Voetball

The week was filled with pairings; Champion's League groupings announced showed Chelsea and Barcelona linked yet again, Manchester United getting another crack at Benfica, who knocked them out last season and face a daunting round against Celtic. Last year's finalists, Arseholenal getting lighweights like Porto, CSKA Moskva and Hamburg. Liverpool to face Galatasaray, Bordeaux and PSV.

Sports Amnesia's picks to make it to the next round: Barcelona, Chelsea, Inter, Bayern, Liverpool, PSV, Valencia, Roma, Real Madrid, Lyon, Man U, Celtic, Arseholenal, Porto, AEK and Milan.

UEFA Cup's minnows like Newcastle and West Ham and Middlesborough finding their next opponents in the form of the obscure.

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Yesterday marked the second full week of EPL matches and most surprising of all was the 1-0 victory by Man City over Arseholenol. Perhaps it's time to smile. Arseholenal have played two matches this season, drawing against Aston Villa at home and losing to Man City. It's enough to make one hope it's the start of a trend for the Frenchiest team in the EPL.

Replacing them in the powerhouse division might be the surprising Everton. Maybe it's not so surprising after all. They're only a season removed from a 4th place showing and despite last season's disappearing act, with two victories in two matches, they look like they might be a side to be reckoned with. Yesterday's 2-0 pasting of Spurs at White Hart Lane is enough to make one sit up and take notice. Perhaps it only proves what we suspect - that Tottenham are struggling to find their bearings early on, much like Arsenal.

Today, Newcastle, sporting their new striker Obefami Martins will travel to Villa Park as will I, to watch what I hope will be Newcastle's second win of the season to keep pace with the rest of the unbeathen in the EPL.

And in the lower tier, first place Birmingham City travelled to Cardiff to face their closest rivals. Cardiff proved to be too much for the promotion favourites to handle, riot police had to stop Birmingham fans throwing seats and the result was 2-0 in Cardiff City's favour.

On the one hand, you're happy to see Man United suffer in spite of an unbeaten start to the season. On the other hand, losing Rio Ferdinand for Euro Qualifiers, even if they are largely against tiny little countries striking fear into the football hearts of no one.

*****Football*****

Ohio State sophomore tackle Alex Boone takes drinking to a new level in admitting that he was routinely downing 30 to 40 beers per day, a pattern of bingeing that began in high school and escalated when he arrived at OSU.

"I used to drink till I dropped," he said.

30 to 40 beers a day?

I guess when you're 6 foot 8 and weight 350 pounds, the beer just sorta disappears around you.

Anyone would have needed that many to endure the snoozefest that was the Giants v Jets preseason meeting that ended mercifully, 13-7.

Eli Manning went 10-for-20 for 107 yards with an interception. Chad Pennington started for the Jets, but also played inconsistently, going 11-for-20 for 125 yards with an interception.

At least the Giants defence can gloat since it hasn't allowed a touchdown since the opening series against Baltimore in a 17-16 victory to open the preseason. They had five sacks against the Jets, with several more knockdowns on Pennington and Kellen Clemens, and forced three turnovers.

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Don't look now but the defending Champion Pittburgh Steelers are 0-3 to start the preseason after losing to Pennsylvania rivals Philadelphia

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Best Mets video of the year.