The FanHouse - David J Warner http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse Find the latest David J Warner blog at aolsportsblog.com. http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/feedlogo.gif FanHouse - AOL Sports Blog http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Murphy Goal Caps Fulham's Great Escapehttp://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/11/murphy-goal-caps-fulhams-great-escape/http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/11/murphy-goal-caps-fulhams-great-escape/http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/11/murphy-goal-caps-fulhams-great-escape/#commentsAll it took was one goal. It didn't matter that Reading was carving through Derby County like an electric knife through a cooked ham, or that Birmingham City had taken the lead at home against Blackburn. All Fulham needed was one goal to ensure their Premier League survival.

After 76 minutes, they got it on a Jimmy Bullard free kick that found Danny Murphy in the box. Murphy's header found the back of the net, giving Fulham a 1-0 lead. A furious attack by Portsmouth was stymied for 90 minutes by Kasey Keller, and the Cottagers got the win they needed to avoid the relegation that looked dead certain a month ago.

We no longer have to ask what will happen to American soccer stars Brian McBride and Clint Dempsey. They'll be back at Craven Cottage next season. Perhaps if McBride and Bullard avoid injuries and play full seasons, Fulham can avoid the relegation battle all together in 2009.

As for Reading, their six-game goal drought doomed them to the fizzy drink mixer, and manager Steve Coppell will face a huge struggle to bring his club back up. Same goes for Birmingham City manager Alex McLeish, who discovered the hard way that Scottish football doesn't always prepare you for English football.

Continue reading Murphy Goal Caps Fulham's Great Escape

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]]>FulhamDavid J. Warner2008-05-11T12:37:00+00:00Manchester United Wins Premier League Titlehttp://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/11/manchester-united-wins-premier-league-title/http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/11/manchester-united-wins-premier-league-title/http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/11/manchester-united-wins-premier-league-title/#comments38 games. Each club plays the other 19 clubs home and away. Victories are three points, and draws are one. That's it. No playoffs. No extra time. Whoever finishes with the most points wins.

And when the 38 games were over, Manchester United didn't even need their massive goal differential to take their second consecutive Premier League crown.

The Red Devils clinched the title with a 2-0 victory at Wigan. Wayne Rooney was tripped by Emmerson Boyce in the box in the 32nd minute, resulting in a penalty that Cristiano Ronaldo converted. Then late substitute Ryan Giggs, who broke Sir Bobby Charlton's record for most appearances in a Red Devil kit, took an accurate through ball from Rooney and scored in the 80th minute to seal the deal.

Chelsea, meanwhile, held off a physical Bolton Wanderers side for 92 minutes and looked primed to end the season with a win after a 61st-minute goal by, of all people, Andriy Shevchenko. Bolton twisted the knife even further, though, with a Kevin Davies goal at the death, and the game ended in a 1-1 draw. To add insult to injury, John Terry left the game early with a separated shoulder.

Regardless, Chelsea's fate was out of their hands, as they got no help from Wigan on the day. Manchester United are the Champions of England, and the Blues will have to settle for getting their revenge in the Champions League Final in Moscow on May 21.
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]]>ChelseaManchesterUnitedDavid J. Warner2008-05-11T12:07:00+00:00MyFootballClub Wins Its First Trophyhttp://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/10/myfootballclub-wins-its-first-trophy/http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/10/myfootballclub-wins-its-first-trophy/http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/10/myfootballclub-wins-its-first-trophy/#commentsFull disclosure: I am a member of MyFootballClub. I paid my $70 or so to participate in this grand experiment, where 30,000 or so people join together to purchase an actual English soccer club -- Ebbsfleet United of the Blue Square Premier, the top-flight of non-league football and four tiers below the Premier League.

Sadly, I haven't exactly been the most active member. I've missed votes. I don't hang out on the messageboard. I've only followed the club's progress sparingly in the last few months.

Still, it was with a sense of pride that I watched Ebbsfleet United win its first trophy today in Wembley Stadium. Ebbsfleet defeated Torquay United, 1-0, to win the FA Trophy, a knockout competition for non-league clubs.

It was passing strange, watching for the first time this club that used my money to make this FA Trophy run. I imagined a thousand random soccer fans scattered across America, watching the FA-provided Sky Sports stream on their PCs, thinking to themselves, hey, we did this. We helped these guys make this moment happen. Many of the 22,000 Ebbsfleet supporters at Wembley were probably thinking the same thing -- and what a moment it was.

Continue reading MyFootballClub Wins Its First Trophy

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]]>MyFootballClubDavid J. Warner2008-05-10T13:00:00+00:00Premier League Races Go Down to the Wirehttp://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/09/premier-league-races-go-down-to-the-wire/http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/09/premier-league-races-go-down-to-the-wire/http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/09/premier-league-races-go-down-to-the-wire/#commentsSomehow, it all comes back to Wigan Athletic.

Wigan is a small club that's been in the top flight of English football for only the last three years, and it's spent most of that time fighting for its spot in the Premier League. Last season, Wigan only avoided relegation on the last day of season with a win at Sheffield United. This season, they didn't stave off relegation until last week, when they upset Aston Villa, 2-0.

What's more, Wigan plays on the worst pitch in the Premier League. They share JJB Stadium with a rugby league club, which results in a torn up pitch that often still has yard-line markers on it during soccer games. It's the Premier League equivalent to playing in Salt Lake City.

Yet here is little Wigan having a huge say in the Premier League title race. Emile Heskey's last-minute goal against Chelsea cost the Blues two points in the standings -- two points which could have put Team Turmoil in the driver's seat for the league title. Now Wigan plays Manchester United -- who might be missing the injured Wayne Rooney -- at the JJB on Sunday, and Wigan manager Steve Bruce, a former United captain, is promising that his team will leave it all on the pitch on Sunday.

Wigan Athletic. Who would have thought they'd be in the middle of all this?

Continue reading Premier League Races Go Down to the Wire

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]]>ChelseaManchesterUnitedDavid J. Warner2008-05-09T11:30:00+00:00How To Make the Premier League Less Boringhttp://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/09/how-to-make-the-premier-league-less-boring/http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/09/how-to-make-the-premier-league-less-boring/http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/09/how-to-make-the-premier-league-less-boring/#commentsNewcastle United manager Kevin Keegan would like you to know something very important about the Premier League. It's getting a little stale.

"Maybe (Newcastle) owner (Mike Ashey) thinks we can bridge that gap - but we can't. This league is in danger of becoming one of the most boring but great leagues in the world.

"The top four next year will be the same top four as this year. What I can say to the Newcastle fans is that we will be trying to get fifth and we will be trying to win the other league that's going on within the Premier League."

Keegan makes a legitimate point. A vicious cycle exists in the Premier League right now, where the Big Four -- Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United -- finish in the top four every year, go to the UEFA Champions League, earn as much as £30 million more than all the other clubs, use that money to buy top players to strengthen their roster, finish in the top four again the next year, and so on and so on, until only four clubs have a real shot at the League title and the rest are left to fend for UEFA Cup scraps.

I believe, however, that there's a way to break this cycle.

Continue reading How To Make the Premier League Less Boring

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]]>ArsenalChelseaKevinKeeganLiverpoolManchesterUnitedNewcastleDavid J. Warner2008-05-09T10:20:00+00:00Drafting Josh Johnson Was Jon Gruden's Way of Telling Bucs to Cut Chris Simmshttp://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/09/drafting-josh-johnson-was-jon-grudens-way-of-telling-bucs-to-cu/http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/09/drafting-josh-johnson-was-jon-grudens-way-of-telling-bucs-to-cu/http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/09/drafting-josh-johnson-was-jon-grudens-way-of-telling-bucs-to-cu/#commentsApparently, a few people in Tampa think Chris Simms has been properly compensated by the Buccaneers for giving his spleen for the cause, and it's time for them to cut him loose.

That had to be Jon Gruden's message to the team after he drafted University of San Diego QB Josh Johnson with the Bucs' fifth-round pick. Johnson was reportedly impressing his teammates in a minicamp last weekend. He seems like a natural fit for the Bucs, given that he played in a West Coast offense at San Diego and threw 43 touchdown passes and one interception last season -- impressive numbers at any level.

Still, Johnson is a project, and the Bucs are loaded up with quarterbacks. Jeff Garcia is old but clearly still capable, and Brian Griese and Luke McCown are serviceable backups.

Which brings us back to Simms. Nobody really knows his current form. His throwing motion was reportedly ruined after his spleen was removed. Has it recovered? Could he return to his 2005 form, when he led the Bucs to the playoffs? Or is he done as an NFL quarterback, and if so, are the Glazers just keeping him on the payroll out of guilt, or out of fear that he'll become a starter for another team?

The only thing for sure here is that Gruden really wants to move on without Simms. Perhaps the Bucs should as well.
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]]>ChrisSimmsJoshJohnsonDavid J. Warner2008-05-09T10:15:00+00:00Clearly, Nobody at ESPN Ever Has Ever Seen "The 40-Year-Old Virgin"http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/08/clearly-nobody-at-espn-ever-has-ever-seen-the-40-year-old-virg/http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/08/clearly-nobody-at-espn-ever-has-ever-seen-the-40-year-old-virg/http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/08/clearly-nobody-at-espn-ever-has-ever-seen-the-40-year-old-virg/#comments

I'm sure the marketing department at ESPN only saw cross-promotional gold here when they struck a deal with Coldplay to use music from their new album during the network's EURO 2008 coverage. Big European band. Biggest European sporting event of the year. Biggest sports network in America showing the games in HD. I'm sure they all thought it fit together nicely.

But we all know what's coming -- an endless stream of "You know how I know soccer's gay?" jokes. Let's not kid ourselves into thinking all the soccer-bashing lunkheads in this country will miss that movie reference so easily.

Nice going, ESPN. You're going to have to give Heather Mitts a ton of airtime next month to make up for this.

(H/T: We Are The Postmen)
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]]>ColdplayEuro2008David J. Warner2008-05-08T11:00:00+00:00Clint Dempsey Pledges His Future to Fulhamhttp://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/07/clint-dempsey-pledges-future-to-fulham/http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/07/clint-dempsey-pledges-future-to-fulham/http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/07/clint-dempsey-pledges-future-to-fulham/#commentsA few weeks ago, when it seemed certain that Fulham was doomed to relegation, we speculated on where Clint Dempsey might end up next season. Yesterday, with Fulham one victory away from safety, the American forward/midfielder made clear his future was at Fulham. He signed a two-year contract extension to stay with the London club.

Dempsey is one of five Americans at Fulham, along with forwards Brian McBride and Eddie Johnson, center-back Carlos Bocanegra and goalkeeper Kasey Keller. However, Dempsey is the first of the Americans to commit to Fulham beyond this season. McBride and Johnson are expected to stay, though Bocanegra has been dropped from the starting lineup and will likely move during the offseason.

Keep in mind that Fulham still needs a win on Sunday to guarantee its Premier League status next season. Dempsey's new contract isn't necessarily a guarantee that he will play at Craven Cottage next season. If it does end up being relegated, Fulham could still sell Dempsey's contract to another club for the right price, so this extension could be just a way for Fulham to make a few bucks if they lose out on the Premier League's riches. For now, though, it seems Deuce is staying put.

(H/T: Soccer By Ives)

Previously at FanHouse:
What's Next for Clint Dempsey?
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]]>ClintDempseyDavid J. Warner2008-05-07T16:35:00+00:00D.C. United Convinces VW to Pay Its Playershttp://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/07/d-c-united-gets-vw-to-pay-its-players/http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/07/d-c-united-gets-vw-to-pay-its-players/http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/07/d-c-united-gets-vw-to-pay-its-players/#commentsYesterday, D.C. United announced a new five-year sponsorship deal with Volkswagen, which involves slapping a big VW logo on the Major League Soccer club's jerseys and trying to sell the Screaming Eagles on the joys of Touareg ownership. In turn, D.C. United will receive $14 million over the next five years.

That's $2.8 million a year. The MLS salary is currently $2.3 million a year. So for all intents and purposes, Volkswagen is covering D.C. United's player salaries for at least the next two years. There's probably enough left over to pay most of the coaching staff, too.

MLS has its share of problems, but it seems the league's biggest problem is the lack of money available to players not named Beckham or Blanco. The MLS Players Union desperately needs to address that issue in the next Collective Bargaining Agreement, which would take effect in 2010. The salary cap should be at least double what it is now. The minimum salary for senior team players needs to be raised. Roster sizes should be increased. Most importantly, developmental players should be making a living wage. That would allow a youth program prospect like Matt Kassel to stay with his club rather than leave for college.

Those are just small steps the League and the Players Union could take to make MLS more appealing to both players and fans. Without that, MLS might not be quite as appealing to other advertisers in the future. But hey, kudos to D.C. United for getting someone else to pay their most important employees, right?
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]]>DCUnitedMLSVolkswagenDavid J. Warner2008-05-07T15:50:00+00:00Steve Smith Enjoyed His New Gym So Much, He Bought Ithttp://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/06/steve-smith-enjoyed-his-new-gym-so-much-he-bought-it/http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/06/steve-smith-enjoyed-his-new-gym-so-much-he-bought-it/http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/06/steve-smith-enjoyed-his-new-gym-so-much-he-bought-it/#commentsAs soon as his frustrating 2007 season ended, Carolina Panthers wideout Steve Smith decided he needed to blow off some steam. Instead of doing what some other NFL players might do -- like choking pregnant girlfriends or piloting boats while drinking -- Smith settled on a good old-fashioned workout at the gym.

Only Steve Smith doesn't go to normal gyms. No. He went to Velocity Sports Training, which specializes in improving athletes' speed, strength and agility. Smith really liked the workout he got there. In fact, he liked it so much, he bought a stake in the company.

Not only did Smith see an opportunity to work with other athletes and get a head start on his post-NFL career, but he saw actual improvement in his game during last weekend's minicamp.

"I could see a big difference (in performance) in a short amount of time," he said. "Physically, I feel stronger, and faster in and out of breaks."

So, to recap, Steve Smith, 28, All-Pro NFL wide receiver, is faster and stronger than he was last year, when he had 87 catches for 1,002 yards and 7 touchdowns under adverse conditions. Plus, his favorite quarterback is getting healthy, and his team has new depth at receiver. Still looking like a train wreck to you, Panthers fans?
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]]>SteveSmithDavid J. Warner2008-05-06T21:35:00+00:00David Beckham: Still Bendin' Ithttp://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/05/david-beckham-still-bendin-it/http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/05/david-beckham-still-bendin-it/http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/05/david-beckham-still-bendin-it/#comments
Admist all the hype and bluster and jersey lawsuits, we tend to forget sometimes why David Beckham actually came to America -- to play soccer. He reminded everyone on Saturday that he's still got game with a pair of brilliant bending goals that salvaged a 2-2 draw for the L.A. Galaxy against Real Salt Lake.

By the way, that turf they're using in Utah looks like it was purchased on a Blue Light Special at K-Mart. Real Salt Lake Stadium can't open soon enough.

(H/T: With Leather)
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]]>DavidBeckhamDavid J. Warner2008-05-05T14:37:00+00:00Big Money, No Whammies: West Brom, Stoke City Win Promotion to Premier Leaguehttp://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/05/big-money-no-whammies-west-brom-stoke-city-win-promotion-to-p/http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/05/big-money-no-whammies-west-brom-stoke-city-win-promotion-to-p/http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/05/big-money-no-whammies-west-brom-stoke-city-win-promotion-to-p/#comments

Welcome to the Premier League, West Bromwich Albion and Stoke City. Hope you survive the experience.

The two clubs won automatic promotion to Premier League on Sunday after finishing 1st and 2nd in the Coca-Cola Championship, England's second division. West Brom will return to the Premier League after a two-year absence, while Stoke enters the top flight for the first time in 23 years. Each club can expect to earn an extra £35 million in TV revenue next season.

Meanwhile, our pals at The Run of Play would like to remind us that while Stoke supporters are ecstatic today, fans of La Liga champions Real Madrid and Bundesliga champs Bayern Munich are too disappointed with their European performances to enjoy their domestic success. I guess it's all relative.
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]]>David J. Warner2008-05-05T13:30:00+00:00The Panthers Are Deep at Receiver? Really?http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/05/the-panthers-are-deep-at-receiver-really/http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/05/the-panthers-are-deep-at-receiver-really/http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/05/the-panthers-are-deep-at-receiver-really/#commentsIt's only May, so we're months away from seeing the proof here, but it seems the big story about The Train Wreck That Is The Carolina Panthers -- you can thank the FanHouse commenters for that moniker -- is that they have (*gasp*) actual depth at receiver.

First, there's D.J. Hackett, who reportedly made "several fine catches" during the weekend workouts and had nothing but good things to say about Jake Delhomme. In turn, the Panthers QB had nothing but good things to say about Muhsin Muhammad's return.

"I'll be honest with you -- the day we got Moose back, that was huge. And not for what he's done in the past. Just the way he works, the way he blocks. He brings a presence."

Another report has Jason Carter, the third-year man from Texas A&M who spent last season on the Panthers' practice squad, making the most spectacular catch of the weekend and looking generally impressive. That same report says, "Dwayne Jarrett has great hands. That's all." (Translation: He runs routes like Keary Colbert.)

Of course, it's way too early to tell whether any of these guys will take the double- and triple-teams off Steve Smith during actual games, but it sure sounds like there's a light at the end of the tunn-- Agh! It's an oncoming train! Run!
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]]>DJHackettDwayneJarrettJasonCarterMuhsinMuhammadSteveSmithDavid J. Warner2008-05-05T12:34:00+00:00Soccer Streaker Poses Nude for Playboyhttp://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/05/soccer-streaker-poses-nude-for-playboy/http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/05/soccer-streaker-poses-nude-for-playboy/http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/05/soccer-streaker-poses-nude-for-playboy/#commentsIt doesn't take much to be famous in the 21st century. All you have to do is take off most of your clothes, tie on an American flag and run into the middle of a soccer game that most sports fans wouldn't care about otherwise.

At least, that was the plan for Tiffany May, who went pitch invading during the USA v. Honduras Olympic qualifying match and became an Internet sensation. Now after taking off most of her clothes for the game, she's cashing in on her 15 minutes of fame by taking off all her clothes -- for Playboy.

You can see the full NSFW teaser trailer here at The Offside Rules, which notes ironically that Tiffany "may make more money doing that than a few US soccer players will make this year." Plus, in the video, Tiffany herself offers a solution for getting more people to become soccer fans:

"Maybe if there were more girls like me streaking at soccer games, we'd have a lot more fans."

Well, isn't that why NFL teams have cheerleaders? Perhaps MLS clubs should look into that. Mexico is way ahead of the curve there.

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]]>CONCACAFPlayboyDavid J. Warner2008-05-05T10:44:00+00:00Is Moscow Ready for British Invasion?http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/05/is-moscow-ready-for-british-invasion/http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/05/is-moscow-ready-for-british-invasion/http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/05/is-moscow-ready-for-british-invasion/#commentsThe UEFA Champions League final is Europe's answer to the Super Bowl. The site of the big game is picked years in advance, and fans usually have to shell out thousands for tickets and travel.

Unlike the Super Bowl, however, this year's Champions League final in Moscow faces a huge obstacle -- issuing upwards of 45,000 visas to English fans to allow them to enter Russia. In three weeks.

While the British press is predicting doom and gloom -- what else is new? -- Russian authorities are doing everything they can to simplify the process for Manchester United and Chelsea fans who want to see the game live at Luzhniki Olympic Stadium. In addition, the Moscow City Council has launched an ambitious plan to transport fans into and out of Moscow on the day of the final. According to the BBC, that plan involves more than 200 aircraft, 900 buses, and thousands of prayers to various deities that nothing goes wrong.

If this Champions League final ends up being played in a half-empty stadium, not even Steve McClaren's umbrella will be big enough to protect UEFA boss Michel Platini from the pouring rain of I-told-you-sos. Good luck, Moscow. You're gonna need it.

UPDATE (12:35 PM): The New York Times is reporting that Russia will allow British fans to enter the country without visas.
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]]>ChampionsLeagueDavid J. Warner2008-05-05T09:00:00+00:00Soccer Is More Fun When Players Are on Firehttp://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/04/soccer-is-more-fun-when-players-are-on-fire/http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/04/soccer-is-more-fun-when-players-are-on-fire/http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/04/soccer-is-more-fun-when-players-are-on-fire/#comments
Now this is what today's Arsenal v. Everton match needed -- put everyone in flame-retardant suits, douse them with gasoline, set the ball on fire and let them play. Never mind a little charred grass. This is all about the fans. Cesc Fabregas was up for it. Everyone else wimped out, though, leaving us with a half-hearted end-of-season kick-around that ended ... wait for it ... 1-0 to the Arsenal.

Everton might have cared more if Wigan hadn't upset Aston Villa yesterday. As it stands, Everton is still 3 points ahead of Villa for fifth place and needs only draw next Sunday against Newcastle to clinch a UEFA Cup bid.

By the way, this stunt is a big promo for something called The Cesc Fabregas Show. This should last about as long as Magic Johnson's show.

(H/T: EPL Talk)
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]]>David J. Warner2008-05-04T10:35:00+00:00McBride Goal Lifts Fulham Out of Drop Zonehttp://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/03/mcbride-goal-lifts-fulham-out-of-drop-zone/http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/03/mcbride-goal-lifts-fulham-out-of-drop-zone/http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/03/mcbride-goal-lifts-fulham-out-of-drop-zone/#commentsCaptain America saves the day in London. Film at 11.

Brian McBride headed in Jimmy Bullard's free kick in the 52nd minute, and Erik Nevland added a breakaway goal 35 minutes later to give Fulham an all-important 2-0 victory over Birmingham City. That win, combined with Reading's 1-0 loss at home to Tottenham Hotspur, lifted the Cottagers to 17th place in the Premier League, one spot ahead of the drop zone.

McBride, who was out injured for a large stretch of the season, has helped fuel this Fulham comeback, helping the club take 9 points out of its last 12. In fact, McBride and Nevland also scored in Fulham's 2-0 win over Reading three weeks ago. Reading and Birmingham are now both on the verge of relegation, and their situation grew even more dire after Bolton Wanderers defeated Sunderland, 2-0, to lift themselves 3 points clear of the drop zone with one game left. Middlesbrough and Wigan also secured their league status for next season with wins today.

Fulham now controls its own destiny. They can complete their great escape with a win at Portsmouth, a club that has looked disinterested in league play since reaching the FA Cup final.

Continue reading McBride Goal Lifts Fulham Out of Drop Zone

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]]>BrianMcBrideDavid J. Warner2008-05-03T14:34:00+00:00Even Nani's Stupidity Can't Stop Man Unitedhttp://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/03/even-nanis-stupidity-cant-stop-man-united/http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/03/even-nanis-stupidity-cant-stop-man-united/http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/03/even-nanis-stupidity-cant-stop-man-united/#commentsYou could argue that Nani was just trying to make it interesting.

Cristiano Ronaldo had already scored his 29th and 30th goals of the Premier League season against West Ham, and Carlos Tevez added a third against his old club -- all in the first in 26 minutes. Even after Dean Ashton's bicycle kick goal, West Ham looked quite doomed.

At least, that was until Nani decided to channel his inner Zidane on the bridge of Lucas Neill's nose. The young Portuguese was shown a red card for his efforts, and for a moment, West Ham seemed to have a lifeline.

Of course, they didn't. Manchester United's defense held firm, and Edwin van der Sar saved every shot the Hammers put on goal after that. By the time it was over, 10-man United had secured a 4-1 victory and were just one win at Wigan away from a Premier League title.

Give credit to Nani, though, for trying to keep it competitive. Clearly, he felt sorry for all those West Ham supporters who came all the way from East London. He just wanted to give them a little hope. That had to be it, because nobody could be stupid enough to jeopardize his team's title hopes in this manner. Magnanimous gesture, that.
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]]>ManchesterUnitedDavid J. Warner2008-05-03T10:20:00+00:00Pachuca Wins CONCACAF Champions Cuphttp://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/02/pachuca-wins-concacaf-champions-cup/http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/02/pachuca-wins-concacaf-champions-cup/http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/02/pachuca-wins-concacaf-champions-cup/#comments
I suspect I'm not the only American soccer fan who stopped paying attention to the CONCACAF Champions Cup after all the MLS clubs bowed out in the semifinals. This competition has a history of not keeping our attention in this country, where USA v. Mexico carries far more weight than MLS clubs v. Mexican clubs. That might be one reason why CONCACAF is dumping the 8-team Champions Cup in favor of a 24-team Champions League format starting this August.

Nevertheless, it's worth noting that Pachuca defeated Deportivo Saprissa 3-2 on aggregate to win the last Champions Cup and a spot in the FIFA Club World Cup for the second straight year. It's also worth noting that there are some wicked saves by the goalkeepers in that highlight reel.
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]]>ChampionsCupCONCACAFDavid J. Warner2008-05-02T17:05:00+00:00Jake Delhomme's Elbow Is Just Fine, Thankshttp://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/02/jake-delhommes-elbow-is-just-fine-thanks/http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/02/jake-delhommes-elbow-is-just-fine-thanks/http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/02/jake-delhommes-elbow-is-just-fine-thanks/#commentsReports out of the first day of Carolina Panthers minicamp indicate that Jake Delhomme is throwing short passes without pain and has had zero setbacks in rehab following Tommy John surgery on his elbow.

In other news, all those pundits who thought the Panthers would trade half their draft to get Matt Ryan scurried back to their computers to research how to manipulate Google so that no one would ever find out how silly they were.

Delhomme isn't throwing long bombs just yet, but he's probably further along than the team thought he might be at this stage, and he should be very close to 100% again by the time training camp starts in July. How you react to that news may depend entirely on your opinion of Jake Delhomme as a quarterback. (I have co-workers who refer to him as "Forrest Gump." What they called David Carr, though, is unprintable here.)

The Charlotte Observer is also reporting that 3rd-round picks Dan Connor and Charles Godfrey are getting first-team looks at middle linebacker and free safety, respectively. Connor is filling in for Jon Beason, who had surgery on his wrist on Wednesday but is expected to be ready before full camp opens.
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