Think of somebody you'd want to play if you were an MLS team on the ropes and riding a seven-game losing streak. Now picture the exact opposite. There's a good chance you're thinking of Sporting Kansas City, D.C. United's opponents tonight. Here goes nothing.
D.C. United goalkeeper Bill Hamid will be returning to the USMNT after being called to the 26 player roster by head coach Jurgen Klinsmann.
CHICAGO (May 16, 2013) - U.S. Men's National Team head coach Jurgen Klinsmann has called in 26 players to begin training camp in Cleveland in advance of the five-game stretch in May and June that includes three FIFA World Cup Qualifiers and the Centennial Celebration Match against Germany.
The letting the kids play experiment worked as well as anything else has this year, and so I expect that Ben Olsen will stay with at least parts of that starting 11 when D.C. United takes on Sporting Kansas City this Sunday. But, for the second week in a row, the key question is about Chris Pontius' groin.
Find a worse month than this one was since the year we don't like to talk about in these parts. Just try. Actually... don't. You'll just make yourself sad, and nobody wants to spend a gorgeous Friday heading into what should be a very pretty weekend in the Nation's Capital being sad. So instead, we'll just vote for who was the worst in a truly awful month on the field for D.
The last time D.C. United met the Columbus Crew, things didn't go well. The 2-1 scoreline flattered United, even if Columbus made several attempts to let us get away with a poor showing. Despite the best goal of our season thus far by Rafael, this game is perhaps better remembered for Bill Hamid making a string of huge saves and Kyle Porter's apparently good goal (I say "apparently" because the Professional Referee Organization's mea culpa concerning the initial mistake was extraordinarily generous to United in my book).
Again, we're pretty heavy on the other soccer links and light on the D.C. United links. Blame the rest of the internet. We're doing our part, y'all.
Bill Hamid nominated for MLS Save of the Week | D.C. United
Today is your last day to vote, so go do it.
Five MLS trade ideas that will blow your mind | Major League Soccer
I'd think that this would be an offseason podcast and not one that for when there are soccer games going on, but I guess it makes sense given that MLS isn't really selling you soccer.
For 88 minutes, D.C. United deserved a point in Kansas City. They were not the better team - not by any stretch - they weren't even really even, but they had played with Sporting Kansas City and completely denied them any clearcut scoring chances and were deservedly level at 0-0. Ben Olsen's plan to stymie the Sporks by forcing them to send in crosses and then defend D.
Hey, our team has a functioning website again. Way to go, D.C. United! Even with their help, this daily links post is a bit tougher than I anticipated it would be. I estimate that this blog contains half of the D.C. United content on the internet on a daily basis, and that's an estimate that is generous to the rest of the internet.
We may be under new management here at B&RU, but like the Starks of Winterfell, ours are the Old Ways, and the monthly choosing of the best is an established tradition we're going to keep going. Keep your eye out later today for a new addition to our traditions, but for now, I'll leave you with the nominees for March Player of the Month:
Bill Hamid - Let's be honest; United's backstop is going to win this month's contest in a walk.
Nobody in D.C. United's locker room was happy with the team's 2-1 home loss to the Columbus Crew on Saturday night. Not only did the loss snap their 17-game home unbeaten streak; not only did the two goals double the number conceded by United on the season; not only was Bill Hamid forced to stand on his head again to keep the score as low as it was.
Job One for the weekend is accomplished, with the U.S. Men's National Team taking all three points out of snowy, snowy Denver last night. Now it's time for the second order of business: keeping D.C. United perfect at home. This week's obstacle is the Columbus Crew, who will be without their starting striker Jairo Arrieta but will still have dangerman Frederico Higuain pulling the strings.
In this week's episode of Filibuster - the Black & Red United Podcast, we talk about what went right in D.C. United's draw against the New York Red Bulls (Bill Hamid) and what went wrong (everything else). We also question ChestRockwell's Old Person Cred, much to his dismay. The fact that he suffers from dismay is probably good enough to restore what Old Person Cred he might have lost in the show, actually.
Annandale, VA native Bill Hamid was voted MLS Player of the Week following his shutout of the New York Red Bulls this past weekend. Hamid is a product of Premier Athletics Club.
Washington, D.C. (March 18, 2013) – D.C. United announced today that goalkeeper Bill Hamid was selected by the North American Soccer Reporters as MLS Player of the Week.
Thanks to the large amounts of draws in Week 3, it was only a matter of time before a defensive-type player got the honors of MLS Player of the Week. This week it was D.C. United keeper Bill Hamid.
Hamid received 16 of the 28 votes with Montreal Impact midfielder Patrice Bernier picking up seven nominations as the only other selection with two or more votes.
There's no doubt in anybody's mind that Bill Hamid had the best week of any goalkeeper in MLS during Rivalry Week this past weekend (actually the best player this week, as he's just been named MLS Player of the Week). Nor is there any doubt that many American soccer fans have been pining to see Chris Pontius don the Red, White & Blue.
In a week when there weren't exactly a ton of goals scored in MLS, there stood a very good chance that a goalkeeper would have a good chance to be the MLS Player of the Week. Given the performance Bill Hamid turned in, he would have been a serious contender no matter how many goals were scored around the league.
On their first return to New Jersey's Red Bull Arena since D.C. United dispatched the New York Red Bulls in the 2012 Major League Soccer playoffs, both teams faced similar circumstances to last November's match: snow, lots of empty seats, and the Red Bulls desperate for a home win. This time, however, D.
Outside of Bill Hamid and Dejan Jakovic - and maybe second-half substitute Marcos Sanchez - nobody playing for D.C. United had a particularly good day on Saturday. Nevertheless, the Black-and-Red escaped New Jersey with a scoreless draw against the New York Red Bulls. When I say that Bill Hamid - sorry, make that Man of the Match Bill Hamid - had a good day, I'm not kidding.
D.C. United goalkeeper Bill Hamid came up with a number of tremendous saves to help United earn a point in a 0-0 draw this afternoon against rivals New York Red Bull. United (1-1-1 4 points) had to scramble defensively at times and were on the back foot for the majority of the match against Red [..
Happy Rivalry Day, boys & girls. As D.C. United fans, we get to celebrate the occasion with a trip to Our House (in the Middle of Jersey) and a nationally broadcast, network TV event featuring our boys in black taking on the hated MetroScum of North Jersey. Make sure you're up to date and ready for the 1 p.
Join the guys as they look back on United's past couple of losses and the upcoming match against Sporting KC. The boys also talk about recent United news and all things Black-and-Red.
Join the guys as they look back on United's past couple of losses and the upcoming match against Sporting KC. The boys also talk about recent United news and all things Black-and-Red.
Thierry Henry (right) and Jamison Olave scored seven minutes apart late in the first half to propel New York Red Bull to a 2-0 win last night over D.C. United at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. Photo: Martin Fernandez.
As you'd likely guess, there's a lot going on here that is beyond me. That's not to say I would call the coach's selection is poor - but it's definitely begging a few questions. G - Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tally Hall (Houston Dynamo), Bill Hamid (D.C. United), Tim Howard (Everton), Sean Johnson (Chicago Fire), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)D - DaMarcus Beasley (Puebla), Matt Besler (Sporting KC)
And there it is. Jurgen Klinsmann going wide and expansive with his camp roster next week. The roster dominated by the return of golden boy Stu Holden and no place for Steve Cherundolo (or Carlos Bocanegra).
GOALKEEPERS (6) : Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tally Hall (Houston Dynamo), Bill Hamid (D.
The Fire will be without starting goalkeeper Sean Johnson this coming weekend against Chivas USA. The 23 year old 'keeper in his fourth season with the club has been recalled by Jurgen Klinsmann for the US Men's National Team's World Cup Qualifiers against Costa Rica and Mexico on the 22nd and 26th respectively.
U.S. head coach Jurgen Klinsmann has one more weekend to size up the form of players before he gets his own look in Denver. Between the huge game for Brad Guzan and Aston Villa against Queens Park Rangers and MLS rivarly week, the MNT guys have a lot on their plate ahead of the big World Cup qualifiers against Costa Rica and Mexico.
The Columbus Crew took advantage of more defensive mistakes from D.C. United and rolled to a 3-0 win tonight at Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. Dominic Oduro, Josh Williams and Federico Higuain all scored for the Crew in the first half to put United out of the match early. Despite a 50-minute delay to the [.
Josh Williams and Ben Speas scored on either side of halftime to lead the visiting Columbus Crew (2-1-1 7 points) to a 2-1 win over D.C. United (1-2-1 4 points). The loss for United was the first in 20 home matches dating back to the season opening loss to Sporting Kansas City a year ago [...]
For a second straight week, a former U.S. Soccer Development Academy player earned MLS Player of the Week accolades. Former New York Red Bulls Academy forward Juan Agudelo of Chivas USA took the honor after recording a goal and an assist in Chivas USA's dominant 4-1 road victory against the Chicago Fire.
While many of us are gearing up for a critical World Cup Qualifier for the United States on Friday night, Major League Soccer teams are looking into how they're going to compensate for playing without some of the league's biggest stars.
Also caught in the crossfire of this international weekend is something that is also of great importance: your fantasy MLS team.
Several former U.S. Soccer Development Academy players stood out in the crowd during the third week of the Major League Soccer season.
Academy alum Carlos Alvarez made his MLS debut with Chivas USA and came up big with an 89th-minute goal to earn a 1-1 draw against the LA Galaxy on Sunday at The Home Depot Center.
MLS Rivalry Week was a bit of a flop from an offensive standpoint, with just two games giving us more than two goals, two 0-0 draws, and a further four 1-1 draws. Still, the high scorer last week was eclipsed by this week's leader, Burnanator, who earned 76 points. Burnanator was led by Graham Zusi (SKC, 16 points as captain), Bill Hamid (10,) and Justin Morrow (SJ, 9.
Week 2 appears not to have been as high scoring as Week 1. Bethlehem Steel F.C. was the high scorer of the round with 67 points, riding captain Graham Zusi's (SKC) 18 points, as well as 9 points from Amobi Okugo (PHI) and 8 from Bill Hamid. Bethlehem Steel's 145 point total is still not enough to claim first place overall, which is held by last week's point leader, Killer Angels, who have 149 points over the two weeks.
On the basis of play, the last Atlantic Cup battle between D.C. United and the New York Red Bulls should have ended 3-0 or so to the former Metrostars. Stat-heads could look at possession, duels, completed passes, shots, and every other metric one can come up with. The number-averse could just watch the game: One team was clearly better in virtually every facet, and that team was wearing white.
Two big games for the USMNT this month, as they face Costa Rica in Colorado's DSG Park before traveling to face Mexico in the fortress they call Estadio Azteca. This is your hub for all of B&RU's coverage on this month's World Cup Qualifiers.
There's no doubt in anybody's mind that Bill Hamid had the best week of any goalkeeper in MLS during Rivalry Week this past weekend (actually the best player this week, as he's just been named MLS Player of the Week).
We won't let a little loss in the worst place on earth (outside of New Jersey) stop us from keeping our weekly podcasting schedule! We won't even let some (not) snow knock us off track. We've got the latest episode of Filibuster - the Black & Red United Podcast right here, ready for your consumption.
