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12/25/2018

Create a list of the best sports movies that might, and I stress might, pull me away from the new season of Vanderpump Rules...

Christmas 2018 Best Sports Movies of All Time*

15. Stealing Home
14. Caddyshack
13. The Bad News Bears
12. Raging Bull
11. Semi-Pro
10. Slap Shot
9. Rocky
8. The Color of Money
7. Victory
6. Moneyball
5. Chariots of Fire
4. Seabiscuit
3. The Natural
2. The Best of Times
1. Hoosiers

* Comedies and Dramas rounded into one. Though it’s a good movie, I’m not the biggest fan of Field of Dreams, get over it. Rudy and Bull Durham are not on this list either. Just stop right now. On an extended list they could theoretically be included along with Hoop Dreams, Invictus, Without Limits and North Dallas Forty, to name a few.

Atlanta United win MLS cup, correct prediction!

12/9/2018

Yes, I predicted Atlanta would win the MLS Cup back in October, blah, blah, blah.*

How do you do it Shane? It's a blessing, and a curse.

Amazing Atlanta won its first MLS Cup in only two MLS seasons. It did so on December 8, 2018 in front of over 70,000 fans at home by defeating Portland 2-0. Arthur Blank, the owner, who also owns the Atlanta Falcons, couldn't have done a better job constructing this team of remarkable players and the dream season that just finished up. (A season in which Atlanta almost captured the Supporters' Shield.) Arguably, this will go down as an all-time great MLS team, and probably the best to date, notwithstanding D.C. United of the late 90s which had a very talented squad, for example. Aside from going into other dominant MLS clubs of yore, it should be known that very few of them can boast playing the game as well as Atlanta did this year. The style it exuded was top-notch. One reason for the prediction was the style Atlanta played. Going into the nuances of such a thing would take many paragraphs, but know this: To play with a top-notch style is not easily done or even understood by most laymen. Though, when it's accomplished, it should very likely bring long-term success such as the case with Barcelona and Spain during the Golden Generation. Atlanta is currently tapping into that area of brilliance, however, things may be unraveling as we speak. Its coach is presumably onto coaching Mexico while Almiron is likely heading to Europe. Despite these changes, should Parkhurst, Nagbe, Martinez, Barco and others stay around, the chances of a repeat should be in order. Next season for Atlanta will be a very interesting one to say the least.

* Prediction occurred here, at the Blog entry of 10-22-18.

2018 MLS Cup Playoffs update

12/3/2018

Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs

FINAL MATCH
DECEMBER 8, 2018
Champions: Atlanta United

Knockout Round        Conference Semis          Conference Finals       MLS Cup

Eastern Conference
NYCFC Atlanta United Atlanta United
Philadelphia Union     NYCFC

D.C. United NY Red Bulls NY Red Bulls
Columbus Crew          Columbus Crew Atlanta United
Portland Timbers
Western Conference
LAFC Sporting KC Sporting KC
Real Salt Lake Real Salt Lake

FC Dallas Seattle Sounders
Portland Timbers        Portland Timbers Portland Timbers

The Knockout Round is a one game playoff.

The Conference Semi-Finals and Conference Finals consist of two legs (a home and away game).

The MLS Cup Final has one game. (The team with the most regular-season points hosts the MLS Cup.)

Commentary:
As predicted, Atlanta is in the finals. Now it has to defeat Portland, who is a great team at the moment, and has been for a few years. Given the departure of Caleb Porter and Darlington Nagbe, Portland is still doing well. Now, oddly enough, Nagbe will go against his old team in the MLS Cup finals, and it's anyone's ball game. However, I still stand by my prediction of Atlanta winning the whole thing. With that said, don't underestimate Portland. It's a team with plenty of talent. It should be a spectacular game.

Atlanta is looking amazing as usual. With Nagbe back in the lineup, ATL – also featuring Almiron, Guzan and the regular season goal-scoring king, Josef Martinez – is the team to beat. With over 70,000 people present for home games, adorning large flags behind the goal-lines, it has the feel of an epic Argentinean stadium in full throttle. Who says soccer hasn't arrived in America?

NY Red Bulls have the ability to take down Atlanta in a two-game battle, but it will be unlikely for NY to stop the wave in the South.

Portland was the first team to reach the Conference Finals after it defeated Seattle in a very exciting Leg 2 showdown, which was decided in penalty kicks. Portland is looking great, with plenty of momentum after taking down its Northwest rival in front of lively crowds, but in all likelihood it will meet Sporting Kansas City in the next round and I predict* Sporting Kanas City will represent the Western Conference in the MLS Cup final.

D.C. United finished in a surprising 4th place and qualified for the Playoffs. However, it lost in the opening Knockout Round. Oddly enough, despite struggling throughout the season, languishing in the lower rankings, it was a team that played well but didn't get results. In the end, its quality of play on the field was worthy of a 4th place finish in the Eastern Conference.

LA Galaxy finished in a disappointing 7th place and did not qualify for the Playoffs.

LAFC lost an exciting game at home against Real Salt Lake. Bob Bradley deserves a lot of credit; LAFC were playing great soccer all season, second only in quality to Atlanta United.

(This Blog piece was originally posted on 11-2-18 and gradually updated.)

* Prediction occurred here on 11-11-18 circa 6:45-7:00 AM Central Standard Time.

gregg berhalter: new coach for usmnt

12/1/2018

Over the weekend, U.S. Soccer announced its new head coach for the USMNT: Gregg Berhalter. This should be interesting.

things to do list

Atlanta United win MLS cup, correct prediction!

2018 MLS Cup Playoffs update

gregg berhalter: new coach for usmnt

Shane stay +
(archives)

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things to do list

Atlanta United win MLS cup, correct prediction!

2018 MLS Cup Playoffs update

gregg berhalter: new coach for usmnt

Shane stay + ​(archives)

Author

Categories

Shane stay +
(archives)