Soccer By Ives

A Champions League final primer

Because there can't be too much hype for this game:

Almost three hours until the match? Excited yet?

Special 1 TV: Sven eyes TFC job, Lampard speaks and a swine flu scare

MLS fans already love Special 1 TV, but they'll be extra happy with this week's episode as MLS gets some recognition in a week when UEFA Champions League got most of the headlines.

Any time you can see Sven in a costume or two it is probably a good week on Special 1 TV, and this week is no different. Enjoy:

"You look like the Brokeback Mountie Sven."

What was your favorite line? Share your thoughts on this weekend's episode below.

Special 1 TV: Roy's new job and arrogant EPL managers

 

This weekend's installment of Special 1 TV is a special treat for EPL fans who love the spot-on impressions of the many English Premier League managers who make cameos on the show. From Rafa to Wenger to Sir Alex, they all contribute to a good, though perhaps not great, episode.

Enjoy:

What was your favorite line? "All credit due to canine snacks"? "A big, huge club like Everton"? "What's wrong with playing U-14 teams"?

Share your favorites below.

Special 1 TV: On 'The Potato's" Future and unemployed coaches

 

The latest episode of Special1TV is heavy on the managerial side of things this week, with the show covering everything from the uncertain future of Guus Hiddink at Chelsea to the plight of unemployed managers in England. And yes, there's even an appearance from Cristiano Ronaldo.

Enjoy:

What did you think of this week's episode? What were the highlights for you?

Share your thoughts below.

Special 1 TV: The Easter edition (and Sven's lapdance)

 

It isn't a weekend without the latest episode of Special1TV and this week's installment has its share of laughs, and a lapdance you won't soon forget.

Enjoy:

If you're a little lost on the Sven lapdance, it's a spoof of this lapdance Fabio Capello received on Italian TV.

If you were a little lost on the Wayne-Sven bit at the end, it is a spoof of this Cadbury commercial, which is pretty funny in its own right.

What did you think? Too many UK punchlines you didn't get? Did you still enjoy it? Did hearing Shevchenko compared to Judas make you laugh?

Share your thoughts below.

Grafite embarrasses Bayern with dream goal

There are goal of the year candidates and then there are goal of the year candidates.

While debating the merits of a Goal of the Year can sometimes become tedious, simply enjoying a moment of soccer brilliance never gets old. With that, I bring you a goal from Wolfsburg's Grafite, a Brazilian striker who capped off his club's 5-1 annihilation of Bayern Munich with a goal that pleased fans and embarrassed Bayern defenders with equal totality.

Here are all five Wolfsburg goals vs. Bayern, including Grafite's stunning dribble and finish. Enjoy:

Yes. Wow is right.

What did you think? Share your thoughts below.

Special 1 TV: Sven on his firing and Rooney plays dad

When Sven Goran Eriksson was fired as Mexico head coach there were two questions going through the minds of most American soccer fans. Who would replace Sven as Mexico's head coach and what would Special 1 TV do about the firing?

We got answers to both questions pretty quikly, with Javier Aguirre taking over as Mexico head coach, and now we have this weekend's episode of Special 1 TV.

Enjoy:

What did you think of this week's episode? Share your thoughts below.

Soccer: The world's game

When it comes to the game of soccer, it is sometimes easy to only look at how the game can divide us. Be it Celtic-Rangers, Liverpool-Everton or Crew-TFC. What we should never lose sight of is how much the game of soccer brings this world together, and how people from every conceivable culture can be brought together by a soccer ball.

Thanks to former SBI correspondent Dominghosa (via fellow Designated Player The Offside Rules) for uncovering this great video of two soccer players traveling the world in search of soccer games to play and people to enjoy the game with. It's a must-see.

Enjoy:

The Soccer Project from Rebekah Fergusson on Vimeo.

If you enjoyed the video, you might want to help the creators by voting for them in this contest. If they win, it will help them complete the project they began with the above video.

What do you think of the video? Share your thoughts below.

Nery Castillo slams the Mexican media

Chances are you have seen it already, but after catching Nery Castillo's venom-laced tirade at the Mexican media earlier this week, I couldn't resist posting it.

Here it is:

I didn't have time to translate for you non-Spanish speakers (folks are more than welcome to in the comments section) but the gist of his tirade was that the Mexican media doesn't support the national team and writes about anything but soccer. He also went on to say that Mexico's soccer pundits don't know anything about soccer because they haven't played soccer at the highest level, unlike Brazil and Argentina, where many pundits are former standout players.

Special1TV: Jose Tweets, invades America and gives Hiddink a nickname

 

It's okay to admit it. Last week's Special1TV wasn't the funniest one we've ever seen, but leave it up to the fine folks at Setanta to step up their game and deliver another hilarious episode.

This week, The Special 1 covered everything from Twitter, to Liverpool's blowout of Manchester United and even a special USA episode of Special 1 TV that looked more like an ode to The Jerry Springer Show.

Enjoy the comedy:

HILARIOUS!

Special 1 TV: Jose and the Imposter

In the wake of Inter Milan's loss to Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League you just knew this week's edition of Special 1 TV would give us something to laugh at.

You won't be disappointed.

The Special 1 himself doesn't make an appearance this week, but he certainly contributes to the episode as Sven and The Boy try to pick up the slack.

Enjoy:

European Goal of the Week: Eduardo's volley

 

There were plenty of goals scored this past weekend, but few had more special meaning than Eduardo's brilliant side-footed volley in Arsenal's FA Cup win against Burnley.

Not only is the goal memorable for the amazing skill it takes to hit a side-volley with the outside of the foot, but because it is the latest goal in Eduardo's remarkable comeback from a broken leg.

Here is the video clip of the goal. Enjoy:

What did you think of the goal? Was there another goal that you saw in Europe this weekend that was better? Feel free to share your thoughts below.

European Goal of the Week: Mascara's midfield blast

This past weekend saw plenty of memorable goals, from a few of the beauties in Atletico Madrid's win over Barcelona, to Matteo Brighi's finish for Roma vs. Inter Milan, but the leading candidate for goal of the week honors for the weekend's European soccer action probably has to go to Giuseppe Mascara's wonder goal from the midfield circle in Catania's 4-0 thrashing of Palermo.

Enjoy:

What do you think of the goal? Great goal? Terrible goalkeeping? Share your thoughts on Mascara's goal and feel free to submit your own candidates in the comments section below.

Special 1 TV: Jose speaks German and Rooney the Super Sub

The hilarious folks at Special 1 TV were at it again this weekend, delivering another funny episode chock full of appearances from the likes of The Voyuer, Sir Alex and Rafa.

Enjoy:

Is there anything better than hearing Wayne Rooney speak German? Probaby not.

What were your favorite parts of this weekend's episode? Share your thoughts below.

Beckham and Garnett shoot some hoop

Since we here at SBI are holding firm to the promise of not posting anymore Beckham transfer stories (until a transfer happens), and since some of you need your David Beckham fix, here is an alternative without any of the transfer speculation nonsense:

Special 1 TV: Beckham, Tom Cruise and Pompey Pimping

After a week off, Special1TV was back this weekend with another hilarious episode (though not as funny as the last one). Among the subjects covered this week were David Beckham's USA Hell, Sven's "secret" quest for a new job and more.

Enjoy:

"In the CON-K-K-CON-CAHH-KHCAF Section."

What did you think of this episode? Anybody else think the Tom Cruise impersonator sounded strangely like Alexi Lalas? Did you google the Chinese player mentioned by the caller? Did "Old Mother Hubbard" make you laugh?

Share your thoughts below.