Grant Wahl SI 2-15-06

[vmax71]

Good stuff as usual ... For you quaranta fans, check out the last paragraph in the article ... ouch.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writers/grant_wahl/02/15/soccer/index.html

[Scoobs]

Biggest disappointment: Santino Quaranta, who came into camp in woeful condition and promptly put himself in manager Bruce Arena's doghouse.

Very revealing.

[Dr. Wankler]

I don't usually say, "I stopped reading here," but... I'll have to come back to finish this article.

I snagged a first-hand look at the U.S.' new uniforms, got an unexpected man-hug from former World Player of the Year Luis Figo and saw the splendor of Shep Messing doing the full monty...

"scorched onto my retina," as the commerical used to say.

[NBlue]

Ouch indeed. Nice fluff piece, but we have so few writers actually analysing what is going on with the team, I miss what else of substance Grant has to say -- two lines is not enough . . .

[cpwilson80]

Big ups to the new white U.S. home jersey, which has a cool blue-and-red vertical stripe running asymmetrically down the left side and extending into the sock. (This could, however, create a significant mental challenge for the players. We're predicting Frankie Hejduk will be the first guy to absent-mindedly wear the left sock on his right leg and screw up the whole look.)

It's funny because it's true.

It's nice to see Wahl writing again...I can't wait until college hoops season is over and we get him writing about soccer full time.

[The Blind Pig]

Ouch indeed. Nice fluff piece, but we have so few writers actually analysing what is going on with the team, I miss what else of substance Grant has to say -- two lines is not enough . . .
college b-ball season

[Pints]

Wow, Bruce must love dogs. Considering Tino has come on in almost every match since training, and is listed as a player for Sunday's match, and hasn't been sent home like many other players. One person said it, must be true.

[Ultra Peanut]

Considering Tino has come on in almost every match since training, and is listed as a player for Sunday's match, and hasn't been sent home like many other players.

IIRC, the only player who's been sent home for obvious "we know you're not going to Germany" reasons was Adu. Everyone else has either been hurt (Ralston, Mastro, Albright) or picking up club commitments (the entire LA and New England groups this week). Sunday should be a good chance to see Tino really fight for it, though.

[Bigrose30]

Wow, Bruce must love dogs. Considering Tino has come on in almost every match since training, and is listed as a player for Sunday's match, and hasn't been sent home like many other players. One person said it, must be true.

Remember, Tino actually figured as a 2nd half sub in the US-Mexico game in Columbus with the full European contingent available...now he can't get anything but garbage minutes in an injury-depleted domestic camp (how much PT would have had in the first 3 games if Ralston were healthy...)

There are only 17 players left in camp, so pretty much every field player can get good minutes. Should be interesting to see how much Tino gets.

[kinstlinger]

I've got a LONG way to go to catch up with his shirt collection.
I'd love to add a '94 Holland.

[Casper]

Wow, Bruce must love dogs. Considering Tino has come on in almost every match since training, and is listed as a player for Sunday's match, and hasn't been sent home like many other players. One person said it, must be true.
Given the roster for these games, Ralston's injury, and Quaranta's playing time in '05 relative to the other guys in camp ... he would have been starting these games if he had been having a good camp. There's plenty of evidence for Grant's statement. Grant also probably had a source - remember, he interviewed Beasley over the weekend. Think Beasley's talked to Donovan in the last five-six weeks? Think maybe Donovan told him what he's seeing in training? It doesn't take much imagination.

If Quaranta was doing as well in Arena's eyes as he was last year, he should start against Guatemala and be one of our three best players in the game.

Which side of that bet do you want?

[roadkit]

Very revealing.

Not nearly as revealing as his astute observation about Dunkin' Donuts. :rolleyes:

[Caulfield]

From here on out, Tino and Mathis are to have no contact with one another.

[voros]

We also get to see all the gory details of Cosmos goalkeeper Messing's notorious all-nude pictorial in some magazine called Viva
Ouch! My eyes! My eyes!

[Sir Nigel Sorebottom]

My theory on the man-hug that Wahl writes about is, is that it came about as a way for men to hug without having the hugger and huggee's respective genitals come into contact. Hence, the forward lean and minimal contact.

[Asprilla9]

Wahl Rules