Category Archives: Soccer Culture

#TBT to May 2014: #PerfectPoboy

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What is sports without food? Hell, what is life without delicious snacks, meals, ice creams, meats, cheeses, sauces, tortilla chips, desserts and more? For me, sports and food have always gone hand in hand. I typically prepare a nice feast on FC Dallas match days. Sometimes I’ll go with popular Texas fare like BBQ, Mexican or Cajun, other times I enjoy making popular dishes from the region of FCD’s opponent that week. For example, I’ll make some poutine when we’re in Vancouver, fish tacos vs. the Cali teams, bison burgers vs. Colorado, and so on.

Anyway, back in May of 2014 I made a #PerfectPoboy and live Tweeted the construction of the sandwich. It’s been long enough and it was a useful exercise so I am re-posting all of that content here. Sandwiches are interesting within the culinary world. There is so much room for error when creating a universally desirable product – this goes without saying because we see countless restaurants and quick service companies royally botch the sandwich on a daily basis. I get it, food can be tough, and some of the best dishes require a talented and experienced chef to pull off, but sandwiches are not hard. They just require some effort and care. More than talent and culinary know-how, the two most important factors when delivering a fabulous sandwich are (1) fresh, quality ingredients and (2) thoughtful and balanced construction. Find the Tweets in order below:

poboy-pic-1poboy-pic-2poboy-pic-3poboy-pic-4poboy-pic-5poboy-pic-6

An idea: The Eastside Aztex

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A fascinating aspect of soccer, one that distinguishes the soccer culture from that of other professional sports, is the role of supporters groups (sometimes referred to as SGs). I haven’t read a handbook or researched the history of supporters groups, but having watched countless hours of soccer in the last five years, I am starting to learn a bit about them. Long established European clubs like Liverpool and Real Madrid have dozens of local supporters groups and hundreds worldwide. FC Dallas officially recognizes five SGs on their website. Every supporters’ group is unique in its own way, but most SGs are alike in that members are legitimate diehard fans and there is a very real group wide obligation to support the club as intensely as possible. Supporters’ groups are known for organized marches to the stadium before a match, evocative tifo displays during the procession, and smoke-bombs, drums, flags and flares during the match itself. SGs own their section in the stadium, they literally purchase all of the tickets, so the only way to sit in an SG section is to become a member of that SG. It is common for supporters’ groups to establish a presence behind goal and celebrate with players after a score… or throw stuff at the opposition when taking a corner.

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I have always been intrigued by the supporters’ culture in soccer, but despite my love for FC Dallas, SGs have never been for me. To be a valued member of a real SG one must pay dues, attend matches at all personal and financial costs, and commit a ton of personal time to SG activities beyond the games (those tifos don’t paint themselves!) – none of these are things I am willing to commit to. That being said, I do enjoy attending a live soccer match with friends sandwiched by trips to the pub. So as a casual Austin Aztex fan, I’ve come up with an idea for a new supporters group, one that just might fit my style.

Soccer Therapy proudly presents
The Eastside Aztex: an unofficial and unorthodox SG

WHO ARE THE EASTSIDE AZTEX?
In one sense, mine will be just like every other supporters group out there. My SG will consist of members uniting for the sake of a soccer club and it will then be defined by those members’ values and actions. We will also have our very own section! – sort of. On the other hand, Eastside Aztex will differ from traditional SGs in that we will not be committed to attending every match or staying for the entire 90 of those that we do attend. Like I said, this is a group for the casual supporter. Many SGs live by a code of Community, Club and Country, but my “three Cs” would be more like Casual, Cheap and Convenient. I am sure any genuine Ultra out there reading this would be scoffing, but clearly, I was not cut from the same cloth as a traditional Ultra. For a look at the current supporters group scene in ATX, scroll way down to the bottom of this post and check out the graphic with Amplifier Austin and Eberly’s Army (featured in the image below: the group with the flag).

EberlyThe Aztex are not my favorite club, but they are Austin’s club and Austin is my favorite city. I like the Aztex, I really like soccer, and I love a good time with friends on a great Austin night. This group is just as much about rallying people together around a scheduled event as it is about soccer or supporting the club. As such, if/when it is officially founded, it will lack organization and continuity. Maybe one day we will make some shirts and get a group of 20 out to a game. And if I can get 20 Eastside Aztex out for a match, that’ll warrant a custom commemorative scarf, but that’s a long way off.

THE NAME
The idea behind the name is simple. At House Park, the Aztex’ home venue, fans situate themselves in the west stands, taking up most of the good seats on that side of the stadium. The east stands are more open and my experience is that it’s easier to get a front row, center of the pitch seat there rather than squeezing in with the home fans on the west side. Our priorities are far different from most SGs, which relentlessly support their clubs with jumping, screaming and singing for 90 minutes straight. Our goals are to get people out to the match, watch some live soccer and, most of all, enjoy ourselves. When we sat in the east stands at previous matches, it was more than a onetime decision, it was a representation of who we are. We like easy, comfortable, good viewing, but sitting amongst the home crowd means little to us. Plus, Eastside Aztex has a nice little ring to it.

Below, I’ve begun drafting a constitution. I know, the word constitution in itself contradicts the supposed casual nature of this SG, but it’s mostly just a title I am putting on a list of things that need to be written down.

Constitution

Membership Details: Attend one Aztex game in which you drink all of three Steins at the Tavern: (1)prior to first kick, (2)at halftime, (3)a night cap after the match. This process, once honestly completed, earns a lifetime membership. It is roughly a $30-$40 investment and a really fun two hours.
***The only exception to this rule is a brilliant opening 45’ in a significant match such as a US Open Cup tie or a late season top of the table showdown. In that event, if you don’t want to jeopardize missing some of the action with a halftime trip to the Tavern, then we understand. Your membership will still be valid if you enjoy a beer by some other means – shotgun in the parking lot, a beer from the vendors, or take in a second night cap over at the Tavern etc.***

  • Goal #1: Have fun
  • Goal #2: Build membership numbers by getting people out for a match. This goal serves two purposes: (1)We will do our part to help the Aztex become become more relevant to the city of Austin and assist their upward movement in the United States Soccer Pyramid. Getting people out to games helps their cause with a few extra ticket sales and improves the drab atmosphere of their matches. (2)The larger our group grows, the easier it will be to reach our first goal – to have a good time.
  • Goal #3: Gameday plans will be easy, flexible and cheap – remember the “Three Cs.” If you prefer to sneak in a flask or shotgun a beer in the parking lot to save a buck, you will not be judged. If it is better for you to show up 20 minutes late or leave 20 minutes early, we understand, and thanks for making it out to the game.
  • Dues: none beyond paying for your tickets and beer, no commitments – financial or any other sort
  • Responsibilities: Demonstrate a willingness to embrace the local club and support them by attending a match and occasionally mentioning our group to your friends, coworkers, or through social media (as rare as you want it to be, and never forced or salesy).
  • Being an Eastside Aztec should never feel like a burden. There are no true, tangible commitments. If you can make a game, great. If you pick up an Aztex shirt or just wear some blue out to the match, great. If not, we really don’t care – perhaps that can be our motto going forward > The Eastside Aztex: We just don’t care.

Mark your Calendars!
The complete Aztex 2015 home schedule is posted below. For a look at Austin’s marquee home matches this year, check out Soccer Therapy’s 2015 Calendar and see when you’d like to officially become an Eastside Aztec.

ATX home schedThe current supporters scene in ATX is described in the graphic below. I scanned this out of the program for the ATX Pro Challenge tournament that was played in February. I’ve become quite familiar with Eberly’s Army, but know little about Amplifier Austin. From what I can tell, they are a new SG, but will have an impressive presence at House Park this season – I can certainly say that the Eastside Aztex believe in the Amplifier mission. As for a third SG in Austin currently? Well, I certainly hope someone else is closer to establishing one than I am with this blog post (but I am borderline serious with all of this). Cheers, and I hope to see some readers out at House Park in 2015.

ATX Sgs

Reliving the ATX Pro Challenge

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Anyone who follows this blog knows how excited I was to see Major League Soccer (and my favorite club FC Dallas) visit my hometown for this event. Now that it has passed, I feel obligated to put something up on the blog so it can live in our (digital) memories forever. Below, you will find a recap of the action with some other talking points from the weekend. At the end, I’ve included a short photo album. Austinites really showed up to watch some soccer and proved that, even if we are not #MLSready, we are most certainly USL ready.

FC Dallas v. Columbus Crew (2/13/2015)

A gorgeous Austin sunset and some brilliant weather (50-70 degrees and clear all night) set the scene as FCD and Crew SC kicked off the inaugural ATX Pro Challenge at 5:45pm. A lackluster crowd was on hand to start the evening, but Dallas’ supporters traveled well, showing up in impressive numbers to support their club from start to finish.

FIRST HALF
Both clubs fielded strong XIs but the first half looked like the early preseason action that it was: inconsistent passing and mistakes aplenty in the final third. Columbus did put together some legitimate scoring chances, including a one on one between new Crew attacking man Kei Kamara and FCD ‘keeper Chris Seitz. Kamara made a nice effort at goal (from my poor point of view anyway) but Seitz and the woodwork each got a piece of the ball and Dallas maintained their first half clean sheet. A mostly forgettable first half ended in a flurry as FCD bagged three goals in the final 16 minutes. Promising young midfielder Ryan Hollingshead assisted FCD Talisman Blas Perez in the 29th minute before bagging a brace with goals of his own in the 38th and 44th minutes. Perez’ opener delighted fans as he took the pass from Hollingshead in a tight space just outside the box, gave a quick touch with his left, and then half volleyed it past the ‘keeper with his right all in the blink of an eye. Hollingshead’s brace was a pair of tap in rebounds, but his performance on the night should not be discounted as he was all over the place.

The halftime band was AWESOME. A different band for the Sunday match was equally awesome. After all, Austin is the Live Music Capital of the World.

SECOND HALF
A drab and uninspired second half was filled with sloppy play. Dallas created some nice chances early on, but Columbus controlled the run of play and got one back in the 65th minute to make for a final score of 3-1. For highlights of the match (especially the classy Blas finish), click here.

Austin Aztex v. DC United (2/13/2015)

A great crowd (estimated at 6,000) was on hand for this one as Eberly’s Army came out in full force after an all day tailgate. After a classy march to the match and an impressive tifo display, the ATX supporters’ group stole the show, engaging the crowd and creating an exciting soccer atmosphere (relatively speaking, remember this is still third division soccer in a football, baseball and basketball country).

FIRST HALF
Admittedly, I am Dallas ‘till I die, not Aztex ‘till I die, so we left at halftime for this one. Fortunately, I didn’t miss a single goal on the evening, witnessing each of United’s goals in their 2-0 win over Austin. Austin was without the bulk of their attacking players (missing four forwards!) and it showed on the pitch. The players they did start up top were midfielders and they did very little in the final third as a result – plus, ATX was outmatched to begin with. The Aztex did put one in the back of the net at one point but it was called back for offside. While the defending was poor on the play(more like nonexistent), Miguel Aguilar’s 9th minute blast stood out as the most visually spectacular moment on Friday night. Our group left for the bars at halftime of this match, but we didn’t miss much as the second half turned out goal-less. Here is a look at the highlights, including the highlight of the night by Miguel Aguilar.

Championship Sunday
FC Dallas v. DC United

Again, I am a casual Aztex fan, so I skipped out on the third place match and showed up for the final: The battle for the famous armadillo trophy and a clash between two strong sides heading into MLS 2015. The weather was a step down from Friday, but given that forecasts called for a 100% chance of rain, we gladly settled for an overcast, but dry afternoon.

FIRST HALF
FC Dallas fielded a strong lineup (other than a backup forward – Texiera relieved Blas Perez up top) and was impressive for the first 45’. Dallas saw more of the ball than DC, connecting on most of their passes and playing the possession style soccer Coach Oscar Pareja prefers. While the Hoops created solid chances, they did not manage a goal, and that would cost them in the end.

SECOND HALF
Both clubs came out flat but it was FC Dallas that never quite found their groove in the second ’45. A Chris Rolfe strike in the 54th minute from outside the box was a worthy tournament winner for United. Check out the highlight here, it’s an absolutely gorgeous goal, if you’re into that kind of thing. FC Dallas made a solid push for the equalizer over the last 20 minutes behind the relentless support of their brilliant traveling fans. Despite these rowdy efforts (most notably those of  FCD Supporters’ Groups The Beer Guardians and El Matador) their boys came up short in the end, falling 1-0 to DC. A couple of orange clad Houston Dynamo fans stole the show in the stands, perfectly positioning themselves one section over from the Dallas Supporters’ and engaging them in some friendly(ish) banter. The back and forth was fun as the Dynamo duo succeeded in their scoreboard taunting of the frustrated FCD supporters, who in turn reminded the duo that Dallas had won four straight over their beloved Dynamo (a streak that has included some rather enjoyable moments – WATCH THIS!).

This was only a preseason tourney, but FC Dallas and their fan base are starving for any silverware they can get, and that armadillo trophy is simply a world class piece of silverware. Lord knows, DC United have no room for preseason silverware in their ridiculously stuffed trophy case. However, as any weathered sports fan knows, preseason action is truly meaningless, and we Dallas folks will get over it sooner than later.

PHOTO ALBUM
Scroll down to view my ATX Pro Challenge Photo Album. It starts with a series of my own shabby iPhone photos. It concludes with the four finest images I gathered through various media covering the event. To be clear, the four good ones at the bottom are not my photos, I did not take them.

tix

Free tickets!

nice pitch

A nice look at a quality pitch as the boys make way to our seats

ATX sunset1

A classic ATX sunset distracts from first half action

tifo

Eberly’s Army and a glimpse of their tifo display

natl anthem semi2

Nat’l Anthem before the hometown club takes the pitch

hamid

USMNT ‘keeper Bill Hamid doing work

kick off final match

FC Dallas all lined up for the Championship match

HT

A line to use the restroom at a SOCCER match?! ATX is definitely #MLSready

cap train pic

DC United’s Thursday training session marks the official start of the ATX Pro Challenge

eberly

A great shot of Eberly’s Army by the Austin American-Statesman

cap live game

Live action from the 3rd place match. Crew SC downed Austin Aztex 1-0

trophy

In its inaugural appearance, the Armadillo Trophy became instantly famous.

For the Record…

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Sir Darke

Legendary Soccer Commentator Sir Ian Darke

I’ve always been torn on whether or not I should use “soccer language” when discussing the Beautiful Game. Silly thought maybe, why not use the language of the game to describe the game itself? But in North America we have our own brand of sports language which conflicts with soccer sayings from across the pond. Americans call athletic shoes cleats, but Brits refer to soccer footwear as boots. I have always referred to a playing surface as a field, but in soccer (or “footy” as some say) it is the pitch. The list of little differences in sports language when comparing American English with England’s is endless:

USA Version = English Version
Cleats = Boots
Field = Pitch
Sideline = Touchline
Doctor = Physio
Coach = Manager
Team/Franchise = Club
Fans = Supporters
Speed = Pace
Mental Toughness/Bravery = Bottle
Amazing/Incredible = Brilliant

Okay, that last one was a half joke. The point of this column is that I am especially torn when it comes to the grammar I should use when discussing teams (clubs). In American sports, teams are often referred to in the singular form, for example:

“FC Dallas is a really classy club.”

But in footy language, soccer clubs are referred to in the plural.

“FC Dallas are a really classy club”

My concern is that I would hate for a friend, colleague, potential employer etc. to read this blog and think it is filled with grammatical errors. That is why I am writing this column, because from here on out I will be saying “FC Dallas are a classy club” – just as the rest of the soccer world would. And hopefully, for those who come across this blog and aren’t entirely familiar with the language of the game, they will see this post before coming to any conclusions. Despite my new found commitment to using the language of the game, I will still use the word soccer and reserve the word football for the American version.

TheMLS

While on the subject, I’d like to add that saying “the MLS” is becoming a real problem. It is Major. League. Soccer. Unless your are referring to the MLS Draft or the MLS Cup, it’s just MLS, no the is necessary, unless you want to say “The Major League Soccer is good. I really like the Major League Soccer “

Like I said, the list is truly endless:
game = fixture
standings = table
tie = draw
skill = quality
playing well = good run of form
appearance = cap

Soccer Therapy 9/17/2014 – UEFA Champions League thoughts

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UCL logoAlright Boys, time for a little therapy sesh!

It’s been awhile: FC Dallas’ PK loss in the Open Cup semifinal and the start of a new NFL season have taken the wind out of my “blog-sails.” But, with the greatest annual sporting competition on the planet back in action, I need to get some soccer thoughts off my chest, so to speak. Yes, I do believe the UEFA Champions League (UCL) is the single best sports competition played on an annual basis. Popular opinion seems to be that NCAA Basketball’s March Madness is the best tournament of the year. Sure, March Madness is hard to beat in terms of the big upsets and buzzer-beaters, but my criteria for “best sporting competition” goes beyond raw entertainment value. The games have to mean something, and frankly, I don’t care about the little academic institutions with 3,000 students and their basketball success. When a nation (or large region) rallies behind a massive soccer club engaging in world-class international competition, I think that “means something.” Some have said the NBA Playoffs, with its 40 games in 40 nights, is the best. Obviously, you can’t go wrong arguing that the NFL regular season and/or its 12-team playoff are the best competitions of the year. The NFL is still my favorite sport to consume personally, but from an objective standpoint, the UCL is the single greatest competition fans are treated to every year.

Every sports fan has experienced one of those moments when they said to themselves, “WOW, this sh*t is cool.” For me, some of those moments include Larry Allen making 300lb. men look like little girls, Hakeem’s Dream-Shake and fade-away, and little 150lb. Major Applewhite breaking nearly every Longhorn passing record in the book (at the time). In 2012, I experienced a Champions League “wow” moment that pops back into my head every time I get excited about the competition.

trioYesterday represented the start of UCL group-play, but today’s action has me thinking about an epic clash in the knockout stages of the 2011-2012 season. After winning their group, Arsenal were drawn against AC Milan, who finished their group in second, behind then dominant FC Barcelona (I just wanted to say Barca aren’t dominant anymore). With two super clubs and attacking talent like RVP and Zlatan, the stage was set for a fantastic round of 16 matchup. But in classic fashion, as only Arsenal can, they travelled to Milan, crashed, and then burned, eventually losing the first leg 4-0. The second leg was a brilliant match to watch. Arsenal came out on fire at the Emirates, playing some of the most entertaining soccer I’ve seen to this day, thrashing Milan for three first half goals. In the second half they huffed and puffed, but never quite blew the house down. Arsenal had multiple chances, but one that really stands out is an absolute sitter that RVP tried to get cute with rather than smashing it home. He might still be losing sleep over this one (below)

Arsenal FC v AC Milan - UEFA Champions League Round of 16Alas, the valiant effort came up short and Arsenal lost on aggregate 4-3. It was an incredible second leg that sticks out as one of my favorite UCL memories. Fortunately, the UCL is back for 2014-2015 and ready to create all kinds of memories! After 16 matches in 36 hours, we can look forward to another 80 group-play matches to be fought out between now and Christmas. Below is a quick look at how I see the group stage playing out, because you know, I have watched all 32 of these teams.

(Group winners in bold):

GROUP A: Juventus, Athletico Madrid
This is how I would have picked the group before yesterday, when Olimpiakos took all 3 points from Athleti in Greece.

GROUP B: Real Madrid, Liverpool
After Liverpool struggled with the Bulgarians at Anfield and the Blancos destroyed FC Basel yesterday, this group seems pretty easy to pick.

GROUP C: Benfica, Zenit St. Petersburg
With the other two teams in this group being Monaco and Bayer Leverkusen, this has to be the “Group of Life” and I therefore have no idea how to pick it.

GROUP D: Dortmund, Arsenal
This seems like an easy group to pick. But, it is always possible the Gunners find their way into Europa League action and let the likes of Anderlecht or Galatasaray through.

GROUP E: Roma, Bayern Munich
Why not Roma? While this is the “Group of Death”, Munich seem to have regressed under Pep and ManC haven’t convinced anyone they can win in Europe. Meanwhile, it seems like Roma has lots of quality and depth, giving them the ability to play strong squads against the big boys in this group. I am probably an idiot.

GROUP F: PSG, FC Barcelona
AJAX is also in this group and they managed to draw PSG in Amsterdam on match-day 1. But I think PSG will outplay FCB when the sides meet, 9/30 in Paris and 12/10 in Barcelona.

GROUP G: Chelsea, Schalke 04
Not much to say about this group. Chelsea are tourney favs and Schalke always do well in Europe.

GROUP H: Porto, Shakhtar Donetsk
-his group is boring.

2 Cool things about European Competition:
1) I did not pick 3rd place finishers, but I think it is an awesome and underrated part of European competition that 3rd place finishers in the UCL group stage are placed in the Europa League knockout rounds.

2) I also think it is cool that winners of the Europa League will qualify for the following season’s UCL starting in 2015-2016.

The European bookies I’ve looked at vary a little, but here is a list of odds to win for the big favs:

  • Real Madrid: 4-to-1
  • Bayern Munich: 4-to-1
  • FC Barcelona: 6-to-1
  • Chelsea: 7-to-1
  • Man City: 15-to-1
  • PSG: 15-to-1
  • Dortmund: 20-1
  • Athletico Madrid, Liverpool, Juve, Arsenal: 25-to-1 odds

I don’t see a club outside of the top four winning it. I would like to pick Real Madrid, but no team has ever won the UCL in back to back years. Before, when teams competed for the European Cup, multiple clubs achieved the feat, including Bayern Munich and Liverpool in the 70s and AC Milan in 1989 and 1990. So basically, it has happened before, but not in the last 25 years. I’ll just go ahead and pick Chelsea to bring home the silverware next June. I think those odds on Dortmund are a little off, at 20-1 to win it all on Bet365, they win my “Best Value Bet” award. I don’t have a rooting interest, but I’ll be hoping this season’s tourney doesn’t end in an all-German or all-Spanish final like we’ve seen the last two years. Either way, it will be played in Berlin, on June 6th, 2015.

UCL final location00If I think of any Americans playing for UCL clubs I may revisit this column. But for now, the only one that comes to mind is Sacha Kljestan, who plays for Belgian side Anderlecht and started in their impressive road draw yesterday in Istanbul. That place isn’t easy for any team, let alone an annual UCL punching bag. In fact, the home stadium of Galatasaray has been in a few documentaries and is a downright terrifying place. It’s safe to say they have a lot of supporters groups.

crazy turksThat is it for my mostly uninformed UCL preview. This season’s edition of the UEFA Champions League promises to provide fans with more of those “wow” moments and I’ll be trying to catch as many as I can. I haven’t been watching soccer long enough to have any fun traditions, but I am thinking a liquid lunch amongst soccer friends for UCL match-day one going forward would be a nice one to start.

Cheers, and good luck to your club.

The Original Email Thread

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Soccer Therapy 7/11/14: MLS is Here

MLS is not “here”.

But, “MLS is Here” is the name of a new 30 second spot promoting the league. A little over the top, but mostly just well done in my opinion. Worth 30 seconds if you are excited about soccer following the World Cup.

It’s marketing pieces like this that got me excited about watching the 2010 World Cup, which sparked my general fascination with The Beautiful Game year round. Here are the links, have a look

MLS 30 second vid:

http://www.mlssoccer.com/video/2014/07/10/mls-here

Here is a link to the ad that got me excited about the 2010 World Cup (and is somewhat responsible for my interest in the game today!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXlBSlyU8xY

Transfer update –

Alexis Sanchez: Barca > Arsenal

The Biter: Liverpool > Barca

Robinho: AC Milan > Orlando City SC*

LeBron James: Miami > Cleveland

*Far from official, but so was the Kaka to OCSC deal for a few weeks. The key is that Orlando is owned by one of the wealthiest Brazilians, he is filthy rich and apparently he is friends with a lot of big time Brazilian soccer players.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see OCSC make their 2nd designated player signing very soon. Xavi to NYCFC is also looking possible now.

Cheers,

CT

 

Soccer Therapy 7/8/14: USOC edition!

USOC graphic

 

Okay boys,

This soccer therapy, from a content standpoint, is my most selfish yet – so I am only sending it to my closest amigos and I’ll try to keep it brief. But, if even 1% of you is an FC Dallas fan, or at least would like to see the classy franchise win some silverware anytime soon, I suggest reading on and checking out the US Open bracket image I’ve attached.

It’s been a long road. A lot of qualifiers, a lot of games, and a few upsets have set the stage for the 2014 US Open Cup (USOC) quarterfinals. The field of 8 is set after five rounds of action including teams from all 4 tiers of pro soccer in the USA and a few amateur sides as well. You might be asking yourself, what is the US Open Cup? Fair question, and the tournament doesn’t exactly garner big time attention: ESPN.com doesn’t recognize its existence, its website is run by volunteers, and many MLS clubs use it as an opportunity to develop young players rather than win a trophy. If you are still reading, here are some of the reasons I am excited about FC Dallas’ current USOC run.

1 – The tournament has been around since 1914. It is the oldest existing competition in American soccer by a few years.

2 – It is named the “Lamar Hunt US Open Cup” – When a tournament is named after the founder of your franchise (the Hunts have owned and operated FCD from day 1), it means a little bit more.

3 – The winner of the cup gets $250k (transfer fee type money in MLS) and a coveted spot in the CONCACAF Champions League. Of course, this in turn presents the opportunity to represent MLS in the Club World Cup (if some extraordinary set of circumstances were to play out).

I mentioned upsets. The elite 8 of professional soccer in America has a strong MLS flavor to it. But 2 quarterfinalists, Atlanta and Carolina, will represent the North American Soccer League (NASL).

After receiving a bye for the first 2 rounds of the tourney, the Atlanta Silverbacks thrashed Chattanooga 5-0. Then, playing host to Real Salt Lake, the Silverbacks pulled a massive 4th round upset, earning their first W versus an MLS side. The Silverbacks went on to the 5th round to face the Rapids in Colorado. After taking a 2-1 lead, a 2nd half altercation resulted in 3 straight reds to Atlanta players. The Silverbacks were then outmanned 10-8 with only a 1 goal cushion and 26 minutes remaining. Obviously, somehow, they held on.

Now for the juicy stuff: FC Dallas’ quarterfinal opposition is the other NASL side, the Carolina RailHawks. Like Atlanta, Carolina was off until the 3rd round, where they blanked the Charlotte Eagles 2-0 (Charlotte, who plays in the 3rd division USL PRO, knocked FC Dallas out of the USOC in the 3rd round in 2012). In the 4th round, Carolina beat MLS side Chivas USA on PKs 3-2 then. In the 5th round, Carolina hosted and defeated the LA Galaxy in a USOC match for the 3rd consecutive year.

I don’t know much about these guys, but I’d like to think an MLS side has a massive advantage. In my three years of following this tournament, these Cinderella runs usually run out of steam at some point. However, as evidenced by LA’s losses in Carolina and FC Dallas’ loss to Charlotte 2 years ago, these lower division sides should not be taken for granted.

This quarterfinal matchup is huge for FC Dallas. We have been blessed with a very winnable game, but more importantly, if we advance, we will host the semifinal matchup in Frisco. Even more important is that Seattle, easily the best team in the tourney, was drawn onto the other side of the bracket, meaning FC Dallas would only have to play them in a final. A road win against a 2nd tier side and a home win against a struggling Philly puts FC Dallas through to the final. At that point, anything can happen!

Silly Season Bonus! An extremely not thorough list of some recent, confirmed movement in the transfer market – feel free to comment

Bacary Sagna: Arsenal > ManCity

Cesc Fabregas: FCB > Chelsea

Luke Shaw: Southampton > ManU

Diego Costa: Athleti > Chelsea

Vidic: ManU > Inter

Rickie Lambert: Southampton > Liverpool

Adam Lallana: Southampton > Liverpool

Snodgrass: Norwich > Hull City

David Luiz: Chelsea > PSG

David Villa: Athleti > NYCFC

Kaka: ? > Orlando City SC

Ashley Cole: Chelsea > AS Roma

Siem de Jong: Ajax > Newcastle

 

Soccer Therapy 6/19/2014: Qatar the Disaster

While the World Cup is in progress, the FIFA congress is also taking place in Brazil. A hot topic of discussion is the controversy surrounding the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. I was curious so I did a little research. I discovered the voting that determines which nation hosts the Cup involves 24 high ranking FIFA officials spanning the globe. I took a quick look at the voting committee for the 2022 World Cup and an alarming number of sketchy names popped up. If you feel like it, read the info graphic I have attached. It details only some of the allegations of corruption and vote-buying that went on prior to the 2010 decision to award WC2022 to Qatar.

qatar

Qatar being awarded a World Cup is comparable to Sochi being awarded the Winter Olympics when they didn’t even have snow and it was 60 degrees. The average temperature in Qatar during the World Cup months is over 105 degrees and is not playable. Chucho Benitez was a star Ecuadorian striker and 3-time golden boot winner of the Mexican league. In July 2013, at the age of 27, he signed with a Qatari club and played his first game in the hot summer dessert a few days later. One day after his dessert debut, with no history of health or heart problems, Chucho died of cardiac arrest.

Of course, when making the bid, Qatar promised they would build indoor, air-conditioned stadiums. They have since reneged on that promise. FIFA and Qatar have talked about hosting the WC2022 during December when conditions would be playable and some domestic leagues around the world are on break. They talked about playing games from 9pm to 5am, after the sun goes down and it would be significantly cooler. Whether it is the corruption that led to Qatar being awarded the Cup or the unrealistic hurdles of hosting a summer tournament in the dessert, FIFA has an excuse to award WC2022 to different host nation.

The bumbling governing body of world football has been stubborn about this, but I sense a new momentum building for those in favor of a re-vote. I think we are also seeing the dangers of hosting the Cup in a nation like Brazil. Corruption and incompetence within their government severely delayed stadium preparations and has its people in uproar all over the streets in the middle of FIFA’s showcase event. We saw countless national teams begin their WC2014 preparations in the USA, where we have a great infrastructure, reliable airports, and all the massive stadiums you could ever want. There have been problems surrounding this Cup in Brazil, there may be even bigger problems in Russia in 2018, and if FIFA doesn’t seriously consider a revote, 2022 will be a disaster. I personally think FIFA, much like the NCAA, is on life support, and it is possible their survival depends on doing the right thing just this one time.

Soccer Therapy 6/2/14 – USMNT pre-World Cup Roster thoughts

I only caught the first half of the USA v Turkey game in New York yesterday, but I did catch the entire Azerbaijan game. Here are my thoughts on the squad with the team kicking off against Ghana in exactly 2 weeks from today. Generally speaking, the USA’s defense is atrocious and their attack is showing promise. Kyle (new to soccer therapy – let me know if you want to be removed from the chain), any idea on what the Over/Under might be for Goals Allowed by the USA in the group stages? Might be worth a look. Below are my thoughts on the roster and a prediction of the starting XI for the Nigeria game – Sunday in Jacksonville I think. Plus a bonus update on FC Dallas as the MLS World Cup break approaches.

Defense:

I thought Fabian Johnson looked fantastic at right back – not only for the great run and the goal he scored – I thought his recovery speed and ability to get out of situations without doing anything stupid was impressive. He is easily the best fullback on the squad in my opinion.

Timmy Chandler took a lot of criticism for his outing at left back yesterday. I’ll get to more on that in a minute – but I thought the biggest mistake by Jurgen Klinsmann here was not appreciating the chemistry that Besler and Beasley developed on the left half of our defense over the last year. It appears that JK may have settled on his defensive line outside of that LB position – I think it should be DeMarcus Beasley.

Midfield:

I heard JK moved Michael Bradley back to the defensive mid role in the 2nd half, but in the 1st half, Bradley was playing in the #10 role he has occupied since March. I understand what JK is thinking: put arguably your best player in Bradley in that all important creative, attacking midfielder role. Most fans agree that Bradley and the entire team plays better when he can let the game come to him as a defensive mid. It’s a more natural role for Bradley – and if JK is looking for a #10, what’s wrong with Mix? He is another guy like Fabian Johnson who is probably more European than American – so get him on the pitch!

I have been one of Jermaine Jones’ biggest critics, but after watching him play against Turkey, I think we have to have him out there. He was a beast cleaning up mistakes in front of the backline yesterday and seems to have matured (odd for a dude in his 30s) over the last 12 months. I For me, the USA’s best chance is pairing Jermaine Jones with Bradley in the midfield, and hope Jones can swallow his pride, sit back, and let Bradley do whatever he wants.

Brad Davis is probably the least physically gifted player on the squad – but the group seems to play better when he is out there. I think he kind of inspires the team and he definitely adds to our attack with that nasty left foot. I think he provides better live or dead ball service than any player on the team. However, against the likes of Ghana etc. Davis would be a huge defensive liability – I think this is why JK gave Timmy Chandler a run out at Left Back. Chandler is fast and has the physical ability to cover a lot of ground on that left side. The logic might be that Chandler’s speed can cover while Davis adds to the attack. I don’t see JK starting Zusi and Davis at the World Cup, but I predict he starts one of them. And while Zusi was the favorite to start for the last 12 months, I think Davis may have taken his spot with his standout play in the last 2 games.

Attack:

Jozy is catching heat from supporters who want goals and receiving praise from media people for good hold up play, attitude and hustle. I’ll be honest, I want some god damn goals from him, but I thought he paired very well up top with Dempsey against Turkey – I think that pair holds promise, but I would love to see Johanson get more of a look. I don’t care if they are different style players, if Wondo gets more minutes at the World Cup than Johanson, Jurgen is stupid. Whoever JK starts in the attacking midfield and up top, the group has promise and can score goals, but they can’t afford to waste chances by any means.

Starting XI vs. Nigeria: 4-2-3-1

GK: Timmy!

DEF: Fabian Johnson, Geoff Cameron, Matt Besler, Demarcus Beasley

D-MIDs: Jermaine Jones, Michael Bradley

Attack-MIDs: Bedoya, Dempsey, Davis

F: Jozy Altidore

*FC Dallas Bonus Update by the numbers*

Recent form: Loss, Win, Loss, Loss, Loss, Loss, Draw, Loss, Draw, Loss

That is 1-7-2 over their last 10 matches.

FC Dallas is on pace for a record number of red cards, having collected 6 through only 15 games – this is like Happy Gilmore and his hockey records.

We have converted 4 of 6 PK opportunities this year – both PK misses came in 1-goal defeats.

Soccer Therapy 5/8/2014 – Predicting USMNT’s preliminary roster

A few things before I get into the predictions:

What I meant to say in that last email was that I could easily see Real Madrid winning by 4 or 5 goals, not Bayern. I also meant to say that no one can really anticipate what will happen next in this season’s BPL, but that you have to think ManCity’s talent would end out getting the job done. Just kidding, shows what my predictions are worth – not sure these things get better with practice.
MLS is heating up and FC Dallas is cooling down. Clint Dempsey is absolutely demolishing the league, so is his striking partner Obafemi Martins. If that duo stays healthy, Seattle will have the best MLS attack I’ve seen these last few years by the fall. The difference between the Sounders and Toronto is that their studs are surrounded by other All Star caliber players in MLS. Bradley, Defoe and Julio Cesar are left to carry the load while Dempsey is surrounded by one of the deepest, most talented rosters in the league.

Alright – here is my guess at the 30 – JK should be naming it any day now:

GK: Tim Howard, Brad Guzan, Nick Rimando

Defense:
fullbacks: Demarcus Beasley, Fabian Johnson, Michael Parkhurst, Timmy Chandler,DeAndre Yedlin, Brad Evans
center-backs
Geoff Cameron, Clarence Goodson, Matt Besler, Omar Gonzalez, John Brooks

Midfield: Landon Donovan, Graham Zusi, Mix Diskerud, Kyle Beckerman, Michael Bradley, Jermaine Jones, Maurice Edu, Bedoya, Julian Green

Attack: Jozy, Deuce, Johanson, Wondo, Eddie Johnson, Terrence Boyd

Probably forgetting some guys (a lot of guys in LigaMX and BrekShea come to mind) and picking long shots on others – also, I counted once, but not 100% sure if that is 30 names

Soccer Therapy II – 4/8/2014

I spoke with an IT guy at UT earlier who is Iranian. He explained to me that he was spending thousands of dollars to fly to Brazil to watch his home country participate in this summer’s World Cup. My first thought was, “why would you spend all that money to see your team get crushed?” They are grouped with Bosnia, Nigeria and Argentina. The answer is obvious, qualifying for the World Cup is a really big deal in Iran and some folks from that country probably never have a chance to see their team play in the Cup. I can appreciate why he is going to Brazil to see his country participate in this great tournament.

The point of all that is this: as USMNT fans, we can’t possibly place the same value on simply qualifying for the WC because we are always in it. In fact, the USMNT has qualified for every single World Cup since I have been alive. We have come to know our place in international soccer – we will be in the World Cup and hope for a favorable draw and, at best, a quarterfinals appearance. But this year, we Americans should approach the World Cup like an Iranian. Against the likes of Ghana, Portugal and Germany, we have about as good of a shot at getting through the group stages as Iran does – So I am going into this thing with no expectations whatsoever.

Having said that, the USMNT looked really good on Wednesday (v Mexico) before Klinsmann started subbing guys out in the 60th minute. Michael Bradley continues to get better and looked solid in the number 10 role. He will have to be the man this summer for the US to play well. The scary part for me is our back line. We simply don’t have the quality at center-back to beat good teams 1-0 or 2-1, and that means we will probably struggle in Brazil.

BPL – I told Ollie that Liverpool getting through the West Ham game with 3 points was like taking an exam the Friday before Spring Break: it sucks, you have to do it, but once you are done you can go have fun. I believe Liverpool will be SO ready to go against ManC this Sunday, Anfield will be crazy and I see a 3-1 Liverpool win to put them in the driver’s seat.

I still like ManC to win the title though. I figure Liverpool trips up somewhere else and ManC has too much depth – they’ll get the points they need.

Didn’t have a chance to watch Arsenal on Sunday but one can assume it was as disastrous as the score line – 3-0 Everton. At this point, it’s probably 50-50 between Everton and Arsenal for that last UCL spot. I’ll believe it when I see Everton in the Champ’s league and will stick with Arsenal getting a top 4 finish for now.

Arsenal really need to win the FA Cup after crashing out of the UCL and BPL title race.

ManU is starting to look better – I know a lot of this isn’t on Moyes because he didn’t walk into a well put together squad – but the dude seems way in over his head – I think Jordan put it best – if you want to finish 6th or 7th in the table every year, you got your man! – I would fire him. Immediately.

Soccer Therapy 1.5 – 3/24/2014

Pretty cool article – basically just a few sentences and a bunch of pixel-filled golazos. In honor of Wayne Rooney’s strike last Saturday.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/sideline/news/article/2014/03/24/top-5-goals-scored-midfield-mls-david-beckham-michael-parkhurst

Cheers,

CT

Soccer Therapy I – 2/4/14

I don’t have anyone else to tell, so you boys can read these emails or not.

Great game yesterday, talked about it plenty with Ollie and Jordan – u watch it King?

First time this season I’ve seen a team in the BPL clearly establish itself as the front runner – not just cuz they won and are tied with ManC on points now, but they looked as fluid and comfortable as I’ve seen since Mourinho came back, I see them continuing to play like they did yesterday and Jose continuing to be a shit in the press.

Arsenal have the 2 point cushion but February should reveal whether they will be competing for the BPL title in April and May. Chelsea and ManC have mostly winnable games and should be getting max points while Arsenal have games at Liverpool and hosting ManU. If the Gunners are still on top come March, I will start considering them legit contenders.

Keep the World Cup in mind when making your summer plans:

Sao Paolo is 4 hours ahead of us on CST, and 6 hours ahead of you, King. Games are kicking off in Brazil between 1pm and 7pm, meaning we will be catching World Cup action on TV between 9am and 3pm here in Texas – i think i did this right.

Matches start on June 12th, with US starting off against Ghana on the 16th.

International Champions Cup is coming back to the US this July – Last year was a pretty good tourney with Real Madrid and Chelsea in the final – this year’s version will have reigning champ Real Madrid, ManC, ManU, Liverpool, AC Milan, Inter, Roma, and Olympiakos. One of the games is in Dallas, might it be Liverpool Ollie? Best part is they are doing group play this year instead of a bracket = more games!

MLS season starts one month from Saturday – sure, who cares right? Well, MLS will get more attention than it ever has in the months leading up to the World Cup because if one thing gets this country excited about soccer, it is the USMNT in the World Cup – with Bradley and Dempsey back playing club soccer in the US, the nation will be curious about key national players’ league form in MLS leading into the summer.

For the ones out there thinking these guys moving to MLS will cost us in the World Cup, I say that’s bullshit. If they are 90 minutes fit and crushing it in MLS, they will contribute as well as they have in the past, or better. I would argue if they get into a groove, MLS could actually be a better situation for Michael Bradley and Dempsey because they will get more minutes in a critical role than they did at Spurs and Roma. In MLS, they are guaranteed starters that have to carry their teams much like they will have to this summer with the nat’l team. It is also worth mentioning that Landon Donavon has been in MLS this whole time, and he has arguably been the greatest USMNT international of all time – the numbers certainly suggest it.

Michael Bradley and Dempsey are obvious starters for the USMNT this summer, but other possible members the 2014 World Cup roster that play in MLS include:

Besler, Zusi, Omar Gonzalez, Landon, Eddie Johnson, Parkhurst, Brad Evans, Brad Davis, Mike Magee, Wondo and Kyle Beckerman. So for USMNT fans, that’s a lot of reasons to at least monitor our domestic league.

After NYCFC and Orlando City SC, Miami has landed MLS’ 22nd, and 3rd to last, franchise with the whole David Beckham thing. Atlanta, Minneapolis and St. Louis look like solid candidates for the last 2 spots, but I actually think SA has a shot after the commish gave them a visit.

 

Share your thoughts, add somebody to the email chain, whatever. I may never send another soccer therapy email again, or I might start flooding your inboxes like the fucking unibomber!

Cheers,

CT

Social Media a Catalyst for MLS Expansion Efforts

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When MLS commissioner Don Garber announced the league’s plans to expand to 24 teams by 2020, supporters groups and soccer cities around the country began their respective campaigns to bring MLS to their home. Since its inception in 1996 the league has steadily grown from 8 to 19 franchises. Historically, MLS can attribute this growth to the incredibly passionate fans and “supporter’s group culture” in markets like Salt Lake City, Portland and Toronto. MLS fans (average attendance of 18,600 fans per game in 2013) have surpassed NBA fans (17,300) and shockingly, America’s top soccer league now outdraws its top basketball league.

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what IS in Orlando

As cities across the country make their expansion bids, supporter’s groups are turning to social media as a unifying force to gain followers (literally and online) and strengthen their cities chance at being awarded one of the 24 franchises. Orlando City SC was awarded MLS’ 21st franchise last November after a strong online effort and social media driven expansion campaign. OCSC launched an online petition that reached its goal of 15,000 signatures in less than two weeks thanks to Twitter and their #Mission15K hashtag. They also created a website home for their expansion campaign “OrlandoBelievesInMLS.com.” Orlando City SC’s efforts yielded their city and fans MLS’ 21st franchise. Around the country, places like St. Louis, Atlanta and Minneapolis are selling MLS on the viability of pro soccer in their city. The San Antonio Scorpions are following Orlando’s lead and unifying their support for a new franchise online. They also started an online petition and are using the hashtag #MLSready along with a newly created Twitter handle, @MLSinSA.

What COULD be in San Antonio

Major League Soccer lists critical prerequisites for any aspiring MLS club. These pre-requisites include deep-pocketed owners, a soccer specific stadium and legitimate fan interest. The first two prerequisites are very easy to prove, either you have them or you don’t. Social media is making it much easier for clubs to prove they have the third prerequisite, legitimate fan interest.