Of the dumb things I have done in furtherance of my fascination with the kick-about, the stupidest, to date, has been the obsession that I have developed with sponsoring players on clubs throughout England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Ireland. It started with our visit to Dalymount in February and being blown away by the impact that a late substitution of Joseph Ndo had on a friendly of little lasting relevance. Several months later, we were sponsoring Ndo's away shirt for the Irish league champions -- a shirt that Ndo presumably wore while scoring an away goal in Champions League qualifications against FC Red Bull Salzburg in Austria.
Since then, we've sponsored players on fourteen other teams and, as a testament to how pointless the enterprise, I am struggling to keep up with their exploits. But, putting stuff up here seems like a good way to remedy that sloth. So a few quick notes about some of the sponsored players.
On top of the table, fourth division-Scottish side Livingston FC, we are sponsoring the young winger Andrew Halliday. Halliday, an 18-year old former Ranger product, has reportedly drawn interest from a number of English sides, including, bizarrely, an actual inquiry from Charlton Athletic. Against Clyde this week, in a match that was ultimately abandoned, Halliday scored yet another goal from the wing (it would have been his sixth so far this season).
Higher up on the Scottish league food chain, Mickael Antoine-Curier, a forward we are sponsoring on Hamilton Academical's squad, scored his fourth goal in the SPL this season and the Dundee-loanee gave the Accies a vital point away against St. Johnstone. Antoine-Curier is currently scheduled only to stay with the Accies until January 1st, but we could not resist sponsoring him after he featured for Guadeloupe in the CONCACAF Gold Cup earlier this year.
In the FA Cup this week, Danny Thomas, a forward we are sponsoring on Conference's Kettering Town, saw over thirty minutes on the pitch as the Poppies forced a replay against Leeds United and a trip to Elland Road.
Peter Murphy, a young fullback we are sponsoring at Accrington Stanley, was called upon as a late substitute to try and preserve a win over Barnet for ten-man Stanley. Accrington ultimately gave up a penalty during the six minutes of injury time added to the end of the second half and will now have to travel to the Underhill Tuesday for the right to take on Gillingham in the third round of the FA Cup.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
What Is American Soccer?
No daughter in my arms today for Inter-Fiore or Arsenal-Chelsea as the wife and kid are off being pious while I revel in keeping my own counsel. I am waiting on Maryland to kick off its sweet 16 NCAA tourney match against Harvard at 1 pm and trying to figure out whether I'll be going to campus to watch the Maryland women take on Drexel at 2:00 pm.
In the interim, I slogged through a dismal Inter Milan - Fiorentina Serie A tie by catching up on some online reading about football. Now I am missing portions of an exciting London derby because of some misguided desire to pile more drivel onto a subject few care about. Devoid of context, I was fairly excited about the news last week that Crystal Palace FC USA had left USL2 and was planning on moving up to the second division by joining a group of breakaway owners from USL1. The symmetry of being able to follow teams playing in the first, second, and third division of professional football in the country along with being within walking distance of one of the sport's best college programs is extremely appealing. With Crystal Palace and Real Maryland playing in the same league, Real Maryland began to win out for us because of the closer proximity and, weirdly, the setting at a high school football stadium, as it provided a better venue than UMBC's soccer stadium.
The general reception to the formulation of the new North American Soccer League has been poor. My least favorite American writer on the sport, Kartik Krishnaiyer, has, to no one's surprise, used the development to further decry the state of the country's game. But, to be fair, Kartik (who works his rear off in covering the game) is not alone, and guys like Brian Quarstad of InsideMNSoccer and Rochester's Jeff DiVeronica have similarly raised tough questions about whether the new second division is even viable (although neither have extended their concerns to attacks on U.S. club soccer generally). But even accepting these reasonable doubts (although there are some that I cannot -- DiVeronica's assessment of the market for soccer in Baltimore is absolutely and unequivocally wrong and appears to be the product of a need for a consistent narrative rather than fidelity to substantive analysis), I have drawn precisely the opposite conclusion.
There can be little doubt that soccer in the U.S. faces massive challenges. The team that won the USL2 regular season title last year and was the only third-division team to advance to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Cup, the Wilmington Hammerheads, will not be returning to the ranks of any professional soccer league next year. This depressing announcement comes on the heels of one of the team's most successful seasons -- a year where their on-the-field product was so good, I took enough notice to go out and buy a couple of Hammerheads' shirts (I don't even own a Real Maryland shirt). But I am also a fan of the sport in a far broader context and the challenges faced in this country pale when compared to what club soccer leagues confront around the world. The top European leagues -- the EPL, Serie A, La Liga, and the Bundesliga -- have increased their hold on the attention of football fans across the globe and diminished local enthusiasm for club teams in Ireland, Wales, Ghana, Thailand, and countless other countries/regions where I don't have direct experience over the last year. Club teams in Scotland appear to be perennially mired in crisis (although some clubs are doing interesting things in response, like the supporters of Stirling Albion). Even in England, lower division teams seem to live on a constant precipice narrowly avoiding falling into oblivion (a point hammered home by Charlton's FA Cup embarrassment to Northwich Victoria -- a team that only exists because of the Herculean efforts of their supporters to overcome extreme adversity).
No one has the answers to the myriad issues threatening the current state of the game. And, similarly, no one has the answers to the challenges that soccer faces here. But that is what makes the NASL compelling: it is an effort by people committed to the game to try and improve the sport. I am not in a position to judge whether their approach is the right one, but I do know that the owners of the breakaway teams are putting their own money down on this audacious bet.
And it is difficult to formulate an argument for maintaining the USL as is. Charleston, which finished in the top four of the second division last year and, in 2008, advanced to the U.S. Open Cup final against DC United, is dropping to the third division. It is generally assumed that the Cleveland City Stars will also drop down to the third division as well (although I have not seen any formal confirmation of this widely reported story). Over the last two years, I have gone to more USL matches than MLS games. While I enjoy the USL, the marketing of the league is horrible and has detracted from the creative and interesting individual approaches of various clubs to build fan bases. So what, exactly, is the alternative? Plodding along for another decade in relative anonymity? I'll take the bold shakeup, even if it is a colossal failure.
There is a large and increasing market for the sport in this country and that market has not been fully (or even significantly) exploited. Whatever missteps might be taken, either by USL or NASL or, in the context of a new collective bargaining agreement, by MLS, that market will remain; even if only sustained by televised events drawn from the World Cup, the European superleagues, and domestic leagues in Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina. The thoughts of the folks at The Shin Guardian are fully echoed here in College Park. Although perhaps only a minority of the U.S. sports' fans, the growth of the sport these last five years has been remarkable. And the future looks bright, whatever speed bumps are hit along the way.
In the interim, I slogged through a dismal Inter Milan - Fiorentina Serie A tie by catching up on some online reading about football. Now I am missing portions of an exciting London derby because of some misguided desire to pile more drivel onto a subject few care about. Devoid of context, I was fairly excited about the news last week that Crystal Palace FC USA had left USL2 and was planning on moving up to the second division by joining a group of breakaway owners from USL1. The symmetry of being able to follow teams playing in the first, second, and third division of professional football in the country along with being within walking distance of one of the sport's best college programs is extremely appealing. With Crystal Palace and Real Maryland playing in the same league, Real Maryland began to win out for us because of the closer proximity and, weirdly, the setting at a high school football stadium, as it provided a better venue than UMBC's soccer stadium.
The general reception to the formulation of the new North American Soccer League has been poor. My least favorite American writer on the sport, Kartik Krishnaiyer, has, to no one's surprise, used the development to further decry the state of the country's game. But, to be fair, Kartik (who works his rear off in covering the game) is not alone, and guys like Brian Quarstad of InsideMNSoccer and Rochester's Jeff DiVeronica have similarly raised tough questions about whether the new second division is even viable (although neither have extended their concerns to attacks on U.S. club soccer generally). But even accepting these reasonable doubts (although there are some that I cannot -- DiVeronica's assessment of the market for soccer in Baltimore is absolutely and unequivocally wrong and appears to be the product of a need for a consistent narrative rather than fidelity to substantive analysis), I have drawn precisely the opposite conclusion.
There can be little doubt that soccer in the U.S. faces massive challenges. The team that won the USL2 regular season title last year and was the only third-division team to advance to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Cup, the Wilmington Hammerheads, will not be returning to the ranks of any professional soccer league next year. This depressing announcement comes on the heels of one of the team's most successful seasons -- a year where their on-the-field product was so good, I took enough notice to go out and buy a couple of Hammerheads' shirts (I don't even own a Real Maryland shirt). But I am also a fan of the sport in a far broader context and the challenges faced in this country pale when compared to what club soccer leagues confront around the world. The top European leagues -- the EPL, Serie A, La Liga, and the Bundesliga -- have increased their hold on the attention of football fans across the globe and diminished local enthusiasm for club teams in Ireland, Wales, Ghana, Thailand, and countless other countries/regions where I don't have direct experience over the last year. Club teams in Scotland appear to be perennially mired in crisis (although some clubs are doing interesting things in response, like the supporters of Stirling Albion). Even in England, lower division teams seem to live on a constant precipice narrowly avoiding falling into oblivion (a point hammered home by Charlton's FA Cup embarrassment to Northwich Victoria -- a team that only exists because of the Herculean efforts of their supporters to overcome extreme adversity).
No one has the answers to the myriad issues threatening the current state of the game. And, similarly, no one has the answers to the challenges that soccer faces here. But that is what makes the NASL compelling: it is an effort by people committed to the game to try and improve the sport. I am not in a position to judge whether their approach is the right one, but I do know that the owners of the breakaway teams are putting their own money down on this audacious bet.
And it is difficult to formulate an argument for maintaining the USL as is. Charleston, which finished in the top four of the second division last year and, in 2008, advanced to the U.S. Open Cup final against DC United, is dropping to the third division. It is generally assumed that the Cleveland City Stars will also drop down to the third division as well (although I have not seen any formal confirmation of this widely reported story). Over the last two years, I have gone to more USL matches than MLS games. While I enjoy the USL, the marketing of the league is horrible and has detracted from the creative and interesting individual approaches of various clubs to build fan bases. So what, exactly, is the alternative? Plodding along for another decade in relative anonymity? I'll take the bold shakeup, even if it is a colossal failure.
There is a large and increasing market for the sport in this country and that market has not been fully (or even significantly) exploited. Whatever missteps might be taken, either by USL or NASL or, in the context of a new collective bargaining agreement, by MLS, that market will remain; even if only sustained by televised events drawn from the World Cup, the European superleagues, and domestic leagues in Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina. The thoughts of the folks at The Shin Guardian are fully echoed here in College Park. Although perhaps only a minority of the U.S. sports' fans, the growth of the sport these last five years has been remarkable. And the future looks bright, whatever speed bumps are hit along the way.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Giving Thanks
There are a great number of things that I had in mind when contemplating gratitude this Thursday. But first and foremost on my list of things to be thankful for this year is my daughter. Each and every day spent with her brings unexpected joy into my life and I cannot believe my good fortune in having the opportunity to see her grow up.
Because of her, much of what used to fill my days has been dropped or discarded in favor of this wondrous new priority, but I have not been able to fully tear myself away from watching sports. Luckily, for the most part, our daughter has been willing to accommodate me.
Case in point: Last Saturday, with her mother an ocean away in west Africa, my 17-month settled into my arms and slept through the entire Arsenal-Sunderland league tie and, after a trip to the local playground and braving a seven-foot slide all on her lonesome, clambered into those same arms a few hours later to sleep through the entire Fiorentina-Parma match. I can think of no better way to watch either of those matches then with her safe in my arms.
We dropped our Georgetown season tickets this year because going to basketball games at the Verizon Center proved all but impossible with her during the Mystics season. Still, I retain a rooting interest in JTIII's team and with the expectation of a sparse crowd, we trudged off to see Gtown take on the Lafayette Leopards of the Patriot League. And, to our surprise, she was entertained up through 17 minutes of the second half, before the non-competitive game ceased to entertain her and she made her way for the exits, only to be enticed back by a brief interlude with Jack the bulldog. It helped that we had tickets near the floor, as she seemed to be blown away by the size of the Hoyas front court, now featuring Hollis Thompson alongside Greg Monroe, Julian Vaughn, and Henry Sims.
She and I were treated to a very good game from Jason Clark. Clark found his shooting touch in the second half, which complemented the high level of energy he brought to Gtown's defense throughout the rest of the game.
We were also happy to see Henry Sims get extended minutes and earn the (small) crowd's adulation on a tremendous block of one of the Leopards' small, overmatched guards.
Because of her, much of what used to fill my days has been dropped or discarded in favor of this wondrous new priority, but I have not been able to fully tear myself away from watching sports. Luckily, for the most part, our daughter has been willing to accommodate me.
Case in point: Last Saturday, with her mother an ocean away in west Africa, my 17-month settled into my arms and slept through the entire Arsenal-Sunderland league tie and, after a trip to the local playground and braving a seven-foot slide all on her lonesome, clambered into those same arms a few hours later to sleep through the entire Fiorentina-Parma match. I can think of no better way to watch either of those matches then with her safe in my arms.
We dropped our Georgetown season tickets this year because going to basketball games at the Verizon Center proved all but impossible with her during the Mystics season. Still, I retain a rooting interest in JTIII's team and with the expectation of a sparse crowd, we trudged off to see Gtown take on the Lafayette Leopards of the Patriot League. And, to our surprise, she was entertained up through 17 minutes of the second half, before the non-competitive game ceased to entertain her and she made her way for the exits, only to be enticed back by a brief interlude with Jack the bulldog. It helped that we had tickets near the floor, as she seemed to be blown away by the size of the Hoyas front court, now featuring Hollis Thompson alongside Greg Monroe, Julian Vaughn, and Henry Sims.
She and I were treated to a very good game from Jason Clark. Clark found his shooting touch in the second half, which complemented the high level of energy he brought to Gtown's defense throughout the rest of the game.
We were also happy to see Henry Sims get extended minutes and earn the (small) crowd's adulation on a tremendous block of one of the Leopards' small, overmatched guards.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Down Goes United
It has been a season of being on the brink of achievement and falling short. Losing the Open Cup to the Sounders at RFK; needing a win in Mexico against Toluca to advance out of the group stage in the In Name Only Champions League and managing a draw; and, last night, needing a win against the Wizards in Kansas City to gain a playoff berth but allowing Zusi and company to pick up a point.
Oh well. After a day of reflection, I can write that I was at least happy with the effort. After a number of games this season where the players did not seem to give two sh*ts about the shirt or the fans, United played committed and with urgency last night. At the end of the first half, I was surprised by the realization that the team's best two players were Julius James and Danny Szetela. Szetela was particularly impressive. Although his touch failed him a few times in the midfield, Danny's pace allowed him to cover back, permitting Burch, James, and Jakovic to be more aggressive in their marking. On one dangerous Wiz attack in the first half, Burch lost his man and Szetela came back and disrupted the play in the box before goal, keeping Kansas City off the scoreboard. More impressive, however, was the precision shown in Szetela's long boots forward. I like that United plays the ball on the ground and works its way up field. At the same time, when the other team's backline is napping and Emilio is running -- as he was yesterday -- it would seem foolish to not try and take advantage of that aspect of the game. Szetela was able to put the ball forward in spaces that allowed Emilio and Pontius to run onto them, something that has been conspicuously missing from previous games.
Some other surprises from last night: I thought Fred played a better game than Wallace on the wings (the first time I've thought Fred was the better wide player all season). I thought the backline was very good overall and that Burch played a solid fullback role. I thought Pontius demonstrated that he is best utilized up top and not in the midfield. I thought Emilio showed that he can play well with the support of another forward and was willing to take the ball to the wide areas of the goal box to set up attacks (he had a couple beautiful flicks). I thought the two worst performances (relative to everyone else's) of the night were turned in by Ben Olsen and Boyzzz Khumalo (one of my favorite players on the team, if not my favorite), the second half subs. Olsen should have received a straight red for the shove of Jewsbury on the sideline and, although there is some poetic justice in the fact that Fred's blatant dive earned a pk and his handball gave up the pk, the reality is that Olsen tackled his man in the box prior to the handball -- he wasn't subtle about it -- and given Fred's cramping, DCU was fortunate that Fred was tossed and not Olsen. Boyzzz did not add much as an energizing force but, to be fair, the circumstances were not appropriate for the substitution.
As usual, Simms was solid and Wallace showed promise, with Cronin making a compelling argument that he should get another crack at the MLS. All in all, a good showing and it would be difficult to hang the result on the players on the pitch.
Taking the year as a whole, although United at least managed to win the Open Cup last year, I am much happier about being a season ticket holder this year than I was this time last year. The folks in the front office were excellent and the decision to include the Champions League matches as part of the season ticket package was emblematic of the sincerity with which the FO addresses problems that are identified by experience. I complained about one thing this season and the good people in administration came up with a solution that resolved any problem. More importantly, the quality of the team put on the pitch was far more talented than what United fans suffered through last year.
Nevertheless, I hope that Tommy Soehn does not return as the head coach of the team next year. Soehn is a nice man. He is a Chicagoan. He is probably a good soccer coach and hopefully he will get a chance somewhere else. Many will point to the bizarre use of substitutions in the single most important match of the year as a fair representation of his failings as a manager... I prefer to focus on the fact that Rodney Wallace was assigned to mark Kei Kamara. This took thought, consideration, and planning. And despite the fact that Wallace looked overmatched on early set pieces, no adjustment was made, ultimately leading to Zusi's free kick and the effective end of United's season. The decision was made all the more bizarre by the fact that a change was made at half to put Pontius on Kamara -- which had to seem like the only logical choice given that Kamara is the Wizards' only real aerial threat.
Many United fans seem intent on seeing an overhaul of the roster with a clear out similar in scale to what happened last year. That seems remarkably short-sighted. Under a new coaching regime, the talent amassed by Mr. Payne should have a chance to shine. At most, I would hope that only a few players are asked to leave: Greg Janicki is probably not an MLS-quality defender and I hope to see him again in the third division. Avery John has seen better days (and James and Vaughn performed more competently in limited chances) and David Habarugira may eventually be a decent player, it won't be anytime in the near future. For everyone else, I am not sure. No one saw much out of Ely Allen and although DiRaimondo looked useful on loan to the Kickers, that's pretty far afield from the MLS.
Oh well. After a day of reflection, I can write that I was at least happy with the effort. After a number of games this season where the players did not seem to give two sh*ts about the shirt or the fans, United played committed and with urgency last night. At the end of the first half, I was surprised by the realization that the team's best two players were Julius James and Danny Szetela. Szetela was particularly impressive. Although his touch failed him a few times in the midfield, Danny's pace allowed him to cover back, permitting Burch, James, and Jakovic to be more aggressive in their marking. On one dangerous Wiz attack in the first half, Burch lost his man and Szetela came back and disrupted the play in the box before goal, keeping Kansas City off the scoreboard. More impressive, however, was the precision shown in Szetela's long boots forward. I like that United plays the ball on the ground and works its way up field. At the same time, when the other team's backline is napping and Emilio is running -- as he was yesterday -- it would seem foolish to not try and take advantage of that aspect of the game. Szetela was able to put the ball forward in spaces that allowed Emilio and Pontius to run onto them, something that has been conspicuously missing from previous games.
Some other surprises from last night: I thought Fred played a better game than Wallace on the wings (the first time I've thought Fred was the better wide player all season). I thought the backline was very good overall and that Burch played a solid fullback role. I thought Pontius demonstrated that he is best utilized up top and not in the midfield. I thought Emilio showed that he can play well with the support of another forward and was willing to take the ball to the wide areas of the goal box to set up attacks (he had a couple beautiful flicks). I thought the two worst performances (relative to everyone else's) of the night were turned in by Ben Olsen and Boyzzz Khumalo (one of my favorite players on the team, if not my favorite), the second half subs. Olsen should have received a straight red for the shove of Jewsbury on the sideline and, although there is some poetic justice in the fact that Fred's blatant dive earned a pk and his handball gave up the pk, the reality is that Olsen tackled his man in the box prior to the handball -- he wasn't subtle about it -- and given Fred's cramping, DCU was fortunate that Fred was tossed and not Olsen. Boyzzz did not add much as an energizing force but, to be fair, the circumstances were not appropriate for the substitution.
As usual, Simms was solid and Wallace showed promise, with Cronin making a compelling argument that he should get another crack at the MLS. All in all, a good showing and it would be difficult to hang the result on the players on the pitch.
Taking the year as a whole, although United at least managed to win the Open Cup last year, I am much happier about being a season ticket holder this year than I was this time last year. The folks in the front office were excellent and the decision to include the Champions League matches as part of the season ticket package was emblematic of the sincerity with which the FO addresses problems that are identified by experience. I complained about one thing this season and the good people in administration came up with a solution that resolved any problem. More importantly, the quality of the team put on the pitch was far more talented than what United fans suffered through last year.
Nevertheless, I hope that Tommy Soehn does not return as the head coach of the team next year. Soehn is a nice man. He is a Chicagoan. He is probably a good soccer coach and hopefully he will get a chance somewhere else. Many will point to the bizarre use of substitutions in the single most important match of the year as a fair representation of his failings as a manager... I prefer to focus on the fact that Rodney Wallace was assigned to mark Kei Kamara. This took thought, consideration, and planning. And despite the fact that Wallace looked overmatched on early set pieces, no adjustment was made, ultimately leading to Zusi's free kick and the effective end of United's season. The decision was made all the more bizarre by the fact that a change was made at half to put Pontius on Kamara -- which had to seem like the only logical choice given that Kamara is the Wizards' only real aerial threat.
Many United fans seem intent on seeing an overhaul of the roster with a clear out similar in scale to what happened last year. That seems remarkably short-sighted. Under a new coaching regime, the talent amassed by Mr. Payne should have a chance to shine. At most, I would hope that only a few players are asked to leave: Greg Janicki is probably not an MLS-quality defender and I hope to see him again in the third division. Avery John has seen better days (and James and Vaughn performed more competently in limited chances) and David Habarugira may eventually be a decent player, it won't be anytime in the near future. For everyone else, I am not sure. No one saw much out of Ely Allen and although DiRaimondo looked useful on loan to the Kickers, that's pretty far afield from the MLS.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Black Bear, Black Bear What Do You See?
A month ago the plan was to fly to Cincinnati to see friends across the river in Kentucky and then watch the Bears on Sunday afternoon. But the season started and Ron Turner still called the plays for the offense and I have decided to implement a new rule: if my team's offense is controlled by either (a) John Shoop or (b) Ron Turner, I will not travel to see them play. Turner is by no means the worst offensive coordinator the Bears have employed, nor is he responsible for Chicago being a .500 team that will struggle to make the playoffs, but last week's game against the Falcons in Atlanta sums up well Turner's legacy: Mike Mularkey adjusted the Falcons' offense to exploit the weaknesses that an injury-ravaged Bears defense presented and put the Windy City boys on their heels; Turner did not, declining to put the game into Jay Cutler's hands and run a no-huddle offense that might capitalize on the limited skills of Atlanta's cornerbacks. So, no need to go to Ohio this year and, in fact, no need to even find a bar to watch the game.
Instead, we headed out to Shenandoah National Park for a beautiful day spent on Skyline Drive. Our 16-month old was amazed by caterpillars, salamanders, chipmunks, birds, and deer (although, truth be told, she was most excited by a beetle that she got hold of). For the rest of us, our highlight was a four foot black bear that wandered across the street from us on a trail near Big Meadows. On getting close, the bear turned tail and scampered back into the dense woods. It had no fight in it. So it was almost as if we had gone to the Queen City anyway.
Instead, we headed out to Shenandoah National Park for a beautiful day spent on Skyline Drive. Our 16-month old was amazed by caterpillars, salamanders, chipmunks, birds, and deer (although, truth be told, she was most excited by a beetle that she got hold of). For the rest of us, our highlight was a four foot black bear that wandered across the street from us on a trail near Big Meadows. On getting close, the bear turned tail and scampered back into the dense woods. It had no fight in it. So it was almost as if we had gone to the Queen City anyway.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
One v. One
Champions League matches abounded yesterday: a squad from a little Romanian town went to Ibrox and embarrassed the SPL; mighty Barca was humbled by Rubin Kazan; Anfield saw a massive upset in extra time as Ligue Un giants Lyon took the EPL down a notch; and late goals in Group H gave Olympiakos three points and, in the other match, insured a split between Arsenal and Alkmaar. Meanwhile, on another side of the world, in the In Name Only Champions League played in CONCACAF, DC United failed to insure an advance out of the group stages by managing only a draw away at Toluca (I am typing this while watching Metapan-Dynamo, one of the worst soccer matches I have ever witnessed -- all those United fans who rant about Emilio's diminished effectiveness should check out Brian Ching's inept performance turned in tonight). None of that, however, distracted me from Maryland's home game against Seton Hall.
We learned midweek while in Florida that Alex Lee had been hit by a car while walking in Dupont Circle. Considering the extent of Lee's injuries, the games probably are not that important in perspective. Nevertheless, Maryland's response to Lee's individual tragedy was to go out and beat Georgetown and Clemson away. Tuesday night's game against another Big East opponent was their first at home since Lee's injury and Alex was supposed to be in attendance.
Only a little more than 500 people showed up to see Seton Hall break a deadlock in the 22nd minute. Giovanni Zammiello was given a lot of time on the ball to square up a shot. It is a testament to how impressed I have been with Ethan White that, at first, I thought he just wasn't on the field as I was certain that he would never let a player be that open without a tough, physical challenge.
The Terps response was fantastic. Kwame Darko, the fifth year senior who will replace Lee, threw his body dangerously in the air to win a poorly cleared 50/50 ball that set Drew Yates free in the box to slot home the equalizer. Darko risked serious injury on the play, but demonstrated that Maryland wanted a result more than their opponents (the Crew, often confused when not directing puerile insults at opposing teams, chanted Drew Yates' name, in recognition of the beneficiary of Darko's hard work).
Maryland took the lead on something that has been a long time coming: a Terp converting on a one on one opportunity against the opposing team's keeper. Jason Herrick beat Paul McHenry when set free by a ball from Matt Kassel. The opportunity was there and Herrick made the most of it.
Maryland again dominated in shots taken -- 19 to Seton Hall's 9 -- but, last night, managed to put three into the net.
Two huge matches coming up: Wake Forest away on Saturday night and back home a week later against Virginia.
Get well soon Alex.
We learned midweek while in Florida that Alex Lee had been hit by a car while walking in Dupont Circle. Considering the extent of Lee's injuries, the games probably are not that important in perspective. Nevertheless, Maryland's response to Lee's individual tragedy was to go out and beat Georgetown and Clemson away. Tuesday night's game against another Big East opponent was their first at home since Lee's injury and Alex was supposed to be in attendance.
Only a little more than 500 people showed up to see Seton Hall break a deadlock in the 22nd minute. Giovanni Zammiello was given a lot of time on the ball to square up a shot. It is a testament to how impressed I have been with Ethan White that, at first, I thought he just wasn't on the field as I was certain that he would never let a player be that open without a tough, physical challenge.
The Terps response was fantastic. Kwame Darko, the fifth year senior who will replace Lee, threw his body dangerously in the air to win a poorly cleared 50/50 ball that set Drew Yates free in the box to slot home the equalizer. Darko risked serious injury on the play, but demonstrated that Maryland wanted a result more than their opponents (the Crew, often confused when not directing puerile insults at opposing teams, chanted Drew Yates' name, in recognition of the beneficiary of Darko's hard work).
Maryland took the lead on something that has been a long time coming: a Terp converting on a one on one opportunity against the opposing team's keeper. Jason Herrick beat Paul McHenry when set free by a ball from Matt Kassel. The opportunity was there and Herrick made the most of it.
Maryland again dominated in shots taken -- 19 to Seton Hall's 9 -- but, last night, managed to put three into the net.
Two huge matches coming up: Wake Forest away on Saturday night and back home a week later against Virginia.
Get well soon Alex.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
There's Nothing Wrong With Nationalism...
"... and if you ask me, I will say it is fine."
On Wednesday morning, my family was enjoying 85 degree weather and basking in sunshine on the beach in Clearwater. On Wednesday evening, I stood amongst the throngs of Sam's Army in a downpour of cold, continuous, unrelenting rain in 40 degree weather at RFK. Wouldn't have it any other way.
We sit on the opposite side of Barra Brava and for the first time that I can remember, no one sat down during the entire game. The atmosphere was fantastic and for a relatively disappointing turnout, the stadium did not feel empty.
I have developed an irrational dislike for Landon Donovan, but the hard rain on Wednesday night washed most of that away. Donovan's skills were fully on display in what were tough, nasty conditions. Down 2-0 after some lackadaisical play from the U.S. centerbacks (Onyewu and Bocanegra), Donovan showed extraordinary effort and heart on the wing. He tracked back when necessary, folded in to keep the Ticos' defense on its heels, and exhibited his great touch in turning past individual Costa Rican players. I certainly did not hop on the metro expecting to fall in love with LD, but 90+ minutes of watching him a few rows from the field and I am ready to admit the error of my ways. He was, far and away, the best player in the U.S.'s midfield.
And although Donovan was great and Robbie Rogers was a revelation as a substitute on the right wing and the late equalizer from Bornstein was euphoric, Jozy Altidore alone was worth the price of admission. Jozy is far more comfortable up top than I've ever seen him before and the confidence he plays with is now matched by transcendent skill. On one play in the first half, he picked up a pass, turned, beat the man marking him, slid from right to left, beat two more Costa Rican defenders and served the ball perfectly to Conor Casey (who clearly regressed to the mean after a breakout match in Honduras on Saturday). Altidore himself missed a couple of half chances, but when he starts to convert those opportunities, he will be one of the world's elite strikers. The most impressive thing about Altidore's performance was how he earned the multiple free kicks awarded during the match by refusing to go down easily when he was hacked at by Ticos' defenders in the early going. By keeping his balance and forcing his way into openings, Altidore -- by his actions -- demonstrated to the referee that he was not going to be looking for whistles. For the rest of the game, Jozy got the benefit of the doubt when he hit the turf. He is so big, so fast, and so skilled that he simply has to play. His short time in the EPL seems to have already borne fruit and, if Phil Brown has the courage to stick with Altidore, Hull City may stave off relegation this season.
On Wednesday morning, my family was enjoying 85 degree weather and basking in sunshine on the beach in Clearwater. On Wednesday evening, I stood amongst the throngs of Sam's Army in a downpour of cold, continuous, unrelenting rain in 40 degree weather at RFK. Wouldn't have it any other way.
We sit on the opposite side of Barra Brava and for the first time that I can remember, no one sat down during the entire game. The atmosphere was fantastic and for a relatively disappointing turnout, the stadium did not feel empty.
I have developed an irrational dislike for Landon Donovan, but the hard rain on Wednesday night washed most of that away. Donovan's skills were fully on display in what were tough, nasty conditions. Down 2-0 after some lackadaisical play from the U.S. centerbacks (Onyewu and Bocanegra), Donovan showed extraordinary effort and heart on the wing. He tracked back when necessary, folded in to keep the Ticos' defense on its heels, and exhibited his great touch in turning past individual Costa Rican players. I certainly did not hop on the metro expecting to fall in love with LD, but 90+ minutes of watching him a few rows from the field and I am ready to admit the error of my ways. He was, far and away, the best player in the U.S.'s midfield.
And although Donovan was great and Robbie Rogers was a revelation as a substitute on the right wing and the late equalizer from Bornstein was euphoric, Jozy Altidore alone was worth the price of admission. Jozy is far more comfortable up top than I've ever seen him before and the confidence he plays with is now matched by transcendent skill. On one play in the first half, he picked up a pass, turned, beat the man marking him, slid from right to left, beat two more Costa Rican defenders and served the ball perfectly to Conor Casey (who clearly regressed to the mean after a breakout match in Honduras on Saturday). Altidore himself missed a couple of half chances, but when he starts to convert those opportunities, he will be one of the world's elite strikers. The most impressive thing about Altidore's performance was how he earned the multiple free kicks awarded during the match by refusing to go down easily when he was hacked at by Ticos' defenders in the early going. By keeping his balance and forcing his way into openings, Altidore -- by his actions -- demonstrated to the referee that he was not going to be looking for whistles. For the rest of the game, Jozy got the benefit of the doubt when he hit the turf. He is so big, so fast, and so skilled that he simply has to play. His short time in the EPL seems to have already borne fruit and, if Phil Brown has the courage to stick with Altidore, Hull City may stave off relegation this season.
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