Our partner in crime, Bruce, over at DuNord is a big time Minnesota Thunder fan. He tipped us off to this story on their supporters group, the Dark Clouds, that were the subject of a feature story in the Star Tribune. It’s always good to see the media showing love to supporters groups.
[Pic via Bruce Bisping, Star Tribune]
As my boy Ives already told you, US Olympic Team Head Coach Piotr Nowak has replaced Real Salt Lake’s Nathan Sturgis with FC Dallas’ Dax McCarty after Sturgis pulled his hamstring during training.
While we’ve seen Sturgis play primarily with Real Salt Lake in a holding midfielder role, Nowak used him (similar to Thomas Rongen in the Under-20 World Cup) as a Center-back and Left-back during the 2008 Concacaf Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
With McCarty (who I think would have been named initially if it weren’t for early MLS season injuries) occupying the deep, holding midfield role throughout that Qualifying Tournament, people will start to wonder why Nowak decided to replace a defender with a midfielder.
With everyone in the press already deciding that Nowak is going with an official 3-5-2 formation (one that he has yet to line up with), I personally tend to look a little closer at his roster.
Nowak knew that naming Sturgis to the initial Olympic Roster was going to be a risk because he’s been injured for a pretty significant amount of time, so I’m betting he was prepared for this to happen.
Ok, so my name is Alexi and I’m gonna start representing for the women on The Original Winger. Thought there was a need for daily sexiness, so I will provide that. Anywhere from WAG’S (WifesAndGirlfriendsof’Soccer) to random hotties, these women should and need to be accounted for!
To begin with let me introduce one of my personal fav’s Keeley Hazell!!! A little background on Keeley, she became a Page 3 / glamour model in the UK after trying out for the Daily Star Search for a Beach Babe in 2004. Keeley has since had a bust made of her bust by famous sculpturist Leigh Heppell.
Despite posing “practically naked” in numerous pictorials, Keeley denied Playboy in September of 2005, claiming it was “not something she felt comfortable doing”…..O..K.. Ummm, sex tape anyone??? Keeley was later linked to famous footballer Joe Cole after he got “cold-cocked” at one of her famous house parties, which she later denied.
Alright…lets be honest about Keeley, guys want her and girls want to look like her.
Alexi
image via WallpaperGate
Former Duke standout and Norwegian American Abroad Robbie Russell has made his way back to the States and MLS after 8 years, signing with Real Salt Lake.
After Matias Cordoba (back to Argentina) and Carey Talley (trade to Chivas USA) both left the club, RSL had two roster spots open and has filled one of those spots with a player that could possibly be one of the fastest players in the league.
Russell started his European adventure after by passing his LA Galaxy draft in 2000, choosing instead to sign with Sogndal where he made a major name for himself. In stepped Norwegian powerhouse Rosenborg B.K., where Russell started and helped the Champions League Club win it’s 19th league title before suffering a major knee injury. After a change in management, Russell moved to Viborg of the Danish SuperLiga (the same as Danny Califf) in the summer of 2006.
Russell is normally a right back, but could very well see time as a right wide midfielder as well.
image via Wikipedia
UPDATE - Looks like Blackburn and Villa have agreed to a 2 Million Pound move rather than a 4 Million Pound move for Brad Friedel.
How well has this worked out for Blackburn? After signing for Graeme Souness on a free transfer (leaving Liverpool after 3 seasons) just after the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Friedel went on to a long 8 years of service that saw Blackburn not only gain promotion to the Premiership and make their way to the upper half of the table, but also gain their way into UEFA Cup competition with Friedel in the nets.
That’s a pretty damn good return if you ask me! And PS - His first Premiership appearance was against Aston Villa.
With Paul Robinson’s White Hart Lane nightmare almost finished with his proposed 3.5 Million Pound move to Blackburn, Brad Friedel might very well be on his way to Aston Villa in a 4 Million Pound move.
UPDATE - After a 2:45 minute delay, Houston and DC got back to business and ended with a well deserved 2-nil win for Houston after goals by Brian Mullan and Brian Ching.
Wonder how much DeRo and Pat Onstad will play in tomorrow nights MLS All-Star Game against West Ham in Toronto on ESPN2?
My boy Ryan in Baltimore hit me up at halftime / rain delay-time dying laughing and giving me a great personal story that can’t be told here.
The great thing about Tivo is that you don’t have to be sitting on your couch, waiting for kickoff. You can be 20 minutes late like me, grab an adult beverage, kick back with Nesta and watch the 3rd version of the Houston Dynamo at DC United.
First time they played, Houston and DC made it through an amazing 16 minutes before time was called. Then last night they were scheduled to play again before a lights out power issue hit.
Tonight they made it to halftime with Houston leading 1-nil before the picture above happened.
If I was Stuart Holden or Patrick Ianni, I’d throw my boots in the air vent, trash compactor or nearest rat hole before making my way back to the field.
Cursed!!
image via BehindTheBadge
If you listen closely to what Michael Fordham is saying, the word “soccer” can easily be inserted for “surfing”.
Lifestyle, Culture, Most Ever-changing, Endlessly Challenging, Endlessly Unfolding thing you can do with your body and once you’ve done it, it’ll be with you for the rest of your life.
Ian Ladyman with the Daily Mail has an incredible look at the depth and reluctance of Manchester United’s Ginger Prince, Paul Scholes.
From the man that walked away from the English National Team to the guy the won his Second Champions League Medal (although he doesn’t count the first because he didn’t play in it due to yellow card suspension), Scholesy’s legend might end with the guy who did his business (and did it quite well day in and day out) and went home.
This is the type of person that can be respected regardless of club or country allegiance’s.
Guillermo Vilas was a legendary Argentine tennis player who was part of the golden age of tennis in the 70s and 80s, regularly beating guys like Borg, Connors, Nastase and McEnroe. His shoe, by Puma, was always very classy and now they are being re-released. Very retro look. Available here.
Image via Freshnessmag
iBeer can be downloaded for $2.99.
Brew and drink beer on your iPhone and iPod touch. You can even pour your beer into someone elses iPhone!
