By Ridge Mahoney in Hamburg Forget the rankings, forget the perceived prejudices, forget the statistics. In the next six days, the U.S. national team can blacken some of those eyes that so disdainfully view the American game. It could also confirm those prejudices in the minds of many and dishearten the fans at home. This […]
Monthly Archives: June 2006
Posted inSoccer America Site, Story
SOCCER ON TV: Your World Cup Viewing Guide
GAMES: Live and same-day delay games on national TV (All times Eastern unless noted. TV programming is always subject to change.) WEDNESDAY, June 21 ESPN World Cup 2006 PORTUGAL-MEXICO, Group D (live), 10 am. World Cup 2006 NETHERLANDS-ARGENTINA, Group C (live), 3 pm. ESPN2 World Cup 2006 IRAN-ANGOLA, Group D (live), 10 am. World Cup […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Time to Bench Owen?
England’s uninspiring 1-0 victory over Paraguay has the nation’s pundits out in full force, mulling over all possible reasons why England’s enormously talented squad continue to under-perform on the big stage. ESPN Soccernet columnist Richard Jolly blames a combination of Sven Goran Eriksson’s cautious tactics and the fading potency of Michael Owen, once England’s undisputed […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
FIFA: Drugs ‘Not a Problem’
FIFA is optimistic this year’s tournament will be doping-free, after its doping control officers reported 216 clean urine tests prior to the start of the tournament. Professor Jiri Dvorak, FIFA’s chief medical officer, confirmed that unannounced tests had been performed at the training camps of all 32 of participating teams and at 24 international friendlies […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Column: The World Cup and Media Brainwashing
Every four years angry sports writers and columnists across the nation get to vent their frustrations about the World Cup, and particularly, how the American media tries and tries to get millions football, baseball, and basketball fans interested in a tournament our country has little chance of winning. I think it’s funny to watch this […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Positive Argentines Win Thrilling Open to ‘Group of Death’
With no Leo Messi, no Carlos Tevez, and about a minute’s worth of Pablo Aimar, Argentina was able to produce a solid win over a very tough Ivory Coast anyway. Two very good first-half goals from the supply-line of Juan Roman Riquelme put the favorites comfortably ahead at halftime, a lead Argentina looked certain to […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Uninterested English Beat ‘Toothless’ Paraguay
By any measure, England disappointed yesterday. As the second favorite to win the World Cup (according to most bookmakers), England’s listless 1-0 victory over a Paraguayan team that never looked interested in drawing level was disappointing for fans, players, and certainly too for ABC, whose opening broadcast for the World tournament brought a single own […]
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WORLD CUP WATCH: The Party Champs
By Mike Woitalla Executive Editor, Soccer America in Hamburg ''What are they serving, Kangaroo?'' asks a brunette garbed in black, red and gold as she approaches the Australia booth and eyes the menu. ''Grilled chicken! I can eat that in Germany.'' Of course, she is in Germany, one of more than 50,000 fans gathering at […]
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WORLD CUP: MLS Viewing Parties
MLS clubs will be hosting viewing parties at venues and select locations featuring appearances by MLS players and World Cup veterans. Below is a list of MLS viewing parties. Times and locations are subject to change. For more information including directions, please visit the team Web sites. Admission is free to all events. CHICAGO FIRE […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
After Zarqawi, No Security Increase for U.S.
Despite the death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, leader of the Iraqi insurgency, there will be no security increase for the U.S. national team, which is based in Hamburg. That said, American players have been monitored in their hotel rooms by German police, State Department officials and private security — not to mention the FBI and […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
“Hokey” Opening Ceremony Doesn’t Do Games Justice
Associated Press columnist Nancy Armour called the opening World Cup ceremony “hokey,” saying FIFA put on an opening ceremony “that even a two-bit carnival wouldn’t take.” Yikes. In the U.S., we couldn’t see the opening ceremony on ESPN2 prior to the start, but gosh, we hope it wasn’t that bad. But a reggae band? Goat […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Sex Trafficking in Germany
A Washington Post article written by human rights activists exposes the seedier side of huge events like the World Cup: Sex trafficking is expected to surge in Germany this year to meet the demand brought on by thousands of visitors to the country’s 12 World Cup cities. Directors of the anti-trafficking Polaris Project, who wrote […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Meet Clint Dempsey
The Clint Dempsey story is the quintessential American Dream story: boy grows up in a trailer park in the middle of nowhere, Texas, learns to play with his immigrant neighbors, joins the only soccer team in the area (three hours away from home), and finally progresses to a level where he now plays professionally for […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Press Flags German Defense
For a largely skeptical and impatient American public (and press corps), the opening game of the World Cup could not have gone off any better. Most papers are harping about the excitement of six goals in an opening game the most of any opening game in World Cup history. Others talk about the impressive start […]
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Question marks surround France
Question marks surround France By Paul Kennedy Mananging Editor Soccer America FRANCE Odds: 12-1 (t6/32 teams). FIFA Ranking: 8 (8/32). Previous appearances: 11. Podium finishes: 1st (1998), 3rd (1958, 1986). Records can be deceiving. France, the Group G favorite, didnÆt lose in Raymond DomenechÆs first 17 games as coach until a 2-1 loss to Slovakia […]
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WORLD CUP: Local view-Germany ratings vs. Costa Rica
The following were German magazine Kicker's ratings for Grmany ater its 4-2 win over Costa Rica on Friday: 1=high; 6=low. Lehmann (3) Friedrich (6) Mertesacker (4) Metzelder (4,5) Lahm (2) Frings (3) Borowski (4) Schneider (3,5) Schweinsteiger (3) Klose (2,5) Podolski (5)
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MLS: Chicago's Bridgeview Stadium opens Sunday
After 39 years, Chicago soccer finally has a place to call home. The Chicago Fire opens MLSÆs fourth soccer-specific stadium Sunday when it hosts the New England Revolution at 20,000-seat Bridgeview Stadium. The official opening of the stadium wonÆt take place until June 25. The lack of a permanent home has always been one of […]
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WORLD CUP: TV coverage growth pains
By Ridge Mahoney Senior Editor Soccer America Well, American soccer fans, your sport is growing up. Will you? Rip and ridicule Brent Musburger if you will, but he's a major player for the Disney broadcast companies, as are Dave O'Brien, Shelly Smith, Dave Revsine and Rece Davis. Some pretty important people at the network, including […]
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USA loose and ready
By Mike Woitalla in Hamburg A slender young policeman has been taking abuse for an hour from pedestrians impeded by the red and white caution ribbon that prevents them from crossing the Bugenhagenstrasse in the bustling center of Germany's second largest city. The U.S. team, three days before it opens against the Czech Republic, is […]
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MLS: Summary (June 8)
Chivas USA 2 Los Angeles 1. Goals: Chivas USA — Razov (Mendoza) 15 Chivas USA — Razov (Kljestan, Palencia ) 21 LA — Gomez 27 Los Angeles — Hartman, Sturgis, Ihemelu, Marshall, Dunivant, Gardner (Kirk 68), Nagamura, Saragosa, Martino, Wolyniec (Gordon 63), Gomez. Chivas USA — Burpo, Vaughn, Hernandez, Regan, Bornstein, Garcfa, Kljestan, Marsch (Perez […]
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U.S. UNDER-20 WOMEN: World Championship Roster
GOALKEEPERS KELSEY DAVIS Hometown: Thousand Oakes, Calif. College: Portland. The tall and powerful goalkeeper was the backup on the U.S. team that played in the 2004 FIFA U-19 World Championship. She has great size and leaping ability with a strong kicking game to match. She spent her freshman year at UCLA in 2005, where she […]
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U.S. Soccer: Landon Donovan
By Ridge MahoneySenior Editor, Soccer America Magazine The World Cup spotlight awaits Landon Donovan, who since the 2002 tournament has matured into an essential member of the U.S. team and one of its leaders. As he trudged off a Florida practice field after a training session notable for his lethargy, Landon Donovan knew Coach Bruce […]
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U.S. Soccer
By Ridge MahoneySenior Editor, Soccer America Magazine The USA is better, the task is tougher. Matching the quarterfinal appearance of 2002 is a longshot, but none of the U.S. players believe itÆs out of their reach. For defender Eddie Pope it serves no purpose to compare past World Cup groups to this one or split […]
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Life In The Pros
By Mike WoitallaExecutive Editor, Soccer America Magazine A quartet of Americans have already been to at least two World Cups, experiencing the disappointment of 1998 and the success of 2002. Claudio Reyna (1994, 1998, 2002)BORA'S WORDS HELD TRUE He was set to become a 20-year-old starter for the USA at the 1994 World Cup. In […]
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Backline:Dave O'Brien
By Mike WoitallaExecutive Editor, Soccer America Magazine Veteran baseball broadcaster Dave OÆBrien heads U.S. TVÆs World Cup team. Dave OÆBrien was a seventh grader in Marlboro, N.H., when he started playing soccer. ''I loved to run and I remember thinking thereÆs great freedom in this sport,'' said OÆBrien, who went on to be a three-year […]