The Importance of Sport (NEW CONCEPTS)

[Grant]

Chad is right though, that the “clear and obvious” for some reason doesn’t apply to offside, but that appears to be because the Premier League referees didn’t seem to understand the concept of margin of error. They were blinded by “science” into assuming that the technology was infallible

[Mick Harper]

Again you're getting it all wrong. The offside technology is too infallible for the good of the game. And it's not the referees that are the problem, it is the forward trying to get level with the last man as the laws dictate that is the problem. He can see whether he's level, he can't see if his knee is jutting out.

[Wile E. Coyote]

Ok Coyote did not like Washington Redskins but to rename as The Washington Football Team?

I would like to stress, I don't like being critical because they are a football team, and they do come from Washington. So it is undeniably factually correct, and I would in no way wish to offend those who currently reside in the area, particularly those who might come from many different backgrounds, or those who prefer to self identify themselves, in many different ways, but does it not just lack a certain notion of special place, and team?

Hey just asking.

Please don't judge, it's like I am just throwing it out there.....hell, that doesn't mean it will be caught, or even that you would want to catch it. It's simply down to you, whoever you might be, and, of course, whoever you are is also down to you.

[Mick Harper]

Is it maybe passive aggression from the owner who swore he would never change the name but has been tacitly forced to do so by the NFL?

[Mick Harper]

I'll be glad when we're playing for the Botham-Richards Hookah. For too long we've been burdened with the Wisden Trophy. Who cares why they burnt the damned thing? It was going to be the Ramadhin-Cowdrey Shield but the sponsors wanted a younger image.

PS I'm writing this at lunch on the first day and already they're into our all-rounders. How can these new BBC-2 commentators describe that as 'honours even'?

[Mick Harper]

End of the Premiership News

We can all be relieved that Man U got the last Champions League slot. The prospect of watching Leicester was too ghastly to contemplate.

Goodbye, Watford. Sort of good riddance. Despite being on the London Underground, they are not a London team. Talking of which, I can say hand on heart and for the first time in many years, Arsenal have the most potential of them all. Not saying much, says Mr Chadwick Muffinbottom.

Why did everyone keep saying that Grealish was playing his last game for Villa despite him being with them since he was six years old? Now they're staying up, what's changed? Memo to us and other big clubs: people who are big fish in small clubs don't always turn out to be big fish in big clubs. They have spent too many years not having to 'work for the team'. Apart from Tyrone Mings obviously. A man-mountain on demand.

Are we in favour of making a three-month spring break permanent?

Are we in favour of making kneeling down before kick-off permanent or are we going to risk being hauled up before various beaks for suggesting perhaps not?

[Mick Harper]

Isn't it fab having the football back? What's that? It's gone again? Oh.

[Chad]

[Mick Harper]

To be fair, Arsenal's record over the decades is quite similar to Spurs. Mid-to-upper table year after year, the occasional bauble, the even more occasional golden patch, a plummet or two. It is, if you really think about, quite similar to the record over the decades of Chelsea, Man Utd, Man City, Liverpool, Everton, Aston Villa, Leeds and continuing in a smooth continuum as the clubs get less and less 'major'. [Only excepting Arsenal and Everton have never had a plummet. Cue: PhD thesis.]

Worth remembering in these febrile times.

[Chad]

But some clubs have much bigger, better and shinier golden patches than others.

[Mick Harper]

Nah. You're just choosing your base year. Where were your Manchesters and your Liverpools when we were providing the entire England team and Spurs were doing the push-and-run and Chelsea were going from Frank Blunstone to Ossie Osgood and Flanagan and Allen were doing the Lambeth Walk, oy! Well, punk, do you have a walk?

[Chad]

[Mick Harper]

My ancientedly beloved Charlton Athletic needed three points from their last five games but only managed two so dropped out of the Championship and into the clutches of a property developer. Born in Hammersmith is the best anyone can find to say about him. We have not completed our fit and proper person test, say the Football League. We can only hope he fails it.

Since the last owner has vanished back to wherever he came from, should I put the AEL pension fund into a rescue? Don't worry, I'd stick to managing the side. I'm not going to pick myself or anything. Substitute goalie, maybe, away cup matches. Well, if you think I'm driving the coach with no prospect of getting a game, you're out of your tiny.

[Wile E. Coyote]

Exeter have decided to carry on being Chiefs and keep their Native American branding.

When they let the fans back they will look like the Lone Ranger, and Tonto.

[Chad]