Alphas

I love playing gigs. Whether it is to 10 people or 100 people, it is just a different kind of enjoyment. Certain venues seem to make a difference as well, I've always enjoyed gigs at Snafu and those at the Moorings are always great fun even though the bands I've played in may not be everyone's cup of tea (or pint of Addlestones) there. I've played shite gigs as well - sometimes due to how we've played and sometimes due to it being a pointless gig - but try to roll with the punches with those and look forward to playing again. With mistakes you can generally just play through them and nobody will notice, although I just wrote down Bigsby's piece of advice for future reference.

Glad we've freshened things up at the back, Webster has certainly deserved his place this season. I would like to have seen Dorrans start as he's had a blinding season so far but still a decent midfield. Just heard on the news Fletcher is to be given a similar role to his Man U position. I've always been critical of Caldwell and Miller but let's see how they perform under a new manager. I'd imagine Boyd will get a decent run out in the second half as well.

I'm Trigger as I like Only Fools and Horses. I think Delboy was taken so it was between Trigger and Boycie. Rockstar name would Holly Dunvegan, which sounds more like a shite pornstar.

Thanks, will give these a try when I get home tonight.

Think I may be missing something quite obvious as I'm sure I've done this before. My band recently recorded a demo and I'm trying to get the tracks off the CD and onto our myspace page. They are on the CD as a CDA format and I'm trying to save them off the CD onto my laptop as a MP3's but struggling to do this. I have saved them onto itunes but it isn't letting me burn a MP3 CD for some reason so does anyone have any suggestions? I've ran a search on Google and there were plenty of downloads for MP3 converters but I'm certain I've converted files before without one. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Billy Connolly had a joke about that. He had an invention called the Jobby Wheecher which flung your shite into the sea, a fish then ate your shite, the fish got caught, you ate the fish, you get on a plane and the process starts all over again.

Hells yeah, stats and football trivia make the world a better place. And if I never see that Busst injury again I'll be a happy man, that was just horrific. Luc Nilis had a nasty one as well just from running into the goalie (Richard Wright I think it was).

Come to think of it, will John Portsmouth Football Club Westwood have to change his name again?

It must blow to be a Pompey fan with all these clowns coming in and buying the club. It's just been treated like a toy with no respect whatsoever for the supporters or the history of the club. "Hey! I own a Premiership team...does this get me a queue jumper at the Met Bar?" The fans have been with the club through thick and thin and they might not have any team to support because of mismanagement. I read on Teletext this morning Peter Storrie had a wage of over 1 million and even got a tasty payrise through the summer.

I remember when all of Pompey's financial problems were first publicised thinking it will be unbelievable (Jeff) if a Premiership side go into administration with all the money being pumped into the league. On reflection, it isn't really a surprise considering how the clubs are run. They are able to operate completely differently to other businesses and get away with running up debts and living outwith their means. It was reported on the news tonight that EPL teams have a combined debt of 3.4 billion, that is a scandalous amount. Going to be a TV show on next Tuesday about the finances of football teams, could be very interesting to watch.

To be honest, Cole was probably fucking her as well.

Levein's first Scotland squad: Alexander (Rangers), Gordon (Sunderland), Marshall (Cardiff City); Hutton (Sunderland), Berra (Wolves), Caldwell (Wigan), Dixon (Dundee United), Kenneth (Dundee United), Wallace (Hearts), Webster (Dundee United) Whittaker (Rangers); Adam (Blackpool), Brown (Celtic), Dorrans (West Brom), Fletcher (Manchester United), Hartley (Bristol City), McCulloch (Rangers), McFadden (Birmingham), Robson (Middlesbrough), Thomson (Rangers); Boyd (Rangers), Fletcher (Burnley), Iwelumo (Bristol City), Miller (Rangers). Interested in this game as it will be a good warm up for the Euro games against the Czech's. Has gone back to Utd for a few players. Webster seems to have been in fine form this season so probably merits his place. Have never really rated Kenneth but from what I understand he has greatly improved this season so should probably reserve judgement on him.

Excellent stuff guys, knock 'em dead!

Fuck me, how good was the ski cross!? Some of the crashes were monumental. I like Graham Bell and Ed Leigh as commentators, they really get into it.

Was the bloke who broke into the flat caught in that case?

Bentley's must be good at pulling caravans if he has one, the fucking gypo.

Despite what I said, this is true. Personally though in certain instances I'd rather look for a rational explanation as I can't understand the possibility of something like ghosts existing. I reckon if I experienced something unexplainable then I think my reaction would be to look for a reason for it just to try and get my head round it. Actually, that's not true as I'd probably shite myself and run away. Even though I'm quite sceptical, I've enjoyed reading all the stories here and some of them are certainly unexplainable. I'm playing the Moorings in a couple of months so maybe I'll be back on this thread with a different viewpoint!

Anyway, I was actually going to give my opinion on ghosts before but got distracted. Personally, I don't believe in them as I find a lot of things can be explained in a rational way. I don't mean that in a derisory way against anyone who does believe but the way my mind works is that something needs to have a logical explanation before I can fully believe in it. For instance, when I first moved into my old flat I was in the bathroom and could hear voices like they were in the room with me. It turned out the size and shape of the air vent actually picked up the slightest noise and amplified it. You'd hear conversations out in the street, footsteps from people across the road and even my next door neighbours TV if he had the window open. I'd be open to have my mind and opinion changed but until a boffin (Igon Spenglar for instance) can actually prove and explain a reason for their existence I'm going to remain sceptical.

Wolves played a couple of games in succession where they changed all the outfield players to rest their starting 11. I think it was Man U they went up against with a weakened team and McCarthy got hauled up in front of the FA for it as the rules state teams have to play their strongest side.

Exactly. The ruling actually states that managers have to field the strongest possible side so any squad rotating as mentioned above surely breaks the rules as well? McCarthy's case was obviously more extreme as he changed ten players but if all teams have to stick by the rules then playing Kuszack ahead of a fully fit Van Der Sar should be punishable. Even in McCarthy's case he was able to argue that he changed his squad but was able to bring in something like four or five internationals. Anyway, I've just reiterated what everyone has said as it is a shite rule. Managers should be able to pick who they want, it can impact on key games such as relegation dogfights but thems the breaks as far as I'm concerned!

I was debating with a friend at the weekend whether Arsenal could actually get back into the title race. It looks like they've blown it as they struggled against the likes of Man U and Chelsea but in the space of a week and a half they played those two and Liverpool therefore clearing a great deal of difficult fixtures out the way. I'd still bet on Chelsea winning with Man U runners up but I reckon Arsenal could claw their way back into it. They recently gained ground and went top of the league by demolishing the lower teams and they have a similar run now combined with Van Persie returning. I've probably jinxed them now and they'll go on a run of defeats.

That's a shame about Boycotts, was looking forward to hearing them. Hopefully be a good night anyway, PM if you want on the guestlist.

Some good shouts for most improved player. I'd maybe throw Joe Hart in there as he's having a superb run of form this season. It's unfortunate for him he has Shay Given to compete with at Man City but he has done really well since going out on loan to Birmingham. Maybe an odd suggestion but what about Wayne Rooney? He has been a cracking player for Man U since he joined but since losing Ronaldo they may have struggled to find goals but the responsibility he has taken on has ensured they've remained competitive for the Premiership. I reckon Fergie made a good signing in Valencia but they needed someone to step up to the plate and Rooney really has done that.