I’ll admit to being a bit behind the times since this ad campaign seemed to kick off in October/November of 2005. But I had not seen it until ProPunter linked to it. Nike’s "Don’t Tread On Me" campaign aims to convince Americans that Soccer can be an American game and that we’ve gone from laughing stock to formidable power. The ad, admittedly very jingoistic, still sends a shiver down my spine because it speaks the truth. Soccer is spreading in America and it is spreading quickly. Media consultants often talk about tipping points and many pundits feel that we are fast approaching such a tipping point here in America when it comes to soccer. Are We?

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Someone sent me a link to a really funny keeper video today and I got sucked into searching various video sites for Keeper’s Funniest Videos. Yes, in fact, I do have ADD But that’s another story.

From setting the ball down for an opponents easy shot to a shot no goalie with eyes could have saved, these are pretty funny. Do you know of some others you’d like to share? Post in the comments!

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As the 2006 World Cup approaches, there has been a lot of talk about new technologies that might be used or experimented with. However, the one piece of technology nobody seems to pay attention to is also the most important. The Ball.

The only time the media has really written about it was when there was talk of using the chip embedded balls to detect when the ball had crossed the goal line. When FIFA decided that technology wasn’t ready, technology coverage moved on to the match video coverage, wireless technology being installed, etc. Don’t be fooled. When the players take the pitch in June, they won’t be using your average tournament ball.

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As more and more youth leagues move to small sided games, new situations arise that can make you scratch your head for a second. Take this scenario: The older keepers in a U10 league can often punt the ball right in front of the opposing goal due to the smaller field, though most don’t because you just start a back and forth between keepers as they field each other’s punts. Some leagues have modified rules limiting the distance a keeper can punt the ball, but most don’t.

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TriSoccerFan has a nice collection of 2006 Soccer Schedules for the Triangle Area, including Spring Scrimmage/Tournament Schedules for UNC Men & Women, Duke Men & Women, and NCSU Women. I’ll add to that the Elon Men & Women Spring Soccer Schedules. I wasn’t able to find any schedules for the UNCG Spartans. So if you’re looking for some spring soccer fun at the collegiate level - this might be just the ticket.

Even more exciting is TSF grabbing the tentative ACC Men’s Spring Tournament Schedule via UNC:

According to the latest UNC Spring Schedule (which adds a game against Irish University Select on March 28th), here is the schedule for the ACC Men’s Spring Tournament on April 2nd:

• 10:30 Duke vs UNC
• 11:50 NC State vs Wake Forest
• 1:00 UNC II v. Belmont Abbey
• 1:10 Duke vs. Va Tech
• 2:30 UNC vs. Wake Forest
• 3:50 NC State vs. Va Tech

It is my understanding that this tournament will be played on Fields 2 & 3 Fields 4 & 5 at SAS Soccer Park and admission will be free. I will try to confirm that before the weekend of the games.

This sounds like a LOT of fun. Might have to arrange some carpools for our local kids to attend!

UPDATE: Here is the ACC Women’s Spring tournament schedule via TriSoccerFan:

Here’s the schedule for the ACC Women’s Spring Tournament. The games will be played Saturday, April 1st on Fields 4 and 5 at SAS Soccer Park in Cary. The event will raise money via donations for the 2006 Kicks Against Breast Cancer Campaign.

Time	Field 4	Field 5
09:00am	UNC v Va Tech (Game A)	Boston College v Clemson (Game B)
10:00am	Winner A & B (Game E)	Loser A & B (Game G)
11:00am	UVA v NCSU (Game C)	Duke v Wake (Game D)
12:00pm	Winner C & D (Game F)	Loser C & D (Game H)
01:00pm	Winner E & F	Loser E & F
01:00pm	Winner G & H	Loser G & H

Those of us with kids playing soccer know all about parents yelling and coaching from the sidelines. Debates about it have raged and raged for years. Most soccer parents will agree that soccer sidelines are usually quite interesting and never boring. But parents who go overboard screaming at their kids can ruin it for everyone - the kids included. So when I stumbled across this at the Springfield MO Soccer Blog, I had to share:

A mother is making a breakfast with fried eggs for her teenage son. Suddenly the boy bursts into the kitchen. He screams:

"Careful! CAREFUL! Put in some more butter! Oh my goodness! You’re cooking too many at once. TOO MANY! Turn them! TURN THEM NOW! We need more butter. Oh my! WHERE are we going to get MORE BUTTER? They’re going to STICK! Careful! … CAREFUL! I said be CAREFUL! You NEVER listen to me when you’re cooking! Never! Turn them! Hurry up! Are you CRAZY? Have you LOST your mind? Don’t forget to salt them. You know you always forget to salt them. Use the salt. USE THE SALT! THE SALT!"

The mother stared at him. "What’s wrong with you? You think I don’t know how to fry a couple of eggs?"

The son calmly replied, "I just wanted to show you what it feels like when I’m trying to play soccer."

If you’ve got a parent email list for your league - you really should pass this on. Priceless.

Over at the Springfield MO Soccer Blog, they highlighted a recent NPR report about an Indiana University study that found:

chocolate milk - with its protein, amino acids and carbohydrates - worked best to re-invigorate athletes. The study showed that cyclists who drank chocolate milk in between workouts rode about as long as those that drank Gatorade. And 50 percent longer than those who had another sports energy drink.

Interesting for sure. However, I just can’t see chugging chocolate milk after a workout and for sure not during one. If its pretty much the the same as Gatorade - I’ll take the Gatorade anytime!

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Via the World Cup Blog, I found ProPunter’s Top Ten World Cup Goals. A very nice collection and I’d have to agree that Maradona’s goal was a thing of beauty (as were many of his). As one of the World Cup Blog commentors noted:

I’ve no dispute with Maradona at #1. His explanation for that goal is
priceless, too. He has said that that run proved successful because the
English are the most honorable footballers in the world. I.e., if the
tables were turned, he’d have laid down a crazy tackle to stop it.

Now if you really want to start some arguments and have some fun - combine the MLS Goal of the Decade candidates with the World Cup  Ten and come up with a combined Top Ten list of goals. While we’re at it, let’s toss in Shampoon.com’s Top Ten Premiership Goals. Any takers? What would your Top Ten be?

If you want to see a person’s face do all sorts of weird things, ask a youth soccer administrator about slide tackles! They most likely have dealt with this issue and with parents or coaches wanting to allow it too early, etc. Many youth recreational leagues simply prohibit them and leave it to travel leagues/teams. Others allow it to be taught to players as young as 10. Arriving at any of those positions if often done with much debate and discussion.

The Blue Ridge Classic League website puts it VERY well:

A slide tackle, correctly applied, is a thing of beauty and no risk to either player. A slide tackle, when incorrectly and inappropriately applied, is not only a serious foul, but also risks injury

In most cases, rightly so, the desire to prevent injury outweighs the desire to teach a certain skill to growing players. So when is the right time and place to introduce the slide tackle?

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I’m a little late with this post (finally shopping for a replacement vehicle), but better late than never… The MLS Goal of the Decade was announced today and the winner is Carlos Ruiz’s bicycle kick from FC Dallas’s May 28, 2005, match vs. DC United. It wasn’t even close:

All told, more than 150,000 votes were cast during the month-long competition, with nearly a quarter of them going to Ruiz’s winning goal. After factoring in Ruiz’s other two nominated efforts, the third of which was knocked out in the cutdown after round three, the Guatemalan marksman garnered just less than 42 percent of all of the votes cast.

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The MLS Goal of the Decade is winding down. Five goals remain and the voting ends March 6th with the winner announced March 7th, so vote now!

I talked about this earlier and somehow must have forgotten to click on one of the goals as I even talked about having seen it on ESPN highlights at the time.

While John Wolyniec’s goal in 2003 is quite impressive, connecting with the ball from a long arcing chip pass, Dwayne De Rosario’s direct kick on October 15, 2005 that bends around the wall player’s head is absolutely amazing.

My favorite hands down.

Law 11. 133 Words. The mere mention of it among soccer fans is likely to result in arguments and debates in watering holes and living rooms worldwide. This team lost the big match, the line judges are never in position, etc. It also seems to generate the most confusion among parents and spectators not very familiar with the game. In my opinion it is one of the laws that gives soccer its beauty and mystique. However, its element of ‘advantage’ makes it tough on officials and can generate controversy. It is also a very difficult call to make given the fast paced action and number of variables an official must take into account to make the proper call. A recent spat of overturned goals due to bad offside calls has caused many to again call for a technological solution to the problem.

Recently in the premiership there have been a number of goals disallowed for offside. Several of those when shown on a slow motion replay with a line across the last defender have shown the player was onside.

[...]

Surely all it requires is some simple technology. A simple method would be that the fourth official sees the replay and tells the ref via his ear piece if he was on or offside. It wouldn’t cost anything but it would provide some justice.

So is it time for the FA to sort this problem out and bring justice to the game?

FIFA has worked hard to keep soccer true to its roots of simplicity and elegance. Three or four officials with flags, a stopwatch, and a whistle. Corners marked with simple flags, and a big rectangular box to shoot at. FIFA has repeatedly refused to allow new technologies onto the field since many feel it would take something away from the game. The referee of a soccer match rules the field - their decisions final, no matter how bad the call. That also adds an element of mystique and simplicity.

But technology is creeping its way into soccer bit by bit. Is that really a bad thing if done properly?

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We kicked off our 2006 Spring season last night and it was brutal! Our fields are currently on the outfields of 4 full size baseball fields arranged in an overall circle (outfields outward) Part of the complex is raised up a significant amount above the surrounding tree levels, so the wind blows pretty intense across the two fields where we play U8 through U12. Last night was no exception! With wind gusts hitting 15-20MPH and temps in the upper 30’s, it was a pretty intense setting for a match. Our kids were bundled up in blankets on the bench, but the wind was coming from behind them - they finally huddled on the ground in front of the bench to stay warm. My poor daughter came off the field like an ice cube. It wasn’t the cold temps - we had been practicing in those all through February. It was the wind - it was just howling and fairly constant. As expected here in NC, it was 78F yesterday - go figure.

We were very proud of them - they toughed it out but it was clear that the weather was affecting them. They were very sluggish and not fighting for the ball like they usually do. Facing a team with many fast runners who seemed immune to the cold, we got beat handily. So lots to work on this week at practice! They played hard but just lacked their usual drive to get the ball.

Yes, I know I was just advocating how cool matches in the snow were, and I still do. Anyone who plays Spring soccer knows the weather is a roll of the dice. Here in NC, its usually freezing rain and ice we have to deal with. The only change is that we’re playing more Friday evening matches than ever due to the growth in the league. It can still be rather chilly at 9AM on a Saturday when we usually start, but the winds have often died down. The good news is that our new soccer complex has tall trees around half of it which will give it some shelter - but it is also built up significantly on one end facing the rolling hills. So if the wind comes from that direction - it’ll still be pretty intense.

I find it ironic though. We always have a few parents who hate the weather and ask why we even bother playing in the Spring because of the weather challenges. We always tell them that our Spring league is always bigger than our fall league. Year after year. Its not like we’re forcing their kids to play - but for all the grousing about the weather - if we have a Spring season, they will come!

TheRef tells it like it is:

OK, here’s a hint kiddies: if a guy is doing anything illegal "all game
long", the wrong time to tell the referee is after the final whistle. I
thought that this would be self-evident, but apparently it’s not. It
leads us referees to believe that, hmmmmm, you just lost a game that
you were ahead of for 80% of, could you be trying to blame the referee
instead of your own play?

Ya think???

Over at Bruce’s Belly, Bruce The Belly talks about the recent USA vs. Poland matchup in the snow. Its one thing to watch some NFL in the snow, but quite another watching futbol players try to control a slick ball on a field where their cleats aren’t grabbing much.

I’ve seen some soccer games in the snow over the years. The Revolution vs MetroStars playoff game was the last one, but the snow in that game wasn’t anything like the blizzard we witnessed for portions of yesterday’s match. You know it’s serious weather when they bring out the high visibility ball!

The game against Poland was the first time I’ve ever seen one of "my" teams plugging away on the snowy field. Perhaps that’s what made it so clear: I love watching soccer in the snow. That was great! I didn’t want it to end. Yes, by any objective standard it was a lousy game, a terrible game. But I loved every snowy second of it.

There’s something soothing yet exciting about watching sports in the snow - the added variable/difficulty, etc. But not everyone thinks it’s a good thing. Adam over at This Is American Soccer notes that any game under these conditions will be like vanilla ice cream and sauteed spinach Um, ok then… His point being they don’t go together and any game in those conditions will be a "a defensive, ball control game".

This brings up a much debated point about the MLS schedule and aligning with the FIFA calendar. Doing so would mean more wintry games for the MLS. Is that a bad thing?

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