Ryan Pore Is a Poor Man’s Steven Gerrard

On a rain drenched turf at PGE Park in Portland, Oregon, it's a 0-0 game between the Portland Timbers and Carolina Railhawks. Although dominating for most of the game, the Timbers have yet to break-through. Then, in the fifty-eighth minute, an opening presents itself. Ryan Pore sprints down the left side of the pitch to a patch of open space fifteen yards in front of the Railhawk's goal. Bright Dike, a Timber's forward, slips through a pass to the sprinting Pore. He has the ball and a clear shot at goal. At a time when many players, given that amount of space and time, will choke and pull the ball up and shoot right at the keeper, Pore calmly takes aim and rocks a bullet into the left side of the goal. Ryan Pore is never the fastest guy on the pitch. Nor is he the quickest. Other players possess a more deft touch. What Ryan Pore possesses is the inexplicable ability to consistently be in the right place at the right time. As well as a bit of ice water in his veins. It's a combination of innate instincts and good-old fashioned hard work that brings success to Pore's way. Remind you of a certain mid-fielder that currently ...

DC United Paints a Sad Picture for the Future of Soccer in America

There's no shortage of spirit for the team, just a shortage of people who have it. While sitting in the partially filled front section during the game, it's hard to believe that it was RFK Stadium that saw Joe Gibbs lead the Redskins to four NFC Championships and three Super Bowl wins. Since 1996, RFK Stadium has hosted the MLS club, DC United.  Championed for its great players and previous success, currently the seats of RFK seem all the more empty. This was no different Saturday, as United match ended with a 0-0 tie to Real Salt Lake, making their record 2-8-1, the Eastern Conference's worst. It's even more discouraging that after 15 seasons, DC United are in the process of planning a move to Maryland.   So, what are the empty seats really saying? Are they saying that the United States will never accept soccer as a viable major sport? Do they illustrate how Washingtonians are dismayed at the fact that their once prestigious soccer team has fallen by the wayside?  Or are they just simply frustrated that owner Victor MacFarlane decided that DC wasn't worth his time anymore? It's hard to understand what these seats are saying, but there's no doubt they wreak of ...

Seattle Sounders Speak: Sigi Schmid, Kasey Keller on Shutout Win

“Now about what we should have done … “ The speaker was Seattle Sounders Coach Sigi Schmid at the postgame press conference following his team’s impressive 3-0 shutout victory Saturday night over the New England Revolution at the Xbox pitch of Qwest Field. Schmid stopped himself and smiled, having played his little joke on the media. “Oh, I was so used to talking about what we should have done right,” he smiled, prompting laughter from the group. How much easier to laugh, how far more delightful things are after you have scored an impressive win with a superb balance of offense and defense as the home team unveiled Saturday. Schmid was jokingly referring to those moments following good efforts with solid defense and decent ball possession when the kicks did not fall into the net and a 270 minute MLS home scoreless streak resulted. The Sounders coach was plainly delighted with Saturday’s effort and was delighted over the productive three goal output in the first half and a 19-2 goal edge over the course of 90 minutes against an Eastern Conference foe that had tasted victory twice against the Emerald City crew last season. “We created opportunities and were in a good opportunity to strike,” Schmid said.  ...

MLS: Seattle Sounders Shut Out New England Revolution 3-0

It was one of those dramatic moments, the kind often captured in the better sports films. A player stepped into the spotlight at a key moment and provided the victory-launching spark in an important, team-defining game. Such was the case with Costa Rican defender Leo Gonzalez, who gave his team that needed spark with an early goal that set the tone for the rest of the game. The momentum fueled the Seattle Sounders in their 3-0 shutout victory over the New England Revolution at the Xbox pitch of Qwest Field Saturday night. A crowd of 36,344, the largest to watch an MLS Sounders home match this season, felt the electricity of the moment when Gonzalez delivered his goal. A symbolic fog lifted over the stadium as the Sounders scoring slump evaporated.  Gonzalez’ timely goal shattered a 270 minute home scoreless drought in MLS play. His contribution was anticipated, based on recent efforts. In the disappointing 1-0 road loss to the Colorado Rapids last week, in which the Sounders defense performed capably, Gonzalez demonstrated solid instinct. The rangy defender repelled, compromising Colorado opportunities on numerous occasions. On Saturday, those instincts went to work early on the offensive side of the ball, near the Revolution goal. It was another one of ...

Seattle Sounders Thump New England Revolution: Rub It In, Why Don’t You?

Well, for any New England Revolution fan, last night’s 0-3 disaster versus the Seattle Sounders was the salt in an already wounded season.  But enough is enough already… It might have been enough that the Revs were outplayed from whistle to whistle. Revs fans have seen that movie before.  Though when Shalrie is on the field, it hurts that much more. It might have been enough that Seattle has a "designated player" that adds significant value.  Did you notice “aging” Freddie Ljungberg (born 1977) create a dangerous chance by running right around Chris Tierney (born 1986) at the end line last night?  But, yes, I know…the Revs don’t need a designated player, they have a “balanced roster.” It might have been enough that little Fredy Montero played with skill, guile, and trickery that Revolution fans haven’t seen since Clint Dempsey’s days in Foxboro. At this point, Revs fans don’t really even expect such play. It might have been enough that Seattle’s goalkeeper, Kasey Keller, has probably played in more European first-division leagues than New England’s Bobby Shuttleworth has played in professional games (yeah, yeah, injuries…). It might have been enough to see Taylor Twellman’s ex-strike partner, Pat Noonan, starting up front for Seattle and looking ...

This Is The Los Angeles Galaxy: Alex Cazumba

This is Part 13 in a series of articles on the players that make up the 2010 Los Angeles Galaxy. Scenario time: You are at a pub with a bunch of fans who eat, drink, and breathe the game of soccer. You ask this question to your pub mates: "Name the player who scored the 700th goal in Los Angeles Galaxy history during MLS Regular Season play." You hear the predictable choices. Landon Donovan. Edson Buddle. One goes out on a limb by saying that it's none other than the great David Beckham. Wrong. Every single one of them. You trigger looks of disbelief (and drinks on the house at their expense) by saying that Alex Cazumba scored goal #700 against the Houston Dynamo on June 5, 2010. Scenario time ends. Alex Cazumba is one of the young faces from Brazil making an impact as a member of the Los Angeles Galaxy, along with Juninho and Leonardo. On loan from Sao Paulo FC, the 21-year old striker shows that his potential knows no boundaries, all Alex asks is a chance to make it happen. Alex dos Santos Cazumba was born on June 30, ...

Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Real Salt Lake: More Fun Before The Break, Anyone?

Well, Major League Soccer, it's time to face the facts. This Los Angeles Galaxy team is a group of individuals on a mission: to return to the MLS Cup and earn a heaping dose of redemption. They have ice water in their veins and an Anschutz-esque mentality in their eyes. Every single one of them. And they get their chance to get the muscles flowing one more time before the World Cup breaking by putting the clamps down on the holders of the MLS Cup, Jason Kreis's Real Salt Lake, on Wednesday, June 9, at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy. Currently, Bruce Arena's Galaxy sit first in both the MLS Western Conference and the league in general with a 10-0-2 record. With a +19 goal differential, LA has one of the stingiest defenses in the league. They face a reeling Real Salt Lake team that is looking for answers after managing just a scoreless draw with RSL. Forward Tristan Bowen had a no-nonsense explanation regarding the Galaxy's unbeaten streak. “It's definitely the competition in practice. Bruce [Arena] has done a great job in getting a group of incredibly competitive guys ...

This Is The Los Angeles Galaxy: Jovan Kirovski

This is Part 12 in a series of articles on the players that make up the 2010 Los Angeles Galaxy. Pirates wear beards. Pirates travel. Pirates wear beards and travel. The same can be said of Jovan Kirovski, a well-traveled footballer with years of experience playing in Europe, in Major League Soccer, and for his country. The only difference: Jovan doesn't wear a hook when he takes to the pitch. Nor does he engage in high seas robbery. All right, those were two big differences. But you can't dispute this: Standing at an imposing 6-foot-1, Kirovski has proven to be another instrumental part to the success of the Los Angeles Galaxy. With a tall presence in the midfield to go with a superb finish, Kirovski will look to add another trophy to his collection. Escondido, California is where Jovan Kirovski was brought into the world, on March 18, 1976. With a population of 147,514, Escondido is a major city in the San Diego North County region, and one of the oldest in the county altogether. Near Escondido is the San Diego Wild Animal Park, showing beasts of burden and endangered wildlife in open habitat. Valley Center, located north ...

Kirovski, Bowen, Cazumba Help LA Galaxy Tear Houston Dynamo Asunder

The Houston Dynamo thought they would have an easier go-around with Edson Buddle and Landon Donovan doing national team work. After all, it was only a 2-0 defeat at Robertson Stadium. Guess they didn't take into account that there were other players not named Edson or Landon that were just as dangerous. Case in point: Jovan Kirovski. How do you do?! The No. 9 was doing just fine as the Los Angeles Galaxy kept their Supporters' Shield chances on line and the Dynamo's chances to chase the MLS's best team off line in a 4-1 rout before 20,826 at the Home Depot Center in prime time. Kirovski's first goal of the season against the Seattle Sounders earlier this year was a sign of things to come after all. Just 46 seconds into the match, the Galaxy forward finished off a crisp set of touches from Michael Stephens and Sean Franklin. His second goal of the campaign set the tone for the rest of the match. Kirovski, Franklin and Stephens connected twenty minutes later to make the score 2-1. By that point, even casual armchair fans knew that this Houston Dynamo team were a spent bunch. ...

Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Houston Dynamo: A Play-By-Play (and Other Miscellany)

T-180 minutes to kickoff: I wanted to start this P-B-P with a little synopsis of the game "Super Mario Galaxy 2" for the Nintendo Wii. Spoilers abound for the plot, but not for the gameplay. Princess Peach invites Mario to the Star Festival, a time when Star Bits rain down from the skies over the Mushroom Kingdom. On his way, Mario finds a Luma, who immediately befriends him and grants him the ability to spin. Shortly thereafter, Mario's archnemesis Bowser, who has grown to an immense size, invades and attacks the Mushroom Kingdom. Kidnapping the princess, Bowser escapes into outer space to create his empire at the center of the universe again. T-170: After launching into outer space, Mario is given control of Starship Mario, a mobile planetoid in the shape of his head, made by a crafty Luma mechanic called Lubba, powered by Power Stars, and piloted by other Lumas. His mission is to fly across the universe in pursuit of Bowser and the Princess and to help Lubba find the lost Lumas that were part of Bowser's plot. Along the way Mario meets new Lumas and joins up with his companion Yoshi. T-160: Upon collecting ...