Ramblings of a Soccer Junky
Monday, February 20, 2006
  Is it cold enough?
In know the Snow Games are in Italy right now, but yesterday Guatemala sent their Diving Team to Texas to face the US even though China is still 2 years off.   It really was bad.  You could tell the Guatemalans would have preferred to be elsewhere…anywhere else but on that pitch in the cold.  It seemed like by the second goal they just wanted to get the 90 minutes over with, go in, and get some Hot Chocolate.

Anyway, here are some thoughts I had while watching the match:


Ok, so it wasn’t a great test.  The Guatemalan backline was a shambles and the midfield…was there one?  All their strikers seemed to do was stand in an offside position all afternoon.  Eddie Pope had no problem sorting them out.  

Is Arena going to use an all Europe based squad for the next couple of matches?  We’ll see.  
 
Saturday, February 18, 2006
  I'm not sure what to make of this one
according to the NY area media Todd Dunivant could be heading East to the Metros in exchange for Eddie Gaven. But the media in LA haven't picked up on this rumor yet...which isn't really a surprise.

Anyway, as a Galaxy fan in exile, I'm not sure what to think of this Todd did a great job last season. He performed much better than I expected. He's the first true left-back the team has seen in years. But I also like Gaven. The kid has a ton of promise and will be a solid player for years. I just don't see were he would fit into the LA line-up.

We'll see if this rumor pans out.
 
  What's in a name?
In the beginning, they were the Clash, then the Earthquakes (or Quakes….I just called them the Smurfs).  Currently they are 1836…but it seems that’s about to change as well.  What a PR mess!  Let’s hope they get it right this time.  I wonder if they had jersey’s made.  They might be a collectors item…anyone know where I can get one?
 
  Ya think someone is listening to me?
I don’t understand many things about MLS.  Silly rules that often don’t seem right.  I’ve always wondered why home teams always have a bench full of players and the visitors only get a couple.  I’m sure travel costs had something to do with it, but why penalize the visiting team?  Until the 80’s (or was it the late 70’s?) teams only got one substitute.  Having multiple replacements is still relatively new.  It always seemed to me that if the need to keep down travel costs meant traveling teams had only a few subs, why not limit the home team as well?  I guess it was an added home field advantage.

Whatever the reason, this oddity no longer exists.  Starting this season, both teams will be able to name 7 subs (of course, they can still only use 3)  

And just to really throw me for a loop, the same article announces some other changes that actually make since…

Wow, I’ve been saying that’s the way things should be for years (especially on who goes to the Champs Cup).  I wonder if my opinion had anything to do with the changes.  Or was it that they just made since.  Either way, more steps in the right direction for the league.

Only 6 weeks until opening day.  Five days until LA play in the Champs Cup.  My Tivo is already set for this match…well, the match does kick off kinda late for those of us in the Eastern Time Zone.
 
Monday, February 13, 2006
  Shoveling Something
This sure has been a busy winter.  Remember back in 96-97?  I do.  MLS seemed to just shut down.  Back then my only source of information was the LA Times and Soccer America.  Boy have things changed!  I’m not sure if it’s the league maturing or the internet and satellite TV, but the coverage and the news of all the action off the field hasn’t slowed down since LA completed the double.  I’m not complaining.  Too bad I spent most of my time since November moving away from the mountains (a month in a hotel with my wife and baby, and another month or so remodeling our new house).  But now I’m set and back online…fairly regularly.  So I’m back rambling again.

So, where do I start with all the changes?  Here are some comments about things that have happened while I’ve been away.  I’m sure I’ll be back for more later:

Ok, more thoughts, opinions and general rambling later.  I’ve got snow to shovel.  Damn I miss LA.
 
An American who fell in love with soccer while living in Europe.

Name:
Location: Hoosierville, IN, United States
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