12/21/24
April 21, 2014
SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle:
A place to discuss the sports stories that aren't making news, share links that aren't quite front-page material, and diagram plays on your hand. Remember to count to five Mississippi before commenting in anger.
Also, why promotion and relegation is a good thing. This from the same newspaper's Football League clockwatch today, previewing the Championship games on offer:
Birmingham v Blackburn
Brighton v Blackpool
Burnley v Wigan
Derby v Barnsley
Ipswich v Bournemouth
Millwall v Doncaster
QPR v Watford
Sheff Wed v Charlton
Yeovil v Huddersfield
Leeds v Nottingham Forest (5.15pm)
Look out for: Burnley will go up if they win, or if Derby don't. Leicester, who aren't playing until tomorrow, will win the title if Burnley. QPR will seal their play-off place if they don't lose, or if either Reading or Ipswich don't win. Wigan will seal their play-off place if they win (a result which will also hand the league title to Leicester, who play tomorrow) and any two of Brighton, Reading and Ipswich slip up. Yeovil will go down if and it's a bit of a long shot, this one they lose, Charlton or Blackpool win and Millwall, Doncaster and Birmingham (the first two of whom are playing each other) all get at least a point.
There are similar scenarios for Leagues One and Two as well, though for the life of me I got lost half way through the League Two possibilities. And there are still three or four weeks to go.
posted by owlhouse at 10:23 AM on April 21, 2014
The Tigers have released shortstop Alex Gonzalez and the immediate replacement options aren't good, writes Christina Karhl of ESPN.
posted by rcade at 10:48 AM on April 21, 2014
I don't get the "Stephen Drew costs us a pick" objection: are you a contender or no? Assuming you somehow find Mike Trout with a mid-first round pick, he's years away from helping.
posted by yerfatma at 11:49 AM on April 21, 2014
Burnley will go up if they win
They did. News to me: assuming West Ham and Aston Villa manage to stay up, that means 3 claret-and-blue jerseys in the league.
posted by yerfatma at 12:17 PM on April 21, 2014
I don't get the "Stephen Drew costs us a pick" objection: are you a contender or no? Assuming you somehow find Mike Trout with a mid-first round pick, he's years away from helping.
At this point is it worth it for Drew to accept a one year deal? He will presumably have a line of suitors come June who will offer him multiple years.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 12:30 PM on April 21, 2014
If he were in such demand you'd immediately get the pick back next year. I don't see that kind of demand given his current employment status.
posted by yerfatma at 01:58 PM on April 21, 2014
'Don't Sack Moyes' banner at Man City's match tonight. Ah, such fun.
posted by etagloh at 03:03 PM on April 21, 2014
Reminds me a bit of Patriots' fans begging the Bills to "leave Dick Jauron alone and just let him coach the team. He's a Yale man, for god's sake".
posted by beaverboard at 07:26 PM on April 21, 2014
posted by Hugh Janus at 07:47 PM on April 21, 2014
that means 3 claret-and-blue jerseys in the league
I'm hoping Port Vale finds a rich new owner with a nostalgia bent and makes it four, eventually.
posted by owlhouse at 09:12 PM on April 21, 2014
The Grauniad's running a story that the Man United board are ready to sack David Moyes.