2009-2010 Serie A Update #1

After four weeks, two teams have won all their games and are tied for the top spot with 12 points- Sampdoria and Juventus. They are tied on goal difference, but Sampdoria have more total goals, so they are technically the number one club.

At the other end of the table, Atalanta have lost all four matches and have a total of zero points. They have managed to score one goal, however.

As for Milan, they are tied with four other clubs with 7 points. The optimist says that they are tied for fifth place, but the pessimist notices that they are really in eighth place.

TeamMatchesHomeAwayGoals PtsGPWinsDrawsLossesWinsDrawsLossesWinsDrawsLossesGSGASampdoria124400200200103Juventus12440020020081Inter Milan10431011020092Genoa9430120010196Parma7421120001155Fiorentina7421120001144Lazio7421110111044Milan7421110111035Bari6413011002063Chievo6420210110164Roma6420210110188Udinese5412111001177Palermo4411211000234Napoli4411211000257Siena3410300210169Bologna2402201101114Livorno2402202000215Catania1401301100259Cagliari1401300201126Atalanta0400400200217

Match Report: Bordeaux 1 - Chelsea 1 (Champions League Group A)

Chelsea could have guaranteed themselves a spot in the Champions League Round of 16 with a win at Bordeaux yesterday; however, they only managed an ill-deserved tie, so they will have to beat CFR Cluj at home next month in order to advance. Bordeaux played the much stronger game, especially midfielder Yoann Gourcuff (on loan from Milan). Goals were by Nicolas Anelka for Chelsea on a fluky break-away and by Alou Diarra on a header from a corner by Gourcuff which Chelsea didn't bother to defend. Late in the match, Chelsea's Frank Lampard (below) received his second yellow card and was, therefore, kicked out of the match. Of all contemporary football players, Frank Lampard (with his beady eyes, pointy nose, and large ears) is the one who most strongly resembles a rodent.

Blues beat Predators

The St. Louis Blues don't usually win in Nashville- going into last night's game, they had won only once in their last twelve tries there. Last night was different, though, former Predators goalie Chris Mason blocked 47 shots through regulation and overtime and shut out Nashville. However, the Blues couldn't score, either, so it came down to the mind-bogglingly stupid penalty shootout format that the NHL currently uses (because, like Donovan McNabb, they don't like ties, apparently). The Blues scored twice, Mason stopped both shots he faced, and the St. Louis was the winner - officially the NHL lists that as a 1-0 victory (I'm not sure why). Let's go, Blues!

No goals today

(Above- Nicky Butt, #22 for Newcastle, holds off Chelsea's Deco)

Today's results in the English Premier League:
Liverpool 0 - Fulham 0
Chelsea 0 - Newcastle 0
Aston Villa 0 - Manchester United 0
Manchester City 3 - Arsenal 0

So the top five in the Premiership tables scored a grand total of zero goals today. (And, yes, I did spend three-plus hours of my life watching. But, honestly, it was entertaining seeing Newcastle play defense for 90-plus minutes at Stamford Bridge while the petulant Chelsea fans got annoyed with their team. And it was also exciting to watch Man Utd. held without a goal.)

Donovan McNabb didn't know

Last Sunday, after Philadelphia tied the horrific Cincinnati Bengals 13-13, Eagles QB Donovan McNabb admitted he didn't know that regular season NFL games could end in a tie.



But the confusion didn't stop there, because McNabb then went on to get mixed up about the NFL playoff rules:

"In college, there are multiple overtimes, and in high school and Pop Warner. I never knew in the professional ranks it would end that way. I hate to see what would happen in the Super Bowl and the playoffs." (McNabb, quoted by the Associated Press)

I am sure that by now someone has pointed out to McNabb that post-season games are played to their completion, no matter how long it takes.