October 14, 2008
I had a rough day yesterday, so heregoes:
- Vancouver defeated Puerto Rico 2-1 in the USL 1st Division Championship game on Sunday. Former Rhino forward Charles Gbeke scored both of the Whitecaps goals to give Vancouver their second title in the past three seasons.
- The USL announced the USL-1 honors and former Rhino midfielder Jonathan Steele was named MVP. Puerto Rico also locked up Coach of the Year (Colin Clarke) and Defender of the Year (Cristian Arrieta) with Osvaldo Alonso taking home the Rookie of the Year award.
- The USMNT has clinched a spot in the final round of CONCACAF Qualifying for the 2010 World Cup thanks to their 6-1 win over Cuba on Saturday night. And while Greg Lalas wasn't that excited by the win, I cherish any time the US can destroy someone in a match that matters. TIAS.com has some coollpictures from the game and SBI.net talks to Josimer Altidore about the game and the start of his European adventure.
- Steven Goff of the Washington Post talked to one of the two Cuban players that defected during Cuba's visit to DC. The story sounds very similiar to Rey Martinez's defection story.
- Bob Bradley has tweaked his roster due to injuries suffered during MLS play over the weekend.
- Devo has an article in today's D&C talking about the Rhinos off season and who is and isn't under contract right now.
- The New England Revolution was dealt a major blow when Steve Ralston had his right leg broken against Kansas City.
- The Houston Chronicle has a nice article on how Bobby Boswell has bolstered the Dyanmo's defense.And one Dynamo fan got banned for life after the Houston-DC game when he launched racial slurs towards DC's Liberian goalkeeper Louis Crayton.
- Jamaica beat Mexico 1-0!!!!!!!! I hope Greg lalas got excited about that news!
- Ruud Gullit gives his take on why soccer isn't more successful in the US. I think the biggest problem is that US fans are used to the best league in the world being based in the US and in soccer, it isn't.
- And I'd like to ditto Devo's congrats to Lindsay and Scott Vallow on the birth of their second son, Mason.
The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author, and not necessarily those of the Rochester Rhinos or SoccerSam.com. Feel free to send any comments or complaints to news@soccersam.com. James promises to read (but not to respond) to all of them.
