Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Some News for Wed Nov 11, 2009

STARTERS

The Associated Press with an article on German goalkeeper Robert Enke who took his own life yesterday. He had been suffering badly from depression, and left behind a suicide note. The article has quotes from Enke's wife, his doctor, fellow players & coaches and the German chancellor. This is a horribly sad story.
-Not surprisingly Germany has canceled their friendly with Chile on Saturday.
-Depression is a brutal disease and is not to be taken lightly, no matter how stigmatized it is.

dN

Real Salt Lake owner Dave Checketts is very close to selling 49% interest in the team to a Salt Lake area real estate developer. Read reports from:
-Deseret News
-Salt Lake Tribune
-Steet & smith's Sports Business Journal

TEAM OWNERS ASSOCIATION LEAGUE

The USL has issued a statement regarding the breakaway league. Naturally they encourage US Soccer not to officially authorize this endeavor. And some of their rationale is legit.

MLS PLAYOFF NEWS

Greg Seltzer of Soccer 365 talks to RSL midfielder Andy Williams.

dN

Andrew Hush of ESPN Soccernet sees LA and Chicago meeting in the final.

dN

Nick Firchau of the Chicago Southtown Star previews the Fire.

dN

Beau Dure of USA Today previews the 2 semifinal matchups.

dN

Michael C Lewis of the Salt Lake Tribune says RSL will make sure their defense keeps an eye on Blanco at all times.

dN

Lewis, on his blog, says RSL is very excited be playing in front of Chicago's "wild" home fans.

Nice picture of Section 8 from the Salt Lake Trib blog:













dN

James Edward of the Deseret News feels that good defense got RSL this far.

dN

Jeffrey Marcus of the New York Times feels that consistency is what has gotten LA and Houston so close to the top.

dN

Bernardo Fallas of the Houston Chronicle looks at the Dynamo's building momentum.

dN

The Associated Press on the Galaxy revival of 09. Via the LA Daily News.

dN

Jeff Carlisle of ESPN Soccernet with a preview of both semifinal games.

MLS PLAYOFF SCHEDULE

Semifinals
Matches & Scores:
-Fri Nov 13
Los Angeles Galaxy v Houston Dynamo - 10pm Central on ESPN2
Venue: Home Depot Center - Carson CA
-Sat Nov 14
Chicago Fire v Real Salt Lake - 7pm Central on FSC
Venue: Toyota Park - Bridgeview IL

MLS

Michael Lewis of Big Apple Soccer has a better idea on how to reward the Supporters Shield winner. This is not the worst idea I have ever read.
-Anything is better than the treatment Columbus got this year.

dN

FC Dallas has signed midfielder Dax McCarty to a contract extension.

dN

So if Preki left Chivas USA where would he go? How about the USA assistants job?!?! I don't know. Somehow linking back up with Bob Bradley seems to make sense to me.

dN

Steve Kelly of the Seattle Times reviews the fantastic year of soccer in Seattle.

dN

Brian Forbes of the Denver Post reports that Colorado leading scorer Conor Casey demanded the team trade him, then took it back. The coach is none to pleased, but will move on.

dN

Luis Bueno of the Press Enterprise wonders what Chivas does to improve their team over all.
-How mediocre have they been? Check out this passage: "...sent the club packing from the postseason in the first round for the fourth consecutive season. In eight playoff games, Chivas has one victory -- its first-ever playoff game in 2006. Since then, Chivas has compiled a 0-4-3 record. Chivas is also 1-5 all-time in U.S. Open Cup games, failed to get past the SuperLiga group stage in 2008 or 2009 and failed to win its qualifying series for the 2008-09 CONCACAF Champions League." Oof!

MLS POST SEASON AWARDS

Bruce Arena of the Los Angeles Galaxy has been named MLS Coach Of The Year. A surprise to no one, as he fully deserved it.

TEAM USA

Note from our friend Anthony in Glasgow who will in Bratislava for this weekends game against Slovakia:
"Anyone wanting to try to buy tickets to sit together on Sat or just wanting to get together before the match to have some drinks and food, let's meet at the Slovak Pub starting at 10am - Anthony"

dN

The USA is in Bratislava practicing at the facilities of Petrzalka, "the oldest club in Slovakia."

dN

Jeff Carlisle of ESPN Soccernet previews USA at Slovakia.

dN

Ridge Mahoney of Soccer America examines the USA team now that qualify is over and prep for the big tournament has begun.

dN

Team's official blog

dN

US Soccer gives us a treasure trove of stats and notes from the just finished qualifying campaign. Some very cool stuff in here.

dN

International Friendlies
Matches & Scores:
-Sat Nov 14
Slovakia v USA - 9am Central on FSC
-Wed Nov 18
Denmark v USA - 1:30pm Central - TV TBA

AMERICANS IN EUROPE

Chris Bevan of the BBC calls Freddy Adu football's forgotten superstar.

dN

Yanks Abroad with articles on several players this week & last:
-Hunter Freeman
-Erik Benjaminsen
-Gale Agbossoumonde
-Kamani Hill

UEFA WORLD CUP QUALIFYING PLAYOFFS

FIFA.com has a Q & A with Ireland goalkeeper Shay Given.

dN

FIFA.com has a Q & A with Bosnia-Herzegovina forward Edin Dzeko.

SOUTH AMERICA

Tim Vickery at Sports Illustrated tells us about the surprise team in South American World Cup qualifying - Chile.

U17 WORLD CUP NIGERIA

Official web site

dN

Semifinals
Matches & Scores:
-Thu Nov 12
Colombia v Switzerland
Spain v Nigeria

dN

Bracket

2 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

"Depression is a brutal disease and is not to be taken lightly, no matter how stigmatized it is."

I appreciate your insight, Bruce. I think there tends to be a lot of misconception about what depression is and who it affects. It's tragic that Enke didn't have better support or help, considering that he probably had a significant amount of people in his life. In an increasingly competitive, and at times alienating world, it's good to slow down and reach out to those around us. If we lose our humanity, what's left?...

Big hug from the DF to all my soccer fanáticos in the Twin Cities!

Andrew

7:51 PM  
Anonymous Josh said...

The Chivas USA situation remind me of our very own MN Timberwolves franchise in the mid to late 90's. I think they need their own Sam "the alien" Cassel.

8:37 AM  

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