Mad Brit Diary

Soccer addicts have plenty to watch on TV these days.

(Saturday, February 15, 2003) -- For those of you out there, who like the Mad Brit, are addicts of Fox Sports World, we're all getting rather spoiled these days.

Last weekend, we could sip tea and munch our scrambled eggs on toast, watching Liverpool vs. Middlesbrough on Saturday morning, and then just before church on Sunday -- oh yes, the Mad Brit does pray, (especially for Newcastle to win the title, and Birmingham and West Brom to survive) -- we got to catch the great crosstown derby between Manchester United and Manchester City.

Those games were then followed by matches from Germany's Bundesliga. While I had a little trouble wrestling the remote from the eight-year-old who wanted to watch cartoons -- I finally bribed him -- it was a great weekend of soccer, what with the United States lads taking on Argentina on ESPN2.

I remember once when American television was a wasteland for soccer. In the early 1980s, "Soccer Made In Germany" hosted by Toby Charles on public TV, was our only refuge. When the cable man arrived in 1985, he tried to sell me all the movie channels, but I kept trying to explained to him that I just wanted basic cable to receive a clear picture so I could watch 60 minutes of German soccer and Masterpiece Theater on PBS. He gave me a funny look. Things got better in 1994 when Dave "My Bed" Johnson started hosting a live weekly soccer show on Home Team Sports in the Washington, D.C., area.

Since my wife, bless her soul, climbed on the roof to put up the satellite dish for the vertigo-inflicted Mad Brit, life has certainly been more enjoyable. It got even better recently when I discovered "Dream Team," the silly soccer-themed soap opera on Fox Sports World. I feel just a little guilty about watching the soap, seeing as I snicker at the girls at work, who talk incessantly about General Hospital. But here I am now watching David Beckham's and Posh Spice's favorite show.

Dream Team is glossy, slick and sultry, with outrageous tabloid story-lines, as it follows the exploits of Harchester United, a fictitious Premier League team. The show is full of Britney Spears look-alikes and guys with thick British accents and attitudes. But its about soccer folks. And actual Premiership footage is culled and interposed into the plots.

Using technical computer tricks, the colors of Premiership team shirts are changed to Harchester 's garish violet. If you look carefully, you can spot who the players are in the authentic soccer scenes. Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke have appeared in episodes. Real life coach Ron Atkinson appeared in the first episode as the club's beleaguered coach trying to Harchester from relegation, but the club fired him in the next episode.

Some of the early episodes were first filmed at Leicester City's home stadium. The filming then moved to Watford's Vicarage Road and finally switched to Millwall's New Den stadium. American viewers are now watching the first episodes of Dream Team, originally shown on Sky Television in 1997. Over 270 episodes have been made and the show is now in its sixth season. Some viewers may notice an uncanny resemblance between Harchester star striker Sean Hocknell, played by Daymon Britton, and English actor Robson Green ("Touching Evil"). In real life, Britton is Green's nephew.

"For more on Harchester go to www.harchester.net. Dream Team airs on Fox Sports World on Tuesday 9 p.m. (EST) and Wednesday 11 p.m. (EST).

After solidifying the first-team goalkeeeper spot, American Kasey Keller has been offered a new contract by Tottenham Hotspur, which could mean the end for back-up goalie Scottish international Neil Sullivan.

Keller took over from Sullivan for the last eight games of last season and never looked back. Sullivan is not happy as No. 2 and Arsenal has an eye on the 33-year-old keeper. "I had an agreement in my contract that if I made a certain number of first team appearances. I would be offered a new one," Keller said. "I have met the target and the club have been as good as their word. A new contract is being drawn up that I hope to sign soon."

Spurs are looking at Gillingham's Welsh under-21 keeper Jason Brown to back up Keller if Sullivan leaves the club in the summer.

Talk about an inspired substitution. Facing a 1-0 loss against mighty Manchester United in the cross-town derby, Manchester City coach Kevin Keegan threw on Shaun Goater and Ali Benarbia with four minutes left on the clock in Sunday's game. From the restart. Benarbia passed to Shawn Wright-Phillips, an earlier substitute, who chipped the ball to Goater who headed it home, nullifying Ruud van Nistelrooy's 18th minute goal for a 1-0 lead.

Goater had been on the field less than 20 seconds.

Polish midfielder Peter Nowak, who spent five seasons with the Chicago Fire and led the team to its win the MLS Cup in 1998, retired this week. Nowak, 38, who was traded to the New England Revolution last month, said he wanted to end his career with the Fire. The Revolution will get an undisclosed pick in next year's draft as compensation

Reigning Korean champ Songnam Chunma will represent Asia along with AS Roma (Italy), PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands), Lyon (France), Bayer Leverkusen (Germany) are from Europe. The Kaizer Chiefs (South Africa) and Sao Paulo (Brazil). Each team will play three games in group play with the two winners playing in the final.

The draw for the event will be held in May. The titlist will pocket $2 million while the runnerup receiving $500,000. Proceeds from the games will be donated to charities in the developing world.

"Yes, Donovan and Mathis are ... different. One is scrubbed, the other scruffy. If Donovan is Justin Timberlake, Mathis is Kid Rock." from Grant Wahl, Sports Illustrated.