Green For Saint Patrick's Day, Green For Soccer

The torrential rain stopped long enough. Mostly.

There were still bursts of hard rain for different periods during the day, but our Saint Patrick's Day excursion to AT & T Park for a soccer doubleheader continued, with plenty of hot chocolate, of course.

It was always going to be festive. We figured that out on the train up from San Jose, as more and more fans crowded on the train, a majority of them wearing Mexico jerseys, which had the added benefit of being green, thus protecting the wearer against pinches. (Interesting train ride: people were openly carrying cases of beer, which is apparently not a problem for Cal Train, as the conductors didn't seem to care.)

I was not sure how well a soccer field would fit inside AT & T Park, with the configuration for baseball, but it actually proved to be quite successful, and our seats were amazingly close to the pitch. First game was San Jose versus the Houston Dynamo.




The Earthquakes had moments of opportunity, but never quite finished, while the Dynamo made the most of the penalty kick they earned to take all the points from the game. Still, I enjoyed it thoroughly.

And then things got even MORE festive for the second game, which is a little odd when you consider the first game was a professional match and the second game was a bunch of players 23 and younger. It wasn't even an actual Olympic qualifying match, simply a friendly between Mexico and Senegal. But the fans increased in number and frenzy, flocking to the bottom of the stands just to take pictures of the Mexican players warming up with small games of keep-away. And the procession on to the field was complete with fanfare (apologies for the shaky quality of the video from my iPhone):







Mexico soccer fans are great. I have rarely seen the wave done without any irony. Unfortunately, they also like vuvuzuelas.

The game was brilliant. Despite the youth of the players, there was an added dimension of speed and elegance that seemed to be missing from the MLS game, as fast and as skilled as the Earthquakes and Dynamo were. Senegal was big and strong, but Mexico started the game clearly the superior in terms of creativity and tactics, and their momentum paid off with two penalty kicks earned and converted in the first twenty-five minutes. Senegal looked much improved in the second half and converted a penalty of their own, but Mexico never really looked in danger of losing the match.

It was a great day, capped by a great meal at Tres with our friends Vaughn and Emily, where we had margaritas and shrimp tacos. A perfect flavor for the end of a soccer-flavored Saint Patrick's Day.

Full Speed Ahead With The Earthquakes

Major League Soccer really is a major league.

That sounds simplistic, but bear with me. I've always rooted for the league and the Earthquakes--and when there was no team in San Jose, DC United--but I always subconsciously considered it to be far inferior to the Premier League. The players looked slow, the passes looked slow, the fields looked clunky. Yes, the entire field.

But I've been to two Earthquakes games now, one last year and one on Saturday night, and seeing it in person is an entirely different question. The atmosphere has been outstanding, and everything looks polished smooth, and this is while they are playing at the University of Santa Clara, not even their own stadium--although their own stadium is now officially in the works.

Well, it looked smooth until before kickoff, when a fog machine and pre-match fireworks obscured everything during a strange electric guitar rendition of the national anthem. The anthem went on so long I thought the guitarist got lost along the way.



To see these players up close is to realize how fast and big they are. A shot that on TV looks like a slow bouncing ball actually zips along, passing outside the goalpost almost before it leaves the foot. That's how it felt, at least.

Which makes me realize just how much more intense and rapid a Premier League game must be in person.

2012 has kicked off with a win for the Earthquakes. I can't wait for the next game.

Soccer At The Desperate End

First, there was Germany-England. Now we have Bolton-QPR.

I know, I know, I never thought it would be possible to link the two matchups either. But it must be done.

Everyone remembers the World Cup imbroglio where a shot by England's Frank Lampard clearly crossed the goal line, but a goal was not awarded. That would have tied the match at 2-2. As it was, Germany went on to win 4-1, ending England's run in the tournament. Honestly, I think Germany was the stronger team and would have won anyway, but it clearly should have been a goal.

In today's match, QPR's Clint Hill made a great break to the ball on a corner kick and had a well-struck header that Bolton's goalie Adam Bogdan volleyed up against the crossbar and away from the line. Problem was, it had clearly gone a couple feet over the goal line. The assistant referee did not signal the goal, even though he had the proper positioning. He later claimed not to see it. There was a defender right on the post, but it still seems like he should have seen it cross the line.

The referee was not in a position to make the call either, although he was positioned correctly for a corner, with a vantage point that would allow him to watch for any fouls within the crowd in front of the goal.

Mistakes happen; unfortunately, both these teams are battling to avoid relegation from the Premier League, which would carry a significant financial setback.

Both teams clearly had nerves. Crosses and free kicks were hit too low and straight at defenders far too often--although American Tim Ream, a defender by trade, floated in a lovely cross for Bolton's opening goal. Bolton, by the way, went on to win 2-1, which makes the blown call all the more painful for QPR.

Goal-line technology seems inevitable. I am hesitant over anything that over-technifies* soccer--the omnipresence of television replays that expose every missed call by a referee, for instance--but I think it is a good call. It could actually remove some pressure from referees who are doing a tough job at a fast pace. Additionally, while I dislike the fact that sports are a business, it is not a fact that is going to change, and with so much at stake, I think it is important to make it as fair as possible. So if the goal-line technology can prove to be reliable, or if there is some sort of review process that allows questionable decisions to be reviewed--although such a review process probably wouldn't be feasible without interrupting the flow of the game--then I think it would be a good idea.

*my own term, and I stand by it.

Reasons Why Manny Ramirez Won't Destroy The A's

So I said the other day that all my interest in Oakland would dissipate if they signed Manny Ramirez. They did not take heed of my warning; strange, because I assumed Billy Beane was a regular reader.

In order to cover my bases, just in case the Ramirez signing doesn't ruin the A's season, here are some reasons why it will be successful, or at least not apocalyptic.

1) It's a non-guaranteed contract, which means if Oakland finds a better option while Ramirez is serving his 50 game suspension, they can simply release him.

2) It has certainly generated buzz. Anything to get people talking about Oakland, in addition to the Cespedes signing, has to be good for the Athletics. Maybe a few more fans in the stadium, maybe a little excitement or momentum. Good for the bottom line, hopefully good for the team, and therefore hopefully good for the fans, although if the team is indeed going to move to San Jose, it will be little more than a parting gift. Before these signings, it was likely that people would forget the AL West had four teams. At least now they will remember there is an Oakland.

3) Manny being Manny would make for a good excuse for any distractions or mediocre performances from the team. A good old fashioned scapegoat.

4) He won't be around for the first third of the season anyway, so the season's course will be at least partially defined already. It's a long season, but we will have some sense of how the team is likely to do, and Ramirez could either be an injection of adrenaline to maintain success, or simply a distraction from another disappointing run. It's a gamble, but as Oakland has already been written in as set to lose more than it wins, might as well gamble.

So yeah, I'll watch a few games. And maybe that's the whole point of the Ramirez signing: trying to get a few more people to notice the A's.

Signs Of Life In Oakland . . . For Now

It was looking like another tough off-season for Oakland Athletic fans. That's saying something, because the bar for tough off-seasons in Oakland is pretty high, with the ongoing reports that the A's will soon know the way to San Jose from first-hand experience.

This off-season seemed noteworthy in terms of promising an especially mediocre season; and yes, 'especially mediocre' seems a contradiction in terms, but it isn't a contradiction for A's fans. First, rumors are that the move to San Jose will happen soon. And even if it doesn't, some of the most exciting players the A's had are now gone, either via trade or free agency: Trevor Cahill, Gio Gonzalez, Andrew Bailey, Josh Willingham, to name four. And then you have the rest of the division getting tougher, with Albert Pujols going to the Angels and Texas signing Yu Darvish.

So there didn't seem to be many reasons for Oakland fans to care what is going to happen this season, other than the visceral, emotional reasons that no sports fans can really ignore, no matter how disgusted they get with management.

But there are a few interesting things that have happened.

1) Coco Crisp stayed. The free agent outfielder with one of the best names in baseball, expected to leave for richer pastures, actually signed a new contract, giving Oakland a figure of stability atop the lineup.

2) Jonny Gomes signed. The free agent outfielder is a native of Petaluma, so that adds an element of potential hometown heroics.

3) Unexpectedly, the A's signed one of the most talked about free agents of the off season, Cuban defector Yoenis Cespedes. Given the propensity of Oakland to hold on to money like an oyster holds on to its adductor muscle, this was startling. I expected him to sign with the Miami Marlins, for many obvious reasons, including the Marlins' willingness to splash cash about this off-season.

None of these reasons really give me extra motivation to attend an Oakland game. If I'm going to the Bay Area for a baseball game this year, odds are it will be a Giants game.

But there is this special bonus reason that intrigues me as a writer.

4) Brandon McCarthy is really, really funny. I didn't know much about Brandon, but he recently contributed a guest column to an SI.com blog, and it was awesome. It would be akin to Nick Hornby signing to play soccer for Newcastle United and turning into a 30 goal per season man.

All these moves could well be with an eye for a future San Jose stadium, which ironically I would dislike, much as I would dislike the Niners in Santa Clara, even though that would put them closer to me. But nevertheless, I'm intrigued enough that I will catch a few A's games on TV this season.

Unless, as rumored, they sign Manny Ramirez, as they are rumored to be considering. That would make me give up on them all over again.

Soccer Takes A Furry Turn, And Other Thoughts

1) I watched the Liverpool-Tottenham game today, which will be memorable not because of anything that happened in terms of actual game play, but because a cat scampered on to the field to halt the proceedings for several minutes. It was bemusing to see Brad Friedel looking so bemused to see a cat scurrying around the goal area--I hope he's not a non-cat person. But it was very cute, and a lot more entertaining than last week when apparently some buffoon ran on to the field and handcuffed himself to a goalpost. It was also way more attractive than any streaker.

Within minutes, there were already at least three Twitter accounts attributed to the cat. That says something about society, but I'm not sure what. I'm going to say it is a good thing.

2) Two more players who once were on my fantasy soccer team who shall never again represent FC Buster Posey: Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll. Luis Suarez just finished an eight game suspension for a racial insult directed against Patrice Evra of Manchester United, and Andy Carroll just spent the entire game whining and calling for penalties where none were merited, and then he wasted a couple of golden chances to score.

I trust they feel the lingering sting of being banished forever from the world of the my fantasy soccer graces.

I know you might think it is dubious to link a player impugned with racism with a player who fails to score, but they are in fact linked: one is offensive, and the other is ironically not offensive enough.

Pro Bowl, Amateur Relevance?

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced that he would consider eliminating the Pro Bowl, the annual all star game that used to cap off the year, following the Super Bowl as a post-season party in Honolulu.

My reaction to this news: "Huh. I don't really care."

If my reaction was not unique--and I suspect it was not--that underlines the problem that Goodell was pointing out. Is the Pro Bowl still relevant and do people enjoy it?

Speaking for myself, it has been some time since I actually cared about the Pro Bowl, and that was even before the NFL moved it to the weekend BEFORE the Super Bowl, which struck me as really weird, and an effort to artificially give it more importance than it actually has. I haven't really watched the Pro Bowl for some time, so I don't know if I can advise the commissioner on how to fix it. I tried to watch it last year, but I got bored after two minutes. Nevertheless, I've been thinking about this question, so I'll put out the thoughts that occurred to me.

I used to love the Pro Bowl. I feel nostalgic for the NFL of the '80s and '90s, when I was growing up. I think those were halcyon days for the NFL, with stars like Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, John Elway, Dan Marino, Randall Cunningham, Barry Sanders, Warren Moon, Phil Simms, etc. I remember enjoying the spectacle of the Pro Bowl, because every sports fan enjoys those "what if?" moments, such as "what if Joe Montana could throw to Art Monk or hand off to Herschel Walker?" Those "what if" moments are the reason why the Pro Bowl--and any All-Star game--would appeal to fans.

Tradition is important, I can tell you that much. Clearly the advertisers understand that football fans like tradition, as the advertisements in the Super Bowl seemed to focus a lot on nostalgia, as highlighted in this article by Peter Hartlaub of the Chronicle--on a side note, the Matthew Broderick/Ferris Bueller ad for Honda was clever and creative enough that I did not consider Broderick a sell-out, which is saying something; I don't feel quite so charitable towards Jerry Seinfeld or Jay Leno, although to be fair, I have disliked Leno since Conangate.

In the spirit of tradition, maybe the Pro Bowl should have been left alone as a post-Super Bowl party. The Pro Bowl should be fun for the fans, and the fans would be more likely to have fun if the players were clearly having fun, and I suspect that players would be more likely to have fun at the Pro Bowl with a longer break between the end of the season and the exhibition in Honolulu, not to mention the fact that then the stars of the teams in the Super Bowl could play.

If you do want to make the Pro Bowl better, you need to do away with the idea of an extra regular season game or two, because that's going to be an extra game or two to exhaust the players, which will make them less likely to enjoy an exhibition.

Maybe the question of relevance is the wrong question. Should the Pro Bowl be forced to mean more than what it is? In Major League Baseball, they recently introduced a competitive element, in that the league that wins the All-Star Game earns home field advantage for the World Series. This wouldn't work for the Super Bowl, not only because the Super Bowl is a one-off game rather than a series, but also because the Super Bowl is at a neutral site that bids large sums of money well in advance for the right to host, so you couldn't really inject an identical post-season stake in the Pro Bowl. Even if you could, the Pro Bowl can't be held in the middle of the season, so the result of the Pro Bowl would have to impact the following year's Super Bowl, which is not an idea I would like. I also can't say that I tend to watch baseball's All-Star Game more now than I did before it was just an exhibition.

In the end, maybe the question Commissioner Goodell needs to ask is, "How do we make the Pro Bowl fun again?" If you can't make it fun, then there is no point to having it. There is enough competition and money and business factors throughout the NFL; return the Pro Bowl to the realm of fantasy and nostalgia and pure entertainment.