Thank god the Premier League is back. Nothing against international football, but there's something very comforting with getting back into the ritual of watching Premier League football and being familiar with the surroundings, the pace of the game and the excitement it creates.

So the Liverpool against Manchester City game on early Saturday was the perfect re-introduction to the Premier League.

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This man struggles to sell hard copies.
He certainly doesn't have any trouble bulging the ol' onion bag (no Tommy Smyth) against the Blackeyes.

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Tommy Smyth and his take on the big US win over the weekend.

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Let's begin with ESPN's Derek Rae and Janusz Michalik with their weekly Americans Abroad two cents.Also from ESPN, Tommy Smyth busts out with his world Top 25. As you might imagine, I have a laundry list of complaints with his list.The British Special Olympics have taken to an unusual fundraising drive. Click to continue reading...

When ESPN won the rights to show Premier League matches in the U.S., the biggest worry for most football fans in America was that the "Worldwide Leader" would somehow ruin the presentation of the game with subpar announcers and other bells and whistles that often make MLS matches annoying to watch.

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I wasn't a huge fan of the FOX broadcast yesterday. The whole thing (pregame, broadcast, highlights of other games, everything) seemed amateurish.
God save me, I longed for Tommy Smyth.
I know. Anyways, here are the scores:

• Celtic 0-2 Lucky Arsenal
  
• FC Copenhagen 1-0 Apoel Nicosia
  
• Sheriff Tiraspol 0-2 Olympiakos
  
• P.

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ESPN faces a tough decision for it's upcoming Premier League games it'll be televising for U.S. television whether to use their in-house commentators in Bristol, CT such as Tommy Smyth, Adrian Healey and Derek Rae (if available, he's supposed to be taking a job with ESPN in the UK to commentate the SPL matches throughout the season), or to use the international feed that's available.

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As for the TV coverage in September... On Tuesday and Wednesday Fox has first pick and it remains to be seen whether that first pick will be on FSC or FSN. Setanta has 2nd pick. Fox has 3rd which will go on FSC or FSN. Fox has 4th pick which will go on Fox Sports Espanol. Setanta gets the rest, I think. Click to continue reading...

ESPN2 will be hosting a special one hour pre-game show to preview the USA-Mexico final of the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup. ESPN commentators Derek Rae, Tommy Smyth and Janusz Michallik will be joined by former U.S. team captain Claudio Reyna to break down the Gold Cup final and review the history of the rivalry between the U. Click to continue reading...

From Setanta:

As widely reported, Setanta Sports has had its agreement to broadcast 46 Barclays Premier League matches in the UK terminated.

This development does not affect our channels and other services in the US.

Setanta Sports in the US is a separate operation that has separate agreement to show the Barclay's Premier League.

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It's the two teams that I think most would agree are the best in Europe - actual champions of their leagues with a game or games to spare, and I'll be blogging it live tomorrow here at Fighting Talker.
Manchester United and Barcelona meet in the Champions League final; the last to be screened on the ESPN family of networks (at least for a little while). Click to continue reading...

I didn't think I was going to, but I am! I am just supremely excited about this. It's not just the chance to cover the game and see the city. After what happened last year, I am on deck for some redemption, and this is my chance to prove I can go to a Champions League final without falling in love and abandoning my live blog midway through the second half.

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This Wednesday's Champions League Final will be a mix of emotions both on and off the pitch. Reason being is that it'll be ESPN's last coverage of the Champions League before they hand the "keys" over to Fox Soccer Channel and Setanta Sports for next season. After broadcasting the Champions League for 15 years, I for one will definitely miss ESPN's coverage.

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After all was said and done at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday afternoon, one thing was certain: the game was as entertaining as it was hyped up to be.

The game was dominated in possession by Barcelona, but in opportunities by Chelsea. Michael Essien set the pace for Chelsea, with a majestic strike in the 9th minute.

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I hate that United only scored one decent goal and still won 4-1. I hate that we sat back in the first leg. I hate that Eduardo, Clichy, and Gallas were not able to play a part. I hate that John O'Shite scored. I hate Tommy Smyth.

That all said, United are better. They had Tevez and Berbatov on the bench.

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Manchester United is one step away from returning to the Champions League Final, and the Red Devils will have to dispose of Arsenal today in order to get there.

The Gunners play host to Manchester United today in the second leg of their UEFA Champions semifinal series. United enters with a 1-0 advantage from the first leg, and will be most people's pick to progress.

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- Replace Bruce Arena at the Galaxy and get them to win two games, back to back.

- A corollary to the above. Tim Leiwecke declares Klinsi the real saviour of MLS and the gag
order on Alexi Lalas is finally removed.

- Sunil Gulati has him on speed dial, in case Bob Bradley slips up against Costa Rica.

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By SEAN RUBIO

Good afternoon folks. If you are looking for some good soccer reading, here are some stories to satisfy your craving:

• FOX Vice President says Champions League will not be in HD until February 2010 [NY Times]
• The sins of the NASL and how we're still paying for them [The Offside]
• "The UEFA Champions' League is stupid and useless and needs to be spayed.

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By SEAN RUBIO

Good afternoon folks. If you are looking for some good soccer reading, here are some stories to satisfy your craving:

• FOX Vice President says Champions League will not be in HD until February 2010 [NY Times]
• The sins of the NASL and how we're still paying for them [The Offside]
• "The UEFA Champions' League is stupid and useless and needs to be spayed.

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Turn back the clock to a time when His Ginger Majestyâ„¢ had facial hair and Tommy Smyth had hair. Click to continue reading...

Google Image search "Tommy Smyth" and this is what ya get.
With ESPN losing the broadcast rights to the Champions League, we might not have the crazy ol' Irishman on the airwaves anymore. But he knows he's hated:

"There's a petition on the internet which apparently has about 500 signatures to get me fired," said Smyth in a recent interview with the Sunday Independent in Dublin.

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Something to read while you lie to a little blind boy... Visit Andrea at Chivas Offside for more on that video. Goodbye to old onion bags? (Guardian)* Possibly the worst football shirt ever (Unprofessional Foul) Thommo vs Jimmy-Floyd = entertainment (Chelsea Offside) Barack Obama backing World Cup 2018 bid (USA WCB) Pyrotechnics from around the world (Pitch Invasion) The Clarkston, GA refugee [. Click to continue reading...

US sport fans will be hearing a lot less of Tommy Smyth, and his many irritating catchphrases, now that ESPN have lost Champions League rights. Click to continue reading...

After the Lucas/Essien thousand-point pinball goal, I thought, "There's no chance Chelsea will concede three in ten minutes, is there?"

Then I thought, "Well, it's been known to happen."

Then Riera crossed for Kuyt to make it 4-3.

By the end of this game, Tommy Smyth was openly admitting that he no longer understood what the aggregate score was or how to calculate the scenarios for advancement, and even with the stipulation that we're not talking about an announcer whom most soccer fans would credit with extreme mathematical perspicacity, it was a telling comment.

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Fox recently beat out ESPN for the rights to broadcast next year's Champions League fixtures. Footsmoke has been getting a lot of mail about the implications of this potentially lucrative swoop. I answer some of the responses below.

USAWC2030 writes: What was ESPN thinking?

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Coming to FSC The Gaffer at EPL Talk reveals that Fox Soccer Channel has acquired the US TV rights to the Champions League. This could mean no more Tommy Smyth, but unfortunately, also no more Derek Rae. unless FSC throws some cash at... Click to continue reading...

Coming to FSC The Gaffer at EPL Talk reveals that Fox Soccer Channel has acquired the US TV rights to the Champions League. This could mean no more Tommy Smyth, but unfortunately, also no more Derek Rae. unless FSC throws some cash at... Click to continue reading...

Coming to FSC The Gaffer at EPL Talk reveals that Fox Soccer Channel has acquired the US TV rights to the Champions League. This could mean no more Tommy Smyth, but unfortunately, also no more Derek Rae. unless FSC throws some cash at... Click to continue reading...

Coming to FSC The Gaffer at EPL Talk reveals that Fox Soccer Channel has acquired the US TV rights to the Champions League. This could mean no more Tommy Smyth, but unfortunately, also no more Derek Rae. unless FSC throws some cash at... Click to continue reading...

Coming to FSC The Gaffer at EPL Talk reveals that Fox Soccer Channel has acquired the US TV rights to the Champions League. This could mean no more Tommy Smyth, but unfortunately, also no more Derek Rae. unless FSC throws some cash at... Click to continue reading...

Coming to FSC The Gaffer at EPL Talk reveals that Fox Soccer Channel has acquired the US TV rights to the Champions League. This could mean no more Tommy Smyth, but unfortunately, also no more Derek Rae. unless FSC throws some cash at... Click to continue reading...

Coming to FSC The Gaffer at EPL Talk reveals that Fox Soccer Channel has acquired the US TV rights to the Champions League. This could mean no more Tommy Smyth, but unfortunately, also no more Derek Rae. unless FSC throws some cash at... Click to continue reading...

Coming to FSC The Gaffer at EPL Talk reveals that Fox Soccer Channel has acquired the US TV rights to the Champions League. This could mean no more Tommy Smyth, but unfortunately, also no more Derek Rae. unless FSC throws some cash at... Click to continue reading...

Coming to FSC The Gaffer at EPL Talk reveals that Fox Soccer Channel has acquired the US TV rights to the Champions League. This could mean no more Tommy Smyth, but unfortunately, also no more Derek Rae. unless FSC throws some cash at... Click to continue reading...

Coming to FSC The Gaffer at EPL Talk reveals that Fox Soccer Channel has acquired the US TV rights to the Champions League. This could mean no more Tommy Smyth, but unfortunately, also no more Derek Rae. unless FSC throws some cash at... Click to continue reading...