Callum Sparrowhawk
Each week I will predict the scores of the Premier League games, compare them with Mark Lawrenson’s, and then see who comes out on top. For each prediction, 1 point will be given for guessing the correct result and 3 will be given for guessing the correct score.
This Week
Saturday
Everton v West Brom (1245 GMT)
I say, 1-0
Lawro says, 2-0
Arsenal v Fulham (1500 GMT)I say, 1-0
Lawro says, 2-0
Chelsea v Wigan (1500 GMT)I say, 2-0
Lawro says, 2-1
Middlesbrough v Liverpool (1500 GMT)I say, 1-1
Lawro says, 2-0
SundayHull v Blackburn (1230 GMT)I say, 0-0
Lawro says, 1-1
West Ham v Man City (1230 GMT)I say, 2-2
Lawro says, 0-1
Bolton v Newcastle (1300 GMT)I say, 1-0
Lawro says, 2-0
Aston Villa v Stoke (1500 GMT)I say, 2-0
Lawro says, 2-1
Carling Cup FinalMan United v Tottenham (1500 GMT)I say, 1-0
Lawro says, 2-1
Fancy getting involved? Send your scores for the week’s Premier League games to callum.gs-uk@hotmail.com
So, if you think you can beat Lawro, and beat me, then join in the action!
Showing posts with label Callum Sparrowhawk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Callum Sparrowhawk. Show all posts
Friday, 27 February 2009
Thursday, 26 February 2009
I Hate Baseball!
Callum Sparrowhawk
What exactly is the attraction? Dubbed, “America’s Pastime” Baseball surely has to be the worst national sport in the world.
Now, there are a number of reasons I despise baseball and almost everything associated with it, but the biggest bone I have to pick is with the “World Series”. It’s not the ‘World’ Series at all, it’s the American championship and perhaps you could include Canada. I know that the US government generally like to consider themselves the ‘Governors of the World’ but America is absolutely and inexplicably not, the world. I just don’t understand how the winners of the Major League can be proclaimed World Champions until they accept challenges from teams from other nations. The European champions of soccer are likely to be the best team in the world, and they are, but they had to prove it. Similarly, the Pittsburgh Steelers are likely to be the best American Football team in the world, but they cannot be proclaimed world champions as they have not proven it.
Secondly, the game is incredibly dull, so dull in fact that I would rather watch a live debate at the Houses of Parliament, which is just like Congress for my Colonial cousins. A game of baseball has nine innings, and the MLB games frequently last for longer than 3 hours. Pitchers can throw a perfect game where the other team does not hit a single ball. How unbearably boring…! Baseball to me just seems so un-American. The finest attributes of American sports are that they are fast-paced and exhilarating affairs. Basketball, for example, is a fine game that captures the hearts and minds of sports fans all over the globe. Baseball doesn’t, period.
At this point, I’m sure many of you are wondering how my complaints about Baseball are any different to the groans of those who fail to see the attraction of cricket. Admittedly, test cricket can be very, very tedious. Fortunately, I don’t watch test cricket and there is this wonderful new thing known as Twenty20. Baseball must be a dying sport; the sheer length of the game alone must be causing it to lose its appeal in a society obsessed with speed and convenience. In my opinion, baseball needs to move with the times. Chop down the innings, make the fielding side get every batsman out. I can’t imagine anything more exciting than being at Yankee Stadium when A. Rod is the last man left in needing to smash two consecutive home runs to win the World Series. Well, perhaps if I was watching a more exciting sport such as basketball, or curling for that fact.
What exactly is the attraction? Dubbed, “America’s Pastime” Baseball surely has to be the worst national sport in the world.
Now, there are a number of reasons I despise baseball and almost everything associated with it, but the biggest bone I have to pick is with the “World Series”. It’s not the ‘World’ Series at all, it’s the American championship and perhaps you could include Canada. I know that the US government generally like to consider themselves the ‘Governors of the World’ but America is absolutely and inexplicably not, the world. I just don’t understand how the winners of the Major League can be proclaimed World Champions until they accept challenges from teams from other nations. The European champions of soccer are likely to be the best team in the world, and they are, but they had to prove it. Similarly, the Pittsburgh Steelers are likely to be the best American Football team in the world, but they cannot be proclaimed world champions as they have not proven it.
Secondly, the game is incredibly dull, so dull in fact that I would rather watch a live debate at the Houses of Parliament, which is just like Congress for my Colonial cousins. A game of baseball has nine innings, and the MLB games frequently last for longer than 3 hours. Pitchers can throw a perfect game where the other team does not hit a single ball. How unbearably boring…! Baseball to me just seems so un-American. The finest attributes of American sports are that they are fast-paced and exhilarating affairs. Basketball, for example, is a fine game that captures the hearts and minds of sports fans all over the globe. Baseball doesn’t, period.
At this point, I’m sure many of you are wondering how my complaints about Baseball are any different to the groans of those who fail to see the attraction of cricket. Admittedly, test cricket can be very, very tedious. Fortunately, I don’t watch test cricket and there is this wonderful new thing known as Twenty20. Baseball must be a dying sport; the sheer length of the game alone must be causing it to lose its appeal in a society obsessed with speed and convenience. In my opinion, baseball needs to move with the times. Chop down the innings, make the fielding side get every batsman out. I can’t imagine anything more exciting than being at Yankee Stadium when A. Rod is the last man left in needing to smash two consecutive home runs to win the World Series. Well, perhaps if I was watching a more exciting sport such as basketball, or curling for that fact.
Tuesday, 24 February 2009
The Carling Cup – Is it really a ‘major’ trophy?
Callum Sparrowhawk
Since the Football League Cup became the Carling Cup, naturally the sponsors have been trying to build it up as a major trophy, but on merit, can it really be called ‘major’?
Looking at the winners of the trophy since Carling took over the sponsorship in the 2003/04 season; it would certainly seem that the trophy attracts the top sides. The first winner of the Carling Cup was Middlesbrough who despite their slump this year finished 7th in 2004. For the next three seasons the Carling Cup was won by Chelsea twice and Manchester United, no arguments about their status as major European clubs. The current holders are Tottenham Hotspur who defeated Chelsea to claim the trophy with a dramatic extra time winner from centre-half Jonathan Woodgate.
Of course, drama is a crucial part of making any championship an integral part of the season. However despite last season’s breath taking final, the structure of the Carling Cup lends itself less to drama than its more prestigious counter-part the FA Cup. Only 92 teams enter the League Cup, the 20 Premier League teams as well as the 72 from the Football League, whereas the FA Cup comprises of over 700 teams. This allows for two sides of much greater contrasting quality and standing to be drawn against one another and the prospects of a ‘giant killing’ to excite the minnow’s fans as well as the neutrals.
The two-legged semi finals of the Carling Cup further decrease the chances of an upset. Take this season’s clash between Premier League leaders Manchester United and Championship strugglers Derby County as a prime example. The first leg saw Derby take the game to United at Pride Park and a wonder strike from Kris Commons gave the Championship side a 1-0 victory. However, in the second leg, Sir Alex Ferguson brought back some of his bigger name players and Manchester United cruised past Derby to overcome the deficit and win the tie, and a place in the final, comfortably.
Despite the opportunity for silverware, the biggest sides in the Premier League seem to take a more relaxed approach to the Carling Cup. The likes of Arsenal and Manchester United in particular, use the earlier rounds of the competition to blood their youngsters and give them experience in front of a full crowd. This exciting brand of new talent on display in the Carling Cup does make it a more attractive competition for sponsors and spectators who want to see the next generation of Premier League stars develop. Hot prospects Danny Welbeck, Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere have all shown their ability to play in a top side with a run of games in the Carling Cup this year. The form of top players such as Carlos Tevez and Roman Pavluychenko firing in six goals each has also helped the competition to grab the headlines.
Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool have been dominant in English football for several years and this season, the likes of Aston Villa and Everton have also moved ahead of the rest of the Premier League. With the divide in class growing within the division the Carling Cup presents the most realistic chance of silverware for the other fourteen Premier League sides. This certainly encourages sides like Tottenham, who have reached the final again this year, Blackburn, who made the quarter-finals, and Newcastle to place emphasis on a successful Carling Cup run. With this desire to win the intensity of the competition is growing and the prize of a UEFA cup spot makes the trophy a crucial part of several Premier League sides’ seasons.
The Carling Cup prevents a realistic chance of silverware and prestige for clubs that would not usually pick up the Premier League or FA Cup. The attitudes regarding team selection of the top sides, especially in the earlier rounds, would suggest that they see it as a supplement to their season. However, judging by the recent winners, it certainly seems that provided one of the top sides makes it to the later stages, they will commit to winning the trophy. Perhaps if the structure of the competition was altered to increase the chances of an upset the competition would be more appealing to neutral fans. If I was in charge, I’d eliminate the possibility of replays from the ties to encourage top sides to play more big names. The Premier League schedule is crowded enough and many sides resent the Carling Cup for adding fixtures. By making it more of a shoot-out, the competition would add a new dimension to the football season and make the Carling Cup an exciting trophy that clubs would throw their weight behind winning.
Since the Football League Cup became the Carling Cup, naturally the sponsors have been trying to build it up as a major trophy, but on merit, can it really be called ‘major’?
Looking at the winners of the trophy since Carling took over the sponsorship in the 2003/04 season; it would certainly seem that the trophy attracts the top sides. The first winner of the Carling Cup was Middlesbrough who despite their slump this year finished 7th in 2004. For the next three seasons the Carling Cup was won by Chelsea twice and Manchester United, no arguments about their status as major European clubs. The current holders are Tottenham Hotspur who defeated Chelsea to claim the trophy with a dramatic extra time winner from centre-half Jonathan Woodgate.
Of course, drama is a crucial part of making any championship an integral part of the season. However despite last season’s breath taking final, the structure of the Carling Cup lends itself less to drama than its more prestigious counter-part the FA Cup. Only 92 teams enter the League Cup, the 20 Premier League teams as well as the 72 from the Football League, whereas the FA Cup comprises of over 700 teams. This allows for two sides of much greater contrasting quality and standing to be drawn against one another and the prospects of a ‘giant killing’ to excite the minnow’s fans as well as the neutrals.
The two-legged semi finals of the Carling Cup further decrease the chances of an upset. Take this season’s clash between Premier League leaders Manchester United and Championship strugglers Derby County as a prime example. The first leg saw Derby take the game to United at Pride Park and a wonder strike from Kris Commons gave the Championship side a 1-0 victory. However, in the second leg, Sir Alex Ferguson brought back some of his bigger name players and Manchester United cruised past Derby to overcome the deficit and win the tie, and a place in the final, comfortably.
Despite the opportunity for silverware, the biggest sides in the Premier League seem to take a more relaxed approach to the Carling Cup. The likes of Arsenal and Manchester United in particular, use the earlier rounds of the competition to blood their youngsters and give them experience in front of a full crowd. This exciting brand of new talent on display in the Carling Cup does make it a more attractive competition for sponsors and spectators who want to see the next generation of Premier League stars develop. Hot prospects Danny Welbeck, Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere have all shown their ability to play in a top side with a run of games in the Carling Cup this year. The form of top players such as Carlos Tevez and Roman Pavluychenko firing in six goals each has also helped the competition to grab the headlines.
Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool have been dominant in English football for several years and this season, the likes of Aston Villa and Everton have also moved ahead of the rest of the Premier League. With the divide in class growing within the division the Carling Cup presents the most realistic chance of silverware for the other fourteen Premier League sides. This certainly encourages sides like Tottenham, who have reached the final again this year, Blackburn, who made the quarter-finals, and Newcastle to place emphasis on a successful Carling Cup run. With this desire to win the intensity of the competition is growing and the prize of a UEFA cup spot makes the trophy a crucial part of several Premier League sides’ seasons.
The Carling Cup prevents a realistic chance of silverware and prestige for clubs that would not usually pick up the Premier League or FA Cup. The attitudes regarding team selection of the top sides, especially in the earlier rounds, would suggest that they see it as a supplement to their season. However, judging by the recent winners, it certainly seems that provided one of the top sides makes it to the later stages, they will commit to winning the trophy. Perhaps if the structure of the competition was altered to increase the chances of an upset the competition would be more appealing to neutral fans. If I was in charge, I’d eliminate the possibility of replays from the ties to encourage top sides to play more big names. The Premier League schedule is crowded enough and many sides resent the Carling Cup for adding fixtures. By making it more of a shoot-out, the competition would add a new dimension to the football season and make the Carling Cup an exciting trophy that clubs would throw their weight behind winning.
Head to Head with Lawro - Review of the Week
Well the weekend of football is over, time to see who won the head to head!
The Results
Aston Villa 0-1 Chelsea
Arsenal 0-0 Sunderland
Bolton 2-1 West Ham
Middlesbrough 0-0 Wigan
Stoke 2-2 Portsmouth
Man United 2-1 Blackburn
Fulham 2-0 West Brom
Liverpool 1-1 Man City
Newcastle 0-0 Everton
Hull 1-2 Tottenham
The Scores
This week, Lawro got 1 correct score and 3 correct results. Lawro gets 6 points.
Callum got 1 correct score and 3 correct results. I also get 6 points.
Unfortunately it ends in a draw, but 6 all is barely a bore draw.
Come back soon to see next week's head to head and have a go yourself!
Email any enquiries to callum.gs-uk@hotmail.com
The Results
Aston Villa 0-1 Chelsea
Arsenal 0-0 Sunderland
Bolton 2-1 West Ham
Middlesbrough 0-0 Wigan
Stoke 2-2 Portsmouth
Man United 2-1 Blackburn
Fulham 2-0 West Brom
Liverpool 1-1 Man City
Newcastle 0-0 Everton
Hull 1-2 Tottenham
The Scores
This week, Lawro got 1 correct score and 3 correct results. Lawro gets 6 points.
Callum got 1 correct score and 3 correct results. I also get 6 points.
Unfortunately it ends in a draw, but 6 all is barely a bore draw.
Come back soon to see next week's head to head and have a go yourself!
Email any enquiries to callum.gs-uk@hotmail.com
Sunday, 22 February 2009
The Art of Diving
Callum Sparrowhawk
At the risk of offending footballing traditionalists up and down the country, I say this: “I like diving”
The act of diving has become wrongly associated with cheating and any player adjudged to be diving is the subject of intense criticism in the press.
Why is diving, or ‘simulation’, treated differently to any other form of footballing offence? When a defender pulls the shirt of a striker leaping for a header at goal, and gets away with it, we do not label them a cheat. We do not demand that the likes of John Terry, heralded as an old fashioned and ‘proper’ defender, call a foul upon themselves as they intelligently impede an opponent without being spotted.
Similarly, when a defender handles inside the area and the referee misses it, we don’t expect the defender to admit his offence to the referee. In fact, when Steven Taylor handled on the line and theatrically held his stomach with acting that Will Smith and Kate Winslet would be proud of, it was seen as ‘genius’ and was merely laughed off. Rightfully so, it was genius, and the referee was even chuckling to himself as he dismissed the Newcastle centre-half. A few games later, when he did the same thing at Old Trafford and got away with it, Manchester United’s Darren Fletcher had a little giggle and got on with the game. Probably because United were already cruising to victory, but the principle remains the same. At no point following Taylor’s actions was he branded a cheat in the press.
However when Cristiano Ronaldo, the world’s finest footballer, takes a tumble we are quick to use the ‘c’ word. Obviously I mean cheat. It's not just Ronaldo though, the likes of Didier Drogba, Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard and Andy Johnson, to name just a few, have all been criticised for 'taking a dive'. I, for one, can’t see why it has become such a taboo in English football.
Perhaps the problem we have with diving in this country is that it is largely committed by foreign players. Or, at least, the issue seems to have become more apparent with the growing number of foreign stars in the Premier League. In Spain, Italy and other leagues across Europe, the art of diving is seen as just that, an art. Is it possible that the issue many take with diving is not the act itself, but with the foreign contingent that brought it into the Premier League?
I hope that eventually we embrace the art of diving, just as the rest of the world does. We should welcome it as an element of the game where a clever attacker can gain an advantage with a convincing fall, just as an intelligent defender can do with a subtle tug of the shirt.
What do you think? Is diving an art or is it a disgusting habit that the game can do without? Let us know.
At the risk of offending footballing traditionalists up and down the country, I say this: “I like diving”
The act of diving has become wrongly associated with cheating and any player adjudged to be diving is the subject of intense criticism in the press.
Why is diving, or ‘simulation’, treated differently to any other form of footballing offence? When a defender pulls the shirt of a striker leaping for a header at goal, and gets away with it, we do not label them a cheat. We do not demand that the likes of John Terry, heralded as an old fashioned and ‘proper’ defender, call a foul upon themselves as they intelligently impede an opponent without being spotted.
Similarly, when a defender handles inside the area and the referee misses it, we don’t expect the defender to admit his offence to the referee. In fact, when Steven Taylor handled on the line and theatrically held his stomach with acting that Will Smith and Kate Winslet would be proud of, it was seen as ‘genius’ and was merely laughed off. Rightfully so, it was genius, and the referee was even chuckling to himself as he dismissed the Newcastle centre-half. A few games later, when he did the same thing at Old Trafford and got away with it, Manchester United’s Darren Fletcher had a little giggle and got on with the game. Probably because United were already cruising to victory, but the principle remains the same. At no point following Taylor’s actions was he branded a cheat in the press.
However when Cristiano Ronaldo, the world’s finest footballer, takes a tumble we are quick to use the ‘c’ word. Obviously I mean cheat. It's not just Ronaldo though, the likes of Didier Drogba, Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard and Andy Johnson, to name just a few, have all been criticised for 'taking a dive'. I, for one, can’t see why it has become such a taboo in English football.
Perhaps the problem we have with diving in this country is that it is largely committed by foreign players. Or, at least, the issue seems to have become more apparent with the growing number of foreign stars in the Premier League. In Spain, Italy and other leagues across Europe, the art of diving is seen as just that, an art. Is it possible that the issue many take with diving is not the act itself, but with the foreign contingent that brought it into the Premier League?
I hope that eventually we embrace the art of diving, just as the rest of the world does. We should welcome it as an element of the game where a clever attacker can gain an advantage with a convincing fall, just as an intelligent defender can do with a subtle tug of the shirt.
What do you think? Is diving an art or is it a disgusting habit that the game can do without? Let us know.
Friday, 20 February 2009
Head to Head with Lawro
Callum Sparrowhawk of footymad.net
Each week I will predict the scores of the Premier League games, compare them with Mark Lawrenson’s, and then see who comes out on top. For each prediction, 1 point will be given for guessing the correct result and 3 will be given for guessing the correct score.
This Week...
Each week I will predict the scores of the Premier League games, compare them with Mark Lawrenson’s, and then see who comes out on top. For each prediction, 1 point will be given for guessing the correct result and 3 will be given for guessing the correct score.
This Week...
Saturday
Aston Villa v Chelsea (1245 GMT)
I say, 2-0
Lawro says, 1-1
Arsenal v Sunderland (1500 GMT)
I say, 1-0
Lawro says, 2-0
Bolton v West Ham (1500 GMT)
I say, 0-1
Lawro says, 2-1
Middlesbrough v Wigan (1500 GMT)
I say, 1-1
Lawro says, 2-0
Lawro says, 2-0
Stoke v Portsmouth (1500 GMT)
I say, 0-0
Lawro says, 1-1
Lawro says, 1-1
Man United v Blackburn (1730 GMT)
I say, 2-1
Lawro says, 2-0
Lawro says, 2-0
Sunday
Fulham v West Brom (1330 GMT)
I say, 1-0
Lawro says, 2-1
Lawro says, 2-1
Liverpool v Man City (1500 GMT)
I say, 2-0
Lawro says, 3-0
Lawro says, 3-0
Newcastle v Everton (1600 GMT)
I say, 0-1
Lawro says, 1-1
Lawro says, 1-1
Monday
Hull v Tottenham (2000 GMT)
I say, 0-2
Lawro says, 1-1
Lawro says, 1-1
Fancy getting involved? Send your scores for the week’s Premier League games to
Thursday, 19 February 2009
Can I Beat Lawro? Can you...?
Callum Sparrowhawk of footymad.net
We’ve all seen Mark Lawrenson’s Premier League predictions, and he does get a few right, but can I beat him? In fact, can you beat Lawro, can you beat me?
Each week I will predict the scores of the Premier League games, compare them with Mark Lawrenson’s, and then see who comes out on top. For each prediction, 1 point will be given for guessing the correct result and 3 will be given for guessing the correct score.
Fancy getting involved? Send your scores for the week’s Premier League games to
callum.gs-uk@hotmail.com
So, if you think you can beat Lawro, and me, then join in the action!
This week's Premier League fixtures
Arsenal v Sunderland
Aston Villa v Chelsea
Bolton v West Ham
Manchester United v Blackburn
Middlesbrough v Wigan
Stoke v Portsmouth
Fulham v West Brom
Liverpool v Manchester City
Newcastle v Everton
Predictions will appear on Friday afternoon, the deadline for entires is 5pm on Friday 20th February! So don't delay.
We’ve all seen Mark Lawrenson’s Premier League predictions, and he does get a few right, but can I beat him? In fact, can you beat Lawro, can you beat me?
Each week I will predict the scores of the Premier League games, compare them with Mark Lawrenson’s, and then see who comes out on top. For each prediction, 1 point will be given for guessing the correct result and 3 will be given for guessing the correct score.
Fancy getting involved? Send your scores for the week’s Premier League games to
callum.gs-uk@hotmail.com
So, if you think you can beat Lawro, and me, then join in the action!
This week's Premier League fixtures
Arsenal v Sunderland
Aston Villa v Chelsea
Bolton v West Ham
Manchester United v Blackburn
Middlesbrough v Wigan
Stoke v Portsmouth
Fulham v West Brom
Liverpool v Manchester City
Newcastle v Everton
Predictions will appear on Friday afternoon, the deadline for entires is 5pm on Friday 20th February! So don't delay.
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