The Kin of Fish

Red Bulls Preview: Week #4 vs. Steers

2010-04-16T17:34:00.001-04:00

After two straight west coast road matches, the Red Bulls return to banks of the Passaic to face an FC Dallas squad that's posted impressive draws against 2009 playoff teams Houston and Columbus. What Dallas is missing in home support it has in scoring threats Jeff Cunningham, Atiba Harris, and David Ferriera. FCD also has a lot of momentum, winning 5 of 6 to end last season, plus the two draws so far in 2010. While two goals allowed (only one by the opposition) in three matches is a nice defensive streak, New York needs to find some offense, and soon.. Angel is still looking for his first tally, and the Red Bulls need to develop their attack up the center of the field, not just provide service the wings. Will New York keep the home mojo going? Let's dig into the two sides and see how they match up:

Record, League Position, and Recent Form:
New York, 6 points from 3 matches, +0 GD, 4th, LWW
FC Dallas, 2 points from 2 matches, +0 GD, 14th, DD

Dallas' front line vs. the Red Bulls defense:
Jeff Cunningham and David Ferriera vs. Roy Miller, Mike Petke, Tim Ream and Jeremy Hall (and Bouna Coundoul). Cunningham scored on a pk last week v the Crew to open his 2010 account, and even at age 33, is always a scoring threat. Colombian international Ferriera was a majority contributor last season (8g/7a). Coundoul needs to move past his gaffe at Chivas last week and show the his club that he can be counted on. Hall remains a liability against speedy attackers like Harris, but Ream and Petke in the middle are solid. Slight Advantage: New York

New York's attackers vs. the Hoops' defense:
Juan Pablo Angel and Salou Ibrahim vs. Health Pearce, Ugo Ihemelu, George John, and Jair Benitez (and Kevin Hartman). The JPA goal drought reached three matches last week, and without quality service, will extend into another week. Angel has yet to get the ball at his feet or front of him to run on, which is what he needs to score. I have Ibrahim getting the nod up front. The Belgian did well in a substitution role last week. Hartman still has it, and FCD will pack the back on the road, hoping for a draw. Advantage: Dallas

The Midfields:
Joel Lindpere, Dane Richards, Mac Kandji, and Seth Stammler vs. Dax McCarty, former Metro Daniel Hernandez, Atiba Harris, and Brek Shea. With new signing Brian Nielsen about to join the club, this may be the last week Richards gets the starting nod. Lindpere needs to push the attack through the center of the field to be effective. Robinson may be ready to play in D-mid for New York. For Dallas, McCarty has a national-team career ahead of him, and Harris (at 6'3") will put pressure on the Red Bulls' centerbacks. Hernandez gets a warm welcome in his return to NY. Slight Advantage: Dallas

The Coaches:
Hans Backe was publicly critical of his team's effort against Chivas last week. Until reinforcements come in, Backe has to press his team's need to take home points. How New York rebounds from last week's loss will be telling. Schellas Hyndman has "all the players on board" as Buzz Carrick said on this week's podcast. Despite not winning yet in 2010, he has his team playing with confidence Advantage: Dallas

Intangibles:
While Red Bull Arena may be loud, it could be a lot more empty than the last home game as Dallas offers little in terms of drawing power. The weather may play to the Estonian Express' advantage, with a forecast of drizzle and the mid-40s by game time. Getting the first goal tomorrow night will be key. If Coundoul allows a soft goal, it may get ugly Advantage: Push

Prediction:
While NY's offense has been suspect, defending is the club's strength. Dallas comes in aiming for a point, and with goals by Harris and Lindpere, that's just what they'll get. A 1-1 draw.

Red Bulls Preview: Game #3 at Goats

2010-04-09T10:55:00.003-04:00

Did you have the Red Bulls as undefeated after two matches? Me neither. After a fantastic defensive performance at Seattle, New York makes its second West Coast trip in as many weeks to take on a deflated Chivas team (4p ET, MSG) that's come out of the gate flat as a pancake. The Goats followed up a 0-1 opening day home loss to Colorado with an 0-2 "road" loss at the HDC to the Galaxy. While the Red Bulls haven't exactly burned the nets down up front, the team's confidence should be sky-high against a club that's yet to score. Let's take a line-by-line look at tomorrow's match.

Record, League Position, and Recent Form:
Chivas USA, 0 points from 2 matches, -3 GD, t14th, LL
New York, 6 points from 2 matches, +2 GD, 2nd, WW

Chivas' front line vs. the Red Bull's defense:
Maykel Galindo and Justin Braun vs. Roy Miller, Mike Petke, Tim Ream and Jeremy Hall (and Bouna Coundoul). Galindo has seen better days, but Justin Braun has the potential to grow into a quality MLS finisher. Still, they and reserves Chukwudi Chijindu (best name in the league) and Maicon Santos have yet to find the net. Yes, the Red Bulls will allow goals this season. However, New York has effectively shut down two quality attacking sides in Chicago and Seattle. The Chivas front line isn't as strong as those playoff contenders. Advantage: New York

New York's attackers vs. the Goats' defense:
Juan Pablo Angel and Mac Kandji vs. Michael Umana, Michael Trujillo, Ante Jazic, and Jonathan Bornstein (and Dan Kennedy). After another week of healing for JPA, and another week of practice connecting with Joel Lindpere, this may be the week that Angel hits the net. Kandji's confidence has to be huge after last week's game-winner. Chivas' defense has allowed goals to Rapids' sniper Omar Cummings and two to a rejuvenated Edson Buddle of the Galaxy. New York's attackers fit nicely in with this group Advantage: New York

The Midfields:
Joel Lindpere, Dane Richards, Sinisa Ubiparipovic, and Seth Stammler vs. Sacha Kljestan, Osael Romero, Blair Gavin, and Marcelo Saragosa. Stammler was the man last week in d-mid, cutting out Sounders passes and snuffing scoring opportunities. Look for Lindpere to generate more offense than last week's match. Hope for Dane Richards to play like he did against Santos. For Chivas, Kljestan should make the US roster for South Africa as a backup, but there's not enough talent here to effectively control the center of the field. Advantage: New York

The Coaches:
New York's Hans Backe returns to the sideline quickly after gallbladder surgery. Backe has his team playing cohesively, and has won a match in league play. Chivas' Martin Vasquez hasn't. Vasquez needs to get primal to motivate his side, because an 0-3 start (0-2 at home) will turn a long April into a long season. Advantage: New York

Intangibles:
A loss, and Chivas will see any promise of a successful 2010 season ebb away. However, a team disrespected and backed into a corner can be extremely dangerous. New York, unexpectedly at the top of East after two weeks, may take the foot off the gas a bit knowing there'll be winnable home matches coming up vs. Dallas and Philadelphia. Advantage: Chivas

Prediction: On the week's Seeing Red, I called this match as a 1-1 draw, but breaking it down this way, I can't see Chivas getting a point here. Angel opens his scoring account, and sub Salou Ibrahim adds another in a 2-nil New York win.

Finally, a thank you from the Red Bulls to the schedule maker. After this week, NY will have played half of the club's four league matches in the Pacific Time Zone this season. The third will come on May 8th (at San Jose), the 7th MLS match of the season. Nice!

Red Bulls Preview: Game #2 at Green Ravers

2010-04-02T12:27:00.003-04:00

While New York has to be satisfied with last week's 1-0 home win v Chicago, there's still lots of room for improvement, especially in the midfield. The Red Bulls get DM Robinson back, but on Seattle plastic pitch, will a still-rusty Angel get the start (10:30p Saturday on FSC)? Will he play? Seattle started the 2010 season with a 2-0 home shutout last week v Philly, but as Steve Clare notes our Seeing Red podcast this week, the Sounders were playing an expansion team that was down a man for most of the match. They also can do a lot better, but will play without injured underwear model Freddy Ljungberg. Can New York come away with a point or, even better? Let's dive in.

Position and Recent Form:
Seattle, 3 pts from 1 match, t4th, W
New York, 3 pts from 1 match, t7th, W

The Seattle forwards vs. the Red Bulls' defense:
Fredy Montero and Pat Noonan vs. Roy Miller, Mike Petke, Tim Ream and Jeremy Hall (and Bouna Coundoul). Fredy feasted on the Red Bulls' defense last year, scoring three times in Seattle's win and draw vs New York. Montero had a goal and an assist last week in the season opener. Recent signee Pat Noonan is a question mark filling in for Ljungberg, but the MLS veteran is a proven scorer (45 goals all-time) who loves to play the MetroBulls. The Red Bulls' backline continues to play well, though keeper Coundoul had an adventure or two last week on the way to the shutout of Chicago. Ream and Petke have been rock-solid in the middle. Montero's game is on another level, though. Advantage: Seattle

New York's attackers vs. the Sounders' defense:
Juan Agudelo and Mac Kandji vs. Zach Scott, Tyrone Marshall, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, and Leo Gonzalez (and Kasey Keller). I'm going to out on a limb and say that Hans Backe will rest "big Juan A" Juan Pablo Angel given his lack of match-fitness and Qwest's artificial turf. The untested 17-year old rookie "little Juan A" Agudelo will get the nod. Mac Kandji showed little last week, but Backe needs his veteran presence on the field with the first-timer. Seattle allowed less than a goal per game last season, with the ageless wonder Keller in the net. If New York punches through, it'll be a surprise. Advantage: Seattle

The Midfields:
Joel Lindpere, Dane Richards, Sinisa Ubiparipovic, and Carl Robinson vs. Roger Levesque, Brad Evans, Osvaldo Alonso, Steve Zakuani . Evans scored the first goal of the MLS season last week, and is a budding star who has already logged time with the US National Team. Alonso is quality, and Zakuani is coming off a 4 goal/4 assist rookie season. For New York, the Estonian Express is the story of the season to date, with goals in his last two outings. The midfield will be lifted and settled by the inclusion of Robinson, who's put his visa issues behind him. Richards was off last week for sure, but hopefully his speed on the fake turf will allow him to rise above. Slight Advantage: Seattle

The Coaches:
Sigi Schmid is Sigi Schmid. Bigger than life. Just plain big. Wears scarves. MLS Cup champ with two different teams. Hans Backe has won championships, too, and is still learning MLS. Advantage: Push

Intangibles:
Forecast is for a low of 38 degrees and, surprise, showers, just the type of weather that Lindpere likes. Still, Seattle is 8-2-6 all-time in MLS play at Qwest, and nearly 40,000 Sounders loonies and the Soundwave band will generate the best MLS home-field advantage West of Toronto. If you haven't seen the MLS Gameday 360 video of SEA-PHIL from last week, do so. The "Seattle! Sounders!" chant gave me chills. Advantage: Seattle

Prediction: The New York Red Bulls haven't won a regular-season match away from home since a 2-1 win in LA on May 10, 2008. They will on the road this season, but not tomorrow night. It's just too tall an order. I see Sounders goals from Montero and Zakuani in a 2-nil Seattle victory.

Listen Up!

2010-04-01T09:06:00.002-04:00

Two audio appearances this week. First is the ever-growing "Around The League," a weekly whip around MLS with correspondents for every club. I serve as your humble voice of RBNY. Next is this week's Seeing Red, where Nat, Dave and I breakdown the Red Bulls' 1-0 win v Chicago, chat up Steve Clare of Seattle's Prost Amerika, and answer listener email.

Give us a try, won't you?

Red Bulls Preview: Game #1 vs. Fi-yah

2010-03-26T10:36:00.002-04:00

After last Saturday's sparkling Red Bull Arena opening match v Santos FC, New Yawk launches into the 2010 MLS season at home v. Chicago. After a 7-0-3 preseason, can RBNY ride the wave of optimism into a tough opponent that narrowly missed last season's MLS Cup by a missed pk? No doubt the new soccer management and additions to the Red Bulls' roster has rejuvenated once of the worst clubs in MLS history, but if the coach & GM are "terrified," what does that say for the boys wearing the bulls & sun on their shirts? Read on as we break down tomorrow night's match (ESPN, 6:55p ET), line-by-line style:

The Chicago forwards vs. the Red Bulls' defense:
Collins John & Brian McBride vs. Roy Miller, Mike Petke, Tim Ream and Jeremy Hall (and Bouna Coundoul). Fulham's own Brian McBreak led the 2009 Fire with seven goals, but won't have the legendary Temoc Blanco providing excellent service. Collins John may just be a breakout star in MLS but the Liberian, who had time in the English and Dutch leagues, may take a while to adjust to the domestic league. Red Bulls fans have to be overjoyed with the way the back line performed in the preseason, allowing just four goals in ten preseason matches. Tim Ream looked so composed v. Santos last week that many have named him a favorite for Rookie of the Year honors. Coundoul had many strong saves against Santos. Advantage: New York

New York's attackers vs. the Fire defense:
Juan Pablo Angel and Mac Kandji vs. Wilman Conde, Kristof Krol, Logan Pause, and Dasan Robinson (and and Andrew Dykstra). So you're a good team, and your keeper played every minute of every match in a very successful 2009. So what do you do? You cut him! Chicago will go with untested Andrew Dykstra in the net this season after cutting MLS vet Jon Busch. No, I don't get it either. Polish D Krol joins a very good defense that allowed only 1.13 goals per game in 2009. Angel, who is nearly recovered from a horrid tackle by TFC's de Guzman on February 27th, should be able to go at least 45 minutes tomorrow night. Finally playing on a home grass surface, JPA will certainly be among the league scoring leaders by season's end. Kandji drew a free kick that led to a goal v. Santos, and set up another with a perfect pass to Richards last week. Will these two finally mesh? Advantage (if Busch was with Fire): Push. Advantage (with Dykstra in net): New York

The Midfields:
Joel Lindpere, Dane Richards, Sinisa Ubiparipovic, and Carl Robinson (or Seth Stammler) vs. Justin Mapp, Julio Martinez, Marco Pappa, and John Thorrington. Veterans Mapp, Pappa, and Thorrington know how to maintain possession. With Blanco (5g, 8a) gone, Guatemalan Pappa (5g, 4a in 2009) will serve as the new midfield engine for the Fire. Winger Martinez joins the club on loan from Mexican 2nd division club Leon. For New York, Lindpere has already been a massive upgrade over Jorge Rojas. Richards scored a world-class goal v Santos last week, and if he's fully recovered from the knock he received in the 2nd half, he'll be flying down the right flank once again. Robinson is currently in Toronto, trying to get his work visa. Viva government bureaucracy! Slight Advantage: Chicago

The Coaches:
Both clubs bring veteran coaches into their first MLS matches. Swede Hans Backe has certainly won over the NY soccer media with his straight-up style, and the players say they all know their roles on the field with him at the helm. The Fire's Carlos de los Cobos has coached the Salvadoran National Team as well as Tigres and Club America in Mexico. Advantage: Push

Intangibles:
Unlike last week, the temperature should only be in the upper 30's around kickoff. The match will be a sellout, and the Fire will be bringing over 200 fans to the match. New York will try to ride the wave of support from last week's fantastic friendly win. The Red Bulls supporters clubs will need to unify their voices across the South Ward to be heard loudly and proudly. If Chicago scores early, the crowd may be taken out of the match. Still, hard to imagine NY not getting the advantage at home in front of a national TV audience. Advantage: New York

Prediction: Chicago has been picked by many as an MLS Cup Finalist, though the Fire's key player tomorrow will be the untested Fire G Dykstra. A shaky start or a soft goal allowed, and the youngster will want to dig a hole & climb on in. The Red Bulls get goals from Angel and late sub Conor Chinn and earn a hard-fought 2-nil victory.

Thoughts and Pics from Opening Night at Red Bull Arena

2010-03-23T11:19:00.001-04:00

There have been very few "perfect soccer days" in my life. Gio's bike for Metro v Tampa in '96. Watching the US beat Mexico in the 2002 WC from Nathan Hale's in lower Manhattan. The US win over Honduras in Chicago last summer was pretty great. My first EPL match at Stamford Bridge in November was super.

This past Saturday at Red Bull Arena was perfect. Perfect weather. Perfect vibe. Perfect crowd. Fantastic performance by the Red Bulls, and truly the start of a new era in soccer not just for the NY area but for MLS as well. The 3-1 pasting of Santos by RBNY won a few converts, sold some season tickets, and announced loudly and proudly that this club and venue are forces to be reckoned with. The Seeing Red crew talks about opening night here.

Here's are my photos from my "perfect day."

Although this Saturday's Chicago match is nearing a sellout, one small experience stands out about the continuing fan conversion process. On the walk to RBA, my pal, son and I, in full RB regalia, passed a small girl standing in a Harrison storefront. She couldn't have been older than nine or ten. As we passed her, she taunted, "Red Bulls are going to lose." Over this season, and those to come, RB will hopefully win over the residents of West Hudson. After all, RBNY is their home team now.

Being Ugly

2010-03-08T10:13:00.001-05:00

Yet another super-fun appearance on your favorite soccer comedy game show, Winning Ugly, with fellow panelists Brian Zygo and Michael Johnson. Wonder who wins?

Butts in Seats

2010-02-18T09:29:00.000-05:00

The bottom line for any sports franchise, the true determining factor of success is the simple old metric: Butts in Seats. In the hotel business, this is known as "heads in beds." Without an historically-strong squad to promote, the club is banking on the allure of Red Bull Arena to drive season ticket sales. For the New York Red Bulls, as they prepare to launch their $200 million temple of wonderment, advance-butt-in-seat reservations have been a little slow at the higher price points.

We're still clearly in an economic downturn. Some of the people applying for work at the RBA Job Fair clearly illustrate the point. Last night came the word that the remaining available $3,000 club seats at midfield in the RBA West building would be on sale for 2010 at the cut-rate price of $695, sans access to the fancy-exclusive Club Seats lounge and other full-price benefits. For the club, it's a chance to make for a more attractive environment. Remember the empty seats at New Yankee Stadium this year? For fans, the rate cut means an easier opportunity to get the best seats in the house. A fantastic move, frankly that hopefully will get some well-heeled butts in those nice pleather seats.

My Own Shingle

2010-02-16T23:59:00.001-05:00

So I've been doing the podcast thing for a year or two now, showing up on shows like MatchFit USA (My first podcast foray) Winning Ugly, SoccerLens, Inside the Six, and Around the League (formerly The MLS Show). It finally dawned on me that there's a need out there for more and more Red Bulls content. So. I reached out to some of the best Red Bulls bloggers on the web, Dave Martinez from The Offiside, and Nat Baker at American Soccer News.

I'm pleased as punch to announce Seeing Red! The New York Soccer Roundup. Each week during the upcoming MLS season, we'll bring Red Bulls fan an independent view of what's happening on and off the Red Bull Arena pitch.

Give us a listen, won't you?

Just What Will the New "New York Cosmos" Be?

2010-02-08T10:18:00.003-05:00

The New York Cosmos' impact on soccer in the New York metropolitan arena can't be debated, even 26 years after the five-time NASL champions ceased operations. For fans of a certain age in the area, the Cosmos were soccer in New York in the late 70s and early 80s, as so poignantly captured in the 2006 documentary "Once in a Lifetime, the Extraordinary Story of the New York Cosmos." The Cosmos were the first truly global all-star team, and a harbinger of what the top clubs of England, Spain, and Italy are today in terms of stockpiling top soccer talent from from the four corners of the globe.

For 20+ years since the team closed shop, the Cosmos' name, trademark, and trophy case were owned by Peppe Pinton, the "caretaker" of the Cosmos legacy.

However, late last summer, former Tottenham Hotspur director Paul Kelmsley purchased the rights to the Cosmos name from Pinton, with plans to "rechristen the team as a traveling array of all-stars, playing matches around the world."

With another MLS season almost upon us, a small NYC-based supporters club hoping for the "return" of the team, and nothing but radio silence from Kelmsley, here our my thoughts for what the "New" Cosmos might be.

Will the Cosmos be the Harlem Globetrotters?
The idea of the Cosmos as the greatest barnstorming football club on the planet is intriguing. As proven by last year's "Summer of Soccer," there is a precedent for filling stadiums from coast to coast to watch high-quality sides play each other as well as MLS clubs. However, would fans turn out to see a New York-based team of sometime players take on Man U., Chelsea, Real Madrid, Barcelona, AC Milan and the like when some of the Cosmos would inevitably come from those same European giants? Because if these new Cosmos aren't a global all-star team (a la 1978), then why would folks come to see them? And just how would the Cosmos stock its roster? After all, the top clubs won't release their players. Even if they did, given the unreasonable schedules that top players must endure now, just how many matches for club and country can these highly-paid footballers play and remain effective?

Will the Cosmos be MLS NYC 2?
MLS has long made known its desire to have another club in the NYC area. It's fair to say that the legacy of the NASL Cosmos has negatively impacted the ability MetroStars/Red Bulls grab hold of the soccer consciousness of the metro area (along with miserable on-field performance & management). A New York Cosmos in MLS would raise lots of questions, though. Once again, for former fans, the Cosmos were success defined on the pitch. As all MLS fans know, the global all-stars concept can't happen in the financially prudent league. Also, where would they play? For all the griping about Red Bull New York's base in New Jersey, there isn't currently a suitable soccer-specific venue on the East side of the Hudson. Even the delayed USL-1 club "FC New York" had planned to play it's games at Long Island's Hofstra University (where the NASL Cosmos first called home). The Wilpon family, before the Madoff scandal, had considered building a soccer-specific stadium adjacent to Citi Field, but that project remains at the concept stage. A return to the Meadowlands would undoubtedly please the NJSEA, but the Red Bulls just emancipated themselves from the artificial turf and third-tenant status at the stadium there. Why would MLS return? Why would Red Bull allow it territorially? It's doubtful that RB would consider a groundshare. If the Cosmos enter MLS, fans of the club will only be cheering a retro logo, because on the field, the product would not be the same.

Will the Cosmos join a lower-level league?
One way that a reborn Cosmos could dominate an American soccer league is to join whatever 2nd division soccer will look like in 2011. With the recent rift between the USL and the "reborn" NASL, a mildly-stocked Cosmos could runaway with whatever paltry league exists next season. With successful 2nd-level clubs Portland, Vancover, and some say Montreal soon moving up to MLS, a club with a decent-sized budget should be able to run roughshod over the Austins, St. Louises, Rochesters, and Miami FCs of the world. The same questions remain, however: Why would folks pay to see an inferior version of the Cosmos play? Against inferior competition? Where would they play? How can this work?

Whichever way the Cosmos return, however, they'll be no shortage of intrigue around the club. Rumors persist than former Cosmos Giorgio Chinaglia and Shep Messing will have roles with this new team. With the Red Bulls about to christen their jewel box of a stadium with Pele's former club Santos FC, the time seems ripe for the New New York Cosmos to share their vision for the future of America's greatest soccer club. We're watching with bated breath.

Feeling Patriotic

2010-02-02T11:19:00.001-05:00

US Men's National Team unofficial graphic designer extraordinaire PRC has just the thing for you to get ready for the 2010 World Cup. These campaign buttons are her creations and offer support for Charlie Davies, Jozy Altidore, Kenny Cooper, Sascha Kljestan, Rico Clark, and a mystery Yank! They can be had for all of seven bucks & will help her get to S.A. to cheer on our boys. Do yourself a favor & pick them up today!

Football Follies

2010-01-29T09:24:00.000-05:00

This week I had the pleasure to join Scott Bornstein, Sandra Franz, and Joe Covino on Winning Ugly Radio's Episode 60: "Don't Sweat It, Bornstein is Gonna Get It." If you've never tuned in, it's a comedy game show about the beautiful game. Trust me, it works.

Stars of Tomorrow: The NPSL

2010-01-28T17:29:00.000-05:00

I recently had the opportunity to catch up with Ryan Knapp, the Co-owner of FC Buffalo in the National Premier Soccer League as well as the current PR Director for the six-year old, national amateur soccer league. My interest in the NPSL stemmed from the recent announcement that the New York Red Bulls would field an Under-23 team in the league's Atlantic Conference for the upcoming season. The Chicago Fire will also field an NPSL squad in 2010 as they did in 2009.

The NPSL was created by a few former west coast PDL team owners in the mid 00's, who wanted to operate in a league run with the clubs' input, rather than by a central league office. (sounds a lot like the new NASL offshoot from USL-1). Over the NPSL's first five seasons, the league expanded regionally to minimize team travel expenses; first to the midwest, then the southeast, and finally, the northeast. For 2010, the NPSL will boast 22 clubs, each playing 12 matches from May to July, with a "Final Four" championship in Huntsville, Alabama on July 30 and August 1st.

There are two main differences between the NPSL and PDL: First, the $5,000 team entry fee is a fraction of the USL-run PDL, where team owners must pony up $75k to enter the league. Second, there are no age limitations in the NPSL. Some clubs run their team as an extension of their youth development programs. Others' rosters are filled with players in their mid-20's. Some teams run out college players exclusively (College-age NPSL players, like the PDL, keep their college eligibility). The freedom to make the clubs fit the owners' wants (along with those low operating fees) is a big part of what makes the NPSL attractive, as well as the "one team, one vote" NPSL system, which determines league strategy & direction.

The NPSL's goal, according to Knapp, is to become the premier national amateur soccer league in the US. "We strive for longevity," says Knapp, who notes that the league lost only a single team from the northeastern region this off-season. The NPSL is affiliated with the womens' 65-team WPSL, which is nearly three times larger than the USL's W-League.

NPSL match attendances range from a few hundred per game to the low thousands. Chattanooga FC drew a league-high 4,300 fans on last July 4th, and all of the Tennessee club's matches drew at least 2,600 in 2009, a number that would rank well with many USL-1 clubs. However, in Chattanooga's stadium, fans can buy beer. Many of the league's teams play in high school and college stadiums.

While the NPSL has yet to produce an MLS-quality star, Bob Shuttleworth, former keeper for Knapp's own FC Buffalo is currently with the New England in an backup role.

So why should fans care about the NPSL? Says Knapp, "These are the kids that will be playing in the USL and MLS in the coming years. In many NPSL markets, the teams are the best level of soccer that fans can see live." Indeed, operating in markets like Huntsville, AL, Madison, WI, Sonoma County, CA, and Reading, PA, allows for cheaper operating costs, and a down home feel. With MLS continuing to expand by at least three teams in the next two years, odds are you'll see NPSL alums dotting MLS rosters in the years to come.

Photo Tour of Red Bull Arena & Team/Stadium News

2010-01-21T16:22:00.009-05:00

On Tuesday night, I had the pleasure of attending an event for "ticket evangelists" at Red Bull Arena. I brought along two soccer-crazed pals who were on the fence about buying Red Bulls season tickets, and they weren't disappointed. Neither was I. I hadn't been inside RBA since September's ticket relocation event, and the place looked absolutely fantastic. Nearly all the seats were in, and with the lights on, one could feel the energy in the place.

Click here for a photo tour of my visit.

Before the tour began in earnest, though, was a short presentation from Marketing VP Andrew LaFiosca, Head Coach Hans Backe, Sporting Director Erik Soler, and Managing Director Erik Stover. Among the things I learned...

-Red Bull will invest nearly 20 times the 2009 marketing budget to promote the 2010 season and Red Bull Arena. The campaign will begin in early February.

-The team hopes to fill its second designated player slot for this season, has set aside one million dollars to invest in star attacking player to complement Juan Pablo Angel (Raul? Henry? stay tuned)

-Red Bull should receive its Certificate of Occupancy for Red Bull Arena today, meaning folks won't have to wear hard hats in the arena anymore.

-The stadium will open before the MLS season opener v. Chicago on March 27th. On March 20th RBNY will host Brazil's Santos FC.

-There's great news for fans driving to the arena. RBNY will provide three free trolleys to get fans from the Newark Ironbound district (and restaurants therein), from Kearny, & one other route TBD. Fans will be given schedules to plan their trip using the trolleys.

-RBNY is smartly educating the Portuguese population in the Ironbound about the team. Apparently, some soccer-mad fans there had no idea RBA was a soccer stadium. Some mistakenly believed RBA was built for baseball.

-The international club tournament that will be held at RBA this Summer could have some big names, reflecting the fanbase surrounding the stadium. While no one has signed on, Celtic and Sporting Lisbon were mentioned as possibles.

-Full season ticket holders will have their RB tickets delivered via a smart card. STHs will tap the card at the turnstile to gain entrance to RBA. The cards will be used at concession stands and the team store, and reward points will be awarded for purchases. Eventually, sponsors may take part in the RB smart-card program as well.

-The RBA concourses will include panels that will block the view of the seating bowl. Why? Red Bull wants folks IN THEIR SEATS during play, watching the match. This is a very smart move that will surely look great on TV.

-Why hold Big East Soccer semis & final at RBA in late 2010 and beyond? Red Bull wants to prevent local talent from slipping away to ACC schools. If the chance of playing at RBA drives local HS stars to the Big East, fantastic. While the Big East tourney may not be a moneymaker for RBA, the relationship with local players & fans is important for the team.

All in all, it was a fantastic night, and frankly, made this Red Bulls fan incredibly excited for Red Bull Arena, 2010, and the franchise direction as a whole!

More Blither, More Blather

2010-01-15T14:18:00.001-05:00

I had the honor of speaking with Richard Farley at World Soccer Reader's "Inside The Six" podcast this week about the Red Bulls and marketing in MLS in general. Check it out!

Red Bull Arena: My Seats are In!!!

2009-12-23T15:45:00.002-05:00

Awww Yeahh.

'Tis the Season of Giving: Your Soccer Charity Guide

2009-12-08T13:48:00.007-05:00

UPDATED BELOW. The old adage goes that it's better to give than to receive, and for American Soccer fans, there are many worthy soccer charities that try to make the world a better place through the beautiful game. 2009 has been a tough year for many, but if you have a few dollars to give (and receive a tax refund), please consider a donation (the best "nation" on earth!) to one or more of these footie-focused charities:

US Soccer Foundation: Beneficiary of profits for World Cup USA '94, The foundation's goal is simple: to enhance, assist and grow the sport of Soccer in the United States. Over the years, the USSF has provided grants to support field development in urban, suburban, and rural settings from coast to coast. The Foundation also manages the hugely successful "Passback" program, which encourages the soccer community to donate their lightly used soccer equipment and footwear. Today, the annual Foundation Holiday Auction launched, giving fans the opportunity to bid an autographed jerseys and soccer balls from MLS and around the world. Twitter

Grassroot Soccer: Launched by Survivor winning Ethan Zohn, Grassroot's missing is to use the power of soccer in the fight against HIV and AIDS, Grassroot Soccer provides youth worldwide with the knowledge, life skills and support to live healthier lives. With a focus on the African continent, Grassroot offers a "life-skillz curriculum" and empowers community role models to the tools to educate area youths. Twitter Facebook

Nothing But Nets: Another Africa-focused charity, Nothing But Nets provides inexpensive but lifesaving malaria nets to families across the continent. M.L.S. Works is a partner. Over the past three years, NBN has provided over 2.8 million nets, saving millions of young lives. Twitter Facebook

The Fugees Family: Coach Luma Mufleh and her amazing Fugees Family are helping to enrich the lives of countless new Americans. From Mufleh's home base of Clarkston, GA, the Fugees Family provides refugee children from around the globe focus on education, character, and of course, soccer. The team was the subject of Outcasts United by New York Times journalist Warren St. John. Twitter

Little Feet: Started by American Airlines pilot Trevor Slavick and Denver radio host Steffan Tubbs, Little Feet provides soccer balls to children in over 40 countries from around the world. LF also supports a community in Honduras by exchanging native coffee beans for new soccer equipment. Just in time for the World Cup, LF has partnered with Sam's Army and American Outlaws to produce a US Supporters' T-Shirt. For every shirt purchased, LF will donate a soccer ball to the children of South Africa. Twitter

AmericaScores: Serving over 6,000 urban youths in 14 American cities, AmericaScores provides literacy workshops that have generated nearly 20,000 literary works each year. Combined with a focus on soccer (of course), AmericaScores kids get 10x the amount of physical activity than the national average. Adidas is a national sponsor. Twitter

Soccer in the Streets: SitS gives life skills with soccer skills and helps at-risk kids in the Atlanta, GA area thrive at school and at home through out-of-school programs, mentoring relationships, academic support and hands on experience. SitS boasts affiliates in Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Pennsylania, South Carolina & Texas. Twitter Facebook

UPDATES:

PledgeMySeat: This UK-based charity offers soccer boots for underprivileged kids in Africa. In a nice touch, users, "buy" a seat in a virtual Soccer City Stadium, the site of the 2010 World Cup Final. Seats cost 15 pounds, with virtual luxury boxes available as well. Twitter

Soccer Without Borders: This East Bay-based group uses soccer as a vehicle for positive change in the lives of marginalized youth. SWB projects have taken place in Oakland, NYC, Argentina, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Uganda, and El Salvador. Facebook

Please do your best this holiday season to give as much as you can to these great charities! You'll be glad you did!

Radio Radio

2009-11-13T09:09:00.002-05:00

This week I had the distinct pleasure of joining Scott, Sarah, and Brian Zygo on this week's Winning Ugly Radio Episode 52: "Bluth's Frozen Banana Stand @ St. James' Park" It's a soccer show, with comedy. It's a comedy show about soccer. Do check it out, won't you?

Viva La Internet Radio

2009-10-28T09:27:00.002-04:00

I'm fortunate enough to join The MLS Show once again to wrap up the Red Bulls' 5-0 season ending victory over Toronto FC. Give us a listen, won't you?

This is The End, My Friend

2009-10-23T14:01:00.002-04:00

The 2009 New York Red Bulls season, and the team's 14-year stay at Giants Stadium, will end just after 9:30pm ET tomorrow night. It's fitting that tomorrow's match, versus playoff hopeful Toronto FC, will be played on a wet, slick, artificial surface covered with football lines.

While Giants Stadium has hosted plenty of meaningful soccer matches in its day, the third-class treatment that the NJ Stadium and Entertainment Authority has shown the MetroStars/Red Bulls since 1996 will be encapsulated in Saturday's 90 minutes. Parking customers will be gouged. Only a handful of concession stands will be open. Security will be surly.

The fans in attendance will hope that the Red Bulls that take the field will show some pride & fight in a season that got away early. New York started the 2009 campaign 0-1-1 in March, and 1-3-1 in both April & May. That pretty much was it. The '08 MLS Cup Finalist has been in 15th (last) position on the league table since June 20th, and is winless in five (0-3-2) since interim coach Richie Williams guided the club to two successive wins in late August.

While tomorrow is meaningless for New York, the match means everything to Toronto, which is trying to reach the MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time in the team's three-year history. TFC has two victories over the Red Bulls this season, both at BMO Field, bizarrely played only nine days apart in June.

The fantastic TFC supporters travel well, and last season brought a large banner announcing "Ooh! The Red Bulls are Shite!" for the Giants Stadium fandom to cast their eyes on. Given the state of the 09 team, the Red Patch Boys' statement was prophetic.

So is it within the realm of reason to expect Red Bull to play spoiler tomorrow? Certainly an appearance by all-time leading scorer Juan Pablo Angel would be an advantage, considering F John Wolyniec is out with season-ending surgery. Hopefully, Toronto will have a case of the giggities and allow a relaxed New York side that's had 10 days off to finish off the season on a positive note.

Is it March 27th yet?

Below is a video from Red Bulls Reader from team practice. At least they're saying the right things...

New York Red Bulls Player Preview: Toronto FC regular season finale from Red Bulls Reader on Vimeo.

Podcast Trifecta

2009-10-13T21:27:00.003-04:00

Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of contributing to Jason Davis' excellent MatchfitUSA podcast, as well as the SoccerLens podcast. Tonight I join The MLS Show as the Red Bull New York correspondent. Here's a link to the episode.

Horrible News: Davies Injured in Car Accident

2009-10-13T16:00:00.003-04:00

Whatever honeymoon the US Men's National Team was enjoying after clinching it's sixth-straight World Cup Finals appearance has ended abruptly.

Last night at 3:15am, forward Charlie Davies was in a car that crashed on the George Washington Parkway in DC. A 22-year old woman in the car was killed in the accident. Davies has been in surgery today for injuries that while not life-threatening, may end the promising forward's career.

Tomorrow night's match with Costa Rica, the final match of the Hexagonal, was to be a celebration of US Soccer's success. Today, a somber pall has fallen over US Soccer fandom. Best wishes for a speedy recovery, Charlie.

MLS Horse Race: Down the Stretch They Come!

2009-10-05T11:23:00.002-04:00

There are only twenty days remaining in the 2009 MLS Regular Season, and after this weekend's results, there are only five playoff spots up for grabs. MLS Cup and Supporters' Shield holder Columbus have locked up a return trip to post-season, as has '06 & 07 Cup champ Houston Dynamo and the resurgent Los Angeles Galaxy, returning to the playoffs for the first time in four years.

Eleven tightly-packed clubs are in the running for the five available slots, and the higher up the table, the tighter it gets. Clubs in slots 4-9 (Seattle, Chicago, Chivas, Colorado, New England, And DC United) are separated by a mere six points. Clubs currently on the outside looking in, however (Toronto, Salt Lake, Dallas, and KC), all have three matches remaining to reach the top eight. Only one club, New York, has been eliminated.

A close look at the schedule exposes the sides with the easiest road to the playoffs...

Club (current points, position), Avg pts/remaining opponent, matches remaining, most possible points:
1. TFC (35, 11th), 30.3 pts/remaining opponent, 3 games remaining, 47 points possible
2. RSL (35, 10th), 31,0, 3 gr, 47 pts
3. SEA (41, 4th), 32.5, 3 gr, 50 pts
4. COL (40, 7th), 34.0, 2 gr, 46 pts
5. x-LA (44, 3rd), 35.5, 2 gr, 50 pts
t6. FCD (33, 13th), 36.3, 3 gr, 42 pts
t6. CHV (41, 6th), 36.3, 4 gr, 53 pts
8. x-CMB (46, 1st), 37.3, 3 gr, 55 pts
9. SJ (28, 14th), 38.3, 4 gr, 40 pts
10. DCU (26, 9th), 39.0, 2 gr, 42 pts
11. KC (32, 13th), 39.3, 3 gr, 41 pts
12. CHI (41, 5th), 39.5, 2 gr, 47 pts
13. x-HOU (44, 2nd), 42.5, 2 gr, 50 pts
14. NE (38, 8th), 44.3, 3 gr, 47 pts

Of course, in MLS, a strong stretch run can turn a poor regular season into a playoff success. Here's a look how many points each club has picked in since August 1st:

16 points: x-Columbus (5-2-1), x-Los Angeles (5-3-1), Dallas (5-3-1)
15 points: New England (4-4-3)
14 points: San Jose (4-2-2), Chivas USA (4-3-2)
13 points: Colorado (3-3-4)
12 points: x-Houston (3-3-3), Salt Lake (3-3-3), Seattle (3-4-3), Chicago (3-4-3)
11 points: Kansas City (3-5-2)
9 points: Toronto (2-4-3)
8 points: New York (2-3-2) DC United (2-5-2)

Based on the above analysis, Who will grab five those remaining spots? My prediction: Seattle, Chivas, Salt Lake, New England, and Colorado.

Key Remaining Matches:
Sat 10/17: NE-CHI, RSL-TFC, COL-FCD
Sat 10/24: KC-DC, CMB-NE, RSL-COL

Red Bull Arena Ticket Selection

2009-09-29T21:42:00.000-04:00

Adios Osorio! Barca Buying New York?

2009-08-21T14:29:00.003-04:00

So much for a slow summer Friday.

Earlier today, New York Red Bulls Head Coach Juan Carlos Osorio quit the team with eight matches remaining in the MLS season. Osorio, who joined the club in 2007, took New York to its highest point, the 2008 MLS Cup Final, and it's lowest, a current 16-match winless streak across all competitions.

Osorio went 12-27-13 with New York in his nearly two years with the club. Assistant Head Coach Richie Williams (aka AMBOD: the Ankle Biting Midget of Death) will take over the reigns for the remaning league games. Williams guided the Red Bulls to a 4-3-2 record the last time he was elevated to Head Coach, in 2006 between the Mo Johnston and Bruce Arena eras.

It had been reported that Red Bull management was to relieve Osorio and Sporting Director and US Soccer Hall of Famer Jeff Agoos of their positions when the season ends on Saturday, October 24th.

Barcelona Buying Bulls?

Michael Lewis of BigAppleSoccer.com reports today that famed FC Barcelona, who backed off entering MLS with a South Florida franchise earlier this year, may be interested in buying the Red Bulls from Red Bulls AG in Austria. says Lewis in his "Offside Remarks" column...

Earlier this season, I heard from a good source -- another source than the originating one for this story that the team was for sale. I could not get anyone else to verify it, so I was forced to let it die on the vine, so to speak. Word got out there and rumors surfaced that the team was for sale.

On Thursday night, I spoke to that damn, good impeccable source and he told me the news.

"Barcelona is talking about buying the team," the source said, the team meaning the Red Bulls.

For the many New York fans who have issues cheering for an energy drink, the notion that the altruistic Catalonian Euro Club Champion could own the franchise represents a truly amazing development. Despite Red Bull's insistance that the club is not for sale, these two pieces of good news provides a welcome buzz around the worst summer (and season) in club history.

DuNord'ing it

2009-08-13T11:14:00.002-04:00

I've have the honor of guest blogging Brucio's wonderful Du Nord today. Check it out for coverage of yesterday's US loss at Mexico, a look at the remaining Hexagonal games, and this weekend's MLS sked as well. Enjoy!

Summer of Soccer Rewind (Part 3 of 3)

2009-08-12T09:48:00.002-04:00

For the past two days, The Kin of Fish has recounted this Summer of Soccer, the greatest, most visible season the beautiful game has had in the US, perhaps ever. This week, we've looked at the US Confederations Cup run, and the buzz around David Beckham's return to MLS. Today, with just hours to go before the US Men's National Team tries to get its first win ever at Mexico's Azteca Stadium, we look at the amazing support of Euro Club friendies that ended just last week.

Part 3: Big Clubs, Big Crowds

Despite the rants of the few remaining soccer haters in the national sports media, America is and has been a soccer nation for years. The US is a nation of immigrants, and millions of soccer-loving Americans with digital cable or internet access can watch dozens of top-flight soccer matches from Europe and South America on a weekly basis.

It's those fans than MLS has been trying (mostly unsuccessfully) trying to convert, fans who ignore their local sides in favor of the top flight leagues from overseas. In July and August, those superclubs (Sorry Alexi) once again filled stadiums from coast to coast, putting MLS crowds to shame.

Jul 18th: Seattle WA, Seattle 0-2 Chelsea: 65,289 (sellout)
Jul 19th: Stanford CA, Club America pks 1-1 Chelsea: 31,026
Jul 19th: Carson CA, Los Angeles 2-2 Milan: 27,000 (sellout)
Jul 21st: Pasadena CA, Chelsea 2-0 Inter: 81,244
Jul 22nd: Atlanta, GA, Club America 2-1 Milan: 53,600
Jul 24th: Baltimore MD, Chelsea 2-1 Milan: 71,000 (sellout)
Jul 26th: Foxboro MA, Inter 2-1 Milan: 42,531
Jul 26th: Arlington TX, Chelsea 2-0 Club America: 57,229
Aug 1st: Pasadena CA: Los Angeles 1-2 Barcelona: 93,137
Aug 5th: Seattle WA, Seattle 0-4 Barcelona: 66,848 (sellout)
Aug 7th: Toronto ONT: Toronto FC 1-5 Real Madrid: 22,089 (sellout)
Aug 9th: Landover MD: DC United 0-3 Real Madrid: 72,368

No wonder a non-soccer pal of mine who follows me on Twitter asked, "Is there futbol on every single night?"

What do these sparkling attendances for top-flight soccer clubs tell us? Certainly there's an massive desire to see these sides in the US, regardless of what any mainstream media outlet will tell you. What's less clear is the appetite for supporting teams that many soccer fans view as less-than-major league, on a weekly basis.

Now some franchises (Seattle, Toronto, LA, DC, possibly Salt Lake) have seemingly found the magic formula to bind the teams to their communities and generate sizeable crowds even in adverse weather conditions. Clearly, many clubs like Dallas, New England, Colorado, and my horrendous New York Red Bulls have lost the scent, bordering on irrelevancy in their markets, in many cases ignored by the local sports media that "covers" them.

Now, MLS will never be the NFL. Never. But as the league is negotiating with its players' union over a new collective bargaining agreement, and with all the expansion fee money that's rolled in over the last few years (with more to come), now is the time to raise the salary cap. Signing some decent European or South American talent will be key to attract those... dare I say it... Eurosnobs to kick the MLS tires once again.

In the early days of the league, international stars like Valderrama and Etcheverry, along with the top American players of the day (Ramos, Wynalda, Harkes, Lalas) gave the league instant credibility. In 2009 there are many fewer international stars, and lots of young poorly-paid Yanks looking to impress and move to Europe. Only with an increased investment in the on-field product will MLS successfully leverage the Summer of Soccer league-wide in terms of generating attendance, growing television ratings, and signing more sponsors in this down economy.

And about that match...

Yes, the US has never won at the Azteca, or within Mexican borders. Yes, our boys should have lots of confidence after their Confed Cup performance. Yes, Landon Donovan is in TIP TOP FORM. Still, if you can't breathe, you can't breathe. I'm hoping for a point today, but won't be down if the Yanks lose to Mexico. Two winnable home games (v. El Salvador and Costa Rica) should mean six more points to add to the US' current ten. We're in great position to make our sixth straight World Cup Finals, win, lose, or draw at 4p ET. My prediction: a 1-1 draw, with Dos Santos and Davies finding the net.

Summer of Soccer Rewind (Part 2 of 3)

2009-08-11T10:08:00.006-04:00

In a three-day series ahead of Wednesday's US-Mexico tilt, The Kin of Fish is looking back at this amazing Summer of Soccer. Yesterday we reviewed the US Men's National Team's run to the Confederations Cup Final. Today we look at the biggest story in American Soccer in July... the return of David Beckham to the LA Galaxy.

Part 2: Of Books and Boos: Beckham Returns

What soccer (and American soccer) in particular needs is a little drama, and Sports Illustrated Senior Writer Grant Wahl delivered that drama in spades last month with the release of The Beckham Experiment: How the World's Most Famous Athlete Tried to Conquer America.

The book is like no other in its examination of life inside an MLS club, with all the intrigue, surprise, and humor you'd expect from a television soap opera. Wahl deftly mixes interviews with former Galaxy GM Alexi Lalas, who comes off as a man of vision whose power gets usurped by Team Beckham; Alan Gordon, the embodiement of the struggling underpaid MLS journeyman, trying to stay afloat financially; and Galaxy star Landon Donovan, whose comments questioning Beckham's commitment to the Galaxy created as big a "media firestorm" as any event in MLS history.

The only point of view missing is David Beckham's of course. Wahl states that Beckham's people wanted to be paid for Goldenballs' participation in the project, which may be standard practice in the UK. Beckham himself called the book "unauthorized" during his press conference before his first 2009 MLS match. All in all, The Beckham Experience is a must-read for any fan of MLS, of American Soccer, or of David Beckham. It's the first real major-media look behind the scenes of the hush-hush single-entity league, and Wahl's portrayal of the day-to-day life of MLS players is both enlightening and entertaining.

Of course, the book brought more attention to American soccer and MLS, though Beckham and LA (and a woeful NY squad) drew only 23,000 fans to Giants Stadium on July 16th, his first stateside match. The 2007 and 2008 NY-LA matches drew 66,000 and 44,000 respectively. Beckham-mania certainly seemed reduced in his third MLS go-around, though LA has drawn decent crowds in Kansas City and New England.

It was on July 19th, though, that Becks' relationship with American fandom hit its nadir. Playing in his first home match of the year, Beckham, incensed by the fan group LA Riot Squad's needling, Becks challenged a fan to come down and take him on. When one jumped from the stands to the field, Beckham tried to play it off as if he wanted to shake the fans' hand. The ugly incident made sports television around the world, and exposed the huge rift between the Becks and American fandom. Most fans believe that #23 will only be here until the end of the season before heading back to Europe, no matter how "committed" he says he is to LA for now.

Becks wants desperately to make the 2010 England World Cup Squad, and coach Fabio Capello has stated that Beckham needs to be back playing in Europe by December to even be considered. Sadly, if Becks had waited until after WC 2010 to join MLS, he'd be more authentic in his claim to want to grow American Soccer. He just headed over the pond three years too soon.

What makes Beckham's 2009 run with the Galaxy different, of course, it that for the first time in three seasons the club is actually winning. The Gals had won three straight before Beckham's arrival, and is 2-0-1 in MLS since Becks has been with the squad. In fact, LA is the hottest team in the league right now, and is challenging Houston for the top spot in the West. The Galaxy in great shape to end the club's three-year playoff drought, and could make a run at the title. That'd be the send off Becks, and LA fans, could only dream of.

Tomorrow, I'll take a look at the successful European club friendlies that have taken the US by storm over the past few weeks, and share thoughts on the ultimate match of the Summer of Soccer, the US visiting the Azteca in tomorrow's World Cup Qualifier with Mexico.

Summer of Soccer Rewind (Part 1 of 3)

2009-08-10T12:27:00.004-04:00

By any standards, the Summer of 2009 will go down as one of the most memorable seasons in American Soccer history. Between the US Men's National Team's improbable run to the Confederations' Cup Final, the release of Grant Wahl's The Beckham Experiment" and the re-entry of David Beckham to the LA Galaxy, The Gold Cup, and the massive crowds that have attended top-notch Euro club friendlies, there was more buzz, more visibilty, and more soccer in America in the last few months than any other time is recent memory.

Over the next three days, I'll recap the season that brought soccer highlights and talk to the forefront of America's sports consciousness, which will culminate on Wednesday's afternoon, when Mexico and the US meet in a World Cup Qualifier at the Azteca in Mexico City.

Part 1: The US Makes its Mark on the World Stage

Pundits call the FIFA Confederations Cup the "world's third most important national team tournament" after the World Cup, of course, and the European Championships. For the US Men's National Team, the Confed Cup started horribly, with losses to Italy and Brazil that caused many to wonder if the Yanks truly belonged in a tournament of the Confed Cup's caliber, and whether Bob Bradley was fit to be the US coach.

The June 15th group stage opener vs. defending World Cup champion Italy started reasonably well for the US. The Yanks carried much of the play and had some quality chances before Ricardo Clark was ejected on a straight red card in the 33rd minute. A Donovan pk before halftime gave the US a surprising lead, but NJ native and burgeoning Italian star Giuseppi Rossi took over the match upon entering in the 57th minute. Rossi's two goals added insult to injury as the Yanks folded in the 2nd half and lost 1-3.

The Brazil match three days later did little to instill belief that the Yanks would extend their stay in South Africa past the group statge. The US played frightened and intimidated, and a horrendous giveaway by DeMarcus Beasley led to an end-to-end counterattack and goal by Robinho which put the Yanks in a 2-0 hole. Add another red card by Sacha Kljestan and a second half goal by Brazil, and the US had its collective head down, ready to head home with zero points and a -5 goal differential. Stateside, American pundits and fans had the pitchforks and torches out for Bob Bradley's head.

Say what you want about Bradley, but the US coach was able to remove any negativity from his squad's psyche ahead the Yanks' final group match with African Champ Egypt on June 21st. Needing help from the other group match, The US got goals from Charlie Davies, Michael Bradley, and the struggling Clint Dempsey... and NO red cards. The 3-0 win shocked Egypt, raised eyebrows across the soccer world, and when Brazil routed Italy, advanced the US to the tournament semifinals on the goals-scored tiebreaker.

Tournament broadcaster ESPN began to turn on its hype machine ahead of the US' David v Goliath matchup with European Champion Spain in the semis on June 24th, and with good reason. Spain hadn't lost a match in its last 35 outings, and was on a 14-match win streak. The newly invigorated Bradley created a masterful game plan, with teen phenom Jozy Altidore up top. Altidore's amazing goal off Casillas in the 27th minute not only won him a trip to the EPL, but gave the US the confidence to defend with gusto. Dempsey's punishing goal in the 72nd gave the US the unlikliest of victories against the number one team in the world, and the American Sports press took notice, comparing the win to the 1980 US Hockey "Miracle on Ice."

The Confed Cup final, against Brazil, had the benefit of being scheduled on a Sunday afternoon devoid of other sizeable sporting events in the US. ESPN was relentless in its promotion of the match, using all of its media forms (TV, radio, mobile, web) to attract viewership. On the field, the match was a dream start for the US, with Dempsey scoring early, and Charlie Davies and Landon Donovan executing a picture perfect counterattack to give the Yanks an early 2-0 lead. It'd be hard to imagine the tongue-lashing that the Brazil squad received by coach Dunga at halftime, and the 5-time World Cup champs started the 2nd half on fire, taking less than a minute to halve the US' lead. Brazil poured it on as the game wore on, getting the winner from Lucio just six minutes from time.

In addition to the Yanks' silver medals, Clint Dempsey took home the Bronze Ball awards for his three goals, and Tim Howard won the Gold Gloves award for his stellar play in the Egypt, Spain, and Brazil matches.

Despite the loss, the US' grit earned tons of respect around the soccer world, and viewers, too. the final against Brazil drew a 2.6 rating, translating into nearly 4 million viewers and made the match the most-watched non-World Cup match in ESPN history. SportsCenter presented the match as the number one story of the day, spending 7-8 minutes on match coverage.

The mainstream sports media picked up the story as well. Despite the obligatory "what does it mean?" articles and columns, some of the soccer-hatingest cronies begrudgingly gave US Soccer its props, and noted that perhaps the US was slowly turning on to soccer.

The US team's Confederation Cup performance elevated awareness of the sport among the general sports fan, but getting to the next level took one of the most famous names and faces in the world today.

Tomorrow I'll review Wahl's The Beckham Experiment, and look at the good, the bad, and the ugly (and very ugly) of David Beckham's return to MLS.

Nothing Left to Play For

2009-08-06T11:39:00.002-04:00

It's come to this. With last night's humiliating 2-1 home loss to Trinidadian club W Connection, the New York Red Bulls have shot the rest of this horrible 2009 season to smithereens. With nine meaningless league matches to play, the worst season in MLS history will come to a merciful end on Saturday, October 24th against visiting Toronto FC.

To date this year, the Red Bulls have stumbled and bumbled their way to a collective 3-17-5 overall mark, with a 2-15-4 record in league play. The club is currently on a 14-match winless streak, dating back to a 4-1 home win vs. Western Conference cellar-dweller San Jose on May 8th. In fact, two of New York's three wins have come vs. the not-as-bad-as-NY Earthquakes. The other victory came at home vs. RSL in April.

Despite dead-man-walking coach Juan Carlos Osorio's reputation as a defensive coach, the 2009 Red Bulls have given up 2+ goals 52% of the time, and 3+ goals in 30% of matches. Up front, though, the team has been spectactularly woeful. New York has been shut out in almost half of its outings (11 of 25 games), and scored a single goal only seven times as well. That's almost three out of four games with no or one goal. Atrocious.

Who's to blame? Certainly Agoos and Osorio, but for my money the departure of left wing midfielder Dave van den Bergh is most responsible for the team's offensive demise. in 2008, vDB provided quality service to Juan Pablo Angel, was an imposing presence in the box, and started many scoring plays, recording 5 assists. van den Bergh complemented speedy right winger Dane Richards, and helped the club score 42 goals in 30 matches. This year, with two-thirds of the season gone, NY has scored just 24 times in 25 games.

So where does the club go from here? Much has been made about New York's long history of coaching changes (11 in nearly 14 seasons). A recent trip to Austria didn't generate the dismissal of Osorio and Agoos. With a gorgeous new stadium ready for an April 2010 opening, and dwindling attendance in a lost season, what can be done to save this franchise from its' wretchedness? A new coach and GM for sure, but who? New players, but who? Another DP? One thing's for sure. The 2009 Red Bulls have been a failure unlike any its poor fan base have ever seen.

Soccer Media Challenge #342,859

2009-07-17T10:12:00.002-04:00

One of the challenges of following the Red Bulls in New York is the mainstream sports media's lack of team coverage. In a down year like this one, compounded with shrinking staffs at the city's daily papers, regular news about NYRB is scarce, and getting scarcer. The New York Times has stopped sending reporters to home matches years ago, choosing to pick up wire reports instead.

Last night's visit by Los Angeles, however, prompted the Gray Lady to send Joshua Robinson, a writer who clearly has no idea about how to write about soccer, to the Stade du Swamp.

In Adam Spangler's recent interview with Grant Wahl, author of The Beckham Experiment, Wahl states:

So often as a journalist covering American soccer, I feel like a business writer. That’s something that is important, but sometimes you really feel like that is more important than just about anything, especially what is taking place on the field. I think the people who read this book will see that it’s about the soccer. It’s about what goes on in the Galaxy locker room and the management of the team from a soccer perspective. The business stuff is important, and it has been tremendously successful, but sometimes we lose sight that it has to be about the sport at some point, you know?

Robinson's story of last night's 3-1 LA victory illustrates Wahl point fantastically. Only one of Robinson's 10-paragraph story mentions any part of the game action. He writes about the Donovan-Beckham kerfluffle. He writes about the boos that Beckham recieved on set pieces and when leaving the match. Robinson does not mention a single Red Bull player, New York's woeful record, or how three of the matches' four goals were scored.

Robinson did mention the attendance for the match: 23,238, and called the number "thin," without mentioning that the 23k represented the largest home crowd the Red Bulls have drawn this miserable season.

In order for this woeful franchise to be visible in New York's crowded sports marketplace, real soccer reporters, like the NY Post's Brian Lewis, have to be given the column inches to describe matches and game play, not just the "business" that happens outside the lines.

Cross-Continental Chat

2009-05-16T16:59:00.003-04:00

The fantastic folks at SoccerLens invited me to take part in their weekly podcast. Click here to listen to me ramble with host Stephen Darwin on the differences (and they are many) between MLS and the EPL, soccer media in the US and future of the US game...

News Flash: Red Bulls are Not Good

2009-04-24T09:08:00.003-04:00

Two goals scored in six matches. Two red cards by newly acquired D Carlos Johnson. Paltry home crowds. In MLS, playoff pushes can start as late as August, but the 2009 edition of the Red Bulls are stinking up the joint, plain and simple. Thankfully the Eastern Conference remains tightly bunched one month into the season. With rival DC coming to the Swamp on Sunday, New York has an opportunity to stop the dreary start to the season. Don't bet on it.

Sight and Sound

2009-03-31T08:45:00.003-04:00

Viva la multimedia from the expanding Kin of Fish empire. First, the gracious MatchFit USA hosted yours truly on his weekly podcast. We shoot the breeze on the US outing vs. El Salvador, RBNY-New England, MLS Marketing, and the upcoming CBA negotiations. A great time and a super blog.

Next, here's a link to photos of my recent tour of Red Bull Arena, a work in progress. Take a gander...

US Soccer: Fishing for Minnows

2009-03-27T14:43:00.003-04:00

Left, The Dude Abides, courtesy of the USMNT Blog

It's 2009, and unlike 1997 or 2001, the US is a stone-cold lock to qualify for the World Cup. In those years, the Yanks were maturing, and wins in Central America were something to dream about. Now, as the US guns for its sixth-straight World Cup finals appearance, the Yanks are massive favorites ahead of matches at El Salvador (Saturday, 9:30p et, ESPN2), and in Nashville vs. Trinidad & Tobago (Wednesday, 7:30p, ESPN2).

Should the US pick up wins in both matches, the Yanks' 9 points would put them halfway to clinching a berth with seven qualifying matches to play.

On Saturday, the US gets M Pablo Mastroeni back from suspension, but will be without G Tim Howard (yellow cards). Frankly though, with Guzan, Bocanegra, Oneywu, Ching, Altidore, Bradley, Dempsey, and Donovan, and Kljestan on the roster, our boys could shut out the hosts and put three or four past the Salvadorans, who had to rally to draw Honduras at home in their first Hexagonal match.

This qualifying slog is not about simply qualifying, but gunning for seed that will keep them away from one European power during next summer's finals. With wins in qualifying, and strong showings in this summer's Confederations Cup and Gold Cup, the US just might get there.

Red Bulls Preview: Match #2 vs. Revs

2009-03-27T12:38:00.005-04:00

What's to make of New York's opening night crash and burn at Seattle? Is Seattle that good? Are the Red Bulls that awful? The prospects for New York will be brighter once the early-season reinforcements arrive, but tomorrow's prospects against the Revs (7:30p, FSC) seem dicey. New York will be missing six starters for the match: newly signed D Carlos Johnson (with Costa Rica), D Andrew Boyens (with New Zealand) and M Jorge Rojas (with Venezuela) will be on national team duty. M Seth Stammler is still rehabbing, and D Alberto Celades is still awaiting his visa. G Jon Conway continues to sit out his "Jungle Warfare" suspension, so NY will have to continue with backup Danny Cepero, who saved his team from losing by more than three goals last Thursday in Seattle.

Can New England, who won at San Jose last week, continue its strong road play without an injured Taylor Twellman? let's take a deep dive and see:

Position and Recent Form:
New York, 0 pts from 1 match, 7th East, L
New England, 3 pts from 1 match, 3rd East, W

Here's a line-by-line look at Saturday's match:

The New England forwards vs. the Red Bulls' defense:
Kenny Mansally and Kheli Dube vs. Kevin Goldthwaite, Mike Petke, Carlos Mendes and Jeremy Hall (and Danny Cepero). Dube got the lone goal in New England victory over the Quakes last week. Mansally is a burner, and will test rookie Hall on the Red Bulls' right side. Goldthwaite got a knock this week in practice, so look for the Revs to test him. Frankly, just about any performance would improve on the traffic-cone imitation that the Red Bulls showed last week. While Cepero had some quality saves vs. the Sounders, he was badly out of position on Fredy Montero's first goal last week. Advantage: New England

New York's attackers vs. the Revolution defense:
Juan Pablo Angel vs. Chris Tierney, Jay Heaps, Darrius Barnes, and Kevin Alston (and Matt Reis). It's no surprise to say that Angel will perform only on the quality of the service provided him. Last week, New York's Rojas couldn't spring Angel. While the largely no-name New England backline is green (Tierney, Barnes, and Alston have nine MLS caps combined), Reis is among the best in the league, and has stymied Angel during the Red Bull's MLS career (only one goal allowed in 317 minutes). Slight Advantage: New England

The Midfields:
Dane Richards, Luke Sassano, Sinisa Ubiparipovic, Juan Pietravallo and Khano Smith, vs. Wells Thompson, Shalrie Joseph, Jeff Larentowicz, and Sainey Nyassi. New York will miss Rojas, but be bouyed by the addition of longtime Rev Smith, who will add speed and attempt to hold up Nyassi. Ubiparipovic was far too tentative in the Seattle loss, and will need to step up his agressiveness to succeed in the attacking-mid role. As usual for the Revs, Joseph will dictate the pace. If Pietravallo is unable to handle him, New England will generate plenty of chances. Look for Piet to pick up his first yellow, and maybe his first red of the season. Advantage: New England

The Coaches:
New York's Juan Carlos Osorio rightly told his squad to throw last week's result "in the garbage," but without six starters, even a miracle worker may be hard pressed to deliver a victory. New England's Steve Nicol is an annual Coach of the Year candidate. The challenge will be getting his young defense to play with confidence on Angel. Advantage: New England

Intangibles:
Ah, Red Bulls home openers. From the "Curse of Caricola" in '96 to the '05 monsoon, New York has had a history of poor weather and poorer results when opening the home campaign. Tomorrow's weather calls for a low of 45 degrees and a 90 percent chance of rain. So much for a sizeable crowd. Revs supporters always travel well and make lots of noise at the Swamp. Both these teams play on turf, so any home field advantage may be negated. Advantage: Push

Prediction: New York will be hard pressed to deliver a win at home, but hopefully will exert a significant effort in trying to hold the Revs to a draw. Angel opens his account, but Joseph and Dube score in a 2-1 New England win.

Props to the Top

Despite the team's poor onfield performance vs. Seattle, RBNY Managing Director Erik Stover deserves huge props for publicly answering questions from his small but rabid fan base. Stover dispassionately dispatches those that would criticize the goofy "running of the bulls" street team promotion, while sharing the club's advertising plan for the year. Stover is engaged, respectful, and competent, something New York has missed in this role over the years (see A. Lalas).

RBNY at The Zone

2009-03-23T12:21:00.003-04:00

Though they weren't "in the zone" last Thursday in Seattle, Red Bulls G Danny Cepero, D Mike Petke, and M Khano Smith will meet fans & sign autographs at the ESPNZone in Times Square tonight from 6:30-8p. Last year, Jozy Altidore arrived an hour late for his autograph session. Hopefully these guys will show up tonight, though they didn't at Qwest Field...

Pacific Northwest Represent, Represent

2009-03-18T13:22:00.005-04:00

With today's announcement that Vancouver, and soon Portland, Oregon will be joining MLS in 2011, the Pacific coast clubs will soon be majority in the league. In two years' time, one-third of the league's 18 teams will be in the Pacific Time zone: Vancouver, Portland, Seattle, San Jose, Los Angeles, and Chivas USA. Fans in the East can anticipate many a late night watching their clubs play out West.

What will an 18-team MLS look like?

Consider FC Dallas heading Eastward for two nine-team conferences:

East
Chicago
Columbus
DC United
FC Dallas
Kansas City
New England
New York
Philadelphia
Toronto FC

West
Colorado
Chivas USA
Houston
Los Angeles
Portland
Real Salt Lake
San Jose
Seattle
Vancouver

Pity St. Louis, who had tried valiantly to shore up their finances over the last year, including added Albert Pujols and Anhueser-Busch to the fold. One would think St. Loo will be a lock for club #19, should that happen for 2012, as Don Garber hinted in today's Vancouver press conference.

ESPN Hates Soccer?

2009-02-13T16:37:00.003-05:00

One has to wonder after this thoughtful look at the challenges and efforts behind integrating Hispanics into the US National Team and MLS. Is that Lockhart Stadium I see?:

Dos A Cero, Un Otra Vez

2009-02-12T10:10:00.002-05:00

Michael Bradley, only 21 years old, was the star of the US effort last night in yet another 2-0 victory against Mexico in Columbus. After one round of CONCACAF Qualifying, the US is tied with Costa Rica, a 2-0 winner over Honduras. El Salvador and Trinidad are tied with a single point after the two nations played to a 2-2 draw.

Here's some post-game reaction from Bradley, Landon Donovan, Carlos Bocanegra, and Tim Howard:

US-Mexico Media: T minus 1

2009-02-10T15:40:00.005-05:00

The current weather forecast: Rainstorm, with winds up to 55 mph. Thankfully the 2,400 hard-core fans will be covered.

Today's News:

US Soccer:
Official Game Notes

Soccer By Ives:
Timmy Howard Profile

ESPN SoccerNet
Public Enemy #1 Oswaldo Sanchez on Mexico's chances

SI.com
Jonah Freedman's Game Notes

SoccerAmerica
Ridge Mahoney on the US' Dude, Frankie Hejduk

Columbus Dispatch:
Shawn Mitchell on Gooch

NJ.com:
Frank Giase on the Weather

Yahoo Sports:
Martin Rogers on US Soccer choosing intimacy over revenue

LA Times:
Hector Tobar on the changing face of US and Mexico fandom

MLSNet:
Jeff Bradley's most memorable series matches

US-Mexico Media Roundup

2009-02-09T16:04:00.004-05:00

The current forecast for Wednesday: Wet and Wild

Want the full picture ahead of the World Cup Qualifier (7p ET, ESPN2)? Here's a treasure trove to get you ready.

US Soccer:
Official Roster Announcement
Video: US Practices in Columbus (from 2/8/09)
Video: Studio 90 News (from 2/7/09)

ESPN SoccerNet:
Ives Galarcep on Five Key US Players
Frank Dell'Appa on Looking Outside for Talent
Jeff Carlisle on Brian Ching (our non-scoring forward)
Video: Press Pass Preview (through SF at Offside Rules)

SI.com:
Andrea Canales on Players Experienced in the Series
Slideshow on the 10 best US-Mexico Matches

Yahoo.com:
Martin Rogers on What May Be Sven's Last Match for El Tri
The Soccer Experts Blog Handicaps the Hexagonal Group

Columbus Dispatch:
Rob Oller on US-Mexico History

BigAppleSoccer.com:
Michael Lewis on Why Jozy Altidore made the US Roster

Goal.com
Andrea Canales on the US and Mexico Warriors
Mexican Players Battle the Elements

SoccerAmerica.com
Ridge Mahoney Breaks Down the US Roster

La Guerra Not-So-Fria and Other News

2009-02-06T09:23:00.004-05:00

With five days to go before the US-Mexico World Cup Qualifier in Columbus, Ohio, Old Man Winter looks to be a fan of El Tri. The forecast low for the day is a spring-like 47 degrees, which would make the so-called "cold war" a downright balmy. With a fifty percent chance of rain, the match won't look anything like the Yanks' 2-0 win v. Mexico on Feb 18, 2001, a bone-dry winter night in the same venue when the kickoff temperature was chilling 29.

Without right back Steve Cherundolo, Bob Bradley will likely trot out ageless wonder and hometown Crew favorite Frankie Hejduk. With Hejduk, the US will gain tireless runner and a threat to join the attack up the wing, but "dude" has a penchant for getting beaten, and giving up hurtful fouls around the box. Hejduk gives his thoughts on Mexico in this US Soccer video:

On the bench behind Hejduk will be the maturing former Metro Marvell Wynne and his superlative catch-up speed.

There's lots going on the US soccer universe besides the monumental tilt, though.

Beckham seems set to leave the Galaxy and MLS
It's hard to see any upside for MLS on this one. Becks has been playing extremely well on loan in the pressure-cooker environment of Milan, resurrecting his career after 18 so-so months with the Galaxy. The question is: Just how much downside will the league suffer? Certainly ticket sales will drop across MLS as the Beckham drew large crowds everywhere the Galaxy played. In New York, LA's 2007 visit drew 50,000 more than the Red Bulls' average attendance that year, the 2008 match drew 33,000 above New York's average crowd. Galaxy season ticket renewals and home attendance will certainly drop. National television ratings were minute even with Beckham, so expect little change there. National sports media pickup (read: SportsCenter) will remain close to the zero exposure MLS currently commands. This and other blogs noted that MLS didn't need to be "saved" by Beckham upon his arrival two years ago, and the league will be just fine without him. After all, it's not as if LA tore up MLS with Beckham on the field. Arrivaderci.

MLS Preseason in Full Swing
There's less than six weeks until New York kicks off the 2009 season vs. Seattle and Qwest Field. The Red Bulls are currently training in Bradenton, FL, though top scorer Juan Pablo Angel didn't make the trip. JPA got a free pass from the coaching staff to stay in the frigid northeast, but what will allowing the highest-paid Red Bull to skip training trips like this do for team unity? Playing with a squad of roster invitees, New York kicked off the preseason with an 0-1 loss to the US Under-17 team. Bleh.

MLS Extra Time's Lalas and Messing take a look at NY's 2009 outlook here:

Yanks to Play Trinidad in Nashville on April 1st
After the Mexico match, and a trip to El Salvador, the Fed has chosen LP Field in Nashville, TN, home of the NFL's Titans, as the site of the Yanks April 1st match against Trinidad. The decision has angered some, who see MLS' soccer-specific sites as the only venues that should host these important World Cup qualifiers. The fact is, over the last four qualifying cycles, reaching the World Cup through the CONCACAF region has proven a lock for the US. Save Mexico and Costa Rica, and bad luck or injuries, the Yanks won't be challenged in their quest to play in their sixth straight World Cup Finals.

Frankly, the savvy midwestern, northeastern, and west coast soccer crowds just can't get jacked up for Trinidad, which lost to the US 0-3 in the Semifinal round at a half-filled Toyota Park outside Chicago. The Nashville match will draw US fans from Atlanta, the Carolinas, St. Louis an even Chicago for the Wednesday night match. Will the locals gets excited for some futbol in SEC country? We'll see.

US and Nike Encourage Fans to Wear Red at Mexico Match
Since its formation in the mid-1990's Sam's Army, the unofficial US Soccer fan club, has worn red to matches to: a) distinguish itself from more casual fans of the team, b) foster a sense of unity among its members, and c) attempt to provide a more rabid atmosphere for the US team. Over the years, though, the folks behind Sam's Army have been less visible in their attempt to unify fan support. US Soccer and Nike have jumped on the red bandwagon, asking it all of its fans to wear red to the Mexico match.

Recently other fan groups have formed, favoring other colors. These groups are no less fervent than Sam's Army in their desire to support the team, but are clear in their desire to establish a different identity. Fan support takes all kinds of people, efforts, and colors. However, to truly create an imposing fan presence and atmophere, all US supporters in Columbus should sport their red to the match. As the motto reads: E Pluribus Unum: Out of many, one.

Du Nord Takes A Much-deserved Break
Come back soon, old friend.

So, How Was Your Offseason?

2009-01-23T08:01:00.006-05:00

The opening of rookie training camps this week marks the end of the MLS offseason, one of the shortest in pro sports. It was only November 23 when Columbus ended New York's dream postseason run in the MLS Cup, and it was yesterday (January 22nd) when members of the Red Bulls took to the Giants Stadium practice bubble.

Not that the two-month break was without news both positive and negative within and outside the American soccer world...

Landon es en Fuego: Donovan, on loan with German giants Bayern Munich, has ripped four goals in five pre-season appearances.

The Skinny: We all know than when Landon is engaged, he's the most gifted player the US has ever produced. His desire for new challenges has ignited the fire within him, and Donovan hopes to make his stift to the Bundesliga permanent by making a loaded "original" FC Hollywood squad. Given his torrid pace, look for BM boss Jurgen Klinsmann to shell out millions to MLS for a permanent transfer. Where that leaves Donovan's LA Galaxy team is out of the playoffs for a third straight season... even if Beckham returns from Milan.

Red Bull Arena opening pushed to 2010: RBNY honcho Erik Stover announced yesterday that the long awaited Red Bull Arena won't open this season as hoped.

The Skinny: Despite the threat of mass suicide from the Red Bull faithful, the delay will benefit the project in the long run. The town of Harrison still has massive improvements to make to the area surrounding the stadium, which is coming together at a good pace. By pegging an opening day to the calendar in fourteen months' time, Red Bull is removing the drama surrounding a possible Fall '09 opening date. By April 2010, the stadium, the parking deck, and a lot of the Riverbend District will be ready to handle 25,000 screaming soccer fans. Rushing the completion would have let to countless complaints from long-suffering fans that have been waiting, and waiting, and waiting since 2000 for a home for the team.

Seattle Taking Shape: Seattle Sounders FC selected lethal college striker Steve Zakuani with the first pick of the Superdraft, and has Seattle buzzing.

The Skinny: Much has been written about the pall over Seattle's sports scene, but the Sounders, with their 19,000 member season ticket base, championship coach (Sigi Schmid), hometown hero (Kasey Keller), European vet (Freddie Ljungberg), and celebrity owner (Drew Carey), are ready to be the story of the 2009 season.

US vs. Sweden: A largely untested Yank squad will face Sweden this Saturday (8:30p ET, FSC, Home Depot Center), only two weeks before the Hexagonal begins vs. Mexico.

The Skinny: Will any of this Saturday's starters take the pitch against El Tri on February 11th? Brian Ching, our "non-scoring forward" will certainly get playing time, and Kenny Cooper will hope to push himself towards a bench option for 2/11, but the match is key for Rico Clark, Sascha Kljestan, and Robbie Rogers to show they're ready for full-time National Team status. Clark is key as Pablo Mastroeni must miss the Mexico match due to red cards. Bornstein and Wynne are hoping to raise their stock as well. The unheralded keepers for Sunday are playing for spot #3 behind Howard and Guzan.

Mexico Ailing as Guerra Fria II Looms : El Tri will be without Andres Guardado of Deportivo La Coruna (ruptured tendon), Carlos Vela of Arsenal (red cards) and possibly iconic defender Rafa Marquez of Barcelona (leg) for the big match in Columbus in three weeks' time.

The Skinny: Will the roster omissions make Mexico more or less dangerous? The stats bely the truth: the US hasn't lost to Mexico at home this decade. With a relatively healthy roster, an in-form Donovan and Howard, it's hard to imagine Mexico taking three points on what will be a chilly night in a raucous Crew Stadium. If this rivalry is to be a true one, however, the bad guys will have to win one of these sometime. Dos a Cero por la EEUU, anyone?

Expansion 2011 is Down to Five Cities: After Montreal backpedaled out the expansion race on MLS Cup weekend, Arthur Blank has halted Atlanta's bid, leaving five cities for two teams.

The Skinny: With only Miami, Portland, Ottawa, St. Louis, and Vancouver remaining in the race for clubs 17 and 18, Barcelona's South Florida bid looks the best, as the Catlalonians may be immune from the global economic downturn. Portland and St. Louis will battle for the final spot, though St. Loo still needs to shore up its cash position. Vancouver's stadium situation is still iffy, and Ottawa is the long shot. Apparently, the Canadian Capital's presentation "blew the MLS brass away," but is Ottawa a big enough market for the league?

ESPN2 Drops "Primetime MLS Thursday" in favor of a "Game of the Week" approach on various days

The Skinny: Thursday nights weren't the best night for appointment viewing for MLS fans, and shots of half-empty stadiums on weeknights didn't help the league's image. With almost half the 2009 MLS Primetime matches to be scheduled for Friday or Saturday nights, the fan passion on nationally televised games will shine a little brighter.

Tonight tonight , ESC

2008-12-01T14:02:00.001-05:00

A great video recap of an unbelievable late-season run. Is it 2009 yet?

What I Learned At the Supporters Summit

2008-11-22T15:49:00.006-05:00

50 or so supporters attended this morning's Supporters Summit at the Home Depot Center.

It's my first time at the HDC, and the facility is absolutely gorgeous.

Fans from LA, Chivas, San Jose, Houston, Phoenix (!), Columbus, DC and New York attended a sometimes lively discussion with Don Garber and deputy comisssioner Ivan Gadzidis. Greg Lalas and Shep Messing also took part, but had little to say after the opening remarks.

Highlights:

The supplement that got Conway & Parke the 10-match suspensions? "Jungle Warfare." I kid you not. Garber said the two should have brought the J.W. to the RBNY trainers for testing before taking it. He made the case sound simple. It is.

Garber played a bit to the crowd noting that the league must build around fans that are the most passionate. He said he'd like to see 5,000 fans attend the summit in the future.

He deftly parried with an LA supporter that claimed that the league didn't listen to hardcore fans. The Don noted that the listening and putting all suggestions into practice were two different things.

Garber noted the challenge of turning the final into a two-legged affair, saying the league is seeking that "winning moment" that would make "SportsCenter," a moment all would remember. If the visitng team won the first match 3-0, the second leg would be a bore, which is not what the league is looking for.

Gadzidis gave a lengthy, lengthy response to questions about officiating, noting that all MLS matches are reviewed by both the league and US Soccer, and that folks complain about referreeing all over the world.

Jack Bell's Goal blog is the NY Times' most popular sports blog.

As for the effect of bloggers on the league, MLS employs a staffer whose entire function is to trawl BigSoccer and top soccer blogs for what the fans are saying about the league. If they read this..."Hi, League Office!"

Behold the 2009 Hexagonal Schedule

2008-11-22T09:52:00.002-05:00

For the US, the final round of qualify for WC 2010 starts at home vs. Mexico, and finishes at home vs. Costa Rica. The Yanks alternate home and away matches until games 8 and 9, which will both be on the road, at Trinidad and at Honduras Here's the entire Hexagonal schedule:

Wednesday 11 February
Costa Rica-Honduras
El Salvador-Trinidad and Tobago
USA-Mexico

Saturday 28 March
Mexico-Costa Rica
Trinidad and Tobago-Honduras
El Salvador-USA

Wednesday 1 April
Costa Rica-El Salvador
USA-Trinidad and Tobago
Honduras-Mexico

Wednesday 3 June
Costa Rica-USA

Saturday 6 June
Trinidad and Tobago-Costa Rica
El Salvador-Mexico
USA-Honduras

Wednesday 10 June
Mexico-Trinidad and Tobago
Honduras-El Salvador

Wednesday 12 August
Honduras-Costa Rica
Trinidad and Tobago-El Salvador
Mexico-USA

Saturday 5 September
Costa Rica-Mexico
Honduras-Trinidad and Tobago
USA-El Salvador

Wednesday 9 September
El Salvador-Costa Rica
Trinidad and Tobago-USA
Mexico-Honduras

Saturday 10 October (*)
Costa Rica-Trinidad and Tobago
Mexico-El Salvador
Honduras-USA

Wednesday 14 October (*)
USA-Costa Rica
Trinidad and Tobago-Mexico
El Salvador-Honduras

* - simlutaneous kickoff

The Confederations Cup schedule will be released shortly.

MLS Doesn't Get It

2008-11-21T20:31:00.002-05:00

Hello from American Airlines Flight 21 from New York to LA. That's right, I'm on the internet, on a plane. Hooray for gogo inflight internet!

I've been following Don Garber's MLS State of the League address via Twitter from MLS Rumors and American Soccer News (and MLS Insider) which is pretty cool, but I haven't loved everything I've heard.

A summary:

-30-match season for 2009, each of the 15 teams play the others home and away, with 2 extra matches... I assume "rivalry" matches
-Seattle Sounders FC has sold 18,000 season tickets...Wow!
-The two expansion teams for 2011 will be announced before the 2009 season begins, though Montreal has dropped out due to the global credit crunch. That leaves Atlanta, Miami, Portland, Ottawa, St. Louis, and Vancouver going for the two slots
-Teams 1-4 qualify for the Concacaf Champions Cup, 5-8 for Superliga
-The reserve division will be discontinued, with senior rosters increased, BUT,
-There will be no increase in the salary cap

Considering that two ownership groups are about to pump $80 million into the league coffers, the idea that the salary cap won't be increased is unbelievably short-sighted. More teams=more pressure to get better players into the league. Cutting developmental players (like Danny Cepero and his $12,900 salary) means that won't be able to afford teams more global talent, but instead will give MLS vets a well deserved raise ahead of the CBA expiration at the end of '09.

Oh, and one last thing:

The MLSNet.com MLS Cup page has Seth Stammler, the NY midfielder that had season-ending surgery before the playoffsas a possible starter. Um, no.

Will try to post an MLS Cup Preview tomorrow.

From somewhere over Cleveland, have a good night!

USMNT: 2008 in Stats

2008-11-20T13:17:00.003-05:00

The USMNT closed out their 2008 schedule with a 2-0 World Cup Qualifying win over Guatemala at DSG Park outside Denver. The Yanks won on second-half goals from Kenny Cooper and Freddy Adu. Adu's first senior-team tally came on a sweet free kick.

The US finished the year with an impressive 9-3-2 mark, including a 7-1-0 record in World Cup Qualifying matches. The Yanks scored 30 goals across 11 of the their 14 matches (2.14 GPG), though was shut out three successive matches in the Spring: at England, at Spain, and vs. Argentina (a scoreless draw). Nearly half of the team's 30 goals came in two matches: the June 11th 8-0 win vs. Barbados to open Qualifying, and the October 11th 6-1 victory vs. Cuba. The US won by a 1-0 score three times, a 2-0 score twice, and a 3-0 score twice.

Goal scorers for the US in 2008:
4 goals: Brian Ching, Clint Dempsey
3 goals: Landon Donovan, Ogucji Onyewu
2 goals: Jozy Altidore, DeMarcus Beasley Carlos Bocanegra, Michael Bradley, Eddie Lewis
1 goal: Freddy Adu, Kenny Cooper, Charie Davies, Eddie Johnson, Eddie Robinson, and 1 own goal

Dee-fense!
On the other side of the ball, the Yanks conceded only 8 goals in 14 games (0.57 GAA), pitching 9 clean sheets. At one point in the year, the US pitched six consectutive shutouts, a team record. The US allowed 1 goal twice: at Spain on June 4th, and vs. Cuba on Oct. 11th. Our boys allowed 2 goals three times; the 2-2 draw vs. Mexico on Feb. 6th, the 0-2 loss at England on May 28th, and the 1-2 loss at Trinidad on Oct. 15th after the US had clinched passage to the Hexagonal.

Doing the Continental
In 2008, The MNT went 2-2 vs. UEFA teams, 0-0-1 vs. Conmebol (S. America), and 7-1-1 vs. CONCACAF nations.

Looking Ahead
In 2009, The US will face three major challenges:
First and foremost, the Yanks will play 10 qualifying matches in attempt to reach its sixth consecutive World Cup. The draw for the Hexagonal, or CONCACAF Final Round, will be held this Saturday in South Africa. The US will face Mexico, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, and Trinidad in the round.

In addition, the US visit South Africa for the FIFA Confederations Cup from June 14-28. In the 8-nation "mini World Cup," the Yanks may face Brazil, Iraq, Italy, Spain, New Zealand, as well as the hosts. The Confed Cup draw will also take place this Saturday.

Finally, the MNT will attempt to win its third straight CONCACAF Gold Cup, the continental championship, in July of '09, with sites yet to be announced.

Throw in a few warm-up friendlies, 2009 looks to be a fantastic year for US Soccer. Can't wait!

Father and Son for Photo of the Year

2008-11-18T14:15:00.003-05:00

What do you know? A photo of yours truly and his boy has made the finals for U.S. Soccer's Fan Photo of the year!

Won't you be so kind as to give us a click, then click on the "Best Fan Photo" button. Vote for the guy with the "Fish" in his last name.

Much obliged!

Fan Video: RSL 0-1 NY

2008-11-17T14:01:00.003-05:00

Video from Nevada Smith's on Saturday night, where 200+ raving lunatics (yours truly included) go nuts at the final whistle (1:45 in).

HOLY COW THE RED BULLS WILL PLAY FOR THE MLS CUP

2008-11-16T02:19:00.002-05:00

Fifth in the East, Champs of the West, First in our Hearts!

The New York Red Bulls, behind a 28th minute goal from Dave van den Bergh, won the 2008 Western Conference Championship 1-0 at Real Salt Lake. RSL hit the post not once or twice, but three times in the match.

With the victory, New York travels to LA next Sunday to take on Columbus in the MLS Cup. The Red Bulls also qualify for the 2009-10 Concacaf Champions Cup.

What a night! What a run! Unbelievable!

Western Conference Final Preview: NY at RSL

2008-11-12T09:33:00.011-05:00

New York's shocking 3-0 playoff win at Houston on Sunday was nothing short of miraculous.

Not only was Houston:
-The two-time defending league MLS champion
-and had never lost a home playoff game
-and had lost only once at home all season...

And not only had New York:
-suffered five straight playoff series defeats
-had won only once on the road this season
-was starting its backup keeper Danny Cepero (salary: $12,900).

But the Red Bulls, thanks to play of the MLS Player of the Week Dane Richards and that underpaid keeper, delivered the playoff surprise of the league's 13-year history.

Only one obstacle remains preventing New York from reaching the MLS Cup for the first time, and that's Real Salt Lake. The Dave Checketts-owned club is in its' first ever playoffs, and will host the Western Confernce final in its spanking new Rio Tinto Stadium Saturday night at 9:30et on FSC.

Which team will move on to face Columbus in the 2008 MLS Cup on the 23rd? Here's a line-by-line preview.

Recent Form
RSL, 40 pts from 30 matches, 3rd West, TWTWT
New York, 39 pts from 30 matches, 5th East, TWLTW

The Salt Lake forwards vs. the Red Bulls' defense:
Yura Movsisyan and Clint Mathis vs. Kevin Goldthwaite, Andrew Boyens, Diego Jimenez, and Chris Leitch (and Danny Cepero). Movsisyan, a 2006 first-round draft pick, has become a folk hero to the RSL faithful, after scoring late winners to get RSL into the playoffs on the season's final weekend, and late in the club's first playoff leg vs. Chivas. A tireless worker, the 6-foot striker is extremely dangerous. Mathis may not go the full 90, but backup F Robbie Findley scored six for RSL this season. While the four-man New York backline allowed only a single goal to Houston over 180 minutes, the story of the Red Bulls' defense is Cepero. Thrust onto the field after Jon Conway's substance suspension, the Penn grad was nothing short of remarkable in making five superlative saves in Sunday's win. His play to deny Brian Ching a walk-in goal by hurdling the Houston striker to get the loose ball was amazing. Advantage: Push

New York's attackers vs. the RSL defense:
Juan Pablo Angel and John Wolyniec vs. Jamison Olave, Nat Borchers, and Robbie Russell (and Nick Rimando). the idea that Angel would score vs. Houston was not a surprise. But Wolyniec with the dagger (and horrible Thriller dance)? That was a surprise. Fact is, since Jozy Altidore's departure, Woly, Mike Magee, and Mac Kandji have all had a shot up next to Angel, even if the role is to pull a defender or two away from the Colombian. What to make of the RSL defense? The team condeded 39 goals in 30 league games, putting RSL in the middle of the league in GA. Chivas scored two on the club in the first-round series. Olave hit the net twice this season. With some precision, the Red Bulls can shoot for the top corners, confounding the diminuative Rimando. Advantage: New York

The Midfields:
Dave van den Bergh, Sinisa Ubiparipovic, Luke Sassano, and Dane Richards vs. Dema Kovalenko, Kyle Beckerman, Javier Morales, and Will Johnson. The outside NY middies are among the class of the league, but the real (and Real) pressure will be felt on Ubiparipovic and Sassano, two bench players that confounded Houston's talented midfield over the past two matches. Kovalenko, despite the notion that he's a softie, is extremely dangerous, and Morales finished the regular season second in league assists (15) behind Columbus' Schelotto (19). Johnson has a Goal of the Year candidate (as does Cepero). Advantage: RSL

The Coaches:
Juan Carlos Osorio deserves all the credit for his club's dismantling of Houston. His pechant for tinkering worked to perfection (plus an outstanding performance by Cepero). Will JCO continue to keep his pricey summer acquisitions on the bench (where frankly they belong)? Jason Kreis has engineered a successful playoff run from his guys, who haven't lost in seven outings. Advantage: Push

Intangibles:
How's this for a whopper? RSL has never beaten New York. The Red Bulls are 2-0-6 all-time vs. the Utahns. Short of that, there aren't too many other signs one way or another for these teams, one of which will be making their first MLS Cup appearance. A strong crowd is expected. Here's a telling stat, should the match go to penalites... Career MLS appearences: Rimando, RSL: 204. Cepero, NY: 4. RSL's playing at home, so... Advantage: RSL

Prediction:
New York does not have Jozy Altidore, Claudio Reyna, or Seth Stammler on its roster, but yet the club is one win away from it's first MLS Cup. RSL has it's brand new digs, but their fans really need a few more years of suffering before reaching the top. The title match has one original 1996 club taking part. There'll be two. Angel and Van den Bergh for NY, Andy Williams off the bench for RSL. New York WINS, 2-1.

Required reading before the match:

NY Times: Red Bulls Have Appeal in a Bearish Economy
NY Times.com: Red Bulls Prepare for Next Turn in Unlikely Playoff Ride
NJ Herald News: These Fans are Running With the Bulls
American Soccer News: Can New York Do the Unthinkable?
Soccer America: Storybook Teams Clash in Splendid Setting
Salt Lake Tribune: RSL, NY Linked by Love, Hate
The Offside: How They Stack Up: RBNY@RSL
BigAppleSoccer.com: A Load Of Bull

I'll be taking in the match at Nevada Smiths, 3rd Avenue between 11th/12th in Manhattan. Please join me. Hope to see you there.

The Early Line on MLS Expansion '11

2008-10-15T17:54:00.005-04:00

Today's announcement by MLS honcho Marc Abbott on the magnificent seven cities that presented expansion bids for the league's 2011 expansion round is notable for many reasons; the foreign interest in MLS, the three bids from North of the border, and one glaring omission: a bid by the Wilpon family, who were reportedly interested in adding a team and building a stadium in Queens, New York. Had the credit crunch bitten the Wilpons? We'll soon find out, but for now, feel bad for the Borough Boys, the startup supporters' group that won't have a club until 2013 at the earliest.

So which cities will be joining the ever-growing MLS? Here's a one man's opinion:

Atlanta: Financial support from the NFL Falcons' owner Arthur Blank notwithstanding, Hot'lanta is horrendous sports town. Fans may turn out to support the Falcons (if they're winning), but as the Braves, Hawks, and Thrashers can attest, the many transplants in the area provide little home field advantage. No.

Ottawa: Although there's an outdoor stadium in place, the Canadian capital is too small a market to support a club. Ottawa falls behind Montreal and Vancouver, despite nice Loonies from the Sens' owners. No.

St. Louis: Lack of a firm stadium plan and questionable financing allowed Phiily to leapfrog the great soccer town to land a club for 2010. Given the current financial situation, I'm unconvinced that MLS will go here. Perhaps the Wizards move across Missouri? No to expansion.

Vancouver: The USL Champion Whitecaps' ownership group has been unsuccessful in building a downtown, waterfront stadium here for a few years now. Despite adding Steve Nash to the ownership group, Vancouver remains a dark horse.

Portland: There's a great affinity among hard-core MLS fandom for the Timbers Army, the superlative supporters club of the USL-1 Timbers. Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson's son is the prime mover here, but Beaver Stadium, which the club current shares with the city's AAA baseball club, needs a load of work. Sentimental favorite here, but I think PDX is the last cut.

Montreal: A superb ownership team with the Impact-and stadium-owning Saptuo family in combination with the NHL Canadiens and Liverpool owning Gillett family. The team's spanking new stadium is ready for a build-out, and the current USL club is well supported. What's not to like? Welcome to MLS. Road trip!

Miami: A last-minute surprise, with FC Barcelona ready to front for a US club. Just as Dave Checketts shocked MLS with his Salt Lake franchise, Barca Miami will play at Florida International University's new stadium. The league gets a great partnership with the most storied of great clubs, entry back into the Southeast, and an MLS Cup near South Beach. How could this be a bad thing? Welcome to MLS, Miami!

My 2011 MLS Alignment:

East

Chicago

Columbus

DC United

Montreal

Miami

New England

New York

Philadelphia

Toronto

West

Chivas

Colorado

FC Dallas

Houston

Kansas City

Los Angeles

Salt Lake

San Jose

Seattle

Embarrassing

2008-10-06T08:23:00.002-04:00

It wasn't Chad Barrett's chip of Red Bulls' keeper Jon Conway that was the most embarrassing, and it wasn't the TFC 80-yard fast-break goal off a poorly executed NY free kick. The most embarrassing part of Saturday night's 1-3 Red Bulls' home loss to league doormat Toronto was the banner unfurled by the visiting Red Patch Boys in the second deck which spelled out the truth: "Oooh, the Red Bulls are Shite!!!" is what the banner said, in six-foot letters for all of Giants Stadium to see.

After an unbeaten August that had New York dreaming of challenging Columbus for the Supporters' Shield, the Red Bulls have gone into a dreadful late-season swoon. The club is currently on an three-match losing streak and has secured only three of the fifteen points available since Labor Day.

Somehow, with only three matches remaining, the Red Bulls find themsleves in fourth place in the East and in playoff position. MLS parity, however, finds the league's bottom NINE teams within six points of each other with twenty days left in the regular season. only three of the nine will make the postseason. Here's a look at who should make it, and each team's October road...

Real Salt Lake, 35 pts, -1 GD, 3rd place in West: vs. NY, vs. FCD, at COL
RSL is currently in playoff position, and has only lost once in its last six outings. The club will get a huge boost playing its last two home matches in brand new Rio Tinto stadium. Win its home games, and RSL will make the MLS playoffs for the first time.

New York Red Bulls, 35 pts, -5 GD, 4th place in East: at RSL, vs. CMB, at CHI
New York currently holds the first of two MLS wild card spots, but faces the toughest road, starting with the first match at RSL's new stadium on Thursday. Unless the Crew clinches the Supporters' Shield this week, look for the league leaders to start their first team at Giants Stadium on 10/18, which should spell doom for NY. The Fire would like nothing more than to slam the door in Juan Carlos Osorio's face in the season finale.

FC Dallas, 34 pts, +6 GD, 4th place in West: vs. TFC, at RSL, at LA
Dallas in currently in the second and last wild-card spot. FCD is unbeaten in four (2-0-2) and with Kenny Cooper pumping in the goals, should make the postseason. Finishing at LA makes Dallas' road at easy one.

Colorado Rapids, 34 pts, -1 GD, 5th place in West: at LA, at CHV, vs. RSL
The Rapids took a step backwards this week, losing at Houston after a 3-0-1 run. Colorado showed they can win on the road in the 5-4 victory at NY a week ago, and should the club win at Chivas, will be in good shape for the final playoff spot.

Kansas City Wizards, 33 pts, -6 GD, 5th place in East: vs. NE, vs. SJ, at NE
The fate of the Wizards rests mostly with engagment level of New England, as the two clubs will spend 180 minutes together down the stretch. Should the Revs feel the need to push themselves as they did getting two late goals to tie RSL this weekend, KC's fate will be sealed.

DC United, 33 pts, -8 GD, 6th in East: at HOU, vs. NE, at CMB
Boy has United taken a nose dive this season. DC is winless in six (0-4-2) and the club has two more CCL matches to play. The extra-curriculars and injuries have destroyed what could have been a promising season for DC. The schedule down the stretch doesn't help. Stick fork in.

Toronto FC, 31 pts, -8 GD, 7th in East: at FCD, vs. CHI, at SJ
The Reds played well enough to beat a poor NY team on Saturday, but unless TFC can win in Dallas this week, getting to the postseason will be a difficult task.

San Jose Earthquakes, 30 pts, -5 GD, 6th in West: vs. CHV, at HOU, at KC, vs. TFC
Did you know that SJ has lost only ONCE since August 2nd? It's true. The expansion Quakes are 4-1-3 down the stretch and will benefit from having an extra match on its remaining schedule. Sadly, the club faces two stiff tests before easing out the schedule. A home victory vs. Chivas this Saturday, and the Quakes just might make it.

Los Angeles Galaxy, 29 pts, -5 GD, 7th in West: vs. COL, at HOU, vs. FCD
The idea that a club with Beckham and Donovan might finish dead last was laughable in April, but LA may do just that. Of course, Bruce Arena wasn't brought in to be a miracle worker this season, but to rebuild for 2009. Only running the table will get LA in. Don't bet on it.

Predicted first-round match-ups: East: CMB vs. COL, NE vs. CHI, West: HOU vs. FCD, CHV vs. RSL

Thanks, Bob!

Let's hear it for Bob Bradley, for realizing that bringing his young'uns to the next World Cup Qualifier may pay dividends. For Saturday US match vs. Cuba in DC, Bob has called in Freddy Adu, Jozy Altidore, Charlie Davies, and Danny Szetela. Will the kids be alright? A US win will clinch passage to next year's Hexagonal. We'll see.

Pasted

2008-09-19T08:35:00.004-04:00

A listless Red Bulls squad took it on the chin last night, 3-1 at league-leading Columbus. Even playing with playmaker Guillermo Barros Schellotto, the Crew were too quick, too skilled, and too composed for New York. Other than a beauty of a free kick goal from Angel, the Red Bulls just weren't connecting on offense. New York is now 1-7-5 on the road this season, and a 4-7-7 in night games (vs. 4-1-1 in day matches).

So where does the loss leave New York? Frankly, dropping a spot in the standings behind DC wouldn't be so bad. A 5th place Eastern finish would send the Red Bulls into the Western playoff bracket to face a Houston side that New York has played well against this season (a 3-0 win at home, a tight 0-1 loss in Texas). Should the Red Bulls finish 4th in the East (catching 3rd place Chicago is unlikely) New York would match up against the Crew in the first round of the MLS playoffs. After last night, that's not an encouraging scenario.

Of course, DC's involvement in the Concacaf Champions League may challenge them to keep their place in the MLS standings. United will play two matches per week for the next five weeks, including trips to Mexico, Costa Rica, and Honduras. Unless DC plays their subs (as they did in a 2-0 home loss to Saprissa this week) in the CCL, United's playoff drive may suffer significantly.

Following the Yanks

I had the good pleasure of taking in the US' 3-0 spanking of Trinidad at Toyota Park on Septmeber 10th. The trip was my first to Bridgeview, and I came away very pleased with the TP experience. The trip on the El/bus combo took a while from the Loop (about an hour). Bridgeview, though, is collection of low-slung industrial parks. The stadium is truly in the middle of nowhere. Once inside, however, TP is a soccer-lover's dream, with great lighting and an intimate atmosphere (though the sparse crowd was disappointing). The pitch was perfect, especially when one's used to Giants Stadium. Food was decent, and the crowd was engaged. Two enthusiastic thumbs up for Toyota Park.

Super Soccer Saturday

2008-09-06T11:31:00.002-04:00

Despite the scribblings of MLS Asst. Commissioner Ivan Gadzidis, tonight's scheduled MLS matches are a complete fiasco.

However, it'll be a great night for sports bar viewing if you can convince the local barkeep to keep two sets on soccer. I'll be at FATS in NYC on W. 33rd Street for the US-Cuba and Fire-Red Bulls matches.

Cuba remains a complete mystery for the Yanks, who'll play the match in Havana, then vamoose before Ike hits the island.

The Red Bulls match revolves around a single matchup: the ability for New York M Dane Richards to use and abuse Chicago second-string rookie D Mike Banner. Chicago's D is by far the stingiest in the league, but without Gonzalo Segares (out on national team duty), Richards is the key to getting to Fire goal.

Red Bull Arena Webcam Up

2008-09-04T12:21:00.001-04:00

Ain't that a thing of beauty?

A Perfect Storm of MLS Failure

2008-09-03T09:03:00.003-04:00

Small rosters. Brutal scheduling. Multiple tournaments. Player injuries. Any other excuses for New England's and Chivas USA's early exit from the inaugural CONCACAF Champions League?

The undermanned Revolution was on the wrong side of a 4-0 pasting by Trinidad's Joe Public last night at Gillette stadium, to drop the two-legged match by a 6-1 aggregate. Playing without Steve Ralston or Taylor Twellman, New England was lethargic, and for good reason. Said head coach Steve Nicol, "The last three months, we've played every four days. That's a lot of traveling. That's why you get what you get tonight -- a team that has no juice. We might manage a training session in the next two weeks."

Since July 8th, New England has played in five Superliga matches , a pair of US Open Cup matches, and the two matches vs. Joe Public, in addition to six MLS matches, for a total of 15 matches over the last seven weeks. Perhaps in the leagues of Europe the constant play is evened out by a deep, deep bench, but MLS' 28-man rosters are much too thin for such overuse.

Chivas USA also crashed out of the competition last night after drawing Panama's Tauro FC 1-1, for a 3-1 aggregate loss.

So now the Revs and Chivas can relax knowing they won't have to contend with the six CCL group-stage matches that DC and Houston will play during the MLS playoff stretch run. Nothing like a trip to El Salvador when the Western Conference title is up for grabs, but that's what the Dynamo will face on October 28th. Perhaps getting blown out at home by a Caribbean side wasn't such a bad idea after all.

Up for the Cup
DC United will play for even more hardware in tonight's US Open Cup final vs. the USL 1st Division's Charleston Battery at RFK (7:30p, FSC). Despite United's 4 MLS Cup championships, DC has hoisted the Dewar Cup only once, in the club's inaugural season of 1996. The Battery completed the Texas two-step by knocking off Houston and Dallas before beating the soon-to-be MLS Seattle Sounders in the Semis. If Charleston can pull the upset, they'll become only the second USL side to win the knockout tournament in the MLS era, since Rochester won the '99 Cup over the Colorado Rapids.

Red Bulls Preview: Game 22 at Scum

2008-08-29T15:28:00.002-04:00

The Red Bulls will finally be injury free when New York takes the field vs. DC United on Saturday night at RFK (7:30p, FSC). The Red Bulls have lifted themselves into the playoff mix by picking up nine points at home over the last three Sundays, but if New York is to solidify its hold on a playoff spot, RBNY must figure out how to get the maximum points on the road. The Red Bulls' 1-5-4 road record won't serve the club well come the postseason, and after tomorrow's DC match, New York still has to visit Eastern powers Chicago (twice), and Columbus, and has to open RSL's new stadium on October 9th.

First, however, comes what may be the most important regular season match the club has played in some time. A win at DC would lift the club past United into fourth place, and would serve notice to the rest of the league that New York is for real.

Position, Recent League Form, and playoff position:
DC, 31 pts from 21 matches, 4th East, WLWLW, would face New England in Conf. Semis
New York, 31 pts from 21 matches, 5th East, TTWWW, would face Houston in Conf. Semis

Here's a line-by-line look at tomorrow's match:

The DC forwards vs. the Red Bulls' defense:
Luciano Emilio and Jaime Moreno vs. Kevin Goldthwaite, Andrew Boyens, Jeff Parke, and Diego Jimenez (and Jon Conway). Moreno (9g, 8a) and Emilio (11g, 5a) though a bit grey, are still a dangerous strike force that makes United tick, with 55% of DC's goals this season. Moreno is a Metro killer, with 23 of his 121 all-time goals coming against New York. Without suspended Gabriel Chicero for a second week, the Red Bulls' backline is buoyed by the return of Jeff Parke from injury. New York's D has posted back-to-back shutouts, and has allowed only two goals in the last four games vs. Houston, Toronto, DC, and San Jose. Advantage: Push

New York's attackers vs. the United defense:
Juan Pablo Angel and Mike Magee vs. Brian Namoff, Devon McTavish, and Gonzalo Martinez (and Louis Crayton). Somebody bottle and sell what Mike Magee has been drinking. Magee has scored in New York's last three matches, including a Goal of the Week nominee vs. Houston last Sunday. New York is scoring three goals per match over the last three outings (including 4 in a victory over DC on August 10th), and Juan Pablo Angel is back in top form. United's defense has posted three clean sheets in the club's last five matches, but did allow the aforementioned four goals to the Red Bulls, and two to New England in a loss on August 20th. Slight Advantage: New York

The Midfields:
Dave van den Bergh, Jorge Rojas, Seth Stammler, and Dane Richards vs. Craig Thompson, Clyde Simms, Joe Vide, Santino Quaranta, and Ivan Guerrero. New York's Rojas returns to the starting lineup after clearing up visa problems, and will make the Red Bull attack more dangerous. Richards is flying down the right sideline with verve once again (just ask Pat Onstad). DC will be without the injured Fred (2g, 4a). Former Metro Vide is playing well for DC, and a cleaned up Quaranta, a great story this season, has three goals and three assists for United. Craig Thompson has all of five MLS appearances. Advantage: New York

The Coaches:
Tom Soehn has got to get his club playing well in consecutive games... Osorio knows this match is a test of whether his new squad can deliver on the road. Advantage: Push

Intangibles:
DC is 16-7-2 against New York at RFK all-time, and the Red Bulls haven't won at DC since October 2005. After tomorrow's match, DC plays three of its' next four away from Washington, and will be pressing for all the points. The winner of tomorrow's match gets the league-created "Atlantic Cup." Will RFK keep the lights on? Forecast is for thunderstorms, with a high of 84 degrees. Advantage: DC United

Prediction:
I've come to expect the unexpected from the Red Bulls over the last three weeks, and I have to believe DC may be a little concerned about facing the red-hot New York squad. Without Fred, the DC offense sputters. A hard fought 1-1 draw on goals by Moreno (who else?) and Angel.

Chicks, and the Red Bulls, Dig the Longball

2008-08-24T22:10:00.003-04:00

Taking the field without three regular starters, the New York Red Bulls used the longball... and the head of leading scorer Juan Pablo Angel, to completely dominate the two-time defending MLS Cup champ Houston Dynamo, 3-0, at Giants Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

After Angel snapped home a Dave van den Bergh header in the 8th minute to open the scoring, Seth Stammler launched a ball down the right side to a speeding and finally healthy Dane Richards, who beat his defender and Houston keeper Pat Onstad to double the lead in the 26th.

In the second half, first-time New York starter Diego Jimenez blasted another home run ball to a streaking Mike Magee, who drew Onstad out of his net and blasted in his fourth goal in his last three matches to close out the scoring, and any hope that Houston could pull out any points in the match..

The Red Bulls finished their August homestand perfectly with three wins in three matches, and now head to DC on the 30th tied on points with United for fourth place in the Eastern Confernce.

Red Bulls Preview: Game #21 vs. Orangina

2008-08-22T15:15:00.001-04:00

Jeff Parke is injured. Gabriel Chicero is suspended. Just how will the New York Red Bulls continue their five-match unbeaten streak against Western Division leaders Houston on Sunday (3p, TF)? Adding benched Norway-bound D Hunter Freeman may be the answer. On August 13th, Freeman signed with IK Start of Norway, though he won't join the club until January. Since then, a peeved Juan Carlos Osorio has kept the one-time US Youth International on the bench to punish Freeman for his disloyalty.

The hiccup in New York's backline couldn't have come in a worse time, with 2-time defending MLS Cup champ Houston in town, sporting a four-match winning and seven-match unbeaten streak of their own.

In the clubs' match at Roberston stadium on May 31, an Angel-less New York squad was punished for its one mistake in the game, a defensive lapse on a free kick, allowing Houston a 1-0 victory. The Dynamo played that night without Pat Onstad, Dwayne deRosario, and Brad Davis, who all will take the plastic pitch at Giants Stadium on Sunday. On paper, Houston should roll in this one, but New York has been playing well. Let's take a deeper look.

Position, Recent League Form, and playoff position:
New York, 28 pts from 20 matches, 5th East, TTTWW, would face Houston in Conf. Semis
Houston, 32 pts from 20 matches, 1st West, TWWWW, would face New York in Conf. Semis

Here's a line-by-line look at Sunday's match:

The Houston forwards vs. the Red Bulls' defense:
Brian Ching and Nate Jaqua vs. Kevin Goldthwaite, and Andrew Boyens, and Hunter Freeman (and Jon Conway). Ching may be sapped from playing a physical 90 minutes on Wednesday at Guatemala, but the Flyin' Hawaiian needs only to get a head on the ball to make a difference. did you know that Jaqua has 30 MLS goals? The one-time US MNT prospect has only two this season. Houston, though, is on a scoring tear, having hit the net 12 times in their last four matches. The third man on the NY backline will be busy, whether its Freeman, Carlos Mendes, or newly signed Diego Jimenez. Perhaps given Houston's attacking strength, JCO puts four in the back. Advantage: Push

New York's attackers vs. the Dynamo defense:
Juan Pablo Angel and Mike Magee vs. Wade Barrett, Eddie Robinson, Bobby Boswell, and Richard Mulrooney (and Pat Onstad). Scoring goals for Metro... Mike Magee... Magee has scored in his last two MLS starts, and is proving to be a passable option up front for New York as Osorio continues to close in on a full-time replacement for Jozy Altidore. Angel is playing with verve, but still doesn't have the spark that he did last season. Although the Dynamo allowed three to RSL last weekend, Houston has posted five shutouts in its last seven outings. Wow! Advantage: Houston

The Midfields:
Dave van den Bergh, Juan Pietravallo, Jorge Rojas, Seth Stammler, and Dane Richards, vs. Brad Davis, Dwayne DeRosario, Brian Mullan, and Rico Clark. Houston's midfield has nine of the club's 32 goals to date this season, and when clicking, is deadly. Perhaps Mullan on the right side is a little vulnerable, but the Dynamo has a veteran group that knows how to play as a unit. New York's middle five are skilled, though the jury is still out on Pietravallo. Rojas is a fine holder and distributor of the ball, but can he take advantage of the scoring opportunities he finds? Advantage: Houston

UPDATE at 4p ET: with Jorge Rojas stuck in Venezuela due to visa problems, metro chances for points just went hopeful to slim.

The Coaches:
Houston's Dom Kinnear continues to have his team peaking at the right time, and will surely have his team focused on the first three-peat in MLS history. Osorio is seeing the dividends of his summer acquisition spree, as New York is in playoff position for the first time since late June. Kinnear has the hardware, however. Advantage: Houston

Intangibles:
Houston is seventh points clear of missing the postseason, so the Dynamo, who played on Wednesday, may take the foot off the gas a bit in the Jersey heat (forecast is for 85 degrees, partly cloudy, 10% chance of precip.). There's a lot more urgency for the Red Bulls in the match, as three key away Eastern Conf contests (DC, CHI, CMB) loom in the next four weeks. With a point, New York moves ahead of DC in the tightly-packed Eastern standings. The Sunday crowd should be just average. Advantage: New York

Prediction: A win would so help New York get closer to their sixth-straight playoff appearance, but with the options few in the back, and Houston once again in championship form, three points seem to be unlikely. Let's say the teams bat it around in a late-summer hazy 1-1 draw.

Data Point which might intrigue only me: New York and Houston are two of three MLS squads who are unbeaten in August. The other? San Jose!

Winning Ugly Becomes an Art Form

2008-08-21T08:47:00.004-04:00

It's a cliche that there are no style points in World Cup qualifying. Just results. The US embodied that cliche last night in a 1-0 victory in Guatemala City in a match that announcer Glenn Davis correctly called a "street fight."

The US did a few things right, plenty wrong, and a few not so well in taking three away points to start the semifinal round of WC 2010 CONCACAF qualifying.

What the US did right:
-Scoring the lone goal, of course, on a clinical header by captain Carlos Bocanegra off a corner kick from DeMarcus Beasley in the 69th minute.

-Shutting down Guatemalan chances in injury time to kill off the match.

-Bringing in Frankie Hejduk and Maurice Edu late to provide needed tenacity and energy on D.

-Starting Tim Howard, who was an absolute rock in goal. My man of the match.

What the US did wrong:
-Retaliate, especially Steve Cherundolo's second yellow for grabbing an opposing player by the ankle after getting mugged for 10 seconds by said player without a call. Losing an experienced defender to a red card on the road in WC qualifying is a massive gaffe, and Cherundolo should have known better.

-Allowing Guatemala's Mario Rodriguez free range on the right side of the attack to create chances.

What the US didn't do so well
-Play with any attacking flow whatsoever.

-Make smart passes out of the back to start attacks.

-Stop Carlos Ruiz from getting chances in the box.

Last night was the first WCQ win at Guatemala in US history, so the accomplishment shouldn't go unnoticed. There's no denying the ugly nature of the win, though. If the Yanks can get another three points at Cuba on September 6th, they'll all but coast to next year's Hexagonal. Let's hope the US can hold the ball more and play with a little more confidence in Havana.

More than Semi-Excited

2008-08-20T08:57:00.002-04:00

The long march begins again for the US MNT, which kicks off the semifinal round of World Cup Qualifying with a match at Estadio Mateo Flores in Guatemala City tonight at 10p ET (ESPN2) against the host country's chapines.

The Yanks are 10-4-5 all-time vs. Guatemala in a series that began in 1977 with four straight losses to the Central American nation. The US hasn't lost to the chapines since a 1-0 decision in January of 1988 (15 matches). In fact, Guatemala hasn't scored since a 1-1 draw in July of 2000 (6 matches ago) in qualifying for the Japan/Korea World Cup.

Will the US be overconfident? Unlikely. Despite the overwhelming historical advantage, the Yanks have only managed draws in each of its last three appearances in Guatemala. Fact is, winning on the road in World Cup qualifying is an immense challenge, where the crowds, temperatures, and field conditions usually provide the home side with a fighting chance. It was only during the 2006 World Cup cycle that the US proved its ability to win on the road, taking three points at Trinidad and Panama early in the hexagonal en route to an qualification.

On the field, Bob Bradley will field an experienced lineup that should prove more impactful that the experimental one that played for the US in a scoreless draw on 9/7/05, the last WCQ in Guatemala (thought the Yanks had already qualified for WC 06):

That lineup: Hahnemann, Albright, Marshall, Conrad, Vanney, Quaranta (Donovan), Mastroeni, Dempsey (Ralston), Convey, Twellman, Cunningham (Johnson)

Tonight's lineup (proposed): Howard, Cherundolo, Bocanegra, Oneywu, Pearce, Lewis, Bradley, Mastroeni, Beasley, Donovan, Dempsey

Tonight's experienced lineup averages 51 caps/player, and shouldn't be rattled by Estadio Mateo Flores, or the Guatemalans, who have never qualified for the World Cup.

Notes:
Tonight's other CONCACAF Group A match finds Cuba hosting Trinidad and Tobago. In Group B, Canada hosts Jamaica at BMO Field, and Mexico takes to the Azteca field vs. Honduras. Group C matches include a Central American battle between El Salvador at Costa Rica, and Caribbean one: Surinam at Haiti.

Edu, Guzan, Kljestan and Bradley have traveled from the Beijing Olympics to Guatemala in time for the match, but may be too jet-lagged to be effective. Edu traveled from China to Scotland, where he's about to join Glasgow Rangers, to Guatemala. Talk about frequent flier miles!

Hooray For Steel! The newly renamed Red Bull Arena started going vertical yesterday in Harrison NJ. Plans are for a September 2009 opening, should the Winter allow.

A Soccer Specific Stadium Spoiled?

2008-08-12T08:48:00.003-04:00

Yesterday the Toronto Globe reported that the CFL Toronto Argonauts are asking their season ticket base if the team should move to BMO Field, home of Toronto FC of MLS.

Understandably, the soccer fans of Toronto, who have sold out every single home match at the two year-old downtown stadium , are mighty upset that the Argos, who have been around since 1930 and have a smaller season-ticket file than TFC, are considering painting "football" lines on the soccer field.

The Argos have drawn around 30,000 fans per game over the last three seasons at the Rogers Center, the stadium formerly known as SkyDome. In order to make BMO Field, built for TFC and the 2007 U20 World Cup, fit for the CFL, a signifcant alteration would be required which would certainly ruin the intimate feel that has made the field and TFC a huge success.

Will MLS and TFC fans prove to be victims of their own success? Stay tuned.

Some Sunday of Soccer

2008-08-11T08:44:00.000-04:00

From yesterday morning's painful US Olympic 2-2 draw with Netherlands, to the Red Bulls' 4-1 demolition of DC United in the late afternoon, the day was a veritable football feast from China to the swamps of Jersey.

The US was seconds away from qualifying for the Olympic quarterfinals before the Oranje's Gerald Sibon (SC Heerenveen) blasted the tying goal under the US wall on a free kick from just outside the penalty area. The gallant US outplayed the heavily favored Dutch for most of the match, making the most of their opporunities through goals by Sacha Klejstan and the pride of Jersey, Jozy Altidore. In the final ten minutes, however, the Netherlands brought on two extra forwards, including world-class overage player Roy Makaay, and converted their best opporuntity to tie the match in the waning seconds.

The draw left the US atop Group B with four points (based on goals scored) and take on Nigeria on Wednesday morning. The Yanks, who'll have to play without midfielders Freddy Adu and Michael Bradley (yellow card accumulation) need at least a draw, or at least a Japan draw vs. Netherlands, to advance. If the US advance, the Yanks could face any of the Group A nations; Argentina, Cote d'Ivoire, Australia, or Serbia in the quarterfinals.

Group B standings:
US, 4 pts, +1 GD
Nigeria, 4pts, +1
Netherlands, 2pts, 0
x-Japan, 0pts, -2

In the afternoon, the New York Red Bulls went down a goal early at Giants Stadium, then lit up the DC United net with four goals in the club's best offensive effort since the monumental 5-4 victory over LA last August 19th. Juan Pablo Angel put two in, including a picture-perfect free kick to open the Red Bulls scoring in the 27th minute. Much maligned Mike Magee scored off a rebound just before halftime to give NY the lead, and after JPA's second, Sinisa Ubiparipovic tallied with minutes to play for the 4-1 win, the most lopsided New York victory in the 13-year series between the clubs.

New York needed the victory to keep pace in the improving MLS East, where the bottom four clubs are all sitting on 25 points. The Red Bulls' 3-goal victory helped its poor goal differential (now a -5), though New York sits 6th place. Next up: another of those 25-point clubs in Toronto FC, who snapped a 6-match winless streak at Colorado. Here's a hopeful sign for New York for Sunday's match. Since June 1, TFC is 2-0-0 vs. the Rapids and 0-5-2 vs. the rest of MLS.

Game Notes:
Yesterday's match drew 15,038 to Giants Stadium, the largest non-Saturday crowd of the season...Seven yellow cards were distributed in the physical match, three to the Red Bulls, four to DC... Both DC and New England, who will play each other in a US Open Cup semifinal Tuesday night, lost their MLS matches this weekend...before yesterday, the Red Bulls hadn't scored more than two goals in a match all season.

Red Bulls Preview: Game #19 vs. Scum

2008-08-08T16:47:00.000-04:00

Let's hear it for parity. Despite a five-match league winless streak (seven straight overall), the Red Bulls are only a single point out of a playoff spot with twelve matches to play. Over the last few weeks, the club has brought in help, including Venezuelan international defender Gabriel Chicero, who played 45 minutes with New York in Wednesday's schooling by Barcelona. Along with defender Diego Jimenez, and midfielders Jorge Rojas and Juan Pietrovallo, the new-look Red Bulls hope to get the stretch-run started with a win against rival DC United in the first of three straight home games at Giants Stadium.

Though United crashed out of the SuperLiga with three straight losses, the club has won four of its last five MLS outings, including a 2-0 victory at home vs. Kansas City last week, when MLS all-time goal scoring leader Jaime Moreno, and the rejuvenated Luciano Emilio both scored for DC.

Position, Recent League Form, and playoff position:
New York, 22 pts from 18 matches, 7th East, TLLTT, out of playoffs
DC United 25 pts from 17 matches, 4th East, WWWLW, would face New England in Conf. Semis

Here's a line-by-line look at Sunday's match:

The DC forwards vs. the Red Bulls' defense:
Luciano Emilio and Jaime Moreno vs. Kevin Goldthwaite, Jeff Parke, and Andrew Boyens (and Jon Conway). Emilio (11g) and Moreno (7g) have scored as many goals as the entire Red Bull team this season. Wednesday's thrashing by Barca not included, New York has allowed 10 goals in the Red Bulls' last five league matches. Will New York coach Osorio stick with his three-man back line at home? Perhaps Jimenez and/or Chicero get the starting nod here. Advantage: DC

New York's attackers vs. the United defense:
Juan Pablo Angel and Danliegh Borman vs. Bryan Namoff, Devon McTavish, Pat Carroll, and Marc Burch (and Zack Wells). Without the departed Jozy Altidore, New York has struggled to a) find a strike partner for Angel and b) put goals in the net. The Red Bulls have scored 19 goals in 18 matches, bad enough for 11th in the 14-team MLS. The DC defense has been taking it on the chin in lately (10g allowed in last five overall outings), but United did pitch a shutout vs. KC last week. Until NY can prove it can generate some offense... Advantage: DC

The Midfields:
Dave van den Bergh, Carlos Mendes, Jorge Rojas, and Seth Stammler, vs. Fred, Clyde Simms, Joe Vide, and Ivan Guerrero. Mendes is not the answer at d-mid, especially if Pietrovallo can go, but the midfield is where New York may have an advantage. Rojas certainly looks like the playmaker that New York hoped retired Claudio Reyna would be, and van den Bergh is playing well. Former Metro Joe Vide, as all former Metros do when playing New York, will surely have a great outing. Advantage: Push

The Coaches:
DC's Tommy Soehn survived his second straight slow start, but United is poised climb up the league table. Juan Carlos Osorio is ambling along during the summer doldrums, but his new arrivals need to make their prescence felt. After depressing draws vs. LA and at San Jose, there's not a lot of confidence in JCO or Sporting Director Jeff Agoos' abilities. Advantage: DC

Intangibles:
DC hasn't lost to New York since October 8th, 2005, a span of five matches (4-0-1), but may get caught looking ahead to Tuesday's US Open Cup semfinal vs. New England. A match with DC usually draws the fans to Giants Stadium, so the Red Bulls should enjoy a home-field advantage. Forecast is for a high of 81, with pm T-storms likely (60%). Advantage: DC

Prediction: Unless the new New York arrivals make an impact, it's hard to imagine the Red Bulls winning this match. Let's say Moreno, Emilio, and why not, Joe Vide score for United, and Angel for New York in a 3-1 DC victory.

Tack it to the Locker Room Wall
Think Dutch Olympic coach Foppe de Haan coach is concerned about facing the US on Sunday? Said de Haan, "They don't have anybody extremely good," when discussing the Yanks. Them's fighting words. While no one who watched the US' 1-0 win over Japan on Thursday morning is penciling in the US for the final, let's hope Petr Novak's boys make de Haan eat some crow. A win clinches a quarterfinal spot for the US. A draw won't hurt. Even a loss to the Netherlands will keep the Yanks in the running on the 13th vs. Nigeria.

Instant Classic

2008-08-06T08:52:00.002-04:00

Those that said that last night's SuperLiga final would be a glorified friendly had no idea what they were talking about. At Gillette Stadium, New England and Houston put on a thrilling, intense, physical, advertisement for American soccer that ended in the eighth round of penalty kicks when the Dynamo's Corey Ashe hit the crossbar with his attempt, giving the Revs the SuperLiga title.

But New England didn't back into it's first win over Houston in three finals meetings. The Revolution, playing with out regulars Jay Heaps (red card) and Michael Parkhurst (Olympics) twice came back from a goal down, once in the first half and once in extra time, to force penalty kicks. Revs coach Steve Nicol survived a questionable decision by letting New England keeper Matt Reis kick attempt the team's second pk, which Reis missed badly.

Man-of-the-match Reis then redeemed himself by stopping tries by Houston's Dwyane DeRosario and Brian Ching before New England's Chris Albright lashed the Revs' eighth attempt pash Dynamo keeper Pat Onstad. When Ashe's try hit the crossbar, the vocal New England crowd of 9,200+ erupted in joy in seeing their team finally vanquish Houston, who had defeated their Revs both the 2006 and 2007 MLS Cup Finals.

With the SuperLiga victory, New England has the chance to become the first MLS side to collect four major trophies in a single year. The Revs take on DC United in the US Open Cup semifinals at RFK on the 12th. New England, currently on top of the MLS Standings, is in position to win its first Supporters' Shield, and of course MLS Cup looms in November. The Revolution also opens play in the inaugural Concacaf Champions League against Trinidad's Joe Public on the 26th, but that title won't be determined until next April.

Game Notes
Great to see Revs and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft on the Gillette Stadium field after the match, receiving the SuperLiga trophy from team captain Steve Ralston and celebrating with the team and fans... Perhaps as a show of solidarity over the small percentage of the tournament's million-dollar prize going to players, the Revs did not join MLS Commissioner Garber on the winner's podium, but rather Ralston quickly took the tournament trophy without much fanfare, leaving the confetti cannons and fireworks to erupt on their own... Nice to see Dynamo coach Dom Kinnear's and Chris Albright's take part in interviews with the TeleFutura sideline reporter in Spanish... Referee Howard Web, on loan from the English Premier League, was laudatory in a post-match interview of the quality of play, and compared it favorably to an EPL match.

Red Bull Speaks on the Stadium Status

2008-08-02T10:12:00.002-04:00

In an email to season ticket holders yesterday, Red Bull New York Managing Director Erik Stover cleared the air over reports that Red Bull Park construction was being held up over a pending eminent domain case, further delaying the opening of the new home of the Red Bulls in Harrison, NJ. Wrote Stover,

Dear RBNY Supporters,

There have been a number of inaccurate articles published recently regarding construction off Red Bull Park and I wanted to reach out to you directly to clarify some of the facts.

We have completed the piles and pile caps as well as the underground work of Red Bull Park and we are still committed to opening in 2009.

The pieces for the next phase of construction are ready and waiting, which includes the erection of structural steel. Cranes are on-site and ready to go once we receive the next set of permits that are to be issued by the Town of Harrison. We expect to receive these permits by the middle of August, possibly sooner.

As you can imagine, a project of this magnitude can be difficult and will have its ups and downs along the way. However we remain committed to the project and continue to move construction forward. We are still within the timetable for a 2009 opening as we've anticipated delays and have built contingencies for these possible delays into the plan. Should we get to the point where 2009 is not feasible due to delays that are out of our control, we will communicate to you directly so that you hear it from us first.

Thank you for your patience as we work to bring you a world-class stadium that we can all call our home.

Sincerely

Erik Stover
Managing Director
New York Red Bulls

There's a lot more that Red Bull could be doing to manage fans' expectations over the much-delayed stadium project (Red Bull held a groundbreaking for the stadium on September 16th, 2006, nearly two years ago). Most other MLS clubs have produced rich-media web sites generating excitement and communicating progress about their soccer-specifc stadia. Take RSL's, for example. Red Bull has chosen minute-long videos that air during halftime of the team's televised matches to show "updates" on stadium construction. However, there's a lot more that Red Bull can do to show the club's small but passionate fan base what's happening on the Harrison stadium site. The current Red Bull Park web site is woefully spare. Of course, if there's really not much going on... there's not a lot to talk about, but RB could really make a better effort in informing their fans.

Revs to Meet Houston in SuperLiga Final

2008-07-31T08:14:00.003-04:00

For the third time in less than three years, New England and Houston will play for a title. The Revs made the second edition of the SuperLiga Final an all-MLS affair by knocking off Mexico's Atlante, 1-0 at Gillette Stadium last night in the semis.

The Revs' Shalrie Joseph scored the night's only goal with a header off a free kick in the 30th minute. The end of the match showed once again the lack of sportsmanship by the Mexicans, as Atlante instigated a bench-clearing brawl as the final whistle sounded.

New England is 0 for 2 vs. the Dynamo in title matches, losing the last two MLS Cup Finals to Houston, 2-1 last season, and in penalty kicks after a 1-1 draw in 2006. This time, though, the Revs will benefit from home cooking, as the SuperLiga final will be held in Foxboro on August 5th (8p, Telefutura).

Houston to SuperLiga Final

2008-07-30T07:55:00.002-04:00

Congrats to the Dynamo, who knocked off defending SuperLiga champ Pachuca last night, 2-0 at Robertson stadium in Houston. Pat Onstad stood on his head early in the second half, blocking many point-blank scoring opportunities by the Tuzos. Pachuca had an goal called back due to offside in the 60th minute, and former scum Bobby Boswell knocked in a bouncing ball of a corner kick in the 77th to give Houston the lead. The Dynamo's Corey Ashe headed in a magnificent looping ball by Brian Mullan in the 87th to cement the victory.

Houston awaits tonight's second semifinal between New England and Atlante (8p ET, Telefutura) for its opponent in the August 5th final.

Red Bulls Preview: Game #18 at Shakes

2008-07-25T14:46:00.003-04:00

Last week, the New York Red Bulls let two points slip away in injury time vs. LA at home. Sunday afternoon, New York will have a golden opportunity to escape last place in the East when they play the West's bottom-feeder, San Jose (3-9-5), at Buck Shaw Stadium in Santa Clara (3p, MSG+).

The last time out, the New York offense was invigorated by the addition of midfielder Jorge Rojas, who assisted on both Red Bull goals in 2-2 draw with the Galaxy. Will Rojas continue to click with his new teammates? To beat the Earthquakes and win for the first time in five league matches, New York will have to overcome its own futility on the road (1-5-3) and win away from Giants Stadium for the first time since May 10th.

Position and Recent Form:
New York, 21 pts from 17 matches, 7th East, WTLLT
San Jose, 14 pts from 17 matches, 7th West, TTLTL

Here's a line-by-line look at Sunday's match:

The San Jose forwards vs. the Red Bulls' defense:
Ryan Johnson and Scott Sealy vs. Dave van den Bergh, Kevin Goldthwaite, Jeff Parke, and Chris Leitch (and Jon Conway). 11 goals in 17 matches won't win you many games, and the Quakes have won three all season. Sealy, recently traded from Kansas City, is a Red Bull killer. Johnson, the all-time scorer in Oregon State history, leads San Jose with three goals this season. New York's D did a decent job shutting down the high-powered LA offense last week... until after the ninetieth mintute. van den Bergh has been the Red Bulls' brightest spot this season with five goals scored. Advantage: New York

New York's attackers vs. the Quakes' defense:
Juan Pablo Angel and Oscar Etcheverry vs. James Riley, Ryan Cochrane, Jason Hernandez, and Eric Denton (and Joe Cannon). Despite San Jose's offensive woes, the Quakes' defense has kept them in games. In fact, SJ's D has allowed only one goal in the club's last four league outings. As much as Etcheverry tries to keep up, he simply can't match Angel's speed or skill. As a result, San Jose may ignore the Etcheverry threat and double-team JPA and dulling New York's chances. Advantage: San Jose

The Midfields:
Carlos Mendes Luke Sassano, Jorge Rojas, and Seth Stammler, vs. Francisco Lima, Ramiro Corrales, Darren Huckerby, and Ronnie O'Brien. Without the injured Dane Richards, any New York speed advantage on the flanks has been neutralized. The Stammler-Rojas connection will be key to creating opportunites for Angel up top. San Jose's Newcomer Huckerby from England's Norwich may provide a spark as he meshes with his new teammates. Corrales and O'Brien are on the downside of their careers. Advantage: Push

The Coaches:
In his first year back in San Jose, Quakes coach Frank Yallop has a free pass as he tries to field a competitive squad. He has a history of success that's among the league's best. New York's Juan Carlos Osorio knows he's tantlizingly close to playoff position and is trying to incorporate his new signings into the squad. All the pressure's on JCO. Advantage: San Jose

Intangibles:
The intimate crowd in Buck Shaw will certainly lift the Quakes. New York is trying to create a little momentum in a classic trap game. The Red Bulls face DC, Toronto and Houston next. Advantage: San Jose

Prediction: JCO knows the power of a defense in sync, and San Jose has figured out how to keep the ball out of the net. The Stammler-Rojas-van den Burgh-Angel quartet break down the Quakes' D in a 1-0 New York win.

Poaching Our Young?

The Wall Street Journal's Joe Weinbach looks at European clubs mining the U.S. for youth talent. Interesting point that these elite youth players' sights are firmly on Europe, not MLS.

Better Than A Sharp Stick in the Eye...Barely

2008-07-20T14:55:00.005-04:00

Last night's two-two draw with FC Goldenballs provided plenty of excitement and optimism as the New York Red Bulls head in to the All-Star Break, but frankly, the team did plenty to give away two points in a game New York led into injury time.

The debut of Venezulean midfielder Jorge Rojas, who assisted on both New York goals, provided a significant boost to the Red Bulls' offense, as the team scored more than a single goal for the first time in 14 outings in all competitions. Certainly, the Rojas-Angel attacking combo will be critical if New York will make a playoff run.

However, Oscar Etcheverry needs to be put out to pasture sooner rather than later. Numerous times last night, the Colombian recieved the ball 30+ yards from goal, raced up the flank, and passed into the center without once glancing to see if a teammate was nearby for a scoring opportunity. Usually, there wasn't.

Dave van den Bergh got huge marks not only for his massive first-half blast that opened the New York scoring, but his tenacity despite getting repeatedly knocked down by the LA defense.

Angel's goal was a thing of beauty, chipping Cronin from inside the six-yard box to give New York the lead in the 71st minute. Angel's awareness that he was without help and experience in beating the young Galaxy keeper was superb.

Alas, New York's "Curse of Caricola" continued, as the Red Bulls were unable to put the match away despite three excellent scoring opportunities in the second half. In fact, New York was lucky to escape with a single point when LA's Landon Donovan banged a shot off the left post with seconds to play in injury time.

So where to go from here? Newcomer Juan Pietrovallo made his debut as well last night, and with defenders Gabriel Cichero and Diego Jimenez soon to arrive, New York's midseason renovation will be complete. On Sunday, the Red Bulls visit bottom-of-the-table San Jose, before a road matches at DC, Toronto, and Houston that will go a long way towards determining New York's playoff fate. Let's hope the new and current Red Bulls will gel on the road and continue the attacking style displayed Saturday at Giants Stadium.

Notes

The hard-core Red Bull fandom protested the lack of effort in the club's July 1st US Open Cup loss to USL-2 squad Crystal Palace Baltimore by hanging the many fan banners in the Empire End of Giants Stadium upside down... the crowd of 46,754 was the largest to watch an MLS match this year... All five MLS matches this week ended in draws.

An Ugly Loss, but Hope for the Future

2008-07-03T11:43:00.001-04:00

The Red Bulls crashed out of this year's U.S. Open Cup on Tuesday in ignominious fashion, bowing to a USL-2 club, Crystal Palace Baltimore, by a 2-0 score in Annapolis, MD. New York coach Juan Carlos Osorio sent out a group of mostly reserve-team players to take on the Charm City side, and the amped-up, lower-division boys proved that heart and desire have a decided advantage over a roster of substitutes. Despite playing a man up for nearly an hour, New York's 4-5-1 formation was unable to break through the less-than-vaunted Baltimore defense.

What made the outing even more embarrasing was that fifty of New York's hard-core fans made the 200-mile trek to Annapolis, and got a horrible effort and a worse performance from the Red Bulls for their trouble.

There's a decided lack of connection between the club and its fans, perhaps best highlighted on the official Red Bulls Reader blog comments about the game. At the end of the day, fans want a club that gives maximum effort, even if the results don't come. The Red Bulls, currently averaging 13,500 fans per match, will be playing to even more empty seats unless the on-field effort improves.

Hope is on the way, however. Yesterday the club announced the arrival of two new internationals to the roster, who will join the team when the transfer period opens on the 15th. 31-year old Venezuelan midfielder Jorge Rojas joins the Red Bulls from Union Atletico Maracaibo. Rojas has 82 caps with the vinotinto, making him the second-most capped player in Venezuelan history. Argentine Juan Pietravallo is a 26-year old journeyman midfielder that has played in Greece, Spain, and his native land for clubs like Velez Sarsfield, Gimnasia, Quilmes, and Nueva Chicago. New York is also negotiating with Mexican youth international defender Diego Jimenez.

Of course, Rojas and Pietravallo will need time to adjust to JCO's system, and without the injured Juan Pablo Angel up front, New York's attack will continue to be stunted. However, given that the Red Bulls are a goal differential tie-breaker away from a playoff spot, a late run would certainly propel the team into the post-season. A win at Colorado tomorrow night (9:30p, MSG), would be a great start.

Through

2008-06-23T17:48:00.000-04:00

It was hard to imagine the US "B" team equaling the full team's first-leg effort in yesterday's 1-0 win at Barbados, but the young Yanks (with goal-scorer Lewis and DeMarcus Beasley thrown in) did enough to propel the US to Concacaf's WC 2010 Semifinal Qualifying Round.

With US U-20 stars Freddy Adu (assist on the Lewis goal), Michael Bradley, and Danny Szetela running the midfield, the Yanks didn't play the most sterling ball ever, but with an 8-0 cushion after leg one in LA, the young stars just had to manage the match. Mission accomplished.

Next up, the four-team semifinal round. Here's the Group One schedule as follows (top two clubs advance):

Wed August 20th at GUATEMALA
Sat. September 6th at CUBA
Wed. September 10th vs. TRINDAD at Toyota Park, Chicago
Sat. October 11th vs. CUBA at RFK, Washington
Wed. October 15th at TRINIDAD
Wed. November 19th vs. GUATEMALA at DSG Park, Denver

While the US will be favorites to advance, don't discount Carlos Ruiz and his Guatemala side. The L.A. Galaxy striker ran roughshod over St. Lucia in a 9-1 aggregate series. The Cuba matches will of course have their own political intrigue, and Trinidad answered the bell just in time in their second leg vs. Bermuda to advance.

The US is thankful the draw didn't place the Yanks into Group Two, where Honduras, Canada, and Jamaica all take on Mexico. All four clubs have the skills to take part in next year's hexagonal; only two will get the opportunity.

Stepping Up

Not a bad week for the Red Bulls: a draw away to league-leading New England, and a 1-0 home win versus an FC Dallas side hoping to impress their new boss. D Kevin Goldthwaite was the hero on Saturday, heading in a Sinisa Ubiparipovic corner in the first half for the only goal. This week New York plays two Chivases: the Mexican version on Wednesday night in Phoenix, and the American version Saturday night at the HDC. Given the depleted nature of the Red Bulls lineup (No Angel, no Reyna, who is contemplating retirement), the midweek match could get ugly fast.

New York's decent record (5-4-4) is good enough for eighth place on the league table. However, the Red Bulls would miss the playoffs if the season ended today due to MLS' mandate that at least three clubs from each conference qualify for postseason play. New York is currently in sixth place in the MLS East.

Finally Making Progress

Let's hear it for Real Salt Lake. Not only is the Wasatch club months away from christening (mormoning?) its own soccer-specifc stadium, but RSL is 3-0-2 in their last five matches, with only two goals conceded over that span. Team Xango is in second place in the MLS West, two points behind FC Hollywood.

Europa, Europa

Look for Germany to advance over Turkey, the cardiac kids of this year's Euro Championships, on Wednesday in the semis. Spain will best Russia on Wednesday, leaving an intriguing matchup in the Final.

US Roster for Barbados: Song Remains the Same

2008-06-10T16:12:00.003-04:00

US Coach Bob Bradley has taken most of the players from his recent three-match run against world powers to take on lowly Barbados on Sunday at the Home Depot Center (5p ET, ESPN2). The roster...

G: Cervi, Guzan, Howard
D: Bocanegra, Califf, Cherundolo, DeMerit, Hejduk, Oneywu, Pearce
M: Adu, Beasley, Bradley, Edu, Klejstan, Lewis, Mastroeni
F: Ching, Dempsey, Donovan, Johnson

My probables to take on the 121st-ranked Barbadans...

Howard
Cherundolo, Oneywu, Bocanegra, Pearce
Beasley, Mastroeni, Bradley, Donovan
Dempsey, Ching

Rico Clark was left off the roster, replaced by Houston teammate Brian Ching, who has to be in better form than Eddie Johnson up top.

While many younger up and comers (Cooper, Altidore, Rogers) were left off the roster, this veteran group will look to take command early and snuff any hint of optimism from Barbados. With a three-goal cushion, look for Adu and Edu to come in during mop-up time.

Let's get this party started!

What a Night

2008-06-09T13:19:00.005-04:00

Should the US qualify for its sixth straight World Cup in about eighteen months' time, the team may point to last night's entertaining and at times electrifying scoreless draw at a packed Giants Stadium as the shot of confidence needed to conquer CONCACAF.

Note only did the Yanks battle toe-to-toe with the world top-ranked Argentineans, but strong individual performances from Tim Howard (who stood on his head to keep a clean sheet), Landon Donovan (in his 100th US appearance) and DaMarcus Beasley (his best game since returning from a long injury) should carry the US past through the fall qualifying sequence with ease.

Of concern is the continued funk of striker Eddie Johnson, so hasn't scored for the US in almost a year, as well as the inconsistency of the youthful Maurice Edu, who needs more seasoning, and will get it in time.

The atmosphere in the Giants Stadium US Supporters Section was electric, even in 95 degree heat, as fans of both sides were entertained by the skill of the visitors and the desire of the home team.

Had Onyewu's 46th minute header found the net instead of the crossbar, American soccer fans would be celebrating an historical victory. However, the US squad looks ready to break their goalless streak on Sunday at the HDC versus Barbados.

Red Bulls Preview: Game #10 vs. Goats

2008-06-05T13:27:00.004-04:00

Crazy week at work + Thursday night match = cop-out deference to ESPN's all-too short video preview. Enjoy.

Sadly, ESPN has pulled the video...apologies.

Jozy Sold

2008-06-04T14:51:00.005-04:00

Ives Galarcep, Michael Lewis, and Stephen Goff are reporting that MLS has sold Red Bulls Striker Jozy Altidore to Villareal, runners-up in the Spanish League this season, for $8MM. Altidore will report after passing a physical and agreeing to terms with the European club.

For the Red Bulls, who were anemic in a 1-0 loss to Houston on Saturday, the departure couldn't have come at a worse time. The club has scored only twice in its last three outings.

For a team with so many needs, the inevitable departure of Altidore only leaves more of a hole in yet another disappointing MLS season.

Red Bulls Preview: Game #9 @ Orange

2008-05-30T16:03:00.003-04:00

How to come back from a beatdown? That's the question facing the New York Red Bulls (3-2-3) as they travel to Houston to take on the two-time defending MLS Cup Champion Dynamo (2-3-5) on Saturday night (8:30p, HDNet). After last Sunday's 5-1 home loss to Chicago, Red Bulls defender Jeff Parke noted that practice was like "walking on egg shells." However, New York is catching Houston at just the right time.

Star keeper Pat Onstad and super midfielder Dwayne DeRosario are away with the Canadian national team, and former Metro Rico Clark is with Bob Bradley's US squad. Defender Wade Barrett is doubtful with an adductor strain, so Houston, which has had a rough start to the season, will be without many key pieces.

New York's Claudio Reyna will miss his third of four matches, and midfielder Dave van den Burgh won't make the trip, as his wife is expecting birth of their second child. Regardless of the personnel on the field, the Red Bulls need points, as the Eastern Conference leaders (NE, CHI, CMB) have begun to pull away from the pack.

Position and Recent Form:
Houston, 11 pts from 10 matches, 5th West, TWWLT
New York, 12 pts from 8 matches, 5th East, WTWTL

Here's a line-by-line look at Saturday's match:

The Houston forwards vs. the Red Bulls' defense:
Kyle Brown and Brian Ching vs. Kevin Goldthwaite, Jeff Parke, and Hunter Freeman (and Jon Conway). Sub Brown went 58 minutes in the Dynamo's 2-2 draw at Dallas on Wednesday. He's scored twice in 23 league appearances, but Houston's scoring threat is with Ching, who could have come in handy in the US' 2-0 loss to England this week. Ching's ability to score with his head will be crucial on dead-ball situations. For New York, the name of the game is confidence, which was invisible in last weeks' demolition by the Fire. With the right attitude, and Parke's handling of Ching, the Red Bulls could return to their stingy ways. Advantage: Push

New York's attackers vs. the Dynamo defense:
Jozy Altidore and Juan Pablo Angel vs. Richard Mulrooney, Patrick Ianni, Bobby Boswell, and Geoff Cameron (and Tony Caig). Is Jozy Altidore tired? Distracted? He's certainly leads New York in frustration as MLS defenses key on him. If he's ready to make his move to Europe, a breakout performance won't hurt. Houston is giving up 1.5 goals/match, and a third of their goals conceded are from outside the penalty area. With Caig in net, there could be more. Advantage: New York

The Midfields:
Dane Richards, Luke Sassano, Mike Magee, Seth Stammler and Danleigh Borman, vs. Brian Mullan, Brad Davis, Stuart Holden, and Corey Ashe. The return of Stammler to the Red Bulls lineup after three matches nursing a bad back will settle the club from the d-mid position. Richards will have to neutralize the equally speedy Ashe, who helped set up Houston's injury-time goal in Dallas, allwing Houston to escape PHP with a draw. Former Metro Davis always relishes playing New York. Mullan will have his handful in Borman on the left side. Advantage: Push

The Coaches:
Dom Kinnear has done in all in American Soccer: National team player, original member of the Tampa Bay Mutiny, and MLS Cup winning coach. He's walked it and talked it, and questionable lineup or not, his club will be ready. Juan Carlos Osorio has his first true coaching challenge for the season: getting his club to erase last week's performance from its memory, and focus on the task at hand. He really needs better players. Advantage: Houston

Intangibles:
With Mark Cuban's HDNet the exclusive television outlet for tomorrow night's match, a large walk-up crowd will create a big advantage at Robertson Stadium. With a daytime high temp of 92 degrees, expect a hot night that'll be helpful to NY's younger legs. Advantage: Push

Prediction: The Red Bulls simply have to take advantage of the holes in Houston's lineup to deliver a victory against a weaker opponent. Houston will be fine in the weak, weak MLS West and will be playing for a draw from the outset. Angel and Altidore both score a 2-0 New York win.

England v US: Men v Boys

2008-05-29T08:56:00.004-04:00

That's what it looked like on the pitch at Wembley yesterday, as England embarrassed the U.S., 2-0 in the first of three big-name challenges before the Yanks start World Cup qualifying on June 15th.

Barely able to maintain possession, the U.S. was outclassed by England, who scored on a John Terry header in the first half, and a Steven Gerrard breakaway in the second. The Yanks had two decent scoring opportunities the entire match: a blast from Eddie Johnson that went wide, and a smart serve into the six-yard box by sub Eddie Lewis that was parried away by England keeper David James.

While England captain Fabio Cappello had his entire squad to pick from, the Yanks were without Landon Donovan, who was nursing a strained groin (ouch!), Brian Ching (with Houston), Taylor Twellman (with New England) or even Jozy Altidore (with New York). In their stead, Josh Wolff, who wasn't had a decent national-team outing since the 2002 World Cup, and a mostly ineffectual Eddie Johnson got the starting nods at forward. Clint Dempsey was neutralized by the England defense.

If the Yanks are to compete on the world stage (next chance: at Spain next Wednesday), the U.S. is going to have to find a way to generate some creativity and offense. None of the players on the pitch yesterday were able to get the job done, not remotely. The match reminded me of the domination that Germany laid on the Americans in the first round of the '98 World Cup in France. That match was similarly non-competitive.

Atrocious

2008-05-27T15:48:00.004-04:00

Not much more to be said about the Red Bulls' effort and result on Sunday afternoon at Giants Stadium in a 1-5 dismantling by Chicago. The lineup suspended New York coach Osorio put on the field included central defender Carlos Mendes in a defense mid role, a single striker in JPA, and four-man back line that surrendered four goals in a fourteen-minute span in the second half. As much as the club will want to brush this performance away, the fact is that without roster improvements, New York will find themselves also-rans for yet another year. With the summer transfer window opening soon, Red Bulls fans are praying that the Austrian overlords allow JCO and Jeff Agoos the freedom to spend to the club's salary cap. Otherwise, another fight for a playoff spot beckons.

Dreaming of Wembley

Tomorrow the United States takes on England at Wembley Stadium (3p ET) in what should be Landon Donovan's 100th cap for the Yanks. Bob Bradley brings an A-minus squad to home of football, including EPLers Dempsey, Howard, and Eddie Johnson. The match will televised live on ESPN Classic, and John Harkes and JP Dellacamera preview the match here:

It's no surprise that the English press is all but ignoring the US ahead of the match, notes Yahoo's Martin Rogers.

Red Bulls Preview: Game #8 vs. Flamers

2008-05-23T11:30:00.002-04:00

Sunday, the Red Bulls have their first real test of the season as FC Best Buy (aka the Chicago Fire) visit the Swamp with bad blood on their minds.

Despite what you might read in today's press, Chicago (5-2-1) ain't too pleased with the Red Bulls, since NY's current coach Juan Carlos Osorio bolted from Bridgeview after last season, breaking his Fire contract. Of course, the MetroStars absconded with original Fire coach Bob Bradley after the 2002 season, so there's was a precedent for Chicago coaches ending up in New York.

Chicago has retaliated in two ways; one by putting a discovery claim and then signing Red Bull off-season target Lider Marmol, then preventing unhappy Chicago defender Wilman Conde from joining coach Osorio in New York.

On the field, however, under longtime assistant Denis Hamlett, the Fire is on a roll, with five wins in eight starts. Despite a home loss to Houston last week, Chicago's second-ranked offense (14 goals) and top-ranked defense (5 goals conceded) will give New York everything it can handle.

Last week's Red Bulls home draw with Kansas City was disappointing on two levels; first that KC scored on one of their few decent chances all night, and second that it took New York 16 (!) quality opportunities to get the ball in the net. For New York to deliver a positive result on Sunday, it must convert any and all opportunities the stingy Fire defense allows.

Position and Recent Form:
New York, 12 pts from 7 matches, 5th East, TWTWT
Chicago, 16 pts from 8 matches, 2nd East, LWWWL

Here's a line-by-line look at Sunday's match:

The Chicago forwards vs. the Red Bulls' defense:
Chad Barrett and Andy Herron vs. Kevin Goldthwaite, Jeff Parke, and Hunter Freeman (and Jon Conway). Though the bulk of the Fire's scoring comes through the midfield, Barrett (with his size) and sub Herron will provide a challenge. The Red Bulls' defense faltered last week only when Jeff Parke was picked from covering KC's Jimmy Conrad on a corner kick. Otherwise, the back line has been the story of the season for New York, especially since the offense has produced only nine goals in seven games. Advantage: New York

New York's attackers vs. the Fire defense:
Jozy Altidore and Juan Pablo Angel vs. Diego Gutierrez, Gonzalo Segares, Bakary Soumare, and Brandon Prideaux (and Jon Busch). When your defense pitches four clean sheets in eight outings, something special is happening. Last week's 2-1 loss in Houston was the first time the Fire had conceded more than one goal in a match this year. The fearsome foursome in front on Busch has played together in seven of eight 2008 matches. Angel and Altidore's production have been way down this season, though it seems that Angel's sore back is finally healing. If any tandem can break through the Fire defense, its the Red Bulls'. Advantage: Chicago

The Midfields:
Dane Richards, Luke Sassano, Mike Magee, Claudio Reyna and Danleigh Borman, vs. Justin Mapp, Cuauhtemoc Blanco, Logan Pause, and Chris Rolfe. Blanco is leading the Fire in scoring (3g, 2a), and his ability to score from long range will keep the NY backline honest. As he goes, so goes the Fire. Mapp and Rolfe are huge scoring threats as well. Chicago will miss John Thorrington (3g), doubtful with back spasms. Reyna, if he plays, will be responsible for slowing down Blanco and will need to be at the top of his game. The Red Bulls will miss suspended Dave van den Burgh, especially against the 6' 1" Mapp. Can the Rookie Borman extend his scoring to three matches? Advantage: Push

The Coaches:
Denis Hamlett's promotion to Head Coach in Chicago after a decade on the staff was one of the great stories of the MLS offseaon. Hamlett knows his success depends on a happy Blanco, and his impressive record in the young season is a testament to his ability to get the most of his players. New York's Osorio needs to get his side to finish more chances. Advantage: Push

Intangibles:
Blanco's visit will result in a big walk-up crowd wearing Club America jerseys. With many among the Red Bulls' fan base out of town for the holiday weekend, Chicago may be the "home" team on Sunday. It'll be a sunny, warm day on the Giants Stadium turf. Advantage: Chicago

Prediction: With the two stingiest MLS defenses going head-to-head, goals will be few and far between. This is the first real gut-check of the season for New York, and a loss, even this early in the season, could drop the Red Bulls into a flight for a playoff berth. I think the Fire is the better side, and Blanco will feed Barrett for the lone tally in a 1-0 Chicago win.

Please Indulge Me...

2008-05-17T14:37:00.003-04:00

A dad can dream of national team glory, right? When he learns to use his left... look out!

Red Bulls Preview: Game #7 vs. Wizzzz

2008-05-16T13:51:00.000-04:00

After a gutty 2-1 road win at FC Goldenballs, the New York Red Bulls find themselves on a four-match unbeaten streak heading into Saturday night's test with a Kansas City Wizards (3-3-1) squad looking for its first points since April 20th. New York (3-1-2) will take the field for the second straight outing without injured Captain Claudio Reyna or D-mid Seth Stammler, though their replacements, Mike Magee and rookie Luke Sassano, carried the load well in last week's victory.

The Wizards have cooled since their strong start, and have won only once in their last five matches, scoring just three goals over that span. Will KC's talented Argentines be able to break through NY's second-ranked defense? Therein lies the storyline for tomorrow night.

Position and Recent Form:
New York, 11 pts from 6 matches, 4th East, LTWTW
Kansas City, 10 pts from 7 matches, 6th East, LTWLL

Here's a line-by-line look at Saturday's match:

The Kansas City forwards vs. the Red Bulls' defense:
Claudio Lopez and Ivan Trujillo vs. Kevin Goldthwaite, Jeff Parke, and Hunter Freeman (and Jon Conway). Wizards fans were celebrating when the club brought in Lopez from the Colombia and Truilljo from Argentina to create an energetic attack. However, the KC strike force has been off target for weeks as they learn to play together. The Wizards have only a single tally from the run of play (along with a pair of PKs) in their last five outings. Much has been written about the Red Bulls' buy-in to coach Osorio's defense-first mindset, as New York has allowed only five goals in six matches this season. JCO's tendency to shift midfielder Dave van den Burgh to a d-wing position will present an even tougher challenge to KC. Advantage: New York

New York's attackers vs. the Galaxy defense:
Jozy Altidore and Juan Pablo Angel vs. Michael Harrington, Tyson Wahl, Jimmy Conrad and Chance Myers (and Kevin Hartman). The look on Angel's face after scoring his first of the year, the game-winner in LA last week, offered a clue into the Colombian's frustration to date this young season. Neither he nor Altidore, who's been nothing less than a punching bag for opposing defenses, are 100%, but they'll still be quite a handful for KC. The Wizards have allowed a pair of goals in each the team's last two outings, at TFC and at the Crew. That Conrad is tied for the team lead in goals scored is bizzare. Hartman is graying (33), but is still a quality MLS keeper. Advantage: New York

The Midfields:
Dane Richards, Luke Sassano, Mike Magee, Danleigh Borman and Dave van den Bergh, vs. Sasha Victorine, Kurt Morsink, Jack Jewsbury, and Eloy Colombiano. Say what you will about Richards' inability to deliver a cross, but his sweet delivery on Angel's game winner last week was pure football poetry. Magee proved his worth at A-mid, and Sassano and Borman have to be considered for Rookie of the Year honors. Argentine Eloy Colombiano (hmm) is a newcomer who'll make his second MLS start tomorrow night. Victorine is blah, but Jewsbury is always dangerous. Slight Advantage: New York

The Coaches:
I have nothing but respect for KC coach Curt Onalfo, a youth star who co-captained the US U20s to a 4th-place finish at the '89 U20 World Cup, was an MLS original (LA, SJ, DC), and served as US assistant coach during the last qualifying cycle. He's a definite future candidate to helm the USMNT. Juan Carlos Osorio clearly has won the respect of his players, and their play shows in terms of effort. Advantage: Push

Intangibles:
When you share a stadium with a baseball team called the Kansas City T-Bones, a long road trip is inevitable. KC is will play game four of a six-match road trip tomorrow night, and it'll clearly show. New York comes home for the first time since April 27th, and while a large crowd may not be in the offing if the weather is poor (and even if it isn't), I believe that home cooking will do the team some good. Advantage: New York

Prediction: This is one of those games that is the Red Bulls' for the taking, but Altidore & Angel will have to be sharp and capitalize on their opportunities. Jewsbury will score on a fluky goal, but Angel and Magee will be the difference in a 2-1 victory.

All-Star 2008: Ambivalence, Ho!

2008-05-14T17:20:00.003-04:00

MLS has released its ballot for the 2008 All-Star game, and it's pretty wacky. Wilman Conde, the unhappy Chicago defender who's played only 107 minutes in three appearances for the Fire, is up for All-Star honors, as is Abel Xavier, who's played 224 minutes this season for an LA defense giving up 2+ goals/game. I know All-Star games are big popularity contests, but with a topsy-turvy start to the season (Columbus up, Houston and DC down), one wonders if the most deserving players will make it to the pitch on July 24th.

Then there's the opponent for the MLS All-Stars. West Ham United finished 10th in the EPL this season, and frankly offers little excitement for the hard-core, or even casual soccer fan. Previously, MLS sides have faced off with Chelsea, Chivas (Mex.), and Celtic, all teams with large global fan bases. Even the 2005 match vs. Fulham had the "Brian McBride Returns to Columbus" storyline. While West Ham has a long history, the only opponents MLS should consider are the storied clubs of Europe or South America; Man U., Rangers, Milan, Inter, Roma, Juventus, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern, Bayer Leverkusen, Boca Juniors, River Plate, Vasco da Gama, Santos, etc.

Lastly, there's word that the rabid TFC fan base may use the All-Star game (at Toronto's MBO Field) to stage a protest of a proposed move by the CFL's Toronto Argonauts to the stadium. So much for soccer-specific stadia! Yuck!

The match will certainly sellout, but with questionable players, a fan protest, and a weak opponent, July 24th may be a day to stay longer at the pool, get some ice cream, or kick the ball around with your kids. Yawn...

Red Bulls Preview: Game #6 @ FC Hollyweird

2008-05-08T21:21:00.003-04:00

After a nine-day layoff that most clubs use to get healthy, New York (2-1-2) will travel to Carson late Saturday night without two key midfielders (10:30p, HDNet) to take on a resurgent LA Galaxy squad (2-2-2) that leads MLS in scoring.

Captain Claudio Reyna (left calf sprain) and midfield Seth Stammler (lower back) won't make the cross-country trip, and the injuries couldn't come at a worse time. LA, in year two of the Beckham era, is clicking on all cylinders up front, and Reyna and Stammler would have been vital in attempting to shut down LA's Landon Donovan, who's on a mission this young season (eight goals in six games). Throw in a possible scratch of NY forward Jozy Alitdore (exhaustion) and one wonders if the Red Bulls will be able to keep up.

Position and Recent Form:
Los Angeles, 8 pts, 2nd West, WLTWT
New York, 8 pts, 6th East, WLTWT

Here's a line-by-line look at Saturday's match:

The Los Angeles forwards vs. the Red Bulls' defense:
Landon Donovan and Alan Gordon vs. Kevin Goldthwaite, Jeff Parke, and Hunter Freeman (and Jon Conway). When Landycakes decides he wants to play (which sadly isn't always), the all-time USMNT scoring leader is just about unstoppable. So for in 2008, Donovan has wanted to come to the park, as evidenced by his torrid scoring pace that would smash the all-time MLS single-season scoring record of Rocket Roy Lassiter's 27 tallies in 1996. Becks' play has energized Donovan, and lifted the club to a .500 record. Gordon has two scores and three assists on the year. The Red Bulls defense has been its strongest line to date this season, as coach Juan Carlos Osorio had hoped. New York has given up only 0.8 goals/match, good enough for second in the league. Freeman's return at right back is a huge plus. Still, if LD & Becks are connecting... Advantage: Los Angeles

New York's attackers vs. the Galaxy defense:
Oscar Echeverry and Juan Pablo Angel vs. Chris Klein, Troy Roberts, Sean Franklin, and Greg Vanney (and Steve Cronin). To say that LA's defense stinks is a massive understatement. The Galaxy's porous back line gives up 2.17 goals/match and should allow enough of an oppportunity for Juan Pablo Angel to finally get on the scoring sheet this season. After tearing up MLS in 2007 (19g in 24 games), JPA hasn't been able to get on target to date. Without Altidore, New York turns to Angel's countrymate Echeverry, who will also look for his first goal of the season. Advantage: New York

The Midfields:
Dane Richards, Luke Sassano, Mike Magee, Sinisa Ubiparipovic and Dave van den Bergh, vs. David Bechkam, Brandon McDonald, Troll Franchino, and Mike Randolph. Without d-mid stalwart Stammler and field general Reyna, JCO may turn to Mike Magee to quarterback New York's attack. The return of Dane Richards will help but pressure on the flanks, and Ubiparipovic will get the assignment of slowing down Beckham. McDonald and Randolph have a total of 30 MLS starts between them, but as long as "wicked pissah" Franchino can disrupt the NY attack, Beckham will be all that matters. Slight Advantage: Los Angeles

The Coaches:
"Sexy Football" or not, Ruud Gullit has figured out that his two gifted superstars are all that LA needs to shine. Gullit called out MLS as "amateurish" to the foriegn press last week after the Gals had to call in some friends to play in a reserve match. Do we really need Eurosnobs coaching in the league? JCO is doing the best he can with his M*A*S*H unit of a roster. Is Andrew Boyens the best he can do on the acquisition front? Advantage: Push

Intangibles:
LA will be playing at home, where they've scored 11 of their 13 goals. Posh will be there. Real TV star Mrs. Donovan will be there. Maybe Katie Holmes & Suri will be there. Drew Carey may be there. No one will be rooting for the visitors. New York has a single goal in their two road tests to date. Weather will be clear, low of 56. Advantage: Los Angeles

Prediction: Becks and Donovan hit the net once each, but New York gets goals from Angel, Magee, and van den Burgh a wildly entertaining 3-2 victory.

Revenue, Pause, and Progress

2008-05-07T16:16:00.004-04:00

Some quick midweek news/notes for ya:

Revenue: DC United takes the plunge with the Volks folks in a multi-year, multimillion dollar shirt sponsorship package. The scum, if you squint your eyes a bit, look a little like Flavor-Flav. Check 'em out Thursday night on the Deuce vs. FC Flat Screen.

Pause: There are a lot of demands being made on superstar-to-be Jozy Altidore. He's here, he's there, he scores almost everywhere. He's darn tired, and may not make the trip to LA this weekend for the Red Bulls' match with FC Hollywood.

Progress: New Red Bull Park slideshow up. Hooray for concrete!

Tied Up in 'To

2008-05-02T13:57:00.004-04:00

It's crazy to say it, but the day has arrived in MLS when teams playing at Toronto are satisfied escaping from BMO Field with a single point. Although the New York Red Bulls controlled the midfield, the club left the Great White North with that one point in last night's 1-1 draw with Toronto FC. Both goals were scored in the first half; Toronto's on a header by an unmarked Marco Velez off a free kick in the 22nd minute, and New York's on a curling, ground level free kick by midfielder Dave van den Burgh in the 39th.

The match saw the return to the New York lineup of two starters from injury; of D Hunter Freeman (full 90) and MF Dane Richards (last 35 minutes). Sadly and inevitably, though, captain Claudio Reyna came off the field with a "lower left leg" injury at halftime. Thankfully the club has nine days to heal before the annual trip to FC Goldenballs on Saturday the 10th.

The draw currently leaves the Red Bulls (2-1-2) in 6th place in the hyper-competitive East, but in 7th place on the league table. A rule change in the MLS offseason mandates at least three sides from each conference take part in the playoffs, so if the season ended today, New York would be on the outside looking in.

After the trip to LA, New York plays three of four in the friendly confines of Giants Stadium (KC, Chicago, Chivas) with a road trip to slow-starting Houston throw in.

Red Bulls Preview: Game #3 vs. Buffalo Bills

2008-04-18T10:20:00.000-04:00

Coming off a road loss always smarts, but the Red Bulls get some home cooking and A-list players back on the field Saturday night when New York (1-1-0) hosts perennial MLS Cup runners-up New England (2-2-0) at Giants Stadium (7:30p, HDNet).

Going down by a goal is always tough. Going down by a goal in the opening minute on the road makes for a more daunting task, but that's just what happened to New York in last week's match in Dallas. Without a hurting Juan Pablo Angel at the Deep Dish, the Dallas D rightly keyed on Red Bulls' F Jozy Altidore, limiting his chances. The good news is that Altidore and Angel will play together for the first time this season tomorrow night. New England has been on a complete roller coaster this season. A home 3-0 beat-down of Houston in week 1 was followed by an embarrassing 0-4 loss at Chicago. A surprising 3-1 win at Eastern contender Kansas City was followed by a 0-1 home loss to Colorado. Which Revs squad will show tomorrow night? Stay tuned.

Recent Form:
New York: WL
New England: WLWL

Here's a line-by-line look at tomorrow's match:

The New England forwards vs. the Red Bulls' defense:
Adam Christman and Kenny Mansally vs. Chris Leitch, Jeff Parke, and Kevin Goldthwaite (and Jon Conway). Mansally (1g, 1a) and his fellow Gambian signing Sainey Nyassi have been the talk of the league over the season's first month. Christman leads NE in shots (12) and has hit the net once this year already. The Red Bulls get Jeff Parke back at central defense after a one-match suspension, and will match up well with Christman (6'1", 185 vs. 6'0", 180). It's on the wings that the lightning-fast Mansally will have a field day, especially with good midfield service. Advantage: New England

New York's attackers vs. the Revs' defense:
Jozy Altidore and Juan Pablo Angel vs. Amaechi Igwe, Michael Parkhurst, and Jay Heaps (and Matt Reis). Finally! Angel and Altidore will get on the field at the same time, can could wreak havoc (ht: Ty Keough) with New England's 3-man back line. The Revs' Igwe has tightened things up in back (GAA of 1.0) since he knocked Chris Albright to the bench. Hard to believe that Jay Heaps is 32 years old. Where does the time go? Advantage: New York

The Midfields:
Luke Sassano, Seth Stammler, Claudio Reyna, Sinisa Ubiparipovic and Dave van den Bergh, vs. Khano Smith, Shalrie Joseph, Mauricio Castro, Jeff Larentowicz, and Sainey Nyassi. Castro is still jelling with his NE teammates, but the core of Smith, Joseph, and Larentowicz are a veteran group. Nyassi is a burner with skill, as he proved with his Goal of the Week vs. the Dynamo. Can VDB handle him? Unlikely. Reyna had a great game last week in the NY loss to Dallas, but the carpet of Giants Stadium seems to hinder him. Joseph usually has NY's number. Slight Advantage: New England

The Coaches:
Despite not bringing home the MLS Cup in four tries, Steve Nicol has been one of the best coaches in MLS (75-56-47) over the years. He always gets the most of his low-wage players, and seems to have two winners in his Gambian pair. Juan Carlos Osorio will be happy to have Parke back in Center-D, but the jury's still out on him. Three points would help in an Eastern Conference that is already pulling away from the Red Bulls. Advantage: New England

Intangibles:
Despite losing to the Revs in last season's playoffs, New York felt it played better in the two-game series, and lost on a flukey goal when Angel was off the field for medical attention. A passionate 17K at New York's home opener lifted the team. The Midnight Riders will travel in numbers for the match, and always matches the NY supporters song for song. Weather: Mostly Sunny, low of 49. Nice. Advantage: Push

Prediction: Angel and Altidore lead their team out of bondage on Passover. Nyassi hits the net, but New York takes a physical 2-1 victory.

SSS for the WC Quallies?

2008-04-17T15:35:00.002-04:00

Part of the sales pitch for communities building soccer-specific stadia was the attraction of World Cup Qualifiers to the small, intimate venues. Columbus Crew Stadium has been the US site of choice when taking on Mexico ('01 and '05), Grenada ('04) and Jamaica ('04). The Toolbox in Carson, CA will see its first US quallie in June when the Yanks take on mighty Barbados. Now it seems that MLS/SUM and US Soccer will make good on its promise as Chicago's Toyota Park will be set to host one of the three home CONCACAF Semifinal-round qualifiers this fall. If the US is serious about rewarding communities that have built stadia for their MLS teams, expect to see Frisco, TX's Pizza Hut Park, Commerce City, CO's DSG Park, and even Sandy, UT's unnamed RSL stadium named hosts these vital matches.

With more and more support for our boys as the US Soccer movement grows, however, one wonders if US Soccer would do better by opening up big parks like RFK and Soldier Field for the right opponents.

Regardless, the lucky US fans who have the resources and time to travel to the small venues (especially for midweek qualifiers) will certainly be a part of great pro-US fan experiences.

Sounders FC Owner on The Immgration Debate

2008-04-14T16:35:00.003-04:00

Here's America's favorite game show host/club owner/superfan Drew Carey, framing America's immigration debate around Goldenballs and the beautiful game. Don't want to start a debate here, but the man seems to make sense...

Red Bulls Preview: Game #2 at Steers

2008-04-11T17:09:00.000-04:00

After a winning start to the season at home, New York (1-0-0) heads to The Deep Dish for a tussle with FC Dallas (0-0-2) Saturday night (8:30p, MSG, DK).

A lot went right in the Red Bulls' 2-0 victory last week against Columbus. The 3-man backline helped pitch a shutout, the offense scored goals without Jozy Altidore or Dane Richards, and M Luke Sassano went the distance in his first MLS start. Still, there's reason for pause. Centerback Jeff Parke picked up a silly second yellow card in the 81st minute, suspending him for tomorrow. There's also late word that F Juan Pablo Angel won't go in Frisco due to a strained left hamstring. So, with key absences up top and in the back, NY will take on Dallas squad loaded with firepower and itching for a win. Here's a line-by-line look at tomorrow's match:

The Dallas forwards vs. the Red Bulls' defense:
Kenny Cooper and Arturo Alvarez vs. Chris Leitch, Carlos Mendes, and Kevin Goldthwaite (and Jon Conway). Cooper, who's returned from a horrible knee injury last season in fine form, with a pair of goals in FCD's first two matches. Alvarez had a goal and an assist in the Hoops' 3-3 draw at Houston last week. The key matchup is clearly the 6' 3", 210 lb. Cooper vs. NY's left back, the 6' 1", 180 lb. Kevin Goldthwaite. Shutting down the Crew's lithe forwards are one thing, but Cooper is simply a tank. Mendes has proven solid in the past for the Red Bulls' D. Advantage: Dallas

New York's attackers vs. the Hoops' defense:
Jozy Altidore and Oscar Echeverry vs. Drew Moor, Duilio Davino, and Adrian Serioux (and Dario Sala). Altidore showed he's ready to go after a week off from first team action when he tallied two in a reserve match. Echeverry went 71 productive minutes in his first MLS appearance vs. Columbus. Can the two mesh? Dallas' "Big D" defense (Drew, Duilio, 'Drian and Dario) didn't deliver last week at Houston, giving up three and blowing a lead to the champs in the final minutes. Four goals allowed in two matches = not good. Slight Advantage: New York

The Midfields:
Luke Sassano, Seth Stammler, Claudio Reyna, Sinisa Ubiparipovic and Dave van den Bergh, vs. Dax McCarty, Pablo Richetti, Juan Toja, Andre Rocha and Blake Wagner. This battle of five-man midfields will hinge on Stammler and Reyna's ability to shut down the mighty Toja, who has 7 goals in 29 MLS appearances. McCarty showed his worth and work rate in helping the US qualify for the Olympics. The Red Bulls' Ubiparipovic needs to last more than a half if he wants to keep his starting job. Advantage: Push

The Coaches:
Osorio has won one-in-a-row for NY, and his focus on defense first worked like a charm after scoring two early goals last week. Steve Morrow is overjoyed to have healthy Cooper and Toja back in the lineup. Advantage: Push

Intangibles:
New York has started 0-0-3 before, and Dallas wants to avoid the triple-sister-kiss at all costs. Will the crowd show? FCD drew a healthy 17K to their opener vs. Chivas on March 30. New York will make a statement with a win, pulling them even on points with Kansas City and New England, who the Red Bulls have at home next week. Weather will be clear and cold (low of 42, brrr!). Advantage: Push

Prediction: Can Altidore and Echeverry keep pace with the relentless Dallas attack? New York will miss Angel's magic touch as Toja and Cooper steer the Steers past the Bulls, 2-1.

CCC: Good Riddance
For the eighth straight year, no MLS club will win the Concacaf Champions Cup, after both Houston and DC United crashed out in the tourney semifinals on Wednesday. MLS teams usually fall due to their inability to get results on the road, and this year's efforts were no different. DC's 2-0 loss at Pachuca was too big a hill to overcome at RFK, and Houston's D snapped in an 0-3 at Saprissa. MLS teams have been at a disadvantage in the CCC, as the competition's early spring time frame has traditionally overlapped with the league's off-season.

Starting this summer, though, MLS can't use that excuse, as the infant Concacaf Champions League will begin in August. DC, Chivas, New England and Houston will carry the MLS banner in an expanded 24-team competition that will run through next Spring. If the clubs want to win the thing, though, they'll have to learn how to win, or even draw, in Mexico and Costa Rica. Best of luck to them.

Red Bulls Preview: Game #1 vs. Bumblebees

2008-04-04T08:21:00.003-04:00

The Red Bulls will be the last MLS club out of the starting gate tomorrow night, when they take on the undefeated (tee hee) Columbus Crew at Stade de Swamp (7:30p, FSC).

Change is usually the only constant around the New York club, who in the off-season dumped former US skip Bruce Arena for the former Metro Assistant Coach Juan Carlos Osorio. However, the wholesale changes that usually accompany a NY off-season failed to materialize. There are only (!) 10 new faces on the Red Bulls' roster, and those mostly consist of draft picks, a veteran keeper (Zach Thornton) and a 31-year old Colombian striker Oscar Echeverry, who'll mostly provide cover up front when Jozy Altidore's away with the Nats or the Olympic team. New York has room under the cap for a decent international signing, but so far JCO has yet to pull the trigger on any acquisitions. As such, the club is younger and greener than the one that dropped an 0-1 series loss to New England in the first round of last year's playoffs. Who would have thought the club would be criticized for a LACK of change. Strange. Anyway, here's a line-by-line look at tomorrow night's match versus the Crew.

The Columbus forwards vs. the Red Bulls' defense:
Guillermo Barros Schelotto and Alejandro Moreno vs. Jeff Parke, Carlos Mendes, and Kevin Goldthwaite (and Jon Conway). The Crew has a stable of improving young forwards, but the South American starters form a potent attack for Columbus. Moreno has 31 career tallies in his time with Houston/San Jose and LA, while Schelotto can not only score but dish out chances (11 assists last season). New York's three-man back line debuts tomorrow night, but with starter and US U-23 man Hunter Freeman out 4-6 weeks with an ankle sprain, the much maligned Goldthwaite gets the nod at left back. The former TFC man spent most of the '07 season on the bench, but apparently has impressed the new boss enough to start. This could get ugly. Advantage: Columbus

New York's attackers vs. the Crew's defense:
Jozy Altidore and Juan Pablo Angel vs. Stefani Miglioranzi, Danny O'Rourke, Chad Marshall, and Frankie Hejduk (and Will Hesmer). New York's front line is flat out one of the best in the league. Angel looks to continue his tear through MLS defenses (19g in 24 app in '07), and Altidore looks to have a stellar final season in a NY uniform before Europe beckons. The Crew D shut out Toronto FC last week, which isn't all that hard, though G Will Hesmer snuffed a TFC penalty that would have changed the game. Frankie Hejduk keeps going... and going... Slight Advantage: New York

The Midfields:
Luke Sassano, Seth Stamller, Claudio Reyna, Dave van den Burgh, and Danleigh Borman vs. Eddie Gaven, Brian Carroll, Adam Moffat, and Robbie Rogers. Starting MLS rookies on both wings doesn't exactly inspire confidence, especially with a three-man back line behind them. However, the Red Bulls will go as far as Captain America will take them, and NY fans are hoping that Reyna will be able to handle the attacking midfielder role as well as his usual d-mid position. Stammler and VDB will help funnel the attack through the middle. On the Crew side, Gaven and Carroll are MLS vets that show rare flashes of brillance. Moffat, the young Scot, will make only his 2nd MLS appearance. Rogers is a US Youth International. Slight Advantage: New York

The Coaches:
What to expect from Osorio? He's clearly passionate about the game, and did wonders enlivening the Fire last season (with some help from Temoc Blanco), but without any new signings, its hard to believe his club is going places. Sigi Schmid hasn't made the postseason in his two seasons in Columbus, but after beating powder puff TFC last week, he has a confident squad on his hands. Advantage: Columbus

Intangibles:
Opening night #3 in the Red Bull regime, and a pre-game charity match featuring Ethan Zohn, and former Metro Steve Jolley will attempt to draw a crowd. RB is actually marketing this year, so we'll see if a crowd of any size appears. Doubtful. Weather: Cloudy, 56 degrees after a day of rain. Advantage: Push

Prediction: So many uncertainties on what New York will show. Let's say goals from Moreno and Angel in a 1-1 draw.

MLS Preview: Ten Words or Less

2008-03-28T15:10:00.001-04:00

Mazel Tov to MLS on its Bar Mitzvah birthday! Here are one man's team-by-team thoughts on a league that's "all grows up," in predicted order of finish.

Cup Contenders:

DC UNITED: New faces will propel elite club to another title.

HOUSTON: Orange will be crushed in final after winning West.

NEW ENGLAND: Can Twellman carry the team without departed Noonan? Unlikely.

Playoff Bound:

CHIVAS USA: With Guzano in net, Preki's boys will be strong again. Where are fans?

KANSAS CITY: Intimate home, new Argie star enlivens Sky Blues. Good story.

CHICAGO: Once cancer Conde's gone, Blanco's boys will entertain and contend.

On the Fence:

NEW YORK: Donut club: Strong in front & back, weak in the middle. And tasty.

DALLAS: A healthy Toja and Cooper will keep the Deep Dish rocking.

COLORADO: Gomez lifts all Rapids. Coundoul will be the difference maker.

Playing for Pride:

LOS ANGELES: Gals' wins will be of the 4-3, 3-2 variety. There's no D in LA.

COLUMBUS: Will Sigi's youth movement finally start to mature? Not this year.

SALT LAKE: A revamped Real will win more than last year, just not enough.

Bottom O' the Barrel:

TORONTO: Won't take four matches to score this year. Home crowd gets antsy.

SAN JOSE: Yay, you're back! Ooh, you're bad! When's the season over?

Argies in Gotham
Well, Argies in the swamp, actually. Here's to the Fed for scheduling a killer friendly with Argentina on Sunday, June 8th at Giants Stadium. It'll be the Yanks' first appearance in the New York area since the 2005 Gold Cup Final, and along with matches at England (May 28th) and Spain (June 4th), should put our boys in fine shape to take on mighty Barbados to open World Cup Qualifying in Carson on June 15th, don't you think?

MLS at 13: Media Push

2008-03-25T10:55:00.002-04:00

You have to hand it to the media relations folks at MLS headquarters. The league is taking to the air and the web to promote the new season, kicking off this Saturday. Here's Don Garber and Ben Olsen reaching dozens of viewers on the Fox Business Channel yesterday:

Wizards Captain Jimmy Conrad shared thoughts on the trailing end of his career on cool thought-provoking site BigThink!

...and of course, here's Goldenballs on 60 Minutes this past Sunday...

Nice job, guys!

Can American Teams Go 3-For-3?

2008-03-20T13:19:00.000-04:00

All in all, it's been a pretty good week for American soccer. The Fed finally announced the US-England match at Wembley for May 28th, and the Yanks learned they'll be playing Spain in the beautiful, seaside town of Santander on June 4th.

On the field, the news was great as well, as both DC United and Houston advanced to the semifinals of this year's Concacaf Champions Cup. On Tuesday, DC, playing at home for the first time since the Nats vamoosed from RFK, hammered Jamaica's Harbour View FC 5-0 for a 6-1 aggregate series win. There were plenty of heroes to go around, as Devon McTavish and Luciano Emilio each netted two goals. United next takes on Mexican powerhouse and tournament holders Pachuca, who advanced with a 1-0 aggregate win over CD Motagua of Honduras.

Last night at Robertson Stadium, Houston was kick-started by a Dwayne DeRosrio PK early in the second half for a 3-1 win over Guatemala's CSD Municipal. The two-time defending MLS Cup champs await tonight's match between Mexico's Atlante and Costa Rica's Saprissa to learn their semifinal opponent.

Then there's tonight. Qualifying matches for any tournament can be ugly. Elbows are sharp, dives are more frequent, and questionable pks can turn fortunes. To say that the US Under-23 squad has been winning ugly in its Olympic Qualifying quest is a massive, massive understatement. A 1-1 draw with Cuba, followed by 1-0 victories over Panama and Honduras (both on pks) haven't exactly generated confidence that the Gnats can get the job done. Tonight, the mission is clear: beat Canada in Nashville (9p ET, FSC) and head to Beijing. Lose, and stay home. The US squad has been bolstered by the addition of D Jonathan Spector of West Ham, but to date, this all-pro U-23 team has yet to impress.

As Important
Steve Amoia at SoccerLens has done a great job chronicling the ongoing story of the Fugees Family, an incredible Clarkston, GA youth program headed by Jordanian coach Luma Mufleh. The Fugees were profiled in a 2007 article in The New York Times, and since then, life has gotten better... much better. A great quote at the end of the article as well. Check it out.

NYRB Roster-A-Rama

2008-02-27T18:02:00.003-05:00

One thing Red Bulls fans have grown accustomed to in their dozen years of title-free wandering is constant roster turnover. Of course, when your club is on their eleventh head coach in thirteen years, there's bound to be lots of comings and goings among players. However, new Red Bulls coach Juan Carlos Osorio has held onto a strong core of last season's squad that went 12-11-7.

Here's a summary of who's come and gone this off season, with a mere five weeks until opening day:

Outgoing (11):
M Blake Camp, released
M Sal Caccavale, released
F Francis Doe, released
M Elie Ikangu, released
M Dema Kovalenko, traded to RSL
M Clint Mathis, traded to LA
M Santino Quaranta, released
D Tim Regan, released
M Marcus Schopp, retired
G Ronald Waterreus, retired
M Joe Vide, taken by SJ in Expansion Draft

Incoming (7):
D Eric Brunner, drafted
M Danliegh Borman, drafted
D John Gilkerson, drafted
M Michael Palacio, drafted
M David Roth, drafted
M Luke Sassano, drafted
G Zach Thornton, signed from Colorado

Hangers-On (17):
F Jozy Altidore
F Juan Pablo Angel
G Danny Cepero
G Jon Conway
D Hunter Freeman
D Kevin Goldthwaite
F Jerrod Laventure
D Chris Leitch
F Mike Magee
D Carlos Mendes
D Jeff Parke
M Claudio Reyna
M Dane Richards
D Seth Stammler
M Sinisa Ubiparipovic
F John Wolyniec
M Dave van den Bergh

Red Bull is reported to be $800,000 under the salary cap for acquisitions. Will Mexican midfield trialist Jose De Jesus Mendoza make the cut? With both of the club's DP slots taken (Angel, Reyna), acquiring another name player is probably out of the question. If New York is serious about challenging an improved DC squad in the MLS East this season, some quality midfield additions are a must.

MLS: Ready to Get Philthy

2008-01-31T11:39:00.000-05:00

Viva la public-private partnership! Reports out of Philadelphia today are that the Pennsylvania state legislature will kick in the coin needed to fund the Chester, PA stadium project, paving the way for an imminent announcement that the City of Brotherly Love will host MLS' 16th active club.

For fans of the league, and especially the Philly supporters' group Sons of Ben (SOBs), this clearly is the best of times. Say what you want about Philadelphia fandom, (they're classless, they booed the Pope), they are extremely loyal and get behind their local clubs. Fans of New York and DC will clearly enjoy the new geographic rival and the stadium design looks fantastic.

Will MLS use the entry of club #16 (in 2009, or more likely 2010) to realign into a single table?

Perhaps the league will consist of four, four-team divisions:
Atlantic: DC, New England, New York, Philly
Midwest: Chicago, Columbus, Kansas City, Toronto
Central: Colorado, Dallas, Houston, Salt Lake
Pacific: Chivas USA, Los Angeles, San Jose, Seattle

However you slice it, today's announcement is another step in the long, slow growth of the league, and soccer in America. Congrats, Philthadelphia!

Behold the New US Jersey...ugh

2008-01-30T08:48:00.000-05:00

Can't say that I'm enamored of this pajama-looking kit. The horizontal stripes give the US a softer look that the "Victory"-inspired home shirt the team wore for the '06 World Cup.

The two-toned panels take me back to the early 1980s Land's End catalog. It in word.... eccchhh.

What do you think?