Freedom!!!

Today is Thursday and as I write this I’m finishing off some Sesame Chicken, so all is right in my world. Friday is nearly upon us, which means I can here freedom beckoning. Actually, that was two beer bottles clinking together, but same difference.

There has been some movement in the transfer window for the mighty Arsenal this week. It seems Wenger has signed French player Barcay Sagna from Auxerre over in Frogland. Sagna is a right back and will get Cashley’s number 3 jersey. Now, if you follow Arsenal, you may be wondering why Wenger signed a right back when at the beginning of the summer our two existing right backs had their contracts renewed. That’s a good question, and I’m sure Wenger has an answer. What it is, I don’t know, but they don’t call him the professor for nothing. My intuition is that Eboue will be moved up to right mid and play as a winger. He has great pace and overlapping skills, but isn’t always the best defender.

This transfer of course has brought out even more Chicken Little’s on the message boards who believe Arsenal are doomed, but I feel good about the coming season. It just goes to show that Wenger is always working, even if it doesn’t seem to be played out in the press. I think some people just like to be neighsayers (sorry, there was no need to bring Ruud Van Nistleroy in to this conversation).

The first preseason match against Barnet is also very close and I can’t wait! Even though I have to watch a 3” display on my computer screen at 9 am on Saturday morning, it will be worth it to see the boys playing again. Close season is utter madness for fans! The players get to fly off on fancy holidays, sipping pina coladas with their supermodel girlfriends on sunny beaches. Meanwhile, us shlubs sit in offices anxiously awaiting any news of a transfer so we can pour out pages of dribble on inane rumors. Oh well, at least there is rum to dull the pain.

For American soccer-ball fans, Becks is on his way across the pond and will be unveiled as a L.A. Galaxy player tomorrow. I would love to see Alexi Lalas pull a giant sheet off of Becks, but I’m sure he’ll just hand him a jersey instead. This is going to be an interesting time for the wonder boy as there is tons of expectation hanging on him. There will be no time for fashion shows as I would imagine that many Americans will be expecting him to run circles around other teams and bang in tons of goals. But that just isn’t going to happen. He is a right winger and is known for sending in well placed crosses for others to bang in the net. He may get some good goals off of free kicks, but he has never had a huge goal tally. We’ll just have to see how he adjusts and if he can elevate the team, which is much needed after the Galaxy were beaten by a 3rd division team the Richmond Kickers in the U.S. Open Cup. Ouch.

In other important news, important to me that is, I am going to be single over the weekend as my wife takes the kiddo to Houston! Huzzah! What will I be doing with my time? I may try to sneak out to see the new Harry Potter movie. It is supposed to be really good and I can’t wait. Of course, if I do that, the next night I’ll need to gather a posse of men, drink a handle of Jim Bean, and go to strip club just to even everything out.

Well, that is enough for me today.

Adios