Posted by Christopher Glotfelty (11/12/2008 @ 4:02 pm)
As we are all well unaware of, Major League Soccer is in the midst of their conference championships, and millions of fans around the world are counting the days till the MLS Cup on November 23rd. Sarcasm aside, the league has had yet another disappointing season in terms of attendance and viewership. To make matters worse, its 2008 Player of the Year, Landon Donovan, is considering leaving the league to play in Germany.
Galaxy forward Landon Donovan should have been in Los Angeles on Tuesday, picking up his fifth Honda Player of the Year award for being the best player on the U.S. national soccer team.
Instead, the poster boy of American soccer was 5,964 miles away, trying to show Bayern Munich that he now has what he didn’t have before — the fortitude that it takes to survive in the rough and tumble of the Bundesliga.
Donovan is essentially trying out for a spot on the four-time European and 21-time German champion.
In his corner is Juergen Klinsmann, the former German national team coach and Newport Beach resident who is Bayern’s coach.
Klinsmann knows Donovan’s ability as a player, including his blistering pace and his deadly finishing. What he needs to see are the intangibles — the willingness to rebound after being knocked silly by a defender, the ability to fit into a constellation of stars rather than being the lone star orbiting David Beckham.
For its part, the Galaxy said simply that Donovan “will train . . . for the next 10 days . . . and is expected to return to Los Angeles later this month.”
Like the NHL, the MLS is riddled with the same problems in trying to increase its popularity. Both sports are a struggle to watch at times. The “dump and chase” style of NHL play lacks the creativity exhibited in the ’80s, while the MLS skill level simply doesn’t meet the exciting standards of the better European leagues. Unfortunately, both leagues suffer from a lack of intrigue, as their players don’t have the celebrity status or appeal as those from the MLB, NBA, or NFL.
David Beckham’s celebrity was supposed to bring in new fans. It didn’t, and no one can blame him. A league cannot have one representative, albeit from another country. In fact, Landon Donovan should have been the poster boy for the league. Due to the joke of the department that is the MLS Public Relations, most Americans are still unfamiliar with this exceptional athlete. For him, jumping ship to Germany isn’t just deserved, but also necessary. Why stay in a league to refuses to challenge your ability? Sadly, the MLS is becoming a farm system for European clubs and it will continue to be one until it gets its act together.
SPORTSbyBROOKS.com has the story of fans in Ireland throwing a firework and hitting a soccer player in the back.
The LONDON DAILY MAIL has dramatic photos of a soccer player in Ireland getting hit by a rocket thrown onto the field during a game this week.
Immediately following the final whistle of a Belfast-area tournament final match between Linfield and Cliftonville, Linfield player Conor Hagan “fell to the ground after being struck in the back by the rocket before it exploded. His team Linfield had just suffered a 2-1 defeat by sectarian rivals Cliftonville.”
Of course, the team’s fans then commenced rioting.
The attack, which sparked riots afterwards, came as players for Cliftonville, a largely Catholic-supported side, had missiles thrown at them by fans of the losing side, which is typically followed by protestants in the divided city.
Hagan, 26, was tended by team medics and members of both sides before being able to regain his feet.
‘I was lying on the ground disgusted with the result and didn’t see the firework coming,’ he told the Belfast Telegraph.
Don’t let this piece of information get out to Philadelphia fans. They already throw batteries and other imaginables at players. If they realize they can start heaving rockets it’s all over for any opponent who plays in the city of brotherly love.
The Love of Sports put together a great list of sports clichés that the general public could do without hearing for the next couple decades.
1. “One Day (Game) at a Time”
Ah, how Zen. It’s great to know our admired athletes live along the same space-time continuum as the rest of us, despite possessing extraordinary physical skill. You may want to stay humble to maintain that underdog mentality, but don’t try to wow us with your existential wisdom.
4. “Nobody Believed In Us”
Really, no one? How very lonely you pro athletes must be. If this were true, then we should all be thankful none of us has to deal with the crushing abandonment that a come-from-behind sports franchise must. Even the Rays had a few thousand “believers” and they claim the most anemic following of anybody. Save the pity card and enjoy the win.
6. “We Never Gave Up”
On behalf of the millions of other fans who invest their money and time to watch you do your job, thank you. This should go without saying. So, by all means, don’t say it.
8. “We Just Had to Come Out and Play Our Game”
Uh huh. And? What a way to say nothing, yet hint at something truly profound. We know what game you played, but damned if we have any idea what “your game” actually was - or is. Clearly the game the other team played, though technically the same as the one you were playing, was inferior to this mysterious “You” game. Tell us more.
The “Nobody Believed In Us” is beyond the point of annoying. Players like to assume that everybody is against them now and it’s ridiculous. The whole “respect” thing is getting really tired.
British newspapers are reporting that two people who worked for David Beckham and his wife were arrested after some of the couple’s possessions were spotted on an Internet auction site.
Both the tabloid Sun and the Daily Mirror say in Tuesday’s editions that two housekeepers at the Beckham’s mansion northeast of London were arrested and questioned by police last week.
The newspapers say some of Beckham’s soccer memorabilia had been placed on eBay. Dresses belonging to former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham were also reportedly for sale.
No one has been charged. Hertfordshire Police said only that they are investigating a theft. Representatives of the Beckhams declined to comment.
The final count isn’t in yet, but last time I checked the numbers show that Posh Spice’s underwear was getting almost 10-times the Ebay bids than David’s old soccer memorabilia.
Posted by Christopher Glotfelty (10/09/2008 @ 4:44 pm)
When Major League Baseball decided to adopt instant replay earlier this year, it seemed as if the technology now had a presence in every major American sport. However, Major League Soccer has avoided its use, primarily because it’s never been called upon…until now. It’s well known that professional soccer is far more popular in the rest of the world than in the States, so leave it the enormously influential English Premier League to advocate the technology. Jorge Moran of FoxSoccer.com examines the possible repercussions of this decision:
A seldom discussed yet more worrying aspect of the possible introduction of video evidence is that it would splinter the sport into two factions: the football practiced by those clubs and countries that can afford to have the technology installed and maintained, and the football of those that can’t.
HawkEye, the camera-based goal-line technology that the Premier League tested but was unable to receive FIFA approval to use, would cost a reported $438,000 to install per stadium. Only a very small handful of national federations and leagues would be able to afford that, and perhaps only at the top flight level.
Who’s to say that a country’s lower leagues aren’t worthy enough to receive the same sort of sporting justice that video evidence would bring to the upper tier? Teams from the lower divisions may be less profitable, but they are just as important to their supporters.
Moran makes an interesting case. What binds soccer on a global level is that the game’s simplistic rules are relatively the same in every league. While a third world country may not be able to afford the cameras, implementing instant replay in a wealthier nation tilts this equilibrium. Hopefully a more cost-conscious system will arise.
If some leagues do side with the technology, I hope it’s used on a smaller scale, as with MLB. Many people were upset when the ATP and WTA started using instant replay during tennis matches. However, players are given a limited number of “disputes” per game. Like tennis, soccer is popular on a global level. If instant replay creeps its way into the game, I hope it’s used both sparingly and wisely.
Posted by Christopher Glotfelty (08/13/2008 @ 3:03 pm)
There was a time when the U.S. men’s soccer team could give Italy a run for their money. This was in 1992, specifically at the Summer Olympics in Barcelona. That squad included the talents of Tony Meola, Steve Snow, and Alexi Lalas. The star of that team, however, was the speedy goal-scorer Cobi Jones.
After stints in South America, Europe, and for the Los Angeles Galaxy in the MLS, Jones retired from professional soccer in 2007. But the Galaxy has called upon the great one once again, naming him interim head coach as the team reevaluates their recent performance. He will replace first-year coach Ruud Gullit who has resigned for personal reasons. The major changes include the dismissal of general manager Alexi Lalas, Jones’ former teammate.
Lalas arrived in Los Angeles in April 2006 after holding a similar position with both the New York Red Bulls and the San Jose Earthquakes, which, like the Galaxy, were owned by AEG. Handing his responsibilities will be Paul Bravo, the team’s director of soccer and Tom Payne, the assistant general manager.
“With Ruud moving on, we believe that this is the right time to make more sweeping changes throughout the organization,” Leiweke said. “Our commitment continues to be focused on not only winning the MLS Cup this and every season but to build a club capable of competing at the international level. This decision is the right one for the organization, the right one for the players and the right one for our fans. We thank Alexi for the tremendous hard work and dedication he brought to his job each and every day.”
This has been an extremely disappointing season for the Galaxy. They are on a seven-game losing streak and rapidly falling within their division. The fanfare has seemingly died down despite the solid play by David Beckham and Landon Donovan. It’s unclear whether Jones’ abilities as a player will transfer over to his new coaching position. One thing is for sure, he’s a soccer icon and a Los Angeles darling, and his presence will arouse needed fan support at home games.
Posted by Christopher Glotfelty (08/13/2008 @ 1:21 pm)
Before the U.S. men’s soccer team even played their first match, coaches from other nations mocked them, saying their roster and style of play could not hold up in international competition.
This morning, Nigeria defeated the U.S. men’s squad 2-1, knocking them out of the Olympics. With this win, and the Netherlands’ victory over Japan, so ends preliminary play. To the dismay of the U.S. men’s team, who played so well in their first two matches, a favored Netherlands and an underrated Nigeria will see their teams advance to the quarterfinals.
Things went sour early for the United States when defender Michael Orozco earned himself a red-card in the third minute, elbowing Solomon Okoronkwo with a referee standing nearby. For the remaining 87 minutes, the United States was short one player. This put the U.S. at a major disadvantage, especially considering the absence of Freddy Adu and Michael Bradley because of yellow-cards they received in previous games.
Nigeria struck first with a goal by Promise Isaac in the 38th minute. Victor Obinna then added another for his team late in the second half. The United States did put one in the net, scoring on a penalty kick with two minutes left in the game. It was for naught, however, and Nigeria secured the victory.
Orozco’s bone-headed decision to throw a nasty elbow in front of an official probably cost them the game. Referees are instructed to keep Olympic soccer matches as civil as possible and Orozco’s move was anything but.
U.S. Women’s Soccer team’s plan to win gold in the August Summer Olympic Games was hit with a severe blow during an exhibition game in San Diego last week. Starting forward Abby Wambach broke her left leg after a violent collision in the first half of a 1-0 win over Brazil. The team’s leading scorer is expected to be out for 12 weeks and will miss the Summer Games, which begin in three weeks.
The U.S. Women have dominated international soccer play since its inception by winning Olympic gold in 1996 and 2004. But other countries have caught up in international play with the Americans. No further proof than the U.S. third-place finish at the 2007 Women’s World Cup is necessary. The team lost a lopsided contest to Brazil in the semi-final round before salvaging a bronze medal by defeating Norway. Gone are the days of the U.S. Women’s domination of the opposition.
Out went head coach Ken Ryan, and in came Pia Sundhage, who revamped the mentality of how the team attacked the goal. Sundhage implemented a possession-based offense to create more opportunity for everyone to score. The team no longer relies on Wambach to be the squad’s lone goal scorer, which could ultimately help the Americans to claim a medal in Beijing.
Simply put, this team is not lost without their star on the pitch as it would have been prior to Sundhage becoming coach. By de-emphasizing the role of Wambach and revamping their offensive style, Sundhage has created a diverse look for opponents to try to defend.
Besides Wambach, injuries to defender Cat Whitehill and midfielder Leslie Osbourne have left the Olympic roster young and untested. The talent is there but their poise will be tested in Beijing. Sundhage’s plan is to keep possession of the ball and find the right moment to penetrate the defensive zone, while also forcing the majority of play to the middle of the field. Sundhage feels the team’s strength is that they can play very well against different styles, and this will be helpful in the Olympic tournament.
It is hard to imagine that the U.S. will be the gold medal favorites at the start of Olympic play in China. But one advantage on their side is Sundhage, as she is one of the more creative coaches in the game today. You have to like the team’s motto going in the Summer Games: “If one is fully prepared, you should not be nervous to play in any contest. Be mentally prepared to leave it all on the pitch.”
They might be down, but the U.S. Women’s Soccer team is certainly not out.
As we are all well unaware of, Major League Soccer is in the midst of their conference championships, and millions of fans around the world are counting the days till the MLS Cup on November 23rd. Sarcasm aside, the league has had yet another disappointing season in terms of attendance and viewership. To make matters worse, its 2008 Player of the Year, Landon Donovan, is considering leaving the league to play in Germany.
