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mls upcoming events

9/18/2018

 
As a successful 2018 World Cup wrapped up in Russia, MLS has been going strong with an amazing season so far from Atlanta United and it's not over yet! Four major MLS events yet to come include: 

2018 MLS Cup
2018 U.S. Open Cup
2018 Supporters’ Shield
2018 Campeones Cup

   The MLS Cup is right around the corner, and a champion will emerge. Many people suspect it will be Atlanta. Though Sporting Kansas City, FC Dallas, LAFC, and both New York squads are looking good. 
  The U.S. Open Cup concludes later this month and the Supporters' Shield will be given to the MLS team with the best record at the conclusion of the MLS season. 
   The Campeones Cup is between Toronto FC and Tigres. The first of its kind, the Cup pairs the best teams of MLS and Liga MX from last year. The game is this Wednesday, September 19, 2018, hosted by Toronto and it should be exciting. 

Much more to come as MLS winds down, and European Club soccer is just underway. 

For more book info, visit: 

Meyer & Meyer Sport
Cardinal Publishers Group

us against mexico

9/12/2018

 
The Four Year Review: America's Quest for the Cup 

US vs Mexico
9-11-18
​Friendly
1-0
T. Adams

Played in Nashville, Tennessee 

A wins a win.
    Dave Sarachan should be commended for placing a new team on the field.
   One thing lacking – as usual – from the USMNT was the ability of the back four to enjoy possession, utilize the two-man game and hence dominate the game with the best possession possible. When this is achieved, then and only then can the midfielders and forwards enjoy more scoring opportunities. Essentially, the most important players on the field are the back four, and ours are still not as skillful as they should be. Convert taller center mids to center defenders. Convert select forwards to outside defenders. Case closed. 

us against brazil: don't ask

9/8/2018

 
The Four Year Review: America's Quest for the Cup

United States vs Brazil

9-7-18
Friendly
0-2
 
Played in MetLife Stadium
East Rutherford, New Jersey
 
How bout don't ask, don't tell? Leave it to Bill Clinton.

    Did the US display advanced knowledge of the two-man game? Nope.
    
Did the US exude creative dribbling? Nope.
    Did the US outside defenders get a single shot on goal? Nope.*
  Were the US central defenders instrumental in developing the attack with skillful, confident, "I want the ball back" possession-oriented passing? Not even close.
    Was the US athletic, and did it put up a good fight? Oh yeah!
  The best thing about the game? Coach Sarachan’s brave choice to go with new, young, virtually untested players, as opposed to pulling in vets who’ve already had a chance to fail.

    There is absolutely no change in the USMNT from eight years ago, at this very stadium, against Brazil in what happened to be Neymar’s first game for Brazil. This should be the most amazing and frustrating thing for any American soccer fan. It serves as a firm reminder that the USMNT is no where near winning a World Cup. The United States is literally the best in every other sport in the world, besides soccer. Eight years is a long time. It's much longer than that though. It's generations of this same result. In terms of US to Brazil, it’s still Larry Holmes to Muhammad Ali. We’re just a sparring partner that never gets to see the ball; we don't get to punch the champ; he punches us. The solution: Sever all ties with English teams and this love affair of sending up-and-coming players to Fulham, such as Dempsey from past years, and Ream today. Instead, keep the top players in MLS, then loan them to Brazilian clubs in the off-season. Problem solved. It doesn’t matter if “Brazil has terrible managers.” I’m done trying to fix it, let Brazil fix it. No one man can fix this. This is so out of control that every news outlet on American TV should literally run ongoing stories featuring this "failure to launch" of the USMNT program which is older than most people have been alive. It's the last American athletic frontier, and the way Brazil handled the US last night is like we are stuck in a horse and buggy while there's an option on a Ferrari. 
    On the flip side, Brazil is criticized for World Cup failures, in part, because all its top players go to Europe. Possibly they should rethink and keep their top players at home with giant contracts, however they can pull it off.
    US Soccer – and Earnie Stewart and the President and whoever coaches – should literally work out player-loans with Brazilian clubs. Veterans or no veterans, this showing yesterday is indicative of why the USMNT will not win the World Cup for many years to come.

*If they did, I wasn't paying attention. Btw, corners don't count. 
    

 

things to do list

9/4/2018

 
Correct the world of chess computer referees.
   So here we have a case where I’m clearly winning. (Which – in chess – is usually the case; I'm a bit of a chess genius ((so I've been told by certain people, and by certain people I mean me)). It's my cross to bear.) Notwithstanding, the computer took it upon itself to jump in (as computers can do from time to time, as they want to be respected by making bad decisions). And no doubt, out of the blue, it declared this game a “Draw!” Sure, right. There’s no rule in chess that can possibly convince me this is a draw. If there is such a rule, then, with all due respect, that rule-maker is a complete idiot. Bill Joy is right. Computers are taking over…I would add: They’re wrong, and they have attitudes. 
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    KEY
    (NS) refers to "Non-Soccer" related blog entries, stories and essays.

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    Shane Stay, author of The Euro 2020, The World Cup 2018 Book, Why American Soccer Isn't There Yet.

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