SJ-KC Donovan's `instinct' goal puts Quakes in MLS Cup - Mercury News Quakes roll into final Donovan's OT goal beats K.C. - SF Gate Quakes' OT win gains MLS Cup - Alameda Times Star Laughs give way to serious tone before Wizards' game - KC Star Wizards notebook: Bliss doesn't get Dallas job - KC Star Other MLS Loud and clear, Armas returns - Chicago Tribune Magic in air for Armas, Fire - Daily Southtown Revs look on bright side: Nicol pleased with team's resiliency - Boston Herald Ralston's focus on the good - Boston Herald Progress steady for Revolution - Boston Globe Other Soccer A Retiring Hall of Famer Is Secure With or Without a Record - NY Times Haiti shows new life - Miami Herald Milutinovic has success around globe - Houston Chronicle Fans are abuzz over Haiti-Honduras match - Souf Florida Sun Sentinel Scots Have Upper Hand On Dutch - tampa bay Bills fumble on turnovers, sacks - Rochester Dem and Chron Boyz test readiness against El Salvador - Jamaica Observer Football shorts - The Times (UK) (short note on Nicol) The new American dream - The Times (UK) U.S. 6, St. Kitts 0 - AP (couldn't find any other media coverage of it)
Fantastic stuff. Still taking this all in, even six hours after the end result and being an ocean away. Will try and excerpt my favourite bits from those articles later, but the writers involved with each of those articles-- Dylan Hernandez, Dwight Chapin and Dennis Miller, respectively-- fantastic stuff. Well written, and capturing the passion and fervor that was at Spartan Stadium. Heart-felt kudos to each and every one of you, from one of your old Bay Area-based media colleagues.
Donovan's OT goal puts Cup in reach (different Mercury News article from the one previously listed in this thread) - San Jose Mercury News Double-overtime victory puts Quakes in MLS final - Contra Costa Times
From the esteemed Ms. Killion, who has written her third Quakes-themed column in the past ten days or so... Next Sunday, at the Home Depot Center in Carson, the Earthquakes will play the Chicago Fire. It is the Earthquakes' second trip to the MLS Cup in three years. A word to the Fire: If you get an early lead, don't feel comfortable. Or, more like it... be afraid. Be very afraid. And then, another juicy nugget... Donovan stripped off his jersey, sprinted down the field pumping his fist, somersaulted across the ground and was dog-piled by his teammates. He doesn't know where his jersey ended up. ``It's on eBay right now,'' he said. That is just plain golden.
These articles from The Times are available via paid online subscription service only, unfortunately. Can someone summarise what the bit on Steve Nicol was? And in the "New American Dream" article as well?
Re: Re: 11/16 Are you serious? That's weird-- that didn't come up for me. I don't think I have a subscription... The bit on Nicol was just noting that he just missed the final and the New AMerican Dream is largely about Man U having to defend its claim on the US from Real Madrid and others. Interesting read-- I hope most of you can read it?
Re: Re: Re: 11/16 Are you serious? Wow. That second article sounds very intriguing, indeed. At the off chance that some subscribed member can access that article, can you PM or e-mail me the text of the copy? Might be worth a squizz (as we say over here)...
MLSNet missed the obvious headline for its front page this morning: Golden State. Two-word headlines are the best.
I was thinking the same thing as I watched last night. Lets hope a lot of folks in the San Jose area get hooked after attending or watching last night.
Re: Re: 11/16 Are you serious? The only thing I can access for free on the "New American Dream" article in the Times is this interesting snippet from Google News: "... Meanwhile, United continue to compete with Chelsea, and major Italian clubs, in making overtures towards Freddy Adu, 14, the sensation of world youth football ..." I wonder how up-to-date this note on Freddy is. The British papers were reporting this same info on Adu a couple of months ago, and yet here in the States, all recent reporting/rumor suggests that Freddy may be signing with MLS within the next couple of weeks.
Re: Re: Re: 11/16 Are you serious? According to the Times, only overseas users are charged to view the paper on line. The Times uses software to identify the country in which the Internet Protocol (IP) of the reader is located.
Every San Jose fan needs to put this in their sig line: From the Dylan Hernandez article: http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/soccer/7276129.htm BTW, notice how attendance went UP between games for San Jose. Sachin
Curious Quotes: http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/soccer/7276129.htm Yallop was so overcome with jubilation that he promised the hand of his unborn daughter -- to no one in particular. ``I'll let my daughter -- if I have one -- marry any one of them,'' said Yallop, a father of two boys, referring to his players. http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/7276078.htm ``If we're not the poster team for MLS, I don't know,'' Troy Dayak said. ``You have to take notice of a team that plays with heart, that plays with integrity.'' True, but let’s not mix Dayak and integrity together after the half time antics vs. LA Great move here “``We'd better start selling season tickets right now,'' Coach Frank Yallop said late Saturday night. They were, at a table set up inside Spartan Stadium. And anyone who has seen the Earthquakes' past two games would think the $50 deposit was a bargain.” Hopefully it is really a turning point (attendance wise) as mentioned a few times throughout the article..
And that's w/ crappy weather on Thurs/Fri./Sat morning and a forecast for rain at game time. (It didn't, at least here in Oakland.) It would've been a bit higher (1,500-2,000) if the weather had been nicer. Did any of those "move San Jose to X city" posters notice that last night's attendance was 2nd only to LA in the entire playoffs?
This doesn't apply to anything in this thread, but it's just interesting: The Bears are playing the Rams right now at Soldier Field. They "had to" put down the football lines before Friday's fire game, rather than waiting until Saturday, because of the threat of inclement weather this weekend (it is gnarly here right now), even though I don't think I've ever seen a sloppy day wear off NFL football lines. Anyway, some 40 hours after the Fire game, there's not a trace of the soccer lines on the field. As much as I love the club level at NSF, I hope the Fire builds their own yard.
Re: Re: Re: 11/16 Are you serious? You're right. Next time I'll stop to read 20 posts as soon as I see an obvious faux pas, just to make sure that I'm not being redundant.
No kidding. The buzz during the week itself was absolutely amazing. Even my mother, who still lives in San Jose and is far from a sports nut, had something very good and observant to say about it midweek, when I spoke to her on the phone. And another clip from Ann Killion's column in the Mercury-News... Word has gotten out about the thrilling Earthquakes. On Saturday night, with only six days' notice, 16,108 people found their way to Spartan Stadium. There were 8,000 tickets waiting at Will Call, compared with the usual 500. In their final three home games -- the regular-season finale and the two playoff games -- the Earthquakes drew 46,535. Hopefully, this attendance pattern will carry over to the start of next season, and we can finally put the "Move San Jose" cliché to bed once and for all.
Naperville Sun: http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/sunpub/naper/sports/n1116fire.htm http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/sunpub/naper/sports/n1116engel.htm
It's nice when the two teams in the championship game are the two best. Look at MLB, a cinderella wild-card has won the last 2 years. SJ and Chi are both terrific, and as a Metros fan I'm jealous. But good luck to both and may the better team win!
Captain Obvious--SJ v. Chi You do know what this means, don't you? There will finally be another MLS team aside from DC United that has won at least 2 MLS cups.