'Bout time our wonder boy got some press, with the winter he has had... http://www.mlsnet.com/content/04/lalas0227.html Best part for me, "When you’re on the field, no one’s your friend,” Bobby averred. “But off the field is different. Landon and I roomed together at Bollitieri [Soccer Academy]. To see him do well, it makes me want to do well. But it’s not much of a rivalry because he’s won all those championships and, well, it’s been tough in DC. But I’m very focused in DC this year because I get to lead the team.” What about a Landon, DMB, Convey rivalry-triangle? Is it possible he's still only 20?
Nice article and it puts the onus squarely on Bobby to perform. That's impressive leadership from a 20 year old, although he's a seasoned pro. He "get to run the team" this year instead of "running up and down the sidelines". Best of success to 'ya Bobby. We are all rooting for you! GM
Fun little article, but I'm not so sure about the part that said, "This past year, Bobby’s been burning diesel, burning dinosaur bones (name that tune!), leading DC to the playoffs, competing in the U-20 World Championships and the Olympic qualifying tournament, and appearing in all by one of the national team matches." I don't know about you, but Bobby shouldn't get credit for that...crappy performance. I'd say that Ben Olsen led the team to the playoffs, then the team played like Bobby had been playing once it got to the playoffs... like crap. The offseason was the best thing that could have happened to Bobby... and DC United.
Greg Lalas has come out of nowhere to become my favorite writer on MLSnet.com.. He's funny and very knowledgable and the best part is all of his 80's metal references.. Right up my alley.. One quibble though - "The View from the cheap seats".. Hmmmmmm, sounds strangely familiar to a hack writer on Unitedmania.com who entitles his MLS columns as "View From the Mezzanine".. I'll have to look into legal issues with that one..
Well, it looks like I'll have to serve as the lone voice of dissent on this article. IMO, that was a tremendously disjointed piece of crap. What he said about Bobbito was fairly accurate, but pausing in the middle of the story to dissect why American Idol contestants should be featured in his article, and to waste precious column space talking about hair metal bands? I don't give a rat's ass about any of that shite. And that editor's note was a touch of class..."freakin' Aramaic". I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks MLSnet's columnists are a friggin' joke...it's like reading the mind of Rob Stone every time I touch one of their articles.
Ouch! It seems someone on big Soccer is taking thing a bit too seriously. I suggest backing off on your consumption of red meat.....or perhaps a touch more 'herb' in your diet........
I have to echo your sentiments. Ben led this team into a playoff position ...... and then he got hurt. After he got hurt, did we win another game all year? I don't think that we did. To give credit to Bobby when it was Ben who had the team on his back for those few weeks that pushed us over the top is just plain wrong. bottom line is that when Bobby was gone (in actuality or in spirit after the permit issue) and Ben was on all cylinders, we were doing well. When Ben was injured and Bobby was left, we didn't. I wish that Ben would get the captains armband to be quite frank.
i don't see how anyone can think that bobby took united into the playoffs. he wasn't here plus when he came back there were the excuses that he was playing sick for about three weeks... it certainly is a TEAM effort but for some reason concerning convey there seems to be an I as if he does it all by himself!!
Great to see Bobby get the press, but Lalas' writing pains me to no end. He always comes off as the unfunny loud guy at the end of the bar trying to keep up with the guys on ESPN. eeesh.
Is a serious column on MLSnet.com really too much to ask for? He's got a good subject and yet he still comes off sounding like an op ed peice in a highschool news paper. You guys are lucky to have bobby. enjoy it while it lasts.
C'mon, you're telling me that's not funny? I agree though, he should stick to the topic a little more and not to stray away with stories about American Idol.
I do not like Lalas' articles in general so far. All the stupid band references and joke attempts are annoying. And to suggest that anyone (Bobby, Ben, ...) led us to the playoffs is the one real joke in there. We had 3 ties and 2 losses in our last 5 regualr season games. That seems more like staggering, limping, crawling to the playoffs to me.
“He was given the week off by DC United…. This past year, Bobby’s been burning diesel, burning dinosaur bones (name that tune!), leading DC to the playoffs, competing in the U-20 World Championships and the Olympic qualifying tournament, and appearing in all by one of the national team matches.” I am fine with Bobby getting a break. Geeze, it was exhausting watching all the matches he played over the last year. But at some point he will need some serious time with United. I appreciate that many of the players are the same (a subject of many other threads). But if his role is to change as much as many of hope and expect, he needs to be there. Will he be with the team the entire time in Mexico or will some of the Nats call-ups affect that as well?
I don't even want the kid playing against Haiti. I've been saying for awhile that Convey is my prediction for the Co-MVP (along with Landon) this season, and its a waste of his time and energy to go up against Haiti in Florida.
I'm not sure, is he still 20? If Lalas really wants to goof around, start a thread seriously questioning Bobby's age, to add some balance to the Freddy's age question threads. The "he's so mature for his age," statements, while true, are so irrelevant to the potential story.
Wow...this is the first time I agree with a Metro. And that's the worst part about this article. Where the hell is Ian Plenderleith when we need him? Or could they get one of the Soccernet writers who's really bored during England's close-season? Hell, I'd even take Shitesports.com's writers at this point. All the editorial pieces on MLSnet are ridiculous.
Is it possible that a league's official website wouldn't want anybody writing anything critical of that league on it?
I think it's pretty clear that Lalas' articles aren't supposed to be some soccer version of Peter Gammons intricate analysis n' whatnot. He's more aiming in the Kornheiser genre, I'm thinking. Humor is a subjective thing. Perhaps if you don't find his cultural references or hair band musings (which I personally find hysterical in a ironic/kitsch type of humor way---likewise his comments of naked college jogging...which anyone who played college soccer can relate to) funny... perhaps you're either not of the same generation (late 20 something...early 30 something) or that type of humor ain't your bag. Tough, then, ...keep it up Greg, some of us get it. Plus, the image he dropped last week of his brother being buried in a Ratt concert shirt, just rules... My adult self was in that moment instantly, Back to the Future like, transferred to my eighth grade club team's van headed to a tournament, all of us shrieking "ROUUND N' ROUUUUUND..." at volume 11. good times...