by Ethan Johnson
June 27, 2008
Game 2 of the Schellas Hyndman era. I probably shouldn't keep tacking that on, but after 3 coaches in one year, "watch this space" seems to be operative until it isn't. Since this was a road game, YOUR investigative bullet points have the day off:
I'd like to tell you all about the first half of the game, but thanks to some mental giant at either ESPN or the WNBA (or both), the Indiana Fever/New York Liberty game that was occupying the prior time slot ran over. Which I was willing to shrug off, because basketball games rarely fit neatly into their given time slot (NBA Finals were a great example... 3+ hours blocked out on ABC for the game, and it still ran about an hour over). So, fine, the FCD/HOU game would air about 5 minutes after the hour. No problem. We'd probably see the kickoff instead of the 5+ minutes of blab from the commentators.
No, the WNBA game went into overtime. So add 15 minutes. Hmmm... that would be about time for ESPN to announce that the MLS game is being moved to another channel temporarily, like ESPN Classic or ESPNEWS. Any minute... aha... it was moved to... espn360.com! Well, that's a trainload of Not Helping. I decided to wait out the OT, believing the assurances of ESPN that they'd cut over immediately to the FCD/HOU game. Alright, so I miss 10 minutes. Not the end of the world.
The basketball game goes into DOUBLE OVERTIME. OK ESPN, time to carve out room conveniently on an actual TV network instead of a web site. Nope, still streaming online. I'm pounding my fist on my chair arm in exasperation. I dig the New York Liberty, but I also dig my soccer games.
ESPN popped in to let us know that Houston scored in the 21st minute off of a Brian Ching header. Sala watched the ball into the net. Thanks for the update. Back to one of New York's 10,000 time outs.
TRIPLE FUCKING OVERTIME GOD DAMMIT SHIT PISS GO TO HELL SON OF A BITCH FUCK FUCK FUCK!!!
(Note: I had a REALLY awful day yesterday, complete with emergency trip to the vet's office. Everyone's fine now, but sheesh, I just wanted to watch my damned soccer game and pray for a miracle.)
Which means both WNBA teams get infinite time outs awarded as a bonus, and opt to use them to check the stadium thermostat, check the hair, poll random fans about the 2009 GMC line of pickups, and explain in minute detail who will dribble the ball exactly how many times before passing into triple coverage. Time out to explain that the player was supposed to pass into the other triple coverage. Commercial break.
By now I have gone to take a walk and have resigned myself to the fact that the entire first half of the MLS game is plain not going to be televised. I did take a moment to send a drippingly sarcastic email to ESPN complimenting them on their fine scheduling decisions. I don't blame the WNBA outright for me not seeing my soccer game, but somebody blew it big time and has caused the league untold damage from which it may never recover. MLS fans may not be keen on basketball anyway, but now they're off telling everyone that the WNBA sucks complete ass (hard to argue with a triple overtime game with more bricks than a masonry supply company) and vowing to never ever ever (ps: ever ever ever) support the league. Nicely done, whoever managed the scheduling. Bonus points for ESPN running the NBA draft on TWO ESPN channels redundantly because you just can't see the exact same draft pick being made on one channel. That's so Old Economy.
The upshot is, Thursdays are not TV days for the WNBA - at least not on ESPN. But I'm sure the NBA Network was booked up with draft blab, and I have no idea why the MSG channel couldn't have aired the game since they were probably running profiles of storied Knicks players like John Starks all night. This debacle did not need to happen, it did, and the WNBA ultimately will pay the price. It's not like sports fans can boycott ESPN very easily (short of traveling to every event and bypassing the need for media coverage).
I was also disgusted with the FCD Fan Forum for the sexist-ass comments that people saw fit to hurl at the WNBA: They're all dykes, they're all bitches, they all need to get back in the kitchen, they shouldn't be playing sports ever, they're all on the rag, etc. I will note here that FCD fans weren't the bulk of these commentors. Random trolls from other forums (?) filtered in to dazzle us with their oversized brains. I was pissed that the MLS game wasn't on, but that wasn't license to trash women for having the gall to exist, let alone play basketball on TELEVISION and not have the temerity to beat the crap out of the other team inside of a pat 2 hour time frame. Meanwhile, bass fishing, drag racing, and strongest man competitions are televised without comment.
After further ado, the second half of the FCD/HOU game aired. New York beat Indiana in 3OT, by the way.
FCD had been playing a 4-4-2 formation in the first half, and Hyndman conceded that his desire to cram that formation down FCDs throat wasn't working, so he went back to 3-5-2. The point of the 4-man backline was that the 3-man backline was being torched time and time again, so theoretically there is an extra man available to apply defensive pressure.
Or, as is often the case with FCD, that means the SB (side boob - I mean - side back) can wander off into the hinterlands of Up Front, leaving FCD with a, uh, 3-man backline. Whee!
62nd minute: Cross in to Kenny Cooper who heads it in... GOL GOL GOL! 1-1. Pat Onstad (HOU goalie) wins some sort of prize for most f-bombs inside of 5 seconds.
Other stuff happened, including Dwayne DeRosario short-circuiting my One Nice Thing I was going to say about Houston by losing his cool with Saragosa. Saragosa had been going handsy ticky-tack stuff to Rosario. only to then hit the turf and draw a yellow card. I was going to comment on how DeRo seems to be a fairly steady workhorse kind of guy. He goes out there, does his job without a lot of on-pitch drama (unlike some of those other Houston hotheads) and seems to shrug off whatever doesn't work to plug away at what does. But then he loses his shit with Saragosa, so never mind all of that Nice stuff.
FCD tried to use Dominic Oduro as a target striker, which was promising but fruitless. I wonder if the surprise factor has officially worn off as of last night.
Ballgame. FCD managed to play Houston to a draw all 3 times this season. Progress!
Next up: FCD faces Kansas City at home for their July 4th extravaganza. At least I'll be at the game lest HDNet pre-empt the coverage with Mixed Martial Arts or something. <EM>
(The full MLS article archive may be found here.)
