ProSoccerTalk daily soccer re-set

Dec 26, 2012, 7:30 AM EDT

What we’re thinking, what we’re watching, what’s coming on the blog today and the RASNoD (Random American Soccer Name of the Day). Setting up your day in soccer:

Soccer Birthdays:

Normally we honor individuals, but today’s big birthday is actually an anniversary (a birthday for inanimate or imaginary things).

One hundred fifty-two years ago today, the first ever game between clubs took place at the oldest ground in the world – Sandygate Road in Sheffield, England. That’s where Sheffield F.C. played host to Hallum F.C. on what was undoubtedly a frozen and soggy South Yorkshire pitch. Somebody’s boss left them a ball for Boxing Day, and without ProSoccerTalk and four tiers of league soccer to occupy their holiday, the restless of Sheffield took to the field.

Actually, the game wasn’t quite that random. Until 1860, Sheffield Football Club had only played against itself, but when Hallum complemented its cricket club with a soccer team, the stage was set for the first intra-club match. England’s day-after-Christmas holiday was the perfect day. With no offsides but the innovation of free kicks for fouls put in action, Sheffield won a match said to more resemble Australian Rules than Association football.

Today, Hallum sit at the ninth level England’s pyramid. Sheffield F.C. sits one level above in the Division One of the Northern Premier League South.

RASNoD (Random American Soccer Name of the Day:

Jason Moore

Ahead on the blog today … Big Important Story of the Day … AND What you should watch on TV:

Expect a lot of Boxing Day coverage. Save West Ham and Arsenal, who had their match postponed (“proposed industrial action” being our euphemism of the month), the rest of England’s Premier League is in action, as is the entire Football League. Check out our snapshots of the Premier League games here.

We’ll also get you caught up on the stories leftover from the holidays. Between Christmas Eve and Day, we’ve all been away for a while.

Background noise while blogging:

It’s amazing how fast you can get through South Park when you just roll through the episodes. Without commercials, each show’s only 21 minutes long. With 14 episodes per season, it’s pretty easy to blow through a couple of seasons per day … when you have nothing to do but ride a keyboard all day long.

Another amazing thing about South Park: the show’s evolution. You can’t be around for 15-16 years without evolving, but at the beginning, the shock value of the toilet humor was a more central part of the show. Now, the bawdy stuff just breaks up the satire. Which is good.

Twitter daps:

Home sweet home.
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Jozy Altidore (@JozyAltidore) December 22, 2012

Merry Christmas Everyone!!! 🎅😄 #blessed #family #friend #holiday
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Geoff Cameron (@GeoffCameron) December 24, 2012

Amazing Christmas Eve w the family! Dinner, a few presents and all on the couch for Elf. "Buddy the Elf, what's your favorite color?" 🎅🎄
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Stuart Holden (@stuholden) December 25, 2012