Trees Falling All Over the Forest
>> Sunday
But because the game was on FSC, nobody saw it. However, the 66,000+ at Giants Stadium saw what was probably the best game in MLS this year as Red Bull New York beat LA Galaxy 5-4 Saturday night.
--The game featured 9 goals (and several near-goals)
--There were 7 ties/lead changes.
--David Beckham made his first MLS start, played the full 90, and notched two assists. From what I hear he is a pretty decent footballer.
--Up-and-coming stars like 18-year old Josimer Altidore (RBNY), Former EPL standout Juan Pablo Angel (RBNY) and Honduran striker Carlos Pavon (LAG) all had great perfromances.
--Fast, flowing, attacking soccer
--Goals from 2002 USA World Cup heroes Landon Donovan (LAG) and Clint Mathis (RBNY). Mathis's goal was an absolute golazo.
--Largest crowd ever for an MLS game at Giants Stadium, and the atmosphere was electric, despite all the soccer moms who were there just to see David.
I'm trying to link to the highlights. Just watching them this morning, it felt like I was watching Barcelona-Real Madrid, Lazio-Roma, Celtic-Rangers, Man U-Liverpool or any other big-time world rivalry. I knew I missed something very special last night.
Red Bull New York 5:4 Los Angeles Galaxy
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4 comments:
Yeah, I saw the highlights for the game, and I'll admit this: if American soccer (that's kind of redundant, isn't it?) is played like this consistently, I could see it catching on.
But let's get one thing straight: when played in America, it is soccer, not football. If L.A. citizens want to start calling it "football" because they don't have an actual football team, the next thing you know, we'll be dealing with "colour," "bloody" and fucking tea & crumpets.
Some of those highlights were pretty sweet, but man, that announcer was annoying.
"Jozy has come home!"
Steely Dan referrences? Yeah, that'll really get the kids to watch soccer.
Pathetic.
Don't forget lifts and lorries.
As for the announcers, what can you say? I didn't like him at first because the first time I heard his "Yeeeeeeeeeeeeesssssss" call was when the Fire lost 3-1 to TFC, and I thought he was biased. Then again, he does that for every game, and I actually found it a refreshing change of pace from the Dave O'Brien's and Rob Stones that ESPN trots out who give too much backstory and miss critical plays, then call it with absolutely no passion.
"Yea, so-and-so's mother actually is in the stadium tonight. She had to raise the kid---and it's put in the back of the net."
I love the Spanish announcers.
Sadly, I wish that it were played like this consistently. This was only the 10th game in MLS's 12-season history in which 9 or more goals were scored. (That's on average 1 every 10 minutes. That's an incredible clip, and part of what made Saturday's contest so special.
Also, Nate. The word "Soccer" is actually English in its origin, thanks to an English practice around the turn of the century of adding "er" to a player of a sport. Rugby football players are commonly referred to as "Ruggers." While Soccer is short for "Association Football," so players became known as "Soccers" and eventually it was spread to the whole sport to differentiate it from, among other sports, Rugby Football, Gaelic Football, and Gridiron/American Football.
Canada, Australia, and New Zealand also refer to soccer as "soccer." Personally, I use soccer and football interchangably as the situation warrants.
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