Sunday, March 29, 2009

Quakes 3 Dyna-who? 2

YES - our first 3 points for the season. We have that first taste that will shift the momentum for the season right away.

I was unable to go to the game - but I see H had no problem getting a cameo on Yallop-Vision tv.




I would like to respond to GY's question, "What would keep Hucks here next season?" I did like the answer of "the sun". I know he mentioned that so many times last season so I'm sure he was loving that aspect of California living. But to tell you the truth, I think he must really miss his family back home (I know I would). I would love to see him stay because he is a fan favorite, but there really isn't much that could be used to bring him back. If the rumors are true - then I think he will return home, but he will ALWAYS be an Earthquake. And I believe 100% that he would not join any other MLS team because he doesn't want to ever play on a team against the Q's. We'll enjoy all that Hucks brings to the team and season this year and savor every moment.

Friday, March 27, 2009

TFZ Scarf?


I volunteer at the George Mark Children's House in San Leandro CA (http://www.georgemark.org/) The House is a respite and end-of-life care facility specifically for children. The House, like many non-profits, are facing uncertainty during these difficult economic times and possible closure. Fundraising activities are happening to hopefully help the House make it through this time of uncertainty.

This week I have been giving some thought to creating a TFZ Quakes supporter scarf and then selling them - with all proceeds going to GMCH. Here is my current prototype design:


Any thoughts from any of you Quakes fans out there? Would you buy one to support GMCH?

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Quakes Strategic Partner: Tottenham Hotspur!


Summer Pre-Season Tours

I have not really followed closely the pre-season summer tours that several international clubs (Chelsea, AC Milan, Inter Milan, etc.) schedule in U.S. cities. I think these are great opportunities for the American public to have the opportunity to see the cream of the crop when it comes to football. I hope that these tyoes of matches receive enough media coverage so that the beautiful game reaches more people. H told me about a match in July between Inter and Club America (Palo Alto) and the AC Milan friendly with the LA Galaxy (I think also in July). I just read information about Chelsea's US summer tour schedule (the closest for me would be the match in Seattle - Chelsea vs. Sounders FC. I think this is where any discussion of the Q's being involved disappears (...no venue). I think the Stanford stadium looks like a great place to watch football - Palo Alto is close enough to San Jose, right? Sure would be nice for the Q's to have a summer friendly against the likes of Club America, Chivas, Inter, AC Milan, Chelsea, Celtic, etc. These certainly would draw more attention than those season ticket holder "bonus games" we had last season (vs. Sounders and vs. FAS).




Chelsea Expand Summer Tour To 4 U.S. Cities
by The Gaffer on March 25, 2009

Chelsea Football Club have expanded their preseason tour of the United States for the summer of 2009 to include friendlies in the following cities: Seattle, Pasadena, Baltimore and Arlington.
Chelsea kick off their tour on July 18 when they play Seattle. On July 21, the Blues will play Inter Milan at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena (the original destination was going to be San Francisco, but this has changed). Then on July 24, Chelsea play AC Milan in Baltimore. And, on July 26, Chelsea concludes their U.S. preseason tour with a game against Club America at the new Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Chelsea’s matches against Inter Milan, AC Milan and Club America are part of the inaugural World Football Challenge tournament, which pits the four teams against each other in matches around the United States this summer.

For each match, supporters will be glad to know that there will be home and away ends for all teams, so if you want to get a seat in the Chelsea end, you can order those tickets online. Ticket prices are affordable, too. At least 50% of all tickets will be $35 or less.

“We are delighted to be in the United States again for pre-season,” said Peter Kenyon, Chelsea FC chief executive. “This is our fifth pre-season out of six that we have toured here and it is always a pleasure to see our fans and train and play in excellent facilities in great cities. Chelsea, of course, will bring a full-strength first team squad and with the quality of the opposition, and the backing of our partners, this series of matches will be the best preparation and the most high profile we have played in America.”

All of the matches will be televised live on ESPN and ESPN 360. The TV schedule is as follows:

Sunday, July 19 Club America vs. FC Internazionale Milano at Stanford Stadium (Palo Alto, Calif.)7 p.m. EST on ESPN2

Tuesday, July 21 Chelsea FC vs. FC Internazionale Milano at the Rose Bowl (Pasadena, Calif.)11 p.m. EST on ESPN2

Wednesday, July 22 AC Milan vs. Club America at the Georgia Dome (Atlanta, Ga.)7 p.m. EST on ESPN2

Friday, July 24 AC Milan vs. Chelsea FC at M&T Bank Stadium (Baltimore, Md.)8 p.m. EST on ESPN

Sunday, July 26 AC Milan vs. FC Internazionale Milano at Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, Mass.)5 p.m. EST on ESPN2

Sunday, July 26 Chelsea FC vs. Club America at Cowboy Stadium (Arlington, Texas)7 p.m. EST on ESPN2

What’s most impressive about the TV schedule is that Chelsea against AC Milan will be shown in prime-time on a Friday night on ESPN, which definitely shows the strides that the sport has made in this country and the opportunity for huge TV ratings as well as the chance to win over new soccer fans in this country.

The tour is fantastic news for Premier League fans in the United States. The last time a tour of this size was organized was five years ago, in 2004, when Manchester United, Liverpool, Roma, AC Milan, Celtic and Chelsea played across the United States and one game in Canada.
This time it’ll be interesting to see how many seats are sold for the games. The new Dallas Cowboys stadium will open in June with a capacity of 80,000. The Rose Bowl, site of the 1994 World Cup final, has a capacity of 92,000, while the M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore can hold 71,000 people. Qwest Field in Seattle, meanwhile, has 67,000 seats. The opportunity for Chelsea and organizer CAA Sports to make this tour very lucrative is immense.

Two areas of concern for football traditionalists and Chelsea fans will be (1) how many of the above stadiums will feature artificial turf when Chelsea play, and (2) whether Chelsea are over extending themselves. They were originally scheduled to participate in the 2009 Barclays Asia Cup Trophy in late July in China.

For the latest schedule of preseason friendlies for all 20 Premier League clubs, visit EPL Talk’s preseason friendlies page which is updated as soon as fixtures are announced.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Success


History. Success. Championships.

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Quakes Home Opener....Dud.


Well - what can I say. All of the pomp of opening night was nice (fireworks, Amway, etc.) and I did get to enjoy the game with my niece (because H was unavailable). It was cold and there was off and on rain. The Quakes had a slow start and the first half ended nil-nil. Alot of slips on the wet pitch by both sides.The Quakes woke up and had a ton of great chances and missed them all (one was kicked point blank, it the crossbar, bounced away from goal). Honestly, I think the Q's outplayed the Revs, but still ended up on the losing end of a 1-nil game.

Referee Ricardo Salaza: He didn't do us any favors the way he was calling the game. Long story short - this was my niece's first time attendign a football match and she asked me, "Was the referee from New England". That about says it all. NE seemed to get all the calls (including a bunch of lame ones and the Q's seemed to never get anything called their way. Maybe the MLS refs need a little more pre-season.

Hucks looked ok, but he missed his scoring chances. Convey played well. Joe was solid in net for most of the night (sans one goal).Consistency in passing and ball control was missing (off-on-off-on). Next week - Houston visits the SB San Siro.

This year's Buck Shaw: Not much change from last year. Alot more Amway signs, giant inflatable Amway jersey, a huge dome "tent" is the VIP area. The new seats (top row of Sec 108 are great. There is one empty seat between us and kalia's grandpa. Cool. It was an ok crowd - not sold out though. I hate to say that it pales in comparison to what I saw on Thurs night at the Sounders FC opener.


KNBR is Covering the Quakes!
Weekly Quakes Report from John Shrader

Friday, March 20, 2009

MLS Wildfire

The MLS is growing faster than the muscles of Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds! I hope that the growth isn't too fast for the American football fans to handle. It is great to see the league grow - as long as it doesn't go the way of the USFL, etc.

Let's see - 2007 to 2011


Toronto FC 2007




San Jose Earthquakes (part deux) 2008






Seattle Sounders FC 2009




Philadelphia 2010



Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2011





Portland Timbers 2011






My guess of what the divisions will look like by 2011 (adding the new teams to their logical conference and then moving on of the Texas teams to the East - my guess would be Dallas)

EAST: Chicago, Columbus, DC, Kansas City, New England, Toronto, NY, Philadelphia, Dallas

WEST: San Jose, Seattle, Chivas, Colorado, Houston, LA, RSL, Vancouver, Portland


Sounders Debut

These guys are an expansion team this year, but they have been part of the Seattle community for decades. I have to admit that I am envious of the community support they have right from the get go. A band? QWest is going to provide them quite a home field advantage - including that fake grass bounce.


Thursday, March 19, 2009

Mid-Life Career Change?


(Job posting on SJEarthquakes.com; I wonder if H and I can do a job-share position?


Sales & Marketing: Mascot
Player Operations - Mascot - San Jose Earthquakes (Santa Clara, CA)


The San Jose Earthquakes are currently seeking a part-time, seasonal Mascot. This position reports directly to the Promotions & Community Relations Departments and is responsible for but not limited to the following:


• Performing at all Earthquakes regular season home games and at a select number of other games during the 2009 season

• Performing at youth soccer events, parades, festivals, grand openings, etc. on specified days during the week and on weekends throughout the year• Performing at off-site community appearances

• Creating skits, dance routines, and other forms of mascot-related entertainment and crowd interaction

• Responsible for researching, creating and/or purchasing props and costumes for the mascot

• Represent the Earthquakes as ‘Q’ at special Major League Soccer functions

• Assist with the marketing and scheduling the mascot program to generate revenue within company guidelines

Requirements: Previous semi-pro or professional mascot experience is mandatory• Due to costume restrictions, candidate must be at least 5 feet 5 inches and no more than 6 feet 2 inches and weighs between 130 lbs and 225 lbs• Punctuality is mandatory and availability to work nights, weekends and holidays • Must have own, reliable transportation• Must be highly energetic and fitAnyone interested in applying for this position must send a DVD and photos of a live performance along with a cover letter and résumé to San Jose Earthquakes, Promotions Department, attn: Mascot Opening, 451 El Camino Real, Suite 220, Santa Clara, CA 95050 by Wednesday, March 4, 2009.Due to the overwhelming number of submissions, we may not be able to respond to each applicant. We keep resumes on file for 6 months and will contact you should we wish to schedule an interview with you.


The San Jose Earthquakes are an Equal Opportunity Employer
Note: When you apply for this job online, you will be required to answer the following questions:
1. Yes/No: I have local housing available in or near San Jose
2. Yes/No: I have at least 2 years of Mascot experience with a semi-pro or professional sports team
Apply for this position Go back to job listings

Monday, March 16, 2009

Two Perspectives; One Event

Either way, this is just another violent event that tarnishes the Beautiful Game.

Soccer player killed by stray bullet
Agence France-Presse Published: Monday, March 16, 2009

An Iraqi soccer player was killed by a stray bullet on Sunday when one of his team's supporters fired off several rounds to celebrate their victory, police said. The game had just ended in a 1-0 home win for Annana over Sinjar, neighbouring village teams west of Hilla, police lieutenant Ali al-Khafaji said. "A stray bullet hit Annana player Haider Hakem in the chest and he died," Khafaji said. Police arrested the suspected killer from Annana, a rural settlement about 10 kilometres from Hilla, some 120 km south of Baghdad. Fans often launch into a blaze of triumphal gunfire in Iraq when major league teams clash.
http://www.nationalpost.com/todays-paper/story.html?id=1393701


Iraqi Soccer Player Killed By Fan During Game-Tying Shot
March 16, 2009 AP

BAGHDAD — Police say an Iraqi soccer player has been shot dead just as he was about to kick what could have been the tying goal in a weekend game south of Baghdad.
Police Maj. Muthanna Khalid says a striker from the Buhairat amateur team was facing only the goalie during a Sunday match in Hillah when a supporter of the rival Sinjar club shot him in the head in the final minute of play.
Sinjar was leading 1-0 when the shooting occurred. Khalid said a spectator was arrested.

More Iraqis are turning out for sports events now that security is improving. Major matches in Baghdad are heavily guarded but security in amateur games in smaller cities is often lax.

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Take One For The Team

Ah....another fun video from Soccer AM (and an idea for halftime entertainment at the South Bay San Siro this season!)

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Are You With Us?


I am sooooooooo ready for the season to start!

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

The Dust is Settling....Finally


Well, Mr Spice will be staying with the Rossonerri through the end of the Serie A season and then will (or at least is supposed to) return to LA in July. Part of the deal includes Milan coming to LA for a friendly in July at the Home Depot Center.


I wonder if people will start seeing jerseys on sale like the one above (just like those A's/Giants baseball caps - the ones that I HATE).


...despite all of this earth-shattering news, life goes on here on earth. Despite all of our economic woes, at least Mr Spice is happy - that is what matters, right? Geeeeez.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

H and Me


Just thought I would share the reasons why I enjoy football with my cousin H so much:

(1) He was the one that got me "hooked" on the beautiful game
(2) He has established cheerleading as a form of entertainment
(3) What happens at Buck Shaw stays at Buck Shaw (FAS FAS - FAS FAS FAS)
(4) He always seems to find those hidden gems out there (jerseys, boots, hats, t-shirts, etc.)
(5) He taught me everything I know about drumming
(6) He throws a mean streamer!
(7) Answers to the chant "Chew #28"
(8) Loves generating crowd enthusiasm with his car horn (Beep-beep, Beep-beep-beep, Beep-beep-beep-beep, Beep-beep)
(9) His "Aloha Norwich" has been heard clear around the globe
(10) Victory = Tilapia!

2009 Gold Cup, etc.









H texted me about this: A couple of first-round CONCACAF Gold Cup games will be played in Oakland this year on July 5th. Here is the schedule and US venues:


SCHEDULE

First Round
July 3 – The Home Depot Center (Los Angeles)
July 4 – Qwest Field (Seattle)
July 5 – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum (San Francisco)
July 7 – Crew Stadium (Columbus, Ohio)
July 8 – Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium (Washington)
July 9 – Reliant Stadium (Houston)
July 10 – Florida International University Stadium (Miami)
July 11 – Gillette Stadium (Boston)
July 12 – University of Phoenix Stadium (Phoenix)


Quarterfinals
July 18 – Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia)
July 19 –Dallas Cowboys New Stadium (Dallas)

Semifinals
July 23 – Soldier Field (Chicago)


Final
July 26 – Giants Stadium (New York)
(*Gonna have to talk to Adam Z about tickets....)
QUAKES vs GALAXY April 18th in OAKLAND
I have a group attending this game - I've promoted the game with a flyer featuring Joe Cannon, Becks, and post-game fireworks. So know it sounds like Becks will still be in Milan for this game - so the fireworks show better be good. (Actually, I already have 44 out of the 50 tickets sold already so we should be in good shape).
QUAKES STADIUM
With the recent news that the A's are not going to move to Fremont and that San Jose is eyeing them, I can't help but wonder if this will affect the progress on the soccer-specific venue for the Q's. I hope that Lew doesn't start thinking about a multi-use park - for the A's and Quakes to share. I think I would prefer to stay at our current home - the South Bay San Siro (aka Buck Shaw) - than have Q's games played on a field with huge portions being infield dirt!

Saturday, March 7, 2009

Complaints From the H

H was whining that the Zone's last entry was way back on Feb 22nd. So this is for H.

Quakes Marketing:


I've caught the "What's a Huckerby?" ad on the web. I think the Q's need to come up with an ad that gives some possible answers and then at the end show the real deal.


"What's a Huckerby" video



H told me about the bus/ticket combo that the Q's are offering from San Francisco - not a bad deal.



2009 MLS Cup - QWest Field:


No fake grass! No gridiron lines! The game should be at BUCK SHAW!