Flopping is the "art" practiced by athletes in team sports of dramatically falling to the floor or the ground following minimal or even no contact from a close by opponent. A small touch to the back turns into a dive to the ground and writhing around like a player was shoved and injured.
Why do they do this? Primarily it's to try and get a foul or penalty on the opposing team because often that can turn directly into great opportunities for points or it can mean forcing a player to the bench.
Soccer has an unfortunately well earned reputation for this type of behavior. It's one thing that a lot of U.S. sports fans say the dislike most about the sport actually. I have to agree, you see it a lot. Heck, some countries even specialize in it - I'm looking at you Italy. But I don't like it.
But guess what? It ain't just soccer. No way. Basketball in particular has a lot of floppers.
Just this week, none other than LeBron "King" James was fined by the NBA for flopping in a playoff game against Indiana. See the story and the video of the flopping HERE.
The NBA itself knows this is a problem in their league. So much so that they've posted an official Flopping video on YouTube that shows flopping happening and saying what will be penalized. And flopping goes on all the time in the NBA. Check this video HERE.
So why bring this up? Two reasons:
1) I just want to hold the mirror up to a lot of self-righteous sports fans (you know who you are) who criticize soccer for it's flopping. Yes, it happens in that sport. Most people don't like it. But guess what? It happens everywhere, in particular in traditional U.S. sports like basketball.
2) It brings up the question of cheating. Flopping means many pro athletes are willing to cheat to get an advantage. And, many fans are willing to put up with it as long as it's their team getting the advantage. The first fans to boo when the opposing team flops are the first to express delight when their player does so and gets a positive result.
So, where is the line on cheating? Flopping suggests that its doing whatever you need to do in the flow of a game as long as you're not caught. Is that right? Maybe. After all, players wouldn't flop if it didn't regularly produce results - as in, a shot on goal, free-throws, ejection of an opponent. Maybe not because, well, it's CHEATING. And as for fans, where is the line. Do the masses put up or even emulate the spirit of cheating that they view in sports during normal life? If so, what does that mean? Is fan behavior on flopping in athletic contests indicative of something broader?
Showing posts with label soccer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label soccer. Show all posts
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Monday, March 18, 2013
Sounders vs. Timbers - Round One 2013
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| View from stadium ramp pre-match |
While the Sounders own an edge in wins and losses over the decades that the teams have been playing each other in different incarnations, the animosity by Portland fans towards Seattle is clearly at a higher level that that of Seattle fans towards Portland. And indeed, this was evident last weekend by the behavior of the Timbers Army, the hard core support group for the Portland team. But more on that later.
Meanwhile, the game ended as a 1-1 tie. Seattle put in a spectacular goal in the first half, and then missed on at least two point blank shots on goal in the second half...leaving at least one goal unscored that could easily have been.
Portland had opportunities early, but missed. Then...in "stopage time," they narrowly snuck one into the Seattle goal to pull even.
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| Seattle Sounders vs. Portland Timbers - March 16, 2013 in Seattle |
Two observations about all that:
1) Ties ain't fun, but they add up. Many people hate that matches in soccer can end in a tie. Yes, it's a bit unsatisfying for many, including me. But, the way MLS and virtually every soccer league in the world measures how teams are doing is on "points" rather than wins and losses directly. So, for example, a team gets three points in the standings for a win, one point for a tie and zero for a loss. The team with the most points at the end of the season wins the division. Teams below them are placed in order based on how many points they've earned. SO...a tie is not as odious as it seems on the surface. Both teams get a point. The season is long and even those add up.
2) "Prevent" play only prevents you from winning. Often in American football (NFL, college), when a team has a lead late in a game it suddenly stops being aggressive, goes very conservative on offense and plays "prevent" defense. This is meant to try and kill clock and preserve the win. However, equally as often, the team that is behind on the scoreboard tries extra hard and...because the other team is letting them...they can manufacture opportunities to score TDs or field goals. Well, the same is true in soccer. Teams with a lead often go conservative near the end to salt away the clock and get the win. This is what the Sounders did in the last 10 minutes or so of the match last weekend. Their offense basically stopped and their defense sagged into their own end...enabling Portland to pour it on and get shots on goal. And they put one in. So, give it to Portland for scoring, but equally so...shame on the Sounders for letting it happen.
Finally, back to the fan support groups - particularly Portland's. OK, right up front I will say that the Timbers Army showed up motivated and loud. Give them credit for that. Yes Portland, you have a vocal and dedicated core fan group. We believe that you love your team. And we certainly can tell you don't like Seattle. Great. But...you also have an extremely lewd, rude and embarrassing fan supporter group. If the purpose of the Timbers Army is to showcase how moronic Portland fans are, then mission accomplished. I can only deduce that we were witnessing the drunken and juvenile spasms of a MASSIVE little brother complex felt by Portland fans about anything Seattle. Of course, it's ironic that the Timbers' sponsor is Seattle-based Alaska Airlines. That means every player and fan wearing a Timbers jersey is walking around supporting a Seattle company. Also ironic is that the beloved urban combat kilts I see many Timbers fans wearing are, you guessed it, produced by Seattle-based Utilikilts.
Anyway, exhibit A is the ongoing chant they executed quite well during the match that featured calling Seattle "shit" and baiting Seattle fans with the accusation that they, the Timbers Army, "don't hear a fucking thing." Because they were in unison and chanted this stuff over and over again many times, the stadium was treated to that quite clearly. Classy. Ladies and gentlemen...Portland.
Exhibit B is this picture. See how many Portland fans you can find giving the middle finger to the Seattle crowd. My favorite? The short guy who looks like a leprechaun giving the bird with authority.
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| Timbers Army in Seattle - March 16, 2013 |
Now, I'm not saying that a fan base has to be nice to their rivals, but come on people. Really? Chanting the F-word, flipping the bird most of the game and generally being lewd? What comes across is that you actually hate Seattle far, far more than you care one iota about your team. This does not reflect well on your group or your city. Seriously, it doesn't. You look like a-holes.
One last thing on Portland fans. As loud and obnoxious as they are when they're safe in their own supporter area, they're very tame out on the concourse when getting beers or food. And, they arrive and depart as a group directly to/from their buses. Both these behaviors are fear based. Sure, they've got the big beards, utilikilts and all the Timbers garb you'd expect from Portland fans. And sure, they're going to rant profane cheers and flip off the crowd from their seats. But, once outside of their cheering section, all of a sudden...silence and security guards. Why? Despite their pride in Portland, they know that in Seattle they're in "the big city" and they fear what they might actually run into.
So that sounds pretty harsh towards the Timbers Army, it's supposed to. I was not impressed.
As for the various Seattle supporter groups. I am 100% sure there is boorish and lewd behavior there too, and it's equally as bad. But, as a whole...Seattle fans do not openly and uniformly have a reputation as "a-hole." And, they don't hate Portland, the city. Most people I know in Seattle (including Sounders fans) really like Portland.
For example, you can read about my foray down to Portland last season to catch a Seattle v Portland match HERE. I had a great time.
There are two more games in this rivalry this season - one more in Seattle in August and the last in Portland in October. I'm going to try to make both those matches and - if so - will report what I see!
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
A Trip to P-Town for the Derby
Last weekend I executed a day trip by train from Seattle to Portland and back to watch the big rivalry match between Sounders FC and Portland Timbers. Rivalry games in soccer are called a derby (pronounced dar-bee).
To do so, I would need to endure lines of early morning zombie passengers at the train station, an unending conversation by some high school guys heavily featuring the words "dude" and "like," and then of course the whole thing about being a fan from the visiting team - in enemy territory - and all that comes with that.
This started off a bit rough. Turns out, to get to Portland from Seattle by train in order to be present and accounted for to enjoy some pre-game beer and get to the stadium by 2 p.m., you need to take the 7:30 a.m. departing train from Seattle. That's pretty early folks. And so it was that I stood in line at the station behind quite a few people who for all the world acted like they'd never taken any type of public transportation ever. Seriously. People...I know it's early, but if the check-in kiosk is open and nobody is using it, you can step right up and use it yourself. You don't have to wait for an invitation. This happened far too many times for me to walk away feeling good about how smart humans are. Interesting to observe, but kinda depressing.
OK fine. Whatever. I get on the train and into my seat and three high school guys roll in and sit in the row in front of me. Sporting Sounders jerseys, scarves and whatnot, at least they were on "the good guys" side as far as I was concerned. But, then commenced a running teenage conversation that lasted most of the train ride to Portland. Now, what was interesting (or horrifying) about these guys' conversation was not the content - mostly just high school guy stuff about sports, girls, prom, some travel stuff, the game and the like - but that virtually every fourth word was either "dude" or "like." Seriously. Almost every sentence started or ended with "dude" and contained a few "likes." Let me give you an example..
Guy #1: Dude, what do you think, like, is going to happen at the game today.
Guy #2: Dude, all I know is we're gonna win. Like, no way we can lose dude.
Guy #3; Dude, I heard like you have to tie your scarf so Portland fans won't like steal it. That's lame dude.
And so it went. As much as I was initially fascinated by this, it quickly became real tedious. Good thing I had an iPod. From there, thinks were looking up and "getting better all the time."
Arriving in Portland right on time at 11 a.m. - thanks Amtrak - I connected with my buddies and found out we were to meet at The Matador Bar in downtown Portland and right across the street from the stadium. I've never been to the Matador before, but that is one excellent bar. Between the cool bartender, loads of TVs with sports on, a great selection of beer and a studious jukebox, this was the place to be.
As I waited for my friends to show, quite a few Sounders fans started rolling in. This was a bit surprising. I did not notice any animosity between fans of the two sides, so all was good. One Sounders fan did tell me that the reason he came into the Matador was that up the block at another bar, some Portland fans told him to "Get the F*%#K out of our bar."
And then my friends arrived. Good times catching up, predicting the game and generally enjoying the day. For the record, we all thought the Sounders would probably win...perhaps tie. Too much talent on that squad to lose to a Timbers team not having a good season.
With the sun shining, we made our way into the stadium and to our seats. The place was rocking, packed and ready to roll. Just before kickoff, fans in our section raised a HUGE banner commemorating their Timbers past and present. Impressive.
And then the game started. My review of this match goes like this:
Off to the bar across the street for some post-game libations before I had to get back on the train to head home. Now, I must report that at no time was I harassed by Portland fans for wearing my Sounders scarf - not before, during or after the match. Sure, a little good natured ribbing here and there, but very mild stuff. I was impressed - particularly considering the amounts of alcohol I saw being consumed.
At last it came time for me to say my goodbyes and walk back to the train station for my ride home. Trudging under a disappointed hear but sunny Portland skies, I made it to the train no problem and enjoyed a quiet ride home.
It was a long ride considering it was a Sunday, but I arrived back to the Seattle station on time again at 9:45 p.m. All good and home after that.
So, what did I learn in my Sunday soccer sojourn?
The Sounders and Timbers square off twice more this season, once more in Portland and one time in Seattle. So, while not encouraged by what I saw Sunday from my side, taking 2 of 3 from Portland this season is still possible. Here's hoping.
NOTE: All pictures in this post taken by Marc Osborn and are not for any use without prior written permission from Marc Osborn.
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| Marquee at stadium - June 24, 2012 |
Oh, and my team played poorly and lost.
Sounds like I had a rotten time, right? Nope. Far from it. In fact, I had a great time.
Let me explain...
This started off a bit rough. Turns out, to get to Portland from Seattle by train in order to be present and accounted for to enjoy some pre-game beer and get to the stadium by 2 p.m., you need to take the 7:30 a.m. departing train from Seattle. That's pretty early folks. And so it was that I stood in line at the station behind quite a few people who for all the world acted like they'd never taken any type of public transportation ever. Seriously. People...I know it's early, but if the check-in kiosk is open and nobody is using it, you can step right up and use it yourself. You don't have to wait for an invitation. This happened far too many times for me to walk away feeling good about how smart humans are. Interesting to observe, but kinda depressing.
OK fine. Whatever. I get on the train and into my seat and three high school guys roll in and sit in the row in front of me. Sporting Sounders jerseys, scarves and whatnot, at least they were on "the good guys" side as far as I was concerned. But, then commenced a running teenage conversation that lasted most of the train ride to Portland. Now, what was interesting (or horrifying) about these guys' conversation was not the content - mostly just high school guy stuff about sports, girls, prom, some travel stuff, the game and the like - but that virtually every fourth word was either "dude" or "like." Seriously. Almost every sentence started or ended with "dude" and contained a few "likes." Let me give you an example..
Guy #1: Dude, what do you think, like, is going to happen at the game today.
Guy #2: Dude, all I know is we're gonna win. Like, no way we can lose dude.
Guy #3; Dude, I heard like you have to tie your scarf so Portland fans won't like steal it. That's lame dude.
Arriving in Portland right on time at 11 a.m. - thanks Amtrak - I connected with my buddies and found out we were to meet at The Matador Bar in downtown Portland and right across the street from the stadium. I've never been to the Matador before, but that is one excellent bar. Between the cool bartender, loads of TVs with sports on, a great selection of beer and a studious jukebox, this was the place to be.
As I waited for my friends to show, quite a few Sounders fans started rolling in. This was a bit surprising. I did not notice any animosity between fans of the two sides, so all was good. One Sounders fan did tell me that the reason he came into the Matador was that up the block at another bar, some Portland fans told him to "Get the F*%#K out of our bar."
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| Our view from behind the giant banner (click link right for video) |
With the sun shining, we made our way into the stadium and to our seats. The place was rocking, packed and ready to roll. Just before kickoff, fans in our section raised a HUGE banner commemorating their Timbers past and present. Impressive.
And then the game started. My review of this match goes like this:
- Back and forth run of play slightly favoring Portland to start.
- Clearly an uninterested Sounders squad transitioning to mostly defense.
- Two really great crosses by Portland combined with horrendous defensive breakdowns by Seattle leading to two very nice goals for Portland in the first half. Queue screaming Portland fans in wild celebration.
- Some resurgence by the Sounders in the second half and a decent goal scored to make it 2-1, but even then I knew...I just knew that it was too little too late.
- And it was. Throw in a last minute red card to one of the Sounders players and, well, that pretty much was the capper.
- Portland rode out the win and deservedly their fans went bonkers.
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| Game action - Sounders v Timbers |
At last it came time for me to say my goodbyes and walk back to the train station for my ride home. Trudging under a disappointed hear but sunny Portland skies, I made it to the train no problem and enjoyed a quiet ride home.
It was a long ride considering it was a Sunday, but I arrived back to the Seattle station on time again at 9:45 p.m. All good and home after that.
So, what did I learn in my Sunday soccer sojourn?
- I have some really nice friends - old and new - in Portland.
- Portland is a great soccer town, and while they hate them some Seattle Sounders, they actually treat visiting fans just fine...at least from everything I observed.
- Amtrak can actually run on time.
- The Sounders are not as good as their early season success indicated...and it's mostly a mental thing in my opinion. Could be a long second half of the season.
- Confirmation of my theory on sports...if you play horrible, you lose. Simple as that. Thanks Sounders for making that all to painfully obvious.
- The vocabulary of high school boys has devolved into a few words spoken between "dude" and "like."
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| Timbers fans going bonkers |
NOTE: All pictures in this post taken by Marc Osborn and are not for any use without prior written permission from Marc Osborn.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Notes on Sounders FC from a Novice Fan
First, let me say I love Sounders FC. I am a fan and will loyally be one win, lose or draw. Indeed, I enjoy having a local team that's in the top league for soccer in the U.S., and overall am quite pleased with their first 2+ seasons in MLS. This is all doubly true since the NBA Sonics were stolen out of Seattle and moved to Oklahoma City.
In particular I love how the Sounders have won a number of critical games in dramatic fashion, consistently reside in the upper third of the standings, have made the MLS playoffs twice in their two seasons and won the U.S. Open Cup twice in a row. I also really like the game atmostphere at home games. Not bad for an expansion team. Not bad at all.
Perhaps it's because I just witnessed them losing a home game to Dallas last night, but I'm now increasingly frustrated with this team - mainly for it's inability to score goals (that's pretty important as it turns out), but also for sloppy play (I know...easy to say when you're a fan) and - given these two problems - also what seem to be 1-2 fatal breakdowns in defense every game.
Lets take a look at these together because I think they're linked. And it all starts with...
Sloppy Play
Look, I get it...this is not English Premier League talent out there. I'm fine with that. And, I know two key players are out with injuries. However, even before those inures happened, I am consistently amazed this season by what appear to be very frequent lazy or way-off passes that either go out of bounds or directly to an onrushing opponent. This is particularly bad in the midfield, and it seems that this season the great majority of the "full 90" is spent in the middle third of the field for the Sounders as they muddle around trying to get possession of the ball.
Naturally, this sloppy passing turns into more opportunities for the other team to possess the ball, move it forward and attempt to score. And they do. I know at least one game - the opener vs. L.A. - was decided specifically on the fact that a Sounder defender kicked the ball DIRECTLY to a Galaxy player deep in the defensive end of the field and the Galaxy player booted a goal past the Sounders keeper. Just one example, but a good (or actually bad) one. Seems like each game the opponent gets a couple quality goal chances because of this type of thing.
Meanwhile, the Sounders don't seem to. In fact they appear to have a chronic case of the...
Inability to Score
This manifests itself in two ways. First, limited opportunities. Because they are fiddling around trying to get possession in the midfield and playing defense, the Sounders do not seem to put together aggressive pushes forward or artful runs that can result in chances on goal. Other MLS teams seem to be able to do this regularly. I've seen it - both against the Sounders and in other matches unrelated to Seattle. Add to that the sloppy passing element, and you've got what to my eye and experience amounts to fewer and poorer goal opportunities overall. You can't score if you're not near the goal with the ball - simple as that.
The second way the Sounders inability to score goals is manifested is in just simply flubbing around with the ball at critical moments in front of the goal. This seems to happen over and over and over again in each game. I know the players are not trying to screw up, and I know scoring a goal in soccer is not easy, but how many times this season has one of them been directly on goal or with an open chance and instead of directly shooting it they try and settle or dribble around...ultimately either firing off a lame shot, having it blocked or being dispossessed? Many times. Far, far too many times. Put the ball into the net in the most direct and quick fashion possible please.
The combination of sloppy play and the inability to score exposes the team to...
Fatal Breakdowns on Defense
These happen. Even on good teams. It's just the way it is. But, when your offense cannot score goals and this happens...opponents score, and you just lost the game 1-0 or maybe 2-0. Just one breakdown and you're done. That's all it takes.
This past game really put each of these points in sharp relief. The Sounders possessed the ball pretty well actually, but still were sloppy in the midfield, misfired on some key pass opportunities and managed to screw up a LOT of quality goal scoring chances as usual. Meanwhile Dallas opportunistically scored their one goal on a "fatal breakdown" on defense. And that was the game. At the time of the goal I said to my buddy, "well, this is going to be 1-0 or 1-1...that's it." He agreed. We both knew the Sounders were not going to score or if they did it would be eeking one out in desperation at the end. We were correct. They lost 1-0.
So that's my novice assessment of their season so far - predominately sloppy play, ample wasted goal scoring chances and other teams capitalizing on fatal breakdowns on defense. Right now, that's earned them a record of 4-5-5. That's decent, but not good. I think at least one of these three issues will need to change for them to improve their position in the standings. If not, they'll probably squeak into the playoffs, but how far can you go with that style of play? Not too far. Here's hoping for improvement!
By the way, if there are some more insightful and intelligent soccer fans out there who can enlighten me or think I'm off base, I welcome the input. I'd love to know what I'm missing or if I'm just plain wrong on some of this (seriously).
In particular I love how the Sounders have won a number of critical games in dramatic fashion, consistently reside in the upper third of the standings, have made the MLS playoffs twice in their two seasons and won the U.S. Open Cup twice in a row. I also really like the game atmostphere at home games. Not bad for an expansion team. Not bad at all.
Perhaps it's because I just witnessed them losing a home game to Dallas last night, but I'm now increasingly frustrated with this team - mainly for it's inability to score goals (that's pretty important as it turns out), but also for sloppy play (I know...easy to say when you're a fan) and - given these two problems - also what seem to be 1-2 fatal breakdowns in defense every game.
Lets take a look at these together because I think they're linked. And it all starts with...
Sloppy Play
Look, I get it...this is not English Premier League talent out there. I'm fine with that. And, I know two key players are out with injuries. However, even before those inures happened, I am consistently amazed this season by what appear to be very frequent lazy or way-off passes that either go out of bounds or directly to an onrushing opponent. This is particularly bad in the midfield, and it seems that this season the great majority of the "full 90" is spent in the middle third of the field for the Sounders as they muddle around trying to get possession of the ball.
Naturally, this sloppy passing turns into more opportunities for the other team to possess the ball, move it forward and attempt to score. And they do. I know at least one game - the opener vs. L.A. - was decided specifically on the fact that a Sounder defender kicked the ball DIRECTLY to a Galaxy player deep in the defensive end of the field and the Galaxy player booted a goal past the Sounders keeper. Just one example, but a good (or actually bad) one. Seems like each game the opponent gets a couple quality goal chances because of this type of thing.
Meanwhile, the Sounders don't seem to. In fact they appear to have a chronic case of the...
Inability to Score
This manifests itself in two ways. First, limited opportunities. Because they are fiddling around trying to get possession in the midfield and playing defense, the Sounders do not seem to put together aggressive pushes forward or artful runs that can result in chances on goal. Other MLS teams seem to be able to do this regularly. I've seen it - both against the Sounders and in other matches unrelated to Seattle. Add to that the sloppy passing element, and you've got what to my eye and experience amounts to fewer and poorer goal opportunities overall. You can't score if you're not near the goal with the ball - simple as that.
The second way the Sounders inability to score goals is manifested is in just simply flubbing around with the ball at critical moments in front of the goal. This seems to happen over and over and over again in each game. I know the players are not trying to screw up, and I know scoring a goal in soccer is not easy, but how many times this season has one of them been directly on goal or with an open chance and instead of directly shooting it they try and settle or dribble around...ultimately either firing off a lame shot, having it blocked or being dispossessed? Many times. Far, far too many times. Put the ball into the net in the most direct and quick fashion possible please.
The combination of sloppy play and the inability to score exposes the team to...
Fatal Breakdowns on Defense
These happen. Even on good teams. It's just the way it is. But, when your offense cannot score goals and this happens...opponents score, and you just lost the game 1-0 or maybe 2-0. Just one breakdown and you're done. That's all it takes.
This past game really put each of these points in sharp relief. The Sounders possessed the ball pretty well actually, but still were sloppy in the midfield, misfired on some key pass opportunities and managed to screw up a LOT of quality goal scoring chances as usual. Meanwhile Dallas opportunistically scored their one goal on a "fatal breakdown" on defense. And that was the game. At the time of the goal I said to my buddy, "well, this is going to be 1-0 or 1-1...that's it." He agreed. We both knew the Sounders were not going to score or if they did it would be eeking one out in desperation at the end. We were correct. They lost 1-0.
So that's my novice assessment of their season so far - predominately sloppy play, ample wasted goal scoring chances and other teams capitalizing on fatal breakdowns on defense. Right now, that's earned them a record of 4-5-5. That's decent, but not good. I think at least one of these three issues will need to change for them to improve their position in the standings. If not, they'll probably squeak into the playoffs, but how far can you go with that style of play? Not too far. Here's hoping for improvement!
By the way, if there are some more insightful and intelligent soccer fans out there who can enlighten me or think I'm off base, I welcome the input. I'd love to know what I'm missing or if I'm just plain wrong on some of this (seriously).
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Team USA Wins...Moves On to Next Round of Wold Cup!
Oh what a difference one run down the field can make.
After wasting opportunity after opportunity to score goals vs. Algeria in their World Cup match today, "The Yanks" finally put one in at the VERY end of the game.
And what a goal.
Scoring it means that they advance on to the next round of the tournament.
Scoring it means they win Group C...the first time USA has won a group since 1930s.
Scoring it means they get an easier draw for their next opponent as they will play the runner up in Group D rather than the group's winner.
Scoring it means USA soccer can hold its head high rather than slink home a la France or some other nations who turned in less than impressive showings.
Scoring it means more Americans will get to see USA soccer.
So, great job Yanks!
But now things get even more difficult, and from this point forward it's "loser out."
And lets face it, as much as we all will be rooting for a win for Team USA, the odds are not good. Why you may ask? Well, in three group games the trends are disturbing. Too many breakdowns on defense. Too many misses on easy open net goal opportunities. Too many times US players were a step to late or too slow. Too many sloppy turnovers in midfield. Too much possession time by opponents.
Sure, they were criminally robbed of two goals by referees, but overall the type of play on display will very likely get you beat at the next level.
But hey, for now let the celebration commence. USA is through to the next round and that's a BIG deal. It's exciting and a major accomplishment for the nation's soccer team.
And you never know. Sports are the ultimate "reality TV." Who knows how we'll do in the next game. Maybe we'll work the magic once again.
Here's hoping!
After wasting opportunity after opportunity to score goals vs. Algeria in their World Cup match today, "The Yanks" finally put one in at the VERY end of the game.
And what a goal.
Scoring it means that they advance on to the next round of the tournament.
Scoring it means they win Group C...the first time USA has won a group since 1930s.
Scoring it means they get an easier draw for their next opponent as they will play the runner up in Group D rather than the group's winner.
Scoring it means USA soccer can hold its head high rather than slink home a la France or some other nations who turned in less than impressive showings.
Scoring it means more Americans will get to see USA soccer.
So, great job Yanks!
But now things get even more difficult, and from this point forward it's "loser out."
And lets face it, as much as we all will be rooting for a win for Team USA, the odds are not good. Why you may ask? Well, in three group games the trends are disturbing. Too many breakdowns on defense. Too many misses on easy open net goal opportunities. Too many times US players were a step to late or too slow. Too many sloppy turnovers in midfield. Too much possession time by opponents.
Sure, they were criminally robbed of two goals by referees, but overall the type of play on display will very likely get you beat at the next level.
But hey, for now let the celebration commence. USA is through to the next round and that's a BIG deal. It's exciting and a major accomplishment for the nation's soccer team.
And you never know. Sports are the ultimate "reality TV." Who knows how we'll do in the next game. Maybe we'll work the magic once again.
Here's hoping!
Monday, June 14, 2010
My Re-Cap of USA vs. England
Over this past weekend, Diane and I attended two high school graduation ceremonies for family and friends. Good times to be sure and our niece and friend's daughter are respectively off onto the next chapter of their lives.
Another thing I did this weekend was watch the USA vs. England - or, more accurately, the second half of the game as we were on the road driving to the destination of the first graduation ceremony during the first half of the match. With a little time to kill before festivities started, I was able to catch the entire second half.
Here are my take-aways from the game as a whole and what I observed:
1) Team USA is VERY lucky to have tied England. By my estimation, England is the far superior team. They were faster, better able to control the ball, easily set up plays and get shots on goal. Sure, USA almost delivered the go-ahead and likely winning goal mid way through the second half, but that was a one-off charge by our best player. Meanwhile, England kept their wolves at the USA goal's doorstep most of the half.
2) USA goalkeeper Tim Howard is extremely good. He stopped several point blank shots from England that by all rights should have been scores. Despite the goal by England early in the game, Howard is nails. Glad we have him for the other games coming up!
3) A tie against England is good. Real good. American sports fans abhor a tie, and I know why. Hey, who wants to walk away from a game with nothing really decided? Someone should win, right? Well, in soccer a tie can be a win or it can be a loss. In the case of an underdog team playing a heavy favorite, if you come out with a tie...you actually have won while the favorite has lost. But it's not just moral wins and losses either. In soccer, you earn 3 points as a team for a win, 1 point for a tie and zero points for a loss. These points accrue and determine if your team moves onward in whatever league or tournament you're playing in. So, in the World Cup...USA ties England and both teams earn 1 point. USA has now greatly increased chances of moving forward in the tournament based on points because the main competition in their group has also only got 1 point. They don't need to worry about making up points against England in the standings. That's how soccer is. It's different than baseball, football and basketball - not better or worse, just different.
4) The England goalkeeper should probably think about new real estate back home if England fails to earn enough points to advance on to the next round of the World Cup. If that happens, "Jolly old England" will not be too jolly towards the keeper who bungled a shot by the USA and let it through for a score.
Next up is USA vs. Slovenia on Friday. The Slovenians won their game vs. Algeria over the weekend and thus posses 3 points in the standings to USA and England's one point. So, team USA really needs to beat their next opponent to jump up to 4 points and take the lead of their group. If they do not, then it's a do-or-die game vs. Algeria a few days later.
Another thing I did this weekend was watch the USA vs. England - or, more accurately, the second half of the game as we were on the road driving to the destination of the first graduation ceremony during the first half of the match. With a little time to kill before festivities started, I was able to catch the entire second half.
Here are my take-aways from the game as a whole and what I observed:
1) Team USA is VERY lucky to have tied England. By my estimation, England is the far superior team. They were faster, better able to control the ball, easily set up plays and get shots on goal. Sure, USA almost delivered the go-ahead and likely winning goal mid way through the second half, but that was a one-off charge by our best player. Meanwhile, England kept their wolves at the USA goal's doorstep most of the half.
2) USA goalkeeper Tim Howard is extremely good. He stopped several point blank shots from England that by all rights should have been scores. Despite the goal by England early in the game, Howard is nails. Glad we have him for the other games coming up!
3) A tie against England is good. Real good. American sports fans abhor a tie, and I know why. Hey, who wants to walk away from a game with nothing really decided? Someone should win, right? Well, in soccer a tie can be a win or it can be a loss. In the case of an underdog team playing a heavy favorite, if you come out with a tie...you actually have won while the favorite has lost. But it's not just moral wins and losses either. In soccer, you earn 3 points as a team for a win, 1 point for a tie and zero points for a loss. These points accrue and determine if your team moves onward in whatever league or tournament you're playing in. So, in the World Cup...USA ties England and both teams earn 1 point. USA has now greatly increased chances of moving forward in the tournament based on points because the main competition in their group has also only got 1 point. They don't need to worry about making up points against England in the standings. That's how soccer is. It's different than baseball, football and basketball - not better or worse, just different.
4) The England goalkeeper should probably think about new real estate back home if England fails to earn enough points to advance on to the next round of the World Cup. If that happens, "Jolly old England" will not be too jolly towards the keeper who bungled a shot by the USA and let it through for a score.
Next up is USA vs. Slovenia on Friday. The Slovenians won their game vs. Algeria over the weekend and thus posses 3 points in the standings to USA and England's one point. So, team USA really needs to beat their next opponent to jump up to 4 points and take the lead of their group. If they do not, then it's a do-or-die game vs. Algeria a few days later.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
World Cup 2010: Why Soccer Isn't So Popular In the USA
The World Cup starts this month. Will anyone in America watch?
Certainly yes. But, despite it being THE big sport in virtually every nation on the globe, soccer definately isn't nearly as popular in the USA as it is elsewhere.
I've always wondered why this might be...especially considering that teams from the USA have done decently well in World Cups gone by.
CNN has a good story HERE that explains some of the reasons soccer hasn't taken off in the United States.
Popular or not, I'll be watching the World Cup and rooting for our team to advance as far as possible.
Certainly yes. But, despite it being THE big sport in virtually every nation on the globe, soccer definately isn't nearly as popular in the USA as it is elsewhere.
I've always wondered why this might be...especially considering that teams from the USA have done decently well in World Cups gone by.
CNN has a good story HERE that explains some of the reasons soccer hasn't taken off in the United States.
Popular or not, I'll be watching the World Cup and rooting for our team to advance as far as possible.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Sounders Game This Weekend
I went to the Seattle Sounders FC game on Saturday and had a great time - especially since they won.
Thanks to my friend Sean and his friends at Group Health, we were able to watch the game in luxury (and out of the rain) from the Cooperative's suite at the stadium.
Healthcare is a cut throat business, and even non-for-profit organizations like Group Health have to be "in the game" against large for-profit competitors and need to be able to woo potential corporate customers...hence the suite.
While I am not a broker/client for Group Health, I did enjoy the hospitality that Jim and Kim from Group Health showed by inviting us in to enjoy the game.
Anyway, below are a couple pictures I took at the game with my little Nikon Coolpix camera. You can see a few more by clicking HERE.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Sounders Game
Today Diane and I went to our first Seattle Sounders FC soccer match to get an up-close view of the newest sports sensation in the Emerald City. Sitting in some choice seats thanks to our friends Rosa and Drew, we enjoyed the entire afternoon. Under sunny skies and hot weather we soaked up plenty vitamin D, and with ample supply of brew nearby we also soaked up some "vitamin beer" too.
We were impressed. It's an all-action sport and a sold out stadium full of a fun crowd - very passionate and into it. While cheering the home team was the main activity, there proved no shortage of venom for the opposing squad. For example, every time the Chicago goalie would touch or kick the ball, the crowd around us would yell "you suck, Bush" (Bush as the goalies last name). The masses also booed one of the Chicago players who repeatedly flopped to the ground faking injury hoping to draw a foul.
Anyway, with about seven shots directly on goal, the Sounders played better than the visiting team from Chicago. All the Sounders stars had their moments whether it was defending, passing, shooting or saving. Anyone who says soccer isn't on par with other American sports in terms of athletics is crazy.
In thinking about it, I believe we experienced the very best of soccer. I'm sold and will follow the Sounders as they make push for the playoffs. But, we also experienced one of the things that will probably inhibit soccer from ever becoming as big time here as basketball or other mainstream sports. Namely, neither team scored and the match ended a 0-0 tie.
Sure, both teams get a point in the standings for that, but at 0-0 tie does leave you exiting the stadium feeling a bit disappointed. Even a 1-1 tie would be better as at least you would have seen some scoring and, presumably, had a chance to win. Ending games in a tie is just so unsatisfying and, well, unappealing to most American sports fans. What's the old saying? A tie game is like kissing your sister. Something like that. Why not go short overtime period? Why not settle it with goal kicks?
When it was all said and done, we had a wonderful time and would recommend anyone go to a game if you get a chance. The Sounders are for real, they are entertaining, they are successful and they are at the top of their league. What more could you ask for Seattle sports? Other than maybe no ties?
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
European Soccer Players Are Also Actors
Between loyally watching Team USA Soccer and now following the new Seattle Sounders FC MLS team, I'm really starting to dig soccer. It's not on par with college football or basketball for me, but it's a cool sport with a lot to offer. Did you see how Team USA just beat the best national team in the world? Team Spain. That was cool.
However, while I'm no expert on soccer (or "football" as it's accurately called everywhere in the world but the U.S.), I do have eyes and after seeing a lot of soccer over the last few years, I've come to the conclusion that...
European soccer players are pussies. Yep, you hear me. Wimps.
No, I don't mean they're not athletic or talented. Clearly they are - more so than most players in the USA or other parts of the world. I'm not talking about talent or results. I'm talking about that time honored (and very accepted) practice in soccer of players absolutely flopping - rolling around in agony on the pitch as if injured at the slightest touch from an opposing player in hopes of drawing a foul. Its epidemic and I see it most with European players. Not exclusively mind you, but mostly.
In the NBA, they have flopping too, and it's bad. But, it's usually only the stars that benefit from this. This is not great OK, but when you compare it to soccer...it's a different story. Any fool out on the soccer field can fake an injury to draw a foul and it happens a lot.
What's funniest is when one of these jokers fake a horrific injury, rolling around like someone cut their leg off from the shin down - sometimes even being carried off the field on a stretcher - they suddenly and miraculously get better and are again charging around like nothing happened within a minute or two. What a farce!
OK, rant over. I still like soccer a lot and I'm eager to see how the Sounders and Team USA do this year and next as World Cup 2010 arrives.
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