Buddlevan Connection’s Return Gives LA Galaxy 3-1 Win Over Seattle Sounders FC

They were back. And as a result, the Los Angeles Galaxy are on the winning track once again. With Edson Buddle and Landon Donovan fresh off their 2010 FIFA World Cup duty, the Galaxy were back in business again with a 3-1 victory over the Seattle Sounders. It's about time the Galaxy are winning again. They have had to deal with Landon and Edson's absence for so long that the team is calling, "Help! We're sending out an S.O.S. here! We're still the best team in Major League Soccer but we need some excitement still!" They got it. Early in the first half, the Buddlevan (Landon Donovan and Edson Buddle) Connection were locked in for the Galaxy's first goal. A solid corner from the Galaxy's No. 10 (Dononvan) found the No. 14 (Buddle), sending the sellout crowd of 27,000 to their feet as one. Despite the win, it seems that Landon must still be feeling a bit winded from the media whirlwind. “I’m tired," he said. "There was a lot of energy and emotion in the beginning of the game with the big crowd. We put a lot of energy into the first half and ...

Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Seattle Sounders: A Play-By-Play (and Other Miscellany)

T-120: This has been quite a weekend for yours truly. I had to take the Blue Line and coordinate some luggage delivery at Artesia Station with my family members since I had a convention to staff. Ahhh, the memories. Anime Expo is one of my favorite conventions to be a proud part of. A major industry draw, it attracts fans from every corner of the world. From masquerades to viewings to gaming and exhibit hall item-snapping, AX is always a major draw, and I am glad to have been part of it. Afterwards, I took the Metro to cantilever my way up the steps and into the press box at the Home Depot Center, where football and fireworks will coexist for one night. T-110: Today, Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy take on Sigi Schmid's Seattle Sounders FC. With the return of Landon Donovan and Edson Buddle to the fold, the G's will be at full strength for this MLS encounter. T-100: I think this will be a great chance for Landinho (yeah, that's my personal nickname for Donovan, and it has nothing to do with Luis Angel Landin of Houston) to take his frustrations from the knockout stage on. A sage idea: Treat the Sounders ...

New England Revolution Out Manned, Out Played by Real Salt Lake

After two full World Cup games, I still managed to catch Real Salt Lake trounce the New England Revolution on DVR into the wee hours of this morning.  (A decision that might leave some to question my sanity.) Luckily, I escaped post-game nightmares, as they all played out right there on the TV before I went off to bed. I have been contemplating if it is worth blogging any thoughts on last night’s game or just add some snarky commentary (and there’s so much there waiting to be lavished on Twitter.) Given the beautiful weather, the World Cup games at hand and the ridiculousness of the current situation in New England, I’ve decided to keep this simple. In a league built around parity, I would submit that RSL had better players in every position.  It does not give me any pleasure to say this, but it seems arguably true, at worst… RSL vs.  Revs Nick Rimando vs.  Matt Reis Robbie Russell vs.  Kevin Alston Jamison Olave vs.  Cory Gibbs Nate Borchers  vs.  Emmanuel Osei Chris Wingert  vs.   Seth Sinovic Andy Williams   vs.   Sainey Nyassi Ned Grabavoy  vs.  Jason Griffiths Javier Morales   vs.  Shalrie Joseph Will Johnson  vs.  Chris Tierney Alvaro Saborio  vs.  Marko Perovic Fabian Espindola  vs.  Zach Schilawski You ...

Seattle Sounders Face L.A. Galaxy Twice in Four Days

The Seattle Sounders and Los Angeles Galaxy should be well acquainted by the time the final whistle blows on the evening of July 7th. The MLS Western Conference rivals will have played twice in a span of four days.  The first game is in accordance with regular scheduling and takes place July 4th, at Home Depot Center in Carson, California. Due to the fact that the teams are both in the hunt for the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup competition, their quarterfinal contest just happens to be three days later on July 7th at Starfire Complex in Tukwila, Washington, which the Sounders use as their regular training facility. Last season, the Sounders used a trip to face the Galaxy as an opportunity to establish momentum and get back into the competition for a playoff spot, which they eventually gained in their first full season. This season, things look tougher considering that the Green Rave are in the midst of their first three-game skid of the season and stand in seventh place in the Western Conference with a mark of 4-7-3 and 15 points. As for Los Angeles, this week Bruce Arena was named to coach the MLS All-Stars in the All-Star Game scheduled July 28 ...

A League of Her Own: Belated Obituary for Dottie Kamenshek

Dorothy “Dottie” Kamenshek was the Babe Ruth, so to speak, of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, the only women’s professional baseball league in baseball history.  She passed away on May 17, 2010 at age 84.  The Gina Davis character in A League of Their Own was named after Dottie and loosely based on her. The AAGPBL lasted 12 seasons from 1943 through 1954.  At its inception, the “girls” played a game that was closer to fast-pitch softball than what we think of as baseball.  However, as the league matured, the rules changed until by the end of the 1954, the lady ballplayers were essentially playing baseball. Here’s the All-American Girls Professional Baseball Association’s webpage describing the evolution of the AAGPBL’s rules. Dottie played for the Rockford Peaches throughout her 10-year career (1943-1951, 1953).  She started as an outfielder but quickly moved to first base.  According to this wikipedia article , She won the AAGPBL’s batting title in 1946 with a .316 average and again in 1947 at .306. Dottie was the league’s all-time batting leader with a career .292 mark, and she was elected to seven All-Star teams (1943, 1946-1951).  Dottie would have likely played all 12 years the AAGPBL was in existence, but her career ...

Landon Donovan: God Bless the USA!

Image: http://media.photobucket.com/image/landon%20donovan/rhiordan/requests/Donovan_Landon_02.jpg I'm about a week late in posting this, but all good things come to those who wait. And when I mean good, I mean H-O-T!! Unless you've been in a desolate location without a television, or you've not been reading my columns (cough, cough), you absolutely know who USA soccer hottie Landon Donovan is. Team USA was eliminated by Ghana last Saturday, however, Landon Donovan, and his abs will stick in our minds for a very long time. Perhaps he should have dated a Kardashian during the World Cup?!? Never mind, tangent. We like him single, anyway. Okay, so perhaps he's in a bit of a pickle. Turns out he may be a daddy very soon. The newly-separated soccer stud (he was married to actress Bianca Kajlich from the TV show Rules of Engagement ) seems to have gotten a lady friend preggers across the pond, or at least that's what she says...convenient timing for her to visit People magazine? Yes? Well, we aren't ones to judge, but we are giving Soccer Luvah massive kudos for stepping forward and saying that he'll take full responsibility for the situation. Landon Donovan told Sports Illustrated, "I was ...

Seattle Sounders Outlast Portland Timbers on Penalty Kicks

The facial expression of Seattle Sounders Coach Sigi Schmid was one of a confounding, “Do I, or do I not?” And who could blame him? The Sounders were matched against their northwest rival the Portland Timbers in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open competition Wednesday night before a sellout crowd of 15,422 at PGE park. Seattle came away with an exciting win on penalty kicks 4-3 after the teams had battled for 120 minutes after deadlocking 1-1 at the close of regulation play and 30 minutes more of overtime. Schmid knows that the host team is a natural rival of the Sounders and that the intensity will increase next season when Portland and Vancouver enter the MLS. He wanted the victory and yet realized the need to rest players following a game last Sunday back east in intense heat against the Philadelphia Union that resulted in a 3-1 loss as well as an impending important league clash July 4 in Los Angeles against the L.A. Galaxy. An early goal in the 13th minute—one of the most brilliantly executed this season—made Schmid think that perhaps he could pull off victory without extending his roster. The goal came as Miguel Montano received the ball from Michael Seamon on the ...