Crystal Palace 1 Chelsea 0
The real Crystal Palace that was the pride of Victorian London burned to the ground ((despite, ironically being made of glass and steel)) in 1936. Originally built in 1851 in Hyde Park for the Great Exhibition. After the Exibition, it was dismantled and rebuilt in the far south London district of Sydenham Hill until it burned to the ground.
The fake (and I used that term loosely not in a mean-spirited way) Crystal Palace is not exactly the pride of London these days, Victorian or otherwise. From 19o5 they played their football on the grounds of the Crystal Palace until they moved to nearby Selhurst Park in 1918. I picked them pre-season to be relegated back down to the Championship.
This Saturday morning, Chelsea FC toodled on down to Selhurst Park far from their tony confines of Stamford Bridge, The London Bouough of Fulham and Hammersmith, and the London Borough of Chelsea & Kensington. And that’s where their hopes of winning the Premier League title this season burned to the ground.
I will get to that in a moment, but first, on the request of a reader, I must get to THIS:
Dayton 60 Ohio St. 59
Yes. A reader suggested that I write about (THE) Ohio State (University) athletics.
I told him that I don’t GIVE a toss about (THE) Ohio State (University) athletics.
But as you can see, I’ve decided to soldier through.
I remember back in the day when Jim Rome would have Skip Bayless fill in for him when he went on (one of his many) vacation(s). That was, of course WAY back in the days when Rome was still with ESPN and before Skip Bayless got his gig as the insufferable twat on ESPN’s First Take. Anyway, Skippy would rail and wail and whinge about The Ohio State Luckeyes who won the National Championship against the Miami Hurricanes in 2003 on a pass interference call. A bogus lucky call per the imperious Mr. Bayless.
Ohio State is no longer on the probation imposed on them by Jim Tressel’s shenanigans this upcoming 2014 season. And Urban Meyer has a team that could very well win it all. No luck involved, either. But fock all….what do I care.
As for their much vaunted basketball team this season ((they were ranked #3 on December 31st)), well….Thad Matta and his facks cost me $1,000,000,000. That’s one billion dollars for those of you who can’t read numbers. They fell off the table the last half of the season and lost 60-59 to the Dayton Flyers in the very first game of the NCAA tournament. They cost me winning ONE BILLION DOLLARS of Warren Buffett’s money. So fock them!!
And fock Woody Hayes. And fock Jim Tressel. And fock Urban Meyer.
And FOCK Skip Bayless.
There. Now I’m done.
Are you focking satisfied NOW, reader?
Crystal Palace 1 Chelsea 0
As I was saying, Chelsea’s chances of winning the Prem this season burned to the ground at Selhurst Park on Saturday. The lads didn’t seem to have the spirit of champions and on the day, and Crystal Palace, despite the obvious gap in overall talent level, seemed to be the better team. Chelsea has had the unfortunate habit of playing down to the level of their competition at times. The team that beat Arsenal 6-0, should have beaten Crystal Palace 12-0 at least. But the team that beat Arsenal never showed up.
A John Terry own-goal at the 55th minute sunk them. Normally, such an uncharacteristic faux-pas by their Captain (Leader. Legend.) would have been noted with alacrity and soon forgotten. But not on this day.
And thus, going into the mid-week Champions League tilts, Liverpool sit atop the table at 71 points, 2 points ahead of Chelsea, with City sitting in 3rd on 67 points with 2 games in hand.
With that, I must lay my weary head to rest. Or have another beer. Whichever comes first.
