The Soccer thread (Part II)

[Twoback]

When he nuts up and plays in a league matching his talent.

That's like saying Posnanski is a Pozzy-cakes for staying in Kansas City instead of taking on a "tough market" like NYC. Poz is brilliant and apparently happy.
Sometimes, it's about what fits your life.
I'd love it if Donovan would take his game to Spain, but does he owe it to the guys at World Soccer Daily or to his family?

 

[Webster]

He should obviously do what makes him happy. But when the most skilled field player (by a wide margin) in the history of US Soccer seems content to swim in the shallow end of the pool for the prime of his career, I think that it is a waste and frankly wimpy. If he didn't like Germany, he could go to any top flight league and start with at least a middle of the table team.

 

[Twoback]

Like I said -- I wish he'd play in Spain. If he hated the Germany weather, England wouldn't be any better. I think he's certainly good enough to excel in any league -- to play for Champions League quality sides, not just mid-table teams. But I'm not going to rip him over it. He continues to improve and remains the best we've ever produced. And I believe playing with Beckham can't help but be good for him.

 

[sports scrub]

I've read just about every account I can find of the match and no journalist seems to have taken an interest in the fact Pablo Mastroeni was red-carded for no apparent reason. Has anyone seen a legitimate exploration of this in print?

http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=soc-nat/news/newstest.aspx?id=4155652

"I'm told that after the foul Pablo picked up the ball and threw it to Danny Califf, just to buy a little bit of time," Bradley said. "You never know for sure but there is part of you that thinks the referee in that moment didn't realize he had already given him a yellow card."

 

[Piotr Rasputin]

Donovan doesn't necessarily NEED to go overseas. But learning how to play consistently well against non-CONCACAF national teams might be a good start.

 

[Pastor]

On another note, I've been attending and covering US soccer games for about 15 years now. And while the low point was the heyday of "Goals! Goals! Goals!" I continue to be unimpressed by the US' wholly unsophisticated fans. The Argentines had moved way past simply chanting "Argentina!" and onto their fourth song while US fans in the so-called US section could still only muster "USA! USA!" and chants of Tim Howard's name when he did something good.

They even pulled out the old college chants of "bullshirt" after referees' calls, and "overrated" at the end of the game. These are the people who think Taylor Twellman is good, or that Freddy Adu remains a major part of the team's future.

As my first US game in the stands in nearly three years, I found the fans to be boring and uninspired. "We can chant names!"

Blech.

I am sorry to read this. Many of those people you are critical of are my friends.

I would love it if the US supporters went towards the singing of the national anthem, God Bless America, This Land is Our Land, etc. However, I'm not in charge and I wasn't at the game. I was standing was getting drunk out near Banff.

 

[Piotr Rasputin]

Sorry, Pastor. The fans just don't bring much creativity. I actually thought you were sitting behind me. There was an older dude who really knew his stuff. Thought for sure . . . .

Our fans need to be better. Chanting college stuff and names is just ludicrous. Argentina's fans laughed at us.

Also: it has been said Donovan is the best player the US has produced. It has also been said that Adu has the potential to be that.

Me, I hope a third option presents itself before 2010.

 

[Beaker]

Sorry, Pastor. The fans just don't bring much creativity. I actually thought you were sitting behind me. There was an older dude who really knew his stuff. Thought for sure . . . .

Our fans need to be better. Chanting college stuff and names is just ludicrous. Argentina's fans laughed at us.

Also: it has been said Donovan is the best player the US has produced. It has also been said that Adu has the potential to be that.

Me, I hope a third option presents itself before 2010.

Altidore?

 

[Twoback]

Sorry, Pastor. The fans just don't bring much creativity. I actually thought you were sitting behind me. There was an older dude who really knew his stuff. Thought for sure . . . .

Our fans need to be better. Chanting college stuff and names is just ludicrous. Argentina's fans laughed at us.

Also: it has been said Donovan is the best player the US has produced. It has also been said that Adu has the potential to be that.

Me, I hope a third option presents itself before 2010.

It's a fan's job to be "creative"?
Bullcrap. It's David Mamet's job to be creative.
I hate this about soccer.
It's a fan's job to be supportive. "Creativity" has led to all the crap in Toronto with the streamers, which is an embarrassment to the sport -- and, naturally, has been copied in Columbus.
When soccer fans are creative like in Liverpool with the Mascherano chants sung to the Seven Nation Army tune, that's terrific. But a fan's job is to enjoy the game and to support his/her team however he/she sees fit within the bounds of good taste. If that means only cheering at goals, that's fine. You pay plenty for the privilege of getting in the stadium. You shouldn't have to entertain the other members of the audience as part of the price of admission.
I was not at Giants Stadium, but it sounded on TV like the crowd did a nice job making the US feel like it was at home against some difficult odds because of the number of Argentine fans. The fans didn't appear to run out on the game when the rain began. Nobody should have to apologize for anything.

 

[Pastor]

Sorry, Pastor. The fans just don't bring much creativity. I actually thought you were sitting behind me. There was an older dude who really knew his stuff. Thought for sure . . . .

Our fans need to be better. Chanting college stuff and names is just ludicrous. Argentina's fans laughed at us.

Also: it has been said Donovan is the best player the US has produced. It has also been said that Adu has the potential to be that.

Me, I hope a third option presents itself before 2010.

Older? No. Not me. I haven't hit 30, yet. I would have been in section 101 with the rest of those guys, had I been there.

Instead I was up in Calgary hanging out with Flash (seriously, it kicked ass, thread to come). The Rangers convention airline tickets and such were already booked up way before this game was scheduled. Such is life.

====================

Twoback, on the subject of US fans... I would also like it a lot more if our fans were to belt out some great American classics. Songs like God Bless America, My Country 'Tis of Thee, This Land is Your Land, etc.

I'm fine with the rest, but it would be damn impressive if the players on the field could hear God Bless America coming from the stands.

 

[Webster]

Big Phil to Chelski after the Euros.

 

[Grimace]

Big Phil to Chelski after the Euros.

Wow. I just can't see his temperment working with all those high-priced players. I guess he's done well with Brazilian and Portuguese egos, but it just doesn't seem like a good fit. When's the last South American to coach in the Premier League? Does this mean they have a shot at Ronaldinho?