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Soccer Saturday: Your Running Commentary

EvraLiverpool (Getty Images)

Luis Suarez and Patrice Evra will face each other on the field for the first time since the controversial racism charges against Suarez when Manchester United and Liverpool renew their rivalry in today's marquee match-up.

Suarez will be key to the Reds chances of knocking off Manchester United in a vital match-up for both teams. Liverpool won the last meeting between the clubs, but beating the Red Devils in league play won't be easy.

Tottenham takes on Newcastle in another crucial Premier League clash as Harry Redknapp looks to focus on Spurs and their quest for a title, while the Magpies attempt to avoid slipping out of the race for a top four place.

In Italy, AC Milan take on Udinese in the top Serie A match-up of the day, while Charlie Davies and Sochaux take on St. Etienne in Ligue 1 action.

If you will be watching today's action, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.

Enjoy the action (Today's TV schedule is after the jump)

TODAY'S SOCCER ON TV

7:45 a.m. – ESPN2/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes – Liverpool vs. Manchester United

9 a.m. – FoxSoccer.tv – Auxerre vs. Lorient

9 a.m. – FoxSoccer.tv – Evian Thonon Gaillard vs. Marseille

9 a.m. – FoxSoccer.tv – Lyon vs. Caen

9 a.m. – FoxSoccer.tv – Montpellier vs. Ajaccio

9 a.m. – FoxSoccer.tv – Valenciennes vs. Nancy

9:30 a.m. – GOLTV – Borussia Dortmund vs. Bayer Leverkusen

10 a.m. – Fox Soccer Channel – Everton vs. Chelsea

10 a.m. – Fox Soccer Plus/FoxSoccer.tv – Sunderland vs. Arsenal

10 a.m. – FoxSoccer.tv – Bolton vs. Wigan Athletic

10 a.m. – FoxSoccer.tv – Blackburn vs. Queens Park Rangers

10 a.m. – FoxSoccer.tv – Fulham vs. Stoke City

10 a.m. – FoxSoccer.tv – Swansea City vs. Norwich City

10 a.m. – FoxSoccer.tv - Peterborough United vs. West Ham

12 p.m. – Fox Soccer Plus/FoxSoccer.tv/ESPN3.com – Udinese vs. AC Milan

12 p.m. – ESPN3.com – Racing Santander vs. Atletico Madrid

12:20 p.m. – FoxSoccer.tv – Blackpool vs. Portsmouth

12:30 p.m. – Fox Soccer Channel – Tottenham vs. Newcastle

1 p.m. – FoxSoccer.tv – Brest vs. Dijon

2 p.m. – GOLTV – Osasuna vs. Barcelona

2:45 p.m. – Fox Soccer Channel – Cagliari vs. Palermo

3 p.m. – FoxSoccer.tv – Stade Rennes vs. Sochaux

3:30 p.m. – ESPN3.com – Benfica vs. Nacional

4 p.m. – USSoccer.com stream – USWNT vs. New Zealand

4 p.m. – GOLTV – Real Betis vs. Athletic Bilbao

6 p.m. – Telefutura – Monterrey vs. Chivas de Guadalajara

6 p.m. – Fox Deportes/Azteca America – Jaguares vs. Queretaro

8 p.m. – Telefutura – Pachuca vs. Estudiantes Tecos

8 p.m. – Galavision – San Luis vs. Tigres UANL

10 p.m. – Telefutura – Atlas vs. America

10 p.m. – Galavision – Atlante vs. Toluca

11 p.m. – Fox Soccer Channel – Wellington Phoenix vs. Brisbane Roar

Comments

  1. I can’t believe you are this THICK (insult intended – arrest me – nevermind – you don’t believe in that)

    The STANDARD

    DON’T DO HARM!

    If/when harm is done …

    1. Own it. Avoid Denial.
    2. Make it right within your ability to heal/repair relationships/property/etc.
    3. Avoid the same/other harmful behavior

    Fair?

    Reply
  2. “Getting some nice touches in the game but not exactly making a massive impression upon the game”

    This is called “damming with faint praise”

    Reply
  3. Thanks for the advice, but one last note on this mess:

    From Gordon Taylor, Head of the PFA:

    “if we have a situation where nobody accepts the findings of hearings and just carries on regardless, all you get is anarchy.

    Now the Football Association have to step in because the whole situation has gone too far. Suárez had a chance to put everything to bed yesterday, in front of a worldwide audience. The fact that he chose not to is, quite frankly, depressing.”

    Exactly Gordon,….you buffoon! If you did not see this coming months ago then you should resign from your post. I love the part about the FA having to step in,…as if they weren’t the architects of this mess.

    Reply
  4. Here, here. The man has been torched in most of the posts today. Not too many people seem to have considered this possibility. I wouldn’t have shaken Evra’s hand either had I really felt innocent and been suspended 8 games.

    Reply
  5. I´m just trying to be fair, only Irish people know about hate crimes in Ireland, black people know their stuff, and latinos the same. Suarez actually tried to shake Evra´s hand and he avoided him, before he could get a chance, as certain footage shows (Suarez brother footage actually). I think both of them are wrong, if it´s true.

    People need to understand that if a racist act is true then it should be punished, but if it isn´t we also need to protect the innocent, or at least be fair, I´m not trying to understand black people racism, and frankly I don´t pretend to do it, but it is sad.

    Reply
  6. “Just because I don’t use the phrase “good game” doesn’t mean I am for some reason whining.”

    Of course it does. Though I would not say whining.

    The entire tone of your posts prior to the last two is condescending, patronizing, amd somewhat dismissive, as if you were too cool to be impressed by what LD has done.

    Therefore you have to take that tone.

    It seems you do not wish to be seen as actually appreciating how difficult it is to do what Donovan and Moyes together are doing right now.

    “.Landon’s been quiet. Nice hard shot but outside of that…”

    “and right as I say that, he nutmegs Ashley Cole and keeps the ball alive in the midfield.”

    “Getting some nice touches in the game but not exactly making a massive impression upon the game”

    I’m not a big fan of Donovan. My favorite USMNT player is Frankie Hejduk.

    But I can tell you this, you Americans don’t appreciate how exceptional and unique a player he really is. He’s not the most skilled player in the world nor the most physicially gifted but those two aspects are the least of it. There is so much more to being an exceptional player.

    LD is just beginning to demonstrate that he understands that. I think you all write him off a little too early.

    Reply
  7. Because in the UK, racism is actually illegal. There is no first amendment, there is no ‘freedom of speech’. And Suarez exercised his right as a man to collect a paycheck from an company who’s rules specify shaking hands before work. He knew the rules, he cashed the check (I assume) and shook with everyone else. So obviously he doesn’t object to the requirement as a rule, just with some people.

    Reply
  8. Jeff,

    I never stated anything like this – “Not sure how anyone could think it’s OK to call someone a disparaging racially charged name during an argument (sorry, he wasn’t trying to buddy up during an argument on the field).”

    What I continue to point out or otherwise ask is,…what are the standards and how do you enforce them? Are they going to be applied fairly in defense of all people or simply to a select class of people?

    What does the FA do in the future when similar Suarez/Evra circumstances arise,….a player claims that he was racially abused on the field but no one else hears it. Is the FA automatically going to apply the eight match ban?

    What about Terry/Ferdinand? If I read Terry’s lips properly in the video clip it looks like he said, “…you black c^nt.” So what does the court do when John Terry’s legal counsel points out to the court that Anton Ferdinand is, in fact, black. Is he going to be done for calling Ferdinand a c^nt?

    Funny thing is that when this all developed initially and Suarez was banned, I noted on this board that the FA had opened pandoras box. Now we get this nonsense today because Lius Suarez exercised his right as a man not to shake Evra’s hand. Now Suarez is getting pummeled again. John Terry has been stripped of his captaincy and will most likely lose his place on the England team (good riddance!) and Fabio Capello has resigned. And the Terry affair is still not resolved! I submit to you that this is going to go on and on and spin wildly out of control and make matters much, much worse. The backlash is going to be awful.

    Again,…standards. How can you know what every player is saying on the field during a ninety minute game? How do you judge what is offensive? What is the standard? Does it apply to blacks, whites, homosexuals, bi-sexuals, faiths,….where does it stop? What if players start inventing code words for slurs? Think this is a crazy concept? Go to Boston and ask a cop what a Canadian is? I assure you it is not the maple leaf hockey playing kind. But if he was in court the cop would simply say ” I called him/her a Canadian. What is the problem?” Pandoras box.

    Reply
  9. You made me hunt down the link. Here. This is why MLS changed the Mondragon own-goal to a Richards goal:

    FIFA says “Shots that… rebound from the goalframe and bounce of a defender or goalkeeper are not considered as own goals”.

    http://tinyurl.com/83nwkas

    http://tinyurl.com/6wlr8ka

    So, whether or not it’s been credited to Dempsey, I will keep telling myself that it’s a goal. And you can keep telling yourself that it’s an own goal. And we can both be happy.

    Reply
  10. It’s sad that people actually believe what they are saying on this board. Not sure how anyone could think it’s OK to call someone a disparaging racially charged name during an argument (sorry, he wasn’t trying to buddy up during an argument on the field). It was done to get in Evra’s head, and out of ignorance and lack of perspective on Suarez’s part. Plain and simple. And to then be so defiant and unapologetic underlines his ignorance and points to his arrogance. Evra reacted poorly to all of it, but there’s no defense for Suarez’s actions.

    Reply
  11. Or the non-shake can suggest that he feels superior. People do awful things to others all of the time and find ways to justify their behaviors. Who knows what’s going on in Suarez’ head.

    Reply
  12. Neither of them could be mistaken for good sports by the time they went down the tunnel after game’s end. Fans of Liverpool and United will say whatever they will, but I think this much is obvious to the rest of us. But in any case, I don’t think anyone but Liverpool supporters see Suarez as a victim here.

    Reply

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