Sad Day for Women's Soccer

The 2012 WPS season has been cancelled.  Because the organization is now bogged down in litigation with an idiot former owner.  My initial reaction is anger.  Perhaps I will take the time later to actually analyze the situation, but for now I want to express how sad this makes me for women's soccer.  While I don't personally follow the WPS very closely, I do know that the vast majority of the players on the USWNT (all but one, I think) play for WPS teams.  This means that, aside from national team duty, these girls are out of a job.  Not to mention all the girls who don't play for the national team.

Read the MLS.com article about the situation here.

Pepe and Balotelli

Soccer is a very physical sport. I have played it, watched it, and coached it for years – so I am very aware of its physical nature as well as the rush of the competitiveness. You have the hard challenges, the tackles, the 50/50’s – people are going to get banged up sometimes, so one needs to be prepared for that fact. No one should really get bent out of shape for the incidental contact that is part of the game. However, there is a definite line that can be crossed. The world saw two gross examples of the line being crossed over the last couple of weeks.

Pepe (Real Madrid) and Mario Balotelli (Manchester City) were the recent sad examples of going beyond the usual physicality of soccer. Pepe appeared to intentionally step on Lionel Messi’s hand in the last match between Real Madrid and Barcelona, and Balotelli appeared to intentionally kick Scotty Parker in the head in Man City’s match with Tottenham. Both incidents occurred while the ‘recipient of the boot’ was on the ground and after the whistle blew. The news today is that La Liga took no action against Pepe, but the FA did suspend Balotelli for four games.

I personally have very strong feelings about Pepe and Balotelli – truth be told I can’t stand either one of them. And to make matters worse, Messi and Parker happen to be two players that I absolutely respect, they are definitely in my short list of favorite players. But this isn’t about a personal rant against individuals; this is about respecting individual players and respecting The Beautiful Game. Hey, mix it up, get physical, try to win that ball, protect yourself…but when the whistle blows, separate yourself from the opposing player and move on…we are all watching.

Take a look at the videos and let me know what you think.

Messi  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEcSm1TuhJ0

Parker  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXxVj-x2jL0

Photo: Scotty Parker of Tottenham

A Day to Look Forward To.

Can I just say how excited I am for the Earthquakes home opener against the Revs on March 10?

Be there.

12 Reasons Why I Love Soccer (And You Should Too)

[This post is modified from a post I wrote last year.  You can find the original article here.]

12. Two words: Magic Spray.  You would be amazed at how many seemingly traumatic injuries are healed by a spritz from the magic bottle and a pat or two from a sponge.

11.  It will give you something to talk about with just about anyone who is not from the U.S. Here’s a tip: in most other countries the sport is referred to as football.  I know, how novel—a sport that is actually played with the feet is called football.

10.  There are fights.  Maybe it is wrong that I enjoy testosterone-ridden confrontations, but I know there are enough hockey fans out there who will appreciate this as well.

9. 1 goal = 1 point on the scoreboard.  This just makes sense to me.  And I like things that make sense.

8. Our women’s national team is actually really good.  Yes, we lost the World Cup final last year, but we made it to the final, which is more than can be said for our men’s team (who I love with all my heart).  Which ties in with

7. Hope Solo.  Seriously, the woman could be a model.  And she’s a beast in the goal.

6. “Soccer season” never really ends.  There is always a qualifier, friendly, cup, play-off, or regular season match being played somewhere in the world.  Which is good for us addicts and bad for our friends and family.

5. David Beckham.  C’mon, this is a freebie.  In case anyone has forgotten, he is indeed a soccer player and still a very good one.  The phrase “Bend it like Beckham” refers to more than just a Keira Knightley film.  Do yourself a favor.  Check out one of his free kicks (and his gorgeous face) for yourself at a Los Angeles Galaxy game.

4. NO TIME-OUTS!  Time-outs are for wimps.  I'm kidding... kind of.

3. You haven’t seen crazy fans until you’ve seen soccer fans.  In many other countries they start riots and smash cars.  In the U.S., they are a little more subdued, but still intensely passionate (see: Timbers Army).  These people actually have their own entrances and exits at stadiums, and visiting fan groups are generally escorted by security.  They can be heard singing and chanting and occasionally cussing out an opposing player or misguided referee for the full 90+ minutes of a game, regardless of whether their team is winning or losing.  (Shout out to the 1906 Ultras!  Go San Jose Earthquakes!) 

2. It is called the beautiful game for a reason.  Beautiful plays, beautiful spirit, and yes, beautiful people.

1. Your awesomeness level will go way up in my book.  (This may or may not be the top reason for you, feel free to mix and match from all of the above!)

We want to know: why do you love soccer?

San Jose Earthquakes

What could be more awesome than seeing the boys in blue back on the training pitch? As our beloved Earthquakes prepare for their opener on March 10 against the New England Revolution, we are eager with anticipation that this is going to be an amazing season. The roster this year looks tight and it is so sweet to see Steven Lenhart back. Truth be told there are some faces that we will miss this year: Bobby Burling went to the new expansion team in Montreal, Bobby Convey is now in Kansas City, and Chris Leitch now plays for the MLS Champion (and Earthquake arch rival) LA Galaxy. We will miss them, but they will always be family.

Chris Wondolowski is currently training with the US Men's National Team, but he will be back in a Quakes uniform soon. Will Wondo get the Golden Boot again this year? I think his chances to do so are very good. Getting phenomenal service over the past couple of years was surely a key to Wondo's success, but no one can doubt that his athleticism and his drive and determination on and off the ball played a key roll in his quest for the Golden Boot. Wondo is a hard worker, he loves the game, and he gets what teamwork means. He and the rest of the Earthquakes lineup definitely have what it takes to get back in the playoffs this year.

Oh, and I just want to give a shout out to Ramiro Corrales! Ramiro has been in the MLS since 1996 and last year he broke the Quakes all-time record for games started and minutes played - the guy is a stud. His style of defense out on the left wing is remarkable - and as the oldest player on the roster he still sets an incredible example of athleticism, grit, and determination. Two goals and two assists last year prove that he is a defender that makes things happen.

LETS GO QUAKES!!!

http://www.sjearthquakes.com/

1906 Ultras

The Ultras - San Jose Earthquakes supporters section at Buck Shaw Stadium in Santa Clara, CA

The Beautiful Game

In the last century the world has experienced many, many changes. Revolutions have been fought, World Wars have come and gone, leaders (both great and horrible) have influenced our cultures in remarkable ways, every industry has advanced (for better or for worse) to change every aspect of our lives. The one thing that has been a constant during this time of upheaval has been The Beautiful Game. Whether we call it football or soccer, it is just as beautiful today as it was when the first players laced up their boots and hit the pitch.

We love this game and we love everything about this game - the clubs, the players, the characters, the controversy, the transactions, the strategy, the green of the pitch and the white of its boundaries...everything about this game in every culture is beautiful. Anywhere you go in the world, 24/7, 365, a match is being played - and everyday its beauty draws us nearer. You could say we are addicted, but what is there not to love about it?

A friend of ours who shares the love for the game encouraged us to start a blog - so we decided to get our thoughts and our conversations into a format that would allow us to share our passion for this game - so here you have it. You can expect everything soccer to be discussed here: from Major League Soccer to the English Premier League, from players and managers to trades and transactions, from players we love to the players we despise, from strategy to analysis...we will talk about it all. You are invited to join in the conversation - we hope you enjoy it as much as we do!