Quakes Hang Tough; US MNT Crumbles; Football Podcasts

In the beginning it looked as if we were going to experience much more of what we have been seeing at Quakes games when they took on DC United this past Saturday at the SB San Siro. We gave up an early PK and a second goal to go down 2-nil, but the lads didn't react in the same way they have in the past. Ryan Johnson's goal late in the first half sparked the team. The Quakes would eventually comeback to tie with a late PK taken by Cornell Glen. It wasn't a win, but it also wasn't another loss. I'll take the 1 point and congratulate the team for niver giving up.

Mexico Tears Us Up

I am still not sure what happened yesterday in the Copo Oro final between the US and Mexico. The first half was played well by both teams ending in a nil-nil draw at half. But in the 2nd half - Mexico figured out some kind of weakness in the US defense and bombarded us with 5.....count 'em.....5 counter attack goals that made the US squad look like a middle school team. What I couldn't understand was why couldn't the team make an adjustment after the first 2-3 goals??? I was so bad - I think it pretty much erased the positives we gained in the Confed Cup. Yes - it was a different team then the one at the Confed Cup, but no team should be shredded like that at that level. The game next month in Mexico City is going place alot of pressure on the USA.


Podcasts

Just a quick review of the football podcasts that I subscribe to via ITunes:

World Soccer Daily - North America's #1 daily football show (Steven Cohen & Kenny Hassan)

5 Live Football Daily (UK) - Football news, interviews, and discussion (Mark Saggers and regulars John Motson, Steve Claridge, Ian McGarry and Mark Clemmitt )

5 Live World Football Phone-in (UK) - Expert answers to your questions in World Football (Tim Vickery)

ESPN Soccernet - all the news, views and analysis from the world of football (Adriano Russo, Jon Harris-Bass, Dan Mason, and more)

Centerline Soccer - source for news and features regarding the San Jose Earthquakes and WPS Bay Area FC Gold Pride (Jay Hipps and Keiran Downie )

The Guardian Football Weekly (UK) - news and banter from the Premier League, Championship, La Liga, Serie A, and Bundesliga (James Richardson, Barry Glendenning, Sid Lowe and the rest of the Football Weekly team)

Villa Park View (UK) - official Aston Villa podcast

Villa Podcast (UK) - Get all the best bits from Villa games (only during the EPL season)

$30 parking, US player to AC Milan

I went to the 2009 Gold Cup opening round matches at the Oakland Coliseum on July 5th (Guadalupe beating Panama and then Mexico downing Nicaragua).  The crowd was pretty small for the first game.  Most were there for the Mexico game and stayed in the parking lot to party up until game time.  H and I came late so we decided to park in the Coliseum lot.  We almost had a heart attack when we saw that it was $30 just to park.  Dang - the tickets cost $30 each.  I don't think I have ever been to an event where the parking was just as much as the event ticket.  This world is screwy. 

Interesting things that we spotted in the parking lot: "Cage" 1v1 football, girls sponsored by beer companies taking pictures with guys in the crowd (H posed a few times!).  You'll have to ask him about one particular gal that had an expression that never changed!  Lots of food being cooked on BBQ's and little supporter bands marching all over the parking lot with their national flags.  Inside the MEX/NICAR fans were in a frenzy (90+% were Mexico supporters).  We almost had an international incident occur in the section next to us and we had one guy throwing up and going unconscious in our section (a little bit too much of the liquid refreshment I am guessing).  It is too bad - he missed a good match.

US MNT Defender Heading for AC Milan!

It was announced today that Oguchi Onyewu has been signed by AC Milan.  His impressive work in the Confederations Cup must have helped his cause.  I'm looking forward to see how ACM will use him - he is a powerful dude.

International Football in the Bay Area this Summer + Soccer Fours!

2009 Gold Cup: I have my tickets for the first round matches that will be played at the Oakland Coliseum on July 5th (Guadeloupe vs Panama and Mexico vs Nicaragua)

Int'l Friendly August 8th: Today - I just secured tickets to the FC Barcelona vs Club Deportivo Guadalajara (a double header with the first game being the Q's vs the Columbus Crew).

I decided to pass on the World Football Challenge match between Inter and Club America (at Stanford Stadium). It would have been fun to do this one too - but $ is scarce and choices had to be made. Now if it were AC Milan or Chelsea.....

Soccer Fours:

Well - with the encouragement of H, I have finally stepped onto the pitch myself by starting to participate in a 4v4 program called Soccer Fours. They pick-up 4v4 games are on Wednesday nights at Franklin Sq Park in San Francisco. No refs, no score keeping, no league of official teams. It involves mostly club players, but even a novice like me felt welcome to join in. My legs were sore and I was definitely sucking wind during the 1 hour session that consisted of six 10-minute games. Check it out at http://www.soccerfours.com/

Franklin Sq Park pitch (artificial turf)