timeEd32

Saw what Antwaan Randle El said today? Yeah. 36 and can't go up stairs right, forgetting stuff. The money's great if you can handle it, which is tough for young kids to do, but not at the expense of your health for the rest of your life. I'm not sure it will die off as soon as he speculated, but when players are saying they wouldn't play if they had it to do over again, that's something. It's a great player saying it too. There's definitely a change coming. Your definition of great is really generous. Shola was really good too. Notable? I feel like he was s*** hot on kick returns for a while there. From great to shit hot on kick returns "for awhile."

Saw what Antwaan Randle El said today? Yeah. 36 and can't go up stairs right, forgetting stuff. The money's great if you can handle it, which is tough for young kids to do, but not at the expense of your health for the rest of your life. I'm not sure it will die off as soon as he speculated, but when players are saying they wouldn't play if they had it to do over again, that's something. It's a great player saying it too. There's definitely a change coming. Your definition of great is really generous. Shola was really good too.

#1 as well as my whole point about where the league sits in terms of importance impacts wages, transfer fees, and everything else financial. Just not explicitly stated.

Berahino and Lua Lua are similar in the same way YaYa Toure and David James are similar. Well spotted.

Very possible, but it's only in the last couple years this has gotten some mainstream attention. Meaning 20 years from now is the first time the NFL will see any potential impact from that. Barring multiple on-field deaths combined with PR debacles and other scandals, it will likely be a very long, very gradual decline for the NFL (if it happens at all).

20 years is a long time, the world's best players then are in diapers or unborn. It's probably fairly unlikely the US isn't quite a bit better by then. However, MLS has a number of things against it: 1) Current rules including DPs and transfer structure. This can be changed, but it will take time and needs to be done carefully so as not to disrupt the parity or create vastly different classes of teams (what you're complaining about with the PL) 2) The summer format is not conducive to being a top tier league. It conflicts with the sport's biggest events (Qatar notwithstanding). Most of the stadium conflicts are gone and be others could be sorted out, so this needs to change. The summer calendar is advantageous since it's the quietest season for US sports, although I'd also argue it's the hardest to get people to care and seek out games (baseball is on every day and has been for a century, the MLS schedule is erratic). 3) Moving to the traditional calendar means it's up against the behemoth that is the NFL, college football, MLB playoffs, and the entirety of the NBA and NHL seasons. As long as MLS is the outside of the top four sports the TV revenue will pale in comparison to the others and, ultimately, that will limit the caliber of player it can attract. So the big question is where will it be in 20 years among the other sports. I have some serious questions about (American) football's viability long term, but it is going to take a colossal number of fuck ups for anyone to even make a dent in the NFL. This is likely going to take a lot longer than 20 years. The NBA is riding a huge wave of momentum and is incredibly popular with young people. It also has a lot of room for further international growth. After that I'd say it's up for grabs and if MLS became the country's third most popular sport that would put it in a great spot to become one of the top leagues in the world. The other big question is what does the TV and live sports landscape look like in 20 years. Impossible to say and it may just be that Facebook, Apple and Google are giving billions for rights instead of ESPN and Comcast, but we shall see. If I were a betting man I'd say MLS will be comfortably in the top 6-10 leagues in 20 years but still some distance off the top few.

How so? Those managers don't do well in the cups as it is right now. They'd only have to play against the big teams in the playoffs, there wouldn't be any need to attack or try to create something such as there would be if they played a smaller team What about in the CL or any competition for that matter? When Barca, Bayern or Real play a lesser team who defends and plays that style, they usually win. The best team always wins no matter what. That's just how it is. They are so much better than the other teams that it doesn't matter. It isn't fair that a team like Liverpool who rely on hard running and counter attacking with not much quality or flair beat Arsenal in a one-off game, having finished 20 points behind them and then they win the league The part in bold is your only legitimate argument. It's perfectly valid and why the current setup is far superior. The styles of teams is personal preference and meaningless.

I feel like this opinion is based largely on Mourinho's success in the CL. Yes, he's negative (and a bit of a dick), but he's also an outstanding manager. Of course, a defensive team can do well and ride their luck (see Greece 2004), but I don't think there's any significant evidence that what you're saying is true.

Five or ten years ago you might have convinced me given the top 4 monopoly, but this is one of the most unpredictable and balanced Premier League seasons I can remember. Every weekend is interesting. I'm all for giving the FA Cup winner a Champions League place. That would be a great change. I'd also be open to a four team playoff between 4-7 for the last CL spot, since 4th is hardly a champion anyway.

Since the mauling at Palace, we've played 8 league games (W3, L3, D2). That's 11 points from 8 games, which included Liverpool, Spurs, Arsenal, and Man Utd. That's more like mid-table form. Obviously our horrific start puts us in a bad place, but if we play that out over the remaining 16 games we'd have 43 points and should be safe. Factor in the improvement in our midfield and possibly other reinforcements and I'm pretty confident we'll be ok barring some major injuries.

If Swansea sell Ayew to anyone, let alone Sunderland, I'd believe any conspiracy theory you told me that ends with "...because they want to get relegated." Would be a ridiculous decision.

As if we really care about that.

I think West Brom are absolutely in this and if we beat Watford this week they will be looking down instead of up. I'm pretty confident at the moment, but a couple signings and three points will do that. Lose to Watford and it's back to panic stations.

Berahino would be an outstanding signing, but Gini as the #10 has to be the first name on the team sheet. Up to McClaren to figure out how to make it work around him.

He shared he's a Packers fan on that show because of Vince Lombardi. And he had the hat on to prove it. He also compared the current state of the PL and the money being more evenly distributed to when the same happened in the NFL and said maybe Palace could be like the Packers ("working class" and win championships). Good luck with that you dickhead.

Rebecca Lowe has nothing to do with this. Why do you hate her?

NBC has a four part series starting today called Behind the Badge: Crystal Palace FC. Like HBO's NFL Hard Knocks. Wish it was with any other club, but I'll happily hate watch it. Narrated by Lineker.

Can't believe Depay cost twice as much as Wijnaldum.

Swansea are digging their own grave.

Would be a joke if he got banned for that. And would not be surprising in the slightest.

Body language is concerning. Barely clapped coming off, didn't look happy after the final whistle. Good game today though.

And yet I felt like I was going to vomit for 40 minutes.

Outstanding result and a really good performance overall. First 35-40 minutes were as good as we've been all season. Wonderful to watch. Shelvey the difference maker. Every starter in the midfield and attack tired around 70 minutes. Not surprising wth three games this week and 2 in 4 days. Need to see more of Saivet, he seemed timid. Hopefully just nerves. Couple important tackles though.

Terrified this will end 2-2.

What a first 45. It's like we've signed Gerrard in his prime given the static garbage he is replacing. Massive upgrade.