Pulling for West Ham! And EPL league analysis heading into this weekend's action!

As English Premier League play draws to a close, we have to pull for the West Ham United "Hammers" as they attempt to escape the relegation zone. As of this writing West Ham is hanging in at the number 18 spot with 35 points and only two games to go (Wigan also has 35 points but leads because of other stats that define rankings).

Why pull for West Ham? West Ham has been a forerunner for the EPL for years, and at the onset of this season, West Ham seemed like they would have a promising season; they handed Arsenal a loss that no one expected on Sunday, November 5th, but immediately after that point West Ham only managed to win one more game out of their next 20 games (defeating only Sheffield United on Saturday, November 25th). So with West Ham either losing or drawing week after week until they managed a win against Middlesborough on March 31st - it seemed that the team was simply bound for the relegation express.

West Ham improved in April winning three out of five games including consecutive victories over the past two weeks. But as the world wondered, would a last minute effort by last years' former FA Cup contenders be enough to pull them out of the basement? Would it be enough to save them from Coca-Cola land? That answer is still up in the air.

West Ham has also been in the news regarding irregularities involving the signing of Carlos Terez and certain clauses within a four year deal that allowed a third party Kia Joorabchian direct influence over West Ham. The FA ended up fining West Ham a record $5.5 million. Initially it was thought that the FA would have also deducted 10 points from West Ham which would have doomed them to relegation, considering their current ranking. Wigan and other relegation teams have threatened legal suits to attempt to get the 10 point subtraction imposed. This is yet another reason why we MUST ALL PULL for West Ham. How weak is it for a rival relegation bound team to threaten legal action instead of trying to beat out West Ham by winning their way to security? It's damn pathetic!

With Carlos Tevez now playing for West Ham, its possible that the Hammers have a fighting chance to beat relegation. But let's not kid ourselves, the road to beating relegation is paved in blood, sweat and war - with final two two games of the season scheduled against top EPL teams - Bolton and Manchester United. If West Ham beat these teams, then they deserve a place in the 2007-2008 Premiership.

The battle against the fifth place Bolton Wanderers tomorrow (Saturday 10 am EST) will be no walk. Bolton is hell bent on knocking off their rival, Arsenal, for a slot in Champions League play (CL spots are reserved for only the finishing top four teams), and at a minimum, hold onto their spot in European UEFA cup action (reserved for the top six finishing teams).

Naturally, finishes depend on how the other teams in and outside of relegation fair. The schedule breakdown and analysis is as follows:

20th place Watford is headed to relegation because they have 24 points and even two victories would not pull them free of relegation.

19th place Charlton Athletic has 33 points, but must play a red hot 9th place Tottenham Spurs this weekend and 3rd place Liverpool on May 13th.

17th place Wigan must play 14th place Middlesborough tomorrow, and 15th place Sheffield United next weekend. Wigan has the easiest road, but Middlesborough is no walk having recently held Manchester United to a draw in the FA Cup - and nearly pulling out an upset. Wigan has also lost its last two games, including their last game to rival West Ham by a lost of 3 - 0. If Wigan fails to win, they could give West Ham an even chance even if West Ham draws.

16th place Fulham has 36 points and have lost and draw in their past two games; the "Cottagers" must face a red hot 3rd place Liverpool team this weekend, and then must play 14th place Middlesborough.

15th place Sheffield United is in at 38 points, and must face 11th place Aston Villa, who have drawn and lost in their last two games. The Blades then go on to face 17th place Wigan next week.

14th place Middlesborough, already mentioned above stands with 40 points and plays Wigan this week and Fulham next week.

Manchester City (13th place) and Newcastle United (12th place) seem assured of safety, but will finish out in the bottom half of the league with little to be proud of except avoiding relegation and clinging to survivial. Hanging out near the bottom makes you a target the next time around and doesn't do much for club enthusiasm particularly when both teams sit with 42 points.

So I think we have it. Let's hope West Ham finds six points, and pray Wigan loses this weekend and next. Soccer schedules can be tricky things, the answer lies in not putting yourself in a position where you are counting your points, and others at the end of the season.

Go West Ham!

Episcopal Church: Is it becoming a safe haven for gay activists?

Unhappy with simply going away after shamefully embarrassing the State of New Jersey and his family back in 2004, it's been reported that former NJ Governor James E. McGreevey, the man who engaged in a same-sex affair while serving as NJ's governor, is seeking a possible new career-- in the Episcopal Church as a priest (or pastor). McGreevey, who is a member of St. Bartholomew’s (Episcopal) Church in Manhattan is actively involved in the Episcopal Church's discernment process, which is the step prior to entry into seminary.

The Episcopal Church continues to be a attraction for gay activists, particularly since the consecration in New Hampshire of open homosexual, Gene Robinson, to the leadership post of Bishop. McGreevey, a former Roman Catholic recently turned to the Episcopal Church, noting the ECUSA's open stance toward gays and revisionist doctrine which dismisses traditional Biblical teachings that homosexuality is a sin in defiance of God's word.

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As I've stated in columns before, the trend of this sort of thing is yet another black eye on the Episcopal Church in the United States. What other denomination would put gay activism and liberalism ahead of traditional moral doctrine and Christ's teachings? Only the Episcopal Church, it seems, would consider a morally corrupt creep like McGreevey, who damaged his own family and resigned in disgrace as someone who is worth adding to their ranks.

Here is another good article on the matter at David Virtue online with some great quotes on the matter of why such characters are flocking to the Episcopal Church for safe haven.

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It's becoming increasingly apparent that the Episcopal Church has decided to take a new direction, going beyond opening its doors to morally bankrupt homosexual activists to now -- promoting these characters as leaders of the church. It's beyond disgraceful, its sickening. And the Church's leaders don't seem to care that they are losing conservative or mainstream members in the midst of its morality crisis. It's more reason to hope that the Anglican schism come soon, and parishioners will have a choice between the immoral ECUSA and the Anglican Communion.

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And as the crisis widens, it's hopeful that a new American Anglican Church, in full communion with Canterbury, will arise in America - leaving behind an eroding, defunct, now new age Episcopal Church and its left wing activists to ash heap in time. And one day all of this will be a time honored lesson that some things are sacred, and those who try to tamper with the Scripture and God's Church will fall in disgrace, and face eternal torment.

Ready to burst! Baby watch is on!

Yep, we are getting close. Closer than ever.

It's still hard to imagine that the target date is May 8th. I keep having reoccurring dreams that I have to rush her to the hospital, and of course - this means me rushing from work and traveling 20 miles to make this happen, and then trying to figure out where to bring my daughter.

To pass the time, last night we did some meal stockpiling by hitting Trader Joe's. If you haven't been to Trader Joe's - well I recommend taking a look at some of the prepared meals that they have, and their prices are pretty good on general items. It's one of those places that you probably wouldn't shop at every week, but once in a while its a welcome change of pace to regular grocery stores - particularly in West Hartford - where the grocery stores really are incredibly mediocre. We have a Waldbaums - which is a dirty pit, and a regular Stop & Shop that is too small to be useful to a large community. We used to have an Adams, which was pretty good, but that closed down a few years ago. And there is a Big Y, but its in a shaddy part of town. Plenty of choices, but the only thing that West Hartford is really missing is a Super Stop & Shop.

But back to the the baby watch...

For some reason, we've been avoiding all discussion of the baby's name. This is either because we are convinced that we have the name down, or my wife is going to "pearl harbor" me with a name when the young one arrives. I hope its the former and not the latter.

I'm sure whatever we pick will fit nicely, and years from now we won't be hated for picking a "weird" name. That much I'm certain of.

And most of the projects that need to be done to "get ready" are complete. Now we are just waiting for the little one to arrive! So the question is -- when?!

Also, a sad note - Manchester United lost yesterday to A.C. Milan. This is really unfortunate to see a mediocre team like Milan advance, and a spectacular team like United to loose out - and to lose by such a large margin. We now look forward to the Champions League final between Liverpool and Milan which will be play in a couple of weeks.

Liverpool is the odds on favorite to win, securing for them the title "Champions of Europe" once again. Go Liverpool!

Rosie booted!

A few weeks ago, this writer called for ABC's The View to boot Rosie O'Donnell.

Well, it looks as though "her largeness" is getting the boot. Apparently, her little rant at the Matrix awards last month embarrassed the Disney Company and was probably the straw that broke the camel's back. Rosie made off color remarks that didn't fit in at the Woman's Communication Conference.

The spin going around promulgated by Rosie and her lacky, Barbara Walters, is that they couldn't come to terms on Rosie's contract, but we all know that just smoke and mirrors so Rosie can save face publically. Expect the truth that ABC nor Disney didn't want Rosie around and they found a "nice way" to get her out.

The folks at the site with the petition to fire Rosie also deserve credit in this regard. Nice job guys (and gals)!

And Kudos to Donald Trump for his prediction that Rosie would be thown overboard by ABC and Disney, and for his standing up to her over the last six months.

Everyone should expect that Rosie's liberal friends and large network of socialist-minded thinkers will bail her out and find her a new spot somewhere - perhaps as rumors suggest - at CBS. She will probably increase the ratings of any failing show at the onset, but sponsors and networks will have to deal with the uproar and revenue loss due to Rosie's outrageous opinions - most notably, her calling President Bush a traitor, and conspiracy theories about 9/11 being orchestrated by the US Government, and her comments that the hostage situation in Iran last month was nothing more than a US-British instigation aimed at starting a war with Iran.

This kind of baloney is what will be the downfall of the next network that picks up left-wing activist Rosie.