We are officially in the sports dead period from now until some pre-season football games and two-a-day practice reports begin. Until then, we are left with some MLB games and some spare time to ponder the meaning of life. Along those lines, I had some random thoughts over the weekend:
1. Admittedly, I am no soccer fan. But I do follow the USMNT and find myself getting caught up in World Cup qualifying and the major international events. The 2-0 victory of Spain was tremendous on its own. However, the two goals scored by the US vs. Spain could hardly be classified as beautiful or technical. They count just the same, but they were more hustle plays than anything else. Still, a tremendous victory over the world's #1 team.
However, that first half yesterday vs. Brazil was something entirely different. Dempsey's first goal was something a Brazilian or Italian would be proud of. And the entire counter attack leading to Donovan's goal was gorgeous. I'm hardly a United States soccer historian, but that was the best goal I've ever seen scored by the USMNT.
It's unfortunate that Brazil scored so quickly to start the 2nd half and things just snowballed from there (i.e., reality set in). Regardless, it was a fun couple of matches. It only enhances my interest in the rest of World Cup qualifying and 2010 in South Africa.
2. Welcome back, Mr. Halladay. Doc toes the rubber tonight vs. Tampa Bay. Please say a quick prayer for Doc's groin to hold up. (You may want to say a silent prayer because it's generally frowned upon to say verbal prayers about another man's groin.)
3. Just about two months until football season. I've been going through some of my 2008 game recordings (for about the millionth time since the Fiesta Bowl). I've come to the following general conclusions heading into 2009:
We are going to miss Quan's consistency on 3rd down and his ability to pick up 5-7 yards every time.
But Malcolm Williams will provide some welcomed big play ability.
Our DT depth really scares me. Roy Miller was such a complete stud last year.
But overall, I am very excited about this defense. I expect Muschamp and Co. to take it to the next level in 2009.
Our RB's will be fine. Fairly surprisingly, I am taking Vondrell as my sleeper to shine in 2009.
Blaine Irby's injury sucks. That kid was on the way to being a star for us last year. Ugh.
I really like Kirkendoll and Collins. Guys who will never play in the NFL, but will end up putting together a heck of a career for us.
I still think we go undefeated through the regular season.
4. You hear the bad news about Yao? Apparently, his foot injury has gotten worse and it looks like he might miss the entire 2009-2010 season (if not the rest of his career). What a horrible blow to the Rockets. It's not going to ruin my day, but I hate to see things like that happen to a good guy/good organization.
5. Mannywood returns on Friday after the 50 game suspension. Take a look back at the May 9 blog entry. My prediction for the Dodgers' record during the Manny-less stretch was 27-23. As of today, the Dodgers are 27-20 with 3 games to play vs. Colorado. If the Rockies go into L.A. and sweep the Dodgers, I look like a f'ing genius. If the Dodgers win a game or two, then they have exceeded even my optimistic expectations. And to think there were SOME Dodger fans who thought anything better than a 20-30 record would be a gift from heaven. Ha!
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This is an awesome post. Your second best behind only the early season preview (to which I intend to respond as soon as I devote the time to it that it deserves). I was just about to post a "random thoughts" entry when you did (mine was going to be called "Nickels and Dimes," get it?), so well timed sir.
ReplyDelete1) USA Soccer has the uncanny, unparalled ability to rope in even casual fans when the stage is big and the team is playing well. There is one reason for that, and it is that soccer is the only sport in which the USA is the underdog. Americans like the underdog, but only in soccer is our national team really considered less than a favorite. I think that is the reason so many people get excited about the MNT during World Cup.
Unfortunately, it is also the reason no one cares about soccer the rest of the time. Even though we like the underdog, Americans can't get behind a sport at which they know we are not any good (generally speaking). The fact that MLS is so clearly an average product and not the world's elite league will, IMO forever doom soccer to also-ran status in this country.
As for the games, the counter-attack goal by Donovan was a thing of beauty, like a perfect military strategy. Unfortunately, counter-attacking teams (which the US still is) are always a hair's breath away from falling apart if only because they have the ball so infrequently. Until the US plays a more ball-possession style (which is to say, until it gets more skilled players on the ball) I don't think it can become and elite national squad.
2) The good news is that Halladay's groin seemed fine. The bad news is that he left a few more pitches up in the zone than he usually does, and Tampa (which is on fire right now) made him pay. Halladay has more sink and run on his fastball and change than anyone else in the league, I think, but if he doesn't get the ball down he can be beaten. Fortunately for Team Stockel, he almost always gets the ball down. Still, not a bad showing from the good Doctor for the first game back post injury.
3) I don't think you could possibly be more right about missing Quan. Short throws to him were basically running plays in this offense, and they will desperately need to be replaced with something equally reliable. On the plus side, I think Colt has as much to do with that as Quan. If Colt makes the right reads, I think the talent is there to make those plays.
My real concern is that our offense will not play to the strength of our defense like it did last season. Last season, our offense took repeated small gains to control the game and score. It required repetition of fundamental plays to reliably put up points. Our defense played into this by not allowing a lot of long, 3-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust drives that eat up clock and put pressure on the offense to score fast. This was, in large part, because teams could not run effectively up the middle against us. I fear that this team is going to be susceptible to more sustained drives. This could put pressure on Colt to take too many chances, which we all know is still where his trouble lies.
4) Terrible news about Yao. All team loyalties aside, the fact is the Chinese government sold him down the river by requiring to play so much in the off-season. He deserves better.
5) I am not going to test the baseball gods by commenting on Manny before the suspension is officially over. Let me just say, though, that there are guys on this team who have been helping them win in ways I never thought possible. Further, there are some scary similarities to the 1988 team that had no superstars and only one truly reliable ace pitcher. I am not trying to jinx anything (especially since we are hitting below .240 in our last 5 games or so), I'm just saying....