This is just really awesome.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Saturday, April 14, 2007
A Few Questions After Thursday Night
- Is Beckham watching his team get off with one point in their first two matches? If they keep this up will he request a trade to that OTHER Los Angeles team who's actually going to win some games?
- Where is Landon Donovan?
- Are Carlos Ruiz and Kenny Cooper going to be the most lethal combination this year? If Cooper keeps scoring goals, how long can Bob Bradley keep pretending he's not on the bench for the national team?
- Where is Landon Donovan?
- Are Carlos Ruiz and Kenny Cooper going to be the most lethal combination this year? If Cooper keeps scoring goals, how long can Bob Bradley keep pretending he's not on the bench for the national team?
Thursday, April 12, 2007
A Reflection on Web 2.0
Just thought I'd plug the website that one of my professors and some of my classmates have been working on this semester - it's a collection of quasi essays all relating to the emergence of new electronic media and inspired by the Youtube hit, The Machine is Us/ing Us. Here's the link to "Just Like a Machine" and I've included the video below.
Goodbye, Mr. Vonnegut
I suppose I can't eulogize in as effective a manner as most others, but I think I ought to bid Kurt Vonnegut farewell. One of the few authors whose catalog I've read extensively, he is probably the reason I turned towards writing at Ithaca College. I remember reading Slaughterhouse Five for the first time, and then mowing through it over and again. Cat's Cradle, Welcome to the Monkeyhouse and Player Piano - Vonnegut made me want to read, and then made me want to make a difference by writing.
I love reading this article, published when Vonnegut was 82, knowing that he was just as critical and incisive well into old age. While he can't, his work deserves to live on and on.
~ I want to stand as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all the kinds of things you can't see from the center. ~
Saturday, April 7, 2007
DC - Colorado Wrap Up
Just a couple general thoughts at the start of the game. The pitch is enormous but it looks like the stadium is a little empty - they're showing the weather hovering at right around 30 so I'm sure that's keeping some of the crowd away. I love the introduction, the music and walking out of the locker rooms together is definitely a step towards improving the professionalism in MLS.
The game started slow - probably a combination of the chilly weather and both teams feeling out the enormous field. A couple nice touches at the top of the box but nothing pans out on either side. I'm interested to see how the surprise starters on the wings - DeRoux and Moose. Olsen gets into the game with a dirty sliding tackle and Perkins makes a nice touch over the bar in the 11th minute.
The opposite keeper, 25-year-old Bouna Coundoul, from Senegal looks athletic and confident, making a save off a well worked shot from Moreno that was destined for the top corner. Terry Cooke looks threatening for the Rapids and he is the one that whips in a corner kick that Herculez Gomez nods home. Just when I was going to compliment DeRoux on a nice start he lost his man badly on the corner, and United goes down a goal in the 19th minute.
Foudy just made a nice point about Colorado's use of the wide areas - something DC isn't doing at all. Moose and DeRoux keep drifting inside, further crowding an already busy central midfield.
In the 35th minute Colorado goes up 2-0 on a well worked play that Brown flicks through to Beckerman and ends up with the ball bak at his feet, taking a calm touch and slotting it home on the far post. The defense has really been in shambles twice, once on a dead ball and now again during the run of play. I think both announcers are being a little harsh on Perkins, harping on how he's on a bad streak after his flapper at Guadalajara.
The second half improved slightly, but as the game moved on there were chippy fouls on both sides, and I think the referee lost a little bit of control, especially when he pulled out a card but DC went on with the play and he never awarded the card. DC's movement of the ball improved when the two wide players were changed - Fred in for Moose and Casal in for DeRoux. While I wasn't particularly impressed with Fred, but Casal showed a willingness to drive at the defense and eventually earned Emilio a free header to draw DC closer. 2-1 in the 80th minute.
The only thing that stood out to me the rest of the game was how Moreno again disappeared in the late stages and how much of a whiner Jacob Peterson is. Not a particularly impressive start for DCU and it's highly touted offense, especially after some good showings in the Champion's Cup. Hopefully Soehn can trick Erpen into sealing up that side and the home opener against Kansas City will be a better performance.
DC Player of the Game: I guess if anyone, Emilio for his hold up play and another smart run and strong finish for DC's goal.
Man of the Match: Terry Cooke looks like he's going to be a real threat from the wing, especially at home on the field that's 80 meters wide. He could rack up a huge number of assists.
The game started slow - probably a combination of the chilly weather and both teams feeling out the enormous field. A couple nice touches at the top of the box but nothing pans out on either side. I'm interested to see how the surprise starters on the wings - DeRoux and Moose. Olsen gets into the game with a dirty sliding tackle and Perkins makes a nice touch over the bar in the 11th minute.
The opposite keeper, 25-year-old Bouna Coundoul, from Senegal looks athletic and confident, making a save off a well worked shot from Moreno that was destined for the top corner. Terry Cooke looks threatening for the Rapids and he is the one that whips in a corner kick that Herculez Gomez nods home. Just when I was going to compliment DeRoux on a nice start he lost his man badly on the corner, and United goes down a goal in the 19th minute.
Foudy just made a nice point about Colorado's use of the wide areas - something DC isn't doing at all. Moose and DeRoux keep drifting inside, further crowding an already busy central midfield.
In the 35th minute Colorado goes up 2-0 on a well worked play that Brown flicks through to Beckerman and ends up with the ball bak at his feet, taking a calm touch and slotting it home on the far post. The defense has really been in shambles twice, once on a dead ball and now again during the run of play. I think both announcers are being a little harsh on Perkins, harping on how he's on a bad streak after his flapper at Guadalajara.
The second half improved slightly, but as the game moved on there were chippy fouls on both sides, and I think the referee lost a little bit of control, especially when he pulled out a card but DC went on with the play and he never awarded the card. DC's movement of the ball improved when the two wide players were changed - Fred in for Moose and Casal in for DeRoux. While I wasn't particularly impressed with Fred, but Casal showed a willingness to drive at the defense and eventually earned Emilio a free header to draw DC closer. 2-1 in the 80th minute.
The only thing that stood out to me the rest of the game was how Moreno again disappeared in the late stages and how much of a whiner Jacob Peterson is. Not a particularly impressive start for DCU and it's highly touted offense, especially after some good showings in the Champion's Cup. Hopefully Soehn can trick Erpen into sealing up that side and the home opener against Kansas City will be a better performance.
DC Player of the Game: I guess if anyone, Emilio for his hold up play and another smart run and strong finish for DC's goal.
Man of the Match: Terry Cooke looks like he's going to be a real threat from the wing, especially at home on the field that's 80 meters wide. He could rack up a huge number of assists.
Opening Day for MLS - United at Rapids
Several nice storylines for this game. Obviously being the season opener for the entire league is an exciting backdrop - on top of that is the first match being played at brand spankin' new Dick's Sporting Goods Park.
The stadium is a beauty - imagine something similar in DC and what a difference it would make in the gameday atmosphere. A little bit of jealousy is setting in seeing other MLS cities and their soccer specific homes. So today should be a beautiful spring day for the opening kick off - a high in the low 30's with snow flurries. Oh the Brazilians must be loving life.
Just about an hour before gametime and I'm watching the end of the Man U/Portsmouth match as an appetizer. With a few minutes left it looks like Chelsea could be giving a hearty thank you to Portsmouth in a couple weeks. Oops - now they'll be thanking Rio Ferdinand who just made a fine pass past Van der Sar into his own net.
For those interested, here is a link to a nice summation of what happened in the offseason and what to look for this season from Soccer America.
More on the DCU match when its time. My predictions for today's games:
DC 2 Colo 1
Dallas 2 Salt Lake 2
Red Bull 0 Crew 0
Chicago 1 New England 0
Toronto 1 Chivas 3
Galaxy 2 Houston 0
The stadium is a beauty - imagine something similar in DC and what a difference it would make in the gameday atmosphere. A little bit of jealousy is setting in seeing other MLS cities and their soccer specific homes. So today should be a beautiful spring day for the opening kick off - a high in the low 30's with snow flurries. Oh the Brazilians must be loving life.
Just about an hour before gametime and I'm watching the end of the Man U/Portsmouth match as an appetizer. With a few minutes left it looks like Chelsea could be giving a hearty thank you to Portsmouth in a couple weeks. Oops - now they'll be thanking Rio Ferdinand who just made a fine pass past Van der Sar into his own net.
For those interested, here is a link to a nice summation of what happened in the offseason and what to look for this season from Soccer America.
More on the DCU match when its time. My predictions for today's games:
DC 2 Colo 1
Dallas 2 Salt Lake 2
Red Bull 0 Crew 0
Chicago 1 New England 0
Toronto 1 Chivas 3
Galaxy 2 Houston 0
Quick Note on Champions Cup
Unfortunately I was only able to watch the first half of both the DCU/Chivas and Dynamo/Pachucha matches. Especially upset about missing the second, not so upset about sparing myself the emotional distress of watching the ball slip through Troy Perkins hands. Anyways, one thing that seemed to stand out is how the Mexican squads had very complete teams, while the difference for both MLS teams might have been just one or two weak spots on the field that consistently failed to produce.
For DC, it was Clyde Simms who really disappointed, although he was playing out of position. The ball was given away time after time, and from what I hear they eventually just stopped playing him out wide. That wide position may continue to be a thorn in the side of United depending on the damage done to Gros.
In Houston's case it was the severe lack of pace at right back. Craig Waibel was just not at the level needed for intense international competition against much more skilled and swift attackers. Clumsy challenges were abound - the other man badly missed was obviously Ricardo Clark due to injury.
The level of play between Mexican and MLS teams is obviously drawing closer. The DCU match proved to be a balanced affair, and Houston showed an immeasurable amount of toughness going down two goals before fighting back ahead of the tie several times. It's too bad neither team could produce the moment needed for victory, but if these matches are any indicator, Mexican regional dominance on the club level is waning.
For DC, it was Clyde Simms who really disappointed, although he was playing out of position. The ball was given away time after time, and from what I hear they eventually just stopped playing him out wide. That wide position may continue to be a thorn in the side of United depending on the damage done to Gros.
In Houston's case it was the severe lack of pace at right back. Craig Waibel was just not at the level needed for intense international competition against much more skilled and swift attackers. Clumsy challenges were abound - the other man badly missed was obviously Ricardo Clark due to injury.
The level of play between Mexican and MLS teams is obviously drawing closer. The DCU match proved to be a balanced affair, and Houston showed an immeasurable amount of toughness going down two goals before fighting back ahead of the tie several times. It's too bad neither team could produce the moment needed for victory, but if these matches are any indicator, Mexican regional dominance on the club level is waning.
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