WTF ref? (photo by Jasper Juinen/Getty Images)

I’ve always thought that my team Arsenal always seem to have bad luck with match results. But could there be a referee conspiracy instead? In light of match fixing news in Turkey and corruption rumours constantly circulating FIFA, I just don’t know. It almost feels like I, as a Gunner, am already expecting bad calls against my team as if we’re the referee whipping boys. And some of these calls are just downright ridiculous just like the penalty given in the 2-1 win over Udinese. Handball? And not to mention last year’s speechless red card for Van Persie. And it happens so often that I’ve somehow accepted it as second nature that referees are going to give some ridiculous decision against us and tolerate it like how Americans in general treat the nutter Tea Party movement. But going back to those 2 bad decisions, just read an interesting article at Untold Arsenal about “The Busacca Moment” bringing to light a pretty interesting coincidence. That makes my blood boil a little, (though somewhat tempered by Szczesny’s awesome penalty save, Arsenal keeper for life!)

Am I looking through life through a Gunners lens here or can a neutral somehow make sense with this assessment?

Who dat Superbowl XLIV champs?

Ok. So I’m a diehard Ravens fan, but there are just some games where I just feel as passionate rooting for another team. Cases in point: NY Giants beating the NE Patriots couple of years back. Really wanted the Cardinals to beat the Steelers last year and got slightly… only slightly, depressed when they didn’t in a pretty heartbreaking fashion. And today, when the Saints finally achieved their storybook ending. I think this is the storybook endings to end all sports storybook endings. The kind of story that people make movies out of them. Seriously, if it needs any more reiteration… New Orleans, post Katrina. The tragedy. The team who has never reached the Superbowl and who has ever only won 2 games in the postseason. (this season, they won 3, more than they ever had combined in their entire history!) People thinking that the city won’t bounce back. Few years later, hosting the Superbowl. 9 days away from Mardi Gras. Playing against an almost invincible quarterback in Peyton Manning, the best athlete to play the game. Coming back from 10 points down to win it in the end. Jeezus.

Come to think of it, the past 3 superbowls have been priceless. Giants and Steelers winning it at the final moment and now, this. It’s like having 3 Liverpool comebacks against Milan in a row in the Champions League.

Congrats to the Saints. Can’t wait for the movie to come out in a few years. (Luke Wilson to play Drew Brees?)