Soccer FanHouse

Seattle, Charleston Lead USL Charge Into U.S. Open Cup Semifinals

David J. Warner — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 02:00:00 EST

Filed under: Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Seattle, Washington, DC, Soccer, Baltimore, Kansas City, MLS, US Soccer

It was a night of knockout soccer that saw three games go to extra time, two games go to penalty kicks, and one famous Mexican lose his temper and get sent off. By the time the smoke cleared, the glass slipper still fit for two USL First Division clubs, who had advanced to the U.S. Open Cup semifinals.

Why isn't this competition on TV again?

The Charleston Battery obliterated FC Dallas, 3-1, at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, TX, scoring before an after an hour-long lightning delay in the first half and shutting down all but one meaningless strike in the 93rd minute. Meanwhile, the Seattle Sounders fought the Kansas City Wizards to a 0-0 draw and advanced 6-5 on penalties, thanks in part to a 12-save performance by Sounders goalkeeper Chris Eylander, who also saved two PKs to help Seattle advance.

Meanwhile, USL Second Division club Crystal Palace Baltimore pushed the defending Open Cup champion New England Revolution to penalties, but lost the shootout, 5-3. In Boyds, MD, Cuauhtémoc Blanco and Mark Burch were shown red cards in extra time, while Bryan Namoff scored the winner in the 99th minute to push D.C. United past the Chicago Fire, 2-1.

The Sounders were nearly undone by poor officiating on their home field for the second straight year in Open Cup play. Early in the first half, a Wizards defender pulled down Sebastien Le Toux in the box on a breakaway, yet the Wizards somehow weren't called for the penalty. Seattle also watched three shots hit the woodwork, which left it to Eylander to save the day.

Seattle will face Charleston in one semifinal, while the Revs will visit RFK Stadium to play D.C. United in the other, thus ensuring that a non-MLS club will reach the Open Cup final for the first time since the Rochester Raging Rhinos won it all in 1999. The Sounders have to be the Cardiff City of this competition. If they win the Open Cup, who gets the CONCACAF Champions League bid? The MLS Sounders that will replace them next season? Technically, those are two different clubs.

Seattle, Charleston Lead USL Charge Into U.S. Open Cup Semifinals originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Wed, 09 Jul 2008 02:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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U.S. Open Cup Matches Won't Be Seen on TV

David J. Warner — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 09:45:00 EST

Filed under: Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Seattle, Washington, DC, Soccer, Baltimore, Kansas City, MLS, US Soccer

D.C. United and the Chicago Fire meet tonight in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals, one month after their testy match in Toyota Park in which three red cards were given and Luciano Emilio got a surprise goal in stoppage time to lift 9-man D.C. to a 2-1 win.

If you want to watch this rematch, though, you'll have to go to the Maryland SoccerPlex in Boyds and buy a ticket. By all accounts, this match will not air on TV or online. Neither will tonight's New England Revolution v. Crystal Palace Baltimore match, providing further proof that the U.S. Open Cup -- a competition in which the winner receives a spot in the CONCACAF Champions League, no less -- is truly the most disrespected competition in American soccer.

The other two quarterfinal matches at least have online video feeds. FC Dallas v. Charleston Battery will be shown on MLSLive at 8:30 PM ET, while Seattle fans log on to USLLive get a free glimpse of their future MLS club's home when the USL-1 Seattle Sounders face the Kansas City Wizards at Qwest Field at 10:00 PM ET. Let's hope the groundskeepers actually try to cover up the gridiron lines this year.

U.S. Open Cup Matches Won't Be Seen on TV originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Tue, 08 Jul 2008 09:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Crystal Palace Headlines Open Cup Upsets

David J. Warner — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 08:40:00 EST

Filed under: Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, New York, Seattle, Washington, DC, Soccer, Baltimore, Kansas City, MLS, US Soccer

Crystal Palace supporters still suffering from the loss of that Premier League promotion playoff last May might be taking a little solace in their American counterparts today.

USL Second Division side Crystal Palace Baltimore upset an uninspired New York Red Bulls side, 2-0, last night in the third round of the U.S. Open Cup. The win prompted many sports fans in Baltimore to say, "Wait, we have a soccer team here?"

Indeed, the club was founded in 2006, 101 years after Crystal Palace FC was founded in London, and it serves as a player development wing for the Coca-Cola Championship club. Clearly, player development is going pretty well there, though as Ives Galarcep notes, too many Red Bulls just didn't come to play last night.

Two other USL clubs pulled off upsets, as USL-1 leaders the Charleston Battery defeated MLS Cup holders the Houston Dynamo on penalty kicks, while the Seattle Sounders topped Chivas USA, 2-0. Other USL clubs didn't get away so easily. The Kansas City Wizards came back from a 2-0 deficit to topple the Carolina Railhawks, 4-2, in extra time, and FC Dallas scored a 2-1 comeback win against Miami FC. D.C. United, the Chicago Fire and the New England Revolution also cruised to victory over USL clubs.

The U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals are scheduled for next Tuesday.

Crystal Palace Headlines Open Cup Upsets originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Wed, 02 Jul 2008 08:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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U.S. Open Cup Teams Pay to Play at Home

David J. Warner — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, New York, Seattle, Washington, DC, Soccer, Kansas City, MLS, US Soccer

The 3rd round of the U.S. Open Cup kicks off tomorrow, and if you're looking for the MLS clubs that are taking this tournament seriously this year, just look for which clubs are playing at home.

Unlike England's FA Cup, where the home team is determined by random draw, MLS and USL clubs place bids with the U.S. Soccer Federation to host games, and the highest bidder plays at home. If you look at the schedule for tomorrow's games, you'll notice that the New England Revolution, the Chicago Fire, D.C. United and FC Dallas are all playing at home.

By contrast, the Houston Dynamo travel to South Carolina to face USL-1 leaders the Charleston Battery, and the New York Red Bulls head to Maryland to face USL-2 side Crystal Palace Baltimore. Perhaps Houston and New York aren't quite as interested in the CONCACAF Champions League bid that comes with winning the Open Cup.

D.C. United, however, suddenly seems much more interested in the Open Cup than they were last year.

D.C. hasn't won the Open Cup since 1996 and fielded a reserve side that lost to the USL-2 Harrisburg City Islanders last year. This time around, though, D.C. opens at home against the Rochester Rhinos. In fact, if you look at the D.C. United schedule, you'll notice a two-week gap between yesterday's 4-1 win over the L.A. Galaxy and the first SuperLiga match on Saturday, July 12 -- a gap into which they could fit the 3rd-round (July 1) and 4th-round (July 8) U.S. Open Cup ties.

D.C. has always put extra emphasis on playing internationally. Perhaps the club sees winning four games in the Open Cup as an easier path to the CONCACAF Champions League than winning the MLS Supporters Shield, which they've won the last two years. They are coming into form just in time for an Open Cup run, too.

New England, meanwhile, seems intent on winning every trophy they can get their hands on. The Revs, who won the Open Cup last season, are also the points leader in the MLS standings and a favorite to win the Supporters Shield, which also comes with a Champions League bid. The Chicago Fire, Open Cup winners in 2006, also bid high to get a home match this week.

On the other hand, the Kansas City Wizards seem even less interested than Houston and New York. They face the Carolina Railhawks in Cary, NC, tomorrow night, and Wizards coach Curt Onalfo told reporters he expects to start only a few regulars for that game.

If the Railhawks win that game, they should cheer hard for Chivas USA. According to Railhawks managing partner Chris Economides, the Seattle Sounders outbid Carolina for the quarterfinal match. So if the Railhawks beat the Wizards and the Sounders beat Chivas USA, that quarterfinal would be played in Seattle. A potential Railhawks v. Chivas quarterfinal, however, would be played in North Carolina. The Railhawks and the Sounders both upset MLS clubs on their way to the semifinals last season.

Of course, this begs the question -- if the USL Sounders win the Open Cup in 2008, would the MLS Sounders take their place in the CONCACAF Champions League in 2009?

U.S. Open Cup Teams Pay to Play at Home originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New FC Dallas Head Coach Can Take a Kick

David J. Warner — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 13:45:00 EST

Filed under: Dallas, Soccer, MLS

FC Dallas hired longtime SMU soccer coach Schellas Hyndman to be their new head coach. One reason why? Club owner Clark Hunt played for Hyndman at SMU during the 80s, and 21 of Hyndman's players have been drafted by MLS. Another reason? As this video shows, Hyndman knows Combat Ki, which allows a man to absorb violent blows to various body parts -- including the crotch. FC Dallas needs someone to teach that to his players, because Ricardo Clark could strike again at any time.

(H/T: With Leather)

New FC Dallas Head Coach Can Take a Kick originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Fri, 20 Jun 2008 13:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MLS Primetime Wrap: Dallas Dropped

Irishoutsider — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 11:55:00 EST

Filed under: Boston, Dallas, Soccer, MLS, Soccer Posts

Not getting ahead of ourselves too much, but we're going to use this match as the first evidence of The Curse of Juan Toja's mullet. The previously glorious locks were cut during the week, and FC Dallas' unbeaten streak fell at home to the Revolution for all of ESPN to see. Khano Smith scored the lone goal of the game, making Dallas keeper Dario Sala look absolutely flat footed in the 72nd minute. Smith goal just slipped under the defense and into the far post, leaving Sala only able to attempt the feeblest of saves. Ricardhinho had a chance to tie things up in the dying minutes, but New England's Matt Reis snuffed out the chance with his fourth save of the night for his fourth shutout of the season.

Next week, New England (3-2-1) hosts Chicago while Dallas (2-2-1) heads west to San Jose.

Image courtesy of Getty Images and MLSnet.com

MLS Primetime Wrap: Dallas Dropped originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Fri, 25 Apr 2008 11:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tom Hicks Is a Stubborn Old Fart

David J. Warner — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 16:20:00 EST

Filed under: Dallas, Soccer, Premier League

Just when you think the drama surrounding Liverpool FC is close to subsiding, it builds right back up again. Steven Gerrard says winning the Champions League won't make up for Premier League ineptitude. Jamie Carragher gets nicked by bobbies after a dust-up with a fan -- an obvious cry for help if I've ever heard one. Rafa Benitez, who promises to rotate less, honest!, is getting a longing glance from Atletico Madrid.

Now this: in the wake of rumors that George Gillett, one of Liverpool's American co-owners, is about to sell out to Dubai Investment Capital, Tom Hicks, the other American co-owner, has threatened to block any potential sale.

"Not only am I not going to sell, my partner cannot sell without my approval. So I kind of have the ability to determine the outcome of what is going to happen, and I am right in the middle of that."

This comes just days after reports that Tom Hicks Jr. left a pub near Anfield covered with beer and spittle from club supporters -- the "Liverpool Shower," if you will.

You would think that every man has his price, but not Hicks. No, he is so certain he is right and that his shaky stadium financing plan will succeed that he's willing to risk the entire club and drag every one of his business partners down with him. George Gillett must be looking at Hicks and thinking, "My God, this man is taco short of a combo platter."

With the team itself struggling in the Premier League, Perhaps the only thing left is for George W. Bush to fly in and say, "You're doing a helluva job, Hicksy." By the way, Bush sold the Texas Rangers to Hicks and got tons of campaign contributions from him. Perhaps that should give Liverpudlians a better idea of who owns their mighty Reds.
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Tom Hicks Is a Stubborn Old Fart originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Thu, 28 Feb 2008 16:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MLS Transfer Buzz

Irishoutsider — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 15:56:00 EST

Filed under: Dallas, Denver, New York, Soccer, MLS

The font of insider knowledge, Soccer By Ives, continues to let us lesser ranks of MLS insiders in on the comings and goings of current American stars. As opening day approaches, many teams are adjusting to the increasing demand for US talent. Here's the latest on four domestic players:

Brad Guzan-The next big thing in American goalkeepers is on his way to a trial at Celtic. The rumors swirling say that transfer negotiations are the only remaining hurdle, and work permits are not an issue. Chivas USA will be pressed to find a replacement as good as the reigning keeper of the year.

Chris Gbandi- The former 1 overall at FC Dallas (2002) is linked to Norwegian club FK Haugesund, and the club is expected to accept an offer for the 28 year old defender. The move would further deplete Dallas' struggling back line that has already lost Clarence Goodson this off season.

Danny Cepero- The young goalkeeper at Red Bull New York is set for a trial at PSV Eindhoven. A recent trade for Zach Thornton continues to keep Cepero buried on the RBNY depth chart.

Pablo Mastroeni- While not headed overseas, the midfielder is very much "in play" among MLS circles. Many teams seem to be after his services with a number of potential trades being mulled by the press. The rumor mills have been placing the 31-year-old veteran to San Jose, New England, and DC United. (HT: MLS Rumors)

MLS Transfer Buzz originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Mon, 21 Jan 2008 15:56:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LA Galaxy Acquire Ruiz, Reserves Continue to Get Paid in HerbalLife

Irishoutsider — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 12:59:00 EST

Filed under: Dallas, Los Angeles, Soccer, MLS

Another major deal of the 2008 MLS off season has finally gone from rumor to breaking news. Soccer By Ives reports that FC Dallas has traded top striker Carlos Ruiz to the LA Galaxy for salary cap allocation and a 2009 2nd round pick. Ruiz joins Landon Donovan and David Beckham in what is now officially the most top heavy team in Major League Soccer.

While MLS roster and salary rules are complicated, the situation breaks down like this: Donovan, Ruiz, and Beckham all count as 1.2M against the 2.3M cap (400k per player). Although Beckham is the Deisngated Player, the first 400k of his contract counts against the cap. Donovan and Ruiz are grandfathered by the league, LA to book them as max salary players. The deal leaves the team with 1.1M dollars to spend on 15 players, roughly 73k per remaining player without going into the complications of developmental salaries etc. Quite the disparity considering cap limitations and the rising cost of quality talent. Combine this with the always present speculation that LA would like a second DP, with another 400k against the cap, and your "average" player would take home even less.

LA is taking a serious gamble on its marketing abilities as well as the future of the league. Credit is deserved for working within the current system to get around the current salary cap, but it is still a large wager on the talent (and health) of their top players. Winning remains the best promotion, and LA must be able to produce on the field to keep their momentum. The Ruiz trade is another push to get the most talent around Beckham as possible, a lucrative, but fragile, strategy. The Galaxy still have a number of draft picks and may look to trade them for allocation (heads up, San Jose), or they may try to get some talented youngsters on the cheap. Beckham and the backups has a nice ring to it.

LA Galaxy Acquire Ruiz, Reserves Continue to Get Paid in HerbalLife originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Tue, 15 Jan 2008 12:59:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ricardo Clark Goes Off the Deep End

David J. Warner — Sat, 06 Oct 2007 12:15:00 EST

Filed under: Dallas, Houston, Soccer, MLS

I know Ricardo Clark of the Houston Dynamo was upset over FC Dallas' Carlos Ruiz going over top of him to prevent a goal, but players have to remember that it's always the retaliation that gets caught -- especially when this is the retaliation:

As you might expect, Clark was suspended by MLS for nine games and issued a $10,000 fine. That's reportedly about 5% of his salary, so imagine Terrell Owens getting fined $400,000. On the other hand, I'm not sure even T.O. would go quite as ballistic on a guy as Clark did here.

(H/T: With Leather)

Ricardo Clark Goes Off the Deep End originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Sat, 06 Oct 2007 12:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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U.S. Open Cup Final Pits F.C. Dallas Against New England Revolution

David J. Warner — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: Boston, Dallas, Soccer, MLS

What's that, you say? A championship football game between New England and Dallas? Tonight? It's a little early for that, isn't it?

Well, it might be, until you realize it's Association football, it's the U.S. Open Cup Final, and it's the New England Revolution v. F.C. Dallas. You're probably not as excited now, are you?

That's kind of a shame. The U.S. Open Cup may be the American equivalent to the FA Cup in England, but it gets nowhere near the respect of that tournament. While there are plenty of reasons for that, the biggest one may be that Major League Soccer already has a playoff system. The Premier League has no playoffs, so the FA Cup and Carling Cup fill a void for soccer fans in England.

That's made it much harder to get anyone interested in this tournament, which has been tall on upsets -- who can forget the Richmond Kickers knocking off the L.A. Galaxy -- but short on fan interest. Perhaps as more people discover European soccer, they'll learn about domestic cup competitions and discover the U.S. Open Cup. Maybe.

For now, though, tonight's final offers a rare opportunity to see two pretty good MLS sides duke it out in a winner-take-all match -- "pretty good" being relative, anyway, if you watched D.C. United get bombed out of Guadalajara last night, or if you've seen Dallas' recent form; they're winless in their last four, and Denilson hasn't been so hot lately. Still, you don't get meaningful games like this often enough in the MLS regular season, so enjoy it while you can. At least 6,000 fans in Frisco, Texas, will.

U.S. Open Cup Final Pits F.C. Dallas Against New England Revolution originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Wed, 03 Oct 2007 09:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FC Dallas, Revolution Need Extra Time to Advance to U.S. Open Cup Final

David J. Warner — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 08:30:00 EST

Filed under: Boston, Dallas, Seattle, Soccer, Carolina, MLS

Remember when Seattle sports fans complained bitterly about the officiating after the Seahawks lost Super Bowl XL? Well, the 10,385 fans who showed up at Qwest Field last night might have had a sense of deja vu as their Seattle Sounders were knocked off in extra time by FC Dallas, 2-1, in the U.S. Open Cup semifinal.

The center referee in this match was shocking. Fouls weren't called very often on Dallas, and yellow cards weren't given for obvious take-downs. It wasn't until late in regular time when the first yellow card was given, and the only red card given was for dissent after Noah Merl may or may not have asked the ref how much money he had on the game. That sure seemed like a valid question.

Credit the Hoops for finishing the job, though, even though their time-wasting tactics deserved the boos they got and bookings that they didn't. Seattle had countless opportunities to score in regular time and couldn't put one in for the home fans until the very last minute. At least two shot attempts that could have changed the game bounced off the woodwork. Carlos Ruiz (pictured) scored a goal in the 94th minute that gave Dallas a lead they would not relinquish.

The high quality of play in that match may have been a stark contrast to the other Open Cup semifinal, in which the New England Revolution topped the Carolina Railhawks, 2-1, also in extra time.

That game feature lots of bookings and at least one fight, for which Shalrie Joseph and Connolly Edozien were ejected in the 40th minute. David Stokes was shown a red card for a hard foul on Adam Cristman in the 80th minute, leaving the Revs with a 10-on-9 advantage. Revs announcers spent most of the evening comparing the Railhawks to a hockey team.

Pat Noonan finally broke the tie in the 4th minute of extra time to secure the win in front of 4,203 fans in New Britain, Connecticut -- a disappointing number, to be sure, compared to crowd (and the atmosphere) in Seattle.

"We felt it all week," said defender Taylor Graham. "There's been a buzz in the city. There's been a buzz in the organization. And when we got tired in the second half tonight, the fans were definitely trying to help us find some energy. The atmosphere was fantastic. It was the type of atmosphere every player wishes to play in front of."

Unfortunately for the Sounders, they won't have the opportunity to build on that atmosphere in an Open Cup final, which will be an all-MLS affair in Frisco, Texas, on Wednesday, October 3. Casual fans will probably start tuning out, now that the upset-minded lower-division clubs are no longer in the picture.

Still, Seattle deserves some dap here. More than 10,000 people showed up to cheer on a second-division club in a tournament that nobody cares about. This doesn't usually happen in America, and it did nothing but help Seattle's chances of landing an MLS franchise. Soccer fans in that city need to make sure that support doesn't disappear when the USL playoffs start in a few weeks.

FC Dallas, Revolution Need Extra Time to Advance to U.S. Open Cup Final originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Wed, 05 Sep 2007 08:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Revolution Will Not Be Televised for Tuesday Night's U.S. Open Cup Match

David J. Warner — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Boston, Dallas, Seattle, Soccer, Carolina, MLS

It is perhaps the worst kept secret in American soccer that Major League Soccer clubs want nothing to do with the U.S. Open Cup. Yes, it may be this country's only domestic cup competition, but MLS clubs view it as a meaningless affair and usually throw reserve squad players out there against lower division opponents. This is why USL Second Division clubs like the Richmond Kickers and Harrisburg City Islanders knock off the L.A. Galaxy and D.C. United. The MLS sides just didn't care enough.

However, it appears MLS is going from not caring to actively discouraging soccer fans from caring. Tuesday's U.S. Open Cup semifinal between the New England Revolution and the Carolina Railhawks will not be televised anywhere -- not on local TV, and not on the Internet. The only way to watch this game is to go to Veteran's Memorial Stadium in New Britain, Connecticut -- which holds only 8,500 people and is being used here because Gillette Stadium is not available -- and buy a ticket.

The other semifinal match between the Seattle Sounders and F.C. Dallas? The USL's online video service, USL Live, will show that game for free over the web. It appears, however, that USL will not be allowed to webcast the Revolution-Railhawks match, because it's a home game for the MLS side. Thus, it won't be webcast anywhere.

Now, it's entirely possible that I only care about this because the Railhawks are my local team. I've already seen them upset the Chicago Fire in this U.S. Open Cup and would like to see them try to pull off another upset and try to reach the Final, even though a road win against the Revs seems far more unlikely.

Still, this really is an insult to American soccer fans everywhere, and that would be true no matter what club was playing the Revs on Tuesday night. To deny the visiting side's fans an opportunity to see their boys play -- even through the Internet -- shows just how much contempt MLS has for U.S. Soccer and its efforts. This competition is supposed to be the equivalent of the FA Cup in England and the Copa Del Rey in Spain, and while it could use some better promotion, it still means something to the hardcore fans out there. As Tom Dunmore wrote at Pitch Invasion:

Ask any fan from Section 8, and they tell you last year's Open Cup final at Toyota Park was one of their favourite nights as a (Chicago) Fire fan. Yet as much as the hardcore loved it, only 8,185 were at the stadium.

Of course, as Jamie Trecker pointed out at ChicagoSports.com, the Chicago Fire are notorious for trying to market to everyone except the people who actually show up to the stadium.

Here in Chicago, I've watched with bemusement over the years as the Fire has chased after suburban whites and soccer kids while ignoring Polish and Latino community support. Ive watched security guards at Soldier Field go nuts on harmless fans because of the perception that all soccer fans are hooligans; Ive also listened to MLS higher-ups tut-tut the fan-friendly behavior of the team's old GM, Peter Wilt, who made a point of sitting with the teams most die-hard support.

Why, you ask? Apparently, all these loud, happy folks are bad for business because they might scare off the tremulous whites in the suburbs and their towheaded young.

Meanwhile, it appears that the New England Revolution want to scare off everyone, because they don't want people to see just how apathetic they really are to this tournament. Perhaps that's why they won't allow this game to be webcast, because this team cares so little that it might actually lose -- just like FC Dallas might become the third MLS side to go to Seattle and get demolished by the Sounders.

Maybe that's why MLS doesn't want you to watch the U.S. Open Cup -- because it's going to be an all-USL final in Seattle in October, and MLS wants to make sure that no sports fans discover that there's any sort of professional soccer in America beyond MLS, because if they do, the terrorists win.

I think I'll be rooting for both the Railhawks and Sounders on Tuesday night. I also hope Seattle sports fans show up at Qwest Field for the Sounders. Maybe they can get that Seahawks fan that dresses up like a giant koosh ball to be there.

The Revolution Will Not Be Televised for Tuesday Night's U.S. Open Cup Match originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Fri, 31 Aug 2007 12:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Beckham Backlash Begins

David J. Warner — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 10:40:00 EST

Filed under: Dallas, Los Angeles, Soccer

In case you were wondering if soccer fans in cities outside of Los Angeles are a little miffed about David Beckham not playing ... well, there's your answer. F.C. Dallas fans let Becks and the Galaxy have it at last night's Superliga match, and so did the Dallas Morning News.

Never mind that the locals had been trumpeting his arrival like a fort full of extras waiting on John Wayne. Billboards, radio and TV ads, ticket packages, you'd have thought he was coming to kick for the Cowboys. The prospects of a sold-out house awaited.

Too bad, Galaxy officials said. ... The game's ambassador is holed up in Hollywood. Maybe next time, suckers.

I understand why Beckham didn't travel to Texas. He's got a bum ankle, and flying just makes it worse. He needs to rest up for all the matches that count in the MLS standings. On the other hand, MLS made this bed, didn't they?

The Beckham Backlash Begins originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Wed, 01 Aug 2007 10:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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