Union
The Tweet of the Week comes from relationship guru Amobi Okugo: “Safehouse and the vow come out tomorrow … Some people will have to compromise.” Compromise movie idea: The Vowhouse. Denzel Washington vows to build a house for the love of his life. Then he roundhouse kicks everyone who comes into said house. Also starring Russell Crowe… as the house.
Two MLSSoccer.com experts built mock Olympic rosters. Amobi Okugo is the only Union player to make both lists. Greg Seltzer writes, “The Union midfielder’s balance is so good he’s like a hover-bot sent to destroy opposing rushes.”
Unfortunately for Seltzer’s credibility, he leaves Sheanon Williams completely off the roster, including the alternatives. But surely Tim Ream isn’t on Seltzer’s list… right?
Dave Zeitlin writes that Zac MacMath has Peter Nowak’s full support. Which makes sense. A hungry guy who only has one thing to eat is probably going to be a big fan of that thing. Sometimes Peter Nowak’s disdain for the media is amusing, sometimes it’s insulting, and sometimes it just doesn’t make sense. “Why do I need to bring in a veteran?” Nowak responded when asked about his goalkeeping situation. Yeah, I can’t think of any 6’4″ reason from San Luis Obispo, California why that is a fair question.
Submit your nominations for the Union’s Hometown Heroes program. A hometown hero is selected before each home game.
PPL Park is hosting the USA Sevens Collegiate Rugby championships June 2-3. Tickets go on sale today.
The Union’s mobile tour will be at Arcadia University tomorrow, lending a hand to a Stop Hunger community service event.
Independence
Earlier this week, PSP went over the latest updates from the ongoing WPS/Dan Borislow saga and the current and future states of the Philadelphia Independence. We will outline more developments later today.
MLS
In an article that I’m pretty sure doesn’t have a point (unless the point is that – newsflash – Panama has a soccer team) and doesn’t answer the question posed in its title, Jonah Freedman notes that Gabriel Gomez is one of only three players from Panama’s strong Gold Cup team to make the jump to MLS this winter.
SoccerByIves is reporting that Tottenham Hotspur will come to Red Bull Arena at the end of July. Perhaps Harry Redknapp can offer the Energy Drinks some advice on their tax issues.
The new soccer stadium in Houston should be ready for the Dynamo’s home opener in May. As much as it sucks that the Union lost to Houston in the playoffs, the Dynamo have been a great franchise for a long time and it’s time they got their own place. Probably should have had one before NYRB.
US
US Soccer’s youth development program is moving to a 10-month schedule that mirrors many of the world’s international programs. Just another signal that Jurgen Klinsmann’s power extends to all reaches of American soccer.
Other
A soccer match couldn’t derail an epic tw0-man showdown in the Jerktagon, as Luis Suarez and Patrice Evra both showed themselves to be little more than overgrown, immature children on Saturday morning. First, Suarez refused to shake Evra’s hand (leading Rio Ferdinand to refuse Suarez’s hand). Then Evra tried to speak to Suarez about the incident in the halftime tunnel (always a great place for a calm, considered word), then Evra danced like he got a pony on his 10th birthday when United won 2-1, going so far as to waltz over to Suarez and celebrate directly in front of him. Guh.
And finally, it’s a rare story featuring Sepp Blatter when the FIFA president doesn’t say the most disingenuous-sounding thing in the article. So congratulations Issa Hayatou. Faced with criticisms that the African soccer federation had done little to help victims of the recent Egyptian soccer riots, Hayatou responded with a question: “Do you think a tragedy like that can leave us indifferent?” Issa. This is your chance to say how much you care and have everyone write it down. Get over yourself and go be useful.
How did Manchester United embarrass football? Evra was racially abused by Suarez for which he received an 8 game ban. Both managers stated prior to the game that the players would shake hands. Suarez refused. It was a truly awful thing to do when they could have made peace and moved on. So you fault Evra for celebrating at the end of the game? Not only was he racially abused previously but then Suarez embarrasses Evra and himself in a disgraceful Way. Perhaps you are not aware of the serious race issues going on in England. This was a real chance to make peace and move on. Check yourself and your facts.
I think I got all the facts right. And I blame Evra for his equally immature response, NOT for anything involving the clearly horrible racial incident that led to today’s events.
And this was not a real chance to make peace and move on. It was a chance for the FA to prove that their punishment system works by shining a spotlight on two players who were clearly not ready for it.
Regardless of the immature way that both players behaved, it seems silly for all involved to think that a forced handshake during pregame would somehow dissipate all hard feelings involved in this incident and allow everyone to move on peacefully.
But Sepp Blatter says a handshake is the sportsman’s cure-all for all manner of horrible words and actions on the pitch. And we a know Blatter is a…Oh.
perhaps we need to have adam and stephanie shake hands
I suppose one can’t expect a liverpool fan to fairly adjudge this situation. Adam really should announce his allegiance before commenting here. By attempting to place equal blame on Suarez and Evra he unfortunately undermines his credibility. Shame really- a serious issue that needs examination shouldn’t be passed off simply as a childish spat between two egotistical glory- hounds.
This from a manchester united fan
You really think that the non-handshake and the excessive celebration after that game was based on continued racism? I would say that the events of Saturday were almost purely a childish spat between two egotistical glory-hounds.
One has to wonder why didn’t Suarez shake Evra’s hand, especially after he indicated to his manager and club officials that he would. Clearly he intended to offend and embarrass Evra at a moment he knew the entire sporting world would be watching. Taken on its own, that insult needn’t be racially motivated. In this case however, Suarez is just returning from an 8-match ban for racial abuse of Evra. His first actions are to again insult and publicly humiliate Evra. I would say his actions represents a continuation of his prior abuse.
LOVE that Seitz link/photo!
Wouldn’t shock me at all if Sheanon is left off the Olympic team.
Remember, it’s only 18 guys that make it and you have 3 overage players.
U-23s themselves are pretty loaded at that spot- Timmy Chandler obviously, Alfredo Morales has been starting Bundesliga games, Danny Williams has played there. And he has good domestic competition in Zarek Valentin and Kofi Sarkodie, who I believe started both friendlies at RB over Sheanon. Both of those guys also played at Akron for Caleb Porter.