Fighting Talker

All I could think of last night watching the DC United-Atlante SuperLiga match was Subbuteo - the scaled down version of soccer that I still play with some friends around the Baltimore area. Hell, like Conor in real youth soccer with the StarKick, I used to be nationally ranked.

It was United’s play that reminded me of this, particularly the defense. When players first pick up the game of Subbuteo, their instinct is to put their players in a formation similar to something you’d see in real soccer - four defenders, four mids and a couple forwards. In reality, because of the various strategies employed in the game - it’s actually more beneficial to play with six or seven defenders, moving people up when possible/necessary.

If I remember right, on the first Atlante goal, United turned over the ball near midfield, and Atlante played a ball through to a forward as a posse of would-be defenders stood and watched. It was like they were waiting for some geek in his mid-30s to flick them into the right position for the block. But the flick never occurred. The Atlante player got the ball, and he was free. No United Subbuteo figure had a chance to catch him, and at that point, the attacker is going to win the 1-v-1 battle with the goalkeeper way more often than not. (more…)

It’s past 1 am. Still no game story at Washingtonpost.com or update at Goff’s blog.

Is something happening? Will United fans be waking up to a new manager?

Ir’s feeling very possible.

Ever read something that so confuses you that it feel like your brain is going to blow? Maybe it’s just getting late, but this did it to me. What on earth does this mean?

Drudge-bait:

Among college-educated poll respondents, 19 percent of Republicans believe that human activities are causing global warming, compared to 75 percent of Democrats. But take that college education away and Republican believers rise to 31 percent while Democrats drop to 52 percent.

It left me feeling like this.

United will partner with V-Dub They will also serve as the MLS “major auto sponsor”:

Volkswagen has signed a jersey sponsorship deal with D.C. United that will deliver as much as $3.7 million annually to the professional soccer team, making it the second-largest jersey deal in league history.

The deal is expected to be announced this week, according to the Sports Business Journal, a sister publication of the Washington Business Journal.

The deal also makes Volkswagen the official automotive partner of Major League Soccer for an additional $1 million to $2 million annually.

Officials with MLS declined to comment. MLS has been without a major auto sponsor since Honda ended its relationship with the league last year.

Volkswagen Group of America recently moved its corporate headquarters from Auburn Hills, Mich., to Herndon, Va.

Whoever wins the Champions League semifinals this week, their fans will face a logistical nightmare possibly unlike anything they’ve ever seen before if they want to attend the final in Moscow. Martin Samuel of the Times sums it up well. Again, how is it UEFA could’ve approved this? It boggles the mind. This is one of the great disgraces of modern soccer that they are treating their supporters this way. (more…)

Police probe Ronaldo-transvestite incident

This is different.

Police said on Monday they were investigating allegations by three transvestites that Brazilian soccer star and AC Milan forward Ronaldo threatened to harm them after he took them to a Rio de Janeiro motel.

Can you imagine the lunacy if this happened to an American athlete? Though, considering what’s going on with Roger Clemens right now, I wouldn’t put it past him.

Yet again, I find myself writing sentences I didn’t think I’d have to write this season. This time it’s:

DC United needs to beat Real Salt Lake to stave of what may be a crisis developing.

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Steve Goff makes a good point:

Let’s play “Name That Team.”

Here are your clues: Chase Hilgenbrinck, Amaechi Igwe, Gary Flood, Kheli Dube, Rob Valentino, Spencer Wadsworth, Brandon Tyler and Sam Brill.

The first three mysterious characters were starters on the road against unbeaten Dallas last night. The other no-names were available on the bench. That’s right, the New England Revolution, which, despite the absence of six regulars because of injury and suspension, produced a 1-0 victory on Khano Smith’s second-half goal. The Revs are now 11-4-1 all-time at Dallas.

All MLS Cup jokes aside, Steve Nicol is doing something awfully right in Foxborough.

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The Toronto FC scouting department.

According to the Sun, the always-injured geriatric Gaizka Mendieta is on the way to MLS. You just know this is Toronto at work here. Looks like Mo Johnston fired up his TV, put in his 1999 UEFA Champions League Highlight VHS and spotted some talent. And now for the words that are starting to define the entire TFC experience… This will never work.

A Chelsea fan on the way to the big match.

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