Just checked and it looks like Fox soccer channel is showing the Bolton vs Chelsea game at 12 Eastern time. I believe that will be 9 am in San Francisco. Will the sports bars be open at that time? There is a later showing at 5pm Eastern time, would I be better going for that one?
If the bars are open by then I’m not sure you want to share them with the sorts of people who would be there. My guess is that they mostly aren’t open. I’d go for the 5 pm slot if you can get away with it; if not then hope you’ve got a fancy enough hotel to watch on the room TV.
Is the first showing live? That would put the broadcast at 5 pm, Engerland time.
i think it’s kicking off at 3pm, but if we have the second television slot, then it could be kicking off at 5ish
Well, I live in L.A. and I can tell you that the “English” pubs here do open early to show the games live. I can’t imagine that it isn’t the same in San Fran.
Myself and the new missus land on Monday afternoon, so at least I have plenty of time to sniff out a good place to catch the match. note to self, look for expat type pubs
Where are you staying? I’m not exactly a SF native (although my mother is) but I might be able to point you in the right direction.
Yeah, I guess we have some here that do the same. I was just imagining which SF citizens would normally be out drinking at 9 am, and it was a nasty image of Tenderloin homeless who’d scored some change off of the morning business crowds. My bad.
Holiday Inn, Fisherman’s Wharf, 1300 Columbus Avenue. Apparently the rooms have satellite/cable (though for choice i’d still rather watch the game in a place with sime atmosphere)
Okay, given that, I’d say that Cafe Fiore and the Chieftain, of the places I listed, would be your best bets. Cafe Fiore is about 1.2 miles from your hotel, pretty much straight south down Columbus to Jackson Street. Probably a fifteen to twenty minute walk. The Chieftain is a bit farther, about 2.3 miles, but not should also be fairly easy to find. (Columbus south to Kearny to 3rd to Howard… at the corner of 5th and Howard)
A third alternative, and a bit more touristy, would be the Buena Vista Cafe, which is less than a quarter of a mile from your hotel (take Columbus north to Beach to Hyde Street). I’d check first to see if they have the game, though. It’s an historical old cafe where Irish Coffee (whiskey and coffee) was allegedly invented. I seem to recall some TVs and sports on in there, but it’s been many years. That way you could check something off the tourist to do list and still get your football and early drinks.
Yeah, I wouldn’t rely on the hotel just because it has cable TV, it may not get the Fox Soccer Channel.
I was just checking the FSC listings, and it seems this one (AV v Bolton) is Pay-Per-View, which means it’s almost certain not to be on his in-room television, and a bit tougher to find in the area pubs.
Shibboleth, it’s the following week’s Chelsea vs Bolton that i’m after. I’ll be getting married during the Villa match, so i’ve given up all hope of that one. I’m not even allowed a small radio to hear the match during the ceremony!! my fiancee is so unreasonable.
(Owl’s prediction given first) – one month on:
Birmingham v Tottenham - win/lose Result: draw
Tottenham v Newcastle - draw/win Result: win
Liverpool v Tottenham - lose/draw Result: draw
Tottenham v West Brom - win/draw Result: draw
Arsenal v Tottenham - lose/draw
Tottenham v Aston Villa - win/win
Middlesbrough v Tottenham - win/draw
Tottenham v Blackburn - TBA/draw
Roger leads 3-0 at the half-way stage!
Rio Ferdinand: I’m worth 110 grand a week!
Duncan Ferguson: Get tae f*@$ laddie. 
The blues were on fire last night, they would have steamrollered most teams with such a commited performance. United had the quality though, so it was a very close game. Our first league defeat of united in ten years!
Good to see united bottling it as well: Ruud VN utterly anonymous in J-Yo’s back pocket, Gary Neville kicking the ball at a spectator from five feet away 
sent off, then the wee ginger fella essentially kicking Kevin Kilbane up the arse! second booking, sent off, initiating a frank exchange of views between Moyes and Alex Ferguson.
Here’s to united finishing 3rd, bottling their Champion’s League qualifier and having to play in the ‘lowly’ UEFA cup.
Also, could Norwich manage an unprecedented premiership survival? I really really hope they do. I’m sick of people parroting on about how the team who is bottom of the league at Christmas nerver stays up.
It’s not often you’re glad of a point against West Brom. I don’t know what Robbo has done with them (probably taken them down the pub - it’s where he spends most of his time), but he has instilled some belief into them.
Our next game involves a trip up the seven sisters road to the travellers camp. I can’t see us getting anything out of that.
ps roger - no one likes a smart arse.
Also Mr wanderers I’ve been thinking, and I can’t think of anything outside of dental torture that would be worse than sitting in a yank “pub” drinking yank “beer” sorrounded by people with american hair with the footie on in the background.
Nah, we can save that one for next year. When Ipswich will scrape their way to safety in the last match of the season.
How’s that for optimism & pessimism in equal measure?
i’ll try (almost) anything once. if it’s that bad, then i won’t do it gain Owl
Did I see one of the players on WBA who may have played for a lower side during the FA cup? Caldicott or something like that (shaved head)? He looked familiar and we don’t see much of West Brom save on the highlight shows.
First, in these pubs it’s typically your beers that have been imported. So they might not be quite as fresh, but they do tend to get drunk, so it’s not old, stale English ale, just takes a bit longer to get here. Second, most people in them, especially at 9 am, are apt to be British/Irish expats who want to see their old clubs. One of the places I watch football I can literally be the only Yank there, in a crowd of over 100, save for the staff which is usually local. As for the hair, well, I’ve not really got any, so I’m not qualified to speak on that point. The main difference may be whether or not you can have a smoke while in there and the time of day.
You’re just lucky there’s no money on it.