Weekend Mailbag

It's mail time yet again, boys and girls (bookableoffense@gmail.com). My colleague is at home convalescing this weekend. It seems he picked up the flu bug last week and is now milking it for all its worth. So you're stuck with yours truly, Brian Thompson. Lucky you. As always, these are actual questions from actual readers. Enjoy.

Joe in Portland, OR: Talk about a bunch of whining losers this weekend. First Wenger pees his pants and points fingers because a goal is scored after his own men knock into each other, without being injured mind you, and the referee waves play on accordingly, and now this from Mourinho after Chelsea's loss to Liverpool: "I wish them luck for their qualification match in the Champions League." What's up with the sore losers in London these days?

Brian: Thanks for starting me off with an easy one, Joe. A lot of media types and fans like to get their panties in a bunch over what this manager or that manager says to media. It's all handbags, as far as I'm concerned. Imagine being a football manager for a second. The pressure is immense. The spotlight is often brighter than that on many world leaders. Your team just finishes an emotional, hard fought game (a local derby and an FA Cup semifinal, in your examples), and the result didn't go your way. And then, someone sticks a microphone in your face and begins asking questions. Of course these guys will whine and complain from time to time. What's the big deal? Quite frankly, I find the stoic Sven-types to be quite dull (except when Sven's caught snogging with the secretary - that's far from dull).

Now, you bring up something I have to comment on since I watched the game: the controversial goal by Spurs on Saturday. Was there anything illegal about the goal? No. Was it unsporting? Yes. Eboue was down, writhing in pain. Carrick saw this, hesitated, and then continued play. Sky Sports' Chris Kamara was on the touchline and reports that he heard Spurs manager Martin Jol yell "play! play! play!" to Carrick, at which point he pressed forward. So were their actions unsporting? Again, yes. Remember, Arsenal in 1999 insisted an FA Cup game they won against Sheffield Utd be replayed because they scored a goal under similar circumstances with a Sheffield player down injured. But with that said, the Arsenal defense went to sleep on the play against Spurs, which you can't do if the referee hasn't blown the whistle. And like I mentioned in my column after the game, Spurs deserved a goal. They were outplaying the Gunners for much of the game. If Wenger wants to be angry with someone, he should look at the team sheet he filled out that had his two best players on the bench and then looked in the mirror before looking at Martin Jol.

Vinny in Baton Rouge, LA: Do you think Juventus needs to worry about sleepwalking themselves out of first place in Serie A? Can Milan still catch them?

Brian: I'm excited - a Serie A question! Bryce and I have yet to give Serie A the attention it deserves on our site. That will change, I assure you. Italian football fascinates me because what happens off the pitch is usually far more exciting than anything that happens on the pitch.

I discuss Serie A with Bookable Offense's Italian football expert Jon Cook quite often. Jon has pointed out all year that Juventus are a slow, old team that is not nearly as good as the experts thought they would be. They get away with it because the bottom half of the Serie A table is downright dreadful.Their performance in the Champions League quarterfinals seems to indicate as much. They are struggling down the stretch, which is another indication that they are slowing down. Juventus does not rotate its squad much at all. Their two center-halves are in their mid-30s, and their four starting midfielders are age 29 or older.

Now Milan are no spring chickens, particularly in the back. But they do have some younger playmakers like Kaka and Gilardino, a rejuvenated Inzaghi, and the best all-around forward in the world, Shevchenko. And, they've had more to play for lately - Milan is still in the Champions League (at least until Wednesday), and Juventus is not. Milan is more focused and enthused, and it shows. With that said, I don't think Milan is going to catch the Old Lady. Juve finishes at Siena (16th place), home to Palermo (9th), and at Reggina (15th). Milan finishes with Livorno (8th) at home, at Parma (10th), and then has a potentially huge game at home against Roma (5th). Based on the schedule, Milan is more likely to drop points down the stretch than Juventus.

Jenny in Oak Ridge, TN: So what match did you watch on Sunday: Dallas v Kansas City, West Ham v Middlesbrough, or Celtic v Rangers?

Brian: Hi Jenny. It's always a pleasure to hear from our female fans. Dallas played KC today? I hadn't realized that the Cowboys and Chiefs were playing already. How did Terrell Owens look? This past week has been very football-heavy for me, particularly since I've had to pick up the slack while Bryce recovers, so I have to admit I didn't watch any football today. I was out enjoying the sunshine and then had a lovely dinner at PF Changs. I highly recommend the Mongolian beef. It's quite tender.

I was pleased to see West Ham come out victorious over 'Boro today. Alan Pardew has done a miraculous job with the Hammers this season. They appear to be a Premiership team for the long haul yet again. Should they upset Liverpool in the FA Cup final, they will be deservedly rewarded with a trip to Europe. The world of English football is a better place when tradition-rich teams like West Ham, Leeds United, and yes, Tottenham Hotspur are successful.

Anonymous in Berlin: Brian, give Bryce a break. The poor guy is really sick.

Brian: I'm sorry. Bryce, wherever you are, I hope you are resting and drinking plenty of fluids. Fans, I'd like to start a "Get Well Bryce" campaign. Please email your "get well" cards and wishes to Bryce. The best message will be posted in the next mailbag. I suggest Hallmark for e-cards.

Our website would be nothing without you. Yes, you! So, drop us a line: bookableoffense@gmail.com. If your email is chosen for our next mailbag, you'll win an autographed photo of Bryce.