by Ethan Johnson
May 14, 2008

This game was played on Saturday, May 10. I'm having a tough time getting enthused about recapping televised road games, but, the investigative bullet points are back from hiatus. Let's get on with it, then:

• Goodbye and good riddance, Rice-Eccles Stadium. What an awful venue.
• RSL coach Jason Kreis was supposed to be suspended for this game for criticizing the officiating of another match, but he literally phoned it in from a skybox. FCD, meanwhile, phoned it in at turf level.

• OK: I think I am a step or two closer to understanding what is bugging me about MLS and FC Dallas in particular. Andrea Canales wrote an article for ESPN that essentially said that US college soccer isn't really preparing anyone for the pro game, unlike say, college football. She cites things like unlimited substitutions and a, shall we say, collegiate approach to the game that isn't practiced in the pro leagues as examples. Seems harsh, but then she got a response from the father of a collegiate soccer player, who says, in part:

  So your article was very helpful to me. I agree that most college players are very good athletes--fast, fierce and tough. Watching them play, though, I cannot help but believe their main talent is the ability to disrupt the other team, to break up plays. And it seems to me the coaches pick players first and foremost for this perceived eagerness to "do battle" on the field, rather than to pick boys who can see ahead in the game, plan attacks, take action when given momentary tactical advantage, notice weaknesses, press an opportunity, and so on. And it's my perception that some of the college players are picked by MLS coaches simply because they are so good at speeding up the game, but in my opinion, that is a two-edged sword. Simply adding hustle to a team may hurt the quality of play as much as it helps, particularly if the hustling player doesn't actually know soccer.

  Nutshell. Print and keep handy for the next MLS game. I'll expound on this in a separate article, but I had to share.

• 26th minute: RSL fires off a near miss (off the left post), which ultimately lands at the feet of Adrian Serioux. His solution is to kick it TOWARD the FCD goal. Fortunately an RSL player fell in front of the ball. Nice nearly Own Goal there.
• 28th minute: Morales from RSL sends one into the net as a result of absolutely blown defense. I watched and re-watched the play, and am still wondering exactly where the defense was. Drew Moor (defense) was running AFTER Morales, so that's 1 of 3 accounted for. How about Davino, who is getting the big bucks to play defense? Still can't find him anywhere in the replay. 1-0 RSL.
• 56th minute: Kenny Cooper strikes a funky chip shot to make it 1-1. Smoke 'em if you got 'em.
• First, there was pining on the FCD fan forum for Kenny Cooper to get a second look from the English Premier League. Oh, sorry... should have warned you before you spit your drink all over your monitor. Now that talk has adjusted somewhat to pining for KC to get picked up by the US Men's National Team. Hmmm. Well, why not, right? He is scoring goals, no doubt. But Kenny Cooper on a team versus [you name the international opponent - like England]? Color me pessimistic, but more than willing to be pleasantly surprised. More on that story later.
• "Slow Abe" Thompson played the whole 90+ minutes this time. I'm no statistician, but my gut says that Abe tends to score off the bench. Someone decided that if less is more, then more must also be more, therefore Abe plays the whole 90+. More on that story later.
• 62nd minute: Evil Kyle Beckerman goes after Andre Rocha and grabs the back of his neck after a play. Huh? Rocha was accused of "making a meal out of it" by the FCD announcers, but come on, WTF is Beckerman doing, anyway? Ugh, can't stand him.
• 73rd minute: Annnnnd, Beckerman gets in a chip shot between Dario Sala's legs and makes it 2-1 RSL. Sala thought Beckerman was offside (he was), but ONCE AGAIN, he played the shot soft thinking he'd get the offside call rather than - as coached in nearly every other collegiate sport in the USA - playing 'til the whistle sounds. Block the shot first. Argue the offside call afterward.
• 90+ minutes: Slow Abe gives FCD their best chance to tie the game and get the draw, but: Offside. Ballgame. FCD gets ONE standings point in 2 road games that should really have bagged them 4 (3 for winning against San Jose, 1 for drawing against a much improved RSL side). Oh, and the RSL goalie? Played 'til the whistle and the offside call came in late. Ehhh heh. Put that in your training film.

Next up: FCD comes home to take on the star-studded LA Galaxy. Well, fine, the Beckham-mania LA Galaxy. I'll be there, camera in tow, along with my nutshelled critique of college soccer. Don't leave home without it. <EM>

(Much, much more virtual ink has been spilled by me about Major League Soccer. The fledgling but growing MLS article archive may be found here.)