Major League Soccer: April 2008 Archives
Chicago Fire midfielder John Thorrington was acknowledged as one of the finest soccer products to emerge from the South Bay when he joined England's storied Manchester United out of the Palos Verdes Peninsula's Chadwick School.
His pro career hasn't quite had the expected trajectory, however, with injuries stifling his anticipated progress.
But Thorrington persevered, scoring two goals for the Fire last weekend to beat the Colorado Rapids.
Here's a concise profile that traces the challenges he has faced.
Guess we'll soon find out whether the Galaxy Ambassadors have any clout.
A worthy, if perhaps ultimately futile, effort is here (caution strong language and opinions).
Food, generally, at the HDC from the press box and stadium club to the concessions is virtually indigestible.
Cardboard churros. Servers who regard a food order as a completely alien experience and apparently have never seen a cash register before you order. Few concourse televisions to assuage the paralyzed concession lines.
Makes you pine for the day of King Taco. And why can't we have some local flavor if we're drinking over-priced beer?
(It's the best pub nearest to the HDC and where the Riot Squad meets before games).
Of course, there's always the ubiquitous bacon-wrapped hot dog outside the stadium anyway.
I get paid to worry.
As in today's column, which takes a look at the dominance of David Beckham and Landon Donovan and the implications for the Galaxy's season.
For those who haven't seen it yet, here are the highlights of Becks and Donovan dismantling Chivas USA.
Not surprisingly after that performance, Galaxy forward Landon Donovan was named the MLS Player of the Week by the North American Soccer Reporters, for the second consecutive week.
Elsewhere, Long Beach State has announced its 2008 recruiting class including defender Nicole Hubbard (Lakewood/Mayfair High) and U.S. Under-17 international midfielder Shawna Gordon (Rancho Cucamonga/Los Osos High) as freshmen, while Marissa "Bo" Rael (Rancho Cucamonga/Los Osos High), who played last semester at the University of Oregon, is at LBSU.
Alan Gordon scored two goals and an assist within eight minutes, after coming on as a sub.
Landon Donovan scored the first Galaxy hat trick in four years.
And Wayne Gretzky, Tom Cruise, a rumored Luis Figo and Gawd knows who else put in appearances on a memorable night where the action matched the hype (what hype?).
This was a glorious night for the sport that seemed to catch just about everyone by surprise.
"Gordo did an excellent job when he came in," Gullit said. "He changed the game."
Or as Sigi Schmid was fond of saying: goals change games.
Gullit was effusive, too, about the play of rookie defender Sean Franklin in the center of defense.
"He's made huge progress and that makes me happy," he said, adding that he needed speed at the position to counter the Chivas USA forward line. Gullit made no mention of Franklin partner Abel Xavier, by the way.
Landon Donovan, one of the few players to stick around and answer questions (as usual), said his pre-game preparations have been key to his on-field performance.
"I'm raising every aspect of my game preparations very, very seriously," he said. "I feel like I'm being more assertive and more aggressive and I'm reaping the benefits of that."
And he had encouraging words for Gordon, too.
"He adds a different dimension so we can play more direct at times," Donovan said. "I'm just happy for Gordo because he works so hard."
Not surprisingly, Chivas USA players didn't hang around for the post-game inquest.
No matter.
There are games that are turning points in a season and games that are exclamation points. This was the latter. There were no complaints tonight (at least from the Galaxy).
Check out the game in pictures.
Next for the Galaxy: May 3 at Real Salt Lake.
Next for Chivas USA: May 3 at Houston.
Notable local: John Thorrington (Chadwick School) of the Fire who scored two goals Saturday to lead Chicago to a 2-1 victory over the Colorado Rapids.
The Galaxy overwhelmed Chivas USA with four second half goals en route to a resounding 5-2 triumph.
In truth, the Galaxy put this game out of Chivas USA's reach in a two-minute second half span, Alan Gordon capitalizing on a Brad Guzan error to snatch the go ahead goal five minutes after coming on as a sub and then setting up Donovan's third of the night a minute later.
Donovan's hat trick was the first by a Galaxy player since Alejandro Moreno scored three on May 19, 2004.
Chivas USA had started the second half promisingly, Panchito Mendoza sending a stinging drive off the Galaxy's far post after just three minutes.
But Donovan put the Galaxy 2-1 up 10 minutes later, stripping the ball away from Chivas USA defender Claudio Suarez after Mike Randolph had pulled the ball back.
A wide open Ante Razov clinically finished to pull Chivas USA level after 62 minutes before the Galaxy onslaught gave their opponents no way back into the game.
Gordon added the fifth six minutes from time, stabbing home a Beckham pass.
More after the press conference.
A packed house saw Landon Donovan continue his torrid scoring streak, grabbing his sixth goal in five games.
It was a fortuitous goal: Brandon McDonald clearly handled the ball in poking it through to Donovan, who connected nicely with a 20-yard left-footed half-volley.
Chivas USA has never won an MLS game after conceding the first goal, but apparently Sacha Kljestan didn't get the memo. He victimized Galaxy defender Abel Xavier for the equalizer, unleashing a lovely 17-yard shot into the top corner as the former Portuguese international backed up and gave the Chivas USA midfielder way too much space.
Lovely evening to watch, if not play soccer at the HDC, with the temperature at kickoff hovering around 86 degrees.
The Galaxy and Chivas USA come into the game tied at four points and know that only once in the history of the series has the team that scores first gone on to lose the game.
Galaxy Coach Ruud Gullit has made two changes from the starting 11 that drew with Houston last weekend, with Josh Tudela sitting out and Abel Xavier coming in for his second start of the year in the center of defense. Joey Franchino replaces Alan Gordon in midfield, while Mike Randolph moves to midfield from the back four.
Steve Cronin is in goal as usual, with Chris Klein, Sean Franklin, Xavier and Greg Vanney in front of him.
David Beckham, tied for the MLS lead in assists with three, is in midfield alongside Franchino, Brandon McDonald and Randolph. Edson Buddle and Landon Donovan, who needs one more goal to become the 12th player in the league to score 70 goals in a career, are up front.
Chivas USA Coach Preki has made two changes to the team that lost 2-0 to Dallas last weekend, Panchito Mendoza and Sacha Kljestan both returning from suspension in midfield.
That prompts Lawson Vaughn to drop to the back four with Claudio Suarez, Shavar Thomas and Jonathan Bornstein and Brad Guzan between the posts.
Jesse Marsch and Paulo Nagamura line up in midfield with Kljestan and Mendoza, while Maykel Galindo and Justin Braun are up front. Ante Razov, still struggling with an injury, is on the bench.
Forgot to mention: Stevie "2 Pounds" Forbes (33-5, Nine KO's), prepping to fight Oscar de la Hoya May 3
at the HDC, will make the ceremonial coin toss at the start of the game.
Bumped into fellow Galaxy fan Mike Adams at my local watering hole Friday where conversation inevitably turned to soccer and today's game.
Mike made some good points I've been dismayed to hear more often of late and I asked him to put his thoughts down on paper (as it were). Hopefully, Home Depot Center management is taking note:
Today is the big intercity rivalry between the Galaxy and Chivas USA.
Though I'm excited about the match and the Home Depot Center is only 10 minutes away from my house, I will also be sure to watch it from my couch or at my local pub.
The crowd that attends the Galaxy-Chivas USA game too often crosses the line with their conduct.
I'm a sports fan raised in Torrance, and have long enjoyed taking in local live events
I've had Lakers season tickets for 10 years, and attend Dodgers games regularly.
I was raised on football and baseball, but my wife, Michelle, and I have discovered that nothing beats sitting back at Home Depot Center with a cold beer and enjoying a good soccer match.
The atmosphere in the stadium is great, and there are people of all ages rooting on their team with intensity.
We've had Galaxy seats for the past couple of years, and have seen some great games. The excitement and fan banter was second to none when the Galaxy played Chelsea and Scotland's Rangers last year, and also during many of the hard fought matches during SuperLiga.
Unfortunately, there have been a few matches that have erased our good feelings about the experience, namely Galaxy-Chivas USA games, as well as the Galaxy-Pachuca match.
We have found that there is group of fans that attend these matches that want to take their fanship to another level and take it as a personal affront if you root against their team.
Last year we took two friends to their first live soccer match vs Pachuca after telling them how family friendly the Galaxy games were, and encouraged them to take their kids to future matches.
But then the pro-Pachuca fans in the crowd were in their faces screaming insults within 10 minutes of taking our seats.
We were challenged to fights multiple times, and when we didn't get involved, they would fight amongst themselves.
I believe we witnessed more than five ejections from our seating area.
The Chivas USA matches were the same.
Drunken fans, with their insulting comments, exhibited generally aggressive behavior.
There were too many fights with too many people throwing things.
Wearing a Galaxy jersey to the games makes you a mark for a challenge to fight or as a target of beer and other flying items.
I am all for being a diehard fan for your team and mixing it up respectfully with those around you, but I don't attend the matches to get in fights or have things thrown at me.
So here's to enjoying this great rivalry with a cold beer in hand - from my couch.
Hostilities resume today between intra-stadium rivals Chivas USA and the Galaxy, although that term may be a tad extreme in a city that barely notices the rivalry.
Galaxy Coach Ruud Gullit, who during his career as a player, coach and match commentator with the likes of Newcastle, Sunderland, Chelsea, Arsenal, AC Milan, Spurs, et al has really experienced some intense derbies, tried to be diplomatic this morning about the still-budding contest.
"The big difference (compared to) other places like Milan, is the city is not as involved," said Gullit, the Galaxy's coach. "You don't know about it so much, like in Milan or any other city. It's a little bit odd, I must say. You don't have that same feeling. For us, of course, it's important."
A game preview is here.
Just to set the stage further: Chivas USA trails in the 12-game series overall with a 3-7-2 record, although the club won the last two games by 3-0 margins including a Sept. 13 contest that (among other things) cruelly exposed the shortcomings of aging Galaxy defender Abel Xavier.
Highlights (lowlights?) of that encounter below.
The game kicks off at 7:30 p.m. on Fox Soccer Channel. A sellout is expected, although tickets were still available this morning.
In related news, defender Dan Gargan, who played in last week's Chivas USA reserve game, has signed with the club. From the Chivas USA press release:
A three-year veteran of Major League Soccer and native of Philadelphia, Pa., Gargan, 25, made 49 appearances for the Colorado Rapids from 2005-2007 (31 starts), mainly as right-sided defender, following a standout four-year career at Georgetown University. Gargan joins Chivas USA as a disabled list replacement for defender Alex Zotinca, who was placed on Chivas USA’s disabled list prior to the season after undergoing ACL reconstruction on his right knee.“Dan is both young and has good experience in the league, and will bring depth to our squad, particularly on the right side,” said Chivas USA Head Coach Preki. “He’s got a good mind for the game and we’re happy to bring him into the team.”
Originally selected in the third round of the 2005 MLS Supplemental Draft, Dan Gargan recorded three assists in his 49 games with the Rapids, and also appeared in a number of Reserve Team matches for the two-time defending Reserve Division champions. Prior to joining MLS, Gargan played at Georgetown , where he was a starter all four years for the Hoyas and served as the team’s captain in his senior year. Though primarily used as a defender or defensive midfielder, Gargan scored a total of 11 goals and added 18 assists in his collegiate career.
In addition to his experience in MLS, Gargan spent two weeks training with Pachuca of the Mexican First Division in January of 2007. He was awarded the ‘Rapids Most Improved Player’ award after a breakout season in 2006 in which he started 18 of the team’s final 20 matches of the season.
Also, Chivas USA defender-midfielder Jorge Flores has been called into the U.S. Under-20 National Team for three friendlies against the Bolton Wanderers, Manchester United and Liverpool reserve teams.
Finally, Chivas USA will hold a "Practice in the Community" at 10 a.m. Sunday at Rio de Los Angeles State Park.
The squad will sign autographs until about noon afterward.
Rio de Los Angeles State Park is at 1900 San Fernando Road, Los Angeles, just off the Golden State (I-5) and Glendale (SR-2) Freeways.
I'll blog from the game as usual.
Virtually no local reporters bothered to show up for Thursday's presser advancing Saturday's Chivas USA-Galaxy derby, so we leave it to this scribe to do the job for us.
Meanwhile, the legacy of David Beckham's visit to Hawaii continues with this pathetic little tale.
On a happier note, former Galaxy coach and longtime South bay resident Sigi Schmid, currently in exile in Ohio, is nearing a milestone.
David Beckham, apparently too chicken to chat with Stephen Colbert, shows up at 4 p.m. on KNBC on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Expect plenty of fawning from the host. Promo clip here.
In completely unrelated news, the Galaxy have relaunched their Kids Club. The $15 membership fee includes, well, not very much: a free poster, a password for the club Web site, a club card, a "special" Galaxy gift and a discounted ticket to a game. Sign up at the Galaxy Web site.
Meanwhile, the, um, hype begins for Saturday's Galaxy-Chivas USA derby with a Thursday press conference with the Galaxy's Chris Klein and Ruud Gullit and Chivas USA's Maykel Galindo and Preki.
Whether anyone will say anything remotely interesting is quite another thing. Bet they won't top Chivas USA midfielder Sacha Kljestan at any rate who recently said:
"I always think about the Galaxy because I always feel that I have my good games when I play against the Galaxy. I don't enjoy beating anybody else better than I enjoy beating the Galaxy."
Read the whole thing here.
Didja remember to TiVo the 11:30 a.m. Manchester United-Barcelona UEFA Champions League semifinal game live on ESPN2?
Good.
(Very) briefly: Rolling Hills Estates' trigger happy midfielder Robbie Rogers of the Columbus Crew will answer questions from fans at 11 a.m. at TheCrew.com
And GolTV, fresh off securing the rights to German National Team games, will now also air Italy's 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign as well as some friendlies, starting May 30 with the game against Belgium.
This is likely the final MLS season for Chivas USA defender Claudio Suarez, one of the true gentlemen in the league.
Suarez graciously sat down for an in-depth interview Monday, spending about an hour reminiscing about his career.
Left out for space reasons were the following nuggets:
*Best moment of his career - lifting the Confederation's Cup in 1999 as Mexico's captain.
*Worst moment - being accused of doping in 1997 during the same tournament. Suarez was eventually exonerated completely by FIFA.
*Toughest opponent in MLS: New York Red Bull striker Juan Pablo Angel.
*Toughest opponent he's ever faced: Argentina's Gabriel Batistuta.
Incidentally, while I was chatting with Suarez, the Chivas USA reserves were beating their FC Dallas counterparts 3-0 Monday, with Ante Razov getting two goals.
The Galaxy reserves, by the way, lost 2-1 to Houston Sunday, despite a Bryan Jordan goal. The Galaxy reserves fell to 0-2-1 with the loss.
Not surprisingly, Chivas USA officials and coaches had little to say after that dour performance.
But Preki rejected the idea this was a game to forget.
"I'm going to look at the video, see what's going on," he said.
Always quotable veteran Jesse Marsch had the strongest words.
"As a team we couldn't get a goal and we couldn't find a rhythm," he said. I'll take responsibility for the way we played tonight. I'm embarrassed for us."
In contrast, Dallas Coach Steve Morrow said it was his team's best performance of the season.
"It was a real team effort tonight," he said, pointing out it was the team's second consecutive shutout. "We want to build on good, strong defensive displays."
Game story here.
Dallas assumed sole possession of the Western Conference lead after scoring the game's second goal 10 minutes from time on a breakaway from Abe Thompson who outran two defenders to put this one of the reach of Chivas USA, which fell to 1-2-1.
Dallas kept Chivas USA in check pretty much the entire game, controlling without dominating the flow and tempo of the game and performing well enough to deserve the win.
Chivas USA attempted to rustle up the firepower to break down the Dallas defense, sending on strikers Ante Razov and Atiba Harris around the hour mark, but it wasn't enough.
In a move that summed up the evening for Chivas USA, Razov almost collected a consolation goal in the 90th minute, connecting with a zipping little left-footed half volley from just seven yards out, but the shot rattled off the post.
There were 10,237 on hand to watch this one, incidentally. The two teams' reserve units play at 10 a.m. Monday at the Home Depot Center's Track & Field Stadium. Admission is free.
I'll be back with more from the respective locker rooms.
Dallas took a one-goal lead after five minutes to provide one of the few noteworthy moments in an otherwise undistinguished first half largely played in the middle third of the field.
Dax McCarty crossed and Ricardinho headed the ball down into the path of Kenny Cooper who swept it into the net from close range for his fourth goal in four games, good for second on the MLS goal scoring chart behind Landon Donovan.
And that, frankly, was largely it until Kraig Chiles tested Dario Sala with a stiff shot a minute before the end of regulation in the first half.
Lovely late spring afternoon in Carson for soccer.
Unfortunately for (1-1-1) Chivas USA there are negligible lines, no parking hassles and few fans.
Nice and mellow for the rest of us.
To the lineups: Chivas USA Coach Preki makes five changes to the eleven that lost 4-3 to the Columbus Crew last weekend.
Brad Guzan starts in goal as usual, while Claudio Suarez returns in the center of defense for his first MLS start of the campaign. Chris Pozniak, Shavar Thomas and Jonathan Bornstein also feature in the back.
Lawson Vaughn returns to start in midfield, alongside Jesse Marsch and Paulo Nagamura, while Kraig Chiles makes his MLS debut.
Justin Braun starts up front in place of Atiba Harris, relegated to the bench, and Maykel Galindo returns.
Jim Curtin and Keith Savage lose their places and drop to the bench.
Both Panchito Mendoza and Sacha Kljestan are suspended.
Dallas (1-0-2), the lone undefeated team in MLS after Chicago's loss to the Wizards earlier today, makes two changes to the team that beat Red Bull New York 2-0 last weekend. Juan Toja and Pablo Richetti are both out through injury and Marcelo Saragosa and Ricardinho get the starts in their stead.
Otherwise, its Dario Sala in goal, Drew Moor, Dulio Davino, Adrian Serioux and Blake Wagner in the back, Dax McCarty, Andre Rocha, Arturo Alvarez and the aforementioned Saragosa in midfield. Kenny Cooper partners Ricardinho up front.
Let's start with the draw for the men's and women's Olympic soccer tournament made this morning in Switzerland.
Here's the reaction from U.S. players to the men's team drawing Holland, Nigeria and Japan.
Women's Coach Pia Sundhage had this to say about the women's draw:
“I’m very excited about the challenge of the draw overall. Group F is certainly the strongest of the three groups, but our group will be very good as well. We will play three very different teams with very different styles of play, which will test our ability to adapt in a world championship tournament with just a few days rest between games.”
Also noted: the U.S. roster for upcoming friendlies against Australia and Canada.
Meanwhile, Chivas USA will test the depth of their squad this afternoon (5 p.m. Fox Sports) at Home Depot Center against FC Dallas, who have similar issues.
Dallas is out for revenge, while Chivas USA seems likely to welcome veteran Mexican defender Claudio Suarez back for his first game of the season.
Finally, condolences to notable local Kei Kamara of Lawndale, who scored in San Jose's 2-0 win over the Colorado Rapids Saturday to help the expansion team to their first MLS win, but lost an older brother a few days ago who died in Africa - after getting some teeth pulled.
Puts a mere game in perspective, doesn't it?
I'll blog from the HDC this afternoon as usual. See you then.
First, lets break down the half time personnel moves by Galaxy Coach Ruud Gullit that changed the nature of this game.
Gullit inserted new Galaxy signing Joey Franchino - a player he had seen only on video - into the middle of the park in place of the ineffective Alan Gordon. Josh Tudela also came out, with left back Mike Randolph slotting into left midfield and Sean Franklin moving over into his position. Abel Xavier came in for Franklin in central defense.
"I had to have a little bit more power in midfield," Gullit said, adding that Franchino was valuable because of his left foot.
"We didn't have control of midfield (in the first half)," Gullit added. "There were too many gaps."
Goalkeeper Steve Cronin also credited Franchino for restoring order - and perhaps intimidating the Dynamo a little, too.
"He's a presence there," Cronin said. "He's a hard-nosed guy."
David Beckham lamented the lack of "fight" and "urgency" the Galaxy demonstrated in the opening 45 minutes.
"A few words were spoken at half time by players and management," he said.
But Beckham rejected the notion he and Donovan had essentially played the role of white knights for the Galaxy.
"It's more about the fight that went on before it," he said. "That's what got us back into the game."
Dynamo Coach Dominic Kinnear conceded that on the balance of play the draw constituted a "fair result," considering how the momentum "came and went" for his team after outplaying the Galaxy in the opening 45 minutes.
"We just couldn't hold onto the ball as well as we did in the first half and it hurt us a little bit," he said.
But just in case the importance (over reliance?) of Donovan for the Galaxy needed emphasizing, it's worth pointing out he now has five goals in four games and has scored all but one of the Galaxy's goals so far in this young season (Becks has the other).
Game details here.
David Beckham and Landon Donovan combined on two second half goals to pull LA into a 2-2 tie with the Dynamo, essentially rescuing a Galaxy team that had trailed by a goal and appeared headed for the Western Conference basement with just six minutes in regulation time left to go.
Both goals illustrated the gulf in class that separate Donovan and Beckham from the rest of the Galaxy team or most of MLS for that matter.
The first equalizing Galaxy goal was a thing of beauty, Beckham curling over a cross that was met by a spectacularly diving Landon Donovan at the near post, who beat Dynamo defender Patrick Ianni to the ball and let the UCLA product know it. Just minutes earlier Ianni had gone shoulder to shoulder with Donovan chasing a ball with a perfectly legitimate challenge, but one that visibly annoyed both Beckham and Donovan.
The Dynamo scored what they thought was likely the winning goal 10 minutes later, Brian Ching hitting the bar and Franco Caraccio following up to slot it into the net from close range.
But Beckham and Donovan combined again to pull the Galaxy back from the precipice, Donovan beating a Houston defender to the ball to poke it into the net.
The Galaxy almost notched a winner in second half stoppage time, Ianni capping an eventful evening by clearing an Edson Buddle header off the line.
It's a fine line between success or failure at this stage of the season for the 2-2-0 Galaxy.
More after the press conference, including the unusual personnel switches Coach Ruud Gullit made at half time (Joey Franchino: playmaker!?).
Sean Franklin, the rookie defender who has been so impressive for the Galaxy so far this term, was well and truly beaten by the Dynamo's Brian Mullan on the opening goal by Houston about 10 minutes before half time.
Mullan beat Franklin by the touchline, then crossed the ball to Argentine Franco Caraccio who headed it down to Brian Ching. He whiffed on it, but the ball fell to Brad Davis who tucked it away.
Houston thoroughly deserved the lead having dominated possession and strung together the more impressive attacking opportunities in the opening half.
The Galaxy needed Josh Tudela to clear off the goal line to prevent a goal in the seventh minute, while Steve Cronin pushed a Davis free kick onto the bar in the 26th minute.
Galaxy attacks were largely restricted to a well-worked third minute move slickly begun by David Beckham and an Edson Buddle header that went wide in first half stoppage time.
The Dynamo ended the half with 10 shots to the Galaxy's five.
Good evening from Victoria Street where the green paint is gone from the field and the turf looks vastly improved over the Toronto game last weekend.
Injuries have enforced changes for the (1-2-0) Galaxy tonight, Although goalkeeper Steve Cronin, suffering from a left groin strain, passed a late fitness test, denying Josh Wicks the opportunity to make his MLS debut.
The back line remains the same: Sean Franklin and Greg Vanney in the center of defense with Mike Randolph expected to overlap from left back and Chris Klein playing on the right.
Josh Tudela replaces Ely Allen (right hamstring strain) wide on the left, with David Beckham on the right and Brandon McDonald in the middle alongside Alan Gordon, who drops into midfield to deputize for Brazilian Alvaro Pires, out with a left knee issue. Incidentally, Gordon hasn't played in midfield since the first game of the Galaxy's preseason Asian tour, when he scored from the deep lying position.
New signing Joey Franchino is on the bench.
The (0-1-2) Dynamo, winless on the road so far this season, will see former Gretna goalkeeper Tony Kaig, 34, continue to deputize for veteran Pat Onstad (shoulder) in goal.
Wade Barrett, (201 MLS starts as of tonight and counting), Bobby Boswell, Patrick Ianni and Richard Mulrooney are arrayed across the back line, while Ricardo Clark (done with his lengthy suspension) makes his second successive start in midfield, behind Dwayne De Rosario. Brad Davis and Brian Mullan patrol the flanks, with Bring Ching and 21-year-old Argentine striker Franco Caraccio providing the one-two punch up front.
Defender Eddie Robinson is out, missing the first game of a three match suspension, while Craig Waibel (hamstring) is also absent.
The game is on Fox Sports West, by the way.
I'll be back at half time.
Most recently, Franchino was rumored to be one of two Revs players dressed in Yankees gear who went to a Red Sox game between the teams, got drunk and was thrown out of the stadium.
Perhaps his most impressive stats: 52 yellow cards, two red cards in 210 regular season games.
Fighter. Drinker. Enforcer.
Like a character out of The Sopranos, 31-year-old Joey is back for a second go-around (you got a problem with that?) for the Galaxy in exchange for a 2009 second round draft pick.
From the Galaxy press release:
Franchino was selected by the Galaxy in the third round of the 1998 MLS College Draft and played 49 games for the club, helping the Galaxy reach the 1999 MLS Cup. In May 2000, he was selected by the Revolution in a special draft that followed the Galaxy’s acquisition of forward Luis Hernandez. Franchino would go on to play in 162 games for the Revs during his eight years with the club, placing him second in New England history in all-time games played.
To make room, defender Michael Gavin was moved to the Galaxy's developmental roster.
There's a full slate of soccer this weekend in Southern California, with both the Galaxy and Chivas USA playing home games at Home Depot Center in Carson.
The Galaxy are up first, kicking off at 7:30 p.m. Saturday against defending MLS champions, the Houston Dynamo. With the Beckham buzz apparently wearing off, tickets are discounted 35 percent, a free Galaxy hat is on offer and pop-punk band The Burning Tree Project play a pre-game concert.
Check out the band below.
Want to see the Galaxy free? The reserve team plays at 1 p.m. Sunday against their Houston counterparts at the HDC.
Injury-riddled Chivas USA, meanwhile plays FC Dallas at 5 p.m. Sunday.
Want to see Chivas USA for free? The club's Under-16 and Under-18 teams play a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. Saturday against Real So Cal at Agoura High School in Agoura Hills.
Incidentally, the Galaxy, which has been slow to get its youth programs going as required by MLS, launches two teams in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy program this fall.
Also progressing at a glacial pace has been the Galaxy's entry into the new Women's Professional Soccer league that aims to start play next year. Rumors a month ago that Galaxy parent company Anschutz Entertainment Group was looking to sell the unnamed team before it even starts play are apparently false. The team is accepting $25 deposits for season tickets.
In other women's soccer news, Loyola Marymount University Thursday announced the signing of two more players: Midfielder Jaide Timm-Garcia (Desert Christian High, Lancaster) and goalkeeper Katie Graul (Santiago Canyon College).
Finally, MLS Commissioner Don Garber belatedly joins the blogging party, penning "The Commissioner Speaks" every other Friday beginning at noon today. But will he actually say anything?
And, if you only watch one game this weekend, check out Manchester United against Brad Friedel's Blackburn Rovers at 9 a.m. Saturday on Fox Soccer Channel.
I'll be blogging from the HDC at both MLS games this weekend, as usual, by the way.
Mexico beat China 1-0 in Seattle Wednesday night in a largely meaningless game rendered even more inconsequential by this irrelevant story in today's Seattle Times apparently written by the only Latino guy in the nation to never see a soccer game involving Mexico.
From José Miguel Romero we learn that Mexico has really loud fans just like the Seahawks (can we get through a soccer story without an unnecessary American sports reference, please) and that they even (gasp) throw plastic bottles (in Mexico those bottles are usually filled with a recycled liquid).
Sadly, patronizing stories like this written for non-soccer fans are not a thing of the past and just reinforce how out of touch many newspapers are with their readers, most of whom do not regard soccer as some alien novelty act. You need to get out of Renton more Romero.
While I'm on a rant, things don't get much better over at USA Today, which manages to suck the life out of today's D.C. United-Columbus Crew game (live at 5 p.m. on ESPN2) with the following soulless slab of stats-laden sterility that passes for a game preview:
Playing their third match in eight days and seventh since March 12 - including a CONCACAF Champions Cup game - United (1-2-0) lost 4-0 at Real Salt Lake on Saturday to drop to 0-2 on the road.United went 6-5-4 on the road in 2007 en route to finishing with an MLS-best 55 points, but they've been outscored 6-0 away from home this year.
D.C.'s lone win came 4-1 over Toronto FC on April 5 at RFK Stadium.
(snip)
Though United went 10-2-3 at home in 2007, they'll be facing a Columbus team that was 2-1-0 against them in 2007. The Crew won 3-2 at RFK Stadium on Oct. 20 in the most recent meeting.United had just three shots on goal and six total shots against Salt Lake. D.C. will be looking to avoid being shut out in a third straight road match for the first time since going scoreless in five straight away from home from April 15-June 12, 2005.
They couldn't cram another number in?
For perspective and context (and a reporter who uses numbers for actual journalistic effect), let's turn to the excellent Steven Goff over at The Washington Post.
Meanwhile, perhaps the most candid interview I've seen so far with former Galaxy midfielder Santino Quaranta (now back at D.C.) includes this excerpt:
I never really did the right things just in life, I couldn’t really deal with life in life’s terms you know what I mean? I was trying to juggle being a father, being a husband, being the guy that everybody looks at to go out and party. It was a lot of fear. I knew that things were going bad and I knew that everything was slipping away from me and that I couldn’t control that. It was out of my control, that was the best I could do at that point.
Read the whole thing here.
Finally, perhaps the best reason to check in on tonight's MLS game for Los Angeles-area fans is to monitor the continuing progress of Rolling Hillls Estates' Crew midfielder Robbie Rogers
who has 15 shots in just three games, more than any other player in the league. Rogers scored two goals, including the game-winner, in the Crew’s 4-3 victory over Chivas USA last weekend and is rapidly maturing into a dangerous, creative player. In sum, he has five MLS goals in 13 games.
Good morning class.
Today's topic: geography.
Being married to map geek (known professionally as a geographic information systems analyst) means acquiring an appreciation for the world of cartography.
MLS recently issued an interesting map showing the cosmopolitan origins of its players, which makes even more interesting reading when compared to last year's version.
The most striking difference: the number of Argentines in MLS (10 as of March 26) has now exceeded the number of Brazilians (9); last year there were only five Argentines compared to eight Brazilians in the league.
The importation of foreign talent means more competition for Americans to make MLS rosters. This year 229 Americans found places on MLS rosters, compared to 218 last year. And that's with an additional team in the league.
That's raised the quality of play, most observers agree, but it also has repercussions for the development of young American talent.
Still, attendance is up.
Finally, with the 39th anniversary of Neil Armstrong's walk on the moon approaching, here's a fun map that puts his lunar journey into perspective for soccer fans.
Class dismissed.
Here's Tuesday column on why American soccer fans should be backing EPL team Fulham.
Also:
*The Galaxy signed two developmental players Monday - defenders Vardan Adzemian (Ventura County Fusion) and Scott Bolkan (Stanford) - and promptly shipped both to the USL Portland Timbers to gain experience.
*Former Cuban Under-23 National Team players Yordany Alvarez, Yenier Bermudez and Jose Manuel Miranda, will continue to train with the Galaxy through the end of this week at least after impressing the coaching staff.
*The San Jose Earthquakes signed Loyola Marymount University senior defender Adam Sloustcher to a developmental deal after watching him play in a reserve game against the Galaxy earlier this month.
I had a choice: listen to a droning lawnmower in the outdoor HDC press box while blogging.
Or opt for the Wi-Fi at the air-conditioned Red Car microbrewery in Old Torrance (and watch the game again on delay).
No contest.
Just watch out for the Turbo Porter.
Galaxy Coach Ruud Gullit lamented the "sloppy" defending, "unnecessary" goals and generally crappy finishing that led to the 3-2 defeat he described as a "huge disappointment."
"It was just one of those days," he said.
But he insisted the Galaxy were the superior team for most of the game and observed that Toronto had three chances and successfully converted all of them.
Landon Donovan was contrite.
"I'm disappointed in myself because having three chances like that would have changed the game," he said. "If we were a little better in front of both goals we probably would have had a comfortable victory."
David Beckham was in a bit of a combative mood in the post-game press conference, but then for the second consecutive home game was subjected to a annoying question from one of the assembled media. Last game it was about the relationship between Beckham's kids and Tom Cruise's child (?); this time a radio reporter took an unnecessarily adversarial position regarding Beckham's midfield contribution (marginal at best, but then Beckham undoubtedly recognized that).
Then, in somewhat of a contradiction, Beckham laid out what had gone wrong today:
"When you don't keep the ball and you don't pass the ball well, it brings all sorts of problems and we lost our shape in the second half.
Um, so pretty much everything went wrong, huh?
Then he ripped the media for over-reacting to the results so far.
"We're three games into the season and maybe people are starting to panic too much."
Hmm, let's take stock.
The Galaxy got destroyed by a weakened Colorado Rapids, squeak by the expansion Earthquakes and lose to last year's worst team in MLS.
Who us? Panic?
One diversion was Beckham's cameo as a central defender in the 70th minute, when he brought down Jeff Cunningham as the last man back. That's a red card offense.
"It was definitely a foul," Cunningham said. "I think it would have been quite harsh to give him a red card to be honest."
Gullit knew Becks was fortunate though.
"We were lucky there," he said. "It was the only luck we had today."
And so did Beckham.
"Thankfully, we got away with that one," he said.
Quote of the Day comes from Cunningham regarding the trade rumors (again?) surrounding him.
"My career has always been on the move," he said. "I pack light."
Game details from a Canadian perspective here.
And here's the Daily Breeze/Daily News version.
This was one of those games that wasn't as good as the 3-2 score suggests.
And the 20,426 allegedly in attendance let the Galaxy know about their insipid performance, boos cascading down from the stands at game's end.
The Galaxy did indeed pay the price for squandering chances, with Toronto's Jeff Cunningham scoring an 88th minute-winner, turning a hapless Greg Vanney around 180 degrees to rifle it home. Hopefully Ely Allen, who missed a golden opportunity three minutes from time when he took an unnecessary second touch a couple of yards from goal and had the ball poked off his foot, will take note.
The Galaxy were forced to play catch-up for much of the half, Toronto's New Zealand striker Jarrod Smith collecting his first MLS goal in the 53rd minute, when Steve Cronin could only parry a bullet of a free kick from Fontana's Maurice Edu. Vanney, continuing to show his age, had given away the free kick, incidentally.
The Galaxy evened the game when Toronto's Marco Velez handled in the box in the 57th minute and Landon Donovan scored from the resulting penalty kick.
More after the press conference.
Good afternoon from Victoria Street where the former Newcastle United coaching team of Ruud Gullit and John Carver will pit wits from the opposing benches.
It's hot even in the shade in Carson so expect a slow game as Toronto's collection of English blokes swoon in the Southern California sun. They're watering the field; let's hope that green paint on the field doesn't run.
With Brazilian Alvaro Pires apparently recovered from his foot injury Gullit names the same lineup that brought the Galaxy victory last Thursday against San Jose.
For the Galaxy: Steve Cronin, Chris Klein, Sean Franklin, Mike Randolph, Greg Vanney, David Beckham, Pires, Brandon McDonald, Ely Allen, Landon Donovan and Alan Gordon.
Former Chivas USA midfielder Amado Guevara slots into the Toronto midfield, while Kevin Harmse sits out after collecting a red card in the 4-1 loss to D.C. United in their last outing.
For Toronto: Greg Sutton, Marvell Wynne, Tyrone Marshall, Marco Velez, Jim Brennan, Carl Robinson, Maurice Edu, Amado Guevara, Jarrod Smith, Laurent Robert, Danny Dichio.
It will be interesting to see how Robert and Guevara link up in midfield for winless Toronto.
Trivia time: Exactly 12 years ago today, the Galaxy played its first MLS game against the then MetroStars.
Leading the Galaxy's front line: Harut Karapetyan and Eduardo Hurtado.
Good weekend in MLS so far for LA-area soccer products with Rolling Hills Estates' Robbie Rogers starring for the Crew with a game-winning brace against Chivas USA, former Cal State Dominguez Hills goalkeeper Kevin Hartman snatching his 69th career shutout in the Wizards scoreless tie with the Houston Dynamo and UCLA product Chad Barrett halting an Earthquake (or two) in Chicago's 1-0 win over San Jose.
Next up: Fontana's Maurice Edu who faces David Beckham for the first time in his career at noon today in Carson as FC Toronto plays the Galaxy (the game is live on Telefutura).
Toronto (0-2) will have a new-look midfield, while it seems Galaxy Coach Ruud Gullit will stick with his youth movement.