300 Miles for 3 Points

Yakima was fun. 300 miles to travel for 3 points. I got out of my car in Ellensburg to pump gas and was blown away by a 200-MPH wind. The family found me in Prosser. I was also attacked by rabid tumbleweeds, but I've had my shots, so that was ok. It was all good in the end, though, as the 3 points were enough to secure second place in the division for the team.

Meanwhile...It's berfday time for Facebook, sayeth the NYT, and the 5-year old is struggling under the weight of competing expectations among its users. While there are growing pains, there's no doubting the site's growing popularity. Advertisers certainly take note:

Facebook’s approach is to invite advertisers to join in the
conversation. New “engagement” ads ask users to become fans of products
and companies — sometimes with the promise of discounts. If a person
gives in, that commercial allegiance is then broadcast to all of the
person’s friends on the site.

A new kind of engagement ad, now
being tested, will invite people to vote — “what’s your favorite color
M&M?” for example — and brands will pay every time a Facebook
member participates.

“We are trying to provide the antidote for
the consumer rebellion against interruptive advertising,” says Sheryl
Sandberg, Facebook’s chief operating officer and Mr. Zuckerberg’s
business consigliere.

...And while I usually don't pay any attention to Rush Limbaugh...oh, hell, I still don't. But he's the lead in to James Safire's CSI: On Language treatment of the word orgasmic.

Sounders Take Salt Lake

Last night's game was def' a bittersweet experience. My seatmates called earlier in the day, inviting me to the game. But wait! My in-laws just arrived in town from Hawaii. Moral quandary? Well, no, not really. But I watched the game on DVR later that night, knowing I could've been there.

It was a much different game than their star-crossed opening win, but the result was still a W for the expansion Sounders, winning 2-0 vs. a burly, bruising Real Salt Lake at The Q. Where New York had been content to chase Seattle boys around the pitch, and watch Freddy Montero play at will, RSL had a game plan to get up in the faces of the Sounders and knock 'em over if they had to, in order to slow them down.

Freddy Montero, in particular, received a round thumping in the early parts of the 1st half.

Despite the defensive tactics, Seattle's midfield began to take the game over after 10 minutes and wave after wave of Sounders attacks broke on the shores of Salt Lake. 17 minutes in the boys from XBox found the back of the net. Steve Zakuani was able to break down his defender, and poke a ball straight at Nate Jacqua. The big lunk was right in front of the goal and all he could do was get his knee up to meet the ball and score.

Despite the lead, RSL took over the game for large stretches. The early goings of the second half was so heavily dominated b the opponents that I began to wonder if there was a heavy wind for that half of the field. Keller came through with good saves, and Lady Luck declared herself a fan of the Green FC.

Everyone knew Freddie Ljungberg was coming on in the 60th minute, however it looked like a brilliant tactical decision, as Seattle was flat. Freddie's energy and veteran presence made a big difference, stemmed some of the momentum and began building more attacks for the Green. In the 72nd, the other Freddie declared the game over with a really nice long-range strike that had the keeper thinking of some shots he'd seen, I don't know, perhaps in youth soccer. Whatever he was thinking of, by the time he'd figured out the direction of Montero's blast there was nothing to do but jump up and wave at it, as if it were a Metro bus speeding by.

Nothing like a 2-0 record and Might Mo' as the Sounders fly off to Toronto for the club's first road game.

Go Sounders!

Sounders Vs. Salt Lake Tonight

The Sounders take their expansion-year model on the pitch for the second game of the season, against the Saltshakers of Salt Lake at Qwest Field. I'll be watching this one on TV, since Jon has the tix.

Go Sounders!

Of course, if I had an airline ticket to Oakland, I would cash it in and avoid going to this festival, which I have to admit, makes me cringe, just thinking about it.

International Break Diaries, Part I

Since we're not close enough to the actual World Cup, I'm still not grooving on the WC international breaks. Give me my, EPL!

This first one is a tad bit biased, just the teensy-bit one-sided, from Online Gooner, but I have to say it's completely spot on and incontrovertibly correct. Phil Brown is a wanker.

...his failure to deliver results in the second
half of the season and his lack of managerial experience (his spell at
Derby was an unquestionable disaster) identify him as a rank novice who
should conduct himself with far more decorum.

Hull,
Premiership fledglings, have proved themselves to be most distasteful
to all Gooners and their anti-football attitude epitomised by the
horrible Brown should lead all Arsenal fans to rejoice in the delights
of Arsene, Arshavin and Arsenal.

Add to that, the excitement of knowing that ex-Arsenal assassin Freddy Ljungberg is going to see action tomorrow, though the tickects are with Jon this weekend (aaaargh!). Go get 'em, Freddy & stay healthy.

Whelan to Ashley: You Dirty Tot!

Wigan's Dave Whelan takes Newcastle owner Mike Ashley to task for the Toon troubles that have the once proud club on the brink of Championship football. All correct, in my mind, but here's a scathing comment:

"You can't get a Tottenham fan buying Newcastle and letting people thinks he
supports them.

"It's not right, there's no pride left in the club.

Ouch! Don't know whether that's a bigger swipe at Ashley or Spurs fans.

Freddy Montero

Short profile of FC Sounders striker Freddy Montero. The piece notes that his one-year contract will likely see him bought by a bigger, non-MLS club. I wouldn't be surprised to see Freddy go somewhere in Europe. Enjoy him while you can.

Sounders Create Some Noise In Debut

Just got back from Qwest Field, a raucous, charged atmosphere, as 32,000 football (soccer) fans cheered their new Seattle Sounders FC on to a smashing 3-0 victory over the New York Red Bulls, last year's MLS runner-up. (more here & here)

Although they struggled to posess in the first 5 minutes, the newbie Sounders quickly clawed their way into the game with quick, aggressive play in the midfield and an attacking third that looked as dangerous as they were quick. When they scored early, the Sounders were off to the races.

Young Colombian Freddy Montero became the first Sounder to score in the MLS, with a well-placed ground roller just past the Red Bull keeper's outstretched hand. Montero bagged a brace with a 2nd goal in the 75th minute. By that point, Sounders had a 2-0 lead, based on Brad Evans 24th minute nutmegger on the soon-to-be hapless NY stickminder.

This was a great game, a great atmosphere, and a great start to what I think is going to be a great team that is starting a new tradition of top-level football in Seattle. I can't wait for the next home game!

After having watched EPL for so many seasons and becoming a fan by remote of Arsenal FC, it is really nice to have my own home team to cheer and to watch live. Sure, it ain't EPL. Sounders are not Arsenal, but hey, based on what I saw tonight, they ain't bad. In fact, they're fun to watch.

Arsenal Spit in Hull's Eye

Well, not really. But a dramatic, come-from-behind 2-1 win to push the Gunners into the FA Cup Semis is marred afterward by accusations that former Manchester United pizza delivery boy spit at (towards? near?) a Hull City assistant coach. While one hopes this is not true, it certainly wasn't a bigger crime than the incessant whining afterwards of Hull's Phil Brown, a former coaching genius (back in the early start of the season, when his team was winning) who seemed to believe that the loss was down to Arsene's steely intimidation of the ref crew. Yeah, buddy, we get all the calls.

On to the semis!

Arsenal Blast Blackburn

Today's match at Emirates with Blackburn brought a surging Arsenal side that swamped the visitors in a 4-0 drubbing. NewGunners Andrei Arshavin opened his Arsenal account with a first half goal (and possibly one earlier, though the official game stats are blaming it on an andrei Oijer OG), and former booboy Eboue scored two late goals to complete the spanking.

It was nice to see Arsenal rampaging again - and scoring! Hopefully, this is the beginning of a late season rally.

Arsenal To Take On Roma

The Gunners face a big match tomorrow, lacing up against AS Roma in Italy. The lads will have to do it without Emmanuel Adebayor, who is continuing to battle fitness issues in his recovery from a hamstring pull.

Fortunately, Arsene Wenger has some lads who look dangerous around the opponents area. Eduardo and Carlos Vela created two nifty goals in Sunday's demolition of Burnley. In my book, Eduardo ought to be getting lots of match time. He looks ready to play and appears to be as close to in-form as he was just before his leg break January before last. This lad's a goal scorer and we need one.

I also think young Vela should be on the pitch, certainly before Miss Nick Bendtner, who owns a horror show of misses for a player so young.