Alphas

I saw him at the Isle of Wight Festival this year and consider it one of the best gigs I've been to and the highlights for me were Born To Run, Waiting On A Sunny Day and The River. They clearly just have great fun playing together as a band, even the cheesy moment where he got a girl out the crowd during Dancing in the Dark was a bit of a laugh. I came away remarking that I get knackered playing for half an hour and then watch someone who is about the same age as my dad playing for three and a quarter hours. I grew up listening to a lot of Springsteen but stopped (for no real reason) until I heard The Rising a few years back and this got me right back into him again. I thought Wrecking Ball was a cracking effort...good to hear an angry Boss!

I'd imagine it would have something to do with compensation for the contracts. Staff contracts are probably quite affordable to get out of but paying off a group of footballers on a bajillion pounds a week would cost an arm and a leg, which I'm guessing Pompey can't afford to do. Portsmouth players really don't do walking away by the looks of things. That said I know fuckall about HR so may be talking out my arse.

Had this on repeat on my walk to work this morning.

I wish you still got the Tennent's Sixes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onoda_Hiroo A Japanese soldier from WW2 who continued to man his post 30 years after the war finished. I particularly like the part with the list the student puts together to find him. And...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_holdout...he wasn't the only one not to surrender.

He's absolutely bang on with everything he's said there. The SPL and SFA have been dispicable of late with their comments and actions. Stenhousemuir have released a statement saying the removal of the £2 million SPL payment to the SFL teams will result in their club losing £50,000 a year and to compensate they'll have to scrap their youth system. The article I read that in this morning predicted this will be the route many SFL clubs will have to take. So much for the governing bodies promoting and encouraging the game in our country. "Football for All"...except for everyone in the leagues below us, they can fuck off.

This statement is a fucking joke. The organisation he runs, along with how the SPL have governed the top flight, have got us into this mess. Rangers imploding has just blown it all wide open and now the scaremongering comes out about the future of Scottish football. Well if he had been governing and operating the game as his organisation has responsibility for then maybe we could have complete integrity with the Rangers situation and have them start in the 3rd division. And social unrest?! At what point have Rangers not been causing social unrest! We've have to put up their bigoted shite for far too long and I'm sure Manchester loved the rioting when they lost the cup final. I expect the SFA and SPL to continue to hide behind these sorts of stories rather than take responsibility for how the game has been run into the ground. Financially clubs have been living hand to mouth for too long (which hasn't been addressed as they've had the Old Firm to rely on) but it has been in steady decline on the pitch at club and international level. They can't even agree on the size of the top league for fucks sake. I'd love to see someone at one of the footballing authorities at coming forward and actually taking some responsibility for a change rather than giving us pish like this statement.

A wee bit of interest but no harm in giving this bump. Drummers apply within.

It really has been incredible. I've found it amazing that they have been arguing that the sanctions need to be proportionate and it is unfair to give them transfer bans and demotions as they have already been punished. At what point does signing players they technically can't afford, having under the table contracts with their squad, dodging taxes and shady business dealings not constitute something like harsher consequences? That £75 million tax money would only pay for schools and hospitals...no big deal really. Hopefully at some point they choose to understand the crime before compaining about the punishment.

Just Zinedine Kilbane rapping. Get it to number one!

I read words to this effect from the Dundee Utd chairman recently. It seemed a certainty they would be let back into the SPL but he seemed to indicate how they have acted recently has pissed a lot of the SPL members. Apparently the other clubs are meeting on Monday to decide on whether a newco stay in the league or not. I really think clubs will struggle financially as the revenue Rangers bring to them, be it from gate receipts, league sponsorship or TV deals, will leave a pretty big hole in their budgets. Turnover of most of the SPL clubs is in the region of £4-£5 million a year so they will certainly feel the pinch from not having Rangers in the league. However, I hope that opportunities are taken to change voting structures and this would force clubs to learn to operate without relying on the Old Firm. This could be a difficult time for Scottish football but also a chance for big change and give the game a better outlook in the long term.

OOFT! http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18407309

On the lookout again. Any takers?

Sigur Ros - Valtari The Cribs - In The Belly Of The Brazen Bull Graham Coxon - Happiness in Magazines

To be fair though if Rodgers has an impact there his stock will fairly rise. They are a difficult bunch to please as Hodgson found out but if he brings success and good performances then the fans will love him for it. I like Rodgers, he seems a down to earth manager and Swansea played some outstanding football last season and this is a guy who will want to prove himself and Liverpool will give him the opportunity to do that. Personally I reckon it is a job for a more experienced manager but it would be a difficult one for him to turn down.

They also had Careca playing for them although I was going to say it was Zico until I checked Wikipedia. They would be a much better team if they had gone for Zico...fucking amateurs.

I don't know if this is well known and has just passed me by but Real Madrid have a Scottish player in their youth ranks. He was born in Malaga to Scottish parents and has already played for the Scotland U16's. Sounds like they rate him in Spain as well and have hopes for him. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Harper_(footballer_born_1996)

Being in Madrid on the day of the Copa Del Rey Final. Superb atmosphere between the Barca and Bilbao fans through the day, all really good natured with them chanting songs back and forward to each other. I didn't understand what they were singing so it could have been all bigoted and racist chants but they were at least being one big family of racist bigots.

Yes, it was on BBC1 last night. I'd imagine it will be on iPlayer at some point, well worth a watch if it is. If you can't find it look under comedy.

Aye, seems like he had access to some pretty reliable sources and reports as well. Where to start with it all though? Possible Duff and Phelps involvement in the Ticketus deal, a £30K payment to Souness 10 years after he had left Ibrox, the sheer amounts being paid to players and staff etc etc etc. The interviews that were just on were commenting on the money at the club running out at the end of the month so may be some action soon.

Did anyone see the documentary about Rangers tonight? If even half of what was reported is correct then it is astonishing. The best bit is no doubt the EBT's were set up by a porn producer, just classic!

He's probably too similar to Torres to be honest. Shame for the boy really.

I've seen then a couple of times live. In fact, I regard their set at Connect Festival as one of the best gigs I've seen. They're even better when they play with Amiina mind you and have the strings and orchestra. Anyway, I quite like the new album. I wouldn't say it is their best album but a good effort nonetheless.

Streaming here. Very chilled out and ambient. A cross between Takk and Riceboy Sleeps I'd say so a bit different to the last album.