Muamba and Messi: A Week of Contrast

Fabrice Muamba

Lionel Messi

I am always amazed at the twists and turns that life takes. The ups and downs sometimes come so quickly that our senses can't seem to keep up - we can very quickly find ourselves overwhelmed with sheer pain or sheer joy. The past week was no exception in the world of football.

On March 17 our beloved Tottenham Hotspurs were playing the Bolton Wanderers in an FA Cup quarterfinal match. It is our routine to record the matches that we are not home for - such was the case for this match. Before we could see the match we received news that Bolton's Fabrice Muamba, the 23 year old from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, collapsed on the pitch in the 41st minute. He had suffered a massive heart attack. After several minutes of resuscitation, Muamba was moved from the pitch and the resuscitation continued. Then the referee, Howard Webb, removed all players from the pitch and abandoned the match - a very respectful call on his part.

Though Muamba was critical for a time, the quick response of the physios and a Tottenham fan (who also happens to be a cardiologist) saved his life. Muamba is doing remarkably well now and is expected to fully recover. It was awesome to see how Bolton fans and Spurs fans alike, as well as the entire football world, rallied us all to prayer. I saw video clips of that day and I was moved by the compassion of everyone at White Hart Lane. We have not watched the recorded match, and we probably won't. As much as we love the Spurs, there will be other matches to watch - the important thing is that Muamba is on the mend.

Just a few days later, on March 20, Lionel Messi of Barcelona made history. Scoring a hat-trick against Granada he became the all time goal scoring leader for Barca with...wait for it...234 goals! Remarkable by any standard, but especially remarkable considering Messi is only 24 years old and is in his seventh season with Barca. This season he was also the first player in history to score five goals in a UEFA Champions League match (you must see the video for these goals - two of them were cheeky little chip shots over the keepers head) and he became only the fourth player to win three FIFA Ballon d'Or (best player in the world) honors. Whatever Messi is eating for breakfast, I want some. The man astounds me.

So, that was just a few days of twists and turns in the world of The Beautiful Game. In each case we that love the game gasped and had to catch our breath - we wept and prayed for Fabrice Muamba, we pumped our fists and cheered for Lionel Messi...then we pumped our fists and cheered for Fabrice Muamba! The great thing about football is that you don't know what to expect from week to week. However, the game gets more beautiful each and every day.

Starting the Season Off Right!

Last night was a good night.  It was the first time the Quakes have won a home opener since they rejoined MLS in 2008.  It was long overdue, but all the sweeter because of that.

Not only was it a win, it was a Wondo goal that put us over the top.  I think this will be a good year for him - possibly even his third year as top scorer in the league?  I think it's more than possible.

It was exciting to see some of the new players show what they have to offer, and let me tell you, they do have a lot to offer.  Equally exciting was the return of some of my favorite players, Steven Lenhart and Simon Dawkins, whose return was not at all certain at the end of last season.

And I can't leave out Mr. Jon Busch, who started off the season with a clean sheet.

Overall, I am now even more excited about this season than I was before (if that's even possible!).  I know it's only the first game, but based on what I've seen so far both last night and during the preseason, I know we can go far.

COME ON YOU QUAKES!

P.S. Next week is a double-header at AT&T Park: San Jose Earthquakes v. Houston Dynamo followed by Mexico v. Senegal.  I would highly recommend making the trip to the Bay for this one!

Le Toux Legit to Quit

I have to say that I experienced a fair amount of anxiety some weeks ago when I first heard that Sebastien Le Toux had left the Philadelphia Union in preparation for a transfer to the Bolton Wanderers of the EPL. My first thought was 'bad for the Union, but great for Bolton' who are languishing at the bottom of the EPL table. I found some solace in the fact that he would be playing for a team that needed help up top, in a league that I thoroughly enjoy - but what a pity that the MLS would lose him.

Le Toux, born and raised in Rennes, France, is one of the most exciting players to watch - he works hard on and off the ball for every second he is on the pitch. In 2011 he led the Union in goals, assists, shots on goal, and minutes played. Additionally, he received an honor again this past season, the Fair Play award, for not receiving a single yellow card on the season. This is remarkable considering that he was also a league leader in total minutes played. Of course, I am a die hard Earthquakes fan, but I have a great deal of respect for this man and his style of play.

Needless to say, I would not be anxious for too long, because by January 31 the deal with Bolton fell through and Le Toux ended up signing with the Vancouver Whitecaps of the MLS! Of course, I was very pleased to see him stay with the MLS and I can't wait to see how the Whitecaps benefit from his presence this season. On April 7 Vancouver will be playing the Quakes at Buck Shaw stadium, and as always I will be hoping for a clean sheet against the Whitecaps. But with a player like Le Toux up top, a clean sheet just might be too much to wish for. In any event, I hope the best for Sebastien Le Toux, and I hope that he will be an MLS'er for years to come.

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?