The FA aside, the news cycle has been a bit slow lately. I did receive an anonymous tip that in Garden City, Kansas, a caterpillar had recently formed a cocoon and in a few weeks time may possibly become a butterfly. However, the "source" failed to provide enough detailed facts to corroborate the story, so instead I went with "Mourinho will quit Real Madrid to coach England.

Everybody wants to talk about Luis Suarez. He was charged with racism, served his suspension, and has returned to play. Done. Was he petulant before the game? Yes. But since when was that novel? I'm more interested in this little thing called the field. On said field, players kick balls. In fact, just yesterday, a game was played on said field.

Capell0 has resigned. Everybody tosses rocks at the FA's glass house, yet we struggle to articulate our feelings. For sure, changing coaches on the cusp of a major tournament is never good. Remember the Ivory Coast drama before the 2010 World Cup? Yes, the FA could have better included Capello in the John Terry issue.

Greetings, Googlebot, spiders, monkeys, SEO linkbuilders, webcrawlers, and click-jackers. I have been asked, in a consultancy role, to spread the blackhat gospel and decide a contest winner. John Terry FA Captain. Harry Redknapp Trial. Mourinho to England. I will now do so.

First, the depressing news.

The soccer world sheds a tear for fans, players, and civilians that lost their lives in Egypt a few days ago. Many much better equipped media outlets and more knowledgeable folk reported on the incident and shared their thoughts. Here's some of the essential reading:

Last Wednesday, in the Egyptian city of Port Said, fans of rival soccer clubs fought and 73 people were killed.

Batman without the bat signal. Superman sans the cape. Mr. Clean without that rough and tumble earring. Every hero needs an icon. And justice, a diffuse concept that is not easily grasped by materialistic minds, needs a hero. Always. Since the start of time; 'til the end of time.

UEFA's Financial Fair Play is no different.

Have heart Real Madrid faithful, the Phoenix shall rise from the ashes. Barcelona's roster will age, wither, and eventually lose to us on a more regular basis. However, until then, we must cope. Seven points give us solace, but not joy. Rumors of Mou's departure stalk our nightmares. Only one thing can brighten these dark times: laughing at amusing and ill conceived pictures.

Awards are for the vain folk that feel the need to be rewarded for greatness. An award, usually a piece of precious metal, is handed to an individual, usually a sentient homo sapiens, based on that individual's contributions to a particular endeavor. Subjectivity underlines the entire process. Humans clasp at the material to the detriment of the abstract.

So, in case you have resided in a cave on the large rock in outer space formerly known as planet Pluto, Real Madrid played Barcelona in the 2nd leg of the Copa del Rey. Based on secondhand accounts, 'twas a most enjoyable spectacle. Teams scored goals. Teams kicked soccer balls. Teams ran. At the end of 90 minutes, the two teams tied 2-2.

The Frank Lampard Appreciation Society offers another unique, unadulterated glimpse into the voyage of life of one tragic Monseur Lampeur.

DECEMBER 6, 2011

It's funny how the clothes we wear reflect who we are, and I don't mean those t-shirts that the mentally handicapped wear and include the person's name, number, and address.

Puebla FC is a professional football club. It is based in Mexico. USMNT player Herculez Gomez played for them. Currently, DeMarcus Beasley plays for them. In the US, teams go belly up and enter bankruptcy. In the UK, they enter administration. In Mexico, things are a bit more gun ho due to a recent tax dispute between the state and federal government, the Mexican Federal Government seized Puebla's stadium, equipment, and even their coach bus.

It's been a wonderful year. I'm enjoying the soccer as always, the site looks half-decent, and the writing has been flowing at a steady clip. I've also gotten some dollars & cents out of writing about soccer, albeit not enough to rock things even part-time. Still, I'm grateful and I owe it all to you thanks dude or dudette who Googled some random soccer term, probably "Raul Gonzalez" or "Sergio Ramos girlfriend", came to my site, clicked on a banner ad, and never returned.

Christmas time fast approaches. Slowly, the universe disconnects from the web. We sip eggnog. We talk with family members. We exchange gifts. Co-workers get embarrassingly drunk at holiday parties. Dormant hands get grabby. Title VII lawsuits get filed soon thereafter. But before you sign that release of claim waiver and confidentiality agreement, enjoy these footy links:

Remember when FIFA said they were going to release documents on December 17th and we got all excited?

I wrote a thoughtful piece at the Run of Play on linguistic differences between Spanish and English. Since then, the FA has banned Luis Suarez for 8 games based on allegations that he made racist remarks. I don't care to get into the mucky and murky waters of administrative proceedings. Rather, I want to focus on Liverpool's official statement in response.