Sureshot

Depends how it's done. I think it works well when it subtly gives a greater sense of depth, but it definitely feels gimmicky when 3D stuff is purely chucked in there for wow-factor. I'll go to Alton Towers if I want that.

Looking forward to it, although I don't see the Pens making the final this year. It'll be the Caps & Blackhawks I think.

Just got back from my first live hockey game - Ducks vs Canucks. Before anyone thinks I have forsaken the mighty Pens - tickets were only 20 bucks and it's the closest stadium around here.

Cracking one it was too - 4-4 after regulation, Selanne passing Kurri's goals record, Grabner scored a hat-trick, Parros fought Hordichuk, the 'nucks hit the post twice in a matter of seconds in OT and the game went to a shootout.

From the experience, a few things grabbed me - first is that it was both cool and amazing to see opposing fans mingled in with each other and no trouble going on whatsoever. Heck, I even saw people in Sabres and Leafs jerseys walking around amongst a few others. I also found it pretty amazing just how balanced the ratio of Ducks vs 'nucks fans there was - you could certainly see a lot of blue looking around the stadium for a 'home' game.

Next - beer being allowed in your seat. Great to be able to do that again.

Stadium thoughts - it was a bit smaller than I imagined it would be, but it does make sense at the same time when you consider the regular attendance. There is also so much stuff going on in there that you don't really notice from watching on TV - quizzes, competitions and random other shit like the camera focusing on people and them having to kiss if it was aimed at them. One guy nearly ripped the head off the girl who was sitting next to him to kiss her, and one girl totally flat out denied the guy next to her when it was on them. Good entertainment in general.

Now all I'm hoping for is either the Ducks or Kings to make it to the Stanley Cup finals with the Pens so I can watch them down here - can't even begin to think how much tickets would cost, though.

Ahh nice, Boston wins in OT.

Perfect conditions apparently, best of the Winter Classics so far.

Anyone watching the Winter Classic? Puck drops at 1PM ET (6PM GMT).

Obviously hoping for a resounding Flyers loss.

Edit: damn levi, stop reading my mind.

Totally gutted, no way did we deserve to lose that game. Thought it was a damn good competition and would have gone down as one of my favourite 0-0s of memory if it stayed that way. Let's just hope we don't go the way we did last time around now.

Sparky out?:

Mark Hughes is set to be sacked as Manchester City manager this weekend even if his team beat Sunderland, The Sun has reported.

According to the newspaper, 'Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak and owner Sheikh Mansour finally lost faith following City's 3-0 drubbing at Tottenham on Wednesday.

'Guus Hiddink and Jurgen Klinsmann are understood to be on City's wanted list of replacements for Sparky.'

Hughes is in the firing line after City have won just one of their last ten matches.

The Daily Mail also says he is on the brink of losing his job, but stipulates he will only be sacked if City fail to beat Sunderland.

'The sands appeared to shift significantly at Eastlands yesterday as leaks began to suggest that not everybody at City was as firm in their support of Hughes, it reports.

'With Hughes facing Sunderland, Stoke City and Wolves over the Christmas period, the Welshman can only hope that Sheik Mansour holds his nerve under pressure from those who feel City are experiencing a disappointing season.'

And according to The Times, 'Hughes is losing the battle to keep his job at Manchester City, with the hierarchy working to line up a replacement.'

'Defeat at home to Sunderland today could lead to him being dismissed over Christmas. Even victory may be enough only to grant a stay of execution, with the board understood to be lining up its options as Hughes comes under huge pressure after only 18 months at the club.'

F365

Fair play to Pulis, some good comments:

PULIS WARY OF `QUALITY` VILLA

Posted 18/12/09 13:17

Stoke manager Tony Pulis does not expect Aston Villa to make the same mistake they did last season when last-minute goals in their two encounters cost Martin O'Neill's side vital points.

Mamady Sidibe's late strike gave the Potters a 3-2 win in August 2008 and then Glenn Whelan struck in injury time to earn a 2-2 draw at Villa Park in March.

Those results aided Stoke's survival as much as it dented Villa's hopes of challenging for Champions League qualification but Pulis believes his side will face better opponents this time around.

"I hope I am as magnanimous as Martin was after both our games last year," said the Stoke boss, who is an admirer of O'Neill.

"We beat them in the last minute here and scored last minute up there to draw the game.

"That cost them what could have been six points but his demeanour afterwards was absolutely first class - he was a gentleman through and through.

"We did very well last year but they have got a little bit more quality this season.

"This season is not the same situation as they were in last time.

"Then they were in Europe and had lots of games and Martin got caught between what to do and not to do.

"A lot of his players did a lot of travelling but it is completely different this time.

"They are not in Europe, he doesn't have to hold the horses back and he has five players who have opportunities to play for England at the World Cup - what more motivating factors does he need?"

Villa's current form - they have won their last three matches - has catapulted them into fourth place and Pulis insists they have what it takes to finish the season there.

"I really do think Aston Villa, Manchester City or Tottenham could break into it - it all depends on how the second half of the season runs," he said.

"If Man City get their act together they have quality and Tottenham have as well.

"Looking at it this season, I would say the champions will come out of Manchester United or Chelsea and then after that there are five or six other teams who are competing for those places."

That is not the case for 11th-placed Stoke, who Pulis just wants to secure their top-flight future for the second successive season.

"The most important thing for us is staying in the league. I'm not being blase but everyone gets carried away with what we have achieved but we still have to get to 40 points as quickly as possible," he added.

"We have had one year out of 24 in the top flight but Stoke have to stay in the top flight for three years before we can push on.

"No disrespect to us as a football club but Villa are miles ahead of us and we have to accept that and get on with it.

"We go to Man City on Boxing Day and they are miles ahead of us too.

"We are competing with a lot of other clubs working hard to maintain their Premier League status and put a sound footing and then push on from there.

"We haven't got that yet."

F365

Excellent performance tonight. Milner gets my MOTM for setting up the first and that piledriver of a goal for the second.

Also really pleased at how we took the sting out of the game after that one, Sunderland didn't look like they were even close to getting back into it.

Have to give a special mention our defence again tonight - absolutely rock solid and just a couple of small mistakes. Loved the statistic one of the commentators mentioned in that we haven't let in a headed goal so far this season. That's pretty incredible.

Could have voted Gabby or Friedel but went for Dunne. Absolute pillar.

2 words: HELL YES.

He is a replicant.

The unicorn scene gave it away.

Apologies to those who haven't seen it

I agree. Due to the unicorn in his mind and the fact that Gaff made a unicorn for him at the end. He knew what was in his mind, which may have meant it was planted there.

Although the debate still rages on as some people still think he isn't a replicant. Ridley Scott has said a few times that he was, although he has also said some other things that suggest otherwise. The fact is that Ridley Scott wants people to see it their own way.

Before the inclusion of the unicorn, the answer was even more uncertain. However, the unicorn confirms he is a replicant for me.

I recommend reading 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?'. Explains quite a lot.

Add Jay McKee for 2-4 weeks to our lengthening list of injuries. Christ... I'm glad the WBS guys who have been drafted in so far are doing a great job.

Not NHL, but lol anyway.

Our injury situation is getting ridiculous at the moment:

PENGUINS MEDICAL WATCH

Player, Injury (Date), Time Frame, Current Progress

Maxime Talbot, torn labrum (July 7), 4 to 6 months, practicing (cleared for contact)

Sergei Gonchar, broken left wrist (Oct. 20), 4 to 6 weeks, practicing (cleared for contact)

Evgeni Malkin, shoulder strain (Oct. 29), 2 weeks, returned after missing 7 games

Tyler Kennedy, undisclosed (Nov. 5), day-to-day, no ice participation

Kris Letang, shoulder contusion (Nov. 7), 2 weeks, no ice participation

Brooks Orpik, lower-body (Nov. 10), 2 weeks, no ice participation

Chris Kunitz, lower-body (Nov. 13), 2-3 weeks, no ice participation

Alex Goligoski, lower-body (Nov. 16), 2-3 weeks, no ice participation

I have watched nearly every Pens game this season thanks to ESPN360. Despite one or two hiccups I really can't complain about it.

One thing about playing online - never play with anybody who has red latency. It completely destroys one-touch passing and makes the whole affair a waste of time.

Gold to wave goodbye to St Andrew's

David Gold is set to end his 12-year association with Birmingham after Carson Yeung decided not to keep him on as chairman at St Andrew's.

Gold was willing to continue in the role under Yeung after the departure of fellow co-owner David Sullivan, managing director Karren Brady and his brother Ralph Gold.

But Yeung wants to bring in Vico Hui, the current chief executive of his company Grandtop International Holdings, to fill the role.

Gold was offered the chance to stay with Blues in a vice-president capacity, but the 72-year-old turned it down.

Yeung's representative, Peter Pannu, told the Birmingham Mail: "We have a lot of respect for David Gold and the excellent job he has done for the football club.

"Unfortunately we couldn't offer him the position of chairman which is what he wanted. Vico Hui is to come in as chairman.

"Regrettably our offer to David Gold to become a vice-president has been turned down so we were not able to come to a suitable agreement."

Gold replaced Jack Wiseman as chairman in 1997 after taking control of City along with Sullivan four years earlier.

Werewolf on his bike

I have a quick question about FIFA controls - I've already mapped sprint to RB to mirror PES controls, but would you say mapping LT to RT would also make it similar?

Yes, we do.

Sigh, as I was talking about in another thread, you always run the risk of the game not being in English when you pick it up here. Well, despite the fact you can change language in NHL 10, you can't in this... the only thing I can change is the commentary, and that's between French, Italian and German!

So, I did pick this up in the end. Konami are officially not getting my cash this year.

Don't have a PS3 unfortunately, would be picking it up on the 360.

Tempted to get this - first FIFA game I can say that about for a long time.

Could get the less Shrekky version as well, but it'll cost me €19 extra for the pleasure from a regular store: