Procrastination and the Wandering Mind

I read that LA Sol have officially clinched a playoff berth and I couldn't help but think back to 10 months ago, last fall. If you had told me then that the LA Sol would pretty much steam roll everyone else in the league I would not have been at all shocked.

In typical LA sporting fashion (with the exception of the Clippers...why are they even still a team? Does anyone even go to those games?) the Sol got allocated the United States 2 best midfielders and were given the rights to the number one player in the world. Credit should be given for excellent draft choices and I'm giving it. But this isn't about that.

Is anyone else as unsurprised as I am that LA has basically owned everyone else? Did anyone else see this coming? Is anyone as frustrated as I am?

More importantly, is anyone else hoping that they pull a Patriots and choke? ;)

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Comment by snipoppers16 on July 6, 2009 at 1:07pm: I think you missed the part where I gave props to the Sol staff. In the main post and in subsequent comments.

I can see your need to defend your team's honor. *roll eyes*

Comment by Sal on July 6, 2009 at 11:49am: Charlie Naimo is the best GM in the league. If you followed the W-League last year his Pali Blues went undefeated and won the W-League title. Before the came to LA he had won it with Sky Blue. His picks have been great and especially next year cause of the Christie Welsh & Kendall Fletcher trade they'll be getting two #1 picks in the 2010 draft and that's when Casey Nogueira, Lauren Cheney, and Tobin Heath will be entering the draft so their offense will be even more explosive if they decide to get one of those three ladies. Oh, btw his '09 Pali Blues remain undefeated this year with Heath and Cheney on that team...just saying...

Comment by solalive on July 1, 2009 at 6:06pm: The Sol did not have the first draft pick. I think that went to FC Gold Pride not sure but Marta went to LA because other teams did nto want to pay for her rights. I could be wrong correct me if I am, I didn't follow the draft.
However, all the credit for the SOL has to go to the LA staff ( particular the GM ). Who concentrated on defensive player. Other teams went for as many Brazilans as possible. Others pick up players they had previous experience. While other went for offensive threats.
If you will recall people were saying that the SOL downfall was that they concentrated on Defense to the extent that nobody would be able to pass to Marta. "Marta doesn't have another Brazilian on the team" argument. I think nobody understood how big a roll Aya Miyama would have on the team.

Comment by Mona<33 on July 1, 2009 at 5:27pm: i'm happy that the patriots choked. imma giants fan

ohkay back to subject. i knew LA was going to dominate no matter what. I mean cmon, its LA, home of the lakers adding to that.

LA has always been a sportspowerhouse. i thinkmost of the players from the US in WPS are from California.

so the subject of sky blue allocation- I think getting kai is really what the team needed. Oreilly has been disappointing, especially with missing that corner kcick on sunday (was suprised she even took it. does she even take cks?), and Asante pretty much took over Christie Rampone. I believe Anita Asante is a better deffender.

Comment by snipoppers16 on July 1, 2009 at 2:03pm: "At the WNT allocation nobody put the Sol in a good position with those picks. I think they were 3rd or something. Most people & this includes those involved with soccer and sport writers thought that Sky Blue had the best picks with Rampone, Kai & O'Reilly & then Chicago with Lloyd, Tarpley & Markgraf."

I thought LA had the best pick with Chicago second. I knew NY/NJ was going to suck because I O'Reilly is overrated and Kai is too inconsistent. But to address your other points this isn't about the specificities of the season or the draft picks. (I gave credit to the coaching staff in my original post for their outstanding efforts). It was the overall frustration that what I knew then at that time wasn't disproven by league play. And for the record, I think Chicago would be in a very different place right now if we had the leadership of Markgraf.

Picking the league champion is so anticlimactic. Using your system, we would have already crowned LA Sol the champion and we still have a month plus to go in the season. Why should the other 6 teams even bother? Playoffs are magical. The season earns you the right to play in the post season. The playoffs that culminate in a championship usually result in the most intense, passionate displays of sporting passion you'll ever see outside of the World Cup or the Olympics. I don't want to wait 4 years for that. And if you've ever played in playoffs and triumphed, it is so hard to describe that feeling of accomplishment. It's so much more rewarding as a player than as a fan, having been on both sides. There is no adrenaline rush that matches it.

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"I'd prefer to have a team I can route for and not just know they're going to win or tie practically every game."
This is how I feel about the US WNT. Which is why I have been supporting England's women's side for the last 4 years. It's so much more exciting when your team has to fight. With the WNT it's like, oh look someone crossed the ball and it, like the other team's defense, bounced right off of Abby. Thrilling? Not so much.

Comment by Amy Gipsman on July 1, 2009 at 12:40pm: The clippers are actually slowly growing into a better team, but you're right-- they don't exemplify the typical LA dominance that so many of the other teams do. As a Sol fan from the beginning, I'm pleased that they're on top. However, I agree; I'd rather see them have to fight for the top spot rather than just rolling over the competition. I'd prefer to have a team I can route for and not just know they're going to win or tie practically every game.

Comment by Glo on July 1, 2009 at 11:09am: At the WNT allocation nobody put the Sol in a good position with those picks. I think they were 3rd or something. Most people & this includes those involved with soccer and sport writers thought that Sky Blue had the best picks with Rampone, Kai & O'Reilly & then Chicago with Lloyd, Tarpley & Markgraf.

Yes the Sol had Boxx but Wagner had been injured and was seen as a backup to Lloyd even when fit. Cox wasn't even originally in the Olympic squad until Cat Whitehill got injured, she was behing Chulupny.

When WPS ..yes i thought the Sol had a chance only cause Marta was in the squad but i looked at the roster & saw their defence and though ohhno.

To be fair to them they have played well as a team especially having a rookie CB in Falk & Bock (who had never played at CB at all before), Makoski and LeBlanc who until recently was back-up to Erin McLeod.Franko was added later, nobody drafted her originally.

Individually some teams maybe have better players or you would choose them over the Sol players at the beginning of the season but as a team/unit The Sol is the best.

Chicago with all their talent & i would pick some of them in my dream team... they just haven't geled together as a team. They are playing as individuals...but they are certainly talented.

As for the Sol choking...yes it could happen but i'm from Europe and i hate the playoff system. The team that wins the league for me is the CHAMPION. No need to play a championship game... for what? Why is it neccessary lol. You play 20 games, have the most points your the best...end of.

Comment by StarCityFan on July 1, 2009 at 6:33am: I'd love to see the Freedom go out to Home Depot for the championship match and beat the Sol. But, yes, all credit to the Sol coaches and players, but it's not good for a fledgling league to have a team so outclass everyone else. Someone needs to step up and take them down a notch or two.

I for one didn't see it coming, but then I thought Chicago would be the class team of the league, so what do I know?

Comment by Milan on July 1, 2009 at 6:32am: Other than Marta, I don't see them having that much better players than anyone else. Just better coaches. I think the teams were pretty much divided equally the USWNT players. I don't think their foreign players are that much better than the other teams. Their college first round draft pick is the ultimate team player and has to be the best college draft pick of the 09 season. They have just been able to get their players to work better as a team.
All the coaches in the league talk about "posession". But only LA knows how to do it right. The ball moves quickly from foot to foot. No player has it more than a fraction of a second unless it's Marta breaking toward goal with the ball at her feet. That's posession to me. During the game against Chicago, they were keeping the ball at will and pretty much making swiss cheese out of the Red Stars midfield and defense. Their midfield, unlike ours doesn't run into each other like a bunch of 6 year olds in an AYSO game.
As I said before, the LA GM and coaches do not hang on to something that doesn't work in hopes that one day it will. Also, I don't think Abner falls in love with his players (figuratively speaking) or coddles them or tries to play mother hen to his favorites. He plays those that perform. You perform to the plan. The plan is executed as a team. Those that do not do any of these are gone and someone else is brought in.
I'm not jealous of this team. I'm amazed. Just my opinions.

Comment by Sally H on July 1, 2009 at 5:32am: I couldn't agree more. LA had all the best rounds in the draft picks and it was like the league set up the Sol to be a success for Marta. And really, why would you give one team the best two midfielders? And as a Boston fan, I am hoping they choke, especially in the playoffs.