All Blog Posts Tagged 'soccer' (105)

The Real Deal: Real Salt Lake wins 2009 MLS Cup on penalties

Citizens of Utah: please rise, stretch, and clap your hands. You are now blessed with a new set of sporting legends that have earned their place among the best in the Beehive State. I issue this edict, this fatwa of football fanaticism: Real Salt Lake is officially The Real Deal. Jason Kreis may as well have been Jesus Christ in Seattle on Sunday. His club defeated the Los Angeles Galaxy 5-4 on penalties to lift their first Philip Anschutz Trophy, and their first-ever Major League Soccer champ… Continue

Added by JR Salazar on November 23, 2009 at 9:19am — No Comments

Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Real Salt Lake: A Play By Play (and Other Miscellany)

Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Real Salt Lake: A Play By Play (and Other Miscellany) T-120 to kickoff: Ahhh, Seattle, Washington. The home of grunge rock, good health, great coffee, and a solid club that fell short of earning its stripes and home field advantage. You gotta give credit to the Seattle Sounders Football Club for earning the U.S. Open Cup in their first season promoted from the USL to the MLS as an expansion team. And their supporters, led by the Emerald City Supporters, earn my respect f… Continue

Added by JR Salazar on November 22, 2009 at 11:30pm — No Comments

Does Anybody Have Any Videos Of Tobin Heath?

I was wondering if anybody had any videos of Tobin Heath. If you do, please copy and paste the link. Please no slideshow videos with just pictures. Thanks!! Continue

Added by Ashton DeBoe on November 20, 2009 at 11:10pm — 1 Comment

Elizabeth Lambert: the original hard-woman of women's soccer?

Personally, it takes guts to be somebody you're not, or somebody you want to be. I like Elizabeth Lambert of the New Mexico Lobos women's soccer team for her courage to break the mold, albeit for the wrong reasons. You talk about someone who just knows how to throw someone down, punch in the back, and defend with a flying kick in spite of giving up a goal to a bunch of pure-hearted Mormons from BYU. Sure it's taboo, and you will be obligated to apologize to save face, but the way she played foo… Continue

Added by JR Salazar on November 8, 2009 at 8:35pm — 18 Comments

The offseason is in full swing: Falk and Henderson are traded.

Here's some news from Nick Green of 100% soccer: Allison Falk and Val Henderson are heading off to join the Indies. Hmmm. Says GM manager Terry Foley on Henderson's acquisition... "Although we’ve built an extraordinary team to this point, the goalkeeping position was an obvious… Continue

Added by JR Salazar on October 7, 2009 at 12:53am — 1 Comment

Thoughts on the 2009 WPS International Draft

Yesterday, the Philadelphia Independence and Atlanta Beat held their respective drafts for International players. Here's who they ended up obtaining, in order. Selection Player Position Country 1.) Philadelphia Caroline Seger M Sweden 2.) Atlanta Ramona Bachmann F Switzerland 3.) Philadelphia Charlotte Rohlin D Sweden 4.) Atlanta Johanna Rasmussen F Denmark 5.) Philadelphia Hólmfrídur Magnúsdóttir M Iceland 6.) Atlanta Mami Yamaguchi M Japan 7.) Philadelphia Fara Williams M England 8.) Atlanta… Continue

Added by JR Salazar on September 23, 2009 at 12:34pm — 9 Comments

Thoughts on the 2009 WPS Expansion Draft

Well, I can't believe I'm writing again. It seems I can never get enough of the fun that is Women's Professional Soccer. With the offseason in full swing, the new crews from A-Town and Philly build their teams, starting with the 2009 Expansion Draft. The House Rules... •Existing teams may protect up to 10 players (but must leave a minimum of 6 unprotected) •Expansion teams must each select one player from each existing team prior to selecting a second player from an existing team. This will al… Continue

Added by JR Salazar on September 16, 2009 at 7:27pm — No Comments

Note to WPS teams: Deutschland a go go

All right, the WPS has the best from here in the States, England, Brazil, Japan, China, France, and so on and so forth. But you know what? This league could use a little bit of the German touch. No seriously, we could a little bit of Birgit Prinz. And some Melanie Behringer and Simone Laudehr. And why not a little Kim Kulig and Inka Gringsthrown in, just for good measure? These were the goalscorers that made England look like a team that fell second fiddle to North Carolina in a 6-2 Helsinki s… Continue

Added by JR Salazar on September 16, 2009 at 7:26pm — 11 Comments

Where Women's Soccer is King...

How can the WPS create this same buzz...to ensure the longevity and success of this league?! Great article below, very informative... http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/09/14/where-women’s-soccer-is-king/ Continue

Added by UP_Pilots on September 15, 2009 at 5:00pm — 2 Comments

2009 WPS Power Rankings: Final Edition

What a year. What a season. What extraordinary history.

A few years after the Women's United Soccer Association folded, Women's Professional Soccer picked up the pieces.

Seven teams from seven different cities made a commitment to rekindle the dream to develop the women's game in a country with a tradition of producing some the of the best players in the world.

The journey to this championship started on a late March afternoon in Los Angeles, and the journey ended o

… Continue

Added by JR Salazar on August 24, 2009 at 12:36am — No Comments

Reflections and Random Musings on the 2009 Los Angeles Sol season

Before I sat here and typed my thoughts on a year that saw much that was accomplished and much to be desired for the 2009 Los Angeles Sol, in between the vitamin supplements by Herbalife and league logo decals bearing Mia Hamm's image I pulled out a scarf that had the team name on it.

Shades of blue, gold and white. A yellow impression of the sun on an O, surrounded by and S on the left side, and an L. And the name: Los Angeles Sol.

I took a long look at it. And as I took a

… Continue

Added by JR Salazar on August 23, 2009 at 4:30am — 2 Comments

WPS Championship: Meet Sky Blue FC, the Road Warriors of 2009

Let it be known that home field advantage is an illusion. Especially when you are the Los Angeles Sol.

All right, to be fair, the Washington Freedom and St. Louis Athletica can feel the empathy for not getting the chance to rumble with the Regular Season Champions at the Home Depot Center on Saturday.

The Sky Blue Football Club, carrying the Cinderella hopes of New Jersey and New York, went into the Toolbox as a group of committed players on a mission: to complete a journey

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Added by JR Salazar on August 22, 2009 at 8:30pm — 3 Comments

A WPS Fan Corner Extra by Katie: A Cinderella Story With A Happy Ending

One of our active members on the fan corner, Katie, wanted me to post this. A WPS Fan Corner extra. Enjoy. A Cinderella Story With A Happy Ending Katie on 08.22.09 I'm pretty excited to share this blog with you today! Reason being that I am not Nicole, My name is Katie. Nicole asked me to step in for her this weekend, seeing as I am an avid WPS fan I couldn't help but to accept the challenge. So here we go! Enjoy! It started March 29th. The day that the LA Sol and Washingto… Continue

Added by JR Salazar on August 22, 2009 at 6:00pm — 5 Comments

Los Angeles-Sky Blue FC: A Play-By-Play (and Other Miscellany)

T-120 minutes to kickoff: This is it. The final game of the 2009 Women's Professional Soccer season. (No, the All-Star test match with Umea Idrottsklubb does not count.) This is the WPS Championship Game presented by Medimmune. More on the sponsor later. But this is essentially a glorified final home game for the Los Angeles Sol, who take on Sky Blue FC, 1-0 winners in the Super Semifinal at Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park in Fenton on Wednesday. T-110: I should give kudos to a few people. First off… Continue

Added by JR Salazar on August 22, 2009 at 4:07pm — No Comments

Behave yourself, Sky Blue FC fans. Oh yes, and congratulations.

Congratulations Sky Blue FC. You earned it. Stay tuned for some articles from yours truly on the WPS Fan Corner and Bleacher Report. Continue

Added by JR Salazar on August 22, 2009 at 4:04pm — 2 Comments

Sky Blue FC: Advantage? What Advantage?

Piscataway, New Jersey's very own Sky Blue FC will make an attempt at pulling off three straight road wins in eight days. Think about it. Washington (via Germantown, Md.), St. Louis (via Fenton) and now Los Angeles via Carson. 1-0 winners over St. Louis Athletica. Makes you wonder how the bookies are going to put this game at. A little history on this series: April 5, TD Bank Park Los Angeles 2 Sky Blue FC 0 Marta made her mark on the road for the first time with a brace late in the first ha… Continue

Added by JR Salazar on August 19, 2009 at 7:00pm — 2 Comments

An impressive performance for Sky Blue FC

So I watched the game between Sky Blue FC and the Washington Freedom, and I will say this: Christie Rampone's club had a mission to get their revenge against their neighbors to the south. They got it done. 2-1, off of goals by Natasha Kai and Francielle, with Lisa De Vanna scoring the only goal for the Freedom. St. Louis Athletica vs. Sky Blue FC in the Super Semi on Fox Soccer Channel. The series: STL 1-0 NJ June 7, 2009 NJ 1-2 STL June 28, 2009 STL 1-0 NJ July 22, 2009 Athletica have been… Continue

Added by JR Salazar on August 15, 2009 at 4:00pm — No Comments

2009 WPS Power Rankings: Week 20

We have come to the end of the 2009 Women's Professional Soccer season, and we see Sky Blue FC clinch the final postseason berth. This year has been full of extraordinary everything: goals, saves, and skill all around. I am glad to have been a part of witnessing it, as you are.

As more history is made before our eyes this weekend, we take a look at the penultimate edition of the Power Rankings for this inaugural season.

1. ST. LOUIS ATHLETICA

Hope S

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Added by JR Salazar on August 11, 2009 at 8:00pm — 11 Comments

Los Angeles vs. Boston: Captain Shannon steers Sol to victory

The Los Angeles Sol can now claim the honor of being the first team in Women's Professional Soccer history to have beaten each of its opponents at least once.

Down 1-0 and the lack of form rearing its ugly head yet again, manager Abner Rogers went forward to bring in Camille Abily. Thanks to her presence, a Marta equalizer and a stoppage-time penalty by team captain Shannon Boxx was all the Sol needed to claim a 2-1 victory over the Boston Breakers at Harvard Stadium.

With t

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Added by JR Salazar on August 9, 2009 at 7:53pm — 19 Comments

Los Angeles vs. Boston: A Play-By-Play (and Other Miscellany)

T-31 minutes to kickoff: It's been quite a year in this inagural Women's Professional Soccer season. But today, the regular season ends.

This match featuring the Los Angeles Sol and Boston Breakers is ther penultimate contest; the last one to cap off the season will pit Fc Gold Pride against this year's Super Semi hosts, St. Louis Athletica.

Los Angeles will look to grab their first win of the season against the Breakers. They have been in disappointing form late in the past

… Continue

Added by JR Salazar on August 9, 2009 at 6:30pm — 2 Comments