I know we had one yesterday, but so much has been going on that we have another. And I meant to
have it up sooner, so a few of these may be old news to some...#1 - The National Soccer Hall of
Fame has unveiled this year's list of nominees, which includes the two gentleman pictured at
left.#2 - Yesterday, MLS tabbed Seattle forward Fredy Montero as Newcomer of the Year and Chivas
USA keeper Zach
Click to continue reading...
Now, I remember the thing I forgot to do yesterday!The USWNT defeated world #1 Germany away on
Thursday night, and I simply kept forgetting to post it up here. It won't happen again, I swear.-
Greg Seltzer
Click to continue reading...
Former USWNT superstar Mia Hamm has pulled a Chili Palmer, becoming a movie producer to adapt
Harvey Araton's Alive and Kicking: When Soccer Moms Take the Field for the big screen.That's all
fine and good... but I still wanna see her throw a stuntman down restaurant stairs.What can I say?
I'm just like that.
Click to continue reading...
Another post held back from Monday, but fresher and larger for it...#1 - I'm sure you're all
wondering about Freddy Adu's situation, so I'll tell you what I know in nutshell form of what I
can/am willing to air .I've had two trusted separate Euro-birdies tell me that the Odense BK loan
was probably going to be sealed by the end of the week.
Click to continue reading...
No, it's not back regular yet, but I felt like scrapping one together for you all today. I was
trying to wait to see an MLS Goal of the Week clip go up...Spartak Moscow's Alex with a nasty free
kick. I love the finicky ref on this one.We have an Ariel Ortega sighting! Here, the River Plate
attacker snake charms Everton.
Click to continue reading...
While we track Americans in Europa League, let's throw a few more bits out there...#1 - Oguchi
Onyewu made his AC Milan debut on Wednesday, coming on at halftime in a 2-1 World Football
Challenge loss to Club America. The U.S. star was beaten over the top on the Mexicans' splendid
opener.Before the game, U.
Click to continue reading...
While preparing for Gold Cup quarterfinal foe Panama, the USMNT took a break to boot field goals
with Philadelphia Eagles kicker David Akers.With the USWNT set to face Canada twice in four days,
century seekers Abby Wambach and Christine Sinclair compare notes (warning: this audio seemed quite
loud, so maybe start with the sound low).
Click to continue reading...
With most of the Euro-seasons wrapping up, I've decided AFT will now come a bit more frequently,
but with shorter reading lists. Let's face it, 12-14 items is not a "few" anymore...#1 - I'm sure
you already know Piotr Nowak is set to coach Philly Union, but Jack Bell lets on that his first
signing could be free agent Senegal keeper Bouna Couboul, formerly of the Rapids.
Click to continue reading...
As the Cut of the Day says, season change. And with most of the European leagues closing down for
summer, obviously NSC will shift focus a bit. We will stay on the MLS case, keep tabs on all the
transfer dealings, break out some new Top 5 Lists and follow the USMNT (and the junior editions)
through a very busy middle of the year.
Click to continue reading...
Newest installment of Tuesday Throw-Ins at Goal.com -- Tuesday Throw-Ins: Round One To The USA But
Canada Is Closing The Gap
Click to continue reading...
Here I was feeling bad this AFT took me so long until I realized we'd made about 312 posts in the
last two days...#1 - Working on the presumption that Davide Beccemano will play past the age of 40,
The Mirror names an all over-40 XI with two MLS players in the team - complete with some lovely
Spice Boy time lapse photshop work, as seen above.
Click to continue reading...
It's finally Friday, and after work today I'll be driving over Hogback to HollyCornblog's house!
She says she'll have the chiminea going and some homebrews ready for sampling when I get there!
In soccer news I see that, apparently, a share of the LA Sol is going to be up for grabs soon.
Any buyers?
Click to continue reading...
I am in the midst of preparing for an annual retreat that I attend every June an opportunity to
reflect and explore. This year, I find myself thinking a lot about my father appreciating and
missing him in ways that I'd never have imagined several years ago. As I've been walking Willie,
this week, it's provided some nice quiet spans of time for thinking.
Click to continue reading...
First, the poem - a beauty by Mark Strand from today's Writer's Almanac ...
My Name
by Mark Strand
Once when the lawn was a golden green
and the marbled moonlit trees rose like fresh memorials
in the scented air, and the whole countryside pulsed
with the chirr and murmur of insects, I lay in the grass,
feeling the great distances open above me, and wondered
what I would become and where I would find myself,
and though I barely existed, I felt for an instant
that the vast star-clustered sky was mine, and I heard
my name as if for the first time, heard it the way
one hears the wind or the rain, but faint and far off
as though it belonged not to me but to the silence
from which it had come and to which it would go.
Click to continue reading...
I've been slowed by a mutant-strength headache, but finally, here is your tidal wave of
homework...#1 - Exciting New York forward Mac Kandji bagged Player of the Week honors. Thank
goodness I benched him from my fantasy line-up this week. St. Louis homegirl Lori Chalupny picked
up the WPS weekly prize.
Click to continue reading...
In a bit of a rush this morning, as usual. Our black lab Willie came up lame yesterday. He has a
chronic shoulder problem which something seems to have exacerbated. This morning he seems a little
bit better, but still not himself. He'll be turning 10 this summer, so it's worrisome to see him
hurting.
Click to continue reading...
Phillies won, Red Sox won .. and I've got the Slingcatcher hooked up and working in Dewd's
room!
Meanwhile, the Breakers will be honoring soccer great Maren Meinert at the game with the Freedom
on May 17th at Harvard Stadium. WUSA fans remember her fondly as a key ingredient in the
Breakers' success - most especially in their final year (with Pia coaching).
Click to continue reading...
No Phillies game last night - and the Red Sox got pounded. Love the Sox, but Josh Beckett?Â
Not so much. If games like last night taught him some humility, I'd come around. But most likely,
it'll just sharpen his already nasty, cocky edge. You're a dink ... and thinking about you is
just getting my morning off to a bad start!
Click to continue reading...
With lots of the WPS internationals overseas for friendlies, this should be an interesting
stretch for the WPS. Here's a quick preview from Melissa ... and note, the Breakers-Red Stars
game will be available for on-line viewing. Cool! 8:30 PM ET ...
The English nationals are tearing up the pitch, defeating Norway 3-0 in the run-up to Euro
2009.
Click to continue reading...
HollyCornblog probably won't like this post ... but here goes.
First we have an interview with Pia, who talks about the USWNT and her take on the WPS - tough
to hear in parts, but interesting. Looking for someone to step into Kate's spot ... among other
things. (Sounds pretty tepid about Milbrett there at the end - would love to know the inside
scoop on that story)!
Click to continue reading...
The Chicago Red Stars beat the St. Louis Athletica in front of @5,000 fans at their season
opener. Lindsay Tarpley tallied the goal in the 78th minute for the Red Stars in this defensive
battle.
Much as I hate the MatchTracker feature for the USWNT (only because I hate it that so few of
their games are televised) .
Click to continue reading...
Wow - the sun is gorgeous, coming up over the eastern horizon this morning. (Horizon is one of
those words that I can't for the life of me seem to remember how to spell. Every time I come to the
last syllable, I make the wrong choice and put an "e" in there [...]
Click to continue reading...
Very much. Very, very much. No internet this morning - and of course my e-mail account
problem has still not been addressed, despite much time spent on hold listening to muzak ... and
many e-mails at varying pitches of irateness. You know how Bush kinda made Nixon look better?
FairPoint has had the same effect on my [.
Click to continue reading...
While I wait for the Dempsey goal clip to arrive...#1 - Interesting pick-up by The Touchline's Luis
Bueno: it seems retiring Chivas USA defender Claudio Suárez is not retiring happily with a
cake and a watch and balloons and Crown Royal and a DJ.The guy's a legend. Is that as good as it
gets for a legend that plays for CHIVAS USA?
Click to continue reading...
Okay, of that group, which one(s) would you put your money on? Citi had a good day and the market
bounced ... meanwhile, Newsweek has put out a great piece outlining the warring amongst the rich -
a greed-fed battle they dub "the war between the estates." In the past two years, since
the market peaked, investors [.
Click to continue reading...
I read through the post-match quotes re. yesterday's USWNT win over Norway at the Algarve - and
continue to just love Pia's detailed and forthright comments ... for example: (On the ebb and flow
of the match) You can imagine that you have a team running at you the whole time and doing
everything to win, [.
Click to continue reading...
The USWNT defeated Norway 1-0 on the strength of a goal by Megan Rapinoe and what sounded like at
least one save-for-the-ages by Hope Solo. Now Pia and crew face her homeland (gaaaa - I hate that
word - can't believe I used it) in the final. Sweden held on to defeat Germany 3-2, coming on
[...]
Click to continue reading...
Check MatchTracker this morning at 11 ET to follow the USWNT vs. Norway in the final game of group
play over at the Algarve (where, presumably, it is NOT snowing)! The US is already in the
championship game as a result of their two previous wins, however this should be interesting, as
they've not seen Norway [.
Click to continue reading...
Here's the video of Tasha Kai's goal for the USWNT in the 90th minute versus Iceland ... thank you
AMR (whomever you are!). Meanwhile, I guess Pia wasn't so happy with the first half ...according to
the quote sheet ... On if she was pleased with the match: "Yes and no. It's great to be a
winner, 1-0, [.
Click to continue reading...
The Lady 'Nats booked their place in the Algarve Cup final with a 1-0 squeaker over Iceland that
was decided when Natasha Kai corralled an inch perfect Christie Rampone long ball and... well, just
watch. It's extra nasty coming in a scoreless game near time.- Greg Seltzer
Click to continue reading...
First off, our friend Alice (who suffers good-humoredly my unrelenting pressure to become a
JordanCornblog contributor) is off to tour Florence today. Happy travels, Alice! Happily, she
will not have to leave before the USWNT faces Iceland in their second game at the Algarve.
She (and the rest of us) will be able to follow it [.
Click to continue reading...
Check out MatchTracker starting at 7AM ET to follow the USWNT's opening game of the Algarve
Cup. They start off against Denmark, in a match-up that could prove one of their more
difficult of the tournament. "It's not a World Cup year or an Olympic year, so we can try
different things and one thing we [.
Click to continue reading...
