.
There's no way I'm letting club loyalties influence me. They can play for fecking Hitler United for all I care as long as they can score points. Come here my beautiful little Villa babbies. ;-)
They can play for Hitler Utd for all I care. Villa, though? no way Jose.
Hilter United tend to get off to flying start in the early stages of the campaign. I would get my coat but I've lost my cloakroom number.
Hitler United? Good domestically, but they'll never get anywhere in Europe...
okay, i made some minor changes to my team, not going to reveal the new changes though.
dun dun dunnnnnn
Hey, kwacky, did you drop barry because he's bad or just cause he's a Villan? C'mon, spill the beans!
"And all you North Americans supporting Liverpool, Man Utd, Arsenal and Newcastle, shame on you."- salmacis I dunno. I live in Indiana, not exactly soccer central (although IU's soccer club is the most dominant in the country). I always found soccer to be rather boring. I was at the local mall one day and bought a 2002 soccer game on a whim. I decided to pick a team to play as strictly by chance. That team was ManU. As sad as it is, this video game made me realize how exciting the EPL is and what I had been missing. It wasn't until months later when I realized how successful ManU is(EPL coverage in North America is minimal). I love American Football to the point that I refuse to work on sundays or monday nights. A stupid video game made me fall in love with soccer. Every time I watch a fixture my hearts stops for long periods of time and I love that. That's what makes it special to me. Most of us yanks have very little exposure to EPL games. What we are exposed to is minimal. I don't get FSW, so the matches that I do get to see are those of a successful team(ManU). I say this as a mid-westerner who is currently sitting on a ManU rug and follows the EPL as close as he possibly can. Why don't you support the Indianapolis Colts, salmacis? It would be wise to hop on board the Indy train right before we win the SuperBowl.
ttrendel: Actually, I support the Cincinnati Bengals. Straight up. You can't call me a glory hunter!
WorldCup2002 FB made me see the error of my ways. I can't pick someone who plays for Aston Viler. It's just not right. It's like telling your wife that the girl you are looking at IS better looking than she is, or telling your mother that her cooking is crap or drinking Nescafe. Somethings just aren't done.
Nice story ttrendel. A rug though? That's going a bit far. Looks like stories that Djorkaeff would miss the start of the season might have been wide of the mark. Which is nice.
I say, Big Calm, these "bright young things" you talk of, would they include Lee Hendrie?
Who's Paul Spriggs? And corpse, I'm sending you a bill for my new eyes. That jersey is atrocious! Hahahahaha!
Wow. More?
I think someone accused Lee Hendrie of being a Blues fan. Y'know, I'd feel the same way FB.
Lee Hendrie is a Blues fan!
He's also a muppet.
Who? Who is Paul Spriggs? And Eliot Shepard? And Noah Egorin? Simon goodman, I'm guessing you're apt820. Guys, if you have a SpoFi moniker, please make sure your team name or manager name contains it.
btw, our motley crew consists of 22!
I was able to set up a team, but since then I have been unable to login. Also, it was rather odd that even though I used my real name for signing up, the team listings showed my team as being managed by someone named Simon Goodman (as WC2002 pointed out above). *shrug* So unless I can figure out how to login to the system it may be that Terrapin Utd will stagnate :( Does anyone have any advice? The "help" section is lacking and I havent' found a "contact us" section.
BTW, "apt820" is my first Yahoo screen name. It is a bit dated. I use "terrapingardens" on Yahoo now, and it is the name of one of my web sites. I post here and on MeFi as "terrapin." Sure hope I can figure this thang out.
Just keep trying to login so you can change things... Its not consistent. Sometimes i login without a problem, sometimes its takes hours.
I tried all day yesterday, SF. With TWO different browsers too. I have two browser sessions open now, and I have been trying all morning. I sure hope this is a temporary bug that will be fixed by August 16.
I go directly to the team page: fantasy.premierleague.com and haven't had any trouble since.
