Before I get started, let me say something: let us never mention the Pan-Pacific Championships ever again. Losing to Houston is ok, losing to LA is pathetic. It was an after-the-season let down, that is all, let's move on with our lives...
Anyway, I've seen some various MLS blogs ranking teams by position and apparently (and not surprisingly, given the dearth of RSL TV coverage) no one saw Nick Rimando after those first 3 games last year. Here's a couple goalkeeper rankings I saw (that are absolutely ridiculous):
WV Hooligan has RSL's GK situation listed at #8, behind the likes of Colorado (sorry, I take Rimando/Seitz over Condoul) and 40 year old Pat Onstad.
Sideline Views is even more ridiculous. Luis Bueno, a supposed soccer journalist, apparently knows nothing about the league he writes about, listing RSL's GK situation 11th out of 14 teams in the league. Let me repeat that, ELEVENTH. I still say Rimando was the best keeper in MLS last year, but even compensating for my home team allegiance, the man is 28, in his prime, and a MLS Cup winner. Seitz is the keeper of the future and a U-20 star. And yet, RSL is listed behind Conway and NY, Hesmer and Columbus, Hartman and KC, and the aforementioned Houston and Colorado to name a few. Luis Bueno either has a serious mental condition, or, more likely, needs to lay off the crack pipe. Seriously. At the very least, he could probably use a new line of work.
Anybody else see any ridiculous rankings like these? Send them my way, they're always good for a laugh!
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Before I forget...
I don't want to distract anyone from my awesome PPC preview below (go read it! Now! haha), but I recently had a thought. Anyone else think it sucks that we waited until we lost Pope to get some help on the backline? Maybe if he'd had competent help at one point, he'd have tried another season. Either way, he was the face of the franchise for these first few years, the least we could have done was get him some help. Just a thought...
Eddie, you are missed already...
(On the flip side, I am excited to see what Joy and Borchers can do, if Mantilla can reign in his recklessness and be a solid defender, and curious if this Olave is even half as good as advertised; call me cautiously optimistic on our D this year)
Eddie, you are missed already...
(On the flip side, I am excited to see what Joy and Borchers can do, if Mantilla can reign in his recklessness and be a solid defender, and curious if this Olave is even half as good as advertised; call me cautiously optimistic on our D this year)
Pan-Pacific Championship
The Pan-Pacific Championship kicks off tonight so I thought I'd throw a little preview out there as there is little news on the RSL front (other than an embarrassing debacle against Lynn Univ. Who? Exactly.) and it features my other team, Sydney FC out of the Australian A-League. It is my blog, after all, so I'll talk about whatever the hell I want! hahaha
Tonight's first game features the LA Galaxy vs. Gamba Osaka of the Japanese J-League. LA is the one team in the competition not there on their merits, but obviously on their marketing potential. Yes, there is some BS given about being runners up in Superliga, blah blah blah, but seriously, we all see through it. Anyway, LA was not a very good team last year to be honest, but have made some interesting additions (for example Ruiz) and some odd subtractions (Albright). It'll be interesting to see how and if this team can come together and if the players will all play to their ability.
As for Gamba Osaka, I know as little about the J-League as anyone. I know it has a reputation as a fairly good level of play. I know it is in Japan. I know it exists. There you have it. A quick look at wikipedia says that Gamba finished 3rd in the 18 team J-League last year, but they won the J League Cup, which appears to be a tournament featuring every team in the J-League (but whose results are not a part of the J-League). This sounds like a solid team, featuring some players from Japan's national team, past and present. However, on the same token, this team will be missing SEVEN of its players to national team duty (6 to the men's squad, 1 to U-23).
Both teams are in their preseason and are trying to fit new players in. However, just by a few videos on the PPC web site, Gamba seems much more about results and LA more about being seen. Also, I'm honestly not sold on this LA team yet.
PREDICTION: LA Galaxy 1 - Gamba Osaka 3
Game 2 is the one I'm looking forward to. It features reigning MLS champs Houston and my boys, the sky blues of Sydney FC. This game could be interesting on many fronts, not the least of which is to see how the Dynamo work out their forward line. They lost 3 or 4 forwards this offseason (including, just so I can work this line in, Nate "Andre the Giant" Jaqua) and have a couple players (like Brian Mullan) who could cover the midfield to move DeRosario back up top. Nevertheless, I can't count out the two-time MLS champs, especially when most of the players that left were depth, not stars. I have a feeling Houston will show well in this tournament.
That leaves me with Sydney FC, who will have the good fortune of being the only team coming off their season, having lost in the minor semi-finals to Queensland less than two weeks ago. However, going against them are the continued injury woes of Juninho, who will not play in the PPC, and a possible lack of confidence after a very mediocre showing in the playoffs (0 goals in 2 games). This lack of confidence will certainly extend to winger/forward Alex Brosque, who at times can be brilliant, but in the playoffs choked worse than Karl Malone. If he can overcome this, and old man Steve Corica can keep up the form he showed at the end of the season, then SFC will have a good shot at taking down Houston. If not, it could get ugly.
I really want Sydney to win, but I don't see it against a solid Houston team, even if they are in their preseason. Maybe a bit of this pessimism toward my team comes from being an RSL fan (and a Cubs fan, a Syracuse Orangemen fan-especially "pointy football", a Southen Utah Thunderbirds fan, etc. etc. etc.) and I hope it's irrational, but I think the Creamsickles win this one.
PREDICTION: Houston Dynamo 3 - Sydney FC 2
Predictions for the 3rd-place and Championship games after my current predictions come undone (haha).
Also, on a completely unrelated note, props to the dude on big soccer who echoed my sentiment of getting Archie Thompson over here, and I second his Joel Griffiths idea as well. Well done, my good man.
Tonight's first game features the LA Galaxy vs. Gamba Osaka of the Japanese J-League. LA is the one team in the competition not there on their merits, but obviously on their marketing potential. Yes, there is some BS given about being runners up in Superliga, blah blah blah, but seriously, we all see through it. Anyway, LA was not a very good team last year to be honest, but have made some interesting additions (for example Ruiz) and some odd subtractions (Albright). It'll be interesting to see how and if this team can come together and if the players will all play to their ability.
As for Gamba Osaka, I know as little about the J-League as anyone. I know it has a reputation as a fairly good level of play. I know it is in Japan. I know it exists. There you have it. A quick look at wikipedia says that Gamba finished 3rd in the 18 team J-League last year, but they won the J League Cup, which appears to be a tournament featuring every team in the J-League (but whose results are not a part of the J-League). This sounds like a solid team, featuring some players from Japan's national team, past and present. However, on the same token, this team will be missing SEVEN of its players to national team duty (6 to the men's squad, 1 to U-23).
Both teams are in their preseason and are trying to fit new players in. However, just by a few videos on the PPC web site, Gamba seems much more about results and LA more about being seen. Also, I'm honestly not sold on this LA team yet.
PREDICTION: LA Galaxy 1 - Gamba Osaka 3
Game 2 is the one I'm looking forward to. It features reigning MLS champs Houston and my boys, the sky blues of Sydney FC. This game could be interesting on many fronts, not the least of which is to see how the Dynamo work out their forward line. They lost 3 or 4 forwards this offseason (including, just so I can work this line in, Nate "Andre the Giant" Jaqua) and have a couple players (like Brian Mullan) who could cover the midfield to move DeRosario back up top. Nevertheless, I can't count out the two-time MLS champs, especially when most of the players that left were depth, not stars. I have a feeling Houston will show well in this tournament.
That leaves me with Sydney FC, who will have the good fortune of being the only team coming off their season, having lost in the minor semi-finals to Queensland less than two weeks ago. However, going against them are the continued injury woes of Juninho, who will not play in the PPC, and a possible lack of confidence after a very mediocre showing in the playoffs (0 goals in 2 games). This lack of confidence will certainly extend to winger/forward Alex Brosque, who at times can be brilliant, but in the playoffs choked worse than Karl Malone. If he can overcome this, and old man Steve Corica can keep up the form he showed at the end of the season, then SFC will have a good shot at taking down Houston. If not, it could get ugly.
I really want Sydney to win, but I don't see it against a solid Houston team, even if they are in their preseason. Maybe a bit of this pessimism toward my team comes from being an RSL fan (and a Cubs fan, a Syracuse Orangemen fan-especially "pointy football", a Southen Utah Thunderbirds fan, etc. etc. etc.) and I hope it's irrational, but I think the Creamsickles win this one.
PREDICTION: Houston Dynamo 3 - Sydney FC 2
Predictions for the 3rd-place and Championship games after my current predictions come undone (haha).
Also, on a completely unrelated note, props to the dude on big soccer who echoed my sentiment of getting Archie Thompson over here, and I second his Joel Griffiths idea as well. Well done, my good man.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Pardon My Dust
I'm working on updating the sidebar and getting everything ready for the 2008 Ben Cup and the 2008 season, so if things are a bit crazy for the next little bit, I apologize. Hopefully I will get it done sooner rather than later, but then, I am lazy, so who really can say? :)
Friday, February 8, 2008
Note To Bob Bradley
Dear Bob,
Please, for the love of everything holy, do not ever let Freddy Adu take another corner kick. He has proven time and time again that he cannot take them. Unless you want to immediately turn the ball over, like in the Mexico game, then by all means let him loose.
Love,
America
Please, for the love of everything holy, do not ever let Freddy Adu take another corner kick. He has proven time and time again that he cannot take them. Unless you want to immediately turn the ball over, like in the Mexico game, then by all means let him loose.
Love,
America
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Ben Cup 2008
RSLFM has the 2008 RSL schedule up on her site. Looks like the Ben Cup will be decided by late April... Pretty weak. Anyway, look for all new Ben Cup graphics and the like coming soon.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Early Ben Cup Info
Sorry for the lack of content lately, it's been a combination of little news, a busy work schedule, and Donk basically saying what I was going to both here and here (about Lagerwey). However, I am working on trying to get some updated content on here (and contemplating a complete overhaul), but for now, to help get us excited for the season, some early word on the Ben Cup (courtesy of Steve Goff and his tremendous Soccer Insider blog):
"...DCU is tenatively scheduled to play its two matches with Real Salt Lake within a couple weeks of each other early in the season." -source
So it looks like we will be able to crown this year's Ben Cup champion rather early. I'm torn on whether I like this or not. On the plus side, this will give me even more time to rub DCU fans' noses in it. On the minus side, it won't generate the anticipation of last year's series where it was drawn out throughout the year. Either way, some news is better than no news, right?
Anyway, if anyone has any ideas on things you would like (or not like) to see here, let me know! Have a good one, kids!
"...DCU is tenatively scheduled to play its two matches with Real Salt Lake within a couple weeks of each other early in the season." -source
So it looks like we will be able to crown this year's Ben Cup champion rather early. I'm torn on whether I like this or not. On the plus side, this will give me even more time to rub DCU fans' noses in it. On the minus side, it won't generate the anticipation of last year's series where it was drawn out throughout the year. Either way, some news is better than no news, right?
Anyway, if anyone has any ideas on things you would like (or not like) to see here, let me know! Have a good one, kids!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
