International Break Continues

It’s Masters week and there are 2 songs that can bring your mood right to the feeling of the south in the springtime. Which do you associate most with?

☝️Hello Friends

“The azaleas are in full bloom, the pines whisper their ancient secrets, and the echoes of champions past drift casually under the Hogan Bridge. As we celebrate the 90th edition of the Masters, we do so with reverence, with anticipation, and with a sense of history that transcends mere sport. While golf takes center stage at the world’s most revered track, the “beautiful game” brings its version of reverence, drama, and energy to these shores as the world turns its eyes toward the excitement of the 2026 FIFA World Cup this summer. Yet before we turn our gaze to Messi, Mbappé, and the Fox studio hosts, we keep our focus here at Amen Corner, Rae’s Creek, and Butler Cabin - where every blade of grass tells a story—and this week, those stories will unfold before our eyes on CBS once more. Rory McIlroy returns as defending champion, dreaming of joining the rarest company in Augusta lore. A tradition unlike any other… Hello, friends."

✌️ The Championship

While the EPL continues their break until next weekend, The Championship (Level 2), is back in full swing and there are some great storylines in play with roughly 5 matches remaining.

As a reminder - the top TWO teams in the table are automatically promoted to the PL next season. The next FOUR teams enter a playoff with the winner promoted.

• The Wrexham story continues on as they sit in 6th, the final promotion playoff spot. Wrexham takes on Southampton (7th in the table) at the SToK Racecourse Tuesday at 2pm cst. (you can watch on Paramount+).

• Coventry City look like they will win the table. Looks like Frank Lampard will be coaching in the PL next season. The former Chelsea star will bring some great storylines.

• 2nd place is up for grabs although Ipswich is in the driver’s seat with 2 games in hand. That would mean a bounce back to the PL for Ed Sheeran’s favorite club.

• Leicester City is in trouble. Relegated from the PL last season, the Foxes sit in the relegation zone again this season and could be headed down to League 1 (Level 3), just 10 years removed from their PL championship. A 6-point penalty has taken LCFC from 46 points down to 40.

Key Matches you may be interested in watching.

• Wrexham v Southampton - April 7

• Portsmouth v Leicester City - April 18

• Ipswich v Middlesbrough - April 19

• Southampton v Ipswich - April 28

• Wrexham v Middlesbrough - May 2

• Blackburn v Leicester City - May 2

Table

👌 36 Consecutive

Sheffield Wednesday (sitting last in The Championship) has now gone winless in 36 games in all competitions, equaling the all-time record since the English League was founded in 1888. Derby County set the record in the 2007/2008 season.

This is a club with a 39,000-seat stadium and some great history but they have run into financial problems and significant point deductions this season leading to the club looking for a new owner and selling all their players.

Knock knock.

Who’s There.

Sheffield Wednesday.

Sheffield Wednesday Whooooo, Whoooo, Whoooo.

(get it…the owls)

🍀 The Imps

For the first time in 65 years Lincoln City has been promoted to The Championship.

✋ FA Cup Quarterfinal Results

• Southampton 2-1 Arsenal.

  • Another cup chance gone for the Gunners to Southampton, currently in the middle of The Championshihp.

• West Ham 2-2 (2-4) Leeds United.

  • The penalty that sent Leeds to the Semi-Finals in Wembley.

• Man City 4-0 Liverpool.

  • What a long way last year’s PL Champion has fallen, while City are in play for an FA Cup AND PL Cup, this after winning the Carabao Cup.

• Chelsea 7-0 Port Vale.

  • Magical run for Port Vale comes crashing down.

Semi-Finals - April 25

• Chelsea v Leeds United

• Man City v Southampton

FINALS - May 16

• TBD v TBD

🕕 Gunners

It’s pressure time on Arsenal.

In the past couple weeks Arsenal lost the Carabao Cup Final to City and were knocked out by Southampton in the quarterfinals of the FA Cup. What was a fast start to the season and talks of winning multiple cups has leveled off with just 2 cups left to win, PL and CL.

Arsenal have a 9-point lead in the PL and take on Sporting (Portugal) in the CL.

• Since 2020, Mikel Arteta has beaten only ONE PL team in the FA Cup.

• Arteta won the FA Cup with Arsenal in 2020, their last cup.

• They have not won the PL since 2004.

Why might a 9-point lead in the PL not be enough?

7️⃣ CS World Cup Corner 🌎🍵🏪

27 of the 72-group stage matches in the World Cup will be first time matchups. (per @svargasok)

• All Group K matches are first time matchups.

• Groups D and F have no first time matchups.

🎱MORE CS World Cup Corner 🌎🍵🏪

Saw this little nugget.

If Portugal and Argentina both win their groups and then advance to the quarterfinals they will then play each other.

With 48 teams - it’s pretty hard to find a readable printable bracket.

The top 2 teams will automatically advance, PLUS 8 additional teams who finish 3rd in the group. Another way to think about it, 4 teams who finish 3rd will not advance.

That’s 32 teams into the knock-out bracket. Here’s a view of where group placement will go. This matters quite a bit as team 1E (the team that finishes first in group E) goes to the upper left side of the bracket and team 2E goes to the top right.

The USMNT potentials

• If the USA wins Group D they would play a 3rd place team from one of these 5 groups, B, E, F, I, J.

• 2nd in group D, they would play the 2nd place team from group G (Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand).

• If the USA and Iran finish 2nd in their groups - they would play each other in the round of 32.

• 3rd in group D, they would play the winner of one of three different groups - E, I, K.

9️⃣ Champions League Quarterfinals This Week

Match 1 of 2 - Tuesday

• Sporting (Portugal) host Arsenal.

• Real Madrid (Spain) host Bayern Munich (Germany).

Match 1 of 2 - Wednesday

• PSG (France) host Liverpool.

• Barcelona (Spain) host Atletico Madrid (Spain).

The way Liverpool has been playing don’t expect much. This CL has a very strong possibility of having two Spain teams in the Finals. Bayern Munich may be the side playing the best.

🔟Artemis II

Brings back memories. “To boldly go where no man has gone before.”