adventures in TV land: watching the Champions League on ESPN

quick confessional:  i never even knew what the Champions League was until a couple of years back, when the final match was Barcelona vs Arsenal.

now, i can’t not watch it.  every 3 weeks that matches are scheduled nothing separates me from the TV.  I know it would be more benificial to get my ass to the gym, but soccer rules!  and fuck it, it’s the European clubs.

but here in the US, my only outlet for CL games is the “ESPN family of networks,” and boy do they find ways to fuck it up for me.

I was looking forward to watching the Inter Milan vs Fenerbahce match, i dont really watch any Inter games, so it would be something new for me.  The alternative was Barcelona vs Lyons, and I watch Barca like every week.  I avoided the internet for a few hours before I got out work, left early, and made it home to watch the televised delay (the games are played in Europe, so the ESPN channels designate 3 matches, one live, and the they are all shown from 5 pm on).  I turn on the Inter game on ESPN Deportes only to find the fucking final score on the crawl only seconds after I get comfortable game.  The score was 3-0 Inter.

I turn to the Barcelona game on ESPN Classic; 10 minutes in the score is already 1-1.  It was a fast paced game, and both midfields were giving the other team plenty of pace to move arourn and make effective passes.  More chances to score for both sides during the first half.  In the 45th minute some argument arose between Xavi and Yaya Toure for god-knows-what reason, but Yaya would not let it go.  Barca skipper Frank Rijkaard  somehow gets invloved and he gets thrown out of the game.

The 2nd half featured the same kind of play-style, and eventually Messi was able to draw a foul inside the box and score the go-ahead goal;  he had been challenged by Juninho for the entire match and ventually one call had to go for the Argentine striker.  Moments later Puyol got away from a clear red card as he fouled Toure (i believe it was him) in a clear play towards a score.  it was outside the box and Puyol recieved only a yellow card.  It didnt matter, Juninho would later score on a penalty kick, tying the game 2-2.  That’s how it would end.

During the 2nd half, i was debating whether to see the Man U vs Sporting match or go see No Country for Old Men, but alas i saw the score yet again on the crawl.  2-1 Man U, it looked like a good game!  Made my decision a whole lot easier, and the movie kicked major ass, so I’m not mad.

Tomorrow’s matches feature Werder Bremen vs. Real Madrid facing off in Germany.  I better not mess this one up for myself.

here are all the earlier resuts.