Entries from January 2004 ↓

Interview show to be in the vein of those done by other ABC stars such as Diane Sawyer and Bahbwa WaWa.

According to various reports, ABC has agreed to a deal in which the shock-jock will do a prime-time interview special sometime in the spring.

While this is currently planned as a one-foff event, if it does well, the hour-long show could become a regular appearance on the ABC schedule.

There is already much speculation as to whom Stern will interview, but if he had is way, Kathy Lee Gifford, Britany Spears and Paris Hilton would be his top choices, with Sadamm Hussein being his reach school.

Alan White asked to leave band

With little fanfare, the firing of drummer Alan White was announced on the Oasis website yesterday. White is the second drummer to be dismissed by the band. The first, Tony McCarroll, was let go in 1995, just prior to the recording of “(What’s The Story) Morning Glory?.”

According to the statement, there are currently no plans to replace White, but recording of the band’s next, yet-to-be-named album remains on schedule.

The Borothon, part II

Arsenal suffered their first defeat against an English side since May, dropping the first leg of the Carling Cup Semifinal to Middlesbrough 1-0 at Highbury this afternoon.

To be perfectly frank, Middlesbrough must be kicking themselves not to have scored more, as they were facing what was ostensibly the Arsenal reserve team. Not wanting to risk injury to the first team players, Arsene Wenger has started the reserve/youth team players throughout the competition, and seems to be sticking to this plan regardless of the somewhat increased stakes.

While the names of the teams meeting this Saturday at Highbury in the fourth round of the FA Cup are the same, the sides taking the pitch that afternoon will be completely different. The Gunners are quite keen to be the first team to win the FA Cup three years in a row, and if they’re successful, they’ll be the first club to do so since the 1800s.

We can expect to see Thierry “Va Va Voom” Henry, along with fellow first-teamers Bobby Pires, Freddie Ljungberg, Paddy Vieira and Sol Campbell.

Here’s the BBC’s version of today’s events:

0 - 1

Juninho scored the only goal as Middlesbrough secured a slight advantage in the Carling Cup semi-final, first leg.

he Brazilian despatched a low shot past Graham Stack in the Arsenal goal after he had been set up by Gaizka Mendieta just after the break.

The Gunners’ youthful side offered little in return despite piling on the pressure in the second half.

But Boro held firm and inflicted Arsenal’s first domestic defeat in 30 matches this season.

As expected, Arsene Wenger fielded an experimental side comprising Arsenal’s future stars in addition to older heads like Ray Parlour and Martin Keown.

And the Highbury crowd could have been forgiven for expecting slightly better than what proved to be a disjointed first half.

Quincy Owusu-Abeyie made his Gunners debut, while promising midfielder David Bentley started and gave brief glimpses of the talent he possesses.

The 19-year-old produced a cheeky lob, which had Mark Schwarzer scampering but the ball was always going wide.

Kolo Toure set off on a surging run and unleashed a rasping drive that flashed past the post.

For all of Arsenal’s possession, it was Middlesbrough who went closest to opening the scoring in the first half.

The mercurial Juninho picked out the run of George Boateng on the left.

Boateng played a quick one-two as Juninho burst into the Arsenal area and he was unlucky to see his shot smash off the post and into the arms of Stack.

But after the break, the Brazilian hit the spot with unerring accuracy.

Franck Queudrue made the most of a mistake by Keown in the Arsenal defence and found Mendieta.

The Spaniard laid the ball on for the onrushing Juninho, who raced into the Arsenal area and despatched his shot with aplomb.

Massimo Maccarone tested Branch with a low shot on the turn, which the Arsenal keeper did well to push out.

The Gunners pressed forward in search of an equaliser, but their play lacked a real cutting edge.

Kanu momentarily caused panic in the Boro box with one of his jinking runs, but no-one was on hand to receive his pass.

For Middlesbrough, Ugo Ehiogu produced a towering display in defence, producing some timely interceptions late on.

Joseph-Desire Job had chances to kill off the first leg, but squandered two gilt-edged chances which Boro may well come to rue in the return leg at the Riverside in a week’s time.

Eagles lose third NFC title game in as many years. Frustration in the region is palpable…

Living as close to Philadelphia as I do, the majority of my friends are of course Eagles fans. After the Giants proved their ineptness by going 4-12, I decided, for the sake of my friends, that I would pull for the Eagles in this year’s post-season.

I was as thrilled as everyone else around here when Donovan McNabb found Freddie Mitchell for that crucial play which will forever be known as “fourth and twenty-six.” Couple that play with the gift of an interception supplied by Brett Favre during the overtime period, and destiny did seem to be with the Eagles.

So what happened? Why are the Panthers, and not the Eagles, now on their way to Houston to face the Patriots? Well, some of the cause can be traced to poor officiating, but in the NFL, the good teams overcome poor officiating. Injuries, to be sure, played their part - the most significant of course being the loss of Donovan McNabb during the second half of last night’s game. More than anything else, it is purely the nature of the NFL today, where, thanks to free-agency and the salary cap - the elite teams are forced back down to .500, and the poor teams are propped up to .500.

I received an email from the biggest Eagles fan I know, Dan “Wooly” Woolard. I’ll share it with you here, as I found it quite poignant:

EAGLES FOOTBALL 2000-2003

Who loves the sun
Who cares that it makes plants grow
Who cares what it does
Since you broke my heart

Who loves the wind
Who cares that it makes breezes
Who cares what it does
Since you broke my heart

Pa pa pa pa
Who loves the sun
Pa pa pa pa
Who loves the sun
Pa pa pa pa
Not everyone
Pa pa pa pa
Who loves the sun

Who loves the rain
Who cares that it makes flowers
Who cares that it makes showers
Since you broke my heart

Who loves the sun
Who cares that it is shining
Who cares what it does
Since you broke my heart

Pa pa pa pa
Who loves the sun
Pa pa pa pa
Who loves the sun
Pa pa pa pa
Not everyone
Pa pa pa pa
Who loves the sun
Sun
Sun
Sun

Pa pa pa pa
Who loves the sun
Pa pa pa pa
Who loves the sun
Pa pa pa pa
Not everyone
Pa pa pa pa
Who loves the sun

WINGBOWL XXII JANUARY 30TH, ALL WOUNDS SHALL BE CAUTERIZED

So, time does march on, and the Super Bowl is now stuck with a very un-sexy matchup, the New England Patriots against the Carolina Panthers. I’ll be sure to watch, because just like every other American, I’m a sucker for it, but one thing’s for certain - GO PATS.

I was nowhere near a computer today, and was therefore unable to follow the events unfolding in Birmingham this morning. It filled me with great joy to discover that not only had the Gunners done the business once again, but the ManUre scum had lost 1-0 to Wolves!!!

This means the table looks like this:

Barclaycard Premiership table
Sun Jan 18
Home Away
P W D L F A W D L F A GD PTS
1 Arsenal 22 8 2 0 20 7 7 5 0 22 7 28 52
2 Man Utd 22 8 2 1 24 7 8 0 3 16 8 25 50
3 Chelsea 22 7 2 2 20 8 7 2 2 20 9 23 46
4 Charlton 22 4 3 3 15 14 6 4 2 16 9 08 37
5 L-pool 21 5 1 4 16 12 4 4 3 15 11 08 32
6 Fulham 21 6 2 3 18 12 3 2 5 15 17 04 31
7 Nwcstle 21 5 3 3 15 6 2 6 2 12 16 05 30
8 Sthmptn 22 6 2 4 13 8 2 4 4 8 10 03 30
9 Brmnghm 21 4 3 3 10 13 4 3 4 9 12 -6 30
10 Bolton 22 3 6 2 12 9 4 2 5 14 24 -7 29
11 Tottnhm 22 6 1 5 20 16 2 2 6 06 15 -5 27
12 Villa 22 6 3 2 15 10 1 3 7 6 17 -6 27
13 Boro 21 3 4 5 11 15 3 3 3 9 11 -6 25
14 Everton 22 5 4 3 16 11 1 2 7 9 18 -4 24
15 Man Cty 22 2 6 3 17 15 3 2 6 14 18 -2 23
16 Blckbrn 22 3 1 6 16 19 3 4 5 16 17 -4 23
17 Prtsmth 22 6 0 4 22 12 0 4 8 3 21 -8 22
18 L. City 22 2 5 4 13 17 2 3 6 18 21 -7 20
19 Wolves 21 4 4 2 13 17 0 2 9 6 26 -24 18
20 Leeds 22 2 4 5 9 16 2 1 8 10 28-25 17

Here’s the offical site’s take of things:

0-2

FA Premiership, Villa Park
Sunday, January 18, 2004. Kick-off: 2pm]

Henry 28, 52 pen

By Richard Clarke

Arsenal have gone top of the Premiership after Thierry Henry grabbed both goals in a 2-0 win at Aston Villa on Sunday.

The Frenchman cheekily sidefooted home a free-kick in the 28th minute while Villa were still preparing their wall.

Then, seven minutes after the break, Olof Mellberg fouled Kanu in the area and Henry slammed home a second from the spot.

It was due reward for a professional performance at one of the Premiership’s in-form teams. And, with Manchester United surprisingly losing at Wolves on Saturday, this victory gives Ars�ne Wenger’s side a two-point lead at the head of the table.

Before kick-off, Kolo Toure had recovered from the foot injury that kept him out of last Saturday’s handsome 4-1 win over Middlesbrough but he only made the bench. Pascal Cygan and Lauren retained their places at centre half and right back despite the presence of the adaptable Ivory Coast international.

With Dennis Bergkamp (calf), Sylvain Wiltord (ankle) and Jeremie Aliadiere (knee) all injured, Arsene Wenger started with his only two fit first-team strikers - Kanu and Henry.

It was a fast, open game right from the kick-off. Villa had the lion’s share of possession in the opening stages but Kanu was the first player to really threaten in the 11th minute when his cut back from the byline deflected off the legs of Mellberg and rebounded into the sidenetting.

Three minutes later Freddie Ljungberg fed the ball back to Pires just outside the corner of the Villa area. He put all his power into a volley. It sailed over Villa keeper Thomas Sorensen and looked like dipping under the bar before the big Dane thrust out a hand to tip it over.

The visitors were now starting to ease through the gears. Pires’ low drive from 25 yards forced Sorensen to save again then a flowing move ended with Henry’s goal-bound shot being blocked by an outstretched Villa foot.

But the home side responded. Juan Pablo Angel raced through and lifted shot over the bar as the Arsenal defence looked for offside. Then the Colombian crossed for Allback at the near post, The Swede controlled the ball, swivelled and sent his effort inches past the upright.

Then came the goal. Mellberg slipped as he tried to clear and the ball fell to Vieira. He strode forward but was fouled just outside the area straight in front of goal. A number of Arsenal players were milling around the ball and Villa were still sorting out their wall as referee Mark Halsey indicated the kick could be taken.

Henry spotted that Sorensen was out of position and calmly sidefooted the ball into the other side of the net. When the ball went in, there was a stunned silence and then a roar from the visiting supporters as Henry ran the length of the pitch to celebrate the strike.

Sorensen had to make a scrambling save from Henry a few minutes later but, apart from that, neither side threatened again before the break.

Arsenal keeper Jens Lehmann was called into action three times in the opening five minutes of the second half. First he saved from Angel then the German rushed out to hack the ball clear of Allback. Finally he flew to his right as the Colombian striker fired a free-kick inches over the bar.

Inbetween those chances, Henry raced onto Vieira’s pass and fired low into the chest of the diving Sorensen.

Another break in the 52nd minute saw Kanu receive the ball just outside the area. With typical trickery he slipped the ball past his marker and raced into the area before Mellberg blocked his path. It was a clear penalty and Henry beat Sorensen from the spot. It was the Frenchman’s 20th goal of the season and his 15th in the Premiership.

After that goal, Villa began to make the running - they had to. Gareth Barry nudged a header narrowly over the bar and Thomas Hitzlsperger had a dig from distance.

Wenger made triple substitution in the final stages, including striker Kanu. It smacked of lead retention.

One of the substitutes, Ray Parlour, let fly from distance a couple of minutes after coming on. His drive from 25 yards flew inches over the angle of bar and post. Toure, playing up front, forced a save from Sorensen at the death.

But, by then, Arsenal were happy with what they had.

In his second big move in as many weeks, new Knicks GM/President Isiah Thomas fired head coach Don Cheney. Replacing Cheney will be the winningest coach in league history, Lenny Wilkens.

Read all about it on ESPN.com