Soccer Culture
This week, Red Bulls defender on the turntables, Fox Soccer anchors working far too hard, and LA's trip to the White House see's some familiar faces pop up.
Don't forget to follow our two official Twitter handles to find out the latest from inside MLS Follow@MLS_Insider Follow@MLS
Red Bulls defender Solli has kept his love for music no secret in the past. Listen to his new mix, it's very, very good. Can we get #SolliFistPump trending?!
Some smooth and powerful tracks in my latest promo. Good Energy!! ;) May Promo Mix By Solli http://soundcloud.com/jan-gunnar-solli/may-promo-mix-by-solli on #SoundCloud
— Jan Gunnar Solli (@JanGunnarSolli) May 10, 2012
After helping D.C. to a shutout win over Colorado, Hamid was pumped to see some NHL stars waiting for him in the locker room. Scratch that, Bill was super pumped!
Too sick!! The Washington capitals players in our lockerroom after the game.. #MadRespect
— Bill Hamid (@BillHamid28) May 16, 2012
So Heath Pearce obviously knew a trade to the New York Red Bulls was on the cards. But he suffered from something we can only describe as premature tweeting, as he announced his official move from Chivas USA.... more than 3 hours before it actually became official.
Heath Pearce has officially been traded to the new York red bulls. Thanks Chivas fans for your love during my time here...
— Heath Pearce (@HeathGPearce) May 17, 2012
The guys at Fox Soccer have been working hard lately, what with the climax to the EPL season and the Champions League Final just around the corner. Anchor Rob Stone claims they've been in overdrive....the pic suggests otherwise!
Nobody, and I mean nobody works harder on the road then @Wynalda11 and myself. Nobody. http://pic.twitter.com/WQzlO9PG
— Rob Stone(@RobStoneONFOX) May 17, 2012
Galaxy striker Chad Barrett enjoyed his trip to the White House to meet President Obama. He also enjoyed meeting this guy, well, sort of.
The Legend and I http://pic.twitter.com/qNAdeGJy
— Chad Barrett(@CBarrett19) May 15, 2012
If you see a soccer tweet that should be included in our top five, be sure to send it to the @MLS_Insider!
So MSNBC host Chuck Todd may not be the biggest fan of MLS, or soccer in general. But is that really a reason to make snide comments about the LA Galaxy’s trip to see President Obama at the White House to be congratulated for their 2011 MLS Cup triumph on Tuesday?
As Todd read out the President’s daily schedule during The Daily Rundown, he quipped in a slightly bemused tone:
“As you can see, he… welcomes the Major League Soccer champions? All you LA Galaxy fans out there– does this mean Beckham shows up? I’m not sure. Is he really a member of the Galaxy or not?”
Todd went on to say, “No more soccer references. I promise.”
Fernando Fiore, host of the most popular sports show on Univisión (República Deportiva), took Todd’s comments to heart and reached out to Twitter to air his distain at the comments.
@chucktodd @dailyrundown If you do NOT know anything about SOCCER, @LAGalaxy and David Beckham, investigate and THEN make a comment.Gracias
— Fernando Fiore (@FernandoFiore) May 15, 2012
Fiore also tweeted in Spanish, “I am watching MSNBC and the commentary from a Mr. Chuck Todd over the LA Galaxy White House visit is deprecating. Why? Ignorance.”
You be the judge regarding Todd’s comments. For now it seems the beef is brewing between Mr. Todd and Señor Fiore.
Stay tuned, this could get meaty.
(Video courtesy of Mediaite.com)
Dan Gargan usually paints to find an escape from his day job, but the Chicago Fire defender mixed his two passions in a piece he painted for Wednesday’s “Art of Futbol” Gallery showing in Chicago, which takes place on Wednesday and benefits the Chicago Fire Foundation.
Gargan’s piece is called “The Beautiful Game,” and is an abstract vision of what Gargan believes soccer embodies.
“It’s pretty simple,” Gargan told MLSsoccer.com. “It’s got a bunch of flowers in it. When I think of the game, there’s just a bunch of different ways you can express yourself through the game.
"I feel like no one person’s expression or interpretation of the game is the same, and that’s reminiscent of how flowers are. They’re all unique, and they’re all beautiful in their own way.”
Gargan has loved painting since he was a kid, and he minored in studio art at Georgetown University.
Most of his painting nowadays comes in the offseason. His paintings usually end up somewhere in his apartment or in a family member’s home, but a few players around MLS have asked him to paint for them.
This offseason, Colorado forward Conor Casey, Gargan’s former teammate, gave him a wall in his home to use as his canvas.
“He’s always been a big fan of my art,” Gargan said. “He gave me a wall and said, ‘Go for it.’”
Gargan is working on a web site to promote his art work, which he said should be up in the next few weeks.
The Fire defender is hoping people will be interested in his work, and is excited about Wednesday’s showing, which takes place from 7 to 9 pm CT at Society Art Gallery in Chicago’s West Town neighborhood.
But he’s perfectly fine if painting remains just a hobby.
“What I’m getting out of it right now is exactly what I’m looking for,” Gargan said. “That’s the ability to step away from soccer and just have fun with it. It gives me a lot of joy and a lot of happiness to me and my friends and my family. If it was to get bigger, or people were interested in it, that’s great. But it’s more of just an outlet for me.”
Branden Steineckert plays drums for Rancid. That, by definition, rocks. That he is an avid soccer fan and a passionate Real Salt Lake supporter rocks even harder.
But the fact that he's such a geniune, cool, down-to-earth guy who wants to encourage people to express themselves, that's punk.
I met Branden when I was in Salt Lake City a few months ago. He was sitting in the back of a town-hall meeting between the supporter groups and RSL brass. At some point, the supporters brought up their dislike of the song played at Rio Tinto Stadium whenever the home side scores. "It's lame," one person said.
Naturally, everyone in the room eventually turned to the guy in the back who tours the world as a musician.
Steineckert didn't hesitate to give his opinion. But he didn't opine on the music. He didn't say the current goal song was bad or that another song would be better. No, instead, he challenged his fellow RSL supporters.
"Let's come up with something of our own," he said.
It was only a matter of time before someone came up with this.
Adidas have come out with a new soccer shoe that actually helps players with specific facets of their game. And that's not just promo copy.
In Kick TV's latest Gear Show, they showcase the new Predator LZs that have a cushion to help with passing and grips on the outside of the boot that enhance dribbling and control.
Find out why the hosts call it a "radically different predator" than any that adidas has produced. And they're not just referring to the colors.
You need to see it to believe it. Check it out below.
This week, US internationals pose all over Europe for photos, a soccer journalist examines a bizzarre photo of Arshavin, and Charlie Davies takes FIFA 12 to a whole new level.
Don't forget to follow our two official Twitter handles to find out the latest from inside MLS Follow@MLS_Insider Follow@MLS
US International Kljestan won his first trophy, as Anderlecht clinched the Belgian League title. This photo is very, well, euro. We like it. Congrats Sacha.
Finally… Champions… What a feeling. http://twitpic.com/9iujc4
— Sacha Kljestan (@SachaKljestan) May 8, 2012
Former D.C. United striker Davies is back in France with Sochaux. He is causing all kinds of damage with his brother, over a video game.
This is what happens when my brother @jbdavies16 and I wrestle because I was whooping him in FIFA lol http://instagr.am/p/KXzOLPBWvp/
— Charlie Davies (@CharlieDavies9) May 8, 2012
Soccer journalist and presenter of the Best Soccer show, Davis gave three alternatives for photo captions which should have been used in this photo of Arshavin celebrating. Hilarious!
1. He might enjoying this too much. 2. It's like if you touch Arshavin, you get a wish. 3. The guy on the left. http://ow.ly/aKELV
— Jason Davis (@davisjsn) May 7, 2012
Gooch is looking suave in this magazine shoot for the latest edition of Men's Health in Portugal. Usually that kind of glance strikes fear into the opposition, but don't worry he's not angry, the US center back is in the zone for his close-up.
Everyone in Portugal... Don't forget to get this months edition of Men's Health Magazine.... Bless! http://pic.twitter.com/AwGByYR6
— Oguchi Onyewu(@OguchiOnyewu5) May 7, 2012
Martino is a thoughtful husband and a wonderful color commentator on NBC Sports Network. (P.S. check out his Twitter avatar, was this the result of his shaving mishap?!)
Not trying to wake your wife up at 530 am by shaving in the dark leaves some unintentional facial hair statements.
— Kyle Martino(@kylemartino) May 8, 2012
If you see a soccer tweet that should be included in our top five, be sure to send it to the @MLS_Insider!
Ok, so I don't actually know where to start with this. Other than to say, this is amazingly awkward and I loved every single second of it.
Hermes, a former capo for the Portland Timbers, will have you in tears with his deadpan wit in this great new series “Off Pitch with Hermes.”
Above is Episode 3, but you can watch all the episodes on the Timbers website by clicking here.
I think Hermes says it best, when he states “do not be afraid of your own greatness!” Well, Hermes, we think your pretty great, so ummm....don’t be afraid.
Just saw the news that Wales manager Chris Coleman -- the guy who first brought USMNT striker Clint Dempsey to Fulham, and now thinks he's ready for a bigger club -- called up Tottenham Hotspur winger Gareth Bale for the Welsh side's friendly against Mexico later this month in New York. The two sides will square off on May 27 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ.
Bale might just be my favorite player outside of MLS. (I'll keep my favorites in MLS to myself, thank you very much.) His mix of speed, power, magic, and doggedness consistently fill me with awe. It all seems so artistic, which is probably why I also love this short animated film about him, that was done by a Spurs fan named Richard Swarbrick.
Take a few minutes of your time to watch New York Red Bulls and US national team star Juan Agudelo talk about his childhood memories playing the game he loves – badminton.
Just kidding.
No offense to badminton, but Agudelo has grown up with soccer on the brain since, apparently, birth.
His first word was one you'd expect from a soccer obsessed child, instead of uttering "Mom" or "Dad" Agudelo screamed "Goooooaaal!"
As a youngster, the lightning-quick winger also scribbled a note on the back wall of his closet, a reminder to help make his dream become a reality:
"John pro soccer player. If God lets me or if he wants me to. Or maybe a pro basketball player. It's all up to me and God."
The video is part of Team Kellogg's new series "Start Stories," which looks at how young US athletes got started in the sport they now get paid to play.
Landon Donovan's goal versus Algeria in the 2010 World Cup lives on. For USMNT fans, it's going to live in the memory for a long time.
And now we can all re-live it via this video from a former MLSsoccer.com intern named Albert Lanzillo. Inspired by English artist Richard Swarbrick's gorgeous animated film about Tottenham Hotspur's Gareth Bale, Albert made his animation for a school project.
Don't know about you, but we'll give him an A.