The Soccer Thread (Version 7.0)

Kei Kamara scored in his Norwich debut. That's awesome. He's a great player and would not be surprised if he stayed in England and didn't return to Sporting Kansas City.

 

Yeah, he needs to be back for this week's RM match.

I watch about 30 minutes of today's match. Gus needs to cut out basic errors, like saying that Chicharito scored yesterday, not Rafael. He also wasn't quick to recognize an obvious offside and seemed confused when the play stopped. As someone said on a podcast, the best PBP guys set up the analyst. Here, the analyst is acting as a safety net for Gus.

 

My heart bleeds for RvP (bitter Arsenal fan), although I do want him back to help finish off Franco's team Real Madrid.

Gus is growing on me as well, even with Webster's lucid points about some of his silly mistakes, such as calling Eden Hazard a French international. Reminds me of the skit from long ago with Hercule Poirot saying "I'm not a Frenchie. I'm a Belgie."

But you can tell he's trying and I applaud Fox for thinking outside the box and getting one of their own involved. He brings in some facts you don't often hear from the English announcers that help fill in knowledge gaps here in the States.

 

I'm trying to remember him. Is he one of the 'up and comers' expected to play for the USMNT in the next few years. The name rings bells, but I can't place it.

 

As long as he doesn't start adopting some of the more pretentious announcing tropes, like overemphasizing the s in Portugese and Spanish players names as "sh", like Nuno Gomes or shortening Hazard to "Aza", he'll be ok.

I think he doesn't have a great grasp of the basics of the game just yet. He is obviously trying hard not to get over excited. When he starts screaming ROONEY every time Wayne takes a shot, he'll be more popular.

 

Kamara has 14 caps for Sierra Leone, so that's doubtful. You can count him alongside the likes of Roger Espinoza and other guys who are products of MLS, if not the US in general.

 

This is one of those times where I go hide until it's time to ask my next not-knowing-anything questions. My bad.

 

I believe you're thinking of Neil Simon's "Murder by Death," another staple of weekend programming on TBS back in the 90s, joining the likes of "Gymkata" and "Bloodsport."

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074937/quotes?qt=qt0482474
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuNzcbCrNHg

 

Espinoza was a badass in Kansas City. I loved his work ethic. What he did in the Olympics was not a surprise to anyone who watched Espinoza play in Kansas City. It sucks losing him, probably for good, but it's great for Roger, and Kamara too.

Joseph, I believe you're thinking of CJ Sapong. He's still in KC, missing empty nets, playing invisible for 78 minutes, etc. Still young but I don't think we're going to be seeing him on the USMNT any time soon.

 

MLS (and soccer in general) is one of those things that I wish I did a better job of keeping up with it than I do. I try to catch what I can, when I can.

 

The West Ham-Spurs match has been highly entertaining so far.

And just as I write that, Spurs equalize. Cruel for Jaaskelainen to give that one up after he had made so many brilliant saves.

 

Gareth Fucking Bale. He's pretty special.