Soccer Log: September 16, 2006

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.