Entries from January 2006 ↓

An absolutely explosive performance sees the Gunners put seven past Middlesbrough at Highbury today. Thierry Henry’s hattrick paced Arsenal, but Pires, Senderos, Gilberto and Hleb all joined in on the fun. Senderos and Gilberto both scored off of set pieces. Unbelieveable!

Henry’s hattrick ties him with Cliff Bastin for most league goals for Arsenal at 150.

Oh, and notice something else -another league game with no goals conceded.

This caps off a big week for Arsenal, as on Thursday and Friday they announced two new signings.

On Thursday, it was midfielder Vasiriki Abou Diaby from Auxerre. According to Reuters he has signed a four-year deal with the Gunners. From the quick bits I’ve read, he’s 20 years old, from Paris, has played for the France Under-19s and is built like a house.

On Friday, Emmanuel Adebayor signed from Monaco. This kid’s 21 years old, plays as a striker, starts for the Togo senior national team and is drawing comparisions to Kanu.

It’s obvious that these are signings for the future. I’m still hoping Arsene Wenger goes out and gets an experienced midfielder, one that could help the team this season. The transfer window closes on the 31st, so I’m sure, one way or the other we’ll hear something soon.

All this coupled by losses by ManUre and Sp*rs, and it’s shaping up to be a pretty good day.

In a ceremony that at times was quite moving, the New York Rangers retired Mark Messier’s #11 at Madison Square Garden last night.

Messier wore the #11 sweater for the Rangers for 10 seasons, and will always be considered a legend for, among other things, his “We Will Win!” prediction prior to Game 6 of the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals against the New Jersey Devils. Messier made the prediction as a captain trying to inspire his teammates, and then single-handedly won Game 6, scoring a hat-trick in a 4-2 win. The Rangers went on to win the Stanley Cup, their first in 54 years, thus cementing Messier as an icon not only in the hockey world, but as an icon of New York forever.

Hell, when guys like Wooly admit to liking a player not on a Philly team, you know he’s good.

Coincidence? Perhaps not. I don’t really care about basketball, but it’s a nice hat, and was a very nice gesture by my roommate Deb. I’ve worn it a few times and all of a sudden, the Knicks go on a winning streak. Go figure. Now their record is 12-21. All because of the hat.

At least that’s what my “Ask Yoda” tells me.

The power may have gone out at the JJB tonight, but it was Arsenal who played with a complete lack of electricity as they went down 1-0 to Wigan in the first leg of the Carling Cup Semi-Final.

Arsene Wenger stuck to his guns and fielded a side of youngsters while Wigan fielded pretty much all of their first team regulars. While the tactic has worked thus far in the tournament, it may be time to start featuring some more first teamers for the return leg at Highbury in two weeks. With the league out of reach, this is a tangible chance at a trophy, and Arsene should grab it with both hands.

The Rangers take to the ice tonight with a new player, forward Petr Sykora, who comes to New York via a trade with the Anaheim Ducks. In return, the Rangers sent defenseman Maxim Kondratiev.

Here’s what newyorkrangers.com has to say about the newest Broadway Blueshirt.

Sykora, 29, is a six-time 20-goal scorer, reaching the plateau in each of his last six NHL seasons. He has appeared in 34 games with Anaheim this season, registering seven goals and 13 assists, along with 28 penalty minutes. Sykora ranks sixth on the team in scoring with 20 points and is third on the Ducks with 118 shots on goal.

A veteran of 10 NHL seasons, he has posted a plus or even rating in six of his nine seasons and is a plus-72 overall. Sykora captured the Stanley Cup Championship with the Devils in 1999-2000, leading the team and ranking third in the league with nine post-season goals. The following season, in 2000-01, he helped guide the Devils to the Stanley Cup Finals for the second consecutive season, tallying 12 goals and 10 assists in 25 post-season contests. He led the team with 12 playoff goals and his 22 post-season points were the second-most ever recorded by a Devils player in the playoffs. During the regular season in 2000-01, he established career-highs in goals (35), assists (46), points (81), and plus/minus (plus-36). In 2002-03, he helped lead Anaheim to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in franchise history, tying for first on the team in post-season points (13) and assists (9) in 21 games.

We’re a week into 2006, and I’d just like to take a quick moment to thank all of my family and friends for everything you did for me during 2005. It was an extremely tough year for reasons I won’t delve into right now, and believe me when I say that each and every one of you played a major part in making each day just a little bit brighter.

I look forward to an absolutely amazing 2006, and hope that if the situation ever calls for it, that I can be there for you, as you’ve all been there for me.

I love you all.