PSW Corner Kicks

We've Moved

noreply@blogger.com (PSW Editor) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 13:30:00 +0000

Hi,
We've moved the PSW Corner Kicks blog to our main web site. Not all the posts have been moved, so we'll leave this version up for a while. In the meantime, please go here:

http://www.potomacsoccerwire.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=71

Pia Sundhage should not be a United States National Team coach

noreply@blogger.com (PSW Editor) — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 13:19:00 +0000

The UNITED STATES Women’s National Team coach Pia Sundhage has declined an invitation to meet President Bush at the White house, according to an interview she gave with the Aftonbladet newspaper. In the interview, she states she does not share his political views.

I know it's hard to find many who do, but SO WHAT! If you are the Head Coach of a United State Team, a team that just represented our country in the Olympics, and you win a gold medal, and you have interest in supporting the sport in our country, you ACCEPT an invitation to meet our President. No questions asked, other than "what time should I be there?"

I am a fan of Sundhage’s coaching beliefs and style, but it’s time to move on. I'm thoroughly embarrassed and dismayed at such a snub. If she can't put her politics aside and honor the colors she wears, then it's time to go.

I'm sure many of the players on the team feel the way she does politically, but they are still going to the White House. What kind of message does that send to your players when you won't share an honor they've earned together. Let me repeat - it's time to go.

Sundhage is currently negotiating a contract renewal with the US Soccer Federation, and I hope they tell her no thanks. It has nothing to do with politics, it has to do with respect and honor for the country you represent as its NATIONAL TEAM coach. Let her pursue a WPS head coaching job - one without red white and blue in on their uniform - and do her good for the game from there.

Here's the link to the story: http://www.sr.se/cgi-bin/International/nyhetssidor/artikel.asp?ProgramID=2054&format=1&artikel=2278495

Here's the link to contact US Soccer and tell them what you think: http://www.ussoccer.com/contact/index.jsp.html

Impressive US win marred by inexcusable attendance

noreply@blogger.com (PSW Editor) — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 17:22:00 +0000

I could not believe my eyes when I saw the attendance report from last night's World Cup Qualifier in Chicago between the US and Trinidad & Tobago!

11,452

You'd think the game was held in South Dakota in January at 3 a.m. with those kinds of numbers. But nope, it was a gorgeous evening in the suburbs of one of the biggest, most sports-loving cities in the world. Moreover, it is the home of the headquarters of the United States Soccer Federation - the very organization that produced the match.

The Chicago Fire - who's home stadium was used for this match - drew more fans on two out of three previous mid-week matches so far this season. A league match against New England (15,553) on April 3rd and an exhibition match (YES, EXHIBITION) against Wisla Krakow (14,040) on May 21. They even nearly out-drew the US match on Wednesday, July 30th in a friendly against Everton with 9,125 brave soles daring to go spend an evening in a brand new soccer stadium watching the world's most popular game - how dare they!

Maybe there was something else going on in Chicago last night distracting sports fans? Let's see...

Cubs were away at St. Louis in an afternoon game, so no TV distraction
White Sox home against Toronto (attendance: 26,198), any chance baseball fans of the White Sox are the only ones who like soccer in Chicago?
Bears (NFL) did not play
Bulls (NBA) did not play
Blackhawks (NHL) did not play

How about some other facts...

Since US Soccer started reporting attendance figures in 1990:

There have been eight (8) games played by the US Men's team in Chicago with a cumulative total of 295,018 attendance (average 36,878).
There have been 26 World Cup qualifiers played on US soil with a cumulative total of 797,328 attendance (average 30,667).
Only three previous World Cup qualifiers drew less attendance than last night (6/13/04 versus Grenada in Columbus, OH - 9,137, 11/17/04 versus Jamaica in Columbus, OH - 9,088, and 10/12/05 versus Panama in Foxboro, MA).
The only other home qualifier so far this year was against soccer minnow Barbados in LA, yet still out-drew last night with 11,476.
The US has played Trinidad and Tobago seven (7) times on US soil, with a cumulative total of 145,232 (average 20,747).
Of those seven previous meetings with T&T on US soil, ALL have had higher attendance, including 19,312 on November 24, 1996 in RICHMOND, VA.

Bottom line - we know the US team is has traditionally struggled to draw big crowds of US supporters, but such a low attendance for a World Cup qualifier in the home city of our country's Federation, and in a spanking new soccer-specific stadium is completely unacceptable. Someone should be fired at the Fire or USSF, or both. This is clearly a result of poor game promotion. Let's only hope the TV ratings are higher.

Case in point, according to officials at one of the best ticket-selling operations in MLS, D.C. United (who are responsible for ticket sales at RFK for the upcoming home qualifier against last place Cuba on October 11th) has ALREADY reached the 11,000 tickets sold mark - a full month before kick off, and against a much less storied team.

Everyone involved with soccer in Chicago should be embarrassed. USSF officials, Fire officials and fans, youth club directors and coaches, and even media editors for not carving out more space to preview the game - and maybe even the coach for not using any current Chicago Fire players, or calling in other legitimate pool players with a little more draw at the gate, like Freddy Adu or Jozy Altidore.

I'd rather see the US play Mexico in the Rose Bowl for all the marbles than another embarrassment like Wednesday night. At least then we can pretend there is some passion in the US for its national team.

Kevin Payne is asking for your help

noreply@blogger.com (PSW Editor) — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 23:17:00 +0000

Below is a personal letter sent to D.C. United Supporters from United President and CEO Kevin Payne. I agree with the letter completely, and hope you will make it out. D.C. United, unlike most teams in MLS, truly measures itself on how many Championships they win. Everyone counts, and it's been nearly four years since the last major Cup was added to the largest trophy case in MLS.

Here's the letter. See you on the 3rd!

Dear United Supporter,
On Wednesday, September 3, 2008 D.C. United will play the Charleston Battery in the Championship match of the 2008 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. We are committed to winning this championship, but we need your help to do it!

The U.S. Open Cup is important to us for a number of reasons. It is the oldest national soccer competition in America. We were the first MLS team to win it, but we' ve not won it since. Most important, winning the Championship will secure our place in the 2009 CONCACAF Champions Cup.

This has already been a very busy season for the D.C. United family, and the support we've received from our supporters has been, as usual, the best in the league! But, we need you again!

Please come out on September 3rd and help carry DCU to victory in this important Championship. Many of you have already received an invoice for the match -- all you have to do is go on-line, pay the invoice, and print your tickets at home.

If you have not received an invoice yet, contact your sales representative or D.C. United Customer Service at 202-587-5000 or via e-mail at dcucustomerservice@dcunited.com

With your support, we can add another great trophy to our legacy as America's most decorated soccer team.
I'll see you at RFK on September 3rd!

Best wishes,
Kevin J. Payne
President/CEO of D.C. United

What happened to Fulham America?

noreply@blogger.com (PSW Editor) — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 14:17:00 +0000

What happened to Fulhamerica? Last year it was American players on Fulham's roster that played huge roles in rescuing the team's [English] Premier League status. In the four years since Brian McBride signed on for the Southwest London club only to be followed by four more, Fulham became the EPL team I told Britts I supported most. I fell in love with the idea of an American team in the league, and a personal visit to Craven Cottage sealed the deal.

Now however, only one American remains in Clint Dempsey, as his best friend Eddie Johnson was just loaned to Cardiff for the season. In the offseason, Carlos Bocanegra moved to France after becoming a bench player under Fulham's new boss, while Kasey Keller and Brian McBride both decided to return to the US and play out their stellar careers in MLS.

So, how are Fulham doing without their Americans? After losing the season opener on the road to newly promoted Hull City, the "Cottagers" just beat my other favorite EPL team - Arsenal - 1-0 at home on Saturday. Clint Dempsey only had a late cameo to do with it, but hopefully he'll earn regular status shortly.

the Arsenal win was one for the ages, but the fact that it mostly came without any American's in the side just has a Groundhog Day feeling to whole "American players ever so close to getting over the hump" thing all over again. Just when we thought some American players would become a permanent fixture on the global stage, it turns out the same old story of American players abroad being little more than utility players shows up again.

No doubt McBride and Keller would have retained their top spots had they stayed, and they've had two of the three or four most succesful Yanks-Abroad careers ever to date, but we want more. We want sustained success (read: Champions League regulars) where an American is a permanent fixture. We want transfer rumors swirling. We want our American David Beckham abroad.

Fulham wasn't really close to deliving that single star for us, but it represented a very real potential. A Fulham team with five American starters, making a run at the FA Cup or qualifying for Europe would have been more than satisfactory thank you very much.

Still a Fulham fan here for life, just for different reasons. Let's hope this is just a one step back to take two forward for American fans of soccer. We've got more seeds planted than ever before. Will next ten years prove we've planted permanent roots, or will we have only a longer list of the same old story?

Bruce Arena's LA Erasure

noreply@blogger.com (PSW Editor) — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 01:36:00 +0000

With Bruce Arena’s hiring out in LA LA Land, another chapter in a very long story is about to begin. With the exception of his admittedly ill-timed stint in New York, every thing the stoic coach has touched has been considered a success. No one can argue that his time with UVA and D.C. United was anything less than spectacular, and not many national team coaches spend eight years and two World Cups in a job, including a Quarterfinal appearance.

But with New York his last gig, Arena clearly could use another successful bookend to squash that time from memory. And other than reserving the right to wish hateful, miserable things on the Galaxy whenever they face D.C. United, I hope he succeeds.

I am a big Bruce Arena fan, and also beleive a successful Galaxy team is necessary in order for MLS to maximize their David Beckham investment return.

Good luck to "the Bruce". Just no so much when you're facing the Black and Red.

How do you pay your soccer coach?

noreply@blogger.com (PSW Editor) — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 20:25:00 +0000

There has been some discussion on our community boards recently about coaches’ pay and what is reasonable. Rather than take up space here trying to paraphrase, you can check out the thread here for some background if needed (and to add your opinion as well of course).

As a little background, in addition to HummerSport and the PSW, I coach for FC Virginia and Potomac Falls High School, have a USSF B license, and have been earning income as a coach for three years. Of course, as the Founder and Editor of PSW, I’m also neck-deep in coaching issues, and have heard a lot of discussion from all sides on coaching topics.

In my opinion, there is no single answer for questions about what is too much or too little to pay a coach, because almost every situation is different. Just like lawyers, financial planners, handymen, and babysitters each charge different rates within their own sphere, so do comparable coaches/clubs. In the end, whoever is stroking the checks needs to decide on the value they are getting and what is fair compensation in exchange. So, it’s not a valid discussion point when someone on one team tells someone on another that they are paying too much or too little.

The only exceptions would be if it was the SAME coach charging different amounts for two teams of similar quality, age, and schedule. Or, if there is some sort of subsidizing going on, where a benefactor with too much money to burn pays some crazy fee to bring in a world class coach when the rest of the team would never support those fees. And finally, if the actual money going to the coach is not the full amount the parents were led to believe in a situation where, without the parents’ knowledge, there are other club personnel taking their “cut” from a coach’s fees despite having no direct interaction.

With all this in mind, the one thing I think everyone needs to do when evaluating for THEMSELVES or THEIR team whether a coach is paid appropriately, is to look at the actual time spent. Then divide the total pay by those hours, and ask, “Is my child getting X dollars per hour worth of benefit?” Only then can you really answer the PAY question.

So, let’s break down the total hours a good coach spends with their team. Then you can each adjust for your own situation by plugging your own values into the equations.

Assumptions for this “time spent” model: An elite level coach commanding these higher fees is coaching a year-round team, maybe taking 6-weeks off per year max from practices, but never really getting a break. For mathematical simplicity, we'll go with 50-week year.

A- Practices
50 weeks of 2-3 training sessions: 2-hours per session + 30 minutes of drive time each way, or 3-hours total time on the actual practice. Plus, any good coach spends at least 30-minutes thinking/drafting/finalizing a practice plan before each session, as well as hanging around post practice 15-30 minutes for parents and player conversations/motivations/injury discussions.

Practice Time Equation: 2.5 sessions per week x 46 weeks x 4 hours per session = 460 hours per year

B- League Game Driving Time
Let's include State Cup here, and assume the team plays at least 3 rounds;.9 games in fall, 9 games in spring, 7 winter indoor, and 3 State Cup games. League games average 1 hour of drive time each way when balancing home and away schedules with big city traffic. Depending on where the coach lives relative to the indoor facility, that drive time can vary a lot from one game to the next, but let's just say 30 minutes each way. State Cup, 1 hour each way for same reasons as league games.

Game Drive Time Equation: (21 league and State Cup x 2 hours round trip each) + (7 indoor games x 1 hour round trip each) = 49 hours per year

C- Game Time (non drive time)
League and State Cup take more prep work than indoor, but good coaches spend at least an hour planning for a typical game (not including all the "administrative" time spent on player/parent management surrounding "what position, play time" issues.). That hour is used to think through all the scenarios, research an opponent, and evaluate player performance in training. Again, all for league/state cup only. Indoor is more "see who shows up, run fast, kick hard, have fun." Actual game time for league/state cup is at least 45 minutes of warm up, but the coach should be there an hour before the game starts. Game time itself, 90 minutes when including half time, hand shakes, managing the player's cool downs. As they get older, this gets even longer, and could easily be 2-hours for U16 and up. Indoor game time is simpler, get there 20 minutes early, play for 50 minutes, cool down/converse with families/players for 20 minutes for a total of 90 minutes per game.

Game Time Equation: (3.5 hours per outdoor game x 21 games) + (2 hours per indoor game x 7) = 87.5 hours

D- Tournaments
Wow, this one really varies. I’m going to assume 6 tournaments per year with 3 sleep-aways. I’m not going to count every hour from the time a coach leaves home Friday until they get home on Sunday night for a sleep-away event, but some will argue that should be the case. We all have to sleep though, and evenings can be fun, or spent doing work from a laptop in your hotel, so for sleep-away tournaments I’m going to use 6 hours on Fridays for packing, driving, and organization once arriving. Then we’ll go with 10 hours on Saturday from meeting to leave for the first game until things are switched off at the end of the day. For Sundays, assuming you make the finals or are in a 4-game minimum tournament, we’ll go with 13 hours because you have to include the drive home time as well.

Local tournaments are a bit different, and can depend on the game schedule. But even with a four or five hour gap between games, there really isn’t much a coach can do between to reclaim time. We’ll remove the Friday time (assuming a Manager checks the team in), and go with 8 hours each on Saturday and Sunday.

Tournament Time Equation: (3 sleep-away tournaments x 29 hours each) + (3 local tournaments x 16 hours each) = 135 hours

E - Player/Parent Management
Probably the area with the biggest variance per team/coach. I’ve heard of coaches that won’t even talk to parents (yikes), and of course others who spend hours and hours per week in constant communication (how do they keep it all straight?). There must be some sort of acceptable median out there we can use for this though. So let’s take a stab at it..

Any coach who is focused on player development should be spending time thinking about, drafting evaluations, holding player conferences, making extra time for players and parents before/after practices, and of course communicating via email as needed. There should at least be some sort of process where a coach is methodically keeping track of each players’ progress against a personal player development plan that has been clearly communicated to the player and their family. Some players run with this on their own and quickly accomplish all their goals, then ask for more. Other players (and families) need constant reinforcement of exactly what the coach is looking for. Neither one is right or wrong, it’s just human nature that different people learn different ways and have different levels of self-confidence. Oddly enough, when looking at all the time spent in the other areas of this equation, this is really the area that is supposed to matter the most. And, if the coach is paid well enough, this is the area every family MUST insist is a major part of their time spent. If this area is ignored, you have a coach who is more worried about their own win-loss record than in developing players.

Personally, I try to do as much of this as possible while we’re already together, before/during/after practices, after games, and especially tournament weekends. The “player development” switch is always on in that respect, and is a major part of all the time spent. But even if you’re good at overlapping those times, there is always additional time required.

Let’s blend all the players’ varying time requirements and round this to 2-hours per week spent on the phone, emailing, and holding private conferences with players. Some weeks this is actually 10 hours, some weeks it’s none.

Player Development Equation: 50 weeks x 2 hours = 100 hours per year

F-Tryout Season
Wow, almost forgot this one. We could just lump it into the “practice time” equation at the top of this whole study, but it’s such a major time commitment that it really deserves to be laid out separately.

Tryout season is simply a bear. It starts with the early planning stages of coordinating field space, then advertising, and of course all the politics and conversations. Let’s just assign this one lump of 30 hours and call it even.

Tryout Season Equation: 30 hours

G-Administrative
Some teams have much more active Team Managers than others, which can usually be the case for higher level teams with a coach that might have more than one team. But even with someone else taking care of the actual player passes and attending club meetings, the coach is still directly responsible and spends time behind the scenes coordinating, decision-making, and sometimes doing the actual tasks such as applying for tournaments, collecting signatures, planning / conducting parent meetings, choosing and ordering uniforms, arranging scrimmages, and even dealing with collections for payments. Then there’s always all the emails the coach is cc’d on even if they’re not actually involved. The easiest way I can think of to apply hours to these tasks is to take an average per week, and then let each team adjust from there. For me, it easily averages 1 hour per week, some weeks with a few minutes, other with several hours.

Administrative Equation: 50 weeks x 1 hours = 50 hours per year

H – Education
Can you count this? Certainly some if it, but it’s debatable. A professional coach spends a lot of time self-educating, attending conferences, and earning coaching licenses. In my view, this is a sunk cost the coach has to “cover” themselves. Not so much the fees to attend, as most clubs will pay for a lot of those, but more the time spent. Educated coaches have more success, and thus are able to get jobs with higher level teams (i.e. justify higher hourly rates). For my equation, here, I’m going to ignore time spent, and just throw in the team’s share of attending the events/courses.

Education Equation: $2,400 per year paid by coach, with team reimbursing 1/3 = $800.

I – Opportunity Cost
This doesn’t have a measurable hours or dollars role in this equation, but it is important to remember and, depending on the coach’s “day job” could be used in the calculation when measuring the hourly pay they could be making instead of spending their time coaching. Just keep this in mind somewhat. If your coach is a $400 per hour lawyer on K Street, but is spending even half their time outlined in this equation, they are sacrificing A LOT of income opportunity.

Opportunity Cost Equation: The more lost opportunity = higher chance the motivation for coaching has nothing to do with money

Total Equation:
A- Practice Time Equation: 2.5 sessions per week x 46 weeks x 4 hours per session = 460 hours

B- Game Drive Time Equation: 42 hours for 18 league games and 3 State Cup + 7 hours for indoor = 49 hours

C- Game Time Equation: (3.5 hours per outdoor game x 21 games) + (2 hours per indoor game x 7) = 87.5 hours

D- Tournament Time Equation: (3 sleep-away tournaments x 29 hours each) + (3 local tournaments x 16 hours each) = 135 hours

E - Player Development Equation: 50 weeks x 2 hours = 100 hours per year

F- Tryout Season Equation: 30 hours

G- Administrative Equation: 50 weeks x 1 hour = 50 hours per year

H – Education Equation: $2,400 per year paid by coach, with team reimbursing 1/3 = $800.

I – Opportunity Cost Equation: The more lost opportunity = higher chance the motivation for coaching has nothing to do with money.

A+B+C+D+E+F+G = 911.5 hours (but let’s round for simplicity to 900 hours)

Plus, don’t forget the extra $800 for coaching education.

Coaching Pay per Hour = (Total annual pay + $800 for “H”)/900 hours

Even from the “high” pay level cited in the beginning of the discussion board topic, this equation comes to $20 per hour – or the equivalent of $40,000 per year if you had a 40 hour-a-week job at that pay rate with two weeks of vacation.

After looking at things this way, what do you think? Is your coach over or under paid? Comment below with your own equation. If we get enough feedback of real-world examples, maybe we’ll compile them in a nice little chart and publish a “guide to youth soccer coaches pay in the greater Washington, DC region.”

P.S. I would have had this article done sooner, but had two phone calls and three emails from our team since I began writing this 2 hours ago ☺

Hope is not a (us soccer) plan

noreply@blogger.com (PSW Editor) — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 17:36:00 +0000

The Men's Olympic team disaster this morning was yet another rude slap in the face (or should I say elbow to the sternum).

A week ago, I dared to hope we could grind out four points and hoped that would be enough to advance.

Then I hoped we wouldn't have to face Argentina, or Italy, or Brazil in the next round if we did manage to get out of the group.

I hoped we could get by without a Landon Donovan and Carlos Bocanegra on the roster because they would be needed for the US World Cup Qualifier against Guatemala next Wednesday.

I hoped that instead of real, proven leaders, that Peter Nowak's choice to "burn" two of his over-23 year old player slots on 24 year old MLS players with no big tournament experience would prove him a real genius.

I hoped Freddy Adu, Jozy Altidore, and Michael Bradley would prove to the world that they are not only the future of American Soccer, but future global stars.

How dare I let hope be my plan!

But what else is a US Soccer fan to do but hope? It's about all we can do other than buy tickets and contribute our opinions in writing. But what do we really know? What does anyone in this country really know about what it really takes to come through the US development system and go on to be a world class star?

Unfortunately, I think the obvious answer is no one knows. We're mostly the blind leading the blind. We're copying all we can from the most successful player "development" environments - be it a dirt lot in rural Brazil or the Ajax Academy. We flirt with foreign coaches, but never turn over the reigns completely, preferring to tap their brains, but only inviting them to stay if they play by our rules.

We're doing what American's do - we pick something to be best at, and we systematically go about doing it. We rely on our ingenuity, resources, unlimited budgets, and over 200 years of free market economy EXPERIENCE, and we just do it. From rail, to electricity, to cars, the bomb, and even the Moon and Mars. We throw everything we have - which is more than anyone else - at a problem and we don't quit until we're on top.

This is exactly what's happening with soccer here, and it might work - eventually, but when? We've got the resources in the infrastructure and in numbers of players. We've got the money of course, and we've got some ingenuity. What we lack is the experience, and that just cannot be bought. Gaining experience takes time, which is a problem considering our other mostly American trait of being impatient.

We seem to be making progress if you count progress as checking off boxes on a plan that we wrote. We're convincing more talented youngsters to choose soccer over pointy football, basketball or baseball as their sports of choice. And we are doing what we can to provide a good player development environment through hundreds of organized youth clubs. Our players appear to be more comfortable on the ball in tight spaces, and learning some individual creativity. Our national teams even try to play the game the "right" way.

But we're never going to win a World Cup until we have the experience to go with our "Americans can win anything we set our minds to" approach. We need a player pool that at least knows what they don't know. Not one that can't even imagine what goes through Ronaldo or Kaka's head before the pass before the pass gets to the person that passes them the ball. And we're not going to get there until a majority of the players on our national team play for major world powers on the club scene, and that's at least another generation away.

We're not there yet, and there aren't enough players in the pipeline yet to make me believe the golden generation for American Soccer has yet to be born. It's going to take time. It's going to take a really strong MLS with full stadiums funding elite youth academies. It's going to take today's top US prospects spending a career in Europe and then coming back here to head up those academies and having babies that end up staring for Real Madrid. In short, it's going to take more than Freddy Adu.

As much as I will continue to hope, the honest thing to say for at least another 20 years will be that "I hope we get lucky". To think any other way is just delusional, and SO beautifully American.

Potomac Soccer Wire and Golme

noreply@blogger.com (PSW Editor) — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 17:25:00 +0000

As you hopefully read in today's wire, we've struck up a partnership with Golme. This is a first for HummerSport (that's our company name, while Potomac Soccer Wire is just one of our web site properties), but it won't be the last such deal. When we find great soccer products or services that benefit soccer participants, and those companies are willing to offer special discounts and/or incentives to our readers and clients, then we'll find a way to bring those products and servces to you.

I'll leave the details on our Golme pages, but on a personal note, I just wanted to reinforce how revolutionary I think these goals are.

As a coach, I always want at least two goals for a training session, but that's a rare thing these days with so few fields. PLUS even if your club allocates a full field to your team, more and more goals are permanently anchored for safety reasons. This all totally makes sense, and safety should always come first. But permanently anchored goals don't change the fact that a proper training session should end with two teams going to full size goals - on an appropriately sized field. Plus, in the interest of field quality (also a safety issue), many clubs do not allow training session in the "goal mouths" anyway. If you combine these two extremely valid limitations, that leaves a LOT of teams out there every night across our region running training sessions with flags or cones as goals - not very realistic is it?

Portable goals are clearly the answer, but until Golme came along, using portable goals was just a big pain. I've used a Kwikgoal quite a bit, and it's a great goal. But it stores in an 8-foot long bat that takes two people to carry, and a big SUV to transport. Some of the lighter, smaller alternatives, are just plain cheap and flimsy, often made of some form of PVC - yuk! There are even some out now that have to be pumped full of air! I'm blessed somewhat however in that my club has kick back goals stored on site at our training field. It's a fantastic luxury, that I'm sure very few teams enjoy.

But now, Golme has come along, and they're awesome! Even their full-size goal fits in a standard duffel that you could even transport on a motorcycle if you felt like it. It only weighs 24 pounds, and sets up in about 3 minutes (faster as you get used to it, and when you put it away properly when finished). There is NO hard cross-bar either - it's a thick nylon strap - so there are no worries about the thing tipping over and hurting someone. In fact, the goal won't even function without being "anchored" because it requires two tent-stake-like attachments on either side as part of the set up. Sort of a built-in safety device.

This goal could literally change the way we teach soccer. Time will tell on their durability, but the frame comes with a 3-year warranty, so they must be pretty confident their "aircraft grade aluminum" will withstand the heavy use. With these goals, teams can now literally hold practice on any large enough grass area, not just pre-defined fields only available by permit. This opens up pleny of free park space, baseball outfields, and even big back yards that just weren't a realistic option with the previous generation of "portable goals".

The result SHOULD be more realist training sessions, fewer player safety concerns, and higher quality game fields that have been spared some wear and tear. All of these only help us develop better players - which is the whole point.

Hope to see you on the pitch soon with a Golme goal, no matter where you buy yours. (but hope you get it through HummerSport).

Baltimore Colts finish second in Amateur Nationals

noreply@blogger.com (PSW Editor) — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 17:11:00 +0000

The Baltimore Colts - a local men's Amateur team was in Seattle this past weekend as the Region I representative in USASA National Cup (Amateur Division). We're trying to dig up a proper news story on the weekend, but for now we can report that they won their first game, then lost in the final - which is good enough for 2nd place.

Below is a summary of the final match from one of the players. If we don't get a full news story about the match, this might be all we can provide. Were you there? Use the comments section here to give more details!

Either way, congratulations to the Colts on a fantastic season!

We took 2nd. We lost in the National Championship match, 3-1 to Florida
Kickers.

We were in a war on Friday against Wisconsin, who were a much better team
than Florida. We scored the game winner at the 90' minute mark to get the
2-1 result.

Florida were content to counter. We tried some things, but they received
a PK early in the match that hurt. 20 minutes later, a FL player handled
the ball in the box. Very easy call to make, but the referee did not make
the call. We dominated with possession and were pumping shots but nothing
would fall.

1-0 at the half.

2nd half started the same way with us pressuring them. They cleared the
ball down the field, countered with #s and an initial save from our keeper
squirted out of his hands and just over the line when he hit the ground.

We pulled it to 2-1 when Guil Costa converted a direct kick from 20 yds
out that beat the wall.

We continued to pressure the entire half and sending #s forward. Late in
the game, with about 3 minutes remaining, they countered and got the 3rd
goal.

Unfortunate because we were a better team. Soccer gods weren't with us.

Wambach's injury: Been there, done that!

noreply@blogger.com (PSW Editor) — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 13:57:00 +0000

Abby Wambach's broken leg Wednesday has brought back serious memories for me from Easter Sunday, 2001. It was the 5th minute of a Washington International Soccer League match between rival club teams, the Capitol Blues and Capitol Reds. My good friend Chris "Smitty" Smith lobbed a ball from the left side of the box near the PK spot that went over my defender's head and into space to the right, clearly a simple change of direction and calm finish past the beaten defender and over-committed keeper away from an opening goal for the Blues!

However, just as I was changing direction with all my weight on my right leg, the keeper - who had also been fooled by the perfect lob - also tried to change direction but had already committed to the "flop save". One of his knees struck the inside of my right shin at the precise moment I had all my weight on that leg, and the "pop" sounded like a gun went off according to those in attendance.

Before I hit the ground, I knew what had happened, and made every effort not to land on that leg in any way while in mid flight. Not that I really had much choice, as my feet had been propelled above my head by the force of "tackle" anyway, causing me to land squarely on my left shoulder and ear.

It was a clean break of both bones in the lower leg. No fragments, no real tissue damage because I had thankfully not taken another step, nor landed on it in any way. Without describing the details, let's just say the sensation of having your own foot "dangling" was a feeling I'll never forget. At that moment, there is no pain, and you feel like "how on earth am I ever going to stand on that thing again?"

My understanding is that Wambach's break is not quite as bad, that it's not broken completely through - or "detached" as my leg bones had become. Either way, the surgery is no doubt the same. A long titanium - or in my case, chromium - rod inserted right down the middle of the tibia bone - like a "dowel" for anyone who's ever done some construction. There are probably screws involved, though perhaps not quite as necessary as in my case. For me, because the bones were completely detached, I have screws holding the rod in place at the ankle, and below the knee that were there to keep my lower leg from "spinning" on the rod before the bone healed. Nice image huh?

As bad as this all sounds, everything I was ever told by anyone who at least seemed to know what they were talking about was that this injury was "better" than having blown an ACL or broken an ankle. There was absolutely no ligament damage. In fact, the lack of such damage, and the totally clean "snapping" break were all signs that I had tremendously strong ankles and knees, as well as non-brittle bones (which otherwise would have shattered instead of snapped). Plus, with the steel rod in my leg, there was no way the same injury could happen again, so don't worry about that! (yes, the rod is still there, but I can have it out anytime I get around to it. And yes, the airport is a pain because it almost always sets off the metal detectors)

Make no mistake, it's all a study of the lessor of which evil, but I am thankful that I didn't "do" my knee, as it would forever be an injury that was never quite as good as new. In my case, the extra bone that formed to repair the break (and is throbbing now as I write of course) has made things stronger.

The press reports that Wambach will be "back in about 12 weeks" sound a little optimistic to me, unless the break was more of a crack. The atrophy from not being allowed to put ANY weight on my leg for six to eight weeks was significant. By the time I was allowed to start physical therapy 10 weeks after surgery, I had lost well over an inch of circumference on my thigh and calf. Yes, I was standing, jumping, lifting weights 12 weeks after surgery, and even limping around the practice field at 14 weeks, but it was six full months before I could really change direction without "favoring" the leg, and longer before I felt I was back to running full speed.

I wasn't the professional level athlete that Abby is, nor did I have access to the level of treatment and rehab that she will, but I am/was no couch potato either. I was playing on two or three teams, and out on the field almost every day, so was definitely "in shape". However, I'm sure we'll see Wambach back on the training pitch within the 12 weeks mentioned in the press, but don't be surprised if it's more like 20-25 weeks before she gets her next shot at hitting the 100-goal career mark for the full U.S. Women's team.

Best of luck to her, and anyone else who has an horrible injury interrupt their best laid plans to play the sport they love. But time will fly, and there will be other chances for all of us to do good things.

B license awarded

noreply@blogger.com (PSW Editor) — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 00:18:00 +0000

Well, so much for my plan to blog about my experience at the USSF B license course I attended north of Chicago during the last week of June. In fact, I haven't blogged at all since before I left, as the nine days away really caused a pile up of undone things!

Once you show up, it's non-stop classroom, field time, meals, and sleep. Nearly every free minute of time I had was spent trying to keep up with work, so the few hours of truly free time we had were not hours I wanted spend looking at a computer screen.

In the end, it was a great 9-days, at a fantastic facility. I learned a lot and met a lot of great fellow coaches, like this crazy South African. The course was also attended by a full class of A license candidates, as well as what's known as "A audits", which are A license holders that must attend the course again at least once each four years, but don't have to do the final testing.

All said and done, I just received my license in the mail yesterday, and passed with flying colors - no "3.2 rule"!

One of the biggest things the instructors stressed at the end of the course was to share what we've learned with others, and how doing so will only improve the game for all. I agree, so if anyone has specific questions, don't hesitate to ask!

Flawed Logic in Stadium Fight

noreply@blogger.com (PSW Editor) — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 13:04:00 +0000

Yesterday, David Nakamura of the Washington Post published a story about a trio of political opponents to public financing of sports stadiums who are trying to stop the District Council from helping keep D.C. United in the city. It’s the same trio that tried to stop the baseball stadium – and failed.

They claimed then that was a bad investment by the city and that tax dollars shouldn’t be used for a soccer stadium. However, in typical political fashion they’re conveniently “spinning” the truth while using several key arguments against the project.

First, the D.C. government isn’t planning to levy any new taxes at all to help pay for the facility. They’re using excess (and unexpected) funds from the baseball stadium revenues.

Second, Umm, guys? If the baseball stadium hadn’t been built, there wouldn’t have been excess revenues in the first place, yet you opposed that too.

Third, in the same breath they used to say the MCI Center was a success [thanks to a large number of events there per year], they betray their own claims of intelligent debate by saying there would only be 30 events per year at a new soccer stadium. Yet even a caveman would know the Washington Freedom, Major League Lacrosse, college and high school sports, concerts, and other special events would clearly stand in line to use the facility.

In my opinion a D.C. United Stadium anywhere outside of the city would be a disaster that represents the difference between soccer becoming truly main stream in this country within the next 10 years as opposed to the next 30 - if ever. This country needs to prove to our own eurosnobs that we can match the overall experience and passion that goes with the sport world wide. And when we do, the sports columnists, TV dollars, and international stars will follow.

D.C. United has an opportunity to become the first truly global soccer team from this part of the world by offering a game-day experience with real "buzz" and a palpable energy from the stands that burns the experience into fans' amygdalas, creating a craving to return again and again (addiction). We need an atmosphere that is hardly discernible from attending a match in London or Berlin, and to get that the stadium has to be downtown, surrounded by commercial businesses, pubs, restaurants, and public gathering spaces in order for that to happen.

MLS does not need another suburban stadium. The final location of where to build this stadium needs to be where we draw a line in the sand and refuse to let soccer be pushed to the edges of the mainstream.

Sign the petition

Contact the Mayor

Contact City Council

Tell D.C. United you won't attend games outside the City

Discuss the issue:
Soccer Insider
BigSoccer.com

More quotes from USA v Argentina, June 8th, 2008

noreply@blogger.com (PSW Editor) — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 03:01:00 +0000

Bob Bradley on if Freddy Adu is close to becoming a regular with the US Men's team.
Freddy's growing. We see everything, so we see the things, the moments that are special. When Freddy has the ball in the attacking half of the field, he’s capable for doing some great things. But we’re also making sure that he understands that there’s more to the game than that. When he comes into the national team, he understands that when he walks in that door, nothing that has been said about him, written about him, means anything. The only thing that matters now is that he can show the rest of these guys that when the games get very hard, that he can help our team be successful. And he understands that. That part of what he’s also learning when he goes to Portugal and his club team. So you see a young man growing, learning, handles himself a little bit different than he did probably a year ago, and now we need to just need to keep this going. Some days it may mean a lot of playing time, but we have to see. We feel like when we talk about our group, and our trust. We have so many different kind of players. We’ve talked about some of the experienced guys [earlier in this press conference], we have young guys that have played different roles. And we just try to establish that for all of them, we are working together. We have a big goal in the end. There’s a lot of steps along the way, and everybody has to commit and be humble, shut the rest of it out, and show people on the inside that you can help make this thing better. And for us, Freddy is no different than the rest, and that’s important.

We still know that the progress with Freddy… It’s got to go at the right speed. It can’t be accelerated unless it’s earned the right way.

Landon Donovan on the match in general
We had some chances to win the game, but I think all-in-all we can’t be disappointed with that result.

On where the team stands
We hope we learned a lot. It would have been nice to score a goal in these three games, but I think the adjustment tonight from the first half to the second.

Ali Krieger wins UEFA Cup, Father Ken retires

noreply@blogger.com (PSW Editor) — Tue, 27 May 2008 16:36:00 +0000

Ali's Franfurt team beat Marta and company Sunday 3-2 in the second leg of the women's UEFA Cup final. She is now with the US team in LA.

Meanwhile, her father (and former PWSI coach) Ken Krieger has retired after a 30-year coaching career - accumulating a record as the winningest high school coach in Virginia history. He wants to spend more time supporting Ali, as well as caring for his ailing father, who has pancreatic cancer. Read about his amazing career here.

Beckham's 70-yard goal video

noreply@blogger.com (PSW Editor) — Tue, 27 May 2008 16:26:00 +0000

Have you seen this goal yet? Hopefully the youtube link will stay live (if MLS is smart, and doesn't force them to take it down).

If the video is gone (boooo MLS) check it out here:

Ali Krieger update

noreply@blogger.com (PSW Editor) — Tue, 20 May 2008 15:59:00 +0000

In case you were wondering why Ali Krieger hadn't been in the last three US Women's team camps after making her first appearances for the full national team earlier this year, it wasn't because she wasn't wanted.

The US team tried calling her in three times, but her pro club - FFC Frankfurt - would not release her. As one of the best women's teams in Europe, they have been busy with Bundesliga, German Cup, and UEFA Cup matches. In fact, she's showing up late to this US camp because Frankfurt faces Marta's Umea team this Saturday for the Women's UEFA Cup trophy after a 1-1 draw in the first leg.

I caught up with Ali by email yesterday from Germany and incorporated some of her quotes into our story on the US camp.

Here's the rest of what she had to say:

On her first chance to get back to a US camp since January of this year
I'm really happy to finally get back to LA and train once again with the full team. The reason I am only going to half of the camp is because I am playing in the UEFA Cup Final match this Saturday with 1.FFC Frankfurt against a team from Umea, Sweden. The club has released me for the second week of this camp because we have some time off before we finish the last three games of our Bundesliga (regular season) games.

On when she'll be done with the Bundesliga season and her plans for the summer
The Bundesliga here in Germany will not be finished until June 15th which is our last game. I will then be coming home on June 16th to prepare for the upcoming camps that are left for this summer with the full WNT.

On what her first season as a pro in Europe has been like
Playing for Frankfurt has been a great experience and I am very happy to be on one of the best club teams in the world! I think no matter if I am with the US team training or playing here in Germany with my club, I think both atmospheres have prepared me for what is to come these next couple months. I feel really lucky to have both options of playing with the US Team or here in Frankfurt. I am really happy to be thrown back into the mix after missing out on a few big events, but I did miss for appropriate reasons, UEFA Cup games and German Cups games for Frankfurt. I think playing here in Europe this year, has honestly been the best experience I think I could get.

On chances of making the US Olympic squad
I feel fit and really motivated for the next month coming up. I'm happy to have the opportunity to make the Olympic roster and I will be extremely excited if it comes true. It will be truly rewarding and I would feel very honored to be a part of such a great team. I have been working really hard this past year to make this dream come true, so I can only hope the outcome will be successful!

Got any of your own questions for Ali? Post them here as comments, and I'll email her for your answers.

How the little boy that cried explains what's wrong with American soccer

noreply@blogger.com (PSW Editor) — Wed, 14 May 2008 14:59:00 +0000

For my full story on Fulham's great escape, and why this little boy was so upset - see this article on Potomac Soccer Wire

As news of Fulham’s win on the final day came over the air, it devastated Reading fans who’s team had just won convincingly 4-0. Several TV sports news program showed the hear breaking images of a boy no more than five years old crying and thrashing about uncontrollably in his father’s arms, both wearing Reading jerseys. The news had obviously just set in that Fulham had won and their team had crashed to the 2nd tier of soccer in England after just two short seasons in the Promised Land. For much of the lifetime of that boy, Reading had been in the Premier League. To him, it was his world.

As heart wrenching as it is, the image of that little boy crying really speaks to the emotional power that is inherent to the structure of soccer leagues in most of the rest of the world. From despair, as though there has been a death in the family, to unbounded joy and cheering like you’ve just been reborn and won the lottery on the same day, the emotions felt by fans epitomizes the cliché of “life and death” in sports.

It must seem like a cruel, cruel world to that little boy, but the rest of us can take away the greatness of what Fulham had just achieved, even if you’re not a Fulham fan. I personally can’t imagine caring quite that much about my favorite team winning or losing a Super Bowl, because “at least we were there, and we won our division championship anyway”. Chelsea fans of a similar age could not possibly feel their world had ended, when on the same day they learned their team would finish 2nd in the league behind this year’s EPL Champion Manchester United.

Only the reality that is relegation creates this much caring deep within fans. And although American sports marketers continue to say that “playoffs are the American way”, I firmly believe MLS will never be one of the best leagues in the world, let alone truly challenge for the hearts of serious NBA, MLB, or NFL fans until it too offers such a structure. In it’s current state, every team – no matter how bad – is safe, with the only drama outside of an MLS Cup final being whether or not a team will get a lower pick of some unproven college prospects in that winter’s “draft”.

It all reminds me of an anonymous quote I’ve seen as a signature line of many online soccer fans’ profiles, on t-shirts, and used all the time in loose conversation amongst regular fans - “Some say soccer is a matter of life and death. But I assure you, it’s way more important than that.” Indeed. And until that is the MLS marketing tag line, backed up with action, our soccer will always be 2nd class.

More quotes from Abby and the gang

noreply@blogger.com (PSW Editor) — Tue, 13 May 2008 19:57:00 +0000

Thought everyong might enjoy the full quotes collected for my article on the US women's team after their 6-0 steam rolling of Canada Saturday night at RFK.

From Head Coach Pia Sundhage

On the recent performance of Natasha Kai:
I have to say she's done an absolutely fantastic job. I wasn't happy when I saw her the first time. She was not focused. She was unfit, and I don't think she acted professionally. So I gave her feedback – is the look you want people to remind you. And she started to show up in practice and do in a good way and little by little. To me it was very important to give her feedback when she did something good. And she started to play some minutes and more and more and then the starting 11. She did a great job. My job is to give her support and give her feedback, and make her accountable for what she has to do. She didn't act professional in general, and that was bad.

Has she had the opportunity to review the youth development system in the US since arriving?
No. I've been here since December. So, I'm focused on the Olympics. I know there are many things going on. And if I survive the Olympics, I should be part of women's development. Right now, honestly I don't have time. I need to spend time with the game and with the players.

Does she think there should be a single national league for girls just like the USSF created for boys?
Well, I don't know. Because I don't have the bigger picture. But I do think it's important to ask the bigger question of what should there be on the women's side. Because if you look around the world right now. You look at Germany. I know what's happening in Germany – they have a program. – a developmental program. In Sweden they have an elite program, and I know what's happening in Norway. So we need in the US to find our way. And start to look at the situation and ask is this a good environment for a little girl or is a good environment for a 19 year old girls who is just very talented she can play in this team. I don't know the answer of course, but we have to ask the question and right now there's something going on so, but I'm not a part of that right now.

Have you noticed a big difference between how this team is playing now compared to under Ryan last year in the World Cup?
Yes. The reason I am here is the word “change”. I have European style and one word is “keep possession” and find right moment to penetrate to find that timing, and it's a change. But I can't do too much of a change that I confuse them, but I can't do too little either because no one would notice, so I try to do something between, and this game I think we are half way there we are doing a great job. Sometimes we play direct to Abby, and sometimes we keep possession and slow down the game a little bit.

How is to win like this without Abby scoring goals?
Yes, but still she scores, and that's a strength. Of course, she played 90 minutes and she a part of the attack of course, and if you ask Even Pellerud [the Canadian Coach], he will talk about Abby – what problems she creates. She didn't score goals, however we have other players stepping up and scoring goals, and that's a strength.

Abby Wambach

How does it feel to be back at RFK?
It's great. It feels like I'm back home. The fans are great. There were a lot of fans here and the crowd was rocking and when you score six goals, there's a lot to cheer about so it's a great game.

Did you feel you were back home all week, or just when you arrived here tonight?
Yeah, all week. It's crazy how driving all around DC I knew exactly where I was going. I haven't been back here in a couple years. It's special being here and I have a special place in my heart for the city of DC.

Despite your offer to let other players choose first, is Washington your first choice if you have a choice for a WPS team?
It makes sense, but I don't exactly know how the cookies are going to crumble. But I'm going to do the best that I can once the league starts to hopefully make it a success.

Is it exciting to see a lot of other players scoring goals?
You have no idea how relieving it is because it makes my job easier. We're scoring a lot of goals. It's making our attack and our playing more dangerous to other teams and it's a whole heck of a lot harder for us to be the tactically broken down.

Angela Hucles

On only player from this area – what is it like to be back here.
It's great. You can hear the fans that are excited to have us here. My parents, cousins, uncles, [are here] I always love coming back to this area.

What club did you play for growing up?
Beach FC – they're still going strong!

On living in Boston and wanting to play for Boston WPS team – will it happen for sure?
I don't know for sure. Hopefully in the next couple of months we'll figure out which players are being allocated and which are being drafted. I'm looking forward to finding out where I'm going to be.

On scoring the winning goal last week against Australia in the final minute.
It was great. Everything just lined up perfectly. A great ball in from Abby perfectly flicked on. I was very fortunate to get that finish.

Remembering a forgettable night in Salt Lake

noreply@blogger.com (PSW Editor) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 16:02:00 +0000

I took the time to put some thoughts down over on a BigSoccer discussion thread, and thought I might share it here to.

The subject - D.C. United's horrible loss to the horrible Real Salt Lake on a horrible field.

Although the thread topic was "fire the coach", my contribution was more reflective of the meaninglessness of the MLS regular season, and offered the idea that coach Tom Soehn actually made a smart decision in not really going for the win - but rather wanting to see if the bench could win.

Here is/was my take (BTW, my BigSoccer handle is "chummer"):

I really felt while watching [the DC/RSL match Saturday] that [Coach] Soehn had literally punted this game on purpose. Not that they didn't want to win, but that they really didn't care if they won or not. This game was NEVER going to mean anything. It was depressing, disappointing, and even a little inspiring at the same time for me:

Depressing because we really looked bad - not a single player had a "good" game, and it just wasn't soccer. Any game with visible "throwball" lines is depressing for me, even the ManU v Arsenal match would be depressing played on turf with football lines. Pushing to build SSS is the best thing MLS ever did, and will go down in history as the BIGGEST reason the league survived the "early years" when historians look back in 40 years when we're bigger than Hockey and Baseball.

Disappointing because with all talk about our adding "depth", this game made it look like we were no better off than a crappy team like RSL that has a brand new front office and barely a candle to hold against our foreign recruiting relationships. Have we really invested all this effort only to have to rely on $17K/year reserve players?

A little Inspiring because I actually get a warm fuzzy thinking that Soehn basically stood up on the mountain top - literally - and screamed to the league

"I'm not going to waste my time trying to win every MLS regular season game because it's a meaningless endeavor that only keeps us from our primary goals. Teams that only have MLS Cup to play must take seriously what I cannot, because D.C. United has other major concerns. All we have to do in the MLS regular season is get results at RFK and then peak at playoff time."

The inspiration continues as I imagine him continuing with "The season is all about winning a couple of tournaments for us. We put our all into CCC and clearly could have advanced, while beating the so called "best" team in Mexico. We will now focus on SuperLiga and the Champions League, and winning at RFK so we can also then focus this Fall on the tournament that is MLS Cup playoffs. EVERYTHING ELSE between now and those tournaments is little more than training for us. As long as we win 9 games we'll be in the MLS Cup playoffs, so take your away games on a concrete field with throwball lines and shove it MLS."

If this thought process is even close to what TS was/is privately thinking, then we shouldn't fire him, we should enshrine him for knowing how to focus on what's really important. And who can blame the players for not thinking the same thing. You never like to see a professional "take a night off", but we did, and it was a good lesson, but it is in the past now and should be completely forgotten, as most of the regular season in the early months truly is forgettable.

A re-Sounding victory for fans everywhere

noreply@blogger.com (PSW Editor) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 15:49:00 +0000

You may or may not have been following the naming saga going on up in Seattle over their newly approved MLS franchise. The team will join the league this time next year after several years with a dominating USL-1 team named "Seattle Sounders". Well, with that team "put on hold" because it's owners were part of the group starting the MLS team, the fan base and brand for "Seattle Sounders" just happened to be ripe for use by the MLS startups desperate to get busy with their marketing efforts.

The team owners simply did not want to use the "Sounders" name, which I'm assuming was because they wanted to separate themselves from ever being confused as a 2nd-tier pro club in the USA. Big mistake guys!

Offering very uninspiring choices "Seattle FC", "Seattle Alliance", and "Seattle Republic", the 14,500 fans that voted mounted a write-in effort that would make Ralph Nadar so proud of his Green constituents in the upper northwest. So, "Seattle Sounders FC" it is. We'll see you in April 2009 boys, just don't take any of our D.C. United players in the expansion draft, and we might buy you a drink when you come to RFK for your first reSOUNDING defeat.

Has United bitten the hand that feeds them?

noreply@blogger.com (PSW Editor) — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 17:17:00 +0000

When I'm coaching, and need a way to pick a player or a team that gets first dibs on something for a drill, etc.. instead of telling someone to "pick a number between 1 and 10", I usually ask a question about a recent pro or college game on TV, and the first player to answer correctly "wins".

On Wednesday night, I asked a group of U13 girls if anyone could tell me the score from the D.C. United game from the night before. They had no idea, but I got an instantaneous chorus of good guesses, with one girl obviously guessing the correct 2-0 without any real clue.

So, I DQ'd everyone on the grounds of poor support of the black and red, and gave them a follow up question. The results disturbing, and it really made me think about the risk of such a high player turn over undoing all the work United has done "branding" themselves to thousands of kids they literally depend on attending each game.

My question was "name five current D.C. United players". The answers were not guesses, but they were disturbing, and should make Dan Giffin and Scott Miller pretty nervous -

Player - "Freddy Adu!"
Coach - "ahhh, nope."

Player - "umm, umm, umm, ohhh Gomez - Christian Gomez, ha hah!"
Coach - "NOPE"
Player - "WHAT?"
Coach - "They traded him"
Player, "WHY!!!, He's awesome. That was stupid."
Coach - "Sorry, don't take it out on me"

Player - "oo oo, Gros, that Josh guy with the cast"
Coach - "nope, he retired"
Player - "darnnit!"

Player - "I know, Eleco"
Coach - "nope, common guys you've got know someone."
Player - "I loved Eleco! What's going on?"

Player - "Why'd they get rid of Gomez? That was really dumb"
Coach - "sorry, but they got someone better instead"
Player "nu ahh, Gomez was the best, that's dumb"

Player - "Oh yeah... Perkins baby!!"
Coach, "nope, he went to Europe"
Player - "ahhhh!"

You get the point right? These girls rattled off more names of players than most youth players could, thanks no doubt to all the games I've taken them to over the years and my regular use of United Trivia in practices.

The fact that all the D.C. United players they had come to know were not gone, created an immediate backlash. DCU had finally taken root with youth players, only to turn them off by selling/trading/losing all the players they've worked so hard to "brand" all this time. All of us "adults" perfectly understand trying to bring in new players that are "supposed" to improve the team, but it sure must drive the marketing staff crazy! And if the team doesn't perform, there surely will be a lot of "see, I told you so" around the office staff water cooler at RFK.

I'll close with this, then ask your thoughts:

The player that LOVES Gomez so much asked - "What team did he go play for?"
Coach - "Denver"
Player - "When they play Denver, that's who I'm rooting for - GO DENVER!"
Coach - "ouch. I might have to cut you now"

Networks should follow Title IX

noreply@blogger.com (PSW Editor) — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 14:05:00 +0000

Can you believe the US Women's Olympic Qualifying games won't be shown on TV? Unfortunately I do believe, and it's a real shame!

The BEST women's team in the world opens Olympic Qualifying tonight at 7:30 against Jamaica in Juarez, Mexico. They are the defending Olympic gold medalists, and tonight is the first step toward their title defense. Don't we deserve the opportunity to see our team earn their way to China in these qualifying games? Last month we all got to see the Men qualify. What do we have to do to get equal coverage for women's soccer here? How about a little Title IX enforcement for networks?

US Soccer's Match Tracker will have to do. Enjoy reading about the game in 2-minute increments :-(

Ronaldo's BEST performance?

noreply@blogger.com (PSW Editor) — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 12:55:00 +0000

Love or hate Manchester United, you have to applaud the performance of Cristiano Ronaldo this weekend. He scored possibly his best goal ever, then went on to assist on three others in the EPL leader's dismantling of a decent Aston Villa team. The Portuguese winger is widely believed to be a shoe-in for FIFA Player of the Year, and this latest performance is also being heralded as possibly his best ever. Good enough indeed to allow discussions in English pubs and press alike that he may nearing "George Best" greatness.

BTW, honorable mention to Wayne Rooney. Watch closely at the beginning of this highlight reel for the perfection with which he strikes his full volley. Have you ever seen a ball do that?

Enjoy:

Tampa Bay a bust for soccer

noreply@blogger.com (PSW Editor) — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 16:49:00 +0000

What were they thinking? Could the men's Olympic qualifying tournament be disrespected any more? From the uninformed Fox Soccer Channel announcers to disappearing Cubans, to empty stadiums. One of the most important soccer tournaments of the decade for the American's has little more flavor than a high school game on local cable access.

I honestly feel like recommending you don't even watch the games. I wrote earlier this week about Olympic dreams, but the only thing keeping this from looking like a nightmare to anyone is that the U.S. has all but qualified for the semifinals - barely.

If you've been watching along with me, here's a laundry list of things that are simply inexcusable:

1. Games every 2 days? Give me a break. I know it needs compressed due because it's not a international open date, but this is serious soccer we're talking about, not a youth tournament. Teams just shouldn't be asked to play 2 games in 3 days.

2. Horrendous ticket sales in the wrong size stadium. Bring back Hershey, PA PLEASE. It only held 5,000 people, but those 5,000 provided amazing atmosphere. What genius though there was any chance of even filling that huge NFL stadium more than even 20%? I was reminded recently that "hope is not a plan". If you're going to stage a tournament in a facility that big, you better be prepared with a plan to sell tickets through some other mechanism other than just making them available through TicketMaster.

3. Staying with the stadium choice... Newsflash! If you only have 10% of your stadium filled, put those people on the opposite side as the camera. There was not a SINGLE person sitting on the side of the stadium visible on TV. Dumbasses.

4. If you're going to put a soccer game on TV, make your announcers actually show up, and have them actually read a few articles about the games they're covering in advance. From mispronouncing names of US players, to thinking Jonathan Spector was on the bench for the Cuba game (when the biggest news of the entire announcements of the US roster was that he was staying with West Ham in London until the semifinal round of this tournament). Last night, they even said Bob Bradley should be fast tracking Stuart Holden to US citizenship so he can appear with them during World Cup qualifying?? If he's not a US citizen, what the hell was he doing on the field last night? Oh, and by the way, he was also on the roster for the US v Mexico match last month. I know, I actually talked to him after the match!! Why do these guys have to sit in a studio in LA watching a game on the same small screen as we are. Get your butts to the game people!

5. Oh, and hey Mr. person in charge of Cuban player security. Another newslfash, the Cuban players are probably going to try an defect. More power to them as far as I'm concerned, but maybe, just maybe you'd have someone outside their hotel room door - at least until after the last game of the tournament?

Anyway, I'm sure I'm missing a lot here. Share your thoughts? All I know is this tournament is setting back our sport in this country. Let's hope Nashville for the final-four is better, but not holding by breath.