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“This game is wonderful”: Quotes, recaps,and reaction to Union’s big win at RBA, more news

Photo: Paul Rudderow

Philadelphia Union

A massive, massive win that was.

Let’s be honest, not many people thought the Union really stood a chance of winning at Red Bull Arena on Sunday. The editors at MLSsoccer.com didn’t. I know I didn’t, I would’ve been happy with a draw.

But a bunch of guys who made the bus ride up to Northern New Jersey on Saturday did and that belief paid off with the team’s first ever win at RBA.

Despite missing Maurice Edu due to suspension, and Ray Gaddis due to an injury, Union fans actually had reason to hope, despite the gloom that resides from the team’s poor start to the season, at least if you’re the kind of fan who looks for signs as portents of changes in fortune.

The Union were coming off of a home win over first place DC, a game in which they were the team to benefit from a late winner instead of the other guys. Fabinho was bright when he entered for the injured Gaddis last week and assisted Zach Pfeffer’s stoppage time winner. Richie Marquez, who had also looked bright in recent matches, would be coming back from suspension for the NYRB game. On Thursday, CJ Sapong, who had been a bright spot before his DUI arrest, returned unexpectedly to training with the team on Thursday after successfully completing the league mandated Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health assesment. Then, on Saturday morning, Venezuela announced its cuts to its Copa America roster and Fernando Aristeguieta hadn’t made the team. While he he wasn’t with the Union on Sunday after remaining in Venezuela to spend a day or two with family before rejoining the team this week, it was easy to allow one’s self to feel that for the first time this season, some breaks were finally starting to fall the Union’s way.

And on Sunday, the Union rode that mojo — and, more importantly, their growing sense of self-belief — to a 2-0 stunner over Red Bulls.

Jim Curtin said after the win, “I talked to our guys about our season can go one of two ways at this building tonight. We’re either one win less than them or we’re really getting separated and left in the dust. The guys took that to heart. They put in a great effort. We did dodge some bullets. I’m not going to sit here and say it was a perfect performance because it wasn’t, but you have to grind out games as the summer comes along.”

Ethan White said, “You make your own luck. We’re working our tails off and finally the ball bounces our way. A lot of times early in the season, things weren’t going our way, red cards, stuff like that. Not making excuses, but things are finally starting to go our way…We understand both sides of this game now, what everyone feels like, and we prefer this side. And we’re going to do everything we can to keep this going in in the right direction.”

Curtin added of the win, “We can feel good about it for about a night and then we have to start thinking about playing the No. 1 team in the league again, at their place, pissed off because we beat them last time…We have to put together a run of five or six games. That’s when you know the sign of a true good team.”

Recaps from PSP, Philadelphia Union (recap, quick recap, postgame video), Inquirer, Delco Times (recap, on new found confidence, Sapong’s return, Carroll’s strong play), Philly Soccer News (1, 2),  Brotherly Game (recap, analysis), Vavel (recap, analysis) Main Line Media News (player ratings), The Sports Quotient, MLSsoccer.comNew York Daily News, New York PostNorthJersey.comEmpire of Soccer, Big Apple Soccer (recap, analysisOnce a Metro, The Gothamist, SBI (recap, on newfound confidence), Goal.com, ProSoccerTalk, Prost AmerikaAll Sports News, Sports Mole, The Sports Network,  Reuters, and the AP. USA Today has a photo gallery from the game.

Fabinho and Sapong

Curtin said of Fabinho, “That was Fabinho’s best game in a Union uniform. I thought he was excellent on the night — not only getting forward but most importantly, defensively, getting a couple of clearances that were very big.”

Fabinho said after the win, “The game is crazy. One game is happy, good, one game is not. Now, this last week, everybody worked hard. This game is wonderful.” It sure is.

Fabinho has been named to Sports Illustrated’s and ProSoccerTalk’s Team of the Week. At CSN Philly’s Inside Doop, Dave Zeitlin named Fabinho his Player of the Week.

Curtin said of Sapong,

For a guy that’s been away from the team for three weeks to come in and train for three or four days and then give us a performance like that is big. You go around and shaking the hands (of the Red Bulls) and (Karl) Ouimette has a bloody nose, the other guy’s limping off. (Sapong) is a pain in the butt to play against. He’s is a physical presence and you hate getting into battles with him because he has a way of coming out on top.

Sapong said after the win, “Coming on the field, it almost felt like my first game, starving and hungry to provide for the team. But also to prove that I do love this sport, I do love playing and from now on carry all my activities on and off the field in that regard.”

Sapong praised the support he received from the Union coaching staff: “It actually grew my confidence in talking to (Curtin) and Chris (Albright) and the rest of the staff. As a player, sometimes you fall into the trap of thinking ‘That’s just the coach and the staff. They don’t need to be hearing about my personal things.’ But the way they handled it, I really felt like I had friends. That just makes me want to build that trust back up.”

Curtin said, “I think he’s a better man and will become a better player because of the (league protocol) process…He’s a very intelligent kid, a smart kid. He knows a mistake was made and the process is one. I had a good discussion with him. He knows the parts I wasn’t happy with. Being out that late, and the choices he made, but I think he’s going to grow from it. He’s learned a lesson and to see him empty it all out on the field today was good for him.”

More

World Soccer Talk praises Jim Curtin:

He’s a hometown kid, in his first managerial job, battling with a severely undermanned team, amidst fan acrimony, trying to work his way out of a bad situation that he didn’t create.

It wasn’t Curtin made the Union a punch line. Wasn’t Curtin who wanted Rais M’Bholi, or Curtin who made the call to spend a number one draft pick on Andre Blake two years ago. On a shoestring budget, he’s doing his level best.

Curtin isn’t incompetent either – he’s already proven himself to be a far better manager than the man he replaced last year, John Hackworth – and his team and his game-plan worked very nicely in a 2-0 road upset of the New York Red Bulls on Sunday…

Curtin is honest, and what he’s trying to do is admirable. He certainly deserves the full support of the fans, even if his boss doesn’t.

Soccer America: “The Union is suddenly the hottest team in MLS, returning home with its second straight win, a 2-0 victory, while the Red Bulls, who led Philly by eight points going into the game, now have one win in their last six games, a 2-1 victory over NYCFC.”

SI: “Perhaps it’s coincidental, but following a fan protest at PPL Park before the match against D.C., the Union have earned their two most impressive results of the season.”

Power rankings: At SI, the Union move up two spots to No. 18. At MLSGB, the Union remain at No. 18.

Philadelphia Union Academy

The Union Academy teams were in action against their Bethesda-Olney counterparts on Sunday. As of this writing, no score is recorded on the US Soccer Development Academy website for the U-14s, and the last tweet about the game from the academy Twitter account has the Union losing 1-0 with 40 minutes left to play.

The U-16s (64 points, 21-2-1, second in the East Conference) won 3-2 with goals from Justin McMaster, Jerren Nixon, and Tiger Graham.

The U-18s (39 points, 11-7-6, fourth in the East Conference) won 2-1 with goals from Conor Bradley and John Schroeder.

Local

Harrisburg City Islanders had the weekend off. However, a petition has been launched to support the expansion of “the current Skyline Sports Complex.”

On Saturday, Reading United defeated Baltimore Bohemians 4-0 on the road. Ocean City Nor’easters opened their season with a 3-1 road loss to DC United U-23s. Lehigh Valley United Sonic fell 2-1 on the road to New York Red Bulls U-23s.

MLS

In the Eastern Conference, first place DC (22 points, 6-2-4) came from behind on the road to draw 1-1 with nine-men, and second place, New England (20 points, 5-3-5). Third place Red Bulls (17 points, 4-2-5) were defeated 2-0 at home by seventh place Philadelphia (12 points, 3-7-3). Fourth place Columbus (15 points, 4-4-3) drew 2-2 with eighth place Chicago (11 points, 3-5-2). Fifth place Toronto (13 points, 4-5-1) defeated Portland, 1-0. Sixth place Orlando (13 points, 3-5-4) drew 1-1 on the road with San Jose. Ninth place Montreal (8 points, 2-3-2) defeated Dallas, 2-1, with former Union man Jack McInerney scoring the Impact’s second goal. Tenth place NYCFC (7 points, 1-7-4) lost 2-0 on the road to Salt Lake.

In the Western Conference, first place Dallas (21 points, 6-3-3) lost 2-1 on the road to Montreal. Second place Seattle (20 points, 6-3-2) drew 0-0 with fifth place Kansas City (18 points, 4-2-6). Third place Vancouver (20 points, 6-5-2) lost 1-0 on the road to tenth place Colorado (13 points, 2-2-7). Fourth place San Jose (18 points, 5-4-3) drew 1-1 at home with Orlando, with Chris Wondolowski recording his 100th MLS goal, albeit from the penalty spot. Sixth place Los Angeles (17 points, 4-4-5) defeated place eighth place Houston (16 points, 4-5-4) 1-0 in stoppage time. Seventh place Salt Lake (17 points, 4-3-5) defeated NYCFC, 2-0. Ninth place Portland (13 points, 3-5-4) lost 1-0 on the road to Toronto.

Former Union man Michael Farfan said of returning to PPL Park for the first time with DC United, “I didn’t realize how deep my ties were in Philly until I went back and all the fans were so gracious. It was nice seeing friends and old teammates, but it would have been a lot better if we got the result.” Apparently, after the game he and his brother Gabe, who was in town to watch the game, stayed at Antoine Hoppenot’s place.

Speaking ahead of the imminent arrival of Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard — both of whom scored in their final Premier League games on Sunday — Robbie Keane, who returned from injury to the Galaxy on Friday to set up Alan Gordon’s stoppage time winner, on players coming to MLS from Europe:

The problem is I think with people in Europe – and this won’t be Stevie’s case because I’ve already told him how difficult the league is here – is that people think they’re coming over here to finish their career and it’s a holiday.

But when you play for the (LA) Galaxy, that’s not the case. You’re coming over here to win things, because that’s what is expected because we’re one of the biggest teams in the MLS and we have standards here. This league is a tough, tough league.

Didier Droga to MLS?

Andrea Pirlo to MLS?

Mario Gomez to MLS?

CBS Miami reports on the possibility of David Beckham’s proposed MLS franchise partnering with University of Miami as it continues to search for a stadium site. More at Miami HeraldSouth Florida Business Journal, Sun Sentinel, WSVN, and the AP.

In view of the recent announcement of a new NASL team in Miami, US National Soccer Players considers the danger that MLS and NASL are on a path to mutual destruction: “[W]hat if the market, being still immature, can’t take the weight? What if, instead of one league triumphing over the other, the two are pushing for something resembling mutual destruction? Or, what if, by simply battling on any front whatsoever, the two leagues are slowing the growth of the game, splitting the fan base, and holding soccer back?”

US National Soccer Players also wonders if MLS should drop participation in the US Open Cup.

NWSL

First place Chicago (14 points, 4-0-2) defeated third place Kansas City (10 points, 3-3-1), 2-1 on the road. Second place Washington (10 points, 3-3-1) lost 3-2 on the road to seventh place Western New York (7 points, 2-3-1). Fifth place Portland (8 points, 2-2-2) lost 1-0 to fourth place Houston (8 points, 2-2-2).

US

The New York Times has a great read on Christie Rampone. When she first received a fax to tryout for the USWNT in 1997,she almost ignored it.

Alex Morgan on Sepp Blatter, the self-proclaimed “godfather” of women’s soccer: “At the FIFA World Player of the Year event [in 2012], FIFA executives and FIFA president Sepp Blatter didn’t know who I was. And I was being honored as top three in the world. That was pretty shocking.”

NPR on how the American Outlaws are gearing up for the Women’s World Cup.

Broadcasting & Cable on how Fox is selling the Women’s World Cup to advertisers. “Mike Petruzzi, executive VP for Fox Sports, says the Women’s World Cup is 65%-70% sold out at this point and has already generated about three times the revenue it drew when it was on ESPN four years ago. Twenty advertisers are on board, including big partnerships with Nationwide Insurance and Chrysler’s Fiat brand.”

U-23 MNT coach Andi Herzog named his roster for the Toulon Tournament over the weekend, adding defender Tyler Turner to the roster earlier today. The team opens play against France on Wednesday (12:50pm: beIN Sports, beIN Sports en Espanol, beIN Sports Connect, Fubo TV).

At US Soccer, a Q&A with Herzog about the tournament, which is an important warmup for the Olympic qualifiers in October. More on the tournament at ASN.

Local lad Russell Canouse has pulled out of the US U-20 World Cup team after suffering an injury to his right ankle in training. He has been replaced by Conor Donovan. The team begins group play in New Zealand against Myanmar on Friday.

Zack Steffen, the other local lad with the US U-20s in New Zealand, will be playing in Germany’s second division next season after Freiburg was relegated.

ESPN reports, “Manuel Neuer, Thomas Muller and Toni Kroos have all been left out of Joachim Low’s Germany squad for a friendly against the USA on June 10 and a Euro 2016 qualifier at Gibraltar three days later.”

The US U-20 WNT will host Brazil, Japan, and Mexico in the 2015 U-20 Women’s NTC Invitational, June 2-6.

Elsewhere

Reuters reports,

The FIFA presidential candidate Prince Ali bin al-Hussein’s election team has been in contact with the police after claiming it had been approached by an individual who said he could deliver 47 votes at Friday’s election.

The alleged approach was made in April and the individual also offered to provide “what appeared to be illegally obtained” information relating to the financial activities of the Fifa president Sepp Blatter, the election team also claimed.

More on the story at the AP.

The Guardian reports, “Michel Platini has accused Sepp Blatter of clinging on to power at all costs, claiming the FIFA president is standing for a fifth term on the basis of ‘a lie.'” Platini said, “He is simply scared of the future because he has given his life to the institution to the point where he now identifies himself fully with FIFA. I understand the fear of that emptiness he must have – it’s natural – but if he really loves FIFA he should have put its interests ahead of his own.”

Pledging his support for Prince Ali, Platini said of Blatter, “And while he remains in place, whether he likes it or not, FIFA will lack credibility and its image will be tarnished.”

Diego Maradona writes in a column published at The Telegraph,

In the last few decades, football has changed – and not for the better. Once, it was a sport you could be proud of, a sport that united the world. But FIFA, its governing body, has turned into a playground for the corrupt.

Most football fans can predict what I am about to say next: Under Sepp Blatter, Fifa has become a disgrace and a painful embarrassment to those of us who care about football deeply.

From the Guardian: “Sepp Blatter, who is expected to be re-elected as Fifa president for a fifth term on Friday, likened himself to a Swiss mountain goat on Sunday, famed for its stubborn endurance.”

The AP reports, “FIFA has deferred a decision on potentially limiting which continents can bid to host the 2026 World Cup.” The executive committee will meet again on Friday.

The AP reports, “Russian authorities want to use prison labor to drive down the costs of holding the 2018 World Cup.”

Reuters reports, “Liberia can host international soccer matches again after being declared free of the deadly Ebola virus, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) said on Friday.”

64 Comments

  1. Holy sh** Ed – that was one helluva game!

  2. pragmatist says:

    Coming into this stretch of DC/NYRB/DC/CLB, I think people would have expected 3 points, at best. To already have 6 with 2 of those games left is a huge boost.
    I’m not expecting (and I doubt I’m alone) that we will win the next 2, but there are reasons to expect 2 points out of the next 2.
    8 points out of those 4 games would be a great way to turn this season around.
    Hope is right around the corner…

    • The Black Hand says:

      Even Lady Luck felt bad for our club. She has helped us, immensely

      • pragmatist says:

        Which is nice of her, since she royally screwed us at the beginning of the season.

      • Lady Luck says:

        Hey Union fans, did you see that I sent DC all the way to Portland for a midweek match before they play your squad on Sat night? You’re welcome.

        I also promise to have Allen Chapman red card at least one opposing player in an upcoming Union match so we’re all square from that BS from earlier this year, right?

      • now you’re just messing with us. you know full well we suck a man up

  3. Fat Uncle Phil from Urkel says:

    I’ve never seen Fabinho play like that before. He must have cut off 5 passes in stride to create quality counters. The one he assisted on was ridiculous. He just ran a 60 yard curl right around that hapless RB trying to run with him. He flat out owned Lloyd Sam. I have no explanation. Bravo, Fabi.

    • The Black Hand says:

      He had shown his moments. He wasn’t nearly as bad, as we had made him out to be. Somebody has to hang on the cross. Wenger has relieved Fabinho of his post.

    • Jeremy Lane says:

      Perhaps he is actually from Superman’s home planet, and the rocket to the sun thing has already happened, and now he’s returned, fully recharged. Gaddis just kept putting Kryptonite in his pocket.

    • I feel like I remember a couple stiff defensive challenges from Fabinho early on, within the penalty area, that some refs might have called. It could have so easily gone really south.

      • Yes the one with Grella where they called the foul on Grella. I thought it was a non call personally, Meola took the complete opposite view though. I found Meola generally very anti-Philly this game.
        .

      • The Black Hand says:

        Once a MetroStar, always a MetroStar.

      • Yeah but J.P. was doing the same for the Union. I thought it was kind of interesting actually. You got both perspectives the whole match.

      • But it didn’t and the boys won and the look on CJ’s face after the goal was priceless.

      • Yep, it was. I just think we should remember to add ‘not having Chapman as the ref’ to the list of things that went right this game. 🙂

    • pragmatist says:

      Imagine if he can maintain something near this level of play all year. We might owe Curtin and the FO an apology for all the comments about protecting him in the Expansion draft.
      (Let’s just keep that in our back pocket for now, though.)

  4. This Saturday they have the Rugby 7’s at PPL. I hope they will open the upstairs bar and show the game Saturday at 7!!!!

  5. “The Union is suddenly the hottest team in the league”
    .
    whoa whoa whoa…”slow down baby, your going too fast. You got your hands in the air and your feet on the gas” to quote one of my favorite sirens- India Arie.
    .
    .
    .
    Or maybe more appropriately, Radiohead, “There’s always a siren singing you to shipwreck.”
    .
    Let’s just be happy with a couple of wins and take it from there. The best news so far is… the season still matters.

  6. Come on Robbie Keane. It’s a cash smash and grab. Yes it is a tough league…but don’t pretend you are kidding me. Millions in your mid thirties is a pretty good deal.
    .
    Drogba. Pirlo.
    .
    I’d rather not, thank you very much… well, save Pirlo. I’d carry that dudes boots anywhere.
    .
    Gomez at 29…. well maybe.
    .
    Hell might as well have Didier too then.
    .
    Is it better to pay millions and millions to the supernova as it white dwarfs?

    • alicat215 says:

      I would take Drogs in a freakin heartbeat bro!

      • pragmatist says:

        I still remember Amobi standing over a DC player that had just taken a dive. His NSFW comments were picked up loud and clear on the TV mic. Apparently he didn’t think too highly of that approach.

        I also remember Ruiz almost getting booed out of PPL for his diving crap.

        Now let’s fast-forward to Drogba and his antics. Yes, he’s a world-class striker, but all of his diving and theatrics will wear thin REALLY fast, no matter where he ends up.

      • alicat215 says:

        Diving is a necessary evil in footy, even somebody the size of Drogs needs to use it from time to time……..

      • It’s not that I don’t want them…. It’s that I don’t want them to be paid millions and millions of dollars – when it is likely that money would not be coming to them pin their home league or division down.
        .
        Truly it would be like asking Chase Utley to play for Lehigh Valley.
        .
        I am really uncertain how I feel about these older players coming to MLS for a mint- when guys like Ray Gaddis are making 68K (ballpark) a year.
        .
        Something about it seems wrong and it is not the players as much as it is the set up of the league.
        .
        I can’t put my finger on it.
        .
        Trying but can’t quite figure it out.

      • alicat215 says:

        you said it, its a league issue. I agree to an extent, I don’t want the league to become a retirement home for aging superstars. But you have to admit, if Drogs, Gomez, and Pirlo came here….they are still better than 95% of the players in our league……..even at their age. Gomez, only at 29, may be a different argument too.

      • I am right with ya…is it the look down your nose at us till we have something you want..I.e. $$$$$?

      • Dr. Union says:

        Agreed on the amount some of these guy make compared to others. However, would love to see Pirlo and all his beautiful passes. Just think a midfield of Pirlo Nogs and Chaco how sweet could that be. Not that the FO will ever spend the money.

      • pragmatist says:

        I’d much rather pay a guy like Michael Dawson or Nikica Jelavic from Hull for 1/4 of the price you’d pay for Drogba. Convince them that MLS is better than playing in the Championship League, somehow.

      • alicat215 says:

        +1

      • Robbie Brady . . . Robbie Brady . . . Robbie Brady . . . but I’m sure he’ll get picked up by Norwich or one of the lower EPL sides

    • So would you rather him trash the league? Regardless of how accurate he is, and I would argue he isn’t being entirely truthful, it is good for the league to have its stars say the right things.

      • No need to trash. Nope.
        .
        Maybe argue for a bit more equitable distribution of cash.
        .
        I lean middle to middle in with my politics, and don’t need everybody to have the same thing, but the pay structure in MLS is a sham and maybe someone like Robbie Keane could help get Joe CB paid a bit better for being a professional just like him. What do I know.
        .
        John Bender says, Robbie Keane, “eat my shorts.”
        .
        He irritates me is all.

      • +1000! Couldn’t agree more!

      • OneManWolfpack says:

        I also do not care for Keane one bit.

  7. alicat215 says:

    Best match Fabs has played in a Union kit. The second half they actually looked like a “counter-team”, Sapong sub was money. The two RBNY CB’s wanted nothing to do with CJ……they were gassed! They just tried fouling him instead of getting into foot races with him…….great, timely substitution on Jim’s part. I can be tough, but I will also give credit where credit is due. It could have been 4-0 after the first 45 minutes! But, yes we can use some luck too…..from time to time.

    • Dr. Union says:

      I would give Curtin credit for the sub if it was valid credit, but Casey getting hurt and pulling himself has little to do with the manager knowing when to make the substitution. However, something got the team going in the second half so maybe that was Curtin.

      • I bet he was going to make that sub anyway. The injury just made it soon.
        .
        Casey can hardly go a full 90 and no Nando means CJ was really the only option.

      • alicat215 says:

        Thank you. Casey came off in the 53 minute because he was hurt….he would have been off in the 60th if not…..there was NO way he was going 90………

      • Dr. Union says:

        To that I reply then why did Curtin leave Carroll on 90 while there really weren’t many options the guy was dead couldn’t even battle for the ball past the 80th minute. A clear sub was needed there as well.

      • I’ll take a swing at that one Doc, unless your chasing the match….why screw with your CDMs? They create a box with the two CBs….it’s almost like screwing with your back four during a match. BC wasn’t the only one gassed out there too.

      • Who would you have brought on?
        .
        Lahoud injured. Edu suspended.
        .
        There is no other defensive midfielder. Closest thing would be Pfeffer but he is more box-to-box like Noggy.
        .
        I’m with you that Carroll’s legs were gone after 70-80mins but there was no other option for d-mid.

  8. Speaking of my dearly departed…..#14. Finds himself sitting in favor of Ceren and Higuita.
    .
    Interesting bad run of form lately followed by a 4 goal outburst 2 weeks ago from OCSC and Amobi finds himself on the bench on a team with a bevy of quality DM.
    .
    All this while there has been small talk of him playing for Fiorentina.
    .
    Interesting game this football.

    • alicat215 says:

      One day, your the man. The next……your picking splinters out of your ass!…………..got to love this game! Its such a mental game….and gaffers love screwing with your head….at every level!

      • Dr. Union says:

        Unless your on the Union then you can do nothing for a whole season and still start via Wenger.

    • I was waiting for you to address your buddy being on the bench…

    • Can’t say I’m surprised. Never thought Okugo was anything special. Started thinking I was wrong about Amobi at the start of the season. But apparently not. How bad must it be to have to sit the bench on your second expansion team? Poor guy.

      • whoa whoa whoa for the 2nd time from me today.
        .
        Okugo is an excellent player still. I carried a near scratch handicap through my 30s but could still shit it up on occasion. I’m still a pretty damn good player.
        .
        He had a poor couple of games and the team exploded with goals with different players which is something they had been struggling to do – – score.
        .
        Okugo is not a help you score midfielder. They have two guys in there right now that are. Does not mean Okugo isn’t good. The guy is a rock solid DEFENSIVE midfielder.
        .
        Orlando has excellent midfielders in general. There’s is a very good problem to have.

      • I didn’t say I wanted offense from Okugo. I know his role. And I don’t think he does it well. He makes bad passes. He doesn’t close down well enough. Whether that’s a result of bad positioning, lack of hustle, or lack of speed, I can’t decide. Maybe a little of all. For me, I want someone like Brian Carrol and the way he has played the last two weeks. Shut dawn, stay in the middle, CDM. Okugo is more like EDU when he plays there. Roaming afar. Then striding back with an easy gait, only to wind up being passed around without effecting the defensive play. He doesn’t do what he’s supposed to do, well enough. And he doesn’t bring another skill to cover for his flaws. I’m sorry. I do not see what you see in Okugo.

  9. That Fabi quote is beautiful. Perhaps he has become a Tao philosopher since Columbus. If I were a tattoo type of gent, “One game is happy, good, one game is not” would be a pretty bad a$$ piece.

  10. “We need to sign Cody Cropper asap!”
    .
    -Nick Sakiewicz

  11. Slave labor in Qatar and now prison labor in Russia. Brilliant FIFA!

    • I read an article that argued it is actually intelligent of FIFA to be staging World Cups in these countries as it is illuminating to the world just how wrong and bass-ackwards these practices are.
      .
      a Shame Chamber as Kurt Vile sings.
      .
      … not sure I agree with the writer’s position but can see the logic to the argument.
      .
      Now if only something would be done to stop it.

  12. So if UEFA isn’t voting for him… and Maradona is pulling against him, and I can only assume the U.S. isn’t voting for him… if Africa votes for him, he wins? I don’t get it. Do the other countries just assume that the distribution of money that FIFA gives them after the World Cup will stop, because someone else is in charge? And how can these companies sit by and continue to sponsor FIFA with him in charge? Just pull the sponsorship, and when he’s out, renew. FIFA will obviously welcome you back with open arms. It’s just so hard for me to understand that his reelection is a foregone conclusion. What the hell is wrong with people?!
    .
    Anyway, hopefully Fabinho didn’t get tested after that performance Sunday. Haha!

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