The Soccer thread (Part II)

[NoOneLikesUs]

Donovan should give it another whirl in Europe after this season. I don't know if he's man enough to handle it, but there's money to be made.

 

[Del_B_Vista]

Did anybody see any of the U-17 loss to Tajikistan yesterday? I tried to watch the highlights at FIFA.com, but had troubles with it on the Web. A loss isn't great, but I have a hard time getting worked up over longterm implications of players just learning to shave dropping a game, even in a world championship.

 

[Pastor]

I also missed the game DBV. I will point out, though, that the next U-17 game will be shown on ESPN2!

US Soccer.com
08/23/2007 @ 4:00 AM ET
U.S. U-17 Men vs. Tunisia
Changwon Main Stadium; Changwon, South Korea
Live on ESPN2

I will DVR it in the morning and watch it when I get home from work. No reason to actually wake up for it.

 

[Twoback]

Did anybody see any of the U-17 loss to Tajikistan yesterday? I tried to watch the highlights at FIFA.com, but had troubles with it on the Web. A loss isn't great, but I have a hard time getting worked up over longterm implications of players just learning to shave dropping a game, even in a world championship.

I watched the entire thing. It's not going to end U.S. soccer as we know it, but it was disappointing to watch. I did not think that team was nearly as well-organized as the U-17s from two years ago. There was just so little defensive organization. Also really bothered me to see the U.S. trying to sit on the 3-2 lead, SGE-style, when they had to play another 38 minutes.

 

[Piotr Rasputin]

2. The Galaxy does not have charter flights, except to some games, limited by a league maximum on such things. Other teams can also take advantage of the maximum number allowed if they so choose. Unless something has changed in recent weeks, of course. Help me out here, Pastor.

Before the season started RBNY told the league that they were going to pay for their players to fly on chartered flights. The league said no. There were no exceptions made. The teams all fly coach and were told that if they flew any other way it would be an unfair advantage.

Once Beckham arrived... LA began flying charter. RBNY's front office went back to the league and said "What gives?" The league said "Not us. You can't fly charter."

No team in this league except LA flies charter.

Grahame Jones in the LA Times, July 15:

"Beckham, like top athletes in any sport these days, is accustomed to traveling in style. For him, charter flights have always been the norm, whether he was playing for Manchester United, Real Madrid or England .

That's out the window. The league has deemed that charter flights provide an unfair competitive advantage unless every team can afford to take them. But not every team is bankrolled by a billionaire and, as a result, the charter idea is grounded.

Or was until very recently.

The new policy is that teams, on a case-by-case basis, can petition MLS to be allowed to use charters "for security reasons," and the Galaxy has done so for its first extended trip to Toronto , Washington and New England in early August.

It seems unlikely that the team will submit a petition for every trip, so Beckham should expect to travel on commercial airliners — and travel a great deal. With the road games the Galaxy has packed into the second half of its season, he could rack up 15,000 to 20,000 air miles in the next four months, playoffs included.

And then there's that long-haul flight to Australia for the Nov. 27 friendly against Sydney FC, not to mention however many times he will have to fly back to England to rejoin the national team for Euro 2008 qualifying matches. That alone could add four or five 12,000-mile round trips."

Seems the rules were bent. Also seems they would now apply to all teams.

 

[TrooperBari]

Donovan should give it another whirl in Europe after this season. I don't know if he's man enough to handle it, but there's money to be made.

He's making noises that he'd jump at a chance to play in the Premiership. (Who wouldn't, right?)

Maybe his new bestest buddy Becks can put in a good word for him.

 

[Angola!]

Some interesting notes from European soccer, including McBride needing surgery:

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/othersports/328525_ravi22.html

 

[Pastor]

One hour to kick-off between the US and Sweden.

 

[Pastor]

I'm in my office and I have the tele all ready to roll. I threw on Galavision because the US game will be shown at 2:30. Thus far is some Spanish soap. One chick is in a bikini, the other one isn't. The one that is in the bikini has the camera panning far enough down that we know she is in a bikini. The one that isn't has just a close up of her face. Her clothes, it seems, are not provocative enough. I learned this when the bikini girl walked next to her and the camera made certain to keep the bikini top in the picture.

Awesome.

 

[Inky_Wretch]

Did I overlook the posting of this story about DMB and racist fans in Europe?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20362776/

 

[Sam Mills 51]

Did I overlook the posting of this story about DMB and racist fans in Europe?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20362776/

It's nothing new. HBO's Real Sports did a piece on this some time back, complete with footage of some idiots throwing bananas at a black player.
-----
U.S. and Sweden still feeling each other out ...

 

[Pastor]

I missed that one too.

And bloody heck. I don't get Galavision in my office. I get Univision, Telemundo and Telefutura. I do NOT get Gala. I'm rather upset about this. At least I DVRed it at home just in case.