posted mercoledì 25 aprile 2007 22.37 by Nooner | | 1 Comments

But more importantly, he has his troops believing. It's like Isaiah with the might-actually-make-the-playoffs Knicks (except there's no way Bob would sign Stevie Franchise or Starbury.) The team just looks different with Baldy in charge.

Point is, after the debacle that was last summer, the U.S. is fun to watch again. Who knows if Landon will continue to show up, but does it really matter? This team is exciting.

It's the youth infusion that's making the difference. The aforementioned Bradley. Feilhaber. Clark. Spector. Mapp. Damn, the kiddes are brining it in a big way. And you gotta believe there are a million high schoolers waiting in the wings. Going forward, it's going to be great watching them grow up through the Gold Cup, the Copa America, and Cup qualifiying.

Now, if only Gulati would give Bradley an extension. Hell, Isaiah got one.

Proceeds benefit the Joseph Kolb Family & Medical Assistance Fund, established to help a Largo, Florida soccer family. In the span of a year, oldest son Adam was diagnosed with a brain tumor, and youngest sibling Joe was paralyzed from the chest down after an accident.

Items to be auctioned off include jerseys from Bocanegra and Dempsey at Fulham, Reyna in New York, Twellman in New England, Boswell, Gomez and Moreno in D.C., and team jerseys from FC Dallas and Real Salt Lake.

The good people at MacDinton's will even give a 25 percent discount on food and drink for fans wearing USA shirts and jerseys. So go early, stay late, and bring your red, white and blue. (And, of course, your checkbooks).

From the announcers to the players themselves (many thanks to Deadspin for turning the Nooner on to this clip), futbolers worldwide understand the lost art of the celebration -- and FIFA rightly turns the other cheek.

The Nooner thinks other sports should take notice. When Big Papi takes a 95-mile per hour fastball over the fence, he should be able to gloat, just as Chad should be able to putt the football or dance a jig when he torches another D-back and puts up six.

After the ludicrous build-up that leads to a goal, a touchdown or a homerun, denying a man (or woman) the right to go crazy is just plain unhuman. Is scoring a goal better than sex? That depends who your scoring upon (and with whom you're scoring). But regardless, both deserve to be celebrated.

posted mercoledì 14 marzo 2007 19.37 by Nooner | 0 Comments

The Nooner wants to commemorate the occasion in a different manner. He's turning to YouTube (where else?), and compling a top ten list of great futbóol injuries. Some, filmed with the crystal clear HD videocameras found at Champions League matches, you've seen before; other, caught on wobbly camera phones and crappy digital recorders, you haven't. Either way, the following make Mr. Posh's injury look like a mere flesh wound.

1. Oh, those crazy kids.
2. John Terry
3. They could be coached by Bruce Arena.
4. Julie Foudy makes an appearance!
5. Now that's a bump.
6. Well, that's awkward.
7. "It doesn't look good." (Always bad when the announcer says that.)
8. Adding insult to injury.
9. The Italian National Team?
10. That's gross.

Oh, and one more thing: Here's another instance of 'roid rage. The Nooner is telling you, he's on to something big.

England (8-5 before Blatter's comments, 4-1 after) -- By then, they will finally have solved the hooligan problem. Plus, the country deserves to get some pleasure out of the game it "invented." It's not like the team's going to win the damn thing anytime soon.

U.S. (3-1) -- Americans aren't good at waiting. It will have been 24 years since we last hosted the tournament. That's absurd. Sure, it's only 4 World Cups between ones on U.S. soil, but why should other countries get to have all the fun? We're the big brother who always gets his way. Plus, we'll be done paying off Beck's contract by then, so we're ready to throw a ridiculous amount of money at some other soccer-related cause. (The Nooner's un-asked-for, dramatic prediction of the day: If it's here, we win. No questions asked.)

Mexico (6-1) -- The pluses: One final run at home for Borgetti, who might never retire; cheap drugs; Jorge Campos would almost certainly play a prominent role in the festivities.
The minuses: Everyone who enters Azteca immediately gets the Black Lung; Drinking Corona and Tecate for three straight weeks would get old real fast; Bad things happen in Mexico. Haven't you ever seen Laguna Beach or The O.C.?

Dark horse candidate that the Nooner is unaware of because he barely did any research to write this post (10-1) -- The title pretty much says it all.

Canada (1 trillion-1) -- Seriously? It's f-ing Canada. The only reason the odds are so low is because the Nooner couldn't find the infinity symbol on his keyboard. Go play hockey, Canucks.

Belize (Not gonna happen) -- But how awesome would that be? The Nooner can dream, can't he? He'd be there in a heartbeat, wearing his thong bathing suit. (On second thought, it's probably a good thing it won't happen.)