By Chris Wright

From ballboy to the saddest-looking Champions League-winning coach you're ever likely to see: Pep, you've come a long way baby...

GIF via @barcahona

Pep Guardiola is suffering a burn out

This has been a hard season for Barcelona when you think of how they have reshaped the sport. At the forefront of it all is their former number four who took the coaching reins in 2008. In four years, Pep Guardiola transformed this team into an unmistakable presence.

There was a bit of a skirmish on the internets earlier this week regarding Sulley Muntari's shin guards and whether or not he was wearing those given to him by Inter. Turns out they were just a standard Nike model with some aesthetics bearing a resemblance to those of his parent club.

Yesterday, he then tried to give his shirt to a Chievo ballboy after scoring the lone goal in Milan's win.

This weekend during a match between Seattle and Houston on NBC Sports Network, Colin Clark called the ballboy a, "fucking faggot". His voice was very clear on the broadcast. Today the MLS suspended Clark for three games, fined him an undisclosed amount, and will make him attend sensitivity training.

By Chris Wright

Downright classy stuff from Houston Dynamo midfielder Colin Clark who, during Dynamo's 2-0 defeat against Seattle Sounders on Friday, yelled 'f**king f*gg*t' in a young ballboy's face after the kid had the temerity to drop the football near him rather than directly at his feet while Clark was trying to take a quick throw.

By Chris Wright

Downright classy stuff from Houston Dynamo midfielder Colin Clark who, during Dynamo's 2-0 defeat against Seattle Sounders on Friday, yelled 'f**king f*gg*t' in a young ballboy's face after the kid had the temerity to drop the football near him rather than directly at his feet while Clark was trying to take a quick throw.

Angered by a Seattle ballboy who didn't hand him the ball exactly how he wanted before a seventh-minute throw in against the Sounders on Friday night, Houston's Colin Clark called the kid a "f***ing f****t." The gay slur was picked up loud and clear by pitchside microphones for the nationally televised match (video here -- NSFW language, obviously), so everyone watching at home immediately knew what Clark had done.

It's a foregone conclusion that Spurs manager Harry Redknapp is the FA's top choice for the vacant England job. But after a 0-0 draw against League One side Stevenage in the FA Cup and a 5-2 loss to Arsenal at the weekend, some doubts have arisen as to whether Harry is truly the right man to lead England.

A ballboy at last night's match between Arsenal and Leeds positioned himself in a rather unfortunate spot in front of this Nike advert. Shades of the Thomas Cook advert at Manchester City. Spotted on @SavileRogue

By Chris Wright

Ricardo Quaresma. He's just one of those players isn't he? A never-quite-living-up-to-the-hype/ego, cripplingly inconsistent walking, talking Youtube highlights reel of a footballer whose stats will always be slightly too good on FIFA/Pro Evo/Football Manager, etc for some reason.

By Chris Wright

Ricardo Quaresma. He's just one of those players isn't he? A never-quite-living-up-to-the-hype/ego, cripplingly inconsistent walking, talking Youtube highlights reel of a footballer whose stats will always be slightly too good on FIFA/Pro Evo/Football Manager, etc for some reason.

A lot of people have been arguing that Syracuse assistant basketball coach Bernie Fine is innocent of all charges against him. But a recent tape released of Bernie Fine's wife talking to the alleged victim has all but cemented his guilt.

Bernie Fine is accused of sexually molesting Bobby Davis, who was a ballboy for Syracuse.

This may not be new its eureka! moment was supposedly around 2008 but it's new around here, and just like the elderly when posed with something new, it makes no damn sense. Well, it does make some sense, the concept is easy, but it's rather confusing and the likelihood it was invented by the acetaminophen industry to cause the ail for which they provide the elixir is growing more likely by the moment.

By Chris Wright

Manchester United soundly thrashed New England Revolution 4-1 in a friendly last night, with Ash Young making his debut, Michael Owen scoring for the first time since god knows when, Kiko Macheda notching two in the space of six second-half minutes and Park Ji-Sung chipping home to cap a delightful passing move though the star of the show was definitely this tubby little chap.

Photo Credit: Tak Hung Yeung via Wikimedia Commons
Good Morning! It's a more than glorious one here in Red Bulls Land. Our team is back in action today @The Cathedral of Football and it should be perfect all day (even more so, if we win). Before tonight's game, however, let's get to some RBNY related news from this week.

In a way, that's exactly what Barca have done. As ball boy, trainee, player, captain and now coach, they've shaped the skinny kid from a small town into the charming, well-spoken man in a sharp suit he is today.
In recent years, everyone from players, club management, Catalan politicians, entertainers of all stripes and Jose Mourinho have called him the perfect manager for Barca.