Who Ate All The Cupcakes?

Shock! The Monkey!

2010-11-11T19:16:00.004-05:00

This morning, at about 11:15 a.m. EST I was sitting in my office preparing for lunch when a DM came across my Twitter from @islanderslegion:

"Just read the NASL press release, any news out of ATL about the Silverbacks coming back"

I was shocked, to say the least. I had spent October 30th up in Raleigh for the USSF D-2 Final telling everyone (most notably @PasionNaranja and @danielstroud) that in no way would the Atlanta Silverbacks be coming back for the 2011 season. They cited this press release and the fact that a "Atlanta 2011" image was displayed on the NASL website for some time.

The original plan for Silverbacks Park. This was considered to be Phase IV, where upon completion the stadium would hold close to 15,000 fans. Unfortunately Silverbacks Park remains somewhere close to Phase II.

When the Silverbacks decided to sit out the 2009 season I thought it was a good move. A 9th-place finish in the 2008 USL First Division and a general indifference turned off a lot of supporters, including yours truly. ReMax Greater Atlanta Stadium had seen very little progress towards being completed and rising costs for fans to attend games during the last two seasons of USL play made it difficult for me and many others to want to stay home. (I know, they made the final in 2007. I attribute that to luck more than anything. That team was painful to watch in person.)

Although the Silverbacks didn't field a team in 2009 or 2010, the park was still being used for amateur leagues almost every day of the week. I played in a Co-ed league from 2006 until earlier this year, so I got to see the lack of progress and the lack of upkeep of not only the surrounding fields but the stadium as well. It seemed as if the Silverbacks ownership had given up on trying to finish the stadium project and said we're going with what we've got.
Add into that the disastrous flooding in September of 2009 which completely engulfed the park, seeing as it sits in a low-lying area.

This picture was taken from the "parking lot", the rock hill which looks over the whole park. The huge mass of water on the right is completely covering the other two fields. I estimate the height of the water at 7-8 feet.

With an ownership group not interested in fielding a professional team, there hasn't been a pressing reason to finish construction, upgrade the facilities or even complete the adequate cleanup after the flood.

Until today.

I must say that until today we saw it as a virtual impossibility that the Silverbacks would return in any form or fashion in 2011. In the last press release on the Silverbacks' website, released November 10, 2009, the final sentence states:

"The Atlanta Silverbacks will not be playing in the 2011 season and there will be no tryouts until further notice."

Yet there it was today, clear as day on the NASL website.

"The meeting was highlighted by the approval of two additional teams for the 2011 season - the NSC Minnesota Stars and the Atlanta Silverbacks - and their inclusion in the application to the United States Soccer Federation for sanctioning as a Division II league."

I still can't believe what I'm reading and it will probably take a night of sleep for it to sink in. The Atlanta Silverbacks are coming back, like it or not. And how do I know they're coming back? After a couple long conversations with @Longshoe today, here's what we deduced:

NASL had to have 8 teams. We rationed that NASL went to USSF with 6 teams and they said it wasn't enough. Montreal, Puerto Rico, Carolina, Tampa Bay and Miami were the holdovers with the strongest ownership groups. Edmonton FC has been steadfast in moving forward to joining as an expansion team in 2011.

That left two more teams to sign up. The financial problems of the NSC Minnesota Stars are well known and Boris Jerkunica, owner of the Silverbacks, had made it clear he was not willing to continue losing money by fielding a professional team, his main reason for not fielding a team the last two years. From this we can only conclude that one or more outside partners have stepped in and committed to helping both Minnesota and Atlanta financially in order the the NASL to be certified for play in 2011 by the USSF.

We were as blindsided as everyone else. We have heard nary a peep from anyone in the Silverbacks community recently, which was the main reason behind my declarations in Raleigh that the Silverbacks would not be returning any time soon. The economy has not improved dramatically, construction on the park has been stalled for years and now the Silverbacks have almost completely lost any footprint they had on the Atlanta soccer scene.

If NASL is to proceed as a eight-team league, the Atlanta Silverbacks will almost certainly be one of those teams. However, the daunting task of fixing the park, finding sponsors, hiring a front-office staff, hiring a coaching staff, promoting the team, and most importantly, complete a roster seems almost too much to complete in a such a short time span.

In the days and weeks to come there will certainly be more information forthcoming, at which time we will definitely share with you.

Atlanta included in NASL 2011 bid to USSF

2010-11-11T12:04:00.004-05:00

With the potential return of the Silverbacks, we'll clear the mothballs off the Cupcakes and try to figure out what is going on...

All the word on the street was that IF Atlanta returned to pro soccer, it would not be via the Silverbacks. The last few years of the pro team were not successful financially and things didn't look viable in the future. Rumors were that other investors would be necessary to make it happen.

Two years have passed since the Silverbacks took the field. USL-D1 has imploded and now we have the NASL. Same idea of a national 2nd division with the same type of costs...

Rumors in Minnesota have Traffic (owners of Miami FC and doing big business in Central & South America) providing funding for that club to return. Pure speculation here, but could Traffic be funding Atlanta as well in order to provide a league for its many players to gain experience in? From a player development and sales standpoint, it could make sense for Traffic to essentially control the market.

I'm sure this will be updated as events unfold. Be on the lookout for more about the return of pro soccer to Atlanta.

UPDATE: For what it's worth, the official site hasn't been updated yet beyond the NASL announcement at the beginning of 2010.

Test Run for Bring Back the Stripes LIVE

2010-08-29T21:35:00.001-04:00

Let's see how this works...

Bring Back the Stripes: The Goat Edition

MLS Week 2: The Round Up

2010-04-06T09:31:00.002-04:00

Chivas USA has no offense, will they score a goal before May? I like Osael Romero, good quality there. How does Maicon Santos miss that shot in the 6-yard box?
Los Angeles is solid, if not all that spectacular right now. They'll be around at the end of the year.
Real Salt Lake will also be around to defend their championship. Javier Morales is continuing his early season hot streak. What in the world was Fabien Espindola thinking? Not a bad takedown on Boswell, but he wasn't able to go for the ground and pound due to excellent scrambling by Bobby. Jamison Olave's defensive breakdown was uh, interesting...
The Dynamo are not the same team they've been in recent years. Luckily, they have the best coach in the league with Dominic Kinnear. He has some time to get them together, but I'm still skeptical that they have the talent to be in the mix late in the playoffs.
By adding Claudio Lopez, Colorado could be quite interesting. Lopez playing behind Casey and Cummings is a pretty solid attack. With Mastroeni holding down the fort in the center of the park, and Colin Clark running wild on the left wing, the Rapids could be dangerous. They shouldn't be boring at least.
Chicago hasn't put it all together yet. We'll see how quick Carlos de los Cobos can adjust to the league.
New England is still the same old Revolution, even without all the key players from the last few years. Nicol did an excellent job in DC on Saturday night.
That said, Onalfo was out coached again. He got the starting lineup right this time and the team came out firing on all cylinders. However, they couldn't get a goal to show for it, and then seemed to run out of steam in the second half. The subs were puzzling, everything was just a straight swap and did nothing to change the game. James in for Talley at that point in the game was disappointing, I would've liked to see one of the forwards come and United really go for the win. All the possession in the world does nothing for you if can't score, except make losses like this one even more frustrating.
New York is for real, winning in Seattle shows that. If Macoumba can keep putting everything together, the Red Bulls will have the best attack in the league.
Surprising loss by Seattle, I'll be curious to see how they bounce back from it.

Are you kidding me?

2010-03-29T10:36:00.002-04:00

A 4-0 loss on Opening Day does not typically signify a good season coming up. DC United did not look ready for its game on Saturday night, which is even more frustrating after the fairly successful run in Charleston at their preseason tournament. After a day to try to calm down, here's my thoughts:

The defense struggled, but that was to be expected a bit. No Namoff & Burch through the preseason meant Pena & McTavish were getting most of the time with Jakovic & Wallace. However, Pena was not available due to visa issues & McTavish was injured on Saturday night. I think bringing in Carey Talley was a good move in light of the defensive injuries. My issue is with Simms at right back. I don't know how much experience he has there. Last season, when he played in the back due to injuries, it was in the middle. I would've much rather seen Talley on the right & Simms in the middle. Moving from a central position to an outside position isn't always an easy transition.
The injury to Simms made things even more tricky, but these things happen when he's coming right back off an injury. Starting Julius James was probably the safer play from the beginning. Again, I would've rather seen James in the middle & Talley on the outside. James' limited amount of play at right back last season showed that he's not suited for the position. The second goal was due to the right back being out of position.
Morsink, who I think fits DCU's style very well, did not play well. He consistently turned the ball over in dangerous positions. It really looked like he was trying to do too much. When the defense did perform well, Morsink turned it over at the top of the box.
Up until the second goal, DCU dominated possession and looked like the better team. The first goal was against the run of play. I thought the offside call pulling a goal back was a bad one, and Quaranta could have earned a penalty in the first half. These incidents would have changed things greatly.
That said, coming out and playing even worse in the second half is unforgivable. The team looked like they did not want to be there.
I hope pulling Najar at halftime doesn't affect his confidence. He's going to be a project and needs to be built up. I hope pulling him at that point doesn't become a setback for him.
Besides, after having to use a sub on Simms in the first half, I think pulling Najar wasn't necessary at that point. Leaving one sub for the last 45 minutes on Opening Day wasn't a good idea.
I don't like the Allsopp/Moreno combination at all. Allsopp/Pontius would probably work better, but I don't think they used that once during the preseason matches. They rarely used Allsopp/Moreno. Most often in the last four preseason games, the forward combinations were Moreno/Pontius and Allsopp/Cristman. Not sure why pulling Najar, moving Pontius to right mid after saying throughout the preseason that you wanted to keep him up top this season, and pairing Moreno with Allsopp was the decision. It definitely didn't improve anything.

So which was it, the preseason was meaningless or the KC game was just a bad result? I'll abstain from the vote until after Saturday's home game with the Revs.

Other notes from around the league:

Chivas USA needs some work, they did not look good at home against the vanilla Rapids.
Columbus showed that they're the best in the East right now with a solid win.
Nice goal by Lindpere to give New York the win. Where was everybody in the crowd though?
LA looked alright, but New England was pretty much a non-factor.
Didn't get to see it live, but Javier Morales is the truth. Two amazing goals Saturday night, is this the year he puts everything together and becomes an elite level player?

Rain on the DOOP Parade

2010-03-26T13:28:00.002-04:00

Philadelphia was not quite ready for prime time last night as they dropped a 2-0 result to Seattle. Toni Stahl's red card before halftime definitely didn't help, but Seattle was in complete control of the match from the opening whistle. The Sounders' counterattack was in fine form, especially through Steve Zakuani down the left side.

The Union definitely need Fred & Shavar Thomas on the field, their young team didn't know how to react to the early Sounders' goal and the intimidating atmosphere at Qwest Field. Their defense especially needs work. The bright spot was the play of young Colombian Roger Torres. He's one to watch all year.

Seattle should be a top challenger in the West this year. Do they have enough to get past the first round of the playoffs? It's too early to tell right now, let's reassess that after Swiss international Blaise N'Kufo joins the squad after the World Cup. N'Kufo & Montero up top, with Ljungberg playing behind them could be more than most MLS defenses can handle.

Your 2010 MLS Preview

2010-03-25T10:21:00.000-04:00

The quick & dirty 2010 MLS preview, mostly so I can see how wrong I am at the end of the season...

EASTERN CONFERENCE

1. Columbus Crew

Losing Alejandro Moreno could hurt more that the Crew are expecting, but they should be good enough to win the East.

2. DC United

DCU has looked good towards the end of the preseason, but depth could be a major issue.

3. New York Red Bulls

If the new stadium doesn't energize the Red Bulls, what will?

4. Chicago Fire

Handing over the team to a goalkeeper with no experience is an interesting move.

5. New England Revolution

Defense will have to carry them, who's going to score the goals?

6. Philadelphia Union

Could be a surprise this year, Nowak has a good roster to work with.

7. Toronto FC

De Rosario & De Guzman are going to have to carry this team if they're going anywhere.

8. Kansas City Wizards

Excitement level is negative for this group.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

1. Real Salt Lake

Kreis is still improving as a coach, team remains mostly intact for the Champions.

2. LA Galaxy

The young Brazilians could put the Gals over the top.

3. Chivas USA

Kljestan has a lot to prove, continued development of Mayen & Flores should make the Goats tough.

4. Seattle Sounders

Expect the Sounders to be better than last year, but the West is tough.

5. Houston Dynamo

Losing Clark & Holden will be tough to overcome, hopefully Landin can step up.

6. Colorado Rapids

Are the Rapids the most boring team in the league?

7. FC Dallas

Eric Avila is one of the only interesting things about this team, hoping to see Brek Shea get some time too.

8. San Jose Earthquakes

I take back the Rapids comment, this could be the most boring team in the league.

MFLS is open

2010-03-23T19:25:00.003-04:00

With MLS gearing up, I'm hoping to be in the Bakery much more often.

For those interested, you can join our MFLS Division, just search for Who Ate All the Cupcakes? Don't forget about predicting the games there too...

See you at the bottom of the standings...

DCU starts playing well, now the Union takes a strike vote, coincidence?

2010-03-12T16:27:00.003-05:00

Just kidding, although it is just my luck. Maybe United is starting to get its act together after a great win in Mexico over Santos Laguna. Everyone's favorite, Party Boy, got the fiesta started and Boyzzzzzzzzzzzzz scored the game winner. Not too shabby, even if it was just a friendly.

The upsetting news comes that we still don't have an agreement between MLS and the players' union. While they haven't exactly voted to strike, they have at least dusted off the panic button with their nearly unanimous vote this week. Many others have said it far more eloquently than I, but this deal must get done. 2010 is too big of a year for American soccer for a labor stoppage in MLS. Both sides need to make some concessions and come to an arrangement that makes sense. Do we have to send the Get Along Gang in on this?

For everyone's sake, especially the lowly paid MLS squad players who can't weather a strike, please get this done so we can kick off the season.

CONCACAF Champions League, why bother?

2010-03-10T10:21:00.003-05:00

MLS is in a catch-22 situation when it comes to the CCL. As it stands now, outside of a high-profile match-up with Chivas or Club América (which will bring in more fans of the other team than yours), most of the matchups aren't appealing to the casual soccer fan.

On top of that, the games are tough and your club might not look so great against a team casual fans don't really know anything about. It's one thing to go watch the Sounders get pounded by Chelsea or the Red Bulls lose big to Barcelona, but everybody knows how good they are. It's another to watch the Red Bulls lose to W Connection or the Revolution get hammered by Joe Public. It doesn't send a good message to the public about your team.

So what do you do? You could take the approach of the Columbus Crew last night, market the game as a "premium event" and sell tickets for $25. Didn't work so well, did it?

Personally, I think you can use these games as a way to expose new people to your product. Since they're not drawing well, slash the ticket prices. Make it $5, really push these games to people looking for a deal. Last night's game was entertaining, as are a good majority of these CONCACAF games, it's a shame only a little over 4,000 people saw it. American fans love a chance to chant for the USA, really push the international aspect of the game.

Most importantly, offer the fans who come out to these games a coupon for coming back to league games. Do a buy one, get one free deal on the back of the ticket, something to maximize your club's exposure.

Until the MLS teams start winning this tournament and performing at the World Club Cup, it's going to take some work to make it matter. It's up to the MLS teams and the league office to make this important.

AnnouncerGate, Lando, & other assorted tales

2010-03-06T08:47:00.002-05:00

Being sick for most of the week gives you time to think about stuff. I'll spare you my thoughts on faulty sinuses, the joys of Kleenex with lotion, and the horrors of minestrone soup. Here's a few things that crossed my mind...

ESPN announced 4 Brits to call play-by-play during the World Cup. Why is this such a big deal? Many of the people who are railing against it, demanding that an American voice call the game in America, are the same ones who don't follow MLS as much as the Premiership. Why aren't you demanding that MLS get as much attention as the Premiership? It's not as good, you say? Maybe that's how ESPN felt in choosing their announcers.
Look, the game is global at this point. I think most American soccer fans are used to watching games from elsewhere with announcers from different countries. Even casual fans are starting to get into watching Champions League and the Premiership. An announcer with an accent is no longer that big of a deal. I just want announcers who are of a high quality. If they do a crappy job, then let's complain.
Landon Donovan has become everybody's favorite American player at this point, huh? Well, at least the EPL snobs. He was still LandyCakes when he left, but he plays well in the Premiership and becomes beloved. It's sad that most of those people who endlessly criticized him didn't give him credit for his amazing play in MLS and with the USMNT. Yes, it didn't work out for him in Germany. Tons of high profile players have made moves that didn't work out, it happens. Donovan is the best player America has ever produced. He was before he went to Everton. The people saying that MLS needs to let him stay are ridiculous. MLS has a business to run and the Galaxy need their best player back to begin the season.
Very disappointing game in the Netherlands this week. I didn't think the Dutch looked spectacular. They were far more physical than I expected, and they rarely looked dangerous. However, the USMNT were even worse. Far too many giveaways and tentative play killed the team. For every ball that Bradley did well to win in the midfield, he gave away nearly as many with horrible distribution. Robbie Findley made good runs off the ball, but then looked like he wet his pants every time he touched the ball. We had very little meaningful possession throughout the match. The final 5 minutes, after the Dutch had taken a couple of their most influential players off, do not make up for the whole match. Let's hope a few players get hot for their clubs in the last part of the season and can continue that form into the World Cup.

Goose Eggs

2010-02-20T20:41:00.003-05:00

President & CEO Kevin Payne said in a press release - “Our first priority was to find someone who shares the club's long-standing philosophy of attacking soccer – and Curt absolutely does."

Curt Onalfo told the Washington Post - "D.C. set the standard in this league and the goal has got to be to return to that level."

More from the Washington Post -

Onalfo's aim is to play "beautiful, attacking, quick soccer," he said. "We want to play with style and send players forward -- that is what D.C. United has always been known for."

3 games with no goals makes me go back and reread this type of stuff. Goalscoring isn't completely attributed to fitness, other teams are putting the ball in the net. We'll see is about all I can say at this point...

Commitment to attacking soccer?

2010-02-18T09:54:00.002-05:00

Onalfo was all about his commitment to attacking soccer when he started in KC. The offensive production went down each season he was there.

He was all about keeping United's tradition alive at DCU. The team went out and signed a big Australian striker, Danny Allsopp, who was recently described as "absolutely hopeless" and had his biggest success at Notts County. They also signed Adam Cristman. Two serviceable strikers, but two who have never shown any ability at fitting into DCU's possession style of play.

I don't think bringing in Cristian Castillo will work in bringing back the Salvadoran fans if the team is playing long ball, boring soccer.

We'll see what happens, but I'm getting more and more skeptical. The two preseason games ending in 0 goals for DC will do that...

Thoughts from the bar: USA-Honduras

2010-01-24T11:42:00.003-05:00

Mind you, these observations come after beers & watching the game without sound. I'm not going to get into the obvious hoopla about the red card, I want to talk about what I saw in the US team.

For the rest of the first half, there wasn't much to see. The US looked like pouting children who didn't get their way. Not much heart, just guys playing out the time.
Marshall's defense on the 2nd Honduras goal was pathetic. Concentration has to be total when the team's a man down, especially among the defenders.
Was Sacha Kljestan actively trying to get dropped from the roster? Horrible...
Cunningham & Findley didn't work at all, too similar in their game. Starting Casey with one of them would've been a better move. I think it shows the need for a target forward, and it shows why Ching has remained in Bradley's plans throughout his tenure.
The 3rd Honduras goal was sloppy defending all the way around, with no communication among the players on the field. No leadership. Goodson was spinning around like a top and ended up not making a play on anybody.
The massive subs finally brought some life into the team. I especially liked Bedoya's play. He didn't look afraid, played smart, and moved well off the ball. I'd like to see more of him.

When you go a man down that early, it's time to step up. It separates the men from the boys. Last night, the US looked like a bunch of little boys. That has to change, even among the B squad.

DCU wheeling & dealing at the draft

2010-01-14T13:06:00.002-05:00

No time for much, but quick thoughts on the DC-Philly trade:

I wasn't really in favor of bringing back Fred. His production has declined, and was never worth his salary to begin with.
Welcome back to DC Mr. Perkins. He was one of the tops in MLS before leaving, and should be better with his additional experience.
Was this big of a move really necessary? Most say yes after last season. I wouldn't have minded seeing Wicks get a full season and the resources used elsewhere. I'm hoping Onalfo & Co. are happy with the roster as is, because there's less room to work with now.

Not a bad move overall, I just wonder if it was needed.

CAF, have a heart

2010-01-11T09:39:00.002-05:00

The CAF, Africa's governing body for soccer, is putting up one of the most ridiculous PR campaigns I've ever seen in regards to the Togo national team situation. The CAF, instead of being proactive and postponing Togo's matches or working out a schedule with them in light of members of its delegation being murdered, is talking trash in the media about the situation.

Saying publicly that Togo will be disqualified from the tournament if they don't show up for their first game is one of the most insensitive things I've ever seen from a sport governing body.

Someone in a much higher position that a Cupcake maker should be blasting the CAF for this stance. Members of the Togo delegation were MURDERED, you can't give them a little time to grieve and handle the situation. Is the value of life for the CAF that low?

Going to the trouble of saying that Ghana was told to act like the game was going ahead, and that the referee would declare the match a forfeit if Togo doesn't take the field is absolutely ridiculous. The CAF seriously wants to embarrass Togo in that way.

Horrible decisions being made by the CAF in light of this tragedy. Seems like they don't think it's that big of a deal...

DC United has a new coach, I yawn

2010-01-04T15:13:00.002-05:00

Curt Onalfo is the new head coach at DC United. He'll be officially introduced tomorrow. I wonder what the general reaction in DC will be. I'm on the side of, "meh".

He has a solid resume, highlighted by assisting Bruce Arena at the 2002 and 2006 World Cups. When he was announced as the head coach in Kansas City, Onalfo promised an attacking style for the Wizards. Did he deliver? Will he deliver in DC?

In 2007, Eddie Johnson scored 15 goals to pace the Wizards and help them finish 5th in the league in goals scored. Once he left, so did the offence. 37 goals in 2008 was good enough for 11th out of 14, and everyone but the woeful Red Bulls scored more than Kansas City in 2009. The decrease from 45 goals scored in '07 to 37 in '08 to 33 in '09 concerns me.

Kansas City had talent during Onalfo's run there. Hartman has been one of the better keepers in MLS history. Jimmy Conrad, Davy Arnaud, Josh Wolff and Jack Jewsbury are all players to build around. They've had Claudio Lopez for the last two seasons, an exceptionally skilled player. Yet, the Wizards always seemed to be very average. They had a decent record, never too good but never too bad.

At least he won't have to deal with the CONCACAF Champions League in his first year in DC, that should help him. The crowded schedule was ultimately Soehn's downfall, he never learned how to manage his roster over a whole season.

It isn't a very exciting hire. After the last 2 years of Soehn, I think DC fans were looking for some excitement. Onalfo seems no different than Soehn. Time will tell, I hope I'm wrong on this one, but I just can't get too enthused over this.

Hello, I'm Landon Donovan and...

2009-12-17T00:25:00.001-05:00

Randomness on the World Cup Draw

2009-12-06T15:07:00.002-05:00

Charlize Theron played the dumb blonde role really well. Much better than Sepp usually does...
I freaked out when I thought the US had drawn Ivory Coast into their group. Thank you for silly rules FIFA! Or, should I thank @ConcacafJack?
If the US doesn't advance out of its group, this campaign has been an absolute failure. Excuses are not allowed, we have to be able to advance through Algeria and Slovenia to be considered remotely serious.
Honduras has a decent chance to compete in their group. Spain will be nearly impossible, but upsets are possible against Chile and Switzerland. I'll be pulling for them, but I think Chile is too strong.
Mexico should get through their group, along with the despicable French. Uruguay looked ordinary against Costa Rica in their playoff, and the Ticos have been weak in the last year.
Toughest group is obviously G, with one of Brazil, Portugal, and Ivory Coast going home after the group stage. North Korea will pull at least a point somewhere in the group.
B could be the most fun to watch due to the clash of styles. I'll take Argentina and Nigeria there.
Germany should be fine in D, I'll take Serbia for now but will be watching out for Ghana to surprise.
Group E is another competitive one. It should be a battle between the Danes and Cameroon for 2nd place, but I'll be curious to see this high powered Japanese offense in action.
F is the easiest one, Italy and Paraguay are locks.
The US v. England game on Saturday, June 12 at 2:30 pm on ABC could be the biggest game in American soccer history when it comes to publicity and PR. Let's hope the USMNT can make the most of it. A win there could create some serious World Cup hype in this country like we've never seen before.

World Cup Draw musings

2009-12-04T09:01:00.002-05:00

Today's the big day, isn't it? The day when the hopes of the USMNT are determined by some celebrities, some bowls, and some ping pong balls.

Sadly, I'm not kidding. Today can make or break the US chances of advancing at next summer's World Cup. If we get the true GROUP OF DEATH of Brazil, Ivory Coast, and France things will be much tougher than if we were to draw South Africa, Algeria, and Slovenia.

We have no control over this, so we just have to wait to see how this plays out this afternoon. Let's hope there's no back room dealings involving Sepp, Mr. Warner, and any other FIFA authority figures/shady figures...

What can the USMNT control in the run up to South Africa?

Friendlies: Thankfully, it looks like Bradley will not be following Arena's 2006 model of playing a bunch of nobodies. I kept waiting for East Timor to end up on the schedule. Depending on the draw, hopefully he'll look to add some African teams since we rarely play them.
Media relations: Looking good so far, Landon has been everywhere talking about the draw. Hopefully this can help control the WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE hysteria if we do fall in a Group of Death. Get some other guys out there giving interviews and spreading the word.

Let's get off of this obsession with Donovan going on loan in January. Just because Beckham is doing it doesn't mean Landon has to do the same. The USMNT will have a January camp as always, which will help keep Landon sharp prior to the MLS kickoff. England won't do that, so Beckham going back to Milan is a good move in his case. Besides, there's a lot of jerseys to sell...

Besides the draw, keep your fingers crossed for the recovery of Onyewu and Davies. I just don't see the depth out there to replace those two if they can't come back in time. Regardless of the group, we might be in big trouble without those two...

It had to be the Revs, didn't it?

2009-10-29T11:05:00.002-04:00

The New England Revolution ate all the cupcakes! Thanks to Prairie Rose Clayton, the team received a little reward for making the playoffs, check it out...

On a side note, I'll try to get back into the bakery and update things more frequently than every month or so around here. I can't make any guarantees, but I'll give it a shot...

The US Soccer Blame Game

2009-08-12T19:39:00.003-04:00

Mexico 2, USA 1.

USA still can't beat Mexico at the Estadio Azteca, even after a one goal lead.

So, who's to blame?

BLAME THE REF
I thought the cards were inconsistently given, although it wouldn't have led to anything substantial. No one deserved a send off. Yes, I think Nery Castillo deserved a yellow after the Davies incident, but so did Feilhaber.

However, the ref had nothing to do with the result today.

BLAME CONCACAF
This usually follows the blaming of the referee. I don't think there's a grand conspiracy against the US in CONCACAF. There's way too much money to be made by CONCACAF in the United States. Why do you think they have the Gold Cup here every time?

CONCACAF assigns the referees, yes. I don't think they've ever screwed the US over with a referee assignment. If you want to argue about the competency of referees in the region, take that up with the national associations who train and develop referees, not CONCACAF.

BLAME THE COACH
There's lots of Bradley haters out there, I'm not exactly sure why. Is he the best coach in the world? No. Has he done a good job in charge of the US national team? I would say yes.

I'm not the biggest fan of Bocanegra on the left. In this game, I think he was the best option we had. It's a position that is a weakness right now. If you have a kid, teach him to play left back.

I thought he had a good, balanced group on the field. I don't believe it was his call to park the bus after the Davies goal. The team began to play scared and couldn't even complete a pass. Ching was wasted up top, because we couldn't even find him so he could hold the ball. We were not able to relieve the pressure in the first half, and the goal was always coming.

Things seemed better in the second half. I think he did the right thing with Altidore. Jozy was never going to be able to go very long in this game, he hasn't been training consistently and didn't have 90 minutes to give. The Holden sub was the only one I wonder about, I don't think it worked very well. I believe the idea might have been to go to more of a 4-5-1, but it never worked out that way.

Again, I don't think Bradley is the best in the world, but I think he's doing a good job overall. Definitely good enough to get to the World Cup. Who would you replace him with right now? Dominic Kinnear will end up being the coach of the US national team, but bringing him in now wouldn't change things very much. Give him the team at the beginning of the cycle so he can start to build his own team. Right now is about knuckling down and getting the necessary results to qualify for the World Cup.

At the beginning of the hexagonal, who thought we'd beat Mexico in Mexico this time anyway?

Unfortunately, Mexico was the better team today. That's okay. It was a game that they HAD to win, while it was a game that we never counted on winning.

Personal thoughts on the game:

Too much whining about the refs by the announce team of Schoen and Balboa, I think that might be coloring the fans' opinions.
Definitely a big game feel to today, I love these types of games...
Donovan needed to see the ball more. Beautiful pass on Davies' goal.
The altitude/smog definitely took our legs away as the game went on. Bradley really didn't have much else he could do with the calendar on this one. Can't blame him for going into the DF at the last minute. At least we didn't pull an Argentina in Bolivia type of fiasco...

I'm just not that disappointed after today. A little frustrated, yes. Thinking it was an opportunity wasted, yes. Disappointed in the team or the program, nope.

Come see me if we don't make it to the World Cup or go 3 and out in South Africa and then we'll talk...

The Showdown, the Questions

2009-08-11T22:19:00.003-04:00

USA v. Mexico at the Estadio Azteca, not bad for a Wednesday afternoon, huh?

Does the US have to win this? No, I don't think so. I don't think it will kill our qualification hopes or anything like that. However, if Mexico gets 2 wins in a row over the US, and especially if they win in convincing fashion tomorrow, the CONCACAF momentum will definitely swing their way. Also, there is the issue with the seeding for the World Cup draw. A win in Mexico would be helpful in improving the US chances of getting a seed and avoiding the 2006 group scenario.

Does Mexico have to win this? Pretty much. A loss would put El Tri in serious trouble when it comes to qualifying for the World Cup. Staying home next summer will have some serious ramifications on the FMF and the Mexican league, less money will be on hand for sure.

Will a loss be disappointing? Not necessarily, it depends on the performance. I don't think there are very many people who are realistically expecting a US win tomorrow. I'll personally be happy with a point, ecstatic even. I'm mainly looking to see a US team that plays Mexico straight up, doesn't get defensive and negative, and doesn't fold under pressure. I think those are traits that will be needed in South Africa next summer.

Who are the key figures? Tim Howard will be called on to make some big saves, no doubt. Landon Donovan will be the spark, and he is respected and feared by the Mexicans. Jozy Altidore provides serious match-up problems for the Mexican defense, something I'm hoping to see exploited.

Will my phone hold up to the text wars? Probably not. You see, I coach a team of high school boys, 90% from Mexico. I had so many camera phone pictures of Mexico jerseys sent to me during the Gold Cup final I finally had to turn it off. I'd like to be able to talk some trash after that awful game...

What are your questions going into tomorrow's BORDER WAR?

Mexico-USA, 8/12, is this your starting lineup?

2009-08-07T15:10:00.002-04:00

GK- Howard
LB- Bocanegra
CB- Onyewu, DeMerit
RB- Spector
LM- Donovan
CM- Bradley, Clark
RM- Dempsey
F- Altidore, Ching

For the whole roster, get it here.

My thoughts...

I think the above lineup is your safest bet for this away match. Maybe Cherundolo reclaims his starting spot, but it's hard to pull Spector after his performances this summer.
With all the love for Davies, I think Ching is the better starter. You're going to be under severe pressure from the Mexicans and will need to play long. Ching is better at holding the ball up and letting you build an attack than either Altidore or Davies. Davies' speed makes him an ideal sub to change a game, Ching can't do that sort of thing. Besides, you already have Conor Casey on the bench to fill the hulking big man center forward role if you need that sub.
Hard to pick 2 out of 3 between Bradley, Feilhaber, and Clark. I'd rather see Clark start due to his workrate, I think he forms a better partnership with Bradley. Feilhaber and Bradley play a more similar style that makes it more difficult for them to play together. Clark will do the dirty work that the others don't, making him a better starting option. If you need offense later, pull him for Feilhaber.

What's your starting lineup?

Sorry Toronto FC, your execs don't like you

2009-08-07T12:26:00.002-04:00

When talking about the Toronto-Real Madrid friendly tonight, one of the TFC higher-ups said...

“It’s a temporary solution to reflect the quality of the team that we’re playing Friday night,” Bob Hunter, executive vice-president of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment.

TORONTO FC ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH TO GET REAL GRASS, IS THAT WHAT HE JUST SAID???

(HT: theoriginalwinger.com)

CCL update: Sorry about the jinx Liberia

2009-08-07T11:49:00.002-04:00

You take a 3-0 lead into the second leg and you should be okay, right? Not if Real Espana HULKS UP and wins 6-0. Yes, 6-0. Carlos Pavon wreaked havoc all over the field, scoring 3 and having a hand in 2 more.

At least the Red Bulls didn't lose 6-0...

After San Juan Jabloteh and Arabe Unido overcame first leg deficits last night, here's your 2009/10 CONCACAF Champions League group stage:

Group A
Houston
Pachuca
Árabe Unido (PAN)
Isidro Metapán (ES)

Group B
Toluca
Marathón (HON)
DC United
San Juan Jabloteh (T&T)

Group C
Columbus
Saprissa (CR)
Cruz Azul
Puerto Rico Islanders

Group D
UNAM Pumas
Communicaciones (GUA)
W Connection (T&T)
Real España (HON)

Must see TV:
August 18- Columbus v. Puerto Rico
August 26- DCU v. Toluca, Cruz Azul v. Columbus
September 15- Puerto Rico v. Cruz Azul
September 16- Pachuca v. Houston, Saprissa v. Columbus
September 23- Columbus v. Cruz Azul
September 24- DCU v. Marathón
September 30- Houston v. Pachuca
October 20- Toluca v. DCU, Puerto Rico v. Columbus, Saprissa v. Cruz Azul

Other thoughts:

Houston gets 2 out of the last 3 at home. The home and away with Pachuca will be great to watch, nice rivalry building with those teams.
DC also gets 2 out of the last 3 at home. They do not want to be going into Toluca on October 20 needing points to survive, that place is really tough. Stealing points on the road in Trinidad on September 15 would be huge.
Columbus needs to survive the first half of the schedule. They have to go to Cruz Azul and Saprissa, and they host the always tricky Islanders. Their last game is also a tough one, going to Puerto Rico.
Puerto Rico gets 3 of their last 4 at home. They need to maximize points at home to have a shot. It won't be easy to steal points on the road against this group.

I'm really looking forward to this again, lots of interesting storylines...

Who's got predictions?

ESPN blowing up footy, good or bad for MLS?

2009-08-06T15:57:00.002-04:00

First, ESPN grabbed the rights to some La Liga games. Good move for ESPN Deportes and ESPN360, with over 20 games also getting on the big boy networks. Then, the four letter drops an unexpected preview of the Gold Cup final, which they weren't even televising.

Now, they've bought the rights to some English Premier League games. Cue the squealing of EPL fanboys...

My question, is this a good thing for American soccer? I love that ESPN is focusing a lot of attention on the US national team. However, with their investment in televising the World Cup, it's a smart move.

Will it help MLS? I don't see how. As much as I love watching MLS, if you're comparing it in quality to La Liga or the Premiership, MLS is going to come up short. While it will produce some entertaining games, MLS just isn't seen as an equal of the biggest leagues in the world.

As long as MLS can keep its relationship with ESPN strong due to SUM's influence, things could work out. SUM has been brilliant in producing money for MLS by piggy-backing off of the cache of the Mexican national team, international exhibitions, and TV rights to the World Cup.

The minute MLS loses that connection, we'll have to start looking back to buying time on ESPN or going the Versus route.

CONCACAF Champions League: 3 MLS teams in group stage

2009-08-06T11:05:00.002-04:00

Poor New York...

Poor Toronto...

At least DC United was able to advance out of the qualifying round. Luckily for them, they're in a manageable group with Toluca, Marathon (Honduras), and either San Francisco (Panama) or San Juan Jabloteh (T&T). San Fran is taking a 2-0 lead to Trinidad tonight.

In other series, Cruz Azul and Pachuca waxed their opponents to no one's surprise. The defending Costa Rican champs Liberia look to be in good shape as they take a 3-0 lead to Honduras against Real Espana tonight. Olimpia of Honduras is taking a narrow 2-1 lead to Panama to face Arabe Unido tonight.

I gave Toronto too much credit when I predicted they'd top SUPER BILL GAUDETTE and his Puerto Rico Islanders. While Colin Clarke doesn't have a bunch of stars to choose from, he has one of the deeper rosters in MLS or USL and it shows in this competition. They are a very organized team, hard to break down, and if you let them get ahead of you, you will suffer. Toronto honestly didn't even look that interested in their loss down in Bayamon, so maybe they're not too upset. Shame...

New York is just snake bitten. Get in the VooDoo priestess to change the club's luck, whatever it takes. If I wasn't a DC fan, I'd probably feel sorry for them.

Early thoughts on the group stage:
-Houston-Pachuca in group A? Yes, please. Must see TV.
-Group of Death? Group C with the Crew, Cruz Azul, Saprissa, and Puerto Rico.
-Tom Soehn really needs to learn how to manage his roster in these competitions. He won't get by with his mix and match approach because then he's always at less than full strength. Sometimes, he's going to have to put out a weak lineup and rest all of the key players in an MLS game, especially prior to tough games with Toluca and Marathon. MLS gives you an out with the playoffs, you don't have time to waste in CONCACAF.

Early predictions for the quarterfinalists: Houston, Pachuca, Toluca, DC United, Cruz Azul, Columbus, Pumas, Liberia.

Insert snazzy theme music here

2009-07-28T09:56:00.002-04:00

The 2009-10 CONCACAF Champions League kicks off tonight with the qualifying round. MLS looks to redeem itself after its poor collective performance last year, while the Puerto Rico Islanders try to find another Cinderella slipper to reach the semifinals. Toronto FC plays in its first international competition as Canada's representative.

DC United, who struggled mightily last year with fixture congestion, injuries, and poor play, is in the qualifying round thanks to its US Open Cup win. They host L.A. Firpo of El Salvador tonight in Washington. The winner of the series will join Group B, which includes Toluca and Marathon of Honduras.

Pachuca is also in action tonight against Jalapa of Guatemala in their qualifying series. Los Tuzos shouldn't face too much of a test.

Toronto hosts last year's darlings Puerto Rico in what looks to be the best match up of the qualifying round on Wednesday. Thursday sees New York travel to Trinidad to face W Connection, trying to salvage something out of a horrible season so far.

For all the criticism of CONCACAF, the Champions League is something that they're getting right. Great tournament last year, loads of fun to watch, and something that is only going to benefit MLS and American players.

Did you see how the USMNT JV squad fell about mentally after Mexico took the lead on them on Sunday? It's tournaments like this, where players can get experience in big games in difficult situations, that will change that. The world's elite do not learn how to play internationally at the national team level, they've already learned it at the club level.

CONCACAF's Champions League will raise the level of all of its national teams over time.

My predictions for the qualifying round:

San Francisco (Panama) OVER San Juan Jabloteh (Trinidad)
Pachuca (Mexico) OVER Jalapa (Guatemala)
W Connection (Trinidad) OVER New York Red Bulls (USA)
Olimpia (Honduras) OVER Arabe Unido (Panama)
Cruz Azul (Mexico) OVER Herediano (Costa Rica)
DC United (USA) OVER L.A. Firpo (El Salvador)
Real Espana (Honduras) OVER Liberia (Costa Rica)
Toronto FC (Canada) OVER Puerto Rico Islanders (P.R.)

Catch the games with MLS or USL teams on Fox Soccer Channel. Most of the other games are on one of the secondary Univision networks (Galavision, Telefutura).

New MLS Playoff Format: Different for the sake of being different

2009-07-27T12:35:00.003-04:00

I'll go on the record as saying that the potential new playoff format, broken by our buddies at Pitch Invasion, is not the best idea.

Round robin playoffs? Can you imagine trying to explain that one to Joe Sixpack? Can you imagine the talking heads on ESPN trying to wrap their heads around it?

Are we having flashbacks to the 1974, 1978, and 1982 World Cups?

I get the idea to reward excellence during the regular season and fully support it. I love the part about MLS Cup being played at the team with the highest seed.

However, I think the Mexican league format of giving the higher seeded team the tiebreaker is a better way of doing this. Each team should get a home playoff game. You shouldn't penalize teams for making the playoffs by forcing them to play every game away. It's the most fair way of doing things.

I prefer the Mexican format even to the WPS or USL models, where the highest seed is given a playoff bye. I've seen too many teams struggle to regain their momentum and chemistry after sitting out through a bye while a lesser team comes in on a high note. It's hard to stay sharp without playing.

It's a good try, but simpler is better MLS.

Hiding under a sombrero

2009-07-27T09:47:00.003-04:00

Ouch.

What else can you say about that second half yesterday?

It's disappointing any time you lose to your rival 5-0. However, when it's the reserves from both teams playing, it's not quite as bad. It doesn't hurt as much.

It's disappointing to lose in a final 5-0. However, when it's the final of a tournament that is lacking in meaning (no Confederations Cup slot, reserves playing, etc.).

I mean seriously, Jay Heaps was our starting right back for four games...

What did we learn from yesterday, and the whole tournament?

- Stuart Holden is a guy who can step up to the first team soon. Maybe not on August 12, but soon.
- Kyle Beckerman is another option in an already crowded central midfield. He held his own very well and I'm curious to see what he can do with the big boys.
- Troy Perkins might just be our #3 goalkeeper, and could push Guzan for #2 if he gets the opportunity.
- We need more depth in the speedy forward category. When Brian Ching is leading your counterattacks, there's a problem.
- Our younger players lack mental toughness. For many of them, that was the most hostile crowd they had ever encountered. They just had no experience dealing with an atmosphere like that. When the mistakes started, some guys fell apart.
- More defensive depth is needed, badly.
- If Giovanni Dos Santos and Carlos Vela continue to develop, and the Federation shows a little patience in the coaching for once, Mexico will return to prominence sooner rather than later.

August 12th sure is going to be fun now. Make sure to get your mun2 ready!

Open Cup Overhaul

2009-07-23T15:57:00.003-04:00

Your US Open Cup final will be played in Washington between DC United and the Seattle Sounders. Seattle is mad because it draws well and feels like it should have gotten the final, and seemingly is implying that DC United receives preferential treatment from the USSF. DCU is offended and feels that they made a better financial offer to USSF.

The biggest issue is the fact that teams can buy the rights to host games. For a tournament that is designed to give every team in the US a chance to win, that is blown out of the water from the beginning with the bid process.

The move to make the tournament regional in the early rounds was a great move. It keeps costs down and leads to some great rivalry games, like the Portland-Seattle 3rd round match this year.

I can understand why things were done this way in the past, but if we want to move on and make this tournament more meaningful, it needs to be done as a blind draw to see who hosts. USSF can set the minimum standards for facilities eligible to host as stringent as they choose, however if a team can meet these standards, they shouldn't lose out because their opponents offered to pay USSF more money.

My NPSL team, Atlanta FC, has a budget along the lines of a developmental player in MLS. It isn't possible for us to outbid a pro team to host the game, we don't have the finances. Should we be punished for that in this tournament? It is precisely teams at the lower levels that need the benefit of hosting these games. Chivas USA, Chicago Fire, or the LA Galaxy visiting a PDL or NPSL team is a great story. Can you imagine what it could do to sustain our teams at the grassroots levels?

Atlanta FC proposed that any games we were chosen to host would be fundraisers for our Soccer in the Streets program, School of Life, that gives kids hands on experience in the business of soccer. We were not chosen to host in the 1st round against the Charleston Battery, and we would not have hosted in the 2nd round against either opponent. I guess money talks.

This is supposed to USSF's national championship, let's do it the right way.

Altanta & MLS: The Obstacles

2009-07-21T17:27:00.002-04:00

Stadium: This should be #1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 right now. There just isn't a suitable place to play, or a plan in place to build a new stadium. The Georgia Dome is too big and won't work as a Qwest-downsized venue. While the 51K+ for the Mexico-Venezuela game looked and sounded good, how would a 10-15K crowd appear in there?

Georgia Tech allowed the WUSA Atlanta Beat to play at Bobby Dodd for the first year of the league, then booted them out. It was the proposed location for Atlanta's World Cup 1994 bid. The downside is that isn't that much smaller than the Dome and Tech probably wouldn't allow it to be used anyway.

The next smallest stadium would be Herndon Stadium on the campus of Morris Brown University. The WUSA Beat played there after leaving Tech. The new WPS Beat aren't talking about playing there, which says about all that needs to be said. The size is pretty good, slightly over 15K. The field is too narrow and the stadium needs a lot of work to be of MLS standard.

Beyond that, we're talking high school stadiums that aren't suitable for pro sports. One idea that could be explored would be partnering with Georgia State University on a stadium for their new football program that could double as an MLS venue. This would be similar to what the Miami bid proposed at the new Florida International University stadium, except Georgia State hasn't built anything yet. They're planning on playing at the Dome for now, but could possibly be persuaded into working with Atlanta MLS on a stadium.

Getting too far out of the downtown area will limit the potential fan base, similar to FC Dallas' issues in Frisco and Pizza Hut Park. The WPS Beat are in talks with Kennesaw State to play at a new facility they're building with 8,500 seats. That facility will be 45 minutes away (on a good traffic day) from downtown and big soccer hotbeds like Gwinnett County. Forget pulling from the south side of Atlanta as well, at least on a regular basis. Same goes for talk of building a stadium in northern Gwinnett, you're cutting out Cobb and the south side.

The best location for a potential stadium is the old General Motors plant in Doraville, GA. It's on I-285 and the MARTA line, which would open up the potential fan base. That's why Arthur Blank's people have mentioned it as a potential site for a new stadium for the Atlanta Falcons. It's no secret that Blank hates the lease the Falcons have at the Georgia Dome and either wants it drastically reworked to improve Falcons' revenues or he wants out. Blank has to deal with this issue before he can truly commit to MLS.

It's a shame that nothing was able to be worked out a long time ago before Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium was demolished. There was a group who was trying to save it for MLS expansion and other events, I think track was one of them. Unfortunately, the Braves needed more parking for Turner Field and it was flattened.

We'll explore more obstacles, and potential solutions, soon...

WORLD'S BIGGEST CUPCAKE

2009-07-20T10:29:00.003-04:00

We here at Who Ate All the Cupcakes? want to honor this great achievement and pass the word that Zach Thornton is ready for his order to be shipped. Thank you.

Beckham vs. Galaxy fans

2009-07-20T10:09:00.002-04:00

First off, I've never seen anything like this situation, especially in American soccer. I can't really remember anything on this level in other American sports either.

I finished reading Grant Wahl's excellent book over the weekend. After reading it, I can completely understand why Galaxy fans would be upset. They feel that this superstar put himself before the club and caused problems for their team.

However, I don't think Beckham is the only one to blame here. AEG, Lalas, Gullit, 19 Entertainment, Terry Byrne, and many others had their shame in screwing up the LA Galaxy over the last couple of years. Beckham is the prime target right now though.

That brings us to last night where Beckham was visibly upset by banners and chants coming from the LA Riot Squad section. I've never been a fan who likes to boo and pull against players on his team. What's the point, other than to bring attention to yourself? It reminds me of kids in middle school who pull against their own football team just because they want to be different.

Now, this case is a little different though. Last night's game was a friendly. But, it was a friendly that would not have happened without Beckham. With all of the hate right now, it's easy to forget some of the nice fringe benefits of having Beckham in your team.

People are now criticizing Beckham's reaction to the fans. He singled one out with words and gestures, and supposedly needed to be held back from going after him. He also shushed that section after delivering an assist on the tying goal. Can you blame the guy?

Fans need to realize that while they have the right to criticize, mock, boo, and say nasty things to players, that they also have to deal with the consequences of their actions. The player might not care for this behavior, might make rude gestures your way, might shush you. Any fan knows that they're not going to get anywhere by jumping on the field, so you can't really blame that one on Beckham.

For all of the public statements, Beckham has always been a driven professional who gets off on proving people wrong. He's now in another situation where he has to do this, let's see what's he got.

Casual fan v. Internet fan

2009-07-16T11:15:00.002-04:00

This is the man who is dividing soccer fans across America.

Those of us who read and write blogs, follow the message boards, and use the internet to keep up with our soccer are a different breed than the casual fan. It's easy to forget and think that our voice is the most important, but we're outnumbered.

Watch the mainstream media coverage of Mr. Beckham's return and you'll see it. Matt Lauer gave our boy Dave one of the all time greatest tongue baths I've ever seen on TV yesterday. I almost threw up watching Headline News later, it was even more disgusting. I thought the anchorwoman was going to get graphic. Meanwhile, if you read the hardcores on the internet, you'd think Beckham had broke in their house, ate their food, and kicked their dog.

I'll be very interested to see how this huge difference of opinion plays out. The more play Grant Wahl's book gets in the mainstream, the more change we'll see. I think this book could be the best thing to happen to American soccer.

Too many people look at soccer in the US as a diversion, something nice and nonthreatening, safe and easy. MLS hasn't really had any mainstream controversy over the years. You haven't seen a steroid scandal, players having affairs with pop stars, offseason troubles, no one's made it rain at a strip club, etc.

Sadly, I think some think MLS is small time because of this.

Finally, we have a little controversy, a little bit of a soap opera for people to sink their teeth into. It gives people something to talk about, and more importantly, something to watch for. Will Beckham come out and perform? Will he show a greater level of commitment? Or, will he and Landon Donovan start kicking each other?

I'll be curious to see where this goes...

Passion in the stands

2009-07-14T21:51:00.002-04:00

How do you measure a fan?

If they stand for 90 minutes, do they care more about the team? If they sing for the whole match, are they more hardcore? If they coordinate banner displays and tifo, does that make them the best?

I personally saw the best fans I've ever come across at a live event last month at the Georgia Dome. The Mexico-Venezuela match showed me how far American soccer has to go.

There wasn't a coordinated supporters' section, the whole stadium was like a Mexican supporters' section. People didn't stand or sing for the whole match, but reacted to the game with more fervor and volume than almost anything I've ever heard in that stadium (the Falcons' playoff game on a Saturday night a few years ago topped it, barely).

What stood out to me more than anything were the families, specifically the fathers and sons. For the overwhelming majority of the kids, this was the first time they had seen El Tri in person. Their excitement was incredible to see. It reminded me of when my dad first took me to a baseball game when I was a kid.

Soccer is a part of the family for their culture in a way it might not ever be here. Baseball used to be like that, I don't know if it still is. Is anything like that?

Will we ever see soccer create that type of sustained passion in the US? I think it's come a very long way since I fell in love with soccer, but I don't know if it will ever be like it is for young Mexicans.

The Great Debate: Episode 1

2009-07-14T13:26:00.002-04:00

Michael Buffer: It's time for the Great Debate, soccer edition. First up, which cup means more this summer? Gold Cup or Open Cup?

LET'S GET READY TO... never mind, these guys are paying me enough for the gimmick...

The Gold Cup
The winner gets a big shiny trophy, but what else. Some playing time for their B-team? A trip around the stadiums of the USA?

It's time for this tournament to shift to a 4-year cycle to maximize its importance. CONCACAF thankfully realized a few years back that they didn't need to invite guest teams, now it's time to make this the most important event in North America every four years.

The Open Cup
This is the oldest trophy played for in the US, one of the oldest cup competitions in the world. It's a chance for small teams to make a name for themselves against MLS. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean as much when the Revolution or Crew are playing their bench and hosting the game at a high school instead of their stadium. MLS teams not taking this seriously really tarnishes the prestige of the tournament.

What can raise that prestige? The winner qualifying for the CONCACAF Champions League is a good move. More prize money could help. A national TV contract might be the best thing. Would MLS teams risk national embarrassment by losing to the Michigan Bucks or Dallas Roma if it was on TV for all to see? Maybe not...

For this week's expert opinion, let's hear from Max Bretos...
Max Bretos: YYYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Michael Buffer: Okay then, the winner of this debate is the US Open Cup. It has meaning this year, unlike the Gold Cup.

Send in your debates for next week's episode.

Inside the Beckham-Donovan summit

2009-07-12T11:15:00.005-04:00

At Mastro's in Beverly Hills...

David Beckham: Landon, we have to talk about the things you said in that book. In my whole career, I've played with world class players and have never been accused of being unprofessional...

Landon Donovan: Dave, look, this isn't a media event. Talk to me like a normal person here, there's no cameras here. This is just between us.

David Beckham: Everyone has always talked about my professionalism and my commitment.

Landon Donovan: Well, I guess I'm not everyone. You were a bad teammate last season. I wish it hadn't come out this way, I should have talked to you first. But, you didn't act like you wanted to talk about anything last season.

David Beckham: I've played with the biggest players in the world and the biggest teams in the world...

Landon Donovan: What are you trying to say? That I can't criticize you? If you're such a hot shot, where were you at the Confederations Cup? Oh yeah, that's right. Your SUPERSTAR team didn't even qualify for the last European Championship...

Beckham slaps Donovan in the mouth

Terry Byrne appears

Terry Byrne: You little bastard, you can't talk to David like that. He's a superstar. Who are you?

Landon Donovan: The best player in the league your boy plays in. You were probably too busy trying to score another paid consulting gig to notice.

Byrne slaps Donovan in the mouthSimon Fuller appears

Simon Fuller: You're ruining David's marketability! We're going to miss out on new Sharpie commercials! You're going to pay for all of this!

Landon Donovan: Go back to Star Search or whatever lame new talent show you're doing this week, this has nothing to do with you.

Fuller slaps Donovan in the mouthVictoria Beckham appears

Victoria Beckham: You can't talk about my David like that. You're a nobody! You're not a star! You're ugly and stupid!

Bianca Kajlich appears

Bianca Kajlich: That's where you're wrong, nobody talks to my LandyCakes like that, YOU'RE GOING DOWN, WAG!
Landon Donovan and David Beckham: CATFIGHT!!!

David Beckham: Wow, look at 'em go. Your wife is pretty tough.

Landon Donovan: Posh isn't so bad herself, I didn't think she had it in her.

David Beckham: You know, I'm sorry about what happened last year. It's just hard sometimes to get used to all this. I've never been the big fish in the team, you know?

Landon Donovan: It's okay, just try to be a part of us. We're decent enough guys. Everything doesn't have to go through your management people. Just be yourself.

David Beckham: I know, I'm sorry. I need to just start doing things on my own and not let them run everything. Terry, Simon, leave us now.

Terry Byrne and Simon Fuller do as they're told

Landon Donovan: It's okay, just don't let it happen again or I'll send Bianca after you.

Bianca Kajlich and Victoria Beckham: Everything's okay now? We can stop fighting?

David Beckham: Honey, remember when you laughing about Bianca on Dawson's Creek?

Bianca Kajlich: THE SPICE GIRLS SUCKED!

The fight continues

Landon Donovan: Well played, sir. I think everything is going to be just fine this year...

FMF Freak Out, part 2

2009-07-10T11:32:00.002-04:00

Tying with Panama was bad enough. Getting a red card was okay. Getting your coach sent off for kicking at an opposing player, Woody Hayes would be proud. To top it off, your fans throwing everything they could find at the other team, and you have an FMF Freak Out.

What a debacle for Mexico last night in the Gold Cup against Panama. What was Aguirre thinking when he kicked at the Panama player? What kind of suspension will we see for him?

Security at the stadium was also an issue. You could see it after the Aguirre send off, the fans were ready to explode. Security should have been ready to deal with it. When the Panama player refused to exit through that tunnel, things should have been handled better. Instead, they just force the guy through there and he gets doused with trash, beer, and anything else that could be thrown.

After that, you'd think security should be on high alert. Nope, they allow an injured Panama player to have more stuff thrown at him.

Credit to the Mexico players, they were begging their fans not to act like this. Unfortunately, it didn't work. Let's see what happens next...

FMF Freak Out

2009-07-09T16:37:00.002-04:00

3 pm local time (Central) kickoff on a Wednesday afternoon? That's what the Mexican Federation has decided to do with the crucial Mexico-USA World Cup Qualifier on August 12.

Will it give them an advantage? Hard to tell, most are saying the average temperature is in the mid-70's that time of year in Mexico City. The smog and pollution could be worse at that time of day. I really can't think of anything else.

It wasn't that long ago that Mexico could schedule their home match with the US anywhere in the country at any time and not have to worry about the result. Times are different now, and we're reduced to this.

This should be interesting...

Santino's redemption

2009-07-09T11:53:00.002-04:00

Go watch Santino Quaranta's post-game interview from last night...

There's very few articles that have affected me as strongly as Steven Goff's excellent piece on Santino's struggles. He played with such heart and passion last season in his comeback with DC United. Next to Ben Olsen and Jaime Moreno, at this point, Santino is DC United.

The next step on his journey was to get back into the national team. I honestly wasn't sure if it would happen. Santino was playing himself into strong consideration for the 2006 World Cup team, but blew it by showing up to an offseason training camp out of shape. As hard as he played last season, you had to wonder if he could overcome all of it and make it back. He's been even better this season in MLS.

If anybody earned their call-up for the Gold Cup, it was Santino. I was hoping he'd play from the start, but nothing against Grenada. It all just seemed too perfect, coming back to RFK, playing in front of his hometown fans, friends, and family. Would Bradley be that sentimental?

I think he's glad that he made the move. Quaranta was the best player on the field in the first half, and capped it off with an excellent finish to put the US in the lead. You don't see many more emotional celebrations that that one.

Welcome back, Santino.

English language TV for Mexico-USA? Not so fast...

2009-07-08T17:47:00.003-04:00

According to Grant Wahl's Twitter, ESPN does not own the rights to the big Mexico-US game from the Azteca on Aug. 12. The price is "extortionate".

Some people are taking this an yet another opportunity to talk about how much ESPN hates soccer, or ESPN sucks, or whatever else they want to blame ESPN for in the world (MJ? McNair? Iran? It's all possible at this point). I guess I missed the memo that ESPN is supposed to pay whatever it takes to get the rights to a match.

ESPN is a business, folks. Plain and simple. The ratings are getting better for soccer, but they're still not the greatest. Why would ESPN blow huge money on something that will get so-so ratings? Just so Aaron in his Chelsea replica jersey can be happy?

Besides, this is how negotiation works. ESPN will say the price is too high, they'll try to talk it down. They showed the '01 game on delay and then paid up to show the '05 game live. The last time you couldn't see the game in English was '97. And if you remember, that was the only time the US has gotten a result in Mexico. ¡Viva el Español!

If you're not watching games in Spanish at this point in the game, you're missing out. Tons of La Liga (I'll still say that La Liga is a better league overall to watch than the EPL), Mexican league, Argentinian league (great stuff), and Copa Libertadores. In fact, watch the first leg of Libertadores final tonight if you get Fox Sports en Español.

Aristocratic sport?

2009-07-06T12:36:00.002-04:00

A great article in the New York Times this weekend got me thinking. Well, that's not true, but it did get me thinking about this topic again (probably for the 400th time).

Why is soccer in the US a sport of the upper class?

The US is the only country that suffers from this. Elsewhere, the game is truly the people's game. It is played by everyone, but loved and cherished by the lower classes. It only takes a ball to play. Only in America do kids think that they need coaches, referees, fancy cleats, shin guards, a perfect grass field, parents on the sideline in folding chairs, and orange slices to play. It only takes a ball, and not even a fancy new Nike or adidas one...

While American professional players are starting to become more diverse, there's still a long way to go. Most had to pay huge fees to play on high level youth teams. While a few are getting scholarships to play, the kids who can't afford it usually have to settle for lower level teams that might not offer the same opportunities or have to give up playing altogether.

The big money business of youth soccer stifles the growth of the game in the US. It limits the number of players who have the opportunity to be seen and receive high level coaching. It discourages kids and parents from economically disadvantaged background from getting involved or even becoming fans. It creates an elitist system.

There are organizations out there doing something about this. The members of the Urban Soccer Collaborative, the US Soccer Foundation, any many other teams, clubs, and individual coaches are out there trying to give the game to everyone.

When everyone feels welcome to enjoy soccer in the US is when we'll truly see soccer embraced by the country.

Fool's Gold?

2009-07-03T12:16:00.002-04:00

Does anybody else think that it's time for the Gold Cup to go to a 4-year cycle? Coming off of Confederations Cup and with teams sending B-teams, how exciting will it be?

Of course I'll still be watching, but that's not the point...

2007 was a great tournament. With the Confederations Cup berth on the line, the tournament had a big time feel to it. FSC showed some of those games recently. The US-Canada semifinal was great drama, especially after Canada was hosed in stoppage time. I'll put the second half of the US-Mexico final up against any other half of soccer I've seen. Incredible pace and excitement, I was on the edge of my seat watching it again a few weeks ago.

This time around, not so much. While it will be interesting to see guys like Colin Clark, Davy Arnaud, and Luis Robles get some time, this tournament is taking on the feel of a Spring Training baseball game rather than a continental championship. The jerseys are the same, but the players just aren't at the same level.

Let's really blow the Gold Cup into the tournament it should be. I like the idea of keeping it the year after the World Cup. Let Europe have their year, North and South America will have theirs.

World Cup, then Gold Cup/Copa America, then Euros, then Confederations Cup, not a bad little calendar there...

The Pyrite Cup starts tomorrow, check it out!

Losses in perspective

2009-07-02T16:29:00.002-04:00

I woke up on Sunday excited about gathering up some friends to watch the US-Brazil Confederations Cup Final. After the epic win against Spain, this was must-see. Could the US repeat their '98 Gold Cup upset, or would we have a replay of the group stage match?

My plans changed right as I was about to jump in the shower. My older brother called, telling me that my dad had just been taken to the hospital after collapsing at home. He wasn't sure if he had a stroke or a seizure. I jumped in the car and drove as fast as I could to the hospital, not knowing what I would find when I got there. I've never been so scared in my life...

Luckily, the first thing I heard when I walked into the emergency room was my dad's voice. I knew he was at least okay enough to speak. He was pretty banged up from the fall and we were all definitely scared about what happened. We waited for the doctors to go over tests and tell us what the next step was.

While we were waiting, I started getting text messages. Dempsey had scored early, US was up 1-0. Then, Donovan made it 2-0 and none of us could believe it. My dad knew nothing about soccer before I started playing, he had coached baseball and football for years. When I fell in love with it, he did too. Now, he watches any games that are on and calls to talk about things like why Beasley is still in the lineup.

The doctor came in to tell us that she wanted to keep my dad overnight for observation and to do more tests. Now, we were just waiting on a room to open up to get my dad out of emergency. He told me to go watch the second half and to tell him what happened.

Now, we all know how that second half went, so I won't get into it. The best thing I can say is the disappointment didn't hurt me as much now that my dad was okay. As much as these games mean to us, you realize it is just a game once it's put into the proper perspective. Now, once we got my dad home and talked about the game, we were in a different mood...

Thanks for indulging me with this one. I guess more than anything I wanted to thank my dad for supporting and encouraging me when it comes to soccer and anything else I wanted to do. It's amazing what it takes to make you realize how lucky you are.

Los Tuzos representin' CONCACAF

2008-12-13T10:17:00.002-05:00

Since they beat MLS teams to get there, I guess it's appropriate...

If you missed the World Club Cup quarterfinal last night between Pachuca and Al Ahly, WATCH THE REPLAY. The Egyptians took a 2-0 lead into the break, even though Pachuca controlled the majority of the play.

It just didn't look like it would be Pachuca's day, chance after chance was going begging. They pulled one back early in the second half, before tying the game late in the second half on a great free kick. The onslaught continued in extra time, with the Gophers adding two more to send the Mexicans on to face Liga de Quito of Ecuador in the semis. Quito won the Copa Libertadores to qualify. Adelaide United of the A-League faces Gamba Osaka of the J-League in the other quarterfinal, with the winner matching up with Manchester United.

Pachuca is one of my favorite teams to watch due to their attacking philosophy. Their attitude is, "If you score 2, we'll score more." I wish more teams played like that. I'm so tired of watching teams play not to lose, rather than playing to win.

If you're lazy, check out the highlights here...

Could the Revs be moving to Hartford?

2008-12-11T19:50:00.004-05:00

Read this, think about the clues...

Rentschler Field in Hartford, CT is operated by AEG. It's hosted games before. The club could still keep the New England Revolution name.

Hmm...

Columbus Crew, what up? Really?

2008-12-10T00:00:00.002-05:00

I hope you guys know what you're doing. Seriously.

Robert Warzycha best be ready for the gig.

Barca swagger: Take me or leave me

2008-12-09T16:23:00.002-05:00

Barcelona has basically thrown down the gauntlet to MLS. They want in, they want in for the 2010 season, and this is a one time only offer.

If you're MLS, what do you do?

It's a pretty arrogant approach, no doubt. However, Barcelona does have the swagger to pull off a move like this. Their feeling seems to be that MLS needs Barcelona much more than Barcelona needs MLS. They might just be right...

With the financial issues affecting bids in Vancouver and St. Louis, the uncertainty over stadium(s) in Portland, the lack of concrete info in Atlanta, and the general left field nature of the Ottawa bid; Barca Miami might be something MLS needs to take advantage of now. Their stadium partner at FIU seems to be solid, with plans to upgrade the size of the facility. Lessons have been learned from the mistakes of the Fusion. I do wonder about the general apathetic nature of sports fans in Miami, but we'll see if the new club can make the games events you can't miss.

Besides, I think while the swagger is strong, there's always some wiggle room in these negotiations.

I think having Barcelona involved in the league would be a good thing overall. If the rest of the pieces fit, go for it.

Playoff format, what are your thoughts?

2008-12-05T11:56:00.002-05:00

I've been having what seems like a never ending debate about the playoff format and how it hurts MLS.

I guess I'm just happy we're not doing shootouts and best 2 out of 3 series anymore. I'm fairly satisfied with where things are currently. I'd prefer to see both the conference semis and conference finals with 2 legs.

What about the final, what would you prefer? I'm fine with the single game, neutral site format. Doing the final at the site of the higher seed could make for some great atmosphere. My only issue with the single game format is the timing. It's hard to get much attention on a Sunday afternoon in the middle of the NFL season. What other time would work better though?

Would American fans and the media be able to handle a 2 legged final? It would be the most fair way to do it, and gives each team a chance to promote a League Final match at their stadium.

I know, I'm rambling, but I'm curious...

Thoughts?

Columbus Crew, what up?

2008-12-05T10:54:00.002-05:00

Great move on getting Guille signed, but what in the world is going on with the BIG MAN Sigi? He was in Seattle visiting the Sounders yesterday.

It took him longer than maybe it should have, but he built an exciting team out of the rubble left by Mr. Andrulis. The front office was patient and gave him time to build the team his way. Also, it's not like this is the first time he's been a winner, he has a proven track record in MLS. He's won 3 Supporters' Shields, 2 MLS Cups, and an Open Cup. He's also one of only two American coaches to win the CONCACAF Champions' Cup, winning it with the Galaxy in 2001.

What else does the man have to do to earn the fat contract? Oops, probably a poor choice of words there, but you get the point.

Bring him the finest meats and cheeses for a clubhouse feast! Get it done, Crew!

Let's discuss Landon Donovan

2008-12-04T14:28:00.002-05:00

Our boy Landon is heading over to Bayern Munich on loan from Jan. 1-March 15. Munich is making it clear that they are taking the opportunity to "see how it goes" with the option of buying him outright.

At this point in his career, it's probably best for Landon to give a new squad a shot. What more can he do in MLS? Sadly, probably not much right now for the Galaxy, who have plenty of problems to sort out. It might actually be best for LA if Landon goes, it will free up the payroll needed to add some defenders who can actually play. I'm still convinced they signed Eduardo Dominguez because he hit Beckham's jersey in that commercial...

It'll be nice when people get over what happened with Donovan at Leverkusen years ago. He wasn't comfortable there at that point in his life or career, he wasn't supported by the club, the coach didn't really have plans for him, he made the right move to come back to MLS. This situation is different, he knows the coach well and knows what is expected of him.

I would assume that unless he bombs during this loan spell, Bayern will pull the trigger to keep him. Klinnsmann knows what he's getting and just wants to make sure he fits in with the squad. Hopefully it works out so Landon is a contributor and not just filling out the squad sheet. That would finally get people off his back and maybe they'd realize that Donovan is the best player the US has produced.

Donovan only has to answer to himself at this point. He has served US soccer well, and will continue to do so as one of the national team's most dangerous players. This is his chance to fulfill his own ambitions.

Sprinkles: Random Thoughts

2008-12-03T10:43:00.002-05:00

Guillermo Barros Schelotto will be back in Columbus to help the Crew defend their title next year. Great move, hopefully it will keep a few other familiar faces in C-Town in '09.
Some of the expansion groups are having issues with the $40 million price tag on MLS expansion. Supposedly everyone but Ottawa has had some sort of issue with the price, and the tag is why Montreal is no longer being considered. I hope MLS decides to take the best bids, and not the biggest wallets.
Miami wants in, and they want in now. Their bid is contingent on starting in 2010, not 2011. If everything is in place, I think MLS will go with it because they want Barcelona's name and cache in the league. Barca seems extremely confident of getting in, so we'll see...
The 2009 season will kick off with New York visiting the new Seattle Sounders 3.0 on a Thursday night in front of the ESPN cameras. Should be a good showcase for the Sounders fans...
Philadelphia broke ground on their new stadium this week. I can't wait to see them get into the league, they could be high on my list of hated teams right away after seeing the SoB's attitude at MLS Cup in '07. They're sure to become a rival for DC pretty quick anyway.
The San Jose Sharks completed a long rumored deal to join the Earthquakes ownership group. Sharing marketing and sales staffs definitely will be a good thing.
How many guys will be leaving MLS in the January transfer window? No, I'm not talking about Donovan and Becks leaving for a few months (although Landon might be going for good). I'm talking about the next tier of guys like Joe Cannon, Michael Parkhurst, Chad Marshall, etc. Will the Scandanavian leagues come in and clean up? MLS is in a weird spot salary wise with a bit of an undefined middle class. You have the top guys like the DP's, and the developmental youngsters, but the middle is all over the place. For those guys, it's often a better financial deal to go overseas. Look at Troy Perkins last year. How many will go this offseason?

Soccer fans, what are you thankful for?

2008-11-26T21:28:00.003-05:00

Attacking soccer

The crazy Houston fans I'm watching right now starting a mosh pit in their section

the Barra Brava

the fun of the CONCACAF Champions League

Sacha Klejstan's silly hair

Kyle Beckerman's even more silly hair

John Wolyniec's horrible Thriller dance

Diego Maradona as a coach and all the entertainment it will bring

I'm on Setanta Sports

the upcoming CONCACAF Hexagonal in '09

coaches who actually play to win rather than not to lose

Frankie Hejduk's never ending heart

Fox Soccer Channel and Gol TV

Hope Solo

Corey Ashe's continued improvement

I'm sure I'll have more later, but what are you thankful for?

Columbus v. New York: Who ya got???

2008-11-17T12:28:00.002-05:00

If anybody picked this MLS Cup match-up before the season, I would like for them to tell me the upcoming lottery numbers, the winner for Album of the Year in 2011, and when the world is going to end.

We will have a new champion, as neither Columbus or New York has ever been this far. I'm just glad New York finally has a trophy to put on their nightstand, even if it's the ridiculously tiny Western Conference trophy. Hey MLS, if you're going to make Conference Champion trophies that small, why even make them at all?

It will be fun to watch Alexi shotgun his Red Bull. I hope they make him chase it with some of the nasty Red Bull Cola.

I have to go with the Crew in this game, they've been the best team all year. I don't think New York's defense can cope with Moreno, Schelotto, Rogers, and Gaven. Chad Marshall will have to prove his worth against Juan Pablo Angel and Frankie Hejduk will have to neutralize Dave Van den Burgh. They can do this, and will win.

Your predictions in the comments....

The Bakery has moved... what did we miss?

2008-11-13T22:52:00.002-05:00

THE CREW ARE IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME????

RED BULL IS IN THE WESTERN CONFERENCE FINAL????

AGAINST REAL SALT LAKE????

must check this internet, I don't think this can be right...

One word

2008-10-29T23:09:00.002-04:00

As a DC fan, I read this post and one word came to mind...

NO
NO
NO
NO
NO

Steve Morrow is not the answer for DC United. He failed at FC Dallas. Failed pretty comprehensively. Why give him another chance? Besides, his style of play DOES NOT FIT IN with how DC United plays.

He played Kenny Cooper as a winger, that should be the #1 thing against him.

Give Soehn a chance to right the ship. He won the Supporters' Shield in 2007 and the US Open Cup in 2008. Two years, two trophies. This year was incredibly frustrating, but no coach can prevent all of the injuries that he had to deal with. Throw in 47 games played, and that makes it rather difficult.

If you have to make a move, I can think of about 20 guys I'd rather see than Morrow.

JUST SAY NO.

Not enough

2008-10-26T19:40:00.001-04:00

Twice off the left post, once off the crossbar, and goal for Columbus off the inside of the left post was enough for the Crew to eliminate DC United from the postseason. New York's sad performance on Thursday opened the door, but DC was unable to find the goals needed to keep playing in 2008. The Red Bulls now go into the Western bracket to face the defending champs from Houston.

DC's season was maddening. It started out with promise with the new faces coming in, then looked a little rough with a another elimination in CONCACAF and a slow start to the MLS season. Things came together though, and DC was playing the best soccer in the league in the middle of the season. The United that spanked LA on a Sunday afternoon before the Euro 2008 final was the best team in MLS. Unfortunately, the injuries started piling up quickly and DC went into a huge tailspin.

The good thing though was that the young guys, mainly forced into action due to fixture congestion and injuries, fought their asses off in the last few weeks. Boyzzzzzzzzz Khumalo and Greg Janicki came in from the USL-D2 and showed that they belong. Other youngsters contributed in strong performances in CONCACAF. About a month ago, I didn't think DC had any chance of playing meaningful games late in October. Somehow, they had a chance on the last day of the season.

What's next for United? Will Tom Soehn be back next year? Will anyone in the front office have to pay the price for some of the poor roster moves made? Who will be lost in the expansion draft? Who else will be coming and going heading into 2009?

If it was me, I think Soehn deserves to come back. He might be on a short leash, but I think he deserves another chance. He has won two trophies after all. I do wonder how the roster will be set up next year. I think the performances of Janicki, and to a lesser extent Zaher and Thompson, show that the high priced guys like the Gonzalos aren't the way to go. Their paychecks do not equal their performances.

Oh yeah, and if anybody can find Gallardo some heart in the offseason, that'd be great. Thanks. He was great when he found his form midway through the season, but give me ten Santino Quarantas who pretty much kill themselves for the shirt in a game like today than someone who wasn't even there.

I'll talk more later about the MLS playoffs, which I'm still looking forward to, but not now...

Chicago v. New York highlights

2008-10-23T23:11:00.003-04:00

A win clinches the playoffs, and you go out and get spanked every which way in a 5-2 loss? Just painful for the Red Bulls, really, really painful. Chris Rolfe lit New York up like a Christmas tree with 3 goals and an assist.

The MLS weekend just got more interesting. Kansas City is now into the playoffs. RSL and Colorado have a play-in game, with the Rapids needing a win while the Royals are in with a draw. DC can somehow get in with a win in Columbus on Sunday afternoon. Is Tom Soehn's job on the line along with the playoff berth?

Should be fun...

EDIT: Congrats to 2008 Golden Cupcake Award winner Macoumba Kandji for getting his first MLS goal in the dying minutes of the match!

Playing on the edge

2008-10-08T14:06:00.002-04:00

We don't delve deep into the youth national teams here, there's plenty of other sites that do an excellent job covering them. However, the story that's broken on Carlos Martinez of the U17's got my attention today.

He starred during the Nike Friendlies with game winning goals. He doesn't turn 17 until January. He was being billed as the next "OMG, BEST AMERICAN PLAYER EVAR!!!!"

Unfortunately, all that's changed with his dismissal from the residency program in Bradenton for repeated breaking of team rules. His family is saying that he broke curfew on their last trip, which seemed to be the last straw.

What's next? Well, there's talk of MLS and foreign clubs. Right now, coach Wilmer Cabrera says there's "not a chance" for him to rejoin the youth national teams, but things can change in the future.

I don't want to sound the alarm bells just yet. It seems like this is a situation where a valuable lesson can be learned about discipline and commitment. It's easy to get caught up in the hype and think you're above the team, especially at that age.

The greatest players of all-time were always on the edge. The passion is so great, the responsibility and pressure can be overwhelming, it's really east to wipe out. But it seems that the best players have always been that way, look at Maradona's issues, look at Pele's partying (even though he tried to keep it under wraps), look at Ronaldinho and Robinho today. There's millions of stories about these issues with the greats.

The ones who can truly maximize their potential and abilities are the ones who can balance on the edge. It's not easy, and let's hope that young Carlos can learn that lesson.

Dissecting the USL's response to the Puerto Rico fiasco

2008-10-06T16:22:00.003-04:00

"YAY!!! WE'RE GOING TO VANCOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVER!!!!!!!!!!!"

Many thanks to the anonymous poster who has made us privy to an e-mail conversation between a Puerto Rico supporter and Tim Holt, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the United Soccer Leagues.

While there are many conspiracy theories floating around about the decision to award the championship game to Vancouver, the following list of reasons was given by Mr. Holt as factors that played in the league's decision:

"The major determining factors include stadium and field considerations, television, fan attendance, media coverage, hotel, transportation, ancillary events, visiting team support, and other financial requirements."

If we break these down one by one, you'll see that, aside from some unknown act of God, there's no reason that the league's explanation has basis.

1. Stadium and Field Considerations
- Anyone watching Sunday's game on FSC could have noted that Swangard Stadium's pitch was an absolute disaster. Patches of turf here and there, an absolute embarrassment. Loubriel Stadium's pitch, however, has weathered much more action as of late, with the Islanders having played three CONCACAF Champions League matches and three USL matches in less than a month, yet looked considerably better on Sunday. I'll admit, watching the Islanders host Santos Laguna almost 2 weeks ago looked terrible, as heavy rains waterlogged the pitch and made it almost unplayable. But this is your CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH. This is the one game you have to showcase your league in front of the largest audience of the season. And you want to do it on THAT kind of field?

Puerto Rico 1, USL 0

2. Fan Attendance
- You're kidding me, right? Attendance for Sunday's two semifinal matches? 9,112 in Puerto Rico, 4,992 in Vancouver. Over the season, Puerto Rico averaged 4,716 fans for their 16 home games thus far. Vancouver, on the other hand, has averaged 4,996 fans for their 17 home games. So, not much difference between the two teams, right? Well, what needs to be looked at is yesterday's attendance numbers to get an idea of what kind of crowd would show up on Sunday for the final. Obviously, Islander fans turned out in numbers on Sunday, posting their largest attendance of the season. And with the capacity at Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium being 12,500, it would be hard to imagine the Islanders NOT selling out the final. Swangard, on the other hand, boasts a capacity of a meager 5,288. Sure, the stadium was upgraded for the 2007 U-20 World Cup, but the added seats for that event were just temporary. And I have not read anywhere that the Whitecaps will be increasing capacity for Sunday's game. In that case, how can you deny a stadium that holds more than twice what the other does?

Puerto Rico 2, USL 0

3. Media Coverage
- Up until the CONCACAF Champions League, the USL might have had a good argument. All of the talk about the logistics needed for Fox Soccer Channel to broadcast the final is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. As mentioned before, this is the league's showcase event. And if you look at the USL's broadcast schedule on FSC for the 2008 season, you'll see that Puerto Rico wasn't even included ONCE to host a home game on the network for the season. HOWEVER, any arguments about the stadium not being ready for a television broadcast are out the window, as the team has been featured on FSC at home against Alajuelense, Tauro FC and Santos Laguna in little over a month. And don't give me this crap about FSC wanting to use their OWN equipment. That's like a touring band going overseas and wanting to take along their own equipment, it just doesn't happen unless you're U2. You rent equipment to make things work, which FSC could do.

Puerto Rico 3, USL 0

4. Hotel and Transportation

- I'm bunching these two together because I feel they're alike and critical for any organization looking to host an international event. We all know Vancouver is a world city, as is San Juan. Both have modern airports, modern amenities and modern lodging. Hell, the international media could even stay at a hotel in San Juan that has a casino and have a little fun for once! (Although in the case of Christian Miles, I don't think that ANYTHING on this planet can get him to have some fun.) And as far as fans getting to the game? Nothing can top the Loubriel's own metro station, the Deportivo Station that drops you off at the stadium. Swangard? The closest rail station is the Patterson Station, which requires a long walk through a heavily forested part of Central Park in Burnaby or a transfer to a bus line that will drop you off at the corner of Boundary and Kingsway. Sure, you can't drive from the U.S. mainland to Puerto Rico, but who needs to drive these days? I mean, are they expecting that many journalists from Seattle to drive up for the USL First Division Championshp

Puerto Rico 4, USL 0

5. Ancillary Events

- Both stadiums currently have the Whitecaps and the Islanders as their only tenants, so no other sporting events would be held there in the week leading up to the match. And the Islanders will be playing in Torreon, Mexico on Wednesday for their game against Santos Laguna in the CONCACAF Champions League. So how can you say that "other events" are a problem?

Puerto Rico 5, USL 0

6. Visiting Team Support
- This is probably the most laughable of all the excuses the USL has given. In order to properly dispel this reason given by the USL, one must look at the economic makeup of both the Vancouver and San Juan metropolitan areas. Why? Because traveling the longest distance between two USL First Division requires money, and a great deal of it. Vancouver, on one hand, is noted for being the second-most expensive city in Canada to live and having the most most expensive average price for a major city in Canada. That being said, it isn't cheap to live in Vancouver. On the other hand, San Juan and the island of Puerto Rico are known for its massive poverty, despite being tied to the United States government. Per the 2006 U.S. Census, 45.6% of all Puerto Ricans live below the poverty line, a percentage greater than that of any of the 50 states. So, who has more of an opportunity, financially, to travel to the other team's city and stadium to attend the game? RHETORICAL QUESTION FARLEY

Puerto Rico 6, USL 0

7. Other Financial Requirements
- Who has first option to buy the rights to host the final? Who will put up more money? Well, one thing to keep in mind: According to the e-mail given to us, Montreal (and Joey Saputo, easily the richest man involved in the USL,) would have let Puerto Rico host the final had Montreal advanced. It's unfathomable to believe that the Islanders management would pass up an opportunity to make history, sell out the Loubriel and leave a permanent footprint for soccer on the island of Puerto Rico by letting Vancouver bid more. But something smells funny here. Either there was some under the table money changing hands or the site for the final had already been decided (which I think is entirely the case, considering how fast the information went up on the Whitecaps website following their win).

Puerto Rico 7, USL 0

When it all comes down to it, I still can't see any reason why the USL can logically and within good reason deny Puerto Rico from hosting the final.

Now if someone wants to come up with a blog post arguing the case for the USL and the Whitecaps, by all means, be my guest.

But from where I'm sitting, it doesn't look just to me.

Just as the United States government has screwed over and ignored the island of Puerto Rico for close to a century, to me it appears that the USL is just following suit and screwing over the good people of Puerto Rico again.

Comments are more than welcome...

Balsa Wood Gallardo

2008-10-06T14:09:00.002-04:00

He's done for the year, injured again...

I really wish we had seen more of the DC United that spanked the Galaxy on ABC prior to the Euro final this season. That team was looking really dangerous, and could've been one of the best ever teams to call RFK home.

Unfortunately, now they're just trying to find guys who are fit to play. Will this cost Tom Soehn his job, even though he did win the US Open Cup and guaranteed a spot in next year's Champions League?

It might, but I'd hate to see it happen that way...

Puerto Rico won't host the final = WTF??? EPIC FAIL!!!!!!!!!

2008-10-06T00:46:00.003-04:00

Those damn Islanders. Trailing 2-0 after the first leg of the USL First Division semifinals, you knew they'd manage to turn it around on Sunday, which they did, beating Rochester 3-0 in extra time to advance to the finals. Another great victory for a team that has seen a lot of them recently.

But all is not right on the island. The message boards (here, here and here) are alive and hopping late into the night as it turns out that Vancouver, the other semifinal winner, NOT Puerto Rico, the regular season champion, will host next weekend's final.

Reports in the Vancouver media are chalking it up to the Islanders' facility as "not meeting the criteria for hosting a final." Whatever that's supposed to mean.

Although we're still awaiting an official release from the USL, the condition of the pitch at Swangard Stadium begs the question: What is the "official criteria" for hosting the final?

I understand, Swangard was upgraded for last year's U-23 World Cup, but it's still not the greatest facility in the world. It holds much less than Puerto Rico's facility as well.

Was it security concerns that moved the final off the island? Another massive pitch invasion occured tonight in Puerto Rico, as happened two years ago when the Islanders clinched their first-ever playoff spot. Undoubtedly it would happen again if Puerto Rico hosted the final and walked away with the title.

But the Loubriel has also hosted World Cup Qualifiers, Caribbean Club Championship and CONCACAF Champions League games. Not to mention having a rail station outside the stadium making for easy access.

Whatever the case is, it looks like if things stay the way they are planned (with kickoff being moved from Saturday night to Sunday night, another mind-boggling move, meaning another week of NO DREAM TEAM), the USL could be in for a huge blunder and end up with massive egg on their face.

We'll see what happens on Monday.

Edit: That was quick. On the USL's front page, they've confirmed that Vancouver will host the final Sunday at 7 p.m. EST. Looks like they've got some explaining to do.

Must read

2008-10-03T15:16:00.002-04:00

Go, read our blog buddy Luis Bueno's great piece on the Jose Francisco Torres decision...

Go, read it now, absolutely great piece.

I can totally relate to this one. I see these kids, the ones Luis talks about at the end, all the time. They feel more of a connection to Mexico (or wherever their "home" is) than the US. With guys like Torres and Orozco playing in the red, white, and blue; maybe that's about to change.

I hope so...

CONCACAF Champions League at the Halfway House

2008-10-03T11:07:00.002-04:00

GROUP A

It's up for grabs as Cruz Azul, Saprissa, and Marathon are sitting on 6 points. DC United can only be a spoiler at this point while they try to concentrate on making the MLS playoffs. This has to be the most disappointing international campaign for DC United in their history.

I originally picked Cruz Azul and Saprissa, but I think Marathon is going to find their way into the quarterfinals. I'm just not sure who will be bounced. I think things might be tough for the Purple Monster...

GROUP B

Pumas looks to be fine, while it's a shootout for the second place spot. Houston hasn't lost, but they haven't won either. It could come down to that rescheduled game between Firpo and the Dynamo at the end of the round. San Francisco held draws at home with Pumas and Houston, but they don't have much offense to get points away.

GROUP C

Wow, Montreal could be making the biggest splash in the tournament. Their huge win in Honduras over Olimpia puts them in the driver's seat. Joe Public made things really interesting last night with their upset in Cancun over Atlante. I'd still have to put my money down on Atlante to advance, but they really need to pick it up. One goal in three games isn't going to cut it.

GROUP D

This table is upside down, right? Puerto Rico and Tauro on top? No way!!!??? Well, yeah, that's what happened so far. Santos has been very disappointing, while Municipal hasn't done much of anything. I think one of the top two will go through, but which one? As shocked as I am, I'm going to say it's Puerto Rico. Santos will find a way to get it together enough to make it to the quarterfinals.

I've been loving this tournament, even with the DC United collapse. It's still going to take a few years for it to reach the importance it needs. The Mexican teams aren't playing their first choice players all the time, and it's come back to haunt them on a few occasions. Why should they though? They're doing fine, and the rest of CONCACAF has to catch up.

I think MLS is learning some valuable lessons in this tournament. The schedule crunch is killing DC, along with their injury troubles. The 50+ games DC and Houston are playing this season is just way too many for their tiny salary caps. I won't be shocked to some roster revisions for 2009 in MLS. Whether it's an additional designated player, an increase in the salary cap, or additional roster spots for teams participating in the Champions League (like what Mexico does with teams in Copa Libertadores), I don't know. It could be all of the above.

It's going to take something though...

Bradley shakes things up, Cooper still pines

2008-10-03T10:56:00.002-04:00

Jose Francisco Torres, young star for Pachuca in Mexico, has decided to join the US national team and is on the roster for the World Cup qualifier next weekend against Cuba. I hope he gets some time on the field, I've liked what I've seen of him with Los Tuzos.

Jozy Altidore is coming back for this game as well. No Eddie Johnson on the roster, which I guess is pretty shocking. Unfortunately, Kenny Cooper is also not on the roster. What does the guy have to do?

For the full roster, visit El Presidente Goff's Soccer Insider site...

Marathon-DC: Halftime thoughts and more...

2008-09-24T23:06:00.006-04:00

If Christian Miles describes something as "courageous" one more time, I'll lose it. I'm definitely adding that to the Christian Miles Drinking Game. One drink for every time he says "courageous", finish your drink when he describes something as amazing when he sounds like he'd rather wear black and listen to Depeche Mode.
Gonzalo Martinez is playing the worst game I've seen out of him. He looks drunk or something.
Craig Thompson is still really ordinary, but he's better as a right back than a right mid.
Rod Dyachenko still sucks.
DC has gotten lucky on a few occasions, but looked more composed towards the end of the half.
Boyzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz might be my new favorite player. The guy is doing tons of work in the midfield tonight. He's really fit in much better than anyone could have expected.
Is this the first time Louis Crayton hasn't worn track suit trousers?
Marathon is one of the fastest teams I've seen in a while.
Way, way, way too many giveaways in midfield for DC. This has to stop.
Dyachenko paid the announcers very well. They keep giving him props for things and overlooking him then give the ball away AGAIN. That juggling move was sweet, until he missed the 10 yard pass he needed to connect.
Looks like a smart move to switch Dyachenko and Boyzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz with Rod dropping deeper and Khumalo as the link with Emilio. Boyzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz has better speed and can play that role.
Chavez for Marathon could be a hell of a player if he spent more time on his feet rather than his back.
Here's another one for the Christian Miles Drinking Game, take a drink whenever he says "tuck in".
Boyzzzzzzzzzz needs to work on his finishing.
Christian Miles is seriously in love with Rod Dyachenko, it's scary.
Well, Marathon scores after another Rod Dyachenko giveaway in midfield. Then he hurt himself with a lunging tackle. Then DC wasn't smart enough to kick the ball out while Dyachenko was on the ground hurt. Ugh...
Crayton's had a hell of a game, great second save on a header.
I wish we had more of a chance to see the DC United team that killed the Galaxy on Sunday afternoon before the Euro final. Injuries have killed any chance this team had of real glory this season. Thankfully they were able to secure the US Open Cup before things degenerated too far...
Glad to see Peralta back out there, I think I'm one of the few DC fans who like him.
Without Gallardo or Moreno out there, there isn't a player who really wants the ball in a DC uniform. There's no one to take charge and set the pace. It kills them in a game like this.
Wow, I don't think I believe that Quavas Kirk offers more on the right side than Fred. Sorry announcer boy, you need to clarify that one.
Well crap, Marathon scores again, this time on a set piece. The Green Monster is in control of the group. DC will crash out at the group stage.
DC has to get it together and focus on MLS at this point. Will Soehn keep his job if they don't get out of the group stage in CONCACAF and fail to make the MLS playoffs? I don't think so, although the US Open Cup might buy him another season...

Yet another reason to hate Peyton Manning

2008-09-24T12:57:00.002-04:00

Peyton Manning, on a soccer blog, huh? Just watch this new Sony commercial to find out...

Well, I'll definitely look elsewhere for electronics. Great job Sony! Jerks...

(HT: The Offside)

Back to the Champions League...

2008-09-23T15:59:00.002-04:00

Cruz Azul hosts Saprissa in what is probably the best game of this round tonight. The other Group A game is tomorrow night as DC travels to Honduras to face Marathon. I hope their defense learns how to stop a counterattack between now and then, otherwise the Green Monster is going to kill them...

Houston makes their debut in the group stage, traveling to Panama to face San Francisco. Pumas was shocked with a draw in their visit to Estadio Rod Carew last week. They will try to save face when they host L.A. Firpo of El Salvador tomorrow night.

Group C sees the winners of Round One facing off in Canada as Atlante visits Montreal. We'll see if the Impact are for real with this one. Joe Public tries to rebound after a disasterous beginning when Olimpia comes to town.

The Cinderella story of the Puerto Rico Islanders continues tonight when Santos Laguna visits the island. Alajualense and Tauro were one thing, Santos is an even tougher challenge. Is SUPERHERO BILL GAUDETTE up for it? Municipal, who almost came back from two down against Santos in Round One, goes to Panama to face Tauro on Thursday.

Check out FSC and the Telefutura familia of networks for all the action this week...

Montreal IMPACTS, Santos SURVIVES, Marathon SHOCKS

2008-09-18T16:05:00.002-04:00

More of Matchday One in the group stage of the CONCACAF Champions League was played last night...

Montreal continued the USL's domination of this competition. Okay, that's overblown, but what you're hearing out of some of the USL supporters after both Puerto Rico and Montreal won their opening matches over teams that dispatched MLS teams in the qualifying round. Joe Public didn't look like the same team that ran New England ragged, maybe the cold did them in. Francisco Marcos' party continues...
Santos and Municipal battled for the full 90, with Santos overcoming a Municipal comeback with a 90th minute goal to seal the win. Maybe Santos will struggle more in that group than I thought...
Maybe it was just me, but I was shocked at the Marathon-Cruz Azul result. The Green Monster was excellent on the counterattack, their first goal was a beauty. The Central American teams are on top of Group A, while the big US and Mexican clubs are on the bottom.

Atlante hosts Olimpia tonight in Cancun to close out the round, with the exception of the postponed Houston-Firpo match.

It's going to be fun over the next few weeks...

Ten Too Many Cupcakes

2008-09-17T20:47:00.003-04:00

I know it's made the rounds recently, and pretty much every other blog has put it up first, it still makes me laugh every time...

Where's the forklift when you need it?

Puerto Rico UP, DC United DOWN, Pumas QUE?

2008-09-17T14:51:00.002-04:00

Quick responses to the CONCACAF Champions League results from last night...

Puerto Rico just keeps on keeping on, doing what Chivas USA couldn't do with a 2-1 home win over Tauro of Panama. WHO WILL STOP THE ISLANDERS??? We'll see when they play Atlante...
I knew DC was in trouble when I saw the starting lineup. Thompson in a Champions League game, yikes. The red card kind of killed any chances of a respectable result, but McTavish has to be smarter than that. If they get bounced out of Champions League AND the MLS playoffs, will Coach Soehn be in trouble? They better get a result in LA this weekend...
Pumas tied San Francisco of Panama, and probably could've lost. I guess Panama earned their two slots into the tournament, huh?

Our Champions League begins again tonight

2008-09-16T15:10:00.002-04:00

The qualifying rounds sure were fun (oops, sorry New England and Goats USA fans). The group stages begin tonight for the first CONCACAF Champions League. Here's a quick preview of the groups, along with some predictions...

GROUP A
1- Cruz Azul (MEX)
2- Saprissa (CRC)
3- DC United (USA)
4- Marathon (HON)

This is definitely the group of death. All four clubs are among the historical powerhouses of their respective countries. Cruz Azul has started off strong in the Mexican Apertura, only losing one of their first seven games. Honestly, 2-4 could go to any of the three teams. Saprissa is traditionally quite strong, however they've dropped some games early in their current Apertura season. DC United is not 100% healthy and must start out strong to get some positive momentum going in this tournament. They also have to fight to qualify for the MLS playoffs. Marathon is rolling in Honduras right now, and could surprise. No easy games here...

GROUP B
1- Pumas (MEX)
2- Houston Dynamo (USA)
3- L.A. Firpo (ES)
4- San Francisco (PAN)

I think this one could be the most cut and dried group of the bunch. Pumas is the top team in Mexico right now, with 16 points out of 7 matches. Houston is on a roll right now as well and the top team in MLS' Western Conference. Firpo is actually struggling in El Salvador right now, but should be good enough to top San Francisco of Panama.

GROUP C
1- Atlante (MEX)
2- Joe Public (TRI)
3- Olimpia (HON)
4- Montreal Impact (CAN)

Another battle for the second spot in this group, with Atlante seemingly having a fairly easy time of it. Los Potros are not scoring lots of goals in Mexico in the Apertura, but are riding a strong defense. I think Joe Pubic will be the surprise here, they should be riding high off their thumping of New England. Besides, would you really be shocked to see some dodgy refereeing in Jack Warner's home stadium if it came down to it? Just kidding, maybe. Olimpia is struggling to find goals this season in Honduras, and that could be the difference against Joe Public. Montreal might be getting some injured players back, but I don't know if they have the roster to really compete for the USL-D1 title and in the Champions League.

GROUP D
1- Santos Laguna (MEX)
2- Municipal (GUA)
3- Puerto Rico Islanders (PR)
4- Tauro (PAN)

I don't think the bottom two can challenge the top two here. Santos is second in Mexico in scoring. Municipal has been in international competition before, and that should be enough for them to secure a spot in the quarterfinals. Puerto Rico was the shock of the qualifying round, but I don't know if they can hold up over six more games. They should be good enough to finish ahead of Tauro though.

I hope to see some surprises, but I don't think it's all that likely. The Mexican teams are at another level compared to most of the other 12 teams in the group stage. Realistically, I think only Houston and Saprissa can compete with them right now.

I now have a team to support in WPS

2008-09-16T12:00:00.003-04:00

With the official announcement of allocations coming up shortly, word on the street is that Hope Solo and Lori Chalupny, two of my favorites from the national team, will be playing for St. Louis.

Right now, it's just St. Louis. No nickname, no FC or SC, just St. Louis. Sweet logo, I have to admit.

I'm officially on record as demanding that the new Atlanta WPS team makes a trade for Hope as soon as they have a chance.

And now, for the fans...

Big Mac to the Big Apple, with a Golden Cupcake

2008-09-15T21:16:00.003-04:00

Atlanta, say goodbye to Macoumba Kandji, at least for a little while. He's on loan to the New York Red Bulls through the end of the 2008 season, with an option to buy his contract. The transfer is rumored to be between $150K-200K. This gives New York a bit of time to see Kandji up close and decide if he's worth the hefty transfer fee.

The move really hurts Atlanta's playoff hopes in the USL, they're 3 points out with 2 games to play. Macoumba would've been able to play in the Miami game on Sunday, but not the Puerto Rico game on Friday night due to his travel restrictions while he's trying to acquire asylum status here in the US.

Kandji will be available for selection for the Red Bulls on Thursday night in Columbus.

At least we were able to give him his 2008 Golden Cupcake Award before his departure. Congratulations Macoumba, best of luck to you in your new adventure in MLS! We're glad that Atlanta's secret will now be seen by the rest of the country.

The Kandji Saga continues: loan with an option to buy?

2008-09-15T12:06:00.003-04:00

Ives is reporting this morning that the Red Bulls are still very interested in adding Macoumba Kandji to their team for the stretch run of the MLS season and are now discussing a loan for the remainder of the season, with an option to buy. The dollar figure of the potential transfer is said to be a little lower than the $200K that was previously discussed.

Now, the Red Bulls are negotiating the potential contract terms with Kandji, if they were to purchase his contract. They have until 5:00 pm this afternoon to get it done.

Basically, it looks like the Red Bulls are really desperate to add Kandji to their roster, at least for this season. I'm surprised that this has moved to a loan deal, but maybe it's the only way to make everyone happy. I think Kandji could really benefit from training with such a well respected coach as Juan Carlos Osorio and playing alongside an internationally renowned striker such as Juan Pablo Angel. I'd love to see this move happen.

We'll see what happens...

UPDATE (3:10 pm): A NY Post blog is reporting that Kandji could be in New York for a physical today. Less than 2 hours until the roster freeze, can they get this done?

US National Team, what up?

2008-09-09T16:39:00.002-04:00

Lots of complaints, whining, discussion, hand-wringing, etc. over the latest US World Cup qualifier, another 1-0 win away, this time in Cuba. I have some problems with some of the player selection (hello, Mr. Cooper; goodbye, Mr. Johnson), but have been overall satisfied with the job Bob Bradley has done.

The issue that has bugged me the most about the discussion of how the US has done is that Bradley hasn't developed the team well enough since he took over. Is that really his job? I think his hands are tied in the player development, that's the responsibility of the clubs. It's not like Bradley really has his hands on these players for very long at a time. The time of months long national team camps is way in the past.

There have been strides at the youth level in recent years, and that will begin paying off with the full national team in the near future. I can understand why he left Freddy and Jozy off the roster for these games, they need to get settled with their new clubs in Europe. I think Jozy's hat trick in a friendly over there will do more to get him minutes with the Yellow Submarine than anything he would have done in Cuba. We need those guys in their best shape for the Hex next year.

Bradley's used the veterans in the first three games of the semifinal round, and they've gotten the job done (barring a choke job against Trinidad, let's keep the Revs players off the field for that one). I hope he starts blooding some new guys in the final 3 games to see if they can be of service for the Hex next year.

The grade is a definite incomplete at this stage, let's talk more after the semifinal round is over...

Pirates of Romania?

2008-09-08T13:56:00.003-04:00

So this is what happens when you go to play for Steaua Bucharest?

Check out former FC Dallas star Juan Toja, hopefully at a costume party or something...

(HT to Kickette and theoriginalwinger)

Stars & Stripes over... Cuba?

2008-09-06T18:05:00.002-04:00

For the first time in over 50 years, the senior US national team visits Cuba tonight for a World Cup qualifier. Cuba is not an easy team to play, mainly because no one knows anything about them. Their players don't play outside of the island, they're only from the domestic league. And we all know what is likely to happen when the national team does leave the island...

I wonder how much the political aspect of this match will come into play. Everyone seems to keep downplaying that, but I'll be curious to see the mood of the crowd in the stadium. Another win on the road should set things up very nicely for the US to cruise during the rest of this qualifying round, but there's still work to do.

I'd assume we'll see a similar type of lineup and mentality as we saw in Guatemala. Let's see if the boys can get the job done away from home again.

Leave your thoughts and comments here tonight...

MLS 2, USL 2

2008-09-04T10:39:00.003-04:00

Shockingly, the USL has just as many teams in the group stages of the CONCACAF Champions League as Major League Soccer. Montreal did their business with a 0-0 draw away after winning 1-0 in the home leg. Puerto Rico definitely took the hard road, but made it work. After last week's thrilling match in Costa Rica, they gave up an early goal at home. The Islanders waited until the 87th minute to draw level, and extra time looked likely. However, a free kick was floated into the box, wasn't cleared, and Taiwo Atieno chested the ball down and slotted his shot just inside the post to complete the upset.

Even Christian Miles got a little excited, which is almost impossible.

There's all the talk about injuries and how MLS teams don't have enough depth because of the salary cap. Well, I can guarantee you that Puerto Rico doesn't have a payroll in the same league as MLS teams. Montreal spends a good bit of cash, but it's less than MLS squads. The Impact have also had their share of injuries, being forced to incorporate quite a few new faces into the starting lineup recently.

I couldn't really argue with you if you said that the USL coaches outworked the MLS coaches. The comments from Nicol and Revs' players made it clear that New England didn't care about their matches. That's embarrassing on the international stage. It's also a hollow excuse after you just got blasted 4-0 at home to a team from Trinidad. Chivas at least fought hard, but their mistakes in Panama made things almost impossible at home.

Colin Clarke, your record is wiped clean after those playoff failures in Dallas. What an incredible accomplishment!

Throw in Charleston's strong performance in the Open Cup final, and this was quite a week for the USL. Francisco Marcos should be pleased.

Soccer Night in America (and its territories)

2008-09-03T19:46:00.017-04:00

I barely get into the house and it's 1-1 in the Open Cup final. Luciano Emilio scores for DC, and gets hurt. Charleston responds in the 10th minute with a nice finish after some sloppy defending. We have ourselves a match, ladies and gentlemen.

I bet Charleston would've done better in the CONCACAF Champions League than New England did. Or at least, they wouldn't do any worse...

Charleston is not sitting back and playing defensively, they're going right at DC. And they're doing it fairly well, they're a quality team.

Rod Dyachenko's presence in this game does not bode well for DC.

Alavanja hits the post, Charleston is looking really dangerous on the counter. Great ball from Armstrong. DC better get its act together.

Randi Patterson is a bit of a handful up front for the Battery. Osvaldo Alonso is also causing problems. In a one off, Charleston's talent is comparable to an MLS side.

Wow, this is the 11th tournament match for DC in 2008 (CONCACAF Champions Cup, US Open Cup, SuperLiga) with more to come in the CONCACAF Champions League group stage in the fall. I sure hope United can get healthy...

How long until United brings on a gimpy Fred or Gallardo?

Dyachenko with a stupid giveaway, shocking. He really needs to be on his best tonight for DC to do well. He has the ability, but the execution always seems to be lacking. I just don't think he's ready to be a contributor at this level, he hasn't proven it over a few seasons now.

Patterson is running between DC defenders far too often. United better get that under control with the quickness.

Sullivan is dead on, DC doesn't need to sending in crosses repeatedly against this tall Charleston defense. The aerial game is not United's specialty anyway. Keep the ball on the ground and let Moreno and Quaranta try to break the Battery down.

Yellow card for Gonzalo Martinez and a free kick in a dangerous spot. He got the ball, but it was after he went through Armstrong's leg to get it. Alonso's free kick is just over the bar.

Hudock saves a difficult spot from Moreno with no angle.

The Barra Brava has a "Thank You Joe Public" banner up and a Trinidad flag. The Revs' fans will love that.

Fred on for Joe Vide, who's off with a pulled hamstring. Let's see if his PERFORMANCE ENHANCING UNDERWEAR can spark the attack. The one good thing is that there's 4 subs in Open Cup play, so DC will still have options in the second half.

I really hope FSC's graphics were wrong and they're not showing the Cruz Azul game before the Puerto Rico game tonight.

Moreno with a great chip to Fred, but he flubs the finish and misses just wide. Guerrero with a great cross to Quaranta, but he heads it over the bar.

This second half should be interesting....

I need a ShamWoW. It's made in Germany, you know the Germans always make good stuff. Best endorsement line, EVER. I just love that Headset Guy works the booth at the flea markets where they sell this stuff.

Brian Namoff is the unsung hero for DC, he runs down Patterson to stop a break. The guy never gets enough credit for the amount of work he puts in.

It's amazing how different Charleston plays from the Silverbacks. I don't remember the Silverbacks holding possession for as long as the Battery just did.

FRED SCORES, DC IN FRONT 2-1. Can that kill off the pesky the Battery? Great ball from Simms, great dummy by Quaranta to let the ball run through, and a nice finish by Fred. I guess he's got the underwear on tonight, very nice.

Santino just took a free kick to the little Quarantas. Poor fella looks like he's in a lot of pain. That's never fun.

Fred breaks through again, but is cut off by a defender this time.

It's amazing how DC just plays around Dyachenko and doesn't involve him in their dangerous attacks. I don't even know what he's doing out there at this point.

Charleston is not done, McTavish blocks Alavanja's shot from 15 yards. Crayton saves a volley from Alavanja off the corner. The second corner is scrambled away. DC better not let up at this point. Alonso finds another second ball and shoots right at Crayton.

FSC better not be showing the Cruz Azul game before the Puerto Rico game, they just showed the graphic again. The website and my TV guide shows Puerto Rico at 11. Why do you want to show the second leg of a series that's 6-0 before the one that's 1-1? GET IT DONE, BRETOS! YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO SEE THE ISLANDERS FIRST!

UGH, UGH, UGH!!! They just showed the crawl saying that there's bad weather in Puerto Rico and the game has been delayed, that's why Cruz Azul is being shown first. Not cool, not cool at all. It will be really interesting to see them slop through the puddles tonight in a HUGE game though.

Wow, former coed soccer teammate Dave makes his first appearance on FSC tonight. He's a trainer with the Battery now. Cheers, Dave!

The Battery look to be running out of gas, do they have anyone on the bench who can provide a spark?

SHOOT THE BALL, GONZO! He tries to cross inside the box, instead of shooting.

Lazo Alavanja is playing the game of his life tonight. I'm surprised he hasn't gotten another shot in MLS. Maybe he doesn't want it at this point...

Nice shot by Dyachenko, but it's just wide. Well played, Rod.

Darren Spicer, "handy in front of goal" according to Bretos, is coming on for the Battery. At least they didn't put in two central defenders...

Dyachenko doesn't let his early glories get to his head, he blows a 10 yard pass and gives away possession again.

I'm very impressed with the way Charleston is playing, very patient, very composed, and making good use of their opportunities. We'll see if they can find another goal though...

Gallardo comes on for Dyachenko. Always nice to sub for a sub, huh? I think the cheers are more for Dyachenko leaving rather than Gallardo coming in.

2 subs for Charleston, trying to find a spark. Armstong is off with cramps.

Props to Bretos for bringing up our boy Macoumba, still a shame that the deal didn't come off...

Even more props to the traveling Charleston fans, about 400 strong. That's really impressive for a USL team.

Charleston almost finds an equalizer, but Alonso's header is just over the bar. They've got about 5 minutes left to find it.

Kenga, the sub, with a REALLY driven cross. A little too driven, I think. I'm sure Wynalda jumped out of his chair with excitement anyway.

Hell of a game by Charleston, I'll give them a ton of credit. However, the depth of DC was just too much in the end. When you can bring in guys like Fred and Gallardo off the bench, it's hard for a USL team to compete with that.

HOLY CRAP, Charleston scores but it's called back. Wow, he wasn't offside. Sorry, Charleston.

DC WINS THEIR 12TH TROPHY and books their spot in the 2009-10 CONCACAF Champions League.

Is this the first trophy United has won in front of their fans since the 1998 CONCACAF Champions Cup? I think so...

Great to see the DC owners celebrating on the field with the players. ECB asks where's Christian Laettner...

Crayton swaps jerseys with someone in the Barra Brava, awesome.

Tom Soehn is one of the few to win the US Open Cup as a player and a coach. Well done, Tommy!

Bonus points to FSC for planning on showing the trophy presentations. Francisco Marcos looks like he has his F-U face on for Don Garber. Lame music...

I'll say it again, what a performance by the Battery. They gave United all that they could handle, which is never easy for a second division squad to do.

Under Pressure

2008-09-02T12:04:00.002-04:00

cue Queen and David Bowie, with Vanilla Ice somewhere in the background still trying to prove Ice Ice Baby had a different bass line...

New England and Chivas USA are down to the wire tonight to qualify for the CONCACAF Champions League group stage. They were unable to get results on the road, and are now left to prove their strength at home. Can they do it?

It really doesn't look all that likely. New England has passed Chivas in the number of players on the injured list, with most of their attacking options on the shelf. With Twellman and Ralston out, who does the scoring? Even Adam Cristman, who's been better than I had expected, is doubtful. Khano Smith can't do it all on his own, can he?

As for the Goats, they'll be missing Shavar Thomas who's with the Jamaican national team for their qualifier against Mexico this weekend. The Galavision announcers would be thrilled about that development, or laughing nonstop about how's representing his country. Ante Razov played 70 minutes on Saturday against Toronto, will he have anything for tonight? At least Attiba Harris scored on Saturday, maybe he'll have some confidence going into tonight's match. It's needed.

I'd love to hear the taunting coming from Francisco Marcos and the USL if they have as many teams in the group stage as MLS. We'll see what happens tonight...

The Olympics, weren't they just great?

2008-08-31T10:54:00.002-04:00

The Olympics were such a great experience. I hope all of you had the chance to watch a lot of it. I was watching sports that I've never watched before, just because it was the Olympics. I'd never usually watch badminton or team handball, but I did over the last few weeks.

Wasn't Michael Phelps just amazing? It was pretty cool to be sitting at the Brewhouse watching his last gold medal win, and everybody in the bar was cheering for him. I think his Olympics was the greatest athletic feat I've ever seen. How do you follow that up?

I even watched the gymnastics. How about Alicia Sacramone falling apart during the team competition? That was horrible, you had to feel bad for her. If anybody can explain how the tiebreaker in the event finals was fair, please explain it.

The Redeem Team was pretty impressive. It was nice to see the US basketball team actually care about playing for their country. I guess the embarrassments of the last few years are now in the past. They finally played like a team, instead of an all-star collection of good players. It does make a huge difference.

I can't wait for London in 4 years!

This post is in direct response to the Silverbacks-Rochester game last night. After watching that debacle, I now hate soccer and don't want to talk about it for a while. Horrible...

Going to the Monkey House tonight

2008-08-30T18:44:00.001-04:00

Heading to the RE/MAX tonight, last regular season home game of the season, and the presentation of the 2nd annual Golden Cupcake Award...

More to come...

Update on Kandji non-transfer

2008-08-28T19:24:00.002-04:00

Leave it to an online source to figure out what's going on, or, in this case, shed more confusion on the situation.

The good men over at MetroFanatic went all the way to contact MLS Deputy Commissioner Ivan Gazidis to seek a response into the rumors that the league blocked the transfer of Macoumba Kandji to the Red Bulls.

From Gazidis:

"I have no idea who the source is for this story but it's absolute nonsense. While I can't comment on this specific player since he's under contract to Atlanta, Red Bull and the League work absolutely in lockstep on player negotiations and the League has not blocked any move for anyone by the Red Bulls.

It's difficult to respond to blog entries where unknown sources are referenced - and of course blogs are driven by hits, not necessarily by the same standards as print media."

Now, if MLS DIDN'T block the transfer, then why wouldn't this have gone through. The only reasonable explanations are: 1. Atlanta upped the asking price (which I highly doubt, considering they're hard off for cash :cough: Ansu Toure trade :cough:
2. New York isn't interested in Kandji anymore (another highly doubtful explanation, as we all know that they've been looking at him for almost a month now).

I call shenanigans on this. Someone isn't telling the truth, and if you ask me it's probably MLS. There's no reason for the Silverbacks or Red Bull to hold this up. And unfortunately, a really good guy is caught in the middle of all this nonsense. We'll keep you posted on how this turns out, and we'll be at the Silverbacks' final home game on Saturday and see if we can find out anything.

MLS tries to bully Silverbacks, block sale of Kandji to Red Bulls

2008-08-28T12:47:00.003-04:00

Soccer by Ives is reporting that MLS has blocked the Red Bulls' purchase of Macoumba Kandji from the Silverbacks. Get the details here...

I think MLS really, really screwed up here. Who cares what league a quality player is in? Why should the fact that he's playing in the USL matter as to his value? If New York feels he's worth $200K, and they have the money to spend, then it's absolutely ridiculous for the league to stop them. Instead of this exciting player joining MLS, he's either going to stay in Atlanta or more likely be sold to an overseas club. MLS loses out, the Red Bulls lose out, who wins?

Major props to the Silverbacks for sticking to their guns and not backing down on the price for Kandji. I'm really glad that they didn't allow MLS to bully them into giving up Kandji for next to nothing, just because he's in the USL. The Silverbacks should be rewarded for discovering Kandji at a tryout, and for their investment in his training and other things.

This is a big loss for MLS and New York. I would've loved to have seen an Angel/Kandji combination for the Red Bulls.

I think MLS' opinion here says all you need to hear about what MLS thinks of the USL and the relationship between the two leagues. I knew it was bad, but even I'm a bit surprised by this move.

I'm very disappointed in MLS' decision here and will be real curious to see what the Silverbacks and Kandji do next.

Superhero Bill Gaudette

2008-08-27T23:59:00.002-04:00

This guy is now a legend. A bakery full of cupcakes for you, sir. Incredible...

CONCACAF Champions League Day 2 Live Blog: USL-1 takes the spotlight

2008-08-27T20:08:00.036-04:00

Two USL First Division teams hope to do a little better than their MLS counterparts last night as the Montreal Impact take on Real Esteli at home and the Puerto Rico Islanders travel to Costa Rica to counter Alajuelense in the nightcap. Stay with us all night, as we'll also be here for the Silverbacks-Whitecaps game.

Innocent start to the Montreal - Esteli game, with another nice crowd at the Stade Saputo. Montreal's been playing a lot better in league play, as they're making a late charge for a playoff bid. 4 wins in 5 games in August will do that.

I saw a nice piece on Mauro Biello of the Impact on USL Breakaway, I didn't realize that guy had been with Montreal for something like 89 years. Seems like a nice guy and a great ambassador for the club.

Bad goalkick from the Esteli keeper nearly leads to a good chance for Montreal. I'd still take him over Zach Thornton anyday.

Speaking of last night's games, I couldn't stand to watch the 2nd half of Cruz Azul's 6-0 thrashing of Hankook Verdes. Whatever that horn was, it ruined the whole game for me. I'll still be interested to see what kind of stadiums in Belize, so I'll be watching next week's game. Oh wait, nevermind.

I also forgot that Metapan and Marathon are playing tonight, but I'm not seeing it anywhere on my TV schedule. Looks like the Mexican League's doble jornada is taking preference on Galavision and Telefutura.

Quarter of an hour in, neither side with an attempt on goal as of yet. Montreal's dominating possession, with a couple of unnecessary yellows handed out, one for each team so far.

Dude, this ref is a total tarjetero, handing out cards left and right.

Still no shots on goal for either team, so let's talk about everyone's favorite soccer team. I bet they wish Vancouver had won Canada's spot into the CONCACAF CL so they could get some time to heal, but not to be. I can't wait until they put out the press release in 5 years saying "Kandji granted green card", because that's about how long it's going to take. He'll probably get it long after he's gone from here.

Back to the game, Gjertsen picks off a ball and makes a good move but fires a weak shot that the Esteli keeper saves easily.

As I'm checking on finding tickets to the sold out Girl Talk show in Atlanta, Esteli comes down and gets a quick shot on goal that Jordan saves. Meanwhile at the other end, a through ball for Gjertsen is bumbled by the Esteli keeper, but the ref blows the play dead. Someone's going to break through soon.

Montreal's starting to get frustrated. Overzealous and late challenges aren't going to do them any favors with the ref.

BUT!!!!!! Out of nowhere, Montreal takes a 1-0 lead. A cross from the left not cleared properly comes out to the top of the box where Gjertsen slams it into the side of the net. Told you a goal was coming...

(For those unfamiliar with French, a but is a goal. I remember watching France WCQs on the French channel when I lived in Spain and seeing it flashed on the scoreboard at the Stade de France.)

Other people seem to be chiming in on our comments section, it's surprising that he can't do anything by himself. Hell, I thought he didn't need friends anymore now that he has an iPhone. I mean, how many times have I asked this kid to go to Silverbacks games this season?

Halftime has arrived, with Montreal leading 1-0. My Flying Coffin package has arrived (2 for 1 sales RULE), and I'm off to get some dinner. I'll turn it over to Shoe for a few minutes.

As Ken Griffey Jr. so awesomely put it on his first Nintendo 64 game, "I'M BACK!" Still 1-0, with more to come. ECB is still sulking, hopefully his tears don't ruin his iPhone. Just as I'm typing this, Gjertsen rockets one just outside the right post and Roberto Brown has a shot blocked. Montreal is dominating, looking to put this tie away before heading to Nicaragua.

Off a corner, Di Lorenzo has a nice left-footed shot that's well saved by Mendieta. I have a feeling Esteli will be jumping for joy if they can keep this 1-0 heading back home. They just haven't really shown anything offensively.

Commenting on a comment, Marcos iz good peeps. He's known my Dad since before I was born. But as far as the USL/MLS thing, a good showing by Montreal certainly won't hurt their aspirations for a MLS franchise.

Hahahaha, I enjoyed this comment from an anonymous poster on Sideline Views' take of last night's MLS performances:

"The argument for MLS sides has always been that if the CONCACAF Champions' Cup wasn't during the MLS preseason, then MLS teams would fare better. Now the CONCACAF Champions' League is during the MLS mid-season and they've actually managed to perform worse."

Wow, Montreal almost makes a mess of that. First, ref misses a handball at the top of the box that would have given Esteli a great position for a free kick. Then Jordan punches a ball away straight to an Esteli player, whose shot takes a deflection and goes out for the Nicaraguans' first corner of the game, in the 74th minute. Shows how much they've pushed forward.

Another great buildup from Esteli, as a player drives down the right. His cross finds a teammate right in front of goal inside the 5-yard box, but unfortunately he handles it before he can put it in. Unlucky.

Testo has a left-footed shot that takes a deflection and is saved by Mendieta. Esteli player booked for diving. This game isn't ending too pretty.

Wow, just as I type that, Montreal comes in and has a 1 v 1 with the keeper, only to shoot it right at him.

Nice. 87th minute. I don't know what the announcers are talking about, but am I the only one who saw a penalty there? The foul took the Esteli player out of the box. Now a free kick from right outside the box........................and the ball is hit into the wall which was standing about 5 yards away. Great job ref.

Well, first leg done and Montreal keeps a 1-0 advantage going to Nicaragua. They're still going to have some work to do, as it won't be easy. Another goal would have done them wonders, and if they fail to advance, they can blame their lack of finishing, considering they dominated play for most of the game.

Game on in Costa Rica, as the Islanders (with BILL GAUDETTE, ACCEPT IT SHOE) are up. Gaudette comes out early and breaks up a 1 v 1 with his feet. Judging from the early dustups, to me it seems this game could degenerate into one of those crazy Libertadores or Sudamericana games where we end up seeing 3 red cards and just a dirty, dirty game.

Meanwhile in Vancouver, the Silverbacks look like they actually have 11 healthy players WITH VISAS to field a team. 13th minute, 0-0. All I've seen is a bunch of Vancouver corner kicks, and I'm right, that's 6 already.

I highly doubt we're going to get a Metapan-Marathon score tonight. Just look at Metapan's website. Their scouting report for the game says (in Spanish): "We don't know much about this team, but without a doubt they'll be tough." Awesome.

Still 0-0 in both games. Gaudette's been a busy man, Puerto Rico looking to break the offsides trap and steal a goal.

In Vancouver, not much going forward for the Silverbacks. They'll be lucky to escape with a point. Nice description from USL Live about the game: "Atlanta Silverbacks return full force to challenge The Vancouver Whitecaps." Full force my ass.

Alajuelense takes a 1-0 lead through former Revolution player Argenis Fernandez. Seconds later, Lyle Martin puts Vancouver up 1-0. Puerto Rico needs to get a little more possession, Alajuelense is punishing them right now. And the Silverbacks have a corner.

Corner comes to nothing, which is about what the Silverbacks have done tonight. Just looking at their faces it seems as if they've already accepted their fate. I'm not even going to waste my time trying to make sense of how their playoff aspirations have gone out the window. But once again, I really don't think it has much to do with the players.

In Costa Rica, Gaudette makes a great reaction save off a free kick. All the Islanders seem to be doing is playing to ball long to Fabrice Noel and hoping he scores a goal. Even when he tries to hold the ball and wait for help, none comes.

Halftime in Vancouver with the Whitecaps up 1-0. I'm just thinking about how bad I feel for some of the really good guys on the Silverbacks. A lot of this stuff this season hasn't been their fault, and I'm sure they'll all be disappointed that a return to the Finals is pretty much out of the question.

Halftime in Costa Rica also with Alajuelense up 1-0. Puerto Rico has had few chances with a couple of shots going wide. I'm going to take a little break.

Back in action on both fronts, and Sebrango goes in alone on the keeper but takes too wide an angle and shoots wide of the far post. Meanwhile, Puerto Rico is still struggling to build anything positive. They're just hanging on at the moment.

A little better from the Islanders, who have a corner kick...............GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

UNBELIEVABLE, no way they deserve it, but Telesford's in the right place at the right time and flicks it in.

That's it, I'm going to put on my Puerto Rico jersey. YES, I HAVE ONE

Speaking of KICK IT HIGH, KICK IT FAR, the Silverbacks are now down 2-0 thanks to Eddie Sebrango. I'm turning this crap off, it's too depressing.

I'd love to see the Silverbacks play the Galaxy, final score would be something like 11-8.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.....Gaudette saves the bicycle kick that was dipping in the top corner. Like him or not, Gaudette actually fits in pretty well with this team, gives them a little bit of an edge.

A good note from the commentators: If Puerto Rico hangs on, it'll be the first draw in this round, as all the home teams have won their games so far.

Bill Gaudette is my new hero. Floating ball into the box, comes out and grabs it with a little contact from an Alajuelense player, falls on his shoulder and writhes in pain. He's hopping mad and I'm laughing my ass off.

Another dicey moment for the Islanders, as a free kick goes off the side netting.

Well, Alajuelense was penalty-hunting, and they manage to get one. Unbelievable. The ref let them play, let them play, but finally gave a dodgy one. Grow a pair son.

HAHAHAHA, YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GAUDETTE IS GONNA GET SOME MAD PUERTO RICAN HONEYS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Most important figures in recent Puerto Rican history?

1. Roberto Clemente
2. BILL GAUDETTE
3. Daddy Yankee

BEST GAME OF THE ROUND

I TOLD YOU NON-BELIEVERS, THE ISLANDERS WOULD SURPRISE

BILL GAUDETTE IS A NATIONAL ICON - BUILD THAT MAN A STATUE

CONCACAF Champions League: What have we learned in the 1st half?

2008-08-26T20:58:00.009-04:00

New England is slow.

Attiba Harris couldn't score at The Bunny Ranch with a fistful of $20's.

Zach Thornton loves Panamanian cuisine.

Let's see what happens in the second 45 minutes...

Quick corner for Joe Public. The Revs defend well though and it's cleared.

Wow, 2 subs for Chivas USA to start the second half. Unfortunately, Jim Curtain is one of them. Esky is the other one, I had actually forgotten about him. The announcers seem happy that Shavar Thomas and Attiba Harris are leaving the field. Oops, it's Paladini and Suarez leaving. Why Suarez???

Well, Attiba can't score, but he tries to send someone to hospital instead. Let's focus on the ball Attiba, please...

GOAL Joe Public, they absolutely abused the left side of the Revs again. Tierney was just simply outrun again.

Warren almost gets stranded for goal #2, but it's over the bar.

Esky just misses wide with a right footed volley.

Sounds like they passed out horns in Panama. Maybe some beer too, as the crowd is getting louder.

Wow, the Revs had a chance to counter with speed after a misplayed free kick. Tierney instead gives the ball up and jogs back to his position. YOU'VE GOT TO GO FOR THAT SON!!!

Jay Heaps gets a "chicken kick" to the chest. Another bad free kick though, the Revs just look absolutely dead.

The MLS teams need to pick up their intensity, they look like they're playing at half speed. Disappointing...

Tauro definitely passed their Time Wasting 101 class, they've already progressed to cramping up.

Great piece by Bill Archer about the crookedness of Jack Warner in Trinidad, here's some shady info about the stadium the Revs are playing in.

Chivas free kick from about 20 yards out, let's see what they do with it. Sacha just puts it over the bar, not too bad.

Jim Curtain looks lost, wandering around the box.

Well, he committed a useless foul at midfield. At least he knows what's going on, I wasn't so sure...

Tauro is reduced to fouling a lot when Chivas runs at them, there's a goal out there for the Goats if they can find it.

Chiles is done for the night, Lawson Vaughn is in. I guess Bornstein will push up.

Curtain just gets abused on a cross by Chivas, he looked scared of jumping.

GOAL Joe Public, a sub comes on and scores with his first touch. The Revs better get control of this quickly or they're going to have some HUGE problems in the return leg. The goal came from a ball from the Revs' left side again. Tierney is just not ready for this level.

GOAL Tauro, against the run of play. Great ball out of the back sets up 3v3. Chivas are screwed when Curtain and Thomas are two out of that three, they look lost, the Tauro player runs across the box and finishes past a perplexed Thornton.

Will the USL teams make MLS look bad tomorrow?

Shalrie Joseph earns a PK for the Revs. Great ball from Twellman to spring him and Joseph gets clipped by one of the defenders.

Meanwhile, Attiba Harris tries to injure another player. Panchito gets run through a signboard, no foul.

GOAL New England, Castro finishes the penalty coolly. Joseph is banged up on the ankle, will he be able to continue?

Esky misses again from distance, very close.

Juanito earns a dangerous free kick for the Goats. Esky tried to sneak it under the wall, didn't work.

The Revs take off Castro in a weird move. I wish Nicol was more aggressive sometimes.

Tauro somehow blows a 2v1 counterattack. That was amazing.

Flores earns a free kick on the edge of the box, can Chivas do anything with this one? Nope, Nagamura clips the wall and the keeper beats Harris to the rebound.

I think every Tauro player has been on the ground injured in the second half. They are not making friends. I can't wait to see how much injury time we have in Panama.

Sacha is killing himself to try to get Chivas back into the game. Props to the effort, if not the execution.

Germanese gets a great ball across the box, but no one is there to get it. New England might get a tying goal, they're looking much better in the last few minutes.

Too many MLS players are pulling out of tackles like this is a friendly. C'mon guys, you're better than that.

New England is almost out of time, and looks like they're just going to settle for the 2-1 loss.

Chivas gets a few corner kicks, but can't get anything out of them.

The Galavision announcers keep calling him Terry Vaughn. Lawson is going to be pissed.

The Revs lose, I don't think things are going to be easy for them back in Foxboro either. Joe Public has a HUGE speed advantage. New England has to find another option on their left side rather than Tierney, he can't keep up.

SEVEN minutes of stoppage time in Panama. Great job by the referees, that's about right considering all of the "injuries" suffered by Tauro.

Esky with a great cross that just missed Sacha.

A goal would be really big for Chivas, but I don't think they can find one. They look like they're out of ideas at this point.

They finally realized that his name isn't Terry.

Just blow the whistle at this point, it's over. Chivas has A LOT of work to do back in LA. We'll see how well Tauro travels for one of the biggest games in their club's history.

CONCACAF Champions League: MLS in the spotlight

2008-08-26T19:47:00.007-04:00

Count me in as excited about the new CONCACAF Champions League. More meaningful international games for more MLS clubs is a good thing for American soccer, in my opinion.

Cue the theme...

Sorry, I don't know if CONCACAF has their own swank theme yet.

The Revs are on FSC while the American Goats are on Galavision LIVE.

Either they forgot to turn the mics on in Trinidad, or nobody is saying a word. Interesting...

Wow, Joe Public has a definite speed advantage over the Revs. I think New England will be happy to get out of Trinidad with a point.

The groundskeeper in Panama has not earned his/her paycheck. Muy mal.

Now is when I wish I had that big screen with the picture in picture...

GOAL Tauro FC, Ay yi yi yi yi is right, horrible defending by the Goats. Zach Thornton was thinking about his choripan instead of controlling his box.

Ah, it isn't the groundskeeper's fault in Panama. It's Mr. Jennifer Lopez's fault, Marc Anthony had a concert at Estadio Rod Carew. See, it doesn't only happen in MLS...

Zach Thornton is a large man. Very, very large. Tony Meola is impressed.

Chivas is looking for an equalizer, barely knocked away from Sacha in the box. Jorge Flores has looked pretty good wide on the left so far.

Attiba Harris BARELY misses with a diving header. Good response from the Goats.

Taylor Twellman trips over the turf on the sideline. Well played.

Joe Public is really taking it to New England so far. Warren looks a little shaky, but the Revs are keeping them off the board for now.

This just in, the Chivas water boy has pulled a hamstring and is out 2-4 weeks. He's been replaced by the guy selling horchata at the stadium. They just can't catch a break. Preki better watch his back.

Joe Public should have taken the lead, but couldn't get on to the ball in the box. The new guy for the Revs, Tierney, is getting lit up like a Christmas tree on the wing. He better figure something out quick.

Ralston is injured for the Revs, back problem. That's not going to help their cause in Trinidad tonight...

Flores and Kljestan are combining pretty well for Chivas USA. Sacha just misses on his cross, but they're looking better.

This hard to catch everything, but I've had pretty good luck so far. The Chivas game is more entertaining so far, so I'm watching more of it.

Shavar Thomas had one of the worst headers I've ever seen, it went nowhere and Chivas were forced to foul to break up the counterattack.

Tauro hits the crossbar for the second time on the free kick. I don't think Thornton was able to get off the ground on that one. He's got the hops of an elephant at this point.

Who are some of these guys in Chivas uniforms? Chiles? Paladini?

Attiba Harris was 1v1 with the keeper, and blasted it into his shin. Chivas really needed that one.

New England has earned a free kick at the top of the box, let's see what they do with it. Joe Public's goalkeeper is the loudest GK I've ever heard. Larentowicz blasts it, but it's right at the keeper. Corner for the Revs. It's not a good one.

Sacha earns a free kick for Chivas, Paladini to take it. He doesn't get it over the two man wall.

American clubs are not at the same level as the American national team when it comes to playing these type of games. Too much naivety. These games are vital to take American soccer to the next level.

Nagamura kicks a home run. This has turned into kick ball.

Bornstein looks really out of it playing on the right side. His horrible giveaway leads to a Tauro counter. They barely miss wide. The Bulls are running in Panama tonight...

Chivas' defense is abysmal. Balls just skip through the box with ease, with everybody just looking at each other. It's like they don't even know each other's names.

The Revs are scoreless at the half, while the Goats are still down 1-0. See y'all in 15 minutes...

Bruce Arena hates chorizo

2008-08-25T11:52:00.003-04:00

Great piece by Mr. Gardner of Soccer America today, talking about Bruce Arena's first move with the LA Galaxy. I hadn't even realized how he did the same thing in New York.

As for the comments about what Arena wanted to do in DC, I just want to profusely thank Gulati, Doug Logan, and whoever else realized that was insanity.

I would love to hear what Bruce's ideal starting eleven would be...

2008 MLS All-Douchebag Team

2008-08-21T23:33:00.002-04:00

douchebag: (n) an individual with an over inflated sense of self worth, often combined with a low level of intelligence, typically behaves in a ridiculous manner with no sense of how moronic he appears

In soccer teams, you know that have certain players that you just love to hate. Everything they do on the field drives you crazy. You love the guy if he's wearing your team's jersey, but if he's against you, all you do is plot his imminent demise.

2008 MLS All-Douchebag Team

GK- Matt Reis
I think it's his history of dishing out concussions...

D- Bobby Boswell
The constant talk of his partying and coolness on his blog really turned a lot of people against the Boz. Well, that and his sucking at the beginning of last season. Maybe he's turned it around...

D- CJ Brown
Might be one of the most hated players in the league, based on a non-scientific poll of people who watch MLS at the Brewhouse.

D- Jay Heaps
The Duke b'ball connection really doesn't help...

M- Claudio Reyna
This is what happens when you sign a fat contract, play very little, then wait until after it becomes guaranteed for the year to retire.

M- Ben Olsen
Look, I'm a DC fan, but I can understand that Olsen isn't well liked around the league. The Dick's Sporting Goods commercial nearly made me homicidal this season, so I can't argue this pick.

M- Ronnie O'Brien
Injuring yourself while trying to hurt a teammate in practice fits the general description...

M- Amado Guevara
I think Preki would agree with this one...

M- Khano Smith
I've never seen a stadium turn against a player as fast as most do against this guy, I saw it first hand at MLS Cup last year and have noticed it a few other times this season.

F- Carlos Ruiz
Do I really have to explain this one?

F- Taylor Twellman
For me, I think it's the spiky hair and boys' medium sized jerseys. I just imagine a pink polo shirt, popped color, visor, and plaid shorts for some reason...

Coach- Steve Sampson
I think this might be a lifetime selection...

General Manager- Alexi Lalas
Probably the easiest pick of the bunch...

Let's hear your nominations in the comments...

More coverage of the Cupcake Nation's favorite goalkeeper

2008-08-21T22:42:00.003-04:00

The mainstream media chimes in with a few great articles about Hope's redemption.

I'm still not sure what was up with the fake gold medal Hope pulled out of her bag. Whatever works, I guess. After living up to her comments after last year's Brazil debacle, she could pretty much do whatever she wants.

Speaking of last year, I'd love to know how Greg Ryan feels today...

Hello, I'm Hope Solo and I have a question...

2008-08-21T11:25:00.002-04:00

Do you think I should've started last year?

120 minutes, no goals. Gold medal winner. I think I've made my point.

Guatemala v. USA: Play time is over

2008-08-20T17:43:00.003-04:00

We're not playing Barbados anymore, I don't think Guatemala has to put up ads looking for players on their federation website.

The semifinal round of CONCACAF qualifying begins tonight, with the US playing probably its most difficult game of the round first. Guatemala should advance with the US into the Hex, and this game will be a chance to gauge where both teams stand.

First off, who should play tonight?

Tim Howard has shown that he is by far the best goalkeeper we have. If it wasn't clear before, the Argentina game sealed the deal for now. El Guzano isn't quite at that level just yet.

In the back, it seems like (from right to left) Cherundolo, Gooch, Bocanegra, and Pearce will start. HeyDude and DeMerit provide options as well, but those four seem to be the best unit currently.

Here's where it gets tricky. I think Mastroeni has been playing well enough lately to get in the starting lineup. Plus, his experience will be very valuable tonight. But, who else plays in the midfield and up top?

I'm assuming Donovan, Dempsey, and Beasley will lineup somewhere. I'd probably go for a 4-5-1 tonight, with Chingy up top. Donovan can play in the center behind him, Deuce slides out to the right and Beasley to the left. That leaves someone to partner with Mastroeni behind Donovan, with Baby Bradley probably getting the nod over travel weary Mo Edu. Personally, I'd prefer Edu, but I don't think he'll have 90 minutes in him tonight.

Eddie Johnson can provide a late game sub with his speed, Sacha can come on in midfield if needed, and Eddie Lewis can be brought to in a few spots as well.

We'll see what The Bob does tonight, game time is 10:00 pm eastern on ESPN2.

POSTGAME THOUGHTS
Not going to go into detail here, I'm sure that will be done by lots of people tonight and tomorrow, but here's a few quick thoughts about the big win tonight...

Gutty performance against a team that played not to lose, it wasn't pretty, but it got the job done.
Cherundolo has to be smarter, he picked up two stupid yellows and hurt the team.
Nasty crimson mask on Eddie Lewis, good job by the referee to eject the Guatemalan player for the unnecessary foul.
I would not want Timmy Howard in my face ready to kick my ass.
Baby Bradley put in a good effort tonight, his best in a while.
I miss the old Clint Dempsey, he really has done much in a long time. Where's Deuce?

Good stuff overall, I'll take the three points and be very happy. Win the home games now, and we should be solid to go into the Hex.

Game Day

2008-08-20T13:18:00.001-04:00

Get pumped for the game tonight, more later...

"In revenge and in love, woman is more barbarous than man"

2008-08-18T11:25:00.002-04:00

The US women have made their way to the Olympic final, with a chance to get revenge for last summer's catastrophe against Brazil. Hopefully, the ghost of Greg Ryan can be vanquished...

With a hiccup against Japan in the opening match aside, the US has looked pretty solid throughout the tournament. They avenged that Japan performance today with a pretty comprehensive win, 4-2. One question, have you seen more attempted crosses turn into goals in one match? O'Reilly and Hucles both caught the tiny Japanese goalkeeper out.

Hopefully, Sunil and the Fed will find the time to get Pia Sundhage to sign on for a longer term contract after her success.

The gold medal match is on Thursday morning, live on the USA Network at 9:00 am. You can also watch it on www.nbcolympics.com on a really high quality stream.

As for the picture, you know the Cupcake Nation takes every opportunity to highlight its favorites...

Sprinkles: Cleaning out the cubbard

2008-08-16T14:14:00.002-04:00

New York: The bids the club placed for foreign based strikers were rejected, so it appears that the Red Bulls will be going even harder after Macoumba Kandji of the Silverbacks. The issue at this point is acquiring enough allocation money through the league to pay Atlanta's approximate $200,000 transfer fee. I'm wondering that since everything else has fallen through, if the price hasn't gone up. Hardball is a fun game to play, especially with energy drink overlords.

Los Angeles: Bruce Arena, to almost no one's surprise after watching the SuperClasico, is set to be named the new coach of the Gals. We know Bruce and Landon are cool, how about Bruce and Becks? I think as long as Kenny Arena is kept away, everything will be okay.

The attempts to deal Carlos Ruiz are being stepped up as well, in order to bring in Eddie Lewis. That salary cap is killing L.A., huh?

Toronto: The Reds are bringing in former US youth international Johann Smith. He's got great speed, let's see how that translates to MLS play. He never broke into the main squad at Bolton.

Kansas City: Kerry Zavagnin is going to retire at the end of the season. Quality pro, one MLS Cup title, one Open Cup title, one Supporters' Shield, and 21 caps with the national team is nothing to sneeze at. Hopefully he stays involved in the game in some form or fashion...

Seattle: In one of the worst kept secrets of recent times, Kasey Keller is joining the new Sounders next season. Hopefully, they also bring up Chris Eylander from the USL squad to back him up.

Kandji update: Red Bulls trying to get more money to make the deal

2008-08-14T16:16:00.003-04:00

Ives is reporting that the Red Bulls are trying to make a trade within MLS for allocation funds to pay for a transfer fee for Atlanta's Macoumba Kandji. I wonder if the price has went up, or if the Silverbacks were unwilling to lower the price to help New York out. The rumored figure has been $200,000.

This type of report makes it seem very serious that New York really wants to bring Kandji to the Big Apple. We'll see if they're able to make this happen. If Atlanta is ready to make the sale, hopefully they'll be able to get the best package possible.

After the sale/trade of Ansu Toure yesterday, I thought maybe that the Kandji deal had fallen through. Maybe not...