Been busy with University Elections lately. So here is an entry. Reviews of Once in as Lifetime, book and movie upcoming, as well as review of Payne Media's DC United 2004 Champions DVD. But Until then, here is a page out of the soccer diary.
Los Angeles Galaxy VS Colorado Rapids
There were no stars out tonight. No stars on a cold cloudy night and a key Galaxy game not on TV.
The Galaxy still struggle to keep their head above the water. Their season is not over, but if the wins do not come, they will be on holiday pretty soon. The soccer world is backwards, a holidy for me is a reward, but for any club worth its salt, its a punishment. Luckily no one else seems to know how to win either. We have been given a stay of execution so far. And with leaders Dallas unable to wrap up a playoff spot, much less the Western title in consecutive weeks, the season still has some possibility. But while they only need one win, the Galaxy need to win at all costs just to stay alive.
I can sympathize.
I could use a few wins as well. I've been in good form, but feel winless.
Leaving the university feels harder than coming. Applying to leave, making plans for after graduation. Figuring out how soccer is supposed to fit into this. Its all a year away, but so much is expected already. And at this moment all I can do is wonder why this game was not on TV. You can read a game report, stare at the score, but it never reels real unless you saw it.
The Gals need to wake up. The season is ending. We can not settle for ties, just reminding ourselves, Hey! At least we did not loss. Or sooner or later time will be up and we may find ourselves in a place we don't want to be in the table, in the world, in our lives.
Without seeing the game, how do you know if they battled to the end, but just did not get the result, or if they were resigned to defeat the whole time, or if they played with distracted indifference as if the game did not matter. It helps to imagine the first one. You should never have to see a hero resign themselves to the inevitable. So it helps to imagine Donovan rattling the post a few times, Cobi Jones streaking down the wing, and Albright just getting unlucky as he dominated in the box over and over again.
Without seeing the game its hard to know if you can wear your jersey with pride or if it is best just worn around the house or maybe even left in the closet for a week. All on the off chance that thousands of miles someone might recognize the jersey.
I still have dreams and I still have a plan. Nothing has derailed me. I have not dropped a game, but all those ties feel like losses. And even when you have a year, it can feel like September. The season is closing down, time for a move. Time is running out.
Friday, September 22, 2006
Friday, September 15, 2006
Disappointment (West)
As the season winds down, disappointing, is almost too nice a description for the way the season has turned out for some MLS teams. What happened? Can they recover? What next year? These are the questions many fans in the league are already facing. And with the playoffs looming ever larger, four teams are about to find themselves left out and on early holiday.
West
LA Galaxy
The mighty Gals started last season on a blistering pace. And it was a good thing they did, because despite the struggles of RSL and Chivas, the Galaxy almost plummeted out of the playoffs last year, only to turn on the jets, win the Double.
A year later, and without a great start to the season, the Galaxy are on the verge of another US Open Cup, but are getting farther adrift of the MLS Playoffs.
What happened boys? You returned most of your stars, but you have returned little of the firepower that propelled you last year. Donovan is the team's leading striker, despite having missed about ten games. Quaranta and Gordon have both posted some good strikes lately, but not enough to make a difference. Gordon missed the target multiple times last weekend, if he had only managed to get one on target the Galaxy would look in much better shape.
Gomez has been MIA most of the season, only four goals in 25 games is not acceptable. Especially when last year he hit 11 goals in only 22 games.
With Yallop at the helm the Gals can only hope for some stability, they have dealt with constant turnover this season. Nine players have left the team, and only twenty roster spots are currently being filled. So while the Galaxy returned much of their underperforming Champion team, they have totally disappointed again. Will most likely miss the playoffs for the first time, and can only hope that during the off season they can prevent another season of under performing and under achieving.
Houston Dynamo
A collection of players that posted a perfect home record, won the supporters shield in classy fashion, but tripped in the playoffs.
I doubt many people expected Houston to have as much trouble as they have this season. Last year as San Jose these players were incredible and for the longest time looked poised to take the MLS crown. So despite no serious coaching changes, or significant lineup turmoil, Houston has gone from poised for another great run, to mediocre.
They may have beat up on Dallas this year, but have had little success against the rest of the league. Yes, they are second in the west, but being only one point up on both Chivas and Colorado, there is every chance they could enter the playoffs in fourth, and an even more remote chance they could sink to the bottom of the western table and miss the play offs all together.
The move of SJE to Houston was traumatic on fans, but seems to have affected the team as a whole. A team you should have expected big things from, seems to have just wilted away in the Texas heat.
West
LA Galaxy
The mighty Gals started last season on a blistering pace. And it was a good thing they did, because despite the struggles of RSL and Chivas, the Galaxy almost plummeted out of the playoffs last year, only to turn on the jets, win the Double.
A year later, and without a great start to the season, the Galaxy are on the verge of another US Open Cup, but are getting farther adrift of the MLS Playoffs.
What happened boys? You returned most of your stars, but you have returned little of the firepower that propelled you last year. Donovan is the team's leading striker, despite having missed about ten games. Quaranta and Gordon have both posted some good strikes lately, but not enough to make a difference. Gordon missed the target multiple times last weekend, if he had only managed to get one on target the Galaxy would look in much better shape.
Gomez has been MIA most of the season, only four goals in 25 games is not acceptable. Especially when last year he hit 11 goals in only 22 games.
With Yallop at the helm the Gals can only hope for some stability, they have dealt with constant turnover this season. Nine players have left the team, and only twenty roster spots are currently being filled. So while the Galaxy returned much of their underperforming Champion team, they have totally disappointed again. Will most likely miss the playoffs for the first time, and can only hope that during the off season they can prevent another season of under performing and under achieving.
Houston Dynamo
A collection of players that posted a perfect home record, won the supporters shield in classy fashion, but tripped in the playoffs.
I doubt many people expected Houston to have as much trouble as they have this season. Last year as San Jose these players were incredible and for the longest time looked poised to take the MLS crown. So despite no serious coaching changes, or significant lineup turmoil, Houston has gone from poised for another great run, to mediocre.
They may have beat up on Dallas this year, but have had little success against the rest of the league. Yes, they are second in the west, but being only one point up on both Chivas and Colorado, there is every chance they could enter the playoffs in fourth, and an even more remote chance they could sink to the bottom of the western table and miss the play offs all together.
The move of SJE to Houston was traumatic on fans, but seems to have affected the team as a whole. A team you should have expected big things from, seems to have just wilted away in the Texas heat.
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
News & Notes: Sept 13
CD Chivas USA @ FC Dallas
If Chivas played as sharpe as a dull knife, then FCD was as sharpe as a baseball. FCD why? Why, why why? I think you have a problem. A problem with commitment. But I think we can work on it. This is at the very least the third year in a row you have just melted away at the end of the season. First place should have been a lock by now, you could have been in thje play offs by now, but no. No, it was not to be. Did you even realize you were at a game, and you were the ones playing?
Carlos Ruiz? The lad hasn't scored since early June and at this point I wonder at the wisdom of going through all this trouble to secure his services and put him up as the face of the team. Although he still seems like the better option, when compared to his former strike partener Eddie Johnson, who has only scored twice in eighteen games.
Ronnie O'Brian? The kids got talent and speed. But he seems toi swing wildly from being a major play maker to a dissinterested winger, who for whatever reason is yet to jell with the rest of the team.
Chivas was only slightly better off than FCD, but still had their own fair share of defensive lapses, miscues, and irate players. If you believe the announcers, then Chivas is the team to beat. But strangely enough, I find myself still most impressed with the Gals, even though they lost their game this past Sunday.
After this game, I don't see FCD or Chivas havign any chance to win the MLS Cup unless they change there ways. And at this rate FCD could give up its home advantage all the way to the final.
Mexico @ US: Women's Friendly
Great to see PAETEC Park get shown off on national TV. The field and stands really look top class for a second division team. The game was really the perfect homecoming for Abby Wambach, who scored two goals.
The US Women are now 17-0-0 against Mexico and according to espn.com, the US has outscored Mexico 82-6. I only wish the men enjoyed such one sided domination.
The game was by far the most entertaining American fixture on TV today and I found myself spending long periods enjoying this match over the drab and dull FCD/Chivas match. The women passed much crisper, attacked harder, and showed off their creative abilities with great success. While the announced crowd was only about 7,000, those that were there saw a great game, and really made some good noise during the game.
Hawaii girl Natasha Kai came on as a sub late in the game and only got a few touches on the ball. While I obviously would have liked to see more of her, you can't argue with the results put up by the forwards that did start the game.
If Chivas played as sharpe as a dull knife, then FCD was as sharpe as a baseball. FCD why? Why, why why? I think you have a problem. A problem with commitment. But I think we can work on it. This is at the very least the third year in a row you have just melted away at the end of the season. First place should have been a lock by now, you could have been in thje play offs by now, but no. No, it was not to be. Did you even realize you were at a game, and you were the ones playing?
Carlos Ruiz? The lad hasn't scored since early June and at this point I wonder at the wisdom of going through all this trouble to secure his services and put him up as the face of the team. Although he still seems like the better option, when compared to his former strike partener Eddie Johnson, who has only scored twice in eighteen games.
Ronnie O'Brian? The kids got talent and speed. But he seems toi swing wildly from being a major play maker to a dissinterested winger, who for whatever reason is yet to jell with the rest of the team.
Chivas was only slightly better off than FCD, but still had their own fair share of defensive lapses, miscues, and irate players. If you believe the announcers, then Chivas is the team to beat. But strangely enough, I find myself still most impressed with the Gals, even though they lost their game this past Sunday.
After this game, I don't see FCD or Chivas havign any chance to win the MLS Cup unless they change there ways. And at this rate FCD could give up its home advantage all the way to the final.
Mexico @ US: Women's Friendly
Great to see PAETEC Park get shown off on national TV. The field and stands really look top class for a second division team. The game was really the perfect homecoming for Abby Wambach, who scored two goals.
The US Women are now 17-0-0 against Mexico and according to espn.com, the US has outscored Mexico 82-6. I only wish the men enjoyed such one sided domination.
The game was by far the most entertaining American fixture on TV today and I found myself spending long periods enjoying this match over the drab and dull FCD/Chivas match. The women passed much crisper, attacked harder, and showed off their creative abilities with great success. While the announced crowd was only about 7,000, those that were there saw a great game, and really made some good noise during the game.
Hawaii girl Natasha Kai came on as a sub late in the game and only got a few touches on the ball. While I obviously would have liked to see more of her, you can't argue with the results put up by the forwards that did start the game.
The Midweek
Brian Ching
Finally getting a chance to see some action. The local boy came on as a sub against LA Galaxy in Houston's 2-1 win at the Home Depot Center. The announcers made a special point of mentioning that Ching is MLS's only Hawaiian. Interesting. I guess no one counts Duke Hashimoto (although yes, true enough he hasn't appeared in a pro game yet...)
Natasha Kai
Hopefuly playing today verses Mexico. Considering the great pace and accurate shooting shje has displayed against some, occasionally less than adequate opposition, it would be great to see her in action against the Southern Devil.
While I am sure she wants to carve outr her place on the international scence, I am also sure that she can't wait to continue her new career coaching girls high school soccer for the Kahuku Red Raiders.
Hawaiian Soccer Factory
While talking about Brian Ching and in recent news articles about Natasha Kai, reporters have been mentioning Hawaii as an untapped source of raw soccer talent. While none of them seem to have any insight, they have all heard rumors and of course wondered who will be the state's next big export. So far the state's only national caps have come from strikers.
Other news to be added later... the game is on....
Finally getting a chance to see some action. The local boy came on as a sub against LA Galaxy in Houston's 2-1 win at the Home Depot Center. The announcers made a special point of mentioning that Ching is MLS's only Hawaiian. Interesting. I guess no one counts Duke Hashimoto (although yes, true enough he hasn't appeared in a pro game yet...)
Natasha Kai
Hopefuly playing today verses Mexico. Considering the great pace and accurate shooting shje has displayed against some, occasionally less than adequate opposition, it would be great to see her in action against the Southern Devil.
While I am sure she wants to carve outr her place on the international scence, I am also sure that she can't wait to continue her new career coaching girls high school soccer for the Kahuku Red Raiders.
Hawaiian Soccer Factory
While talking about Brian Ching and in recent news articles about Natasha Kai, reporters have been mentioning Hawaii as an untapped source of raw soccer talent. While none of them seem to have any insight, they have all heard rumors and of course wondered who will be the state's next big export. So far the state's only national caps have come from strikers.
Other news to be added later... the game is on....
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Its a little Blah
Lacking a reliable internet connection and being swamped with school, have really worked to slow down my ability to post.
MLSgear.com and Onionbag.com are both taking ridiculously long times to ship things I ordered and hoped to write reviews for. But at the rate they are taking I'll probably end up writing reviews about their service instead. Eurosport delivered what I wanted... but they accidentaly listed something as a DVD when they only have VHS. Hmmmm. For someone who is young and hip and doesn't own VCR, this is problematic. But they fixed it, and I am still hopeful I can find a VCR to borrow.
What have I been working on?
Well my history of the Miami Fusion is still coming along. I'll probably put up the outline and what has been written eventually. Very interesting stuff, although its a little depressing, its hard not to feel the team was doomed from day one.
Also collecting information about MLS Rivalries. Should have been easy enough to write, but it wasn't until I started that I realized how little I understand about some of the coming and goings in the Eastern Conference.
So anyway, thats whats in the works now. Still have some old Soccer Diaries to put up if nothing else and a few more book reviews.
MLSgear.com and Onionbag.com are both taking ridiculously long times to ship things I ordered and hoped to write reviews for. But at the rate they are taking I'll probably end up writing reviews about their service instead. Eurosport delivered what I wanted... but they accidentaly listed something as a DVD when they only have VHS. Hmmmm. For someone who is young and hip and doesn't own VCR, this is problematic. But they fixed it, and I am still hopeful I can find a VCR to borrow.
What have I been working on?
Well my history of the Miami Fusion is still coming along. I'll probably put up the outline and what has been written eventually. Very interesting stuff, although its a little depressing, its hard not to feel the team was doomed from day one.
Also collecting information about MLS Rivalries. Should have been easy enough to write, but it wasn't until I started that I realized how little I understand about some of the coming and goings in the Eastern Conference.
So anyway, thats whats in the works now. Still have some old Soccer Diaries to put up if nothing else and a few more book reviews.
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