Okay, went to yesterday's Freedom game and came away much more impressed than last year. Not surprisingly, the quality of play (on both sides) seemed to be much higher, and higher even then the first doubleheader this year. Of course the crowd is of a different nature but I look forward to seeing more of the Freedom next year. As for the game, Mia Hamm completely took over the game upon her 2nd half entry. She may not be considered the world's best female soccer player anymore but she's the one female player to consistently do things that drop my jaw on a field...including beating 3 players on a left side run before unleashing a wicked left-footed grass cutter to beat Briana Scurry [brilliant and acrobatic yesterday] just inside the far post. Fabulous. Add to that the assist on both other goals (off corner kicks). Oh, well, Bai Jie's header defied belief for the 2nd goal...Hamm from the left hits and in-swinging corner where Bai Jie, who is outside the near post, facing Mia flicks the ball on over her left (toward midfield) shoulder, across the face of the goal - curving it into the far side netting. I was in shock, it almost defies the law of physics and there is probably no way to appreciate that goal without seeing it. It's nice to suffer from a surplus of soccer riches. Anyone who thinks that soccer has not made radical leaps in this country over the past ten years, I would just like to remind them that in 1992 i could not see: A full slate of WC games on tv EVERY DAY Daily coverage of the US National Team in my local paper Final 8? And unhappy losing 1-0 to World Cup finalist Germany An MLS - USMNT doubleheader with 30,000 friends An MLS - WUSA doubleheader An MLS game A WUSA game (including a player more famous than her Red Sox-All Star shortstop-Boyfriend Nomar) The Snickers Youth National Soccer Championship (with free ice cream bars) A player like Etcheverry being ineffective in a US league and a player like Gazza being sent home salud
I watched the game on TV yesterday and thought it was probably the best WUSA games I've seen. Both teams looking to clinch a playoff spot brought out the immediacy that I usually don't see from them. Certainly much better than the game against San Diego at the doubleheader (though it was fun watching Foudy suck out the joint something fierce). All five goals were well-taken and not the result of some horrid defending/goalkeeping. And Mia's was absolutely incredible. Dave
just a lil' OT fact.... Jacqui Little is Nick Rimando's girlfriend. http://www.washingtonfreedom.com/players/jacqui_little/
You picked the right game, uniteo - yesterday's match might have been the best game in WUSA history. Absolutely incredible. It's unlikely the Freedom will host a playoff match, but if so soccer fans should really consider going to see it, if just to say that you saw Mia Hamm live... RS (Freedom board moderator)
well I read jackie (not sure of the spelling), had a boyfriend of 5 years his name is Randy, lived in CA...they were close to marriage. I believe they had broken up recently, boy she recovers fast!!!! No time for a broken heart. YOU GO GIRL!!!!!! Actually I watched the game yesterday and for the first time I was actually cheering the teams on. I really don't like the freedom (but Abby is my girl, I think she rocks). Very glad they made a playoff position...good luck to them.
Freedom games would be a lot better without the canned noise and little girls screaming MIA. I am more likely to watch the game on TV then at the stadium.
What a terrible problem... And...at least we have one soccer team that's being successful. Go Freedom!! I would have gone but I was still drying out from Saturday's RFK event I've got to agree with unitio...we abound in soccer riches, particularly contrasted to seven years ago when the MLS started. And don't forget a Women's World Cup and an Olympic gold are also in that mix. Plus great players coming up on both the women's and men's sides. And, finally, Ben is back. What more could one ask?
I was there with my family (diehard United fans) and a bunch of friends (their first trip to RFK) and about 10,000 other fans, and ya'know, the pony talied hooligans were not to shrill. Cheered when there was action or even a good play from either side. I don't know if the bodies were soaking up the speaker noise or if they've dialed it back, but the crowd initiated most of the noise spontaneously, and I loved the guy with the drum (almost like a DCU event). Yeah, it's a different kind of crowd, but it was much more like a DCU game than any of the Freedom games I went to last year. Heck, I prefer almost any live game to televised soccer. dadman
Hey Victory. Whats up dude? Yeah, the kids get to me too. Repeating of Mia and the banging of balloon stix. I did'nt know Rimando is a casanova gunslinger with the womens team. Hitting on Little and he got her. Rimando scored a goal. One thing I notice about the womens league is they score more goals than the men. I think its because the women keepers are not as tall as men and athletic to block the many shots.
well, i guess you haven't stood ten yards away from Scurry...the things that come out of her mouth...PSYCHO CHIC!!
I'm glad some folks are starting to appreciate the Freedom. I've gone occasionally, but United eats up enough of my time that it's tough to justify. But the product is significantly better this year than last. Very much like the improvement in MLS after the first year. Yeah, the cheering is a little rough on my ears, but I'm definitely hoping for a home playoff match.
Too bad Sunday's match wasn't part of the doubleheader instead of the tepid match vs San Diego - the Atlanta match is considered by many to be the best match in WUSA to date. Especially the last 20 minutes, where each team had like 6-8 high quality chances and players somehow kept up an end-to-end pace despite the sauna-like weather. Games usually die in that kind of heat and humidity after 70 minutes! We had a perfect angle on Bai Jie's goal and we were stunned. While different than a DC United crowd, the atmosphere has gotten better at Freedom matches and I think the team is understanding they need to cater to more than just families to survive. Next year should be even better - the team will advertise 139 as a standing, drumming supporters section and tickets will be dirt cheap there ($99 season ticket, $14 single game). While plenty of girls teams and families still show up, the scene isn't dominated by them anymore.