Which of these two guys do you want to run your team?

The answer, of course, is neither, but after reading Greg Lalas' recent 3-5-2 column on Goal.com on how to build an MLS side, I think it best to say that the one who actually has the job is the one who should be worried. (Especially if the new season ticket numbers revealed this week are to be believed. Chop, chop goes the GM axe when numbers like that come out, I would think.)

Another question: After reading over the piece, has Alexi done any of what Greg recommends with the Gals?

Also, I very much like Lalas' (that would be Greg of course) notice of both Patrick Ianni and Franco Caraccio. Based on what I saw last year compared to what I saw in Hawaii a few weeks ago, I would not be at all surprised if Ianni is ahead of Bobby Boswell in Dom Kinnear's depth charts.

And one more serious prop: Greg Lalas (When will the Ginger One fade away so that we can all just refer to the Greg by his last name and not have anyone ask "which one" anymore? Soon, please.) pointed out, quite correctly in my mind, that the best of MLS (Dynamo) is better than the lower reaches of the EPL (Derby County being GL's case in point). Check out his column for the obvious points in this regard, and what this might mean for the EPL, especially when you compare that league top to bottom to the Bundesliga and La Liga. Read more!

Mark Van Bonehead video

I first saw this incident late last night on a replay of the game on FSC. A tight, tough, hard fought game had this drama which just made the whole night for me. Saw this video over on Soccer by Ives this morning and felt it meshed perfectly with the previous post below. Just awesome.

Here's Ives' great take on it:

In Germany, not only is touching a referee a major offense, even insulting one with a gesture is risky. Consider Bayern Munich midfielder Mark Van Bommel, who disagree with a call by referee Lutz Wagner. Rather than simply shout at the referee, Van Bommel tried to sneak in an "Up yours" while Wagner was walking away. Unfortunately for Van Bommel, Wagner must have known he was up to something and turned around just in time to catch him.

The scene, which must play out in schools across the country, was the funniest moment of the weekend, and has to be seen to be appreciated.

The best is Van Bommel running off the field clearly upset at being caught doing something so dumb. Who knew the Dutch midfielder was only 12 years old?

In short, don't mess with referees.

I'm with you Ives.

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A soccer video well worth watching

Perhaps getting knocked around by by a 10-foot-tall Brazilian at the Pan-Pacifics (just how big a guy is Bare anyway?) has me just a little bit whack right about now, but it got me to thinking that this, along with Soccer Made in Germany, was my very first exposure to the game (which probably explains a lot).




But after seeing it again, I wonder how well this guy would do against such heavyweight competition:






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When was the last time you saw one of these?

Recognize that ball up there in the corner? Of course you do, as the design is somewhat iconic. But it's also one design you almost never see these days. Amid the swoops and sashes, an incredible pallette of colors (including my personal pet peeve, the hideous yellow and purple thing now so fashionable in the English Premier League) and designs that clearly come from frustrated Jackson Pollock wannabes and hallucinogenic trips the world over, there's something somewhat comfortable about the simple black pentagon on white truncated icosahedron design. More power to the Bundesliga for using it. Anyone know of any other league that employs the old-fashioned ball? For more on the history of soccer ball design and the physics of it, click on this great link to be found at Soccerballworld.com.


1-2 Hansa Rostock vs. Bayern Munich Goals - MyVideo Read more!