Tag: #Tottenham

  • ODDS and ENDS: Tottenham Red Flag, Cowboys Red Flag, and Sondheim

    ODDS and ENDS is my continuing series of random thoughts and follow ups…

    So, on Thanksgiving Day, as we were preparing our meal, I was able to sneak in and watch Tottenham play Mura in the Europa Conference. The match started out awful with the Spurs giving up a goal in the 11th minute, and then a red card left them down a player. But, finally, Harry Kane showed up and secured an equalizer, and it looked like Tottenham might just squeak by. And then, they gave up a goal in stoppage time, and well… First of all, credit to Mura for playing like their lives depended on it. As for Tottenham… same old problem; they just can’t get out of their own way, nor play solid for the last ten minutes of a match. I fear that the rest of this season will be an act of long suffering.

    Later in the day I moved on to the Cowboy against the Raiders, and though it was an exciting game, I am starting to get worried about Dallas. Las Vegas is a good team, and I didn’t expect it to be an easy, but right now, Dallas is just lost when they play a good team. Dak is struggling, and it’s like Elliot just can’t run anymore. Maybe it’s the offensive line’s fault, but sure isn’t the defenses’ fault. Dallas has six games left, and they only play one team with a winning record, so the odds that they will end the season 12-5 is very high. But when it comes to the playoffs, I don’t think they will make it out of the first round.

    And then there is Sondheim. First, I had no idea he was 91. I thought he was like 75. Second, I’m not going to say anything more profound than the outpouring of comments from his friends, and fans. But what I would like to say is what I find so impressive about him is that he inspired so many people to try their hand at writing a musical. Sure, having a huge body of work is impressive, and an amazing achievement, but I think inspiring people is more impressive, and important. Writing a musical is damn near impossible, and getting one made is even harder. Having lived here in New York, I have met so many people who have moved here to compose their musical. Sondheim’s name always showed up on their list of influential people, and then they would tell me this story of listening to the cast recording of one of his shows, which made them say, “I want to do that.” That, to me, is an impressive testament to his legacy.

  • ODDS and ENDS: The Subway, Aaron Rodgers, and I’m Not Talking About Tottenham This Week

    “ODDS and ENDS” is my continuing series of random thoughts and follow ups…

    Riding on the subway sucks right now. I keep on thinking that I am going to get comfortable with it, but it still makes me anxious. Though I am vaccinated, I still don’t like people getting near me when I am in a car. And I especially don’t like unmasked people being around me. Then, the kappa donna is when I ride with the kid. I become super edgy with people, and try to get as far away from them as possible, in an attempt to keep my kid safe. I know that when she gets vaccinated, which will be soon, some of these feelings will ease up. But as of now, it’s like a necessary evil to get around the city.

    So… Aaron Rodgers was having so much fun because he was fooling everyone. Or he was all hyped up on B-12 shots. Either way, nice try Rodgers…

    Tottenham has a new manager, and barely got past Vitesse in their Europa Conference match. Sure, it was Conte’s first time leading the team, but looks like they have the same old problems that a manager can’t change. Spur’s defense is awful, and that’s where the fix needs to happen. I think between Lucas, Son and Kane, goal scoring is taking care of. They just need to stop the other side, and get the ball back on transition. (I sort of sound like I know what I am talking about.) Tottenham play Everton this weekend, and I don’t see them pulling it off. But… I’ll be there with my scarf on, watching them play.

  • Tottenham Might Be Unfixable

    I did think the headlines going into the Tottenham v. Man United match were a little over the top. The British press were selling the idea that whomever lost, that manager would be fired on Monday. I thought, no way. Not two and a half months into the season.

    Have I mentioned that I know nothing about English football?

    But then Tottenham went on to lose 0-3 at home. The whole team looked awful. Offense was uninspired. Defense looked lost. Does anyone remember Kane and Son last year? Does anyone remember when this team made it to the Champions League final? By the end of the match, I came to accept that yes, Nuno was going to be fired.

    And here we are on Monday, and that is what happened. Nuno is out, and it looks like Antonio Conte is in? Not sure if that will help. Team owner Levy did this trick back in 2019, and that didn’t help, and in fact, made the team worse. I’m not confidant in an owner who decides to do the same thing again, expecting a different result.

    Sadly, and I know that I am wrong all the time when it comes to this team, but I think this is Kane’s last season with Tottenham. If this team can’t win, why would he stay? World Cup is next Summer, and England is ranked in 5th in the world. Kane will have a very big stage to show how much he is worth, and some team will pay it.

    So… Yeah, for bad decisions for a middle of the table team! Yeah!

  • My Sporting Weekend

    I’m not the biggest sports fan, but I do enjoy writing about it, and spending this time, when I’m trying to figure out what to blog about, to think about sports in my life.

    This weekend wasn’t the best. Tottenham went down in flames against Arsenal. The North London derby was more like a stampede and massacre all rolled into one. And Arsenal isn’t a good team, but damn, they sure did make the Spurs look worse. It was one of those matches where the other team seemed to be everywhere on the pitch. I gave up at half time and cleaned the bathroom.

    Then I thought I would look up where the Cubs were in the standing, and I knew they weren’t having a good season, but I saw that they were 26 games back. It was like the Cubs from the 80’s had returned from the grave. I was expecting to see Mark Grace and Andre Dawson out there on the field. Looking at the Cubs stats for the season just made me angry again at the Ricketts selling off the team a month or two ago. Looks like another 100 years of rebuilding.

    And that now leaves me with Monday night football and the Cowboys playing against the Eagles. I have hope the Cowboys will win, as I despise the Eagles as a team, and Eagles fans as well. They are just not nice people. They threw snowballs at Santa Clause, you know. And the old Veterans Stadium used to have a jail and a courtroom in it to deal with the drunk rowdy fans. Anyway, I’m hoping that the Cowboys will win, and Elliot will have a good game. Like, “get me 15 points so my fantasy team can win this week,” good game.

    Not that I’m a sports fan.

  • ODDS and ENDS: Tottenham Confusion, Unruly Passengers, and I Am That Guy

    Man, what is up with Tottenham? I mean, they just got by Wolverhampton in their League Cup match on penalties, and in total, they haven’t won a match since August 29th. With the North London derby this Sunday, it would be a good opportunity for the Spurs to show up. Arsenal isn’t playing well either, as they are sitting at 13th on the table, so you’d think that Tottenham would have the advantage, but, I’m not confidant in this squad. After a great start of the season, Spurs seem to have just floundered. The attack is lacking, and giving up two 0-3 blowouts to Premier teams doesn’t say much about the defense either. I mean, I’ll watch the match on Sunday, but I don’t see myself in positive supporter mindset for it.

    I know I can’t prove this, but I think one of the contributing factors in all the unruly passengers on airlines is the fact that the seating is too damn small, and people are too damn close! Just look up “The Incredible Shrinking Airline Seat” and see how many stories you can find. When people are too close, they get angry. Remember personal space?

    I am wearing a sweatshirt today. Is it that cold? Sort of. Am I doing it because I want it to be Autumn? Yes. It was 56 degrees this morning, so the A/C is off, the windows are open, and I am pretending that the season has really changed. I am that guy. But at least I’m cozy.