Well, we do already have quite a few. One more couldn't hurt that much. At least, EJ is no Clint Mathis.
Did anybody else see Convey try to muscle Chris Klein off the ball in the second half? Bobby made a had shoulder charge into Klein and caromed off like a pingpong ball off a brick wall. Bobbito ended up on the turf while Klein didn't even break stride. I'm glad to see Bobby trying to be physical, but next time (Saturday?) pick out someone like DeMarcus - -Klein is a load.
Dallas is not much of a green pasture if you ask me. You know if we hadn't made the play-offs United would have lost a million bucks. P.S. I played on Turf today. It sucks beyond belief.
I think this is more of a sense of relief than saying we are on our way.. Is this team struggling to create opportunities? Absolutely.. Are we again saddled with a team without a true scoring threat? Yup.. Despite these obstacles and many many more problems, we did improve from last season and we did get into the playoffs.. Unlike other people on this board who gave up after 7 games (and you know who you are), I still believe we can be a genuine pain in the arse to anyone we face in the playoffs.. I hope Stone, Wynalda, Keough and every other smart guys keeps thinking that Chicago will roll over us in the playoffs.. This is exactly where I want United to be considering what we are dealing with.. We have the home leg to start things off and we will have a Chicago team coming into RFK thinking the first two matches are a mere formality to getting to the Home Depot Center on Nov. 23rd.. Do I have any real reason to believe that we can beat Chicago straight up in a two leg series? No, not really... But this is why the games are played.. This team plays very good defense and could keep this series very close for that reason alone.. All we need is some sort of offensive spark to move us along.. Has there been any indication that that spark will suddenly appear? Again, no not really.. But it doesn't dissuade me from having hope.. Some people simply aren't satisfied with backing in or squeaking into the playoffs and that's OK with me.. We did look rather dire in the last month of the season and I don't blame people for thinking that way, but Holy Cow man, can you at least give this team a little bit of credit for improving over last season?
Martins didn't play because the team played for a tie... Sorry my bad English... My mother tongue is Spanish and my daughter corrected me.
Word. Harksie said on MLS wrap that KC knew about Dallas beating Colorado, so they didn't need a win, after all. KC was happy to settle for a draw and sure as hell didn't want to lose on a lucky counter to DC. I, too, am glad we made the playoffs, but we still don't play like a cohesive team and we'll be crying in our beer in two weeks, IMHO.
Columbus vs. Chicago result below [R] Thank God we didn't have to scoreboard watch for Columbus vs. Chicago. Wow that was some come back. By the way if Columbus waive Traeger in the waiver draft I think we should pick him up and try him out he might be a solid player in the future.
At the beginning of the season I said (I think) that if we didn't make it to the Eastern Conference Finals, then we had a bad season... come to think of it, I may have said if we didn't make it to the MLS Cup Championship, then it was a failure... but after going through the ups and downs of this season, the ecstatic highs followed by crippling lows and the constant turmoil of dealing with close loses again and again, my expectation have readjusted. We made the playoffs, and I'm damn thrilled. If we get shut out in both of our next games, it doesn't matter. Sure, I'll admit, we didn't look good crossing the finish-line. No, in fact, we didn't look good for most of the season. We were not the best in the race and we sure as hell didn't have the best form. No, we looked mighty pathetic entering that last mile, but we did it. We stumbled across the finish line after a last ditch effort to beat that person behind us that was coming on fast. We had a hard, hard race that was marred by broken legs, season ending injuries, French flues, National Team call-ups, red card suspensions, a change in leadership, and declined transactions. We faced frustration after frustration and we fought through it as a team. If things had occurred differently and we missed the playoffs again, we could have looked at all these things and said we it just killed us. But it didn't kill us. We fought through it and broke free. We played an ugly, gritty, ballsy brand of football that was held together by one thing... well two things. The first thing was a common focus, "Return to Glory." It was sold at every level of this organization. The players bought it. They all bought it. Get United to the playoffs at all costs! If someone goes down, someone else steps up and we carry the wounded. They're goal this season was to return to the playoffs. At the beginning of the season, that was what was sold to us. They told us that DC was going back to the playoffs, and they came through. The second thing is what did it for us, and maybe the most important. Heart! They never gave up. They never gave in. Never folded, never fell down without getting back up. They showed more heart this season than this organization has shown us over the last 3 years. They survived the race, they survived the trials, and they did it all together. So, if in two weeks our season comes to an end then I will only be sad that I have to wait through another off-season. But I will not be crying because we lost, be cause that doesn't matter anymore. We proved ourselves that we could do it. And if anything, whatever happens this off-season with retirements or sales or whatever, we've got a core group of guys coming back that have bled together this year and succeeded. And that is very encouraging to me. Viva United!
Though every team suffers through injuries and call-ups and suspensions I think the only team whose losses were as strategically crippling as ours was Dallas and look where they ended up. I think talent wise - when considering the injuries - we're not much different than the Burn. They have no defense. We have no offense. However, we made it to the playoffs, playing in the much tougher Eastern Conference (and if not for Olsen going down could very well have finished second) while they were eliminated two months ago. While DC is the worst team in overtime in the history of MLS, they were the best team in the league this year in the second half. I can't explain those overtime flops, but every game has a second half and DC always showed heart. I don't think KC had a shot in the second half until Armstrong's at the very end. I'd love to see some decent midfield play and a threatening striker, but defense and heart got us into the playoffs and defense and heart are what wins championships.
LA NORTE DUDE! Red/black camo pants? I sawyou, you walked right be me like twice! I was the tall really skinny white dude, glasses, had a home jersey on? Yeah, anyway w/ work won't be able to make it up there this week, but you guys keep doing what your doing, great experiance.
Anyone see Coach Hudson push/smack Quaranta late in 2nd half before sub? It was right in front and appeared odd? Must have missed this in posts... IntheNet
A few random thoughts. Once KC scored it looked like they might take the game seriously. Once we tied it was obvious they lost most of their interest in the game and made sure the game would be a tie. Overtime was a joke. Tino and Hudson was interesting. Except for Martins, no one was warming up, they were watching the game kind of stretching. It looked like one of the coaches was talking to Petrosian about warmups and he was also watching the game. The next thing I see is Hudson coming over and laying into Tino and then the push. He's lucky Tino didn't punch him, I would have. It actually looked like Tino was a little confused as to what was happening. Then he started to do some sprints and then went in. I was a little surprised about how angry Hudson was and that he still subbed Tino in. Of course he choices were Tino, Martins or Alegria. Martins isn't a midfielder and I'd choose Tino over Alegria any day of the week. Had we lost and were depending on Chicago to do us a favor, we would have been disappointed. Their 3rd stringer gives up 6 goals, at least 3 should have never gone in. I don't think we match up that well against Chicago, especially with them back at full strength. Remember that the 2 wins we have they were missing at least 3 starters. The game in August that we lost, Chicago had pretty much their A lineup minus Bocanegra and won 3-1. We'll make it competetive, but they have a lot of speed and I think we'll use up too much energy defending and not have anything left for attack (not like we need much the way our offense plays).
I saw it, right in front of me. Tino wasn't warming up as Martins and Alegria were and Hristo said something to Ray about it when he ran by. Ray went over to him and bitched him out right there, saying something to the effect (and I posted this in a thread on Tino) "blah, blah, or you'll never play for me again."
It was because 'Tino was smiling (I might be too if I was getting to come on after all this time) and Ray hates his players to smile - he wanted a mean, take-no-prisoners look instead - it is diiscussed on at least two threads here and the post-game quotes on mlsnet.
Ray shoving Quaranta was not the only confrontation that evening. Tino was physically thrown off the bench and onto the track to begin warming up. There was some angry yelling, and then Q1 started his warmup routine. The "shove" came later.
No, it was along the lines of "what the bleep are you doing watching the bleepity bleep game." Santino had taken a break from the arduous task of stretching and warming up to watch the game.
Random Thoughts Getting burned is one thing. Putting hands on hips and not even trying to recover is another. Next time he appears in RFK will be for another Aguila/El Salvador bitch-slapping. That was Bruce Arena, happy to see his team back in the playoffs. Exhibit #229 in why Tino needs a change of scenery. Even if he does have talent, he's got so much baggage at this point that both he and the team would be better off parting ways. He's Chivas-bait. And finally, the answer to "Why no Martins" is quite simple. He sucks. See you all Saturday.
AndyMead: Thanks for posting pic... If what you say about Coach Hudson is true, he is not a coach at all! AN IDIOT more likely! InTheNet
I too sit right behind United's bench and was bemused about Hudson shoving Quaranta. However, I don't buy the whole smiling argument being spun by Q and Ramblin' Ray. I think Ray was royally pissed that Quaranta wasn't ready to go in immediately when he was needed. between the 77th and 80th minutes, when the shove happened, Earnie Stewart was clearly in trouble and could barely play. So, Hudson went over to Trask to tell him (I think) to sub in Quaranta. When Trask said (I think) Quaranta isn't ready yet, Hudson went nuclear and marched right over to Quaranta to give him the business. Tino was clearly shocked but did get himself ready and went in in the 83rd minute. Meanwhile Earnie was playing hurt and even got a shot to the head to go with his pronounced limp. Hudson seemed to me to be very angry about Earnie having to go those extra minutes because Tino chose to watch the game instead of warmup properly. His smiling may have played a part, but I think Ray was ready to boil over anyway. Especially if it turns out those extra 3-6 minutes on the field worsened Earnie's injuries. Regardless, Quaranta needs to grow up. That's just inexcusable to not be ready when expected. For example, I saw Martins at the after game party and asked why he warmed up for the whole second half and was still warming up even in the 98th minute and he said the coach told him Cerritos might be forced out of the game at any time and to be ready if that happened. I presume Quaranta was told the same thing as they were both supposed to be warming up, but only Martins (and Chino) were actually getting ready. The "smiling" comment may be how they are playing it to ease the tensions, but if Earnie ends up missing the Chicago game (and we lose, or Q plays bad as as Stewart's replacement), I'm betting Hudson won't be discussing smiles with his wayward teenage project.
I was in the dugout area during the exchange and Hudson clearly said " Don't you f-ing laugh at me " and some other things that I don't recall. But Hudson was pretty worked up about it.
Marco... What a coach is suppose to do and what a coach is not suppose to do are very clear, especially in front of 20,000 fans! Since the story behind this shove is unclear, I think further explanation is warranted. I hope a reporter asks Hudson about it since it happened right in front ! Regardless, however, the whole team needs anger management classes as this is not the first time both Hudson and Stoichkov have pushed folks right in front of fans...speaking to the issue of Quaranta being ready to go in or not: this too sounds like a coaching issue...Trask probably! I never heard of someone not ready to go in.. most of the players are desperate to get playing time and are ready to go at a moments notice! Most likely reason > Hudson is not up to coach MLS in such a clincher game as this he cannot manage his emotion! He should be fired for such displays! IntheNet
I remember this part too. And Hudson did say "or you'll never play for me again". I just don't know what was said before. It may be the "Don't you f-ing laugh at me" part. I was in 110 row 2, I assume you guys were that close as well, although it wasn't exactly a quiet exchange.
inthenet Don't you think that's kinda weeny-rific? Its a big game. If tino's sitting there w/ his thumb up his a$$ not prepareed to go in, shouldn't he get yelled at? shoved a little? It's not like Hudson hit him in the head w/ a hammer or anything. Tino's a professional soccer player, if getting jumped on by the coach in front of fans rattles him that much, he should get a new job. This is complete garbage on my end though, didn't see it, wasn't involved, don't have a clue what it was over, presumably wrming up issues. Just another monday morning mid-fielder.