Essential Olympic Soccer Web sites - & a Trivia Challenge
Even though the men's and women's Olympic soccer tournamanets are already under way, the games proper begin Friday.
Before we get to some suggested Web sites to maximize your Olympic soccer experience, here's a trivia question for you: what percentage of the 18-player U.S. Men's Olympic roster has ties to Southern California?
Answer at bottom of post (a roster is listed in the previous post for those who need a few hints).
With many Olympic soccer games occurring in the middle of the night our time, the Web is the essential resource for those of us who don't intend to disturb our sleep awaiting that 2 a.m. game.
While I hope many of you will come here, coverage depends on what time yours truly crawls out of bed in the morning, so here's a few alternatives:
*I already mentioned this a week or so ago, but it's worth reiterating that NBC has the most complete soccer coverage I've seen on the Web. Check it out here.
*MLS just launched an Olympics portal to keep track of how the league's players are faring.
*And Home Depot Center press box colleague Luis Bueno offers a few alternatives on his blog.
Want more?
Media columnist Tom Hoffarth offers these Web suggestions (and beyond).
Now to the trivia question.
A surprisingly large 44 percent of the 18-player roster has some Southern California connection.
Here's a list of the locals and their connection to the area:
*Michael Bradley, hometown Manhattan Beach, (although that's mainly because that's where father Bob Bradley moved the family from the East coast after joining Chivas USA. Somehow I doubt the junior Bradley has been in the South Bay much).
*Maurice Edu, hometown Fontana.
*Benny Feilhaber, hometown Irvine and college UCLA.
*Brad Guzan, former Chivas USA goalkeeper.
*Patrick Ianni, college UCLA.
*Sacha Kljestan, hometown Huntington Beach and plays for Chivas USA.
*Robbie Rogers, hometown Rolling Hills Estates (although U.S. Soccer lists it as Huntington Beach where he lived briefly before heading to college).
*Marvell Wynne, college UCLA.
About 100 Percent Soccer
Sportswriter Nick Green has written the 100 Percent Soccer column since 2005 for the Daily News, Daily Breeze and other Los Angeles area newspapers. The blog of the same name began in 2007. A native of England, he began writing about soccer in the mid-1980s and in 2000 permanently exchanged a seat in the stands for one in the press box. He lives six miles from Carson's Home Depot Center, home of the Los Angeles Galaxy, Chivas USA and the training headquarters for U.S. Soccer and is married to a long-suffering soccer widow. Join Nick on FaceBook and follow him on Twitter.
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