I agree Twellman needs and deserves more time with the nats. But Wynalda doesn't have to put down McBride in order to elevate Twellman. McBride deserves better respect than that. Him saying Donovan is too small to play up top at the international level. Seems to me he's been doing it so far with some pretty decent results. And when's the last time he's had to sit because of injury? Seems pretty durable for a little guy.
I agree with the first part. I always thought that Dave dir was very good. He is also kind of a big happy guy that will translate to new or potentially new soccer fans. The second part, I disagree with. Wynalda is not trying to spark controversy to get ahead. He is just being himself. He has ALWAYS said what is on his mind, even if he should have kept his mouth shut. In this instance, I'm 50/50 on his opinion. I agree with those who say Buddle might be a better option than Twellman. I also think Twellman has earned a longer camp with more of a shot. I think Ante Razov deserves a new and longer look. I don't really remember the infamous "Panama Game" but I will take Wynalda's word for it. McBride may be our best overall front man with his ability to bring in high balls and either shoot or distribute, and he has scored some great goals with both his head and his feet, but he is not exactly the type that is going to knock in 20 in a league season. Eventhough he neve quite got there, I got the impression Wynalda was implying that McBride will be an old man in 06, and that if Twellman doesn't get his shot now, he will be an old man in '10, and we will never know if he could have been a great international striker.
wynalda has got to be the envy of the rest of the espn2 broadcast team none of those guys have ever gotten multiple threads started about insight they have ever given they have gotten multiple threads started on how horrible they are, but none when it comes to analysis wynalda did something jack, ty and stoner never do... he spoke his mind on a topic that people were bound to disagree on, and he had no qualms about doing so damn that is awesome... love his idea or hate it it's great to see someone getting people riled up about soccer and not about how they call the games think about that
I dig Wynalda about 75% of the time. Tonight's a classic example. 75% of the time he's offering good analysis, insight, offering a player's point fo view, etc. But then he gets a hard on about the ref. Poor wimpy Eric. HAS to go on and on about the ref. Just 'cause a ref gives 3 reds and misses a few obstruction calls doesn't make him an incompetent; in fact, 2 of the reds seemed perfectly reasonable, and the other was certainly a very dangerous play. (I don't fully understand the straight red card rule; Kamler almost got that guy in the nuts with his studs; I don't know if that's deserving of a red or not, but it was a very dangerous play.) In fact, up to the Kamler red, I thought the ref had a PERFECT game. But from that point forward, Eric couldn't let it go. Moan moan moan. Get a life Eric, there's a soccer game going on. I'm sure I'll be berated and everyone will say the ref sucked, etc. but I'll leave you with this. After a foul which wasn't called (Twellman was probably fouled though without a replay who can say), Eric exaperatedly exclaims, "the ref's lost control of this game!!". In fact, play kept on perfectly calm, no one got too excited, and on the 1-10 scale of MLS games, it was about a 3. (Pablo's second yellow was hardly a terribly aggressive play and in that case the ref did what we all like to see: confer with the linesman, i.e., try to get the call right.) Whatever Eric. Quit being so histrionic; you'd be much better off. Sorry for the soapbox.
I absolutely agree with you. Anyone that berates you wasn't paying attention. Sure, I was a tad surprised that he went to the back pocket for a couple of straight reds, just because it is so rarely seen. But I think he officiated evenly. And Waldo was all over the telecast that I often wondered what the hell Ty was doing there. What the hell is Ty still in the booth for, anyway? Is it necessary to have two color commentators?
I agree - all good points. But I don't have to agree with someone to like listening to them. I prefer someone who will give me a thought I can react to. And that is why I dislike Ty Keough in the booth so much. He's just lame. Telling me someone is causing hav-ock in the back after he scores 2 goals in a game ain't telling me diddly. Someone saying Jay Heaps got juked out of his Umbros because he's slow and afraid to take on a player or the field is in bad shape is a better discussion, whether I agree or not. You know - the way ESPN is using Wynalda coudl and maybe should revolutionize the way the game is called. Toss Ty out on his ear - have one guy in the booth calling the game and have Eric roving down on the touchlines. He gets a field eye perspective, can talk to players and coaches on or off camera and give us a better feel for the game than some clown sitting in a booth telling us what we just saw.
I also agree completely. So, Trevor, that means you're right this time. I've noticed that saying that a referee has "lost control of the game" is used way too often. It is a fairly dramatic circumstance, and one that really does not happen all that much, but it's probably the most damning criticism there is of a ref. But, every time there are a few calls that go the "wrong" way, someone feels the need to drop the "lost control" bomb, as that's the worst thing he can think of to say.
Well, then at least Wynalda needs a counterbalance, 'cause when he's so obviously wrong, he ruins the game for the watcher/listener. The ref didn't ruin the game, Wynalda did. This is where Ty comes in though. If he had stood up for the opposing point of view, or at least tried to balance Eric's histrionics (which Ty tepidly did, but only very tepidly), it would have made not only for good tv, but interesting soccer analysis. The whole "ref controversy" would have enhanced the telecast, rather than bring it down to the lowest common demoniator. As it stands know, Wynalda the jack### owes the ref an apology for a smear campaign.
The problem with Dir is he struggles in front of the camera. Not his fault, he was trained as a coach after all and not a broadcaster. I really like Wynalda and what he does. You can actually learn something from listening to him. In fact, I'll go as far to say that he's the best sideline reporter in sports, period. I would love to hear an Eric Dickerson type criticize a RB for tip toing into a hole instead of bursting through it. It has never happened. Given what we know about Eric though, he's bound to piss a few people off if he hasn't already. People who just speak their mind tend to do that, which is why most adults aren't like that. I agree that the ref stuff last night was bad. What you're saying by doing that is basically that the product you're watching is sub par because the officiating sucks. Big no no. But I think you have to ignore that stuff because, as was mentioned earlier about 75% of what he says is great stuff. I hope he stays in this job for a long time, though I'm afraid he may not because someone in power is bound to be offended by something he says. If it hasn't happend already it will. But if MLS can look beyond that and find a color guy who will really be able to play off him, then they'll really have something. College basketball's most popular announcing team ever was Dick Enberg with Billy Packer and Al McGuire back in the 70's. The mean reason was that McGuire was over the top and Packer (back when Packer actually knew something about basketball) was opinionated as hell. They seemed to always disagree on the air and Enberg, then in his prime, was great at keeping the two in check. It was terrific stuff. MLS has the potential to deliver it's version of that if they would just unload Ty for someone who can play off Wynalda.
I don't think that's a big deal if only because in not too long of time it won't be his buddies out there that are playing but just random kids he never played a minute with or against. Sure he shouldn't do it, but it's a problem that will cure itself in a few years. Him and Kamler go back quite a ways.
I like that fact that Eric actually HAS an opinion but, IMO, he's dead wrong on Twellman. Guy just does not impress me, especially for a counter attack team like the US!
This at the top of Wyno's column: "Reigning Budweiser Scoring champion Taylor Twellman" How does that scoring work exactly? Number of 12 oz. curls for the season? Do you get less points for drinking Bud Light?
Ty explains with a straight face that the ball "picks up speed" after skipping off the ground. A lot of people disagree with that. Oh, you mean Wynalda knew people would disagree with his analysis whereas Ty is clueless. Got it. - Paul