(Get) A Sporting Life

It may be trendy to fall in love with the young hard throwing relievers coming up through the Cards system , but I thought we were doing the whole "build from within" thing in part because it allows us to make a move for immediate help, which DeRosa clearly is. We have no one on the farm who can really replace the missing production in the outfield and third base this season. That being the case, it makes sense to grab a DeRosa to fill in here and there. He is a plus bat and we need one right now. LaRussa has a good handle on how to use guys like this, and from what I read the in PD he's keen to have someone like DeRosa aboard. Yes, it would be great to keep Perez and see how he develops, but I never bought that whole "closer of the future" stuff. In my experience, if a kid is really ready to step in like that they do it right away (think of that ass Papelbon or Todd Worrell.) Now, some players do work their way into the position, but it usually takes a few yea...

You know, if the US had just got outplayed by Brazil and lost 2-0 I wouldn't have minded. I could have said, "Hey boys, good job. You really proved yourself." But this????? This is a choke job of the first order and as dis-spiriting a loss for US fans as can be imaginable. Oh, I know the game isn't over yet. But, trust me, it most definitely is over.

OK, I've had a couple of hours to decompress from that surprisingly tense semi-final. And I say "surprisingly tense" because I really wasn't sure we were gonna be in this match for long. I know Spain didn't look great against Iraq (or South Africa for that matter), but I chalked that up to them taking it easy waiting for the knockout stages. Yes, the US played a great game against Egypt, but, c'mon it was Egypt. Don't get me wrong, they are a good side, but they are no Spain. Anyway, here are some of the highlights from the press roundups: New York Times : Unlike that loss to Brazil last week, though, the Americans were confident, not nervous, in the opening minutes Wednesday. They bothered Spain with early high pressure, and the defense remained alert and cohesive throughout. By kickoff, the temperature had dipped near freezing early in the Southern Hemisphere winter, and Spain’s attack immediately congealed. Tackling by the United States was superb, defe...

...but I know more about soccer then the motherfucking idiots that FIFA allows to ref international tournaments. There have been three offsides calls on the US that were obviously onside (by a yard or two in each instance.) Now there is yet another straight red card (to Bradley) that was complete and utter bullshit. (Not even a foul as Bradley won the ball fair and square...but hey, he's just a greasy American I guess.) It's a fucking joke. BTW, the US has played great, and they deserve the win against Spain. Yeah, I mean that.

Now FIFA is using legally blind New Zealanders (I presume) to ref US games. The asshole calls fouls (and gives yellow cards) against US players who NEVER TOUCH THE OTHER PLAYERS. Now, the asshole doesn't see a obvious hand ball used to deny a US goal. Goddammit.

Oh wow I wish that was a rhetorical question! Unfortunately, I can tell you exactly how bad the refs in MLS are. In today's Galaxy/Earthquakes match I've seen... A) A ref give a card to a player for not setting the wall on a free kick the required 20 yards away. What's that? They are only supposed to set up 10 yards away? Someone better tell the ref as he's convinced its 20. B) I just saw an offsides call on a throw in. What's that? There can be no offsides on a throw?? Once again, that would come as news to MLS officiating.

If FIFA cannot find refs who can call the game on the field and not just the names on the jerseys they should just give it up. The US has gotten two red cards now and both of them have been complete and utter bullshit. Really these refs should have bodily harm done to them. I for one wouldn't shed a tear.

Saw this today from the AP: U.S. phenom Adu told to start playing regularly With the hype largely behind him, Freddy Adu is being told he needs to start playing regular club football to continue his development as a key member of the United States' squad. A two-year spell in Europe with Benfica and Monaco, spent mostly on the bench, has helped dampen much of the spectacular fervor and unrealistic predictions of superstardom that greeted him as a 14-year-old professional athlete.... He played just 169 minutes over 10 matches on loan at Monaco this past season and is set to return to Portuguese side Benfica, which paid Major League Soccer $2 million for him in 2007. Even so, his one goal in 13 international matches would be more than respectable for most young strikers who rarely play at club level. But his immigrant background and precocious talent long since led sponsors and agents to see him as a perfect marketing figure and trumpet him as the United States' first true footbal...

There is no doubt that the US cannot get a fairly ref'd game in CONCACAF . I don't know if they are racist or its a political thing, but I'm tired of it. We should petition to get in UEFA . Sure we would never get to a World Cup final, but at least the games would be fair. UPDATE: Perfect example: Ball handled by the last defender as the ball would have fallen to a US player in the box. That is not only a no brainer penalty (which was NOT immediately called by the ref) but also a no brainer Red card (which was not given of course.) Typical. FURTHER UPDATE: More typical. Donovan gets a yellow card for tapping a guys leg. Only problem? Guy rolling on the ground holding the wrong leg. Oops. But, hey, it had to be a card! Players from a Spanish speaking country were demanding one. Stupid floppers.

Sheesh. Now we are down to Honduras early. I'm thinking Bradley needs to be fired, even if the US comes back in this game. This team is terrible and there is no reason ti should be. They certainly have seemed unprepared, and that falls on the coaching staff, like it or not. Besides, I think the USMNT has outgrown our domestic coaches. We may need to have an outsiders eye. At least they would be able to see that Mastroeni is not good enough.

Those are the only words one can use for the pro-Red Wing coverage on Versus. Stupid motherfuckers.

CONCACAF should outlaw World Cup qualifiers on astroturf. The surface in Costa Rica is a joke. Its clown soccer. And while, yes, Costa Rica is playing better clown soccer than the US...who gives a shit? Its clown soccer!

...and the US is down two to Costa Rica, and Pablo Mastroeni is quickly becoming my new least favorite USMNT player. The game has passed Pablo by. Way passed him by. My God this is ugly.