Distracted From Footcer By Footcer

So this time I actually have an excuse for not posting. I was in New York City last weekend and then I've spent the rest of the week trying to catch up. So I didn't catch much of the footcer. Though today I went into work trying to make up some of what needed to be done while I was in Red Bull territory and listened to some of the matches. Oh how I missed you footcer!

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Though the one most interesting thing that happened today I didn't get to see or hear first hand. Joey Barton of Manchester City, who had been getting harrassed all game by the Everton fans, at the end of the match went right in front of a group of their supporters and mooned them.

Well just like the last incident involving a Manchester City player (though this is much more humorous than that one which involved serious injury), an irate set of fans from the opposing team called the police.

Manchester City manager Stuart Pearce got called down to a police station in Liverpool for questioning on the behavior of his player and everything.

What I wonder is how he kept a straight face through the whole thing.

I bet you that he didn't. Because, despite his "psycho" persona, even the hardest of hard asses couldn't help but break down when police would ask them, "how do you feel about your player showing his hindquarters to a group of opposing fans?"

Listening to 606, the opinion of the callers was pretty much to make light of it. One e-mailer stated, "I think the punishment should fit the crime. He should be sent to his room, not be able to watch television for a week, and not get his tea."

But there were honestly people screaming that the behavior would encourage youths all over the United Kingdom, nay the world, to start mooning people in school because a footcerler did it.

Nice to know it's not just the United States that likes to freak out over the slightest bit of man ass.

And besides, who amongst us hasn't wanted to moon an Everton fan at some point in our lives?

Let he who is without a little Joey Barton desire in them cast the first stone?

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I shouldn't say I was totally away from footcer as on Wednesday, there was a great event that I attended...





I can't even believe the Fire are honest to goodness now the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Champions!

It feels like it's not even real it's so wonderful. The first silverware since 2003 and a run I saw every step of the way making it even sweeter. Well that's a lie since I missed the match against Kansas City in the 3rd round because I didn't think this Fire team had it in them to make a run.

Now they're the best team going in MLS right now for the last two month and have a trophy to show for it. Hades, if they keep on clicking on all cylanders they could have two trophies in just a tiny bit of time.

Now I wasn't present for as much as that one. But if the playoff run (which would, in theory be only one game at Toyota Park unless D.C. United bites it against the 4th place team to be named later) is anything like the U.S. Open Cup run, it will be worth it.

The only thing was, I got there so late I missed the first two goals. But my bit of superstition of showing up late, driving there, and listening to cheesy radio stations on the way worked like a charm.

Congratulations to the Chicago Fire - now if only the stupid Chicago media weren't too busy mourning the Fluke Sox and had covered it. ;)

Footcer Is Not For Suckers

I went into work today and it went pretty well. I don't know if it's good or bad that I got more accomplished in five hours today than the last 21. I still have to go in tomorrow at some point for another two hours or so (the hours I missed by sleeping through my alarm on Monday). I think it will be during the Fulham match.

What kind of half-ass fan am I that I thought it was today? I even wore my Fulham jersey to work.

Anyhow, not that it wasn't fun listening to Reading demolish Sheffield United (and of course listening to the Preston North End match so I don't feel guilty about still subscribing to their service even though I used it to listen to Reading all last year) but it's just not the same.

Though it's a bit better than the news coming out of the homefront vis-a-vis footcer.

I heard something on Gol TV's news program (right before my cable decided it no longer liked the channel, a glitch that's happened until tonight where the video still comes in but the audio) that made my heart stop...

The newest rumor is that the United States may hire Sven Goran-Erikson as their next head footcer coach!

I had to scratch my ears on that one.

It was like all of the ribbing that the program had taken from pundits all around the world had come home to roost. There is no way that the United States can make the same mistake that England did, is there?

Wait, I think that's what we usually do in world affairs and such but we're talking footcer here. :)

Sven is about the worst coach the United States could sign because if there's any coach that let players completely control the team, it was Sven. If there was any coach who compounded roster blunders with tactical ones, it was Sven. Maybe if the United States wanted to adopt the flawed paradigm of the late Bruce Arena regime, Sven is perfect.

Ha! Never thought I'd put those three words in the same sentence.

Though I can say one good thing about if Sven is hired. He'd keep soccer on the front pages of the papers - though not for soccer. Hide the secretaries!

Now, there was better news on American Soccer's repeat after the story ran, that Sunil Gulati flew down to Argentina to interview Jose Peckerman. Now that's a possibility.

Though I personally still want Steve Nicol.

The whole thing seems to be just a way to leverage Juergen Klinnsman. Though from what I heard it wasn't that the German didn't want to coach the United States, just that he didn't want to coach the United States for what U.S. Soccer was willing to pay him. There was about a $1.4 million dollar descrepency.

Just pony up the cash, please.

Consider it an investment in a good team that will up the value of footcer in the United States and pay way more that that in dividends!

Sometimes You Eat The Barcodes And Sometimes The Barcodes Eat You

Now that's more like it for Fulham. Instead of waiting until the second to last away game of the season to get a win, they only had to play until the second. With a 2-1 win over Newcastle United (the same away score of the Chicago Fire), Fulham has 7 points in 4 matches and find themselves in 7th. Who would have thought they be ahead of their opponents when they went to White Hart Lane for the London derby against Tottenham.

Did you hear that, Fulham ahead of Tottenham? Don't know how long I'll get to say that. :)

I think it's time for the Cottagers to inflict some more pair on the north Londoners while they're down. It probably won't happen since Jimmy "Who The Fuck Is Steed Malbranque" Bullard went down during the match. He's out until some time in October. Except for, you know, Chelsea this next part of the schedule looks winnable without him (away at Watford, home with Charlton, away at Aston Villa - that's probably a loss, and home with Wigan).

I know I'm getting way too excited about this but it's not often that I get to wear my Fulham jersey with pride. Especially in the United States after both footcer Yanks on the roster scored goals. I mean, it's not that odd to hear "Brian McBride with the tying goal" but it's absolutely crazy to hear, "Carlos Bocanegra with the winner."

The only thing that would have been better is if Chelsea had ended up losing to Charlton.

Speaking of Yanks, if you only watch one match this year, it should be the Monday night (well afternoon in the states) match between Manchester City and Reading. There probably won't be four footcer Yanks on the pitch simultaneously since DaMarcus Beasley is doubtful with an injury but it will be Reyna against Convey. That is, the once Captain America versus the future Captain America.

It's too bad that Beasley won't play because how many times do you get to see the two main contenders for the left wing position on the United States national teams go head to head besides in practice scrimmages?

But who needs Monday when tomorrow's got some exciting games in La Liga?

Oh wait, they're not that good and tomorrow is the opening day of pointyball. Choosing is going to be really difficult.

Footcer Red, Footcer Blue, It's All Good

It's a good day today as far as footcer goes so everyone join me in the greatest chant ever in Major League Soccer...

WHO THE FUCK IS D.C. UNITED
D.C. UNITED, D.C. UNITED
WHO THE FUCK IS D.C. UNITED
D.C. UNITED, WHO?



We're going to the U.S. Open Cup finals, baby!

FIRE, FIRE, FIRE, FIRE, GO!

After the bit of uncomfortableness that was the quarterfinal match between my two favorite teams, this U.S. Open Cup run could not have been scripted better. Now that D.C. United is dispatched, the final opponents...ONLY THE GALAXITIVES!

The hated, hated L.A. Galaxy.

So the Fire polished off Freddy Adu (who now, apparently, wants to be introduced as Fred since he's the second coming of the Grown Ass Man) and now who's the opposition standing between the Men In Red and the cup - LANDON DONOVAN!

For the team of no names to go through two of the biggest names in the league (not even to mention DempseyJosephTwellman) to life the U.S. Open Cup for the first time in three years couldn't even be scripted.

Of course L.A.'s got their own script (which is fitting since it is L.A.) as they're going for a repeat. But, who cares, our story's better! :)

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And here's a bonus entry with my reflections on the transfer deadline (originally on LiveJournal last Friday). It's been one of those weeks. :)

I you're still looking for an EPL team to follow, I think I have a recommendation for you...Manchester City.

There's one really good reason...

DAMARCUS BEASLEY SIGNED A LOAN DEAL TO GO TO MANCHESTER CITY FOR A YEAR FROM PSV

This is great! He's going to take up the spot currently "held" by Trevor Sinclair, about six years past his prime, and give Manchester City a needed boost of speed down the left. There hasn't actually been a really speedy player at Manchester City since Shaun Wright-Phillips left.

Now Beasley, besides simularity in appearance and stature is no Shaun Wright-Phillips. But, you know there aren't many SWPs in the world. Beasley should give Manchester City new attacking options besides Joey Barton (and Darius Vassell and Giorgio Samaras when they decide to show up).

Meanwhile Andy Cole will be playing for Pompey. Curses to Pompey! If they're not getting Manchester City players involved in police investigations, they're stealing them!

It's not just excitement about another Yank footcerler playing in the EPL, this is excitement about my favorite U.S. international joining my second favorite Premiership team. Now of course this is the transfer that matters to me most but it was a fascinating international transfer window closing day - though aren't they all.

The only thing that would have made it more interesting would have been a big-time MLS transfer. But that's asking way too much given the current situation.

Other notes:

What is up with the Everton to Wigan train? I don't mean the real one that probably exists between Liverpool's blue end and the city of the pier, but the player one. It's getting a little bit ridiculous when Kevin Kilbane hops it. It's a sideways transfer.

Spaking of Wigan, Pascal "The Answer To Everything" Chimbonda transferred out of there to Tottenham. Spurs have to stop making these good moves! They also got Steed, who apparently wanted them to get if no one else. In money plus player, Fulham got Wayne Routledge on loan (with a relatively reasonable buyout clause). The move means that a certain Canadian international has probably seen his last significant time in the EPL. It will be good to see Tomasz Radzinski finishing out his career as FC Toronto's captain. I won't even boo him that hard when they play Chicago Fire.

Speaking of CONCACAF, Dwight Yorke decided the A-League isn't even as good as MLS and was bought up by Sunderland for 200,000 pounds. He would have been better off sticking in the Australian league.

Middlesbrough ended up getting their man in Robert Huth. He was the major competition for their affections with Oguchi Onyewu. Huth went for 6 million. If that kind of money were offered for Gooch, Standard Liege would have told him that it had been fun, but that it was over.

But, of course, there's only one transfer that really mattered - CARLOS TEVEZ TO WEST HAM. Now I know you're saying "what the fuck?" if you know about footcer. Basically this guy is among the top five prospects in the entire world (if not the #1) and he was pretty unhappy playing in the Brazilian league. All of these Champions League caliber teams were begging his current team Corinthians to sell him. And who gets him? A UEFA Cup team - and that was by default. Apparently they're about to be bought by a sugar daddy who can pay for the Argentine. Still, it's possibly the most shocking transfer since Beasley to PSV mid-season in the middle of a playoff hunt. Well that's all corrected now. :)