Keeping A Toon

So, you all--by whom I mean one or two people--followed my personal dilemma as to which football--read 'soccer'--team to follow this year. I stayed true to Newcastle United. How are they doing in the Championship?

Let's look, starting at the cast of characters: Damien Duff, gone. Mark Viduka, gone. Michael Owen, gone. Obafemi Martins, gone (that is a lot of striking potential gone, let's face it). Shay Given, gone.

But Steven Taylor, the young star defender, the local boy, is still there, as is Shola Ameobi, also local. Alan Smith and Nicky Butt are still there. Steve Harper is still there.

And despite the ownership question still not being resolved--how hard is it to sell a team when the fans hate you?--and despite Chris Hughton still being just an interim manager with the specter of Alan Shearer hovering over him, Newcastle sits third in the Championship with five wins, one draw, and one loss, and they won their first match in the Carling Cup.

Oh, and they have a young striker named Nile Ranger. That's just a really cool name, in my opinion, so they must be doing something right.