If there is one thing that I have learned about the people in this country it's that we are willing to give everyone a second chance...as long as the person takes the following steps: get arrested, hit rock bottom, stay out of trouble for a undetermined amount of time, resurface as a bit of a crazy nut job and slowly transform into lovable odd ball.
It worked with Mike Tyson - he was the baddest man on the planet and then instantly a scumbag (whether you believe it or not, there was enough evidence to convict him for rape, so at the very least something bad went on). After he got out of prison he was in huge debt and had to takes fights to pay them off...only thing was he was no longer good. We still felt uneasy about him. Then he bit Evander Holyfield's ear off and some of us started questioning his sanity. When he got his face tattooed we finally realized that he wasn't right in the head and somehow started to come around on him. Then thanks to an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, where we found out about his pigeons, and other talk shows he landed a role in The Hangover. That of course led to another appearance on Kimmel...today he is a reoccurring player on Kimmel and has his own Animal Planet show. His transformation to lovable guy has been amazing.
Now with the news that Ron Artest is going to be on Dancing with the Stars, we seem to have another Tyson story on our hands. To be honest, it is absolutely shocking to me. I mean, just 7 years ago, Artest was the major player in the sports' biggest black eye in history. He was not convicted on any criminal charges, but the court of public opinion easily ruled him to be an asshole. People hated Artest and shook their head at the NBA, saying how that one incident was indicative on the all the players and the sport as a whole. It appeared to be a death sentence.
Yet as was expected, he was wanted by another team once his suspension was over. From a basketball standpoint, he helped them win games because of his unique talents - so much so that the owner was willing to give him a flyer. After playing for both Sacramento and Houston, he then joined the Lakers in 2009 because Kobe Bryant was sick and tired of playing.
LA was the perfect place for him, not only because they people there are like none other, but because he was able to hit the talk show circuit. An appearance on Jimmy Kimmel started to change our perception of him (damn, maybe Kimmel is the entire answer!) because he was seen as a lunatic, which is easier to identify with, than an asshole. With the recent news that he wanted to change his name to Metta World Peace he became even more interesting and even less of an ass. His appearance on Dancing with the Stars may not go well, but one thing is for sure - his comeback is complete.
It is honestly shocking to me that he has come this far. I guess it goes to show how forgiving this country is - that is of course, as long as you take a certain path to recovery (Michael Vick is sort of straying from that path but ultimately I think he will be back...Plaxico Burress, the arrogant SOB, probably not)
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Konnichiha Ljungberg
On nights like this, I just like to appreciate what I witnessed earlier in the day. The Sounders won 6-2 and I am feeling really good. I'm not the type to rub anyone's face in it. By posting this link, I don't mean to make fun of Freddie Ljungberg, but you can't help think how different a team we are now than when he was here.
Freddie did a lot for this team in his one and half years, but ultimately, he left a bitter man who felt the field turf, refereeing and overall level of play was beneath him. He brought the team some name recognition and had a few good moments, but we always seemed a better team without him on the pitch. When the front office decided not to renew his contract, he quietly sulked and got himself traded to Chicago. After a half season with them, he went to Scottish powerhouse Celtic and appeared in 7 league games. At first I was a little bitter about how he left so naturally I found it funny that he couldn't get any league games under his belt, but then I started asking myself if that was a bad sign for the league. I mean, how good was the league if one of its best players couldn't start for Celtic. It was always a catch-22 for me.
Now, I realize that his limited minutes for Celtic was not a knock on the league. If anything, it just shows how far he has fallen. The bottom line is that Freddie was done after 2007. He came to the states to get a fresh start and show that he still had it. He accomplished that and got back to Europe, but fizzled. Now he is off to Japan to try to restart his career.
It's quite the coincidence that on the same day the Sounders scored 6 goals and cemented their place as bonafied contender for both US Open Cup and MLS Cup that Freddie's career hit a low point. Again, this is not to rub his face in it. He gave us some good moments, but wow, I love this team more now than I ever did with Freddie in it. Not only do we seem happier, but in Rosales we have a playmaker who is not only BETTER, but paid a lot less.
Freddie did a lot for this team in his one and half years, but ultimately, he left a bitter man who felt the field turf, refereeing and overall level of play was beneath him. He brought the team some name recognition and had a few good moments, but we always seemed a better team without him on the pitch. When the front office decided not to renew his contract, he quietly sulked and got himself traded to Chicago. After a half season with them, he went to Scottish powerhouse Celtic and appeared in 7 league games. At first I was a little bitter about how he left so naturally I found it funny that he couldn't get any league games under his belt, but then I started asking myself if that was a bad sign for the league. I mean, how good was the league if one of its best players couldn't start for Celtic. It was always a catch-22 for me.
Now, I realize that his limited minutes for Celtic was not a knock on the league. If anything, it just shows how far he has fallen. The bottom line is that Freddie was done after 2007. He came to the states to get a fresh start and show that he still had it. He accomplished that and got back to Europe, but fizzled. Now he is off to Japan to try to restart his career.
It's quite the coincidence that on the same day the Sounders scored 6 goals and cemented their place as bonafied contender for both US Open Cup and MLS Cup that Freddie's career hit a low point. Again, this is not to rub his face in it. He gave us some good moments, but wow, I love this team more now than I ever did with Freddie in it. Not only do we seem happier, but in Rosales we have a playmaker who is not only BETTER, but paid a lot less.
Lamar Neagle, Everyone
The Sounders have been on a bit of a dream lately. Today was no different as they scored 6 times against the Eastern Conference's best team. I won't go into any sort of in-depth analysis because the fact is we converted on a few breaks and simply dominated the team in yellow. My few observations are as follows:
- Just an amazing afternoon and for The Wife, a perfect 25 minutes. Three goals. Happy kid. No 6'8" guy standing in front of her.
- I don't want to brag, but The Kid was simply amazing today. All morning she was talking about the game and in the car she was doing the Seattle....Sounders chant. I came back from paying for parking and she was wearing my hat. I had a feeling it might go well, and did it ever. She had a great time, didn't cry at all when we scored and even tried to participate in the slow clap thingy.
- If you had told me at the beginning of the season that Lamar Neagle would be starting every other game, I would have been surprised. but if you had told me he would have 5 goals on the season, I would have been shocked. There is no way any of us saw this coming. Kudos for Lamar - I mean, we have all heard how hard he has worked to make it to where he is. That is a quality Seattlites like...add in that he is a local guy and he is quickly becoming a fan favorite (and the only player The Kid knows by name)
- Fredy Montero didn't score but I thought had an amazing game
- Can we honestly throw Mauro Rosales to the top of the league MVP race? Seriously, he is the best player on the 2nd best team - a team that was supposed to go no where once Zakuani got hurt.
- A guy two rows in front of me insisted that he tell the guy in back of him about his FIFA '11 team. He apparently traded Montero for 4 prospects and doesn't even start Fucito. I would have listened more but than I realized that I didn't care. I mean, seriously? NO ONE cares, dude.
- 13-5-9 in MLS, 2-0 in CCL and a US Open Cup Semifinal. It is starting to really feel like a special year. I am just a little afraid that we are peaking to soon...
Friday, August 26, 2011
I Still Love College Football
I don't have to tell any of you how effed up college athletics are. I'm not talking about cross country, swimming, softball, tennis or gymnastics. Nor am I talking about soccer, baseball or hockey. I'm talking about football and basketball, the two sports where college athletics essentially are used as feeder systems to the NFL and NBA...a sort of minor league if you will.
I won't even try to dig deep into all the shit that is going down. We have heard about Miami, LSU, Tennessee, Oregon and USC. They are the ones who have been caught. Guaranteed there are at least 20 other schools doing the same shit, if not worse.
The real problem I have with it all is that I still can't get enough. My whole life I have loved college football more than the NFL. I'm not exactly sure what it is, but there was always something fun about the sport. I loved learning about new teams from places like Pullman, WA or Waco, Tx or East Lansing, MI. I have always loved seeing rankings next to the teams. (Now I am smart enough to know that Indy-NE is going to be a good game, but the build-up for #1 Texas against #2 Oklahoma is soo much more exciting.) I love the mascots and the traditions and the hatred between the schools. I love that some of the athletes will never play again; that this is the highest level they will ever achieve. Oh, and I love watching College GameDay. Everything about it I love.
I know that in order to be a great program you need to cut corners. I know that the system is messed up, but I just can't get enough. I simply can't turn my back and make a stand that I have had enough.
I wish I could, but I can't. So like baseball and basketball with the escalating salaries and drug problems, I will turn a blind eye to the problems and continue to watch. I'll ignore all the corporate sponsorships, all the off-the-field problems, all the corruption. Instead, I will turn on Chris, Lee and Craig Saturday mornings and get ready for the exciting day ahead. September 3 can't come too soon.
I won't even try to dig deep into all the shit that is going down. We have heard about Miami, LSU, Tennessee, Oregon and USC. They are the ones who have been caught. Guaranteed there are at least 20 other schools doing the same shit, if not worse.
The real problem I have with it all is that I still can't get enough. My whole life I have loved college football more than the NFL. I'm not exactly sure what it is, but there was always something fun about the sport. I loved learning about new teams from places like Pullman, WA or Waco, Tx or East Lansing, MI. I have always loved seeing rankings next to the teams. (Now I am smart enough to know that Indy-NE is going to be a good game, but the build-up for #1 Texas against #2 Oklahoma is soo much more exciting.) I love the mascots and the traditions and the hatred between the schools. I love that some of the athletes will never play again; that this is the highest level they will ever achieve. Oh, and I love watching College GameDay. Everything about it I love.
I know that in order to be a great program you need to cut corners. I know that the system is messed up, but I just can't get enough. I simply can't turn my back and make a stand that I have had enough.
I wish I could, but I can't. So like baseball and basketball with the escalating salaries and drug problems, I will turn a blind eye to the problems and continue to watch. I'll ignore all the corporate sponsorships, all the off-the-field problems, all the corruption. Instead, I will turn on Chris, Lee and Craig Saturday mornings and get ready for the exciting day ahead. September 3 can't come too soon.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
My New Favorite Athlete
Not only has he been lights out for my fantasy team, but read Jared Weaver's recent quotes about the contract extension he signed with the Angels:
"If $85 (million) is not enough to take care of my family and other generations of families then I'm pretty stupid, but how much money do you really need in life? I've never played this game for the money. I played it for the love and the competitive part of it. It just so happens that baseball's going to be taking care of me for the rest of my life."
Weaver went against the advice of super-agent Scott Boras. He said "Obviously, he [Boras] wants to give you the best options and free agency can give you the best options. He would have liked to have seen me gone, but I told him I wanted to get something done and he was more than willing to work with me about it that way."
Finally, someone said what I have been waiting to hear for years: you know, I get paid a lot of money to play the game I love.
Thank you, Jared Weaver
"If $85 (million) is not enough to take care of my family and other generations of families then I'm pretty stupid, but how much money do you really need in life? I've never played this game for the money. I played it for the love and the competitive part of it. It just so happens that baseball's going to be taking care of me for the rest of my life."
Weaver went against the advice of super-agent Scott Boras. He said "Obviously, he [Boras] wants to give you the best options and free agency can give you the best options. He would have liked to have seen me gone, but I told him I wanted to get something done and he was more than willing to work with me about it that way."
Finally, someone said what I have been waiting to hear for years: you know, I get paid a lot of money to play the game I love.
Thank you, Jared Weaver
HUGE win
I don't want to take anything away from Dallas for there historic win in Mexico last week, but last night we saw an undermanned Sounders team defeat the reigning CCL champs 1-0 on the road. Now this wasn't Monterrey's B-team but rather their A-squad and we got the job done. It was a huge, huge win and one that has most Sounders fans thinking of greater things. Here are my impressions from the game.
- First, what was more unexpected - the Sounders winning at Monterrey, the same place they imploded over a 6-minute stretch last year, or me being able to watch the entire game with the fam? Huge kudos to The Kid, who sat downstairs with us and watched the entire game. Sure we had to read books and color throughout most of the game, but she didn't demand that we go outside, play upstairs or turn on Elmo. She even was yelling 'Sounders' unprompted during some of the action.
- We knew that the lineup was going to be interesting based on who traveled with the team, but I did not expect to see a squad with Roger, Jaqua AND Noonan in it. It must have driven some fans nuts, but the fact is that they got the job done. I thought Noonan played well and Roger actually 'attacked' more than normal. Jaqua was silent, but I guess that at least means he didn't do anything terrible.
- Servando Carrasco did a nice job in Ozzie's normal role. The best thing he did was what he didn't do - go in hard on someone and get thrown out of the game.
- Monterrey looked dangerous throughout the entire second half. I was constantly on edge as they built up play with their movement, but at the end of the day, their finishing was terrible. I'm not sure what happened to Suazo (who by the way is a scary looking dude), but he did not have one of his better days.
- Now comes the Terry Boss section of the blog:
As mentioned previously, I supported starting Boss last night. It seems silly to say it now, but we didn't really expect to win that game. By leaving Keller at home, Sigi made sure that the 41-year old got some rest AND was able to give Boss some game action. It was a win-win.
Save for one huge mistake, I thought Boss played really well. He made a few good reaction saves, came off his line to smother a few balls and actually communicated more with his defense than I had previously seen. He should be proud of his play. Now with that being said, he ALMOST blew it for us with his terrible turnover in the box. I know what happened - he thought he had time, but the ball took a funny bounce and next thing you know it, the Monterrey guy was on top of him. It happens even to the best of them, but then he tried to put a move on the guy by going backwards to the goal. It is the type of thing I can pull off in intramurals (because I am not a goalie), but not the type of thing he should try in an actual competition.
I did notice two important things after the play. First, Boss responded in a positive way. He could have shrunk, gotten afraid and lost confidence knowing what he almost did. That would have been easy. Or he could have grown in confidence knowing that he totally effed up and they didn't score. Sometimes those situations can calm a player down because they just feel like everything is working for them - kind of like when goalies get help from their post. Sometimes it is just your night no matter what goes wrong. Second, none of his defenders said anything to him. Instead, they just turned around and walked away. If that was Keller in goal, you know that Riley, Parke and Scott would have been there to pat him on the butt and tell him to forget about it. It's what teammates do - instead, the body language I saw suggested that they are not entirely sold on him being in net. It could just be a normal defender reaction, but I doubt it. - I thought Sigi had a great night (of course, had they lost when starting 10 American including the trio noted above we would be singing a different tune). He was able to rest some of the usual starters and leave Mexico atop the group at 2-0. I particularly liked his subbing pattern especially being able to bring Alonso off the bench when the rest of the team was tiring. I get that it wasn't Ozzie's best night (he should have scored at least twice and had a few too many fouls down the stretch), but just having him out there provided a boost. The Leo sub was also smart considering that El Flaco had just gotten into a shoving match (in which he bumped heads with the opponent) on the sidelines. He may have calmed down, but we couldn't afford a blow-up, so the sub worked on more than one level. Finally, Amadou Sanyang, the player not good enough for Toronto FC (and yet suddenly good enough to get minutes for Seattle in CCL), looked active and promising. He did some good things, some bad things but most importantly injected a little bit of pace and contributed on the defensive side. I am interested to see where it goes from here.
- I really continue to love Brad Evans. He did nothing flashy all night, but I think was the perfect complement for Carrasco. They could have gone Friberg or El Flaco in Mauro's absence, but instead Sigi showed trust in Evans. I think it was the right move as it allowed El Flaco to do his thing on the sideline and not suffer any consequences. Evans might not be either player, but he is smart and effective and perfect to settle things down with a rookie behind him.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Kick in the Pants
I was saddened when I read the news that legendary Tennessee coach Pat Summit was diagnosed with early-stage Dementia-Alzheimer so much that it remained on my mind all day long. In sports we are used to seeing bodies break down. Knees and arms blow out. Bones break. Eventually professional athletes are out of the game by the age of 40. If they are lucky their injuries aren't long-term and they can continue to have a high standard of living.
Occasionally athletes and coaches will learn that they have cancer or some other inoperable disease. No matter who is struck by cancer, it is always a kick in the ass. This for some reaosn feels a little different. I mean, Pat Summit is the BEST at what she does. I can't remember the last time that an athlete or coach of such stature was hit with a such a blow. There are obvious examples - Muhammad Ali, Arthur Ashe, Jim Valvano - but these were mostly before I could comprehend it.
I'm not necessarily a Summit fan, but I have tons of respect for her. She started coaching at age 22 and knows more about the game of basketball than probably 2 other people in history. (Ok, maybe that's a bit of a stretch, but I am comfortable with stating it). Her intense looks on the sidelines have always been frightening to me. It might not be something that I would be into, but she clearly gets results and is respected by all.
So the thought of her suffering from dementia and eventually losing her memory is staggering. I know that we all get old. I know that we all eventually lose our physical and mental abilities, but that isn't supposed to happen until we're in our 80's. Pat Summit is 59. At some point in the near future she is going to lose most of her cognitive ability. At some point she is going to be a shell of the person we watched on the sidelines. I am just really saddened by this for some reason.
Occasionally athletes and coaches will learn that they have cancer or some other inoperable disease. No matter who is struck by cancer, it is always a kick in the ass. This for some reaosn feels a little different. I mean, Pat Summit is the BEST at what she does. I can't remember the last time that an athlete or coach of such stature was hit with a such a blow. There are obvious examples - Muhammad Ali, Arthur Ashe, Jim Valvano - but these were mostly before I could comprehend it.
I'm not necessarily a Summit fan, but I have tons of respect for her. She started coaching at age 22 and knows more about the game of basketball than probably 2 other people in history. (Ok, maybe that's a bit of a stretch, but I am comfortable with stating it). Her intense looks on the sidelines have always been frightening to me. It might not be something that I would be into, but she clearly gets results and is respected by all.
So the thought of her suffering from dementia and eventually losing her memory is staggering. I know that we all get old. I know that we all eventually lose our physical and mental abilities, but that isn't supposed to happen until we're in our 80's. Pat Summit is 59. At some point in the near future she is going to lose most of her cognitive ability. At some point she is going to be a shell of the person we watched on the sidelines. I am just really saddened by this for some reason.
Random Tuesday Thoughts
Here are some random thoughts I had coming into work this morning.
- The Sounders released some photos from the day in Monterrey and it appears that Sigi Schmid has made some interesting decisions regarding the game. First, Taylor Graham made the trip to Mexico - a move that surely only helps the team communicate with the locals better. Second, Kasey Keller was left home, leaving the goalkeeping duties to Terry Boss and Josh Ford. I know I have not been too kind to Boss in the past and should probably kill the decision, but actually I think it is a good one. He is on the roster and Keller is 41 and could use the occasional break, so why not use him? The 4-1 win at home gave us a little cushion. Winning in Mexico has been near impossible, so why not get Boss and Ford some experience? Third, no Mauro Rosales or Fredy Montero. I get both of those exclusions - if I'm not mistaken, they have been starting every game lately, so leaving them home is not the worst decision considering we have an MLS game on Saturday followed by the uber-important US Open Cup Semi-Final a week from today.
If I had to guess on a lineup, I think that even though Brad Evans made the trip, I imagine that Carrasco might get the start alongside Ozzie to try to be more defensive oriented. El Flaco will be on the left and maybe Evans will move to the right. Up top might be Jaqua and Fucito. In the back, Parke, Scott, Riley, Leo seems to be locked in. Come on boys, let's pull off a shocker. - Speaking of the Sounders, I saw an MLS on NBC ad and was shocked to see that there was not a single Sounders highlight involved. I'm pretty sure I saw the Timbers Army 2-3 times and Kenny Cooper hanging on the net after scoring his only goal, but no mention of the team that regularly draws 36k. I know I sound like a bitter Colorado fan, but where is the respect? To take a step back though, this commercial aired during a Sunday Night Football telecast which drew a 7.1 which means more people may have been exposed to the product than ever before (ok, so most were probably soccer haters, but still...a big step!)
- One final Sounders related thing - take a look at this great post by Jeremiah Oshan. Basically, he suggests that Sounders fans are enamored by the DP designation and that if Mauro Rosales, who is playing like a DP, was being compensated as one the DP, we might be feeling a little differently.
- The Mets and Dillon Gee followed up my post on them with a 10-0 loss to the Phillies. Really I should have seen it coming. What I want to discuss today is the fact that the Mets front office approached Mike Pelfrey about the possibility of closing. As Matt Cerrone of metsblog.com noted, this indicates that the team is thinking about life after Pelf, which I think it s wise choice. I, like most Mets fans, were optimistic about Pelfrey and Humber being the future aces of the team. Humber served us well as he was part of the Santana trade. Pelfrey has had his moments, but if I had to describe him in one word, it would be inconsistent. Oh wait, no...it would be headcase. Yeah, that is clearly much better. He certainly has the stuff to be a top of the rotatoin guy, but now in his 4th full year in the big leagues he has not mastered the mental part of it yet. At 27 and playing in NY, I'm not sure he ever will. Some are suggesting that we don't pick up his option, but I think Alderson is being wise in not just letting him go, but rather seeing if there is another way he can help this organization. Stay tuned to this one.
- So let me briefly speak about WWE. I wrote a few weeks ago that the company had stumbled into an amazing storyline where CM Punk was blurring the lines of 'reality' and 'wrestling' by using social media and dropping in at public appearances to be in character at all times. At the time, he had just beaten John Cena for the title and 'left WWE with the belt.' I knew he was coming back, but never thought he would be off tv for only 1 week. Ultaimtely I get it - Summerslam was a few weeks away and they had to hype the Punk-Cena rematch, but since then, I have not enjoyed his storyline. Last night he fought Cena for the #1 contenders spot (Alberto Del Rio cashed in his title shot and won at Summerslam) and instead of having what would be an awesome Punk-Del Rio showdown, they decided to further the HHH-Kevin Nash conspiracy storyline. Punk, it appears that he is going to be the anti-authority figure similar to Stone Cold a decade ago. There certainly is some uncertainty with where it ultimately is going...and for WWE sake I hope they don't eff it up, because Punk deserves better. (Oh, and it also looks like The Miz and R-Truth are also going to have some role in the conspiracy storyline...again, for Miz's sake I hope they don't eff it up)
- I'm not gonna lie - I love this whole AJ Burnett/Joe Girardi controversy. For those who don't know, AJ Burnett publicly showed up his manager by swearing at him when Girardi took him out of a recent game. Girardi pretended not to hear it and kept talking to his players, but after he back to the dugout, we stormed right into the clubhouse where Burnett had just gone. Obviously the two had some sort of confrontation. IN the post-game press conference, Girardi not only said that Burnett was yelling at the umpire, but that he went into the dugout to try to catch the replay. Girardi was trying to cover for Burnett, but the question remains, why? The guy has been a huge bust since dawning the pinstripes and has been nothing short of a headcase. It can't be that he thinks Burnett is the key to the postseason, does he? I know he has a WS title to his name, but that was in a different time. The Yanks are screwed if they put their faith in this guy to be their #2 starter for the playoffs (but then to think of it, I think they're screwed with Ivan nova, Bartolo Colon or Freddy Garcia as their #2...I LOVE IT!) Back in the early 90's this type of story in the Bronx was commonplace. That was well before the decade of excellence they encountered - hopefully we can rewind time a little and bring back the Bronx Zoo.
- So I got my SI College Football preview last week and I have to say that I really miss reading magazines. When I was younger I would get The Sporting News season previews chock full of stats and read it cover to cover. Now in the digital age, when more information is available, I actually find myself knowing less about the sports than I ever did before. Part of it is because I'm a dad, but an equally large part is that I simply don't like reading long article over the internet. I suppose it's the same reason I would rather listen to a Bill Simmons podcast than actually read his articles.
- The English premier League just finished week 2 and it looks like United and City might be the clear favorites, while Arsenal has definite issues. Obviously it's a long season and Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham and Arsenal will be fighting for Europe, but I think the city of Manchester will have the two title contenders.
- I find it funny that ESPN.com is running daily NBA previews when we all know there won't be a season (or at least, it won't start on time). I get that they don't own the cable rights to the NHL, but at some point, don't you think it might be wise to preview a professional sport that will actually be playing come October?
- Seahawks fans- any comments on Tarvaris, the defense and overall outlook? I don't want to jump to conclusions and say mean things.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Devils 2011 Top Prospects
My boy JWM alerted me to the following list, taken from Hockey's Future. It's never too early to get excited at the next wave of red and black.
1. (NR) Adam Larsson, D, 9.0C
Drafted 1st round, 4th overall, 2011
Larsson not surprisingly makes his debut at the top of the list after being selected by the Devils in the first round this past summer, giving the organization by far and away its most talented prospect since Zach Parise was drafted in 2003. Larsson just completed his second full season in the Swedish Elite League with Skelleftea, logging major minutes in all situations and contributing at both ends of the rink. He had a goal and eight assists in 37 games and was also a force for Team Sweden at the U-20 World Junior Championship recording four points in six games.
Simply put, there aren't many weaknesses in Larsson's game at all. He is a calm and poised workhorse who excels at both ends of the rink. Playing against men in the SEL for the past two seasons will undoubtedly help him adjust quickly to the NHL game, something that will happen sooner rather than later. He is already signed, sealed, and delivered and will compete for a roster spot in New Jersey this fall. For a team that has lacked an impact top pairing defenseman since the days of Scott Niedermayer and Scott Stevens, Larsson is exactly what the doctor ordered.
2. (1) Jon Merrill, D, 8.0C
Drafted 2nd round, 38th overall, 2010
If not for Larsson, Merrill would have likely been the top dog again amongst the Devils prospects. He had a fantastic freshman year at the University of Michigan, picking things up very quickly and put up tremendous numbers along with receiving numerous accolades and award nominations at the end of the season. Merrill played on the top pairing, recording seven goals and 18 assists in 42 games and also stood out for the American entry at the U-20 World Junior Championship, earning a bronze medal while putting up five points in six games.
The Devils appear to have pulled off a major heist by getting Merrill in the second round of the 2010 draft. He has a sensational package of skills, great size, and showed the ability to quarterback the Wolverines powerplay with relative ease. With a glaring lack of puck-moving defenseman on the roster right now, the temptation to turn Merrill pro might have crossed the Devils mind. However the right choice was to keep him at the University of Michigan for at least one more season, with an eye towards possibly turning pro in 2012-13.
3. (3) Jacob Josefson, C, 7.5B
Drafted 1st round, 20th overall, 2009
Josefson's fine showing to close the last quarter of the NHL regular season kept him at his previous ranking. A thumb injury took him out of action for a couple of months early in the season, but after a brief stint in the AHL he was re-called to New Jersey. Then-Head Coach Jacques Lemaire quickly took a liking to the cerebral Swedish pivot and used him as a lineup regular down the stretch. In 28 NHL games, he recorded three goals and seven assists.
Playing with composure beyond his years, Josefson looks poised to take the next step in his development as a full time NHLer with New Jersey this season. More or less locked into the top-nine, the sublimely skilled two-way center will eventually settle into a top-six role in the future. The team actually now might get a glimpse of what Josefson can do in the top six earlier than they expected with the recent off-season injury suffered by Travis Zajac that will sideline him for at least the first month and half of the season.
4. (2) Mattias Tedenby, LW, 8.0C
Drafted 1st round, 25th overall, 2008
The fact the prospect with arguably the most natural skill of all the Devils prospects dropped two spots in the rankings is just one example of how much the overall talent pool of the organization has improved. Tedenby initially had trouble cracking the lineup on a regular basis after Lemaire took over for the fired John MacLean, but by the end of the year he had earned the trust of Lemaire and showed great improvement in his play away from the puck. In 58 NHL games, Tedenby scored eight goals and 14 assists and finished the year playing for the Swedish National Team at the World Championships where he put up a goal and two assists in a dozen games.
Tedenby was given significant minutes by MacLean, but he had to earn his ice-time under Lemaire, which in the long run is going to benefit him significantly. Quick, flashy and oozing high-end skill, Tedenby needs to play with players that can compliment his dynamic offensive ability. Just like his fellow countryman Josefson, Tedenby slots into the top-nine this season, but it likely won't be long until he's playing in the top-six. With Ilya Kovalchuk and potentially Zach Parise ahead of him long-term at left-wing though, Tedenby's future may lie at right-wing.
5. (4) Alexander Urbom, D, 7.5C
Drafted 3rd round, 73rd overall, 2009
In another organization, it's quite possible that Urbom would be at the top of the defense prospect chain. He was once the top rated defender in the Devils organization, but the addition of Merrill in 2010 and now Larsson has relegated him to the third best blueliner, but still in the top five overall. Urbom started the year in New Jersey, but spent the majority of the season playing big minutes and honing his overall skills in the AHL with Albany. He led all Albany defenseman in scoring with 23 points in 72 games.
Perhaps expectations where a little too high for Urbom coming into the season, but it was a good year of development for the towering Swedish defenseman in the AHL. There doesn't appear to be much room for him at the NHL level this year, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. He is physically ready for the NHL and has a good offensive bent to his game, but he is still a little raw defensively. Another year in the AHL definitely won't hurt him. By 2012-13, he should be ready to challenge for a full-time NHL job and long-term he should slot in a solid two-way second-pairing rearguard.
6. (8) Nick Palmieri, RW, 7.0B
Drafted 3rd round, 79th overall, 2007
It was a slow start for Palmieri this season in Albany, but once he was re-called to New Jersey at the end of December when Jacques Lemaire took over, his game took off. He played with Kovalchuk and Zajac for most of his time up with the big club and proved to be a nice complimentary player on that line. He used his big body well to create room for himself and provided a good presence in front of the net. He scored six goals and five assists in 26 games with Albany and nine goals and eight assists in 43 games with New Jersey.
After he was re-called to New Jersey, Palmieri was used in a role much better suited to his skills. Blessed with great size and good hands, it looks as though Palmieri has figured things out at the NHL level, and should only get better with more experience. He's likely not ever going to be a star or a first line talent, but he's living up to his potential as a top-six power-forward and will be given every opportunity to pick up right where he left off last season.
7. (6) Adam Henrique, C, 6.5B
Drafted 3rd round, 82nd overall, 2008
After a standout junior career, Adam Henrique made a smooth and effortless transition to the pro game. Early injuries to the big club forced him into a more prominent role in Albany and he thrived when given the extra responsibilities. He played on the top line (both on the wing and at center), and finished the year with an impressive 25 goal, 25 assist season in 73 games.
There's not much left for Henrique to prove at the AHL level. The only problem is that there might not be room for him in New Jersey with the way the depth chart looks at this point in time. However Zajac's injury could possibly open up a chance for him to start the season with the big club. It definitely won't hurt him if he has to spend more time on the farm, but his mature and elite two-way play will force New Jersey's hand sooner rather than later. He oozes character and intangible qualities that can't be taught and will likely get a chance to play in New Jersey at some point this year and be a lineup regular in 2012-13.
1. (NR) Adam Larsson, D, 9.0C
Drafted 1st round, 4th overall, 2011
Larsson not surprisingly makes his debut at the top of the list after being selected by the Devils in the first round this past summer, giving the organization by far and away its most talented prospect since Zach Parise was drafted in 2003. Larsson just completed his second full season in the Swedish Elite League with Skelleftea, logging major minutes in all situations and contributing at both ends of the rink. He had a goal and eight assists in 37 games and was also a force for Team Sweden at the U-20 World Junior Championship recording four points in six games.
Simply put, there aren't many weaknesses in Larsson's game at all. He is a calm and poised workhorse who excels at both ends of the rink. Playing against men in the SEL for the past two seasons will undoubtedly help him adjust quickly to the NHL game, something that will happen sooner rather than later. He is already signed, sealed, and delivered and will compete for a roster spot in New Jersey this fall. For a team that has lacked an impact top pairing defenseman since the days of Scott Niedermayer and Scott Stevens, Larsson is exactly what the doctor ordered.
2. (1) Jon Merrill, D, 8.0C
Drafted 2nd round, 38th overall, 2010
If not for Larsson, Merrill would have likely been the top dog again amongst the Devils prospects. He had a fantastic freshman year at the University of Michigan, picking things up very quickly and put up tremendous numbers along with receiving numerous accolades and award nominations at the end of the season. Merrill played on the top pairing, recording seven goals and 18 assists in 42 games and also stood out for the American entry at the U-20 World Junior Championship, earning a bronze medal while putting up five points in six games.
The Devils appear to have pulled off a major heist by getting Merrill in the second round of the 2010 draft. He has a sensational package of skills, great size, and showed the ability to quarterback the Wolverines powerplay with relative ease. With a glaring lack of puck-moving defenseman on the roster right now, the temptation to turn Merrill pro might have crossed the Devils mind. However the right choice was to keep him at the University of Michigan for at least one more season, with an eye towards possibly turning pro in 2012-13.
3. (3) Jacob Josefson, C, 7.5B
Drafted 1st round, 20th overall, 2009
Josefson's fine showing to close the last quarter of the NHL regular season kept him at his previous ranking. A thumb injury took him out of action for a couple of months early in the season, but after a brief stint in the AHL he was re-called to New Jersey. Then-Head Coach Jacques Lemaire quickly took a liking to the cerebral Swedish pivot and used him as a lineup regular down the stretch. In 28 NHL games, he recorded three goals and seven assists.
Playing with composure beyond his years, Josefson looks poised to take the next step in his development as a full time NHLer with New Jersey this season. More or less locked into the top-nine, the sublimely skilled two-way center will eventually settle into a top-six role in the future. The team actually now might get a glimpse of what Josefson can do in the top six earlier than they expected with the recent off-season injury suffered by Travis Zajac that will sideline him for at least the first month and half of the season.
4. (2) Mattias Tedenby, LW, 8.0C
Drafted 1st round, 25th overall, 2008
The fact the prospect with arguably the most natural skill of all the Devils prospects dropped two spots in the rankings is just one example of how much the overall talent pool of the organization has improved. Tedenby initially had trouble cracking the lineup on a regular basis after Lemaire took over for the fired John MacLean, but by the end of the year he had earned the trust of Lemaire and showed great improvement in his play away from the puck. In 58 NHL games, Tedenby scored eight goals and 14 assists and finished the year playing for the Swedish National Team at the World Championships where he put up a goal and two assists in a dozen games.
Tedenby was given significant minutes by MacLean, but he had to earn his ice-time under Lemaire, which in the long run is going to benefit him significantly. Quick, flashy and oozing high-end skill, Tedenby needs to play with players that can compliment his dynamic offensive ability. Just like his fellow countryman Josefson, Tedenby slots into the top-nine this season, but it likely won't be long until he's playing in the top-six. With Ilya Kovalchuk and potentially Zach Parise ahead of him long-term at left-wing though, Tedenby's future may lie at right-wing.
5. (4) Alexander Urbom, D, 7.5C
Drafted 3rd round, 73rd overall, 2009
In another organization, it's quite possible that Urbom would be at the top of the defense prospect chain. He was once the top rated defender in the Devils organization, but the addition of Merrill in 2010 and now Larsson has relegated him to the third best blueliner, but still in the top five overall. Urbom started the year in New Jersey, but spent the majority of the season playing big minutes and honing his overall skills in the AHL with Albany. He led all Albany defenseman in scoring with 23 points in 72 games.
Perhaps expectations where a little too high for Urbom coming into the season, but it was a good year of development for the towering Swedish defenseman in the AHL. There doesn't appear to be much room for him at the NHL level this year, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. He is physically ready for the NHL and has a good offensive bent to his game, but he is still a little raw defensively. Another year in the AHL definitely won't hurt him. By 2012-13, he should be ready to challenge for a full-time NHL job and long-term he should slot in a solid two-way second-pairing rearguard.
6. (8) Nick Palmieri, RW, 7.0B
Drafted 3rd round, 79th overall, 2007
It was a slow start for Palmieri this season in Albany, but once he was re-called to New Jersey at the end of December when Jacques Lemaire took over, his game took off. He played with Kovalchuk and Zajac for most of his time up with the big club and proved to be a nice complimentary player on that line. He used his big body well to create room for himself and provided a good presence in front of the net. He scored six goals and five assists in 26 games with Albany and nine goals and eight assists in 43 games with New Jersey.
After he was re-called to New Jersey, Palmieri was used in a role much better suited to his skills. Blessed with great size and good hands, it looks as though Palmieri has figured things out at the NHL level, and should only get better with more experience. He's likely not ever going to be a star or a first line talent, but he's living up to his potential as a top-six power-forward and will be given every opportunity to pick up right where he left off last season.
7. (6) Adam Henrique, C, 6.5B
Drafted 3rd round, 82nd overall, 2008
After a standout junior career, Adam Henrique made a smooth and effortless transition to the pro game. Early injuries to the big club forced him into a more prominent role in Albany and he thrived when given the extra responsibilities. He played on the top line (both on the wing and at center), and finished the year with an impressive 25 goal, 25 assist season in 73 games.
There's not much left for Henrique to prove at the AHL level. The only problem is that there might not be room for him in New Jersey with the way the depth chart looks at this point in time. However Zajac's injury could possibly open up a chance for him to start the season with the big club. It definitely won't hurt him if he has to spend more time on the farm, but his mature and elite two-way play will force New Jersey's hand sooner rather than later. He oozes character and intangible qualities that can't be taught and will likely get a chance to play in New Jersey at some point this year and be a lineup regular in 2012-13.
Going in Opposite Directions
This might officially be the low point for the 2011 Mets (or at least I hope so). After having been swept at home by the Brewers, the same team that they swept a 4 game road series from earlier this month, the Mets are now 6 games under .500 for the first time since early May. It has been a sobering string of games that has reminded each and every one of us that this team was overachieving. I have written several entries about how fun this team is to watch and how great it is to see the young guys play with no fear. We might have traded away Carlos Beltran and K-Rod. We may have lost David Wright for one-third of the year and Ike Davis for the rest of the year. We might have Jason Bay hitting .238 and our supposed ace with only 6 wins and a ERA near 5. Oh, and currently have a rookie starting at 1b, 2b, SS, RF and in our rotation. But we were showing some heart and never giving up. It was fun to watch.
The problem with that type of team is that sometimes working hard won't get you results. No matter how well you play you will always be constrained to maximizing your talents and playing above your head. Often that is not good enough - some teams are simply better and beat you with minimal effort. It's just how it happens.
It was only 3 weeks ago when we sat at 3 games over .500. Some of us dared to think that we could vie for a Wild Card spot. I mean, there are only 6 teams in the league with winning records and 4 of them make the playoffs. Now, after losing 14 of 19, reality has set in. If we can battle back and win 81/82 games than I think this season will be a success. This team has shown that they know how to battle - they are going to have to continue doing so and hope to get a little lucky along the way if they want to stop the downward spiral. It would be too easy to let it completely slip away and finish only with 72-75 wins.
So that is one of the two goals for the final 40 so games...finish with 81 wins. The other is to continue to allow the young guys develop. Lucas Duda as been amazing since he was recalled in June. Many thought he was a career AAA guy, but he has been crushing the ball (.300, 4 hr, 24 rbi since July 1) and giving David Wright some protection (who by the way is hitting .292 with 4 hr and 22 rbi since returning on July 22). Dillon Gee will earn some valuable experience as he tries to get back on the winning track. Jon Niese will try to develop further. Justin Turner will need to show the team that he can be their every day 2b. And Ruben Tejada, playing in place of Jose Reyes, will continue to have unrealistic expectations placed on him - he will at the very least need to show that he can make it in the big leagues. He will never be Reyes, but if we do lose Jose this offseason it will be nice to know that Ruben can be a long term answer.
Finally, the Mets need to work on this bullpen. During their swoon the bullpen has taken 6 of the 14 losses. They simply can't stop giving up runs. My next statement doesn't feel good, but it at least reminds me that I still have some East Coast fan in me. Izzy needs to go. I have always loved Izzy since his rookie season in 1995. still to this day I can recite his amazing season..9-2 with a 2.81 ERA. When he was traded away I was devastated and unlike a lot of other players I continued to follow him throughout his career and always found a place for him on my fantasy roster. When he came back home this season I had no expectations as I figured he would eventually pitch his way off the team. After all, he is 38 and coming off arm surgery. Yet throughout the season he has been great and after K-Rod was traded took over the closer spot. It has been a great story, but with his recent string of suckiness, I think it's time for him to move on. I'm not saying we should release him (by the way, how come in baseball we say 'release', but in football we say 'cut'?) but we should definitely let Bobby Parnell be the closer. I know he hasn't been exactly good, but if we are going to lose games and give up runs, why not have it be a young guy who it can potentially have a positive effect on.
So yeah, love ya Mets. Still enjoy watching ya, but hope this is the low point for the season.
*******
My other summer team, the Sounders, are the exact opposite right now - they simply can't stop winning games. Since a May 25 home loss to Dallas the Sounders are 8-1-4 in MLS play, 2-1 in CONCACAF Champions League and 2-0 in the US Open Cup. This past Saturday's road game against second place Dallas was brutally ugly. There can be no other description. It was brutal. And yet somehow I left that game feeling really excited about the team's prospects.
For over a year now my only complaint with this team is that they didn't know how to win ugly. It seemed that they had no idea of how to win games when they were not on there best. How many times did we see a team like Chivas come into Qwest, bunker in on defense, force us to get frustrated and then score a goal on the counterattack? It seemed like we were unwilling to change our tactics and that they style of our play was more important. I am not saying that style isn't important (I think almost all the teams in the league could learn a thing or two from them), but at the end of the day, unless your name is Barcelona, style won't win you crap.
No one on the team will admit that they played well, but they did just enough to grind out a tough 1-0 win in 100 degree heat, 4 days removed from a midweek CCL game. It was the type of game that they needed to win to give themselves confidence for the MLS playoffs. I know that we probably won't win the CCL (even if we do make it out of the group stage, Keller won't be in goal...) but we can make some noise. I have total confidence that we will win another US Open Cup. MLS remains the bug-a-boo. I still think LA is the top team, but seeing the Sounders grind out an ugly win makes me realize that on any given day, we can beat LA or any other team in the playoffs.
Looking ahead, the team travels to Monterrey, Mexico to face the same team that spanked us around last season (and won the CCL). After having picked up a nice 4-1 win against Communicaciones, we will have some good momentum heading to a country where a US team has only once in actual competition (last week Dallas beat Pumas). At the very least I think we are at a place where we can walk away with a tie. Here's hoping for continued success for this team while it goes south for my other team.
The problem with that type of team is that sometimes working hard won't get you results. No matter how well you play you will always be constrained to maximizing your talents and playing above your head. Often that is not good enough - some teams are simply better and beat you with minimal effort. It's just how it happens.
It was only 3 weeks ago when we sat at 3 games over .500. Some of us dared to think that we could vie for a Wild Card spot. I mean, there are only 6 teams in the league with winning records and 4 of them make the playoffs. Now, after losing 14 of 19, reality has set in. If we can battle back and win 81/82 games than I think this season will be a success. This team has shown that they know how to battle - they are going to have to continue doing so and hope to get a little lucky along the way if they want to stop the downward spiral. It would be too easy to let it completely slip away and finish only with 72-75 wins.
So that is one of the two goals for the final 40 so games...finish with 81 wins. The other is to continue to allow the young guys develop. Lucas Duda as been amazing since he was recalled in June. Many thought he was a career AAA guy, but he has been crushing the ball (.300, 4 hr, 24 rbi since July 1) and giving David Wright some protection (who by the way is hitting .292 with 4 hr and 22 rbi since returning on July 22). Dillon Gee will earn some valuable experience as he tries to get back on the winning track. Jon Niese will try to develop further. Justin Turner will need to show the team that he can be their every day 2b. And Ruben Tejada, playing in place of Jose Reyes, will continue to have unrealistic expectations placed on him - he will at the very least need to show that he can make it in the big leagues. He will never be Reyes, but if we do lose Jose this offseason it will be nice to know that Ruben can be a long term answer.
Finally, the Mets need to work on this bullpen. During their swoon the bullpen has taken 6 of the 14 losses. They simply can't stop giving up runs. My next statement doesn't feel good, but it at least reminds me that I still have some East Coast fan in me. Izzy needs to go. I have always loved Izzy since his rookie season in 1995. still to this day I can recite his amazing season..9-2 with a 2.81 ERA. When he was traded away I was devastated and unlike a lot of other players I continued to follow him throughout his career and always found a place for him on my fantasy roster. When he came back home this season I had no expectations as I figured he would eventually pitch his way off the team. After all, he is 38 and coming off arm surgery. Yet throughout the season he has been great and after K-Rod was traded took over the closer spot. It has been a great story, but with his recent string of suckiness, I think it's time for him to move on. I'm not saying we should release him (by the way, how come in baseball we say 'release', but in football we say 'cut'?) but we should definitely let Bobby Parnell be the closer. I know he hasn't been exactly good, but if we are going to lose games and give up runs, why not have it be a young guy who it can potentially have a positive effect on.
So yeah, love ya Mets. Still enjoy watching ya, but hope this is the low point for the season.
*******
My other summer team, the Sounders, are the exact opposite right now - they simply can't stop winning games. Since a May 25 home loss to Dallas the Sounders are 8-1-4 in MLS play, 2-1 in CONCACAF Champions League and 2-0 in the US Open Cup. This past Saturday's road game against second place Dallas was brutally ugly. There can be no other description. It was brutal. And yet somehow I left that game feeling really excited about the team's prospects.
For over a year now my only complaint with this team is that they didn't know how to win ugly. It seemed that they had no idea of how to win games when they were not on there best. How many times did we see a team like Chivas come into Qwest, bunker in on defense, force us to get frustrated and then score a goal on the counterattack? It seemed like we were unwilling to change our tactics and that they style of our play was more important. I am not saying that style isn't important (I think almost all the teams in the league could learn a thing or two from them), but at the end of the day, unless your name is Barcelona, style won't win you crap.
No one on the team will admit that they played well, but they did just enough to grind out a tough 1-0 win in 100 degree heat, 4 days removed from a midweek CCL game. It was the type of game that they needed to win to give themselves confidence for the MLS playoffs. I know that we probably won't win the CCL (even if we do make it out of the group stage, Keller won't be in goal...) but we can make some noise. I have total confidence that we will win another US Open Cup. MLS remains the bug-a-boo. I still think LA is the top team, but seeing the Sounders grind out an ugly win makes me realize that on any given day, we can beat LA or any other team in the playoffs.
Looking ahead, the team travels to Monterrey, Mexico to face the same team that spanked us around last season (and won the CCL). After having picked up a nice 4-1 win against Communicaciones, we will have some good momentum heading to a country where a US team has only once in actual competition (last week Dallas beat Pumas). At the very least I think we are at a place where we can walk away with a tie. Here's hoping for continued success for this team while it goes south for my other team.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Did Sounders Target Eddie Johnson?
Here is the new development in the whole "Hanauer is a Failure" discussion... Ives won't necessarily confirm anything regarding the Eddie Johnson "Did He-Didn't He Sign" situation, but on twitter he suggested that it was the Sounders who were very interested in bringing him back stateside.
I think if that was the case, then it is another reason why Hanauer shouldn't get killed. I obviously don't know all the inner workings, but I believe that both MLS and Johnson were in the wrong on this one. This how I imagine it went down: Eddie Johnson, in a moment of defeat, decided to return to MLS after seeing Freddy Adu sign with Philly last week. His people approached MLS. They discussed a deal and MLS decided that it was such a sure thing that they would announce it on their website. Johnson never officially agreed to the terms and at the last second decided he wanted more money to come back home. MLS balked and Seattle was screwed.
Again, that is all speculation, but I think it is very very possible given the information we have been given. If this is the case, then it seems that Hanauer worked in good faith and MLS botched the deal.
In a way, I'm not overly upset that Johsnon is not coming back to MLS. I mean, it's 2011, not 2003. Since Johnson left MLS in 2008 he has played for 4 different European teams, scoring 7 goals in 80 games. He is no longer the up-and-coming prospect who scored his first goal at age 17 or the 20 year old that scored 12 goals for FC Dallas in 2004. No, this is the 27 year old version of Eddie Johnson who is no longer in the national team picture and seemingly lost in Europe. I will never have the chance to play professional soccer in either the US or Europe. I get the European soccer is the ultimate goal, but at some point, I think you just need to take what you consider a hit to your ego and come back to MLS. Freddy Adu finally realized that his best chance at making the national team again was to get quality, consistent minutes - something MLS can offer him. Johnson should have jumped at the same opportunity.
And there in lies the reason I am not crying over missing out on Eddie Johnson. If I knew his head was in it...if I knew he wanted to be in MLS and in Seattle, then great, maybe he could work his way back into form and finally become the player we all thought he could be. But at this moment, I don't think he is ready to come back (again, I know nothing and this is all speculation). Assuming that Johnson was one of the players Hanauer was looking at, then it is only fair to reconsider the blame. Again, you can blame Hanauer for not having 15 options or you can give him slack for having his guy signed...and then have it fall through the cracks. Either way, we have to move forward without the "shiny new toy" we were promised.
On a side note, I think we will see a trade within the league once it is assured that Hurtado is back from injury. With the emergence of Zach Scott as a capable center back (poor Taylor Graham who is now 5th on the depth chart), they now have 4 solid options. I know that they have a lot of games, but for some reason, I feel like Pat Ianni and maybe one of the young guys like Estrada or Seamon will get shipped out for a proven MLS goal scorer.
I think if that was the case, then it is another reason why Hanauer shouldn't get killed. I obviously don't know all the inner workings, but I believe that both MLS and Johnson were in the wrong on this one. This how I imagine it went down: Eddie Johnson, in a moment of defeat, decided to return to MLS after seeing Freddy Adu sign with Philly last week. His people approached MLS. They discussed a deal and MLS decided that it was such a sure thing that they would announce it on their website. Johnson never officially agreed to the terms and at the last second decided he wanted more money to come back home. MLS balked and Seattle was screwed.
Again, that is all speculation, but I think it is very very possible given the information we have been given. If this is the case, then it seems that Hanauer worked in good faith and MLS botched the deal.
In a way, I'm not overly upset that Johsnon is not coming back to MLS. I mean, it's 2011, not 2003. Since Johnson left MLS in 2008 he has played for 4 different European teams, scoring 7 goals in 80 games. He is no longer the up-and-coming prospect who scored his first goal at age 17 or the 20 year old that scored 12 goals for FC Dallas in 2004. No, this is the 27 year old version of Eddie Johnson who is no longer in the national team picture and seemingly lost in Europe. I will never have the chance to play professional soccer in either the US or Europe. I get the European soccer is the ultimate goal, but at some point, I think you just need to take what you consider a hit to your ego and come back to MLS. Freddy Adu finally realized that his best chance at making the national team again was to get quality, consistent minutes - something MLS can offer him. Johnson should have jumped at the same opportunity.
And there in lies the reason I am not crying over missing out on Eddie Johnson. If I knew his head was in it...if I knew he wanted to be in MLS and in Seattle, then great, maybe he could work his way back into form and finally become the player we all thought he could be. But at this moment, I don't think he is ready to come back (again, I know nothing and this is all speculation). Assuming that Johnson was one of the players Hanauer was looking at, then it is only fair to reconsider the blame. Again, you can blame Hanauer for not having 15 options or you can give him slack for having his guy signed...and then have it fall through the cracks. Either way, we have to move forward without the "shiny new toy" we were promised.
On a side note, I think we will see a trade within the league once it is assured that Hurtado is back from injury. With the emergence of Zach Scott as a capable center back (poor Taylor Graham who is now 5th on the depth chart), they now have 4 solid options. I know that they have a lot of games, but for some reason, I feel like Pat Ianni and maybe one of the young guys like Estrada or Seamon will get shipped out for a proven MLS goal scorer.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
No Hate for Hanauer
There are a lot of pissed off Sounders fans out there right now. The European transfer window has closed and Sounders GM Adrian Hanauer did not bring in the big name player that we had been led to believe would be in rave green. Given the resources that we have and the expectations of not only the fans, but the front office, I am a bit shocked that we didn't make any moves.
All surprise aside, I wanted to take a few days to digest it before blasting Hanauer. It's no secret - we need a striker. Look, I love Roger Levesque. I like Nate Jaqua and Mike Fucito. I don't hate Pat Noonan. But none of them make you feel good about our chances as much as say, a Thierry Henry would. With the recent news of O'Brian White's setback, the above 4 are pretty much what we have moving forward. Unless their is some sort of in-league trade, they are going to be Montero's strike partners. So the obvious question is, how much blame does Hanauer get?
If you ask Irish Mike, I know he is going to kill hanauer. He has hated our forwards since day 1 and says we will never be a legitimate championship threat until we pick one up. While I tend to agree with him, I am having a hard time being mad at Adrian.
It could be that I am officially becoming a Seattle sports fan. Hanauer, like Zach Scott, Traylor Graham and Levesque represent the USL Sounders and will always have a special place in my heart. Not only was Hanauer the owner but he bought the team when they were hemorrhaging money and was able to help them get to the next step. He is as important to the Seattle soccer scene as any person and I know is getting a slight pass from me for this reason.
The East Coast fan in me would and should be pissed. We have a really good team but not the best team. If this was NY, we would be yelling for the front office to make the trade to help win the title even if it ripped apart our long-term plans. Making the playoffs is ok, but not winning the title is considered a disappointment. Titles are forever. Prospects might not even be the future.
So what's going on in my head? Well, I think there are several feelings. First, and foremost, while I want an MLS title, I still realize that we are a young franchise. NY and NE have been in the league since day 1 and have never won a title, so for me to expect a title in year 3 is a little arrogant. I'm not saying I don't want a title, I just don't expect one. Right now, I want to make sure we are good for many years. MLS is a fickle league - you can go from penthouse to outhouse in a few months. I want to support a fun, creative and successful team for many years. Long term stability should not be sacrificed for one year success if you then finish out of the playoffs the next year.
Second, bringing in a marquee player doesn't guarantee success. There are so many examples around the league. Looking no further than our own franchise, we were told that Blaise N'kufo, World Cup star and captain of a league winning Dutch team, would be the savior up top. He scored 4 goals in a half a season and was out prior to kickoff this year. He never settled with his role on the team and was generally unimpressed with the league. Alvaro Fernandez was also brought in after the World Cup and finally has seemed to settle in the league. He had a few big goals early on, but then was being benched by Sigi at the beginning of this year. Neither of these were busts, but they certainly did not bring us a title. I know that the entire league is reeling with the news that Robbie Keane was now going to pair with Beckham and Donovan, but their is no guarantee that he will be successful. That is no knock on Keane, it's just that the track record of older European stars coming to MLS has not been good.
Third, it genuinely sounds like Hanauer was working hard to bring in a player, it just didn't work. Ask Cesc Fabregas about that one - the dude has wanted to be in Barcelona for years now but it wasn't until last week that he was transferred. Sometimes player movement isn't as easy as we think. From what I am reading, Hanauer had his sights set on 1-3 players with really no back-up plan. It appears one was on his way, but then was pulled off the table by his club due to other injuries on the team. You might be able to kill Hanauer for not having a back-up plan, but you can't kill him for not getting the player he wanted.
At getting scorned by the targeted players, Hanauer didn't overreact and make a signing just to make a signing. Instead, he held firm and showed faith in his current team. Had they picked up a big-name, high-priced player who then killed chemistry the team would be in worse position than before. Hanauer wants to build this team with young players with tons of upside, not an aging striker on beginning the downside of his career. He has done that twice already (Ljungberg, Nkufo) and twice he failed. His best moves have been for younger, less heralded players like Alonso, Montero, Fernandez and Hurtado. While not exactly young, Mauro Rosales also fits into that mold. So maybe there simply wasn't that type of player available at this time.
With yesterday's news that young DP's would now count less against the cap then older DP's, teams are essentially being encouraged to go younger. If we assume that Beckham comes back for another year, the Galaxy will have $350k tied up for each one of their DP's -I know that they are crazy deep right now, but eventually (probably 1-2 years) the likes of Gregg Berhalter, Frankie Hejduk and Jovan Kirovski are going to be too old to move. This team has a 1-2 year window at best. The Sounders, on the other hand, have a longer window, especially if they can sign an impact player this offseason. Here is the thing about MLS- you don't need the best players to win. I mean, since 2003, only 1 team who won the supporters shield went on to win MLS Cup. In the past two years, we had teams barely sneak in to the playoffs and win. All the pressure is going to be on LA and NY. We are going to be underdogs. While we haven't shown that we can beat LA, all we need is one good game in the playoffs. The difference between the two teams isn't light years - we shouldn't wave the white flag yet.
Finally, I think we have a lot of flexibility with our team right now. I know flexibility isn't sexy, but acquiring a big name player would have definitely cost us some depth, something that would be damning in our pursuit of 3 trophies. As it stands right now, we can throw a bunch of different line-ups out and feel ok with our chances. Ok, so Nate Jaqua and Pat Noonan don't do it for you - well, they are much better than the scrubs on the other teams. They might not be flashy, but I honestly feel like they can help us win one of the tournaments we're in. As for other options within the team - Fucito continues to tear up Champions League and might finally be ready to take the next step in MLS play; Rosales has played at forward late in the game when Lamar Neagle is brought on to terrorize tiring opponents. Perhaps a midfield of Alonso-Evans, Friberg and Fernandez could allow him to move up top?
I can talk myself into taking it easy on Hanauer right now, but ultimately, how this team performs in the playoffs will decide my reaction. If we fail to win the US Open Cup and then get eliminated in the first round of the MLS playoffs without scoring a goal, then I am going to be pissed. I don't expect to win Champions League, but a deep MLS run and another US Open Cup title are the goal right now. I know above that I said I didn't expect anything, but another disaster in the playoffs would be hugely disappointing. Again, not expecting us to win 3, but a 1st round win in the playoffs would be nice. We will see if Hanauer knows something that we don't....
**********
Ok, now a few comments on the previous two games:
All surprise aside, I wanted to take a few days to digest it before blasting Hanauer. It's no secret - we need a striker. Look, I love Roger Levesque. I like Nate Jaqua and Mike Fucito. I don't hate Pat Noonan. But none of them make you feel good about our chances as much as say, a Thierry Henry would. With the recent news of O'Brian White's setback, the above 4 are pretty much what we have moving forward. Unless their is some sort of in-league trade, they are going to be Montero's strike partners. So the obvious question is, how much blame does Hanauer get?
If you ask Irish Mike, I know he is going to kill hanauer. He has hated our forwards since day 1 and says we will never be a legitimate championship threat until we pick one up. While I tend to agree with him, I am having a hard time being mad at Adrian.
It could be that I am officially becoming a Seattle sports fan. Hanauer, like Zach Scott, Traylor Graham and Levesque represent the USL Sounders and will always have a special place in my heart. Not only was Hanauer the owner but he bought the team when they were hemorrhaging money and was able to help them get to the next step. He is as important to the Seattle soccer scene as any person and I know is getting a slight pass from me for this reason.
The East Coast fan in me would and should be pissed. We have a really good team but not the best team. If this was NY, we would be yelling for the front office to make the trade to help win the title even if it ripped apart our long-term plans. Making the playoffs is ok, but not winning the title is considered a disappointment. Titles are forever. Prospects might not even be the future.
So what's going on in my head? Well, I think there are several feelings. First, and foremost, while I want an MLS title, I still realize that we are a young franchise. NY and NE have been in the league since day 1 and have never won a title, so for me to expect a title in year 3 is a little arrogant. I'm not saying I don't want a title, I just don't expect one. Right now, I want to make sure we are good for many years. MLS is a fickle league - you can go from penthouse to outhouse in a few months. I want to support a fun, creative and successful team for many years. Long term stability should not be sacrificed for one year success if you then finish out of the playoffs the next year.
Second, bringing in a marquee player doesn't guarantee success. There are so many examples around the league. Looking no further than our own franchise, we were told that Blaise N'kufo, World Cup star and captain of a league winning Dutch team, would be the savior up top. He scored 4 goals in a half a season and was out prior to kickoff this year. He never settled with his role on the team and was generally unimpressed with the league. Alvaro Fernandez was also brought in after the World Cup and finally has seemed to settle in the league. He had a few big goals early on, but then was being benched by Sigi at the beginning of this year. Neither of these were busts, but they certainly did not bring us a title. I know that the entire league is reeling with the news that Robbie Keane was now going to pair with Beckham and Donovan, but their is no guarantee that he will be successful. That is no knock on Keane, it's just that the track record of older European stars coming to MLS has not been good.
Third, it genuinely sounds like Hanauer was working hard to bring in a player, it just didn't work. Ask Cesc Fabregas about that one - the dude has wanted to be in Barcelona for years now but it wasn't until last week that he was transferred. Sometimes player movement isn't as easy as we think. From what I am reading, Hanauer had his sights set on 1-3 players with really no back-up plan. It appears one was on his way, but then was pulled off the table by his club due to other injuries on the team. You might be able to kill Hanauer for not having a back-up plan, but you can't kill him for not getting the player he wanted.
At getting scorned by the targeted players, Hanauer didn't overreact and make a signing just to make a signing. Instead, he held firm and showed faith in his current team. Had they picked up a big-name, high-priced player who then killed chemistry the team would be in worse position than before. Hanauer wants to build this team with young players with tons of upside, not an aging striker on beginning the downside of his career. He has done that twice already (Ljungberg, Nkufo) and twice he failed. His best moves have been for younger, less heralded players like Alonso, Montero, Fernandez and Hurtado. While not exactly young, Mauro Rosales also fits into that mold. So maybe there simply wasn't that type of player available at this time.
With yesterday's news that young DP's would now count less against the cap then older DP's, teams are essentially being encouraged to go younger. If we assume that Beckham comes back for another year, the Galaxy will have $350k tied up for each one of their DP's -I know that they are crazy deep right now, but eventually (probably 1-2 years) the likes of Gregg Berhalter, Frankie Hejduk and Jovan Kirovski are going to be too old to move. This team has a 1-2 year window at best. The Sounders, on the other hand, have a longer window, especially if they can sign an impact player this offseason. Here is the thing about MLS- you don't need the best players to win. I mean, since 2003, only 1 team who won the supporters shield went on to win MLS Cup. In the past two years, we had teams barely sneak in to the playoffs and win. All the pressure is going to be on LA and NY. We are going to be underdogs. While we haven't shown that we can beat LA, all we need is one good game in the playoffs. The difference between the two teams isn't light years - we shouldn't wave the white flag yet.
Finally, I think we have a lot of flexibility with our team right now. I know flexibility isn't sexy, but acquiring a big name player would have definitely cost us some depth, something that would be damning in our pursuit of 3 trophies. As it stands right now, we can throw a bunch of different line-ups out and feel ok with our chances. Ok, so Nate Jaqua and Pat Noonan don't do it for you - well, they are much better than the scrubs on the other teams. They might not be flashy, but I honestly feel like they can help us win one of the tournaments we're in. As for other options within the team - Fucito continues to tear up Champions League and might finally be ready to take the next step in MLS play; Rosales has played at forward late in the game when Lamar Neagle is brought on to terrorize tiring opponents. Perhaps a midfield of Alonso-Evans, Friberg and Fernandez could allow him to move up top?
I can talk myself into taking it easy on Hanauer right now, but ultimately, how this team performs in the playoffs will decide my reaction. If we fail to win the US Open Cup and then get eliminated in the first round of the MLS playoffs without scoring a goal, then I am going to be pissed. I don't expect to win Champions League, but a deep MLS run and another US Open Cup title are the goal right now. I know above that I said I didn't expect anything, but another disaster in the playoffs would be hugely disappointing. Again, not expecting us to win 3, but a 1st round win in the playoffs would be nice. We will see if Hanauer knows something that we don't....
**********
Ok, now a few comments on the previous two games:
- I'm not overly concerned about Saturday's result against Chivas USA. There's something about Chivas that we just have trouble with - oh wait, now I remember, it's that they pummle the shit out of us. I agree with the rest of Sounder nation - the officiating was terrible. We should have gotten the last minute PK after Lamar Neagle was taken down in the box, but I just can't help but give us equal amount of the blame. I mean, how did we miss another PK? Is it just me or are more PK's being missed these days than ever? If El Flacco puts that in, we probably go on to score many more goals as Chivas wouldn't be able to sit back and defend.
After the game, Allan Hinton absolutely blasted Chivas for playing "boring soccer", saying that we could have picked "4 random high schoolers from Bremerton, put them in our defense and still have pitched a shut-out." He said that fans should "write the Chivas front office and ask for a refund." He, Jimmy Gabriel, Pete Fewing and my boy Matt Johnson were particularly hilarious after the game. Oh, and Sigi said that Zach Scott was 'endeaverous' after the game.
- A nice win on home turf last night. Obviously the goal in the second minute made for some tense initial moments of the game. I know that was Riley's guy who scored, but wow, Terry Boss looked lost on the ball. Those are the plays that make you appreciate Keller even more. After that, Comunicaciones dominated for the next 20 minutes before we started to get the better of play. I know I am showing the Seattle sports fan in me, but wow, I just continue to be a big Brad Evans fan. I really appreciate El Flaco, Friberg and Rosales, but Evans just gives the team a different look. He is not spectacular, but rarely do I see him out of place or turning the ball over. With Alonso out of the game last night, it was nice to have Brad and his dreamy looks in there.
The Wife wondered why Jaqua seems to score in US Open Cup and Fucito scores in CCL and yet neither can score in MLS play. I think it comes down to not only confidence, but match-ups. In US Open Cups, Jaqua is most often playing against guys of his skill or worse and he is able to take advantage of his experience. In MLS, Fucito is facing defenders who rough him up. Against the Central American teams, many of the defenders are his size (ok, so maybe they're not 5'4 but you know what I need) and he is allowed room to run unimpeded. And for both, I think they take the different tournaments as an avenue to shine. Instead of pouting, they take it as an opportunity to show Sigi that he is wrong in a positive way.
Our depth was shown last night. I am still surprised that Sigi gambled a little with his line-up, but it seemed to work. Going in I would have thought last night was the most important game of the group stage. After going 1-5 last year and with an upcoming trip to Monterrey, getting a full 3 points was crucial and yet Sigi went with his B team with Boss in goal. It was a gamble that worked as now the A team will be fresh heading into the game with FCD this weekend. But as the Wife reminded me, it wasn't like we had Taylor Graham, Michael Tetteh, Mike Seamon, Miguel Montano and David Estrada out there. Instead, we had Hurtado, Ianni, Evans and Fucito in place of the regular starters. Good job, Sigi...and now on to Dallas and Monterrey.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
My NFL Watch List
As you may or may not have heard, last year I became an NFL Atheist [correction: I think I should call myself a NFL free agent - after more thought an NFL atheist would not even believe in the NFL, which is something I do believe in...]. I found that I was watching the NFL more for the fantasy implications that I was to support my favorite team. To most NFL fans it is heresy, but I just don't have a major rooting interest anymore. It's all my fault - instead of continuing to be a hardcore Giants fan, I gave up on them during some down times and instead decided to support an expansion team from Carolina. I was really into them at first, and then slowly over time they began to have less appeal. Part of it was that I was living nearly 3000 miles from the team. Part of it was the up and down seasons. A huge part of it was having that punk Jimmy Claussen as the starting QB last year (and now Cam Newton this year). The bottom line is that I cared more about my fantasy team than my real team.
So last year I decided the hell with the Panthers - I was going to enjoy the NFL in the way that I wanted to. That meant being following teams and players that interest me. It's totally subjective and I figure as long as I don't get fully caught up in supporting one team I can get away with it. So with that, here is my pre-season list of players, teams and situations that interest me:
So last year I decided the hell with the Panthers - I was going to enjoy the NFL in the way that I wanted to. That meant being following teams and players that interest me. It's totally subjective and I figure as long as I don't get fully caught up in supporting one team I can get away with it. So with that, here is my pre-season list of players, teams and situations that interest me:
- Detroit Lions - They are somehow a trendy sleeper pick because of their revamped defense. Not only am I into Ndamukong S'uh but injured ravaged Georgia alum Matthew Stafford.
- KC Chiefs - This was a team that I just enjoyed watching last year. They have an up and coming defense and I am totally into Jamaal Charles.
- Oakland Raiders - I am shocked that I am actually into this franchise, but they showed a lot of spunk and heart last year. Still waiting for McFadden to find his college form.Jake
- Jake Locker - This is an easy one. Nothing but love for the former Husky QB.
- Sam Bradford - I was not sold on him going into 2010, but after one year I am fully convinced that he is the next superstar QB in the league. I am VERY interested to see what he can do this year.
- Colin Kaepernick - This comes as a total surprise, but as I watch this SF-NO preseason game, I find myself rooting for the rookie from Nevada. I have no idea if he will see any action, but I will be rooting for him to beat our Alex Smith.
- AJ Green and Andy Dalton - A Georgia guy and an underdog read-head from TCU...to bad they are on the worst offensive team in the league.
- Josh Freeman - Interested in seeing how he progresses this year.
- Mark Ingram - Not a huge Alabama fan, but respected what he did in college (probably because of the story with his dad). I am excited to see what he can do with this offense surrounding him.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Shut Up Tebow
Let me get this out of the way. I have loved the University of Georgia football since I was 8 years old. I love Eric Zeier, Rodney Hampton, Terrell Davis, Mike Bobo, Robert Edwards, David Pollack, David Greene, Matthew Stafford and to the dismay of all my local friends, Hines Ward. Since 1990 UGA is 3-18 against the University of Florida. They have ruined sooo many seasons and I really hate them. There have been so many villains over the years but the man I have disliked the most is none other than Mr Tim Tebow. I get that this is the type of guy you would want your daughter to bring home...I just never want it to be him specifically.
Tebow did lose to Georgia once during his 4 year career and didn't torch the Dawgs for as many yards and td's as he did against other teams, but I just could not stand hearing about him. Announcers gushed over him like he was some combination of Joe Montana and Gandhi. National Champion. Heisman Trophy winner. Devout Christian. Virgin. Built houses in developing nations during Spring Break. Motivational speaker. In all respects, he is a good guy, but I just can't stand him.
Last year the Broncos picked him in the 1st round of the draft and instantly created a QB controversy. Starting QB Kyle Orton had just completed a season with 3802 yards, 21 td and 12 int and yet they decided to use their first round pick on Tebow. I still think it was a shocking development - I mean, people love Tebow. There was no way that the fans would be happy with him on the bench, even knowing of all his warts.
Fast forward to 2011 - Tebow has just come off a season in which he started 3 games and he is now battling for the starters job. That's fine - Denver can do what they want, but what really has been annoying me is how Tebow has been handling the criticism.
For every fan that is head over heels in love with Tebow, there is a media member who thinks he won't make it in the pros. The fans say, "hey, give a Tebow a shot." The media say, "we love him as a persona, but he has too many mechanical problems to succeed." For the first time in his life, Tebow is being questioned. This is a guy who has never done anything wrong AND is said by many to be the BEST college football player of all time. He clearly has never had anyone talk poorly of him.
How is he handling it? Instead of quietly burning holes through all his detractors; instead of getting a chip on his shoulder; instead of giving everyone a silent F-U, he is taking to the airways to cry. In response to a criticism by Merril Hoge, Tebow fired back “...It hurts because it's coming from people who haven't seen me practice, haven't seen me play, haven't seen what I can do... Others who say I won't make it are wrong. They don't know what I'm capable of and what's inside me."Now he also said that he tries not to let it bother him and that he is relying on God to help him, but it is clear that it is getting to him.
Bottom line - don't react to what some former NFL player on ESPN has to say. Go about your business, remember all those that wronged you and give them a big F-U by what you can do. I think the big problem is that he is probably too nice. Sure their are exceptions to the rules (David Robinson, AC Green, Cal Ripken, etc), but I would say that all superstar athletes are pricks in one way or another. They have to be in order to make it to the top. Tim Tebow just doesn't have it in him and that is why I think he won't be able to make it. Sure, he will be a great leader, but if he can't block out the criticism it is going to crush him. So Tim, shut up, work hard and don't worry about the media.
Tebow did lose to Georgia once during his 4 year career and didn't torch the Dawgs for as many yards and td's as he did against other teams, but I just could not stand hearing about him. Announcers gushed over him like he was some combination of Joe Montana and Gandhi. National Champion. Heisman Trophy winner. Devout Christian. Virgin. Built houses in developing nations during Spring Break. Motivational speaker. In all respects, he is a good guy, but I just can't stand him.
Last year the Broncos picked him in the 1st round of the draft and instantly created a QB controversy. Starting QB Kyle Orton had just completed a season with 3802 yards, 21 td and 12 int and yet they decided to use their first round pick on Tebow. I still think it was a shocking development - I mean, people love Tebow. There was no way that the fans would be happy with him on the bench, even knowing of all his warts.
Fast forward to 2011 - Tebow has just come off a season in which he started 3 games and he is now battling for the starters job. That's fine - Denver can do what they want, but what really has been annoying me is how Tebow has been handling the criticism.
For every fan that is head over heels in love with Tebow, there is a media member who thinks he won't make it in the pros. The fans say, "hey, give a Tebow a shot." The media say, "we love him as a persona, but he has too many mechanical problems to succeed." For the first time in his life, Tebow is being questioned. This is a guy who has never done anything wrong AND is said by many to be the BEST college football player of all time. He clearly has never had anyone talk poorly of him.
How is he handling it? Instead of quietly burning holes through all his detractors; instead of getting a chip on his shoulder; instead of giving everyone a silent F-U, he is taking to the airways to cry. In response to a criticism by Merril Hoge, Tebow fired back “...It hurts because it's coming from people who haven't seen me practice, haven't seen me play, haven't seen what I can do... Others who say I won't make it are wrong. They don't know what I'm capable of and what's inside me."Now he also said that he tries not to let it bother him and that he is relying on God to help him, but it is clear that it is getting to him.
Bottom line - don't react to what some former NFL player on ESPN has to say. Go about your business, remember all those that wronged you and give them a big F-U by what you can do. I think the big problem is that he is probably too nice. Sure their are exceptions to the rules (David Robinson, AC Green, Cal Ripken, etc), but I would say that all superstar athletes are pricks in one way or another. They have to be in order to make it to the top. Tim Tebow just doesn't have it in him and that is why I think he won't be able to make it. Sure, he will be a great leader, but if he can't block out the criticism it is going to crush him. So Tim, shut up, work hard and don't worry about the media.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
The Crazy 2011 Mets
When ultimately thinking back about the 2011 Mets, I have a feeling that we will be smiling. Not because they are going to make the playoffs or maybe even have a winning record, but as one of my buddies put it the Mets are "an emotional roller coaster, but that I do love watching them."
Most of you know the situation. In 2006 they were the toast of the town. In 2007 and 2008 they choked down the stretch. In 2009 and 2010 injuries ravaged their seasons. Combined with a lot of off the field stuff, they were quickly becoming a laughing stock - some media members called them the worst franchise in the league. So when Sandy Alderson took over prior to the 2011 season, not much was expected of them. In an effort to clean house and begin rebuilding, their only major offseason moves were releasing Oliver Perez and Luis Castillo and signing Chris Young, Chris Capuano and Ronnie Paulino. With several free agents coming off the books, the focus for many was 2012.
Then something strange happened. Reyes had a career year. Ike Davis started off hot. Carlos Beltran played in nearly every game. Daniel Murphy hit .320 and their pitching staff, without Johan Santana, was actually pretty decent. At the All-Star break they were 46-45 and after sweeping Cincinnati and winning the first game at Washington, they sat at 55-51 on July 29. Simply put, they were exceeding all expectations. That day they traded Carlos Beltran to the Giants for a top rated prospect and some around baseball wondered if they were waving the white flag. Sure Beltran was bound to walk at the end of the year, but there were only 6 teams in the NL with winning records. Surely they could make a push towards the playoffs...
Alderson didn't get caught up in the playoffs talk and instead did what was best for the long term future of the team. Since then, David Wright has returned from the DL to fill the gaping hole left by Beltran in the lineup. However, Reyes has gone on the DL. Daniel Murphy hurt his knee and is out for the year. Mike Pelfrey continues to get roughed up. Dillon Gee and Jon Niese are starting to come back down to earth. Jason Isringhuasen and Bobby Parnell (thrown into the closer spot after the trade of K-Rod) are blowing a lot of saves...and yet somehow, the Mets continue to chug along. Credit a lot to Manager Terry Collins, but this team is remaining competitive. Who knows if they can keep it up for the final 50 games of the season, but one thing we know is that this team has not only heart but some hunger as well.
They could have closed up shop after losing 5 in a row (and falling 1 game under .500), but since then they have won 3 of 4 thanks to guys like Lucas Duda, Scott Hairston, Justin Turner, Josh Thole and Mike Baxter. None of these guys are household names, but they are hungry to show that they have long term value to the organization. Sure, David Wright, Jason Bay and Jose Reyes (when he is healthy) will really decide how they finish the year, but getting the occasional boost from guys like Duda will go a long way in not only getting results, but changing the direction of the franchise.
In typical fashion, they Mets lost 5 in a row after hitting the high water mark on the season...but then over the past two nights they have come back from 8-4 in the 8th and 4-2 in the 8th to get walkoff wins. I know they were playing San Diego, but these are the type of wins that help you forget losing five in a row. They don't let things get out of control, which is so easy to do these days (ask the Pirates and Mariners both who lost more than 10 in a row this year).
So yeah, it is going to be frustrating when they continue to lose to the Marlins. But with all the news guys (I also forgot to mention Ruben Tejada and Jason Pridie who have stepped in admirably), the team will at least keep things interesting. I personally am excited not only for the final 50 games this year, but excited at the prospects of seeing our minor league arms in the major over the next few years (as well as a healthy Ike Davis in 2012). We may not win the World Series any time soon, but I think I speak for all Mets fans when I say all we want is a fun team of homegrown players to watch. Really, that is all we can ask for.
Most of you know the situation. In 2006 they were the toast of the town. In 2007 and 2008 they choked down the stretch. In 2009 and 2010 injuries ravaged their seasons. Combined with a lot of off the field stuff, they were quickly becoming a laughing stock - some media members called them the worst franchise in the league. So when Sandy Alderson took over prior to the 2011 season, not much was expected of them. In an effort to clean house and begin rebuilding, their only major offseason moves were releasing Oliver Perez and Luis Castillo and signing Chris Young, Chris Capuano and Ronnie Paulino. With several free agents coming off the books, the focus for many was 2012.
Then something strange happened. Reyes had a career year. Ike Davis started off hot. Carlos Beltran played in nearly every game. Daniel Murphy hit .320 and their pitching staff, without Johan Santana, was actually pretty decent. At the All-Star break they were 46-45 and after sweeping Cincinnati and winning the first game at Washington, they sat at 55-51 on July 29. Simply put, they were exceeding all expectations. That day they traded Carlos Beltran to the Giants for a top rated prospect and some around baseball wondered if they were waving the white flag. Sure Beltran was bound to walk at the end of the year, but there were only 6 teams in the NL with winning records. Surely they could make a push towards the playoffs...
Alderson didn't get caught up in the playoffs talk and instead did what was best for the long term future of the team. Since then, David Wright has returned from the DL to fill the gaping hole left by Beltran in the lineup. However, Reyes has gone on the DL. Daniel Murphy hurt his knee and is out for the year. Mike Pelfrey continues to get roughed up. Dillon Gee and Jon Niese are starting to come back down to earth. Jason Isringhuasen and Bobby Parnell (thrown into the closer spot after the trade of K-Rod) are blowing a lot of saves...and yet somehow, the Mets continue to chug along. Credit a lot to Manager Terry Collins, but this team is remaining competitive. Who knows if they can keep it up for the final 50 games of the season, but one thing we know is that this team has not only heart but some hunger as well.
They could have closed up shop after losing 5 in a row (and falling 1 game under .500), but since then they have won 3 of 4 thanks to guys like Lucas Duda, Scott Hairston, Justin Turner, Josh Thole and Mike Baxter. None of these guys are household names, but they are hungry to show that they have long term value to the organization. Sure, David Wright, Jason Bay and Jose Reyes (when he is healthy) will really decide how they finish the year, but getting the occasional boost from guys like Duda will go a long way in not only getting results, but changing the direction of the franchise.
In typical fashion, they Mets lost 5 in a row after hitting the high water mark on the season...but then over the past two nights they have come back from 8-4 in the 8th and 4-2 in the 8th to get walkoff wins. I know they were playing San Diego, but these are the type of wins that help you forget losing five in a row. They don't let things get out of control, which is so easy to do these days (ask the Pirates and Mariners both who lost more than 10 in a row this year).
So yeah, it is going to be frustrating when they continue to lose to the Marlins. But with all the news guys (I also forgot to mention Ruben Tejada and Jason Pridie who have stepped in admirably), the team will at least keep things interesting. I personally am excited not only for the final 50 games this year, but excited at the prospects of seeing our minor league arms in the major over the next few years (as well as a healthy Ike Davis in 2012). We may not win the World Series any time soon, but I think I speak for all Mets fans when I say all we want is a fun team of homegrown players to watch. Really, that is all we can ask for.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Kickers League Draft Night
Last night my buddies D-Lib, Nattie Ice and I held our 3rd Annual Kickers League Draft. The draft itself took 2 minutes (results below), but the real highlight was the time we spent at the new wings place on The Ave. Last week when I was standing at the bus stop on 45th for the first time in a year, I noticed that the Mexican restaurant was no longer there - replaced by a wings place that was advertising $10 pitchers on Monday and at least 10 different flavors of wings sauce. It seemed like an obvious choice for the draft.
Nattie Ice and I got there at 5:00 and started off with a pitcher of Stella. When D-Lib arrived at 6:15 we ordered another pitcher and 25 wings - one half with the 2nd Degree Sauce and the other with the Bourbon Street BBQ sauce. Turns out our server (who was so young and attractive that there is no way she would have talked to anyone of us had she not been trying to get our 30-year old money) was actually right - the 2nd Degree is the way to go. Anyways, we then got another pitcher and out of no where, the head cook brought us out a Grilled Cheese Bacon Cheese Burger that they are 'trying out'. So in all, we got 3 pitchers, 2 baskets of fries, 25 wings and a burger for $20 each. Not terrible. The only thing that could have gone better - had the Mariners hit a home run while we were there, we would have gotten 5 free wings. Up til then I had never actually been mad at their offense for anything, but now I am officially annoyed (ok, J-Will get mad at me for being unfair to your M's).
I certainly had more beer yesterday than I have had in a long time. I love my Stella. Right as I was getting ready to leave, The Wife called and reminded me that I offered to go out and get diapers for The Incident. Damn, stupid responsibilities slapping me in the face. When I got home I instantly fell asleep and then proceeded to wake up every hour. Now today I feel like crap. Damn, stupid age slapping me in the face. Oh, and as I went to pay for the diapers I realized I didn't have my credit card and had left it at the bar. Damn, stupid, well...stupid me slapping me in the face.
Anyways, let's look at the final rosters:
Me: Nate Kaeding, Rod Bironas, Billy Cundiff, Alex Henery, Sebastian Janikowski, Dan Carpenter, David Akers, Ryan Succop, Kevin Huber (P)
D-Lib: Steven Gostkowski, Mason Crosby, adam Vinatieri, Jay Feely, David Buehler, Jeff Reed, Larry Tynes, Olindo Mare, Matt Turk (P)
Nattie Ice: Neil Rackers, Josh Brown, Garrett Hartley, Nick Folk, Matt Bryant, Ryan Longwell, Robbie Gould, Matt Prater, Jeremy Kapinos (P)
Comments: My team is an interesting lot. I have two of the most stable kickers in the game - Kaeding and Bironas who barring a miracle should be among the top 5 again at the end of the season. In Carpenter I think I have another guy who could be in the top 5 if 2010 is any indication. Janikowski was great for me last year and is just fun to have around the locker room because he is certifiably crazy. The problem with crazy kickers is that it can blow up at any time, so who knows what he will do. Cundiff and Henery, a rookie out of Nebraska, are my two wild cards because I have no idea what they might give me. Akers is a nostaliga pick - he has burned me the past two years, but was available in the 7th round so I had to pull the trigger. Last time I took a SF kicker (Joe NEdney in 2009) it didn't work out. And last time I took a prolific kicker who signed a deal with an NFC West team (Josh Brown in 2009) it also didn't work out...so I guess I'm not expecting much. As for the punter, John Huber, I expect Cincinnati to have the worst offense in the game, so the pick was an obvious one.
The great thing about this league is that no one is the favorite to win. Honestly, anything can happen with kickers...hopefully after finishing last both previous years my team decides it's time to get lucky.
Nattie Ice and I got there at 5:00 and started off with a pitcher of Stella. When D-Lib arrived at 6:15 we ordered another pitcher and 25 wings - one half with the 2nd Degree Sauce and the other with the Bourbon Street BBQ sauce. Turns out our server (who was so young and attractive that there is no way she would have talked to anyone of us had she not been trying to get our 30-year old money) was actually right - the 2nd Degree is the way to go. Anyways, we then got another pitcher and out of no where, the head cook brought us out a Grilled Cheese Bacon Cheese Burger that they are 'trying out'. So in all, we got 3 pitchers, 2 baskets of fries, 25 wings and a burger for $20 each. Not terrible. The only thing that could have gone better - had the Mariners hit a home run while we were there, we would have gotten 5 free wings. Up til then I had never actually been mad at their offense for anything, but now I am officially annoyed (ok, J-Will get mad at me for being unfair to your M's).
I certainly had more beer yesterday than I have had in a long time. I love my Stella. Right as I was getting ready to leave, The Wife called and reminded me that I offered to go out and get diapers for The Incident. Damn, stupid responsibilities slapping me in the face. When I got home I instantly fell asleep and then proceeded to wake up every hour. Now today I feel like crap. Damn, stupid age slapping me in the face. Oh, and as I went to pay for the diapers I realized I didn't have my credit card and had left it at the bar. Damn, stupid, well...stupid me slapping me in the face.
Anyways, let's look at the final rosters:
Me: Nate Kaeding, Rod Bironas, Billy Cundiff, Alex Henery, Sebastian Janikowski, Dan Carpenter, David Akers, Ryan Succop, Kevin Huber (P)
D-Lib: Steven Gostkowski, Mason Crosby, adam Vinatieri, Jay Feely, David Buehler, Jeff Reed, Larry Tynes, Olindo Mare, Matt Turk (P)
Nattie Ice: Neil Rackers, Josh Brown, Garrett Hartley, Nick Folk, Matt Bryant, Ryan Longwell, Robbie Gould, Matt Prater, Jeremy Kapinos (P)
Comments: My team is an interesting lot. I have two of the most stable kickers in the game - Kaeding and Bironas who barring a miracle should be among the top 5 again at the end of the season. In Carpenter I think I have another guy who could be in the top 5 if 2010 is any indication. Janikowski was great for me last year and is just fun to have around the locker room because he is certifiably crazy. The problem with crazy kickers is that it can blow up at any time, so who knows what he will do. Cundiff and Henery, a rookie out of Nebraska, are my two wild cards because I have no idea what they might give me. Akers is a nostaliga pick - he has burned me the past two years, but was available in the 7th round so I had to pull the trigger. Last time I took a SF kicker (Joe NEdney in 2009) it didn't work out. And last time I took a prolific kicker who signed a deal with an NFC West team (Josh Brown in 2009) it also didn't work out...so I guess I'm not expecting much. As for the punter, John Huber, I expect Cincinnati to have the worst offense in the game, so the pick was an obvious one.
The great thing about this league is that no one is the favorite to win. Honestly, anything can happen with kickers...hopefully after finishing last both previous years my team decides it's time to get lucky.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Just Smile and Shrug
After what happened tonight against KC, there is nothing more you can do. For the ten period following the Manchester United drubbing, we were all feeling pretty shitty. I don't think anybody expected the Sounders to keep their pre-United form, but losing to a terrible team from Panama and a motivated Houston team certainly was not expected. Going into the home game against San Francisco on Wednesday night, we all had the right to be worried. Our form was so poor that even the most rational thinking of fans had to consider the possibility that the United game got in our heads.
Thanks to a 2-0 OT win we moved past SF and into the Champions League group stage. It was a nice win, but you had to figure that in going the extra 30 minutes, we essentially killed any chances we had at eeking out a win in Kansas City. Not only would the team be tired, but they would be facing a team that was without a loss in 14 games at a stadium where they had never lost. Certainly the deck was stacked against us.
Yet Sigi decided to go with a very similar lineup to that on Wednesday with Roger Levesque and Servando Carrasco the only changes. Apparently the guys weren't in that bad of shape...or so we thought. The first half was not pretty for the Sounders. They were sluggish and had trouble containing the Sporting attack. Kei Kamara, who I will continue to say is rubbish, scored off a long throw-in the 20th minute. I didn't see the strike until I watched the replay but seeing that they were down 1-0 at halftime I just assumed they were done.
Then things turned in the 59th minute when Omar Bravo took out Pat Noonan with a studs-up tackle and got tossed from the game. It really had no place in the game and started a pretty stupid sequence. First, the KC players ran over to the ref before he even pulled the red card - apparently they thought it somehow wasn't a foul? Then when Noonan got up, Bravo got in his face and starting pointing. At first I was confused as to why he was in his face...I mean, he couldn't really have been suggesting Noonan dove, right? And then my boy Irish Mike set me straight - he had seen red and had nothing to lose. He was trying to bait him into a red of his own. Noonan would have to be an idiot to fall for it...and he almost did. I don't think anyone will argue that Noonan actually hit him (because he didn't) and even worse I don't think anyone can defend Noonan for putting himself in the position to get sent off. Luckily the ref didn't see Bravo because he sold it well. Noonan popped up and Bravo went down like he had been shot. It was a sorry sequence. Then to make things worse, he refused to leave the field for a good minute. It was a really terrible showing by Bravo.
Suddenly I felt like we might be able to escape town with a point. Thirty minutes is a long time to be playing a man up...even if Noonan, Fucito, Neagle, Levesque and Carrasco were the only ones with fresh legs. We started to control the game but when the KC keeper stoned both Fucito and Neagle in the 69th minute I thought the game was over. His second save was one of the best non-hockey kick saves I have ever seen. It was very impressive and deflating to those who were watching.
Then in the 89th minute we broke through. Servando Carrasco played a ball into the box to Rosales. He deftly avoided two sliding defenders, took a touch and fired it past the keeper. We had gotten our tie. Mike told me there was still enough time since there was likely to be 5 minutes of added time after the Bravo incident. I laughed it off. Then no less than two minutes later, we were engaging in the third jumping man-hug of the season. Rosales played a ball into Fucito. It got lost in his boots and squirted out to Lamar Neagle who shot low and hard through traffic to beat the keeper and get us the full 3. It was one of those moments when you start to ask yourself if this is a team of destiny. We have looked dead and come back so many times this season. It is starting to be unbelievable. You just have to shrug your shoulders and smile. We got just stole one.
You know how LA owns us in MLS play? Well, I think it's safe to say that we not only Columbus, but now KC as well. After handing us our first ever MLS loss in 2009 (thanks to a red card by Kasey), KC has not beaten us. All of their losses have been in excruciating fashion, too. First in October 2009, we clinched a playoff birth with a come from behind 3-2 win thanks to goals by Levesque in the 69th and Jaqua in the 76th minutes. In April 2010, Mike Fucito scored the now famous stoppage time goal off a throw-in for a 1-0 win. Later in the season they won 2-1 thanks to goals by Sanna Nyassi in the 66th and Alvaro Fernandez 78th minutes, effectively ending KC's playoffs hopes. Earlier this season Jeff Parke scored off a header in stoppage time for a 1-0 win. And now today, two goals after the 89th minute. It is 5 straight wins against KC and 8 goals after the 65th minute. Simply amazing.
Let's hope they get the job done earlier next Saturday against Chivas. Winning late is good, but it's a risky proposal. Come on you Sounders!
**********
Btw - It's blasphemous to even type, but Mauro Rosales is uber-close to passing Alonso on My Sounder list. He has been AWESOME this season and if this team somehow wins the Supporters Shield, he will have to be given serious MVP consideration.
Thanks to a 2-0 OT win we moved past SF and into the Champions League group stage. It was a nice win, but you had to figure that in going the extra 30 minutes, we essentially killed any chances we had at eeking out a win in Kansas City. Not only would the team be tired, but they would be facing a team that was without a loss in 14 games at a stadium where they had never lost. Certainly the deck was stacked against us.
Yet Sigi decided to go with a very similar lineup to that on Wednesday with Roger Levesque and Servando Carrasco the only changes. Apparently the guys weren't in that bad of shape...or so we thought. The first half was not pretty for the Sounders. They were sluggish and had trouble containing the Sporting attack. Kei Kamara, who I will continue to say is rubbish, scored off a long throw-in the 20th minute. I didn't see the strike until I watched the replay but seeing that they were down 1-0 at halftime I just assumed they were done.
Then things turned in the 59th minute when Omar Bravo took out Pat Noonan with a studs-up tackle and got tossed from the game. It really had no place in the game and started a pretty stupid sequence. First, the KC players ran over to the ref before he even pulled the red card - apparently they thought it somehow wasn't a foul? Then when Noonan got up, Bravo got in his face and starting pointing. At first I was confused as to why he was in his face...I mean, he couldn't really have been suggesting Noonan dove, right? And then my boy Irish Mike set me straight - he had seen red and had nothing to lose. He was trying to bait him into a red of his own. Noonan would have to be an idiot to fall for it...and he almost did. I don't think anyone will argue that Noonan actually hit him (because he didn't) and even worse I don't think anyone can defend Noonan for putting himself in the position to get sent off. Luckily the ref didn't see Bravo because he sold it well. Noonan popped up and Bravo went down like he had been shot. It was a sorry sequence. Then to make things worse, he refused to leave the field for a good minute. It was a really terrible showing by Bravo.
Suddenly I felt like we might be able to escape town with a point. Thirty minutes is a long time to be playing a man up...even if Noonan, Fucito, Neagle, Levesque and Carrasco were the only ones with fresh legs. We started to control the game but when the KC keeper stoned both Fucito and Neagle in the 69th minute I thought the game was over. His second save was one of the best non-hockey kick saves I have ever seen. It was very impressive and deflating to those who were watching.
Then in the 89th minute we broke through. Servando Carrasco played a ball into the box to Rosales. He deftly avoided two sliding defenders, took a touch and fired it past the keeper. We had gotten our tie. Mike told me there was still enough time since there was likely to be 5 minutes of added time after the Bravo incident. I laughed it off. Then no less than two minutes later, we were engaging in the third jumping man-hug of the season. Rosales played a ball into Fucito. It got lost in his boots and squirted out to Lamar Neagle who shot low and hard through traffic to beat the keeper and get us the full 3. It was one of those moments when you start to ask yourself if this is a team of destiny. We have looked dead and come back so many times this season. It is starting to be unbelievable. You just have to shrug your shoulders and smile. We got just stole one.
You know how LA owns us in MLS play? Well, I think it's safe to say that we not only Columbus, but now KC as well. After handing us our first ever MLS loss in 2009 (thanks to a red card by Kasey), KC has not beaten us. All of their losses have been in excruciating fashion, too. First in October 2009, we clinched a playoff birth with a come from behind 3-2 win thanks to goals by Levesque in the 69th and Jaqua in the 76th minutes. In April 2010, Mike Fucito scored the now famous stoppage time goal off a throw-in for a 1-0 win. Later in the season they won 2-1 thanks to goals by Sanna Nyassi in the 66th and Alvaro Fernandez 78th minutes, effectively ending KC's playoffs hopes. Earlier this season Jeff Parke scored off a header in stoppage time for a 1-0 win. And now today, two goals after the 89th minute. It is 5 straight wins against KC and 8 goals after the 65th minute. Simply amazing.
Let's hope they get the job done earlier next Saturday against Chivas. Winning late is good, but it's a risky proposal. Come on you Sounders!
**********
Btw - It's blasphemous to even type, but Mauro Rosales is uber-close to passing Alonso on My Sounder list. He has been AWESOME this season and if this team somehow wins the Supporters Shield, he will have to be given serious MVP consideration.
Friday, August 5, 2011
Jersey Shore Back Again
Against all sensibilities, I watched the new season of Jersey Shore last night. I have to admit that I wasn't overly excited. I mean, the show was starting to get a little stale as of late. The first season was great - no doubt about it. I not only was intrigued by the whole Jersey Shore Guido culture, but I loved all the aerial shots of the Jersey Shore. Those who know me know that I grew up at the Jersey Shore. Every summer my parents and I would go down to our shore house and spend all our time on the beach. The only difference is that I went to Cape May whereas Jersey Shore (which I just noticed has the same initials as this blog) is taped in Seaside. They are entirely different places - whereas Seaside attracts all the partiers from the tri-state area, Cape May attracted families from as far north as Quebec and Maine. Bottom line - I love the actual Jersey Shore...you know, the beach, the boardwalk and the water. I was sucked in by the idea of seeing the beach on tv (no beaches here in Seattle) and then stayed because of the characters on the show.
When they went to Miami in season 2 the atmosphere was different. Not only is Miami entirely different than every city in New Jersey, but you could tell that the cast members were officially celebrities. By the time season 3 came around, it was boring. Ronnie and Sammi were still smushing and fighting. The Situation was still putting himself in position to score but not finishing the deal. J-Woww and Snooki were still just annoying. It had all be done before.
When I heard that they were going to Italy for season 4 my reaction was initially favorable. The thought of them trying to live in another country was certainly intriguing. However, the thought of them embarrassing our country was too much to overlook. As the season was looking to get under way you started to here rumblings that it might not actually happen. Apparently the mayor of Florence was being a hardass - he didn't want anyone thinking that these kids represented Italians so he did not give the show permits to shoot in the city's most historic areas, in clubs areas where alcohol was being served and just everywhere in general. You really got a sense of what the rest of the world thinks about us..and yet we were sending these kids over to Italy?
So yeah, I wasn't overly excited, but I was willing to give it a final shot....and I must say that I actually enjoyed it and look forward to more episodes. The first thing that has to be noted is that it was refreshing to these the cast mates put outside of their comfort zones. Sure Snooki and The Situation had 9 bags of luggage and sure at times they walked around the city with an heir of superiority, but for me there was nothing better than watching them struggle to communicate with the locals, find their house, use their hair dryers, understand traffic signals and of course make their way up the huge ass staircase. In a nutshell, nothing is being given to them besides a house and a car.
A few random comments:
When they went to Miami in season 2 the atmosphere was different. Not only is Miami entirely different than every city in New Jersey, but you could tell that the cast members were officially celebrities. By the time season 3 came around, it was boring. Ronnie and Sammi were still smushing and fighting. The Situation was still putting himself in position to score but not finishing the deal. J-Woww and Snooki were still just annoying. It had all be done before.
When I heard that they were going to Italy for season 4 my reaction was initially favorable. The thought of them trying to live in another country was certainly intriguing. However, the thought of them embarrassing our country was too much to overlook. As the season was looking to get under way you started to here rumblings that it might not actually happen. Apparently the mayor of Florence was being a hardass - he didn't want anyone thinking that these kids represented Italians so he did not give the show permits to shoot in the city's most historic areas, in clubs areas where alcohol was being served and just everywhere in general. You really got a sense of what the rest of the world thinks about us..and yet we were sending these kids over to Italy?
So yeah, I wasn't overly excited, but I was willing to give it a final shot....and I must say that I actually enjoyed it and look forward to more episodes. The first thing that has to be noted is that it was refreshing to these the cast mates put outside of their comfort zones. Sure Snooki and The Situation had 9 bags of luggage and sure at times they walked around the city with an heir of superiority, but for me there was nothing better than watching them struggle to communicate with the locals, find their house, use their hair dryers, understand traffic signals and of course make their way up the huge ass staircase. In a nutshell, nothing is being given to them besides a house and a car.
A few random comments:
- J-Woww either had a nose job or has lost a lot of weight. Either way she looks like Skeletor, which is a not a good look for her.
- Four of the cast members now live in Jersey...but in my mind, Sammi is still the lone ditry representative. She grew up in Jersey, played soccer at Willy P and of course is the only one to wear a Jersey t-shirt in Italy.
- What were the parents thinking agreeing to be on camera? Oh man, that does not do much for your street cred.
- I love Vinnie and Paulie D. Still the best cast members.
- The thought of Snooki driving is scary. Even if I had not heard the news aboiut her getting into an accident with a cop car, I knew it was going to end poorly.
- They really need to split the show into two - the girls are totally bringing down the show. Some might like watching them, but for me, it's all about the guys.
- The preview actually looks good - apparently The Situation and Snooki have a lot of drama which prompts Ronnie to fight The Situation. Someone goes out on a stretcher and the cast talks about a tragedy. I'll be watching
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Sounders Get the Job Done..
The finishing wasn't pretty, but at the end of the day, the Sounders scored just enough goals last night to advance to the group stage of the CONCACAF Champions League. There were many times during the match in which I thought about my post had they lost. Was I going to be hysterically calling for change or would I have been able to shrug my shoulders and say that soccer is an unfair sport sometimes? The bottom line is that we dominated this match - more so than any match I have ever seen them play. Had we lost it would have been unbelievable...
Luckily I don't have to worry about it. Instead, I get to talk myself into thinking that we can actually advance out of our group this year. On paper, I think we are the second strongest team in the group behind defending champion Monterrey (MEX). I think we should be able to handle Communicaciones of Guatemala and while traveling to Coasta Rica is never fun, I think we are probably as strong if not stronger than Herediano. I know that neither of these two teams will be as bad as the Panamanian side we just played, but we were so dominant last night that it makes you think that we will be the favorite to finish second.
In all reality the game could have been 5-0 last night. Mauro Rosales, who (GASP) is quickly gaining ground on Ozzie Alonso as my favorite Sounder, was all over the place. I sometimes get frustrated with him for not shooting, but I have to realize that is not his game...the problem is that we don't have anyone who is taking advantage of the beautiful balls he is playing so his shooting looks like a poor decisions at time. Fredy Montero didn't have an awful night, but continues to be frustrating to watch. He will never do what I want him to do - he has no problem shooting for 35 yards out, but when one on one against a defender he is more likely to dance with the ball at his feet and look for the perfect pass than he is to put his head down, make one move and fire a low shot to the corner. The kid has so much talent yet he tries things like chipping the keeper from inside the 18-yard box. He had the opportunities last night - he just couldn't connect.
I likened the game to a training session - it seemed at times that San Francisco wasn't even playing defense on them. The Sounders connected so many one touch passes and had the run of the play the entire game - they seemingly were in a dangerous position every 2 minutes. The build-up would be nice...the finished would be terrible...the ball would get cleared and we would intercept and start again. Had this game happened a month ago, prior to our scoring outburst I might have been worried, but I know this team CAN and WILL score goals again. While last night's game was one against an inferior opponent that they should win 9 times out of 10, you can't overlook the mental part of it. The Sounders could have easily let the frustration take over. They could have easily gotten involved with the ref...they could have easily got frustrated with their teammates...they could have easily folded. Even though they were at home, all the pressure was on them. Thanks the to 1-0 result at home, all San Francisco had to do was draw or score a goal on the road and they were through. It would have been easy for the Sounders to quit.
Yet, they kept on coming and in OT, Nate Jaqua, the Sounders much maligned forward, saved the day. You can't take anything away from him because he put the ball in the back of the net, but wow, he almost effed it up. I'm not sure whether I think he was smart or stupid for taking the extra touch with an empty, but he scored and that is all that matters. I do want to give tons of credit to Mauro Rosales, though, who even in the 99th minute was still going strong and running all over the place. After having turned the ball over, Rosales didn't sulk but instead stole the ball back, ran at the defense and gave the through ball to El Flaco that led to the Jaqua goal. Just a solid effort by him all around.
Jaqua's reaction after the goal summed up the emotion of the team. Now I know he is never one for exciting celebrations, but his reaction was subdued even for him. You just saw him exhale. It was like a weight had been lifted off his and the team's shoulders. And then a weird thing happened - I was more nervous with a 2-0 lead than I was with a 1-0 lead. Chalk it up the away goals rule. At 1-0, the aggregate score was 1-1. You knew San Francisco would be happy with a tie - they would take their chances with penalty shots. At 2-0, the aggregate was 2-1 which meant they actually had to leave their bunker and try to score. In terms of last night's game, a goal to make it 2-1 would not have been a big deal. But in a two-leg series, away goals count as a tiebreaker meaning that even if they lost 2-1 last night, they would have advanced because of the tiebreaker. It was a very anxious 15 minutes for me. I have always thought the away goal rule was great, but last night I really saw how paradoxical it could be. Even though we had a commanding two goal lead, a simple goal could have knocked us out. We could have scored more goals, had one mental breakdown and go home. Luckily, the defense was up to the challenge and we advanced. We can all exhale knowing that we are still alive.
On a side note, MLS now has 5 teams in the group stage, the most ever for the league. Kudos to Seattle, Dallas and Toronto for winning their play-in games - something the league has never done before. Now hopefully we can have at least 3 advance to the knockout phase.
Oh, and one other side note- I don't enjoy talking about other men's hair, but Noonan looks less like a clown with his new hair cut, El Flaco looks less gangly with his, Rosales and Friberg still look greasy, and Montero continues to embarrass the entire franchise. Fredy, you got to cut the rat tail. I can handle the racing stripes...but the rat tail is terrible.
Luckily I don't have to worry about it. Instead, I get to talk myself into thinking that we can actually advance out of our group this year. On paper, I think we are the second strongest team in the group behind defending champion Monterrey (MEX). I think we should be able to handle Communicaciones of Guatemala and while traveling to Coasta Rica is never fun, I think we are probably as strong if not stronger than Herediano. I know that neither of these two teams will be as bad as the Panamanian side we just played, but we were so dominant last night that it makes you think that we will be the favorite to finish second.
In all reality the game could have been 5-0 last night. Mauro Rosales, who (GASP) is quickly gaining ground on Ozzie Alonso as my favorite Sounder, was all over the place. I sometimes get frustrated with him for not shooting, but I have to realize that is not his game...the problem is that we don't have anyone who is taking advantage of the beautiful balls he is playing so his shooting looks like a poor decisions at time. Fredy Montero didn't have an awful night, but continues to be frustrating to watch. He will never do what I want him to do - he has no problem shooting for 35 yards out, but when one on one against a defender he is more likely to dance with the ball at his feet and look for the perfect pass than he is to put his head down, make one move and fire a low shot to the corner. The kid has so much talent yet he tries things like chipping the keeper from inside the 18-yard box. He had the opportunities last night - he just couldn't connect.
I likened the game to a training session - it seemed at times that San Francisco wasn't even playing defense on them. The Sounders connected so many one touch passes and had the run of the play the entire game - they seemingly were in a dangerous position every 2 minutes. The build-up would be nice...the finished would be terrible...the ball would get cleared and we would intercept and start again. Had this game happened a month ago, prior to our scoring outburst I might have been worried, but I know this team CAN and WILL score goals again. While last night's game was one against an inferior opponent that they should win 9 times out of 10, you can't overlook the mental part of it. The Sounders could have easily let the frustration take over. They could have easily gotten involved with the ref...they could have easily got frustrated with their teammates...they could have easily folded. Even though they were at home, all the pressure was on them. Thanks the to 1-0 result at home, all San Francisco had to do was draw or score a goal on the road and they were through. It would have been easy for the Sounders to quit.
Yet, they kept on coming and in OT, Nate Jaqua, the Sounders much maligned forward, saved the day. You can't take anything away from him because he put the ball in the back of the net, but wow, he almost effed it up. I'm not sure whether I think he was smart or stupid for taking the extra touch with an empty, but he scored and that is all that matters. I do want to give tons of credit to Mauro Rosales, though, who even in the 99th minute was still going strong and running all over the place. After having turned the ball over, Rosales didn't sulk but instead stole the ball back, ran at the defense and gave the through ball to El Flaco that led to the Jaqua goal. Just a solid effort by him all around.
Jaqua's reaction after the goal summed up the emotion of the team. Now I know he is never one for exciting celebrations, but his reaction was subdued even for him. You just saw him exhale. It was like a weight had been lifted off his and the team's shoulders. And then a weird thing happened - I was more nervous with a 2-0 lead than I was with a 1-0 lead. Chalk it up the away goals rule. At 1-0, the aggregate score was 1-1. You knew San Francisco would be happy with a tie - they would take their chances with penalty shots. At 2-0, the aggregate was 2-1 which meant they actually had to leave their bunker and try to score. In terms of last night's game, a goal to make it 2-1 would not have been a big deal. But in a two-leg series, away goals count as a tiebreaker meaning that even if they lost 2-1 last night, they would have advanced because of the tiebreaker. It was a very anxious 15 minutes for me. I have always thought the away goal rule was great, but last night I really saw how paradoxical it could be. Even though we had a commanding two goal lead, a simple goal could have knocked us out. We could have scored more goals, had one mental breakdown and go home. Luckily, the defense was up to the challenge and we advanced. We can all exhale knowing that we are still alive.
On a side note, MLS now has 5 teams in the group stage, the most ever for the league. Kudos to Seattle, Dallas and Toronto for winning their play-in games - something the league has never done before. Now hopefully we can have at least 3 advance to the knockout phase.
Oh, and one other side note- I don't enjoy talking about other men's hair, but Noonan looks less like a clown with his new hair cut, El Flaco looks less gangly with his, Rosales and Friberg still look greasy, and Montero continues to embarrass the entire franchise. Fredy, you got to cut the rat tail. I can handle the racing stripes...but the rat tail is terrible.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Time to Get the Job Done...
I know that Toronto's results in CONCACAF Champions League has no direct bearing on how the Sounders do tonight, but after seeing the Reds not only win 2-1 at home last week but 2-1 on the road last night, I can't help but feel like we NEED to win tonight. I know that they are completely different situations going into their seconds legs - TFC had their first leg at home (thus allowing them to dictate play in the second leg); was playing a true minnow in the region; and despite what they are saying in public, could focus all their efforts in the CCL because they have nothing to play for in MLS -but it would be a huge slap in the face if we can't get the job done against San Francisco of Panama tonight at Qwest while TFC, holders of 3 league wins advances to the group stage.
Hanauer and the rest of the front office talks about making this an organization known around the world. Well, it starts tonight. I know we are still in year 3 and most clubs would die to be in this position, but if we can't win tonight, then we need to consider how this team is build and managed. We are a supremely better team than San Francisco yet find ourselves down 1-0 after the first leg. It shouldn't be entirely surprising, since last year on the road in CCL we went 0-3-1 with losses in Mexico, Honduras and Costa Rica, but I still would have expected differently against a Panamanian side.
Flaming out in the group stage last year sucked, but I looked forward to this year knowing that it would have a positive effect on the team moving forward. Besides Keller and El Flaco this was a young team with players who never got the opportunity to play in a hostile environment like Central American. Surely, the results from last year would help this year. And yet last week we went down to Panama and lost 1-0 to a team that had 0 fan support. It was a bad loss and as much as Sigi Schmid appears calm knowing that they have 90 minutes at home to right the ship, one minor slip-up will put them in a HUGE hole. I mean, if they come out flat and give up a fluke goal early on, then they will be down 2-0 in aggregate and need to score 3 unanswered to win. Even if they don't give up a goal, they will need to find a way to score. In the past 4 MLS games this hasn't been a problem, but in each of those games they didn't have to dissect a team that was in full bunker mode like San Francisco will tonight. We can't hope to counter attack because they are not going to push the tempo. This is not the type of game where we have had success in - we will need to be patient and do something we haven't done in the past - score some goals.
Had this post come two weeks before I would have been feeling overly optimistic, but after seeing the boys in rave get routed by Manchester United (a loss that hurts a little less now knowing that they plastered the MLS All-Stars 4-0 a week later), lose in Panama and look lifeless in Houston, I am definitely worried for tonight. Put me at Defcom 3 for this game.
Come on boys, we need to get it done tonight.
Hanauer and the rest of the front office talks about making this an organization known around the world. Well, it starts tonight. I know we are still in year 3 and most clubs would die to be in this position, but if we can't win tonight, then we need to consider how this team is build and managed. We are a supremely better team than San Francisco yet find ourselves down 1-0 after the first leg. It shouldn't be entirely surprising, since last year on the road in CCL we went 0-3-1 with losses in Mexico, Honduras and Costa Rica, but I still would have expected differently against a Panamanian side.
Flaming out in the group stage last year sucked, but I looked forward to this year knowing that it would have a positive effect on the team moving forward. Besides Keller and El Flaco this was a young team with players who never got the opportunity to play in a hostile environment like Central American. Surely, the results from last year would help this year. And yet last week we went down to Panama and lost 1-0 to a team that had 0 fan support. It was a bad loss and as much as Sigi Schmid appears calm knowing that they have 90 minutes at home to right the ship, one minor slip-up will put them in a HUGE hole. I mean, if they come out flat and give up a fluke goal early on, then they will be down 2-0 in aggregate and need to score 3 unanswered to win. Even if they don't give up a goal, they will need to find a way to score. In the past 4 MLS games this hasn't been a problem, but in each of those games they didn't have to dissect a team that was in full bunker mode like San Francisco will tonight. We can't hope to counter attack because they are not going to push the tempo. This is not the type of game where we have had success in - we will need to be patient and do something we haven't done in the past - score some goals.
Had this post come two weeks before I would have been feeling overly optimistic, but after seeing the boys in rave get routed by Manchester United (a loss that hurts a little less now knowing that they plastered the MLS All-Stars 4-0 a week later), lose in Panama and look lifeless in Houston, I am definitely worried for tonight. Put me at Defcom 3 for this game.
Come on boys, we need to get it done tonight.
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