Chivas USA memories

We had joy 

Guess which player is still in MLS?

we had fun

The ChivaGirls!

We had seasons in the sun. 

Nomar! No more Chivas USA.

But the hills that we climbed were just seasons out of time. 

Where were you when Preki beat Brazil? Cobi was there.

We had joy, we had fun, we had seasons in the sun.

One of the biggest banners in MLS ever?

But the wine and the song, like the seasons, all have gone. 

Post-game presser

Just got back. Writing furiously but wanted to post up the audio of the post-match press conference featuring Preki and Roberto Nurse.

Audio of it here.

Now back to writing!

Esky returns

Alecko Eskandarian was the last player in the locker room on Saturday night. I don't know if he was getting treatment or not but he walked into the shower after nearly everyone else was dressed and on their way out to whatever they had going on after the game.

As I took an empty seat next to him, a camera crew approached him and began recording as I fired away some questions. That set up a pretty comical scene as Preki interjected some thoughts from across the locker room.

Here's audio of the interview. See if you can make out what Preki said to Esky, jokingly... I think...

Preki on the Clasico

Preki talks about the game. He was about as upbeat as you can be after that effort, but it was obviously tempered by the late Galaxy goal as well as Sean Franklin's costly elbow that may have knocked Jesse Marsch out for quite some time.

After the presser, Preki was met in the tunnel by a former LA Laker.

I beat Preki to the tunnel in an attempt to get to the Chivas USA locker room before it cleared out when I noticed quite a tall fellow. I thought to myself, 'Man, that is quite a tall fellow' ... or something.

Anyway, I did a second take and realized it was Vlade Divac. Vlade shook Preki's hand and the two started conversing in their native tongue, so I have no idea what they were saying. I think Vlade may have gone into the coaches offices for some time but by that point I was interviewing players and the like.

Nervous energy

I'm not sure Preki is particularly nervous, actually. I think he's just fidgety. What doesn't show up in the photos is that Preki was also kicking the tablecloth a little throughout the whole press conference. It kept shaking like bunnies were trapped behind the black cloth.

Preki on the SuperClasico

Preki says his piece.
Notice how he downplays the rivalry with the Galaxy - that's been a successful tactic for him before. Incidently, Chivas USA have to win by more than three goals to retain the trophy, since the Galaxy have a 3-0 win and a draw on them.

Preki post Santos

Preki was informed by one reporter that Chivas USA had one shot on goal in the entire match versus Santos. It was, of course, the goal by Ante Razov.

Preki presser post-Pachuca

When Francisco Mendoza was called for a foul in the 23rd minute, I watched Preki's reaction on the bench. He was animated, so I knew he did not disagree with the call and the subsequent yellow. Then, when Gerardo Rodriguez whipped in a ball to the front of the goal which Bruno Marioni knocked past Lance Parker, I knew he would be even more upset.

During the post-game presser, Preki said that the foul changed the game in Pachuca's favor.

Here's audio of the press conference.

There were quite a few reporters in the press conference on Sunday. Many of them were from Mexican media outlets but they were waiting for Pachuca coach Enrique Meza. The only questions Preki fielded came from us local scribes.

Preki post-clasico

Preki was full of emotion after the game. Hopefully, the video does it justice.

LD and Preki

All right, they're rivals now, but in six different cases, Preki and LD have been teammates.
Who can name when and where? Guess away, folks.

Red and White audio

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I had the original Landon Donovan audio clip on my digital recorder when I was out at training on Tuesday. I played it for Brad Guzan, Sacha Kljestan, Jesse Marsch and Preki. I wondered how they'd react, if they'd react at all.

Perhaps the most telling reaction was not in what they said - at least Marsch and Preki - but how they looked. Marsch had just finished talking to myself and another reporter for about six minutes but then when he walked away I asked him if he'd listen to the clip and he agreed. Once it was over, he just sort of looked down either at his feet or the ground below him. Maybe he was trying to compose himself and not say the wrong thing or maybe he felt as if he'd rather talk about anything but this. Whatever the case, he answered my questions.

After Marsch, I waited for Preki to finish whatever he was doing on the field. He walked over, I shook his hand and then I told him that I'd like to play what Landon said about him and get his reaction about it. Part of me felt as if he would decline the whole thing and not listen to it but he did. The first question - it didn't record my question - was something along the lines of "Landon took a shot at your manhood. How do you react?" He kept looking down as well and he took some time to answer. It sounds like it's just dead air in points but he was looking for words to respond; he wasn't just starting blankly at me.

Here's audio from Brad Guzan and Sacha Kljestan. They really didn't have a whole lot to say, which isn't surprising from Guzan anyway. He's always been able to choose his words wisely.

Back and forth

I linked to audio clips of the verbal jabs Chivas USA coach Preki and Galaxy star Landon Donovan took at each other down below, which provided the topic of my Galaxy-Chivas USA advance.

Really, the storyline just jumped out at me. After all, you don't often have an MLS coach taking a shot at a player and the player coming right back with a jab of his own.

I'll be posting the raw audio of several of the people I quoted in the story. My original thought, and how I went about it, was this: I'd go to some particulars from both sides, play the same audio clip I had below to the said particulars and get their reactions.

I knew they'd all read that stuff before but hearing it now may have brought back some memories and feelings and maybe I'd get a better reaction than if I just would have brought it up in conversation.

Anyway, check out the story and look out for the audio clips.

Regarding "crap" celebrations and "not a big enough man"

As always, the Super Clasico brings forth quite a bit of emotions from players on both sides. The games themselves are heated and intense but after the match is when the emotions can sometimes spill over.

Chivas' locker room after April's 5-2 loss was very quiet. It was quiet there a lot during April and early May but that match was particularly quiet. Not much to say.

And not much at all like the Galaxy's. Tom Cruise was there to celebrate the victory with his good buddy David Beckham. Landon Donovan was on a hot streak and Alan Gordon - yes, that Alan Gordon - scored two goals off the bench to punctuate the rout.

But it was what happened during the game and what was said afterward that could bring a different sort of element to this latest edition of the Super Clasico.

What happened? Landon Donovan celebrated in front of Chivas USA's bench. Whether he meant it as disrespect or not is pretty much moot. Even though many Chivas USA players didn't think it was a big deal, Preki did. And he took offense. And he had things to say about it after the match.

What was said? Preki called the celebration "crap" and said it showed "a lot of disrespect." Listen for yourself.

Shortly afterward, Landon was asked about the incident and how Preki had called it "crap." Among other things, Landon said Preki was "not a big enough man" to accept his apology. Here's what he said in his own words.

I took the opportunity on Tuesday to talk to Preki as well as several Chivas USA players about it and also asked Alexi Lalas about it. There were, of course, some interesting comments made from both sides. It's the topic of my Press-Enterprise feature for Thursday, so I'll save the exact quotes for then. But keep an eye out for the story (I'll try to post a link as early as I can on Thursday) as well as some of the audio.

Preki talks about win

We usually have video of coaches during the post-game presser, well, at least at games that Andrea attends. Saturday, she was there at the Chivas USA-San Jose match, and so was her camera. However, we have no video to offer, only audio.

You can blame me for that one.
Here's audio of Preki's post-game presser following Chivas USA's 1-0 win over San Jose. Sorry, but no video. Andrea handed me her trusty camera as she headed off into San Jose's locker room but the camera apparently didn't like me and thwarted my attempts to record with it.

Preki post-game

Preki following Chivas USA's 1-1 draw with New York. His first remark was regarding the lack of scribes down in the post-match presser as there were four of us there when he started, though more joined in afterward and in the locker room.

Another game, another win

Turns out, Chivas USA ain't too bad after all.

Saturday's win was their third consecutive game. Jorge Flores and Jesse Marsch scored for the third consecutive game. And suddenly, Chivas USA is in a three-way tie atop the Western Conference standings.

Now, the table right now means nothing. It does not matter who is in first right now, but that Chivas USA is where they are now is a bit startling considering their poor early-season form. Chivas USA also picked up their second shutout of the season and second consecutive win over an Eastern team here at Home Depot Center.

Perhaps what's more remarkable about this stretch is who the club is doing damage with. Flores scored a nice goal with a left-footed volley in the 21st minute. Justin Braun set up Marsch's goal just a minute later. Bobby Burling started for the fourth straight game. Atiba Harris went the distance.

Chivas now heads to New York to face a club likely sagging in confidence as the Red Bulls lost their second consecutive match on Saturday, 1-0 at Houston.

Anyway, here's audio of how Preki saw his side's 2-0 win.

Preki post-game

Audio of Chivas USA coach Preki from Sunday's press conference following Chivas USA's 2-1 loss to New England.

Preki talks Clasico

Audio of my chat with Preki about the Super Clasico.

Talking injuries

Preki talks about the slew of injuries that has hit his club. Audio of it here.

I ran through the whole gamut here. I actually had written them all down on my notebook and pulled it out because the list is extensive.

It includes:

Raphael Wicky, Alecko Eskandarian, Ante Razov, Lawson Vaughn, Claudio Suarez, Maykel Galindo, Francisco Mendoza, Sacha Kljestan...

Well, the last two are healthy but are suspended for Sunday's game because each was sent off on Saturday. And Suarez is healthy, just lacking a bit of match fitness. The rest are walking wounded. As far as Sunday goes, Esky's out for sure, Wicky likely won't play at all either and I'd be surprised if Razov sees any time.

Preki not pleased

Actually, the players and coaches were happy with the three points but said they didn't play ver well.

Here's audio of Preki after Chivas USA's 3-1 win over Real Salt Lake.