shurlock

So nothing in the job changed - different responsibilities, different colleagues, different clients- that made it more interesting? Basically about attitude and wisening up - guess doing something else helped as it allowed you to realise that the grass wasn't greener -and removed any regrets about what might have been.

Any why do you love it now but hated it before? genuine question.

Dunno if its about that - true there are alot of people around who've been brought up to think that they are special -and the world should be a stage or playground for their uniqueness. F**k em. But there are people who've worked hard, never grumbled, ticked all the right boxes but have discovered that they are detached from what they do, that have been busy serving clowns and want to reclaim something for themselves. That explains why people set up their own businesses or go into jobs where they can see the outcomes of their efforts. Nothing to do with being a star or craving the impossible. Just about having a bit of control and pride in what they do (as well as keeping the wolves from the door)- as far as all this is genuinely possible.

Ironic coming from the person who had a fightclub avatar - not going to insult your intelligence as I assume you know what that film was about, what anxieties it spoke to regards males at a certain age doing certain types of job? Couldn't be further away from the shallow, self-obsessed reasoning of your 16 year old X factor contestant.

What did you do before? FWIW, I'm in the same boat -well am unemployed- but at least it gives me a chance to take a risk or two and not regret things later on.

We've always been quite direct - dont let the tippy tappy stuff fool you.

TBH our problems go back a while - at least to the Reading game if not before. Would even say that teams like Burnley had us figured out by squeezing the midfield/pushing up back in early autumn - just that we were able to mix things up by going direct to Lambert. Boil away the bluff of our propaganda, maximum possession football, most of our menace has come from hitting Lambert relatively early. History shows that we've won many games quite convincingly -Watford, Brum etc; but the scorelines have been quite deceptive. We've been supremely clinical in games - as ruthless as I've ever seen us. Once we've edged a goal, we've powered on; but we've never created bucket loads of chances and often looked quite disjointed until the opening goal. Those who want to focus on particular injuries or turning points are buying into the hype - I'm not saying we're or were sh*te, we deserve to be up there - just that I don't see a massive difference between today's slump and our all guns blazing peak. And insofar as there is a difference, its probably not as big as people make out.

Think that's misleading to say the least - what about draws but clean sheets i.e. Brum (a) or in the case of Fonte/Jos wins but conceding goals i.e. Forest (h)? On the whole, Martin has looked very solid recently - obviously doesnt like being dragged to the flanks and exposed to people running with the ball. But that's true of any CB - remember Fonte getting into similar trouble away at Leicester. Could ask what the full back's doing in the first place to let that happen...

Have they been to Soton games before? Remember two fellas who fit the age profiles were at Cardiff singing 'wall songs, saying they were 'wall fans etc. Dont know if they were legit or just being mongs.

£36 is steep but it isn't prohibitive especially when you factor in the rest of the day's expenses. If its price, the only reason you wouldn't go is out of principle, not because you can't afford it. FWIW, reckon it'll be closer to, if not over 800.

So your prediction is another loss?

He won't be able to manipulate and weasel money out of chairmen for transfers -his one and only skill- so he'll probably fail. I hate the nostalgia for the Venables era. Still convinced that the only reason he did OK for England is because of home advantage in the Euros and little else.

Sense this is only the tip of the iceberg of your firework-related stories Lucky we had an old-fashioned fireplace in our gaff- gave me a controlled outlet for my arsonist urges.

Only thing I ever took out was a seagull (total accident) -plenty of those in Bournemouth- the thud and the shriek were sickening.

Usual sh*t: went driving without a licence, sold a load of fake designer clobber from Thailand, climbed on neighbours rooves, demolished a fruit machine, bunked school, often bet to see how long it took the Indian in the local cornershop to lose his rag for reading magazines, drove golf balls in the lounge, using the settee as a net, nicked others golf balls while they were on their rounds to provoke a chase, helped myself to about 500 McDonalds Monopoly scratchcards, turned the lights off during the national anthem at cubs/scouts for which I was kicked out and lots of nonsense with fireworks, gas taps and bunsen burners (not at the same time) etc etc

For a Browns fan maybe Not sure if the MK Dons tag is really valid. Needless to say, US sports have a very different relationship to franchising/relocations than in England. Yes its controversial but its much more common. Personally, I dont have issue with it - as long as your city still has a team and it isn't zero-sum. The reason I dislike Milton Keynes is that its a tinpot town with zero footballing history - and given the one-off chance to compete, it has struggled to attract any kind of fanbase. By contrast, football is woven into the history and culture of Baltimore - it had the Colts for decades before they f**ked off to Indy and left the city without a team for over a decade. Cant think of a city that has deserved a franchise more than Baltimore. Regards Lewis, what's more to say...I guess you think he did it. The justice system acquitted him and his co-defendants (and the case never had the stench of another OJ). But ultimately none of us knows the truth except Lewis himself.

Someone should call the RSPCA.

Should know better but cannot not do Leeds - always have a good laugh up there and can't think of many places I enjoy winning more at.

Richardson is only just returning from injury - he's paid first and foremost for his defensive work and I don't think he's been too shabby there. Like expecting miracles from Chaplow, I think people's expectations of Frazer delivery-wise have run ahead of reality. He was playing out of his skin before - and there are no guarantees that he'll recover the same form. Indeed, its probably unfair that he's judged by those standards. As for Butterfield, I don't rate his crossing ability - he rarely gets to the byline and prefers the Lloyd James-ball from deep which can be very hit and miss. As for hitting Lambert on the backpost, I don't think its for lack of effort that it hasn't worked; rather teams have got smarter to the ploy and begun to double-mark Lambert.

Schneiderlin for Hammond - he made a massive difference in the first game. Their midfield which had dominated the first half by crowding the middle of the park could not cope with Morgan's ability to stretch play. Think Sharp will make a huge difference - opposition teams can double mark Lambert all they like; we now have another outball/target.

If not support the Ravens - proper old school values: tough as they come, full of swagger without being showbiz (youtube ravens defense/ray lewis etc and see). Plus you get the best rivalry in the NFL today FACT and a team that is successful but isn't one of the big market, 'glory' franchises.

WHo says they didnt bother - perhaps they weren't good enough but more than able to match us, even with a second string side.

TBH, more disappointed by the Brum result.

Any idea how many fans have made the parade? That's one thing I still find hard to understand about american football - the prominence of the owners in lifting trophies, giving acceptances speeches etc. Imagine the hell that would be unleashed if Cortese (Ok he's more akin to a GM) did the same.

I assume your source knows team selections are being leaked on here?