Yanks do it again.

"America still top the medal table"

All those medal tables you've seen are wrong I'm afraid.

Apparently medal tables are based on who has the most bronze medals.

You can see the true medal table here. Right at the end of the clip.

It really is a poor attempt from America to hang on to it's fine Olympic tradition, but are the American public really foolish enough to take it seriously.

The rest of the world has had a laugh at least.

25 Predictions That Will Happen In Lower League This Season...

"Why they've picked on little Luton is beyond me" Nick Owen

1 - One of Bournemouth and Rotherham and will stay up, and their manager will be lauded for staying up against the odds. Despite the fact Luton have had even more points deducted and there are only two relegation spots in League Two.

2 - Barnet will go on a run of six games without a goal, then win a game 4-1 and gain a cult hero.

3 - Dave Penney will be deemed to have underachieved with Darlington.

4 - Stockport will hit form in March after a mediocre season and overachieve again.

5 - Crewe will stick with their gaffer (and good on them!)

6 - Accrington will fail to get a gate over 2,000 people through the gates unless they face a team chasing promotion, when the away aggregate will be higher than the home aggregate.

7 - Whenever Hartlepool play in a midweek game, the Sky Sports News Presenter will be more bothered about Jeff Stelling than the result.

8 - Brighton's new ground will be delayed.

9 - Oxford will fail to get promotion despite being the biggest club in the BSP by miles.

10 - No Team will take the Johnstone's Paint Trophy seriously despite the potential half-million paycheck and great day out.

11 - MK Dons will play on telly, but the coverage will be Winkelman, Winkelman, Winkelman.

12 - Some idiots will post on forums about "Winkleman", acting as they know everything about the move when in truth they can't even spell his name.

13 - Darragh MacAnthony will cheat the 60% of turnover as wages rule by sponsoring Peterborough himself.

14 - Darragh MacAnthony will cheat the Johnstone's Paint Trophy first-team players rule because he has a mate at the Football League.

15 - Graham Turner will field a team of almost all loan players. Prompting Hereford to be dubbed Championship Loan Rovers.

16 - Colchester will fail to sell out their new 10,000 seater stadium apart from when they play Leeds, Leicester and Southend.

17 - Chester will only stay up because of the Point deductions in League Two.

18 - Whenever Torquay United are mentioned on Sky the presenter won't get through the sentence without mention Helen Chamberlain.

19 -Helen Chamberlain won't get through an episode of Soccer AM without mentioning Martin Gritton.

20 - Cheltenham Town will beat the odds again, purely based on other teams underestimating them.

21 - The form team will win the Play-offs in League One and Two.

22 - A club Drewe Broughton plays for will get relegated.

23 - A team will run away with the Blue Square Premier.

24 - A team in League Two will heavily invest in non-league players, and prosper as a result.

25 - Lincoln will come close but not quite make it.

They Just Don't Get It...

"His name is Darren... Huckerby, and he is a legend, a LEGEND of soccer". Silly Yank.

I came across an interesting video earlier today that I felt obliged to share.

You can find it here.

After failing to get a new contract at Norwich, Darren Huckerby has gone to the MLS to get some first-team football.

The San Jose Earthquakes his destination, and so he came to do an interview on American News network KRON. 

The expression on Huckerby's face when being asked questions from an American reporter who clearly hasn't done his research is stark. Then again, its to be expected, and if the former Lincoln man can help the MLS's quest for credibility then good luck to him.

I don't think it'll ever gain credibility in the eyes of Europe however. Let's face it, most of David Beckham's wages are paid for by the MLS itself, in an attempt to gain attendances for the flagging L.A Galaxy.

That said, I'll be keeping an eye for how Darren Huckerby and other ex-English League "legends" get on. Paulo Wanchope, Abel Xavier, Laurent Robert, and of course Danny Dichio!

An interesting thought has come up at that, I'm crossing my fingers that over the coming weeks The Earthquakes will sign Drewe Broughton, and the KRON can interview him.

"He is a legend of the English League, known as the Journeyman, he won the league and cup last season with Milton Keynes, and was the man who scored the penalty that won the Football League South Division Finals."

Well, he's been sent off on Boston Goals, that's a start!

Milton Keynes Dons 1-0 Northampton Town

"There is no way I will be going into the boardroom and condoning what they did. I will not be shaking Mr Winkelman's hand, I will be cheering on my team from the away end, but that is it. " Anthony Collet.

I always like to start my articles with a quote, but today I had a bucket load to choose from.

Over the past week Northampton fans had decided to use the medium of the internet to bombard Dons' websites with jibes about supporting a real club, with history.

Well, based on my experience yesterday, if that's what a real club is like, count me right out.

The Cobbler's fans (pictured), were a disgrace to their team. With more chants aimed at "The Peterborough Scum" than encouraging their own team, they did little to provide the catalyst their team dearly needed.

Northampton started the better side and had the better of the first 15 minutes, Adebayo Akinfenwa having one effort deflected and looping just over the crossbar.

This kicked the Dons into shape, Alan Navarro and Peter Leven particularly impressing in the middle of the park. Meanwhile Town begun to flail, right back Jason Crowe seemingly unable to make a foward pass whilst under pressure from the imposing Austrian winger Florian Sturm. 

Dean Lewington at left-back for the Dons was excellent, every pass he made finding a white shirt, even if the pass was 60 yards-long. Lewington created two chances with zipping crosses, both met by Aaron Wilbraham at the far post, and both missing by the narrowest of margins.

As the half hour mark approached, a goal kick from Cobblers keeper Mark Bunn bounced over both Dons centre-backs and fell to Akinfenwa, who from 8 yards out, completely missed the ball, only to get another stab, screw wide from just 4 yards out.

The Cobblers took the game by the scruff of the neck and it was Akinfenwa who came close again, forcing a save from Dons keeper Willy Gueret from just outside the penalty area. The Dons held on until half-time, but it was clear that Northampton Town were beginning to gain an advantage on the pitch.

The second half was a quiet affair to begin with, but the right-hand side partnership of full-back Carl Regan and last season's top scorer Mark Wright began to find holes in the Cobbler's defence. 

On the hour mark, the best opportunity of the match came. Wright blitzed Town's Jackman down the right-hand side, and a great ball in was nodded wide by Florian Sturm, when in reality it would have been easier to score.

The pressure was beginning to tell and on 66 minutes the breakthrough came. An old-fashioned goalmouth scramble ensued after another top quality ball in from Wright, and Wilbraham was on stand to stab the ball into the goal-mouth. Mark Bunn felt he had got the ball away before it crossed the line, but the referee's assistant disagreed and the goal was given.

The Cobbler's fans weren't happy, and so the disgrace started. The linesman who had given the goal was pelted with bottles and coins, and the game stopped for several minutes while the matter was dealt with.

The Dons moved in for the kill, Kevin Gallen, on for Sam Baldock, looked like he had never been injured as he twice defied the Cobbler's defence and forced quality saves from Bunn.

Northampton were desperate and threw on Colin Larkin and Giles Coke in an attempt to find an equalizer, and they so nearly did in stoppage time.

Larkin ran at late substitute Jude Stirling, squared to Constantine, who tricked O' Hanlon and himself squared to Akinfenwa, who was one-on-one with Gueret. The French keeper came off his line, Akinfenwa tried to dink the ball over him, but Gueret stayed big and the ball bounced off his chest.

The final whistle promplty blew, and The Dons fans celebrated a great win, underlined by steely determination. The Cobbler's fans? They had a fight amongst their fans and barraged Dons fans on their way out of the ground. 

One Town fan shouted "Why don't you support a real club!?"

Because my friend, if your club is anything to go by, "Real Clubs" are brutes and vandals. 

Pre-Season Scramble

"At the end of the season you want to relax and switch off, but you've got to be fresh, go on trials and try to prove you're good enough." Julian Joachim.

Much like the end of the football season, the period before the start of a new season has its winners and losers. Some players nab a lush new deal at a new club, such as Andy Robinson who dumped Swansea City in favour of Leeds United.

Some, face the wilderness of being unwanted. Drewe Broughton (pictured) is a football league legend. Labelled a journeyman, Drewe has had sixteen clubs in a prestigious career, and at 29 years of age, surely has some great years ahead of him.

Yet after three relatively successful trials at Luton, Gillingham and Rotherham, in which he scored in friendlies for all three sides, Broughton has not been offered a deal. Reports suggest he's had a few offers from non-league sides, but Broughton's passion for league football has seen him search on.

The guy know League Two. There'll be a team in there that could use his experience. Not to mention his incredible professionalism. Last season, after sending MK Dons to the Johnstone's Paint Trophy final, Drewe went straight out on loan to Wrexham to get extra match practice. He didn't feature in the final but was there in a non playing capacity, and even warmed up for the game.

You'd think given a team like Luton or Bournemouth's circumstance he'd be perfect, he has experience in that sort of situation after his stint with doomed Boston United a few season's back. I hope a club in League Two is clever enough to cash in on this Journeyman of epic proportions, rather than leaving him enveloped in the abyss of being a free agent.

A Tinpot Salute To... Wycombe Wanderers

"An underachiever, proud of it." Bart Simpson.

Up until 5 years ago, Wycombe Wanderers were wandering in the wilderness. The only team of note in Buckinghamshire, the Chairboys had a great catchment area.

It never really caught on. Now MK Dons are in the county and doing well, Wycombe struggle on.

Wycombe have come into the public eye twice in the last 10 years due to some epic cup runs.

First, Lawrie Sanchez took Wycombe to the FA cup semi-final, only to lose out to Middlesbrough in contentious circumstances.

Then two seasons ago, European cup-winner Paul Lambert took the Blues to the Carling Cup semi-final. They lost out to Chelsea who eased on to the final and the trophy.

The thing that intrigues me most about Wycombe though, is the complete lack of ambition. With all respect to the club it seems content with mediocrity. The last few years the club has produced stars in Jermaine Easter and Sergio Torres, only to sell them on, and not exactly for huge money at that. Tommy Mooney had stalwart qualities for them, only to move on to Walsall for a pittance.

Their signings do little to set High Wycombe alight for that matter. This season they've brought in a talented winger in Chris Zebroski, who scored for fun for Torquay last season, but other than him it's been a quiet pre-season for Peter Taylor.

Take last night's pitiful effort against Birmingham City. Granted, Birmingham are a good outfit, but the lack of effort and the lack of a crowd make Wanderer's look pathetic.

Wycombe have managed to finish the season in the top eight for two seasons running, but nothing than the top three will do for the Chairboys after some hard seasons in the fourth tier. I back them to fail. In unspectacular fashion.

The Ronaldo of Buckinghamshire

"I want to play for Real Madrid, but only if it is true they are eager to pay me and Manchester United what they have been saying they will" Cristiano Ronaldo.

Having been struck down with the flu for days, and missing Norwich City's visit to Milton Keynes last night in the Carling Cup, I've been reduced to trawling football forums online for days as a means of complementing my Olympic viewing.

One hot topic is the potential sale of reported want-away Keith Andrews. The Dons are in a sticky situation with this one, in a system where only the big clubs can hope to win.

It has been many weeks since Andrews (pictured) decided to tell Sky Sports News he wanted out at MK Dons, citing that he was "too good for League One". The reported interested party, Paul Ince, former Don's boss and now Blackburn manager.

Dons new boss Roberto di Matteo stated the obvious in that he would like to keep Andrews at the Dons. However days later, Andrews was transfer listed, The Dons management stating "In order to prevent the intense speculation of recent weeks jeopardising the start of our season, we feel it both in the Club's and the Keith's interests to settle this unhelpful situation."

The weeks passed however and no action was taken by Blackburn. When MK's last friendly came around, against Watford, Andrews was put into the team and off the transfer list. Andrews marked the occasion with a goal in the first minute, a screamer from 30 yards. Ironically Hornet's boss Aidy Boothroyd is a keen admirer of Andrews too, and reportedly decided against a bid at the last minute.

So the season started and Andrews remained a Dons player. Happy Ending? Nope.

Against Leicester "Captain Shamrock" didn't look like he wanted to be there at all. An indifferent performance stamped with a seal of idiocy, when Andrews blocked a certain goal by team-mate Sam Baldock. 

That's not all. Blackburn are back in the hunt, but not prepared to meet Dons chairman Pete Winkelman's £2 million asking price. 

£2 million is ridiculous for a player who isn't doing what his job title suggests, playing. He doesn't want to be at Stadium:MK, so immediately he won't go for his true value, despite an impressive CV that includes captain of a double-winning side and League Two player of the year.

Also, Keith has just a year left on his contract. The threat that in a year's time he can just jump ship for nothing will no doubt see him sold soon enough. It's a shame. The Dons know about the system too well, after losing Lloyd Dyer in similar fashion in May to Leicester after Dyer turned down a new contract. 

As groundbreaking as Jean-Luc Bosman's court case those years ago was, I guess he had no idea that it would be the bane of many a Lower League Club.

Those United fans worried about losing Ronaldo for about £50 million have no idea just how lucky their team is.

Baddy Cool

"Victory is sweetest when you've known defeat" Malcolm Forbes 

2004. Athens. The mixed doubles pairing of Gail Emms and Nathan Robertson captured the country's imagination as they reached the Olympic final in their sport of Badminton.

They overcame some tricky matches on their way to that final and for a few days' Badminton was the sport of choice in Britain. Unfortunately, however, it wasn't to be for the Brits in the final, as they were beaten by Chinese heroes Zhang Jun and Gao Ling. 

4 years have passed and their time to shine has come again. This morning I eagerly awaited their Round of Sixteen tie, against a Chinese rookie, in young prodigy Zheng Bo, and their nemesis from Athens Gao Ling, now one of China's most celebrated female sports stars.

I'll admit I have a slight vested interest in the pair, they train in the National Badminton Centre in Milton Keynes, not ten minutes walk from my house, and I have met the pair on several occasions, but when the match started I was beyond passionate! The fact that the arena was packed with 10,000 screaming fans all behind the Chinese pair, who were 2nd Seeds, was sure to be a factor, mixed in with the delicious prospect of revenge of Gao Ling, in her last ever Olympics.

Though in the first game*,  it was the Brits' who looked the classier of the couples, their opponents reduced to desperate defensive play. The game finished comfortably, Britain prevailing 21-16. The Chinese Crowd had become deathly silent, as the British bench celebrated and encouraged the team to keep up their work-rate.

The second game however was not so clear-cut. Some mesmerizing placed smash shots from Robertson opened up a 11-7 lead, but the crowd got behind their team and Robertson began to flounder, his recent ankle operation and lack of training beginning to tell. As it would happen, the Chinese pair took the second game 21-16, a reverse of the first game. Emms looked to be panicking at the state of her partner, and the increasingly positive play of their opponents buoyed on by the Arena's rowdy crowd.

Their was more despair to follow. Gao Ling really showed just why she is so adored in her homeland, and partner Zheng Bo overcame the nerves that had overcame him in the previous games, the tired Robertson and desperate Emms seemed to be hitting against a brick-wall as the score hit 17-12 in the favour of the 2nd Seeds.

Then, as they say, Robertson got a second wind. The following point was an epic rally, the sort that the Briton's opponents had begun to dominate, but Zheng missed an easy smash chance and the momentum seemingly shifted. Robertson duly dispatched six straight points past the shellshocked Gao Ling, to put the score at 19-17 in the Buckinghamshire duo's favour. A minuted later, after four tense points, the final score was 21-19 to the British double act.

They say revenge is a dish best served cold, and to say the atmosphere in that arena had frozen would be an understatement.

The Olympics. Love it.

*Badminton Doubles consists of three games of twenty-one points.

Leicester City 2-0 Milton Keynes Dons

"Take chances, make mistakes, that's how you grow." Mary Tyler (American Comedian)

So hence it came, the opening day of the Football League season, and  two teams with differing fortunes last season collided. The relegated Leicester "Too good to go down" City at home to MK "Double winning" Dons.

The Ground filled, and 3 o' clock hit. The Foxes started the brighter of the two teams, MK looked a bit overawed by the occasion, though no clear cut chances presented themselves. Ex-Don Lloyd Dyer looked dangerous when he cut inside but failed to present a killer ball, and Leicesters much talked about Max Gradel looked lively but was kept firmly in-check by Dean Lewington.

Then in a flash the game came to life. Oakley flighted a long ball forward and City forward Matty Fryatt latched onto in the left hand channel. His pace was too much for Dons' defenders Carl Regan and Sean O' Hanlon, the latter clattering into Fryatt as he entered the box. Penalty given and struck home with ease from the young marksman.

Chances began to present themselves but it was MK Dons who had the only other clear-cut chance of the first half. Florian Sturm taking advantage of a miscommunication from Leicester's right hand pairing of Gilbert and Gradel, paving a way into the so far unbreached City box and squaring beautifully to Mark Wright who slices over on his weaker left foot.

The half-time whistle blew and Leicester looked comfortable, more through the Dons' vulnerability than any danger of their own making. The second offered a slightly closer contest. MK Dons pushed the Foxes defence more and a narrow Wilbraham effored was snatched by Henderson in the Home side's net and a Sam Baldock effort was thwarted on the line by his own skipper, the anonymous Keith Andrews.

Both sides made substitutions that livened up their sides. Leicester brought on talisman Paul Dickov who gave the side the tenacity it needed to close out the game. The Dons' introduction of new-signing Peter Leven gave the team a creative spark, even if it meant sacrificing Alan Navarro who had performed well.

Time went on and while the Dons did threaten, Leicester still looked dangerous, and when Dons deputy centre-back Jude Stirling dallied on the ball, Gradel nipped in to take it off of him and pass to Fryatt inside the box, who duly doubled the Foxes lead. Minutes the later the final whistle had gone and Leicester had gotten their "Bounce back" campaign off to a perfect start. Dons boss Roberto di Matteo got a reality check. Three friendlies and two signings were not enough preparation for a league of much higher quality than League One.

Predictions Predictions Predictions

"With high hope for the future, no prediction is ventured" Abraham Lincoln

It's the week leading up to the season and it's time to get the predictions out. The league's are less predictable this time up, there's no standout moneybags in League Two paired with three strong teams plastered with points deductions, Leeds have the pleasant company of Leicester City in the third tier, and the teams going down to the Championship are of a poorer quality than has been seen for a long time, but last year's campaign had no unlucky losers in the championship, making for a league literally anyone can win.

League Two-

Promoted- Bradford City, Darlington, Shrewsbury, Wycombe. (Nearly men:Bury)

Relegated- Luton, Dagenham (Nearly men:Rotherham)

The shake-up at Bradford will bear fruit this season, The signing of the Boulding brothers, particularly Michael, Greame Lee and Paul McLaren are all tidy deals, and in Rhys Evans they have signed a solid keeper.

Darlington strike duo of Pawel Abbott and Adam Proudlock is a pair to make a league notorious for poor defending quake in its boots, and in David Poole and Adam Griffin have two players with a successful promotion campaign under their belts after they found play-off glory with Stockport.

Shrewsbury have a bright young manager with a great reputation, Paul Simpson. Richard Walker will bag at least 15 goals up front, Ben Davies is a player playing below his level, and Michael Jackson will show the defence that let the Shrews down last season how it's done.

Bury have achieved a small miracle in holding onto Andy Bishop in spite of interest from Leeds, Brighton and others, and look set to embark on a brilliant season. Efe Sodje will be desperate to seal a promotion to end his career on a high, and doubling as a coach the Shakers could sort out any problems at the back.