RSL celebrates the new stadium. This got me thinking about the merits of various MLS stadiums.
I haven't been to Rio Tinto yet, but I've made it out to all the other U.S. soccer-specific MLS stadiums.
I like the brick around the stadium in Bridgeview. I like the brats in Ohio. I like the sunken-in style of Pizza Hut Park and the little bull on every seat. I like the lawn hill at the HDC. Overall, I'd have to say I like HDC the most, but I do think that it will be surpassed one day. Part of the reason for that is I think some of the restrictions the HDC works under are silly and keep soccer from being taken seriously. One, the deal with the nearby college campus that limits attendance on certain nights means some important international games could see very poor crowds. Two, the way the two soccer teams get sent on an annual road trip every August doesn't seem to help their playoff strategies.
So I'm waiting, I guess, for the ultimate soccer stadium. And no, TFC's stadium isn't it for as long as it has artificial turf.
Does anyone else have a favorite stadium? Is it a new SSS, or a sentimental older structure? Tell us about it and explain what you like most, in the comments.
Showing posts with label RSL. Show all posts
Showing posts with label RSL. Show all posts
Friday, October 10, 2008
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Flipping out
So Fabian Espindola hurt himself on a backflip celebrating what he thought was a goal. Then Bryan Jordan scored a minute later - and guess what he did?
If you thought backflip, you'd be wrong. He did a front flip. Check out both on the video.
Since I've been watching gymnastics in the Olympics recently, I'm going to carp on Espindola's landing. He straightened the leg too much, creating more impact on the landing than his foot could take.
"I didn't do anything different," he told me in the locker room. "That's the way I've always celebrated."
Meanwhile, BJ didn't land his front flip perfectly, either, but his legs were bent enough to cushion the landing a bit more. He had no regrets about risking injury on his front flip.
"I wanted to make sure I celebrated. It's been my thing since college. I feel confident doing it."
For Will Johnson, a simple fist pump sufficed to celebrate his score. I don't even remember Buddle's celebration. Yura Movsisyan ran over to acknowledge family and friends who came to the game, I think.
Granted, getting hurt celebrating is not good. "I remember (NFL's) Martin Grammatica hurting himself," said Kyle Beckerman.
But I also agree with Kreis when he said, "We're entertainers. That's what we're here for."
I like flips and other impressive goal celebrations. They don't have to be acrobatic. Clint Dempsey used to have great goal celebrations in MLS and he never flipped around. He was creative, though.
If you thought backflip, you'd be wrong. He did a front flip. Check out both on the video.
Since I've been watching gymnastics in the Olympics recently, I'm going to carp on Espindola's landing. He straightened the leg too much, creating more impact on the landing than his foot could take.
"I didn't do anything different," he told me in the locker room. "That's the way I've always celebrated."
Meanwhile, BJ didn't land his front flip perfectly, either, but his legs were bent enough to cushion the landing a bit more. He had no regrets about risking injury on his front flip.
"I wanted to make sure I celebrated. It's been my thing since college. I feel confident doing it."
For Will Johnson, a simple fist pump sufficed to celebrate his score. I don't even remember Buddle's celebration. Yura Movsisyan ran over to acknowledge family and friends who came to the game, I think.
Granted, getting hurt celebrating is not good. "I remember (NFL's) Martin Grammatica hurting himself," said Kyle Beckerman.
But I also agree with Kreis when he said, "We're entertainers. That's what we're here for."
I like flips and other impressive goal celebrations. They don't have to be acrobatic. Clint Dempsey used to have great goal celebrations in MLS and he never flipped around. He was creative, though.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Rapids/RSL running blog
Real Salt Lake versus the Colorado Rapids has as much deep-down animosity as any local rivalry MLS can muster.
I'm calling this one 2 -0 for the home team, because the MLS trend for teams at home has been pretty good. Gomez and Gomez with the goals.
Predictions open until kickoff.
Let's go. Kyle Beckerman is starting for RSL, of course, while the guy he was traded for, Mehdi Ballouchy, is on the bench. I've never been really high on Mehdi, myself. He's creative, but a bit delicate. Colorado got the worst of that trade, I think, but they're still ahead of RSL at this point, so perhaps Clavijo is doing something right.
RSL - Nick Rimando (GK) Tony Beltran Kyle Beckerman Nat Borchers Fabian Espindola Kenny Cutler Kenny Deuchar Chris Wingert Dema Kovalenko Matias Mantilla Andy Williams
Rimando reps UCLA's NCAA record championships in his player intro. Tony Beltran reps Claremont, which might be a first in pro sports. Kenny Duechar actually refers to his Dr. Goals nickname, which officially makes him the dorkiest doctor on the field.
Colorado: Bouna Coundoul Facundo Erpen Christian Gomez Omar Cummings Jacob Peterson6 - Herculez Gomez Ugo Ihemelu Nick LaBrocca Colin Clark Pablo Mastroeni Kosuke Kimura
Kickoff!
2-Colorado with the early run of play - Herc into the box, but his cross is cut off.
4 - I used to call Jacob Peterson "Blondie" because as a teenager, he was. Now his coif has darkened - he's more sandy-haired than blonde.
5 - Herc shanks a pass. Oddly, he seems to have switched sides since starting the match. His first cross was from the opposite side of the field.
8 - Facundo Erpen lines up an outside shot - but bangs it off the first RSL player in front of him. Weird idea.
10 RSL on the attack, but Beltran gets closed off from making the cross in the box and the ball crosses the goal line.
12- Beltran called for a holding foul, Christian Gomez flicks it to LaBrocca, who fires on goal, but Rimando isn't fooled and stays steady for the catch. RSL on the counter, but Duechar is offside.
14 - Peterson gets on the end of a longball on a counter, shoots far post, but Rimando palms it out for a corner. It's cleared.
15 - Espindola dribbles free for a shot from outside the box. Bouna's got it.
17 - Espindola and Kimura seem to bang legs and are in mutual hurt.
20 - Rapids end a nice little run of RSL possession and attack with a counter that Peterson wastes by not crossing the ball versus Wingert.
21 - Clark with an outside shot Rimando takes care of.
23 - Kovalenko floats a ball into the box, but nat Borcher's first touch fails him utterly and the Rapids clear.
24 - I know Luis loves JP Dellacamera, but JP needs to just call Herculez by that name. It's unclear which Gomez he means half the time, otherwise.
SAVE! The Rapids get a corner off their latest attack and Rimando parries an attempt well. The ensuing corner is cleared.
27 - Yellow for Wingert - tackle from behind Sandy.
28 - I'm also not sure about JP's pronounciation of "Mantilla" - he's saying it Argentine-style, where the double-l sounds like a "j" and it just sounds weird. Ha, Harkes just clarified which Gomez he meant. Just say "Herculez," guys.
29 - Dema runs right out of his shoe on an RSL attack that ends in a Beckerman shot that Bouna collects. Rapids come right back, though, and get a corner. It's cleared.
31 - RSL counter as well, get their own corner. "Man-tee-ja" as JP says, heads it wide.
33 - Mastro cross in box cut off by Rimando.
34 - Andy Williams serves a FK into the box and two RSL forwards miss it.
36 - Sandy and Clark have switched sides. Good team play generates a CK for the Rapids on Clark's side. It's cleared, though.
38 - ESPN interrupts the game to show the Fulham relegation-avoidance-goal. I guess they assume MLS fans care.
41 - I hear cheerleaders, which is a first for me watching MLS games. RSL corner. Bouna caught in a bad position as Duechar heads it down and Kimura dashes in to head ball away from the line. It might have gone wide, but it was a gutsy play by the Japanese defender, who falls into the net and seems a bit shaken up.
45+ - The Rapids have had the better of play, but there's no goal to show for it.
Halftime: The match is ripe for the picking Colorado is playing well, but RSL could steal it.
46 - Rapids on the attack - Christian Gomez leading it.
48 - Duechar offside on his header.
49 - Rapids counter - Clark in the box - but no one latches on to his low cross in front of goal. RSL right back, Williams in the box, but the Rapids defense clears.
52 - Rapids again controlling the play, but the RSL defense is holding and waiting for counter chances.
55 - Ooooh - Herc in the box, lays it back to Sandy, who gets a great cross in to Clark, who for some reason doesn't head it, but tries a Rockets girl high kick and sends the ball over the crossbar while standing right in front of net.
56 - Rimando out of the box clears a long ball with his head. Nifty.
58 - Omar takes on about five RSL players and gets a deep FT. RLS clear, though. RSL won their last game playing ugly. They might pull the trick off again.
59 - Rapids corner. Cleared.
61 - Great play by the Rapids, but missing the finish. Christian to Herc, whose cross goes to Omar, whose shot is wide.
RSL counter - Beckerman wide from distance.
63 - Herc feeds Pablo this time, laying the ball off at the top of the box, but Andy Will with a slight shove gets Mastro off-balance and shot is over the bar.
66 - GOAL! Colorado finally puts it all together! It's pretty as a picture - a planned set up. Herc to Colin Clark, who centers it for Cummings, and Omar connects past Rimando. 1-0 Colorado.
68 - Kries reacts by going to his bench. Robbie Findley ready to come in. Herc on a break, shoots on goal, but Nicky collects. Findley comes in for Kenny Cutlet. Cutler, I mean.
72 - Harkes acknowledges that Herc might be the best Gomez on the night.
73 - Then Harkes fumbles, "keeping the game" when he meant "ball"
74 - JP, meanwhile, is back to saying "Gomez" and not clarifying which one. Just say, 'Herculez'! That's what his jersey says.
75 - Herc with a chance in the box from a Sandy pass sends it wide.
77 - Bouna jumps for a cross, ends up deflecting it for a corner. that was poor. Catch it, Bouna. CK goes to Dr. Goals, who sends his header over the goal.
80 - Findley pressure on Erpen results in a corner, but Williams' service misses all the RSL players in the box.
82 - RSL bringing more energy into the attack. JP actually clarifies, with eight minutes left in the match, that the two Gomez players are not related. Brilliant.
HANDBALL!
The Rapids aren't the victims this time. Man-tee-jah clearly handles the ball in the box, trying to defend against Herc.
83 - GOAL! Christian takes it, makes it well. Harkes now clarifies that C. Gomez is not related to Herc, in case anyone didn't hear JP. 2-0. Rapids. I was almost right on the goalscorers. Herc certainly contributed to both goals, even if he didn't score.
88- Rapids settle into defensive mode. RSL, to their credit, is still scrapping. Herc is out, and Gomez follows.
90 - Good on ESPN cameramen - they get a shoot of a peeved Christian getting pulled back by Clavijo for a quick word. Interesting dynamics there.
90+ FK close in by Espindola, Bouna dives for it. parries wide. On the corner, he picks the ball off Mantilla's head (and the compliments I gave the ESPN cameras I take back - they missed the shot live) and gets a shove. Slight handbags, but game goes on.
Final whistle. Rapids take the first leg of the Rocky Mountain Cup, cement first place in Western Conference.
Yay! I called the score right. Rapids did well for their home fans, even if there weren't that many of them at the game.
I'm calling this one 2 -0 for the home team, because the MLS trend for teams at home has been pretty good. Gomez and Gomez with the goals.
Predictions open until kickoff.
Let's go. Kyle Beckerman is starting for RSL, of course, while the guy he was traded for, Mehdi Ballouchy, is on the bench. I've never been really high on Mehdi, myself. He's creative, but a bit delicate. Colorado got the worst of that trade, I think, but they're still ahead of RSL at this point, so perhaps Clavijo is doing something right.
RSL - Nick Rimando (GK) Tony Beltran Kyle Beckerman Nat Borchers Fabian Espindola Kenny Cutler Kenny Deuchar Chris Wingert Dema Kovalenko Matias Mantilla Andy Williams
Rimando reps UCLA's NCAA record championships in his player intro. Tony Beltran reps Claremont, which might be a first in pro sports. Kenny Duechar actually refers to his Dr. Goals nickname, which officially makes him the dorkiest doctor on the field.
Colorado: Bouna Coundoul Facundo Erpen Christian Gomez Omar Cummings Jacob Peterson6 - Herculez Gomez Ugo Ihemelu Nick LaBrocca Colin Clark Pablo Mastroeni Kosuke Kimura
Kickoff!
2-Colorado with the early run of play - Herc into the box, but his cross is cut off.
4 - I used to call Jacob Peterson "Blondie" because as a teenager, he was. Now his coif has darkened - he's more sandy-haired than blonde.
5 - Herc shanks a pass. Oddly, he seems to have switched sides since starting the match. His first cross was from the opposite side of the field.
8 - Facundo Erpen lines up an outside shot - but bangs it off the first RSL player in front of him. Weird idea.
10 RSL on the attack, but Beltran gets closed off from making the cross in the box and the ball crosses the goal line.
12- Beltran called for a holding foul, Christian Gomez flicks it to LaBrocca, who fires on goal, but Rimando isn't fooled and stays steady for the catch. RSL on the counter, but Duechar is offside.
14 - Peterson gets on the end of a longball on a counter, shoots far post, but Rimando palms it out for a corner. It's cleared.
15 - Espindola dribbles free for a shot from outside the box. Bouna's got it.
17 - Espindola and Kimura seem to bang legs and are in mutual hurt.
20 - Rapids end a nice little run of RSL possession and attack with a counter that Peterson wastes by not crossing the ball versus Wingert.
21 - Clark with an outside shot Rimando takes care of.
23 - Kovalenko floats a ball into the box, but nat Borcher's first touch fails him utterly and the Rapids clear.
24 - I know Luis loves JP Dellacamera, but JP needs to just call Herculez by that name. It's unclear which Gomez he means half the time, otherwise.
SAVE! The Rapids get a corner off their latest attack and Rimando parries an attempt well. The ensuing corner is cleared.
27 - Yellow for Wingert - tackle from behind Sandy.
28 - I'm also not sure about JP's pronounciation of "Mantilla" - he's saying it Argentine-style, where the double-l sounds like a "j" and it just sounds weird. Ha, Harkes just clarified which Gomez he meant. Just say "Herculez," guys.
29 - Dema runs right out of his shoe on an RSL attack that ends in a Beckerman shot that Bouna collects. Rapids come right back, though, and get a corner. It's cleared.
31 - RSL counter as well, get their own corner. "Man-tee-ja" as JP says, heads it wide.
33 - Mastro cross in box cut off by Rimando.
34 - Andy Williams serves a FK into the box and two RSL forwards miss it.
36 - Sandy and Clark have switched sides. Good team play generates a CK for the Rapids on Clark's side. It's cleared, though.
38 - ESPN interrupts the game to show the Fulham relegation-avoidance-goal. I guess they assume MLS fans care.
41 - I hear cheerleaders, which is a first for me watching MLS games. RSL corner. Bouna caught in a bad position as Duechar heads it down and Kimura dashes in to head ball away from the line. It might have gone wide, but it was a gutsy play by the Japanese defender, who falls into the net and seems a bit shaken up.
45+ - The Rapids have had the better of play, but there's no goal to show for it.
Halftime: The match is ripe for the picking Colorado is playing well, but RSL could steal it.
46 - Rapids on the attack - Christian Gomez leading it.
48 - Duechar offside on his header.
49 - Rapids counter - Clark in the box - but no one latches on to his low cross in front of goal. RSL right back, Williams in the box, but the Rapids defense clears.
52 - Rapids again controlling the play, but the RSL defense is holding and waiting for counter chances.
55 - Ooooh - Herc in the box, lays it back to Sandy, who gets a great cross in to Clark, who for some reason doesn't head it, but tries a Rockets girl high kick and sends the ball over the crossbar while standing right in front of net.
56 - Rimando out of the box clears a long ball with his head. Nifty.
58 - Omar takes on about five RSL players and gets a deep FT. RLS clear, though. RSL won their last game playing ugly. They might pull the trick off again.
59 - Rapids corner. Cleared.
61 - Great play by the Rapids, but missing the finish. Christian to Herc, whose cross goes to Omar, whose shot is wide.
RSL counter - Beckerman wide from distance.
63 - Herc feeds Pablo this time, laying the ball off at the top of the box, but Andy Will with a slight shove gets Mastro off-balance and shot is over the bar.
66 - GOAL! Colorado finally puts it all together! It's pretty as a picture - a planned set up. Herc to Colin Clark, who centers it for Cummings, and Omar connects past Rimando. 1-0 Colorado.
68 - Kries reacts by going to his bench. Robbie Findley ready to come in. Herc on a break, shoots on goal, but Nicky collects. Findley comes in for Kenny Cutlet. Cutler, I mean.
72 - Harkes acknowledges that Herc might be the best Gomez on the night.
73 - Then Harkes fumbles, "keeping the game" when he meant "ball"
74 - JP, meanwhile, is back to saying "Gomez" and not clarifying which one. Just say, 'Herculez'! That's what his jersey says.
75 - Herc with a chance in the box from a Sandy pass sends it wide.
77 - Bouna jumps for a cross, ends up deflecting it for a corner. that was poor. Catch it, Bouna. CK goes to Dr. Goals, who sends his header over the goal.
80 - Findley pressure on Erpen results in a corner, but Williams' service misses all the RSL players in the box.
82 - RSL bringing more energy into the attack. JP actually clarifies, with eight minutes left in the match, that the two Gomez players are not related. Brilliant.
HANDBALL!
The Rapids aren't the victims this time. Man-tee-jah clearly handles the ball in the box, trying to defend against Herc.
83 - GOAL! Christian takes it, makes it well. Harkes now clarifies that C. Gomez is not related to Herc, in case anyone didn't hear JP. 2-0. Rapids. I was almost right on the goalscorers. Herc certainly contributed to both goals, even if he didn't score.
88- Rapids settle into defensive mode. RSL, to their credit, is still scrapping. Herc is out, and Gomez follows.
90 - Good on ESPN cameramen - they get a shoot of a peeved Christian getting pulled back by Clavijo for a quick word. Interesting dynamics there.
90+ FK close in by Espindola, Bouna dives for it. parries wide. On the corner, he picks the ball off Mantilla's head (and the compliments I gave the ESPN cameras I take back - they missed the shot live) and gets a shove. Slight handbags, but game goes on.
Final whistle. Rapids take the first leg of the Rocky Mountain Cup, cement first place in Western Conference.
Yay! I called the score right. Rapids did well for their home fans, even if there weren't that many of them at the game.
Monday, August 27, 2007
RSL Fill-in
I was covering Real Salt Lake for MLSnet last night.
In the postgame interview with Jason Kreis, I was the one who asked him, "Jason - you scored so well and so often - what did you do that your players aren't doing?"
His answer is in the article.
Robbie Findley also told me that he was taken by surprise when he was traded, but he's adjusted pretty well. He mentioned Nate Sturgis is his new roommate in Utah.
Mantilla, the new Argentine defender, told me that people might expect too much of MLS at once. "This league is about ten years old - the Argentine league is a hundred years old," he pointed out. "But all the ingredients are here to improve and become as big one day as any league anywhere."
I was interviewing him in Spanish, and at one point I asked how he was adjusting in Salt Lake. "It's going well," he answered. "It helps that I speak English." D'oh. He said he's fine doing interviews in Spanish, though. He ends up translating for his teammates sometimes.
In the postgame interview with Jason Kreis, I was the one who asked him, "Jason - you scored so well and so often - what did you do that your players aren't doing?"
His answer is in the article.
Robbie Findley also told me that he was taken by surprise when he was traded, but he's adjusted pretty well. He mentioned Nate Sturgis is his new roommate in Utah.
Mantilla, the new Argentine defender, told me that people might expect too much of MLS at once. "This league is about ten years old - the Argentine league is a hundred years old," he pointed out. "But all the ingredients are here to improve and become as big one day as any league anywhere."
I was interviewing him in Spanish, and at one point I asked how he was adjusting in Salt Lake. "It's going well," he answered. "It helps that I speak English." D'oh. He said he's fine doing interviews in Spanish, though. He ends up translating for his teammates sometimes.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Goals, goals, goals!
I have to admit, I was feeling left out of the MLS goalfest this weekend. The other games have seen an amazing amount of goals, but the scores here in LA have been quite low for some time.
Then the Galaxy and Real Salt Lake score two in the first ten minutes. The Galaxy added another one since, but RSL has been pressing for one of their own.
Yay. I love a good defensive game, but it's nice to see goals again.
Then the Galaxy and Real Salt Lake score two in the first ten minutes. The Galaxy added another one since, but RSL has been pressing for one of their own.
Yay. I love a good defensive game, but it's nice to see goals again.
Coach's call?
How does Ellinger feel about the guy who replaced him as Real Salt Lake's coach?Here's what the media guide says (get your magnifying glasses out).
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
KK to RSL- likely dead
At today's training, Kasey had this to say.
"We’re on a different place on the financial situation. I wasn’t talking crazy money from the money that’s out there right now, but they seem to have an idea of what they’re going to pay goalkeepers in this league and it’s different than what I was turning down in
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Teamwork
Sometimes, it doesn't feel like reporters really have coworkers - we're trying to get editors to like our writing, and we generally want to break stories before any other reporter.
In some situations, though, collaboration works out great. Yesterday, I got a phone call from Marty Renzhofer of the Salt Lake Tribune. Marty had a nice give-n-go to offer; he told me that RSL was definitely working on a trade involving Cunningham and that LA might factor in.
I wasn't at the Galaxy practice yet, and I admitted to Marty that I didn't have much on the story from my end, although I promised to pass any relevant information along.
Albright was present at the Galaxy practice, but just to observe and to explain his injury situation.
Yallop talked about cover for Albright on his injury and mentioned Abel Xavier as an obvious replacement.
That got me thinking a little. At his age, one doesn't contract a player like Xavier for mere cover. If the Galaxy were hoping to make a trade on any level, a pre-injury Albright would be the most valuable commodity they have without moving Landon Donovan. Xavier's signing would give them the freedom to make that move.
Marty called me back with an update. Toronto FC had confirmed the trade of Eskandarian for Cunningham, so LA was out of the picture.
Though the Galaxy were no longer central to the trade story, I mentioned my "Albright on the block" theory to Marty and asked if he could check with his RSL source if there was ever an offer from LA.
Turns out, there was. Marty's story covers the situation, and the timeline of the final decision seems to indicate that Kreis only passed on Albright after the injury.
Goal to Marty, assist to a good RSL source, secondary assist to me!
In some situations, though, collaboration works out great. Yesterday, I got a phone call from Marty Renzhofer of the Salt Lake Tribune. Marty had a nice give-n-go to offer; he told me that RSL was definitely working on a trade involving Cunningham and that LA might factor in.
I wasn't at the Galaxy practice yet, and I admitted to Marty that I didn't have much on the story from my end, although I promised to pass any relevant information along.
Albright was present at the Galaxy practice, but just to observe and to explain his injury situation.
Yallop talked about cover for Albright on his injury and mentioned Abel Xavier as an obvious replacement.
That got me thinking a little. At his age, one doesn't contract a player like Xavier for mere cover. If the Galaxy were hoping to make a trade on any level, a pre-injury Albright would be the most valuable commodity they have without moving Landon Donovan. Xavier's signing would give them the freedom to make that move.
Marty called me back with an update. Toronto FC had confirmed the trade of Eskandarian for Cunningham, so LA was out of the picture.
Though the Galaxy were no longer central to the trade story, I mentioned my "Albright on the block" theory to Marty and asked if he could check with his RSL source if there was ever an offer from LA.
Turns out, there was. Marty's story covers the situation, and the timeline of the final decision seems to indicate that Kreis only passed on Albright after the injury.
Goal to Marty, assist to a good RSL source, secondary assist to me!
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