Esky Checks In
Because Alecko Eskandarian's trade from Toronto to Salt Lake created more questions than it answered, I had to confront him with some of these questions. In a perfect world, MLS fans might have wanted my questions to be about soccer, but remember: never allow let the perfect to become the enemy of the good. Or whatever.
Seven or eight trades from now, he should be back where he belongs. (By Toni L. Sandys - TWP)
This is a serious question for DCU fans: Comcast SportsyNet producer Adam Littlefield and I were thinking of traveling with supporters to a road game this summer. We were planning on choosing the next trip to Toronto, because the environment seemed swell, plus we figured Esky would be good for three or four blog posts. But, unless he gets traded a few more times between now and then, Esky doesn't figure to be on Toronto's roster by August. Is Toronto still our best road tripping bet? Columbus? North Jersey?
Anyhow, keep reading below for the e-mail interview.
1) What happens to the Esky blog now?
Haha good question! I have no idea! It started off as just something fun to do because I was bored in preseason, so I didn't really take it too seriously. But somehow there ended up being a lot of interested readers who sent in some funny questions and comments. Since the trade I've gotten a lot of e-mails and messages asking me to continue to do the blog so I don't know, we will see what happens.
[Kind of evasive. I wonder if ESPN.com is trying to buy his blog. He could compete with Hashmarks. Hashmarks is already bragging that NFL players are reading his blog; get some MLS players, and then I'll be impressed.]
2) Bobby Boswell says the score in the Battle of the Headgear is Josh Gros 1, Esky 0. Do you agree or disagree?
I completely disagree!!! For one, I scored. And it was Josh who kept me onside. Second, during the game I somehow knocked Josh's headgear off so that's gotta count as like two points right there. D.C. won the game so I guess he gets a point for that, but its' pretty fair to say my headgear is superior to Josh's... Haha I'm totally joking man, I love Josh and respect him a lot, I would take him on my team any day. We even joked about trading our headgear after the game, but after second thought we realized that would just be gross (no pun intended...).
[Frankly, he does have a point about his goal-scoring. Let's call it a draw.]
3) Bobby couldn't remember your top five breakfast cereals. You have to tell me.
Haha yeah, Bobby loves it that I still eat cereal like a little kid. I don't know about a top five but I have a top three. Raisin Bran, Honey Nut Cheerios, and my all-time favorite, Count Chocula. True story, my parents have had to mail me boxes of Count Chocula because I couldnt find them anywhere in D.C. I have been eating them since I was like 5 year old and convinced myself that it is the breakfast of champions.
[Count Chocula was surprisingly absent from your list of breakfast cereals. It is, truly, an awesome cereal. Brings me back to middle school]
4) Salt Lake City vs. Toronto: compare and contrast.
Wow, tough to do considering I just landed in Salt Lake City about two hours ago. I loved Toronto, it was a really cool city. It was way bigger than I thought. Best way to describe it is as a Euro version of NYC. Salt Lake seems cool so far, the people at the airport were friendly and I have never lived in an area quite like this so I have some exploring to do. I think it should be a fun experience and I'm looking forward to it.
[Hold up, who's actually writing this, Drew Rosenhaus?]
5) Now that you're in Salt Lake, are they all of a sudden gonna have the best fans in MLS?
Haha I see where this is going... I have gotten some crap about my comment saying that Toronto has the best fans in the league, because I always say that D.C. has the best fans in the league. To be honest with you, the way the quote was written wasn't how I said it. I'm not saying Steve Goff misquoted me or anything, it was just one of those things that came out wrong. What I meant to say is: D.C. fans for sure have a special place in my heart and their fans are amazing. In my short time in Toronto, their fans have been amazing and have all my respect. Which is better? It's impossible and pointless to compare because Toronto is a brand new franchise. All I know is that it's great for the game and I'm lucky to have been with two clubs with such amazing support.
[When in doubt, always, always, ALWAYS blame the media. Well played.]
6) What's the first thing you'll say to Freddy? Are you worried that his basketball skills will now be better than yours?
Freddy was actually the first person to call me after the trade. I think his exact words were, "I don't know whether you are excited or upset, but I don't care 'cause I am sooooo happy you are coming." And to be honest, it meant a lot to me that he picked up the phone to tell me that. It's never easy going to a new city so it will help to have him and Nicky there. As for his basketball skills, I don't think he wants to play with me anymore. Last time we played, he tried to drive on me and I gave him a bloody nose.
[Maybe we should take that road trip to Salt Lake.]
By Dan Steinberg |
May 25, 2007; 11:59 AM ET
| Category:
D.C. United
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Posted by: jeffResistor | May 25, 2007 12:56 PM
Furthermore, how can trading headgear be any more sickening than trading jerseys?
Posted by: jeffResistor | May 25, 2007 12:59 PM
Toronto2 is the best choice. The problem with North Jersey is that too many people (not I, though) only do a day trip.
Posted by: Paul | May 25, 2007 01:06 PM
Great interview. Regarding the road trip question, there are 4 Saturday away games remaining, which means more DCU fans traveling. Dallas, Columbus, Toronto, Salt Lake. I would say Toronto is still the front runner. Salt Lake isn't exciting and I doubt many fans will travel for it. Dallas hasn't been too popular of a road trip either, especially in the middle of the summer. Columbus gets a lot of travelers and is always a blast, but they have lame and sometimes dangerous fans.
One cool thing about the Toronto trip we went on was of course the fans, but the friendly banter between the fan groups was hilarious. Not only was it United vs Toronto FC, but it was USA vs Canada! You would have a field day on quotes! They shout something about George Bush, we fire back about Celine Dieon. But everyone was nice and we met a lot of cool Toronto fans. We all had a blast and myself and many others plan on going back in August.
Toronto: hands down winner. See you in the Great White North, eh.
Duff
Posted by: Duffman | May 25, 2007 01:13 PM
In terms of road trips I think it depends on a few things:
1. If you want to do a road trip that has the largest contingent of DC fans making it NY is your best bet. Columbus is also pretty good groups. Toronto might have a larger group than normal for its distance because some people just like to get out of the country, some under 21s want to be legal, and some fans want to be able to say they've been to every stadium in the league and Toronto is a relatively new stop on the tour.
2. If you want to go somewhere you haven't gone before for an MLS game don't go to NY.
3. How much time/money is the post giving you for this trip? Columbus and NY and sometimes NE are drives, I think Toronto is a flight. It might also be that you might have to stay overnight. SL is definitely a flight.
4. Opposition fans: Toronto fans are one of the few confident and relatively happy fan groups that are more "how loud can we be" than "security hates us, management wants us to shut up, there are too few of us and no one else ever comes to our games" in attitude. They are relatively large currently and would likely be more fun than some of the others.
5. There is always the option of trying to convince them to send you to Guadalajara for Copa Sud-America.
Posted by: bluemeanies | May 25, 2007 01:19 PM
http://web.mac.com/mikeeasby/iWeb/DC%20United%20Pics/at%20Toronto.html
Check out my pics from the Toronto trip. The ones towards the end are a picture of the bar their supporters group meet. After the game, Scruggs and I walked past the bar and we had over 150 people yelling at us, but at the end of the patio some guys shook our hand and invited us in for a beer. We accepted and when we left, I took a picture from accross the street and the entire patio errupted again. I could only get half the patio in frame. They chanted something that included the word Tourist, the started yelling "kick his @#$" Having that many people yelling hatred directly at me was kind of a fun feeling.
Posted by: Duffman | May 25, 2007 01:21 PM
In terms of city fun and atmosphere? T.O. or Columbus.
In terms of my entertainment when reading the Bog? Salt Lake City. Nicky, Jaqui, the dogs, Esky.....and you can not pass the ball to Freddy.
But you can expand it by making it a true roadtrip....you and Littles trek across the country in the BogMobile. It's gold, Dan, gold.
Posted by: Kim | May 25, 2007 01:33 PM
Gotta be the TO. Seriously. So much fun.
Posted by: EdTheRed | May 25, 2007 01:41 PM
I agree with Duff about Toronto being top choice. Grillmaster and I +4 others are on for Toronto for sure.
Posted by: vladsta | May 25, 2007 01:42 PM
The SEs have packages for the roadtrip to Houston (not sure how many we have left, contact the Queen of the Road at roadtrips@screaming-eagles.com) Folks had a lot of fun in Toronto but the cheapest way there is not the most direct (fly and drive). If the Post has a limited budget than the bus trip to NJ is affordable.
K
Posted by: SEKim | May 25, 2007 02:04 PM
"sometimes dangerous fans."
you forgot sarcasm tags :D
Posted by: Srdan | May 25, 2007 02:41 PM
I have driven to the Swamp several times on my own. It is less about fun and more of a rite of passage, borne out of the Rongen/Hudson era (where I learned that suffering = love). It doesn't help that it took 4 attempts before I went there and saw DC win (Freddy's deflected shot).
If the Post really lowballs you on budget, you guys can hop in with me. It'll be like the bus, except replace drinking, grilling, and conviviality with Roy Rogers, reckless driving, and negativity towards Jersey.
Posted by: Chest Rockwell | May 25, 2007 02:48 PM
You missed the real hard hitting question:
What number will he wear?
Adu wears Esky's customary 11 (it's Adu's #, too), he wore #10 in TO, but Ballouchy wears that. It would be a tragic miscue to take the coaches old number 9, especially since he was wearing it like three weeks ago.
And why the heck does Rimando wear #6?
Posted by: Kim | May 25, 2007 02:53 PM
Tell your friends at Comcast Sports Net to quit the fancy crap with cutaways and closeups mid game and just cover the game in real time the way it's done in the rest of the world. There's a reason for it to be produced that way
Posted by: sally O | May 25, 2007 02:58 PM
hey bog! were you just at a restaurant in Arlington that sorta rhymes with "Len Shapiro"?? I was going to come over and say hello but, as Luciano Emilio would croon, 'you're beautiful, you're beautiful - it's true"
anyways, keep up the great work. And if was indeed the Bog he is much more loquacious in the virtual world than in real life and I believe he was enjoying un mojito con almuerzo. Vamos United manana!!! viva la bog!!
Posted by: marc | May 25, 2007 04:24 PM
Is this a prank? If not, yeah, Marc, that was me. Weird. You should have come up. I was with my boss. He would have been impressed.
Posted by: Dan Steinberg | May 25, 2007 04:35 PM
Hey, Steinberg. I just gave the RSL BigSoccer board the link. That should help the hit count.
Posted by: seahawkdad | May 25, 2007 05:04 PM
Hell yeah, TO is the way to go, eh.
Many thanks to Srdan for keeping the blog real.
You want Houston? RFK tomorrow, baybee!
GM
Posted by: GrillMaster | May 25, 2007 07:39 PM
Hell yeah, TO is the way to go, eh.
Many thanks to Srdan for keeping the blog real.
You want Houston? RFK tomorrow, baybee!
GM
Posted by: GrillMaster | May 25, 2007 07:39 PM
"And why the heck does Rimando wear #6?"
Because he's now 1/3rd the keeper he was when he was here and wore #18...
Posted by: Dave Lifton | May 25, 2007 08:09 PM
zingo!
Posted by: littles | May 25, 2007 08:53 PM
The comments to this entry are closed.
Oh yeah, actually dislodging the opponent's headgear gives Esky the edge. It's like disarming the opponent in a fencing match.
"This is a battle of the headgear Josh. Where's your headgear now Josh? Oh, there it is... ::points to ground::"