EPL Preview - Tottenham Hotspur

As some of you fans might be aware the Barclay (I still call it the English) Premier League starts up for real the weekend of August 15 and 16.

There were many changes in the EPL this off season. Manchester United lost the best player in the world in Ronaldo to Real Madrid, Arsenal dumped lots of salary and even typically bottom feeding clubs like Hull and Manchester City made big splashes.

My favorite club - Tottenham Hotspur were also busy during the transfer period and look to have a side that could challenge for a spot in Europe. Since the Spurs are my favorite team, they will be well represented in this blog and you my loyal readers will have to learn to love them. For you I present the top ten preview of the Spurs for the 2009/10 season.

EPL Soccer Kits

In the four major sports in North America, teams plan uniform changes 2 and 3 years ahead of time to prepare the manufacturers to stop producing the old jersey and to ensure that there is not alot of stock of the old jerseys around.

There is usually little warning to fans, who might have shelled out $100+ for a jersey that can be outdated a month later. That is why you still see these jerseys in the street.

In the UK and most of Europe it is vastly different. Supporters expect their favorite soccer teams to have a new "kit" each season. In fact, some international team jerseys come with a tag that says "the (insert country) will be releasing a new jersey in October 2009" so that fans know they will need to spend more cash if they want to wear the same strip that the club is wearing when the big international tournament starts.

Where is all this leading you ask? To the unveiling of all the new EPL kits for this season.

H/T to UniWatch for the link. Pictured is Burnley who look smashing and below is my favorite club Spurs looking a little off this year compared to the past couple of seasons.

The Return of the Mack

After a sabbatical, the Sandwich Shoppe is open for business again...

A quick round up of the weekend events and what you have to look forward to in the week ahead.

1. Lucas Glover wins the US Open golf tournament. After four rain soak days at Bethpage Black the unknown Glover outlasted the field and took the silver trophy. The golfers that finished second were the bigger story. Phil Mickelson who overcame a couple of bad rounds, the mental stress of dealing with his wife's cancer and was so close to winning another major championship. The other story was David Duval. Coming into the weekend he was ranked 832nd (didn't know there was that many pro golfers) and he put on quite the show. Still wearing the trademark Oakley's Duval looked like the player he once was. It will be a great story for the remainder of the season if Duval can keep up his play and challenge for titles.

2. The US soccer team pulled off the improbable. After getting smacked around in their first two Confederation Cup games by Brazil and Italy, they needed a three goal win against Egypt and have Brazil beat Italy by three goals. Well, both things happened and the US goes on to face the number one team in the world - Spain. Nobody, not even former US player Alexei Lalas believes they have a chance, and with good reason. Look for them to get destroyed, but not for the reasons you think (skill), but because the US is starting to lose players to other countries. Two of the better players that could be playing with the US are playing for Italy and another wants to play for Germany. This feels too much like Canada tennis or boxing.

3. In other soccer news Manchester United has found their new jersey sponsor - AON Consulting will adorn the front of the red devils jersey next season. Open up the pocket books fans!

4. Wimbeldon started today and the hands on favorite to win on the men's side is Roger Federer. Unfortunately, he won't have his Joker to his Batman when he goes to win his record 15th major tournament as Rafeal Nadal had to withdraw due to tendinitis in his knees. It will still be fun to watch him win, and will be emotional for Federer if he can pull it off, but after the epic match last year, it would have been nice to see again.

5. Not even sure why I want to mention this, but it has been reported that Brett Favre has signed to play with the Minnesota Vikings in the upcoming season. The news hasn't been "officially" released but the deal is supposedly done and will be announced soon to hysterical Green Bay fans everywhere. Those two bitter division game between the Vikings and the Packers will become even more tense this year.