Shoppings about to start

New Years Day means many things to many people.

In the United States it means college football games all day, in England it means soccer games all day and all over Europe it means the opening of the transfer market. Every year there are all kinds of crazy rumors of stars, like Ronaldo (pictured above), moving to other clubs and teams fighting to stay in the top division spend all types of money to fight against the drop. So as they say let the shopping begin.

So whether you are watching bowl games or wishing for a center forward, Only Time Will Tell wishes everyone a Happy New Year.

The First Only Time Will Tell World 11

With the new year ready to start, its time to name the first annual Only Time Will Tell World 11.

Goal: Iker Casillas, Real Madrid: The back bone of the team that rallied to win the Spanish title and are the current leaders.
Right Back: Daniel Alves, Sevilla: Made Sevilla one of the best teams to watch in all of the world.
Centerback: Nemanja Vidic, Manchester United: teamed with every ones favorite Rio to lead the Red Devils to the EPL Title and the FA Cup Final.
Centerback: Michael Essien, Chelski: He does anything that is asked played center back when Terry missed time. The Bison was quick to come to the rescue.
Left Back: Sergio Ramos, Real Madrid: I know that he plays in the center for Real Madrid, but he might be one of the five best players in the world.
Midfield: Christano Ronaldo, Manchester United: Simply the best player in the world.
Midfield: Kaka, AC Milan: World Player of the year for his 14 game run in the Champions League, do not get me started on that.
Midfield: Juan Roman Riquelme, Boca Juniors: In the Copa America, he was super for Argentina and then led Boca to the Copa Liberadores.
Midfield: Messi, Barca: No words needed.
Forward: Didier Drogba, Chelski: At one point he was the one that could score for the blues and almost single handedly kept the blues in the title race last year.
Forward: Francesco Totti, Roma: While Inter was running away with the title, Totti was leading Europe in scoring. The life long Roma player is always a trooper.

Bench:
Blummer Elanno, Manchester City
Clint Dempsey, Fulham: Sorry as an American he has to be on there.
Karim Benzema, Lyon
Cesc, Arsenal
Gianluigi Buffon, Juventus

I love New Years Day!!!!!!!!!!!

For college football fans there are two special days on the calendar, opening day and New Years Day. After a hard night of celebrating, nothing beats getting up and seeing two middle of the road teams in the Big Ten and SEC do battle in the Outback Bowl. Some traditions are so hard to break.

Here are some New Years Bowl Game Predictions

• Outback: Tennessee 24, Wisconsin 10
• Cotton: Missouri 31, Arkansas 21
• Gator Bowl: Texas Tech 42, Virginia 21
• Citrus: Florida 35, Michigan 21
  
• Rose: USC 35, Illinois 17
  
• Sugar: Georgia 42, Hawaii 41 in overtime. This is the game that I can not wait for. Hawaii head coach June Jones goes for two in the first overtime and dawgs defense stops the warriors.

Some of the other BCS bowls that are not played on Jan. 1

• Fiesta: Oklahoma31, West Virginia 17
• Orange: Virginia Tech 35, Kansas 10
• BCS Title Game: LSU 31, Ohio State 14

All I want for Christmas is .........?

This classic T-shirt from tshirt365.

Merry Christmas to all.

What if the North Carolina Basketball team was Brazilian?

Around the soccer world, there are all kinds of great Brazilian names. What would happen if you made the number one college basketball team into the Brazilian National Team?

Here is what happened:

• Wayne Ellington: Ellingtaca Pau
• Bobby Frasor: Biano
• Marcus Ginyard: Ginya
• Danny Green: Gremar
• Tyler Hansbrough: Hansbroao
• Ty Lawson: Lawsio
• Alex Stepheson: Stephesa
• Deon Thompson: Thompsson
• Quentin Thomas: Quentisco
• Coach Roy Williams: Williiano

European thoughts

The draws are out and now its prediction time for Europe's two biggest club tournaments.

The Big Ears Cup: The Champions League: all ties are played over two legs

• Celtic v Barcelona: Barca 3-1
  
• Lyon v Manchester United: United 2-1
  
• Schalke 04 v FC Porto: Porto 2-2 advance on away goals
• Liverpool v Internazionale: Liverpool 1-0
• AS Roma v Real Madrid: Roma 2-1
• Arsenal v AC Milan: Arsenal 1-0
• Olympiakos v Chelsea: Chelsea 3-0
• Fenerbahçe v Sevilla: Sevilla 2-0
  

Now for the second chance cup: The UEFA Cup: all ties are played over two legs.

• Aberdeen v Bayern Munich: Munich 4-0
• AEK Athens v Getafe: Getafe 1-0
• Bolton v Atletico Madrid: Atletico 4-0
• Zenit St Petersberg v Villarreal: Zenit St. Petersberg 1-0
• Galatasaray v Bayer Leverkusen: Galatasaray 2-0
• Anderlecht v Bordeaux: Bordeaux 2-1
• SK Brann v Everton: Everton 4-0
• FC Zurich v Hamburg: Hamburg 4-0
• Rangers v Panathinaikos: Rangers 2-0
• PSV Eindhoven v Helsingborgs: PSV 2-0
• Slavia Prague v Tottenham: Spurs 4-0
• Rosenborg v Fiorentina: Fiorentna 3-0
• Sporting v Basle: Sporting 2-2 on away goals
• Werder Bremen v Braga: Werder Bremen 3-0
• Benfica v Nurnberg: Benfica 1-0
• Marseille v Spartak Moscow: Marseille 2-1

Anyone have any thoughts?

Please shut up Harry!!!!!

Who died and elected Harry Redknapp leader of English managers. Ever since the FA named the Italian with the black glasses as leader of the national team, Harry has not shut up.

"It is a great time to take the team over because we can't go any lower. We have reached our all-time low - the only way is up," Redknapp sounded off to Sky Sports about the hiring of Fabio Capello.

We all know you wanted the job Harry, but this just in you are not good enough to get it. Just go back to a couple of years ago, we all can remember watching Harry on the touchline at St. Marys as his team Southampton was regulated. Add to that, Harry being arrested as part of bungs scandal in November.

So do you think that the FA wants to hire someone that has been relegated from the Premiership and is connected to a bung scandal, I think not.

The Future is going to be ok

So this Hurricane's season did not go as plan, no bowl game and a disastrous loss in the final game at the Orange Bowl, but the off season has been better then the actual season was. A couple of days ago, the top ranked high school linebacker Arthur Brown committed to the U. Brown is one of the specials players that can change be a program maker.

Arthur's commitment to the U could have an impact on future recruiting. With Arthur on board, it gives the Canes the inside shot at his brother, junior running back Bryce Brown. For months recruiting people have said that the Brown bothers would be a package deal. Now with Arthur headed to the U, there is even talk that Bryce Brown might be head to South Florida to play is final season of scholastic football.

With signing day two months way, the U currently have the fifth ranked class in all of the land. With the Brown on board and the Northwestern High School boys (above) on their way, its only a manner of time before The U is back up there at the top.

Is this Sunday really Grand Slam Sunday?

Last week, the Premier League had what Sky called "Grand Slam Sunday," but all over Europe this Sunday is really "Grand Slam Sunday."

Just one look at the schedule from leagues all over Europe and you will see why it should be called "Grand Slam Sunday."

• Spain: The Clasico: Real Madrid v Barcelona, 1 p.m. on Gol TV.
• Italy: Milan Derby: AC Milan v Inter Milan, 9 a.m. on FSC
• EPL: Manchester United v Everton, 7 a.m. on FSC and Chelski v Blackburn, 11 a.m. on FSC.

In many ways this Sunday's game will feature better action then last Sunday games and that includes the EPL. For some reason I think the United v Everton and Chelski v Blackburn will be better games then the two that were held last Sunday.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

While college football fans continue to debate which of the 30 some bowl games will produced the best match up. There is little debate in which bowls have the best looking logos and which have the worst.

The worst:

Papajohns.com Bowl: nothing says quality bowl game like a pizza web site.

The Gator Bowl: The logo has nothing to do with Gator, but it has a lot to do with cameras.

Pioneer Pure Vision Las Vegas Bowl: It looks like something that the Ultimate Warrior used to have painted on his face.

Emerald Bowl: Is it me or does it look like the football is crushing the Golden Gate Bridge .

The Best:

The Rose Bowl: I might not always agree with their team choices but their logos is simply the best.

Orange Bowl: While the location of the game has changed, the logo is still simple, classic, and who does not like a smiling orange with a crown.

Holiday Bowl: This bowl is always a good game and the logo might be one of the reasons why.

A death walk of Coaches

In one rotation of the coaching carousel the SEC has again turned into a death march.

Just look at the SEC West:

• Alabama: Nick Saban
• Arkansas: Bob Petrino
• Ole Miss: Houston Nutt
• Mississippi State: Sylvester Croom
• LSU: Les Miles
• Auburn: Tommy Tuberville

That is just one division, look at the SEC East:

• Florida: Urban Meyer
• Georgia: Mark Richt
• South Carolina: Steven Spurrier
• Kentucky: Rich Brooks
• Tennesssee: Phillip Fulmer
• Vanderbilt: Bobby Johnson

When you look at the list of coaches on paper, it might just blow your mind.

The Eastern Division has three different coaches that have won National Championships, while the west has one coach with one and another playing for one this year. The stats continue, all of these coaches have been to bowl games, expect Bobby Johnson of Vandy, who many think might be one of the best overall coaches in the country.

So when people talk about the strength of a conference just look at the people strolling the sidelines and no conference does it like the SEC.

Thoughts on Super Sunday

Today might be one of the best days of the soccer season, it started early in the morning with Club World Cup final between AC Milan and Boca Juniors and ends with the EPL's Grand Slam games. Here are some of my thoughts on the day that was.

FIFA Club World Cup Final:

Milan 4, Boca Juniors 2:

• Has Clarence Seedorf found the fountain of youth, cause during the final of the World Club Cup, besides Kaka he was the best player on the field.
• Can someone please tell officials at FSC to fire Christopher Sullivan he drives me crazy all of the time.
• How much better would the final have been if Juan Roman Riquelme was on the field for Boca.

Grand Slam Sunday in the EPL (Manchester United v. Liverpool and Chelsea v. Arsenal)

Manchester United 1, Liverpool 0

• This comes as a shock to all but Rafa is using the same lineup against United that he used in the midweek, I guess the Carling Cup means nothing to him anymore.
• According to the BBC, Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks and his family have been out on the pitch at Anfield having a photo taken for their Christmas card this year. I have no idea if this is joke or not.
• With not having Setanta, I listened to the Liverpool v United game on the radio, through a betting Web site, I think that I need some help.
• At least the British announcers make it interesting.
• After dropping three more points, six dropped in their last two league games, Rafa can now get back to Champions League soccer. And still Liverpool have not won a league title since the outlaw of the back pass.
• Rafa days are numbered now.

Arsenal 1, Chelski 0

• The history of last years Carling Cup Final is remembered, tackles flying in all over the place.
• John Terry is become the Donovan McNabb of the English Premier League, after leaving the game with another injury.
• I guess the title race is a two team race right now.
• I'm sure the FA is going to look into the incident at the end with Cesc and Ashley Cole and the both teams might be a little trouble for a combined 10 yellow cards.

Needles, rear ends, and a former United States Senator: What could be more fun?

With the fun of the Mitchell Report out there, front pages from around the country are having their fun with the issue.

The Dallas Morning News

Arizona Daily Star

The Sacramento Bee
El Nuevo Herald, Miami
The Star Ledge
The New York Daily News

Glory Glory Chasetown FC

The romance of the FA Cup is in full effect, with my new favorite team Chasetown FC. On Tuesday, Chasetown, who play in the British Gas League Midland Division , beat Port Vale in a FA Cup second round replay. Now the Scholars will be playing Championship side Cardiff City in the third round in January.

While Chelski, United, Arsenal, and Liverpool all have grand stadiums, Chasetown plays in the 2,000 seat Scholar Ground. Among the other interesting facts about the little club that could is the highest transfer fee received is £200 for Chris Aullet (Telford United).

So far the club has had to play nine game to reach the third round. These game have been against footballing powers such as: Oadby Town, Rocester, Cambridge City, and Rainworth Miners Welfare. Not exactly like the top flight, but that is what makes the FA Cup so much fun.

The worst side ever in the Champions League?

With nothing to play for in Rome on Wednesday night, United are sending a second choice side out. This side might be one of the worst Champions League side ever.

This is the team that United are taking to Rome:

• Kuszczak
• Heaton
• Brown
• Eckersley
• O'Shea
• Pique
• Evans
• Simpson
• Lee
• Chester
• Cleverley
• Hewson
• Nani
• Eagles
• Carrick
• Fletcher
• Dong
• Brandy
• Saha
• Rooney

So Sir Alex is taking Rooney, Saha, Carrick, Fletcher, Nani, Brown, O'Shea and a Carling Cup side. This ranks up there with some of the worst side ever to play in the Champions League, thank god its Roma and not Bristol City.

Tim Tebow = the new J.J. Reddick

Two years ago, college sports got rid of the most annoying player in the history of the sports, JJ Reddick. Now this year, we have the second coming of JJ in Tim Tebow.

If you love the Gators he is the greatest thing. He is perfect, he was home schooled, he plays with injuries, he is the greatest leader, he gets good grades in class and he just makes plays with a smile on his face.

As a person that hated Reddick, Tebow is the same thing, annoying. Both have won various players of the year during their times and both have questions about what they do with their spare times. They both also like gladiator movies.

So please, Tim after next season just leave for the NFL so I can continue to hate you. Just like Reddick, Tebow haters will have their revenge, when he goes to the next level.

Jersey Boy stays home

Five years ago, a coach would have never turned down Michigan and Miami to stay at the State University of New Jersey, but current head coach Greg Schiano has done that. Schiano yesterday turned down Michigan to stay on the banks.

Here is a look at the front pages from New Jersey and Detroit and how they reported it.

Home News Tribune

Detroit Free Press

June Jones spit at Superman

One of the things that we have learned over the last couple of days is: Do not say anything bad about superman (also known as Tim Tebow). During the bowl selection show on Sunday, Hawaii head coach June Jones called Tebow, oh sorry Superman, a system quarterback. Then it was on for Jones.

Florida fans have been flooding comments boards all over the island.

Here are a couple of the comments from a story in Honolulu Advisor over the last couple of days:

• ""We don't care what it means. We live in America. We speak English. Just be sure to show up for your butt-whipping next year. You may be "warriors" in the WAC, but here you'll just be fodder,'' this is from Bill from Tampa.
• "I thought I would never cheer for the Mangy Dawgs until I heard this clown have the Genital fortitude to make these comments. June and his Hula dancers will get their A$$es "Systematically” Whipped by the Gators in the Swamp next year and in a couple of weeks by Knowshon Moreno and the Mutts.SEC Rules !!!! GO GATORS !!!!!,'' this is from Chuck E. Gator from Miami.
• "Until Jane Jones spoke up, I had never heard of Brennan. But, Jane will know who the Gators are on 8/30/08.Go Gators,'' this comes from Mike in Eagle Harbor from Jacksonville.
• "For starters, I'm a Gator fan not a Bama fan. Furthermore, I did mispell "you're" and you thought I might come off too "southern" for using poor grammar. Then you proceeded to use "y'all", "ain't", and "ya" in your pointless banter about a Bama game. Anyway, lay off the ice out there Rainbow Brite,'' JIB from Semmes, Alabama,

The best thing about this whole thing, is some gator fans are now rooting for UGA in the Sugar Bowl, which would never happen. Now Jones will have to show the gator nation how much of a system quarterback Teabow is when the Warriors open next season at the Swap.

Do they use the same hair stylist?

I think that Taribo West and Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna might use the same hair stylist?

Taribo West

Bacary Sagna

Fun in the Nationals Outfield

First the Nationals went after Lastings Milledege (above) and his bad rapping and got him. Which is not that bad, hey he never did anything illegal. Now it appears that the Nationals are on the verge of getting one of the greatest head cases in baseball Elijah Dukes from the Tampa Bay Devils Rays.

Dukes has all kinds of issues over the course of the last couple of years.

• Since 1998 Dukes has been arrested six times.
• In May, it was reported that his wife filed a restraining order after he threatened to kill her
• In June a 17 year-old foster child, who was living in the care of a relative of Dukes, accused him of impregnating her, then Dukes appeared on a radio show and lost it.

While Milledege has also had his issues over the years.

• Prior to the 2003 amateur draft, reports regarding Milledge's expulsion from Northside Christian High School after his junior year for allegedly having sex with a 15-year-old girl came out.
• In May, it was reported that Milledge appeared in a rap song, "Bend Ya Knees," by Manny D, a childhood friend. The song drew the ire of the Mets and the new York media.

I cannot wait until one of them misplays a ball in the middle of the outfield, they just might start fighting with each other right there.

Creamsicles and Mountain Dew

The final weekend of the college football season, saw many upsets and many really bad fashion decisions. Both Tennessee and Oregon decided to go with food type looks for the weekends game.

Tennessee decided it wanted to look like creamsicles for the SEC Title game

Oregon did its best to look like Mountain Dew cans.

Where will Jose go?

If things continue to head down hill on the red half of Liverpool, the Special One could have to make a decision. Rafa the Gaffer is currently having some issues with his owners and one of the names keeps coming up to replace him is the former Chelski boss.

The Special One has also been linked with the England job, following the disaster that was second choice Steve.

People have said the best way to make a decision is to break down the positives and negatives of both place and that is what we are going to do.

Location: England: London Soho Square

Liverpool: The north of England

Advantage: London, that was easy. At least you can understand the people in London, there is no way you can understand a scousers.

Bosses: England: The Football Association

Liverpool: Gillett and Hicks.

Advantage: Liverpool: This one is easy, Hicks once gave A-Rod $250 million, so paying 20 million pounds for a world class wing player would not be an issue.

Home Field: England: Wembley Stadium

Liverpool: Anfield

Advantage: Liverpool: At least Anfield does not have football markings on it during big games.

Fan Expectation: England: win the World Cup or European Championships every year.

Liverpool: win the Champions League, FA Cup, Barclays Premier League every year.

Advantage: its a push, both sets of fans have lost the plot and think that they are better then they are.

When you break things down it says Liverpool. But the real choice is easy, the Special One should take the England job at least you know that scousers will not rob your home when you are work.

Liverpool Fans all look the same

A picture is worth a 1,000 words and this picture of your typical Liverpool supporters is no different. At least Liverpool supporters all have great porno mustaches.

RIP: Sean Taylor

Sean Taylor was one of the my favorite players in the history of the Hurricane program. In my mind, he still wears number 26 and is still running down the field at Alumni Stadium in Boston clinch a trip to the Rose Bowl to play for the national championship.

So when Mrs. Joe Wolf's Vertical Jump woke me up this morning and told me that Taylor had died, it was hard to believe. Players like Taylor never die, they are indestructible, they live on forever and for many Miami fans Taylor will always live on.

Lets not forget, what great a player Taylor was at the U, relive it all hear.

Keep Fighting

Sean Taylor has always been one of my favorite Hurricanes of all time. With Taylor fighting for life after being shot earlier today, we all know that he will continue to fight like, he did at the U.

Is this the same Devin Hester that went to the U?

Again on Sunday, Devin Hester pulled another game out of the fire for the Chicago Bears. Hester returned both a kick and punt for touchdowns in the 37-34 win for the Bears in overtime against the Broncos.

Where did this guy come from, oh ya, the U. While Hester went to the U, playing was another matter, every week it was a hamstring injury or some kind of groin issue, but with the Bears there has been nothing like that. Every time you turn around he is doing something crazy.

So far while with the Bears, he has been the special teams maven return missed field goals, kicks and punts for touchdowns. Hester now has 11 touchdown runbacks -- six punts, four kickoffs and a missed field goal. During his collegiate career in which he returned six kicks for TDs (two kickoffs, four punts.

So every time Hester does something special its only a manner of time before someone from the Only Time Will Tell Tailgating crew calls and says "Where did Hester go to school?''

What the Papers Across the Pond are saying about Euro 2008

With the international embarrassment of the English European Championship campaign officially out of the way. Its time to see what the papers across the pond are saying. With the ashes of the team still hot, the Football Association have already decided to fire Second Choice Steve, but other places are celebrating their trips to Austria and Switzerland next summer.

Sabah (Turkey) celebrates their trip to the finals.
Jornal de Noticias (Portugal) salutes their heroes after their qualification

Aftonbladet (Sweden) tells everyone that hot Swedish women will be at the finals.

The Times (England) celebrates the fall of the Three Lions.

Kleine Zeitung (Austria) even cares about the Three Lions not making it
The Daily Telegraph (England) looks into the national nightmare

The Guardian (England) its officially over.