Limestone Roof
Limestone Roof

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Weekend 129.1

Everton 3 - Manchester United 1

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Sunday, January 31, 2010

126.0

What Don DeLillo's Books Tell Him (WSJ)

Wood Toys by Anna Mezenova

Landon Donovan: First EPL goal at Everton

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Saturday, January 23, 2010

Weekend 125.0

Soccer
Fulham Football Club Provides Update on Clint Dempsey Knee Injury: U.S. Men's National Team midfielder Clint Dempsey will not require surgery on an injured knee, according to a statement from Fulham Football Club following an MRI evaluation.

Donovan open to staying with Everton beyond MLS opener

Baseball
A's prospect leaving baseball for call of the priesthood
You have got me walking up and down all day under those trees, saying to me over and over again, "Solitude, solitude." And You have turned around and thrown the whole world in my lap. You have told me, "Leave all things and follow me," and then You have tied half of New York to my foot like a ball and chain.

- Thomas Merton, The Seven Storey Mountain
Segway Polo, Anyone?
64 Things Every Geek Should Know

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Saturday, December 12, 2009

Whoever invented rope...

...was a real a-hole!

(1) Everton in talks to sign Donovan on loan

(1a) Howard: Donovan Will Bring Strength

(2) How to Make GeekKids Watch Sports

(3) Impotent futurism: the design of Allende's cyber-utopian boondoggle (first seen on Instapundit)

(4) From the Greek poet Hesiod:

And I wish that I had no part
in the fifth generation
of men, but had died before it came,
Or been born afterward:
For here now is the age or iron. Never by daytime
will there be an end to hard work and pain
nor in the night
to weariness.


(5) Shameful: 83 percent of Americans failed a basic test on knowledge of the American Revolution and the principles that have united all Americans.

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Friday, December 04, 2009

2010 WC Draw

The US is in Group C with E-N-G-E-R-L-A-N-D!

(1) Donovan relishing England test

(2) Rooney: We're full of confidence

(3) WORLD CUP 2010: Group of joy! Draw hands delighted Fabio Capello ideal route to emulate Sir Alf Ramsey

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Thursday, November 12, 2009

Weekend 119.0

It starts when I say so.

(1) World's Fastest Superliner Awaits Rebirth—or the Scrap Yard
Out of service for 40 years, the SS United States still holds speed records. But what fate awaits this storied piece of naval history?

(2) Braves' Hudson signs three-year extension

(3) U.S. player Charlie Davies released from D.C. hospital

(4) THE VENTURE BROS.: It's Side 2 of Dark Side of the Moon! He's in a Floyd Hole.

(5) Rebel clubs plan breakaway North American league

(6) Microsoft Protection Center: Win32/FakeSpypro - This is a real nasty bugger.

(7) Bill Gates comments on the folly of government regulation in economic/human activity.

(8) Must Read Book: The Sellout: How Three Decades of Wall Street Greed and Government Mismanagement Destroyed the Global Financial System by Charles Gasparino

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Friday, October 30, 2009

Weekend 117.0

In Soccer, It's Manchester Divided: A Gritty Town Finds Itself With Two of the World's Richest Teams—and an Epic Rivalry (WSJ)

Grave Matters: The surprising origins and enduring importance of Arlington National Cemetery. (WSJ)

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Sunday, October 11, 2009

USA Qualifies for World Cup!

The US defeated Honduras 3-2 on the road to advance to the World Cup! Second half goals from Casey and Donovan (and a missed PK) send the US to South Africa.

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Saturday, September 12, 2009

Weekend 112.0 (Wheels Up Edition)

"I don't need a soccer lecture from a hillbilly!"
- Homer Simpson

Clark leads U.S. past Trinidad & Tobago
Road victory puts U.S. on verge of sixth consecutive World Cup berth
North, Central America and Caribbean Standings

Other Weekend Links
Agency Executives Need to Get Out on Motorcycles More Often

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Thursday, September 10, 2009

A rainy pitch

The art of Makoto Shinkai.

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Monday, September 07, 2009

Weekend 111.1

Random Weekend Links

(1) U.S. overcomes another slow start to down El Salvador


Football Hooligans

(2) The best British Airways' adverts ever

(3) Boxes to help you get organized!

(4) The art of John Berkey

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Sunday, August 30, 2009

Weekend 110.1

A superb goal by Wells Thompson of the New England Revolution.

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Thursday, August 20, 2009

Weekend 109.0

(1) Three candidates for the new Limestone Roof quote/phrase:

"...between these two kinds of death we are either drowned or slaughtered."

"Like compulsively pressing a bar for food pellets you have no intention of eating."

"A shitload of suffering is what we're really talking about."

(2) ESPN is broadcasting English Premier League matches. The match for Saturday, August 22 is Manchester United versus Wigan Athletic. Manchester was upset last week by Burnley (Manchester United = Yankees, Burnley = Pittsburgh Pirates).

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Monday, August 10, 2009

Tangoing with El Tri in Estadio Azteca

US MNT(1) U.S. focus back on World Cup qualifying and Mexico
(2) Big dogs in soccer must rule their own backyard
(3) Bradley names U.S. roster to face Mexico
(4) US Squad: Adu, Wynne, Pearce, Califf, Kljestan, Beasley Dropped: Holden, Marshall Retained from Gold Cup
(5) Seven MLSers set to take on Mexico in qualifier
(6) U.S. players like their chances at Estadio Azteca
(7) World Cup seeding -- and pride -- at stake when the U.S. men's soccer team faces Mexico in qualifier
(8) The official redesigned U.S. Soccer site - very nice and very needed.

Running Post: Updates through Thursday, August 13.

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Saturday, August 08, 2009

Weekend 108.0

(1) I took this picture when I was out-and-about with Burgoyne. It looks like a toy.

Related
Honda Scooters

(2) This goal by Landon Donovan comes at the expense of my New England Revolution but it's a beauty. I wish he saved it for El Tri.

(3) R2-Q5 on YouTube and Woookieepedia. You can purchase a remote-controlled version of R2-Q5 at Amazon.

(4) A very cool distressed version of V.I.N.CENT from Disney's The Black Hole sold at the San Diego Comic Con. The art toy was created by MINDstyle.

(5) Information about the upcoming D23 Expo at the Anaheim Convention Center (September 10–13, 2009). D23 is the first official community for Disney fans.

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Thursday, July 23, 2009

Gold Cup 2009

The US MNT defeated Honduras 2-0 in their semifinal match. They will play the winner of the Costa Rica/Mexico match this Sunday. The US is vying for their third consecutive Gold Cup title.

Notable
The second goal by Kenny Cooper in the 89th minutes was brilliant.

Related
Honduras 0-2 USA: Young Yanks Headed to Final

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Saturday, July 18, 2009

Weekend 105.2

The US MNT defeats Panama 2-1 in overtime for a semifinal berth in the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- With just one regular in the starting lineup, the United States rallied past Panama into the semifinals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Kenny Cooper converted a penalty kick in the 105th minute, giving the two-time defending champions a 2-1 victory and a semifinal berth against Honduras, which beat Canada 1-0 in the opener of Saturday's doubleheader.

In Sunday's quarterfinal doubleheader, Guadeloupe meets Costa Rica and Mexico faces Haiti in the first sporting event at the Dallas Cowboys new stadium at Arlington, Texas. The semifinals are Thursday in Chicago.

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Monday, July 13, 2009

Onyewu We Go!

U.S. 2010 World Cup roster projection

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Sunday, July 12, 2009

Weekend 104.3 (GOAL)

The Stuart Holden Goal in stoppage time against Haiti. Awesome!

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Weekend 104.2

One Year, One Nation - Outside the Lines on ESPN

The 2010 FIFA World Cup, to be played next summer in South Africa, means so much to this nation that is just 15 years removed from authoritarian apartheid rule. Bob Ley, host of "Outside the Lines," (Sunday, 9 a.m. ET on ESPN) reports from Johannesburg, Cape Town and Soweto about Africans' passion for soccer and what the investment in infrastructure means -- if anything -- to their lives.
More...
South Africans insist they will be ready
Host Cities for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa

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Saturday, July 11, 2009

Weekend 104.0

The U.S. MNT plays Haiti tonight at 7:00 PM EST in their final match of group play in the CONCACAF Gold Cup. The U.S. is 2-0 in group play.

Updates
¤ The U.S. leads 1-0 in the 20th minute. The match is on TeleFutura.

¤ It's half time and U.S. still leads 1-0. What a sloppy half.

¤ The U.S. has conceded two goals in the first 5 minutes of the second half and now trail 2-1.

¤ It's the 65th minute and the U.S. is still searching for an equalizer.

¤ Holy Crap! Equalizer!! Equalizer!! Equalizer!! The goal, a beautiful strike from distance by Stuart Holden, comes in the waning seconds of stoppage time (90+).

Post Match Headlines
Holden's strike keeps U.S. unbeaten in group play
Late Goal Seals Group B For U.S.
U.S. ties Haiti 2-2, wins Gold Cup first-round group

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Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Soccer Upset!

The U.S. Men's National Team pulled off one of the biggest upsets in its history in the semifinals of the FIFA Confederations Cup, beating No. 1-ranked Spain 2-0.

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Sunday, June 21, 2009

Weekend 102.2

The US just defeated Egypt 3-0 in the FIFA Confederations Cup and will move on to the semis! They will play Spain on Wednesday.

U.S. 3-0 Egypt: U.S. headed to semis

USA secure unlikely Confed Cup progress

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Saturday, June 20, 2009

Weekend 102.0

(1) Blatter: MLS must move season

(2) U.S. far from ready for World Cup

(3) Beasley apologizes to teammates for his mistake

(4) Revs raising game for title defense

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Saturday, June 13, 2009

Weekend 101.0

My BLOG is being expropriated by Burgoyne.

Maple Story 2009

(1) The FIFA Confederations Cup begins tomorrow in South Africa. The US MNT is one of eight teams competing in this WC warm-up.

(2) Jones turns back on Germany to play for USA


(3) Will you marry me at the airport?

"Yes, airports. For many travelers, an airport may be the least romantic spot on earth. But airports have played an important role in plenty of love stories. Many couples first meet while working at an airport. Others meet while flying on an airplane or while hanging around at an airport."

(4) Notable Quotes: "Oh I'm sorry, that's off limits. Now if you'll excuse me for a second, I have to go to the bathroom for about 30 minutes as I eat a lot of meat."

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Tuesday, June 09, 2009

Merry Olde England

London tube strike won't delay England qualifier

Battered and bruised: A mauling for the left across much of Europe, and especially in Britain

Update

Andorra hit for six

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Sunday, June 07, 2009

Weekend 100.0

With a gritty 2-1 comeback win against Honduras, the U.S. national team took a major step toward ensuring World Cup qualification...

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Sunday, May 31, 2009

Weekend 99.0

New England RevolutionNew England 2-1 D.C.: Ralston the hero (Twellman is back)

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Thursday, May 28, 2009

Pitch Bits (Football News)

English Soccer's Morning After: Years of Unrestrained Growth Brought Heaps of Glory -- and Debt; 'We Are in Serious Trouble' (WSJ)

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Friday, May 08, 2009

Weekend 96.0

(1) Stalin's Lost Railway

(2) Design Tutorial: Creating a Propaganda Poster

(3) 1984

(4) 30 Worth Seeing Stencil Graffiti Artworks

(5) Good vs. Evil Foosball

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Thursday, April 02, 2009

Thursday Semi-Spectacular

Weekend Kick-Off (Almost)

(1) Riding the Rails in Tokyo is Overwhelming, But Easy

(2) Eriksson sacked by Mexico

(3) U.S. 3-0 T&T: Altidore hits hat trick

(4) Did you know that Limestone Roof offers the largest selection of Playmobil® tires on the Internet?

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Saturday, March 28, 2009

Weekend 90.0

(1) U.S. Men's National Team Heads to El Salvador For FIFA World Cup Qualifier

(1A) U.S. Posts Remarkable Come-From-Behind Tie in El Salvador as Altidore and Hejduk Score to Erase Two-Goal Deficit

(2) Umbro Launches New England Football Shirt

(3) England 4-0 Slovakia (International Friendly)

Resplendent in a new white shirt, nicely designed but at odds with the mud-heap on which he must perform, the Liverpool skipper, roaming inside at will from his left-side station, evaded capture with a magnificent drag back before drilling a low cross to the near post.

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Friday, March 13, 2009

Weekend 88.1

ADD OCD DIY? Organize and Shelve Books by Color

A Weathered Apple

Playmobil Chromatic


Disney's Wonderful World of Color


More Playmobil
Crash!
Flight 1021

Football
Kasey Keller back home in Seattle to finish career
Revs train in Austin

Robots
Coca Cola Robots

Other Stuff
The History of Vans (Sneaker Freaker Magazine)

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Tuesday, February 10, 2009

US MNT World Cup Qualifier

**UPDATE**
The US MNT defeat Mexico 2-0. Michael Bradley scored goals in the 43rd and 90th minute.

The US MNT has a BIG World Cup Qualifier tomorrow night against archrival Mexico. The match is in Columbus, Ohio @ 7:00 PM ET and is being televised on ESPN2.

Need something to get you fired up? Watch this video of gringo voodoo dolls being sold at Blockbuster. This will raise your ire and get you to watch!

Related
Looking for a company to boycott? How about Blockbuster.
Converge on Columbus
Bradley calls on experienced players to step up
Groups and Standings (FIFA)

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Saturday, October 11, 2008

Weekend 69.0

I wanted to listen to the England versus Kazakhstan WC Qualifier on BBC Radio 5 but was thwarted by some tart with a pleasant sounding voice prattling on about 'unauthorized rights'. I will settle for the US versus Cuba WC Qualifier from Washington DC later this evening.

How about a quote?

"For a long time I lay there, thinking about the grass. Right then, there didn't seem anything else to think about - excerpt perhaps the only other commodity the plains had in abundance which, of course, was solitude." - John Gimlette

Limestone Library - Dwell Magazine

The roads—and the routes and the paths, the trails and the rights-of-way—take us away and they bring us home. They make us who we are and they make the places where we live.

Perpetual Motion: Vol. 1
Perpetual Motion: Vol. 2
Perpetual Motion: Vol. 3
Perpetual Motion: Vol. 4

Unrelated
Does the History Channel offer any programming about history and shouldn't programs like Monsterquest and UFO Hunters be on the Sci-Fi channel? I think Shockwave should be on Spike TV.

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Wednesday, August 06, 2008

The REVS earn some hardware

Revs Capture SuperLiga 2008 Crown
The New England Revolution took revenge on the Houston Dynamo and won SuperLiga 2008 after a penalty kick shootout that finished 6-5.

Revs finally get revenge on Dynamo
After losing back-to-back MLS Cup Finals, New England emerges on top

Related
Revolution edge Dynamo in penalty kicks
Crew acquire Noonan from New England

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Friday, July 04, 2008

How you like them apples?

Happy July 4th. I'm a little late with the graphic and the well-wishing but I was watching Burgoyne skate illegally in the downtown area(er) this afternoon. This is a brief respite before we trudge to the beach for fireworks and SLURPEES from 7-Eleven.

I love the 4th. Mickey Mouse, 7-Eleven and baseball soccer‬‬†‬‬!

†The New England Revolution are in Los Angeles this evening to take on the Galaxy!

UPDATE 1
New England Revolution 2 - Los Angeles Galaxy 0 (Halftime)

Update 2
Revs rejoice, hold off Beckham, Galaxy

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Saturday, June 28, 2008

Weekend 57.0

In case you haven't noticed I'm on my summer posting schedule. Today I'm off on a short road trip with General Burgoyne and Pervy Sage to watch Twellman take the pitch for the first time since May 11.

We're also going to see WALL•E on Sunday and so far the reviews have been stellar. The story is post-apocalyptic (maybe even dystopic) and includes a bevy of robots with a forlorn WALL•E as the main character.

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Saturday, June 21, 2008

Bermuda National Team: Gombey Warriors

Big match a sell out
Hordes of fans lined up yesterday to get tickets for Bermuda's football match against Trinidad on Sunday, which is being anticipated as one of the biggest sporting events on the Island in years.

Source


Related

Bermuda's goal-den chance
More tickets for sale!
Moment of truth in New World

Update
Trinidad & Tobago 2 (3) - Bermuda 0 (2) (FINAL)
Trinidad advances on aggregate.

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Sunday, June 15, 2008

Orange, Bermuda, Revolution and Wounded Football Giants

It's a BIG football weekend. It started yesterday when Croatia defeated Germany 2 - 1 in Euro2008™ to take sole possession of first place in Group B. Play resumes in the group of death [Group C] this afternoon when the Netherlands play former WC champions France. Italy, still licking their wounds from that humiliating defeat against the Netherlands, will try to climb out of the bottom of the table when they play Romania.

Meanwhile, the New England Revolution shut out the Houston Dynamo 2 - 0 on the road to solidify their place on top of the Eastern Conference Standings. Both teams were missing key players due to national duty in World Cup qualifying. New England was without Khano Smith who will play for Bermuda this weekend in a WC qualifier against Trinidad and Tobago. The Dynamo were missing Brian Ching who is with the US MNT in California as they prepare for the 1st leg of their WC qualifying campaign against Barbados on Sunday.

Weekend Updates

Netherlands 4-1 France: Dutch master class
Trinidad game 'biggest of my career' – Khano
Beware the dangers of complacency
Breaking News: Bermuda defeats Trinidad

**UPDATE**
Bermuda WINS 2 - 1!
Trinidad and Tobago suffered the biggest shock of the round, losing to rank outsiders Bermuda in their own capital, Port of Spain. The team that qualified for Germany 2006 were one down after only eight minutes when journeyman striker John Berry Nusom hit home. Stern John drew level in the 22nd minute, but Nusom grabbed the winner, and his second on the night, five minutes before the break in a 2-1 win for Keith Tucker's Bermudans.

Source

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Sunday, June 01, 2008

Weekend 55.1 (Turf War)

My money is on the hooligans.

Culture Clash: Soccer Fans, Art Elite Butt Heads
Annual Dealers' Fair In Basel Is Overrun By Euro-Cup Followers

Here's the money quote:
"They are also turning over their "hooligan database" to Basel authorities to help keep potential troublemakers away from the matches, according to Pascale Vögeli, a Euro 2008 spokeswoman."

A hooligan database? Really?

Related
Soccer, as Wall Street sees it (via Soccer Orb)

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Weekend 55.0

I'm not sure why the US Soccer Federation didn't name Sven-Goran Eriksson manager after Bruce was sacked. Now it looks like Sven may end up in our backyard.

Eriksson 'poised for Mexico job'


Only three national teams will qualify from the North, Central America and Caribbean (CONCACAF) zone. A fourth team will qualify if they win a play-off with the fifth-place finisher in the CONMEBOL zone (South America).

I watched Canada play Brazil today in an international friendly in Seattle on Telemundo. Brazil struggled mightily against Canada but eventually prevailed 3-2.

Canada has a good team and Brazil was lucky that the Canadians squandered three easy (very easy) goal scoring opportunities. Julian de Guzman hit a wicked right-foot shot from just outside the penalty area in the 56th minute today to equalize. He's the type of player with the kind of experience that's going to give the US fits.

Bradley better start expecting more from him team or they could miss the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. It will be a huge set-back if our national team fails to qualify.

Mexico has struggled against the US but their fortunes could change with Sven-Goran Eriksson prowling the sidelines. In the 2007 Gold Cup™ the US narrowly defeated Canada 2-1 in a match with some "dubiously friendly" calls. CONCACAF also includes other good programs from countries like Costa Rica, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Panama. Bradley's boys better get the lead out.

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Thursday, May 29, 2008

Seattle Sounders FC

I hope they don't perform like Vista®

Microsoft to sponsor Seattle's new MLS team

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US MNT: Outclassed, outplayed, and outdone

Bradley's boys played pathetically in England. I couldn't watch the match but all the reports, replays, and articles tell the same story. We were thoroughly beaten by a superior squad/program. The Gerrard run made Onyewu look like an amateur.

It's frightening when you consider England failed to qualify for Euro2008™ and our next two friendlies are against Spain (#4 in FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking) and Argentina (#1 FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking). These matches will make us better and maybe one day we won't look so bewildered when we take the pitch against venerable stalwarts like England, Germany, and Brazil.

Related
U.S. thoroughly outclassed by England
Goals From John Terry and Steven Gerrard Power England to 2-0 Victory Over U.S. in London
England 2-0 USA: Terry and Gerrard on target

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Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Time for Smack

Coach Bradley talkin' smack on the eve of the U.S. international friendly against England. Can the U.S. MNT deliver?

USA coach Bradley confident of Wembley win
Gearing Up For ENG

LONDON (May 27, 2008) - The U.S. gearing up for their visit to England's soccer cathedral, as they kickoff the first of three blockbuster friendlies when they face England at famed Wembley Stadium. Coverage on Wednesday, May 28, begins at 2:50 p.m. ET on ESPN Classic and on Galavision starting at 7 p.m. ET/PT.

Source

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Sunday, May 25, 2008

Memorial Day

The story of U.S. Army Private Nicholas Madaras who was killed by a bomb while on foot patrol in Baqouba, Iraq, on Sept. 3, 2006.

Fallen U.S. Soldier's Spirit Lives on in Iraq

Related
Kick For Nick
Pfc. Nicholas A Madaras 'Son Of Wilton'
Remembrance, gratitude, fortitude

Thanks to every U.S. soldier. From the first volunteers in Washington's Continental Army to the brave men who stormed the beaches at Normandy; to those who fought in the jungles of Vietnam, the streets of Baghdad, and the waters of the Pacific. Whether in war or peace, your sacrifices are the cornerstone and bedrock of the freedoms we and so many around the world are entrusted with today.

We will never forget. History will never forget.

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Saturday, May 24, 2008

Weekend 54.1

Kheli Dube scored in the 89th minute and the New England Revolution defeated the 1st place Columbus Crew. The victory earns New England three-points and a share of 1st in the Eastern Standings. This is an impressive road win for the Revs.

Official Report
Dube, Revs steal share of MLS lead
Goal off PK rebound in 89th minute leaves Revs tied with Crew
By Kyle McCarthy / MLSnet.com Staff

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Thursday, May 15, 2008

Twellman Snubbed?

CHICAGO (May 15, 2008) - U.S. Men’s National Team head coach Bob Bradley has named a 33-man player pool that will be used to select rosters for the upcoming trio of blockbuster friendlies against England, Spain and Argentina. The roster for the England match, which will include approximately 22 players, will be announced early next week.

Absent was New England Revolution forward Taylor Twellman; however, it may be due to an ankle injury he sustained in the match against Chivas.

DaMarcus Beasley is on the list of 33. He plays for the Glasgow Rangers who just lost to Zenit St Petersburg in the UEFA Cup final.

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Friday, May 09, 2008

Weekend 52.0

Kudos to MLS Commissioner Don Garber for defending the unique aspect of soccer fandom and to David Beckham for showing up the day before a match in Salt Lake City to tour RSL's new stadium. It was Pele-esque of Beckham to do this and I genuinely hope his commitment to growing football here in the U.S. continues. Did I mention that he's also playing good football right now?

**Do you think Beckham willl travel to London with Landon Donovan for the England versus United States friendly on May 28?

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Sunday, May 04, 2008

Weekend 51.3

Former U.S. Coach Gordon Bradley Passes Away at 74
CHICAGO (April 30, 2008) - Gordon Bradley, a former coach of the U.S. National Team and one of the most significant voices in the American soccer community for over a quarter of a century, passed away yesterday in Virginia at the age of 74. Bradley, a native of England, had been afflicted by Alzheimer's disease.

Bradley's involvement in American soccer ranged from careers as a player, coach and team administrator. His most famous position was as head coach of the high flying New York Cosmos in the 1970s, and he later coached the Washington Diplomats of the NASL.

A former miner from Sunderland, England, Bradley emigrated to the United States where he played in the early days of the NASL. After the league folded, Bradley continued...

Other Pioneers
Gordon outlived two other icons of American soccer- Steve Ross and Lamar Hunt. All were visionaries and labored to bring the World's Sport to the United States.

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Friday, May 02, 2008

Weekend 51.0

I'm kicking off the weekend with a throw-in.

WARNING: The ad contains some mature content.

Ready for Euro 2008?
I lost interest when England failed to qualify and vowed not to watch or blog about the finals (sigh). But I'm a little desperate for quality soccer and since ESPN and ABC are broadcasting every match I feel obligated to watch.

The tournament will start on June 8 with the opening match between co-host Switzerland and the Czech Republic. This is a national team (not club) competition and sixteen teams will vie to be named Europe's best. The teams have been split into four groups and will play in stadia in Austria/Switzerland. The tournament is played every 4 years and was last won by Greece.

Useful Links
UEFA
UEFA Euro 2008 (official site)
ESPNsoccernet
UEFA Euro 2008 Championships

Other Soccer Events/Dates
In addition to playing England this May in London, the US MNT will host† Argentina in East Rutherford (Giants Stadium) on June 8 @ 7:30 PM. These friendlies (Poland, England, Spain and Argentina) are in preparation for the 2010 FIFA World Cup (qualifying matches).

†Host is a misnomer since MOST of the fans in that 80,000+ stadium will be supporting Argentina.

The MLS (Major League Soccer) All-Star game will be played on July 24 at BMO Field in Toronto against West Ham United from the EPL (English Premier League). I watched Toronto FC play the New York Red Bulls on MLS Primetime Thursday (ESPN2) and was very impressed with BMO Field. The home team played to a 1 - 1 draw in front of 20,000 fans!

The Red Bulls are going to play in a soccer-only facility in 2009 and it will be a boost for the league/sport/team. There's something a little amateurish (and desperate/dire/pathetic) about watching the Red Bulls play on the turf at Giants Stadium over dimly faded football (NFL) markers. It also doesn't help that the seating capacity at Giants Stadium is 80,000+ and the Red Bulls only draw 10-15,000.

Love 'em or hate 'em?

I hope I appreciate GOOGLE this much when they're providing intelligence to the re-education committee and shock troops that are rounding up conservatives (please, may I bring my copy of Fear and Trembling to camp). A keyword search "wigan fc" yields the following results (see above). The sponsored link is old news but the match score in real time is very cool. It's such a simple idea.

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Sunday, April 27, 2008

Weekend 50.2

Where's Sven?
The last time England played the U.S. MNT in an international friendly Sven-Goran Eriksson was their manager. The U.S. was led by Bruce Arena, who now manages the Red Bulls (no word on whether or not his pants are still involved in the sport). His MLS club is at the bottom of the Eastern Standings.

Meanwhile, Sven is managing Manchester City in the English Premier League. His club is 15-10-11 and in 9th overall (9 of 20).

The U.S. MNT will play England at Wembley on Wednesday, May 28th. They last met on the same date in 2005 in Chicago, IL before a crowd of 47,637. The U.S. lost 2-1.

I went to the match with my brother and it was equaled only by the NFC Championship between the New York Football Giants and the Minnesota Vikings. There's a photograph of Sven I took in this set on Flickr.

The English will play Trinidad and Tobago a couple of days later at Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain. This match is notable for Bermuda who will play the Caribbean titans in their campaign to reach the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

***UPDATE 1***
I just learned that Bruce Arena is NO longer with the Red Bulls. He (and his pants) will miss the opening of Red Bull Park which is scheduled for 2009.

***UPDATE 2***
Ball: City's players united behind Eriksson

Manchester City's players are uniting behind manager Sven-Goran Eriksson to try to quell uncertainty over the Swede's future.

Eriksson met City's Thai owner Thaksin Shinawatra twice over the weekend but speculation over his position refuses to die down.

City's 3-2 home defeat by relegation strugglers Fulham on Saturday did nothing to help Eriksson's cause, especially as Thaksin was at the game.

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Friday, April 25, 2008

MLS: New England Revolution

Khano Smith's goal in the 72nd-minute last night gave the New England Revolution a win on the road against unbeaten FC Dallas. Smith also plays for the Bermuda National Team and his performance was reported in the Royal Gazette.

The Revolution were playing without several regulars (injuries) which makes the points from this away win so impressive. New England is tied with Kansas City in the Eastern Standings with 10 points (3-1-2). Their next match is at home on May 3rd against the Chicago Fire.

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Tuesday, April 08, 2008

You'll Never Walk Alone

Watch a replay of this match! Even if you don't like (or know anything about) football.

Liverpool 4-2 Arsenal: Frenetic finish at Anfield

In other UEFA Champions League quarter-final matches Manchester United, Chelsea, and Barcelona all win on aggregate to advance to the semi-finals. The first leg of the semi-finals begins on Tuesday, April 22, with Liverpool hosting Chelsea. Barcelona hosts Manchester United on Wednesday, April 23. Three of the four semi-finalists are club teams from England's Premier League.

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Tuesday, April 01, 2008

Football Notes (Pitch Bits)

The New England Revolution defeated the Houston Dynamo 3 - 0 to start the season but lost Taylor Twellman and Steve Ralston to injuries.

The U.S. MNT will play England in a friendly at Wembley Stadium on May 28th.

The Bermuda National Team defeated the Cayman Islands 3 - 1 and will advance to the second round of CONCACAF qualifying. They will now play Trinidad and Tobago in their campaign to reach the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Trinidad and Tobago are currently #93 in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Rankings and played in their first World Cup finals in 2006 (Group B).

Related
'It's all-out war' declares BFA boss
Bermuda Football Association (BFA) president Larry Mussenden has declared an all-out football war on 2006 World Cup debutants Trinidad and Tobago...

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Thursday, February 07, 2008

Football News (Soccer)

United States
The U.S. Men's National Team played Mexico to a 2-2 draw in an International Friendly on Wednesday night at a sold-out (70,103) Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas. The U.S. was flat and fortunate to draw. Bradley was a disaster in the midfield and Donovan played uninspired football. Dempsey scored a goal in the 42nd minute but it was called back for offsides (awful call). The U.S. goals came from Oguchi Onyewu and Jozy Altidore.

The U.S. has dominated the series of late, collecting an 8-0-1 home record against Mexico since 2000.

E-N-G-E-R-L-A-N-D
The English National Team has been neutered (just like all of England). The English National Team failed to qualify for UEFA EURO 2008™ and would struggle to play Canada to a draw. They did defeat a UEFA EURO 2008™ bound Swiss team 2-1 in an International Friendly on Wednesday. The goals came from Jermaine Jenas and Shaun Wright-Phillips. It was the first match for newly appointed England manager Fabio Capello.

Bermuda
The Bermuda National Team was stunned at home by the Cayman Islands in a 1-1 draw in a World Cup 2010 qualifier. The match was played at the National Sports Centre (NSC) in Hamilton, Bermuda. The second leg of the match will be played on March 30 in the Cayman Islands. The winner will play Trinidad & Tobago in Stage 2 of CONCACAF qualifying.

Related Links
The Royal Gazette
CONCACAF
FIFA
Soccernet
The Official Site of U.S. Soccer

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Saturday, November 17, 2007

Weekend 35.2

Bermuda, New England and Football.

When the New England Revolution take the pitch tomorrow in search of their first MLS Cup Bermuda's Khano Smith will be a starting midfielder.
WASHINGTON (MLS) Mention New England, and most people are apt to conjure up visions of fall foliage, bone-chilling winters, colonial history and the like. But thanks to the island roots of several key players, the New England Revolution's locker room is also laced with the sunny spirit of the Caribbean.
Read more about Khano in The Royal Gazette.



Other football news...

Israel defeated Russia 2-1 in their Euro 2008 Group E qualifying match. The upset revives England's hopes at qualifying. England needs a draw or win against Group E leaders Croatia @ Wembley on Wednesday in order to advance. The National Team will be without Rooney and Owens.

The US National Team defeated South Africa 1-0 in an International Friendly. Steve Cherundolo scored in the 27th minute for the visiting Americans.

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Sunday, June 24, 2007

Gold Cup Update

*****UPDATE*****
The U.S. wins 2-1! B-E-N-N-Y, B-E-N-N-Y, B-E-N-N-Y! I'll post more in a bit...I'm watching the Donovan interview on UNIVISION. I have mucho man love for Landon. The goal by Benny Feilhaber was fantástico!
Landon Donovan scored his 34th career goal, tying Eric Wynalda atop the career list, and Benny Feilhaber connected on a gorgeous volley as the United States rallied for a 2-1 victory over Mexico on Sunday in the final of the CONCACAF Gold Cup, the championship of North and Central America and the Caribbean.

The victory extended the Americans' dominance over their neighbors to the south and gave them a berth in the 2009 Confederations Cup in South Africa. The United States is 9-2-1 against Mexico since 2000, including 8-0-1 on U.S. soil.

Source
The U.S. will play Mexico in the final on Sunday for a berth in the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa. The U.S. was lucky to survive their semi-final match against Canada (see below). It was a nerve-wracking final seconds and a loss to the Canadians would have been a set-back for the program.
Canada had a goal in the final minute of stoppage time waved off Thursday night, preserving the Americans' 2-1 victory and their spot in the CONCACAF Gold Cup final. (ESPN)
There's always one match-changing play that goes unreported and Iain Hume made a save defending the post on a set-piece late in the second half that kept Canada in the match. Hume also scored Canada's lone goal, although the goal in injury time by Atiba Hutchinson should have counted and leveled the score.

Facts

The Americans are unbeaten in 13 matches against the Canadians, a stretch that dates back to 1985 and improved to 9-0-1 since Bradley replaced Bruce Arena as coach.

Frankie Hejduk scored his first goal in almost seven years.

Keller played in his 100th international game, matching Tony Meola's American mark for goalkeepers. With 33 career goals, Donovan moved within one of Eric Wynalda's U.S. career record.

Source: ESPN

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Monday, June 18, 2007

Gold Cup LIVE Post Match Report

***SCROLL FOR UPDATES***
This is a LIVE post match report. I was at the match with my brother and son and we arrived just in time to see the exodus of Guatemalan fans after a 3-0 defeat to Canada.

The U.S. prevailed 2-1 in a lackluster performance against a penalty depleted squad. Panama frustrated the U.S. in the first-half despite being without regular starters Rolando Escobar and Roman Torres. The pace of the match was punctuated by plenty of poor acting (both sides) and frequent fouls. Twellman had SEVERAL opportunities but just couldn't (surprise) find the back of the net and no real rhythm ever developed between midfield and the forwards before the half ended.

Tim Howard made a brilliant save at the start of the second-half that saved his squad from pressing to overcome a deficit for the remainder of the match. Donovan eventually scored on a penalty kick in the 60th minute. The U.S. got another goal two minutes later off the head of Carlos Bocanegra.

After the goals the U.S. fell asleep. Despite playing a man down, Panama scored in the 84th minute and threatened two or three more times before the match ended (after four minutes of injury time).

More tomorrow on Stephen's discovery of the missing Cuban and our escape from some Panamanian hooligans.

A professional assessment of the match that jives with the one I posted.
Howard showed that he is more than capable of making the big save to keep his team in a game. A veteran of three seasons in England, Howard has already played in his share of big matches, including an FA Cup final and Champions League matches, but Saturday was his first U.S. game with something on the line and he delivered with a key save on Blas Perez that kept the game from being 1-0 Panama early in the second half. There wasn't much doubt going into the match that Howard deserved to be No. 1 but he drove home the point with that clutch stop and has had a solid tournament to date.

...Twellman managed to bolster concerns about his ability to perform on the international level. The New England striker was in his home stadium and received his share of chances, but squandered them all. To his credit, Twellman was active and continuously put himself in good positions to receive service and get off shots, but time after time he failed to hit the mark.

Source
The U.S. will play Canada on Thursday, June 21 in Chicago @ 7:00 EST.

Watching the Pitch
The US may play Dempsey up front as the lone forward with Landon Donovan and DaMarcus Beasley in support. Read here to learn why.

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Thursday, June 14, 2007

Soccer and Freedom?

Cuba was playing with two less players last night when they were dismantled by Hondurus in their Gold Cup match.
2 Cuban players are said to have defected
Sources say they abandoned their team before match at Reliant

Two players apparently defected from the Cuban national soccer team before Wednesday's Gold Cup match against Honduras at Reliant Stadium.

Forward Lester More went missing at the team's last stop in East Rutherford, N.J., and midfielder Osvaldo Alonso did not return from a group shopping trip in Houston. Their whereabouts were unknown late Wednesday night.

Read more
Why would anyone be compelled to leave an island paradise? These men must be delusional if Cuba is just 1/4 the way it's described by the NYTIMES and NPR.

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Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Gold Cup Update

***SCROLL FOR UPDATES***

BOSTON (June 12, 2007) - DaMarcus Beasley scored twice, Landon Donovan converted a penalty kick and Taylor Twellman put one in as the U.S. MNT defeated El Salvador, 4-0, to clinch the top spot in Group B. The U.S. will face an unknown opponent in the quarterfinals on Saturday.

Limestone Notes
  • Taylor Twellman (New England Revolution) missed another opportunity late in the second half.
  • The U.S. didn't concede a goal in group play and had a +7 goal differential.
  • DaMarcus Beasley looks fit/sharp.
  • The pressure is on Mexico tomorrow in their Group C match against Panama. Three points may not be enough if Honduras defeats Cuba and has a better goal differential.
  • I saw a pair of sweat pants in the stands that MAY have belonged to Bruce.

    ***UPDATES***
    Mexico beat Panama 1-0 to advance. The U.S. plays Panama this Saturday at 4:00 PM in Foxborough, MA in the Quarterfinals.

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  • Saturday, June 09, 2007

    Weekend 17.0

    The U.S. MNT is undefeated in GROUP B play after yesterday's 2-0 win against Trinidad and Tobago. The final match for the U.S. is this Tuesday against El Salvador at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA.

    Panama leads GROUP C while Guadeloupe sits atop GROUP A. Mexico has a key match against Honduras this afternoon @ 4:00.

    Mass Transit News
    The federal government will provide $2.6 billion to help build a new network of tunnels designed to route New York commuter trains from Long Island to Grand Central Terminal, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters announced in November. The U.S. DOT said the undertaking, known as the East Side Access Project, is the largest ever federal investment in a single transit project. The project will enable trains of Metropolitan Transportation Authority's Long Island Rail Road to operate into the lower level of Grand Central Terminal, shaving more than 40 minutes off daily commutes once it is completed in 2013. The project will include construction of new tunnels under Manhattan and Queens that will connect to the existing 63rd Street Tunnel beneath the East River. The project is needed to remedy the problem many Long Island commuters face of having to ride trains into Penn Station and then backtrack to via subway to jobs in and around Manhattan's East Side.

    Source: Trains, The magazine of railroading

    Limestone Commentary
    Maybe the DOT could use some of our tax dollars on a rapid transit system connecting Penn Station, Grand Central and LaGuardia Airport? According to The Underground Guide to New York City Subways:
    As many commuters will attest, this stop provides the nearest access to LaGuardia Airport. With frequent shuttle buses from just below the station, it is much cheaper than a cab, and you don't have to speak Afghani in order to communicate with your driver.
    Weekly WDW Quiz
    1. What and where am I? This one is easy!

    2. Downtown Disney® is accessible by ferryboat from Disney's _________________ and Disney's Old Key West Resort.

    3. What is the current name of the restaurant once known as "Flagler's"?

    4. Who was Flagler [BONUS QUESTION]?

    5. The Califonia Grill replaced that dinner show at Disney's Contemporary Resort?

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    Sunday, March 25, 2007

    Major League Soccer

    The WSJ MARKETPLACE cover story on Friday was about MLS. The article was titled U.S. Soccer League Finally Hopes to Score. The most notable decision (the one that captured the headlines) was adding the "very sexy curb appeal" of David Beckham. But the league has also; signed an alliance with Germany's Bundesliga [top soccer league], reached agreement on a new tournament pitting MLS teams against Mexican clubs, signed a first-ever lucrative television contract, formed a partnership at a club level with one of England's most venerable clubs [Arsenal] and is allowing team-kit sponsorships/rights.

    Other Soccer News

    England doubtful for EURO 2008 finals in Austria and Switzerland?

    Steve McClaren's side are five points adrift of group leaders Croatia after a goalless draw with Israel in Tel Aviv which means they have taken only two points out a possible nine.

    Source

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    Friday, January 12, 2007

    Football (no, not of the GIANTS and Pats variety) News

    Beckham to join LA Galaxy - David Beckham will leave Real Madrid at the end of the season and join side Los Angeles Galaxy on a £128m ($250m) five-year deal.

    A-W-E-S-O-M-E. Beckham will play alongside Landon Donovan!

    The offical LA Galaxy site is here.

    **UPDATE**

    A very positive article in SI about Beckham's decision to play in the MLS. Here's the money quote:

    The image of Beckham sending crosses onto the head of Landon Donovan for goals is the sort of thing that will be replayed on televisions around the world.

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