It is very rare that an announcer gets the chance to call two soccer games in one day especially when those games take place in New York City and San Jose, California. Yes today I am going coast to coast and enjoying it. I write this from the Continental lounge at Newark Airport. Having just completed calling the Belgium/Italy quarterfinal at NBC studios I can assure you that this game was amazing. Five goals some controversial, Belgium playing a majority of the game a man down plus players that you may have not heard of that you will in the future. Italy had not conceded a goal in this tournament but finally got a test.
Belgium scored three times with 10 men in an amazing game. It can be caught today on tape delay either on MSNBC or USA.
Give me your thoughts on this game and remember the name Moussa Dembele and Faris Haroun.

DYNAMO a great shot tonite against RSL to take over first place in the Western Conference. Speaking to Brian Ching yesterday he is up for helping his club side tonite and then heading on down to Guatemala for the U.S. World Cup qualifier on Wednesday.
I am looking forward to Guatemala and calling this important match on ESPN2.

Lots of rumor and fact in MLS with some of the issues intertwined:
*Cory Gibbs to Colorado
*Carlos Ruiz out in LA
*Eddie Lewis to LA
*Bruce Arena as technical director and or coach in LA with Dave Sarachan back in the mix as a coach.
* Maurice Edu heading to Glasgow Rangers
*Thierry Henry to New York ……

Tonite I call the new look San Jose Earthquakes against the New England Revolution at Buck Shaw Stadium. Our first HDNET visit there…..Amazing what a few quality players can do to improve a team. Acquiring Darren Huckerby, Arturo Alvarez, Scott Sealy and Francisco Lima make them a new team and take undue pressure off of certain players to be the focal point.

*DaMarcus Beasley has been added to the U.S. roster for this Wednesday’s WCUP Qualifier in Guatemala.

Time to catch a flight.

Is this youth sports where everyone wins a trophy?
What a joke last night when the LA Galaxy were given a trophy for winning the contrived season series between Chivas USA.
Rivalries take time and their is an added edge when these two play but to hand out a trophy and expect LA to celebrate is almost comical. This point was only validated when LANDON DONOVAN and DAVID BECKHAM almost seemed to be embarrassed receiving a trophy that looked like one that was handed out at a youth soccer event.
Do you think these players even cared about the Superclasico trophy based on their playoff fight?
Also what did you think of the TIM LIEWEKE interview at halftime of the ESPN game? Lots of endorsing of BRUCE ARENA during this show as the only one who can turn the LA GALAXY around.

FRANK LAMPARD will remain with CHELSEA after comtemplating offers from Italy and Spain. Lampard signs a five-year deal and finally ends speculation as to where he would be moving. Big day for “Blues” fans. So how will Lampard and Deco play together in midfield?

*LA at Chivas USA tonite in the Superclasico on ESPN2 at 11:00 Eastern….Cobi Jones in his interim coaching debut. This should be interesting.

* The United States takes on Guatemala next week in Guatemala City in World Cup qualifying…..By the way, they have never won there….

*US players are heading back to MLS…KASEY KELLER will play for SEATTLE while it sounds as though EDDIE LEWIS is heading to the GALAXY……

*REAL SALT LAKE is the next HOUSTON DYNAMO opponent with first place on the line in the WESTERN CONFERENCE…

*Have you watched the OLYMPICS? How about olympic soccer? Quarterfinals begin for the women tomorrow with the men Saturday. It gets good now!

*BLANCO ……The Fire man is back with MEXICO as a part of the squad that will take on HONDURAS in MEXICO CITY on Wednesday. Can Blanco still help the national team?

Sad day today for U.S. Soccer fans as the mens squad has been eliminated from the Olympics in the final game of the group stages. Lets face it, a great second half performance in game two against the Netherlands was erased by a naive finish to a game that they should have won. Conceding the late free kick was a disaster and if they had held on to win the U.S. would have been on to the elimination round with a historic win. Yet that naivety in the end was costly because it did not create the room to cover for the 3rd minute ejection to Michael Orozco today against Nigeria who defeated the U.S.
Expectations are higher now and to close out a game against the Netherlands would have proved to have been progress to me.

Womens Quarterfinals Friday with my predictions:

United States vs. Canada (Canada are up for the moment but the U.S. advances in Concacaf encounter)
Brazil vs. Norway (Norway doesn’t respond to pasting from Japan, Brazil advances easily)
Sweden vs. Germany (Germany in a close win over Sweden who are “game”.)
China vs. Japan (Japan upset the host nation in front of a large crowd)

Mens Quarterfinals:

Brazil vs. Cameroon (Brazil can’t be stopped by the “lions”. Diego, Pato and Ronaldinho on top)
Italy vs. Belgium (Italian quality signs through but it won’t be easy)
Argentina vs Netherlands (Will the real Netherlands step up? No stopping Argentina and rested Messi and Riquelme)
Ivory Coast vs. Nigeria (Battle of AFrica could be the most interesting of quarterfinal matches.)

Give me your thoughts on the Olympics from predictions, to the U.S. loss and the quality of television coverage. All opinions are accepted here?

Word on the street and scuttlebut is that Bruce Arena could become the next coach of the LA Galaxy. Again this is rumor so nothing is confirmed but I am hearing this from alot of places. His assistant would be John Harkes.
Now I don’t know about you but I am not sure that this is the perfect fit. Arena in LA? Then again maybe Arena has been so wounded by his New York experience that he is ready to roll up his sleeves and work.
Lets hope so because in New York he seemed sort of “above it all” maybe a hint entitled. I am all for a motivated hungry Arena coaching in the league….maybe like that college coach who took the DC job back in 96. The latter years Arena after the 2002 World Cup I can do without. Just in my humble opinion.
I do get a bit concerned about re-circulated coaches and gm’s…this is why I am kind of sad that Ruud Gullit is gone in LA.

The San Francisco Chronicle has reported Ruud Gullit has resigned as coach of the LA Galaxy and that Cobi Jones will take the helm of the club on an interim basis. GM Alexi Lalas is also out according to the online article.
I expect more will come out especially in the case of Gullit who sold his house recently setting off speculation that he was leaving which was promptly denied.
The other concern here is David Beckham and how this will effect his attitude towards the franchise? Will he have a huge say in who is hired? You bet!

DYNAMO ALL ACCESS tonite with GLENN DAVIS will be hosted by Steve Mark and will include numerous Dynamo players.
Catch the show from 7-9p central time!

Olympic soccer is about to get better. With advancement on the line beginning tomorrow for the women and Wednesday for the men expect the games to become even more dramatic. I have received numerous emails from fans not finding the Olympic Soccer Channel in their cable systems. All I can tell you is that you must call your cable provider if you have not found it. What are your thoughts on Olympic soccer? Have you enjoyed it or not and why? Does Olympic soccer even matter to you or not?

So FC Dallas is doing a bit of wheeling and dealing. First they have added 30 year old Victor Sikora last of NAC BREDA in the NETHERLANDS. Having interviewed SHELLAS HYNDMAN the FC Dallas head coach it was evident that he was looking for a more attacking threat out of the central area in midfield.
JEFF CUNNINGHAM one of the all time leading goal scorers in MLS currently sitting on 99 goals was acquired for a third round draft choice. CUNNINGHAM’s acquisition is a good one in the scheme of things and gives FC DALLAS three quality strikers with the red hot KENNY COOPER and DOMINIC ODURO…..Lots of speed to get in behind defenses, strength , power and skill.Will it work…my feeling is it is worth a shot. ODURO is dangerous but a sub par finisher. Cooper is the pillar of FC DALLAS and CUNNINGHAM who has a history of personality problems and at times has been called a malcontent. Could HYNDMANN with his personality bring the best out in CUNNINGHAM….who knows but the three strikers look formidable if Cunningham can be committed.
All in all this could be a move of potential in Dallas…..

As you all know high powered and high priced BARCELONA played last night at Giants Stadium whipping up on the Red Bull. As I am working the OLYMPIC games at NBC in New York City I have noticed on my daily walk to the studios that Barcelona jerseys were being worn all around the city.
Two days ago BARCELONA held a publicity/practice session in Central Park in the middle of Manhattan. Apparently the BARCELONA bus pulled up to the park and the squad began to jog across the park with their multi-million dollar players.
With green space limited, Central Park is a busy place every night with tons of softball games going. Un-beknowst to Thierry Henry, Rafa Marquez and Samuel Ett’o they jogged right through a softball field in the park elicting this response from a New Yorker who was playing in the softball game………”GET THE ______ OFF OUR FIELD”! You gotta love it…..

The United States defeated Japan 1-0 today behind a goal from Houston Dynamo Stuart Holden. The win was especially important since the U.S. are drawn in a group that includes the Netherlands and Nigeria who tied today. Despite the win the U.S. will have a difficult time getting out of this group but the full three points is important going into games against powers like the Netherlands and Nigeria.
Give me your thoughts on the U.S./Japan match and their chances of advancing.
As for the womens opening loss to Norway what are the thoughts here? Can they rebound at a critical time in womens soccer in the United States.