1.23.2010

What I'm Watching this Weekend (and why)

Saturday/January 23:

Barcelona at Valladolid in La Liga (Spanish Soccer on GolTV, 2:00)  - This shouldn't be much of a match, but Barca are always fun to watch, especially when they start kicking into a high gear like they are right now. They're starting to find their rhythm now and should have no problem in this one, even on the road.

Roma at Juventus in Serie A (Italian Soccer on FSC, 2:30) - It's a mouth watering weekend of soccer in Italy with the Milan Derby on Sunday. Roma at Juventus is no mere appetizer, though. Roma has ridden a rich vein of form to third position in the table while Juve continue to slide in the wrong direction. Champions League spots are up for grabs in this one. Should be a cracking atmosphere. FORZA ROMA!!

Texas at UConn (College Basketball on CBS, 4:00) - Texas has already ceded its short lived grip on the number one ranking after their loss to Kansas State on Monday, but things won't get a whole lot easier at UConn. The Huskies have been well below their best most of the year, but Jim Calhoun's temporary departure may have a galvanizing affect on the team, especially with a top five caliber Texas team visiting.  The Longhorns could use a victory here to announce themselves as a true contender. Everybody loses (usually) in college basketball. It's about how a team bounces back from those defeats that often define them.

Australian Open (Tennis on ESPN2 and the Tennis Channel, 7:00) - This is when the tournament really starts to heat up, literally and figuratively. The courts may well be baking while all the top contenders begin to run into their stiffest competition yet. It's the Round of 16. Today, we'll see Rafa Nadal and Juan Martin Del Potro in action while the two remaining Americans in the draw will also be fighting for the pride of the red, white, and blue. Andy Roddick takes on hard hitting Fernando Gonzalez while Georgia Bulldog and huge underdog John Isner takes on Andy Murray. Should be fun to watch.

Honduras vs USA in an International Friendly (Soccer on FSC, 9:00) - Final Preparations for South Africa and the 2010 World Cup get underway at the Home Depot Center in Los Angeles for the United States and Honduras. Both teams will be understrength, but there will be several players on the field for both teams with a legit chance of making the final squad for the World Cup. In fact, more than a few are sure bets barring fitness problems. The result doesn't matter here. It's all about the future and getting ready for June.

Duke at Clemson (College Basketball on ESPN, 9:00) - This one lost a little bit of its luster when both teams lost on the road in midweek, but it's still a top twenty showdown (for now). Clemson has asserted itself since their whooping at Cameron and were a little unlucky to lose against ranked Georgia Tech on the road earlier this week. They should still be plenty confident for this showdown. Duke, meanwhile...who knows what to think. Duke just isn't what they were five to six years ago. They're still a top ten team, but I think that's down mainly to their name. They're too inconsistent right now. A win here would help sort that out.

Sunday/January 24:

Milan at Inter in Serie A (Italian Soccer on FSC, 2:30) - Easily the soccer match of the weekend in Europe (and the world), this may just be the best sporting event to watch all weekend. There's arguably no city derby in the world that is as high profile as the Derby della Madonnina. Residents of Glasgow and Buenos Aires may differ, but in terms of prestige, Boca Juniors, River Plate, Celtic, and Rangers can't touch the two Milan clubs. This derby may not be as ferocious as those others, but it will be intense and the level of play will be very high. On top of that, these are the two best teams in Italy right now. Hard to believe after the way Inter ran circles around Milan way back in August, but it's the truth. While Inter has stumbled a little as of late, Milan may be the hottest team in Europe right now. They can really prove it here. A win by either team will make them a clear favorite in the race for the Scudetto. A draw may be more likely.

Malaga at Real Madrid in La Liga (Spanish Soccer on ESPN, 3:00) - Simply put, this is Spanish soccer in HD. That's really the biggest reason I want to watch this game. Despite a tough loss last weekend in Bilbao, Real should have no trouble in here, but I don't care. Seeing the likes of Ronaldo and Kaka in crystal clear HD at the Bernebeu is all the reason in the world that I need to watch this one.

AFC and NFC Championship games (NFL Playoffs on CBS at 3:00 and Fox at 6:30) - To be perfectly honest, I'm not a huge NFL fan at all. I enjoy watching my Titans play a bit and I'll watch some certain teams here and there, but I generally only watch NFL football because it's all that's on or because I'm keeping up with a former Auburn player. But it is that time of the year where I finally start to pay attention to see who I'll be watching in the Super Bowl. Both games look intriguing at least. The Colts-Jets game brings back memories of that famous Super Bowl where Joe Namath guaranteed victory. The Saints-Vikings should be fun to watch as a gunslinger matchup between Brees and Favre.

Australian Open (Tennis on ESPN2, 7:00) - Men's Round of 16 action continues Down Under. At time of writing, we don't know all the participants as matches are still going on, but we know for sure we'll see the likes of Federer, Djokovic, Davydenko, and Verdasco. That's some big boy tennis there.

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