Yes they do. I've only been to about 3-4 and once I got in late, but they did at all the others. And at one game, they had a moment of silence for the Queen Mum who had passed within a week, and it actually lasted a minute or so, unlike the 20 seconds of silece we seem to have in this country.
Obviously you do. Wrong on both counts. Marginal player, at best. Decent coach, at worst. Thank you, I've been saying that for years. This pseudo-patriotism keeps spreading it's tentacles further and further. Pretty soon, the BSO will be compelled to sign up and your local AMC theatre will ask everyone to stand for off-key recordings before the previews.
I actually agree with this 100% Part of the militarization of society. But that's something I'm not going to touch on BigSoccer.
I agree.. It's getting out of hand. It's moved from being a sincere recognition of the USA and a humble paying of respect to our country to being a distorted, brash, jingoistic display, replete with career anthem "singers", most of whom can't sing to save their lives. These "singers" tend to warble all over the place, with nonsensical embellishment, lest their lack of knowing what the actual notes are be exposed. They have no real musical training and since Mariah Cary and Whitney Houston stylistically ruined it all for us back in the early 90's, these tarts only know that way and what we hear is very far removed from the original composition.
Um, you do know this is hardly a recent phenomena. They used to do it only for holidays and special occasions like Opening Day or the Worl Series, in WWII they started doing it all the time and it has't stopped since. The first "controversial interpretation" that I can remember was Jose Feliciano at the 1968 world series
Getting back to the original topic, I'm wondering if the Revs do in fact have the personnel for a "MLS" 4-4-2. It depends on if you think Kobayashi/Caldwell/Rowe would handle covering that much ground. Bunbury - Imbongo Sene - Nguyen - Rowe - Fagundez LB - CB - CB - RB GK Nguyen covers a lot of ground already in the center - he could alternate defensive responsibilities with the other CM, and it would get a strike partner for Bunbury on the field. There's a lot of flexibility in the lineup too as you could sub in any of the other CMs to provide a different look, and you could also shift Sene up top (where he's arguably more effective) and Bunbury to the wing depending on the situation.
I think the best chance we have with a 4-4-2 is pairing Dorman with Nguyen in the middle and putting Rowe out on the right, but tucked in. Fagundez/Sene on the left. We'd play asymmetrically with the right back playing more as a wingback. Rowe and Nguyen together aren't enough defensively for me. Alternatively, you could put Farrell in the place of Dorman, which would provide far more coverage in the center, allowing Nguyen to play a little more aggressively. I thought Woodbine would allow this to happen, as he appears to have the speed and passing to cover the right side of the field, but he seems to have disappeared again.
Have to say I like this much better than a 4-4-2 with Rowe and Nyugen in the middle. As much as I like those two, I think we'd get shredded up the middle by opposing offenses.
Sene couldn't possibly handle the defensive responsibilities n a 4-4-2. You would also have to depend on Tierney and Farrell getting up and down the line without mistakes.
Maybe this could work if it can flex into 3-5-2. With Goncalves and Farrell in the middle and outside backs of Tierney/Woodbine/Barnes (all of whom can play centerback), Farrell could be given more license to roam forward into center midfield if the fullbacks are told to stay home to cover. It could be a pretty flexible formation. If Nguyen and Rowe (or Daigo/Caldwell) are getting pushed around in the middle, then the fullbacks stay home for 10 minutes while Farrell dishes out a little punishment and shores things up. If Nguyen & Rowe or managing fine, then Farrell and Goncalves play as a tandem, giving license to Woodbine or Tierney to overlap.
In the 3-5-2, defending is a lot more complex, so it would be hard to switch to mid-season with players who presumably have never played in anything other than a flat 4. I know the Revs used to run a 3-5-2 but I don't really remember how they did it. IIRC, it was basically a second have move that they employed to throw a defender into attack. Smart teams can turn your 3-5-2 into a 5-3-2 in a hurry, and a few of the issues with a 3-5-2 in the MLS were outlined in this MLS video
Revs don't have the personel to play two in the center of the field. You'd be forced to play Nguyen, Rowe, or both, out on the wings and that is not where they are at their best and I would argue they are the most important players on the team when they're clicking, interchanging, and moving ball.
Start a thread somewhere -- I'd love to weigh in on the militarization of our society -- I care a whole lot more about that than how Jay Heaps dresses and whether or not he waves to me.
society as a whole could use more of the core values that the Military instills like integrity, service before self and excellence in all you do (which are the AF core values)
Off the top of my head, I think the 3-5-2 they used to run looked something like: ----Twellman---Noonan Kamler-----Dempsey----Ralston -------Joseph-----Larentowicz Heaps---Parkhurst---Franchino -------------Reis---------------- It's entirely possible my memory could be mixing and matching players from different eras, but I remember lots of solid two-way midfielders who tracked back a lot on defense. Guys like Daniel Hernandez, Avery John, Jose Cancela and Khano Smith may have been in there somewhere. Maybe someone has a better recollection.
That's pretty close to the 2005-2006 starting lineup IIRC, well done. And man, it makes me salivate thinking about watching those teams kick everyone's ass.
Sorry, my bad. Sure, but it's ramped up in the wake of 9/11. Now there's even GBA in the 7th inning stretch. The problem is, once you start a tradition like that, it's pretty much a one-way deal. Who is going to be the one to stick their neck and and decide we don't need GBA or the SSB at their event anymore?
Agreed. It has become insufferable, especially the GBA. Not only does it remind me of the most thuggish hockey team to ever take the ice, but it's about the most jigoistic, self-righteous ridiculous song I ever heard, right up there with the Kazakhstan anthem from Borat fame: "Kazakhstan is greatest country in the world. All other country are run by little girls."
Looking at this line-up is depressing, as probably 8 of the 11 guys are/were all stars at the time. Anyway, to get back to the original point of the 3-5-2, I came across this video explaining a little more about the tactics of the 3-5-2, which requires 2 good defending outside midfielders, and is more effective against 4-4-2 than a 4-5-1 or 4-2-3-1. That is pretty interesting (I think)
I think you're being a little generous there. Many of them would become stars at some point, but I'm not sure 8. I'll give you Reis (later), Parkhurst, Joseph, Larentowicz (later, and not really a "star"), Ralston, Dempsey (later), Noonan (borderline) and Twellman. I think 4 current "stars" on that team.
I have to disagree on Reis and Dempsey. Reis was a finalist for Goalkeeper of the Year in 2005 and 2006. Dempsey won Rookie of the Year in 2004 and was MLS Best XI in 2005 and 2006. Larentowicz and Noonan have both been borderline stars at various points in their careers. Noonan more so than Larentowicz because of the goals he scored early on in his career (winning the Golden Boot in 2004).
once he made the breakthrough and became a starter, Larentowicz has been one of the most underrated players in the league IMO. deserving of being considered a star.
I don't disagree. Unfortunately the majority of that has come with his time spent at clubs other than the Revs.