As I have sat through the NFL playoffs, I have enjoyed one thing just a little bit more than most other fans. That one thing has been the Super Bowl commericals showing fan reactions to pivotal plays from the last two Super Bowls. Why do I enjoy it so much? It's because the first time I saw one of the commercials I was instantly reminded of Landon Donovan. Why do you ask? Oh...because of this little diddy:
The World's Reaction to Landon Donovan's Goal
The Donovan World Cup compliation was put together shortly after that unforgettable Algeria match and now has over 3 million views. The fact that the NFL may or may not have copied that format is really of no consequence. However, it urges me to go back and view the Donovan clip and enjoy it all over again. And if the NFL really did plagarize a bit, it's quite flattering isn't it?
Go...go...USA. :-)
Showing posts with label us men's soccer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label us men's soccer. Show all posts
1.24.2011
Reasons to smile (if you're a USMNT supporter)
This past Saturday evening saw a very inexperienced (in terms of international experience) USMNT side draw even with a B-side Chilean national team, 1-1. The match was choppy, mostly unorganized and not exactly easy on the eyes. However, I think Coach Sweatpants got a great chance to evaluate lots of young and fringe national team talent- and that was point right?
The result didn't matter and if you think it should have or did, you're missing the point. Yes, there were glaring holes in the 2nd half backline and the boys played long ball almost all night (frustrating). However, there were many positive to take away.
Bradley set the table for Gold Cup support roles with this January camp. Teal Bunbury (Boon-Boo-Ree!) and Juan Agudelo impressed (I'll get to these two in a minute) as well as Zach Lloyd and Dax McCarty (wonder if Portland is second guessing the decision to trade him). It was also pointed out by The Shin Guardian on Twitter during the match that Tim Ream was taking charge of the backline in the first half. Hearing about that type of leadership from a young centerback is phenomenal. Additionally, I know that Mix Diskerud got some mixed reviews, but I really have been impressed with the young attacking mid in his two appearances with the national team. His touch and creativity seem destined to be a USMNT mainstay for years to come.
Now about those two strikers, Agudelo and Bunbury. They absolutely changed the match when they came on in the second half. Both were active and showed great chemistry in the final third. There is a reason that Red Bull New York was ok with letting Juan Pablo Angel go this winter. Something tells me that Agudelo is going to make that front office look like geniuses this season. As for Bunbury, it just seems like he has something different in terms of swagger when he's on the pitch. After the World Cup and all the talk about how the USMNT lacks options up top outside of Jozy, Bunbury and Agudelo brought a smile to face on Saturday. Things continue to look up for the Yanks.
The result didn't matter and if you think it should have or did, you're missing the point. Yes, there were glaring holes in the 2nd half backline and the boys played long ball almost all night (frustrating). However, there were many positive to take away.
Bradley set the table for Gold Cup support roles with this January camp. Teal Bunbury (Boon-Boo-Ree!) and Juan Agudelo impressed (I'll get to these two in a minute) as well as Zach Lloyd and Dax McCarty (wonder if Portland is second guessing the decision to trade him). It was also pointed out by The Shin Guardian on Twitter during the match that Tim Ream was taking charge of the backline in the first half. Hearing about that type of leadership from a young centerback is phenomenal. Additionally, I know that Mix Diskerud got some mixed reviews, but I really have been impressed with the young attacking mid in his two appearances with the national team. His touch and creativity seem destined to be a USMNT mainstay for years to come.
Now about those two strikers, Agudelo and Bunbury. They absolutely changed the match when they came on in the second half. Both were active and showed great chemistry in the final third. There is a reason that Red Bull New York was ok with letting Juan Pablo Angel go this winter. Something tells me that Agudelo is going to make that front office look like geniuses this season. As for Bunbury, it just seems like he has something different in terms of swagger when he's on the pitch. After the World Cup and all the talk about how the USMNT lacks options up top outside of Jozy, Bunbury and Agudelo brought a smile to face on Saturday. Things continue to look up for the Yanks.
6.04.2010
My Free Beer Movement entry
One of my favorite blogs, Free Beer Movement has been holding a contest dubbed, "How I Got Here". This contest basically asks for readers to explain how they came to love the beautiful game of soccer. I thought I'd share my recent entry into this contest to help explain how excited I am for World Cup 2010.
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I’m a relatively recent convert to the beautiful game.
In the summer of 2006 (just prior to my second deployment to the Middle East), I went under the LASIK knife to fix my flawed vision. I was told to stay at home in my dark apartment for the next four days after the surgery. Fortunately, the World Cup was happening at the time. At first though, I was only able to listen to the announcers describe the sights of epic 1-1 draw between my beloved Yanks and the Azzurri. I was instantly hooked.
Despite the fact that my unit and I deployed during the knockout stages, I made it a priority to find an Internet café to keep myself abreast of World Cup results that year.
Over the subsequent 3 years, I started to “branch out” and develop my appreciation for the EPL and Bundasliga. I would also catch MLS matches whenever they were on ESPN. However, my fandom reached new heights last spring.
My girlfriend grew up in Seattle. When we started dating a couple years back, she would frequently tell tales of going to Qwest Field or the Kingdome to watch the USL Sounders. These stories got me more than a little jacked for the new Seattle MLS franchise.
Then March 19th, 2009 vaulted my love for the game to a borderline obsession. I watched the Seattle Sounders 3-0 victory over New York on that day in the comfort of my home. This has become a rare occurrence since then…mostly because I have tried to attend each and every home game since then.
Singing and chanting with my friends of the Emerald City Supporters in section 119 at Qwest Field has become (by far) my favorite pastime. I spend way more time at my place of work reading various blogs (Match Fit USA & The Shin Guardian are my favorites) than I ever should be allowed to in an attempt to quench my thirst for soccer news and/or knowledge.
So here I am. 6+ days from World Cup 2010. Next Saturday, my beautiful girlfriend and I will be celebrating her birthday…at Doyle’s Public House in our hometown of Tacoma, WA…watching the Yanks beat the Three Lions. I love life.
Sincerely,
Bobby
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I’m a relatively recent convert to the beautiful game.
In the summer of 2006 (just prior to my second deployment to the Middle East), I went under the LASIK knife to fix my flawed vision. I was told to stay at home in my dark apartment for the next four days after the surgery. Fortunately, the World Cup was happening at the time. At first though, I was only able to listen to the announcers describe the sights of epic 1-1 draw between my beloved Yanks and the Azzurri. I was instantly hooked.
Despite the fact that my unit and I deployed during the knockout stages, I made it a priority to find an Internet café to keep myself abreast of World Cup results that year.
Over the subsequent 3 years, I started to “branch out” and develop my appreciation for the EPL and Bundasliga. I would also catch MLS matches whenever they were on ESPN. However, my fandom reached new heights last spring.
My girlfriend grew up in Seattle. When we started dating a couple years back, she would frequently tell tales of going to Qwest Field or the Kingdome to watch the USL Sounders. These stories got me more than a little jacked for the new Seattle MLS franchise.
Then March 19th, 2009 vaulted my love for the game to a borderline obsession. I watched the Seattle Sounders 3-0 victory over New York on that day in the comfort of my home. This has become a rare occurrence since then…mostly because I have tried to attend each and every home game since then.
Singing and chanting with my friends of the Emerald City Supporters in section 119 at Qwest Field has become (by far) my favorite pastime. I spend way more time at my place of work reading various blogs (Match Fit USA & The Shin Guardian are my favorites) than I ever should be allowed to in an attempt to quench my thirst for soccer news and/or knowledge.
So here I am. 6+ days from World Cup 2010. Next Saturday, my beautiful girlfriend and I will be celebrating her birthday…at Doyle’s Public House in our hometown of Tacoma, WA…watching the Yanks beat the Three Lions. I love life.
Sincerely,
Bobby
9.10.2009
Thursday, September 10
Well, 9/9/9, came and went without the apocalypse and whatnot. That's probably a good thing. Anyone buying the hype on this 2012/Mayan calendar "I know that the threat of nuclear war and Y2K didn't quite end the world, but this one is for real" rhetoric at this point? You know that all these scares were started by the makers of Campbell's soup and Aquafina so we would stock up "just in case", right?
Anyways, I am up and at 'em on what will be my "Friday" of this week. I am taking the gf out to a nice Italian dinner and "Wicked" tomorrow night so we thought we'd take the day off together. It should be fun...
However, before we get to that I believe the NFL season is starting tonight...Steelers and Titans. Lendale White told a reporter that he would repeat the literal stomp he performed on a Steelers' Terrible Towel last season, if given the chance. I love it when dudes shoot their mouths off before games like this and not in an appreciative way. I would be willing to put my lovely LCD TV on the line in a bet waging that in games preceded by a cocky player from the other team shooting his mouth off to provide his opponent with bulletin board fodder, that the opponent wins 95+% of the time. You think James Harrison and the Steelers defense aren't jacked for this game even more now? I have never understood why NFL players give their opponents MORE reason to hit them when hitting the offense is the defense's competitive duty to begin with. Ugh, I would hate to be that former USC back (White) tonight. He's going to get smoked.
Speaking of USC, they have to deal with my Buckeyes who seemingly did not do their homework and/or were not focused on a pesky Navy team last week. I hate to say "I told you so", but I said last Saturday that this Ohio State did not warrant such a favorable ranking (#6) to start the season. That is not to say that I wasn't impressed with Terrelle Pryor in his season debut. I really disagreed with Jim Tressel's decision to insert tOSU's back-up QB in the fifth series (to get him some live action). I felt it messed with Pryor's and the offense's rhythm.
Let's be honest though, even as a blatantly biased Buckeye fan, the boys didn't finish off Navy last week when they should have. They were up 29-14 with around twelve minutes to go in the fourth quarter and should have showed some "killer instinct" and finished them. However, I'm sure that it's easy to let your next week opponent sneak into your head at that point, especially when they literally embarrassed you last year on national television. However, I think this is a telling sign of a young team early in a season. If Tressel would have had the team focused on Navy last week ALL DAY, I would be beaming with confidence going into this Saturday's contest. However, I think that tOSU has a couple X-factors here that will help them win on Saturday: playing at home and Pryor. On the other hand too, for all of you that are singing Matt Barkley's praises after his debut last Saturday, tOSU is definitely NOT San Jose State. He's coming into the HORSESHOE against a defense that, albeit, looked questionable last Saturday, but probably is going to show much more to a USC offense in terms of blitz packages than it did to a team like Navy. Now, I'm not discrediting the fact that USC is about 14 quality running backs deep and their secondary is among the best in the country, but I feel good about the Buckeyes' chances this Saturday in Columbus.
One parting comment: Nice job by the US Men's soccer team this past week. Despite playing lackluster at times in both matches, they got the six points they so desperately needed to move to the top of the qualifying table and move one win away from South Africa next summer. And I will also say, I wholeheartedly appreciated Landon Donovan's performances in both matches....three goals for the team this week- all assisted by LD. Like I said, he's the catalyst. Remember, DTRT...
Anyways, I am up and at 'em on what will be my "Friday" of this week. I am taking the gf out to a nice Italian dinner and "Wicked" tomorrow night so we thought we'd take the day off together. It should be fun...
However, before we get to that I believe the NFL season is starting tonight...Steelers and Titans. Lendale White told a reporter that he would repeat the literal stomp he performed on a Steelers' Terrible Towel last season, if given the chance. I love it when dudes shoot their mouths off before games like this and not in an appreciative way. I would be willing to put my lovely LCD TV on the line in a bet waging that in games preceded by a cocky player from the other team shooting his mouth off to provide his opponent with bulletin board fodder, that the opponent wins 95+% of the time. You think James Harrison and the Steelers defense aren't jacked for this game even more now? I have never understood why NFL players give their opponents MORE reason to hit them when hitting the offense is the defense's competitive duty to begin with. Ugh, I would hate to be that former USC back (White) tonight. He's going to get smoked.
Speaking of USC, they have to deal with my Buckeyes who seemingly did not do their homework and/or were not focused on a pesky Navy team last week. I hate to say "I told you so", but I said last Saturday that this Ohio State did not warrant such a favorable ranking (#6) to start the season. That is not to say that I wasn't impressed with Terrelle Pryor in his season debut. I really disagreed with Jim Tressel's decision to insert tOSU's back-up QB in the fifth series (to get him some live action). I felt it messed with Pryor's and the offense's rhythm.
Let's be honest though, even as a blatantly biased Buckeye fan, the boys didn't finish off Navy last week when they should have. They were up 29-14 with around twelve minutes to go in the fourth quarter and should have showed some "killer instinct" and finished them. However, I'm sure that it's easy to let your next week opponent sneak into your head at that point, especially when they literally embarrassed you last year on national television. However, I think this is a telling sign of a young team early in a season. If Tressel would have had the team focused on Navy last week ALL DAY, I would be beaming with confidence going into this Saturday's contest. However, I think that tOSU has a couple X-factors here that will help them win on Saturday: playing at home and Pryor. On the other hand too, for all of you that are singing Matt Barkley's praises after his debut last Saturday, tOSU is definitely NOT San Jose State. He's coming into the HORSESHOE against a defense that, albeit, looked questionable last Saturday, but probably is going to show much more to a USC offense in terms of blitz packages than it did to a team like Navy. Now, I'm not discrediting the fact that USC is about 14 quality running backs deep and their secondary is among the best in the country, but I feel good about the Buckeyes' chances this Saturday in Columbus.
One parting comment: Nice job by the US Men's soccer team this past week. Despite playing lackluster at times in both matches, they got the six points they so desperately needed to move to the top of the qualifying table and move one win away from South Africa next summer. And I will also say, I wholeheartedly appreciated Landon Donovan's performances in both matches....three goals for the team this week- all assisted by LD. Like I said, he's the catalyst. Remember, DTRT...
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