Malenko

Tbf Draisaitl played better these games. McDavid was less impressive. Obviously McDavid is better but I often feel Draisaitl's numbers are sort of brushed aside as if he only got them because he plays with him, when in truth McDavid's numbers are also helped a lot by his presence n the PP. Yeah, he's not flashy like Connor McDavid, but his passing and scoring aren't equaled by many in the NHL. If he played for someone else he'd still get loads, although he wouldn't be leagues ahead of everyone but McDavid as it happened this year. I'm aware it's weird to call a Hart Trophy winner underrated but there you go. Now, the team is obviously not great. I would say there are about 4/5 players who could play 1st/2nd line in most playoff teams. The rest of them, no chance. Despite their regular season record, I believe the better team won but I still didn't expect a sweep. No one did, I guess.

Once again, Oilers were leading in the third. Jets scored to send it to OT and eventually won the series.

Oilers were 4-1 with 8 minutes to go and ended up going to OT. They just can't get their shit together when it matters most. May end up losing game 3 as well. Edit: and they did lose...

pmccog@gmail.com Someone needs to finish last.

Lille won Ligue 1. PSG failing to win any french competition should be seen as a massive failure considering their budget and everyone else's.

I did. I didn't get it at the time it came out because it didn't have the best reviews and I already had 2k20 anyway, but 0.00 is cheap enough.

I found him earlier this year. I like him a lot.

Real sociedad play very entertaining football. They lack that one guy to just bang it in, but I'm happy they'll play Europa league football.

Atlético getting an equalizer 25 seconds after Madrid got theirs and then Real Madrid getting theirs disallowed just adds to the storyline. Too convoluted. We're getting to 2001 WCW levels right now.

Real Madrid are losing though. When everyone's spursing, as everyone is this final month, it cancels out and everything stays the same.

What happened?

The goal is precisely selling one of the best keepers in the world because they can get good money there. Obviously if they don't get Donnarumma, they won't do it.

Milan's goalkeeper Donnarumma will join Barcelona on a free if Milan fail to qualify.

I haven't seen Kane in the news in either As or Marca (Madrid's papers). They seem to think Mbappe will be joining next season with or without Zidane. It's just a matter of time.

Follow-up: River won 2-1 despite having only 11 players, no subs and, as I had mentioned, an injured midfielder in goal. Good stuff.

River Plate has 20 cases of covid and they don't have any available goalkeepers for their copa libertadores match. Apparently CONMEBOL refused their appeal to use U-20 goalkeepers so they'll use Enzo Perez, an injured... Midfielder, in goal.

Arrogant sons of bitches were part of the third wave movement. I wouldn't say they're so special unless you like those bands. I do, but obviously not everyone does. Bomb the Music Industry are really cool. I think they're worth a try. Kudrow didn't release many albums but they're alright. Punky indie rock. Think a noisier superchunk. Antarctigo Vespucci is something he does with Chris Farren (fake problems) and someone else I don't remember. It's power pop. Nothing groundbreaking but not everything needs to be.

Love pretty much everything he's done, all his bands and his solo work.

Maybe someday your name will be in lights!

Once I had a save where I was constantly buying/signing new players (most of them were free, but still) and never cared much about actively trying to sell anyone. Whenever someone had lost their spot I'd just leave them there unattended. I didn't loan anyone out either. It got to the point I had 90 something players and I used about 30 the whole year. I like to imagine this team's practice irl, with about 60 guys who would never ever be a choice but still were running around in training. I imagine the coach noticing them for the first time in weeks "ah, so you're still here. How have you been? - can't complain. New dog. Wife's good. Thanks"

Schmeichel's my pick out of the bunch.

Massimo Taibi or bust!

Both?

I know it's a joke but i want to explain some things or share my view on an argument that I hear a lot living over here. While I understand the obvious stretch in this case, and while it may happen in the future if they stretch it further, nobody was signed based on their grandparent's nationality in their history. From the 20s - don't remember the exact date - to the 50s they only had local players, then up to 1979 only players born in the basque country in general (the historical region - not the Spanish community/county). Since 1979, they allow any player raised - which in the modern definition, just means having played in any basque youth squad - or born in the basque country to play for them. This change made sense when it was "established" because if there was a player who had lived all his life in the city but had been born outside the basque country wouldn't play for them. It happened with some players back then. Obviously this allows for subjectivity and depending on who's in charge at the time, the club may act more according to its interests rather than their ideals/philosophy - followed by many but not all. Athletic scouts look for talented kids around both the modern day basque country and Navarra and the french basque country. Laporte was signed at the time after a youth tournament in which he represented the Aquitaine which includes Basques and non-basques. He was the latter although he mentioned he had basque grandparents at some point. I don't know if it's true and quite frankly don't care because it doesn't matter. Then he played for Bayonne's youth team first (obviously Athletic was involved in this) and thus *sigh* qualified to play for Athletic. This subject is a common topic in Spain with some pro Athletic voices and plenty anti Athletic opinions. E.g. Spanish nationalists hate them. Still, while Laporte is an obvious stretch I don't think it's fair to say they sign whoever they want, which is a common point of view amongst those who hate the club, when those stretches are extremely rare. Changing subject, because those are completely different situations, the spanish nationality obviously has nothing to do with this. Donato and more recently Senna and Diego Costa played for Spain, just like other players played for other national teams after obtaining the nationality. It has happened often enough in many European countries. You need 5 years living in Spain to ask for it. All of those did. Quite a few countries in Europe require 3 to 7 years in order to ask for it, I believe. Once you get it you're another choice for the NT. He feels he won't be able to play world cup football in France and he wants to, so that's an option. Obviously he's french, feels french, acts french and maybe even kisses french. I'm obviously not denying he accepts playing for Spain just because he won't be able to play the world cup any other way. I've been here long enough that I could get it. Pretty sure I'm not on Luis Enrique's plans for the future but if I was and had a chance to play a world cup, I would too.