That actually gave me quite the laugh!!

Actually, the marketing possibilities are probably one of the factors. As they should be. Why not go after players from other markets where they can sell more shirts? More clubs should do that, but, as in this case, the player should be good enough that he will help the club.

Nick Hornby was speaking at a bookstore near our place tonight. While I was in the ice cream parlor and my wife was standing outside wating with the dog, he walked past. (She could tell it was him, as he was wearing a suit and it is 88 degrees F today!) She said, "Loved Fever Pitch, hate Arsenal!" So he stopped to say hi and asked what the dog's name was, to which she answered "Beckham." He rolled his eyes and went along his way. (Yes, we named our dog Beckham, but it was after he went to Madrid! We wanted a unique name for a dog (at least around here) and it is actually a pretty cool name for a dog.)

It's your big cricket thing with who you call the convicts, but normally would be referred to as "the cousins we don't like to admit we are related to." Don't worry, we all have one or two of those in our family. I've tried watching cricket, even understand a bit of how it is played, just can't get into it. Might have to try it in person one day, I'm sure it's a big difference watching it live. By the way, do you guys get the BA commercial over there with the American announcer watching the cricket and complaining when the "baseball" game gets in his way? Brilliant!

I hope no one wins. Both of your sides will be annoying about it!!!

And no grabbing their crotches for protection at free kicks!

I sat with 100,000 at the Rose Bowl to see the US win the cup. It is a good ticket, and they play with more passion for the country than most of the men. If AESF is really that down on Cole and wants to see players who respect the shirt, he should get down to Ewood.

One of the best first season clubs that isn't playing in European competition is Betis. I have played them twice and finished second in La Liga both first seasons. Both times I have only bought a couple of players, and even they weren't starters. If you play them with a 4-4-2 diamond attacking formation they have some awesome talent. My first time playing them I even lost Joaquin for about 4 months with an injury.

That's one of the funniest things I've ever read. Gotta love the uppity ManUSA fans reactions, too.

Maybe for live rights, but I know for a fact that MUTV shows all matches on a delayed basis in New York on the Yankees TV network. I seriously doubt they share that cash, except maybe with their opponents. As for the playoffs, I think a flag I saw at the match yesterday sums up why I didn't want WHU to win. It said something to the effect of "Back Up Where We Belong - WHU."

Actually, I thought the most important paragraph was: It has also emerged that Man Utd's financial advisers, including JP Morgan Cazenove, failed to secure promises from Glazer about his plans for transfer budgets, debt levels, team selection or ticket prices during the takeover discussions with the US sports tycoon. Completely contradicting the "limits" you claim were made. As for him being in it for the money, lots of owners are in it for the money. (And has anyone else made the connection with the amount paid for United vs. the amount Roman has "wasted" on Chelsea? Makes his 500 million or so (I'm sure I'll be corrected) invested to date seem like a bargain.)

1. Hundreds were worth more, but thousands were worth less. The Asian and American markets weren't as strong. The Internet market for live streaming of the Prem wasn't as big. 2. Apologies, I haven't been obsessing about the numbers involved. 3. If the dollar gets weaker (as businessmen, such as Warren Buffett are betting on), then it will make it worth more in dollar terms. Roughly 2-1 now (just for ease of discussion) makes a 800 million pound investment cost 1.6 billion dollars. If the exchange become 2.5-1, the investment is now worth 2.0 billion. 400 million dollars of profit. 4. For a club like United, going trophyless one season will not kill them. If the run continues, it would hurt, but Glazer has already said he would make the investment necessary to make sure the run does not continue. As Heinze, Ronaldo (the daft one) and Rooney have shown, Ferguson does make some correct moves in the transfer market. There are a ton more opportunities available to make money for United. The Asian and American markets will make this well worth his investment. I wasn't going to be like some and obsess on the topic, but a bit ago, John Nicholson wrote an excellent column about it you can find here: http://www.football365.com/opinion/john_ni...son/index.shtml Highlighting the following paragraphs: Yes, the finances could go belly up and take the club with it but that would take extraordinarily bad business acumen and Glazer, for all his stupid beardedness, hasn't got a big wedge of cash in the bank by being a fool. The relationship between money and success is simple enough to understand. He needs the club to succeed to make money. So more than anyone else he has a vested interest in making that happen. Securing the loan against the club's assets isn't some evil scheme designed to screw the club over. It's just a typical way a business raises money. You do it yourself when you take out a homeowner loan. Banks like to have something to flog off if you default on your payments. I think that if it was Bobby Charlton taking over the club fans would be all in favour, no doubt because he's trusted to do the right thing by the club. This doesn't mean he'd be any good, of course. So is having a rich owner like Glazer really a problem? Isn't being a PLC an even worse option because the club's shares are owned by faceless and largely unaccountable financial institutions?

Well, let's start with the fact that Birmingham will bring more passengers to the airline. The more passengers, the more money the airline will make. The more money the airline makes, the more money goes into the Walker Trust. The more money into the Walker Trust, the more money to SUBSIDIZE Rovers. Why don't you put every extra penny you earn into the club? You just need food and shelter, anything above that should be given to Rovers each year. And as for what RR said, he's partially right. It isn't necessarily the wages, it's more the attitude of the players. I'll always be a big fan of Stead because he shows he cares about the club, and cares about winning. There aren't enough players like that nowadays.

Also consider that back in '99 the club was worth over 900 million pounds, he bought it for 700. Plus factor in the declining dollar and you could see a good return on his investment by 2008 or so. Philip is starting to sound like Jan in his tunnel vision. Laugable he wanted United to lose (lose, not loose) the final and Liverpool to win the champs league because of Glazer. If he was as smart as he thinks he is, he'd want them to win, since this isn't Glazer's club. If they win anything next year, especially the prem, he brings them back from one of their most unsuccessful seasons in the 00s (oughts?).

Who? I'm assuming you mean Cafu.

My wife uses a cassette adapter for her iPod in the car. Works quite well.

Eddie, The reason my wife has an IPod is that the Creative we bought for her wouldn't work on my Mac. I believe they do have certain models that do, though. Either research it heavily, or do what we did and buy it at a place where they have a 30 day money back guarantee. Another thing to do is to go on the Creative web site and see if they have Mac drivers for what you are looking at.

Thinking about getting a new coach, just to change things up. I have 2 players with solid leadership I'm considering converting. 2 things: Can they still play and train if they are my coach? Does age matter?

We realize we still owe you one.

Before you bemoan the "meager" 20 million pounds they will have this summer, don't forget that Ferguson was told when he bought Rooney he would have no money this summer, as the Rooney money was an advance for this year's kitty.

So you're saying that PSV-Porto would be less attractive to PSV fans and TV audiences than PSV-Twente? The big thing you are ignoring is internet rights, and overseas foreign TV and radio. One of the big plans I heard about when this whole thing first started was screening all of the matches live on the net, much like each club does with radio now. As far as I know, each club is responsible for their own, and doesn't share the profits.

I don't think the UK rights are the issue, I see him more going on his own for overseas rights, especially here in the US and in the Far East. Currently on the Yankee's TV network (YES), they show all MU matches on a 3 or 4 day delayed basis. He probably wants to make a way to show all matches live on PPV or Satellite feeds to pubs here in the states, much like Celtic and Rangers currently do. From what I understand, the overseas rights do not bring much in to Rovers, so he would be making a new market, not taking away from an existing one. As for the trailer parks, god forbid someone try to get market value rents for their properties. That might be evil and capitalistic, a PLC wouldn't want that kind of owner. [/sarcasm] Interesting theory from an English co-worker United fan over visiting: He thinks that Beckham will be back in Manchester next season.

Good point made by the Guardian that most people are ignoring: "The only consolation for fans is that since Malcolm Glazer is in it for the money, he will surely have to keep spending enough of it to maintain and improve the club's performance in order to cash in on his worldwide marketing ambitions. If the club sinks down the league table, then so does United's brand value. As with football clubs everywhere, nothing succeeds like success." Also, Glazer is a smart enough business man to not buy the team if it was going to be a money losing proposition. Sorry Philip, but I'd trust the financial acumen of a man who has made plenty of money on "bad" purchases (he spent $50 million over the odds for the Bucs, but they are probably worth double his original investment) than you.

2 things: Ste, he will pay back the loans by finding other markets, such as internet TV to make money on. Right now I'm sure rovers do OK with just radio and highlights, imagine how a company, er I mean club, with the reach of United will do with the full matches live on internet TV. Moose (TAFKACJ): Yes, he scrapped tradition, but it was a losing tradition, and it isn't like when you thought football and traditional uniforms that the Bucs were one of the first teams you thought of. Before Glazer - poor crowds, so much a laughingstock that Bo Jackson switched sports rather than play for them. After Glazer - consistently sold out and super bowl champs.

I followed both matches and they were eerily similar losses The sale is on. Have bought a few passable 17 year olds for good prices. Went buying monday night when all of Europe was asleep.