Archive: Misc.
Saturday in the Park
*Read about the USA women's team, about Gordon Bradley's memorial service and Heather O'Reilly's online chat. *Expecting to see Mike Wise's column about Ben Olsen and DCU in this morning's paper? It will appear in Sunday's editions instead. *The USA women's 18-player game-day roster for tonight's friendly against Canada at...
By Steve Goff | May 10, 2008; 07:19 AM ET | Comments (42)
Bradley Service Moved Indoors
Because of the heavy rain, the memorial service for Gordon Bradley will be held at George Mason's Center for the Arts Building instead of the soccer stadium. Free parking is available in lots A, J and K on campus. Paid parking is available at the Mason Pond Parking Deck. Click...
By Steve Goff | May 9, 2008; 10:02 AM ET | Comments (3)
Morning Kickaround
On a day that D.C. United will join forces with a German automaker, let's start the morning with an American theme. *Clint Dempsey commits to Fulham, regardless of whether the clubs stays in the Premiership or drops to the Championship division. *Michael Bradley had an incredible season in the Netherlands,...
By Steve Goff | May 6, 2008; 07:38 AM ET | Comments (44)
Remembering Gordon
A memorial service for Gordon Bradley, the former Cosmos, Dips and George Mason coach who passed away this week, will be held Fri., May 9 at George Mason Stadium in Fairfax. The event will begin at 1 p.m. The public is welcome. "George Mason was a special place for Gordon...
By Steve Goff | May 1, 2008; 02:38 PM ET | Comments (14)
Morning Kickaround
*One day after the U.S. soccer community said goodbye to Gordon Bradley, longtime soccer administrator Bill Gaoziou passed away in Florida. He was 68 and had battled emphysema. Gaoziou was a four-term USSF treasurer and had served on the federation's board member for many years. "From his work at the...
By Steve Goff | May 1, 2008; 09:22 AM ET | Comments (52)
Morning Kickaround
*Chelsea striker Didier Drogba is none too pleased about Liverpool Manager Rafael Benitez's accusations. "Perhaps he is looking for something to destabilize us before the match. If he wants me to stay on my feet, maybe he should tell his defenders to stop hitting me." Today's the day: The second...
By Steve Goff | April 30, 2008; 09:24 AM ET | Comments (46)
Remembering Gordon Bradley
With a heavy heart, I must report that Gordon Bradley, one of the most influential figures in American soccer the last 30 years, has died of complications from Alzheimer's disease. He was 74. He would have celebrated his 50th wedding anniversary with his wife, Vera, this summer. Information on a...
By Steve Goff | April 29, 2008; 05:39 PM ET | Comments (60)
Morning Kickaround
*Barcelona visits Old Trafford to face Manchester United in the second leg of their Champions League semifinal today (2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2). Following the dreary scoreless draw in the first match, let's hope we see something akin to the clubs' 1999 CL group showdown when a young lad named David...
By Steve Goff | April 29, 2008; 08:59 AM ET | Comments (41)
Eddie on eBay
Eddie Firmani, former Cosmos coach and the first boss of the MetroStars in 1996, has something for you. Get your PayPal ready. Click here to place your bid....
By Steve Goff | April 25, 2008; 12:58 PM ET | Comments (26)
Morning Kickaround
Let's play "Name That Team." Here are your clues: Chase Hilgenbrinck, Amaechi Igwe, Gary Flood, Kheli Dube, Rob Valentino, Spencer Wadsworth, Brandon Tyler and Sam Brill. The first three mysterious characters were starters on the road against unbeaten Dallas last night. The other no-names were available on the bench. That's...
By Steve Goff | April 25, 2008; 08:26 AM ET | Comments (53)
Maradona and Others
And we thought Diego Maradona was brilliant in tight spaces..... Story here, video below. cargarVideo(870926); *USA and MLS veteran Tony Sanneh, who will turn 37 in June, had been working himself back into shape with his old club, Hertha Berlin, in hopes of signing somewhere. Sanneh, who played nine games...
By Steve Goff | April 24, 2008; 01:45 PM ET | Comments (34)
British Humor
During his wickedly funny stand-up routine on Comedy Central this week, British comedian John Oliver ("The Daily Show") had this to offer: (Don't forget to read it with an English accent.) "You only have a two-pronged career strategy as a child. One is to become an ice cream tycoon and...
By Steve Goff | April 23, 2008; 11:42 PM ET | Comments (30)
Owning Up to an Equalizer
*We feel John Arne Riise's pain after his own-goal-heard-round-the-world during added time yesterday in Liverpool's 1-1 loss draw with visiting Chelsea. We really do. Rest assured, the Norwegian defender has had better days. Here are a few of 'em: Today's match: Manchester United at Barcelona (2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2). This...
By Steve Goff | April 23, 2008; 08:56 AM ET | Comments (74)
Happy Earth Day
It's a day to celebrate all things green on Planet Futbol. "Green Street Hooligans" Goias Celtic Cameroon Ireland Ex-K.C. Wizard Michael Green Rev. Al Green (couldn't resist) Sporting Lisbon Saudi Arabia Saint-Etienne Betis Banfield Bolivia Werder Bremen Mexico (sorry!) Palmeiras Panathinaikos Leon Laguna Nacional Nigeria Norwich City Ferencvaros Tokyo Verdy...
By Steve Goff | April 22, 2008; 06:00 AM ET | Comments (44)
Morning Kickaround
*The link to my DCU-Crew match report with a slide show included. Video highlights here. *Looking ahead, the draws for the Olympic soccer tournaments will take place Sunday morning (7 a.m. ET) on fifa.com. The final qualifier will be determined Saturday when Brazil plays Ghana in a women's playoff. Matches...
By Steve Goff | April 18, 2008; 09:12 AM ET | Comments (43)
Morning Kickaround
Unless you stayed up very late last night, you missed the Mexico-China friendly out west. El Tri won, 1-0, on 19-year-old Cesar Villaluz's first-half goal before more than 56,000 at Qwest Field. The D.C. United-Real Madrid exhibition in 2006 is still the Seattle attendance record-holder at 66,000-plus. *Celtic is closing...
By Steve Goff | April 17, 2008; 09:22 AM ET | Comments (56)
Morning Kickaround
I spent a few hours last night with Washington's newest pro club, Real Maryland, which will make its USL2 debut Sunday afternoon at Maryland SoccerPlex. I plan to have a feature about the club in Saturday's print editions, but for now, a few things you should know: -- Salvadoran forward...
By Steve Goff | April 16, 2008; 08:58 AM ET | Comments (45)
Morning Kickaround
My exclusive news yesterday that Freddy Adu was leaving Wasserman Media Group for a new agency reminded me of our favorite agent, Ari Gold, and one of the greatest scenes ever from "Entourage." The language in this video is for mature audiences only, but here's the cleaner classic line: "I...
By Steve Goff | April 15, 2008; 09:19 AM ET | Comments (18)
Super Wednesday
Here's the big fixture list: *Roma faces a 2-0 deficit in the Champions League quarterfinal at Manchester United (2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2). *With a 1-0 lead, Barcelona welcomes Schalke to Nou Camp (2:30 p.m. ESPN Deportes). *The USA women play for an Olympic berth against Costa Rica at 7 p.m....
By Steve Goff | April 9, 2008; 09:45 AM ET | Comments (123)
Matchday Warm-Up
*Read about Devon McTavish's surprising scoring touch, his tour of almost every position on the pitch in college and MLS, and his battle with Crohn's disease. *Portsmouth is going to the FA Cup final for the first time since 1939 after edging West Brom, 1-0. Pompey's opponent will be Barnsley...
By Steve Goff | April 5, 2008; 10:27 AM ET | Comments (34)
Morning Kickaround
*Beckham scores! Donovan scores! Kobe rejoices! All is well in Lalas-land. *Ralston and Twellman down, Larentowicz sent off, Revs crushed. *A moment of silence for Hrvoje Custic, a 24-year-old Croatian striker who died after crashing into a retaining wall during a NK Zadar match....
By Steve Goff | April 4, 2008; 08:49 AM ET | Comments (21)
Missed Opportunities
Most of us were sensible enough to know that D.C. United was not going to get a result at Pachuca and that the club would have to take the Champions' Cup series next week at RFK. But we had to believe that Houston, the defending MLS champion, would take care...
By Steve Goff | April 3, 2008; 09:03 AM ET | Comments (77)
Midday Kickaround
*The brilliance of Cristiano Ronaldo, captured by The Independent. *Tickets for the USA-England match May 28 at Wembley will go on sale to the general U.S. public Friday at 11 a.m. ET. (A private sale began yesterday to those on a national team e-mailing list.) The cost is $115 apiece,...
By Steve Goff | April 2, 2008; 11:05 AM ET | Comments (34)
Day of Fools
April Fool's joke or no joke? You be the judge. *Three days after he and his Galaxians set the tone for the season with an abominable performance at Colorado, David Beckham will appear this evening on "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno." (No joke) *Hugol is gone. Somewhere in Monterrey,...
By Steve Goff | April 1, 2008; 09:00 AM ET | Comments (51)
A New Stadium
That got your attention, didn't it? (A cruel trick on a Monday morning, my apologies.) Just to brighten this gray day in the nation's capital, let's celebrate the opening of the new ballpark on the banks of the sparkling Anacostia. The home team opened their field of dreams with a...
By Steve Goff | March 31, 2008; 10:15 AM ET | Comments (65)
Midday Kickaround
Greetings from Kansas City. A few items to share..... *Steve Guppy, the 38-year-old English wing who spent a portion of the 2005 season with D.C. United, has resurfaced in, all of places, Rochester, N.Y., as a player/assistant coach for the USL1's Rhinos. After leaving MLS, he played for Stevenage Borough...
By Steve Goff | March 28, 2008; 12:11 PM ET | Comments (31)
Morning Kickaround
Lots of video to share, but first..... *In case you missed our previous thread, El Salvador defeated Anguilla, 4-0, before more than 22,000 at Estadio RFK. *Canada's CONCACAF Champions League qualifying has been set. *Grim times for Gretna in Scotland. *Ben Olsen chatted with the masses on washingtonpost.com yesterday. Click...
By Steve Goff | March 27, 2008; 08:27 AM ET | Comments (86)
Morning Kickaround
The separate threads for separate topics worked well yesterday and drew wonderful response from Insider loyalists, but to start our day this morning, let's keep it all together and see what unfolds this afternoon. *At the top of our agenda is the USA-Poland friendly (3:30 p.m. Fox Soccer Channel). It...
By Steve Goff | March 26, 2008; 09:38 AM ET | Comments (49)
Quiet Morning, Busy Afternoon
The Commish is coming! The Commish is coming! Yes, Don Garber is scheduled to attend D.C. United's annual kickoff luncheon today and will surely provide blog-worthy material. For now, however, just a few things to pass along: *GolTV has purchased the U.S. rights to show Germany's 2010 World Cup qualifiers...
By Steve Goff | March 25, 2008; 08:57 AM ET | Comments (64)
Meat Puppets
We can't claim 3.7 trillion hits per month, we're not the place to watch video of attention-deprived fans running onto the pitch and we have nothing to offer on the personal lives of footballers, but what we do have is this: Puppet power! So I got that goin' for me,...
By Steve Goff | March 24, 2008; 09:50 AM ET | Comments (69)
Maradona Gets High
I knew that might get your attention. The Argentine legend joined, among others, Bolivian President Evo Morales and former DCUer Marco Etcheverry, for an exhibition in sky-high La Paz to raise money for flood victims and to protest FIFA's attitude about altitude. "You have the right to play where you...
By Steve Goff | March 18, 2008; 09:20 AM ET | Comments (71)
Selection Monday
No 65-team tournament field here. No mascots, cheerleaders or pep bands. Just four sides playing for two tickets to China this summer: Honduras-Guatemala USA-Canada One site (Nashville), not eight, and all on one day (Thursday) to determine the CONCACAF's two men's Olympic berths. In case you missed it, Mexico is...
By Steve Goff | March 17, 2008; 08:42 AM ET | Comments (40)
Walker Waived and Lots More News
*Forward Jamil Walker, who was attempting to earn a D.C. United roster spot after suffering a severe Achilles injury last spring, has been waived. With Luciano Emilio, Jaime Moreno, Franco Niell, Guy-Roland Kpene and Rod Dyachenko returning, the addition of Santino Quaranta and the extended trial of Brazilian Cezar, there...
By Steve Goff | March 14, 2008; 01:19 PM ET | Comments (55)
Morning Kickaround
*I'm told that Columbus has lost interest in Argentine defender-midfielder Matias Almeyda and is in serious pursuit of frontline help. Crew technical director Brian Bliss is in Honduras on a scouting mission. San Jose is also searching for a forward before the season starts. No names available ... at the...
By Steve Goff | March 14, 2008; 09:07 AM ET | Comments (32)
The Ties That Bind
Headline courtesy of Bruce and The River. D.C. United 1, Harbour View 1 Houston 0, Municipal 0 Mexico 1, Canada 1 The first two results were satisfactory for the visiting MLS sides, who will head home for the second legs of the Champions' Cup quarterfinals next week, while the last...
By Steve Goff | March 13, 2008; 09:05 AM ET | Comments (117)
Morning Kickaround
Busy day. Let's get to it. *The most -- or perhaps only -- influential player in the U.S. under-23 national team's disappointing 1-1 tie with unimpressive Cuba in the Olympic qualifying opener was 18-year-old Freddy Adu. Troubling? Yes. A USA-Mexico, do-or-die semifinal sure seems inevitable. Sorry for the cynicism, but...
By Steve Goff | March 12, 2008; 08:45 AM ET | Comments (94)
Matchday, Matchnight
*Liverpool takes its 2-0 aggregate advantage to Milano to face Inter today in the second leg of their Champions League round-of-16 series. Will the Reds make it through at San Siro? *USA-Cuba Olympic qualifying opener tonight in Tampa (8 p.m. Fox Soccer Channel, ESPN Deportes). You've seen the roster, now...
By Steve Goff | March 11, 2008; 02:25 PM ET | Comments (128)
Late Return, Early Entries
Just got back from Richmond and George Mason's CAA championship. It's 2 a.m. and I am wide awake. A pound of chocolate to stay alert on I-95 will do that to you. Okay, enough with the hoops. Before we move on, please vote for your preferred mascot: Talon or Gunston....
By Steve Goff | March 11, 2008; 01:56 AM ET | Comments (62)
Perez, Dorrance to Hall of Fame
No one in the player category was included on 75 percent of ballots to gain induction into the U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame, but former player Hugo Perez (veteran) and University of North Carolina Coach Anson Dorrance (builder) met the 50 percent requirement in their respective groups. Top 5 in...
By Steve Goff | March 10, 2008; 12:11 PM ET | Comments (44)
Morning Kickaround
*Giant killer Barnsley is drawn with league rival Cardiff in the FA Cup semifinals, while Portsmouth will face West Brom. Matches will take place in early April at Wembley. *U.S. Hall of Fame announcement coming today. *Now that we know the USA roster for Olympic qualifying, how important is it...
By Steve Goff | March 10, 2008; 09:10 AM ET | Comments (35)
Say Anything
"I don't want to sell anything, buy anything, or process anything as a career. I don't want to sell anything bought or processed, or buy anything sold or processed, or process anything sold, bought, or processed, or repair anything sold, bought, or processed." [updated with Lopez and Mina news at...
By Steve Goff | March 8, 2008; 03:36 PM ET | Comments (43)
Morning Kickaround
With March Madness approaching, I will have to shift my work responsibilities into full college basketball mode starting today in Richmond, but of course, will try to keep you updated on the soccer front as best I can the next few days. *The Post editorial page chimes in on the...
By Steve Goff | March 7, 2008; 09:15 AM ET | Comments (81)
Earth Watch
*For those of you tired of watching the U.S. national team play Mexico, Sweden and Poland, you are in for a treat this summer. (No, I'm not talking about the showdown with Barbados or Dominica in June, although I know you are fired up for the start of World Cup...
By Steve Goff | March 6, 2008; 10:49 AM ET | Comments (60)
Morning Kickaround
*With just eight days until Champions' Cup play begins, D.C. United is trying to get its diverse act together. *The Texas Pro Soccer Festival begins tomorrow in San Antonio, featuring DCU, Houston, Chivas USA and Toronto in preseason friendlies. Each club will play three matches over five days. *Still awaiting...
By Steve Goff | March 4, 2008; 09:10 AM ET | Comments (48)
Monday Video
Good morning..... As we await word on Kansas City's negotiations with Claudio Lopez, Dallas's issues with Roberto Mina, D.C. United's local TV schedule, Seattle's nickname/logo, final details of this summer's SuperLiga and reaction to Tim Cahill's goal celebration for Everton, let's watch some motion pictures..... Fiorentina's late game-winner against Juventus:...
By Steve Goff | March 3, 2008; 09:12 AM ET | Comments (19)
Before You Start the Weekend.....
*Landon Donovan is now "officially" the U.S. national team's all-time leading goal scorer. And you thought he set the record months ago. Ha! Read on. *More problems with the Roberto Mina-Dallas negotiations. Two days ago, relations were strained. Yesterday, they appeared to be resolved. Today, another issue has arisen. I'll...
By Steve Goff | February 29, 2008; 04:35 PM ET | Comments (62)
Happy Leap Day
Let's hop around the football world, shall we? *Click here to read more about Santino Quaranta's possible return to D.C. United and his regrets about the first stage of his career. *Staying with DCU, forward Jamil Walker is attempting to earn a contract and a roster spot after rupturing an...
By Steve Goff | February 29, 2008; 09:52 AM ET | Comments (56)
Methadone Metronome
I am off to RFK for D.C. United training soon (brrrrrr!) and will have plenty to share. In the meantime, enjoy the TV..... Barcelona 1, Valencia 1 (Copa del Rey): Poland 2, Estonia 0 (friendly): River Plate 2, Club America 1 (Copa Libertadores):...
By Steve Goff | February 28, 2008; 09:40 AM ET | Comments (53)
Slow Ride.....
.....take it easy. Not much happening at the moment. David Beckham is in need of conditioning for England's purposes, the Galaxy's match in Hong Kong awaits approval from the authorities and Real Salt Lake adds a Scot. More later. Hopefully. All football subjects are open for discussion. Commence....
By Steve Goff | February 27, 2008; 10:27 AM ET | Comments (39)
CONCACAF News and Thoughts for Alan Kelly
*The groups are set for the six-team CONCACAF women's Olympic qualifying tournament April 2-13 in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Two nations will advance to China this summer. The Americans will play Mexico and Jamaica in group play and, assuming they advance, face Canada, Costa Rica or T&T in the semifinals, which...
By Steve Goff | February 25, 2008; 12:54 PM ET | Comments (30)
Morning Kickaround
*Martin Taylor shows remorse. *The Guardian analyzes Spurs' victory. *David Moyes's misunderstanding. *David Beckham has got Seoul. *Peter Nowak to unveil preliminary 24-man U.S. roster for Olympic qualifying today or tomorrow. For those turning on their computer for the first time since 5 p.m. Friday, be sure to check out...
By Steve Goff | February 25, 2008; 08:16 AM ET | Comments (18)
And the Oscar Goes to.....
On this Academy Awards Sunday, we celebrate soccer's famous -- and infamous -- ties to Hollywood. (Andrew Shue, need we say more!) *Daniel Day-Lewis ("There Will Be Blood"), who attended Millwall matches in his youth. "The fans," he told the Independent, "all that shaven-headed aggression." *James McAvoy ("Atonement"), who dreams...
By Steve Goff | February 24, 2008; 12:05 PM ET | Comments (83)
We're Doomed!
Missiles blowing up wayward spy satellites, a Rold Gold thin resembling the Virgin Mary and laser beams directed at a Manchester United star? Surely, the end is near....
By Steve Goff | February 21, 2008; 12:15 PM ET | Comments (55)
Morning Kickaround
I will have some mild D.C. United news soon, but for now..... *The Pan-Pacific nonsense tournament got under way in the wee hours (Eastern time) last night with artificial turf, a crowd of only 15,000, David Beckham unexpectedly playing a full 90, a dreary effort by the Galaxy in a...
By Steve Goff | February 21, 2008; 09:11 AM ET | Comments (53)
Blue Hawaii
No, I'm not there. Wish I were. What to make of this Pan-Pacific Championship? Frankly, I have a hard time taking it seriously. Houston is near a large body of water, but it ain't the Pacific. I know, Brian Ching is from Hawaii and is a natural draw. And of...
By Steve Goff | February 20, 2008; 12:15 PM ET | Comments (60)
Hello, Is There Anybody In There?
Sorry for the absence. I'm in a holding pattern on a few things. Hope to rejoin you later today. Feel free to discuss Champions League matches or any other futbol topics. Or rock 'n' roll. Sincerely, Comfortably Numb...
By Steve Goff | February 19, 2008; 01:42 PM ET | Comments (60)
Celebrating Presidents' Day.....
.....with some words from our favorite jefe, Theodore "Sepp" Roosevelt, er, Joseph "Sepp" Blatter. He's a busy man these days, what with reported squabbling in the 2010 World Cup local organizing committee, the arrival of formal bids for the 2018 tournament and the possibility of having to admit a new...
By Steve Goff | February 18, 2008; 09:56 AM ET | Comments (22)
Weekend Kickaround
*Keido Pour, the Liberian refugee who became the Minnesota high school player of the year and is pursuing a pro career instead of playing in college, was not offered a contract by Borussia Dortmund following his trial there but is in discussions with German second division clubs. There appears to...
By Steve Goff | February 16, 2008; 10:47 AM ET | Comments (42)
Morning Kickaround
*Sorry to be so very vague, but there are no specifics available at the moment on this one: An MLS team in the hunt for a designated player might find out today or tomorrow if its plan is going to move forward. That's all I have been told. Meantime, completely...
By Steve Goff | February 14, 2008; 09:26 AM ET | Comments (76)
Rankings, Revs and Rapids
We have all conditioned ourselves not to pay any attention to the FIFA rankings. However..... *Despite beating Sweden and tying Mexico, the USA has dropped six slots to No. 26 on the latest list. How does this happen? It's a moving average, which means, with each new calculation, matches from...
By Steve Goff | February 13, 2008; 02:01 PM ET | Comments (48)
Ice, Ice, Baby
Welcome back to town, D.C. United boys. Hope you enjoyed your time in warm, sunny Bradenton. Now let's see your fancy footwork on the layer of ice that smothered the Washington area last night! Welcome to our world. Of course, you are off to Camarillo, Calif. (just north of L.A.)...
By Steve Goff | February 13, 2008; 09:55 AM ET | Comments (40)
Got Tickets?
Tickets are now on sale for the El Salvador-Anguilla World Cup qualifier March 26, which will be played at Estadio RFK because Anguilla could not offer a FIFA-approved pitch. On the surface, there is some appeal to a neutral-site qualifier being played in our own backyard. But let's try to...
By Steve Goff | February 12, 2008; 08:38 AM ET | Comments (50)
Morning Kickaround
*USA-England? At Wembley on May 28? It is possible. We told you last week that Sunil Gulati and Co. were hoping to set up a friendly on that date in Europe a few days before the test at Spain, and this is apparently their top choice. Gulati declined comment last...
By Steve Goff | February 11, 2008; 08:49 AM ET | Comments (46)
Morning Kickaround
Okay, so it's almost afternoon. Late-night drive home requires later-than-usual blogging. *D.C. United is playing Odense of Denmark in a scrimmage in Bradenton today. Bryan Namoff is sitting out with toe ailments and was replaced in the lineup at right back by Devon McTavish. Luciano Emilio is starting up top...
By Steve Goff | February 8, 2008; 11:52 AM ET | Comments (39)
Before the USA-Mexico Match.....
.....let's take a look at other newsworthy items. *Australia wins its first-ever Asian World Cup qualifier. *China and Iraq tie. *Among the friendlies today: Turkey-Sweden, Croatia-Netherlands, Poland-Czech Republic, Austria-Germany, Ireland-Brazil, Italy-Portugal, England-Switzerland, Spain-France. *England remembers the 1958 Manchester United tragedy. *Jeremiah White, who just returned to Denmark after spending three...
By Steve Goff | February 6, 2008; 10:22 AM ET | Comments (42)
Houston, Too Close to New Orleans
Jerry lives! Before I head to the airport for a flight to Houston, a few topics to discuss: *Chivas USA has already signed Swiss World Cup midfielder Raphael Wicky. Is the club now about to lure Paraguayan legend Jose Cardozo, who will turn 37 next month, out of retirement? *Are...
By Steve Goff | February 5, 2008; 08:17 AM ET | Comments (108)
Friday Roundup
*We're awaiting news on the negotiations between DCU and Colorado and Colorado and out-of-contract Christian Gomez. Last I heard, the deal was just about done. *Speaking of the Rapids, a report in a Peruvian newspaper says the club was in talks with former Bolivian national team goalkeeper Jose Fernandez, who...
By Steve Goff | February 1, 2008; 10:10 AM ET | Comments (79)
Parlez Vous Francais?
After absorbing the news that Andrew Jacobson has blown off MLS for France, let's take a deep breath and look at the big picture. If he had signed with DCU, he was looking at either an upper-developmental contract ($17,700) or a minimum senior deal ($33,000). Bottom line: He's going to...
By Steve Goff | January 30, 2008; 03:36 PM ET | Comments (82)
Latin American Updates
*Amid its coverage of Marcelo Gallardo's signing with D.C. United, La Nacion says that Ariel "Burrito" Ortega is the latest Argentine candidate to possibly join MLS. Ortega will turn 34 in March, had some success in Europe but is mostly known for his time with River Plate, three World Cups...
By Steve Goff | January 30, 2008; 08:14 AM ET | Comments (48)
Overnight Observations
Not sure when I will be able to update you Wednesday, so I'll give ya what I've got now at this wee hour. *Brad Guzan has been granted permission to leave U.S. training camp at Home Depot Center. No further comment from the USSF, but I don't think I am...
By Steve Goff | January 30, 2008; 12:42 AM ET | Comments (43)
Morning Briefing
Mayor Fenty is so enamored with D.C. United and its Poplar Point stadium proposal, he has declared today Marcelo Gallardo Day in the District of Columbia. Woohoo! Admit it, you fell for it! Just for a second? No? Really? Okay, never mind. In United's world, it is, indeed, Gallardo day...
By Steve Goff | January 29, 2008; 08:51 AM ET | Comments (59)
Breaking Women's News, Guzan, DCU and Terps
*The Insider has learned that U.S. under-20 women's coach Jillian Ellis has been promoted to national team assistant under Pia Sundhage and that Tony DiCicco, who guided the USA to the 1996 Olympic gold medal and the 1999 World Cup title, has agreed to oversee the under-20s through the world...
By Steve Goff | January 25, 2008; 04:24 PM ET | Comments (35)
Morning Briefing
While you chew on the DCU stadium news in the previous posting, let's catch up on a few things..... *Remember the other day when we told you that Pat Noonan's reps were selling him hard to Scandinavian clubs? Well, Soccer America reports today that the out-of-contract Revs forward is headed...
By Steve Goff | January 23, 2008; 08:55 AM ET | Comments (55)
Kalou Is Cool
Eerily quiet at the moment on the MLS front. Expect some news later today. Probably. I do know that..... .....New England and Columbus are engaged in trade talks. .....El Salvador might play a World Cup qualifier in the United States but not against the United States. .....the proposed D.C. United...
By Steve Goff | January 22, 2008; 08:48 AM ET | Comments (42)
The Dude Abides
D.C. United's offseason of transfers and trades, signings and near-signings reminds me of something said by the great 20th-century philosopher Jeffrey Lebowski: "This is a very complicated case, Maude. You know, a lotta ins, a lotta outs, a lotta what-have-yous. And uh, lotta strands to keep in my head, man....
By Steve Goff | January 21, 2008; 08:53 AM ET | Comments (61)
Morning Briefing
Lots of ground to cover this morning. Buckle up..... *Let's start with the women for a change: USA 4, Canada 0 in the Four Nations tournament in China. Hope Solo was in goal. Scoring and lineup summary here. China defeated Finland, 2-0, in the other match. The Americans will face...
By Steve Goff | January 16, 2008; 09:19 AM ET | Comments (68)
Morning Update
*As we told you late Sunday night, Wizards star Eddie Johnson is hoping to close a deal with Fulham and join compatriots Kasey Keller, Carlos Bocanegra, Clint Dempsey and Brian McBride at the struggling Premiership club. *Speaking of McBride, he is close to returning from his horrific knee injury suffered...
By Steve Goff | January 15, 2008; 09:34 AM ET | Comments (36)
While We're Waiting.....
Consider this the calm before the soccer storm. MLS draft not until Friday. USA-Sweden friendly Saturday. USA women start Four Nations play Wednesday. Waiting to see if the Eddie Johnson-Fulham deal goes through. MLS international signings imminent. Trades too? Even the gripping Scotland coaching search continues. So in the meantime,...
By Steve Goff | January 14, 2008; 01:01 PM ET | Comments (104)
Breaking News, and Other News
*I hear Kansas City's Eddie Johnson has left U.S. national team camp in L.A. and is in serious negotiations with English club Fulham. *As you know, D.C. United is preparing to finalize deals with Argentine forward Franco Niell and Colombian defender Gonzalo Martinez. In addition, the reports out of Peru...
By Steve Goff | January 13, 2008; 09:04 PM ET | Comments (92)
Weekend Update
*Reports in Latin America continue to say that Peruvian goalkeeper Jose Carvallo (Universitario) may be on his way to D.C. United. "My departure still isn't 100 percent defined, but the negotiations are well advanced," Carvallo told the Peruvian newspaper Libero. "I hope to sign the deal in the next few...
By Steve Goff | January 12, 2008; 08:52 AM ET | Comments (64)
Friday Hangover
Forgive me for my tardiness today. I am still recovering from last night's assignment -- the worst performance by any team in any sport in any country since man and dinosaur roamed the plains together. How did two World Cup scribes, your grumpy Insider and the Post-Dispatch's Tom Timmermann, get...
By Steve Goff | January 11, 2008; 10:40 AM ET | Comments (38)
Morning Update
*MLS will likely announce its Generation Adidas signings (teenagers and college non-seniors) today, and don't be surprised if you see 17-year-old forward-midfielder Alex Nimo on the list. Read his extraordinary story from Liberian refugee camp in Ghana to Portland, Ore., to the U.S. under-17s right here. *Jay-Jay Okocha's name has...
By Steve Goff | January 10, 2008; 10:30 AM ET | Comments (52)
Morning Update
*DCU and Franco Niell move closer to a deal. *United will not participate in the preseason Carolina Challenge Cup in Charleston -- it's New York, San Jose, Toronto and the host Battery -- but the club could end up playing in an event in Texas. There are also rumblings that...
By Steve Goff | January 9, 2008; 09:03 AM ET | Comments (53)
Ohio State Revolution
We all know the New England Revolution has fallen agonizingly short of an MLS championship four of the last six years, but in the wake of their humbling loss to LSU last night in the BCS title game, perhaps the Ohio State Buckeyes should be mentioned in the same breath...
By Steve Goff | January 8, 2008; 08:35 AM ET | Comments (42)
Why I'm Grateful for My Blog.....
.....and The Post's Web site From last night's Simpsons episode:...
By Steve Goff | January 7, 2008; 04:52 PM ET | Comments (30)
Monday Morning, Friday's Far Away
Pray you'll make it, it's a magic day Thanks, Joe. Good morning, hipsters. *I'm hearing that, in addition to Argentine second-division defender Gonzalo Peralta, D.C. United is focusing in on an Argentine forward. That's all I know at the moment: no name or club affiliation. On the Peralta front, there...
By Steve Goff | January 7, 2008; 09:05 AM ET | Comments (21)
Io-what?
Congrats to Barry and Mike for their victories in Iowa, but I must say, I was rather disappointed in all the candidates. Not one took a stand on single entity or the single table and, as far as I can tell, there were no photo ops with Zeke Dombrowski of...
By Steve Goff | January 4, 2008; 09:00 AM ET | Comments (64)
Morning Update
*DCU's Josh Gros will definitely not play this year, but ... *The latest media reports from South America say that Guillermo Schelotto could end up leaving the Crew in June to return to Argentina; that Crew defender Marcos Gonzalez might be heading home to Chile; and that possible DCU target...
By Steve Goff | January 3, 2008; 09:56 AM ET | Comments (23)
Happy New Year
So, how was your turducken? Nice to be back after two weeks of eating, sleeping and ignoring the laptop. (For the complete Insider Holiday Menu of Champions, jump to the continuation of this thread.) It doesn't seem I missed much. Clearly, a good time to rest the keyboard. Plenty to...
By Steve Goff | January 2, 2008; 12:01 AM ET | Comments (29)
Christmas in Washington
So come back Woody Guthrie Come back to us now Tear your eyes from paradise And rise again somehow If you run into Jesus Maybe he can help you out Come back Woody Guthrie to us now .............................................Steve Earle (El Corazon, 1997) Barring any big news -- which always seems...
By Steve Goff | December 21, 2007; 03:41 PM ET | Comments (157)
This Is Our Lives on Holiday
While you were all trying to find a parking space at Target, I gathered a few items to share: *I mentioned this in the comments section of a different thread, but I'll post it again: DCU did not exercise the option on Greg Vanney's 2008 contract and is in the...
By Steve Goff | December 19, 2007; 09:17 AM ET | Comments (72)
CONCACAF Draws It Up
According to this bracket on the CONCACAF Web site, DCU will play Harbour View (Jamaica) and Houston will face Municipal (Guatemala) in the quarterfinals of the Champions' Cup. The other pairings are Pachuca-Motagua and Atlante-Saprissa. Opening matches are March 11-13. As for the men's under-23 tournament groups, they are: *USA,...
By Steve Goff | December 18, 2007; 05:21 PM ET | Comments (24)
New York, New York
While we wish the best for hobbling John Terry, here's what we're looking forward to today from three separate locations in New York City: 1 P.M. *On Ninth Avenue, the Red Bulls introduce their new coach, Juan Carlos Osorio. In case you've lost count, he succeeds Firmani, Queiroz, Parreira, Mondelo,...
By Steve Goff | December 18, 2007; 09:01 AM ET | Comments (50)
Afternoon Update
*The rumblings about Carlos Ruiz leaving Dallas are getting louder. Several sources tell me the Guatemalan forward is almost surely leaving FCD. Will he land back in L.A.? If so, is the league okay with Ruiz, Donovan and Beckham on the same roster? Or will he go elsewhere? Someone mentioned...
By Steve Goff | December 13, 2007; 12:41 PM ET | Comments (82)
Bumbles Bounce
Good morning. Not a creature is stirring, not even a mouse. So for now, I offer: *Men's college soccer quarterfinal sites, dates and times are set: Virginia Tech at Connecticut, Saturday, 1 p.m. Notre Dame at Wake Forest, Saturday, 7 p.m. Illinois-Chicago at Massachusetts, Sunday, noon Bradley at Ohio State,...
By Steve Goff | December 5, 2007; 09:24 AM ET | Comments (33)
Snake River, Wacky Packages and Bubble Yum
This essay has absolutely nothing to do with soccer. Read it anyway....
By Steve Goff | December 1, 2007; 10:33 AM ET | Comments (19)
It's Friday I'm in Love.....
The Insider is "The Cure" for your end-of-the-week blues (hilarious, I know). Some final thoughts before the weekend: The USL, American soccer's lower divisions, has unveiled one-table scheduling for its top two leagues and the playoff rewards for finishing at the top during the regular season. Are you listening, MLS?...
By Steve Goff | November 30, 2007; 02:37 PM ET | Comments (40)
Things You Should Know
*The complete 2008 MLS schedules will not be finalized until probably February, but don't be surprised if the league announces the matchups and sites for the opening weekend (March 29-30) in the next week or two. With a winter lull approaching, MLS would like to provide teams with an opportunity...
By Steve Goff | November 29, 2007; 01:54 PM ET | Comments (39)
Injuries, Stadiums, Becks and NCAAs
Good mornin'. Lots of quality reading material for you. Take a look and come on back to share your thoughts. *Sadly, it's looking like American winger DaMarcus Beasley is going to be sidelined for several months..... *D.C. United turns to the Maryland suburbs for a place to play..... *The Beckham-Galaxy...
By Steve Goff | November 29, 2007; 06:21 AM ET | Comments (85)
Ruby Tuesday
*FC Dallas forward Kenny Cooper is heading back to Manchester United in January.....for training purposes only. It is not a trial and if, by chance, he is called into U.S. training camp, he will skip the trip to England. Cooper spent several years in the Man U system and was...
By Steve Goff | November 27, 2007; 09:57 AM ET | Comments (19)
This and That
Yesterday was buzzing with activity. Let's hope today is quieter. Why? Because I'm trying to avoid any contact with a computer keyboard for 24 hours. Some casual reading: The Revs expect Andy Dorman to leave MLS. Maryland, Virginia and Virginia Tech are in the NCAA tournament. The 48-team field was...
By Steve Goff | November 20, 2007; 10:22 AM ET | Comments (45)
Monday Rewind
By now, you are well aware of Houston's 2-0 victory over Kansas City in the Western Conference final before yet another sellout crowd of 30,000+ (best fans in the league, yes?), setting up an MLS Cup rematch with New England this Sunday at Estadio RFK. Brian Ching's availability, however, is...
By Steve Goff | November 12, 2007; 09:26 AM ET | Comments (74)
Weekend Discussion
Houston-Kansas City? English league? Other Euro action? Upcoming national team matches? This is the place for lively discussion this weekend. Open forum -- woohoo! Enjoy........
By Steve Goff | November 10, 2007; 11:55 AM ET | Comments (80)
Mornin'
-- FIFA will soon announce the host nations for the 2011 Women's World Cup (Germany or Canada) and 2014 World Cup (Brazil!). -- MLS folks tell me ticket sales for MLS Cup at Estadio RFK have surpassed 30,000 -- an impressive figure considering neither participant will be known for at...
By Steve Goff | October 30, 2007; 08:54 AM ET | Comments (40)
Morning Reading and Viewing
*Maryland beats Georgetown for the 27th consecutive time and extends its current unbeaten streak to seven. No brawls this time. *Virginia Tech ties at Duke to stretch its run to 13 and remain unbeaten in the ACC. *Greg Ryan speaks for the first time since his dismissal. Meantime, the San...
By Steve Goff | October 24, 2007; 09:09 AM ET | Comments (59)
Monday Night Futbol
The votes are in. The ballots have been tallied. The D.C. United team award winners are..... Team MVP: Luciano Emilio. Defensive Player of the Year: Bryan Namoff. Humanitarian: Bobby Boswell. Coaches' Award: Ben Olsen. Fans' Choice: Olsen. Goal of the Year: Olsen (volley vs. N.Y.). Shifting gears..... *What in the...
By Steve Goff | October 22, 2007; 09:00 PM ET | Comments (66)
Busy Wednesday
United notebook here. Stadium story there. Fisher's thoughts here. Bog Man's take there. USA-Switzerland this afternoon in Basel (mmmmm, Basel) on Fox Soccer Channel at 2:30 p.m. ET. Just a friendly, but it sure would be nice if the Americans actually won one of these unimportant games. Whatcha think, Coach...
By Steve Goff | October 17, 2007; 10:22 AM ET | Comments (69)
Football Saturday
Where to begin?! Well, from my narrow D.C. perspective, the United-Fire match is the priority. Which is why it is imperative you read this story about RFK and what else might be taking place there now that the Nats are gone. I will create a separate thread before kickoff for...
By Steve Goff | October 13, 2007; 09:14 AM ET | Comments (27)
Today in Eagles (Spoiler Alert)
With Goff momentarily down for the count (but he already managed to file his story for the paper!!!!), I'm going to post my admittedly ignorant take on the USA's Rugby World Cup match from this morning. I know of at least five Insider readers with a rugby interest, so I...
By Dan Steinberg | September 12, 2007; 12:37 PM ET | Comments (9)
On Soccer Players and Marathons
Josh Gros, running. (Toni L. Sandys - TWP) While waiting for the media to finish up at training today, Bryan Namoff was muttering to himself about Gros's fitness, calling him "the fittest man alive" and "the energizer bunny" and so on. I asked for clarification. "It's unfair, the genetics...
By Dan Steinberg | September 11, 2007; 03:59 PM ET | Comments (49)
Watching the Eagles
Apologies for the brief diversion from soccer, but since there were a few questions about where to watch the Rugby World Cup, I wanted to point people to Fritz Hahn's Going Out Gurus blog, which has a nice roundup of local viewing options. I'm trying to find the best place...
By Dan Steinberg | September 8, 2007; 12:54 PM ET | Comments (10)
Okocha, Reserves and Colleges
*Remember Real Salt Lake's failed pursuit of former Nigerian international Jay Jay Okocha this summer? He has ended up back in England. *For those wondering about DCU's reserve match at Dallas on Sunday, it was a 0-0 tie. DCU's lineup was, in no particular order, Nolly, Mediate, North, deRoux, J....
By Steve Goff | September 4, 2007; 09:38 AM ET | Comments (16)
The Lives They Lived
I know, these have nothing to do with soccer, but they're certainly sports oriented, and since this is my blog, I can do what I want. ;-) Two obituaries that ran in The Post today -- one bizarre (Arthur Jones), the other sad (Richard Jewell): Read this one from start...
By Steve Goff | August 30, 2007; 11:57 AM ET | Comments (17)
NASL Flashback
Just for the fun of it, I offer you a Dips-Strikers game from RFK. (Thanks to the Post's Man U diehard, Christian Swezey, for digging it up.) It is reduced to about 24 minutes and includes some classic commercials, the brilliant baseball announcer Jon Miller on play-by-play, Soccer America's Paul...
By Steve Goff | August 30, 2007; 09:54 AM ET | Comments (52)
Women's League Delay and Other Stuff
*Two reliable sources tell me that investors in a proposed national women's league have decided to wait until 2009 to launch the eight-team circuit. No official confirmation, but that's the buzz in U.S. soccer circles. Investors apparently felt that spring of 2008 was too soon to start a league, sign...
By Steve Goff | August 29, 2007; 08:26 AM ET | Comments (53)
Morning Briefing
Before we turn our attention to the USA-Sweden friendly this afternoon and the DCU-NY match this evening, some worthwhile reading: *We might not see Josh Gros in uniform again this season. *Abby Wambach scores. *Abby Wambach chats. *My chat this afternoon. *Owen and Smith to start for England. *Freddy has...
By Steve Goff | August 22, 2007; 09:01 AM ET | Comments (13)
Slow Turning
Why, yes, the John Hiatt show at Wolf Trap last night was exceptional. Nice of you to ask. Some serious strummin'. Which brings me to this random question: Live music or live soccer? (Pick one) Along those lines, give me your best concert and best match in person. I'll go...
By Steve Goff | August 17, 2007; 12:57 AM ET | Comments (128)
Football Weekend
Deadlines and commitments, What to leave in, what to leave out Sorry for my absence on Friday. I am in Chicago gathering information and conducting interviews with the U.S. women's national team in advance of the World Cup in China, which begins in four weeks. Plenty of good storylines to...
By Steve Goff | August 11, 2007; 08:23 AM ET | Comments (39)
Media Matters
Please join me for a live online chat Thursday at 1 p.m. on washingtonpost.com. Submit questions in this link. Later, tune into Comcast SportsNet for "Washington Post Live" between 5 and 6:30 p.m. I will be on very early in the show via remote from Estadio RFK. In the meantime,...
By Steve Goff | August 8, 2007; 08:22 PM ET | Comments (26)
NCAA, W-League and Nicole Cup
A few items to share..... *Soccer America magazine has unveiled its NCAA preseason polls: MEN 1. UCLA -- 2006 finalists but Zizzo is gone and others might go 2. Wake Forest -- u-20 defender Julian Valentin returns 3. Duke -- senior-dominated squad led by Michael Videira 4. UC Santa Barbara...
By Steve Goff | August 4, 2007; 08:53 PM ET | Comments (16)
Itchy & Scratchy
Your favorite Insider just saw The Simpsons movie with Son of Insider. Lots of giggles. Do see it. Soon. So, you might ask, how can I get away with such a random item in a soccer blog? Well, amigos, all I needed was the ticklish, 2.3-second reference to the beautiful...
By Steve Goff | July 27, 2007; 06:46 PM ET | Comments (17)
Drew Carey, David Letterman and Iraq
I know I said I wouldn't be back here until this evening, but I wanted to share a couple items: Drew Carey talking soccer with Letterman on the Late Show and the story of Iraq's improbable run to the Asian Cup final....
By Steve Goff | July 25, 2007; 02:04 PM ET | Comments (27)
Because Media Matters
I will be discussing D.C. United and other soccer matters during "Washington Post Live" on Comcast SportsNet this evening. The segment is tentatively scheduled to begin at 5:20 p.m. The show runs from 5 until 6:30 -- it's also available live on streaming video at washingtonpost.com -- and then repeats...
By Steve Goff | July 24, 2007; 10:00 AM ET | Comments (23)
Swamps of Jersey
Dulles Toll Road. Beltway. I-95. Jersey Turnpike. Meadowlands -- what better way to spend a beautiful Sunday? Before I depart, a few not-so-deep thoughts: *Did Tommy Smyth really say on BSPN (in case you missed it on the Insider the other day, ESPN has changed its change to become the...
By Steve Goff | July 22, 2007; 08:54 AM ET | Comments (44)
Gone Fishin'.....
With a mountain of vacation time and a little break in United's schedule, I am going to disappear into the north woods. No telling whether I'll actually come back. The Insider will remain open as a general forum, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Sort of like 7-Eleven....
By Steve Goff | July 15, 2007; 12:57 AM ET | Comments (149)
Big Night
For D.C. United, you get a link to the game report and player ratings only (video not appropriate for impressionable minds). For USA-Uruguay and Mexico-Argentina, you get highlights! DCU report here, player ratings there: Nolly 4, Mediate 5, Boswell 6, Burch 5, J. Carroll 5.5, Simms 5, B. Carroll 6,...
By Steve Goff | July 12, 2007; 09:14 AM ET | Comments (77)
Matchnight: USA-URU, MEX-ARG, DCU-HCI
A big night calls for a big forum. This is the place for all your pregame, in-game and postgame thoughts concerning the under-20s, Copa and Open Cup. I am hitting the road and heading for Landisville. (Has there ever been a Washington Post dateline from Landisville, Pa.???) I'll try to...
By Steve Goff | July 11, 2007; 02:09 PM ET | Comments (216)
Postdotcom. Venezuela. Canada. Landisville.
What a grand day for Insider loyalists. We'll start at 1 p.m. with a live online chat at washingtonpost.com (where I am sure I'll get plenty of unanswerable questions about DCU's proposed stadium scheduled to open in 2029 zzzzzzz). We've got Freddy and the U-20 lads, coming off their sterling...
By Steve Goff | July 11, 2007; 08:35 AM ET | Comments (37)
Impressionism
With an evening flight out of Ottawa, I had the pleasure of spending a cool, rainy day in the Canadian capital's city center, much of it at the breathtaking National Gallery to see the Renoir exhibit and explore an incredible building. Wonderful city, lots to remind you of Europe, hope...
By Steve Goff | July 7, 2007; 05:28 PM ET | Comments (33)
Goals, Goals, Goals
Columbus-New York: Lots of chances, but only Kamara's goal. Galindo seals Chivas USA's victory over New England. K.C. and Toronto are even. Vinotinto! Down goes Moreno and Bolivia: Robinho scores 3 (questionable PK, brilliant final goal): No stopping Nery and Mexico: USA-S. Korea, Under-20 WC (beware of excitable announcers):...
By Steve Goff | July 1, 2007; 09:42 AM ET | Comments (20)
Weekend Free for All
With United off this weekend and the national team quiet until Monday, here is your chance over the next 48 hours to discuss anything on your mind. How will Moreno and Bolivia do in their second Copa match? Can Mexico keep rolling? Freddy and the under-20s in their opener at...
By Steve Goff | June 30, 2007; 07:13 AM ET | Comments (46)
Beckham vs. Bush (Reggie, Not W)
Futbol meets Futbol Americano.....Some crossover skills on display........
By Steve Goff | June 28, 2007; 09:48 AM ET | Comments (45)
Acoustic Sunrise
(A little shout out to San Francisco's KFOG) *United's Jaime Moreno shows off his footwork and helps Bolivia earn a 2-2 tie with Venezuela on the opening day at Copa America. Hard to believe he represented his country in the World Cup 13 YEARS AGO. *As first reported here yesterday...
By Steve Goff | June 27, 2007; 08:25 AM ET | Comments (31)
Saturday in the Park
Good morning. Beautiful day here on the Wasatch Front. A few things to chew on before United's match against RSL this evening: *To get you in the mood for Copa America, which begins Tuesday in Venezuela, GolTV has decided to show the championship games from previous tournaments, beginning this afternoon...
By Steve Goff | June 23, 2007; 11:05 AM ET | Comments (25)
Good Mornin'
A few things to add to your morning reading list..... *United's reserves fall in Richmond to the Kickers *United braces for Copa call-ups *New England makes a couple interesting roster moves *A former Terp is in trouble *The Insider broke the story last week. Ives confirmed the signing the other...
By Steve Goff | June 20, 2007; 09:21 AM ET | Comments (32)
Media Matters
D.C. United is off today, but maybe some news or updates later. Lots of rumblings in MLS. Hope to find out more later. Meantime, for DCU fans, be sure to program your DVR/TiVo/VCR for "Washington Post Live" on Comcast SportsNet this week. Ben Olsen will appear Wednesday to break down...
By Steve Goff | June 12, 2007; 08:50 AM ET | Comments (11)
Beisbol and Futbol
Two hours before gametime Friday night at Camden Yards, Rodrigo Lopez of the Colorado Rockies was in the dugout answering questions about his return to Baltimore and the opportunity to pitch Saturday against the team for which he had played five seasons before being traded this past winter. When he...
By Steve Goff | June 9, 2007; 02:35 PM ET | Comments (6)
10,000 and Counting
Congrats to Insider loyalist "RK" for his Vegas comment on the previous thread. It was No. 10,000 in our blog's very short, barely illustrious history! To acknowledge this grand achievement, I am rewarding each and every one of you with a free, one-year subscription to the Insider. Really, no charge....
By Steve Goff | June 5, 2007; 05:03 PM ET | Comments (24)
When Stuck at LAX.....
.....what better way to pass the time than with three Euro video clips? The Demark-Sweden match, tied 3-3, came to a stunning end when a fan attacked the referee. Read the story and watch the film. In case you missed the goal that Beckham set up Friday vs. Brazil..... And...
By Steve Goff | June 3, 2007; 12:21 PM ET | Comments (7)
Looking Back, Looking Ahead
I know this is a soccer blog and all, but did you happen to stay up late last night and watch LeBron's one-man show in the NBA playoffs??? Wow, wow, wow. Okay, back on topic. I've got an eclectic program for you this morning before I jet off to L.A....
By Steve Goff | June 1, 2007; 09:08 AM ET | Comments (49)
What's Happening?
Pretty quiet day...so far I've been busy counting the number of Galaxy players who will be unavailable to face D.C. United on Saturday night at Home Depot Center because of international duty, suspension and injuries. Yikes. I'm up to eight. United is training this morning, then off to Los Angeles...
By Steve Goff | May 31, 2007; 11:19 AM ET | Comments (46)
It's Wednesday (Sheffield's Favorite Day)
-- First-round pairings for the U.S. Open Cup are set, with a few local entries in action June 12. Crystal Palace USA (USL2) will travel to the Jersey shore to face the Ocean City Barons (PDL), the Richmond Kickers (USL2) will host the Michigan Bucks (PDL) and the Aegean Hawks...
By Steve Goff | May 30, 2007; 08:48 AM ET | Comments (26)
USSF Taking Youth Initiative
According to documents obtained by the Insider and The Washington Post, the U.S. Soccer Federation's board of directors met last week in Chicago and approved the establishment of a boys' academy program and national youth league to improve American soccer at the teenage level. The federation plans to identify 60...
By Steve Goff | May 28, 2007; 09:46 AM ET | Comments (38)
Another Local USL Club?
Silvino Gonzalo tells me that he has resigned as coach of the PDL Northern Virginia Royals after 10 seasons and next year will coach a tentatively approved USL second division club called Real Maryland FC, which will play home matches at Maryland SoccerPlex, University of Maryland or perhaps a high...
By Steve Goff | May 27, 2007; 12:49 PM ET | Comments (50)
Vacation? What Vacation?
We've got futbol this weekend. So while the rest of the nation (lower case 'n') grumbles in traffic heading to the beach, the Nation will be here discussing true patriotic matters -- like, um, the United-Dynamo match. Now what is more traditional than that? I'll be back later with news...
By Steve Goff | May 25, 2007; 08:48 AM ET | Comments (26)
What's Going On?
Well, I'll tell ya..... -- Gold Cup roster will be unveiled at noon. Be sure to check back here for the complete list and an opportunity to discuss the squad. -- Coming soon: Dynamo meets the POTUS. -- With Colorado's last-minute 2-1 victory over Real Salt Lake (can they win...
By Steve Goff | May 24, 2007; 09:08 AM ET | Comments (13)
Hey, Hey, Hey
Ives uncovers more Red Bull shenanigans , Chris Albright might be sidelined for a very long time, former Dallas coach Colin Clarke lands in Puerto Rico and DCU news and notes. For your viewing pleasure, AC Milan-Liverpool today at 2:25 p.m. on ESPN2 and Dan Steinberg's report on the D.C....
By Steve Goff | May 23, 2007; 07:41 AM ET | Comments (53)
Good Mornin'
A few things to gnaw on..... Henry wants the resurgent Beckham back on the troubled English national team, the Red Bulls' new stadium is a dump (literally), Greek security likes to play paintball and Crystal Palace attempts to gain a foothold in the States. I'll share my United training observations...
By Steve Goff | May 22, 2007; 08:49 AM ET | Comments (25)
Y'all Come Back, Ya Hear?
New blog numbers are in: Hits on the Soccer Insider increased 47 percent in the past month to become the second most popular sports blog on washingtonpost.com behind the Redskins. The brilliant Sports Bog is a strong third. Thanks to Insider Nation, we had more hits than the Nats, NFL,...
By Steve Goff | May 20, 2007; 04:42 PM ET | Comments (45)
The Week Ahead
A quiet Monday. I did not attend DCU training today. I plan to be there tomorrow. Keeping an eye on the status of the proposed Guevara trade to Dallas, the U.S. coaching situation and a few other rumors. This guy is going to L.A. when the international window opens June...
By Steve Goff | May 14, 2007; 01:18 PM ET | Comments (28)
Before the Weekend Arrives.....
.....a few things to pass along: *For those who understand Polish, here is a follow-up story about DCU's pursuit of Bortosz Bosacki. As we reported, Soehn and Kasper were in attendance at his game the other night. They had planned to meet with Bosacki, but he left the game early...
By Steve Goff | May 11, 2007; 11:58 AM ET | Comments (41)
Crystal Clear
Greetings from Baltimore, where I spent the morning with Crystal Palace USA, a USL second division team affiliated with the famed London club. I am working on a big feature story about the team and decided to take in training at Johns Hopkins. CPUSA plays its home matches at Navy-Marine...
By Steve Goff | May 8, 2007; 01:16 PM ET | Comments (19)
Robot Dogs Playing Soccer
Check out this interview from The Daily Show With Jon Stewart last night during which author Lee Gutkind talks about robot dogs playing in the 2050 World Cup. Find the show here and clink on Gutkind's video segment. Watch the first two minutes. Funny stuff. Then watch these match highlights....
By Steve Goff | May 8, 2007; 07:34 AM ET | Comments (14)
For Those of You in NYC.....
The Tribeca Film Festival presents..... "The Power of the Game," directed by the accomplished Michael Apted. For a summary, theaters and times, as well as Apted's thoughts on soccer, click here. I've been told the film will be distributed nationally at some point. Also playing: "Sons of Sakhnin United"...
By Steve Goff | April 26, 2007; 02:52 PM ET | Comments (6)
More Help for Va. Tech
The Richmond Kickers, a USL second division club, will play Virginia Tech next Tuesday, May 1, with proceeds going to the Hokies' memorial fund. Details here....
By Steve Goff | April 24, 2007; 12:51 PM ET | Comments (1)
A Few Items to Start the Day
*As you have probably seen by now, the U.S. men's national team will play at Sweden in August -- its first competitive match in Europe since the World Cup last summer. The year after a World Cup is often quiet on the national team front, but with the Gold Cup,...
By Steve Goff | April 24, 2007; 09:20 AM ET | Comments (20)
Thoughts on Zidane Film
I saw it last month in Dallas, but was wondering if any of you wanted to share your thoughts about the Zidane film Thursday night at the Hirshhorn in Washington. I heard there was a very large turnout. Your observations are welcomed here....
By Steve Goff | April 22, 2007; 09:09 AM ET | Comments (10)
Gone Fishin'
I like to recharge my batteries, and shut down the engines, and get myself back to neutral. -- Jeremy Grey (Vince Vaughan), "Wedding Crashers" With D.C. United off this weekend, I am stepping away from the laptop for a few days and not planning to return until Sunday morning, at...
By Steve Goff | April 19, 2007; 02:53 PM ET | Comments (32)
Zidane in D.C.!
The film, not the human. Just a reminder..... "Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait" will be shown Thursday evening at the Smithsonian. One night only. No charge, but it is first come, first serve. I saw it in Dallas last month and was glad to have experienced it. If you plan...
By Steve Goff | April 18, 2007; 08:33 AM ET | Comments (6)
Many Thanks...
...for viewing the Soccer Insider 153,247 times during the month of March -- beyond our wildest expectations. We are No. 3 among Post.com's nine sports blogs, significantly behind the Redskins (of course) and a few hundred short of the wonderfully entertaining Sports Bog. We more than doubled the Wizards and...
By Steve Goff | April 14, 2007; 11:18 AM ET | Comments (28)
Doh!
So my trusty and very well-paid research assistant -- okay, it's actually my 10-year-old son Ryan -- was doing what he does best -- researching upcoming Simpsons episodes -- when he came upon this gem: Soccer returns to the show with a rotund special guest star from Brazil. Mark your...
By Steve Goff | April 12, 2007; 08:08 PM ET | Comments (28)
Don't EVER Talk to a Blogger!
Madman Eric Wynalda said some very bad words about loudmouth Jim "I Hate Soccer" Rome during an interview/conversation/discussion. Now he's had to apologize. Here's the entire Wynalda blog interview transcript....
By Steve Goff | April 5, 2007; 01:41 PM ET | Comments (52)
Bye Bye, Mariners
The Virginia Beach Mariners, who played in the top USL division, have been terminated -- gone, done, finished, wrecked by financial issues. Here's the league announcement and a news story... The players are free to go, but are any of them MLS worthy? Or will they land elsewhere in the...
By Steve Goff | March 29, 2007; 02:37 PM ET | Comments (15)
What's New?
[UPDATES at bottom] Very quiet at the moment...... DCU/MLS still working out the Fred situation, but the club expects him to be available for the Chivas match next Tuesday. On the college front, Howard University is still without a head coach after Keith Tucker's dismissal this winter. Ex-Bison star Shaka...
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