Chicago1871
26 Apr 2005, 11:57 PM
Welcome back fans for the first edition of the 2005 All American XI.
I personally like to make an entrance, so let’s start things off with a bang…well, more like a crash. The Skycam has Fallen and it Can’t Get Up Edition. All we can say is that it’s good to be back, if only because we get to comment on integral parts of the game we love, like Cobi Jones and Brandi Chastain bowling. There’s just one question I want answered, which one of them do you think used the hot pink ladies ball?
Things are officially back in full swing and we’re three weeks late, but you understand, we had stuff to do. “What stuff?” you ask. Let’s just say that the contract out on AJ Feeley’s ankles [Mr. Kovalenko to the white courtesy phone] took longer to arrange that one might have thought.
For those of you who love a little controversy, you got it this weekend when the 3rd round of the NFL draft overlapped just a teeny bit with the first MLS derby or darby or classico…or whatever the hell Rob Stone is calling it today. Whose fault was the overlap? Some say MLS, others say ESPN. In the end we all just wanted to see Chris Berman take on Maurice Clarett in a steel cage death match. I mean who wouldn’t want to see Clarett the victim of Berman’s vicious finishing move, The Back Back Back Back Back Breaker?
Oddly enough this game/timeslot was chalk full of fantastic events. You know the MLS Skycam? Yea, the dreadfully expensive camera that gives “on field” shots at random times during play that was eventually going to be annihilated by a rocket of a clearance, or an Ante Razov sitter? Yea, it came crashing down to the HDC turf like Luis Hernandez inside the penalty box.
Also, if you haven’t heard, Eric Wynalda apparently verbally knee-capped Jorge Campos on air when he yelled something about Jorge’s mother and military issued footwear to the Spanish language booth during the game. Supposedly Waldo and Stone faced off with Campos and Cantor in the parking lot after the game. Rumor has it that Cantor yelling “ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww” after a quick kick to the shins by the diminutive, but scrappy Stone garnered police attention and the brawl quickly ended.
Someone needs to remind Clint Dempsey that the only proper celebrations in MLS are The Airplane, The Gone Fishin’, The Back Flip, and Landon Donovan taking his shirt off. If you haven’t seen Dempsey’s celebration check it out here (mms://a1503.v115042.c11504.g.vm.akamaistream.net/7/1503/11504/v0001/mlbmls.download.akamai.com/11504/2005/open/topplays/archive04/042305_nerdcu_dempsey_heads_goal_384.wmv). Oh yea, and there was a goal before said celebration that’s worth a look at too.
Would someone please inform Nate Jaqua that you don’t get bonus points for banking goals off of the opposing team?
In other news, for the umpteenth time this year a San Jose game featured a comeback, this time with surprising results.
Here’s to another year of “mediocre humor followed by outright bad player analysis by a bunch of clowns who wouldn’t know good soccer if it drilled a free kick into their collective nuts.” Thanks again to all of you who chipped in for that lovely card at the end of last season.
Well, this week’s lineup, despite the AAXI team’s best attempt at normalcy, is going to look a bit unorthodox. On a weekend that saw 22 goals, defenders were not exactly being nominated left and right, so one of the better defensive midfielders in the league found himself a spot on this week’s list to fill a need. The 2-1-5-2 lineup isn’t exactly the template for how to field a successful team, but with these guys, you could put them in just about any lineup and they’d do alright. An offensive lineup to be sure, six of the guys on the field found net and the others took up space that you always hear forwards yelling about.
Zach Thornton (1)
There weren’t exactly any stellar goalkeeping performances this week, but Zach did all that was required to shutout the Metros and get an away win, simple as that.
Jim Curtin (1)
I’d be remiss if I didn’t list the number of nominations Curtin received that contained the word “solid,” but to save space we’re going to skip that. Yea, he may be a bit slow, but his prowess in the air along with his vision, composure, and ability to get down and dirty still make him one of the better defenders in the league.
Brian Dunseth (1)
Sure the team got blasted by FC Dallas but if there was anyone on the team that deserved a nod it was Dunseth. He had an outstanding game, and was by far the best defender for RSL. He single handedly bailed out his team and the RSL left back time and time again.
Richard Mulrooney (1)
What a great signing Mulrooney has been for Dallas. His transfer will be overshadowed by the one for Ruiz, but he is quickly becoming a real motor in the FC Dallas midfield. It’s obvious that Mulrooney brings real class to Dallas' midfield which puts them on par with DC and LA for strength in the middle of the park. Add to that a very well taken free-kick and you’ve got a good, if not spectacular performance.
Clint Dempsey (1)
When you're man of the match and really didn't have your best game, you're definitely playing well. Let's see what he did during the game: he won balls in midfield, he connected well with his teammates, he notched an assist on the Revs first goal, he scored the game winning goal, he laid the grass down to cover the infield…ok, so he can’t do everything, but what more do you want from a midfielder?
Peter Vagenas (1)
The Galaxy captain had a good game in the center of the park scoring a nice goal and generally controlling possession. His influential presence in the middle for the Galaxy played a big part in their dominating performance. A bit lucky on the partial meg in the build-up to his goal, but a fine finish.
James Riley (1)
On the score sheet he got an official assist for Marshall Leonard's goal, but he really had two assists. The rookie gets on the board for the cross to Twellman to draw the penalty, and makes a great run and pass to Leonard for a goal. This kid's been a big surprise this year and is starting to make himself known as a rookie of the year contender.
Santino Quaranta (1)
Didn't he retire? Yes, Santino is back from what seems like a 5 year absence. The oldest 20 year old in the league all of the sudden looked extremely dangerous, knifing ahead for DC's only goal from the run of play, and consistently being a pest both on the wings and in the center of the box. He demonstrated skill on the ball, good decision making, made smart runs and a showed a solid work rate.
Cobi Jones (1)
As Waldo put it, Cobi just annoys the Mexicans. They just don't like him, and his performance in this game shows why. Again and again and again he went down that wing. The dude was unstoppable until his age started to show round about the 70th minute. He never really dominated, but his strike along with a pretty good performance in mid earns him a nod.
Taylor Twellman (1)
With the Revs midfield and attack clicking, the normally dangerous Twellman becomes a true nuisance for any defense. He scores a goal, draws a penalty, has a goal (correctly) disallowed, and is robbed by Rimando late in the game. In sum, a typical Twellman performance: relentless, smart and opportunistic. Pretty much the three qualities you want from a forward.
Landon Donovan (1)
Bluntly put, Chivas could not handle the Galaxy's new #10. Say what you will about his return to the US from Germany, but this is the kind of game you want to see him play every weekend. He attacked using his speed all game long, and never gave up on a ball. Apparently he even dropped back and played some defense...go figure.
The 12th Man
I think we need to include the twelfth man in this week’s AAXI. I’m really serious here. The Chivas fans deserve our recognition. Their team might not be all that great, but the fans are absolutely outstanding. They may be the best thing to happen to MLS in years. It is an incredible thing to go to a Galaxy home game and hear the “CHI-VAS! CHI-VAS!” chant coming from everywhere. The Chivas fans have thrown down the gauntlet to fans around the league. They are example to be admired, praised and emulated. What’s more, they are inspiring the Galaxy fans to comport themselves in a manner befitting their stadium. Those Chivas chants were answered on Saturday night, not with dazed and embarrassed silence, not with the bleating of now banned horns, but in a full voice “GA-LAX-EE! GA-LAX-EE!” It was the best atmosphere I’ve ever experience at an MLS game. And it was the Chivas fans with their brilliance, dedication and spirit that made the day what it was.
[Thanks to Knave]
*Header written by Chicago1871
I personally like to make an entrance, so let’s start things off with a bang…well, more like a crash. The Skycam has Fallen and it Can’t Get Up Edition. All we can say is that it’s good to be back, if only because we get to comment on integral parts of the game we love, like Cobi Jones and Brandi Chastain bowling. There’s just one question I want answered, which one of them do you think used the hot pink ladies ball?
Things are officially back in full swing and we’re three weeks late, but you understand, we had stuff to do. “What stuff?” you ask. Let’s just say that the contract out on AJ Feeley’s ankles [Mr. Kovalenko to the white courtesy phone] took longer to arrange that one might have thought.
For those of you who love a little controversy, you got it this weekend when the 3rd round of the NFL draft overlapped just a teeny bit with the first MLS derby or darby or classico…or whatever the hell Rob Stone is calling it today. Whose fault was the overlap? Some say MLS, others say ESPN. In the end we all just wanted to see Chris Berman take on Maurice Clarett in a steel cage death match. I mean who wouldn’t want to see Clarett the victim of Berman’s vicious finishing move, The Back Back Back Back Back Breaker?
Oddly enough this game/timeslot was chalk full of fantastic events. You know the MLS Skycam? Yea, the dreadfully expensive camera that gives “on field” shots at random times during play that was eventually going to be annihilated by a rocket of a clearance, or an Ante Razov sitter? Yea, it came crashing down to the HDC turf like Luis Hernandez inside the penalty box.
Also, if you haven’t heard, Eric Wynalda apparently verbally knee-capped Jorge Campos on air when he yelled something about Jorge’s mother and military issued footwear to the Spanish language booth during the game. Supposedly Waldo and Stone faced off with Campos and Cantor in the parking lot after the game. Rumor has it that Cantor yelling “ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww” after a quick kick to the shins by the diminutive, but scrappy Stone garnered police attention and the brawl quickly ended.
Someone needs to remind Clint Dempsey that the only proper celebrations in MLS are The Airplane, The Gone Fishin’, The Back Flip, and Landon Donovan taking his shirt off. If you haven’t seen Dempsey’s celebration check it out here (mms://a1503.v115042.c11504.g.vm.akamaistream.net/7/1503/11504/v0001/mlbmls.download.akamai.com/11504/2005/open/topplays/archive04/042305_nerdcu_dempsey_heads_goal_384.wmv). Oh yea, and there was a goal before said celebration that’s worth a look at too.
Would someone please inform Nate Jaqua that you don’t get bonus points for banking goals off of the opposing team?
In other news, for the umpteenth time this year a San Jose game featured a comeback, this time with surprising results.
Here’s to another year of “mediocre humor followed by outright bad player analysis by a bunch of clowns who wouldn’t know good soccer if it drilled a free kick into their collective nuts.” Thanks again to all of you who chipped in for that lovely card at the end of last season.
Well, this week’s lineup, despite the AAXI team’s best attempt at normalcy, is going to look a bit unorthodox. On a weekend that saw 22 goals, defenders were not exactly being nominated left and right, so one of the better defensive midfielders in the league found himself a spot on this week’s list to fill a need. The 2-1-5-2 lineup isn’t exactly the template for how to field a successful team, but with these guys, you could put them in just about any lineup and they’d do alright. An offensive lineup to be sure, six of the guys on the field found net and the others took up space that you always hear forwards yelling about.
Zach Thornton (1)
There weren’t exactly any stellar goalkeeping performances this week, but Zach did all that was required to shutout the Metros and get an away win, simple as that.
Jim Curtin (1)
I’d be remiss if I didn’t list the number of nominations Curtin received that contained the word “solid,” but to save space we’re going to skip that. Yea, he may be a bit slow, but his prowess in the air along with his vision, composure, and ability to get down and dirty still make him one of the better defenders in the league.
Brian Dunseth (1)
Sure the team got blasted by FC Dallas but if there was anyone on the team that deserved a nod it was Dunseth. He had an outstanding game, and was by far the best defender for RSL. He single handedly bailed out his team and the RSL left back time and time again.
Richard Mulrooney (1)
What a great signing Mulrooney has been for Dallas. His transfer will be overshadowed by the one for Ruiz, but he is quickly becoming a real motor in the FC Dallas midfield. It’s obvious that Mulrooney brings real class to Dallas' midfield which puts them on par with DC and LA for strength in the middle of the park. Add to that a very well taken free-kick and you’ve got a good, if not spectacular performance.
Clint Dempsey (1)
When you're man of the match and really didn't have your best game, you're definitely playing well. Let's see what he did during the game: he won balls in midfield, he connected well with his teammates, he notched an assist on the Revs first goal, he scored the game winning goal, he laid the grass down to cover the infield…ok, so he can’t do everything, but what more do you want from a midfielder?
Peter Vagenas (1)
The Galaxy captain had a good game in the center of the park scoring a nice goal and generally controlling possession. His influential presence in the middle for the Galaxy played a big part in their dominating performance. A bit lucky on the partial meg in the build-up to his goal, but a fine finish.
James Riley (1)
On the score sheet he got an official assist for Marshall Leonard's goal, but he really had two assists. The rookie gets on the board for the cross to Twellman to draw the penalty, and makes a great run and pass to Leonard for a goal. This kid's been a big surprise this year and is starting to make himself known as a rookie of the year contender.
Santino Quaranta (1)
Didn't he retire? Yes, Santino is back from what seems like a 5 year absence. The oldest 20 year old in the league all of the sudden looked extremely dangerous, knifing ahead for DC's only goal from the run of play, and consistently being a pest both on the wings and in the center of the box. He demonstrated skill on the ball, good decision making, made smart runs and a showed a solid work rate.
Cobi Jones (1)
As Waldo put it, Cobi just annoys the Mexicans. They just don't like him, and his performance in this game shows why. Again and again and again he went down that wing. The dude was unstoppable until his age started to show round about the 70th minute. He never really dominated, but his strike along with a pretty good performance in mid earns him a nod.
Taylor Twellman (1)
With the Revs midfield and attack clicking, the normally dangerous Twellman becomes a true nuisance for any defense. He scores a goal, draws a penalty, has a goal (correctly) disallowed, and is robbed by Rimando late in the game. In sum, a typical Twellman performance: relentless, smart and opportunistic. Pretty much the three qualities you want from a forward.
Landon Donovan (1)
Bluntly put, Chivas could not handle the Galaxy's new #10. Say what you will about his return to the US from Germany, but this is the kind of game you want to see him play every weekend. He attacked using his speed all game long, and never gave up on a ball. Apparently he even dropped back and played some defense...go figure.
The 12th Man
I think we need to include the twelfth man in this week’s AAXI. I’m really serious here. The Chivas fans deserve our recognition. Their team might not be all that great, but the fans are absolutely outstanding. They may be the best thing to happen to MLS in years. It is an incredible thing to go to a Galaxy home game and hear the “CHI-VAS! CHI-VAS!” chant coming from everywhere. The Chivas fans have thrown down the gauntlet to fans around the league. They are example to be admired, praised and emulated. What’s more, they are inspiring the Galaxy fans to comport themselves in a manner befitting their stadium. Those Chivas chants were answered on Saturday night, not with dazed and embarrassed silence, not with the bleating of now banned horns, but in a full voice “GA-LAX-EE! GA-LAX-EE!” It was the best atmosphere I’ve ever experience at an MLS game. And it was the Chivas fans with their brilliance, dedication and spirit that made the day what it was.
[Thanks to Knave]
*Header written by Chicago1871