First, let me apologize for the neglect over the past week; I took a psuedo-vacation, focusing my energy on the MFUSA Soccer Show and some things surrounding it. I hadn't intended to slow down so much on the posts here, but the time "away" was probably necessary.
Still, just because I'm away doesn't mean the world stops (even if I wish it would), so I feel the need hit a few things that I neglected over my break.
I babbled somewhere else.
I made an entirely under-publicized (by me) appearance on the Soccerlens podcast last week, and while I was clearly not the headliner (that would be Tom Dunmore of Pitch Invasion), I highly suggest you take a listen. We discuss MLS, Beckham, and the way we in America get our soccer content.
The US got three needed points at home in World Cup qualifying.
Anything less than a win would have been a disaster, both because it would have drastically increased the degree of difficulty for qualification, as well as because the heat under Bob Bradley's seat would have skyrocketing (again). The general consensus seems to be that the US didn't play well; I don't quite see it that way, though I will admit that it was a tougher three points than it should have been. The Yanks controlled the game for the most part, with one defensive lapse and a few missed chances the most glaring issues. The tight scoreline was certainly not what we wanted to see, but as the cliche goes, "A win is a win".
The officiating in the game is getting a bit of attention, and I'm still unclear as to why Altidore's second goal was waved off; Dempsey's "foul" didn't look like one to me, and with the ball well gone by the time the Salvadorian player made contact with Dempsey, the goal looked legitimate. If the scoreline was 3-1 instead of 2-1, I suspect that the sense that the Americans didn't play very well would be much more subdued.
MLS played some games.
A light MLS schedule (not quite the way an international break should be handled, but better than nothing) meant only three matches this weekend, though all of them had playoff implications. New England failed to keep up their recent momentum by going down to Kansas City at home, a terrible result that will probably bite them before all is said and done. DC drew with FC Dallas on the road, a game I attended; United should consider themselves extremely lucky to get a point, as the penalty earned by Santino Quaranta that gave them their second goal was a supreme gift. United now sits tied with New England in the East on thirty-three points, though the Revs have two games in hand. Both are in trouble, however, with two Western Conference teams ahead of them in the playoff race. One of those teams, Colorado, helped their cause and seriously hurt Toronto's with a 1-0 win on Golden Boot leader Conor Casey's twelfth goal of the season.
It should make for an interesting remainder of the regular season.
Zach and I did a show.
I was out of my comfort zone, but there's a new Match Fit USA Soccer Show nonetheless; The Black Cloud and I covered the US victory, the tendency of Americans to whine about the refs, and the US Open Cup final. If you haven't already, be sure to check it out, either by downloading it or listening through the CSRN media player. I'm also tentatively planning a post-game reaction show after the Trinidad & Tobago match tomorrow night live on UStream and with your participation (via Twitter, email, and Skype), so look out for that.
I doubt it will take long for me to work back into my regular schedule, so be sure to check back often for updates.
