The Sports Freak and Big Money Tony discuss the Redskins preseason and roster, Georgetown in China, and some Unfinished Business.
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Like most public school kids in this country, I have experienced my fair share of time
capsules over the years. In elementary school we crammed that thing full or Pogs (Microsoft Word doesn't recognize Pogs), Goosebumps books, a copy of Jurassic Park on VHS and a DARE t-shirt. As time went on we pretty much forgot where these time capsules went. One day they will be uncovered, and analyzed as a snap shot of that time period. What would a time capsule tell us about the summer of 2011 and the state of the Washington Redskins? (Insert dream sequence......)
Imagine if you will, a hundred years from now when someone digs up the time capsule from the summer of 2011 and inside they find a copy of the WashingtonPost sports section. Their first reaction will no doubt be confusion, since by that time a Newspaper will be looked at the way we currently look at cave drawings today, extinct.
After the initial moment of confusion passes, someone will read that sports section and what they see we should all fear, because it is so embarrassing. Right there above the fold, "Beck v. Grossman." Guess what, even 100 years from now people will still find it hard to believe that someone would allow one of these two bums to actually lead an NFL team.
As embarrassing as it will be in the future, the reality of today is even more depressing. When you turn on local sports talk or even look at ESPN.com, the main storylines involving the Washington Redskins are about two guys battling for a job neither deserves. Grossman or Beck, I mean honestly who cares? It's like asking lima beans or cauliflower, even the family dog doesn't want that decision. What else you got? Kellen Clemens. Oh, man I think I'm allergic to that.
Another year is rapidly approaching, but somehow I get that same sinking feeling I do every season, except that sinking feeling usually comes around week six, but this time it's not even week two of the preseason. WE ARE F'ED.
May be I'm being too critical. It's possible that Beck could be the guy, but it's not possible that either one of the two should really be starting in the NFL, a quarterback driven league. Notice how I said it's possible that Beck could be the guy and didn't mention Grossman being the guy? There is a reason for that, and it's this, you have to be on some kind of excellent psychedelic drugs to really think that "Sexy Rexy" has somehow put it all together after ten seasons in the league. I mean really high.
Opening Kick: EPL starts with a whimper - After riots in London caused a mid-week friendly between England and the Netherlands to be cancelled; we spent most of the week wondering if the EPL would actually start on time. For the most part it went off without a hitch, excluding the cancellation of the Everton v Tottenham game, but that actually allowed ESPN 2 to pick up the Fulham v Aston Villa game, a pleasant surprise, or so I thought.
Like most sports fans, I like to plan my day around the upcoming fixtures. So when I saw that the Fulham game was the replacement I was pumped, a ten o'clock date to watch Clint Dempsey open up the EPL season followed by my beloved Gunners playing at 12:30. What more could I ask for? So much more, the next four and a half hours of my life featured, zero goals and little to cheer about.
The Fulham game had no real moments of intrigue as Villa collapsed in to defensive shell mode and Fulham lacked the creativity to break it down. The Arsenal game was tough to watch as the Gunners missed time and time again. Then late in the game Joey Barton, the Newcastle United version of Dennis Rodman, grabbed Arsenal striker Gervhino, pulling him off the pitch and began to berate him. Gervhino, slapped at Barton who sold the punch in a way that would have made Bret Hart proud, and fell to the ground. The dive gave Gervhino his walking papers in the form of a red-card as the Gunners limped out of town with a worrisome 0-0 tie. The worst news for Arsenal however, was yet to come.
Not the best showing for the opening week of the EPL. Only three out of the 16 teams in action this weekend gained the maximum three points, five games ended in ties and Chelsea matched Arsenal by not notching a single goal. Manchester United did what they always seem to do, they got a 2-1 result, but they seemed vulnerable. Dave De Gea, the new man between the pipes, looked shaky and with Rio Ferdinand out with injury, a banged up backline will be even more cause for worry. Bolton come out of week one as the big winners so far, after they dismantled QPR 4-0. Still to come is Monday Night Futbol, featuring Manchester City and their new signings taking on newly promoted Swansea, so there is a chance that City will make up for a weekend that came in with a whimper.
Sidebar time: I was impressed by the coverage of the EPL, by both ESPN and Fox Soccer Channel. FSC featured a real studio show for pre/halftime and post-game coverage. It almost felt I was like watching Fox's NFL coverage, just with 3-4 less talking heads. ESPN2 had a nice feature during halftime of the Fulham game detailing Craven Cottage, the home of Fulham FC. The feature gave us a feel for what it's like to actually attend a game in London. Well done.
At the Half: United grab first home win since early May - If forever feels like a really long time, that's because it is. It took DC United what seemed like forever, more than three months to be exact, to finally win at home. A 4-0 thrashing of the cellar-dwelling Vancouver Whitecaps should not be taking lightly. It should be looked at as the next step in the process of a team making a serious playoff push.
Chris Pontius continued to look like one of the best players on the pitch, scoring two goals, while Stephen King and Andy Najar each scored a goal apiece.
The Sports Freak and Big Money Tony discuss the first preseason game, our best of AFC and NFC teams for the upcoming NFL season, and a review of the ACC defection rumors.
This picture is a piece of art hanging in one of the suites at Fedex Field, of the original name of the stadium, Jack Kent Cooke Stadium.
You can find our podcast on iTunes. All the episodes are there and new ones will be published there. Subscribe so you automatically get it by clicking on the iTunes button on the top right.
Special mid-week USMNT Recap
Last night before a crowd of more than 30,000 fans, after five years of flirting, the Jurgen Klinsmann era finally began. And guess what? He had fun!!!
I won't lie seeing Klinnsman's interview after the game, in which he said "I really had fun tonight", summed up how the whole US Soccer contingent is feeling today, we're truly excited and for once in a really long time, we feel optimistic. I didn't feel that way when the game started or for that matter even after the first 70 minutes, but then something happened, something I'm not used to seeing a USMNT coach do, Klinsmann inserted youth and more importantly took a freaking chance. Before the insertion of Juan Aguedelo (18 yrs.), Brek Shea (21 yrs.) and Robbie Rodgers (24 yrs. /Former Maryland Terp) the game was anything but enjoyable for me, so let's reflect on game one of the Klinsmann regime.
Kickoff: We have to begin with the starting line-ups. I quickly got that uneasy feeling when I saw the likes of Edson Buddle and Kyle Beckerman trotting out of the tunnel. Where had I seen these guys before? I will however, give Beckerman credit as he played a solid game in the midfield, and really made a difference winning balls and pushing forward.
Buddle is another story. You will remember Buddle from his LA Galaxy days, where he greatly benefited by playing with Landon Donovan, David Beckham and being coached by Bruce Arena. Buddle as a national team player is pretty pathetic to watch, think a poor man's Eddie Johnson. The buddle inclusion had me worried, add the fact that he was playing as the lone striker, and you've got a recipe for no possession up top and failed run after failed run. Much to my chagrin, I was right, he stunk up the pitch.
The defensive selections had me excited as Edgar Castillo finally got a chance to claim his spot as left back, and even more importantly, I didn't have to watch Jonathan Bornstein attempt to play soccer. Castillo was partnered with the reliable, but aging duo of Carlos Bocanegra and Steve Cherundalo. The final piece of the backline was Michael Orozco Fiscal, which I admit I know nothing about. I know he plays in Mexico making him one of three players who apply their trade in Mexico in the USMNT starting eleven. The other's being Castillo and midfielder Jose Torres. A really good sign since the previous coaching regime seemed to ignore anyone who played below Texas. At first the backline looked shaky, Castillo, who has a tendency to attack on the left side, was caught a few times, and Cherundalo barely missed out on getting a red-card, but all in all nice performance by the US backline.
The rest of the half was pretty un-watchable, failed opportunities, little creativity and barely any possession. ESPN kept going to shots of Klinsmann on the sideline and my first instinct was telling me that this guy looks in over his head. He just didn't look confident at first, but as we found out later he had a couple of cards hidden up his sleeve.
The Sports Freak and Big Money Tony discuss the Redskins return after the lockout, the Nationals good non-trades, and the lack of front court for the Maryland Terrapins.
You can find our podcast on iTunes. All the episodes are there and new ones will be published there. Subscribe so you automatically get it by clicking on the iTunes button on the top right.
United entertain. Futbol is back. Soccer Messiah...
United Entertain: I don't want to sound cynical here, but DC United finally gave the home fans something worth watching. Trust me I know, I watched the last home game against New England and almost went in to a coma, and if I had I no doubt would have had someone pull the plug, that un-inspired 1-0 loss left me wary of investing another night in front of the TV, but I was graciously rewarded. The 3-3 tie had everything a soccer fan could ask for. Right from the start there was something in the air, may be it was the storm that had just rolled through the DC area that broke the haze of humidity, whatever the case the next 90 minutes were anything, but routine.
A mere seven minutes in to the game, United goalkeeper Bill Hamid, charged out of his box to knock the ball away from a streaking Toronto FC attacker. Hamid slid full bore sending the attacker flipping through the air. The tackle resulted in a red-card, less than ten minutes in and Hamid's night was done, and more importantly, United was forced to play 80 plus minutes with ten men. (My buddy joked that Hamid wanted to rest up for his National team call up on Wednesday). It should also be noted that when the goalie gets a red card, you have to take a field player off and sub a goalie on for him. In this case it was midfielder Stephen King (Not that One) who had to leave the game after just seven minutes. I would hate to be that guy, adrenaline pumping, a nice sweat beginning and then boom, you're night is done.
The rest of the game featured something the MLS is known for, poor officiating and something the MLS is rarely known for, a lot of goals, six in total. After allowing play to resume after a clear substitution by DC should have stopped play, the referee inexplicably let play continue while at the same time telling the substitute to come on. For those that don't know, anytime you substitute a player, the action on the field stops, so basically substitutions and injuries are the only times a soccer game stops. Well for some un-explained reason, play did not stop and the result was catastrophe as United, half paying attention, saw Toronto take advantage and score a goal to tie the game at 2-2. As a player few matched Ben Olsen's intensity, and as a coach he's not far off from his field persona. Olsen blew a gasket and berated the refs for this injustice, the result, another red card. For those keeping score that's two red cards, and zero to a field player, that's pretty rare.
After conceding a third goal, DC looked to have squandered points again as they trailed 3-2. In a timely fashion Dwayne De Rosario, the Canadian Dynamo completed his hat-trick (First United hat trick since Luciano Emilio) after a well-placed penalty kick. De Ro was determined to salvage the game, and almost took the full three points narrowly missing on an attempt during injury time. De Ro, as he is affectionately called, has scored DC United's last six goals.
It was no doubt the most entertaining DC United home game in some time.
Futbol is back: Remember all those god awful mismatched preseason tours that we all witnessed during the past month? You know the ones were Manchester United, Barcelona, Real Madrid and other come over to America to escape the European press and vacation by beating MLS teams to a bloody pulp? No? Come on, don't you remember when how they interrupted the flow of the MLS regular season, covered turf fields with actual grass, score lines like 7-0, 6-0, 5-0, a lopsided All-Star game, the US press convincing us that these teams actually cared or that these games actually mattered?
Well rejoice lovers of meaningful sporting events, because that pitiful display of soccer is behind us, for a year at least, and just this past weekend three major European leagues kicked off.
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