tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5437561489188679737.post1907674021987797827..comments2023-11-05T03:31:19.545-08:00Comments on Sideline Views: Japan/US running blog - semifinalsA.C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03617669285297119500noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5437561489188679737.post-36859092826550261222008-08-19T13:09:00.000-07:002008-08-19T13:09:00.000-07:00Ghost, I haven't heard for sure but I suspect ...Ghost, I haven't heard for sure but I suspect Brittany T. has cracked ribs! Good thing I'm a Hope fan! :( <BR/><BR/>Tank's ankle did appear to be giving her problems. Surprisingly, our best game was against China when Tank was out - the old everybody else steps it up a notch or two thing - Rhian Wilkinson (who I think is AMAZING) was moved up with Randee Hermus taking Rhian's place on D. Rhian prefers an attacking mid position to D so I'm not sure why Coach Even insisted on playing her back? She's good everywhere - takes all the set piece kicks - might just be our MVP? <BR/><BR/>Anyhow, Rhi up really seemed to click - but Coach Even apparently didn't think so as he didn't go to Randee again?? She was the one that almost saved the China goal - went over the line by an inch if that!<BR/><BR/>Three subs used for injury may have made a difference but I'm more inclined to believe that the better team on that day did indeed win. The delay helped us too - seemed to take the momentum away from you guys & let us re-group after your rather over-whelming start. Karina L. also played well in place of Erin, which was great to see. <BR/><BR/>Regardless, oh so close but yet so far. Close is only good in - ummm - horseshoes! lol That's been the history - why change it for something as important as the Olympics!? :(( lol<BR/><BR/>Even in equestrian show jumping - we went to overtime for Gold against you guys - and LOST! :(<BR/><BR/>Back to the USWNT - I'm sooo impressed with how they've come together - I never doubted them for a second - not even one - & I am convinced they will bring home GOLD on Thursday - I really do but I'll cross my fingers just the same! Can't ask for anything better than this - a second chance to play Brazil with all the marbles on the table after everything that happened last September! <BR/><BR/>Yes, Ghost, this is indeed fate - or Karma if you prefer! Or not! lol <BR/><BR/>There are some things they need to do & clean up - but they can do it & will do it! Hope will also have a splendid game - she will respond to the enormous pressure she has to be feeling on her shoulders! She's one tough young lady - she will come through - I have NO doubts! <BR/><BR/>lol A.C., I came across your other blog when I had a peak at yours & l.b's profiles this morning - had a quick read, had a good laugh - hope you do pick it up again again next week. <BR/><BR/>Keep in mind it wasn't my intent to imply pressure of any kind but trying something new each & every week I do believe is a splendid approach to life - just may take it up myself - thanks for the inspiration! :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5437561489188679737.post-91169976834614586232008-08-19T11:40:00.000-07:002008-08-19T11:40:00.000-07:00Point taken, coach, I'll add the label. And um, I ...Point taken, coach, I'll add the label. <BR/><BR/>And um, I dropped the ball a bit on my other blog. I kind of thought no one noticed. . . I'll get it going again next week.A.C.https://www.blogger.com/profile/03617669285297119500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5437561489188679737.post-88721704672884348092008-08-19T11:31:00.000-07:002008-08-19T11:31:00.000-07:00Rocky, indeed, Coach. Hope on Timko was true Rock...Rocky, indeed, Coach. Hope on Timko was true Rocky... a body shot to the ribs.<BR/><BR/>What bad luck there for CWNT. Early injury to McLeod, one sub gone. Subbed Tancredi's bad ankle(s), two gone. Then Tancredi's replacement get's KO'd by Solo, the one woman wrecking crew, and all three Canadian subs are gone, leaving no fresh legs available in ET. That may very well have spelled the difference in the game right there.<BR/><BR/>At least Thursday the US shouldn't see that idiot Petignat again. She really does see things pretty strangely at times and seldom in US's favor. Brazil/US is usually pretty rough and tumble. Hopefully, both sides will finish with all eleven on the field.ghostwriterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04432818511519917053noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5437561489188679737.post-72628576570310938622008-08-19T10:51:00.000-07:002008-08-19T10:51:00.000-07:00Well A.C., what happened to your 604,800 Seconds b...Well A.C., what happened to your 604,800 Seconds blog?<BR/><BR/>Was rather humerous reading about SBD & such!<BR/><BR/>I tried to leave a comment but, unlike this blog, it wouldn't let me. lolAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5437561489188679737.post-11585867740170651412008-08-19T07:26:00.000-07:002008-08-19T07:26:00.000-07:00A.C. - oh my, Argentina just scored again [the fir...A.C. - oh my, Argentina just scored again [the first one went off his arm (!!), that one looked off-side maybe(??)] lol <BR/><BR/>Yes, I understand the putting "Olympic Soccer" as a label, but why not more than one label as you have always done? There are also some Olympic Posts with just "USWNT" as the label - Chalups recovery & the New Zealand game play by play I do believe? <BR/><BR/>I've now book-marked both but it's easier to go to the one page! Oh, and that page isn't broken! lolAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5437561489188679737.post-25580739861389449212008-08-19T07:13:00.000-07:002008-08-19T07:13:00.000-07:00We were away for a short vaykay last week. I think...We were away for a short vaykay last week. I think I mentioned it in one or two of the posts that I was aware of! lol <BR/><BR/>I borrowed my daughter's new laptop (which I paid for so I guess I'm worthy! lol) & kept up on things while the ladies in my life shopped! <BR/><BR/>Hope didn't want to play "Rocky" on somebody's head again, that's why she retreated! ;) lol<BR/><BR/>Seriously though, that was a very difficult bang bang play which Hope had no chance on - maybe if she had kicked her legs out in a stacked pads kinda way instead of the dive! lol <BR/><BR/>Don't get me started on that Canada vs China game - things "coulda, shouda, woulda" been so different based on many games, that one being one of them! Same thing happened in the WC last year, but at least this time we got to the QF's!<BR/><BR/>I here Coach Ryan is coming to Canada! lmao - totally kidding! Please NO! <BR/><BR/>Coach Even indeed is a Route One coach, just like Ryan, & we just might benefit from a change, as he himself has stated.<BR/><BR/>On the Draw, I without a doubt believe the USA would be in the final regardless! Must always be positive! That being said, I do wonder why they don't do a criss cross for the semi's ike they often do in hockey? <BR/><BR/>I can't wait till the game Thursday morning! Regardless of what happens, they have done great & should hold their heads very high! Pia will be back regardless & if she isn't, WE'LL take her! <BR/><BR/>GO USWNT GO! <BR/><BR/>PS - Argentina just did to Brazil what the USWNT is going to do on numerous occasions on Thursday! They SCORED! :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5437561489188679737.post-76136244865129066752008-08-19T06:41:00.000-07:002008-08-19T06:41:00.000-07:00Welcome back Coach. I thought you were on vaykay o...Welcome back Coach. I thought you were on vaykay or some such. <BR/><BR/>Nice job by your gals. They were surely the best side the US faced (so far) in this tourney, even allowing for the 2-0 Norway debacle. If you'd have taken care of the Chinese when you had the chance it'd been you guys yesterday and who knows...<BR/><BR/>Next CWNT coach probably ought to be undertaking a similar remolding as Pia's doing down here. The Canadian women have the talent to be top four and life will get even more interesting for the US gals.<BR/><BR/>We'll see about Thursday. Brazil did to the Germans pretty much what they did to us at WC, although the Germans had no excuses. It seems obvious that you just can't give Brazil time and space or they really start feeling their oats and they just are too much to handle. If they get a little tight and frustrated and insecure, perhaps...but to do that the US possession game will need to be very good and the D will need to be better than they were v. Japan 'cause Barbara ain't 5'5'' and the Brazilian strikers won't miss opportunities. <BR/><BR/>And, in my view Hope still looks occasionally tentative. It seemed that on the first Japanese goal her first instinct was to rush the shooter. She started out, then changed her mind and retreated. As you know yourself from being between the pipes, you're better off sure than right much of the time. If your instinct in that instance is to try and smother the ball (or puck) off the shooter's foot (or stick), you've got to go with it. You've got to try to take away something. Admittedly she's made some fine athletic stops... on Sinclair and then again yesterday. It's not like she's played badly, but I'd like to see her totally committed all the time.<BR/><BR/>They've been fortunate with the draw, but it's nice to see Pia's charges begin to grow into themselves without Abby as a crutch. Have they grown enough to play with Brazil for 90? We'll see.ghostwriterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04432818511519917053noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5437561489188679737.post-3986356079990401452008-08-18T21:56:00.000-07:002008-08-18T21:56:00.000-07:00Sorry to throw you off, coach, it's just that I've...Sorry to throw you off, coach, it's just that I've been previewing some Olympic soccer stuff that didn't include the USWNT, so I just decided to put everything under the Olympic soccer label.A.C.https://www.blogger.com/profile/03617669285297119500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5437561489188679737.post-77775000571746274342008-08-18T11:44:00.000-07:002008-08-18T11:44:00.000-07:00Ghost, in answer to your question - ABSOLUTELY - t...Ghost, in answer to your question - ABSOLUTELY - the USWNT is going to beat Brazil's butt on Thursday! <BR/><BR/>I've missed all the posts that are labelled Olympic Soccer but not also labelled USWNT! lol I've got some catching up to do!<BR/>Way to mess me up A.C., my bookmark is to the USWNT page! lmao <BR/><BR/>Hope is also doing just fine, she had no chance on the 2 goals - goal mouth scrambles - not much you can do - note the diving save when it mattered.<BR/><BR/>My only concern is going for more goals when it was 4-1 in extra time (Carli) instead of controlling the game - which allowed for the counter that resulted in the last goal - which I believe put the USWNT in a tie for GA for the tourney instead of allowing the fewest? <BR/><BR/>GOLD on Thursday for the USWNT!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5437561489188679737.post-12912217011963513462008-08-18T11:15:00.000-07:002008-08-18T11:15:00.000-07:00WTH A.C., you dropped USWNT from your "Labels" for...WTH A.C., you dropped USWNT from your "Labels" for these posts! :( I thought you had gone on vacation! <BR/><BR/>Congrats "USWNT"! <BR/><BR/>Bring home the GOLD!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5437561489188679737.post-84108973176364181442008-08-18T08:06:00.000-07:002008-08-18T08:06:00.000-07:00Yes, Brandi talks too much (watch the NBC online f...Yes, Brandi talks too much (watch the NBC online feed, no announcers at all). Yes, a taller keeper would've saved those lob balls and maybe even this one would have if she'd have moved her feet better.<BR/><BR/>Anybody think Hope Solo is playing less than stellar?<BR/><BR/>Anybody think Lauren Cheney has made a bit of a case for some more playing time?<BR/><BR/>Does anybody give the US much chance at all v. the Brazilian side that DISMANTLED Germany today? They looked like they were playing 12 or 13 vs. a German side with 10. Ohmygod were they good today. <BR/><BR/>AC, you picked 'em again!ghostwriterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04432818511519917053noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5437561489188679737.post-23392417968150579262008-08-18T08:02:00.000-07:002008-08-18T08:02:00.000-07:00Heh, I hope someone on the team is joking about Ni...Heh, I hope someone on the team is joking about Nicole Barnhart playing keeper against Brazil!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5437561489188679737.post-69624616037894796912008-08-18T07:53:00.000-07:002008-08-18T07:53:00.000-07:00Shot at redemption for the US National Women's Sor...Shot at redemption for the US National Women's Sorority. ;-)<BR/><BR/>I hadn't watched a full women's game in a long time, and must admit I'm quite impressed at how the level of play has developed. It's a lot faster, the women no longer look like they're about to fall over when they sprint and the passing/shooting quality has really come a long way.<BR/><BR/>Looking forward to getting up on Thursday, is it?The Hammerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07073632764723130030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5437561489188679737.post-5242424837494367032008-08-18T07:42:00.000-07:002008-08-18T07:42:00.000-07:00I suspect that a taller keeper would have saved th...I suspect that a taller keeper would have saved those last 2 goals. Anyone think Hope Solo would have let them in?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5437561489188679737.post-90458965825023660262008-08-18T05:58:00.000-07:002008-08-18T05:58:00.000-07:00Am I the only one who wishes Brandi Chastain would...Am I the only one who wishes Brandi Chastain would be quiet some of the time? Her constant analysis becomes criticism by its sheer volume. Geez!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com