Randy Lerner Losing Popularity At Aston Villa

[villaqnois]

Hey Z you don't have to like it- just try to understand it- slow motion hockey.

 

And after watching some of the clips- I proclaim that baseball is pretty gay too. Must take drugs to up home run count.

 

Some pu$$y catcher's agent is whining because a guy slid into him too hard? How about Buckner losing the World Series flubbing a ball with a mistake that pee-wee league kids are taught to avoid?

 

PS I'm all for taking flares and baseball bats to Browns Steelers games.

I can watch baseball no problem, however I cannot understand why it would be used to point out how slow soccer is !!!! Really ? I mean lets throw the ball to first base, then lets fake that we're throwing it to first base...epeat several times then pitch a foul ball, game interrupted while the coach walks into the field and mimicks coaching a 2nd grader by telling him what he's doing wrong, a decent game ? Yes I'm warming to it but faster than soccer ? No

[villaqnois]

Paul Faulkner's intended role must be the equivalent of the club president. However I guess both Randy and PF have been thrown in at the deep end and have had to get involved in football matters. They have access to "advisors" and hopefully things will work out and Randy will be proven right (He as now gone ahead and appointed McCleish as manager, but he made sure he'd left the country before it was announced).

When RL first took over the club he had a manager in place who ran the football side of things, in fact true to tradition the manager insisted on running the club his way, with an owner/chairman writing the checks or not. Since that manager quit the club the selection methods the club are employing and perhaps lack of contacts within English football that is under fire. I wonder if RL may be looking to create a position at Villa for a Tom Heckert equivalent. The problem that he will encounter is this is the "director of football" position used in european clubs, has been tried in England but met with huge resistance by English managers who see it as interfering with their jobs and fans in turn see it as moving away from the tradition of the English game.

[villaqnois]

Well, the "hooliganism" of English soccer fans is well renowned. I am not sure it is a thing to be proud for some of these guys, even though they may think it is. They may as well wear a sign around their necks saying "I'm a F****ing Idiot". Fair to say?

Fair to say ? yes most certainly. Can you say you've never been to a sporting event where there was a list of candidates present who would qualify for that same sign ? How much provocation from rivals would it take to start a mass fight at say a college game ?

The hooligan era was largely in the late 70's and 80's, while fights between fans were common place between fans, prior to the 70's it was I would imagine, similar to a fight on the ice between players at a hockey game. It would be a "good old scrap" guaranteed of no weapons just punches, I've even witnessed cops get involved in punch ups, with shouts of come on then, no arrests. Fights would run their course and be brief, being not much more than a talking point for the fans.

During the late 70's and 80's it became far more organized. A minority of fans would organize fights with fans of other teams. in city centre's hours before a game, during a game or hours after the game was over. All clubs had an element of these fans and today's equivalents I guess would be fight clubs. Because of close proximity, think of 90 teams within one state, at each game there is usually several thousand supporters of the away side. The away games still are a great time to travel to different cities in large numbers drinking from start to finish and are generally a bachelor weekend every other week. The organizers of the fghts would take advantage of the large number of drunken young males and in pubs before games would start rumours of the other teams fans are on their way. The clashes that followed are well documented.

Since the 80's cops have used cctv placed up to 5 miles around stadiums, computer facial recognition systems, undercover intelligence and early morning swat team raids to break the hooligan element. The rivalry between clubs like Villa and Birmingham are from a far more deep seated hatred of each other. Being only a short distance away from each other travelling to each others ground is not an obstacle, and so there a large numbers of both sets of supporters travelling to an away game. Unlike the lets go the game and have a fight and then go for a beer afterwards, the Villa - B'ham rivalry does not go away in between games, going for a quiet lunchtime drink and venturing into the wrong pub, being recognized as a supporter of the rival team can lead to a very dangerous situation.

[WRREBEL]

Soccer is gay...

[The Gipper]

So you would choose the French to have your back ?

 

 

Ah.....No. At least not at any point post 1815.

[The Gipper]

Paul Faulkner's intended role must be the equivalent of the club president. However I guess both Randy and PF have been thrown in at the deep end and have had to get involved in football matters. They have access to "advisors" and hopefully things will work out and Randy will be proven right (He as now gone ahead and appointed McCleish as manager, but he made sure he'd left the country before it was announced).

When RL first took over the club he had a manager in place who ran the football side of things, in fact true to tradition the manager insisted on running the club his way, with an owner/chairman writing the checks or not. Since that manager quit the club the selection methods the club are employing and perhaps lack of contacts within English football that is under fire. I wonder if RL may be looking to create a position at Villa for a Tom Heckert equivalent. The problem that he will encounter is this is the "director of football" position used in european clubs, has been tried in England but met with huge resistance by English managers who see it as interfering with their jobs and fans in turn see it as moving away from the tradition of the English game.

 

OK, correct me if I am wrong, but is the "Manager" of a soccer club the equivalent to the "Head Coach" in the NFL?

(We do call the "head coach" of a baseball team its 'manager')

 

Most all pro sports here in this country have learned that you need to bifurcate the "Head Coach/Manager" job from that of the "General Manager" or the Club President. They have learned that doing both jobs is just too much for one man. Oh, it has happened in the past. Mike Holmgren, Browns current Club President was both HC and GM in Seattle. Only when he fired himself from the GM job and concentrate strictly on coaching did that team have any success.

It is possible that Lerner is trying to bring the same model there.

Ask anyone here and I beleive they will tell you that it is better to let a coach coach and to have a GM to do all those other jobs, like player acquisition.

[Kosar_For_President]

This all culturally based people. When I lived in England I loved watching my Leeds United play Man U. It was awesome. More noise with 20,000 people then at any NFL game I've been to. When I come back to the states, I loved seeing my Browns play Pittsburgh. And Tribe play the Yankees. If you haven't lived in a culture that loves a sport more then what YOU love, then shut the fook up. They are both awesome.

[hoorta]

This all culturally based people. When I lived in England I loved watching my Leeds United play Man U. It was awesome. More noise with 20,000 people then at any NFL game I've been to. When I come back to the states, I loved seeing my Browns play Pittsburgh. And Tribe play the Yankees. If you haven't lived in a culture that loves a sport more then what YOU love, then shut the fook up. They are both awesome.

 

Exactly- no reason to call soccer sissy just because you didn't grow up with it. It's the most popular sport in the world though some Americans are still in denial about that.

 

And Z, personally I find baseball to be monumentally boring. I'd far rather tune into the woman's World Cup than watch a baseball game. Oh, I might start getting interested if the Indians are still in contention come September. But football has surpassed baseball for a lot of reasons. Taken individually, each BB game is meaningless. The season is way too long- they could easily knock a month off of each end of the season, though it will never happen because of the $$$$. Yup, playing outside in Minnesota early April or October for a series that's the ticket. Baseball was never meant to be played in 30 degree weather. Add in the screwed up salary structure, where teams like the Yankees and Red Sox can use every small market team as their Farm Clubs.

[WRREBEL]

anyone who doesnt think soccer is the most homo erotic sport is gay..

 

I played soccer growing up and in college. I still play it.. That should tell you how gay it is

[The Gipper]

Exactly- no reason to call soccer sissy just because you didn't grow up with it. It's the most popular sport in the world though some Americans are still in denial about that.

 

And Z, personally I find baseball to be monumentally boring. I'd far rather tune into the woman's World Cup than watch a baseball game. Oh, I might start getting interested if the Indians are still in contention come September. But football has surpassed baseball for a lot of reasons. Taken individually, each BB game is meaningless. The season is way too long- they could easily knock a month off of each end of the season, though it will never happen because of the $$$$. Yup, playing outside in Minnesota early April or October for a series that's the ticket. Baseball was never meant to be played in 30 degree weather. Add in the screwed up salary structure, where teams like the Yankees and Red Sox can use every small market team as their Farm Clubs.

 

 

OK, but talk about lengths of seasons. If baseball were to encroach on other teams seasons the way the NBA and NHL do, baseball would be played until the middle of December. Those two leagues go monumentally long.

[The Gipper]

This all culturally based people. When I lived in England I loved watching my Leeds United play Man U. It was awesome. More noise with 20,000 people then at any NFL game I've been to. When I come back to the states, I loved seeing my Browns play Pittsburgh. And Tribe play the Yankees. If you haven't lived in a culture that loves a sport more then what YOU love, then shut the fook up. They are both awesome.

 

When I was in Ireland a few years back the big sporting event going on at the time were the Snooker championships.

[Kosar_For_President]

When I was in Ireland a few years back the big sporting event going on at the time were the Snooker championships.

 

I love snooker, used to cut school, smoke pot and play.

[The Gipper]

I love snooker, used to cut school, smoke pot and play.

 

Now, you know, snooker and pool are not the same game, though they are similar.

Snooker is played on a bigger table, and the balls are different. Half the snooker balls are usually red, and they are pocketed in different order. I do not believe snooker plays the typical "8 ball" or "9 ball games" that pool players play.

[The Gipper]

Snooker:

 

[Kosar_For_President]

Now, you know, snooker and pool are not the same game, though they are similar.

Snooker is played on a bigger table, and the balls are different. Half the snooker balls are usually red, and they are pocketed in different order. I do not believe snooker plays the typical "8 ball" or "9 ball games" that pool players play.

 

Dude, I LIVED in England for 3 years. Snooker was on TV 3 times a week.

[slowburn]

Does the game have anything to do with the term "snookered" i.e wasted, trashed, drunk, shtfaced?

[miktoxic]

Does the game have anything to do with the term "snookered" i.e wasted, trashed, drunk, shtfaced?

 

i think snookered means getting 'taken' or 'ripped off'. you're think of snockered.

 

i used to run 5 miles a day when in the army. one day i went to our bases' soccer game against some civilian team. i knew most of the players on the team so they asked me to fill-in for a guy that was going to be late that way they wouldn't forfeit the game. hadn't play a lick of soccer ever in my life but they basically yelled telling me what to do as not to blow anything. i probably played 15 minutes and was more tired and exhausted after those 15 minutes than any 5 mile run or obstacle course we used to do.

 

BUT saying all that.....it's still gay.

[slowburn]

Could be why you never seee a pro soccer player with a beer gut. they all look leaned out which probably

 

adds to their perceived gayness. Not that there is anything wrong with that

 

JERRY: Y'know I hear that all the time.

 

ELAINE: Hear what?

 

JERRY: That I'm gay. People think I'm gay.

 

ELAINE: Yeah, you know people ask me that about you, too.

 

JERRY: Yeah, 'cuz I'm single, I'm thin and I'm neat.

[DieHardBrownsFan]

i think snookered means getting 'taken' or 'ripped off'. you're think of snockered.

 

i used to run 5 miles a day when in the army. one day i went to our bases' soccer game against some civilian team. i knew most of the players on the team so they asked me to fill-in for a guy that was going to be late that way they wouldn't forfeit the game. hadn't play a lick of soccer ever in my life but they basically yelled telling me what to do as not to blow anything. i probably played 15 minutes and was more tired and exhausted after those 15 minutes than any 5 mile run or obstacle course we used to do.

 

BUT saying all that.....it's still gay.

 

I played Rugby in Okinawa when I was in the Navy. No padding, no time outs, 10 minute "half" time. Exhausting. Got busted up good my first game, needed 25 stitches in my forehead.

[Kosar_For_President]

I played Rugby in Okinawa when I was in the Navy. No padding, no time outs, 10 minute "half" time. Exhausting. Got busted up good my first game, needed 25 stitches in my forehead.

 

That's because you Navy girls had your nails done before the game.

[The Gipper]

Dude, I LIVED in England for 3 years. Snooker was on TV 3 times a week.

 

 

Well, then I guess you do know that it is different. By the way, I believe you can probably find pool on TV 3 times a week here, on like ESPN2 late at night.

[The Gipper]

i think snookered means getting 'taken' or 'ripped off'. you're think of snockered.

 

i used to run 5 miles a day when in the army. one day i went to our bases' soccer game against some civilian team. i knew most of the players on the team so they asked me to fill-in for a guy that was going to be late that way they wouldn't forfeit the game. hadn't play a lick of soccer ever in my life but they basically yelled telling me what to do as not to blow anything. i probably played 15 minutes and was more tired and exhausted after those 15 minutes than any 5 mile run or obstacle course we used to do.

 

BUT saying all that.....it's still gay.

 

Well, certainly it is a very aerobic sport, that is why gym teachers back in the mid to late 70s started having kids here play it. It would get them doing a lot of running in a situation that was more palatable than just telling gym class to go run up the road a mile then come back.

That is what we did in the 60s. There was no soccer played at my school or in our gym classes. We had to just frickin run. I would have probably preferred soccer to the "Brookside run" that we had to do. (We had to run out the rear of our schoolyard to back streets that led to a golf course about a mile down the road, then turn around and run back to the school).

In terms of just watching the sport, the bastardized version known as "Indoor Soccer" is, to me, more entertaining, because it gets right to the action around the goal, and eliminates all the mid field meandering that goes on. Plus, indoors the ball bounces off the walls instead of going out of bounds so there is a bit of a different strategy associated with that.

[AVFC]

Guy's

 

Can anyone explain why Randy Lerner doesn't give TV interviews or attend live press conferences. Apparantly he had a bad experience during an interview a few years back resultng in him not doing any more (maybe something to do with his divorce).

 

Anyway he employed this muppet Mcleish against 90% of the fan wishes and then threw him into the press conference on his own with no explanation of reasoning for his appointment.

 

Also have the Browns had any experience of General Krulak who has been spouting a load of bland PR crap at us for the last few years.

[hoorta]

You are entitled to think Baseball is boring. I wholeheartedly disagree. Either way, it doesn't make soccer any less gay.

 

"Let's run around a field with sweaty European guys in shorts and kick a ball around ... but you can't use your hands! And if anyone touches you, fall down hold your knee and cry!"

 

Zombo

 

Sorry- you want to talk about gay, I give you golf- which IMHO isn't a sport at all- it's a skill, like bowling. One look at John Daley should tell you that.

 

BTW, those sweaty little guys can out run and outskill those big bad NFL players. I'd wager you a C note most of the strikers on World Cup teams can run 4.4 40s.

 

FWIW, true story- Chris Collinsworth and a bunch of the Bengals were at a local Cinti watering hole and ran into a group of those sweaty little soccer guys, and talk got around to you sweaty little soccer guys aren't s**t, we can take you in soccer. Game on- well when the sweaty little soccer guys were up 9-0 in the first half, the Big Bad Bengals quit. And that was just some podunk club team.

 

Z, it's gonna change, is changing. Elite athletes in America gravitated to the major sports. I played competitive tennis because I wasn't good enough to make the varsity football or basketball teams- but now- Lord Almighty, guys like Raphael Nadal and Roger Federer take a backseat to no one in athleticism. So show me the $$$ and the athletes will follow. You can make a very good living playing in the English Premier League.

[The Gipper]

Guy's

 

Can anyone explain why Randy Lerner doesn't give TV interviews or attend live press conferences. Apparantly he had a bad experience during an interview a few years back resultng in him not doing any more (maybe something to do with his divorce).

 

Anyway he employed this muppet Mcleish against 90% of the fan wishes and then threw him into the press conference on his own with no explanation of reasoning for his appointment.

 

Also have the Browns had any experience of General Krulak who has been spouting a load of bland PR crap at us for the last few years.

 

 

Have you seen The King's Speech? Well, he may not have the exact same type of disorder as King "Bertie" did, but he approaches that. He is extremely shy and reticent and does have some sort of malady or issue that affects him with his public speaking. He is bright enough to know that he should not be his own spokesperson.

[The Gipper]

Sorry- you want to talk about gay, I give you golf- which IMHO isn't a sport at all- it's a skill, like bowling. One look at John Daley should tell you that.

 

BTW, those sweaty little guys can out run and outskill those big bad NFL players. I'd wager you a C note most of the strikers on World Cup teams can run 4.4 40s.

 

Sorry, Hoorta, but it isn't about which sports players are more aerobically fit. It is about which game is more entertaining to watch. I suspect ice dancers and ballerinas are also more aerobically fit than either football players or soccer players. A lot of women like to watch those.

 

FWIW, true story- Chris Collinsworth and a bunch of the Bengals were at a local Cinti watering hole and ran into a group of those sweaty little soccer guys, and talk got around to you sweaty little soccer guys aren't s**t, we can take you in soccer. Game on- well when the sweaty little soccer guys were up 9-0 in the first half, the Big Bad Bengals quit. And that was just some podunk club team.

 

Well, aside from the fact that the intellect of those Bengals has always been a question mark, how well do you think those sweaty little soccer guys would have fared in a game of tackle football against those Bengals? Football players are not going to beat soccer players, or baseball players, or basketball players, or snooker players or ice dancers at their own game....but tell me how many of those guys are going to beat the football players at football?

 

Z, it's gonna change, is changing. Elite athletes in America gravitated to the major sports. I played competitive tennis because I wasn't good enough to make the varsity football or basketball teams- but now- Lord Almighty, guys like Raphael Nadal and Roger Federer take a backseat to no one in athleticism. So show me the $$$ and the athletes will follow. You can make a very good living playing in the English Premier League.

 

And there is nothing wrong with that. But just don't try to push soccer down our throats. I will occasionally tune in for a bit for a soccer match....just like I would a golf tournament, or tennis tournament, or anything else. And, FYI, I attended the college of the reigning NCAA Soccer Division 1 champions. And that is a big deal. But just don't say that soccer is a major league sport yet.

[hoorta]

 

Sorry, Hoorta, but it isn't about which sports players are more aerobically fit. It is about which game is more entertaining to watch. I suspect ice dancers and ballerinas are also more aerobically fit than either football players or soccer players. A lot of women like to watch those.

 

And there is nothing wrong with that. But just don't try to push soccer down our throats. I will occasionally tune in for a bit for a soccer match....just like I would a golf tournament, or tennis tournament, or anything else. And, FYI, I attended the college of the reigning NCAA Soccer Division 1 champions. And that is a big deal. But just don't say that soccer is a major league sport yet.

 

1) That IMO is why soccer isn't more popular- the entertainment value. ( Like I said, I played competitive tennis for years, but I can't hardly force myself to watch the entire Wimbledon final.) Add in the low scoring- and the advertisers hate it- unlike NFL football which has those made for beer commercial breaks in the action.

 

2) I'm not trying to push soccer on anyone, and yes I totally agree it's not a major league sport in the USA- yet. May never be with the dominance of NFL football. And if some guys want to think it's gay that's OK too.