tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40477618313659348072024-03-05T22:54:52.140-06:00NutmeggedI love soccer... am I gay?playtherapyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424558202507070100noreply@blogger.comBlogger348125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047761831365934807.post-48178967701470837272010-09-24T12:05:00.004-05:002010-09-24T17:24:43.070-05:00Of broken fences and Houston Dynamo's late game destruction<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhucM9aWbowJz1s5Mu2oTpvuyBevgpzDm5cvqB6MXrcnA1Zs75s-j98OysOGchFXBExMQUIWx1mv__IcwpD2Q7Tau2ib95gwqWsrYMyWZ81PKqUfRxx6xtR7MB5oj30yz5NLBDAZMtgiFss/s1600/broken+fence.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhucM9aWbowJz1s5Mu2oTpvuyBevgpzDm5cvqB6MXrcnA1Zs75s-j98OysOGchFXBExMQUIWx1mv__IcwpD2Q7Tau2ib95gwqWsrYMyWZ81PKqUfRxx6xtR7MB5oj30yz5NLBDAZMtgiFss/s400/broken+fence.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520545587312745010" /></a><br /><br /><br />I know the schedule still says that Houston Dynamo have five more games to play this season, beginning with tomorrow night's game at DCU, the only team right now that is worse than us. (And just who predicted that before the season?) But I think it's well past time to call time on the whole exercise, functionally at least.<br /><br />Summing up my feelings for the season so far, it's simple. It sucks. Any more need to be said?<br /><br />When I look back to last season, and it's weird rash of red cards, nine over all games in all competitions in a two-and-a-half month span from early August to mid-October, I thought that it was just one of those weird statistical oddities that crops up from time to time. Totally unpredictable, very weird and not admitting to easy explanation. "Whew," I thought. "At least nothing that weird will happen again."<br /><br />And I was right, nothing that weird did happen this year. Instead, something even weirder did.<br /><br />Most teams will lose a game giving up a stoppage time goal on e a season or so, maybe twice. The fact is that you just don't see that sort of thing very often. It happens and it always sucks to have it happen to you, but if a team is really bad, the losses will come early, often and not be restricted to the very back ends of games.<br /><br />Or so I thought.<br /><br />Dynamo have now had this happen to them four times this season. Four times! And are currently sitting on a two-game streak where this has happened to them. Not only that, but this is the team's second such streak this season. Here are the four:<br /><br /><a href="http://houtv.neulion.com/mlsvp/console.jsp?catid=1875&id=5571" target="_blank">May 29 v Phunions</a>. Danny Mwanga leads the comeback for Philly's first-ever road win, 3-2. With this, though we did not know it at the time, we have seen what the rest of 2010 will look like.<br /><a href="http://houtv.neulion.com/mlsvp/console.jsp?catid=1875&id=5635" target="_blank">June 2 v RBNY</a> JPA with the stunner in what was pretty much the last action of the game, a 2-1 loss.<br /><a href="http://houtv.neulion.com/mlsvp/console.jsp?catid=1875&id=8787" target="_blank">Sept. 18 v TFC</a>. Dwayne De Rosario, who else, hammers us for a brace, the second with just seconds remaining in a 2-1 heartbreaker at home!<br /><a href="http://houtv.neulion.com/mlsvp/console.jsp?catid=1875&id=8925" target="_blank">Sept. 22 v KC</a>. Josh Wolff scores the killer in a 4-3 loss.<br /><br /><br />The links are to the videos of the game. Watch if you dare. I did for the purposes of this post and think I will have to wander around all weekend to get the images out of my brain (that is unless it happens again in RFK Saturday. Not trying to jinx things, just saying.). Just to even things out, those four games are two on the road and two at home. In three of the four, Dynamo lost leads, the last a two-goal lead! <br /><br />But do those four games tell the whole tale of misery and woe? They do not. Chew on these other results:<br /><br />Post 75th-minute losses<br />May 5: 1-0 loss to FC Frisco with Ihemelu goal in 78th <br /><br />Post 75th minute goals<br />July 1 -- 1-1 draw with TFC with Gargan goal in 84th following Ching’s in 73rd<br />July 24 – 3-0 loss to Crew with Iro goal in 84th and Griffit goal in stoppage<br />Aug. 8 – Alvaro Fernandez in 88th in 2-0 loss to the Seattles<br />Aug. 21 – Wilman Conde in 81st in 4-3 win over Fire<br /><br />Other notable dramatics against us<br />April 10 – Edson Buddle scores in 44th in 2-0 loss to the Gals at home.<br />April 26 – Fire’s Husidic in first half stoppage in 2-0 loss at Chicago.<br />June 26 – Rapids’ Conor Casey in first half stoppage of a 2-2 draw at home.<br /><br />And against that lineup of stinging failure, we get these three that went to us:<br />June 26th – Joe Ngwenya notches one in the 79th in a 2-2 draw with Rapids.<br />July 31 – Brian Mullan gets one in stoppage that earns us a 2-2 draw with NYRB<br />Aug. 21 – Following Conde in the 81st, Chingy finds net in the 85th in 4-3 win over Fire.<br /><br />In these 13 games right here, Dynamo went 1-9-3. In all other results this season, the team is 5-5-2. So if Dynamo is to be truly regarded as the worst team in the Western Conference, which a quick glance at the table right now shows to be true, you can see the results that have led us there. <br /><br />Also revealing on the table is the fact that with 32 goals scores, Dynamo are tied for fourth in the Western Conference and fifth in MLS, hardly a worst int eh league scoring number. However, there are two goals on the field right? Over on the other end, Dynamo have given up 44 goals, the worst in the league. Only New England, at 43 is even close to us.<br /><br />Now who on Earth would have predicted before the season that New England Revolution and Houston Dynamo would have the worst defenses in MLS? And that no one else would even be close? And of those 44, 17 have come after the 75th minute in games this season. That's 27 in Mins. 1-75 and 17 in Mins. 75-90+. AND THERE ARE STILL FIVE GAMES TO GO!!<br /><br />So where does all of this lead? Well, that is the subject for further posts. But it's obvious the problems have not been in attack this season, very, very obvious.Martin Hajovskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14087389972723306522noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047761831365934807.post-39544410600717609332010-08-04T14:18:00.003-05:002010-08-04T14:30:55.727-05:00The Findley/Kljestan reign of terror must stop!!!!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCP5jx32SKaaMHyoD6gDK5rbipvpTutAQJPYtAXIo8Cu7hGjqrpXv5GOZF8oHe0Dx7aNmfVzUyRjoK-jADXYyMDlvSfnDnTuESEEdzbHPUX9zyIm-uU-XlOreMDeiKrbdLLMVx4oah6RBs/s1600/ReignofTerror.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCP5jx32SKaaMHyoD6gDK5rbipvpTutAQJPYtAXIo8Cu7hGjqrpXv5GOZF8oHe0Dx7aNmfVzUyRjoK-jADXYyMDlvSfnDnTuESEEdzbHPUX9zyIm-uU-XlOreMDeiKrbdLLMVx4oah6RBs/s400/ReignofTerror.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501639309029046914" /></a><br /><br /><br />I think Bob Bradley has it in for me personally.<br /><br />I truly, truly just cannot believe this roster.<br /><br />The list for the U.S. national team's friendly against Brazil next Tuesday night at the Meadowlands in New Jersey.....<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">GOALKEEPERS</span>: Tim Howard (Everton), Brad Guzan (Aston Villa).<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DEFENDERS</span>: Carlos Bocanegra (Saint-Etienne), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Steve Cherundolo (Hanover), Clarence Goodson (Start), Jonathan Spector (West Ham), Chad Marshall (Columbus)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">MIDFIELDERS</span>: Landon Donovan (Los Angeles), Michael Bradley (Moenchengladbach), Maurice Edu (Rangers), Benny Feilhaber (Aarhus), Jermaine Jones (Schalke), Sacha Kljestan (Anderlecht), Alejandro Bedoya (Orebro).<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">FORWARDS</span>: Edson Buddle (Los Angeles), Robbie Findley (Real Salt Lake), Herculez Gomez (Pachuca).<br /><br />I am stunned speechless that BOTH Robbie Findley and Sacha Kljestan have been called in to the camp. Kljestan, I was convinced, had finally, finally run his course with the US National team after this past spring. The world Cup team was named and Kljestan was not on it, and so I thought, he would go the way of Freddy Adu and never wear the red, white and blue again, except perhaps at his next Fourth of July party.<br /><br />As for Findley, my brain is still scarred with his performances in South Africa and the sure and present knowledge that Brian Ching would have done far, far better in every circumstance. (As Dan Loney wrote, regarding Findley's supposed speed advantage, "He missed those shots VERY quickly.")<br /><br />And now, against Brazil in a friendly that we already have little chance in, to see both, BOTH!!! of those players going to New Jersey is almost more than I can bear. The only reason I want those two guys to go to New Jersey is to have a "rendezvous" with Tony Soprano. <br /><br />And now, what do I know for certain? What do I know for absolute, you-know-whatting, cannot print in a family newspaper certain? I know that both of these players will see time, perhaps even, in Findley's case, start against the Selecao. <br /><br />Bob Bradley, you are dead to me.Martin Hajovskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14087389972723306522noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047761831365934807.post-66678536089209451712010-07-20T11:32:00.003-05:002010-07-20T11:53:37.657-05:00Testify LD! Testify<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvESU4l16kz-__HwOQ1Ys2CaTQbZLucTE9lgDfHsLNUiY2zIY-eUmabh9g7dR3wehLXQDEx9eZgEBQ_Ux8UoljGiFvPIGtN39HlNLjMoWMNLx0xpcQl1FT2eELrGxzrqgrQsRQq-kI1iCx/s1600/LDon.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 269px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvESU4l16kz-__HwOQ1Ys2CaTQbZLucTE9lgDfHsLNUiY2zIY-eUmabh9g7dR3wehLXQDEx9eZgEBQ_Ux8UoljGiFvPIGtN39HlNLjMoWMNLx0xpcQl1FT2eELrGxzrqgrQsRQq-kI1iCx/s400/LDon.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496030540604018450" /></a><br /><br /><br />Here is today's money quote from none other than the current reigning Greatest American Hero (which I found on the always excellent <a href="http://www.dunordfutbol.com" target="_blank">du Nord</a>:<br /><br /><blockquote>"If you're in Denmark or Norway or Sweden, you're playing a little bit or you're on the bench, that's not helping you. If you're playing in MLS every week, that's a lot better than playing a minor role on some team in Europe. So if you have the opportunity to actually play games at some of the big leagues in Europe, great. But if not, you're hindering your development by not playing games." - Landon Donovan<br /></blockquote><br /><br />I could not agree more. Now, to be certain, I am not a coach. I am not an athletic development expert. I also would never, ever begrudge anyone who's length of career is generally about 5-6 years from taking a massive short term payday.<br /><br />However, the truth of what LD is saying is so obvious to me it frequently gets lost in the shuffle. Of course, players should test themselves against top competition. Of course players should always, always try to improve. But also of course, in the best of all possible worlds, there is someone who should be there to keep the player grounded to reality. And the reality of the situation is that for so many Americans, playing every or most games in MLS is far superior to riding the bench, and sometimes not even making the game sheet, on some team in Europe. <br /><br />And the thing is that we all, all of us footy freaks, can come up with a long list of players right off the top of our heads that prove this statement to be true. Here's mine, and I guarantee both of these lists took me only about 20 seconds each.<br /><br />PLAYERS WHO WOULD HAVE BEEN FAR BETTER SERVED TO HAVE STAYED IN MLS<br />Freddy Adu<br />Eddie Johnson<br />Sal Zisso<br />Dominic Cervi<br />Jonathan Spector<br />Joseph Ngwenya<br />(The list of players riding pines in Denmark, Holland, Turkey, etc.)<br />Kenny Cooper<br /><br />PLAYERS WHO CLEARLY BENEFITED FROM STAYING IN/COMING BACK TO MLS<br />Landon Donovan (arguable in the German experiments, perhaps not so much at Everton)<br />Brian Ching<br />Dwayne De Rosario<br />Joseph Ngwenya<br />Nate Jaqua<br />Bobby Convey<br /><br />I am sure you have others who would qualify for this list. (Jozy Altidore perhaps?)<br /><br />Now to be sure, there are many players for whom making the trip over there was very important to their development (Deuce Dempsey, Donovan in Everton, Brian mcBride, Tim Howard, Oguchi Onyewu, etc.), and others for whom the book is still out (Stuart Holden, Brad Guzan, etc.). But for so many players, MLS is a viable option. Playing is a viable option. Playing regularly is the way to develop. But more important perhaps, staying realistic is the most crucial thing.<br /><br />So thanks LD for that little dose of reality.Martin Hajovskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14087389972723306522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047761831365934807.post-76079598994612735652010-07-07T09:34:00.002-05:002010-07-07T09:38:44.646-05:00From my foot, to your face, to our own goal<div><object width="512" height="322"><param name="movie" value="http://d.yimg.com/static.video.yahoo.com/yep/YV_YEP.swf?ver=2.2.46" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="AllowScriptAccess" VALUE="always" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#000000" /><param name="flashVars" value="id=20750348&vid=7834580&lang=en-gb&intl=uk&thumbUrl=http%3A//l.yimg.com/a/p/i/bcst/videosearch/15471/110465062.jpeg&embed=1" /><embed src="http://d.yimg.com/static.video.yahoo.com/yep/YV_YEP.swf?ver=2.2.46" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="512" height="322" allowFullScreen="true" AllowScriptAccess="always" bgcolor="#000000" flashVars="id=20750348&vid=7834580&lang=en-gb&intl=uk&thumbUrl=http%3A//l.yimg.com/a/p/i/bcst/videosearch/15471/110465062.jpeg&embed=1" ></embed></object><br /><a href="http://uk.video.yahoo.com/watch/7834580/20750348">Funniest own goal ever</a> @ <a href="http://uk.video.yahoo.com" >Yahoo! Video</a></div><br /><br /><br />Truly, truly amazing. Here's the down-low lowdown from the Emerald Isle, where this piece of brilliance took place (via <a href="http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/world-of-sport/article/17281/" target="_blank">Yahoo</a>):<br /><br /><blockquote>An Irish football league player has scored a surefire candidate for the unluckiest own goal of all time.<br /><br />Mervue United's Kenny Farrell was attempting to clear the ball out of defence in a tense match against Waterford, but his punt up field instead caught team-mate Mike Elwood smack in the face.<br /><br />Elwood fell to the floor, stunned by the blow - leaving the players and crowd to watch in amazement as the ball ricocheted off his nose and arched back towards the goal, dipping just under the bar beyond the reach of goalkeeper Ger Hanley.<br /><br />Mervue had kept their title-chasing rivals at bay until the own goal, but Elwood's misfortune opened the floodgates as Waterford went on to win 3-0. </blockquote><br /><br />No word on what pieces of anatomy flicked the other two goals into the net. I assume they came off of the feet, but then again...Martin Hajovskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14087389972723306522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047761831365934807.post-91039662958190239992010-06-24T18:39:00.006-05:002010-06-24T19:33:20.004-05:00Three videos that are taking my breath away<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/jbn3rOPmR9w&rel=0&color1=0x5d1719&color2=0xcd311b&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/jbn3rOPmR9w&rel=0&color1=0x5d1719&color2=0xcd311b&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />My favorite is "Some Guy in Arkansas."<br /><br />As for me, I was at home with Playtherapy and my two sons. At 1055 a.m. Central, I had a voice. At 10:58 a.m. Central: No voice.<br /><br />Playtherapy's idea at about the 85 minute mark was for us to take our jerseys off and wear them inside out. We did and the rest is history. So you can congratulate him for helping make this whole thing happen.<br /><br />As he told my son earlier in the game when he told me to pipe down: "But you know, they can hear us through that TV. They can hear us."<br /><br />They can indeed. Here's a fabulous piece from Nick Green (link <a href="http://www.insidesocal.com/soccer/2010/06/americans-united-through-socce.html" target="_blank">here</a>), which is where I got this video, which seems to be making the rounds today.<br /><br />In it, he quotes these Tweets. First from our boy Stuie Holden (who will always be a Dynamo):<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Wow.. had goosebumps for a full five minutes watching this Video. The support has been unbelievable..... </span><br /><br />And then from Mr. Donovan himself:<br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><br />Not sure if you guys saw this but it brings tears to my eyes every time. Thank you all so much...we can't do it...</span><br /><br />But my favorite is this part that Green quotes about President Obama's conversation with the team today:<br /><br /><blockquote>And this - from a U.S. Soccer press release:</blockquote><br /><br /> <blockquote>The day after the historic and dramatic 1-0 victory against Algeria that sent the U.S. to the round of 16 at the World Cup, President Barack Obama called the team and addressed the players and staff via speakerphone.</blockquote><br /><br /> <blockquote>The President then congratulated the players on the amazing team spirit they showed during the unbeaten run through the first round of the World Cup and told them that while he was meeting with General Petraeus in the Oval Office, he could hear the rest of the West Wing erupt when Landon Donovan scored the game-winner.</blockquote><br /><br /> <blockquote>The President then congratulated Donovan on the game-winning goal, asked Tim Howard how his ribs were feeling and asked Clint Dempsey how his lip was doing. </blockquote><br /><br />The leader of the Afghan War was being changed out and what was really happening at the White House? The US National Team beating Algeria, that's what! We have all, as a Soccer Nation arrived. As Nick Green says, Screw You Glenn Beck (and Jim Rome and on and on and on. Screw you all.)<br /><br />Yes.<br /><br />And here are my other two faves from Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert<br /><br /><table style='font:11px arial; color:#333; background-color:#f5f5f5' cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0' width='360' height='353'><tbody><tr style='background-color:#e5e5e5' valign='middle'><td style='padding:2px 1px 0px 5px;'><a target='_blank' style='color:#333; text-decoration:none; font-weight:bold;' href='http://www.thedailyshow.com'>The Daily Show With Jon Stewart</a></td><td style='padding:2px 5px 0px 5px; text-align:right; font-weight:bold;'>Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c</td></tr><tr style='height:14px;' valign='middle'><td style='padding:2px 1px 0px 5px;' colspan='2'><target='_blank' style='color:#333; text-decoration:none; font-weight:bold;' href='http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-june-23-2010/world-cup-2010--into-africa---us-beats-algeria'>World Cup 2010: Into Africa - US Beats Algeria<a></a></td></tr><tr style='height:14px; background-color:#353535' valign='middle'><td colspan='2' style='padding:2px 5px 0px 5px; width:360px; overflow:hidden; text-align:right'><a target='_blank' style='color:#96deff; text-decoration:none; font-weight:bold;' href='http://www.thedailyshow.com/'>www.thedailyshow.com</a></td></tr><tr valign='middle'><td style='padding:0px;' colspan='2'><embed style='display:block' src='http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:cms:item:comedycentral.com:313193' width='360' height='301' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' wmode='window' allowFullscreen='true' flashvars='autoPlay=false' allowscriptaccess='always' allownetworking='all' bgcolor='#000000'></embed></td></tr><tr style='height:18px;' valign='middle'><td style='padding:0px;' colspan='2'><table style='margin:0px; text-align:center' cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0' width='100%' height='100%'><tr valign='middle'><td style='padding:3px; width:33%;'><a target='_blank' style='font:10px arial; color:#333; text-decoration:none;' href='http://www.thedailyshow.com/full-episodes/'>Daily Show Full Episodes</a></td><td style='padding:3px; width:33%;'><a target='_blank' style='font:10px arial; color:#333; text-decoration:none;' href='http://www.indecisionforever.com'>Political Humor</a></td><td style='padding:3px; width:33%;'><a target='_blank' style='font:10px arial; color:#333; text-decoration:none;' href='http://www.thedailyshow.com/videos/tag/Tea+Party'>Tea Party</a></td></tr></table></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />And now Steven Colbert:<br /><br /><table style='font:11px arial; color:#333; background-color:#f5f5f5' cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0' width='360' height='353'><tbody><tr style='background-color:#e5e5e5' valign='middle'><td style='padding:2px 1px 0px 5px;'><a target='_blank' style='color:#333; text-decoration:none; font-weight:bold;' href='http://www.colbertnation.com'>The Colbert Report</a></td><td style='padding:2px 5px 0px 5px; text-align:right; font-weight:bold;'>Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c</td></tr><tr style='height:14px;' valign='middle'><td style='padding:2px 1px 0px 5px;' colspan='2'><a target='_blank' style='color:#333; text-decoration:none; font-weight:bold;' href='http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/313495/june-23-2010/us-defeats-algeria'>US Defeats Algeria</a></td></tr><tr style='height:14px; background-color:#353535' valign='middle'><td colspan='2' style='padding:2px 5px 0px 5px; width:360px; overflow:hidden; text-align:right'><a target='_blank' style='color:#96deff; text-decoration:none; font-weight:bold;' href='http://www.colbertnation.com/'>www.colbertnation.com</a></td></tr><tr valign='middle'><td style='padding:0px;' colspan='2'><embed style='display:block' src='http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:cms:item:comedycentral.com:313495' width='360' height='301' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' wmode='window' allowFullscreen='true' flashvars='autoPlay=false' allowscriptaccess='always' allownetworking='all' bgcolor='#000000'></embed></td></tr><tr style='height:18px;' valign='middle'><td style='padding:0px;' colspan='2'><table style='margin:0px; text-align:center' cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0' width='100%' height='100%'><tr valign='middle'><td style='padding:3px; width:33%;'><a target='_blank' style='font:10px arial; color:#333; text-decoration:none;' href='http://www.colbertnation.com/full-episodes/'>Colbert Report Full Episodes</a></td><td style='padding:3px; width:33%;'><a target='_blank' style='font:10px arial; color:#333; text-decoration:none;' href='http://www.indecisionforever.com'>Political Humor</a></td><td style='padding:3px; width:33%;'><a target='_blank' style='font:10px arial; color:#333; text-decoration:none;' href='http://www.colbertnation.com/video/tag/Fox+News'>Fox News</a></td></tr></table></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />And by the way, here's the video from Lucky's Pub here in Houston. Amazing.<br /><br /><object height="288" width="470"><param name="movie" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" value="http://www.khou.com/v/?i=97021829" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><param name="AllowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.khou.com/v/?i=97021829" AllowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" height="288" wmode="transparent" width="470"></embed></object><br /><br />Finally, here's some info from the AP:<br /><br /><blockquote>Wednesday morning’s United States vs. Algeria FIFA World Cup match on ESPN – in which the Americans scored a dramatic goal in stoppage time to earn a 1-0 win and a spot in the Round of 16 – is the highest-rated and most-watched soccer game in the history of ESPN networks, delivering a 4.6 rating (4.0 household U.S. rating), 4,582,000 households and 6,161,000 viewers for the two-hour contest (10 a.m. ET – noon).<br /><br />The previous households record was set five days earlier with the U.S.-Slovenia match (June 18) – 3,906,000.<br /><br />Excluding holidays, ESPN’s coverage of the U.S.-Algeria game ranks as the most-watched weekday morning telecast ever for ESPN, surpassing the U.S.-Germany World Cup match from eight years ago (June 21, 2002) – 4.4 rating and 5,335,000 viewers.<br /><br />The game ranked as the highest-rated program of the day on any network among M18-34 and M18-49.<br /><br />Through Wednesday, June 23 (40 games on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2), the 2010 World Cup is averaging a 1.8 U.S. rating (for the two-hour match window) — up 40% from 2006 (1.3). Household impressions are up 46% (from 1,389,000 to 2,025,000) and P2+ impressions are up 49% (from 1,789,000 to 2,658,000).<br /><br />San Diego was the top market for yesterday’s Team USA game, delivering an 8.9 rating – all the more impressive considering the 7 a.m. local start time. Rounding out the top 10 were Baltimore (6.7), San Francisco (6.1), Washington, D.C. (5.4), Sacramento (5.4), Houston (5.4), Las Vegas (5.4), Miami-Ft. Lauderdale (5.3), New York (5.3) and West Palm Beach (5.3). San Diego was also the top market for both the U.S.-England game on ABC (11.5) and the U.S.-Slovenia game on ESPN (8.5).<br /><br /></blockquote><br /><br />What is it with San Diego? And how long will it take for Chivas USA to move there since they just can not draw in Carson? Wild.Martin Hajovskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14087389972723306522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047761831365934807.post-3116330973246843462010-06-23T11:58:00.003-05:002010-06-23T14:00:16.004-05:00GO GO USA!!!!!! That's MISTER Donovan to you!I can't stop watching this and I don't think I ever will.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.twitvid.com/player/K9CVS"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.twitvid.com/player/K9CVS" quality="high" allowscriptaccess="always" allowNetworking="all" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" height="344" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br />That's Donovan, Mr. Donovan!<br /><br /><object width="384" height="216" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" id="ESPN_VIDEO" data="http://espn.go.com/videohub/player/embed.swf" allowScriptAccess="always" allowNetworking="all"><param name="movie" value="http://espn.go.com/videohub/player/embed.swf" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"/><param name="wmode" value="opaque"/><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"/><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"/><param name="flashVars" value="id=5318867"/></object>Martin Hajovskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14087389972723306522noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047761831365934807.post-49732693020986094842010-05-25T12:17:00.001-05:002010-05-25T12:22:34.126-05:00Road to South Africa Parts 1-6<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJIvgdQXc1XwH54uPkhLF29ITjYL8lAEbHjmsEXO5ucGKhTDFNLnWw_ftVwnzD8ZXmPTJBirQxI2lkOEx0pQ6VK_cbCgaM9-eWAnMBVinGI9eVWv2t33DZMnxRU9_en88KabG3iMS_wR43/s1600/US+v+Neth.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJIvgdQXc1XwH54uPkhLF29ITjYL8lAEbHjmsEXO5ucGKhTDFNLnWw_ftVwnzD8ZXmPTJBirQxI2lkOEx0pQ6VK_cbCgaM9-eWAnMBVinGI9eVWv2t33DZMnxRU9_en88KabG3iMS_wR43/s400/US+v+Neth.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475259239620728210" /></a><br /><br /><br />If you've not seen this series, then as an American leading into the World Cup, you owe it to yourself to do so. Very nice job from all concerned. Sit down and enjoy.<br /><br />Part I<br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/KyvRNKlTQ-c&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/KyvRNKlTQ-c&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />Part II<br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/XI06Jim5CTE&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/XI06Jim5CTE&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />Part III<br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/q4uHAb6Fw7k&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/q4uHAb6Fw7k&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />Part IV<br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/1jOKzBInDzc&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/1jOKzBInDzc&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />Part V<br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/bwxahXW-Erk&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/bwxahXW-Erk&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />Part VI<br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JK4GQeu8OFc&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JK4GQeu8OFc&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>Martin Hajovskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14087389972723306522noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047761831365934807.post-84609175970888164632010-05-24T12:40:00.002-05:002010-05-24T12:46:41.306-05:00US-England draw? Gallagher's the man<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/-BMov9K7IZg&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-BMov9K7IZg&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />Oasis frontman Noel Gallagher says US-England will be a draw. Who am I to argue?Martin Hajovskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14087389972723306522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047761831365934807.post-19828376502209004752010-04-28T17:21:00.001-05:002010-04-28T17:23:22.423-05:00Waka Waka. Time for some smiles around hereAmid all the bad news surrounding all things Orange this week, I think it's about time to remember this is a game that we all love very dearly. So here's the song <span style="font-style:italic;">Waka Waka: This Time for Africa</span>, one of the official World Cup anthems, sung by Shakira.<br /><br />(Shakira and football at the same time. What, I ask you, could POSSIBLY be wrong with that?)<br /><br /><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_ztr96RbMW8&rel=0&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_ztr96RbMW8&rel=0&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>Martin Hajovskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14087389972723306522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047761831365934807.post-25038867521456969872010-04-21T20:28:00.004-05:002010-04-23T14:09:10.252-05:00Third jersey? If Fredy the Flopper can wear one, anyone can wear one better<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIhWKWQenOXe2E7-ARQjHsK9R1f39eDpM5OxfLSEyVto5gyTdluWXTZ36D4Y2EO1PlnEmHoD-pnKrutFG-WA88X7AD1fyPkfyn1Kk81AowlaDsEj2S-8hSeL3EqihmvSFbJjF3bW2uPfAX/s1600/seattleyellow.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 278px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIhWKWQenOXe2E7-ARQjHsK9R1f39eDpM5OxfLSEyVto5gyTdluWXTZ36D4Y2EO1PlnEmHoD-pnKrutFG-WA88X7AD1fyPkfyn1Kk81AowlaDsEj2S-8hSeL3EqihmvSFbJjF3bW2uPfAX/s320/seattleyellow.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462767871428049554" /></a><br /><br /><br />That right there is Fredy the Flopper in Seattle's new third jersey, kind of a Mountain Dew, making-love-in-a-canoe ("you-know-what-ing close to water) yellow thing. You can read about it at this link right <a href="http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/soundersfcblog/2011657349_general_manager_adrian_hanauer.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br /><br />In this very space, there have been many discussions about Dynamo potentially unveiling a third jersey. And if I'm remembering right, someone even worked up a mock uni with a predominantly light blue color scheme.<br /><br />Let me just say right now that I completely down with that idea and would love to see one if for no other reason because let's face it, if those guys in Seattle, who think they are somehow or other God's gift to the American game, are doing it, anyone else can do it better.<br /><br />To be clear, I don't hate Seattle. I just hate the attitude that permeates the fans of that organization. I for one cannot wait until Portland and Vancouver come into the league so that the Sounder fans will have to suffer the fate of not even being the best team in the Pacific Northwest. Though of course, since the Timbers beat those guys on March 11, isn't that true already?<br /><br />Of course, there's nothing I can write that's better than what Dan Loney posted. Awesome. "ridiculous garbage" Amazing.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/blog.php?b=8287" target="_blank">http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/blog.php?b=8287</a><br /><br />And of course, <a href="http://www.fakesigi.com/2010/04/you-mean-i-have-to-put-my-players-in.html" target="_blank">Fake Sigi</a> has it best:<br /><br />"No. Just. Say. No."Martin Hajovskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14087389972723306522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047761831365934807.post-36882625386740360652010-04-19T16:16:00.003-05:002010-04-19T16:18:47.860-05:00A meditation on Lovel Palmer's wonderstrike from somewhere in the vicinity of the new Dynamo Park<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Q2otnrAjFD4&rel=0&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Q2otnrAjFD4&rel=0&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />Wow.<br /><br />Or as Nordstrom put it:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFxfjT6KqMmz1OHhLocMKI0RnTubTox4t2z3xf47Pwa-fHW4W6FeWWfUjTKvKFUnxscYSrtrgew386o-qg6ZBLPaQLY4mkdjN6HFmjubDynwppVkfM6T7bQeApMHZ3w-JVAzgTrXLa3HXE/s1600/OnLovel.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFxfjT6KqMmz1OHhLocMKI0RnTubTox4t2z3xf47Pwa-fHW4W6FeWWfUjTKvKFUnxscYSrtrgew386o-qg6ZBLPaQLY4mkdjN6HFmjubDynwppVkfM6T7bQeApMHZ3w-JVAzgTrXLa3HXE/s400/OnLovel.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461960944998646514" /></a>Martin Hajovskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14087389972723306522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047761831365934807.post-54826632959363043572010-04-13T13:24:00.009-05:002010-04-13T14:25:05.483-05:00Nothing Rhymes With Orange. Video of the Dynamo Park vote<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Pfl0KI7900jlyceGU8rDQnpp1NYHESn22vgjlwhVT5djukiv0fFLAAvv_fzoBaS4VIzgR_OJ6PrPiC8h_z7x7DpHQKiKvDgzTkWqugNk-Lh-X9LKLKn7EYWEPPAjy561-n7xvu_wHkns/s1600/DynamoPark.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 260px; height: 147px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Pfl0KI7900jlyceGU8rDQnpp1NYHESn22vgjlwhVT5djukiv0fFLAAvv_fzoBaS4VIzgR_OJ6PrPiC8h_z7x7DpHQKiKvDgzTkWqugNk-Lh-X9LKLKn7EYWEPPAjy561-n7xvu_wHkns/s400/DynamoPark.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459695941132408018" /></a><br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" id="video" width="500" height="415" data="http://www.myfoxhouston.com/video/videoplayer.swf?dppversion=7267"><param value="http://www.myfoxhouston.com/video/videoplayer.swf?dppversion=7267" name="movie"/><param value="&skin=MP1ExternalAll-MFL.swf&embed=true&adSrc=http%3A%2F%2Fad%2Edoubleclick%2Enet%2Fadx%2Ftsg%2Ekriv%2Fnews%2Fmetro%2Fdetail%3Bdcmt%3Dtext%2Fxml%3Bpos%3D%3Btile%3D2%3Bfname%3D100413%2Dcounty%2Dapproves%2Ddynamo%2Dstadium%2Ddeal%3Bloc%3Dembed%3Bsz%3D320x240%3Bord%3D835633124821254000%3Frand%3D0%2E7878264733759985&flv=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Emyfoxhouston%2Ecom%2Ffeeds%2FoutboundFeed%3FobfType%3DVIDEO%5FPLAYER%5FSMIL%5FFEED%26componentId%3D132138187&img=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia2%2Emyfoxhouston%2Ecom%2F%2Fphoto%2F2010%2F04%2F13%2F100413dynamodeal%5Ftmb0001%5F20100413121253%5F640%5F480%2EJPG&story=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Emyfoxhouston%2Ecom%2Fdpp%2Fnews%2Flocal%2F100413%2Dcounty%2Dapproves%2Ddynamo%2Dstadium%2Ddeal" name="FlashVars"/><param value="all" name="allowNetworking"/><param value="always" name="allowScriptAccess"/></object><br /><br /><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Z2JXs-Ad6yM&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Z2JXs-Ad6yM&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />From <a href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=289205643618&ref=mf" target="_blank">Dynamo Supporters Alliance</a> majordomo Eric Nordstrom:<br /><br /><blockquote>Nothing rhymes with Orange<br />But I'm Orange til I die<br />From far away<br />once came to play<br />and always fight<br />like champions<br />there's nothing we can rhyme with<br />so we have to make it up<br />but Nothing Rhymes with Orange<br />May the Orange win the Cup!</blockquote><br /><br />Eric read that aloud today in Harris County Commissioners Court as the county voted to participate in the TIRZ, thus making certain that Dynamo Park can begin. Here's the Chronicle story <a href="http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/soc/6956695.html" target="_blank">right here</a>.<br /><br />April 13, 2010, on the 40th anniversary of Apollo 13, Houston no longer has a problem.Martin Hajovskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14087389972723306522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047761831365934807.post-38531940652945874232010-03-24T16:47:00.001-05:002010-03-24T16:49:19.436-05:00Dominic Kinnear's message to his squad<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/9ynY5NvYsZY&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/9ynY5NvYsZY&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />One thing's for sure, when Dynamo leave for the jungle wilds of Frisco this week, they'll be properly motivated.<br /><br />Dale.Martin Hajovskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14087389972723306522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047761831365934807.post-3367501523099912082010-03-10T10:26:00.003-06:002010-03-10T11:39:23.370-06:00Serioux coming back to Houston<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPDXfDtwrYHss_DG06_UyYscWp9YT6KXolkkUk4Y_HCaaGdFswMhlUZo_7GxAUAbQp_yshetCfkNqtnOnw_rtrzmxht5HAykgiSGAud5jmHTaXJ_YyzzxhLW0Xbzj2aUKpFZpgNFnpTx26/s1600-h/Serioux.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 321px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPDXfDtwrYHss_DG06_UyYscWp9YT6KXolkkUk4Y_HCaaGdFswMhlUZo_7GxAUAbQp_yshetCfkNqtnOnw_rtrzmxht5HAykgiSGAud5jmHTaXJ_YyzzxhLW0Xbzj2aUKpFZpgNFnpTx26/s400/Serioux.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447054953873932082" /></a><br /><br /><br />Just saw this on the <a href="http://wvhooligan.com" target="_blank">WV Hooligan</a> blog that Dynamo just traded to get the rights to Adrian Serioux. (And click <a href="http://www.torontosun.com/sports/othersports/2010/03/10/13178741.html" target="_blank">here</a> for the Toronto Sun's story on the deal.)<br /><br />Personally, I think this is a great move as it really shores up the Route 1 defense while Geoff Cameron finds his footing in the CAM role. It also sends Brad Davis back out wide where his left foot can be put to the best use.<br /><br />And, for those of you who follow the British media's fascination (and Arsene Wenger's whines about) with Stoke's Rory DeLapp's long throw-ins, here's the guy who did that before it was cool.<br /><br />As long as Serioux can stay healthy, I think he'll be a beast in the center mid. Of course, my remarks the previous three seasons about him being an overly aggressive thug are now completely disowned. Lesson: Wear Orange and all is forgiven. :>Martin Hajovskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14087389972723306522noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047761831365934807.post-27666402934892169292010-03-04T17:36:00.003-06:002010-03-04T17:48:42.612-06:00Pelada, a footy happening you don't want to miss<object width="400" height="225"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=9869545&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1" /><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=9869545&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="225"></embed></object><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/9869545">NEW Pelada Trailer</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user1462859">Rebekah Fergusson</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p><br /><br />I have heard so much about this move <a href="http://www.pelada-movie.com" target="_blank">Pelada</a> (formerly known as The Soccer Project), and was further intrigued when I heard Glenn Davis talk about it on his show the other night.<br /><br />If you haven't heard of it, the movie was filmed in over 25 countries and follows two former college players, Notre Dame's Luke Boughden and Duke's Gwendolyn Oxenham -- and filmed by fellow Dukies Rebekah Ferguson (herself a Blue Devil captain) and Ryan White (producer) -- around the world as they kick the ball, any ball, around with firemen, prisoners, bootleggers and anyone else they can find. Watch that trailer above and tell me you don't want to head to Austin to see it.<br /><br />And if you're a Dynamo supporter, there is indeed an extra chance for you to see it, though not necessarily at the first showing. The film was selected for this year's SxSW Film Festival and will have it's World Premiere on Sunday March 14 at 7:15 p.m., which also happens to be about 15 minutes after the Men in Orange close out their home-and-home with the Austin Aztex at the capital city's Nelson Field (Kick off, 5 p.m.). <br /><br />Now unless you leave early (I know. I know. But some people actually do things like that. Wild.) chances are you won;t make the show. But never fear. There will also be screenings on March 15 at noon and March 19 at 3:30 p.m.<br /><br />What you're seeing up there is the new trailer. Here's the old one, which is also just as cool:<br /><br /><object width="400" height="220"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=3885949&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1" /><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=3885949&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="220"></embed></object><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/3885949">Pelada</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user1462859">Rebekah Fergusson</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>Martin Hajovskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14087389972723306522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047761831365934807.post-9284450839572425972010-03-04T13:57:00.001-06:002010-03-04T14:05:23.073-06:00Worried? Who's worried?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUZGqeOMLCgcbTYIoIu9_TECjaGbLvlyLFwrXOJJd_mlvvXMnO0H9onUjXXTzC0V-XpyCwVsM_BUxRbepRd8pXZoWSFmarzylewSjWSVzng97cXR14rLc7Nxf3-_eOHtBlp2jJAu6XtnXI/s1600-h/alfred_e_neuman.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 264px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUZGqeOMLCgcbTYIoIu9_TECjaGbLvlyLFwrXOJJd_mlvvXMnO0H9onUjXXTzC0V-XpyCwVsM_BUxRbepRd8pXZoWSFmarzylewSjWSVzng97cXR14rLc7Nxf3-_eOHtBlp2jJAu6XtnXI/s320/alfred_e_neuman.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444872270954978338" /></a><br /><br /><br />David Agrell at the MLS Insider says Dom's not scared, so why should anyone else be? Well, to look further into that question after reading Agrell's great piece (see it here), I think there are no reasons why DYNAMO fans should be scared. But the rest of the league? They may just start seeming to the team like each of them looks like a certain Harris County Commissioner.<br /><br />Agrell's piece itself is a little dated, as Diouf, Walker, Kaku and Saiko are all gone now. But Francisco Navas, about whom I will be shocked if he does not make the team, and Lovel Palmer are still in the potential mix. As for Palmer, I'm hoping to see him against the Aztex on Sunday (what, you have other plans for what will be a beautful late winter afternoon in Houston?), but anyone who scores against FC Frisco is a gentleman and a scholar in my book. And by the way, we haven't had that Caribbean feel on the team since honorary Reggae Boyz (Far North Chapter) member Dwayne De Rosario was here!<br /><br />So here's hoping both Palmer and Navas make it. One thing's for sure, it'll bring some youth and perhaps durability as well to what is suddenly no longer an aging squad.<br /><br />Here's the article from Agrell in text form:<br /><br /><blockquote><span style="font-weight:bold;">KINNEAR'S NOT WORRIED, SO WHY ARE YOU?<br /><br />BY DAVID AGRELL</span></blockquote><br /><br /><blockquote>Houston boss Dom Kinnear has admitted his club is still in the hunt for a midfielder, despite boasting a roster stacked with veterans and<br />sprinkled with upstart talent.<br /><br />The Orange (no, not the Oranje that yesterday trampled all over poor ol’ USA — and former Dynamo star Stuart Holden in particular) are<br />facing a 2010 campaign sans attacking midfielder Holden and defensive<br />general Ricardo Clark.<br /><br />So, what about that holding position that Clark defined last season?<br /><br />“We have Richard Mulrooney, who has played there before, and he’s one of the guys we missed at the stretch of the end of last year,”<br />Kinnear said. “I think Geoff Cameron can play in there, and he can also<br />play as an attacking midfielder.”<br /><br />Cameron as an attacking midfielder? Cool — wouldn’t we all love to see more of those marauding runs?<br /><br />“I hope that this year [Cameron] will be able to get a little more free and score some goals,” Kinnear added. “In saying that, you don’t<br />want him thinking every time he gets the ball he can run forward and<br />score goals. You want him to be involved in the build up. It’s<br />important that he does have some discipline in his game.”<br /><br />Oh, ok. Maybe not all of us. Kinnear again:<br /><br />“We’re also in the market looking for someone who can play in the midfield as well.”<br /><br />Ka-ching! So, who have they had in camp this preseason? Who’s on the radar?<br /><br />The breakdown:<br /><br />Khadim Diouf (two-time All-Pac-10 Honorable Mention at San Diego State) … Léandre<br />Griffit (French player who last suited up for Crystal Palace) … Samuel Appiah and David Walker (draft picks) … Blessing Kaku (well-traveled Nigerian with awesome name) … Francisco Navas (straight from the Dynamo Academy) … Shaun Saiko (Canadian U-20s with time at Middlesborough) … Lovel Palmer (a Jamaican who, according to thereggaeboyz.com, is a “fleet-footed player [who] will run all day for the good of his team.”)<br /><br />And let’s not forget 20-year-old Danny Cruz, who’s been in top form in preseason.<br /><br />All told, something tells me the ‘Mo are going to be all right this season. More from Kinnear:<br /><br />“It’s difficult, but it’s comforting to know that if the season were to start, we’re not exactly looking at a huge hole. There are people we<br />can put in the whole that I feel can do a good job there.”<br /><br />‘Nuff said.<br /><br /><br /></blockquote>Martin Hajovskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14087389972723306522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047761831365934807.post-10713722081973929692010-02-25T16:26:00.002-06:002010-02-25T16:33:52.153-06:00By not striking, MLSPU may just winHmmm, are the players really this crafty? Consider these points:<br /><br />Here's the statement from Bob Foose today:<br /><br /><blockquote>“Effective at midnight tonight, our collective bargaining agreement with MLS will expire,” said Union executive director Bob Foose in a statement.<br />Foose added that, “while we expect that negotiations with MLS will resume at some point, there simply hasn’t been enough progress made in the negotiations to date to warrant an extension of the old agreement. We have advised our players to keep working for the time being, but as of Friday they will be doing so without a CBA. In the meantime, all options are being considered as the process continues. We are completely committed to forging real changes to the way MLS players are treated.”</blockquote><br /><br />And here's the statement from the MLS:<br /><br /><blockquote> "During the last year, Major League Soccer has been negotiating with the MLS Players Union on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. The current CBA expires today and the Players Union would not agree to a further extension.<br /><br />"We have told the Players Union that the League does not plan to lock out the players and we are prepared to begin the season under the current CBA while we continue to bargain to reach agreement on a new CBA.<br /><br />"We have listened to the issues raised by the MLS Players Union and the League has made detailed proposals that have addressed these issues, including in the areas of economics, guaranteed contracts, options and the ability of a player to move to another MLS Club if he is released by his current Club. These proposals, which represent substantial changes from the current CBA, will significantly increase our spending and provide substantially more rights to the players."</blockquote><br /><br />Pardon me, but I do not trust the owners' statement in any way. They're not a bunch of lying liars, but neither are they on the whole up and up here.<br /><br />The players have far more powerful weapons than a strike at their command, legal ones. But the fact is that if they don’t follow these paths during the season at some point, then they lose them. I wonder if they’ll strike the All-Star Game. Too bad, since it’s here in Houston this year.<br /><br />My personal feeling is that without a CBA, the players are essentially playing according to whatever contracts they have. That would mean that after the contracts are over, then they are free agents. As free agents, if they all demand in their contracts that they will not sign deals that contain MLS’ allocation, non-guaranteed and reserve rights language, then by 1,000 cuts, they could accomplish these same ends, free agency and guaranteed contracts, especially if they can get the nascent NASL to agree to the same contract terms. And all of this can be done with concerted action, but no strike.<br /><br />What do you think?Martin Hajovskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14087389972723306522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047761831365934807.post-48084583874103653052010-01-31T15:20:00.003-06:002010-01-31T16:03:07.783-06:00A conversation on the state of MLS/US and a look forwardRecently, Playtherapy (in between his rounds of Football Manager 2010) and I have been having a conversation on the state of the league and the future. Here is that conversation, which hopefully can bring some more comments and additions from everyone else. The conversation began with Playtherapy talking about the fantasy financial restrictions in Football Manager and bringing up the larger topic.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTfYj2zbRtcdgRnp0NrL3zkg57yVRJXrxtfs9MlDaMob87otUGq5x4G4QRCzrGCgq_mq4J8qmTtvVp7pt8VfubVzeg_J2Isqsk_LJPM4ANFJEAL81Ba7DMa-HvisqpAZxTGB7bnhDiuaoU/s1600-h/expressionballsT.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTfYj2zbRtcdgRnp0NrL3zkg57yVRJXrxtfs9MlDaMob87otUGq5x4G4QRCzrGCgq_mq4J8qmTtvVp7pt8VfubVzeg_J2Isqsk_LJPM4ANFJEAL81Ba7DMa-HvisqpAZxTGB7bnhDiuaoU/s200/expressionballsT.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171732745159002514" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">PLAYTHERAPY: </span> One knock many across the pond have with playing MLS teams is the league structure. One guy sold Beckham for 4.5 mil and only got 500k for LAG, the league getting the rest. <br /> <br />I'm sure I'm playing stupidly as well, as I'm used to investing in youth, then sell for big profits later. This worked for Stavanger in a big way in the Norwegian league and helped us to achieve Champion's League success. <br /> <br />MLS may have achieved security- avoiding the NASL debacle, but @ what price? Holden went from being worth 675k (got lots of bids from England) to 1.5 mil. If I sold, I wonder what I'd actually get???<br /> <br />It may keep us sustainable, but it cheats club's abilities to better themselves financially. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5eetfS-OMCkx-vtG314WVJ0JaqoOKBK6V0GBsGdNarJ1nla9mCRFcqOKrJyvDL3QQlaucbLr9l7a1copza-WL_c8dNdTpGghxJ30OW5SfSNx0ycWJdqGlojv29sWoAwI6WncDYvcm-mQP/s1600-h/Picture114_17Jun07_2_2.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5eetfS-OMCkx-vtG314WVJ0JaqoOKBK6V0GBsGdNarJ1nla9mCRFcqOKrJyvDL3QQlaucbLr9l7a1copza-WL_c8dNdTpGghxJ30OW5SfSNx0ycWJdqGlojv29sWoAwI6WncDYvcm-mQP/s200/Picture114_17Jun07_2_2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5182866463320572850" /></a> <span style="font-weight:bold;">MARTEK:</span> You are absolutely correct. It's almost impossible to get an independent economic analysis of the situation. Without a doubt, the single entity structure is responsible for MLS surviving for the first 10 years. But right know, I would say that it hurts as much as it helps, the Holden situation underlining that perfectly. <br /><br />The fact of the matter is that neither I nor anyone else who hasn't seen the books know if MLS or Houston Dynamo could get into that kind of bidding and still be able to make a go of it if single entity, and more importantly the salary cap, were abolished. The obvious lessons from other American sports (free agency = good; salary floors = good; salary caps = meh; revenue sharing = good; positive relationships based on mutual respect between labor (millionaires) and management (billionaires) = very, very good) don't always apply because none of them have to compete in an international player market that covers so many economic situations prevailing in so many markets. The complexity boggles the mind, and since we don't know exactly what the finances of MLS, SUM and USSF truly are, there is no way to make a rational judgment.<br /><br />What we do know is that Association football in America is strong and growing stronger. From ESPN's commitment (sometimes questionable, but the dollars don't lie) to the sport, to the hundreds of thousands that turn out for international country and club friendlies, Americans are responding and the sport is clearly ready to burst onto the consciousness, or at least more ready right now than it ever has been since the Cosmos/NASL glory days. It is a fact that MLS attendances outdraw Serie A, as well as Ligue Un and almost every other league in Europe with the exception of the Bundesliga (NO ONE outdraws the Bundesliga. Bundesliga uber alles!!). If there's a successful World Cup this year (Two measures of success for American markets: 1. Great tournament with no shenanigans, terrorist, crime or otherwise; and 2. USA does well. Having just No. 1 might MIGHT be more than enough to make it a success in US markets.), then money could flow, and pressure might be exerted by ESPN and others to get MLS to loosen up and let teams spend more and grow more and compete in the international player market more. <br /><br />If. Could. Might. We'll been down versions of this path before. Is this one different? You have more of a historical perspective than I. What thinketh thou?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTfYj2zbRtcdgRnp0NrL3zkg57yVRJXrxtfs9MlDaMob87otUGq5x4G4QRCzrGCgq_mq4J8qmTtvVp7pt8VfubVzeg_J2Isqsk_LJPM4ANFJEAL81Ba7DMa-HvisqpAZxTGB7bnhDiuaoU/s1600-h/expressionballsT.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTfYj2zbRtcdgRnp0NrL3zkg57yVRJXrxtfs9MlDaMob87otUGq5x4G4QRCzrGCgq_mq4J8qmTtvVp7pt8VfubVzeg_J2Isqsk_LJPM4ANFJEAL81Ba7DMa-HvisqpAZxTGB7bnhDiuaoU/s200/expressionballsT.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171732745159002514" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">PLAYTHERAPY: </span> I agree- it's time for MLS to go beyond rules created for sustainability @ infancy. Soccer will surpass second tier sports in the next few decades. All it has to do is survive as the minority demographic change, making those WASP surburbanites so eagerly sought in the late 90's the minority. <br /><br />When this translates into Nielsen ratings- we've arrived. This is the argument to just hold on and keep expanding- creating more TV markets. <br /><br />Yet MLS has to evolve with what's going on in the outside. Clearly, the US marketed to the wrong crowd, to the soccer moms with the shootout and the game clock stopping during the stoppage of play. The thought was that us fans weren't sophisticated enuff to accept ties or the mystery of stoppage time. <br /><br />This alienated us fans seeking soccer, not some PR fast food version. Soccer lovers have always been here, hence the enormous crowds @ friendlies- both club and international, or WC 1994. it's not the love of soccer that's missing- it's interest in the MLS. <br /><br />That's key= especially with Fox Soccer, GOL TV, Mexican football, ESPN deporto (or whatever it's called), and other cable soccer offerings. Soccer lovers want to love soccer, not wince @ a poor quality facsimile. <br /><br />The 2nd generation of those immigrants- legal or not (don't think Nielsen or advertisers care) are the key. SkyTV made the EPL what it is, and until MLS can deliver the TV and advertising numbers, having good attendances that beat other noteworthy ligas matter little. <br /> <br />Yet current league rules discourage quality home grown talent staying in the MLS once they've got a name. This is muy importante. For ongoing growth, we need to find a way to:<br /> <br />1. Keep americano talent here. This means some middle ground towards the labor union. <br />2. We need Mexican players!<br /> <br />The first problem may take a while but incremental steps need to be taken toward creating the foundation for keeping the Clarks, the Holdens, and the Dempseys here a few years longer. Keeping Donovan here as long as we have has been a major accomplishment. <br /> <br />As for Mexican players, we need to be very careful signing Mexican national team players far past their prime. For every Blanco or Suarez, we get several more Hermosillos, Campos' or Hernandez'. Mexican flops decrease interest. Who wants to wince as they see their favorite idol fail in a league thought to be weaker???<br /> <br />Houston hads the right idea with Landin (though I greatly disagree with the DP designation and think that's why he's still here). MLS teams need to sign quality Mexican youth. I would even add a provision for signing Mexican youth which is similar to the Gen Adidas players. Canada needs to be added to this as well and, in the spirit of NAFTA, Mexican and Canadien players should not be counted as internationals. While this might decrease the quality of our national team in the short run, it would greatly enhance the quality of the MLS, especially with expansion. Furthermore, it would improve interest, especially TV ratings. <br /> <br />Considering the Canadiens, it's only fair. I'm unsure if this rule has already been changed or not since Mo Johnston's lobbying. <br /> <br />It's TV where we have to compete. A good 2010 US world cup showing PLUS the WC retrurning here in the next few years would greatly increase interest temporarily, yet quality is what will make fans stay tuned in. <br /> <br />I like Jimmy Conrad's off season musing about promotion/relegation. The naysayers, forever worshipping @ the US sports model, forget: <br />1. Soccer is unlike other sports<br />2. We are starting from scratch in that we have a young league.<br />3. Unlike other sports, soccer here competes with the rest of the world. All I have to do is buy cable and switch channels to watch soccer abroad.<br />4. The same naysayers said we had to have shootouts, no ties\, and no stoppage time. We have actually done better without this.<br />5. Creating a relegation/promotion system actually creates a more solid domestic professional infrastructure top to bottom.<br />It also cements healthy ties between amateur and professional, something missing in the US purely becuase it does not need to exist.<br />6. Difference offers something new. The big three US megasports have lost touch with their audiences.<br />7. Maybe we should be open to other perspectives and possibilities. Remember, the critics said we'd never make it past the 5 yr mark. It wasn't the Americanization of the sport that caused this. It was the fans' love of soccer, which should always be kept in mind.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5eetfS-OMCkx-vtG314WVJ0JaqoOKBK6V0GBsGdNarJ1nla9mCRFcqOKrJyvDL3QQlaucbLr9l7a1copza-WL_c8dNdTpGghxJ30OW5SfSNx0ycWJdqGlojv29sWoAwI6WncDYvcm-mQP/s1600-h/Picture114_17Jun07_2_2.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5eetfS-OMCkx-vtG314WVJ0JaqoOKBK6V0GBsGdNarJ1nla9mCRFcqOKrJyvDL3QQlaucbLr9l7a1copza-WL_c8dNdTpGghxJ30OW5SfSNx0ycWJdqGlojv29sWoAwI6WncDYvcm-mQP/s200/Picture114_17Jun07_2_2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5182866463320572850" /></a> <span style="font-weight:bold;">MARTEK:</span> Hmmm. I still think the WASP suburbanites must be part of MLS' diverse audience. Don't cater to them, but they need to be made welcome. Lots of money in them burbs!<br /><br />Good news from <a href="http://www.twitter.com/@Chabala17" target="_blank">Mike Chabala's Twitter feed</a>: <span style="font-style:italic;">""I can't wait for training tomorrow, I'm gonna kick 6 people....It's gonna be awesome." -Eddie Robinson (my teammate)"</span><br /><br />Now that's some <a href="http://i.treehugger.com/images/2007-2-15/johnny%20rocco.JPG" target="_blank">Johnny Rocco action for you (Edward G. Robinson from Key Largo</a>)!<br /><br />All tweaks to the rules are stupid, which the NCAA must learn if the colleges are to be a true training ground of US talent. That's a whole other can of worms, and I hate that structure, but I honestly do not see any other thing happening right now.<br /><br />Unless, unless, unless, unless, unless....<br /><br />The new NASL/USL structure makes a truly viable second, developmental, tier.<br /><br />But that being said, I still do not see promotion/relegation happening here. I think the truth of the matter is that if leagues around the world were being created from scratch, there's no way, NO WAY, that any owners would agree to that structure. In the US, relegation would not be a demotion for a year or so, with hopes to play well and return, ala Newcastle in 2009-10. It would be a death sentence. Do you think FC Dallas, were it to get relegated, would be able to survive that financially? Columbus? Kansas City? Or for that matter, Dynamo? (Maybe the latter. Maybe.) In order to have p/r, the league would have to guarantee that teams facing the drop would not lose more than a token amount of cash from league-wide rights fees and broadcast rights. In short, the second tier would have to be as financially solvent as the top. Can you see that happening? No way.<br /><br />Don't get me wrong. I would love it, and I think American fans, both casual and not, would love it as well. But no one would love watching those teams go out of business, which I think is what would happen unless financial guarantees are made. And if those guarantees are made, what would be the incentive for teams to spend and win? So it gets circular. I think that it's a false equivalency to conclude that saying no to p/r is the same thing as saying yes to no ties/shootouts and clock stoppages. P/R speaks to the very solvency of clubs, unlike those other items. It is organizational, not game-related. If you can guarantee teams will not go out of existence due to p/r, then yes, make it happen. If not, then no.<br /><br />You are correcto in that all NAFTA players should be counted the same. That to me is so obviously in MLS' interests, I am very surprised it has not happened. That should happen hand-in-hand with higher, or at least somewhat competitive, wage scales, the resumption of the reserve league and expansion of rosters. Also, teams should have right of first refusal to players developed in their academies (though perhaps losing this if those players instead go to college and play there?). If refused, then those players get to go in the draft along with collegians. Said academies should exist as an alternative to colleges and teams from academies should all play in the PDL at least, maybe higher in the pyramid. Have another draft that is high school only to give all teams equal access to the same players and prevent hiding, swooping in and hoarding. If the drafted high schoolers don't want to go to the academies/teams, then they can always go to college and reenter the SuperDraft a few years later. <br /><br />Unlike many, I like the idea of drafting and think it is a cost effective and fair way to get unproven players in need of development into the system. I like the idea of socialistically leveling playing fields when it comes to development and revenues. Establish a salary floor to ensure that all teams have to pay out a certain amount in player salaries/compensation/development and make the only difference be who is better at using their equal resources. Make the differences be ones of coaching, playing, etc., not T-shirt sales, local TV revenues, gates, etc. Then the best organization wins, or at least comes close.<br /><br />But all of this is money, money, money. Does it exist? I think it does, though I have no proof of same. What do you think?Martin Hajovskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14087389972723306522noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047761831365934807.post-3853630305096136072010-01-26T19:50:00.007-06:002010-01-27T10:18:37.708-06:00Dynamo Park to the Houston Galleria?<object id="otvPlayer" width="400" height="268"><br /><param name="movie" value="http://cdn.abclocal.go.com/static/flash/embeddedPlayer/swf/otvEmLoader.swf?version=&station=ktrk§ion=&mediaId=7240712&cdnRoot=http://cdn.abclocal.go.com&webRoot=http://abclocal.go.com&site=" ></param><br /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><br /><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"></param><br /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><br /><embed id="otvPlayer" width="400" height="268" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allownetworking="all" allowfullscreen="true" src="http://cdn.abclocal.go.com/static/flash/embeddedPlayer/swf/otvEmLoader.swf?version=&station=ktrk§ion=&mediaId=7240712&cdnRoot=http://cdn.abclocal.go.com&webRoot=http://abclocal.go.com&site="><br /></embed><br /></object><br /><br />So Dynamo have begun looking to build a stadium on the city's near West side.<br /><br />And Channel 13's report can be seen here:<br /><br /><a href="http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=7240711" target="_blank">http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=7240711</a><br /><br />Right now this looks possibly just too good to be true. I don't trust it somehow. But maybe I'm just being paranoid.<br /><br />A truly fascinating idea and equally as good in many ways. This is not a suburban site, or at least not now. (It was a suburban site when I was growing up in Meyerland in the 1970s, but the only thing that proves is that I am old.) It's very urban and the one advantage is that it would not be competing with Minute Maid Park for parking on nights when both Ds are playing at the same time (Dynamo and the Dis-astros). It's also very close to many ethnic neighborhoods, of both affluence and not. And the freeways make it easily accessible.<br /><br />However, would it be on or near a Metro rail line? I am not familiar with the Metro rail designs for that area, if indeed there are any. Anyone know?<br /><br />I still prefer the downtown site, with the buildings rising in the background, but this is an intriguing idea to say the least.<br /><br />TSU's involvement is part of the city's deal, right? Does this mean the city would be out of the picture? Or TSU? Do we really want the city out of the picture? That could be a good thing or a bad thing.<br /><br />I really, REALLY hope this does not muddy the waters. The Westpark location is good, actually very good, but the downtown location would be better, though right now, I'm at a loss to go into a whole lot of detail on why exactly it would be better. So maybe this is something rare, some actual good news. Pardon me while I cower in fear and do not wholeheartedly believe that.<br /><br />There is a discussion on the possible Galleria area site at <a href="http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showpost.php?p=19778004&postcount=70" target="_blank">http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showpost.php?p=19778004&postcoun...</a>Martin Hajovskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14087389972723306522noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047761831365934807.post-75910148195714138772010-01-04T15:06:00.003-06:002010-01-04T18:17:29.950-06:00Landon Donovan in Mexican commercial<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/N01hwFmpkIU&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/N01hwFmpkIU&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />If you've not seen this yet, you should. Landon Donovan starring in a Mexican Lottery commercial. They loves our Landycakes south of the border something fierce! I am rolling over this.Martin Hajovskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14087389972723306522noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047761831365934807.post-41472672901065073502009-12-15T11:35:00.001-06:002009-12-15T11:35:20.037-06:00SBI sez: MLS has offered Holden BIG contract<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://api.ning.com/files/rSa5d1Zm5PgcILByevDkAEMnTijV3sSjSRpLwjM38PEMQYjhKIGnskBPt5p4vIxNxRy9snsW1bRtVcnbs8ZdAO-0BHYSGm6h/Holden.jpg" alt=""/></p><br /><br />Soccer by Ives correspondent Franco Panizo is reporting that MLS has offered our man Stuart a big contract to keep him from moving to Europe, reportedly "ten times his current salary."<br /><br />Check out the story here: <a href="http://www.soccerbyives.net/soccer_by_ives/2009/12/holden-offered-big-mls-contract.html#more" target="_blank">http://www.soccerbyives.net/soccer_by_ives/2009/12/holden-offered-big-mls-contract.html#more</a> (from whence comes that photo above), or read it here:<br /><br /><i>After enjoying a dream year for club and country, Houston Dynamo midfielder Stuart Holden is largely considered to be the next player in the U.S. pipeline to make the jump from MLS to Europe during the upcoming winter transfer window. But that potential move seems to be in jeopardy after MLS made an unexpected move.<br /><br />According to reports out of Europe, Holden has been offered ten times his current salary by MLS, and could snub a move abroad to stay in the U.S. <a href="http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/editor-s-picks-ignore/holden-offered-mls-big-bucks-1.992328" target="_blank">This report claims MLS commisioner Don Garber held talks with Holden</a> last week in an effort to keep him from going to Europe.<br /><br />"I was pretty flattered," Holden told the Evening Times. "It shows the commitment the MLS has in keeping me in the league. I know this decision is going to impact my career."<br /><br />Holden has not ruled out a move abroad, stating he is considering overseas offers. Scottish Premier League clubs Rangers and Aberdeen have been linked with the U.S. national team midfielder.<br /><br />Holden enjoyed a career season with the Houston Dynamo in 2009, scoring six goals and assisting on three others in 26 league games. Holden also made his national team debut this year, playing in 12 games.<br /><br />What do you think of Holden possibly staying in MLS? Surprised by MLS's offer? Think Holden will decide to play abroad anyway?</i><br /><br />Personally, I could not be happier with this news. I still think Holden will stay for at least one more year. In any event, I'm not sure a move to the SPL, especially to financially-uncertain Rangers, would be a good move. As an ardent Celtic supporter, I'm biased against the Strangers to begin with. However, assuming he makes the game day roster at Ibrox or in Aberdeen, I just don't think his game shows off its best qualities there. France would be a far better location.<br /><br />That is, assuming he plays. I think that regular first team, starring duty on one of the elite teams in MLS positions him far better to make the South Africa roster than taking a gamble on landing first team, starring roles anywhere in Europe. Take this deal. Take the money. Stay in the States. Play in South Africa for the US. And then next year or the year after at this time, take the flyer and go. <br /><br />I know that 10x his current deal still only puts him in the 300-400K range, which is less than what he could make in Europe right now. But money is money and playing and progressing while seeing regular first team action is playing and progressing while seeing regular first team action. If this wasn't a World Cup year, then maybe now would be more attractive. But as it is, and with his position on the US squad not 100 percent assured, then play it safe and take a very good deal.<br /><br />What do you think?Martin Hajovskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14087389972723306522noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047761831365934807.post-86344019085084270892009-12-08T15:05:00.001-06:002009-12-08T15:07:50.436-06:00Haiku d'Group C: Belo H as long as we've got it<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/m_OA8Vj16DM&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/m_OA8Vj16DM&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />Time to break out the haiku-ometer<br /><br />Back in the 5-0<br />B'Belo Horizonte<br />1 to nil, you lose<br /><br />Twas a cock you say<br />As Gaetjens had no passport,<br />But still, the goal stands.<br /><br />Revenge on the veldt,<br />As Three Lions surround US,<br />No hope for escape.<br /><br />But with one Jersey<br />boy, our hearts beat, since all you<br />Have is David James.<br /><br />So bring on your best<br />John Bull, and as the game goes<br />on, we will hold true.<br /><br />A hearty hurrah<br />as all that's red, white and blue<br />makes the English fears<br /><br />Come true with a pain<br />In the gut as they see that<br />Belo was Act One.Martin Hajovskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14087389972723306522noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047761831365934807.post-60955244361415232802009-12-07T17:33:00.006-06:002009-12-07T18:19:02.629-06:00Back, Belo the H, Group C and World Cup 2010<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/WxBlpzVSOCQ&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/WxBlpzVSOCQ&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />After a couple of weeks off to R&R and get this holiday madness under way, I am back on the blogging scene.<br /><br />I thoroughly enjoyed the World Cup draw last week, and for once as a US supporter, I can finally say, "Hey, at least we're not in that group over there."<br /><br />And by "that group" I mean Group G, as in Golgotha. Brazil, Cote D'Ivoire, Portugal and the North Korean Little Sisters of the Poor. My favorite Tweet after that lineup was decided was (and I don't remember who this was) "What kind of coverage are THOSE games going to get in the North Korean media next June?" That is a brutal group and will easily yield some of the most amazing games. My early pick to get through from there: Brazil and Cote D'Ivoire. See ya Christiano, and try to keep your shirt on next time.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOv_3spebeZ1HfWv6vhAhrQOPwxsA5FGOjFZc4eSitKdrfxWk360PAV8K0KO0z0q-BPdyD-dz_jjM0DdMM6PLe67OtqQyUpdXPDEKknYHnIwcblGl4YuV91fy85M1c0wDloXLPeEUH936w/s1600-h/1950.us.england.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 221px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOv_3spebeZ1HfWv6vhAhrQOPwxsA5FGOjFZc4eSitKdrfxWk360PAV8K0KO0z0q-BPdyD-dz_jjM0DdMM6PLe67OtqQyUpdXPDEKknYHnIwcblGl4YuV91fy85M1c0wDloXLPeEUH936w/s320/1950.us.england.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412643987709632258" /></a><br />That's not to say that the US' path to the knock-out stages is secure. Slovenia did knock out Russia after all, which is a better team than the US. I'm not that worried about Algeria because, after all, <a href="http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2009/12/03/the_soccer_wars" target="_blank">we're not the Egyptians</a>. Still, I don't dismiss them either. Only Arab nation in the tournament, playing on African soil. <br /><br />I still think the US is the second best team in that group. I like starting off with England because you don't want to play them needing a victory later in the round. And <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/England_v_United_States_%281950%29" target="_blank">Holy Belo Horizonte</a> Batman, if the Snakes DO start with a draw, it would be epic to say the least. Easily, it will be one of the most-watched soccer matches in US history. That is still a mighty big if, win against Spain last year or no. But hey, that's what makes this tourney so fun year in and year out: Improbable victories, catastrophic English failures and, my early pick, a Brazilian run to the championship.<br /><br />Fun fact, courtesy of <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/community/profile.htm?plckPersonaPage=PersonaBlog&UID=1e704431d89e7993" target="_blank">Beau Dure</a>, Tim Howard's <a href="http://www.101greatgoals.com/videodisplay/4122565/" target="_blank">amazing spot kick save</a> against Jermaine Defoe yesterday has the English media already getting all weak in the knees about a possible Belo Horizonte repeat. Read <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/2009-12-07-3953955390_x.htm" target="_blank">this report here</a> and see if you can spot the fear and nervousness. I love it!<br /><br />That being said, anyone who thinks the US is suddenly a World Cup contender needs to have their head examined. My expectations remain low, though my hopes of getting through the group stage are high. Right now it wouldn't surprise me if the Americans finished second or third in that group, though first or fourth would. I do expect our first victory since 2002 and would hope that at least one commentator would point out that the US was the only team to get a point off the Italians in 2006. Party poopers may justifiably point out that it was via an own goal from the Azurri, but we takes what we can gets around here. And we also got the iconic image of Brian McBride's bloody face in that game, so we'll take it as a marketing win at the very least!<br /><br />Ah moral victories, the Laffy Taffy of sport!<br /><br />Some people making great points about this draw that I will not bother to plagiarize because you should read/hear the whole thing:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Jamie Trecker and Kartik Kirshnayer on the US' precarious position on the MLS Talk podcast.</span> Click <a href="http://www.majorleaguesoccertalk.com/mls-talk-podcast-123-jamie-trecker-on-the-usmnt/7515?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter" target="_blank">here</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The inimitable Dan Loney.</span> Click <a href="http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/blog.php?b=7189" target="_blank">here</a>. My favorite part of that great post from Dan:<br /><br /><blockquote>10:16. What is this Eng...land of which you speak?<br /><br />10:17. Yeah, our draw is pretty much over, now. BECKHAMLAND and two other countries, here's some college football.<br /><br />10:18. Per comment, yeah, Grant Wahl's book just went into another printing.</blockquote><br /><br />Simply put, if you don't read Loney regularly, well then I don't know what to call you, but I do pity you.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The indomitable Bill Archer</span>. Click <a href="http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/blog.php?u=20531" target="_blank">here</a>. If you don't read Loney AND Archer regularly, then take one of those classes at Kumon or somewhere and get your literacy skills up to snuff podnah.<br /><br />Here's some trademark Archer genius:<br /><br /><blockquote>As noted a couple weeks ago, CONCACAF Supremo Jack Warner has pledged the full support of the Confederation - and all three of it's votes - to the USA World Cup bid.<br /><br />then about ten days ago Warner left a meeting with British PM Gordon Brown SAYING THAT "IT'S ENGLAND'S TIME and apparently promising to back that bid as well.<br /><br />Of course he got what he has been lobbying for, a private meeting with the Queen, although Warner said afterward that the meetings were "not for (his) ego". My guess is that Her majesty was touting the quality of the hotel food or possibly Londons' nightlife. Hopefully that drooling dolt of a son of hers was someplace else at the time.<br /><br />So it would appear that Jack is done and done, his ballots practially cast, right? I mean Jacks' word is his bond, right?<br /><br />Right?<br /><br />Last week, after attending a cocktail party thrown by Australia for him and three other FIFA VPs PRESS REPORTS ANNOUNCED HE IS BACKING AUSTRALIA<br /><br />"If there is a country that truly deserves to host the FIFA World Cup, then it is the island continent of Australia".<br /><br />Of course there are only two World Cups being awarded, and to a lesser man this might seem to be a roadblock to endorsing three bids, but for jack Warner it's all in a day's work.<br /><br />And, oh yes, last week he told reporters that he felt Spain/Portugal was "in the lead" for securing a World Cup.<br /><br />He's scheduled to visit Russia next month. Good thing they're well known for open and above-board dealing.</blockquote><br /><br />I stand in awe (and doubled over in laughter).Martin Hajovskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14087389972723306522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047761831365934807.post-83385166375888732272009-11-23T11:26:00.003-06:002009-11-23T11:39:37.068-06:00Getting Real with RSL<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2solCj6WmbRAos1gWzAR1KRejEFqN6Etgy68Sa0jldesqmrLI9i9mcCfaMPzrTuP8-O9K0W6hOZGd6yV25qk-i2IIjvdPHA3qrKBP8ALJ9Djle2qwCBm4UsGgTxqENK3n_yY6Sq9zJO0l/s1600/Rimando.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2solCj6WmbRAos1gWzAR1KRejEFqN6Etgy68Sa0jldesqmrLI9i9mcCfaMPzrTuP8-O9K0W6hOZGd6yV25qk-i2IIjvdPHA3qrKBP8ALJ9Djle2qwCBm4UsGgTxqENK3n_yY6Sq9zJO0l/s320/Rimando.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407352254266662290" /></a><br /><br /><br />Congrats to RSL and Nick Rimando, one of my favorite players in MLS, for reasons that I have never been able to articulate. I just like the guy. And big props to Cletus on winning his one and only MLS ring. Who would have thought that 10 years ago? And also big props to Jason Kreis. That team had the front page treatment in the Deseret News or Slat Lake Tribune, one of those, right before moving into Rio Tinto last year talking about how they were, in real “Man on the Moon” huge type, THE WORST TEAM IN MLS. Since then, that team has been in two Cup semifinals and now won a Cup Final. Remarkable.<br /><br />And now reality: I think RSL in 2010 will be the first defending champion since the 2006 Galaxy to miss the playoffs entirely, though this is hardly a unique analysis. That team is good, but nothing more than that. Though of course, they were clearly the better team last night. Next year they have no Movsisyan, and we all know that over the course of a whole season, a date with the Royals is usually one Dynamo at least expect to win, either here or at Rio Tinto. Championship or not, I don’t see that changing next year. I don’t mean to be brutal or anything, just honest. This is a team that just got hot at the right time. Let’s not make them out to be anything more than that. That is, until they prove it over the course of a whole season.<br /><br />That being said, I do not join the chorus of opinion that says that RSL is proof positive that the playoffs are a crock and that MLS does not crown their true champion. <br /><br />The solution to these “problems” (if such they are) is to stop this ludicrous Supporter’s Shield title and name the regular season champion something a name that’s befitting, like, oh I don’t know, how about “Season Champion”? Get a trophy befitting the status of champion. Use the name champion, whatever. Just like with the Supporter’s Shield now, the team gets a berth in the Champions League, and in addition, a scudetto to wear all of next season.<br /><br />Then use the regular season to seed a postseason tournament of eight teams, the MLS Cup Tournament. The winner of that tournament is the MLS Cup Champion. <br /><br />How so very precedented is a format like this? The regular season champ is the champ, the MLS Cup champ is a champ and the USOC champ is kind of like a champion. You could have a domestic triple, a domestic double or three separate trophy winners. That is just fine by me. We are often accused of being to Anglocentric in our soccer here in the US. Well here is a situation where it works. The USOC = FA Cup. The Season champ = Premier League champ. MLS Cup winner = Carling (League) Cup. <br /><br />The reason I want to keep the playoffs is that I like tournaments with all of their silly internal logic. Anyone can beat anyone on any given day and upsets happen far more frequently than during the marathon of a regular season run. The regular season does not produce undeserving champions, while it is true that tournaments do. However, this is only a problem when the tournament presents the only title to win. So keep the playoffs. Keep it all. It’s fun and entertaining and leads to debates and discussion and upsets and favorites and the whole shebang. Keep it all.Martin Hajovskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14087389972723306522noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4047761831365934807.post-66438203798403702452009-11-20T10:56:00.013-06:002009-11-20T11:36:28.947-06:00Slowly out of the shell: MLS Cup, Ireland and an Orange Future<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM3DR-gFj1bc_53KOo_3BMN1Gj_IH5uH0GyWdJBNcm_xKPt_inOI0MYh4ILpuF4hl6_M98pg4cgIQxj4ILpGp8jHCDGalo7RsWeIEnAQJzOrW9oG5Ph_MtAKwtioFoKng5hPkFfo68zwGX/s1600/nueove3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 258px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM3DR-gFj1bc_53KOo_3BMN1Gj_IH5uH0GyWdJBNcm_xKPt_inOI0MYh4ILpuF4hl6_M98pg4cgIQxj4ILpGp8jHCDGalo7RsWeIEnAQJzOrW9oG5Ph_MtAKwtioFoKng5hPkFfo68zwGX/s320/nueove3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406236459413383154" /></a><br /><br /><br />OK, after taking this week off to mostly just troll other blogs and not comment too much on MLS or soccer in general after letting last week’s loss sink in, I do have some thoughts on a rash of topics:<br /><br />(But before I begin, I have to tell you my favorite lines from anyone about events so far this week. Dan Loney, who is my absolute favorite blogger out there (<a href="http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/blog.php?u=7720" target="_blank">http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/blog.php?u=7720</a>) said that a strike or lockout in February would “put the damn in Gotterdammerung.”<br /><br />Meanwhile, Bill Archer (<a href="http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/blog.php?u=20531" target="_blank">http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/blog.php?u=20531</a>) on the Thierry Henry handball controversy “Soccer is a lot like life: it's unfair. Your heart breaks for Ireland, who've gotten the shaft in this whole deal from Day One, and after 500 or so years of misery you'd think the Irish could catch ONE break in something but I guess that's not to be.”)<br /><br />(Though, an Irishwoman got to marry Playtherapy, so I guess Bill isn’t completely right on the never catching one break thing!)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuQZLomgdVlTMau57YdzmRGrHWjDebo4xRUEyW_Lt2NuUk7Ucsgmv-heN_peRexj4TyZB1T3kOMGNiV1k7J75hEce4_KqhD64t_k4UTKH7oduxqrKDnhG3QwUHAcx0fz2KiDLwtakuJ5qI/s1600/mls+cup+logo.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 196px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuQZLomgdVlTMau57YdzmRGrHWjDebo4xRUEyW_Lt2NuUk7Ucsgmv-heN_peRexj4TyZB1T3kOMGNiV1k7J75hEce4_KqhD64t_k4UTKH7oduxqrKDnhG3QwUHAcx0fz2KiDLwtakuJ5qI/s200/mls+cup+logo.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406236762983169314" /></a><br />As for MLS Cup predictions, I was listening this morning to an interview that Dominic Kinnear did yesterday on World Football Daily. They nailed him down on making a prediction for the final. He said that he had been wrong about every one of his predictions so far, which makes him not much worse than me, as I’m sitting on 3-7 right now, which puts me BELOW blind chance! <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGJZ5nGzeTsVLIG07-NyYRHhSQe6CSoKd8XrXI9_OteEcRfbAyIOX_8bezlpPgjhvw077VtBdMERYYan_nCieog0Z5ajoHUdHpMaWMX6nGQWdoIMJ4auOwGSuxRvuugA9qCPDWBNEjyQ6j/s1600/DonovanRicketts_562003.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 146px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGJZ5nGzeTsVLIG07-NyYRHhSQe6CSoKd8XrXI9_OteEcRfbAyIOX_8bezlpPgjhvw077VtBdMERYYan_nCieog0Z5ajoHUdHpMaWMX6nGQWdoIMJ4auOwGSuxRvuugA9qCPDWBNEjyQ6j/s200/DonovanRicketts_562003.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406238521923254258" /></a><br />But even though I suck, I am going to go with the conventional wisdom here and pick LAG for almost the same reason that Kinnear did, Donovan. And while he meant the new MLS MVP (How is it that this is the FIRST time he has won that award? He is the best American outfield player ever, and there is no one even close to him on that score. Weird.), I’m not talking about Landon, who is perhaps only the second most valuable Donovan on his own team. Donovan Ricketts is going to keep that team in the game. The LAG back line is going to be tested by a strike force that partners much better than Ching and Oduro (or Ching and Landin, more on that later), with speed, creativity and power in the attack. However, frustration will mount as Ricketts pulls their ass out of the fire over and over and over again. It’s always dangerous to place everything on a keeper, but the combo of Ricketts and LAG being so quick in transition means that RSL will be back on their heels after each miss or save from the Jamaican. <br /><br />Everyone loves Nick Rimando and I count myself in that group, but we all know that Rimando has his flaws and can be fooled and wrong-footed just as often as he can be spectacular. As much as I am rooting for RSL to take the upset win, I will not predict it. LAG wins their third star 2-0. (And no, I do NOT fancy them winning a third star before Dynamo. I am not happy about that and Hainault’s goal should have counted and we should not even be <span style="font-weight:bold;">HAVING </span>this freakin’ conversation since with two power outages and a ridiculous call we’re sitting at home and tell me what the frak was the difference in all the banging and falling down in the box between Hainault’s goal and Berhalter’s anyway?!!!? <span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">What a CROCK!!</span></span>...<br /><br />Ummmm. Hmmm. Wound still fresh I guess.<br /><br />Where was I?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3qpNBAiokJOlVIC-NvnI1RRB6GbBioy7wIW-hwDq4tFL1AmbU2zKMIo4X8yQe4ygmhPhNM0d5HQFC1FNKPeQiMNP4z_sTP3YaiFlFFJySvC7Fsyj5b5Ih1Brs61SIhyphenhyphenCqRMhkhQUpfRy6/s1600/ThierryHenry.jpeg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 130px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3qpNBAiokJOlVIC-NvnI1RRB6GbBioy7wIW-hwDq4tFL1AmbU2zKMIo4X8yQe4ygmhPhNM0d5HQFC1FNKPeQiMNP4z_sTP3YaiFlFFJySvC7Fsyj5b5Ih1Brs61SIhyphenhyphenCqRMhkhQUpfRy6/s200/ThierryHenry.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406236990247574066" /></a><br />Oh yeah, Ireland and the Hand of Frog. You know, I don’t blame Thierry Henry at all, not one bit. You play to the whistle and that’s that. If the ref didn’t call it, then that’s where the Ire of Eire should fall. He was his usual classy self after the game when he said that it was indeed a hand ball (contrast that to Maradona’s comments in 1986. What a <span style="font-style:italic;">puerco</span>.), but that he was not the ref. There were four things that happened on that play, any one of which should have called it back. Two French players were offsides (though not Henry), and Henry touched the ball twice, once on his upper arm and once with his hand, bang-bang. I can understand the AR and ref being blocked from the handball, but the AR was not blocked from the offsides. And if he was, how could that have been true? It was a free kick. If you’re not positioned to make an offsides call on a free kick into the box, where the hell are you? <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Az3g6av8M4Y1EHt9a8ADjaVRHigbQ7G_HrAmaNrbkNTd8EizVjYbgyIIvUh14ARj_cjSfJ7QO9OOzLN0HP9rWsincgvns5kQm_SZKn1i9Ygu4c1HQZF3J9RqxXWSQwwuLgcLq3yqbOPq/s1600/InstantReplay.gif"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 190px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Az3g6av8M4Y1EHt9a8ADjaVRHigbQ7G_HrAmaNrbkNTd8EizVjYbgyIIvUh14ARj_cjSfJ7QO9OOzLN0HP9rWsincgvns5kQm_SZKn1i9Ygu4c1HQZF3J9RqxXWSQwwuLgcLq3yqbOPq/s200/InstantReplay.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406237547552059490" /></a><br />I do not agree that the game should be replayed. Anelka was clearly taken down by Shay Given in the box earlier in the game, which should have been a penalty. No call there, so where exactly is the FIFA conspiracy to get France in and Ireland out? However, ultimately justice is served if (A) that crew does not work FIFA matches anymore and (B) some form of technology review is implemented. It does not have to be like the debacle that is replay review in American pointyball. It could be a simple, simple, no more than 30-second review by a fifth official (or by the fourth official because if he’s not waving in a sub or signaling time remaining, what exactly is he doing over there?) in certain situations that lead to a goal. Kinnear mentioned that in his interview, as have many others. Replay is not evil, but it can be implemented poorly. Avoid that and you can use that power for the good.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMPwWcOz-YqjgKwDorpbJeqzwnhHidXPcUAqtMLhF0X3HyaFltNR4KC6D9Gk2ArIK3CEvRmiXIHPKeNk5XcBIuUdIEEUJdohC1gp6Ob7FThfJYyejZRH_3L0CsTNbZQvstj3-7LlIcVAEx/s1600/orange-paint.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 156px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMPwWcOz-YqjgKwDorpbJeqzwnhHidXPcUAqtMLhF0X3HyaFltNR4KC6D9Gk2ArIK3CEvRmiXIHPKeNk5XcBIuUdIEEUJdohC1gp6Ob7FThfJYyejZRH_3L0CsTNbZQvstj3-7LlIcVAEx/s200/orange-paint.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406237902960275490" /></a><br />On to the Orange, I absolutely agree with many that Dynamo will have an overhaul in 2010. Clark is almost certainly gone, which the team announced earlier this week. I think it’s about 60 percent (maybe more?) certain the Goalden One is gone as well in January. Holden might just stay because of his roots here in Houston, close to his family and he didn’t exactly set Denmark on fire with his performance there on Wednesday. However, he did make MLS Best XI, which I find to be a little surprising, and has established himself as among the favorites to go to South Africa. We’ll see what January brings, but I think it’s safe to say that he’s possibly gone as well.<br /><br />So where does that leave us? I think it best to assume both are gone, which leaves us with options like this:<br /><br />Ching-Landin-Weaver-Oduro-Thompson<br />Mullan-Cameron-Davis-Mulrooney-Cruz-Ashe<br />Hainault-Robinson-Boswell-Chabala-Barrett-Mulrooney-Waibel<br />Onstad-Hall<br /><br />Starting at the way back, Tally Hall has proved himself this year to be a more than capable replacement eventually for Onstad, should he ever decide to remove his age-defying Ring of Power and throw it into Mount Doom. For the first offseason that I remember, replacing Onstad is a settled issue.<br /><br />Moving up, I think Wade Barrett is through. If John Spencer gets one of these head coaching jobs (and I’ve said all along that DC United is a perfect fit for him. Pity poor De Rosario that he has to play for that punk Preki now. That honeymoon is going to last until maybe President’s Day. Playing at home has not exactly been a bed of roses for Dwayne, now has it?), then I think Barrett would be an ideal pick to replace him on the bench next to Kinnear. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij9MJah5w_82ObtAbBLcQrZiJ-AoDhY5OzpqhgmP26MSrEqUyc_G_yEjNNIpzDgA7DA1-r2lCbFhlNV4FUFqson5EchbX4sRRhjBJkHaTvQkCrTyoE2NRz6y5XR2MAanLVQBG2KxMPzoDX/s1600/Hainault.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 171px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij9MJah5w_82ObtAbBLcQrZiJ-AoDhY5OzpqhgmP26MSrEqUyc_G_yEjNNIpzDgA7DA1-r2lCbFhlNV4FUFqson5EchbX4sRRhjBJkHaTvQkCrTyoE2NRz6y5XR2MAanLVQBG2KxMPzoDX/s200/Hainault.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406238271344696770" /></a><br />Of course, that leaves us with Hainault, Eddie, Little Boswell and Chabala. I do not include Cameron here because even though he was an MLS Best XI as a center back this year, with Eddie back and the hole we have in midfield, Geoff, with his speed, toughness and range moves up to holding midfielder. That drops Mulrooney and his shaky health back to defense. But where does he play? Clearly, the opportunity is at Chabala’s spot. Chewie has all kinds of pace, and had maybe his best game as a pro in the return leg against Seattle, but his passing leaves a hell of a lot to be desired. Work on that, and he’s a stud. Waibel, sad to say, is also pretty much done, though he might be valuable as a part-timer like this year.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF_9ZpfU40otIHFYJ-ymcVucSearD1RsJtkUS6rqP4M-JVXpDrhoUXhqNdpofbWuqwNGXEMShfGXsiud7v4kupb5xhyknEh83ZcXbHV0MxoV61Z8IIkWCto_HTc8kyFVlYiNaGfMCHAZFk/s1600/Cameron.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 160px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF_9ZpfU40otIHFYJ-ymcVucSearD1RsJtkUS6rqP4M-JVXpDrhoUXhqNdpofbWuqwNGXEMShfGXsiud7v4kupb5xhyknEh83ZcXbHV0MxoV61Z8IIkWCto_HTc8kyFVlYiNaGfMCHAZFk/s200/Cameron.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406238954140367554" /></a><br />Midfield without Holden and Clark is not exactly a disaster with the cast of characters I’ve got listed there. Cameron will be a great holding mid in this league, maybe equal to and with a better passing touch than Rico. He clearly needs to work on his dribbling skills, as he overruns the ball on occasion, but hey, he’s only been in this league for two years and is already an MLS Best XI. If South Africa was coming in 2011 instead of 2010, he’d be getting some serious run for national team play.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglEDCqlMUew42DOyUiGljvI9CCUuFW0NiuF8z01EpKWunLQm-RdFsCaS5wuQnFuwlgfBp4ZJ16ocZ5MBaoqpibJ65y4M2PWBUwWpNQP8XgD7QISevjds_c3YUSHMQUdZGHDEkMeYIlm9Xg/s1600/BDavis.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglEDCqlMUew42DOyUiGljvI9CCUuFW0NiuF8z01EpKWunLQm-RdFsCaS5wuQnFuwlgfBp4ZJ16ocZ5MBaoqpibJ65y4M2PWBUwWpNQP8XgD7QISevjds_c3YUSHMQUdZGHDEkMeYIlm9Xg/s200/BDavis.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406239910782721826" /></a><br />Davis in the middle is where he always wants to be anyway, and where he winds up playing most of the time. Just go ahead and put him there. A left-footed CAM could be a force there. He’s a better distributor than Holden, though not quite what DeRo was. And he’s not afraid to pull the trigger on a shot (unlike Holden). Playtherapy and I thought that Davis was the best player in orange at the HDC last week. He has creativity, great delivery and a deadly shot. With Holden gone, CAM is his role.<br /><br />On the wings we have the fearsome threesome of Mullan, Danny Cruz and Corey Ashe. Cruz, when he played, was fearless and had an impressive work rate over there. He was a terror when the joke that is Thomas Rongen played him in the U-20 World Cup this summer in Egypt. He is exactly like Brian Mullan, and is benefiting greatly from having Mulls as his teacher. Same for Corey Ashe, who credits Mulls with helping him develop his cross. So we have three players for these two spots, which I think is at least one less than we need.<br /><br />Midfield depth is an area of great need. I don’t think either Mulrooney or Mullan can get through an entire season without injury, though Dynamo will be playing far less games next year with no CONCACAF in either the spring or fall (I think that’s right, isn’t it?). I think they’ll probably be in SuperLiga (if they play that tournament) and put in their usual half-hearted USOC run, so there may be some fixture congestion in the summer, but nothing like what we’ve seen the last few years. Danny Cruz is good, but I doubt he’ll be an effective full-time starter just yet. Ashe is a great sub, but I question his effectiveness over a full 90. Sometimes he's fantastic, and sometimes not. Still, he is getting better and better and I think would have been a strong player in the playoffs if he had not gotten hurt in the Rayados friendly.<br /><br />This team needs a creative and powerful midfielder to complement this corps. If Holden stays, he’s that guy. If not, then this is a serious hole needing filling between now and April. Jon Michael Hayden and Eric Ustruck are in-house choices, and both looked good at times in CONCACAF and USOC games, but neither seem to be setting any worlds on fire, so I think it’s best not to plan on them being the answer to any questions any time soon.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYN91QQlZ4nlVqx7fJuyPziHvLvuS2As3evBwWgiL_Gx8DlKWPELbqzv1vXBkWll3NZIYOrh2gIugMGIoSa4S81V4lbwP8AVwlt52i0q1reQZrHsyW8zYZ-weNc4YS50QhT7uJFFtOWxEd/s1600/landin.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 160px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYN91QQlZ4nlVqx7fJuyPziHvLvuS2As3evBwWgiL_Gx8DlKWPELbqzv1vXBkWll3NZIYOrh2gIugMGIoSa4S81V4lbwP8AVwlt52i0q1reQZrHsyW8zYZ-weNc4YS50QhT7uJFFtOWxEd/s200/landin.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406239501282543122" /></a><br />Up top, oh boy. Another offseason, another set of questions about how to fix the Dynamo attack. Ching is another year older and just had surgery on Wednesday on his knee. Minor surgery, but still. I believe Luis Angel Landin will be an impact player in the league next year, training with this team from Day One, fit and in the flow. He is the best ball-handler on the squad, bar none. If you didn't, you should have seen what Mister 3D and I saw in the Seattle game. For a guy nursing a bad knee, he left it all out there. Now, it’s also true he was awful at the HDC. No question there. I just think that by Memorial Day we’ll know, but there’s plenty there to like. His touch, positioning and presence are impressive to say the least. Two months is not enough time, especially if he’s hurt for a significant part of that time, to assess this guy.<br /><br />Oduro needs to go. I think we’ve now seen the best we’ll ever see from Dominic Oduro (the Seattle game), as well as the worst (every other game). The pace is great and until he develops a finishing touch, he is a late-game sub stretching a tired defense with amazing pace. Ask anything more from him and you might as well install protective glass in front of the stands on either side of the field because there is not a goalmouth wide enough for this guy. Now I might very well be wrong here, as I didn’t see his Seattle performance coming at all. But we learned in LA not to expect that performance from him. And that’s the deal, when you’ve got someone in his role and with his pace, a solid performance SHOULD be expected. If he can’t deliver, then <span style="font-style:italic;">sayonara</span>, you’re better off without him. With his pace, he’s going to get the ball, and in dangerous areas. Constantly getting it to him there and having him fail throws off and misshapes Dynamo’s entire attack. <br /><br />Cam Weaver possibly could be a Nate Jaqua type, and if he stays healthy, could provide solid, solid play when Ching heads to South Africa in the summer (assuming he does). I think Weaver, who’s still pretty young, could be the heir apparent to Ching as target forward. Abe Thompson is a sub and that’s all he’ll ever be.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPeHrZpp72V4VL9os97NSyRy-E8K2smn1PD05EI8iEIRhnrHIH6v6b-o3p8bd5dZuyH-oh1yh7cyLPsFfa6qI1Ljud7t56ysi6uGM41I9Zo9cBMhGGI9XGgLBSHdUfcGrqBsyamJAkbuMh/s1600/Ccasey.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 160px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPeHrZpp72V4VL9os97NSyRy-E8K2smn1PD05EI8iEIRhnrHIH6v6b-o3p8bd5dZuyH-oh1yh7cyLPsFfa6qI1Ljud7t56ysi6uGM41I9Zo9cBMhGGI9XGgLBSHdUfcGrqBsyamJAkbuMh/s200/Ccasey.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406240947836676034" /></a><br />So clearly, help up top is a need. Ching-Landin and Weaver-Landin are the top two choices right now with Oduro as a late sub and Abe Thompson as an even iffier sub. That brings up major ifs and buts, especially about Landin. If he’s a true bust, then Dynamo are screwed and a midseason replacement becomes crucial. Replacing Oduro and adding another forward with pace and presence would be ideal. Conor Casey is apparently very unhappy in Colorado (who wouldn't be?). How great would he look in Orange?<br /><br />I am not conversant enough about options that are out there to know who can fill those roles, but I do know that Dynamo right now, even without Holden and Clark, are a playoff-caliber squad in MLS. Though of course, just being playoff-caliber is not the goal. The talent triumvirate of Luck-Canetti-Kinnear, Inc. have their work cut out for them. They don't have the problems some clubs have (Did I mention Colorado?), and that is all to the good, but there are serious issues out there to be addressed to be sure.<br /><br />The offseason is going to be a long one and the tendency is to jump to conclusions. But just hold solid and have faith. By this time next year we could be looking at both work on the construction site that is Dynamo Park and an impending MLS Cup. Orange-colored glasses, you are my friend.Martin Hajovskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14087389972723306522noreply@blogger.com1