The Official 2019 San Jose Earthquakes related Blogs/Press thread

News reported on the Almeyda suspension via Joel Soria in this episode.

Black & Azul Episode 28:

In this episode, we review the Quakes rebounding in a major way, their upcoming match against Orlando City, US Mens National Team player callups, and take your live questions. This episode is hosted by Charles Wollin and Jamon Moore

Link:

 

Força Quakes! 🇵🇹

Ahead of Saturday's Portuguese Heritage Night, we talked with in-stadium host @TjAmarante about the proud Portuguese community in San Jose! #VamosSJ pic.twitter.com/dRVx63u6CD

— San Jose Earthquakes (@SJEarthquakes) August 29, 2019

 

Off Pitch ’74 podcast Guram Kashia Interview on YouTube:

30 minutes:

 

I wasn't sure where to put this, but since it's a Quakes sponsor (at least), I though this the best.

Most likely some kind of chemical suicide at the Fairmont in San Jose causing evacuations and cleanup.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/01/us/hazmat-hotel-san-jose-california/index.html

 

Wow, you can die from smelling Sulfur dioxide? OTOH, sulfur dioxide is what they taint natural gas with so that you are aware of gas leaks.

I should know what chemical that smells like sulfur could kill you, i used to be a chemist... I know if it smells sickly sweet, it is cyanide...

 

Vako speaks! (A little.)

San Jose Earthquakes
An episode of Unas Palabras Con in English! Monti sits down with Vako, Flo and Guram to talk about whatever's on their mind.

 

Vako has a lot of fun! He lit up the podcast. He’s looking comfortable for the first time I can recall talking in English.

 

If you combine the Off Pitch interview of Guram Kashia with the Unas Palabras interview of Guram, Flo, and Vako, a fuller picture of Vako is emerging.

I also found the comments of Guram and Flo about the "positivity/negativity" difference between American and European locker rooms to be very interesting.

 

I think he was being nice... I think what he meant was there was a lot more pressure in Europe.

 

Jackson Yueill was on ExtraTime’s sep-3-2019 episode, and Tommy was on The Cooligan’s episode today (?). Jackson mentioned that last season the locker room was “hostile”. Tommy said how his effort to speak Spanish (he doesn’t understand so well tho) enabled him to have better connection with the guys he had played with for years but could not communicate with such as Godoy and Cummings.

 

At the wine and dine last month I sat next to Godoy. His English was passable (my Spanish is not) and he was quite enjoyable to talk with. Cummings was at the same table and doesn't speak much English, though his wife does.

 

I may be in the minority but hearing these stories upsets me as it shows a lack of respect and professionalism towards the employer, fans, and community when you are not able to comfortably communicate in an official language that is primarily used in the country and at your place of employment despite living in that country for a longer period of time.

As a Borussia Dortmund fan I always found it irritating when Aubameyang would give interviews in French four years after joining the team because he spoke no German. That just tells me that you do not value the teammates, fans, and community enough to be able to sacrifice a few hours a week to learn the language of the country you're working in.

 

Neither Godoy or Cummings was disrespectful. And Godoy's English was fine. We even discussed how he learned it while he was playing in Budapest. It was the commonality for players on the same team from around the world.

I have a different perspective than you on language matters, since my Italian grandmother lived in the United States for some sixty years and never picked up English. Somehow she and I managed to communicate. She would say mangia and I would oblige.

 

My reply was mainly aimed at Cummings in this instance. As an immigrant to this country myself, I can understand the difficulties with adapting to a new country and culture where learning a new language while having other pressing priorities (i.e. supporting a family) is not easy to say the least. My father was 42 when he came to this country more than twenty years ago but made it a priority to learn as many words as possible to be able to communicate with his neighbors first and then to be able to get a job. To this day he speaks very broken English but has never had issues being understood or vice versa.

Now, being a professional athlete comes with different responsibilities as opposed to being an electrician. You are expected to engage with the media and the fans. My opinion is that, at the very least, show that you have put some effort into learning the language no matter how "bad" it sounds as that goes a long way with most....but that's just me.

 

Do the Quakes provide language classes for their players? If they don't, then it's on them. The Quakes know where they're getting players from, and should know their familiarity with English.

Remember that pro athletes live transitory lives. They don't know necessarily where they'll go or how long they'll be there. I agree that it's in their best interesting to try to learn what they can for where they're going, but I think it's really a lot to ask players to learn a language on their own time and give interviews in that language on the spot as part of their job requirement.

Basically, cut these guys some slack in the language department. It's not disrespectful to use your native language when you aren't comfortable with a second (or third).

 

https://ussoccerplayers.com/2019/09/blue-collar-mls.html

 

Solid, but missing the point on Espinosa, who is a step above the rest of the roster. and who's absence is most noticeable in the Quakes performance...

 

No they're not. Sure, Espinoza has been stellar for the Quakes, but, his resume does not anywhere near scream, "superstar payer". He was not a "famous name" prior to coming to the Quakes. He was sold from his Argentine club to Villareal and could not even get a game with them. In 2017 he was even loaned out to a Spanish second division side.

 

Villarreal payed 7.2 million euro for him at one point - so they at least saw potential for him to be a "superstar player".

edit: I would say he's now worth more than the estimated 1.25m and if he was able to consistently finish his shots he might be worth close to 7m.

 

So what if Villarreal overpaid for him a few years ago, it just proves European football has its Doyle's as well. It doesn't change the fact that he not a superstar player or a famous name before we signed him.

 

Espinoza is a Doyle class signing? Not even close. If we can get Espinoza on a contract he’ll be our most expensive player ever and our best signing ever.

He’s the second closest to a superstar the Quakes have ever signed. If he could put the ball in the net (which might eventually start happening) he’ll be a true MLS superstar.

Superstar star or not it’s just plain wrong to not give him a larger share of the credit for our season.

2019 (to date) MVPs in order:
Almeyda, Wondo, Espinoza, Yungwirth, Vako.

 

Missed the 'z' but how the F' do you get "superstar player" from "a step above"?

 

Jungwirth has been really good too.

honorable mention has to go to Eriksson who is right there with Vako for me, every bit as important to our success this season as Vako.

 

How is the article missing the point?