Caught in Possession

Matchday: UEFA Champions League Final

cboehm@potomacsoccerwire.com (Charles Boehm) — Wed, 27 May 2009 15:36:00 +0000

"I want the players to feel well, to feel beautiful, to feel like they are playing in front of the whole world, to be daring and to feel that they are here because they deserve it and to show how good we are. It's the best match to show it."

-Pep Guardiola, manager, FC Barcelona, 26 May 2009

Power versus romance, as Phil Ball so elegantly put it.

Even here, in the heart of the imperial capital, in the shadow of the levers of power, I choose romance.

2-1 Barca, as Eto'o sings a redemption song.

True MLS Terror, 2009

cboehm@potomacsoccerwire.com (Charles Boehm) — Fri, 01 May 2009 12:39:00 +0000

Schellas Hyndman, you've got problems.

Reading up on Saturday's DC United vs FC Dallas match, I was struck by gut-wrenching dread at the most terrifying words in the modern MLS language:

"...level with the LA Galaxy..."

If you are 'level' with the Galaxy in any form, fashion, criteria or standings, it's time to reconsider everything.

Hay Liga?

cboehm@potomacsoccerwire.com (Charles Boehm) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 15:46:00 +0000

No creo.

Oh my! Real Madrid staged a stunning late comeback against Getafe at the Bernabeu, re-igniting Spanish journos' desperate hopes for a photo finish at the tail end of the 08/09 Liga Primera. Real trail league leaders FC Barcelona by six points with six matches to go.

But the ink splashed on Real's 3-2 win hadn't yet dried when Barca proceeded to demolish third-placed Sevilla 4-0 at the Camp Nou:

Thank you for the clip, and your name, RafaNoMeJodas. Whoever you are.

Lovers of the beautiful game are urged to spend a few extra seconds replaying and re-replaying Xavi's extravagantly skilled move around the 8:00 minute mark.

Does that look like a team looking over its collective shoulder?

Match night / it right *

cboehm@potomacsoccerwire.com (Charles Boehm) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 06:22:00 +0000

* with a nod and HT to the Light of Saba...

We're back, s*ckas. !Y ahora en el twitter, tambien! In the words of The Special One, "Do it."

True story: So the other day I'm pondering the general abundance of negative vibes swirling around DC United fans, media, observers, etc. these days...and then I'm reading the venerable Gabriele Marcotti as he describes how "Europe tipped its collective hat to the Barclays Premier League" in light of the dominance of English clubs in the UEFA Champions League (3 out of 4 CL semifinalists hail from the Prem). One particular graf catches the eye:

Gianluca Vialli, the former Chelsea manager, now a pundit on Sky Italia, pointed out the differences among the English clubs. “Manchester United and Chelsea may have great financial means, but Arsenal do not, at least not relative to the competition,” he said. “So you can’t say it’s just about money. Arsenal are a well-run club who have chosen to go with youth and have been rewarded. This kind of courage, this willingness to give the kids a chance if they’re good enough, is something Italian clubs might want to consider as well. Young players bring enthusiasm and workrate.”

And then on Wednesday night I watch (along with about 787 other people, give or take) DC United's kids put FC Dallas (who have got to be The Crap Team in MLS at the moment, but nonetheless put out a relatively experiened side) to the sword. And I wondered if maybe United has done something right lately after all.

It'll take a metric ton of US Open Cup play-in game victories (and/or promising performances from youngsters therein) to erase that awful funk that's hanging over this club at the moment, however. Blckdgrd will likely require more than 'promising youngsters' to keep from choking on his own bile in the months ahead, for example.

But nueva sangre is buena sangre, right?

Concerning talismans and professors...

cboehm@potomacsoccerwire.com (Charles Boehm) — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 19:18:00 +0000

From Merriam-Webster:
tal•is•man
Pronunciation: \ˈta-ləs-mən, -ləz-\
Function: noun
Etymology: French talisman or Spanish talismán or Italian talismano; all from Arabic ṭilsam, from Middle Greek telesma, from Greek, consecration, from telein to initiate into the mysteries, complete, from telos end
Definition:
1 an object held to act as a charm to avert evil and bring good fortune
2 something producing apparently magical or miraculous effects

Last Saturday was a busy day of work for me in terms of both my writing and my retail occupations, but I was able to snag some space on my girlfriend's Tivo in order to record the Spain vs Turkey UEFA World Cup qualifier at Estadio Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid, a 1-0 victory for the home side which was every bit as awkward for España as this recap suggests.

Phil Ball is one of my all-time favorite soccer scribes and Morbo, his landmark book on the history and culture interwoven in Spanish footy, is a major reason behind my enduring love of La Liga. I was aggrieved to see Ball step away from his weekly Soccernet columns on the league at the end of last year, but ESPN seems to have done quite well in their search for his replacement, as I have thoroughly enjoyed the work of Eduardo Alvarez -- who offers up another good piece this week, specifically focusing on the national team's boss, Vincente Del Bosque, who seems to have international soccer's in-form team plotting a steady course to South Africa 2010.

Alvarez refers to "El Profesor" Del Bosque's strength as a field general in the center of the park during his playing career, comparable to current stars Xavi (of Spain and FC Barcelona) and Andrea Pirlo (Italy and AC Milan). This type of midfielder is a fascinating concept, and most great teams are paced by at least one such personality.

DC United played their home opener at RFK Stadium on Saturday night and while there are many talking points to consider -- and The DCenters' beautifully exhaustive post-match debriefing does a better job of rounding them all up than I could ever hope to equal -- I find myself most intrigued by the role of Ben Olsen, who I see as the closest thing to "El Profesor" for this year's United squad.

As far as midfield talismans go, DC fans may think of playmakers like Christian Gomez and, going further back in history, Marco Etcheverry. But after two games -- which, admittedly, tell us only so much about his left ankle's long-term durability -- I am convinced that Olsen is head coach Tom Soehn's key to holding his squad together, at least in terms of match performances in the short term.

Steve Goff has examined this angle already, and in the days ahead I will be doing a piece on other aspects of #14's role this season. But it's clear to see how few teammates can match his blend of intelligence, intensity and guidance. For now, I don't see how The Black-and-Red can contend for positive results in league play on a weekly basis without him playing regularly. He's too smart not to be in the first XI when fit.

This also has tactical implications. Whatever Soehn says about his plans to tweak DC's formation, he will have to use 3-5-2 more often than not when Olsen is available. Olsen's reduced mobility means he needs a greyhound like Clyde Simms alongside him to cover ground and make life easier for Gomez at the top of the midfield. Given that a timely intervention of talented youth (ie Pontius and Wallace) means United seem to be surprisingly well-endowed on the flanks this year, how else does Soehn get his most important performers on the field at the same time?

Coaches, parents and fans out there: does your team have a midfield "profesor"? What about a talisman? If so, who -- and is it a good thing? What does it mean for the squad as a whole?

Rookies beware!

cboehm@potomacsoccerwire.com (Charles Boehm) — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 01:31:00 +0000

Soundtrack for this post, courtesy of the Black Keys:

So D.C. United starts two rookies and two brand-new arrivals in last Sunday's 2-2 draw against the Galaxy.

And so maybe those rooks held their own, and one -- the one who took the starting spot normally occupied by a club legend who also happens to be the league's all-time leading scorer -- even chipped in with an important golazzo in the second half.

So yeah, D.C. rookie attacker Chris Pontius enjoyed an outstanding professional debut, and some people even wrote some pretty glowing features about it. But he and the rest of the 2009 crop have got a long way to go, as aforementioned club legend and club captain Jaime Moreno alluded to after United's training session on Thursday:

It’s a long season and there are a lot of things to learn, and to prove, for young guys. You can get excited in the beginning but it’s a long season and you’ve got to maintain that level. You’ve got to keep working the same way and keep the same level, getting better at the same time.

So for me it’s too early to talk. I always like to establish something, if it’s not the middle of the season – or better, after – because at the end of the day what matters here is playoffs. You’ve got to be consistent and maintain that level to take you all the way to playoffs, and hopefully, the final, to be the champ. To do that, you’ve got to maintain that level so that the team does better and yourself, too.

It should surprise no one that Moreno is never happy to spend time on the bench and to be fair, United boss Tom Soehn was all set to throw the Bolivian into the fray on Sunday. But that's when Devon McTavish and Greg Janicki knocked heads on an aerial challenge that left both players bleeding profusely and when McTavish was unable to continue, Soehn had to alter his final substitution and bring on Marc Burch instead.

The 34-year-old Moreno is undoubtedly aware that his squad can benefit from an injection of youthful vigor. But he still harbors enough smoldering intensity to make me second-guess any thoughts of his impending marginalization:

I just want to make sure I’m here to contribute to the team. The coach is the one who decides if I start or if I come off the bench. But every day I work to be in the first XI. I’m not a guy that – I don’t feel comfortable being on the bench. I’m sure a lot of guys don’t [either], so that’s why you work from Monday to Friday to get a place on the first XI. If not, then you’ve got to do something better to get you there. As far as I’m concerned, I’ve done everything that’s in my hands to be in the first XI. Then there is a head coach – he is the one who decides who plays.

Fredy is ready for MLS

cboehm@potomacsoccerwire.com (Charles Boehm) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 13:51:00 +0000

Sounders FC 3 - 0 NY Red Bulls

Big up Seatown!

Kickin' it in the Cascades

cboehm@potomacsoccerwire.com (Charles Boehm) — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 17:47:00 +0000

Congrats to Vancouver, Major League Soccer's newest hometown. The remodeling plans (especially the soccer-specific configuration) for their future home ground, BC Place, are jaw-dropping -- go check 'em out ASAP.

It's an opportune moment to pay tribute to my homeboy Steve Nash -- top NBA point guard, soccer fanatic, MLS Vancouver investor, BC native, son of a Tottenham Hotspurs alum and possibly the greatest all-around athlete in Canadian history...

And how about some love for another soccer hotbed just a few hundred miles down the Pac NW coast. Seattle? Not this time. Sure, the Sounders are blowing up the spot, as the kids say these days -- but their not-so-friendly rivals down in OR are about to have their day, too.

Rose City, welcome to MLS.

MLS and Montreal

cboehm@potomacsoccerwire.com (Charles Boehm) — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 19:15:00 +0000

Ok, so MLS Barca Miami is out.

St. Louis seems to have everything a good expansion city needs, but The Don still wants to see more dough.

Portland's bid depends on a hefty dose of government support at an awkward time for such things and their leading backer is having, um, issues of his own.

So where the h*ll is picky MLS going to find an expansion site of their liking???

There are many valid ideas and observations out there in the soccer blogosphere, some of which posit that MLS is going to have to drop their $40 million expansion fee a bit, or even forgo this expansion round entirely.

Well, I just got an email from Dan Courtemanche (Senior Vice Prez, Marketing & Comm) at MLS headquarters, and as of now, they say they're not blinking:

"Regarding the expansion fee for the next round, MLS currently does not plan on altering that fee."

Courtemanche had a few more things to offer, and I'll be sharing them on PSW later this week. Stay tuned...

Chilly Tuesday

cboehm@potomacsoccerwire.com (Charles Boehm) — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 06:05:00 +0000

Houston, you have a problem.

With Dwayne DeRosario gone back to Ontario and Sounders Sasquatch Nate Jaqua returning to his Pac Northwest roots, who is going to score goals for The Orange? I would normally respond "Brian Ching, of course" but he made a hash out of the few scoring chances that came his way in the CONCACAF Champions League series against Atlante, and beyond him, you're basically looking to kids for your scoring.

I'm particularly looking forward to another CCL quarterfinal, Santos Laguna vs Montreal Impact at Estadio Corona on Thursday night. After last week's sensational first leg at the Olympic Stadium in Montreal, can the Impact's Cinderella story continue?

And by the way, this is the same club whose MLS expansion bid was tossed aside late last year due to the Impact's doubts about the league's $40 million franchise fee. But if they can rack up passionate crowds of 55,000+ for CCL -- by comparison, Houston barely drew 10,000 out to their home match -- perhaps they don't need MLS as much as MLS needs them, eh? It's a subject that has been on our minds here at Potomac Soccer Wire; look out for more analysis and coverage in the days ahead.

In other news, I have, against my instincts and better judgment, gotten rolled up in this Twitter wave that seems to be sweeping the nation (soccer reporters seem especially hard-hit: Dure, Green, Goff, Stouffer, McAllister...and the list goes on).

I am highly doubtful as to my ability and temperament to sustain the terse, constant, often inane chirping that constitutes the Twitter experience. But there does seem to be some potential for meaning and mindfulness in the haiku-like brevity of its format. And it's a good procrastination tool, if nothing else.

Twit me up at: http://twitter.com/cboehm ...

The week that is...

cboehm@potomacsoccerwire.com (Charles Boehm) — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 16:33:00 +0000

As renowned motivational speaker/infamous charlatan (depending on your perspective) Zig Ziglar might say, tomorrow is today when it comes to the soccer on offer this week.

While most MLS clubs are counting down the days until First Kick 2009, one proud bunch of Yanks are about to dive back into CONCACAF Champions League, as the fledgling tourney resumes with Houston Dynamo and Montreal Impact representing gringo interests...have you SEEN how many tickets have sold up in Montreal? Stade Olympique might just be Canada's answer to RFK Stadium: old, decrepit, falling apart in places, former home to a certain dodgy baseball team...but irrepessibly charming nonetheless. And you can bet that it will be a challenging venue for Mexican visitors Santos Laguna.

DC United's meaningless scrimmage against UMd on Sunday will nonetheless be about as compelling and interesting as meaningless scrimmages can get. I plan to be there -- how about you?

And I haven't even mentioned the feast of Eurofooty on the telly! Highlighted by...

Arsenal vs Roma...will Mirko "The Snake" Vucinic produce more magic of this sort?

Inter Milan vs Manchester Utd...It's Zlatan vs CR, but for real this time. I'd put my money on The Special One, though.

Lyon vs Barcelona...My Barca boys, undefeated since August, had a tremendous hiccup against crosstown rivals Espanyol over the weekend, and now they have to visit France's top side. I'll be watching that one with keen interest...and jittery nerves. Let's be havin' ya, Leo.

Live from Largo (sort of)

cboehm@potomacsoccerwire.com (Charles Boehm) — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 16:47:00 +0000

Yes, I was there yesterday, spending several hours of my President's Day watching the DC United brass and Prince George's County muckety-mucks grip and grin, visions of dead presidents dancing in their heads...with the rest of us wondering if it's really, actually, truly going to happen this time. We've been here before, after all.

So DC United is moving on out, to the east side, to a dee-luxe arena for this guy.

At least that's the plan. There's work yet to be done, of course; as Kevin Payne said yesterday, "most really good things aren’t easy."

Speaking of which, here's some bonus stuff from the PG press conference...

We are fortunate that Maryland has a very effective and professional process for assessing stadiums. The Maryland Stadium Authority is a great asset for the state of Maryland.

-Victor MacFarlane claimed that there's no hard feelings towards DC government after his long quest for a stadium in the District went begging -- but the pointed praise for Maryland in his opening remarks suggests otherwise. More on that further down.

Look, RFK is a great old building in many ways, but it’s falling apart. There doesn’t seem to be ability to spend significant capital dollars on it. It also isn’t modern in a lot of important revenue-generating ways for us. The concourses are very small, the food service facilities are very poor…So we just can’t exist. We can’t compete, we can’t exist if we don’t have a modern stadium.

-Kevin Payne, explaining for the umpteenth time why United can't get into their new home soon enough.

There will certainly be some differences [from the previous Poplar Point renderings]…We’re actually hoping to have a naming rights partner before we fully design the stadium, and we hope they’ll be involved too…there’s certain things that we want to have for sure. We want to have a roof that covers all of the seats. We want a stadium that borrows from the traditions of the game in other parts of the world, but is still modern, and iconic in look and feel...We will have a permanent stage, a large-scale stage, like in Dallas.

-Payne, discussing the future stadium's features.

It’s hard to make training facilities work on urban land, so we will hope that there’s some land that’s proximate, not too far away but not really on the same site...Between the training facility…since we’re not doing a suburban type of stadium – what would be office building land, you can’t say that’s going to be a training field. That’s too expensive.

-MacFarlane, offering up a few details on where United's practice facility will fit into the stadium plans. Sounds like it won't exactly be a stone's throw away, huh?

There’s always frustration when a business transaction doesn’t get done the way you would like it to get done. But I’m a business guy – we all move on.

-MacFarlane again, on his attitude towards Mayor Adrian Fenty and the rest of the dithering DC politicians who prompted him to turn his attention north and east, to PG County.

Happy Returns, Angry Exchanges

cboehm@potomacsoccerwire.com (Charles Boehm) — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 15:54:00 +0000

Quick Friday morning post before I pedal south to RFK to catch the first media glimpse of La Vuelta del Christian...(When it comes to star playmakers and other old flames, some say 'you can't go back'...guess DC United will find out soon enough)...

All coaches and parents -- especially those whose kids have spent any time in Super Y-League -- please read this and share your thoughts, whether it's in the PSW forums or in the comments section of this blog. Parents are one group I'd like to hear from on this topic, especially since the small percentage of overbearing, loudmouth types so often tarnish the reputation of their fellow soccer moms and dads.

I've linked to one or two of these pieces before, but it's worth pointing out again: the talented Jeff Carlisle has also done some great work on the topic of national youth development lately, and I'm looking forward to the rest of his multi-part series in the days ahead.

Speaking of US Soccer...2-0. (Dos a cero, en Espanol, gracias). Does it ever get old?

And Frankie Hejduk -- does he ever get old? Whenever we watch or talk about the US National team, a couple of my old college teammates and I usually go back and forth about the strange Nats tradition of always having one old defender around in nearly every big game or tourney, someone who's too slow for the international game but is kept around for 'leadership,' 'experience,' etc...and how it always leads to an ongoing heart attack as fans watch and pray that the other team doesn't find him and exploit him. In World Cup 1998 it was Alexi Lalas. In 2002 it was Jeff Agoos. You could argue that it was Eddie Pope in 2006, but that's not the point here.

Nowadays, my friends insist that it's Frankie Hejduk. Fit, eager, passionate, but chronically limited in technical ability: the kind of player US Soccer should have outgrown by now. But I always disagree, pointing out that coaches like players whose tools and mentality are predictable and consistent, especially those who can offer veteran savvy and locker room karma...and what defender in this hemisphere is fitter and more enthusiastic than Hejduk (or executes the two-footed tackle more cleanly and regularly)? And there's this, too.

Wednesday night in Columbus, the caffeine addict known as 'Heydude' put on a clinic of all that is Frankie, and it set the tone for a US romp. Even a petulant postgame slap couldn't crash his buzz. The guy is an inspiration, and I look forward to cringing/laughing as I watch him in South Africa next year, a 35-year-old surfer dude/dad once again enjoying every second of the world's biggest party.

I'm sure we're all glad to see that the Ticos are coming. And with this news, all local soccer fans had better make the most of every big moment in old RFK this year, because as much as you like to gripe about that concrete bowl now, like so many of the aforementioned old flames, you're probably going to miss it when it's gone.

Hope this guy gets invited back -- he seems to have a good time at his old stomping grounds, regardless of the nature of his exit from United. And I'm not the only one who feels that way.

The Big Payback...?

cboehm@potomacsoccerwire.com (Charles Boehm) — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 02:20:00 +0000

First of all...consider the following as a musical accompaniment to this post.

A sweaty, mustachioed, medium-waved JB (or GFOS, if you prefer) near his career's peak seems like an appropriate soundtrack to the soccer thoughts that have been percolating for me lately...

The Big Payback
Marcelo Gallardo is gone, gone, gone.

This makes financial sense for DC United. It certainly works for Gallardo's heart. And River Plate, having concluded a miserable Apertura only to lose to eternal rivals Boca Juniors in Argentina's summer tournament, might have nothing to lose.

But it makes me sad. MLS needs more Gallardos. When he was healthy in midsummer, he was a joy for any thoughtful soccer fan to watch. One of my college teammates -- he's as good-natured and easygoing a soccer snob as you could ever imagine -- moved to DC last year and while he has clearly enjoyed the overall gameday experience at United games, Gallardo's brief flashes of genius were far and away the highlight of the '08 season for him.

Thus, I cringe at El Muñeco's spectacular overall underachievement in DC, just the same way I lament world-class talents like Roberto Donadoni (MetroStars '96-97) and, ummm...David Beckham not really displaying their true class in MLS.

Who's to say Gallardo wouldn't have figured things out in '09, just like Guillermo Barros Schelotto worked through his share of ups and downs in his debut season with Columbus before vaulting his squad into an MLS Cup title in year two? We'll never know. It would seem that there's no cure for homesickness -- besides home, that is.

Cold Sweat
Pro athletes have to put in countless thousands of hours of draining fitness work, nearly year-round, for the entire length of their careers. (This is one area where average humans just can't relate to them. Priests, monks and nuns of various stripes probably can, though.) It's usually a lot more fun to go through that draining drudgery with your teammates around you -- even if it's taking place in DC, in the dead of winter. It matters -- ESPECIALLY under those sorts of crappy circumstances, as a matter of fact.

Santino Quaranta alluded to this at RFK today, and I quoted him on it in my MLSnet story on Gallardo. Here's the full transcribe of his response (it's more revealing on second glance):

We haven’t even talked about it. It’s been such a – we haven’t even brought it up. Tommy hasn’t brought it up. That’s between them. I know last year it was a problem all year for us, and you never knew what was going to happen next and it was really like a soap opera, man. I know he’s a great guy, I like him on a personal level, but when you’re not here – this brings a team together, the week that we just had, you go through the blood, the sweat and the tears. To have guys not here – Ivan [Guerrero] is with his national team, but when a guy [Gallardo] is electing not to be in – and that’s his own choice – but we just stick together in there [gesturing towards the locker room]. That’s the best I can come up with.

I Can't Stand Myself
The system by which United States soccer grows, cultivates and identifies talent has been working, sort of. But then again...not really -- especially if you judge it on its present capacity to address what I believe are the North American game's most glaring deficiencies: creativity, attacking technique and overall savvy/resiliency (the cliché-tastic "soccer IQ"). I am finishing up a piece for one of next week's PSWs on the USL's Super-Y League, one valiant attempt to address this situation. Stay tuned.

Papa's Got a Brand New Bag
Ah, technology. Verily, the interwebs offers us a beautiful bounty of well-written, funny-as-h*ll soccer coverage from across the world, yes? Soccernet's transfer blog and The Guardian UK's Fiver have become my latest destinations of top choice.

Inspiration

cboehm@potomacsoccerwire.com (Charles Boehm) — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 04:31:00 +0000

Why pay any mind to a "Mickey Mouse league," anyway?

"I write about MLS because I need to convince myself that futbol is always beautiful, no matter where it’s from or even if it’s called soccer. I write about MLS because it’s challenging, because I decided to do it one day and I hate not following through, because I hate criticizing and destroying. I like to build instead."

-Jose Miguel Burgos, creator, MLS en Espanol

*HT to T.I.A.S.

Starting the year anew in St Lou

cboehm@potomacsoccerwire.com (Charles Boehm) — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 03:17:00 +0000

Hi.

How's it going? You look like you're doing well. It's been a while since we talked, huh? OK, all right, that's mostly my fault, sure, what with the blog posts so few and far between…but why dwell on the blame game? We're here now, and the future is so bright...

I write this missive from “America’s Ballroom” in the midst of Saint Louis, a long goal kick from the mighty Mississippi, where the MLS SuperDraft has just kicked off with Seattle Sounders FC’s selection of University of Akron striker Steve Zakuani with the first overall pick. I’m part of MLSnet’s blanket coverage, tasked with focusing on the activities of DC United and the San Jose Earthquakes in particular, but I’m also looking at proceedings from a Potomac-area perspective and I’ll try to pop in here with the occasional post as well.

Nearly a year has passed since this blog debuted from the cavernous confines of the Baltimore Convention Center, where I covered the 2008 MLS SuperDraft for MLSnet and threw down a CIP post whenever I had a spare moment. I’ve learned a lot about this whole blogging thing over these past 12 months – most of all how sneaky-hard it is, how much dogged devotion and discipline is required to produce quality content on a consistent basis. Pacesetters of the craft like Ives Galarcep and Steve Goff deserve the plaudits for what they do. I’m excited about taking CIP in promising new directions in the year ahead, and hope you’ll check in regularly to read, react and respond.

cboehm@potomacsoccerwire.com (Charles Boehm) — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 17:52:00 +0000

First, a bit of self-promotional housekeeping: DC United 2008 autopsy part I, and part II.

In the course of putting together the MLSnet pieces linked above, known as the season in review package (SIRP, heh, that sounds funny -- let's run with it), I spent hours sifting through the quotes, records and results of United's '08 campaign. All too often, my SIRP work made for depressing reading, and to paraphrase The Great Dave Lifton, it made me wonder why we all didn't see this coming sooner. Too little depth, too much inconsistency, too many instances of p*ss-poor defending, too much responsibility piled on too many MLS newcomers.

But in retrospect, what strikes me more than anything else is the cruelty of expectations.

A brief aside: I served in the Peace Corps from 2001-2003, and having departed the United States just a few weeks before 9/11, I returned to a homeland that was profoundly different in many ways. My first stateside stop was Atlanta, where my childhood friend Josh was kind enough to host me for a few days. He even scored us tickets to a baseball game at Turner Field, to see the Braves host the Cubs in Game 5 of the 2003 National League Division Series.

As a lifelong Cubbies fan just back from the developing world, I was thrilled at the chance to watch my team in one of its (relatively) rare playoff appearances, and even more excited to witness starting pitcher (and fellow Texan) Kerry Wood vanquish the mighty Braves and clinch the series for Chicago. But what really struck me was the ATL home crowd, or lack thereof. The place was barely filled, and many in attendance were Cubs fans for whom it was cheaper and easier to buy a plane ticket to Atlanta and buy tickets down there than participate in the frenzied hunt for precious (and pricey) seats at Wrigley Field back in Chitown.

Long-suffering Cubs fans rarely miss a chance to revel in postseason play. But the cumulative effect of the Braves' decade-plus of success was a snobbish complacency among their supporters -- something along the lines of, 'of course we're going to the playoffs again this year...wake me up when we get to the World Series...again.'

I am not suggesting that DC United fans are this way -- far from it. Most of them vividly remember 2000-2003 and what it's like to support a poor team, and I find them to be among the most loyal partisans in US sports. But there's something similar in the attitude taken by the DC front office over the past year or so.

After several years of being MLS' 'nearly men,' United wanted to be the BEST EVER sooooo badly, and took aggressive steps to become so...and like Icarus flying too close to the sun, the gods used their favorite humbling tool to maximum effect.

So as you peruse the SIRP, remember: things can always get better...and they can always get worse, too.

Then watch MLS Cup on Sunday, when the two longest-suffering fan bases in Major League Soccer finally get their day in the sun.

Giving thanks, early

cboehm@potomacsoccerwire.com (Charles Boehm) — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 21:22:00 +0000

Thank you, Shawn Francis (guiding-force-behind-The-Offsides-Rules), for today's moment of Photoshop Zen.

Sigi is, indeed, at the controls.

Thank you, Fredua Adu, for today's moment of youtube Zen.

And thank you, volume controls on espn360.com, for allowing me to watch the US-Guatemala match and listen to the intoxicating grooves of Ocote Soul Sounds instead of John Harkes' and JP Dellacamera's commentary. John, JP...nothing personal. I just needed a night off, OK?

Wise heads

cboehm@potomacsoccerwire.com (Charles Boehm) — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 05:46:00 +0000

It's a new day in America, right?

Your faithful correspondent was certainly given that impression by the spontaneous party that unfolded before his very eyes in the District of Columbia on Monday night, specifically on U St. NW.

As any soccer tactician will tell you, change, innovation and imagination are key ingredients in beautiful, winning footie. But sometimes it's nice to have some experienced hands around when you're staring at a long to-do list. I'd contend that the Prez Elect's first staff appointment offers proof of this, as does the decision just taken by Messrs. MacFarlane and Chang over yonder at RFK.

I'd also venture to say USL has benefited from the seasoned steering of president Francisco Marcos, who was kind enough to share a chunk of his knowledge and analysis with me earlier this week. Do check back next week, when I'll be talking more in-depth about the intriguing...chess match, you could call it...being awkwardly played out by USL and MLS. A dominant majority of Major League Soccer's expansion shortlist hails from USL markets and Marcos talked to me at length about the consequences of this trend.

A brief snippet:

"They have named five out of seven markets for possible expansion that are our markets, three of which are our clubs themselves…are we flattered by that? Yes. But we can’t eat flattery. Are we happy about it? Absolutely not. Can we do a whole lot about it? Not a lot. Bottom line is, they are what we are, we are what we are..."

And closer to home, it is with great sadness that I prepare to bid farewell to David Lifton, the longtime DC area soccer guru who is soon to move west to the broad shoulders, meaty cuisine and bitter lake winds of Chicago. Dave is a class act in every way and we are much the worse for his departure. In the comings days I will be talking more about David and his inimitable contributions to soccer in DC and the nation as a whole.

Enjoy the weekend.

Winter of discontent?

cboehm@potomacsoccerwire.com (Charles Boehm) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 18:51:00 +0000

Is that the proper term for the offseason that now beckons the Black-and-Red denizens of RFK? (As opposed to the large, furry black-and-brown denizens that scurry among the shadows in the place's damp underbelly.)

I don't know, actually. DC United's last few seasons have ended prematurely, too, as squads that were highly-rated championship contenders stumbled at home in the playoffs. Those setbacks featured frustrated outbursts from players, coaches and club execs and angrily segued into simmering winter breaks. This time around everyone seems to have more of a dazed, vacant befuddled-ness (and if that's not a word, then it should be) as they try to grasp the magnitude of the 2008 failure and the perfect storm of injuries, scheduling demands and bad chemistry that brewed it.

As I peruse various media perspectives this week, on one level it's shocking to hear the DCU brain trust contemplate keeping so much of the command structure in place, especially after top-dog owner Victor MacFarlane's choice words on the season a few weeks ago -- "we paid to be bad" -- but maybe places like New York and New England offer DC contrasting examples of the benefits of stability. United could certainly have done with some roster stability this year, at least when it came to Tom Soehn's starting XI and first options off the bench.

I'll have more after tonight's CONCACAF season closer against Marathon, but for now the simplest and most effective way of noting the mood in Unitedland is to refer you to the current Washington-area conditions on weather.com.

Leaden, cold, ominous.

*HT to How Now Brownpau on the image.

BC on the brain

cboehm@potomacsoccerwire.com (Charles Boehm) — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 06:15:00 +0000

British Columbia, not Brian Carroll.

Wouldn't you want to play soccer in Vancouver, especially if it also meant not having to eat ramen noodles and canned tuna all the time?

Justin Moose and Jay Nolly decided to give it a try, and I get the sense that they feel good about the decision. Wouldn't you do the same?

Ahhhh...if I think about it hard enough, I can almost smell the Pacific breeze...

And oh yeah -- DC United is alive. Alive like that plane full of rugby players that crashed in the Andes a few decades back, maybe, but alive nonetheless. A brief word on the matter from Santino Quaranta (happy anniversary Tino):

I went out to dinner with my family last night…at 9:00 I was getting texts from everybody, that [Chicago] scored 12 minutes in, and I actually watched the second half when I got back. I turned it off in the 80th minute, I was so excited. I’m just happy that we finally got a break. It was exciting. It’s been a real buzz around here this morning – it feels like it’s a whole different season right now today, it really does.

On time, and other matters

cboehm@potomacsoccerwire.com (Charles Boehm) — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 05:10:00 +0000

Tempus Fugit.

Time.

Flies.

This simple yet mystical phenomenon of existence keeps slapping me in the face, metaphorically speaking, in several different spheres of my life. But it takes place in, and in front of, all of us. This week offers just a few examples within this soccer subculture of ours:

*We have just one full weekend left in Daylight Savings Time;
*Fall regular-season play is winding down, and in some cases almost over, for Potomac-area youth leagues. WAGS senior league, for example, has just two full weekend ledgers left.
*Match Day Twelve (12!) of the 2008/2009 UEFA Champions League has now come and gone;
*Major League Soccer's final weekend of league play has already begun. Playoffs start in less than a week.

Autumn is upon us, and the cold, dark winter equinox beckons, and all of life buckles down accordingly.

My proverbial notebook is verily bursting open with interesting quotes/primary source material, story ideas, and other stuff from DC United, MLS, USL, US Men's National Team, DC local scene, and more.

Keep your proverbial heads up for content and if you somehow aren't already, for crying out loud, make sure you're subscribed to Potomac Soccer Wire's biweekly flashes.

Deportivo Saprissa 2 - 2 DC United

cboehm@potomacsoccerwire.com (Charles Boehm) — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 03:35:00 +0000

BIGGEST. RESULT. OF THE SEASON.

Sometimes crappy soccer really can be entertaining as h*ll.

OK, so I only got to catch the last half-hour of the match, via internet. But regardless of how g*wd-awful some of the touches were, and what a g*wd-awful influence poor artificial turf can wreak on a game, there were some vibes...some quan...some je ne sais pas to that performance from DC United's kids.

Sometimes clumsy, often a step behind, but never giving up: wonder how many senior squad members back home even stayed up late enough to watch the ending, as it was beamed to us from a damp, lush, faraway tropical place via high technology?

I don't support United, I cover United. But seeing that downtrodden bunch play with pride in hostile conditions and snap their club's five-game losing streak...that warms my heart. That's one of the most compelling achievements I've seen from anyone in a Black-and-Red uniform this year.

And who wouldn't want more fodder for the Great Rod Dyachenko Hate Debate of 2008, hmmm?...let the online shouting matches begin!

*HT to Bogman for the Rod image.

USMNT, RFK, FYI

cboehm@potomacsoccerwire.com (Charles Boehm) — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 15:42:00 +0000

Well, of course I had to drop in on the U.S. Men's National Team training sessions this week, since they're in town and all, and World Cup Qualifiers don't happen at RFK all that often (anymore). And of course I had to join the rest of the writerly herd in pestering USMNT media shepherd extraordinaire Michael Kammarman for a few quick interviews, and of course the ever-sardonic but equally-helpful Kammarman came up trumps -- I got good stuff from the likes of Bob Bradley, Troy Perkins and Gooch Onyewu, so stay tuned for future copy on those fronts.

I am a bit flabbergasted at the idea that it's been four years since the last WCQ in DC. That 6-0 drubbing of Panama lingers in my mind, if only because I got to sit in the stands and take it all in with a good friend, and act like a normal fan -- I think I might've even drank a beer -- not a working journo sitting high up in the press box.

And that night is also pleasantly sepia-toned because it kicked off what you might call a brief "Age of Innocence" regarding my perception of Eddie Johnson. Yes, that was when the oh-so-talented and oh-so-infuriating American striker snatched that rarest of feats, an off-the-bench hat trick that made Panama's defense look extra-pedestrian and seemed to kick off what we all thought would be a glittering international career.

But the GAM (Grown-Ass Man) has rarely reached such heights in the ensuing four years and in fact his absence from the ongoing USMNT camp has sparked somewhat of a celebration among certain sections of the Nats support, as younger bucks like Jozy Altidore, Freddy Adu and Jose Francisco Torres have been given priority. Meanwhile, Johnson seems to have become the Brazil of the USMNT, if you will -- as in the cynical old canard that once summed up the general international outlook on that South American nation: "It's a land of great potential, and it always will be."

Which gets me to wondering...isn't it statistically probable that someone in the current camp -- maybe even one of the darlings of the moment -- will see his career path wander and stagnate, and someday be burdened with that same perception? Who will the increasingly demanding, and fickle, US fanbase turn on next?

*HT to Sideline Views for the EJ image

Avert your eyes, if need be...

cboehm@potomacsoccerwire.com (Charles Boehm) — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 07:02:00 +0000

DC United, as of the fifth day of the tenth month, 2008 AD:

Pick your metaphor.

Does this sum it up?

Or perhaps you prefer these.

Hard to watch? Or must-see TV? It's a bit of a rorschach test, isn't it?