I have always liked Eddie Howe. When he was Bournemouth’s coach I felt like he was going to get the best out of the 11 that he ran out there that day. It takes a special manager to taker a team from League One and get them to the Premier League and then keep them there for five seasons. Everybody equates Howe’s managerial qualities to the relegation season of 2020 but that is simply lazy and unfair to the man. I am excited to see what he can do and see how the team will react to what he will bring to Newcastle.

It is funny that every Newcastle fan would have been ecstatic to get Eddie Howe as a manager during the Ashley Era but now that we have $$$ I have heard that he is not the man for the job. I admit that this is mostly from dried up commentators but you still hear it. When the takeover happened I actually told my son that they should get Howe to manage the team. Then the media whirlwind happened and you can’t help but get sucked in. All the names started showing up; Fonseca, Conte, ten Hag, Mourinho, Rafa … instead of a kid in the candy shop we were the 50 year old looking to but that Bugatti. You could see yourself driving that Bugatti with the Corinthian Leather passing all the woeful PL clubs that were stuck with ho hum managers. Then the day came, Unai Emery was commenting on the management position after the last Villareal game. I got excited ! I forgot that he was not good at Arsenal and was booted for a first time manager Mikel Arteta. He was managing in Europe, ooo Europe! Next day, Nope.

Along with everyone, I started to panic. Graeme Jones is going to manage a third game for Newcastle and so far his results or lineups were not appealing. The news was that it was between Emery and Howe and it appeared that Howe was the last choice. Nuno Espirito Santo was Tottenham’s sixth choice and he just got fired! That must mean that Howe is substandard and we are settling for him. The pundits are back at it and even with all the money that Newcastle has we are going to get relegated. The top six are elated! Three words. What A Crock.

How did I become a sheep? It is so easy to be enamored with the shiny objects that you can’t have. Those other managers look pretty shiny but I believe that we got the right guy. I don’t care how we got here I am just glad we did. I am looking forward to the Howe era and I hope it leads to Howe being the shiny object that everyone wants. Then I would love to say Too Bad, you had your chance.

To a new era in Newcastle football!

HWTL

So, we are two games into the the New Dawn for Newcastle United. We have one point and an interim manager that has not provided us in the one game he managed that glimpse of something special that we desperately wanted to see. His lineup was negative and didn’t have much imagination to it. I was not looking for the next coming of Pep but I was hoping that the team shape and organization would have been better. If it wasn’t for the sublime goal by Callum Wilson out of nothing and a fortuitous call back on a goal by Benteke it would have been much worse. How Benteke could get so many opportunities in front of the goal speaks volumes about the status of our defense. The absence of any cohesiveness was evident throughout the game. I am hoping that this was just first game jitters and the Graeme Jones has more to give in the upcoming game against Chelsea.

This weekend Chelsea comes to town looking to breeze past us for 3 points. In the past I would expect that we could get something from this game with heart and grit but that doesn’t work when the defense looks slow and old. In the past we could throw out a negative game plan of hunkering down and trying to nip a goal at the end to win. We can’t hunker down with this team so that plan turns at 0-0 nail biter to a 3-0 or 4-0 laugher for Chelsea. So what does Graeme Jones do with this team this weekend? What is refreshing is that I don’t know what Graeme is going to come with this weekend. I could come up with numerous strategies that we could try but in the end it will be up to the players on the pitch that decide this game, like it always is. I just hope the gaffer puts on the players that can get this done. heck, maybe even play them in their correct positions. I wish them luck!

It is expected that a new manager will be announced. This topic has flooded my Newcastle News feed since the news of the takeover. I can’t wait to get this over with so I can read about all the 5-star transfers Newcastle is going to bring in January. I jest. WHO is it going to be? Speculation is so much fun and it is one of the reasons their is so much click-bait on who is the latest favorite for the job. I have to admit, I am very impressed with the Ownership group in how they have handled all of this. They buy a team that is in a relegation battle with NO WINS and they have:

• Allowed Steve Bruce to manage his 1,000 game, even when that assured us that we would get no points.
• Arrange for Graeme Jones to be the interim coach for 2 games, in which one of those games is against a top EPL club in Chelsea.
• Take their time finding a manager and not leaking anything to the press about their search.
• Willing to lose points in order to make the correct selection

Who knows if they make the correct selection but this process has shown me that this group is looking for long term success and not knee jerk decisions. The task is going to difficult keeping this team in the Premier League this season and in the end we may have needed those points but right now we need to right person for this task. It doesn’t need to be a flashy pick (Conte ), a lazy pick (Rafa), a stupid pick (Lampard or Gerrard) or the litany of other managers thrown into the mix but it needs to be the correct pick. Right now, I have no idea who they are going to select and I need to have faith that the person they bring in is the right one. It would be very weird having the richest club in football relegated to the Championship. We have a lot of matches before we need to worry about that scenario. I am just going to sit back watch the game this weekend, pray to the devil and see how things go. I am just hoping that Ritchie, Shelvey or Fraser are not in the starting 11. If any of them are, Beelzebub will have lost a faithful follower.

HWTL

I continue to think about the line at the end of the original and BEST Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory with Gene Wilder.

Willy Wonka: But Charlie, don’t forget what happened to the man who suddenly got everything he always wanted.

Charlie: What happened?

Willy Wonka: He lived happily ever after.

I always thought that line was just the worst line ever. It just seemed so out of place with everything. Still, Gene Wilder is just genius in that movie, actually almost all of his movies. It really says something when an actor can put another great like Johnny Depp to shame.

Now back to the answer. Do we live happily ever after? I mean getting rid of Mike Ashley is a wonderful thing but I can’t quite put my finger on why I don’t feel happily ever after. I actually feel more like the one who sold their soul to the devil. Which is kinda weird because I was not a part of this monumental transaction at all. Or was I? I think Kevin and many other Newcastle fans have struggled with the same thought. I would like to think that I can just not think about the horrible things the Saudi Government has done or is doing to their citizens and the citizens of Yemen right now. For the long suffering Newcastle fans they feel they deserve this bounty because of everything they have gone through to get to this moment. Hell, if I was a fan of Newcastle as long I have been a fan of the Boston Red Sox and I still had nothing to show for it I would be a-ok with just about anything. So again, am I or we a part of the transactions that the Saudi Government engages in and outside Newcastle United. Is another Khashoggi equal to 3 Mbappe’s or even the Champion’s League Trophy? I feel that this will be something that I will continue to struggle with for quite some time. Now that I bared my soul, what does it all mean.

It is funny that we have a new present and we really can’t do anything with it. It is like getting an awesome sled for your birthday but you have to wait for some snow to actually use it. Right now, all we have is mud so how do we make the mud nicer to look at. That mud is our 19th place position in the standings. So how do we get out of this mud? 1st chore to do is get rid of Bruce. I think this guy is probably a great guy to have a drink with but that is about it. Does promoting Graeme Jones to the front of the heap do anything for us? I don’t have to much hope on that because he is part of the mess we are in. Who knows though, I actually hope it does work because it really will help us in the long run. We are not ready for a top manager and I don’t really think a caretaker manager will be too great either. Having Graeme Jones be successful helps Ownership focus on the other dozen or so other shitty things Fat Ashley left them. I also hope they bring in Campos as the Sporting Director. That is something that the club is in dire need of at this time.

Overall, I am promoting patience. Now that the sale has happened I no longer have the thought of the dreadful R word at the tip of my tongue. Ownership can work to clean out a bunch of the trash on an outside the pitch and work towards a common goal and strategy for the club. What a novel idea.

Here’s to a crazy game on Sunday. I look forward to the celebrations in the stands and I hope for one on the pitch as well.

HWTL

I had the fortune or misfortune to travel to Memphis Tennessee on Sunday night. I was leaving out of Midway airport and flying Southwest airlines which is beside the point but I just thought I can draw you a picture of my malaise while waiting for my late night flight. Earlier in the day I attended the Red Sox v. White Sox baseball game and the ballpark was jumping. It was a sunny day and around 90 degrees and my family was sitting out in the bleachers. Guaranteed Rate (hate the name) was at capacity of around 37,000 fans and the game was not very good but that didn’t stop all of the fans from enjoying the day. As the game went on the wave was started and died after 3 attempts which was very impressive since these days it is a guarantee to make it around the ballpark at least a few times. The usual jumbotron games were in all their glory with Cheesy Beef, Big Frank, and Connie’s pepperoni all bringing glory to their perspective brands. Vendors were present for the first time this year make the deliberate circuitous route around the ballpark looking for the thirstiest of the thirsty. It was great to see them back. So, in usual fashion for a game that I need to finish early to get to an airport for trip I don’t want to take, the Red Sox tie the score up in the top of 9th at 1-1. I look at my watch and begin the time calculations of an extra inning game. The game was going pretty quickly so I could actually get my first look at the pandemic inspired extra inning twist that MLB added to games this year. The dreaded baserunner on 2nd base to start an inning. The baseball purist have been rolling in their graves all year. Well, that didn’t happen, instead the damn White Sox hit a walk-off home run with 2 outs and 2 strikes. It was joy and pandemonium for everyone. To add a cherry on time, when we got to our car I find out the local anchor man Corey McPherrin is parked next us and I proceed to embarrass my family by shaking his hand and acting like I was a long lost friend. It was fun seeing his face try to figure out who this nut is. OK. That was the fun part, now to what got me to write this.

Fast forward about 3 1/2 hours and I am walking though Midway to get to my gate. The Chicago Bears game is going on and the LA Rams are starting to pull away from the Bears. No surprise there, but as I am walking through the airport I can’t believe the amount of NFL football jerseys that people are wearing. I guess I can if think about it because everybody dresses like a hobo when they travel by plane. With this being the first Sunday for football it is just enough of an excuse to wear the pajamas, sweat pants, oversized jerseys and all the merchandise you can imagine. Roger Goodell would be weeping with joy to see this mass of humanity that was touting NFL gear. On my flight I was sitting next to a woman that was decked to hilt in her white 49er gear. She looked truly magical with the SF sweatpants, jersey, and jacket but blew the top off when we landed she had a clear decorative plastic 49er bag to go with the ensemble. I was sitting next to a 49er Queen. While I am observing this I do have a confession to make that I am also wearing a Washington Football Team t-shirt during this religious NFL experience.

One of the things that I started thinking about when I was sitting in Midway waiting for my flight that was delayed to 10:40 was how would this look like if I was in Europe? Is the football merchandise in Europe/England this crazy? I can understand why it is like this in America because we are the land of excess and you can never have too much of anything. But is it like this in other countries? I don’t think so. Should it be? No, I think one county is enough and I don’t think it would be smart to bring this up as a competition.

So, now that I am done with those musings I figured it is time to discuss Newcastle and their upcoming match against Leeds United on Friday. Let’s get this out of the way first, I am happy that Leeds United is back in the Premier League. I have not been drinking but I think we have a shot to get 3 points tomorrow. I also think that Joelinton should start again. As bad as we have been playing, Leeds is not a good defensive squad and I think that we can score on them. I am afraid that they will score on us as well but I think Darlow will come in for Woodman and will help the squad. I feel sorry for Woodman because I think he is quality but just had a bad run with multiple penalties to save and just poor defending.

So, I am looking for lots of goals and us squeaking out a victory.

HWTL

After watching the first two games and listening to the Carabao Cup on Newcastle Radio. (BIG shout out to the boys, Matthew Raisbeck and former Magpies defender John Anderson, I love listening to their commentary. Always spot on! Love it. ) I find myself living through another Deja Vu and I am scared that just adding Joe Willock will not be enough. Mainly due to the fact that everybody on this roster is another year older. It seems that our defense has gone from one of our strength to a liability and with the exception of Fernandez I can’t trust any one of the 6 other defenders that Bruce wants to throw back there to act like a CB. We need to abandon the 3CB plus the WB formation. Mainly because I don’t think our wingbacks are better than the midfielders we can play instead and more often than not they don’t get back on defense. I would rather have Paul Dummett and Manquillo sit back and have four defending across the back than have all the defenders sitting in the box waiting for a cross that is doomed to come. I don’t care if we go with a 4-4-2 or a form of the 4-5-1, either way it is better than what we have out there now.

I don’t understand the desire to play Ritchie, I understand the reason to get Murphy on the field but Ritchie? A big Meh. Also, Jacob is a perfect sub for this team he has the skills to get forward and has a knack for the goal. Ritchie? No. So go back to 4 across. The next issue is the midfield or lack thereof. I would like the team to play both Sean Longstaff and Hayden in the holding midfield in front of the defense. They are willing to get back and they can support the middle so that the fullbacks can continue to stay wide. This will also allow our engine Almiron, Willock and St. Maximin to be in advanced positions and to have the ability to run all over the place and cause havoc on defenses. This is what happened at the end of last year when we had that streak of wins. Just keep feeding Wilson who is one player that I never have a complaint about. It is the one position that I am happy about.

So a 4-2-3-1, with the likes of Fraser, Murphy (in midfield), Joelinton and Gayle to sub in before the game is lost or beyond recovery. Is this too much to ask? No. That is why I am asking. I am also asking that the following players never see the field. Jonjo Shelvey, Fabian Schar, Matt Ritchie, Jeff Hendricks and Emil Krafth with Lascelles close to being on this list. I will give him a bit of a break coming back from injury though. Also, no more of this crap of playing players in positions that they aren’t supposed to play! I’m talking about Dummett and Krafth playing CB, Isaac Hayden playing LWB, Ritchie playing RWB, Murphy playing LWB, St. Maximin playing striker, or Joelinton playing striker. If they can’t make the team playing their position then fuck em. Don’t play them. It doesn’t say much for the likes of Lewis, Manquillo (who should always play), Cairan Clark or Fabian Schar.

I hope Kevin’s savior, Graeme Jones sees this as well. I know Bruce doesn’t see it when he is sulking in the corner. Let’s stop giving away our chances to get a result (Bringing on subs in the 76′ of a winnable game) because the opportunities are going to be few and far between.

Let’s hope the team starts to make more opportunities for themselves and they don’t have to lean on the likes of Bruce any more.

HWTL!!!

I gotta hope! 3-1 Newcastle against Southampton. I hope Southampton got all of their goals out against Newport County.

Quick Note: Started this post 05/25/21, sadly since then nothing has happened to change my thoughts.

A strong desire to do or to achieve something, typically requiring determination and hard work. That is the definition of ambition but I think it is missing a word and that word is special. I think by adding that word it gives the definition more power, emotion and makes it more personal. What is special to you is not special to someone else but yet it is important to continue to achieve throughout your life. I have been thinking alot about that word as it pertains to my life and the life of Newcastle United Football Club. I have made a decision to leave my current firm that I have worked at for 20+ years to try to build something that I never thought I would have a chance to do in my professional career.

While my career was cruising along at my current firm my relationship with Newcastle United was starting to blossom and they have been going hand in hand for about the last 17 years. As the years have gone by my expectations have been steadily going down year by year for my career as well as my fandom. Kevin and my profession is Architecture. The Mr. Brady career, the one that everyone seems to think they can do because some movie’s main character was an architect or they think they are good at math. Kevin and I wish it was like that. Instead it has become a daily grind of unrealistic deadlines on a shoestring budget to make some developer more money so they screw you on the next project. Look at me bitching about my job. I am sure everybody out there can bitch about their job. Problem is that until recently my joy in having a career became a chore of having a job. Where am I going this? I don’t know but I just wanted to get that off my chest. Lately I have the same thoughts about being a fan of Newcastle. My joy of being a fan has turned into a chore of hoping that maybe today will be the day that I feel Ownership is looking out for the best interests of Newcastle and not their own pockets.

Fast forward, I am now writing this part on 08/05/21 and we are about 10 days away from the start of the EPL season. I have been working at my new firm for about 2 1/2 months and it has been great! Maybe things have turned around for my fandom…NOPE. In fact somehow it has gotten worse. How can that be? We are still the only team in the EPL to not sign a senior player, the mysterious takeover has been pushed until Spring of 2022 (Like it will ever happen) and somehow Jeff Hendrick is getting slotted in the striker position. Maybe Bruce has figured out the Park District strategy of placing your worst player up top so he can’t screw up anything. Yes, I did that with 8 year-olds so that they got playing time and weren’t embarrassed by giving up goals. So based on all the facts over the last four months has Newcastle shown ambition? Have they tried to put something special on the pitch? ASM is special and if we make it through this transfer period without losing him I would consider that special, but otherwise? Here’s to hoping for a good season absent of relegation fears and watching a team that puts everything toward a positive season. I will be rooting for them no matter what. Through the highs and lows hoping for something special and seeing at least the players on the pitch have the ambition to make this team something to be proud of.

HWTL

I was going to write about Man City coming to St. James Park as Champions of the EPL and wondering what the reaction would be from the Newcastle players but I just saw that Steve Bruce just won Manager of the month for April.

Are you kidding? This is a slap to the face of ALL Newcastle fans. I am sick of this incessant need to prop up a manger that is horrible. We are going to finish one place above the relegation zone and somehow this performance gets an award. The only reason we are not going down is that the other three teams underperformed better than us. This is the same manager that had 1 win in 20 games this season. There is also talks of him getting extended, what am I missing? I can’t write anymore, but I will. I’m disgusted. By the way, the manager we are playing against today, 4-0 (8-1) for April and not up for the award.

Managers For April

Bruce (Newcastle) 2-2-0, Drew with Liverpool and Tottenham, beat West Ham

Bielsa (Leeds) 2-2-0 beat Man City and drew with Man U and Liverpool.

Ole – (Man U) 3-1-0 (5-1 w/ Europa)

Fat Sam – (WBA) 2-2-0, Beat Chelsea Drew w/ Aston Villa.

Bruce is 3rd on this list at best and this was his best month.

Let’s celebrate finishing 17th!! HWTL

92 football clubs represent the top four tiers in English Football with another 296 clubs represented in the next four football tiers. The only number that concerns the media is 6. All of the issues that have arisen in the last month are the result of International Media focusing on the Top 6. Every broadcast is centered around the Top 6 and they meander and muddle through the other 14 teams every weekend trying to get to the next Big 6 talking point. Every weekend I get to watch the “Expert” pundits spit out the same old talking points and worn out analysis for every Newcastle game. Nothing new, just whatever fits based on 5 topics. Topic 1: Ownership 2: Club History 3: Coach under pressure 4: Fans (Expect too much or Great fans that always show up) 5: No quality. I think it is like that for all the other 14 with a few exceptions that break into the Top 6 for that year. They have to pay attention then. So on it goes, 5 minutes of our team the rest of show on the Big 6 game coming up or the Big 6 game that just happened. We get 10 minutes if we happen to play a Big 6 team. I am sick of it.

Last weekend was the final straw. As everyone knows, Manchester United fans are upset that they are currently sitting in 2nd place. Poor babies. So, the Man U fans take a page from January 6th and proceed to crash into sacred Old Trafford. This is news, I get it. What happens, the event gets shown side by side with the Newcastle v. Arsenal game. Understood. For 45 minutes! What the heck. The cherry on the top during this whole circus is Rebecca Lowe (who is great) actually apologizes to Arsenal fans for covering this event during the game. No mention of Newcastle. None. Zilch, bupkis. So I watch the game and listen to the litany of broadcasters discussing these idiots. Now the pundits and BBC/Sky reporter have the chance to discuss the concerns of the fans and how they have been planning this protest. This is heaven! They get to discuss the crowned jewel for over 45 minutes! They get to say that they agree with the fans that they should ask for more from Ownership. Let’s not forget that they are in 2nd bleepin’ place! I get to hear this drivel when for the better part of 2 years I have been hearing that Newcastle is asking for too much. They should be happy to be in the Premier League and that Steve Bruce is doing his best. This was a huge example of how the rest of the league is treated and the cash cows can do no wrong.

Is there anything I can do? Yes. I can listen to the Newcastle radio broadcast and enjoy some proper broadcasting of a football match. NBCsn did a lot to bring broadcasts to the US and I appreciate what they have done but it is not going to last and soon every fan will have to pay to see there club play. Every game will be on that 2nd rate Peacock streaming service because their original NBCsn Gold was a colossal failure. The only reason I am still watching the Peacock streamed games is because it currently free to me. So, in the near future we will get a random Big 6 derby game on NBC and boxing day enjoyment will be a distant memory. What Networks only push for the Big 6 and center their broadcast around them it is no wonder that they thought the Super League was a great idea. It failed because the club leaders are idiots (Thank God) but it will happen. Money speaks volumes and the fans mean nothing. On a final note, I want the Saudi backed takeover to happen more than ever because nothing would please me more than to stick it to the Big 6.

I am already looking forward to listening to Jon Anderson complaining that Almiron has run offside for the 4th time in the game against Leicester on Friday. Honest broadcasting! I love it.

HWTL

Tuesday was a day that I didn’t think we would see again. A day when people with power were held accountable and told that what they were doing was wrong. It was a day to exhale and be allowed to think that maybe the world does have a chance. I know that those are thoughts of fantasy and that nothing will change. The evil and grotesque will go back into the shadows and start plotting for some other way to make more money or grab more power at the expense of the less fortunate.

Will the conviction of Derek Chauvin be point in history where police will start to have second thoughts about their actions and start treating persons of color with the decency they deserve. Will the total rebuttal of the “Big 12” power grab of football’s riches be a moment where instead of breaking the system apart to benefit the few they work to fix the system to benefit all. These are lofty goals to expect from the powerful. It is difficult for me to see that happening.

Florentino Perez is saying that the Super League is on hold. Another police shooting has happened. The rabbit hole is big and it is tough to not get pulled in. I will continue to hope and trust in our humanity. It is all I can right do and for now I will relish in the little victories along the way.

April is Poetry Appreciation Month so I thought it would be a great opportunity to write something positive since the clouds have lightened a bit.

The ball sails high and wide, heaven bound

$40 Million boy laying in the lush grass

Uniform is Black, White and a tinge of green

Chance for glory slips away, again

Joelinton Cássio Apolinário de Lira

Spinning and moving in controlled chaos

Ball is on a string as if sponsored by Duncan

3 minutes to pass, all is right in the world

7 minutes is all it takes for 3 points

Allan Saint Maximin

Let’s hope for another 3 points this weekend.

HWTL