Reading on the 2nd half of the US game last night

I believe this was the general consensus on the game last night:

If anyone wants to read up on the 2nd half or just other opinions of the US - Guatemala game that ended 0-0 last night here are some links:

Soccer Insider

MLS Site

One of Several Big Soccer Message Boards

US vs. Guatemala - First Half

Little running discussion of the game:

- First off the field looks much better than Sunday.

- A new look backline makes things interesting after the disheveled performance against Ecuador... from left to right - Spector, Conrad, Demerit, Simek. We'll also get a nice look at Bradley and Feilhaber playing together again in the middle to see if they can repeat a nice 2nd half a couple days ago.

- Still can't believe that Eddie Johnson is getting another start when Bob Bradley is already giving so many fresh faces a chance. Already he showed the ability to hit a defender with a shot from six yards out. I wonder, why not Kenny Cooper?

- The whole room over here seems to agree that Feilhaber has some very Reyna-esque tendencies, already showing his ability to spread the ball around the field well. Slow start in the first 10 minutes, kind of expected by the 4-5-1 played by Guatemala.

- Like the attacking attitude from Mapp, pushing the ball whenever the opportunity presents.

- A nice ball played through in the 18th minute by Donovan but Johnson hits it right into the keeper's hands. At this point I don't think he has moved past a jog and right now it feels like the US is playing with ten guys. Simek really looks nice on that right side so far, very comfortable moving forward on the ball.

- Slow... slow... slow... 28 minutes... Guatemala putting lots of guys behind the ball. Apparently Twellman sends texts messages to Wynalda.

The commentators don't even seem too worried about the game, having a fine little time in the booth - we're considering that they're drinking some of tonight's sponsor Jose Cuervo, and maybe Wynalda will run across the field with just his tie on and a number 34 painted on his back yelling, you'll never catch me Landon! - Mr. Fox

- Some nice movement between Feilhaber and Bradley results in a free kick about 35 yards out... they're looking very comfortable with each other. And yea, that is the only moment worth mentioning for the past ten minutes.

- Two more moments of brilliance from Wynalda: he first commented that maybe we'll just see Johnson in a couple years in Africa followed by him suggesting that premiership teams don't train in between games because it rains a lot in England.

- The first half was very uneventful and the crowd seems to be souring a little bit. Unfortunately my time is up because I have to go bartend. Good luck USA in getting a goal, and I hope Cooper sees some time.

R.I.P. Barbaro?

For all those whose hearts were broken earlier this year when Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro was euthanized, there may be hope yet.

Evidence provided here seems to suggest that Barbaro - not unlike 2Pac - may still be alive and living out of the limelight. While theories abound, there does remain the off chance that the picture below is only a crazed manifestation of hope and that the legend of Barbaro will remain as it is in our memories.

Could it really be him? Mark certainly hopes so.

My Middle Name is Danger

Or at least that's what one member of the Mexican media in Guadalajara has dubbed Christian Gomez, giving him the nickname peligro. Or I suppose here's the Spanish version if you're so inclined.

It's good to see some international recognition of MLS MVP's quality, for example:



Does DC have a chance next week in Guadalajara? According to the game report, they played a very good warm up match against the Tecos reserves, winning 3-0 with goals from Gomez, newcomer Casal, and of course the goal monster Emilio. Really, how many will he rack up this year?

I think if United play the game they're capable of, not the disjointed performance we saw at RFK, then they are very much in this tie, and perhaps we could see a little MLS vs. MLS in the Concacaf final.

Northern Irish Parties to Form Coalition Government

An end appears to be in sight for the Northern Irish conflict that has spanned over 40 years. While arms were laid down by the Irish Republican Army in 2005, a stand off continued over the arrangements for a power sharing government between Sinn Fein, the Catholic and Irish nationalist party, and the Protestant Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).

Just before another deadline for agreements towards a devolved Northern Irish government passed, the two sides pushed a decision for self-rule through. The image above is itself a sign of change, as for years the Reverend Ian Paisley, leader of the DUP, refused to be seated in the same room as Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams, much less within arms reach.

What began as a civil rights movement for Catholics in Ulster exploded into a full fledged armed conflict between militant parties after the events on January 30, 1972, known as 'Bloody Sunday'.



What the agreement on Monday established is that by May 8, a Northern Irish Parliament will be restored much of the control over internal affairs that it ceded to London at the end of March in 1972. Since then, views between the dominant parties Sinn Fein and the DUP have been seemingly irreconcilable. Fettered by mistrust over Sinn Fein's former association with the militant Irish Republican Army (IRA), and especially Adams alleged role as the IRA's leader, Paisley refused any situation involving equal presence in government.

Given the deeply sown differences between the two parties, political cooperation was a tedious achievement that broke down several times. Rhetoric between leaders has been stubbornly unmoving, considering a formal cease fire was signed by the IRA almost ten years ago, yet the gains of the agreement are immediately obvious with the British government allegedly planning infuse 35 billion pounds into the province.

What was for so long a conflict between divided traditions turns toward a hopeful improvement regarding the future of the entire province. No doubt the economic emergence over the past decade of the Republic of Ireland spurred the two sides into political action. While optimism was the air of the day, both Adams and Paisley were sure to invoke the memory of those lost in the conflict, which was over 3,500 people during the 30 year period of the Troubles.

“We are very conscious of the many people who have suffered,” Mr. Adams said. “We owe it to them to build the best possible future.” He added, “It is a time for generosity, a time to be mindful of the common good and of the future of all our people.”

And Paisley:

“We must not allow our justified loathing of the horrors and tragedies of the past to become a barrier to creating a better and more stable future. In looking to the future we must never forget those who have suffered during the dark period from which we are, please God, emerging.”

This turn towards the future is exactly what so many people have been encouraging for years. There will no doubt continue to be tension, especially during the marching season which seems to be a crude reminder of past Protestant hostility towards the Irish Catholics every spring.

But this agreement is a positive sign that what was once a conflict tainted by terrorist activity and merciless killing is moving towards a final chapter of non-violent politics and an attempt by once feuding communities to recognize their mutual needs and interests.

If you're interested in more, the CAIN database is an extensive resource for the history of the conflict.

Highlights from US vs. Ecuador

For those of you that didn't get to see the game, here are the goals and all three of Donovan's very un-Landon like finishes which I must say were all class.

US vs. Ecuador

Computer malfunctions during the first half... but some thoughts:

- The jury is out in our house on the new uniforms. I personally think the pinstripes are nice.

- Great hit by Donovan off a bad clearance. Wynalda must cringe every time Donovan nets another one and has to note the statistic box.

- The defensive communication looks miserable. A couple miscues between Howard and his defenders. The defense, which is the same lineup we saw in the World Cup, looks leaky and it's supposed cornerstone Onyewu was exposed badly and beaten twice on Ecuador's goal.

- Movement up top is miserable, with Ching trying to play like a target forward without a complimentary player. Johnson is invisible and lazy; one wonders how many more chances he can really get.

- Benny Feilhaber looks good at times and like a first cap player at others. A nice through ball with the outside of his foot in between several bad giveaways.

- Donovan was by far the best player for the US in the first half. Hopefully he inspires more in the second half, and we'll see if Michael Bradley can come in and prove he belongs as a player and not just given the benefit of the doubt by his dad.

Second Half

- Wynalda is a trip in the commentator's booth. Him and Arena often take little jabs at each other and I'm sure Dave O'Brien has to give them a couple quick kicks under the desk.

- The movement to start the half is much better, Donovan looks to be an upgrade at least in terms of his movement and his commitment to the game.

- My roommate just farted and yawned at the same time.

- Donovan produces two brilliant goals after Dempsey whiffed on a sitter from inside six yards. The first off a nice turn and slotted through ball, and with the ball bouncing up and down on the turf Donovan calmly slowed down and placed the ball to the far post. His second came just two minutes later as the Ecuadorian defense looks in shambles and it's about as un-Donovan a finish as I've seen, blasting an unstoppable drive into the top corner from Beasley's well weighted pass.

- Looks like the DC United representative is going to be the lonely one on the bench with Kasey Keller not too get into this game. Maybe Carroll get his chance on Wednesday because as decent as Feilhaber played, and I think decent is the best description, he went unnoticed through most of the second half. Little correction, Carroll shows up in the 90th minute, turns out Kyle Beckerman is Keller's buddy over there.

- The defense never really seemed to mesh, hopefully that's sorted out before we start playing the likes of Argentina this summer. Pace proved to be a serious issue, especially for Gooch and Bocanegra on the left who was left chasing several times. Not a bad performance in the end, made a little bit better by the killer game that Donovan produced. Wouldn't the US be better off if he could produce this energy and determination every game, or maybe donate some to Eddie Johnson.

- A nice save from the Ecuadorian goalkeeper, a questionable call on what looked like a penalty and a bad miss from Dempsey kept the score from being more lopsided. Nice crowd for the victory, announced at 31,000.

Player of the Game - Obviously the hat trick man Donovan who provided inspiration to a team that otherwise looked sluggish; even typical firebrand Dempsey looked a step behind.



Surprise - Aside from Donovan's work rate and decision to display all that he could be, the center midfield, especially in the second half with Bradley and Feilhaber was nice. While not flashy, they moved the ball and kept possession that was lacking in the first half, although again some of this might be attributed to getting a second player in front of them once Johnson was subbed.

Disappointment - Every game things seem to slip farther away from Eddie Johnson, who for a couple months was going to be the savior of US soccer and expected to score at feverish pace. Now he looks out of sorts, making bad runs, if he makes any, doing his best play going backwards and missing poorly on the chances presented to him such as the one that both Arena and Wynalda deemed a cross, but upon closer inspection was surely a shot.

Oh what to do with Mr. Bradley, who is now 3 and 0 as "interim" coach, and seems to be quietly showing that he may be capable of getting the job done. I wouldn't expect a worse performance against much weaker Guatemala on Wednesday.

A Place for Good Beats When You Tire of Your Itunes

Scanning my email in hopes of finding something interesting if usually a vain effort. Some time ago though, one of the 3 daily clips from Thrillist at least forced me to raise my eyebrow. To stray off topic for a moment, Thrillist itself has a glutton of strange and hip information on everything from clothes to restaurants to drinking games.

In any case, this wonderful morning left me introduced to Pandora Internet Radio. The service itself is free and the music player is reliable. The database of material is enormous spanning over 10,000 different artists, most of which I've never heard. The beautiful component of Pandora, is that it allows you to create a radio station by way of entering any band you enjoy into its search engine, and then the site produces more songs according to what the band sound likes. Here's an example of how the good people at what they've deemed the "Music Genome Project" regarding the Bronx: We're playing this track because it features hard rock roots, punk influences, a subtle use of vocal harmony, repetitive melodic phrasing and mixed acoustic and electric instrumentation.

Maybe the descriptions aren't quite dead on, but the site's other crucial feature is the evolutionary behavior of each station. You can approve or disapprove of each song with one click and each decision is registered under individual's profiles, influencing the future selection of songs. So if you're interested in finding something to throw on that mix CD after HelloGoodbye - Here in Your Arms, then head over to Pandora and see what you find.

Oh, and if anybody was curious who the Bronx is, here's a sample for your ears' pleasure...

Random Stuff to Look At

Just a couple random links to take a peek at, I haven't had much time to finish up a longer piece right now:

News/Politics

Israel-Palestine Talks Continue Through Rice

Music

Rodrigo y Gabriela - Myspace Page

Bearvsshark - Old news but have been listening to a lot lately

Soccer

Here's a prediction of the Eastern Conference for MLS from Vasco USA

And a nice boost to United fans who have already given up hope on the second leg of the Champions Cup in Guadalajara from the DCenters

General John Abizaid - Heard too late?

David Ignatius of the Washington Post published an editorial looking at the exit of Gen. John Abizaid from the Central Command, and how in the long run it might not be much of an exit at all. From Abizaid's background as a Lebanese American who speaks Arabic casually, he was a gem to have in the field in Iraq - a figure that could appeal to the masses as a beacon of understanding.
This depth of understanding - both of language and culture - may be a crucial measure in finding a productive and successful outcome in the Middle East. American policy can no longer rely on self-centered decisions. If it wants to lower the negative impact on the military and achieve any semblance of the goals the administration set out after, a serious look needs to be taken at the needs and interests of the local cultures.
Additionally, as Ignatius cites from Abizaid, the Iraqi conflict is most likely not going to abate in the immediate future - meaning the next 2 years as those that seek an immediate withdrawal are hoping.
Aiding the construction of a strong political and social structure is going to take much longer, and is not fueled by selfish misunderstanding or headstrong personalities. Progress will be accomplished by a stronger influence from men and women such as Abizaid, those who are willing to empathetic and recognize the voice of local Iraqi populations - which the media has turned into a mass of warring individuals. I hope that Ignatius is right and this is not the last we see of Abizaid as an influential figure in American policy.

DC United - CD Guadalajara

First things first, I missed the first twenty minutes of the game due to some poor driving conditions and some equally as poor human error. When the three of us arrived and quickly made our way to our seats I thought we were also in the wrong stadium - maybe somewhere in Mexico. The Chivas fans were loud, ridiculing calls and an errant goal kick from Troy Perkins. The weather wasn't getting better as the first half ending fairly quietly at 0-0.
Feeling uncomfortable with United chants in our section, we spotted a couple rows of open seats above the Barra Brava. Some decent play from both sides, with Bravo's speed becoming more apparent a problem for DC's defense. Chivas eventually brokethrough with some slack passing on United's right side leading to a break, and after a nice ball across, Bravo only had to put the ball towards the goal before the backtracking Namoff slid the ball past already diving Perkins.
I have never heard RFK louder than it was on that goal and I was fairly sure the goal and crowd's reaction would be backbreaking. But United labored on, with renewed energy from Benny Olsen creating a few sparks. DeRoux was subbed in on the left, moving Gros to the other side and speey Jamil Walker came on for a ghostlike Jaime Moreno. DeRoux was miserable with the exception of one notable run past some defenders, giving the ball away more than his teammates would have liked.
While Olsen should have equalised in the 84th minute, he tried to make amends, tracking down a ball in the corner and forcing a bad foul from Chivas. Gomez's free kick found an open Emilio who casually buried the header and sprinted toward his DC supporters in elation, showing more passion than you would expect from a player in his 3rd game for the club.

Surely we'll love to have this guy around for years to come. I'll be back to talk about the second leg more as the time gets closer.

Why do I love cheesy pop music?

Does it get better than this? I submit it cannot.



None of it makes a lick of sense - just keep dancing.

DC United Wins Champions Cup Tie

As much fun as it was watching United rack up goals via ever impressive Christian Gomez and new stud Emilio who no doubt is going to be the next South America star to shine for United, there are still questions to be asked, especially before a match up that has even more ramifications for an MLS team in proving its place in local international competition. The game against CD Guadalajara poses a moment for one of the MLS flagship franchises to show its ability - a more than capable one - of competing with a storied Mexican club.
From my point of view, the defense needs to be tightened up - it looks like a leaky ship that could turn into a full scale disaster against a team more capable on the finishing end. While Erpen can be an asset going forward, he scares the bejesus out of me sometimes on the defensive end. But on that note, what about the slide tackle from Namoff that looked straight out of a game of Fifa between me and my roommates when one of us gets upset - granted the reaction could go up for an Oscar, but wouldn't most good players go down when they're assured a gift?
While I love Jaime Moreno and think he is a valuable player, he looks to be playing at a painfully slow pace sometimes. Maybe something will come of this forward United is giving a trial with.
Moving on to the game against Chivas in two weeks - I know the weather was bad, and I'm not one to start a tirade about too few fans because I was stuck at school, but it would be great to see a little more support at RFK for these fans. I'll be at the Chivas game and hope that with the added weeks and maybe some sunshine we could get a good crowd out there, because if not I have a notion the game is going to turn into two home games for Chivas.
Go get your tickets.