Friday, October 30, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
The Best of This Week's Commentary
ESPN Soccernet
Start with the classic ESPN Soccernet format: who's who and why they're going to win and then why they're not. Which is kind of a pansy way to go about your predictions. Everyone wins and no one wins. But it will catch you up on the must know of the MLS playoff contenders:
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=689854&sec=mls&root=mls&cc=5901
(LA is favored. The Sounders are the golden boys. Chivas will fold under post season pressure as history illustrates. Etc. Etc.)
Goal.com
A certain Mr. McCarthy over at Goal.com who likes to muse takes a more manly stance with his actual rankings of the playoff hopefuls. He places the Sounders at #2, right after LA (the Yankess of MLS - blech.). And he asks, astutely, "will the pressure of reaching a final on home turf make the task too difficult?"
http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/1110/major-league-soccer/2009/10/28/1588779/mls-playoffs-mccarthys-musings-ranking-the-mls-cup
Then Allen Ramsey, also of Goal.com (fast becoming one of my favorite intelligent soccer websites, after Prost Amerika http://www.prostamerika.com/soundersfc/), really touches Soundersboard existential heart with the following "one's to watch" shortlist of unsung potential heros.
Heros. Intensity. Drama. America. Ramsay's speaking my language (well, up 'till the America part, but thanks to MLS in Seattle, I'm beginning to feel better about that too - and also that 4 part series on NPR "Europe and Us" that was on the other week... solar power, bicycles, high speed trains, a package of steaks that comes with a bovine bio...)
Start with the classic ESPN Soccernet format: who's who and why they're going to win and then why they're not. Which is kind of a pansy way to go about your predictions. Everyone wins and no one wins. But it will catch you up on the must know of the MLS playoff contenders:
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=689854&sec=mls&root=mls&cc=5901
(LA is favored. The Sounders are the golden boys. Chivas will fold under post season pressure as history illustrates. Etc. Etc.)
Goal.com
A certain Mr. McCarthy over at Goal.com who likes to muse takes a more manly stance with his actual rankings of the playoff hopefuls. He places the Sounders at #2, right after LA (the Yankess of MLS - blech.). And he asks, astutely, "will the pressure of reaching a final on home turf make the task too difficult?"
http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/1110/major-league-soccer/2009/10/28/1588779/mls-playoffs-mccarthys-musings-ranking-the-mls-cup
Then Allen Ramsey, also of Goal.com (fast becoming one of my favorite intelligent soccer websites, after Prost Amerika http://www.prostamerika.com/soundersfc/), really touches Soundersboard existential heart with the following "one's to watch" shortlist of unsung potential heros.
Heros. Intensity. Drama. America. Ramsay's speaking my language (well, up 'till the America part, but thanks to MLS in Seattle, I'm beginning to feel better about that too - and also that 4 part series on NPR "Europe and Us" that was on the other week... solar power, bicycles, high speed trains, a package of steaks that comes with a bovine bio...)
Seattle's rising star? None other than Stevie "Jets" Zakuani:
It's gonna be a great (rainy) night tomorrow night.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Looking Back on Saturday Night
You don’t need to come here to find out that Houston beat Chivas 3-2 today, which means that Seattle will host Houston at home in the first round of the playoffs. You can go to http://www.prostamerika.com/soundersfc/2009/10/25/houston-lead-chivas-2-0/ to find that out.
You came here to be reminded how much fun it was to see the Sounders win in their final regular season game last night.
You came here to be reminded how much fun it was to see the Sounders win in their final regular season game last night.
How the fans were out in full force in their green and blue on a beautifully cool October night, a night for keeping warm with whiskey, with their number nines and smiles.
And how good it felt to come from behind and score two goals after waiting for oh so long...
Ahh... what a night.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Black and White, and Orange
Was there something a little incongruous about seeing Freddie walking through Home Depot up on North Aurora in the recent video on the Sounders FC homepage? (It's so worth watching - sorry, unembeddable - just be sure to tune out when Matt Gasch starts talking to some kids waiting in the dull line.) Walking down those orange warehouse rows in a svelte white shirt rolled up to the elbows and a very finely fitted black vest? Kasey Keller was a little more incognito in his baseball hat and neutral tones. But Freddie stood out in his black and white style in the place where just last weekend I schelpped in with muddy jeans holes in the knees and dirty fingernails.
Yes, there was, and it was great actually. A perfect juxtaposition. The working man’s world in black and white class. And I love me a working man. But I also love me some class. You can have it all.
Don’t forget folks, it’s good to dress up for an occasion! Make it an occasion!
Freddie’s raising the game in so many ways. The more we see of him the better. He looks great. He talks great. He’s complimentary. He’s humble. He has incredible style. He’s a new kind of very embraceable standard for Seattle, for the U.S. Work hard. Look good. Be kind.
Yes, there was, and it was great actually. A perfect juxtaposition. The working man’s world in black and white class. And I love me a working man. But I also love me some class. You can have it all.
Don’t forget folks, it’s good to dress up for an occasion! Make it an occasion!
Freddie’s raising the game in so many ways. The more we see of him the better. He looks great. He talks great. He’s complimentary. He’s humble. He has incredible style. He’s a new kind of very embraceable standard for Seattle, for the U.S. Work hard. Look good. Be kind.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Keep'n the Dream Alive
For those interested in seeing a FA Premier League, FA Cup, Community Shield, La Liga, Copa del Rey, UEFA Champions League, and World Cup champion in a MLS uniform, hold on to that precarious feather in your hat.
Sky Sports is perpetuating the Thierry Henry to MLS rumor yet again. We all know Thierry’s fondness for American sports and the US in general but it seems that his time with FC Barcelona is nearing its end. As Barca has its hooks in Manchester City’s Brazilian international Robinho and attempting to reel him in by offering a heavyweight of their own, Henry, Manchester City head man Mark Hughes had this to say:
“And regarding a swap deal (with Thierry Henry) - no, it's not going to happen either. I've got the impression that Henry is leaving Barcelona at the end of the season.”
“There were meetings last month between his representatives and New York Red Bulls and I've got the impression that after the World Cup he is going to go to the MLS.”
There you go. Most of us thought it might happen by 2011, but with the recent success of our very own Designated Player Freddie Ljungberg, rumors that the MLS is considering throwing a few more beans on the salary cap pile while adding another DP not to count against the cap, and a new stadium in New York, maybe we’ll see Thierry next season.
Needless to say, we’d rather see him team up with his former Arsenal setup man here in Seattle, but either way it’s good news for the MLS... if in fact it is news.
Sky Sports report: http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11828_5638642,00.html
Roger Levesque Is So Nickname-able
First it’s Steve Kelly of the Seattle Times christening him “Ever Ready Roger” in this nice (as we come to expect fromt he Seattle Times) article. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/stevekelley/2010102162_kelley21.html
Then Don Ruiz of the News Tribune pipes in with “Super Sub.” Ugh.
Soundersboard stands by Roger “Money” Levesque for formal usage, as in, “And starting for the Sounders, Rogerrrr... Moneyyy... LeVESQUE!”
While Don Ruiz’s Super Sub nickname falls utterly flat (I think I got one of those from Quizno’s last week), I commend him for the philosophical quotes in his article. http://www.thenewstribune.com/sports/soccer/story/923609.html
First, Sigi, about his decision to sub Montero in Saturday’s match at Kansas City: “My mother always told me that your first reaction is usually your true reaction, and everything else is a rationalization.”
Pause and reflect.
Then Ruiz ends with a nice little aphorism from Ever Ready Roger, “They say luck is where opportunity meets preparation.”
One more nickname possibility – The Philosopher. He’s our own Emerson: “Patience and patience we shall win at the last!”
Then Don Ruiz of the News Tribune pipes in with “Super Sub.” Ugh.
Soundersboard stands by Roger “Money” Levesque for formal usage, as in, “And starting for the Sounders, Rogerrrr... Moneyyy... LeVESQUE!”
While Don Ruiz’s Super Sub nickname falls utterly flat (I think I got one of those from Quizno’s last week), I commend him for the philosophical quotes in his article. http://www.thenewstribune.com/sports/soccer/story/923609.html
First, Sigi, about his decision to sub Montero in Saturday’s match at Kansas City: “My mother always told me that your first reaction is usually your true reaction, and everything else is a rationalization.”
Pause and reflect.
Then Ruiz ends with a nice little aphorism from Ever Ready Roger, “They say luck is where opportunity meets preparation.”
One more nickname possibility – The Philosopher. He’s our own Emerson: “Patience and patience we shall win at the last!”
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Freddie Keeps Talkin'; Dee Feels Full of Love
Did anyone watch the CONCACAF Champions League match tonight between Houston Dynamo and Isidro Metapan? Something about that lonely field down in El Salvador made that game so intimate. It was almost hot for a few minutes there. You could hear every yell on the sideline and from what looked to be no more than 500 fans, maybe.
“C’mon! Punt it!”
“Hey... hey, hey, hey hey!”
An Isidro Metapan player goes down in the 70 somethingth minute, barely, and the full five-person staff of the local medical clinic comes running out on the pitch with their stretchers and spray stuff. The player does his best drama act as he gets on the stretcher and then you’re back to the sounds of grunting and pushing and rushing.
Houston ‘keeper Hall comes out looking wide and strong and scares off a one on one attack. He taps his adversary on the ass friendly and relieved. A Houston player muscles out the opposing man holding the ball under his foot in his own corner in the 80 somethingth minute. The field is only moderately well lit, which gives it a gritty backseat appeal. Maybe the natural light is even better for the players, but it wasn't made for televised coverage. You could almost see the stars for chrissakes!
Ugh. And there was Craig Waibel again. I’ve got a bad taste in my mouth about that guy, mostly because of his chorus line of chubby groupies in their stupid orange shirts at the Houston game this summer. The same game that Captain Sherbet, the gangly teenage kid with glasses, an orange cape and sherbet colored face paint was a mere few seats to my left, within sweating distance. I liked him though. That took balls for some acne kid to show up with his orange flag and his solo chants, “We got Onstad!” in the heart of Sounders season ticket holder country.
They lost. Houston. 3-2. I was rooting for them. I was, of course! I’m rooting for the MLS baby! Plus Isidro’s jerseys were way too busy. I never root for bad style.
But then, oh God, then. Talk about style. The AC Milan v. Real Madrid highlights. A thing of beauty. I love the way what’s his name, Max Bretos, says “naughty.” Kaka against his old teammates at AC Milan (we got his jersey on clearance after the trade). Goal after goal. So smooth. AC Milan upsets.
And on and on. The UEFA Champions League highlights. I could keep going, really. And I did, with another beer, and then I moseyed on over to Freddie’s site (we’re on first name basis until I can come up with a nickname), and read about how he says every MLS team needs 2 or 3 International players. http://freddie.speaksup.com/2009/10/21/mls-would-need-players-like/
Yes. Yes! Keep talking, Freddie. He’s rooting for the MLS too. Thierry Henry to New York Red Bulls? www.mls-rumors.net says so among others. New York needs the help, no doubt. I’m even rooting for them. This is how I know the MLS has not come of age yet. The only team I despise is the LA Galaxy.
Portland? Vancouver? I’m gearing up to loathe them.
“C’mon! Punt it!”
“Hey... hey, hey, hey hey!”
An Isidro Metapan player goes down in the 70 somethingth minute, barely, and the full five-person staff of the local medical clinic comes running out on the pitch with their stretchers and spray stuff. The player does his best drama act as he gets on the stretcher and then you’re back to the sounds of grunting and pushing and rushing.
Houston ‘keeper Hall comes out looking wide and strong and scares off a one on one attack. He taps his adversary on the ass friendly and relieved. A Houston player muscles out the opposing man holding the ball under his foot in his own corner in the 80 somethingth minute. The field is only moderately well lit, which gives it a gritty backseat appeal. Maybe the natural light is even better for the players, but it wasn't made for televised coverage. You could almost see the stars for chrissakes!
Ugh. And there was Craig Waibel again. I’ve got a bad taste in my mouth about that guy, mostly because of his chorus line of chubby groupies in their stupid orange shirts at the Houston game this summer. The same game that Captain Sherbet, the gangly teenage kid with glasses, an orange cape and sherbet colored face paint was a mere few seats to my left, within sweating distance. I liked him though. That took balls for some acne kid to show up with his orange flag and his solo chants, “We got Onstad!” in the heart of Sounders season ticket holder country.
They lost. Houston. 3-2. I was rooting for them. I was, of course! I’m rooting for the MLS baby! Plus Isidro’s jerseys were way too busy. I never root for bad style.
But then, oh God, then. Talk about style. The AC Milan v. Real Madrid highlights. A thing of beauty. I love the way what’s his name, Max Bretos, says “naughty.” Kaka against his old teammates at AC Milan (we got his jersey on clearance after the trade). Goal after goal. So smooth. AC Milan upsets.
And on and on. The UEFA Champions League highlights. I could keep going, really. And I did, with another beer, and then I moseyed on over to Freddie’s site (we’re on first name basis until I can come up with a nickname), and read about how he says every MLS team needs 2 or 3 International players. http://freddie.speaksup.com/2009/10/21/mls-would-need-players-like/
Yes. Yes! Keep talking, Freddie. He’s rooting for the MLS too. Thierry Henry to New York Red Bulls? www.mls-rumors.net says so among others. New York needs the help, no doubt. I’m even rooting for them. This is how I know the MLS has not come of age yet. The only team I despise is the LA Galaxy.
Portland? Vancouver? I’m gearing up to loathe them.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Soundersboard is back!
Soundersboard is back! I can hardly believe it myself. And right at the end of the regular season, just in time for the playoffs! Well-timed just like the season ticket renewal deadline, you sly bastards.
The truth is I’ve been feeling guilty and now I’m inspired. Here I go and neglect Soundersboard while I’m off having fun all summer, and then Freddie comes out and publishes his own blog! http://freddie.speaksup.com/.
He's brief and to the point. Fantastic! We all deserve a little light blog fun, don't you know?
So you now have the company of Soundersboard for the playoffs all the way through the MLS cup! And I've decided to take it upon myself to entertain us (me and Becksta that is) throughout the long MLS-less winter.
I’ll just start promoting my book when we all get terribly bored. And when all else fails, (semi) naked pictures.
The truth is I’ve been feeling guilty and now I’m inspired. Here I go and neglect Soundersboard while I’m off having fun all summer, and then Freddie comes out and publishes his own blog! http://freddie.speaksup.com/.
He's brief and to the point. Fantastic! We all deserve a little light blog fun, don't you know?
So you now have the company of Soundersboard for the playoffs all the way through the MLS cup! And I've decided to take it upon myself to entertain us (me and Becksta that is) throughout the long MLS-less winter.
I’ll just start promoting my book when we all get terribly bored. And when all else fails, (semi) naked pictures.
Meanwhile, I have been thinking about soccer, paying attention to the Sounders, watching games (on TV for what seems like forever), and thinking up apropos new nicknames for the guys on the pitch:
Stevie “Jets” Zakuani
Nate “No Moves” Jaqua
Roger “Money” Levesque
I stand by Sebastian “Le Hawk” but I still don’t know Freddie and Kasey well enough. Plus they both deserve the respect of a well-thought out sobriquet. As for Fredy, well, the jury’s out on him yet. But not the rest of y'all. Onward!
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