Whilst browsing on the BBC 606 forum (we have a little forum by the way) I stumbled across the most ridiculous comment I think anyone in the world has ever made. This stupid Liverpool fan leaves me lost for words...

I am honestly lost for words. I don't know where to begin.

I ran across this BBC documentary about Pele and Garrincha put together in 2002. The film starts off in the 1950's, as Brazil lost in the Maracana versus Uruguay. It follows the careers and lives of Brazilian football stars Pele and Garrincha.
When they played on the same team, they never lost a game but by themselves their lives and careers took diffrent paths.

Work on Liverpool's new stadium in Stanley Park could begin as early as April 2010, the leader of Liverpool City Council has told the BBC.
Warren Bradley said Liverpool have told the council they are "very close now to securing the finances".
He added it would be "in April that hopefully, fingers crossed, we'll see some activity on Stanley Park".

Criticise Arsene Wenger and see what you get? Tactical innovation.
Arsene Wenger has managed this club since 1996. And in his 500th match he finally sent a team out without a single striker. The formation was 4-6-0. Yet it worked. In a rare bit of half-decent MOTD analysis, they pointed out how Arshavin had not tried to take on the two big Stoke centre-halves but instead played on the half-turn - rather than trying to hold the ball up, he played deeper and then drove forward.

When last we saw him. Home to Hull City this weekend, he suddenly becomes a very interesting pick at 8.64. Here's his day according to the BBC. 45:00+0:05 Stewart Downing sends in a cross, Richard Hughes manages to make a clearance. 73:41 GOAL - Stewart Downing: Portsmouth 1 - 3 Aston Villa Stewart Downing finds the back of the net with a headed goal from close range.

Rochester is joining the party.
And, yes, if the Raging Rhinos are invited, it's definitely a party.
Kinda cool having the NASL back. Especially for the young generation that mostly missed it.
To the links:

• Charlie Davies' first interview details. [SBI]
  
• Extra refs (goal-line) at the World Cup?

Rafa thinks that a new contract will be signed soon.

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Javier Mascherano contract talks please Liverpool boss

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has revealed the club are in talks to extend the contract of Argentine midfielder Javier Mascherano.

That's right, Charlize Theron will have the footie world's balls in her hands today as she co-hosts the World Cup 2010 draw. The action is being covered in a live text format by all of the big news sites. The BBC coverage has plenty of content and updates quickly. Or ESPN2 viewers can watch it live on TV.

Ever since Friday's World Cup Draw placed the U.S. and England in the same group I've had one thought racing through my mind. Will the Americans baste the Cornish game hens of those limeys and trample their arses up and down the pitch? Or will the English reforge the bonds of the British Empire and massacre the Yanks like it's 1770?

Arsenal's unbeaten Champions League run in Group H came to an end at Olympiakos after their youngsters were undone by a cool second-half strike by Leonardo. - http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/8402103.stm

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson talks to BBC Sport Wales about 20 years about Ryan Giggs, from chasing the player as a young teenager to managing him in his mid-thirties. They talk about his importance to the squad as a senior player, his battle with injuries and even his international career.

Not only is the German 'keeper in hot water for getting caught peeing during a game, he's also facing reprimand for calling out Stuttgart for its coaching switch.
Vintage form Mr. Lehmann.
Vintage form.
To the links:

• Fulham/Ghana to battle over defender. [Yahoo!

Ryan Giggs has been named BBC Sports Personality of the Year, edging out Formula 1 champion Jenson Button and World heptathlon champion Jessica Ennis secured third spot.

2009 marked a year which saw Giggs win his eleventh league title, two more than any other player in English history, as well as playing in his third European Cup final.

Don Fabio keeping an ever-watchful eye on his potential #1.

On Sunday's BBC 606 Football Phone In, co-host Gabriele Marcotti made an interesting point that I believe Fabio Capello has already considered. Baring match fitness and current form, the starting outfield ten for England will mostly pick themselves for the group stages of next summer's World Cup, and more importantly for now, the June 12th clash with the U.

I didn't expect Ryan Giggs to win the BBC Sports Personality. The bookies didn't expect him to win (20-1 they had him), nor did the man himself. Footballers don't normally get nominated for BBC's prestigious, let alone win it. Just another award to the add to the never-ending list of achievements for the Premier League's most decorated player.

Despite being a Manu player I have to say Ryan Giggs is a great footballer and he has had a fine career, however the decision by the viewing public to vote him as the sporting personality of the year merely demonstrates just how bereft of intelligence so many people are. How can a player whose form last season was decent at best have picked up the PFA player of the year and the BBC sports

Una vicenda clamorosa sta scuotendo l'Africa in queste ore. La nazionale dell'Eritrea è scomparsa (come potete vedere nell'articolo della BBC). Dopo essersi recata in Kenia per disputare una gara valida per i quarti di finale della Coppa Cecafa (campionato regionale), non ha fatto ritorno ad Asmara.

A quick look at the Championship table shows that Watford are having a good season. Until recently, they were in a play-off place for a position in the Premier League. This, however, is an almost complete illusion. Watford are having a very bad season, a season during which boardroom wrangling seems to have long since passed the point of no return and which is now endangering the very existence of the club itself.

Big Story
"Premier League looks to cash in on Asia" is the headline on another of those BBC news articles we seem to read several times a season about how Premier League teams "hope" to turn the apparent fervid support of Asian fans into many millions of pounds.

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-Also Check out the "cutting-edge" combination messageboard and quasi-blog QPR Report Messageboard. If your interest is constantly-updated QPR-related news; QPR nostalgia; and items on some other broader football-related isssues: QPR Report Messageboard is one such site.

BBC Sports Personality has revealed their top-10 shortlist. For the first time since 2005 a footballer has been named in the list and that is Man United's Ryan Giggs. The 10 nominees will be...
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So if football is the national game, you would expect the BBC Sports Personality of the Year shortlist to feature at least 2 or 3 leading proponents of the beautiful game.
Wayne Rooney perhaps.
Not simply for his consistent, committed and talent performances on the pitch.
But for being an 'ordinary lad' who remembers where he comes from and is learning to become master of himself.

When last we saw him. Home to Hull City this weekend, he suddenly becomes a very interesting pick at 8.64. Here's his day according to the BBC. 45:00+0:05 Stewart Downing sends in a cross, Richard Hughes manages to make a clearance. 73:41 GOAL - Stewart Downing: Portsmouth 1 - 3 Aston Villa Stewart Downing finds the back of the net with a headed goal from close range.

Read on via BBC Sports -- Man City 3 - 0 Arsenal
Next up, Man U in the semifinals.

Dates for the Carling Cup semi-final derby showdown have been confirmed.

City will host the first leg at City of Manchester Stadium on Wednesday, January 6 (kick-off 7.45pm), a match to be televised live by BBC.

The return at Old Trafford will be played on Tuesday, January 19 (8pm) and shown live on Sky.

The U.S. will open up its 2010 World Cup Campaign against England in Rustenburg on Saturday, June 12. The game is sure to bring up memories of that shock defeat during the 1950 tournament in Brazil.

Also in the U.S. group will be Algeria and Slovenia and the U.S. has to feel that it can qualify 2nd in this group.

England draw US, Algeria and Slovenia, while Brazil are in the Group of Death.
Some quick observations
Group A is excellent for the French. Win it and they could face a weakened Argentina in the last 16. Maradona's team won't have it easy in Group B.
Group E will suit the Dutch very well.

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has confirmed that injured duo Alberto Aquilani and Fernando Torres are ready to return to action and should play some part in Wednesday's Champions League tie with Fiorentina.
Aquilani's continued presence on the Reds bench has been the source of much frustration for Liverpool fans in recent weeks.

At time of writing, we stand an untrue fifteenth in the table. You know, I know, the BBC's Steve Claridge knows, and most of the world knows, that we're a lot better than that. Top of the away form table, eighth in the overall, add in Plymouth, we'd be much higher. Yet, we're a disappointing 11th in the [.

You'll be hearing a lot more of Florence and the Machine as 2009 turns inevitably into 2010, their rise to prominence has been on a stellar course since they were nominated in the highly influential BBC Sound awards where they finished third behind Little Boots and White Lies. Florence Welch and her musical accompaniment, the machine, blend seamlessly Baroque Pop and Art Rock and look set to be next years Ting Tings.

-
-QPR REPORT Available on TWITTER!...QPR REPORT UPDATED THROUGHOUT THE DAY!
-Also Check out the "cutting-edge" combination messageboard and quasi-blog QPR Report Messageboard. If your interest is constantly-updated QPR-related news; QPR nostalgia; and items on some other broader football-related isssues: QPR Report Messageboard is one such site.

Arsenal's unbeaten Champions League run in Group H came to an end at Olympiakos after their youngsters were undone by a cool second-half strike by Leonardo. - http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/8402103.stm

WTF?

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Boss Rafael Benitez thinks Liverpool's exit from the Champions League can reignite their poor domestic form.

League Two - Saturday 12th December 2009
On a long drive with my long suffering wife I turned the car radio on for Sports Report. The jolly anachronistic theme tune is from the days of the BBC Light Programme. We know it by heart - Da-Dum-Da-Dum-Da-Dumpety-Dum etc etc. It cheers you up on a chilly winter Saturday when the sun has disappeared so early it really shouldn't have bothered to get up in the first place.

Said Giggs, as he indulges in self-deprecation accepting the award for BBC's Sports Personality of the Year. Widespread media reports suggest this was a surprise as he beat "supposed favourite" and formula one driver Jensen Button. Tee hee!

"I grew up watching this programme. To see the people that have won it and to be here is unbelievable.

What's this!? A professional footballer winning a public vote, over a heavyweight boxing world champion and an F1 world champ. I didn't see that coming.

Generally, the British public prefers any sportsmen to footballers. But, as Gary Lineker pointed out last night, Ryan Giggs is a transcendent figure, liked by people who don't even like football.

Neither Chelsea nor Manchester United nor Liverpool won this weekend. The three giants from the 2008-2009 season managed just one point, though all three had home matches. Just one point from nine at home. Last weekend, we saw a ton of penalty misses. This past weekend, we saw the vulnerability of the Top 4 (and contenders).

Should Ryan Giggs have won BBC Sports Personality of 2009?(polling)

Man Yoo star's gong makes some people rich Ryan Giggs' surprise BBC Sports Personality of the Year victory might not have been such a shock to some punters. Accusations have been made that news of the 36-year-old's win was leaked in the 20 minutes before he received the trophy after a late flurry of bets forced [.

In Ryan Giggs' acceptance speech at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards, he called Manchester United "the greatest club" and Sir Alex Ferguson "the greatest manager that has ever lived."

Today, Giggs has claimed that he will retire before the manager does.

"I think it will be me," replied Giggs when asked who he thought would retire first.