Final Friday Footie Link List Of 2007

This is it: the final link list of the year! Feeling nostalgic? Yeah, me neither. Anyway, let's get this party started, right: The Offside (not to be confused with CaughtOffside.com or The Offside Rules) has a hilarious quiz that attempts to root out soccer addiction. Eighteen questions in all. I got as far as "you've skipped a date to watch soccer" and realized this was something for mere novices. I mean, what true soccer fan needs to skip a date to watch soccer? You should know the schedule well enough to not set dates when there is a big game on! Everybody knows this!

Here's another pet peeve of mine: Bloggers who haven't posted in forever returning to post an apology for (and/or explanation of) why they haven't posted. Often this is accompanied with a solemn promise to post something at the end of the day/week/month/year/century. Many, many folks have been doing this over the holidays. You know who you are. No need to call out individual names, even the one that put me over the edge and so inspired me to write this. What makes them think I care why they haven't posted is beyond me. Most of the time I haven't even noticed anyway. And the times I have are hardly made good by the ridiculous apology post. Here's the thing: If you have something to say on your blog, say it. If you don't, don't. We all have reasons for skipping posts (some excusable, like funerals and weddings, others less so, like Christmas and New Year's. What, your family doesn't have a computer with an Internet connection? Gimme a break). Do what you need to do and get back to me when you're ready to post on-topic again. (Note: this does not apply to bloggers I happen to know personally--you know who you are--but there I will not need your blog to keep in touch with you as it will be done over private email or phone or whatever)

Speaking of the holidays, Soccer Lens has a list of those less fortunate during this holiday season. Now is as good a time as any to send out our good cheer to them.

French sports paper L'Equipe has released its European 'Dream Team' squad of the year. (Personal anecdote nobody cares about: I used to read L'Equipe religiously when I was a student in Paris many years ago. Sometimes I'd even buy the paper instead of lunch. Sad but true. Now that's a sign of a true soccer addict if I've ever heard one). Thanks to Spanish Football & Sports for posting about this. SF&S laments the fact that Cesc Fabregas is the only Spaniard on the team. Three Man United players made the team: Cristiano Ronaldo, Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra. I can't really argue with the first two, but Evra? There are worse offenses though, for example the fact that Zlatan Ibrahimovic is not on the team but Steven Gerrard is.