Some News for Thu Sep 16, 2010

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

A huge happy birthday goes out to my fantastic brother William T McGuire. I would not be where I am today without that guy!

STARTERS

Rarely have I ever had more fun or better memories of going to a soccer game than in the pouring rain. I know that sounds idiotic. But I have found it to be completely true. Last night my NSC Minnesota Stars hosted Carolina in a game that was delayed 90 minutes by lightning, then went ahead in a drenching rain, and we won 1-0. I was thoroughly soaked, and I was wearing a raincoat and had an umbrella. Soaked! Another factor that makes these games so great is that only the real lunatics show up. The casuals stay far away. That leaves all of us to just egg each other on. Which of course leads to sheer insanity. Bombing down rain. Jumping up and down. Singing your lungs out. And then celebrating like madmen when that goal goes in. Nothing like it really.

dN

That game tonight in Dallas who is hosting New York could be a real doozy! Let's hope so!

CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GROUP STAGE

TFC came to Salt Lake with the right attitude, but it only lasted for 15 minutes. Oof.

dN

Matches & Scores:
Round Three
-Tue Sep 14
Columbus Crew 3-0 Joe Public - CC goals by Leandre Griffit, Jason Garey & Steven Lenhart.
Monterrey 2-0 Marathon - Mon goals by Aldo De Nigris & William Paredes.
Municipal 2-2 Santos Laguna - Mun goals by Mario Rodriguez & Carlos Castillo. SL goals by Rodrigo Ruiz & Oribe Peralta.
Saprissa 2-0 Seattle Sounders - Sap goals by David Guzman & Alan Aleman.
-Wed Sep 15
Toluca 3-0 Puerto Rico Islanders - Tol goals by Osvaldo Gonzalez, Juan Cuevas & Emmanuel Cerda.
Arabe Unido 0-6 Cruz Azul - CA goals by Javier Orozco(3), Emanuel Villa(2) & Maxi Biancucchi.
Real Salt Lake 4-1 Toronto FC - RSL goals by Kyle Beckerman, Jamison Olave, Alvaro Saborio(PK) & Paulo Jr. TFC goal by Maicon Santos.
-Thu Sep 16
Olimpia 2-0 FAS - Oli goals both by Roger Rojas.

dN

James Edward of the Deseret News on the RSL cruise.

Michael C Lewis of the Salt Lake Tribune reports on the match.

Kurt Kragthorpe of the Tribune on what the CCL is all about.

Paul James of the Toronto Globe & Mail feels that the game proved the problem with TFC wasn't just the coach, its still many of the players.

dN

GROUP STANDINGS (3 rounds played):
Group A
3 Cruz Azul (Mexico) (+6)
6 Real Salt Lake (USA) (+3)
3 Toronto (Canada) (-3)
3 Arabe Unido (Panama) (-6)
Group B
7 Santos Laguna (Mexico) (+4)
6 Columbus Crew (USA) (+3)
2 Municipal (Guatemala) (-1)
1 Joe Public (Trinidad & Tobago) (-6)
Group C
9 Monterrey (Mexico) (+5)
6 Saprissa (Costa Rica) (+4)
3 Marathon (Honduras) (-5)
0 Seattle Sounders (USA) (-5)
Group D
7 Toluca (Mexico) (+4)
4 Puerto Rico Islanders (Puerto Rico) (+3)
4 Olimpia (Honduras) (-2)
1 FAS (El Salvador) (-5)

MLS WEEK 25

Matches & Scores:
-Wed Sep 15
San Jose Eartquakes 1-0 Philadelphia Union - SJE goal by Chris Wondolowski.
Venue: Buck Shaw Stadium - Santa Clara CA
Attendance: 8,106
-Thu Sep 16
FC Dallas v New York Red Bulls - 8:00pm Central on Direct Kick
Venue: Pizza Hut Park - Frixco TX
-Sat Sep 18
Real Salt Lake v Chicago Fire SC - 3:00pm Central on Telefutura
Venue: Rio Tinto Stadium - Sandy UT
Columbus Crew v Seattle Sounders FC - 6:30pm Central on Direct Kick
Venue: Crew Stadium - Columbus OH
Houston Dynamo v Toronto FC - 7:30pm Central on Direct Kick
Venue: Robertson Stadium - Houston TX
Colorado Rapids v New England Revolution - 8:00pm Central on Direct Kick
Venue: Dick's Sporting Goods Park - Commerce City CA
Los Angeles Galaxy v DC United - 9:30pm Central on FSC
Venue: The Home Depot Center - Carson CA
-Sun Sep 19
CD Chivas USA v Kansas City Wizards - 7:00pm Central on Direct Kick
Venue: The Home Depot Center - Carson CA

MLS TEAM & PLAYER NEWS

Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun has words from fired TFC coach Preki hammering his 2 star players.

dN

Elliot Almond of the San Jose Mercury News on the Earthquakes latest step toward the MLS playoffs.
-Is San Jose happy that Chicago gave up on Jon Busch or what?!?!

USSF DIVISION 2

Stars win! Stars win! Stars win! They are playing their best soccer of the year right now! I am really happy for the guys on the team.

dN

Matches & Scores:
-Wed Sep 15
NSC Minnesota Stars 1-0 Carolina RailHawks
-Thu Sep 16
Tampa Bay Rowdies v Austin Aztex
-Fri Sep 17
Rochester Rhinos v Miami FC Blues
-Sat Sep 18
Crystal Palace Baltimore v Carolina RailHawks
NSC Minnesota Stars v Vancouver Whitecaps FC
AC St Louis v Austin Aztex
Puerto Rico Islanders v Portland Timbers
-Sun Sep 19
Montreal Impact v Tampa Bay Rowdies

dN

Standings (As of Wed Sep 15):
*51 Rochester - 27 played
*49 Austin - 25 played
44 Vancouver - 27 played
42 Portland - 27 played
38 Carolina - 27 played
36 Puerto Rico - 27 played
34 Montreal - 27 played
34 Minnesota - 28 played
28 Tampa Bay - 26 played
26 St Louis - 26 played
24 Baltimore - 27 played
23 Miami - 26 played

*Qualified for the playoffs.

dN

Pro-Rated Standings based on Points Per Game:
1.96 Austin
1.89 Rochester
1.63 Vancouver
1.56 Portland
1.41 Carolina
1.33 Puerto Rico
1.26 Montreal
1.21 Minnesota
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
OUT OF PLAY OFF SPOTS
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
1.08 Tampa Bay
1.00 St Louis
0.89 Baltimore
0.88 Miami

ENDERS

Yeah, I know it aint much. Today was just one of those days.

I did finish my evening though by going to a thoroughly confusing talk/reading/Q&A with author William Gibson. I have no idea what 80% of what he said meant. He quite possibly just made up sentences. And people around me laughed at really odd times.

I think I will now go put on the Can album Ege Bamyasi, and read some Henning Mankell.