AJC.com > Sports > Soccer blog > Archives > 2006 > August > 07
Monday, August 7, 2006
Taking on the world
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sorry for the absence from this blog, but I’ve been busy again scowling over the Chinese Air Force not being invited at the 1999 Women’s World Cup final. Maybe for the Beijing Olympics, then.
Oh, Phillip, if only I were your kind of sweetheart, so deferential and respectful of our swaggering military presence at international sporting events. It’s so unpatriotic of me, I know, to point this out, as I did here SEVERAL MONTHS AGO! Your reply is a bit late, I think.
Actually, Off the Ball was in full flag-flapping mode Saturday night after the MLS All-Stars handed The Most Expensive Team in the World a 1-0 defeat in Chicago. Then she remembered that the goal-scorer, Dwayne DeRosario, is a Canadian! Didn’t stop the assembled home fans from shouting, “USA! USA!” What a country, eh?
Oh, Chelsea was dogging it all right, despite playing almost everybody who is somebody on that roster with a $200M payroll. Mourinho had the cop-out ready at halftime to tell Brandi Chastain. Translation: The boys hung out and did some training all week in L.A., took in the sights at night, and lodged up in Beverly Hills. Tough gig.
But give MLS some props for a good showing from the best players in a league with roughly 1/8 of Chelsea’s payroll. Atlanta’s own Ricardo Clark got some playing time as well. What ought to be even more interesting is the Barcelona vs. D.C. United game this week in Seattle.
As for the home boys, dropping a home contest to lowly Toronto wasn’t the way to strengthen a playoff bid, especially when the Silverbacks gave up all four goals unanswered. Then lost the following day at Rochester. Still, Atlanta’s in the USL First Division hunt.
Puerto Rico’s in town Saturday for another crucial encounter. Unless the Iranian Air Force makes an impromptu overhead appearance before the game.
