Wake me up when September ends.


It’s great to see the underdog triumph, because it proves that on any given day, a top team can be felled, and it reinforces that timeless adage: You have to play the game. So I have see some top teams fall from their perch on September 29, 2007. West Virginia lost to South Florida, 21-13. Oklahoma was edged by a Colorado field goal, 27-24. Auburn also booted a field goal to drain Florida’s swamp, 20-17. Texas was given a Kansas State-style lynching, 41-21. Rutgers was routed by Maryland, 34-24. Clemson got shacked by Georgia Tech, 13-3. Illinois outlasted Penn State, 27-20. And Florida State squeaked by Alabama, 21-14.

However, calling this Saturday “Insanity Saturday” is just Pat Forde’s shyster way of stretching the impact of this weekend’s results to make it look like the end of the world. It’s not being fair to the top teams who are still alive, specifically the top two teams. USC and LSU are still on track to be in the show. The Trojans defeated Washington, 27-24. The Tigers, after a shaky start, defeated Tulane, 34-9. Cal and Ohio State are still in the running, too. The Golden Bears dismissed Oregon, 31-24, while Ohio State continued on its merry way, 30-7. Wisconsin, Boston College, and Kentucky also survived, so they are the latest contenders. And the only difference between the interceptions that Hawaii and Idaho made was that the Warriors were able to convert them into points (48-20 Hawaii).

Keep in mind that App State was not involved, either. The Mountaineers, after being upset themselves by Wofford, got back to business, dismissing Elon, 49-32.

Meanwhile, the USA gutted themselves of any hope to salvage 3rd place, starting Brianna “The Hag” Scurry against Norway. I predict that the Norwegians got this one in the bag. The world will have ended if the USA wins this one. The world will be saved if the USA finishes 4th, and Greg “I am Hope Solo’s worst enemy, and will be lynched for my faggotry” Ryan is sacked.

In other news, my Anaheim Ducks are feeling London Burning right now. Hey Randy Carlyle, call 99999 already! Punk. On the other side of the world, the Angels continue their warm-ups, felling the Athletics, 3-2. In Canada, the President’s Cup is all but going to go to the Yanks, as they are 7-up on the rest of the world.

And the Cubans will be crushed tomorrow in Valdivia, Chile. You may have our number in baseball, Fidel Castro, but these soon-to-be defectors are due to roll over and die come Sunday Bloody Sunday. It’s their duty.

St. Jimmy and Jesus of Suburbia, send help. And bring some Novocain with you while you’re rolling down this boulevard of broken dreams, bruised egos, and American idiots. This is a request from the Bedlam.



Saimoe 2007 Second Round: Groups E and F

Saimoe 2007 Second Round: Groups E and F

And the Bedlam continues its coverage of Saimoe 2007 with results from the second round in Groups E and F.

Group E

Round E1-

  1. Sion(Shion) Jujo -Otome wa Boku ni Koishiteru. 201
  2. Shinku-Rozen Maiden 818
  3. Nodoka Miyazaki -Negima!? 539

Winner – Shinku

Round E2-

  1. Ginga Nakajima -Nanoha Strikers 448
  2. Takako Itsukushima- Otome wa Boku ni Koishiteru 573
  3. Shimako Tōdō -Maria-sama ga Miteru OVA 269

Winner - Takako Itsukushima

Takako and Shinku will square off in the third round.

Round E3-

  1. Saki Kijima-Hayate no Gotoku 445
  2. Henrietta-Zero no Tsukaima 575
  3. Tamao Suzumi-Strawberry Panic 675

Winner - Tamao Suzumi. The only player from Strawberry Panic remaining, she continues to hold her ground.

Round E4-

  1. Ayumu Nishizawa - Hayate no Gotoku 830
  2. Asa Shigure- Shuffle Memories 161
  3. Teana Lanster - Nanoha Strikers 767

Winner – Ayumu Nishizawa. It will be Tamao vs. Ayumu for a spot in the Group E final.

Group F

Round F1-

  1. Yoshino Shimazu-Maria-sama ga Miteru 243
  2. Arurū -Utawarerumono 661
  3. Rein-Fushigiboshi no Futagohime Gyu! 438

Winner – Arurū

Round F2-

  1. Asuna Kagurazaka-Negima 462
  2. Suiseiseki-Rozen Maiden 888
  3. Momoko Kuzuryū -Sumomo mo Momo mo ~Chijō Saikyō no Yome~ 122

Winner – Suiseiseki desu. The defender continues her march towards protecting her crown desu. It’s Suiseiseki vs. Arurū for a spot in the group final. Desu.

Round F3-

  1. Miyuki Takara -Lucky Star 318
  2. Souseiseki- Rozen Maiden 706
  3. Sun Seto- Seto no Hanayome 982

Winner – Sun Seto. Great news for the Hanayome party, but not very good news for the Lucky Star and Rozen Maiden nations: both franchise characters from Seto no Hanayome are still alive.

Round F4-

  1. Aika S. Granzchesta - ARIA The NATURAL 415
  2. Kaede Fuyou - Shuffle! Memories 287
  3. Tsukasa Hiiragi - Lucky Star 1048

Winner – Tsukasa Hiiragi. Three out of four ain’t too dang shabby.

She will face her toughest test yet: a date with Suiseiseki for a spot in the Group F final. Will she be able to topple the defending champ? Stay tuned.

We will wrap our second round coverage with results from Groups G and H on the Bedlam.

Moore of the same. And the city waits...

So, the Lakewood Lancers choked again against Poly, 13-6. I’m not going to buy into any talk from Poly saying that this was a bad game for them. A win is a win. Whether or not Compton will have to m.o. to beat the Jackrabbits remains to be seen. The Tarbabes won’t face the stiffs from Atlantic and PCH until November 2.

Meanwhile, I am seeing police cars roll right past me. It’s Friday night, and they are laying a crackdown on the offenders. Babylon in action. The 49er hockey team opened the season defeating Arizona State 3-2, and the women’s volleyball team swept Riverside, but our women’s soccer team was not ready for USC, getting shut out 3-0. If our ladies can beat the Galaxy, then USC’s Women of Troy will make the game look like a farce by halftime.

Finally, Melbourne Victory…actually got a victory, defeating the Queensland Roar, 2-0. I guess tuning in to SEN 1116 for the first time in a while has its benefits. Meanwhile, Greg Ryan lost his mind by tampering with the lineup, and the WNT dropped a 4-0 decision to Brazil. That won’t be the only thing he will lose. I guarantee you. And it’s easy as putting the pieces together. (Hint: Hope Solo will be vindicated for spilling out the cold truth.)

MLS Cup '96. Those were the days...

As I ask myself, “Who is Rosel Mateus?” while delving into the annals of netnography, I take a stroll down memory lane.

I am currently watching a flash from the past: MLS Cup 96, the first edition of Major League Soccer’s championship game. I am looking at the players the Galaxy had on that team. It was 1996, and Foxboro Stadium was the venue. I can notice some key differences. Back in 1996…

  • MLS used the countdown method that the NCAA uses. No stoppage time. No two extra time periods followed by a shootout. Only overtime sudden death periods.
  • The Galaxians were the only support group for the Galaxy. The Riot Squad would not be created until a few years later.
  • The G’s played at the Rose Bowl. The Home Depot Center would not be built for nearly a decade.
  • The introductions of the teams did not follow FIFA protocol back then.
  • Chivas USA was just an idea that someone would come up with. They would not be around until about a decade later.
  • Landon Donovan was still in high school.
  • David Beckham was at his peak down at Manchester United.
  • I only followed them every now and then. I was just starting middle school.

DC United would defeat LA in overtime, 3-2. But I saw some of the people that have since retired. Eduardo Hurtado was the ace of the G’s at the time. Robin Fraser was the captain. Harut Karapetyan was playing, as well as some unknowns that new Galaxy fans may not have heard of. Tampa Bay had a number of award winners. The Mutiny, after a few seasons, folded.

Fast forward to this year, and Cobi Jones is retiring at the end of this season. This will be the end of an era when the final home game is done. After a decade of success, the Galaxy fell on tough times, and now my team enters a period of transition.

I will miss Cobi Jones. I’m not kidding.


Introducing the Bobby Knight of Big XII football…Mike Gundy?

There already is an equivalent of Bobby Knight in Big Ten football. He was a guy by the name of Woody Hayes. But up until this point, I though Woody Hayes was the only Bobby Knight of college football. It turned out that I was wrong..by a country mile.

Enter the 40-year old football virgin, Mike Gundy. Here he is, after a 49-45 slugfest over Texas Tech, in which he rips apart Jenna Carlson for her presumed smack-talking of one of the reserve quarterbacks who is benched anyway…and he does an average, if D-grade, effort in delivering the backlash.

I mean, it’s hilarious, and I applaud the fact that he is standing by his words, at the risk of being chewed up like Hank Hill in the first episode of King of the Hill. At least, he didn’t pull out a Don Imus-like impersonation. Carlson can breathe easy, now that she wasn’t painted in the same brush as the runner-ups on the Rutgers women’s basketball team.

But it takes courage to stand by your words, and face the music. Even I have trouble apologizing for my choice of words, because I believe that apologies never reversed the damage done, and it won’t. You gotta hand it to coaches like Mike Gundy. They would bring tears to Bud Kilmer’s eyes, or at least a chuckle or a smirk.

And one wonders if Bobby Knight is impressed by the choice of words, if at all. After all, he now coaches the basketball team from the university that Mike Gundy’s boys defeated the other weekend.

So much for getting the facts straight…



Saimoe Second Round: Groups C and D

Saimoe Second Round: Groups C and D

The Bedlam rolls on with its Saimoe 2007 coverage with the second round in Groups C and D.

Group C

Round C1

  1. Suzu - Nagasarete Airantou 198
  2. Lunar Edomae -Seto no Hanayome 899
  3. Hinagiku Katsura -Hayate no Gotoku 870

Winner - Lunar Edomae

Biggest upset of the tournament so far. The Hayate harem nation is crying foul at this point, while the Hanayome team is popping the confetti.

Round C2-

  1. Chika Ito -Ichigo Mashimaro 574
  2. Vivio -Nanoha Strikers 197
  3. Nanoha Takamachi- Nanoha Strikers 842

Winner – Never missing a beat, Nanoha Takamachi rolls on, setting up a big clash between idol sensation and the White Devil of the TSAB.

Round C3-

  1. Caro Ru Lushe-Nanoha Strikers 588
  2. Miyako -Hidamari Sketch 657
  3. Makoto Sawatari(The “auuuu” one)-Kanon 458

Winner – Miyako.

Danger! Danger! The Hidamari heavy hitters are coming through.

Round C4-

  1. Ai -ARIA The NATURAL 193
  2. Vita-Nanoha Strikers 778
  3. Matsuri Shihō –Sola 760

Winner – Vita. Closest result in this group: 18 votes.

It will be Miyako vs. Vita for a spot in the Group C final. Uh-oh. Could this be a Nanoha vs. Vita Group C final!? Stay tuned…

Group D

Round D1-

  1. Yuno -Hidamari Sketch 784
  2. Miu Matsuoka -Ichigo Mashimaro 379
  3. Barasuishou-Rozen Maiden 500

Winner – You know who. [pun intended]

We noted on the Bedlam that one should keep an eye on the heavy hitters from Hidamari Sketch, and here’s more proof why.

Round D2-

  1. Akiko Minase-Kanon 382
  2. Hayate Yagami -Nanoha Strikers 931
  3. Kaori Misaka -Kanon 173

Winner – Hayate Yagami. Biggest second-round winning margin in this group.

Round D3-

  1. Shiori Misaka -Kanon 583
  2. Rena Ryuuguu -Higurashi no Naku Koro ni 825
  3. Yue Ayase -Negima!? 319

Winner – Rena Ryuuguu. And the franchise yanderekko from Higurashi (at least in my book) rolls on.

Round D4-

  1. Mugi Asai –Hitohira 324
  2. Kagami Hiiragi-Lucky Star 1155
  3. Hiro-Hidamari Sketch 363

Winner- Kagami Hiiragi. Interesting to note that she had to survive a showdown with Maria from Hayate the Combat Butler just to get to this round. This time, the voters award her courage, and this wasn’t even close. Already battle-tested, the road doesn’t get any easier, with Rena Ryuuguu from Higurashi up next, setting up a nice Group D semifinal!

Groups E and F up next…



Know your place, Mariners.



Thank god [sic] that the Mariner Miracle never materialized and the Curse of Jorge Campillo was lifted.

On Fan Appreciation Day, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim defeated the Seattle Mariners, 7-4. And the champagne, which was on ice the past two days, was uncorked, and it was a fun party all over.

Meanwhile, Long Beach State’s women’s soccer team wraps up their trip in Norman, Oklahoma with a 5-0 win over North Texas, exacting payback for a 1-0 defeat in their last meeting in 1999. The day wasn’t so great for the men’s water polo team, getting their comeuppance from the alumni, 8-7. Next year, old boys, brings some whips with you, to haze them for their futility [sic].



Some bad news…and good news…for Charleston Southern.

The bad news:

    • The Buccaneers got crushed, 66-10.


The good news:

A number of things.

    • They got two interceptions. And the first play from scrimmage for Hawaii
      resulted in their first pick.
    • They held Hawaii to only 21 points in the first
      half, and trailed by as little as 21-10.
    • They even were 7-7 for a good period
      of time, thrusting some concerns among the Aloha Stadium crowd, and keeping the
      people in North Charleston giddy for a bit in the early morning.
    • Hawaii was unable to cover. The Warriors were favored by 60. Charleston Southern only lost by 56.
    • Northern Colorado still lost by a bigger margin: 57 points. One point
      worse.
    • And Northern Colorado still gained the least points against UH so far
      this season: 6 points. 4 points less than Charleston Southern.


Don’t look now, but the Big South might give the Big Sky some fits, should they tangle in the postseason. Bravo, Charleston Southern. You guys performed better than I expected. There might be some hope for you as the season progresses down in your neck of the woods. Pray that your plane doesn't crash like the Marshall team of 1970 on the flight home.

So…who’s afraid of the Big Bad Wolf, anyway?

It ain’t me, of course. The Big Bad Wolf I am referring to is UCSB men’s water polo coach Wolf Wigo. He thought he could come to our house, and huff, and puff, and blow it down. And the UCSB fans thought the same way. Fools! We bent, but didn’t break, and Gavin Arroyo’s guys took it to ‘em, 9-8.

Bring out the lime, Beach Nation, on November 11th…a whitewash may be in order. I’m not scared of wolves…I’m a 49er, inshallah. I hunt wolves! I may have to pantomime a shotgun and pretend to point it at the Big Bad Wolf next meeting, if he complains that I am ruining his concentration. There are bigger things to worry about than suffering another heartbreaker. I leave it to you to figure it out, Gaucho[ke]s.

Now, we aren’t done yet with those punks from Goleta. Our women’s volleyball team isn’t feeling too happy after getting an assraping of the worst kind from the Mustangs of Cal Poly. But if they can’t successfully take their anger out on UC Santa Barbara down at the Thunderdome tonight, I won’t be done chewing Brian Gimmillaro up and spitting him out for his Central Coast futility, either, God forbid it happens.

EDIT: It didn't. The Beach swept 'em, 3-0. Our job's done here for today.

Regis Philbin! You said that “It’s time to stop the bleeding.” Well, when the Jews crucified Jesus (yes, it was the Jews, via the Romans, Caiaphas, the chief priests and those bloody Pharisees, the scumbags, not our sins, that crucified Jesus), they didn’t stop the bleeding. Why should it stop for Charlie Weis’s Fighting Irish football team? Michigan State took it to them, 31-14.

Next time, Mr. Philbin, two words: SHUT UP.

Now here is a brewing storyline that even the Wyrd sisters from Macbeth couldn’t have concocted even if they gave 1000% on it: the Seattle Mariners winning the rest of their games, while the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim lose the rest of their games.

In Seattle, they can call it “The Mariner Miracle.” In Anaheim, we should call it “The Curse of Jorge Campillo.” Seattle won, 3-2. One is still the “magic number.”

Haruhi Suzumiya, send help.



Saimoe 2007 Second Round: Groups A and B

Saimoe 2007 Second Round: Groups A and B


And here we go again in Groups A and B, with the second round results. It’s down to four remaining in both group.

Group A

Round A1-

  1. Shana(Shakugan no shana) 975
  2. Evangeline AK Mcdowell(Negima) 811
  3. Karen Stadtfeld-Code Geass 213
  4. Kanaria(Rozen Maiden) 177

Winner – Shana

Round A2-

  1. Segawa Izumi- Hayate no Gotoku 730
  2. Lisianthus(Sia)-Shuffle Memories! 208
  3. Konomi Yuzuhara -ToHeart 2 OVA 521

Winner – Izumi

It will be a battle between Shana and Izumi for a spot in the Group A final.

Round A3-

  1. Miki Hanabishi-Hayate no Gotoku 288
  2. Yukari Hirai-Shakugan no Shana 381
  3. Tomoe Kashiwaba-Rozen Maiden 613

Winner - Tomoe

Round A4-

  1. Tomari Kurusu-Kashimashi 253
  2. Nagi Sanzen’in-Hayate no Gotoku 994
  3. Ayano Minegishi-Lucky Star 267

Winner – Nagi. The most lopsided result of the group.

It will be Nagi vs. Tomoe for a spot in the Group A final. Can Kawashiba make it another upset special? Stay tuned…

Group B

Round B1-

  1. Isumi Saginomiya-Hayate 1010
  2. Yui Narumi-Lucky Star 274
  3. Siesta-Zero no Tsukaima 568

Winner – Isumi. The first blowout from this group.

Round B2-

  1. Nayuki Minase- Kanon 674
  2. Konata Izumi-Lucky Star 824
  3. Ellis- EL CALADOR 174

Winner – Konata

It’s Isumi vs. Izumi for a spot in the Group B final.

Round B3-

  1. Konoka Konoe-Negima!? 543
  2. Mika “Mikan” Inamori- Manabi Straight 537
  3. Sae-Hidamari Sketch 239

Winner – Konoka. Closest result in this group: six votes.

Round B4-

  1. C.C-Code Geass 775
  2. Chikaru Minamoto-Strawberry Panic 660
  3. Urutori–Utawarerumono 122

Winner – C.C.

Konoka will face off against C.C. for a spot in the Group B final.

Groups C and D up next…on BoBA.


Hello, Canadian fart-sniffers.

As if things weren’t bad enough for Canadian soccer, seeing that the women’s national team, a.k.a. “Big Red”, give up a late goal to Australia and see them knocked out of the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup, the salt was rubbed in the already gaping wounds of those who followed the round ball up in the Great White North.

That bunch of fart-sniffers, also known as the Canadian Soccer Association, decided to give CONCACAF, and Canadian associated football aficionados in general, the middle finger by rejecting an offer to host the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying tournament.

To which BoBA responds simply with, “What is this faggotry!?

From the London Free Press:

CHENGDU, CHINA -- The battleground is supposed to be 28,269 seat Chengdu Sports Stadium in the middle of downtown in this Sichuan Province capital city of seven million people.

It's where Canada plays Australia tomorrow in the go on or home game in Group C of the Women's World Cup.

But it was a practice field behind a bowling alley here yesterday where the shots were being fired as the Canadian players expressed disappointment and coach Even Pellerud and manager Les Meszaros escalated their outrage at the Canadian Soccer Association here yesterday.

That's where the spit hit the fan with the revelation on Sunday that the CSA turned down a CONCACAF request to play host to the Olympic qualifying tournament.

Angus Barrett of St. John's, the head of delegation, executive member of the association and director at large, was confronted by media members here to explain the decision.

He said the CSA, an organization currently without a president, a CEO or an executive director, "couldn't afford the $300,000 to $400,000 it would cost" to play host to the six-team tournament in Canada despite the advantage it would give Canada in getting to next summer's Beijing Olympic Games. The event is now likely to be held in Haiti.

"Haiti can afford it but Canada can't?" said Meszaros. "How do you explain that to the Canadian public?"

You can't. Especially after Pellerud, who is on the final year of his contract, was inspired to reveal more of the dirty details.

"We're talking about pocket money. We could easily get all that money back in ticket sales if we put up the money," he said of the event next March.

Do the math. It's chump change.

Pellerud said he'd even arranged a local organizing committee to play host to the event in Victoria.

"I told the association they could take the money out of our team budget. That was my offer to them. We believed there would be no problem at all recovering it. The CSA simply didn't want to make the effort to do it. It's a very big disappointment to me and the whole team."

Kara Lang, a member of the Canadian team which finished in the final four of the Women's World Cup four years ago but then lost the get-to-the-Olympics game against Mexico in the qualifying tournament in Costa Rica, said it was "extremely disappointing" to the team.

"It really would have put us at an advantage. It would have made it a lot easier."

"It's disappointing for sure," said veteran Andrea Neil. "I don't know if there are reasons for it that we don't understand."

Barrett said: "The CSA decided it would cost us too much to host. Next year is going to be a very expensive year with World Cup qualifying games for the men's team and the women's team preparations for the Olympic qualifying. There are huge demands for national teams next year."

He said despite setting a record attendance of 1,192,161 in playing host to the recent FIFA U-20 World Cup, the association managed to lose money. Five years ago, the association played host to the FIFA U-19 Women's World Championships centred in Edmonton and made enough money to cover costs and pay FIFA host seeding money back.

Barrett didn't dispute the advantage it would give Canada to qualify at home.

"I agree. There's no doubt about it," he said. "I don't blame Even one bit. He wants the best for his players."

And the CSA doesn't? Where there's a will, there's a way.

Pellerud showed the will and the way.

The Canadian Soccer Association has clearly lost their way. The organization has become a national disgrace.

No question, this group of fart-sniffers has no respect for the game itself, and one must ask of their qualification to make these types of faggotrical decision-making. I, for one, am disgusted, and laugh at their faces in smite, as Haiti, a once war-torn country where Jean Bertrand Aristide ran amok like Baron Samedi on a Sunday morning, will pick up the pieces and do the right thing for once.

“They who give the middle finger to an excellent opportunity must be shot, and left to rot in the street.” -Anonymous

Farewell, Jose Mourinho.

Well, this has to be some shocking news, since I follow the Chelsea over land and sea (and Leicester, maybe)...

Jose Mourinho's three-year reign at Chelsea came to an abrupt end on Thursday
as the Portuguese manager's fraught relationship with the club's Russian owner,
Roman Abramovich, finally reached breaking point.
An announcement that will
send shockwaves through English and European football came in the early hours of
Thursday morning with Chelsea claiming that Mourinho had left "by mutual
consent."
A terse statement posted on the London club's website stated:
"Chelsea Football Club and Jose Mourinho have agreed to part company today
(Thursday) by mutual consent."
Mourinho had reportedly informed Frank Lampard
and other senior players that he was on his way out on Wednesday evening and
late-night talks at Stamford Bridge concluded with confirmation of his
departure.
The Portuguese manager, who made his reputation by guiding FC
Porto to UEFA Champions League glory in 2004, has transformed the English
football landscape since taking over at Stamford Bridge in June 2004, winning
two Premier League titles in his first two years in charge, the FA Cup last
season and the League Cup in 2005 and 2007.
Of the 185 games he has been in
charge, Chelsea have won 124, drawn 40 and lost 21, a record that includes a
60-match unbeaten run in Premier League matches at Stamford Bridge.
The
statistics go some way towards justifying Mourinho's famous description of
himself as "a special one."
That comment was made in his first press
conference in England and it is a judgement that few Chelsea fans would dispute
after three years which saw the club end its 50-year wait to be crowned
champions and establish itself as one of the most feared teams in
Europe.
However, the success has failed to seduce Abramovich and the
Russian's relationship with his most outspoken employee turned sour last season
when he refused to come up with the funds Mourinho required to land his January
transfer targets, a stance the Portuguese believes contributed to Chelsea
conceding the Premier League title to Manchester United.
On the other side of
the feud, Abramovich has grown increasingly impatient with the fact that, after
investing nearly 500 million pounds (one billion dollars) in the club, Chelsea
have failed to conquer Europe and continue to lag behind the likes of Arsenal,
Barcelona and Manchester United in terms of entertainment value.
Tuesday's
disappointing 1-1 Champions League draw with Norwegian side Rosenberg - watched
by fewer than 25,000 fans - appears to have brought simmering tensions to the
boil, and with hindsight, Mourinho's pre-match comments about the need to buy
the best eggs to make the best omelette offered a hint that things were not
going smoothly behind the scenes.
Mourinho and Abramovich appeared to have
agreed to bury their differences over the summer and the manager had started
this campaign pledging that he would be a much more "chilled" figure than in his
first two seasons in England.
However, the strain of Chelsea's poor recent
form was evident on Saturday, when Mourinho tossed a flat-screen television set
to the ground in frustration over a disallowed goal in his side's 0-0 draw with
Blackburn.
The manager has also made no attempt to disguise his frustration
with Chelsea's misfiring striker Andriy Shevchenko, whose £30 million signing
from AC Milan is widely believed to have been ordered by Abramovich.
Mourinho
has also clashed with the Russian owner over backroom appointments, notably the
May 2005 recruitment of Dutchman Frank Arnesen as the club's youth/scouting
supremo and the appointment of Avram Grant as director of football.
Grant is
likely to be in charge of Chelsea for Sunday's trip to Manchester United but it
is thought likely that Abramovich will be looking to bring in a high-profile
successor to Mourinho.
Russia coach Guus Hiddink and former Germany boss
Jurgen Klinsmann are likely to top the speculative short-list, which may also
include Sevilla's highly-rated Juande Ramos.


Godspeed, Jose Mourinho. I hope either Guus or Jurgen gets it. Not sure about Juande. Either way, it should be nice GET! for Chelsea and Roman Abramovich.

2007 Long Beach State Hockey Schedule

Long Beach State: Better hockey than the Ice Dogs.





September
28 Fri 7:30pm Home Arizona State University DI
29 Sat 7:30pm Home Arizona State University DI

OCTOBER
04Thu 8:50pm Home University of Southern California
05Fri Away University of Southern California
11Thu Away University of Utah
12Fri Away Brigham Young University
13Sat Away Utah State University
19Fri 9:15pm Home UCLA
20Sat Away UCLA
26Fri Away Colorado University
27Sat Away Virginia Tech University
28Sun Away San Jose State University

NOVEMBER
02Fri 7:30pm HOME Arizona State University
03Sat 7:45pm HOME Arizona State University
09Fri Away University of Arizona DI
10Sat Away University of Arizona DI
15Thu 8:50pm Home Colorado State University
17Sat 7:30pm Home Colorado State University
30Fri 7:30pm Home University of Utah

DECEMBER
01 Sat 7:30pm Home University of Utah
07 Fri Away University of Southern California
08 Sat 7:30pm Home University of Southern California

JANUARY
11Thu Away Arizona State University
12Sat Away Arizona State University
17Thu 8:50pm Home University of Washington
18Fri 9:15pm Home Brigham Young University

19Sat 7:30pm Home Brigham Young University

FEBRUARY
01 Fri 9:15pm Home Loyola Marymount University
07 Thu Away Loyola Marymount University
08 Fri 9:15pm Home San Jose State University

21-23 TBA Away National Regional

CRUSHED! FELLED! FINISHED! OWNED! GAR!


Team Microsoft has been crushed! The European Court runs up the score in the poor Washingtonians in a landmark decision that makes Appalachian State’s victory over Michigan look like a drop in the ocean.

From ZDNet reports:

Microsoft suffered a stunning defeat on Monday when a European Union court backed a European Commission ruling that the U.S. software giant illegally abused its market power to crush competitors.

The European Union's second-highest court dismissed the company's appeal on all substantive points of the 2004 antitrust ruling.

Microsoft shares traded in Frankfurt were down 2 percent at 20.40 euros in trading on Monday, underperforming the European technology index, which was down 0.4 percent. About 15,000 shares had changed hands, roughly the 30-day average daily trading volume.

The court said Microsoft, the world's largest software maker, was unjustified in tying new applications to its Windows operating system in a way that harmed consumer choice.

The verdict, which may be appealed only on points of law and not of fact, could force Microsoft to change its business practices.

It also gives EU Competition Commission Neelie Kroes a green light to pursue other antitrust cases and complaints involving Microsoft, Intel, Qualcomm and Rambus, and to issue draft new antitrust guidelines that were put on ice pending the ruling.

"Microsoft must now comply fully with its legal obligations to desist from engaging in anticompetitive conduct. The Commission will do its utmost to ensure that Microsoft complies swiftly," Kroes said in a statement.

The court upheld a record $689 million fine imposed on the company as part of the original decision.

More important, it endorsed Commission sanctions against Microsoft's tying together of software and refusal to give rival makers of office servers information to enable their products to work smoothly with Windows, used by 95 percent of computers.

It annulled only the EU regulator's imposition of a Microsoft-funded independent trustee to monitor compliance.

"The Court of First Instance essentially upholds the Commission's decision finding that Microsoft abused its dominant position," a court statement said.

Downbeat
Microsoft General Counsel Brad Smith was downbeat in speaking to reporters at the courtroom, promising the company would obey the ruling in full. He said there was no decision yet on whether to appeal to the European Court of Justice.

"It is clearly very important to us as a company that we comply with our obligations under European law," Smith said. "We will study this decision carefully and if there additional steps we need to take in order to comply with it, we will take them."

Microsoft has used every recourse open to it in every case brought against it by governments and regulators.

The company has weathered a series of defeats in antitrust cases in the last decade and sees legal setbacks as almost part of its business model and a price for its near-monopoly.

Microsoft has already moved to new battlegrounds such as seeking acceptance of its technical standards across the industry, while continuing to bundle new features into its new Vista desktop software.

Rivals welcomed the EU court decision as a signal that authorities do not intend to allow Microsoft to pursue anticompetitive practices with impunity.

The Commission ordered the company to sell a version of Windows without the Windows Media Player application used for video and music, which few have bought, and to share information allowing rivals' office servers to work smoothly with Windows.

No objective justification
"Microsoft has not demonstrated the existence of objective justification for the bundling, and ... the remedy imposed by the Commission is proportionate," the court statement said.

A spokesman for Microsoft opponents, the European Committee for Interoperable Systems, said the ruling confirmed Microsoft had abused its near-monopoly in computer operating systems and set ground rules for the company's behavior.

"This decision establishes principles for the behavior of this company. Microsoft should now finally comply with the Commission decision on operability," lawyer Thomas Vinje said.

Another winner was the Free Software Foundation, which makes free, open software for work group servers. "Microsoft can consider itself above the law no longer," said Georg Greve, president of the FSF Europe.

The judges ordered Microsoft to pay the costs of FSF and those of the software giant's business rivals, which had supported the Commission's case. By contrast, Microsoft's allies were forced to bear their own costs.

The Commission must pay 20 percent of its own costs and 20 percent of Microsoft's while Microsoft must pay 80 percent of its own costs and 80 percent of the Commission's.

The ruling was made by the 13-judge Grand Chamber of the Court of First Instance in Luxembourg, the first time such a matter has been broadcast on live television.

Since the original decision, the Commission has fined Microsoft a further $381.4 million, saying it had failed to comply with the interoperability sanction. The EU regulator is considering a further fine for noncompliance. The Commission also says it'll seek to reduce Microsoft's market share in Europe.

"A market level of much less than 95 percent would be a way of measuring success ... You can't draw a line and say exactly 50 (percent) is correct, but a significant drop in market share is what we would like to see," Kroes told a news conference.

The company's Windows operating system runs on about 95 percent of the world's personal computers.



Okay, who wrote our university’s women’s soccer media guide? Fess up.



Today, in a effort to kill some time before attacking my assignments (I will go ahead and do some MGMT 425 work after I post this blog), I went over to George Allen Field to see our ladies face the Baylor Bears. Finally, our ladies are able to actually win at home IN REGULATION. Hallelujah. We defeated those grues from Waco by the score of 3-0. Only one save needed for Liz Ramos, 12 for the Baylor keeper. That was how one-sided this match was.

Next up: a trip to Norman to face not the Sooners, but a couple of teams in Middle Tennessee State and North Texas, the latter who we have faced a couple of times. Note: some revenge is in order; in our last meeting with the Mean Green (in 1999, an ignominious season to forget), we lost to them 1-0.

Before the game, though, I bought the media guide for our team, and it was not until page 15 (the media guide, $5.00 [I had to sell some bottles the day before to muster enough to buy it, as well as a Rockstar, Trident, and this Sunday’s Press-Telegram) that I saw some errors in the guide. (As if Evan Longoria returning to play women’s soccer for Long Beach State was bad enough…good God…) For example, in Rachel Whiteaker’s section, it says “…at the Long Beach State,” and “…at the Central Florida”. It was the same for Mariko Stirckland’s section. Here’s an idea, guys: drop the “THE” in the statement.

Some more errors:

Page 22: in the record, they spell Sahar Haghdan’s last name wrong. (Haghan? Haghand? Who are they? I don’t remember anyone with that last name on our team; what’s up?)

Page 25: Poor Dr. F. King Alexander, they cut off his section early, and didn’t complete everything. How to fix it? Simple: resize the text to something smaller!

Page 29: Misspelled Brianna Truelove’s last name in the Academic All-Stars section. (Who is Turelove? That’s a questionable last name, along the lines of Texas Tech kicker Keith Toogood.)

This is why we have proofreading and editing tools, guys. Apparently, whoever wrote this forgot to use it. No offense, but these errors can make a negative impression on the professionalism of people up top. It’s the truth. If I was Dr. Deborah Gaut, I would give the person who wrote this a D, if not an F, for making the mechanics errors all that apparent.


A side note: Murray State defeated Lambuth yesterday, 48-13. You can breathe a sigh of relief now, Dr. Alexander.

I think they are still jealous of the cold hard fact...


...that we are still the defending Olympic gold medalists in rugby for over eight decades. So they decide to thumb their noses at our rugby team.

PARIS, 14 September - Yesterday evening in Paris a RWC 2007 Appeal Hearing was held into the case of USA centre Paul Emerick.

The Appeal Committee comprised Chairman Justice Wyn Williams, Bruce Squire QC and Judge Guillermo Tragant.

The Appeal Committee upheld the decision of the Judicial Officer, Professor Lorne Crerar, in suspending Paul Emerick (USA) for a dangerous tackle on England's Olly Barkley in the England v USA match on 8 September.

The Appeal Committee was satisfied that the tackle in question was very dangerous and, in the circumstances, a five week suspension was the correct sanction.

RNS dk/djp

Williams, Squire, Tragant and Crerar can go hang themselves for their apparent jealousy that for all the accolades their teams have won, we are still the best at Olympic rugby. It's the truth. And we would kick their asses at American football. It would be over by the first quarter.

Speaking of which, Hawaii got back to their usual mojo, defeating UNLV, 49-14, but this time using some more run from the run-and-shoot system. Colt Brennan ran for 3 touchdowns, passing for two more, and Ryan Mouton out of juco national champs Blinn JC intercepted a pass for a touchdown, while Tyler Graunke hurled one more score, this time to Malcolm Lane in relief.

Bring on Charleston Southern. Nobody cares about a bunch of black college easybeats like Johnson C. Smith (who?) anyway.

It seems the number "49" is looking to be a good number.

San Diego rolled over Northern Colorado 49-13 (Seriously, Bears, did you think you were reallyt ready for a Division I FCS mid-major team? Get a gut check and go back to D-II, you Greeley grues) , USC rolled over Nebraska 49-31, and Mike Hart turns from Lola of the Copacabana into Joe Namath of the New York Jets with Michigan pasting Notre Dame 38-0.

The latter result was not "49", but was close, given that Notre Dame flat-out sucks.

Meanwhile, Long Beach State women's volleyball wraps up a road show in Denver with a 3-2 victory over Ohio, and the men's water polo team splits a couple of matches at the NorCal Tournament. Oh yeah, and the women's soccer team defeated Oklahoma, 2-1.

Only low notes were Long Beach City failing, as well as the Roughriders choking. Booo.

Saimoe 2007 First Round Group H

Saimoe 2007 First Round Group H

We wrap up the first round of voting here at Saimoe 2007 with a wrap-up of Group H. There are going to be some great second-round matches. Here’s the round up on the Bedlam.

Round H1-

  1. Chitose Kanna – Hitohira 232
  2. Makie Sasaki-Negima 358
  3. Satoko Hojo -Higurashi no Naku Koro ni 543


Winner- Satoko Hojo

Round H2-

  1. Sugintou -Rozen Maiden 924
  2. Manaka Komaki-To Heart2 OVA 256
  3. Koyori Ishizuki –Sola 286

Winner-Sugintou

Round H-3

  1. Fate Testerrosa Harlaown - Nanoha Strikers 1112
  2. Milly Ashford -Code Geass 237
  3. Miki Onimaru-Muteki Kanban Musume 166

Winner- As expected, Fate Harlaown. Most lopsided result of the group.

Round H4-

  1. Lutecia-Nanoha Strikers 523
  2. Misaki Nakahara -Welcome to the N.H.K. 569
  3. Tsubomi Okuwaka-Strawberry Panic! 341

Winner- Misaki Nakahara. The showcase moekko of Welcome to the NHK advances in a nailbiter.

Round H5-

  1. Shamal -Nanoha Strikers 456
  2. Neko Musume-GeGeGe no Kitaro 277
  3. Gretel-BLACK LAGOON The Second Barrage 308

Winner- Shamal

Round H6-

  1. Alicia Florence -ARIA The NATURAL 672
  2. Reinforce- Nanoha Strikers 303
  3. Margery Daw -Shakugan no Shana 161

Winner- Alicia Florence. The heavy hitters from ARIA roll on.

Round H7-

  1. Misaki Hijiri-Saint October 142
  2. Mai Kawasumi- Kanon 766
  3. Mawari Zenigata -Seto no Hanayome 625

Winner-Mai Kawasumi

Round H8-

  1. Karen Sonomiya-Sky Girls 144
  2. Otoha Sakurano-Sky Girls 590
  3. Louise de La Valliere -Zero no Tsukaima 922

Winner – Louise de La Valliere

Round H9-

  1. Ringo Kinoshita -Otogi-Jūshi Akazukin 427
  2. Yurika Hanayamada-Chocotto Sister 157
  3. Ami Futami-iDOLM@STER: XENOGLOSSIA 333

Winner- Ringo Kinoshita

Round H-10-

  1. Megumi Noda-Nodame Cantabile 223
  2. Miyo Takano-Higurashi no Naku Koro ni 503
  3. Sumomo Kohinata-Happiness 318

Winner- Miyo Takano

Round H11-

  1. Sachiko Ogasawara-Maria-sama ga Miteru OVA 299
  2. Mai Tokiha–Mai-Otome Zwei 460
  3. Ibarahime-Otogi-Jūshi Akazukin 514

Winner- Ibarahime

Round H12-

  1. Nanako Kuroi-Lucky Star 94 610
  2. Inori Hiiragi-Lucky Star
  3. Eri Sawachika -School Rumble 750

Winner- Eri Sawachika. It seems School Rumble’s campaign isn’t a complete bust yet.

The first round at Saimoe 2007 is a rep. Round 2, coming right up…on the Bedlam.



What a way to wake up, eh?

There are athletic sites, and there are athletic sites that deserve major lulz. Exposed!

So I came back from Smorgasport on campus, and a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Oklahoma at George Allen Field, and when I got back to my laptop (it was downloading some torrents while I was away), I saw the score: Lakewood 40, Mayfair 3.

Now, at first, I wasn’t so sure if Lakewood was going to be able to be focused, after the ignominious start to the year. But I can deduce three reasons why Lakewood wanted this game:

  1. They are 0-2. Well, they were 0-2. But I had a gut feeling that if this was how they would play, they might go winless. I do not remember a season in which my high school’s football team actually suffered a winless season. Those guys didn’t want to see that, either.
  2. The game against Tesoro was a tail of two halves. We were up 21-10 at the break, and as the guys took the field for the second half, I warned, “Hey, 21-10 is not a good-enough lead. You gotta add to it, because that can be made up in a hurry.” It pays to listen. Apparently, they didn’t, and the Titans won, 24-21. I could imagine Coach Thadd MacNeal not being the least bit happy with the performance, and I could also imagine him yelling it to their faces. (I shouldn’t go into detail with the bus ride that followed, but to keep it short: you can’t tell me that there aren’t any nappy-headed ho’s who operated the coaches on Long Beach Transit. That means someone close to you lied, straight up. They must be fish-slapped, immediately. In the groin.)
  3. Mayfair wrested the Milk Bucket away from them last year. That had to leave a bad taste in Lakewood’s mouths, and they wanted that back.

Apparently, Mayfair coach Mike Fitch wasn’t ready for what his Monsoons were going to be up against. They were facing an angry, frustrated, hell-bent Lancer football team looking for answers, and someone to smack the devil down on. MaxPreps predicted that Mayfair would defend their trophy.

This is clear proof why statistics should be burned at the stake when it comes to these rivalry games, because they are meaningless.

Let’s see if this blowout over the Monsoons will get them ready for a shot at evening their records against La Palma Kennedy.

Saimoe 2007 First Round Group G

Saimoe 2007 First Round Group G

The Bedlam continues its coverage of Saimoe 2007, with first round results from Group G.

Round G1-

  1. Kamyu –Utawarerumono 161
  2. Reinforce II-Nanoha Strikers 813
  3. Ayu Tsukimiya –Kanon 934


Winner- Ayu Tsukimiya

Round G2-

  1. Kaguya Sumeragi -Code Geass 368
  2. Chigusa Sakai-Shakugan no Shana 399
  3. Sakuya-Utawarerumono 264

Winner-Chigusa Sakai. One of the more lower voter turnouts in the first round.

Round G3-

  1. Limone-Simoun 420
  2. Eruru (Elulu)-Utawarerumono 566
  3. Touka –Utawarerumono 194

Winner- Eruru (Elulu)

Round G4-

  1. Yukiji Katsura-Hayate no Gotoku 340
  2. Solty Revant-Solty Rei 178
  3. Alice Carroll- ARIA the Natural 662

Winner - Alice Carroll

Round G5-

  1. Sayuri Kurata- Kanon 934
  2. Anri Hiiragi-Happiness 395
  3. Revy -BLACK LAGOON The Second Barrage 322

Results-

Winner- Sayuri Kurata. One of the more lopsided results from this group.

Round G6-

  1. Hime -Princess Resurrection 380
  2. Akari Mizunashi -Aria the Natural 519
  3. Choco-Chocotto Sister 180


Winner- Akari Mizunashi

Round G7-

  1. Gretel -Otogi-Jūshi Akazukin 501
  2. Yukari Takara-Lucky Star 257
  3. Karada Iokawa -Asatte no Houko 454


Winner - Gretel

Round G8-

  1. Mion Sonozaki -Higurashi no Naku Koro ni 773
  2. Mamiina-Simoun 191
  3. Darry-Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann 284

Winner – Mion Sonozaki. Another lopsided result going to one of the returning favorites.

Round G9-

  1. Ayane -Nagasarete Airantou 659
  2. Yakumo Tsukamoto -School Rumble 567
  3. Mana Ishizuki- Sola 450

Winner - Ayane

Round G10-

  1. Corticarte Apa Lagranges-Shinkyoku Sōkai Polyphonica 288
  2. Nono Ichinose-Hitohira 452
  3. Arf -Nanoha Strikers 295

Winner - Nono

Round G11-

  1. Ichiko Takashima -Otome wa Boku ni Koishiteru 410
  2. Matsuri Sakuragi-Ichigo Mashimaro 416
  3. Lirio-El Cazador de la Bruja 373

Winner- Matsuri Sakuragi. The closest result in the group: 6 votes. Ichigo Mashimaro still tugs at the heartstrings here at Saimoe 2007.

Round G12-

  1. Rika Furude -Higurashi no Naku Koro ni 786
  2. Miki Hiiragi-Lucky Star 156
  3. Nia -Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann 371

Winner – Rika Furude

One more group to go in the first round, and it’s Group H! Stay tuned for more results from Saimoe 2007 on BoBA.

9/11: Never forget...

Walk blindly to the light and reach out for his hand
Don't ask any questions and don't try to understand
Open up your mind and then open up your heart
And you will see that you and me aren't very far apart

'Cause I believe that love is the answer
I believe that love will find the way

Violence is spread worldwide and there are families on the street
And we sell drugs to children now oh why can't we just see
That all we do is eliminate our future with the things we do today
Money is our incentive now so that makes it okay

But I believe that love is the answer
I believe that love will find the way
I believe that love is the answer
I believe that love will find the way

I've been seeing Lisa now for a little over a year
She said she's never been so happy but Lisa lives in fear
That one day daddy's gonna find out she's in love
With a nigger from the streets
Oh how he would lose it then but she's still here with me
'Cause she believes that love will see it through
And one day he'll understand
And he'll see me as a person not just a black man

'Cause I believe that love is the answer
I believe that love will find the way
I believe I believe I believe I believe that love is the answer
I believe that love will find the way
Love will find the way
Love will find the way
Love will find the way
Please love find the way
Please love find the way...

-Blessid Union of Souls, I Believe
We will never forget that 9/11 tragedy...




The Bedlam on Baltic Avenue would like to have another moment of silence for the passing of a local fishing hero. Rest in peace, Jed Walsh.

`Little fishies in the brook, come and bite my little hook'
Legendary fisherman and friend, dead at 98
By Bob Keisser, Staff writer
Inside SOCAL
Article Launched:09/10/2007 11:03:14 PM PDT
Jed Welsh's daughter Susie once advised her dad to write a book about his fish tales, but the reality is the well-known fisherman and Press-Telegram outdoors columnist had enough fish stories to fill a library, much less a book.

Welsh died Sunday morning at the age of 98 from pneumonia but his persona will live on throughout Long Beach and California because of his tremendous influence on the sport.

Welsh learned his fishing and outdoor skills from his father Joe and happily and successfully merged his love for it into a career as a manufacturer of tackle, fishing guide, promoter, salesman and writer. He wrote freelance articles for fishing magazines in the '40s and became a regular outdoors columnist for the Long Beach Independent before moving to the Press-Telegram in the early '50s.

To this day, you can walk into almost any bait shop and find a package of Jed Welsh lures near the counter. He ran the business with his wife Helen until his mid-60s, when he sold it and the name to a private company.

"My dad helped build part of Catalina Island. He lived with Indians. He could take us anywhere in the Sierras and find a stream so remote that he'd joke not even the Indians knew where it was," said his daughter Susie Nolen.

"My brother and I would work at his shop along with some of our friends. We'd take these vacations into the mountains each summer, and find all kind of crazy fishing activities to do other times of the year, like the Crawdad Stomp, clam digging, driftwood casting, grunion hunting.

"I would go with dad on his selling trips to the Sierras each summer, to June Lake, all the way up to Reno and back," said his son Jed. "We'd fish, and then sell, then fish to noon, and then sell, then fish the rest of the day. It was a great way for a young kid to spend his summer."

His son said his father's love and aptitude for the sport came naturally, and the stories inevitably were successful and larger than life.

"We once took our 14-footer out to Catalina looking for Marlin, and a hammerhead shark came by when it got a whiff of the bait," he said. "Here we were in a 14-foot boat being followed by a 16-foot shark. Dad tried a series of aft turns to elude him but the shark wouldn't leave, so we rolled up the bait. The shark wasn't happy, I guess, because he bit one of the props before leaving."

Welsh said his dad caught 94 marlin in his life and he always recalled the one time it took him and a friend three hours to bring one in off Avalon. By the time they decked him, their boat was out of gas and drifting in the Pacific. They spent the night watching the Navy hold some firing exercises over Catalina.

"I'd say that probably everyone who works at a landing up and down the coast knows dad and have their own stories to tell," his son said.

Jed was born in January of 1909 and attended Pasadena High and USC, where he was a world-class hurdler and the Trojans' 1932 team captain. He left school prematurely, according to his long time friend and local sports celebrity George Van Zant, for financial reasons and launched his successful manufacturing career.

"Jed was influenced greatly by his father Joe, who established the Welsh name in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and Catalina Island and helped build part of the island," Van Zant wrote in a letter to the Press-Telegram.

"Jed became a fishing guide in the Sierras and offered a free trip to any customer that didn't catch a limit of trout. He charged five dollars and never failed to get his customers their 15 fish limit."

"My granddad built a house in Catalina and dad worked the rock quarry there when they were blasting rocks to build the breakwater," Jed Welsh said. "Dad was sent to Catalina in his teens after doctors detected a heart murmur and gave him six months to live. Four years later, he was training for the Olympic Games and competing at USC. He outlived all of those doctors."

"Jed fished and caught almost every sport fish on the planet," wrote Van Zant. "He once held the world record for roosterfish and currently holds the record for a yellowfin croaker. (He befriended) Ernest Hemingway and worked as a deckhand for Zane Gray at Catalina Island.

"He'll be missed for his salesman smile and down to earth, homespun writing. We'll miss his colorful sayings, like `Bite, you cowards,' and `Little fishies in the brook, come and bite my little hook."'

"Dad never realized it was time to stop fishing," his son said, "He went out to Alamitos Bay with George back in August. I think he'd have been dead a long time ago if he had ever stopped."

Welsh's wife of 68 years, Helen, survives him along with Jed and Susie, two grandchildren, Dylan and Lucas, three great-grandkids, and thousands of friends who shared his love of fishing.

Services are pending and will be published in the Press-Telegram when the family announces it plans.

George Van Zant contributed to this story.