04/25/24
April 29, 2010
SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle:
A place to discuss the sports stories that aren't making news, share links that aren't quite front-page material, and diagram plays on your hand. Remember to count to five Mississippi before commenting in anger.
Barcelona play Heavy Petting Football. Lots of delicate little touches around the box, but in the end, no penetration.
posted by owlhouse at 08:43 AM on April 29, 2010
Barca's myth was exploded with a masterclass in defensive play from Inter. As the commentator in the UK put it with 10 minutes to go: "Barcelona need someone to take responsibility here..." and no one did. Barca formed a beautiful little semi-circle of six men 30 yards out (the two wingers, the two fullbacks and the two central midfielders) but couldn't get the ball into the box, or when they did, there was no one there to meet it.
In the end the sending off probably hurt Barca more than Inter - any attacking ambition from Inter was squashed in an instant, so Barca couldn't spread them all over the pitch. Everything about the sending off was ridiculous: ridiculous to stick your hand up into someone's face, ridiculous reaction from Biscuits, ridiculous for the ref to fall for his over-reaction, ridiculous subsequent reaction to the sending off from the player sent off and ridiculous response from Mourinho to applaud sarcastically.
The officials had a terrible game in fairness. The ref lost control of the time-wasting and made a few dodgy decisions (perhaps in an effort to not be a homer) and the linesmen made several poor calls when corners should have been awarded instead of goal kicks (and vice versa).
It may have been one for the purist, but I really enjoyed it. Absorbing sport.
posted by JJ at 09:19 AM on April 29, 2010
Quick reminder about the NHL Playoff Pickem for round 2. Picks gotta be in by 9:00 EDT tonight, when the Sharks and Wings start their series. More details in the locker room...
posted by MeatSaber at 11:06 AM on April 29, 2010
Barcelona play Heavy Petting Football. Lots of delicate little touches around the box, but in the end, no penetration.
That's a keeper.
posted by boredom_08 at 01:21 PM on April 29, 2010
Just as the Ben Roethlisberger story is simmering down, rapper Eminem is stirring it up.
In a new song called "Despicable," Eminem includes the line, "[Expletive that], I'd rather turn this club into a bar room brawl. Get as rowdy as Roethlisberger in a bathroom stall."
Love it. First he is a dick on "South Park" Now Eminem is after him.
posted by Debo270 at 01:50 PM on April 29, 2010
Tiger Woods stank up Quail Hollow today and ended the first round nine shots off the lead. I enjoy that more than I should.
posted by rcade at 03:50 PM on April 29, 2010
From Bill Simmons' latest column:
A. The Mavs are 2-16 in playoff games officiated by [Joey] Crawford since 2001 (including Game 3 of the Spurs series, a loss)... and 46-39 in all other playoff games. They won their first 2001 playoff game with him (Game 5 vs. Utah), so they've lost 15 of the last 16.B. Against the spread, the Mavs are 4-14 with Crawford officiating ... and 45-40 in all other playoff games.
C. They averaged 21.9 free throws in the Crawford games; 27.1 free throws in the non-Crawford games.
posted by yerfatma at 04:31 PM on April 29, 2010
From Bill Simmons' latest column:
A long read, but there are a couple of good highlights:
At #75, the foul called by Joey Crawford on Ewing, Joey Crawford needs a guide dog, and the dog should carry the whistle. I can't believe he actually made a call like that, and got away with it.
At #3, advice to Celtics fans when LeBron is at the line, I'm not sure the rest of his team will care, but it just might work. I don't think Celtics fans can do anything in unison, though.
Thanks for sharing, fatty.
posted by Howard_T at 06:31 PM on April 29, 2010
Tiger Woods stank up Quail Hollow today
Might be skank stank.
posted by mjkredliner at 06:40 PM on April 29, 2010
Is it stupid to win a game with a bunt? Chris Perez thinks so.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 07:39 PM on April 29, 2010
Liverpool out, but Fulham march on.
I loved the coverage of the Fulham-Hamburg match, when in the last ten minutes, the director kept cutting to close up shots of the crowd at each end. Terrific emotion, and showed how much the game means to the fans.
And this, from the comments on the Guardian report:
"I left Wembley in tears 35 years ago as a devastated 12 year old.
My mum pointed out a fellow sufferer, an 80 year old man with tears streaming from his eyes and said, "See, he's had to wait all his lifetime to see Fulham in a Final".
Well, it's taken half my lifetime but we're there again. thank you Uncle Roy from the bottom of my heart."
posted by owlhouse at 07:52 PM on April 29, 2010
Is there anything that can stop Robinson Cano?
posted by mr_crash_davis at 09:32 PM on April 29, 2010
Is there anything that can stop Robinson Cano?
Random pitcher (to catcher) - "How would you beat him?"
Catcher - "With a stick, while he slept..."
posted by MeatSaber at 09:39 PM on April 29, 2010
Hottest dance in Boston: The Satan Shuffle.