Um, you should probably read this, especially if you have any interest in US Soccer or Major League Soccer. Basically, former USMNT player and Fox Soccer analyst Eric Wynalda gets all out of character and speaks his mind and pulls his punches at the recent NSCAA Convention in a lecture cleverly titled “Why Not US.” Go ahead. Don’t be embarrassed. As you’ll soon see, he isn’t.
If you love perms or Didier Drogba, you’ll love the Les Éléphants shirt …
Spain is trying to conquer the world again. This time, they might succeed.
Manchester United will be playing the MLS All-Stars on July 27 at Red Bull Arena. This is the second consecutive year that the English Premier League giants will be crossing the pond to face MLS’ finest. It will be a high profile match in one of the league’s premier soccer-specific venues.
A game of this stature, that will surely feature some of the world’s best players, deserves a halftime show to match. Continue Reading »
Attitude. Stubble. Warrior. Braveheart.
Pretend for a moment that William Wallace managed a soccer team. After signing on the dotted line and facing the media to discuss his transition from freedom fighter to manager, one of Wallace’s first tasks would be recruiting an army, one, presumably, that would reflect his, shall we say, brave spirit.
But what type of player would Wallace pursue?
Wallace, like any manager, would surely consider a player’s technical ability. But there are more important traits than technique in William Wallace’s world. Ultimately, it’s a player’s heart that would convince him to loosen the purse strings. But heart isn’t always an easy thing to measure, especially when you’ve spent the majority of your adult life roaming the countryside without access to the internet and all of a sudden come face-to-face with a bloated transfer market. So a back up plan is necessary.
Thankfully, there is a relatively uncomplicated alternative. When the measure of a player’s heart can’t be easily ascertained, an easy out is to unearth players who look like they have heart. Said another way, a shortcut to assembling a team of Bravehearts is to target players who might be cast, at a minimum, as extras in Braveheart.
So, shortcut it is.
With the help of Sean Rubio (@elecseanica on Twitter), we’ve pulled together a starting 10 for an All-Braveheart team. Why starting 10, you say? Simple. Because a team of Bravehearts has no need for a goalkeeper.
Let’s get started with the unveiling of the team. Continue Reading »
John Terry, a man you may know from Bridgegate and Tour-for-moneygate, is now back in the limelight in the latest episode of England Captaingate.
England manager Fabio Capello has reinstated his former captain as England’s new temporary-permanent captain, replacing the injured Rio Ferdinand in what can only be described as a Capello-esque manner. The decision, like all of Capello’s now trademark decisions, has been everything but straight-forward and has sparked heated debates about the merits of Terry’s reappointment as captain. But does it matter who sports the elastic armband for England? Probably not.
Injuries aside, players who have captained Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United all suit up for England. Add to the mix, Wayne Rooney, Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole, and you can hardly say that England is a team devoid of leaders. Devoid of role models, maybe, but certainly not devoid of people with experience exchanging flowers and pennants before games, shaking hands, leading other highly-paid, grown men on walks out of tunnels, smiling at dignitaries, indiscriminately cursing at referees, and speaking at press conferences.
Yet from the media coverage surrounding the England captaincy, you might think that England’s deficiencies on the field are down to a lack of leadership. It’s a puzzling framing of England’s problems that doesn’t quite match up with reality. Continue Reading »
President Barack Obama needs to work on his touch if he truly wants to be in contention for a roster spot for the 2011 Gold Cup, and eventually, the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Thankfully for Obama fans, time is on his side.
One of Obama’s biggest obstacles to raising his game is the group of staffers/embassy officials/state department staff standing in the background while he’s juggling, clapping emphatically because it’s their job. They seem like overly supportive parents who repeatedly tell their child that s/he is amazing, even when a dose of reality might help the child improve. Continue Reading »
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[The following should be read in a baritone voice.]
WELCOME to NUTMEG RADIO MIXTAPE No. 4: THE TEXAS-STYLE QUIET STORM!! Shhhh. Keep your voice down. This week we’re slowing it down and taking the mixtape back to its origins. Yes, I’m talking about the slow jam. Dropping some sensitivity on you today, with a personal selection of jams and memories, is none other than Orlando City S.C. midfielder/forward Jamie Watson, the man who tweets much harder than you Facebook. Continue Reading »
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Football for Change is a feature in which Nutmeg Radio highlights work being done by organizations across the globe using soccer to promote development.
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