Soccer Culture
As the sun came up on North America, the Twitterati took to their laptops, phones, tablets, soup cans, whatever they use to tweet, in order to express their thoughts about the 2013 MLS season opening up on Saturday. Here are some of my favorite ones.
Not a single Yank starting in @premierleague all wkd. When was the last time THAT happened? Good time for @mls to return (@bguzan plays Mon)
— American Soccer Now (@ThisIsASN) March 2, 2013
Mazeltov @mls kicking off today. Fans looking for fantasy league action, look no further fantasy.mlssoccer.com
— Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) March 2, 2013
love these mornings when a new dawn is upon us 2013 @mls is here. #ICareAboutMLS
— Taylor Twellman (@TaylorTwellman) March 2, 2013
Happy #MLS day, you guys
— Seth Vertelney (@svertgoalcom) March 2, 2013
— Free Beer Movement (@FreeBeerMovemnt) March 2, 2013
Okay, so what's the plan?? Do you have your clothes picked out? Season tickets in hand? Watch parties google-mapped? #FirstKick #MLS
— Women United FC (@wunitedfc) March 2, 2013
And here's one of my own (shameless self-promotion!) with a priceless quote from a family member.
Just now, my stepfather on @dcunited's Carlos Ruiz: "He's a maniac, but you have to be a maniac to score goals." #MLS
— Ghost of Gaetjens (@Gaetjens) March 2, 2013
This unplugged musical tribute to Kei Kamara, currently on loan at EPL side Norwich City from Sporting KC, and his "heart-shaped hands" goal celebration isn't going to get a favorable review in the latest issue of NME, but you've got to applaud the guy's gumption to sing it loud and proud on BBC Radio Norfolk's McVeigh and Butler show. And the audience participation. And the jersey.
CLICK HERE to watch the video.
Passé, présent et avenir sont tous trois à la une de l’actualité du jour.
L’avenir, c’est celui de la talentueuse génération des -20 ans canadiens qui ne disputera pas la Coupe du monde de sa catégorie d’âge cet été. Le Canada a été battu 4-2 par les États-Unis dans le match décisif (résumé vidéo ci-dessus) et regrette une nouvelle occasion ratée. Mission accomplie en revanche pour les jeunes Américains dont certaines des vedettes pourraient être sur le terrain en MLS dès ce week-end.
Le présent, c’est la saison 2013 qui est sur le point de commencer. Don Garber en tiendra le discours inaugural ce soir sur le coup de 18h00 sous une forme novatrice, puisqu’il sera non seulement diffusé en ligne mais que le commissaire répondra aussi aux questions des journalistes via une vidéoconférence. Cette saison pourrait s’ouvrir sans Dwayne De Rosario, qui risque une suspension pour un mauvais geste durant la préparation.
Le passé, c’est l’histoire à laquelle le Philadelphia Union a fait un superbe clin d’œil hier soir en dévoilant son troisième maillot, référence au Bethleem Steel, un des plus grands clubs d’avant-guerre aux États-Unis. La Semaine des maillots se poursuit en beauté et ce soir, ce sera au tour de Montréal de dévoiler sa troisième vareuse, qui ne fera pas référence à Carsteel (puissance du soccer des années 30 au Québec) mais probablement au titre remporté par l’Impact en 1994 en APSL.
Landon Donovan has a history of insightful, personal interviews. He just hasn't given very many of them lately.
That seems to have changed on Wednesday night, as the US national team and LA Galaxy legend answered questions in public for the first time since helping lead his team to the 2012 MLS Cup. Donovan appeared at a Q&A session titled "The Competitive Edge" on the campus of the University of Southern California.
One promising young scribe proceded to live tweet the event. We can't vouch for the veracity of his transcription, during which Donovan talks about everything from his relationship with his dad to that time he almost quit soccer in 2006 (which, from memory, was right before kickoff vs. Ghana), but I guarantee you we'll all be talking about this out-of-the-blue appearance by LD for the next 48 hours:
Donovan: "2006 was rly my first big failure. There was 2 weeks when I went into depression..I started wondering if soccer is for me again"
— Jesse Xiao (@Xman818) February 21, 2013
Donovan regarding when Beckham came: "I learned a lot of important things...like what to say and what not to say"
— Jesse Xiao (@Xman818) February 21, 2013
On marriage sit in 2009: "For some reason, there was smth inside me that was pulling me to get out of it...I became not a great (pause) man"
— Jesse Xiao (@Xman818) February 21, 2013
"I hit a point last year, and it's really been a lot...I don't feel an obligation to play soccer, I play it cuz I like it, not bc I need it"
— Jesse Xiao (@Xman818) February 21, 2013
"I was so exhausted from the weight of the past 15 years...really the past 28 years"
— Jesse Xiao (@Xman818) February 21, 2013
"There have been time in the past where I thought about quitting because I no longer enjoyed it" he's referring to his time at Bayer Leverku
— Jesse Xiao (@Xman818) February 21, 2013
Here's the best part, if you're a US fan:
What everyone wanted to hear: "Yes, I do have an interest in playing for the USMNT again, if given the opportunity, I would"
— Jesse Xiao (@Xman818) February 21, 2013
And here's the part that's Landon being Landon to, like, the Nth degree:
He says he asked to speak at USC when he heard of our class, and agent approved it. Example of giving more than just on the field.
— Jesse Xiao (@Xman818) February 21, 2013
Whether you enjoy the Harlem Shake or not, it's now infiltrated MLS clubs. The Seattle Sounders, the Vancouver Whitecaps and the Houston Dynamo (a special edition with the Dynamo Girls) are the latest to join the viral video movement.
Where would you rate Jimmy Conrad and his KICKTV crew in the American soccer Harlem Shake hierarchy?
Short, sweet and unambiguous support for Robbie Rogers:
Statement on @robbierogers: “As a Federation we support all our athletes who have had the courage to address this deeply personal topic."
— U.S. Soccer (@ussoccer) February 16, 2013
.@ussoccer statement contd: "We are proud of Robbie. He has been an outstanding representative of our National Team program for many years."
— U.S. Soccer (@ussoccer) February 16, 2013
"...We support him and wish him great success in the future."
— U.S. Soccer (@ussoccer) February 16, 2013
WATCH: MLSers react to Rogers coming out
It's been an emotional day for all of MLS and US soccer, but doubtless nobody's gone through the wringer quite as thoroughly as Robbie Rogers.
Here's his 13-word response:
Thank you everyone for all of the support and love. Wasn't expecting this.
— Robbie Rogers (@robbierogers) February 16, 2013
Understandable.
But from where I sit, the best part of today is that the next guy (or gal) to debate whether or not to come out can expect "this." It's a more tolerant and loving world than we all thought it was nine hours ago.
Slick editing? Subtitles for those of us who can't parle français? Unparallelled behind-the-scenes access during MLS preseason? It's all here.
There's been some good content coming out of Montreal recently, and the most recent contribution from our neighbors in Quebec is a featurette called " or Behind every player.
It look like there will be more of the same coming from Florida, where the Impact are competing in the Disney Pro Classic, so there should be more where this came from. Check it out and share your thoughts in the comment section below.
Sporting KC have been on the forefront of MLS 2.0 since their rebranding, so people tend to pay attention when they unveil their latest marketing initiative.
With the MLS regular season just 19 days away – Sporting and Philadelphia will be the first clubs to kick a ball with points on the line on March 2 at PPL Park – fans in Kansas City are already feeling the hype ahead of yet another season with high expectations.
Check out the commercial above, which ran during the Grammy Awards in the hope of capturing an audience outside the club's core fanbase, and let us know what you think in the comment section below.
If we're to believe the images leaked on TodoSobreCamisetas.com, this is what the USMNT's Centennial jersey will look like in 2013.
The primary feature? It has to be the old-school badge, which replaces the US Soccer Federation logo on today's jerseys.
Do you like this retro jersey better than the sash look? Think they should go with old-fashioned number design on the back? Want to see this crest become the new USSF logo?
Share your thoughts below.