 |
| Jun 21, 2015; Moncton, New Brunswick, CAN; Australia midfielder Emily Van Egmond (10) and forward Samantha Kerr (20) celebrate the 1-0 victory during the second half in the round of sixteen in the FIFA 2015 women's World Cup soccer tournament at Moncton Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kryger-USA TODAY Sports |
Sunday, June 21, 2015
Matildas!
PODCAST: Red Cards in Helltown: Season 2, Episode 8
Host Rick Gethin, analyst Larry Johnson and David Burgin get together this week for jam-packed hour of talking soccer. As always - one hour long. Not bathroom breaks.
01:00 HEADLINES
• Clint Dempsey notebook tearing temper tantrum
• MLS / USSF suspensions
• Lots of overlap in organizing bodies
• US Women's World Cup news
• Competition setup to sell tickets
16:40 COLUMBUS CREW SC NEWS, NOTES
• Crew mediocre at best right now
• Difference between this year and last at same point in season
• US Open Cup match, win vs. Richmond Kickers
• 20:00 - Berhalter audio
• "sounds like a limp fish"
• "Fallout with MLS structure"
• David talks about best looking soccer in MLS history, in Columbus!
• Berhalter wearing two hats, too much?
• Depth of roster a problem
• Kristinn Steindórsson a bust (?)
• Crew SC looked great in midfield in USOC v. Richmond
• David asks if we would rather reach for results over style
• Trapp update, no reserve team here hurts
• Do fans in Columbus respond to results??
• No bid for a home USOC match
• 96-er gives quick and succinct comment on yellow kits
37:10 GENERAL DISCUSSION
• ESPN FC player poll: Promotion / Relegation, and more!
• League administration comments
• "you want the reward and understand failure"
• Having a huge say in MLS for a low buy in price
• Advanced Nation ?
• Couple clear signs of a "elite" league
52:00 QUICK HIT
• Don't send some guy 20 bucks just because he asks you...
• Rick likes Anthony Bourdain
• Sepp Blatter not going away
• Why the delay in the election
• We are the corrupt federation
• World Cup in the US? funny
• FIFA guys cashing out, long game is the wrong game
LET ME SEE YOUR WAR FACE
Thursday, June 18, 2015
This Over a Thousand Others
You can't call this payback for the result back in 2011 up at Crew Stadium. That was a different team and, what's turning out to be, a different universe.
Adam Bedell, a college pick out of the Detroit area last year, put away two memorable goals in this one. Huge night for him. For me though, it was the guys that painted COLUMBUS on a couple yellow bed sheets that I'll remember most. I fell in love with the US Open Cup the first year I stared following the Crew closely (analytically) back in 2010-11. It's the best soccer thing we have in this country. Hands down.
Not sure these guys know or believe that but I'll take their banner over a thousand banners in MLS stadiums across the country during regular season games.
Monday, June 15, 2015
Saturday, June 13, 2015
Yellow Traditions
Last week it was reported that Columbus Crew SC will be dropping the familiar yellow kit and replacing it with a "funky" take that incorporates the Columbus City flag in 2016.
Team outfits have long been sources of social media conversation and changing them up year to year usually gains a headline or two from the local press. Keeping things fresh can also drum up a few extra sales each time a change is made. In recent years Major League Soccer has a more organized release event called "Jersey Week" that occurs shortly before the start of the season where players walk out on the stage sporting the latest wares.
It's difficult to pin down where events like "Jersey Week" started. For MLS it's more a get together than anything. The first place I started noticing it becoming a thing was in the Premier League sometime over the last ten years. We see it everywhere now though. Here in the USA we have a more traditional take on uniforms that no doubt comes from our 150 year long bizarre love for all things college athletics. They might have a new alternate thrown in there but, for the most part, stick to the traditions.
I'm old enough to remember when the NFL and NBA were considered dirty and didn't have the TV ratings that college sports or annual events like the Olympics. I've never really thought about it until recently when I started collecting up the odd old Sports Illustrated or newspaper at flee markets or thrift stores. When I say old, I mean I'm looking for stuff pre-1960. The post War stuff is the good stuff. I'll read them cover to cover, I love it. It can be as frightening as it is exciting because my view of sports post-WWII has been nearly turned on it's head across the board.
Besides pro team sports (outside of baseball) being seen as mostly a side show, I was surprised at how much coverage women in sport got. I recently picked up a couple issues of Sports Illustrated from 1954 (their 1st year) and was stunned at the diversity of coverage. Certainly not what popular culture has taught us. There is also a refreshing amount of coverage of international sport along side the pieces on hunting, archery and horse racing. When did this all end? I'm not sure. I'm sort of stuck in the era right now in my little sports writing history trip. I can say that I have a couple issues from the mid-80s that are cringe worthy in their treatment of pop culture, including women (especially in ads, something that was not there in the post war issues I have).
Through the ebb and flow of history I notice that there are a precious few certain things that don't change and topping that list is college uniforms. It's mostly driven by the gridiron but I see it in basketball as well. Necessity or purposeful, the suckers just haven't changed much at most schools. I guess when you consider the marching band, military slant on college sports it starts making some more sense and much like the military - Major League Baseball, National Football League, National Basketball Association and the National Hockey League all mostly stick to decades long traditions with uniforms.
Soccer has an evolution completely different. Even though there is a rich history of the sport in the USA it doesn't share the collegiate based history that most of the pro sports springboard off of. Soccer is the world's game, as they say, and the US is just part.
In taking on the sport in one pro form or another over the years, organizers have walked the tightrope of joining the world party and sticking to long standing traditions in the United States. Most of the time with soccer we lose our balance and fall in comical ways. Look at the pro league structure, our college structure and our youth structure (on second though, don't look there). In fact, it's a mess on top of the mess that is our (hopefully illegal soon) competitive structure we use for basketball and on the gridiron.
With soccer we pick things from the rest of the world here and there. Sort of like picking fruit from a tree but instead of skipping over the rotten we stubbornly only pick ONE type of fruit despite the quality, happily chomping down on worms and bird poop before trying anything remotely close un-American.
But there is something we do get right on the American Fruit Tree and that is uniform traditions with our sports. There are precious few countries in the world that can say this. It may seem somewhat superficial but it provides a sense of continuity, stability, comfort and place.
DOWN GOES YELLOW
I might not like it but of course I don't mind if Crew SC has sponsor on the front of their jersey or even switching up colors if they so please. What I do mind is if Anthony Precourt and co. are ignorant to traditions in a league that have so precious few.
Early this week, after the news broke about the yellow jersey getting dumped, Anthony Precourt jumped on twitter to address the rumors and didn't not seem aware that the yellow kit had seen a streak of 17 years straight and mis-identified the issues of just fans fearing change. Like a "who moved my cheese" problem that was just fans being fans.
It's true that the yellow kit has been worn by Columbus for 17 years straight as was the black kit was on a 16 year run before it was broken back in 2012 (nobody seemed to mind that one).
They yellow leaving stings more, I think, because there was some unbroken continuity there based upon... tradition! The Anglican Catholic in me would like something - anything - to continue on in MLS but I realize this is a league that continuously demonstrates that they don't have that maturity, sense of history or long view in mind.
Of course change is part of life, look in the mirror - but unnecessary change is the enemy of progress.
Team outfits have long been sources of social media conversation and changing them up year to year usually gains a headline or two from the local press. Keeping things fresh can also drum up a few extra sales each time a change is made. In recent years Major League Soccer has a more organized release event called "Jersey Week" that occurs shortly before the start of the season where players walk out on the stage sporting the latest wares.
It's difficult to pin down where events like "Jersey Week" started. For MLS it's more a get together than anything. The first place I started noticing it becoming a thing was in the Premier League sometime over the last ten years. We see it everywhere now though. Here in the USA we have a more traditional take on uniforms that no doubt comes from our 150 year long bizarre love for all things college athletics. They might have a new alternate thrown in there but, for the most part, stick to the traditions.
I'm old enough to remember when the NFL and NBA were considered dirty and didn't have the TV ratings that college sports or annual events like the Olympics. I've never really thought about it until recently when I started collecting up the odd old Sports Illustrated or newspaper at flee markets or thrift stores. When I say old, I mean I'm looking for stuff pre-1960. The post War stuff is the good stuff. I'll read them cover to cover, I love it. It can be as frightening as it is exciting because my view of sports post-WWII has been nearly turned on it's head across the board.
Through the ebb and flow of history I notice that there are a precious few certain things that don't change and topping that list is college uniforms. It's mostly driven by the gridiron but I see it in basketball as well. Necessity or purposeful, the suckers just haven't changed much at most schools. I guess when you consider the marching band, military slant on college sports it starts making some more sense and much like the military - Major League Baseball, National Football League, National Basketball Association and the National Hockey League all mostly stick to decades long traditions with uniforms.
Soccer has an evolution completely different. Even though there is a rich history of the sport in the USA it doesn't share the collegiate based history that most of the pro sports springboard off of. Soccer is the world's game, as they say, and the US is just part.
In taking on the sport in one pro form or another over the years, organizers have walked the tightrope of joining the world party and sticking to long standing traditions in the United States. Most of the time with soccer we lose our balance and fall in comical ways. Look at the pro league structure, our college structure and our youth structure (on second though, don't look there). In fact, it's a mess on top of the mess that is our (hopefully illegal soon) competitive structure we use for basketball and on the gridiron.
With soccer we pick things from the rest of the world here and there. Sort of like picking fruit from a tree but instead of skipping over the rotten we stubbornly only pick ONE type of fruit despite the quality, happily chomping down on worms and bird poop before trying anything remotely close un-American.
But there is something we do get right on the American Fruit Tree and that is uniform traditions with our sports. There are precious few countries in the world that can say this. It may seem somewhat superficial but it provides a sense of continuity, stability, comfort and place.
DOWN GOES YELLOW
I might not like it but of course I don't mind if Crew SC has sponsor on the front of their jersey or even switching up colors if they so please. What I do mind is if Anthony Precourt and co. are ignorant to traditions in a league that have so precious few.
Early this week, after the news broke about the yellow jersey getting dumped, Anthony Precourt jumped on twitter to address the rumors and didn't not seem aware that the yellow kit had seen a streak of 17 years straight and mis-identified the issues of just fans fearing change. Like a "who moved my cheese" problem that was just fans being fans.
It's true that the yellow kit has been worn by Columbus for 17 years straight as was the black kit was on a 16 year run before it was broken back in 2012 (nobody seemed to mind that one).
They yellow leaving stings more, I think, because there was some unbroken continuity there based upon... tradition! The Anglican Catholic in me would like something - anything - to continue on in MLS but I realize this is a league that continuously demonstrates that they don't have that maturity, sense of history or long view in mind.
Of course change is part of life, look in the mirror - but unnecessary change is the enemy of progress.
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Going Nowhere?
A lot of big things were promised after Anthony Precourt became operator / investor of the Ohio Major League Soccer team. Not least of which was selling the fan base on the progressive leaning, internationally experienced, Gregg Berhalter. Not only was Berhalter brought in as a manager but also charged with the duties of Sporting Director. Quite a bit to chew on.
Hard to believe but we are a year in a half in now and outside of some progressive thinking in the possession and passing departments (slight over simplification, but...), Crew SC are by and large in the same spot they have been for the past five years (or since I started following the team), if not worse.
In the year and a half since Berhalter took over we've seen the worst 20 game run since 2007, 2nd worse 10 game run and, most recently, tied for the 2nd worst 5 game stretch of form (0.40 PPG). Another couple poor results puts this team in Robert Warzycha just signed a new deal territory back in 2011 (dark days).
My long view graph might be a little over kill but the team under Berhalter has basically gone like this;
- Great Start!
- Worst run in modern Crew history
- Impressive run
- Mediocre
- Not looking good...
[The last act has his highest profile signing complaining on Facebook]
On the competitive side the inconsistency of the results runs contrary to the level headed analytic and metric based approach fans were sold on when Anthony Precourt took over the team. Patience was asked of Crew SC fans last year when they suffered through a one win in sixteen game stretch - while on the marketing side, Columbus fans were sold on a re-brand (of sorts) that was meant to re-energize an aging "blue collar" image the original Hunt Sports Group created.
Is any of this working? Do regular season results like this matter in a league like MLS? Do league rules also cripple the development of young coaches? Or are we too distracted by today's news on kit colors to care.
Sunday, June 7, 2015
Podcast: Red Cards in Helltown: Season 2, Episode 7
Another hour has come and gone. Here has how we spent it. Host Rick Gethin and analyst Larry Johnson go through the latest and greatest in the world of soccer sport, from FIFA-Great to Crew SC struggles. (source image for podcast artwork: Eli Hiller, for the Columbus Dispatch)
01:35 - HEADLINES
• FIFA corruption, DOJ indictment
• Audio: Loretta E. Lynch, 83rd Attorney General of the US
• Aaron Davidson, NASL connection
• Sports Marketing Companies in crosshairs: SUM and Traffic
• Sepp Blatter addicted to the power
• Rick Gethin's Special Report! From Zürich!
• Chuck Blazer, the corruption is here in USA
• Impact to MLS. Slows momentum
19:25 - COLUMBUS CREW SC NEWS, NOTES
• Crew stagnating recently
• Clearing the air on Hernán Grana, personal opinion
• Recapping recent results
• Cliché's are coming out!
• Discussion on the Crew midfield, Finlay
• Overcoming loss of key starters
• Evaluation time last year
• Berhalter so locked into approach
• Is Berhalter losing the room?
• "you can feel it" - Rick
• Upcoming matches
• Need to address reserve / affiliate situation
39:35 WOMEN'S WORLD CUP
• Kicked off this weekend
• Canada wins opener
• Women's 1999 final still holds highest TV rating
• Upcoming matches
• FiveThirtyEight.com Preview [link]
• Interest Poll, Women's Soccer (SBJ)
51:25 - QUICK HIT, WRAP UP
• Barcelona wins UEFA Champions League over Juventus
• Living in Barca's world
• Beauty of good, intelligent teams playing
• Transfer rumors, NYCFC... belongs in old NASL. Hurt MLS mission?
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
Simple Thoughts, Words and Actions
A thank you note, and a challenge.
Dear reader, soccer fans, all,
I would like to thank each and every one of you who have written about, taken action in regards to and engaged in careful contemplation of the corruption within our beautiful sport.
The last few days have seen what we all hope is the beginning of change within the marble walls adorned with opulent trappings that the leaders of our chosen leisure-time passion call an office. From those who have chronicled the abuse of power, to those who diligently followed the trail of illicit money, we have finally been made painfully aware of the cancer which has spread across the globe and throughout our game.
To be sure, this cancer is not alone in soccer, or futbol. This is a cancer which has dogged humankind since before recorded history. Greed, lust and human frailty continue to gaze through hungry eyes in almost all of our chosen endeavors. We battle each and every day to keep ourselves on a thoughtful, meaningful path.
The sport we love, curious, mercurial and thoughtful, will undoubtedly be better after the veil-lifting currently taking place. Sepp Blatter stepping down is a good step, but a tiny step. Tiny because the cancer which spread for so long produced a horrible open wound upon our passion.
And this leads to the challenge I mentioned above. Carefully contemplative soccer fans must reject Qatar as host of the 2022 World Cup.
I will not attend, watch or give any positive light to the abomination that is Qatar 2022. To do so would be to wallow in and find enjoyment from the spilling of the blood of hundreds of our fellow human beings. All so that we might enjoy a few moments of relief from our daily lives.
To sit in one of the stadiums being built in Qatar is to sit in puddles of blood sponsored by corporations, a country run by people stuck in the middle ages and, sadly, you and I. We are the beautiful game. We must take some responsibility for allowing the cancer to spread to the point that hundreds of healthy young men have toiled without human love in conditions horrific enough that their very hearts have burst within their strong chests.
I will not condone this barbaric practice of forced slavery by a people who possess so much of the world's wealth.
I challenge all of you to join me in stating, unequivocally, that you will not attend, watch or have anything to do with Qatar 2022 and the companies which are sponsoring the dark ages social and cultural practices responsible for so many deaths, wives losing husbands, parents losing children and children losing fathers.
Yours in the beautiful game,
David Burgin
Dear reader, soccer fans, all,
I would like to thank each and every one of you who have written about, taken action in regards to and engaged in careful contemplation of the corruption within our beautiful sport.
The last few days have seen what we all hope is the beginning of change within the marble walls adorned with opulent trappings that the leaders of our chosen leisure-time passion call an office. From those who have chronicled the abuse of power, to those who diligently followed the trail of illicit money, we have finally been made painfully aware of the cancer which has spread across the globe and throughout our game.
To be sure, this cancer is not alone in soccer, or futbol. This is a cancer which has dogged humankind since before recorded history. Greed, lust and human frailty continue to gaze through hungry eyes in almost all of our chosen endeavors. We battle each and every day to keep ourselves on a thoughtful, meaningful path.
The sport we love, curious, mercurial and thoughtful, will undoubtedly be better after the veil-lifting currently taking place. Sepp Blatter stepping down is a good step, but a tiny step. Tiny because the cancer which spread for so long produced a horrible open wound upon our passion.
And this leads to the challenge I mentioned above. Carefully contemplative soccer fans must reject Qatar as host of the 2022 World Cup.
I will not attend, watch or give any positive light to the abomination that is Qatar 2022. To do so would be to wallow in and find enjoyment from the spilling of the blood of hundreds of our fellow human beings. All so that we might enjoy a few moments of relief from our daily lives.
To sit in one of the stadiums being built in Qatar is to sit in puddles of blood sponsored by corporations, a country run by people stuck in the middle ages and, sadly, you and I. We are the beautiful game. We must take some responsibility for allowing the cancer to spread to the point that hundreds of healthy young men have toiled without human love in conditions horrific enough that their very hearts have burst within their strong chests.
I will not condone this barbaric practice of forced slavery by a people who possess so much of the world's wealth.
I challenge all of you to join me in stating, unequivocally, that you will not attend, watch or have anything to do with Qatar 2022 and the companies which are sponsoring the dark ages social and cultural practices responsible for so many deaths, wives losing husbands, parents losing children and children losing fathers.
Yours in the beautiful game,
David Burgin
Tuesday, June 2, 2015
For the Game. For the World.
Sepp Blatter, President of FIFA, announced that he will be stepping down. More to come on this for sure so I'll hold off on giving my thoughts until the FBI releases a few more things later this week. Many changes ahead.
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