Photo: Paul Rudderow
Philadelphia Union
Jim Curtin spoke to the press yesterday. Jay Simpson will be available. Chris Pontius has a little broken hand. He is still available against DC. Le Toux will want to score against the U (because he’s a professional and he wants to score). Christian Pulisic is impressive and on a good path, and we fans of the US don’t need to worry about the hype train ruining Pulisic’s potential (like it did to Freddie Adu).
Kevin Kinkead summarizes the availability of players and player thoughts on the two week break.
C. J. Sapong has recently launched Sacred Seeds, a nonprofit that seeks to provide locally grown herbs and vegetables to those in need. The vision starts in Philly and hopefully moves to Ghana, Sapong’s parent country of origin.
The Rochester Rhinos have a number of connections with the Union and its affiliates.
US Soccer
Bruce Arena, like everyone, is impressed with Pulisic!
USNMT now sit fourth in CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying hexagonal.
Major League Soccer
Mike Petke is the new head coach for Real Salt Lake.
MLS has two games tomorrow, when Atlanta travels to Seattle (and the hype train dies) and Sporting KC visit Toronto.
Bastian Schweinsteiger was unveiled by the Chicago Fire. A reporter asked him if he could help the Fire win the World Cup (This has dystopian novel potential. Schweinsteiger would first need Chicago to cede from the US, what would Abraham Lincoln say?). Perhaps, US sports reporters must learn the game or simply not report on it.
Global
Christiano Ronaldo looks great in bronze, or does he?
Gary Kleiben among many others rant and rant about how culpable the media is to our general ignorance as a soccer nation. How culpable the media is to provide the proper information, education and pressure in the proper channels….how generally speaking the media is behind almost every facet of what is wrong with soccer in this country— then some pro dolt asks if Chicago Fire can win the World Cup.
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Meanwhile in the back of the German’s mind– a cartoon character runs out of a house with his hair on Fire madness, hands embracing face as The Scream by Edvard Munch….panicked in thought, what the fuck have I chosen to do.
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In other news, New England Patriots appear to be a lock at US Open in Erin Hills and Ricky Fowler closing in on PBA Tour.
+1 It says a lot about the “real” growth of soccer in America when the reporters themselves don’t even know what they are talking about
So sad that one lazy reporter can reinforce how the rest of the world seems to view our country as ignorant in regards to the sport.
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On the flip side though, it makes you really appreciate all the great reporters we have covering the Union. Shout out to all the writers here at PSP as well as Kinkead, Tannenwald, De George, Zeitlin, etc.
solid. agreed.
Schweinsteiner may not make them win the MLS Cup but at least the Fire is making a big effort by buying him, Dax and several other players so that they will most likely make it far in the playoffs and so that the fans are very excited (as we saw when Scheinsteiner arrived at the airport). Meanwhile the Union is doing it on the cheap …. May work out but our fans are in doubt how the season may pan out and not very excited with how it started.
It’s a huge issue. In fact, I’d argue that the recent gains in the sport are due in large part to the fact that we can now get news and opinion online. I have a steady media diet of soccer news and opinions and none of it comes from major sports networks in the U.S. (Well I do listen to Grant Wahl’s Pod from time to time).
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The national sports reporters, networks and publications acted as gate keepers who kept soccer news from the public by deeming it uninteresting at best while others in those organizations enjoyed demonstrating their open disdain for the game. Guys like Colin Cowherd are only now giving the sport its due because they see the writing on the wall and the demographics of the game. For people 18-30, it’s sport #2. Not sport #5.
It’s actually only off by one word. They could have asked if he would help Chicago win the Club World Cup.
as if the dude asking the question knew such a thing existed. haha
Great story about Kante who now plays for Chelsea. The best part of it is how a small kid made it. http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/39248977
Thanks, Guido!
This article is basically the best soccer writing I’ve read in months.
What a freaky smile on that statue!!! I’m going to have nightmares tonight….
BIG NEWS ITEM – USL, now with D2 status, is looking to start a D3 league.
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https://www.si.com/planet-futbol/2017/03/30/usl-division-three-us-soccer-league-2019