First, I want to thank everyone who has checked out and plugged the blog so far. Gameday MLS is dedicated to far too much coffee and my many hours spent on bigsoccer.com.
Soccer has always been a huge part of my life, but after tearing my ACL it hit me I wasn't going pro as I had dreamed (well, that and the fact that my college career lasted a season)
Luckily, writing is what I now do for a living and this blog gives me an excuse to stay close to the game. Im pretty busy during the week, but I will update here as often as possible and listed below are a few items to expect in the coming weeks:
Upcoming features:
1. Chicago firing on all cylinders (an interview with Luis Arroyo)- I talk with sports writer and blogger Luis Arroyo for his take on the new owners, designated player rules and all things Blanco in the windy city.
2. On the field: Joe Vide heads west- For all the NYRB fans out there, I speak with newly departed defensive midfielder Joe Vide about his time with RBNY, what it was like to play alongside Claudio Reyna (for about 20 minutes) and his expectations with the San Jose Earthquakes.
3. From the stands: Chicago- In this new segment, fans respond to campaign to brand Seattle MLS. Will the Sounders remain the face of Seattle soccer? Long time Seattle sports journalist Jose Romero weighs in with his thoughts.
Comment responses:
Comments #1-3: Apologies for the errors. I was a big Ruckus fan in the late 1990s and I suppose Ive had trouble moving on. In all seriousness, this story was written on the road and I will make a greater effort to comb over my stories before posting.
For the record, I think Hanauer is committed to preserving tradition. I can understand how the Sounders brand may be associated with minor league soccer, but the right marketing can fix that. If fans in my neck of the woods (central Florida), then it cant be that minor.
Ultimatley, the key is speaking up and often. If enough fans voice their concerns and vote “Sounders” on the website, the name will stick.
Steve,
Thanks for your comments on the site.
I was really impressed by the Fire in their second leg against NE. As opposed to my Red Bulls, who played ugly long ball after going behind, the fire stayed composed throughout and definitely had the better of the match.
I hear NYRB has been sniffing around for Osorio, but If he stays the beautiful game is safe in the windy city. As for Seattle’s situation, the team has been granted territorial rights for all Sounders players. For those who are not called up to MLS, word is the USL team may stay together and head for another market.
Anyway, check out my next piece on Chicago—up next week—and I hope you keep tuning in!
Deep thoughts topic of the week: World Cup Qualifying- who will lead our team?
After this week's WC draw, we finally know our opponents for WCQ (either Dominica or Barbados) While these names do not exactly strike fear in to the heart of US fans, a sterner test could lie in a group Guatemala and Trinidad should the first round go as expected.
Reading over the underwhelming responses to this draw, it seems qualification is now assumed a formality for our team. Andrew Wiebe of the Daily Kansasian writes
"For regional royalty like the U.S., the gap in competition and a charitable draw makes qualification straightforward. Play to its potential and qualify easily. Play to the level of its opponents and qualify slightly less easily. By virtue of superior talent and depth, the U.S. has qualified for five straight World Cups and seems sure to make it six."
As someone who watched the US struggle mightily in qualification over the years, I am proud to say we are deeper and stronger than ever before. By the same token, one failing of the first year of the Bob Bradley era was the failure to identify a captain.
Without clear leadership to mold our young players (Landon it aint), I wonder how our young players react to horns honking all night outside of their hotel in Guatemala city or dodging bags of urine in Azteca. My point is we need a strong personality in the locker-room to get these players fired up and ready to play.
My pick would be (drum roll please): Carlos Bocanega.
After learning his trade in MLS, Big Los now squares off every week against the best attackers in the premiership. For me, any player who has hacked down Michael Owen has the guile and experience to marshal a backline against Carlos Ruiz and Co.
A vocal and commanding presence at the back, Bocanegra has emerged as a mainstay in the US lineup and locker room. On a team of emerging talents, his up front style and commanding presence at the back will be a key cog both on and off the field.
Got that Bob? Make it official!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Thanks for the response, Chris. I hope some of the better players on Seattle's current team make the cut with the MLS team so that the fans can feel the connection between the two entities.
We'll be looking forward to your interview with Luis Arroyave. For years, the Tribune here in Chicago treated soccer as nothing more than the butt of nil-nil jokes, but they finally saw the way the winds were blowing and brought Luis on full time. He's been a very welcome addition to the staff. I think he recognizes what a great job he's got, too, which adds to his appeal.
I like your choice for US captain. When you look at the talent, experience, and persona (on and off the pitch), Carlos is your man. He was great during his Fire years, but we both agree that his premiership tenure has been the key to his commanding presence.
Post a Comment