Back on the juice

It took around three weeks for me to recover from the World Cup, but I am officially back at it, watching an entire 90 minutes for the first time since July 11th.

The Chicago Fire, my "MLS team", knocked off the LA Galaxy 3-2 for their third road win of the season. An enjoyable game with some excellent finishes from the Fire and a desperate holding effort to hang on for the win. I have two main thoughts on the game:

1) When will MLS settle on a time slot for their games? From week to week I have no idea what the "Game of the Week" will be on. There is (usually) a Thursday ESPN game and a Saturday Fox Soccer Channel game. Beyond that though, please check your local listings. Case in point, this past weekend's FSC game was on Sunday night at 6:30 - random enough for you?

Now I know that it is a bit silly to compare MLS to other soccer leagues or other American sports leagues, but I will anyway. The EPL games are on at the same time every week. All season long. The NFL? I've been watching for more than 30 years and kick-off has always been at noon central.

What does this mean? For the diehard, maybe not a lot, they'll find the game anyway. For the casual fan or lapsed due to kids diehard? It means I don't think about the game until the day of, and then can't watch half the time because it is on at a bizarre time. Contrast that with the Packers, if I want to watch, I turn on the TV at noon on Sunday.

2) How is the walking red card known as Dema Kovalenko still in the MLS? This guy has been breaking legs (literally, no really ask Ronnie O'Brien) for five different teams in this league for more than a decade. He dishes out some of the nastiest fouls you will see in a soccer game, including last night's studs up lunging challenge on Krzysztof Król.

He's a competitive player, works hard, plays for the team, all good things. But he's also a guy that appears to play without any regard for the safety of his opponent. And that type of behavior is a bad advertisement for any team in any league in any sport.

Dutch slam referee Howard Webb for ruining World Cup final

So the headlines and quotes tell us. After an eventful game I've managed to get a hold of this transcript of an "off the record" interview with an unnamed Dutch player (oddly enough his English is excellent). Interesting stuff, here are a few of the highlights...

"Certainly Spain were the better team of course, however the referee was against us from the start. He has ruined the game."

"Well, you see we wanted to make history, no no, not that ordinary type of history, winning the title for the first time and all that. No, we wanted to be really, really unique."

"We were going for the forfeit you see. What do I mean? Well it should be obvious from watching right? A team can't play with less than seven players, it's in the rules. Once we had our fifth player sent off we would have been the first team to ever forfeit a World Cup final. No country has ever, ever managed that in the history of the tournament."

"It all started so brilliantly too, we were hacking them left and right. Webb seemed a little slow with the cards, but he started to pull them out after about 15 minutes so we felt things were right on track. Van Bommel could have been sent off early but we weren't worried, he's always good for some dirty cheap fouls we figured it would happen before the half."

"Then, the coup de grace, Nigel plants his studs in Alonso's chest Karate Kid style. It was a work of art, guaranteed red card and the first step into history. But, no, the Englishman grabs a yellow card. I mean for crying out loud he really clocked him, how could Webb have not sent him off?!?!?"

"From there it was just downhill, he seemed bound and determined to keep things at 11 a side no matter how cheap and dirty we managed to play. At that point the game plan was really messed up, we even got psyched out and had a few chances to score in the second half almost out of habit."

"Alas, Webb finally managed to locate the red card in his pocket for Johnny in the second period of extra time, but it was too little too late. No forfeit, no history, just another loss in final for Holland. We've managed it twice before, so really we've accomplished nothing. What a waste. Stupid Howard Webb."

Looking to buy a bridge? FIFA has one for sale...

Well after countless refereeing errors so far at the World Cup, public and media outrage is at an all-time high. The people are demanding some sort of video replay to correct these game-changing debacles.

Fear not intrepid soccer fan, into the gap steps our hero, Sepp Blatter. A full review is promised! Apologies made to England and Mexico! In a single breath we are on the fast track into the 21st century and the introduction of technology into the beautiful game.

And after that I have this wonderful elixir that will triple your enjoyment of watching the World Cup. How? Why good sir, do you doubt me? At only $200 for a 12 ounce bottle, this is a bargain. How many cases shall it be?

Forgive me for my cynicism, but this comes across to me as nothing more than political pandering. Announce a full review, people will get off your back for the rest of the tournament. Then in a few months hold the review, decide to change nothing. People will complain but with the next World Cup more than three and a half years away it will pretty much go under the radar. Perfect plan!

Especially since we, the sporting public, will fall for it. He is very earnest our magnificent leader, isn't he. Bear with me though, and let's rewind a bit.

"The Hand of Gaul"

Thierry Henry "unintentionally" double handballs France past Ireland and into the World Cup. Mr. Blatter declares "blatant unfair play", a full review will be done. The Irish are still angry, but somewhat mollified and hopeful that something will be done. The furor dies down...

January 18, 2010 - Henry escapes punishment. Enough time has passed that it pretty much flies under the radar.

And that is the exact reason I don't believe Blatter for a second. FIFA makes money hand over foot. They have exactly ZERO reasons to change anything about the game, how they operate.

It doesn't matter if the perception is that they are corrupt, that they are stuck in the past, that they don't know what the heck they are doing. The sponsors are still paying, the TV contracts are selling at record prices. Countries (including the good old US of A) are preparing to spend billions of dollars to host future tournaments.

They have ZERO, ZERO, ZERO reason to change a damn thing. They have billions of reasons to keep things exactly the way they are.

I sincerely hope I am wrong, but this review will be lip service, nothing more.

Where were you eight years ago?

I was in my near east side apartment in Madison, WI. The alarm sounded sometime after midnight, I dragged myself into the living room and turned on the TV.

I was joined within a few minutes by my wife (then girlfriend), then shortly by two of my Celtics teammates, Brandon and Dan. Both lived in the neighborhood and didn't have cable.

We sipped OJ and ate doughnuts while watching the USA defeat Mexico 2-0 in the quarterfinal of the 2002 World Cup. Goals from Brian McBride and Landon Donovan had us cheering and dancing through the night.

Today the USA is back in the quarterfinals. The opponent is different - Ghana. The menu will be different - brats, potato salad, and brownies with the OJ replaced by beer. The group will be a different mix - four sleepy adults replaced with parents, kids in tow.

The vibe will be the same, a good group of people drawn together by the beautiful game, ready to cheer on the red, white, and blue. Win or lose we will have a good time and be proud of the men wearing the crest of the USA.

This is just one of the reasons I love, love, love this game.

I was kissed by a sweaty Greek man and I liked it...

I watched the final group game today down at Plaka Taverna (a great little Greek place in downtown Madison that doubles as a greasy spoon) with my buddy Nick. We'd been down there just five days earlier with my wife and another friend to watch the USA storm back to tie Slovenia.

The place is small with two modest flat screens, but the atmosphere for watching is great. The fans watching mingle with casual diners who catch bits of the game when they stop in for their eggs and american fries.

Today's match was as intense of a game as I've experienced as a sports fan. Another disallowed goal, chance after chance gone begging, the news that England was leading Slovenia, Jonathan "defensive blunder waiting to happen" Bornstein starting. The tension was mounting. Texts from my wife (catching bits and pieces from her desk at work) included this gem, "I honestly think I may have a heart attack."

Then, finally the goal in the 91st minute, USA 1-0, the place goes crazy, high fives, hugs all around, and one big fat kiss on the cheek from proprietor Nico, who I've been chatting soccer with for more than a decade.

Never been so happy to be kissed by a man in my life, Katie Perry, eat your heart out.

Four years ago...

...the USA played for their World Cup lives against Ghana in the final group game. They fell 2-1 and exited the tournament with a single point.

Bruce Arena was out as coach and Bob Bradley, by all accounts the federation's second choice, was in.

Four years, eighteen qualifiers, two Gold Cups, a Confederations Cup, a Copa America, countless friendlies, and two World Cup group games later the team again plays for their World Cup lives in the final group game.

A few differences of course. Two points this time. A win guarantees advancement, no help needed. No players suspended due to red cards (though Findlay is out with two yellows). If results go the right way a tie can get them through. Even winning the group outright is in the cards.

The opponent is Algeria. My keys to the game:

1) Focus, focus, focus. The "stolen" goal is gone. Done. Can't get it back. The American media seemingly can't let it go. Bradley better have it wiped from his players' brains come tomorrow. As a former boss said "Worry about what you can control". Of particular worry to me is Jozy Altidore, whose penchant for interviews, Twitter, etc... has him (seemingly) focused on things off the pitch a bit too much, both at Hull and with the USA. If the team comes out still steaming about last Friday, Algeria will give them a figurative punch in the mouth, score a few early goals and stroll home.

2) Start Maurice Edu in the middle. More important than what to do with the forward position is making sure Edu is in from the start. It's not that Jose Francisco Torres or Ricardo Clark aren't capable players. It's the effect Edu has on Michael Bradley's game. Edu can play "box to box" allowing Bradley to do the same. Playing either of the other two forces Bradley to concentrate too much on either offense (paired with Clark) or defense (paired with Torres). With Edu in the game Bradley is free to play "his" game, transitioning up and down the field as the game flows.

3) Benny Feilhaber should come off the bench, even if Clint Dempsey starts at forward with Jozy Altidore. For whatever reason Feilhaber seems to shine in the substitute role more than as a starter. Maybe his ball control game comes good against tired legs, who I am to say?

4) NO EARLY GOALS. Enough has been said about this one in other places.

There you have it. Two thoughts on the "stolen" goal.

The silver lining

If the USA pulls out a win tomorrow then the "stolen" goal against Slovenia may just be the best thing that ever happened to the team from an exposure standpoint. Confused?

Well, nothing brings the sports fan in quite like a comeback. And certainly nothing brings in a patriotic American sports fan quite like the "world is out to get us" / "we was robbed!" mentality. If the third goal had counted there is no way the game makes the front page of the Times or gets played over and over and over again by ESPN and company.

The water cooler talk will only help some of the casual "every four years" soccer fans start tuning in more often for qualifiers and "lesser" tournaments leading into Brazil in 2014.

A win is crucial though, bow out again and you likely lose the momentum.

How quickly they forget...

The "stolen" goal certainly highlights one thing. Players, coaches, media, and fans all have very short memories. It was a year ago in the same country that the shoe was on the other foot. The USA led Brazil 2-0 at half time of the Confederations Cup final. Brazil scored within minutes of the restart and stormed back to tie the game at 2-2 (starting to sound familiar). Then Kaka struck the go-ahead goal to put Brazil in front. Only...

...the ref didn't call it a goal. Video replay showed the ball was at least a foot or two over the line. Even the most biased fan couldn't argue that it wasn't a terrible, terrible call. The Brazilians protested to little avail.

Of course, Brazil being Brazil, it didn't really matter as Lucio headed home the winner in the final minutes of the game and the comeback was complete.

So, for all the self-righteous indignation that has been floating around - yes, we got hosed, it was a horrible call, the goal should have counted.

That's life. Move on. Remember, sometimes the crappy calls go your way. Comfort yourself thinking about how the Irish got screwed worse than we did (who isn't loving the French debacle at this tournament?). Try and sleep tonight if you can (I know I won't be able to). Head out to the nearest gathering and scream yourselves hoarse tomorrow at 9:00 AM (CST, adjust accordingly).

Oh the Hypocrisy...

One week ago I posted how easy it was to root against the French without Zidane in the line-up.

Well that lasted about one week until kick-off of their game against Mexico. Theoretically I should root for the USA's CONCACAF brethren, but I just can't do it. I really, really, really dislike Mexico. Apparently more than the French.

Oh well, back to the game.

Edit/Update...

Well that stunk. Mexico needs just a tie to advance to the knockout stages. France is in deep, deep trouble.