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64 posts tagged Podcast
The Agony and Fleeting Ecstasy of Being an Arsenal Supporter
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.
Man United, Luis Suarez, and the Battle for Third and Fourth
The Battle for Third and Fourth is now officially under way. On Monday, Manchester United and their ragtag ensemble wrapped up their 20th league title in impressive fashion (move over, Don Nelson, the mad scientist officially resides at Old Trafford). Still, few headlines were devoted to Sir Alex & Co.’s accomplishment. Earlier in the weekend, Liverpool’s Luis Suarez once again proved there was still plenty of crazy left in England’s top flight when he gnawed on Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic in the course of a 2-2 draw. In this week’s pod, Michael and Roger review the implications for Liverpool and their American owners as well as what’s in store for Suarez’s 72 pearly whites.
The Men in Blazers revel, as always, in their weekly telegrams from GFOPs across these fine lands, inquiring about footballers’ peculiar sweating habits and how to best consume a midgame pint or five, and end the pod with breaking news about the Men in Blazers National Team. Courage.
Football Violence, the FA Cup, and the Race for the Champions League
Old-school fan violence reared its ugly head this weekend, from the hallowed terraces of Wembley to the streets of Newcastle upon Tyne. Even hardened criminals from the depths of Her Majesty’s Prison Service were in disbelief over the audacity of one horse-punching Magpie supporter.
Somewhere amid this nonsense, football was played, and in this week’s suboptimal podcast the Men in Blazers consider it all — from the Chelsea–Man City FA Cup semifinal to Everton’s continued late-season form, courtesy of a win against relegation-threatened QPR that sent Harry Redknapp into his ritual comical rage. Now, with just a month left in this Premier League season, Michael and Roger handicap the race for Arsene Wenger’s coveted “fourth-place trophy.”
Men in Blazers w/ Jurgen Klinsmann
With Michael Davies away, Rog goes solo, welcoming USMNT Coach Jurgen Klinsmann to the pod. Fresh from the March of the Penguins win against Costa Rica, and a gutsy draw in the Azteca thunderdome, Klinsmann candidly discusses his own identity, management style, change strategy, and vision for American soccer’s future. He is also willing to broach the big topics: the heroic role Kyle Beckerman could play for the US team at World Cup 2014 in Rio.
Normal suboptimal Men In Blazers service will be resumed next week.
“I want to leave all the stuff I did before behind. This is a chance for me to reinvent myself, for me to stretch myself, for my language to grow.”
MiB podcast w/ Rob Stone
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.
As mentioned in this week’s Grantland podcast, Michael and Roger reminisce about the popular British comic strip Billy’s Boots. Have they uncovered the secret to RvP’s form?
Men in Blazers w/ John Oliver
Apparently, England’s antiquated past is the new present here in the U.S. The weekend offered a welcome return of everyone’s favorite aristocratic family, the Crawleys, of PBS’s Downton Abbey. We laughed, we cried, we gasped at the audacity of Sir Anthony’s bold sexual advances upon Lady Edith’s virtue. Elsewhere on the dial, the FA Cup made its network broadcast debut in suitably dramatic fashion, proving there’s still life in the old dog yet. Needless to say, both developments brought much joy to the Men in Blazers in this week’s pod, as Michael Davies and Roger Bennett borrow George Michael’s Sports Machine, traveling across the English countryside to recap these far-flung matches featuring the likes of Mansfield Town and Cheltenham. Get ready for a geography lesson, America.
Of course, the biggest story from the weekend was Luis Suarez’s handball game winner, dashing the hopes of Mansfield’s escort turned CEO. To examine just how Liverpool supporters can stomach their morally dubious striker, the Blazers welcome GFOP, comedian, and Liverpudlian John Oliver back to the pod to offer his thoughts and expectations for his beloved club. If you’re a fellow fan of the Reds, prepare to lower the bar.
As mentioned in this week’s pod. John Holdsworth, referee WWE style. Just what the Premier League needs.
New Grantland Open?
We think it may be time to retire the generic Bill Simmons synth open. What do you think of the below ditty? Sir Ian kindly agreed to be our herald.
Men in Blazers w/ Alex Morgan
The football again provided superlative theater over the weekend. Goals, pitch invasions, blood, Scientological sightings — the Manchester Derby had it all, even if it did feature two teams neutrals love to loathe. In this week’s pod, Michael Davies and Roger Bennett brave the apocalyptic 12/12/12 to recap all the action from the Premier League, a place where, as Tottenham realized yet again, dropped points hurt more than a straight loss.
But the true attraction to this week’s pod is a guest appearance by FIFA Player of the Year finalist Alex Morgan. The U.S. striker has reached rock-star status since winning Olympic gold in London and joins the Blazers from the road during the final matches of the Fan Tribute Tour. Morgan offers her thoughts on her growing celebrity, playing at Old Trafford, nicknames, and the launch of the next professional women’s soccer league. Courage.
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.
Men in Blazers: 11/28 podcast
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.
MiB Podcast: 11/14
After what has felt like an eternity, the boys are back, blazer-to-blazer, to recap another strange week in the English Premier League. It seems taking the lead early has become entirely blasé, as both Manchester clubs relied yet again on reluctant supersubs to earn the full three points. And while most of the soccer world has focused this week on the Chelsea-Liverpool draw and the loneliest goal celebration of all time, in this week’s pod, Michael Davies and Roger Bennett also consider the staying power of the other Merseyside representative, Everton, who’s sitting comfortably in fourth place.
However, the real reason why anyone indulges in the suboptimal pod to begin with is for the telegrams. This week, the Blazered Ones field an unkindness of restless ravens. Among the topics covered: soccer’s advertising clout, the history of “caps,” supporter-on-supporter relations, and much more.
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.
