Along with MLB races heating up, college football, and watching both vice presidential candidates shoot their respective campaigns in the foot, I haven’t had a whole helping of soccer lately. So here’s a few things I’ve been thinking about:
On the 2010 World Cup…
The most competitive group for the European region has to be Group 7. Lithuania is the surprise leader after two matches, with Serbia, Austria, France and Romania looking up. Here’s to Scotland winning Group 9 and advancing. And speaking of international play…
How much more grueling can these international schedules be? I noticed a host of superstars sitting out until the second half of their English games this weekend, including Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard. This weekend I heard a commentator ask the Oregon coach if he thought the travel to Purdue threw his players out of sync. Try being American DeMarcus Beasley, who plays for the Scottish club Rangers, and cross an ocean twice a week to play in some grueling matches. Speaking of Beasley and the Americans…
Why isn’t the U.S. national team popular in its own country? Let me give you an example. I am a high school teacher and coach located near an air force base in North Carolina, so there is quite a few students who are worldly and soccer savvy. Here is a list of the soccer jerseys/t-shirts I have seen at the school: Portugal, Spain, France, Germany, Honduras, El Salvador, Mexico, Italy, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Chivas, Barcelona, Newcastle United, Liverpool, Bayern Munich, AS Roma, and AC Milan. I’ve taught a few of the kids on the soccer team and they can talk at length about any of these club and national teams. If I ask about the U.S., they show no interest.
Lastly, I think we’re going to see a resurrection for England in the next
World Cup. Theo Walcott, who plays for Arsenal, scored a hat trick against Andorra. He’s been hyped up for quite some time and is now just starting to mature and show ability to dominate, just not over a long period of time. He’s still very, very young and coming into his own.
On the EPL…
Caught a few minutes of the Manchester City-Chelsea game this past Saturday. Chelsea looks in top form already. Once Drogba gets back to 100% they’ll be tough to even draw with. I was able to catch a little of Robinho’s magic. He looks unbelievable with the ball in tight quarters and will be fun to watch. I don’t know if this legitimizes Manchester City as a threat to qualify for Europe though. After all, they are the EPL equivalent for the New York Mets. So is Man. City the place where potential goes to die? Speaking of Chelsea…
I don’t know why, but I love John Terry and it seems that, outside of Chelsea and England fans, he’s hated. He’s a dirty player at times but I love his passion for the game. When he crosses those lines, he’s fearless. I caught his red card for purposely pulling a player down that had nothing but green in front of him. It was near midfield and there was a defender on his way back, so the red seemed a little harsh. Even the announcers vehemently protested the call and said a yellow would have sufficed.
Liverpool has taken the first round of the North-West derby against Manchester United, 2-1. Right now Liverpool sits atop the table with Chelsea as United continues to look up with only four points. This game made me realize how homely some soccer players are. Berbatov, Carlos Tevez, Ferdinand. Even managers like Middlesbrough’s Gareth Southgate. There are some real monsters out there. I dare you to google some of these names.
I was completely wrong in my EPL predictions. But not about Chelsea winning this year or Man. United finishing below Liverpool. I should have picked Hull City to be my surprise team. I took a chance on West Brom because of their goal differential in the championship last season. Hull City is sitting pretty in fourth place. It won’t last though; they’ve played some struggling teams and their goal differential is –3. And as I look at the table, there are about nine more teams I was completely wrong about. Tottenham in dead last with only a point? That’s a lot of spent money only to be relegated.
What is with EPL teams having funky colors for away and alternate
jerseys? Last year Chelsea wore a florescent yellow away jersey; now they’re in black. Manchester City has some sweet home digs with baby blue, but decided this year to go with orange for away. Why? There is no orange in their crest. Manchester United wore blue two years ago. Now those are gone and they’re back to white. This annoys me, just like when the Red Sox wear green or NBA teams decide to have a fifth uniform with a throwback color that no one remembers.
You dirty rat – nice taunt at the end. I’ll deal with that later.
Your point about the grueling international schedule is why I think soccer in the Olympics should either be a completely amateur event or U21 – one way or the other. How many days do these guys get off during a calendar year? If you play for a successful club team, you will have league play and Champions League. Then you throw in Euro Cup. Then World Cup play. Man that has gotta shorten careers.
Did you catch the second half of Everton / Stoke. The frickin’ Toffees lack the ability to hold a lead. Four goals scored in the second half. Exciting stuff.
Why don’t we support our team: ‘familiarity breeds contempt.’ Does anyone watch how well some of our guys are playing abroad. You mention Beasley – there’s Howard. McBride before he returned home. The list goes on.
Red Sox wear green to honor frickin’ St. Patty’s as do the Cincy Reds. Of course I don’t see your anti-bias coming out on the southern Ohio team now do I! 🙂 🙂
Great post!
As far as NBA unis go – please bring back the Washington Bullets, so we can have those sweet wes unseld jerseys with the two hands extending from the letters.
Are you implying that I don’t like the Red Sox? How do you come to that conclusion? Certainly nothing I’ve ever said on the clipboard.
I caught some of the Everton game. What a difference Tim Cahill and Arteta make when playing together. I think Arteta is one of the best when it comes to free kicks – way underrated. The defense is becoming a problem. Lescott and Yobo get valuable time on their respective national teams, but they must not have support at Everton. Just seems like a lot of balls get through that have no business getting through.
And great point on the successful clubs. How did I miss that! But I don’t think the Olympics is the problem, because a lot of guys don’t play in it.
Let’s take John Terry since I’m developing a man-crush on him. He has to play virtually every single weekend of the year. He has premier league now. Then he has qualifying for the World Cup. Champions League is underway and then he’ll have the FA and Carling Cup in England. Oh – if that’s not enough now – European qualifiers for 2012 will be starting in 2009. Unbelievable schedule. I don’t know how they maintain.
Casey – you read my mind. I was thinking of the Washington franchise when I included it the part about alternate jerseys. As if the Wizards and their awful turquois uniforms weren’t bad enough, they have those gold unis with the black shorts. Absolutely hideous. Why do teams do this?
Sixers in black? Stupid idea from the late 1990’s that I think they’re finally changing.
I cannot believe we are about to embark on a uniform discussion through one of your posts. You the man of keep it simple – no logos and stuff.
I don’t know what bothers me more: the wizards uniforms or Arenas giving himself a nickname.
Actually that should be plural – Agent 0, Hibachi…am I forgetting any?
Yes – keeping it simple. Remember the Cavs, who had the sweet orange and blue, but not overdone, and the V was a net? Then they go with those atrocious baby blue, orange, and black things? Check it out if you’ve forgotten:
https://img517.imageshack.us/img517/3227/p1kempkc8.jpg
Next thing you know we’ll be talking about who is the best man-crush. Let’s see Wuest mentioned Steve Nash a while back (has to be a while back haven’t seen hide nor hair of Wu). You mention Terry. I swear Wally’s got a thing for the ND guard – McAlarney. Smitty…hmmmm? Me? I can’t get enough Dwayne Wade.
ewwwww-those Cavs jerseys
Smitty’s has to be Pedroia (I hope I butchered the spelling of his name by the way).
How about some sweet NASL jerseys?
Check out the California Surf:
https://nasljerseys.com/Jerseys/Jerseys_NASL_Surf.htm
You nailed Pedroia’s name perfectly/ You too have been brain washed.
My all time favorite, I don’t know why, is Inter Milan’s away jersey. It totally goes against what I said in my post, because it isn’t really the color scheme of the team, but how classy is that???
https://www.jerseyidalclub.com/main/images/07-08%2019%20Cambiasso%20Away%20Jersey.jpg
Then there’s the Rochester Lancers – great views of Holleder Stadium. I was probably in attendance for most of the games captured in these pictures.
https://nasljerseys.com/Jerseys/Jerseys_NASL_Lancers.htm
Love the huge numbers on the front and center.
Reynell,
Great post…. It is a funny compromise for the US Soccer Program. The more US players go overseas to play their football, the better they are and better the US National team is becoming. But it is at the cost of the US players becoming absolutely unknown to the average sports fan.
Unless there is a Freddy Adu making a huge splash in the headlines, the team borders on obscurity.
If you are going to talk about jerseys how can you not talk about the 70s Astros’ jerseys or the San Diego Padres tribute to our Armed Forces
https://shop.mlb.com/sm-san-diego-padres-authentic-2001-tony-gwynn-camouflage-jersey-by–pi-2718076.html
It is 13-5 and Mike TImlin is in.. Is the lead safe?
Great call Smitty. The funny part is – the army doesn’t even wear that style of camouflage anymore.
Timlin getting in the game set a major league record for most appearances by a right-handed reliever with 1,051, breaking Kent Tekulve’s mark. Kent Tekulve…hmmmm….more ugly unis?
https://www.checkoutmycards.com/Cards,=Willie+Stargell,p3
I love the old-school Buc logo, but those all yellow uniforms were difficult to look at.
Terry’s red card was removed: https://www.premierleague.com/page/Headlines/0,,12306~1394530,00.html