Mountains Backward, Now Snorting News
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho: "More important than having a player in Chelsea for American football is to have improvements in your own league.”
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He Is Done - the massively loved Brian McBride has announced his retirement from USA international soccer. What a great player he has been for us! Thanks for the amazing effort dude! He finishes with 30 goals from 95 games. He will carry on with his career at club team Fulham.
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One of the greatest television commercials in modern times.
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Word is circulating that Italy have made AC Milan one of their entrants in the UEFA Champions league despite the penalties brought against the team for match fixing. So UEFA has scheduled an emergency board meeting to see about denying Milan's participation. I told you Berlusconi wields a massive amount of power in Italy. He can get his team anything he wants. Now lets see if his influence extends all across Europe. I bet it does.
-Rob Hughes of the International Herald Tribune on the reductions in punishment: Tainted clubs win a limited reprieve
-And in more Italy match fixing news, the judge who reduced all four teams sentences defended his actions by declaring that he felt Italian Football had already suffered a great deal, and had fixed itself. Sounds like business as usual in Italy to me.
-There is a poll in the Guardian today showing 86% of voters think that reducing those punishment was the wrong thing to do. That's not too surprising either.
-Juventus has already filed an appeal of this newest court decision, and have stated that they will file a civil suit if they are not appeased by the next proceedings. I guess they just want to be found innocent of all charges.
-The Italian soccer federation has now given the 05-06 Serie A crown to Inter Milan.
~ ~ ~ ~
Being in Germany during the World Cup caused me to miss out on reading many top notch soccer articles. (But I will take that trade off every time!) One story that I did want to bring to your attention though is a most excellently written piece by the head coach of my Minnesota Thunder, Amos Magee. He gives his thoughts and feelings on Les Bleus, one of the first teams he ever loved.
~ ~ ~ ~
Huge congrats go out to the local W-League team, the Minnesota Lightning, who finished second in the Midwest Division and qualified for the playoffs in their first season! In their quest for a title they must go on the road this Friday to play the Atlantic Division first place team Charlotte Lady Eagles in Charlotte, North Carolina.
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Chelsea head bobo Jose "extreme-haircuts-are-go" Mourinho talks to the teams website about their upcoming trip to America. He says some very interesting things to say about soccer in our country.
~ ~ ~ ~
Sports Illustrated's Grant Wahl looks at less obvious USA coaching candidates.
~ ~ ~ ~
Actual MLS games tonight that count in the standings:
-Salt Lake v Chivas USA - the team that has no idea that they have the wrong formula for success in MLS, and might possibly never realize this cuz their owner did the same thing when he ran the New York Knicks basketball team to complete suckiness v the team who realized they had the wrong formula to success in MLS and made smart changes that are spawning results.
-Colorado v Houston - Bernardo Fallas of the Houston Chronicle with a preview.
~ ~ ~ ~
More MLS mid-week international friendly's tonight:
-UANL Tigres v Dallas - in Monterrey Mexico for the second and deciding leg for the Rio Grande Plate. Dallas leads 2-0 from the first leg played last Wed in Frisco TX. You should be able to hear this one live on the radio in Dallas at 910AM or via the internet from KXEB
-Columbus v Everton - You can see this one on TV at 6pm central time on ESPN2. Tim Howard will be in goal for Everton. The Columbus Dispatch previews the match with a feature on the awesome Everton midfielder Tim Cahill.
-LA v The Cruz Azul Cement Mixers - played in Santa Barbara
~ ~ ~ ~
Our gal Andrea Canales writes about the wonderboy Freddy Adu. Did Freddy just get a new publicist? What's with all these stories in the past week again? From Soccernet.
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The LA Galaxy's rising young defensive prospect Nathan Sturgis underwent hernia surgery in Germany yesterday with the doctor who developed the style of surgery that has players back on the field in 2 to 3 weeks tops.
~ ~ ~ ~
Soccer 365 has a Q & A with Dallas forward Kenny Cooper.
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Chad Reynolds of the KC Soccer Journal talks to new KC head coach Brian Bliss.
~ ~ ~ ~
Steve Goff of the Washington Post on the trouble and unfulfilled promise of DC United's still young Santino Quaranta.
~ ~ ~ ~
Goff also says that Jeff Agoos may be the latest former player to join Bruce Arena's coaching staff at the Red Bulls.
~ ~ ~ ~
Salt Lake is finalizing the signing of Costa Rican international midfielder (and the teams former Captain) Jafet Soto from CR club Herediano. Soto was an Honorable Mention to the All Tournament team in the Gold Cup last summer, and played in some World Cup qualifiers, but was not part of CR's final World Cup team.
~ ~ ~ ~
Photos from Toronto FC stadium being built.
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Soccer Capital News with a feature story on Columbus midfielder Eric Vasquez.
~ ~ ~ ~
Do you know when one of the great days in American soccer history will be? The day Frank DeFord passes away. And I don't mean that in the nasty "Frank DeFord should go die" way. No no no. That's not cool. I would never wish something untimely or bad natured death on anyone. (Except Rafa Marquez.) I mean that in the way that we won't have to read or hear his blowhardness anymore. He is just so in love with his own opinions that its gone miles beyond being "a little too much" for me. He has absolutely no respect anymore for other peoples opinions on the subject, and will not listen or have a civil discussion about it. He is the be all and end all. Game over - Frank wins, again, of course, was there another possible outcome, no, certainly not, you moron. And no matter how many times the guy says he likes the game and the World Cup etc etc, he is lying. He hates the game, and he hates people who like it or try to defend it, simple as that.
~ ~ ~ ~
First Division matches midweek and thru the weekend:
Tonight
Montreal v Seattle
Thur
Minnesota v Charleston
Fri
Atlanta v Montreal
Miami v Puerto Rico
Rochester v Seattle
Sat
Toronto v Portland
Virginia Beach v Charleston
Sun
Miami v Puerto Rico
Toronto v Seattle
Minnesota v Atlanta
~ ~ ~ ~
All new First Division Power Rankings via Blue Sky Soccer.
~ ~ ~ ~
Copa Libertadores Semifinals!
First legs tonight and tomorrow:
Guadalajara Chivas v Sao Paulo on Wed July 26
Libertad v Internacional on Thur July 27
Second legs next week:
Sao Paulo v Guadalajara Chivas on Wed Aug 2
Internacional v Libertad on Thur Aug 3
-The away goal rule DOES apply in the knock out stages.
-Ricardo Seyton of Sports Illustrated with a semifinal preview.
~ ~ ~ ~
A few of the bigger names start to arrive for the 06-07 UEFA Champions League Second Qualifying Round matches (1st leg)-
Tuesday:
Ekranas 1-4 Dinamo Zagreb
Wednesday:
Sheriff v Spartak Moskva
Debrecen v Rabotnicki
Gorica v Steaua
Kobenhavn v MyPa
Mlada Boleslav v Valerenga
Djurgarden v Ruzomberok
Hafnarfjordur v Legia
Zurich v Red Bull Salzburg
Fenerbahçe v B36
Hearts v Siroki Brijeg
Metalurgs v Dynamo Kyiv
Cork v Crvena Zvezda
Levski v Sioni
~ ~ ~ ~
England's painfully boring ex-coach Sven Goran Eriksson is still considering coaching Jamaica - it's true, I swear. Oh how the supposedly mighty have fallen. It's kinda like a World Cup coach taking over the coaching job at New York.
~ ~ ~ ~
Not so warm words from BQ on Croatia's new coach Slaven Bilic: What I remember about Bilic is his cheap-ass tactics and theatrics in WC 98. I forget who the captain of the French team was in 98 but he couldn't play in the final because he was red carded out of the game when Bilic pulled one of his many, many cheap-shots on him and when he walked up to have a word with him Bilic dropped to the ground holding his face. The fact was, he was never touched. He did that shit throughout the wc and that 98 team that made it to 3rd place would put most of the diving teams of this past World Cup to shame. I hate to wish bad on someone but I hope the guy fails miserably.
~ ~ ~ ~
One of my favorite web logs has signed off. No Curse Here, an Inter fan blog from Italy is done. Good luck Angelo.
~ ~ ~ ~
He Is Done - the massively loved Brian McBride has announced his retirement from USA international soccer. What a great player he has been for us! Thanks for the amazing effort dude! He finishes with 30 goals from 95 games. He will carry on with his career at club team Fulham.
~ ~ ~ ~
One of the greatest television commercials in modern times.
~ ~ ~ ~
Word is circulating that Italy have made AC Milan one of their entrants in the UEFA Champions league despite the penalties brought against the team for match fixing. So UEFA has scheduled an emergency board meeting to see about denying Milan's participation. I told you Berlusconi wields a massive amount of power in Italy. He can get his team anything he wants. Now lets see if his influence extends all across Europe. I bet it does.
-Rob Hughes of the International Herald Tribune on the reductions in punishment: Tainted clubs win a limited reprieve
-And in more Italy match fixing news, the judge who reduced all four teams sentences defended his actions by declaring that he felt Italian Football had already suffered a great deal, and had fixed itself. Sounds like business as usual in Italy to me.
-There is a poll in the Guardian today showing 86% of voters think that reducing those punishment was the wrong thing to do. That's not too surprising either.
-Juventus has already filed an appeal of this newest court decision, and have stated that they will file a civil suit if they are not appeased by the next proceedings. I guess they just want to be found innocent of all charges.
-The Italian soccer federation has now given the 05-06 Serie A crown to Inter Milan.
~ ~ ~ ~
Being in Germany during the World Cup caused me to miss out on reading many top notch soccer articles. (But I will take that trade off every time!) One story that I did want to bring to your attention though is a most excellently written piece by the head coach of my Minnesota Thunder, Amos Magee. He gives his thoughts and feelings on Les Bleus, one of the first teams he ever loved.
~ ~ ~ ~
Huge congrats go out to the local W-League team, the Minnesota Lightning, who finished second in the Midwest Division and qualified for the playoffs in their first season! In their quest for a title they must go on the road this Friday to play the Atlantic Division first place team Charlotte Lady Eagles in Charlotte, North Carolina.
~ ~ ~ ~
Chelsea head bobo Jose "extreme-haircuts-are-go" Mourinho talks to the teams website about their upcoming trip to America. He says some very interesting things to say about soccer in our country.
~ ~ ~ ~
Sports Illustrated's Grant Wahl looks at less obvious USA coaching candidates.
~ ~ ~ ~
Actual MLS games tonight that count in the standings:
-Salt Lake v Chivas USA - the team that has no idea that they have the wrong formula for success in MLS, and might possibly never realize this cuz their owner did the same thing when he ran the New York Knicks basketball team to complete suckiness v the team who realized they had the wrong formula to success in MLS and made smart changes that are spawning results.
-Colorado v Houston - Bernardo Fallas of the Houston Chronicle with a preview.
~ ~ ~ ~
More MLS mid-week international friendly's tonight:
-UANL Tigres v Dallas - in Monterrey Mexico for the second and deciding leg for the Rio Grande Plate. Dallas leads 2-0 from the first leg played last Wed in Frisco TX. You should be able to hear this one live on the radio in Dallas at 910AM or via the internet from KXEB
-Columbus v Everton - You can see this one on TV at 6pm central time on ESPN2. Tim Howard will be in goal for Everton. The Columbus Dispatch previews the match with a feature on the awesome Everton midfielder Tim Cahill.
-LA v The Cruz Azul Cement Mixers - played in Santa Barbara
~ ~ ~ ~
Our gal Andrea Canales writes about the wonderboy Freddy Adu. Did Freddy just get a new publicist? What's with all these stories in the past week again? From Soccernet.
~ ~ ~ ~
The LA Galaxy's rising young defensive prospect Nathan Sturgis underwent hernia surgery in Germany yesterday with the doctor who developed the style of surgery that has players back on the field in 2 to 3 weeks tops.
~ ~ ~ ~
Soccer 365 has a Q & A with Dallas forward Kenny Cooper.
~ ~ ~ ~
Chad Reynolds of the KC Soccer Journal talks to new KC head coach Brian Bliss.
~ ~ ~ ~
Steve Goff of the Washington Post on the trouble and unfulfilled promise of DC United's still young Santino Quaranta.
~ ~ ~ ~
Goff also says that Jeff Agoos may be the latest former player to join Bruce Arena's coaching staff at the Red Bulls.
~ ~ ~ ~
Salt Lake is finalizing the signing of Costa Rican international midfielder (and the teams former Captain) Jafet Soto from CR club Herediano. Soto was an Honorable Mention to the All Tournament team in the Gold Cup last summer, and played in some World Cup qualifiers, but was not part of CR's final World Cup team.
~ ~ ~ ~
Photos from Toronto FC stadium being built.
~ ~ ~ ~
Soccer Capital News with a feature story on Columbus midfielder Eric Vasquez.
~ ~ ~ ~
Do you know when one of the great days in American soccer history will be? The day Frank DeFord passes away. And I don't mean that in the nasty "Frank DeFord should go die" way. No no no. That's not cool. I would never wish something untimely or bad natured death on anyone. (Except Rafa Marquez.) I mean that in the way that we won't have to read or hear his blowhardness anymore. He is just so in love with his own opinions that its gone miles beyond being "a little too much" for me. He has absolutely no respect anymore for other peoples opinions on the subject, and will not listen or have a civil discussion about it. He is the be all and end all. Game over - Frank wins, again, of course, was there another possible outcome, no, certainly not, you moron. And no matter how many times the guy says he likes the game and the World Cup etc etc, he is lying. He hates the game, and he hates people who like it or try to defend it, simple as that.
~ ~ ~ ~
First Division matches midweek and thru the weekend:
Tonight
Montreal v Seattle
Thur
Minnesota v Charleston
Fri
Atlanta v Montreal
Miami v Puerto Rico
Rochester v Seattle
Sat
Toronto v Portland
Virginia Beach v Charleston
Sun
Miami v Puerto Rico
Toronto v Seattle
Minnesota v Atlanta
~ ~ ~ ~
All new First Division Power Rankings via Blue Sky Soccer.
~ ~ ~ ~
Copa Libertadores Semifinals!
First legs tonight and tomorrow:
Guadalajara Chivas v Sao Paulo on Wed July 26
Libertad v Internacional on Thur July 27
Second legs next week:
Sao Paulo v Guadalajara Chivas on Wed Aug 2
Internacional v Libertad on Thur Aug 3
-The away goal rule DOES apply in the knock out stages.
-Ricardo Seyton of Sports Illustrated with a semifinal preview.
~ ~ ~ ~
A few of the bigger names start to arrive for the 06-07 UEFA Champions League Second Qualifying Round matches (1st leg)-
Tuesday:
Ekranas 1-4 Dinamo Zagreb
Wednesday:
Sheriff v Spartak Moskva
Debrecen v Rabotnicki
Gorica v Steaua
Kobenhavn v MyPa
Mlada Boleslav v Valerenga
Djurgarden v Ruzomberok
Hafnarfjordur v Legia
Zurich v Red Bull Salzburg
Fenerbahçe v B36
Hearts v Siroki Brijeg
Metalurgs v Dynamo Kyiv
Cork v Crvena Zvezda
Levski v Sioni
~ ~ ~ ~
England's painfully boring ex-coach Sven Goran Eriksson is still considering coaching Jamaica - it's true, I swear. Oh how the supposedly mighty have fallen. It's kinda like a World Cup coach taking over the coaching job at New York.
~ ~ ~ ~
Not so warm words from BQ on Croatia's new coach Slaven Bilic: What I remember about Bilic is his cheap-ass tactics and theatrics in WC 98. I forget who the captain of the French team was in 98 but he couldn't play in the final because he was red carded out of the game when Bilic pulled one of his many, many cheap-shots on him and when he walked up to have a word with him Bilic dropped to the ground holding his face. The fact was, he was never touched. He did that shit throughout the wc and that 98 team that made it to 3rd place would put most of the diving teams of this past World Cup to shame. I hate to wish bad on someone but I hope the guy fails miserably.
~ ~ ~ ~
One of my favorite web logs has signed off. No Curse Here, an Inter fan blog from Italy is done. Good luck Angelo.
posted by brucio at 16:17
1 Comments:
Laurent Blanc is the French player I could not think of. The class of that 98 World Cup team and arguably the best overall player of that French Team in 98. He was cheated out of the final by a cheating Bilic.
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