Fire @ United POST Match Press - Goff and others - [R]

[United_Caps_Fan]

GOFF: United's Playoff Run Ends In a Rout (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/30/AR2005103000769.html)

Payne, however, said he fully expects the teenager to return to the club in 2006. Payne also confirmed that the club has exercised its option to retain Coach Peter Nowak, who has had an increasingly strained relationship with the teenager


Just passing on the news.

I dont want to be like far too many here and analize (sp?) this, rationalize that, what if this... point at that... and all the other reactionary CRAP thats on this board right now. The FACT is and we all knew it, DC United did NOT have it this year, and we simply were not going to repeat. What DC United had in 04, ( and luckily has had 3 times prior) that no one or nothing can see, hear, taste, touch, smell, feel;, that ever elusive, much sought after and forever intangible.. that "magic" was not present this year. The thing that really does not exist, but really DOES exist and its so omnipresent it changes EVERYTHING, was not with DCU. It hasnt been since the day the 2004 season ended in DCU's championship. Its painful to admit, but its been there (or not been there as the case may be) the whole time. I KNEW it and deep deep deep down, under all the hope and denial, we ALL knew it. The gut instinct should never be mistrusted. Some things we just know. We dont know how or why we know, but we do.

Ask those who were with and around me during the MLS Cup 04 viewing party at Baileys last November. Ask beltwayrob, joesoccerfan deko21dcu, and many others... when Kansas city scored, I did not fret nor bat and eye... I stood up and said it does not matter, that I BELIVE in this team (at that time) and MLS CUP BELONGED to DC UNITED. No sinking feeling came over me when it was 1-0 to KC, and many of those that I voiced my gut instinct and my belief to, looked at me cross eyed and like I was nuts. I wasnt, and what I knew came to pass and we won it.

New England in 04 had almost just as much of that same intangible "magic" that DC United had. It was only a sliver less, but in those things the tinyest amount makes all the difference in the world. We had just one saves worth more. IT came down to ONE SAVE, but we had it with us 100%, they had it with them 99.9% and that .1 percent made all the difference in the world.

For 05 it just wasnt in the cards as they say. I knew inside we wouldnt repeat this year, but I didnt think about it much until we began our last third of the season drive that propelled us last year. There were several games in that stretch that I sat there and thought, and realised what I had felt deep down inside me all season, and even before the season started, that DC just didnt have it with them to win this league's championship in 05. It became something I could no longer try to deny or fool myself into beliving otherwise during the 2-2 draw at home with the worst team in the east, and the loss to the metrotards at home.

We can spin it, analise every last little thing all we want, but just as with the 2004 championship, we cannot sit and point at any one thing and place blame. Many many many many things from the smallest to the largest went into making the 05 season that ended in monumental failure, just as it did in making the 04 season exceed our wildest hopes and dreams.

Call me crazy, deny it all you want, but deep in your gut, you all know that where we are now was coming. Yeah, it sucks, but it is what it is.. and it... JUST IS.

[United_Caps_Fan]

Thanks to whoever fixed the title. I was in the process of doing that, but got bumped off and my changes didnt take. Sorry about that. Thanks again for the quick catch.

[greatscott]

i dont know man, there were parts of this season where i thought we were the best team in the league

[Section106]

I agree, UCF. We weren't the same team as last season. Without Eski we didn't pressure opposition defenses. Without Nelsen we struggled at times in defense. Without Earnie we lacked veteran leadership, drive, and heart, not to mention technical skill on the wing. This team is certainly in the shadow of the 2004 team. I can't say I'm surprised we lost, its just the way we lost that's so galling.

So what happens next year? That's the big question. Do we have the parts to become a great team? There are some sacred cows that need sacrificing. I guess we have to wait and see what happens.

[danny_mac3]

You guys are certainly the most fun team to watch. Sorry about the loss, but props to the fans, who were amazing today.

[movie77]

GOFF: United's Playoff Run Ends In a Rout (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/30/AR2005103000769.html)




Just passing on the news.

I dont want to be like far too many here and analize (sp?) this, rationalize that, what if this... point at that... and all the other reactionary CRAP thats on this board right now. The FACT is and we all knew it, DC United did NOT have it this year, and we simply were not going to repeat. What DC United had that no one or nothing can see, hear, taste, touch, smell, feel, was not present this year. The thing that really does not exist, but really DOES exist and its so omnipresent it changes EVERYTHING, was not with DCU. It hasnt been since the day the 2004 season ended in DCU's championship. Its painful to admit, but its been there the whole time, and deep deep deep down, under all the hope and denial, we all knew it. It just wasnt in the cards as they say.

I disagree totally. This team was on a roll in the regular season and looked like the league's best team for a stretch. I think Nowak ran his starters into the ground particularly the older guys like Gomez, Olsen, and Moreno by not letting our deep team carry the load some of the time to ensure we had fresh legs down the stretch.

[YankBastard]

Wow, foxsports.com called us Defending Chumps.

http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer

[bofahey]

The FACT is and we all knew it, DC United did NOT have it this year, and we simply were not going to repeat. What DC United had that no one or nothing can see, hear, taste, touch, smell, feel, was not present this year. The thing that really does not exist, but really DOES exist and its so omnipresent it changes EVERYTHING, was not with DCU. It hasnt been since the day the 2004 season ended in DCU's championship. Its painful to admit, but its been there the whole time, and deep deep deep down, under all the hope and denial, we all knew it.
I disagree about that.

Quaranta was essentially worthless to us last season. This year, he was good enough to give Ralston a pretty serious challenge for the right midfield positions on the Nats.

Adu was leaps and bounds better than last year.

Boswell had a stretch from April through July where we were hailing him as rookie of the year.

Walker became a legit forward.

Erpen became very solid in the back.

Carroll developed further... again, even getting Nats consideration.

Yes, this team lacked Nelsen, Stewart and Esky. But we had others step up.

We played Pumas strong at RFK despite not being in season. We gave Chelsea a hell of a test. We almost pulled a stunner in Chile.

A month ago, there were N&A threads on this board discussing whether this team was better than 1998's team.

We had the ability to be a championship team this year, and there were periods where we were playing like we were going to be. There is no reason to make excuses for what happened today and say it was not destined to happen. A team let a potential championship fall through its fingers. There should be accountability for that, because it's not acceptable.

[superdave]

I dont want to be like far too many here and analize (sp?) this, rationalize that, what if this... point at that... and all the other reactionary CRAP thats on this board right now. The FACT is and we all knew it, DC United did NOT have it this year, and we simply were not going to repeat. What DC United had that no one or nothing can see, hear, taste, touch, smell, feel, was not present this year. The thing that really does not exist, but really DOES exist and its so omnipresent it changes EVERYTHING, was not with DCU. It hasnt been since the day the 2004 season ended in DCU's championship. Its painful to admit, but its been there the whole time, and deep deep deep down, under all the hope and denial, we all knew it. It just wasnt in the cards as they say.
Didn't this team have more points, a better defensive record, and a better offensive record?

How would last year be remembered if we'd lost the shootout with the Revs?

We're all hurting, man. But I think this is an emotional post and not a logical post.

I agree with greatscott. But I would add one thing...we know now, and we didn't know last year, that Nowak is not a stellar tournament coach. Let's face it, in our run last year, we got our bitch in the first round, a #4 seed at home in the second, and then it was one match for all the marbles. In the last two seasons, the team hasn't done well in ANY other tournament it's been in.

[Knave]

Mike Wise chimes in ...
Sometimes, Nowak comes across as the proverbial Eastern European manly man. The halting accent. The utter disdain for the media. That great personal flexibility, in which there are two ways to do things: Nowak's way and the wrong way.

Other times, he just looks like a lot less.

Take yesterday. He took a sarcastic shot at the media for the coverage of his team. He seemed to believe everyone in the room had an agenda, and that agenda was to bring him down. You almost felt sorry for him.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/30/AR2005103001353.html

That report and the weird Goff quote from the MLSNet quote sheet ... well, that's just bizarre.

Here's the quote sheet, by the way: http://dcunited.mlsnet.com/MLS/news/team_news.jsp?ymd=20051030&content_id=47167&vkey=pr_dcu&fext=.jsp&team=dcu

[Sandon Mibut]

Nice columns from the Post's Mike Wise.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/30/AR2005103001353.html

Credit to the Post for having a columnist at the game.

EDIT: Knave beat me to it.

[pokemoncards]

some...surprising comments from wynalda

[United_Caps_Fan]

I disagree totally. This team was on a roll in the regular season and looked like the league's best team for a stretch. I think Nowak ran his starters into the ground particularly the older guys like Gomez, Olsen, and Moreno by not letting our deep team carry the load some of the time to ensure we had fresh legs down the stretch.


Yeah, our stretch drive sure was better than in 04. drawing 2-2, the crew, the worst team in the east, and losing to the metrotards that made it into the playoffs by the skin of thier teet, both matchs at HOME. yeah, that sure beats the hell out of the 04 stretch drive. :rolleyes:

[Knave]

EDIT: Knave beat me to it.
Ha, ha! I WON! :p

"It was not our year," Dema Kovalenko said. "If you look at our season, you think we had a great season, but at the end of the day, what did we win? We enter four tournaments and we were [expletive]."

Here's John Haydon's piece: http://washingtontimes.com/sports/20051031-120743-3355r.htm

[United_Caps_Fan]

I disagree about that.

Quaranta was essentially worthless to us last season. This year, he was good enough to give Ralston a pretty serious challenge for the right midfield positions on the Nats.

Adu was leaps and bounds better than last year.

Boswell had a stretch from April through July where we were hailing him as rookie of the year.

Walker became a legit forward.

Erpen became very solid in the back.

Carroll developed further... again, even getting Nats consideration.

Yes, this team lacked Nelsen, Stewart and Esky. But we had others step up.

We played Pumas strong at RFK despite not being in season. We gave Chelsea a hell of a test. We almost pulled a stunner in Chile.

A month ago, there were N&A threads on this board discussing whether this team was better than 1998's team.

We had the ability to be a championship team this year, and there were periods where we were playing like we were going to be. There is no reason to make excuses for what happened today and say it was not destined to happen. A team let a potential championship fall through its fingers. There should be accountability for that, because it's not acceptable.

While things you point out ARE true, you are failing to realize the very fragile nature of that intangible I talked about. We had MORE than just light shakeups/ changes from 04 to 05. many differnt things went into messing w/ the delicate chemistry that created that intangible, and that very environment that got us to glory.

Oh.. and FWIW, ive never thought the 05 team was even close to being better than 98, OR 04. Sure they may have excelled more in a few areas, but some are forgetting that one, and most important thing that you cant see that was there on every championship winning side this club put out on the pitch, and THAT is what makes... all the difference in the world.

But keep on spnning, im sure many here will spin enough to get 3 phds on why we didnt succeed this season, and that to me is just a total waste of time, effort, and energy. Accept it for what it is, learn from it what you can, then let it go and move on.

[BillQ]

http://www.thefirealarm.com/tfadefault.cfm?page=ARTICLE&show=994

[Barbara]

Mike Wise chimes in ...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/30/AR2005103001353.html

That report and the weird Goff quote from the MLSNet quote sheet ... well, that's just bizarre.

Here's the quote sheet, by the way: http://dcunited.mlsnet.com/MLS/news/team_news.jsp?ymd=20051030&content_id=47167&vkey=pr_dcu&fext=.jsp&team=dcu

:confused: What? What Goff quote?

[Knave]

:confused: What? What Goff quote?
Mr. Goff wrote this great article today in the morning to give the players some boost before the very important game so this is how it ends.
This was this morning's all-about-Freddy Goff article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/29/AR2005102901237.html

I get the impression Nowak didn't really think it was all that "great."

[Barbara]

This was this morning's all-about-Freddy Goff article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/29/AR2005102901237.html

I get the impression Nowak didn't really think it was all that "great."

Thanks.

I read that article earlier today and didn't think it was all that controversial. Apparently I was wrong.

[pokemoncards]

"I don't want to go into detail about tactics or substitutions, it's about the heart, it always was,"

wow