Ok here I am on the road in Chicago for HDNET as tonite we get prepared to cover the KC/Chicago game. Intriguing for a number of reasons. KC comes off a huge win at DC, Eddie Johnson is re-emerging for the Wizards (I had an interested chat with coach Curt Onalfo about this and his team), new signing Carlos Martinelli an Argentine should play tonite and I look forward to get a first look at him. Chicago has not been the most exciting of teams and have seemed to have lost something from the Soldier Field days. Chris Armas will retire and President John Guppy is rolling the dice playing wise on Cuahutemoc Blanco, the fact is he had no choice. In a town filled with professional franchises who fill sports pages getting ink is difficult. The White Sox, Cubs, Bears, Bulls all get the attention.
Case in point, I wake up this morning (always a good thing) and do the usual road ritual of a paper, coffee, work-out.
Chicago Sun Times- 4 paragraphs of nothingness, nothing to give us a reason to say what an interesting game, no hooks nothing interesting. The Tribune has a little longer column but the writer decides to focus on the Fire Supporters Group Section 8 who now are getting patted down before games due to a smoke bomb that was smuggled in.
Nothing on the game, no player quotes etc.
Now we are in the international city of Chicago which has a large hispanic base and great soccer history , I guess the editors are not interested in a more diverse reader?
So who is accountable….are the newspapers just ignorant to not want more readers of a diverse nature. Is the Fire doing the job getting through to these media outlets? Something tells me it is a little of both and yes I understand it is a unique market like New York when it comes to getting attention but that is no excuse……………….
MLS teams need to get aggressive and become more relevant in local media, without it the road less traveled will be difficult.
As for the Blanco signing, it was a no-brainer relative to Chicago and their struggles to get some excitment around their club.

Here in South Texas we are behind the times when it comes to player development. Our policies with our asociations are lagging and it is effecting player growth. Lets hope that leaders are helping to make change for the better.
South Texas Youth Soccer Association and local associations have given the option to play either 8v8 or 11v11 soccer for under 11 youth players. To give the option on short notice is confusing and conflicting for all involved. Associations and “Leadership ” are meant to make decisions not put them on their constituents. We need our leadership to listen to the player development experts asap. Under 11 soccer players need to be playing in small areas with an emphasis on the ball and not on endurance.
The player that plays 8v8 as opposed to 11v 11 will be the better soccer player after a year and will be nurturing the elements of the game that will lead to long term development.
Now every soccer expert in the world endorses small sided soccer.
U.S. Soccer and it’s coaching education director Bob Jenkins endorses it. The Dallas Cup has starting next year dropped 11 a side soccer for U11’s at the urging of foreign teams and in the name of player development.
Why are we behind the times in South Texas? Why can’t we make a decision.
Maryland State Youth Soccer Association has adopted the policy of 8v 8 play after their April 18, 2007 meeting.
Teams will have a maximum size of 14 on the roster.
Many complain about the lack of technical players being produced . This is clearly the answer.
It is time for us in South Texas to start supporting our players in the correct way with the right player development decisions.
Stop making decisions for political gain, extend some olive branches, be leaders and producers for the sport , not consumers.
Get the decisions that are obvious when it comes to player development done. There are no excuses here.
After all as I hear many say “It is for the kids.” It is time for us to prove it.

Glenn

Columbus Crew Costa Rican striker Andy Herron was caught on camera last night throwing a blatant elbow that caught NE Revolution defender Jay Heaps. Although this was missed by the officials expect MLS to review this tape and expect Herron to receive a penalty. Herron could potentially be made an example of here by MLS
FIFA and soccer around the world is cracking down on the dangerous use of elbowing in games. Columbus got a late goal from Kei Kamara to earn a draw.

Guten Tag from Munich, Salman Mitha , European/German correspondent and Bundesliga Radio commentator on Ligaradio.
A discussion point after the Bayern-Milan Champions League tie: What a solid performance Bayern goalkeeper Michael Rensing had covering for the suspended Oliver Kahn in the first leg especially since it was Kahn who gave up four goals at the San Siro last year and two in the loss in Munich to AC Milan in the second leg. The 22-year-old Rensing has been waiting patiently over the last couple of years to take over for Kahn, who is still going strong at at 37 and has 292 wins playing a record playing in 528 matches. Perhaps Rensing’s latest outing was a sign that Uli Hoeness and Co. to change. Kahn has already retired from international competition and soon Jens Lehmann will follow. Could Rensing also be consdiered for the national squad? One does not have to look far from the top of the table. Young goalkeepers are plentiful and performing at a high level in the Bundesliga and German national coach Joachin Loew will have to keep a tab on them all:
1. Schalke Manuel Neuer (21 yrs old, 22 matches rookie sensation) 2. Bremen Tim Wiese (25, 107) solid UEFA Cup run. Haunted by his Champions League mishaps. 3. Timo Hildebrand (28, 216) Champions League experience and international caps and has led team to German Cup Final with a clean sheet vs. Wolfsburg. 4. Michael Rensing (22, 12) Has filled in admirably for Kahn when needed.. 5. Nuremberg Raphael Schaefer (28,90) clean sheet against Frankfurt this week to clinch a final berth for the German Cup. 6. Leverkusen Rene Adler (22,5) clean sheets in 3 of first 4 BL matches. He has forced the change from old guard Joerg Butt.
Further down Hannover’s Robert Enke (29,125 first cap vs. Denmark in March), Christian Fiedler of Berlin, (32, 130) and Wolfsburg’s Simon Jentsch (30, 221 who led team to the cup semi-final). A solid corp of German goalkeepers and I challenge anyone to come up with a list like this is another league or country.
Keep up with all the young German goalkeepers of the Bundesliga with the Match day 29 starting Saturday morning at 8:15 CST. Visit the English Language site of the Bundesliga at www.bundesliga.de/en click on the blinking LigaRadio button and the player will automatically launch. This week has six matches including all 90 minutes of the top match Stuttgart host Bayern Munich for third place and a champions league spot for next year. You can also listen to the conference where we bring you highlights and goals from all the matches as they happen.
Please email us with your comments and questions at ligaradio@bundesliga.de I look forward to hearing from you! Bis dann! (Till next time) Salman

Dynamo, Nationals Among Those Showing Support For Va Tech
MLS Dynamo To Wear Virginia Tech
Colors For April 29 Game

The MLS Dynamo plan to turn their next home game, April 29 against FC Dallas, into a fundraiser to support Virginia Tech, after this week’s tragic events. The Dynamo, whose colors are orange, white and light blue, will wear maroon jerseys and orange shorts or socks for the game. adidas has already designed the jerseys, and MLS has approved them. The jerseys will be auctioned off afterwards, and proceeds will go to a yet-to-be-named charity at the school. The Dynamo also plan to create group ticket packages with an undetermined percentage of sales going to the charity. The team may invite members of the Virginia Tech men’s soccer team to the game as honorary captains, as well. “We’re going to reach out to the school when the time’s appropriate,” Dynamo COO Chris Canetti said. “It’s our little way of trying to help the community heal” (Tripp Mickle, SportsBusiness Journal).

MLB: The Nationals wore Virginia Tech hats during last night’s game beginning in the second inning. The idea came in an e-mail from a fan to President Stan Kasten, who “had club employees get permission from [MLB] while tracking down a sporting goods store in Alexandria that was willing to donate the caps.” Traffic “prevented the caps from making it to the ballpark in time for the first pitch” (WASHINGTON TIMES, 4/18). The Nationals, along with several other MLB teams, have observed moments of silence before games this week (THE DAILY). Angels P Joe Saunders, who played at Virginia Tech from ’99-’02, “plans to honor the victims” during his next start Friday against the Mariners. Saunders: “I was going to put a black V.T. on my hat, but I can’t do that. I’ll put a V.T. on my cleats and write Virginia Tech on the back of the mound” (L.A. TIMES, 4/18).

It is expected that Toronto FC midfielder Richard Mulrooney will sign with the Houston Dynamo tomorrow and join the club in the very near future. The Dynamo give up defender Kevin Goldwaite and their 2008 first round draft choice.
Mulrooney will address the issue of depth that the Dynamo and head coach Dominic Kinnear have been addressing.
Mulrooney is a former San Jose Earthquake and is familiar with Kinnear and many of the players in the squad.

What a long and strange weekend. Thursday on the west coast after a good win against LA, Sunday in New York and an ugly loss against Red Bull. It’s a very young season , but the game in LA was a test for us. We had so many changes from last years team and to win in a place like LA after not doing so for seven years was a very good win. The big difference between the LA game and New York (Besides the turf0 was we played with passion. We let the turf and bad weather take away from our game plan. I really did not have a good game, didn’t play bad but on the road it was not good enough. I will hope to make that right in a few weeks time.
Enjoy your football and family.
Chris Gbandi FC Dallas

Who is your vote for PFA Player of the Year?
Is it the planet’s most exciting player Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo? For me it is and maybe alot of it has to do with his entertainment value yet there are other reasons in my opinion. Here is a winger that just can’t be contained. A winger that scores goals and what is interesting is that his starting position most of the time is from very wide positions.
It is amazing to see the man in full flight changing direction with a ball at his feet. United has done well to secure him until 2012 with players like Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes in the twilight of their careers.
Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has been amazing this season scoring 30 goals, timely goals, important goals.
Physically he is such a handful and he is the reason why the “Blues” are chasing the quadruple.
Drogba from the Ivory Coast played alot of his early soccer in the lower divisions of French Soccer so he has earned everything painstakingly which makes you want to root for him even more when it comes to the player of the year award.
It is pretty clear that the favorite is Ronaldo with Drogba coming second….anything different out of Sunday nights awards dinner in London would be a surprise.
For the 19 year old Fabregas it is amazing that the young Arsenal player is up for the player of the year award yet is distant due to Arsenal not being in the running.
Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes of Manchester United and Steve Gerrard of Liverpool are also up for the award.
*DaMarcus Beasley according to manager Stuart Pearce of Manchester City will need to prove in the final weeks of the season if he is worthy of securing another contract. It seems it will all come down to performance for the “jitterbug’.
I have always been a Beasley fan just because of what he represents with his smaller stature and how he compensates with quickness, awareness in the EPL. He is a great example to young players and I hope he finishes off the season strong.
Give me your thoughts on PFA Player of the Year and DaMarcus Beasley at Manchester City?

I have have an opinion about my team’s performance as well as my own. Quite frankly I’m not happy with either one right now.
(Pat Onstad being the only exception). I feel that we all played below our individual potential and seldomely influenced the game with the aggressivness and passion we are known for. My passing was sub par and I got beat once in the middle of the park because I didn’t stay in a good athletic position (you can’t defend when your body is straight up and down). With that thought in mind I want to address a growing trend in the United States….having an opinion about your team and your player’s performances…Please do have an opinion….good or bad you are not wrong! To many people are worried that if they say one of their team’s players had a bad game that they are going to be considered a traitor. I encourage yo to care enough to be critical of everyone. Yes that means even your “favorite” player has a bad game once in awhile. I encourage you to be critical knowing that I am a love/hate type of player. You either love the way I play or you hate it…you either recognize my ability to read the game or you write it off and ignore it as one of my “shortcomings”. No matter how you see me it is your right as a fan of the game and I respect that. You are the reason we have jobs and therefore you should care about everyone’s performance. I strongly encourage you to voice it, BUT remember that at the end of the day the object is to win as a team. This team won last year and won on the weekend…….I/you don’t have to like the performances, but I/you have to respect the results. An ugly win is always better than a pretty loss…..and as a fan I love the way the table looks after week two.
Craig Waibel