Manchester United: 2023-24 FA Cup Winners

 

Manchester United pulled off a thrilling Emirates FA Cup triumph as teenage sensations Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo inspired a 2-1 win against rivals Manchester City.

Garnacho took advantage of a City mistake to put United ahead on the half-hour before Mainoo calmly doubled their lead, as the Red Devils stunned Pep Guardiola’s domestic double hopefuls in the first half.

City laid siege to United’s goal after half-time and hit the cross-bar through Erling Haaland, before substitute Jeremy Doku set-up a grandstand finish with a low shot into the bottom corner in the 87th minute.

However, United held firm to win the 13th Emirates FA Cup in their history, moving to within one of Arsenal’s record, and book their place in next season’s Europa League.

This marks their second trophy under manager Erik ten Hag and comes at the end of a wild Emirates FA Cup journey. United required extra-time to beat rivals Liverpool 4-3 in a pulsating quarter-final and then penalties to see off Coventry City in the semi-finals following a sensational 3-3 draw.

While this did not quite match those matches for drama, it was a nail-biting final and a fine way to end a difficult season for United that saw them finish eighth in the Premier League, 31 points behind champions City in the table.

City have the Premier League trophy to show for another excellent campaign but missed out on the chance to become the first side in English history to win back-to-back league and cup doubles.

Last year’s Emirates FA Cup triumph came against the very same opponents and this marked the first repeat final since 1885. That day, City scored after just 12 seconds – Ilkay Gundogan’s spectacular volley sending them on the way to a 2-1 win – and this match threatened an equally explosive start.

First, a long United pass forward sent Marcus Rashford through on goal but City captain Kyle Walker raced back to deny him a shot inside the box. Seconds later at the other end, Lisandro Martinez barged Haaland over in the penalty area, prompting claims for a City spot-kick.

United were content to sit back and pin their hopes to the counter-attack, and that almost bore fruit in the eighth minute when Bruno Fernandes found Garnacho inside the penalty area, but the winger shot straight at Stefan Ortega.

While that was a difficult opportunity, his next was gift-wrapped by some slack City defending.

Diogo Dalot sent a long and high ball upfield for Garnacho to chase, though City seemed to have it covered with Josko Gvardiol in front of the winger and Ortega rushing out of his goal. However, a lack of communication resulted in a costly error, as Gvardiol headed the ball over Ortega’s head and left opportunist Garnacho a simple tap-in.

With that, the mood changed. United were suddenly alive to every ball and confident enough to press City higher up the pitch, and, with the defending champions a touch off their best, it paid dividends.

Garnacho escaped City’s defence again and crossed for Rashford to tap into an empty net, sparking wild celebrations in the east stand that quickly were cut short by an offside flag. Nonetheless, City were warned, but – much to Guardiola’s frustration - they failed to listen.

Two minutes later, United cut City open with a scything move from left to right. It started with Rashford’s pin-point cross-field pass to Garnacho, who had time and space to pick a pass to Fernandes, unaccompanied on the edge of the box.

City defenders rushed to close down a potential shot, but the United captain brilliantly flicked the ball on to an unmarked Mainoo, who shot low and hard across Ortega and into the bottom corner. Suddenly, United were in firm control and City desperately playing catch up.

In response, Guardiola wasted no time in re-setting his team at half-time, sending the pacey winger Doku on in place of midfielder Mateo Kovacic in an attacking substitute.

The Belgian’s direct dribbling added an instant threat he twice went close to an assist with a pair of slippery cut-backs, first for Phil Foden, who scuffed his shot, before another later found Erling Haaland, whose vicious shot smacked the cross-bar.

Those 30 all-action seconds transformed the mood, with City - and their vocal fans behind the goal - growing in belief.

Walker reacted with a howitzer of a shot from 30 yards that forced Andre Onana into a sensational save, before another City substitute – Julian Alvarez – shot narrowly over the bar when well-placed inside the box. United were on the ropes.

Alvarez then wasted another fine opportunity, as he raced on to a sublime Foden pass inside the box but slid his shot wide of Onana’s right-hand post from just 10 yards out.

Walker forced Onana into another save with a snarling long-range shot, but City’s charged started to flatline as full-time approached.

However, Doku sparked a nail-biting finale when he drifted onto his right foot on the left wing and beat Onana at his near-post with a low shot from the edge of the box.

But they failed to create another major opportunity and United survived to the final whistle, sparking jubilant celebrations in the red halves of Wembley and Manchester.

FFXIV: Kids

#FFXIV #OleOUT 

Manchester United: 2015-16 FA Cup Champions

Substitute Jesse Lingard thundered in an extra-time winner as 10-man Manchester United lifted the FA Cup for the record-equalling 12th time in their history.

Crystal Palace led for three minutes but Juan Mata cancelled out Jason Puncheon’s 78th-minute opener.

When Chris Smalling was sent off for a second bookable offence at the end of the first period of extra-time it looked as though it might be Palace’s day for the first time in their history.

But Lingard, who joined the Manchester United academy at the age of seven and lifted the FA Youth Cup in 2011, had his crowning moment in the 110th minute to earn the club a first trophy under manager Louis van Gaal.

Though United are no strangers to Cup Final day – only Arsenal had lifted the trophy more often – their players certainly are, with the last of their traditional open-top bus victory parades in 2004.

The magnitude of the occasion was certainly not lost on the Crystal Palace players either. Midfielder Wilfried Zaha was reduced to tears when he walked around the Wembley Stadium pitch pre-match.

With noise levels cranked up to maximum level it was Van Gaal’s side who settled quickest.

Marouane Fellaini went closest to opening the scoring after 10 minutes, but headed wide after climbing above Mile Jedinak.

Wayne Rooney, playing in a central midfield role, saw a deflected strike from 25 yards well held by Wayne Hennessey.

With Rooney soon on the rampage again Yohan Cabaye tracked back to break up play and Palace were able to break on the left flank with Connor Wickham running shoulder-to-shoulder with Smalling, for which the United man was cautioned.

Wickham won a free-kick on the edge of the box which Cabaye whipped goalwards. It was met with a deft header at the near post from Yannick Bolaise, but David de Gea opted to push over the the crossbar.

In an end-to-end start Mata was next to go close. The only player in the United team with a Cup-winner’s medal profited when a poor clearance from Pape Soure fell his way, but the former Chelsea man’s low shot across goal was parried away by Hennessey.

Next the handling of De Gea was tested, Bolasie with a low effort from 20 yards bounced awkwardly in front of the Spain No1, though he held onto it with little fuss.

Marcus Rashford had the United fans out of their seats with a lung-busting run down the right flank, then crossed to Anthony Martial at the far post, but the Frenchman’s fierce, first-time effort was blocked by Joel Ward.

Just as in the first half, United came out of the traps quickest in the second and eight minutes after the restart the woodwork came to Palace’s aid.

Rashford, United’s most potent attacking weapon thus far, flicked an Antonio Valencia pass into the path of Fellaini, whose first-time effort from 12 yards cannoned back of the near post.

Jedinak found himself in space at the far post when a free-kick fell his way, but the Australia midfielder lashed high and wide.

The Palace goal was living a charmed life though and on 61 minutes Martial met Valencia’s clipped cross with a powerful header that bounced off the post and away to safety.

With 20 minutes remaining Rashford, when embarking on a typically penetrative run, slipped on the edge of the box and was inadvertently trodden on by Cabaye.

Despite treatment he limped off the field to be replaced by Ashley Young, who was immediately thrown into a central role, keeping Martial wide on the left.

United had controlled proceedings for much of the second period, dominating possession while Palace were forced to sit deep inside their own half, leaving Wickham with a challenging task at the top of the pitch.

But the introduction of substitute Puncheon gave the Eagles the spark they required and with 12 minutes remaining they took the lead.

A punt forwards from Ward fell to Puncheon on the left-hand side of the box and he thrashed a half-volley beyond De Gea to break the deadlock.

The goal was met with a jig of delight from Alan Pardew, but within three minutes his mood had changed as United levelled.

Rooney carried the ball purposely from left to right, crossed to the far post where Fellaini brought the ball down on his chest and Mata’s volley was too powerful for Ward to block on the line.

Deep into second-half stoppage time Zaha got the better of Smalling, but his right-footed drive swerved wide and into the side-netting.

In extra-time Rooney and Lingard shot harmlessly off target. But De Gea had to be sharp at the other end to push a well-struck volley from Bolasie round the post.

With the first period of extra time drawing toward a conclusion Smalling unceremoniously dragged Bolasie to the ground to half his momentum and was shown a second yellow card by referee Mark Clattenburg.

Palace, with a man advantage, were determined to take the game to United. Substitute Dwight Gayle nipped in between the Red Devils centre-backs to latch on to Bolasie’s pass, but his stab at goal was blocked by De Gea’s legs.

It was another substitute who has to have the final say though.

Moments after Lingard had crossed for Michael Carrick, who could only head wide, the 23-year-old took matters into his own hands.

Valencia’s low cross from the right was blocked by Damien Delaney but the loose ball sat up perfectly for Lingard to unleash a stunning volley that gave Hennessey no chance.

Crystal Palace (4-2-3-1): 13 Wayne Hennessey; 2 Joel Ward, 6 Scott Dann, 27 Damien Delaney, 23 Pape Soure; 15 Mile Jedinak (captain) 18 James McArthur; 11 Wilfried Zaha, 7 Yohan Cabaye, 10 Yannick Bolasie; 21 Connor Wickham.

Substitutes: 42 Jason Puncheon for Cabaye 72, 16 Dwight Gayle for Wickham 86, 3 Adrian Mariappa for Dann 90.

Substitutes not used: 1 Julian Speroni, 25 Emmanuel Adebayor, 26 Bakary Sako, 34 Martin Kelly.

Manager: Alan Pardew

Goal: Puncheon 78.

Bookings: Dann 47, Delaney 62, McArthur 108.

Manchester United (4-1-4-1): 1 David de Gea; 25 Antonio Valencia, 12 Chris Smalling, 17 Daley Blind, 5 Marcos Rojo; 16 Michael Carrick; 8 Juan Mata, 27 Marouane Fellaini, 10 Wayne Rooney (captain), 9 Anthony Martial; 39 Marcus Rashford.

Substitutes: 36 Matteo Darmian for Rojo 66, 18 Ashley Young for Rashford 72, 35 Jesse Lingard for Mata 90.

Substitutes not used: 20 Sergio Romero, 4 Phil Jones, 21 Ander Herrera, 28 Morgan Schneiderlin.

Manager: Louis Van Gaal

Goals: Mata 81, Lingard 110

Bookings: Smalling 19, Rojo 41, Mata 45, Rooney 87, Fellaini 101, Lingard 110.

Red card: Smalling 106.

Referee: Mark Clattenburg

Attendance: 88,619

Manchester United: 2012-13 Premier League Champions

As the key signing Robin van Persie volleyed Manchester United to their 20th league title watched by an Old Trafford crowd which did really look like 76,000 including two Glazer brothers in their cushioned seats, there was the sense that a rancourous era is ending and a new period of United strength beginning. After the fiery 2005 protests against the US family's hostile, debt-loading takeover, renewed in 2010 when they spent more of United's fortunes reorganising the source of their borrowing, Old Trafford has quietened.

Last night , and throughout this season, there have been fewer protests, and the defiant green and gold symbol of the club's original colours and working-class values became less visible. All the issues the Manchester United Supporters Trust (Must) and other fans' groups protested about in a well-informed campaign remain true. The Glazers, with no previous connection to United or English football, really were allowed, by United's availability on the London stock market and football's lack of regulation, to buy one of the world's greatest football clubs and load it with £525m of debt.

This debt was not borrowed by the club to invest in an academy or expand Old Trafford – that was done with cash made in the previous 13 years of Premier League success. The £525m was the Glazers' own borrowing to buy United, then they loaded their debt mountain on to the club itself to repay the debt and interest. Perhaps the most staggering perspective on this is to understand that in interest, fees paid to bankers, lawyers and accountants, and other hits of finance charges, the Glazer takeover has cost United more than £550m. Yet even after paying all that, United still have £420m debt derived from the Glazers' takeover.

In 2011-12, even with the crowd more resigned to it all, United paid £50m in interest on this debt. The Glazers paid themselves a £10m dividend, to pay off the £10m loan they borrowed from United in 2010, £1.6m by each of Malcolm Glazer's six children. The club paid a £3m management fee to the Glazers' company and Kevin Glazer, one of Malcolm's five sons, was owed £558,484 interest, having bought up some of United's debt for himself.

While United fans raged, informed by those with professional expertise such as Andy Green, the investment analyst who chronicled all the eye-watering details on his Andersred blog there was silence from the Premier League and Football Association. Now, with Sir Alex Ferguson's latest United team claiming the title, there is more silence around Old Trafford, the acoustics being tested for their noise-generating capabilities.

The Glazers have outstayed the protests, which even included the formation of the breakaway, supporter-owned club FC United of Manchester, partly because they came through the financial challenge their dealings created. For a time it looked difficult, even for this most famous and well-followed club in the greatest of booms for football. The Glazers took over a United being recast by Ferguson, who had signed Rio Ferdinand for £30m in 2002, Cristiano Ronaldo for £12m in 2003 and Wayne Rooney for £25m in 2004. Even as the fans vilified the corporate raiders, United won three successive Premier Leagues in 2007, 2008 and 2009, and the Champions League in 2008.

Despite that supreme success, and United's income being dramatically higher than any other club, they haemorrhaged losses. In the year to 30 June 2007 United paid £82m in interest on £667m debts from the Glazers' own borrowings – and made a financial loss of £58m. In 2007-08, the year they won the Premier League and Champions League double, the £69m interest they paid pushed United into a loss of £45m. As some United campaigners exasperatedly pointed out, the "leveraged" buy-out, loading debt on to a healthy company solely to make money for bankers and owners, meant United were no longer paying UK corporation tax because they had been pushed from profit into loss.

That summer of 2008, Ferguson did sign Dimitar Berbatov from Tottenham Hotspur for £30.75m, a trademark signing of a major star from a Premier League rival.

After that, though, coinciding with the club's submersion in debt, Ferguson's signings appeared markedly less ambitious. In the summer of 2009, when Real Madrid paid £80m for Ronaldo, United banked most of it. Ferguson signed the solid Antonio Valencia for £16m from Wigan Athletic, Gabriel Obertan, £3m from Bordeaux, and, on a free transfer, 29-year-old Michael Owen, who went on to play six full league matches for United.

In 2009-10, the year the Glazers refinanced their borrowings with bonds and the fans yearned for the green and gold simplicities of the club's Newton Heath beginnings, United recorded a £79m loss and had fully £107m interest to pay. United were pushed into second place by Chelsea and won nothing, Sheikh Mansour was pouring money into City acquisitions, but that summer Ferguson signed the promising Chris Smalling and Javier Hernández, and spent £7.4m on the enduring Portuguese puzzle of Bébé.

United looked to be wobbling then, but three key changes have enabled the Glazers to ride it out. First, in late 2010, they settled the excruciatingly high interest "payment in kind" part of their borrowings, from funds whose source they have still never revealed.

Second, supervised by Edward Woodward in a London office, a team of sales staff was slicing the world into sponsorships, by product sector, globally, and regionally, squeezing so much more money from selling the United name that commercial income last year reached £118m.

Third, they scoured the world for a stock market to accept their route to partial salvation. The 134-year-old Manchester football club ended up registered in the Cayman Islands and floated in New York as an "emerging growth company". The Glazers made £70m selling shares themselves, United received £70m selling shares to new investors including the speculator George Soros. Crucially, according to Duncan Drasdo, Must's chief executive, this float sees them safer because they can sell shares on the market if they ever need cash.

With Ferguson gazumped to the Premier League title by City's £38m Sergio Agüero in the 94th minute of last season's final game, the Van Persie signing felt like a landmark response. At 29, the Dutchman contradicted Ferguson's assurances that his patchy signings of previous years were because he was now interested only in youth. The signing signalled determination at United not to be outdone by Mansour's multi-millions being spent at City and that, although still hugely debt-laden, they are financially through the worst.

So it was fitting that United reclaimed the title with Van Persie's hat-trick. The Glazers have, in some watershed sense, come out the other side, owning Manchester United, their own personal asset now worth more than twice the £790m they paid for it with so much borrowed money.

On Tuesday night Bayern Munich and Barcelona play each other in the Champions League semi-final, two great clubs still in the traditional ownership of their supporters. England's champions represent a dramatically different incarnation: football clubs as objects of financial speculation, and modern-day banking practices we would all feel better never having known about.

Can anyone stop Mado-er, Manchester United!?

Manchester United are a "killing machine", admits City goalkeeper Joe Hart

JOE HART has admitted Manchester City’s faltering title defence is being slowly crushed by rivals United’s “killing machine”.

By: Paul Joyce

Published: Thu, March 21, 2013

Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart is worried by the advance of Sir Alex Ferguson's squad

City and England goalkeeper Hart refused to concede the championship race was over, but admitted City’s inconsistencies have been brutally punished by the ruthless and clinical nature of Sir Alex Ferguson’s squad.

United boast a 15-point advantage over City at the top of the Premier League and Hart said hopes of back-to-back titles at The Etihad had all but faded as their run-in now needed to be “pretty perfect”.

“We worked so hard to get the title that we are never going to just give it away,” said Hart. “I’d imagine from the outside it looks that way but that’s just not the case.

Joe Hart says Manchester City need to be 'perfect' to have any hope of winning back-to-back titles

We worked so hard to get the title that we are never going to just give it away

Joe Hart

“We are working hard. It’s a tough league. It’s hard to win games. Unfortunately when we do lose, United stretch that lead and it has been disappointing, but we will keep going.

“I don’t know what is different to last season. I’d love to know. It would have been rectified. We’ve done well, but we have been up against a killing machine that has kept turning out results no matter what.

“Maybe we’ve drawn more than we would have liked to. It has not been a perfect season and it needs to be pretty perfect to win this league. We are not in the position we want to be in. We remain focused and hard on the case of what we need to do.

“We are still in one cup, a little further away than we would like to be in terms of the league. But we need to nail down that second spot.

“In doing that it will push us to really go for the title as well. You can’t not go for it. It’s a long way off but we’ve an awful lot to fight for and it’s a big couple of months for us.”

Manchester United's Wayne Rooney has plenty to smile about in race for championship

Despite the prospect of City being usurped by their neighbours, Hart admits he doesn’t hide away from United’s Wayne Rooney, Tom Cleverley, Ashley Young, Chris Smalling, Michael Carrick and Danny Welbeck on England duty.

Hart, who flies to Italy today with England for the World Cup qualifier against San Marino, said: “It’s definitely not a personal thing. What they are doing is exactly what I want to be doing right now this year. And vice versa last year. That’s how it is.

“It’s the same with the Chelsea boys, the Tottenham lads. We are all fighting for something. But we’re not fighting each other, we’re fighting for our teams and clubs. When you come away with England it has gone. We are fighting for England.”

Great day at The Beach and other tidbits

While my local pro teams were faltering, Fulham was spared relegation, and Chelsea finished second to Manchester United despite being even on points, I was savoring some good times for the baseball and softball teams.

I knew that if we had Brooke Turnere in the circle, we were going to take the series over Pacific. Sure enough, I was right. 5-0 and 1-0 decisions, to go with 17 shutouts in a season...not bad for Michelle's beloved imouto.

The baseball team took two out of three from UC Santa Barbara. I warned Brontosaurus (a.k.a. UCSB manager Bob Brontsema) that if he didn't shut his mouth in the 3rd inning, umpire Dennis Smythe was going to send him the way of the dinosaurs.

It really pays to listen. Poor Jake Thompson, his freshman campaign was definitely not anywhere to Brooke Turner's breakout year. Speaking of which, I wonder where the ladies will be assigned to. Hmmm...

I'm happy for Fulham. To not be relegated on the final day has to be exciting. In spite of Reading's annihilation of Derby County, a 1-0 win over Portsmouth (who will represent the FA PRemier League at the FA Cup in a few weeks, ironically) spared them the drop down. And Manchester United took home the crown and hardware with a win over Wigan Athletic.

I am getting the feeling that if Chelsea don't get their revenge on Manchester United down at the Luzhniki Stadium, it will be lehitraot, Avram Grant.

Some more great news from the Beach...

49ers Score High In The APR
APR Report Released On Tuesday By The NCAA



Rebecca Groff and 2007 49er graduate Jasmine Winfield.

May 8, 2008

LONG BEACH, Calif. - The Long Beach State Department of Athletics scored extremely well this week as the NCAA released it's Academic Progress Rates (APR) data. Long Beach State did not have one team below the minimum standard score of 925. Each team's multi-year rate is used to determine it's APR score.

"We are extremely proud of our coaches and student-athletes," said 49er Director of Athletics Vic Cegles. "Our scores prove that we are doing things the right way. A huge thank you needs to go out to the staff of our Bickerstaff Academic Center for their tireless work. Our coaches understand the possible implications if their programs historically fall under the 925 score. I commend them for their attention to detail in regards to the APR. I also want to thank and congratulate our student-athletes, who are proving that it is important to compete in the classroom, as well as in the fields of competition."

The 49ers had four teams post perfect scores of 1,000 in the 2006-07 academic year. Men's cross country, men's volleyball, women's basketball and women's volleyball all attained perfect scores. All 18 sports were above the 925 minimum during the 2006-07 year. The penalties which were handed down to other schools on Tuesday are based on the team's multi-year rate (2003-04 to 2006-07), not their APR for the 2006-07 year.

The NCAA released their report on Tuesday listing numerous collegiate sports teams which would be hit with scholarship reductions and other sanctions because of their academic shortcomings. A total of 218 teams, spread among 123 NCAA Division I schools, were affected. Several schools had more than one sport which fell below the minimum standards, but more than a third of the 329 schools had at least one team penalized.

The NCAA compiles APRs for every one of the 6,272 men's and women's sports teams in Division I. The APR began being compiled during the 2003-04 academic year. This is the fourth year the APR has been at the forefront of collegiate athletics.

LONG BEACH STATE MULTI-YEAR APR SCORES (2003-04 to 2006-07) (Listed alphabetically by sport)
Baseball: 948
Men's Basketball: 935
Women's Basketball: 967
Men's Cross Country: 960
Women's Cross Country: 984
Men's Golf: 986
Women's Golf: 965
Women's Soccer: 964
Softball: 943
Women's Tennis: 974
Men's Indoor Track: 964
Women's Indoor Track: 973
Men's Outdoor Track: 958
Women's Outdoor Track: 971
Men's Volleyball: 988
Women's Volleyball: 984
Men's Water Polo: 939
Women's Water Polo: 966


EDIT: I just found out that the bastards down at Stamford Bridge choked, resigning to a paltry 1-1 draw with Bolton. Avrsm's job is REALLY is on the line now down in Moskva.

“…And we’ll see you at the Shield.”

What an eventful day in sports. I’ll save the local team for later, although, I can’t have anything nice to say about one of them.

First off, how about Pacific and Cal State Fullerton in softball! They knocked off a few team in the tournament, and Fullerton even edged poor Virginia Tech to eliminate them. Unfortunately, UC Santa Barbara was eliminated by LMU, which, I suppose, justifies their victory over my ladies earlier.

Chelsea, Chelsea, Chelsea. Jose Mourinho may have saved his job, and the G’s might see him in the World Series of Football. They defeated Manchester United, 1-0, winning the FA Cup. Those two teams will be in action next year in the Community Shield contest.

The Angels are on fire. They are demolishing the Dodgers at Angel Stadium in the Freeway Series. Of course, Seattle is having no problems with San Diego, so the Mariners are keeping pace.

For the 29th straight year, there will be no Triple Crown winner, and fro the 29th straight year, the Breeders’ Cup Classic will determine Horse of The Year. (Unless I’m mistaken…) Robby Alvarado and Curlin edged Street Sense to win the Preakness. At least Street Sense didn’t founder, which is perhaps a bigger victory.

How about those Senators…Ottawa is heading to the Stanley Cup Finals, with Daniel Alfredsson launching the winning goal, as they defeated Buffalo, 3-2, to win 4 games to 1. Enjoy that President’s Trophy…Buffalo…it’s the only silverware you will have.

Kevin Harvick wins the Nextel All-Star Challenge. Tomorrow is the Indy 500. The former is boring. The latter…well, this can’t be boring. Honestly. Cornell escapes Albany in the NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Quarterfinals, and one of the Great Danes snaps his stick in frustration. That’s sport for you.

While Toronto FC is humbled by DC United on a penalty kick, the Vancouver Whitecaps are rolling along in USL Division 1, defeating the California Victory, 3-1. Oddly enough, those Caps will be facing the Rochester Raging Rhinos tomorrow. Two victories in as many days? Oh boy…I hope Bob Lilly rested his big guys for tomorrow.

Belmont Shore defeated the Dallas Harlequins, 20-10, in Super League rugby action, and face Golden Gate next. Good luck, guys...

Finally, those Dirtbags choke once again. UC Riverside played a very good game. Maybe even too good. It makes me wonder if this is actually a college team, and not professional posers. A 2-1 victory puts them ahead of the Beach, and they win the series. Will there be any hope now for Mike Weathers’ crew? Stay tuned…

UEFA, May, and plans

Well, there goes my hope of Manchester United roughing up Chelsea and Liverpool. AC Milan is roughing Fergie's boys, 2-0. The FA Cup match can go to hell in a hurry.

May is a watershed month for me. Finals, projects due, and a bevy of headaches on the way.

Plans...I've got some plans on tap. I have to meet with my Anime Expo Colleagues on the 6th in Huntington Beach. And then after my classes, I have a brief layoff before AX and the Summer sessions, followed by (what I hope is) the last semester of my bachelor's courses.