May 08, 2005

Wigan 3, Reading 1: The ancestral home of Smythe's World (mother's side), known more for its rugby team, its supporting role in a George Orwell book, and as the hometown for 90's one-shot group The Verve, qualified for the English Premier League on the last day of the season, where they get to match-up next year with Arsenal, Man United and Chelsea. One of the cooler things about soccer leagues in Europe is the system of relegation and promotion, where the three or four worst teams get dumped into the minors, while the top teams in the lower division get bumped up. It certainly leads to greater accountability for team management; a Donald Sterling-type owner, who profits no matter how bad his team is, would be next-to-impossible overseas.

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