Fiesta presents THE KICK CANCER CAMP to benefit TEXAS CHILDRENS HOSPITAL December 11,12,13 in Bellaire …..organized by Soccer Matters with Glenn Davis…all proceeds to raise funds and create awareness to fight cancer!!!
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So the last seed wins the MLS Cup in penalty kicks over the LA Galaxy.
Despite the talk of David Beckham and Landon Donovan …Real Salt Lake clearly played the better soccer and Landon Donovan and David Beckham for the second consecutive game were less than overly impactful.
Credit RSL for winning the better of the ball possession but they could never really figure it out in the final third of the field. LA seemed to just play direct looking for a magic moment from Landon Donovan, picking up a second ball or getting something off a free kick. At times LA were very unbalanced in midfield. The loss of Dema Kovalenko hurt.
*David Beckham struggled to connect passes and control the middle of the field. For anyone watching this game it was obvious he and Jovan Kirovski could not close anyone down in midfield. For all the attention that Beckham drew this was a night he did not live up to the moment at all. That fact led to less involvement from Landon Donovan and others were not capable of producing on the Galaxy.
*Landon Donovan amazingly blew his penalty over the cross-bar and I believe Nick Rimando got in his head.
* Jamison Olave , Nat Borchers, Kyle Beckermann and Nick Rimando were outstanding for RSL.
* Real Salt Lake had the better of possession and played the better soccer undoubtably so the pk’s were a just result led for a second consecutive weekend by MVP Nick Rimando.
Speaking of Rimando….his composure , comfort with the ball at his feet was impressive in this match.
* Jason Kreis dealt with an early loss of Javier Morales to injury while the Galaxy lost Donovan Ricketts to a hand injury after a challenge with Robbie Findley .
* Josh Saunders who came on for Ricketts in goal for LA was excellent in a tough position.
* No MLS Cup should ever be played on artificial surface.
*The overall 90 minutes was average at best with the second half better thanks to RSL possesion and a few creative ideas coming from Mathis, Williams (before his legs went), Findley and Espindola….Bruce Arena never looked comfortable as a manager and did not have an answer for Kyle Beckermann in midfield for RSL……….Thoughts?
OK now on to the JERMAINE DEFOE SHOW…….Defoe hit for five goals in Tottenham’s 9-1 victory over Wigan Athletic. What is amazing about this is that Defoe scored all five of his goals in the second half. Only two other players in the history of the Premiership formed in 1992 have scored five goals in a game. Andy Cole for Manchester United and Alan Shearer for Newcastle. Not a great day to be a Wigan player or manager…….
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TAKE THAT BECKHAM AND DONOVAN!!! TAKE THAT LA GALS FOR CHEATING THE DYNAMO!!!! CONGRATS REAL SALT LAKE ON YOUR FIRST CHAMPIONSHIP!!!!!!!!
Glenn- YES!!!!! Congrats to RSL for taking down supposed kings of MLS.
Dellacamra, and Harkes had to take their lips off ” Becks” backside long enough to announce that RSL are Champs!
The voice pitch and inflection of excitement when Beckham or Donovan had the ball were digustingly noticable from the both announcers.
Beckham totally ineffective second half and O.T. Consistently taken off the ball, gone around defensivley, and free and corner kicks lacking.But of course Harkes notied that Beckham’s ” injury” was flairing up, when he started playing lousy.
RSL totally dominated second half and O.T. A well earned victory!
As for the sentiment that a Galaxy win would have been good for MLS around soccer world, I feel just opposite would have played out.The idea that Beckham can come back to MLS with season 2/3 done and win title would play out as this ” American” League MLS is a joke, where foreign star such as Beckham need only show up for handfull of games at end of season, and playoff’s and walk away as champ. Sorry, didn’t work out that way.
Thankfully RSL proved you need total commitment entire season.
The penalty result was definitely a just one. I thought RSL looked better for most of the 2nd half and nearly all of the OT. (I didn’t see the first half.) You’re right, Glenn, it was the 2nd big game in a row that Donovan and Becks had little impact. This should have been their moment to shine, and they didn’t step up.
The most amusing part of the match: Becks making sure to grimmce a bit so we were all reminded that he was bravely playing with an injury. The worst show of it was before he took the penalty; even though he was standing there and not putting a strain on his ankle, he knew those cameras were on him so he had to grimace to set the table in case he missed. I was actually glad he made it.
Andy Williams, even with tired legs, has an amazing touch and fantastic footwork. Too bad he couldn’t finish off his chance near the end of OT, nor his penalty try.
What an amazing save by DeLaGarza in OT with his sliding tackle on Findley! And the rookie keeper for LA has nothing to hang his head about.
Koach Kreis said “It’s nice to say we’re the best team in the league.” I have to counter with: “You’re not. You’re the champion of the league. There’s a difference.” Best team? Points would say Columbus this season, but I know it to be the Dynamo…
Congrats to RSL for their first championship. They definitely played a better game, especially in the second half. Was it just me or were the commentators kissing Beckham\\\’s butt a little. I can understand Donovan getting some attention because he has proven himself in this league. I also understand Beckham is a quality player who has won titles, but he has yet to prove himself in this league. We all know he can sell jerseys and tickets, but look at numbers…numbers of assists and goals. So for once, I would like Harkes to kindly remove his lips from Beckham\\\’s butt. I would rather have a player like Brad Davis over Beckham anyday.
RSL deserved to win tonight. Did LA just think RSL was going to roll over because the media crowned LA the champs already? More fight in this team and if RSL could have figured out the final 1/3 of the field, they would have killed LA.
Beckham was a liability in the 2nd half and Donovan again disappears in the big game. Who could have figured?
What was sickening is to see Beckham grimacing on his way to take the penalty. He was just looking for an excuse just in case he missed.
Wonder if RSL being used to artificial surface before their stadium was built gave them the upper hand? MLS, please don’t play on artificial turf again and please start playing in stadiums of the best record not a neutral site. I know Seattle is a great soccer town but artificial turf is a pathetic way to play soccer. I also think it would have been a lot more exciting seeing some hometown fans of the team playing. It didn’t look like there were many LA fans who made the trip. We also need to give some kind of advantage to the teams that do well in the regular season. Even though RSL was the best team of the night, to come in with a losing record to win the MLS Cup is pretty bad.
One of the other things that was just brutal last night was John Harkes and the whole ESPN crew. I know you need a storyline in a game and you knew that Beckham would be front and center but it was awful. I wish I would have just muted the whole game. In fact, I would have paid extra just to shut these guys up.
John Harkes sounded like he was parroting every producer in his ear last night. He also was trying too hard to know what he was talking about. Is Harkes trying to get a head coaching job in the MLS so all the owners could hear him. Harkes wasn’t Balboa awful but he was very close to it.
Glenn, we needed you in there last night.
Davis/Martino. The ‘Dynamic Duo’.
I totally agree with CJ. I have mentioned before how I cannot stand listening to the ESPN commentators. I do mute ESPN when they’re the only channel airing an MLS game.
I wish we could vote, so we can have Glen call all soccer games.
I found two lines in a Dutch Newspaper about how the Brit’s glamour team was not able to win the cup last night.
The whole article (4 good size paragraphs) was really about how much Beckham is looking forward to his AC Milan season.
It just goes to show you, the best team does not always win. I feel deep down inside that the Dynamo should have been in the championship game. It proves how difficult it really is to win the MLS cup. So many things can go wrong or the opposite can happen, you are the last seed and your team is peaking just at the right time and you get the right bounces. RSL beating Columbus should have warned everyone that LA was in for a battle. The first 20 minutes or so, LA dominated but for the rest of the match, RSL took over. It was just hard a game for both, not very interesting at times but the PK’s were a nice finish. Incidentally, I never thought I would see the day that Donovan would miss a PK that badly! The atmosphere was teriffic and the choice of Quest Field was a stroke of genius. If the league is to continue to grow, there has to be a way to keep U.S. home grown players from going overseas for more money. At least keep the the exodus down somewhat. The announcers quoted the commissoner as saying this was a tricky question that needed to be addressed. Also the matter of stadiums needs to be addressed as well. For teams to be profitable and be able to afford better players, the teams need there own stadiums with the added revenue. The Dynamo organization is at a crossroads I believe with many player decisions to make. If the money is not there, the talent will be lost or not replenished. The league needs to raise the salary cap significantly. It will be interesting to see what the coming months will bring.
100% agree on not playing the MLS Cup, or for that matter any MLS game, on artificial turf.
The best thing for MLS happened last night. The better team won.
Long-term success for MLS will come from slow and steady growth due to steady increasing level of play. Good soccer is about good teams. 15 players fighting for each other and working as a unit.
The last I want is a league that looks like the 2009 LA Galaxy: a group of players sitting back parking the bus and counter-attacking with a couple Superstars sprinked in.
All hail Real Salt Lake — silly name and all.
Well-Well, RSL sticks it to LA compliments of Nick Rimando. Could this game have ended any better. LA’s star golden boy chokes on a penalty kick. And Beckham goes back to LA in search of a better barber. I am sure that none of our guys will openly admit it but they are happy with this outcome. Now comes the offseason for the Dynamo. Now comes the strategy of filling holes and making tough decisions. This is the hard season for Coach Kinnear, time to really earn his salary. Just don’t let Hainault go!!!! And find a forward who can help out Ching and finish a play.
I gave my word. I shall hate Beckerman no more forever.
You pretty much new we were in for a marathon kneecap-sucking when Harkes made sure to mention how he was talking to Beckham before the match about his foot and Beckham said “Harkesy…”
I’m reluctant to say I wish you would have had the call, because then it’d be some sycophant producer mumbling in your ear all night about how Beckham invented football in the jungles of Brazil in the fifteenth century and forcing you to drone on and on about it.
What was also pretty comical from a production perspective was the efforts of the monkey-fisted numbnut who was working the replay on the clost offside calls. It’s even more noticeable after watching a weekend’s worth of Premier League games. Question for ESPN producers – when there is a close or questionable offsides call, do you A) cut to the replay with the sideline camera angle so you can overlay your sweet moving-line graphic and show the player’s exact position at the time the ball was played, or B) cut to a close up of the player jogging across the field after the call. It got better in the second half, but there was a time when the announcers were expecting to see the replay on an offsides in the first half, and the booth cut to a bizarre angle from the endline from which you couldn’t tell anything. They just mumbled something about how the offsides must have been close.
Props to the Royals. Build stadia, win championships.
I actually like the name “Real Salt Lake”. It gives those guys a high target to aspire to. Anyway, saw the match last night on Galavision. Friends, most of these matches are on in Spanish (or, you can mute that too if you wish). For those of you who don’t speak it but wish to or are trying to improve what they have (like me), there are lots of internet radio stations out there, lots of classes here in the city, and Rosetta Stone has good language immersion programs as well. For those of you who just want to watch the match without throwing the remote against the wall, the mute button works well.
Though, to follow on DonJuego’s remarks:
Bruce Arena = coaching dimwit?
Seriously, you have the 2 best players on the pitch and probably the better side on paper, and you counter-attack? Really? Bruce, take some chances and have faith in your guys. Jason Kreis had confidence in his. Brilliant coaching by him last night.
Turned out to be a very good night for MLS last night. A pretty well played match (2nd half and extra time periods were entertaining) and the better “team” on the field won. Congrats to RSL!!
Congrats to RSL…but I still think the MLS Cup was supposed to be back in Houston if it wasn’t for the horrible call on Hainault’s goal!
Oh and I did forget to voice my disdain for the bias commentating especially by Harkes. ESPN needs to show him the door and get someone who can be impartial in their comments. This guy has sucked up to LA all season even when they played badly. And could he have fawned any more over Bruce Arena. Beckham will be gone soon so I wonder who LA will promote as their next savior, it certainly cannot be Sir Landon who cannot make a penalty kick. Hey, they could put Lalas back in uniform since he thinks that LA is the best MLS team. With that flaming red hair he would make for good photo ops.
Now, in fairness to Landon, he had made 21 of his last 23 in MLS and I can’t remember the last time he missed a penatly for the national team. The guy usually nails those. He just screwed it up last night. Let’s be fair about this.
Though, I’d like to congratulate David Beckham. Last night’s hair style was slightly more socially acceptable than last week’s….what was that anyway? It looked like his hair got stuck in a garbage disposal or a blender or something like that. David, be more careful.
Margo, because of Harkes sucking up to Beckham, he will be back. Who do you think was in his ear all night telling him to talk more about Beckham?? The dumb American ESPN producers who have no idea how to cover soccer on TV.
Watched the game here in Mexico and had the benefit of Argentine announcers. ESPN has good soccer coverage, it’s just directed towards Latin America. However, the reverse also holds. Believe me, there is nothing worse that listening to coverage of American football in Spanish!
On a good note, the MLS did get it right in putting this game at night on ESPN (not the Deuce or Classic) in Seattle with 42K fans. I would love to see the ratings on this one.
My advise to MLS is have the MLS Cup in New York in the new stadium next year and the next year after that have the game in the team’s town (not necessarily home stadium) with the best record in the finals. This would bring incredible backdrop of passionate fans that no sport can duplicate. Love to see the MLS Cup in Reliant Stadium in 2011 (only if the Dynamo have the best record out of the two in the finals–which can be done). Do you know how many Houstonians would be coming to the game that had never been to a game before? It would be incredible! Hope MLS makes it happen and I hope other expansion cities take Seattle’s playbook on how to start an MLS franchise and run with it. Remember the window of opportunity is at the beginning and it closes fast (see bad examples o how not to run a franchise and get a fan base–ie Dallas, Colorado, New England, Chivas, KC)
MLS Cup overnights rise 29%
http://sportsmediawatch.blogspot.com/2009/11/mls-cup-overnights-rise-29.html
Despite moving from broadcast to cable, overnight ratings improved for the MLS Cup.
Sunday night’s Real Salt Lake/Galaxy matchup drew a 0.9 overnight rating on ESPN, up 29% from a 0.7 for last year’s afternoon Crew/Red Bulls tilt on ABC, and tied as the highest overnight for the event since ‘05.
To put that in perspective, David Beckham’s debut with the Galaxy in July ‘07 drew a 1.2 overnight on ESPN.
Congrats to RSL and Nick Rimando, one of my favorite players in MLS, for reasons that I have never been able to articulate. I just like the guy. And big props to Cletus on winning his one and only MLS ring. Who would have thought that 10 years ago? And also big props to Jason Kreis. That team had the front page treatment in the Deseret News or Slat Lake Tribune, one of those, right before moving into Rio Tinto last year talking about how they were, in real “Man on the Moon” huge type, THE WORST TEAM IN MLS. Since then, that team has been in two Cup semifinals and now won a Cup Final. Remarkable.
And now reality: I think RSL in 2010 will be the first defending champion since the 2006 Galaxy to miss the playoffs entirely, though this is hardly a unique analysis. That team is good, but nothing more than that. Though of course, they were clearly the better team last night. Next year they have no Movsisyan, and we all know that over the course of a whole season, a date with the Royals is usually one Dynamo at least expect to win, either here or at Rio Tinto. Championship or not, I don’t see that changing next year. I don’t mean to be brutal or anything, just honest. This is a team that just got hot at the right time. Let’s not make them out to be anything more than that. That is, until they prove it over the course of a whole season.
That being said, I do not join the chorus of opinion that says that RSL is proof positive that the playoffs are a crock and that MLS does not crown their true champion.
The solution to these “problems” (if such they are) is to stop this ludicrous Supporter’s Shield title and name the regular season champion something a name that’s befitting, like, oh I don’t know, how about “Season Champion”? Get a trophy befitting the status of champion. Use the name champion, whatever. Just like with the Supporter’s Shield now, the team gets a berth in the Champions League, and in addition, a scudetto to wear all of next season.
Then use the regular season to seed a postseason tournament of eight teams, the MLS Cup Tournament. The winner of that tournament is the MLS Cup Champion.
How so very precedented is a format like this? The regular season champ is the champ, the MLS Cup champ is a champ and the USOC champ is kind of like a champion. You could have a domestic triple, a domestic double or three separate trophy winners. That is just fine by me. We are often accused of being to Anglocentric in our soccer here in the US. Well here is a situation where it works. The USOC = FA Cup. The Season champ = Premier League champ. MLS Cup winner = Carling (League) Cup.
The reason I want to keep the playoffs is that I like tournaments with all of their silly internal logic. Anyone can beat anyone on any given day and upsets happen far more frequently than during the marathon of a regular season run. The regular season does not produce undeserving champions, while it is true that tournaments do. However, this is only a problem when the tournament presents the only title to win. So keep the playoffs. Keep it all. It’s fun and entertaining and leads to debates and discussion and upsets and favorites and the whole shebang. Keep it all.
Like i said, i did not watch the game, I was watching a rerun of die hard. I was surprised about the result this morning. What happened? how come mls favorite beckham did not get his trophy? does anyone think that his check bounced? may be it was too obvious to screw over two teams in a row, so they decided to let this one play out fair and square.
anyway i only care about the dynamo, so here is my question
Where is the protected players list? it’s supposed to be ready today!
Glenn, one thing that bothered me about Beckham last night that I lost a lot of respect was his dirty tackle on Javier Morales. Beckham has been playing dirty all year and he did it with all the world to see last night. I know soccer is a tough sport and you will see the professional foul every once in a while but how many times did Beckham foul guys this year where he should have been thrown out of the game? For a so called, “ambassador of the game” he should be ashamed of some of his play this year. I frankly would love to see the guy stay at AC Milan and not come back to the MLS. I think he has worn out his welcome with the true American soccer fan.
I watched that play unfold [with McGee on the receiving end], and though about how infrequently I saw the Dynamo run that play, and when Findley ran like a madman in behind their back line with the ball at his feet, I wondered who on the Dynamo [outside of Oduro] had that type of speed. Even Olave has skills than few of the HD backline possess.
We tied twice and won once over the course. We might have ended with a better overall record, but the end of season goal difference for the teams was Houston 10, RSL 8. I gotta give ‘em props – they played well.
I should add that, sadly, even his penta-brace probably won’t get Defoe into the starting 11 for England in SA. Good article in the Guardian today why not. And the Independent led with Beckham’s hair.