We love Landon. Few athletes in sport would be bold enough to be shot like this, however great the cause.
There’s too much football, so says MLS commissioner Don Garber. But for the Men in Blazers, there’s not hardly enough. In this week’s pod, Michael and Roger consider it all — from these fine shores to Prussian dominance on the continent — before returning to recent developments in the English Premier League. It’s around the football world in 60 minutes of suboptimal podding.
We start things off in the US of A, dateline 2013. Michael and Roger hail the reported news that MLS will soon welcome a proper oil sheik to its mix of owners — all it needs now is a Russian oligarch with an affinity for miniature giraffes to be considered a bona fide top flight. And in keeping with the Stars ’n’ Stripes palette, Good Morning America’s Josh Elliott returns to the pod to discuss the agony and fleeting ecstasy of being an Arsenal supporter. Though he’s a recent convert, his apocalyptic prescription for the season’s conclusion shows he’s true Gunner through and through.
Bold marketing ahead of Colorado-Salt Lake clash. GFOP Christopher Hood barks, “You can’t disrespect Kyle Becker-Man and get away with it….”
The creativity of our GFOPs continues to astound. From the hundreds of entries we received for the Great Becker, Man Hair Swap, we’ve undertaken the impossible task of selecting our 10 favorites. But in the end there can be only one winner. And while we received dozens of Downton Abbey / Kyle Beckerman mashups, GFOP Chris Campbell’s Mista Ca’Son is a treasure to behold. The discerning eye will even notice the blazer patch. We’re indebted to Real Salt Lake for providing the signed prizes - a ping pong paddle, comb, and RSL jersey.
- 2nd Runner Up - Tony Meolaman: Joel Erkkinen
- 1st Runner Up - Winston Beckerman: Andrew Waldrip
- Grand Prize - Mista Ca’Son: Chris Campbell
The song remains the same. Manchester United, Manchester City, Tottenham, and Chelsea all managed wins. But while there wasn’t a change in the Top Four, the weekend wasn’t without its drama. Gareth Bale was like clockwork in Spurs’ all-important triumph over Arsenal, leaving their North London rivals with more lingering questions about the club’s direction. In this week’s pod, Michael and Roger analyze all the ramifications from the derby, turn their attention to the relegation battle, and reflect on the opening weekend of MLS.
If that wasn’t enough, the Blazers also speak with iconic ESPN broadcaster and jolliest man alive Bob Ley about his days as the public-address announcer of the Cosmos, how the culture has changed in Bristol over the years, and what truthfully is the secret to eternal youth. Horse placentas are about to have their moment in the sun.
From GFOP Mark McClellan: @BarackObama with @KyleBeckerman’s dreads. My contribution to @MeninBlazers photoshop challenge. #RSL
In honor of the start of Major League Soccer’s 18th season on Saturday, we’re launching what’s arguably our most tantalizing contest yet — The Great Becker, Man Hair Swap.
To enter: As mentioned on this week’s podcast, listeners are encouraged to transplant Kyle Beckerman’s iconic ‘do on other figures or, give the Real Salt Lake captain a new look from somebody else. Dust off your photoshop skills and drop Kyle’s locks on the likes of Angela Merkel or perhaps, graft Victor Moses’ pigtails onto Kyle’s saintly cranium.
Among the prizes are the following signed goods — RSL jersey, ping pong paddle, and a comb. That’s right, folks, Kyle Becker, Man signed the above “all-purpose styling” instrument. $2.29? Please. Try like $200.29, give or take.
Look who we found in the Crap Part of SoHo? Kyle Becker, man. His interview will be featured on An MLS Special the week of Feb 26.
It was a snowy weekend of mid-season football in the Premier League, with the weather providing a cleansing effect for Clint Dempsey in Tottenham’s home meeting with Manchester United. After close to 93 minutes of disappointing form, Deuceface slotted home the equalizer as America, Andre Villas-Boas, Manchester City, and Under Armour all rejoiced. In this week’s Men in Blazers podcast, Michael Davies and Roger Bennett review the title race that’s back on, only because it was never really off. But it’s not only the glory of the top of the table that’s up for discussion. The Blazers also consider the relegation battle and bid sacked Southampton manager Nigel “Happyface” Adkins farewell.
To add a modicum of intelligent insight, Fox Soccer’s very own Rob Stone drops in to recap the Brek Shea saga and shed light on what life is like these days for a soccer- and cheerleader-lovin’ American at the network that gave us Cleatus the dancing robot.
Major League Soccer, purveyor of some of the strangest promotional stunts, maintains its well-crafted street cred. (Andy Mead, MLSsoccer.com)
Over in England, Surprise Scoreline has wrestled all headlines away from lesser, more predictable characters. In yet another wild weekend in the Premier League, Rafa Benitez’s Chelsea fell yet again, Manchester City relinquished points to United, and Tottenham continued their crawl up the table to claim fourth. Michael Davies and Roger Bennett review all the significant developments from England in this week’s Men in Blazers podcast, though it’s the announcement of the royal baby that heightens the drama.
Stateside, a Brit has dominated the week’s headlines as well. Sure, L.A. Galaxy beat the Houston Dynamo 3-1 in a well-deserved team effort, but it was David Beckham spraying passes across the park, being ridiculously good-looking, and generally building the almighty brand that drew the most attention. We at Men in Blazers would like to wish Becks godspeed on the next stage of his journey and thank him for all he’s done for the development of soccer and men’s tighty-whities here in the U.S.
Send your telegrams via raven to the Crap Part of SoHo, reach us @MeninBlazers or drop an email at meninblazers@gmail.com. You can subscribe to the pod in iTunes or via our RSS feed.
David Beckham and his three full kit wankers sons. (Via GFOP Brian Elmore)
Winter has arrived in England. Everywhere there was football it seemed to be lashing down rain, and perhaps nowhere was the gloom more apparent than in the stands. Chelsea supporters at Stamford Bridge were stirred from silence to proclaim their disapproval of new interim manager Rafa Benitez, while over at White Hart Lane the visiting West Ham supporters’ anti-Semitic chants overshadowed Clint Dempsey’s return to form. Football, bloody hell indeed.
In this week’s Men in Blazers podcast, Michael Davies and Roger Bennett review a soaking-wet Premier League weekend — the good, bad, and the plain old unclassifiable. We mean you, Kolo Touré, who apparently enjoyed a two-year affair while passing himself off as a used-car salesman named Francois.
Nobody puts Timmy in the corner. Cahill teaches Snoop Lion, Victor Cruz, and Kyle Martino how to photobomb at Monday’s FIFA 13 launch party.
From Jeff Snyder. Some Soccer Love in Philly. Literally.
Jeff writes: As a fan of both Chelsea and the Philadelphia Union, I am a bit torn as to who the appropriate team is to root for in this meaningless to the standings, but meaningful to me, game. Any thoughts would be much appreciated.
