Wednesday, March 26, 2008

The Kissing Bandit Came Back For It News

Does MLS want to make a real splash?? There are two world class players out there, who might be slightly past their prime, but still amazing and are stuck in bad situations right now. Actually both are at Barcelona. Henry & Ronaldinho. Yes it will cost a lot of money. A LOT OF MONEY. But as the league saw with Brockelman, they will make it back quickly. These two have charm and flash. They will sell a ton of tickets and another ton of shirts! Go for it! Come on! I dare ya! We know you have the money.

~and~

Some Denver media continues to prove that it is Moronville for soccer. What, no giant John Elway teeth to cover? Today at the Denver Post there is a headline: "Rapids wrapping up preseason". Ok, I want to see what they have to say. Guess what? Three sentences! Yes that's right, 3! Wow, that's insulting.

~and~

Great Team USA fact from US Soccer: "Since last year and prior to the USA’s first World Cup qualifier this summer (June 15), the U.S. will have faced four teams ranked in the top 10 in the world: Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and Spain. All together, the team will have played 23 games, competed in two major international tournaments, captured the Gold Cup title, and traveled to seven different countries. Not bad for World Cup qualifying preparation."


Team USA

-Wed Mar 26
Polska v USA - International friendly from Krakow, live at 2:30pm central time on Fox Soccer Channel.
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Team USA official blog.
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AP with a story on Michael Bradley.
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American Soccer Daily talks to Jay DeMerit who is all ready to go for the match today.
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Ridge Mahoney at Soccer America gives his well thought out reasons why he would have left Landon Donovan off the USA roster for this game. via Sports Illustrated.
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The last training photos before the game from US Soccer.
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Video from that same training session also from US Soccer.
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A lot of talk today seems to be about the new USA light black shirts. I have not had anyone tell me they like it. I am indifferent. But sorta leaning toward like. And I always have to wait until I see them on the field.
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Jack Bell of the New York Times Goal blog wonders what the deal is with Nike and the USA colors.
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Over at Big Soccer the argument is mixed, but I would say that it tilts slightly toward positive. One poster, Sitruc, said it all though - "I'm sure some of the people who say they don't like it would buy it if it had a Brazil badge and not a US badge."
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MLS First Kick

Matches & Scores:
-Sat Mar 29
Columbus v Toronto - 3pm central on Direct Kick
Salt Lake v Chicago - 5pm central on Direct Kick
New England v Houston - 6:30pm central on FSC
Kansas City v DC - 7pm central on Direct Kick
Colorado v Los Angeles - 8:30pm central on FSC
-Sun Apr 30
Dallas v Chivas USA - 2pm central on TeleFutura
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MLS News

GENERAL

Jeff Bradley at MLSnet looks back at MLS Cup rematches of the past, seeing as we have one on opening day. First XI: Revenge Seekers.
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CHICAGO FIRE

American Soccer News was on hand at the annual Fire preseason luncheon and talked to some coaches and players - here are some bits of info.
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Martin Rogers of Yahoo Sports wonders if Cuauhtemoc Blanco can do it again, or maybe even better, for the Fire this season. This is one of the leagues great questions.
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COLORADO RAPIDS

Rapids Class VI blog No Fan Alone has VI Questions for Coach Clavijo.
-The Rapids have a ton of injuries to start the season, read about them in the Q & A.
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Class VI also reports that after less than 2 months on the job Juergen Sommer has left the Director of Soccer position at the Rapids. However, Sommer is still listed on the official team staff list.
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COLUMBUS CREW

Shawn Mitchell of the Columbus Dispatch with some info from the Crew's media day on his Covering the Crew blog.
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Rogers of Yahoo also writes about Columbus's top draft pick, English centerback Andy Iro.
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DC UNITED

Dan Steinberg of the almighty Sports Bog tells us who is living in Ben Olsen's basement.
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Steven Goff of the Washington Post looks at DC's big road trip, to KC to open the season, and then to Cancun to take on Atlante in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
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HOUSTON DYNAMO

Bernardo Fallas of the Houston Chronicle with a look ahead to the Dynamo's season opener in New England. Then like DC they go right back to Champions Cup action, at home v Saprissa of Costa Rica!
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KANSAS CITY WIZARDS

Pete Grathoff of the Kansas City Star looks at the river of players flowing from South America to MLS these days.
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NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION

The Offside Rules with a link to a great ESPN video interview with Taylor Twellman. He get's asked about every thing that he and his team have failed to do over the past batch of years. Oof.
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John Connolly of the Boston Herald on Taylor Twellman and his New England teammates as they get ready for 08.
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Adam Smartschan of the Cape Cod Times with an article on New England's brand new left midfielder Mauricio Castro who will get the start in game 1 due to Khano Smith being with his Bermuda national team for World Cup qualifying. Castro last played for Hispano in his native Honduras.
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RED BULL NEW YORK

The Red Bulls have finally signed forward Oscar Echeverry the forward from Atletico Nacional in his native Colombia.
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MetroFanatic has some great stuff for us from NYRB media day - interviews with 13 players and 1 team exec. Excellent.
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Michael Lewis of Big Apple Soccer tells us that fullback Hunter Freeman will be out 4-6 weeks with an ankle injury he suffered in Olympic qualifying.
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Adam Spangler of This Is American Soccer gives his words and images from NYRB media day.
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Goal.com gives us a recap of the New York media day event.
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Lewis also gets a few words from NYRB coach Juan Carlos Osorio.
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The official Red Bulls Reader blog has video interviews with fullback Hunter Freeman, and rookie David Roth.
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Frank Giase of the Newark Star Ledger with an article on NYRB coach Juan Carlos Osorio.
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REAL SALT LAKE

James Edward of the Deseret Morning News on the return of players Robbie Findley, Chris Seitz & Nathan Sturgis from the USA Olympic team. It's not too bad when you have these young guys on your depth chart.
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TORONTO FC

Stephen Brunt of the Toronto Globe & Mail wonders if fans will grow impatient quickly with their still fairly miserable looking team.
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The Toronto Sun talks to TFC coach John Carver about long term goals.
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MLS Season Previews

Mark Zeilger of the San Diego Union Tribune gives us his view of the league over-all as year 13 begins.
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Mike Biglin of the MetroWest Daily News previews the season of the New England Revolution.
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Reuters says the this MLS season is starting without all the Brockelmania.
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MLS Stadium Talk

Michael Lewis of Big Apple Soccer talks to Red Bull pres Marc de Grandpre about work on Red Bull Park.
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The Washington Times says DC United might not be able to wait much longer for the city to decide what they want to do with a stadium proposal. Suburbs here they come?
-More on the frustration from the Wash Times $ports Biz Blog.
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MLS Expansion News

The Toronto Sun says USL1D team Montreal Impact are getting serious about joining MLS. And they are looking to get Liverpool owner George Gillet on board with them.
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The Seattle Post Intelligencer with a story on the naming of the new team. The choices are bad. Not stupid bad, but lame bad. Seattle Alliance. Seattle FC. Seattle Republic. If that is all you get to chose from then you have to pick FC cuz its the least lame.
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MLS Friendlies

Matches & Scores:
-Fri Mar 28
Portland (USL1) v San Jose in Portland OR at the Clive Charles Soccer Complex
-Tue Apr 8
San Luis (FMF) v Chicago in Mexcali, Mexico at Estadio Casas GEO
-Tue May 13
Vancouver (USL1) v Los Angeles in Edmonton, Alberta at Commonwealth Stadium
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San Jose is playing this game on Friday because they don't have an opening weekend game. Neither does New York. I guess they couldn't figure out a way to play each other. Whatever.
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Former MLS Player News

Liberian fullback Willis Forko formerly of Real Salt Lake has signed with Bodo Glimt in Norway.
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USL First Division & PDL News

Jen Chang of Soccernet gives us his full recap of spending several days in training camp with Charleston - on the field, doing what they do.
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Oh, before I forget to mention this, Charleston goalkeeper Dusty Hudock is pretty much a complete tool.
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USA Olympic Team

It looks like the team will be playing in a tournament in France at the end of May.
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Yanks Abroad reviews the qualifying trip for our team and CONCACAF.
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Americans In Europe

The Glasgow Herald with an update on DaMarcus Beasley's recovery from knee surgery. He is doing well!
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Soccer365 with an article quoting Michael Bradley in Dutch magazine Ajax Life, saying he wants a transfer out of Heerenveen & Holland this summer because the style of play does not suit him.
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CONCACAF News

The Toronto Sun with info on the new man in charge of the Canadian Soccer Association. This guy has a big job to do, and will be under a microscope. Not the best formula.
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CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying

One-off Qualifier Matches & Scores:
-Wed Mar 26
Grenada v US Virgin Islands
Montserrat v Surinam
Puerto Rico v Dominican Republic
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2nd leg Qualifier Matches & Scores (with 1st leg scores included):
-Wed Mar 26
Netherlands Antilles v Nicaragua (1-0)
Anguilla v El Salvador (0-12) in Washington DC
St Kitts & Nevis v Belize (1-3)
Bahamas v British Virgin Islands (1st leg)
Barbados v Dominica (1-1)
St Lucia v Turks & Caicos Islands (1-2)
Antigua & Barbuda v Aruba (3-0)
-Mar 30
British Virgin Islands v Bahamas (-)
Cayman Islands v Bermuda (1-1)
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Some time tonight the USA will know their first qualifying opponent - either Barbados or Dominica.
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Steven Goff of the Washington Post explains why Anguilla has to host their "home" game in the USA.
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FIFA.com gives us a look at the team from the British Virgin Islands.
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Friendly Matches & Scores:
-Sun Mar 23
Venezuela v El Salvador
-Wed Mar 26
Poland v USA in Krakow
Mexico v Gambia in London
Jamaica v Trinidad & Tobago
Peru v Costa Rica
Estonia v Canada in Tallinn
Colombia v Honduras in Fort Lauderdale FL
Ecuador v Haiti
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South American News

Gregory Sica of Sports Illustrated enlightens us cretins to the glory & might of Chile's Colo-Colo.
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Brazilian club Atletico Mineiro celebrated their 100th anniversary today.
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Copa Libertadores

Group Stage Matches & Scores:
-Mar 25
Coronel Bolognesi 0-0 Cienciano
Maracaibo 1-1 Atlas - Mar goal by Dario Figueroa(PK). Atl goal by Bruno Marioni
San Lorenzo 1-0 Bamin Real Potosi - SL goal by Adrian Gonzalez
-Mar 26
Liga Universitaria Quito v Arsenal
River Plate v Universidad Catolica
Dep Univ San Martin v America
-Mar 27
Cucuta Deportivo v Chivas Guadalajara
Boca Juniors v Colo Colo
Danubio v Deportivo Cuenca
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Group Stage Standings
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European News

The Earth Times on the Barcelona-Ronaldinho soap opera.
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La Gazzetta dello Sport talks to Italian centerback Fab Cannavaro who says the team are focused on playing Spain, not their coaches lack of a contract extension.
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UEFA Champions League

Friendly Matches & Scores:
-Wed Mar 26
Andorra v Latvia
Armenia v Kazakhstan
Austria v Netherlands
Belarus v Turkey
Bosnia-Herzegovina v Macedonia
Bulgaria v Finland
Denmark v Czech Republic
Estonia v Canada
France v England
Hungary v Slovenia
Israel v Chile
Lithuania v Azerbaijan
Luxembourg v Wales
Malta v Liechtenstein
Montenegro v Norway
Northern Ireland v Georgia
Poland v USA
Portugal v Greece
Romania v Russia
Scotland v Croatia
Slovakia v Iceland
Spain v Italy
Sweden v Brazil
Switzerland v Germany
Ukraine v Serbia

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2008 UEFA European Championship

FIFA.com has Q & A's with the coaches of the 2 host countries - Josef Hickersberger of Austria - and - Kobi Kuhn of Switzerland.
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World News

Ravi Ubha of the Seattle Post Intelligencer with his high quality weekly world soccer news recap - the Beautiful Game.
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Asian World Cup Qualifying

Group Stage Matches & Scores:
-Wed Mar 26
Singapore 2-0 Lebanon
N Korea 0-0 S Korea in Shanghai China
Thailand 0-1 Oman
China 0-0 Australia
Turkmenistan 0-2 Jordan
Uzbekistan 3-0 Saudi Arabia
Bahrain v Japan
Syria v United Arab Emirates
Kuwait v Iran
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FIFA.com has a Q & A with Australia's coach Pim Verbeek.
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The Guardian with a great article on the national teams of Iran & Iraq.

3 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

They gave three sentences on the Rapids because not even soccer fans give a shit about MLS preseason. Calm down dork.

7:19 PM  
Blogger Mamacita Chilena said...

Good article on Colo Colo in SI. I really wanted to leave a comment, but since you can't do that there, I'll just leave my thoughts here.

The article said, "But once you get past the politics, Colo-Colo's achievements on the soccer field set it apart."

First off, I'm really glad that it was even mentioned how intertwined Colo Colo is with Pinochet. But, even now it's pretty difficult to "get past the politics." Money continues to roll in from the Pinochetistas (people who supported the dictatorship, many deny anyone was ever killed or tortured). And the team (as well as Chile's National Team) plays games in el Estadio Nacional, which was used as a holding place to torture people during the dictatorship.

For me it's truly impossible to get past the politics of Colo Colo.

Just wanted to add my thoughts, even though I know most people don't know much about, or care about Colo Colo and Chile in general.

Chao Bruce! As always, thanks for having the best soccer blog out there.

8:30 PM  
Blogger CG said...

I love the new US away kit.

9:01 PM  

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