4-17-2004:

[JMU Soccer!]

Kovalenko gets lesson in temperance (http://washingtontimes.com/sports/20040416-112545-7400r.htm) - Washington Times

Not exactly like old times for Colorado (http://rockymountainnews.com/drmn/rapids/article/0,1299,DRMN_51_2815182,00.html) - Rocky Mountain News

Adu's work just starting when practice ends (http://www.thejournalnews.com/newsroom/041704/c0117adumainco.html) - The Journal News

Soccer doesn't need a savior (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A19011-2004Apr16.html) - Washington Post (Letters to the editor)

With Freddy Adu, don't believe the type (http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/8450954.htm?ERIGHTS=-8576826331926909178mercurynews::bigsoccer@bigsoccer.com&KRD_RM=8opotqoxwxorwqvrpqrooooooo|bigsoccer|N) - San Jose Mercury News

American Mosaic (http://www.voanews.com/SpecialEnglish/article.cfm?objectID=F21957CE-85A3-4578-978E89CE4E29F0D6) - Voice of America

Edu whines his way to Brazilian call-up. (http://www.soccertimes.com/oped/2004/madbrit/apr16.htm) - Soccer Times (day late, scroll towards the bottom to read more on Freddy)

Taylor settling in at MetroStars (http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sports/html/20040416T210000-0500_58592_OBS_TAYLOR_SETTLING_IN_AT_METROSTARS.asp) - Jamaica Observer

Veteran Williams back in Richmond after career in MLS (http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD%2FMGArticle%2FRTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031774929425&path=!sports!localpros&s=1045855935035) - Richmond Times Dispatch (Love or hate Richie Williams you gotta admire this guy's heart)

Galaxy Seeks at Least One for the Road (http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-soccer17apr17,1,4206947.column?coll=la-headlines-sports) - LA Times

Fire's goal: Scoring Goals (http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/sports_story.asp?intID=3809496) - Chicago Daily Herald

$5 Dividend to Be Regal Reward for Anschutz (http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/la-fi-anschutz17apr17,1,6621791.story?coll=la-headlines-sports-nba-lakers) - LA Times (not exactly soccer related, but of interst to most people here I reckon')

[nicodemus]

Fire's goal: Scoring Goals (http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/sports_story.asp?intID=3809496) - Chicago Daily Herald


Bring on the Dip!

[kpaulson]

Midfielder drawing praise - Star-Telegram (http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/sports/8454980.htm?ERIGHTS=-4793176386172743786dfw::bigsoccer@bigsoccer.com&KRD_RM=1inijojnkljlhhhhhhhhhpmkqm|big|N)

Earthquakes at New England - Mercury News (http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/soccer/8454475.htm?1c)

His Goal With Story Didn't Register Here - LA Times (http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-letters17.1apr17,1,3983864.story?coll=la-headlines-sports)

Davis a central figure in Burn's offensive plan - Dallas Morning News (http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/stories/041704dnspoburnadv.4bd9e.html)

Fire hopes return home delivers offensive punch - Chicago Tribune (http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/soccer/fire/cs-040416fire,1,4062190.story?coll=cs-home-headlines)

Revs hope to rev up fans with win in home opener - Providence Journal (http://www.projo.com/soccer/content/projo_20040417_17revs.16ff6b.html)

Getting a win, not revenge, on Wizards' minds - KC Star (http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/sports/8451460.htm?ERIGHTS=4545054623281268863kansascity::bigsoccer@bigsoccer.com&KRD_RM=0hmjgkhkoipggggggggggghohg|Karl|Y)

[kpaulson]

KC-Crew
Columbus Crew at Wizards - KC Star (http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/sports/8452228.htm)

Marshall might fit into Crew’s plans Saturday - Cbus Dispatch (http://www.1460thefan.com) (scroll down for the link)

Revs-SJ
For Kamler, 2 is a crowd - Boston Herald (http://www.boston.com/sports/soccer/articles/2004/04/17/for_kamler_2_is_a_crowd/)

Rookie Rev-ved up: Dempsey makes first start - Boston Herald (http://sports.bostonherald.com/soccer/view.bg?articleid=129)

Metros-DC
FREDDY MANIA HITS SWAMP - NY POST!!! (http://www.nypost.com/sports/16463.htm)

MetroStars: Adu faces a physical by Metros - Star-Ledger[/url

[url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more_sports/story/184424p-159971c.html]Freddy Fever could shoot MLS in foot - Ny Daily News (http://www.nj.com/sports/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/108218461459680.xml)

Brimstone Cup
Fire's tough stretch continues with home opener - Naperville Sun (http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/sunpub/naper/sports/n0416fire.htm)

Colo-Road Warriors
Galaxy hopes road woes over - OC Register (http://www2.ocregister.com/ocrweb/ocr/article.do?id=90793&section=SPORTS&subsection=SOCCER&year=2004&month=4&day=17)

Other soccer
Not-quite Champions Cup - Press-Enterprise (http://www.pe.com/sports/soccer/stories/PE_Sports_Local_galaxy_notebook_16.57b3e.html)

[kpaulson]

To fix the broken link above:
Freddy Fever could shoot MLS in foot - NY Daily News (http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more_sports/story/184424p-159971c.html)

[kenntomasch]

To fix the broken link above:
Freddy Fever could shoot MLS in foot - NY Daily News (http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more_sports/story/184424p-159971c.html)

Bondy is not a basher - in fact, he's one of the good guys.


"By over-hyping Freddy Adu, by selling tickets on the swollen reputation of a talented 14-year-old kid, the league has set itself up for some serious backlash from casual soccer fans who are paying to watch the next Pele - this instant. Those spectators are very likely to leave feeling disappointed or betrayed, and are unlikely to return to watch another match."

I'd submit that if those "casual soccer fans" are so howl-at-the-moon stupid that they can't realize that he's fourteen years old, and that all of these stories and interviews make reference to the fact that he's fourteen years old and not quite ready to dominate men twice his age yet, I don't think they're going to be of much use to us in the long run anyway.

I just don't see how you can know there's a game, know what time the game is, know where and how to get tickets, and not realize that boys don't dominate games against adults (and, as mentioned elsewhere, LeBron James is not a boy - he's a man).

I don't read all of the Adu stories that get written because they're all pretty formulaic and he says the same things and the writers write the same things, but the ones I've seen seem to make reference to the fact that (a) he's fourteen, (b) he's not starting, nor should the reader expect him to, and (c) HIS FATHER IS THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY!

Okay, I made the last part up.

But I don't think anyone in the media (even someone who is soccer-friendly) can bemoan the existence of a monster they helped create. While I've written before that I think MLS may be pushing Adu out there a little too much (the three straight weekly conference calls is what did it for me), the media has been a willing and eager participant.

If they're not telling people Freddy doesn't start and that he's not Pele right now, and people are buying tickets who are too stupid to realize what they're being told, then I don't think we need either of those two groups of people.

[jri]

These articles about a "Freddy backlash" are a joke....I mean really...the same people who never gave a rat's ass about soccer or soccer coverage now trying to come up with this backlash thing. Who did they interview about a backlash? Did they get even one quote from one fan about 'disappointment' about seeing Freddy? Its been pretty clear (from anyone who reads THEIR newspapers) that Freddy is not starting these games. He has somewhere between a cameo and starting role in the 'show'. They are paying to see the movie.

It is a classless, stupid take on the whole Freddy thing. If someone wants to argue is he 14 (?) or will he be the next Pele'- those are (somewhat) interesting takes- but this 'backlash' stuff is just a joke really..

Oh yeah, and there will be 37k at Giants Stadium today...the interest/walkup will be huge...just my prediction...

[purojogo]

Kovalenko gets lesson in temperance (http://washingtontimes.com/sports/20040416-112545-7400r.htm) - Washington Times

"The red-card call on Kovalenko looked a little harsh, but referees watch him closer than most players because of his temperament"

I do not know what the author is thinking ...I guess a broken leg is necessary for a red card?


Interesting statement on MLS finances (last sentence)
"Forbes magazine reports MLS has hemorrhaged $350 million in its eight seasons of existence."

Anyone have the Forbes link?

[Kryptonite]

Fabian Taylor for MVP? Not impossible, says Marc Connolly. (http://soccernet.espn.go.com/feature?id=297279&cc=5901) - ESPN Soccernet

[Real Ray]

It's a mixed bag w/Adu, as his very playing leads to questions about the league in terms of its overall quality, its financial health, and the need to find a "face."

If you put him in the context of some recent wonderboys like Raul or Michael Owen...you scratch your head at the idea of a 14 year old boy playing in a 1st division. It would not happen in Europe-look at this famous picture of Beckham with El Tel-
http://www.geocities.com/castmind/becks.jpg-
that in three years times he could be a player in the EPL? Look at the way Moyes it easing Rooney along at 17 last year 'At the beginning of the season, people were prepared to accept Wayne was just a lad growing up,' Moyes says. 'But now they think of him as a 23 year old, a mature professional ready to play. Think of the things that you do between 17 and 23. Wayne's not 23.'

Moyes's approach has been to use Rooney sparingly - often to the frustration of the club's fans. The teenager has started just seven games so far this season, though he frequently makes an appearance from the substitutes' bench.

The backlash will come and go on some level-however wrongheaded it may be. Hopefully, some writers will do their homework and put Freddy in his proper context. I just wonder how well MLS and its PR machine will be able to police themselves in their quest to make Freddy the face of the league. I don't think they will screw it up, but...stuff happens, ya know?

[Deuteriumoxide]

The Jamaica Observer article about Fabian Taylor mentions that he will be competing for playing time with Jose Galvan Rey and Cornell Glenn... not even mentioned are John Wolyinho and Mike Magee. :D

[numerista]

Interesting little tidbit here (in Spanish), where Bam-Bam Zamorano says he's tempted by a recent job offer but unsure about accepting. The job in question? "Representante" of the Club America affiliate in MLS.
http://edicion.yucatan.com.mx/noticias/noticia.asp?cx=10$0000000000$2740033

[numerista]

Bondy is not a basher - in fact, he's one of the good guys.

Glad to hear it, but he writes some truly asinine things, such as his article that blamed Nike for the failure of WUSA. Without Nike's investments, there would pro soccer be in this country (men's or women's)?


I'd submit that if those "casual soccer fans" are so howl-at-the-moon stupid ... I don't think they're going to be of much use to us in the long run anyway.

WWE is alive and well ...

[uclacarlos]

The backlash will come and go on some level-however wrongheaded it may be. Hopefully, some writers will do their homework and put Freddy in his proper context.
I totally agree w/ RR. I think the comparison shouldn't be LeBron but Kobe Bryant: he was drafted out hs by the Lakers, and despite his desire and the fans' insitence that he play, Lakers coaches allowed him to mature into the pro game and made him earn his position, mainly by penalizing "rookie mistakes". I think that a LeBron-Fredinho comparison will be appropriate, but not now...

[jri]

Again, its assinine to ponder if MLS is "shooting itself in foot w/Adu"- You increase your TV ratings enormously (nothing else short of Pele going back to the future and becoming 30 again could have done that) + you start drawing 7-10k more fans to game (fans that NEVER would have gone w/normal marketing at this point)...what the heck could ever be wrong with that?

Again, the author does absolutely no research, has no data to prove his point. There was plenty of opportunity to do this- he coulda gone to a match, and sat outside and talked to folks as they left. In fact, a more valid journalist would have done that today (and waited w/the article), instead of trying to look like a pro-active stud writing the article pre-Freddy appearance.

I really don't care if the guy is a soccer basher or not, its a weak article, weak assumptions, and generally stupid (non) reporting. The real story is the amazing impact this kid is having (marketing/sales) and his talents. End of story right now.

And, btw, Freddy is going to make all those doubters of "is he too young...should we not wait?" look as silly as they always have been...just wait...this kid is Haley's comet man...

[Wallydrag]

OSU girls fall to Brazil - The Daily Oklahoman

[Wallydrag]

OSU girls fall to Brazil (http://www.newsok.com/cgi-bin/show_article?ID=1221458&pic=none&TP=getcowboys) - The Daily Oklahoman

[numerista]

Without Nike's investments, there would pro soccer be in this country (men's or women's)?


Gah! This should read, "Where would pro soccer be ... ?"

[kenntomasch]

WWE is alive and well ...

Working class appeal. We're never going to get that anyway, not in this country. The other major sports have varying degrees of intrinsic appeal/understandability to the working class. Soccer (at least here) doesn't.

Soccer is a simple game for clever people.

[nicodemus]

Working class appeal. We're never going to get that anyway, not in this country. The other major sports have varying degrees of intrinsic appeal/understandability to the working class. Soccer (at least here) doesn't.

Soccer is a simple game for clever people.

During the Korea/Japan world cup, I actually had a few email exchanges with an English journalist about the distinction between the fanbase for soccer in the US vs. England. She was floored to find out that soccer wasn't more of a "working class thing." At my school at least, they used to give an academic award to the sports team with the highest average GPA. The soccer team often won it, and we were one of the better soccer teams in the area. It just seemed unfathomable to her that it was considered more of a "thinking man's game" here.