May 2008 Archives
Reserves draw in NE
05/30/2008 1:20 PM by Doug Hicks
Franco Niell converted a pass from Quavas Kirk an United Reserves drew 1-1 in New England this morning. Here are the details:
D.C. United Reserves at New England Revolution Reserves
May 30, 2008 - Lower Practice Field at Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, Mass.)
D.C. - Franco Niell (Kirk Quavas) 8
NE - Spencer Wadsworth (unassisted) 77
NE- Chase Hilgenbrinck (caution) 44
D.C. - Dan Stratford (caution) 77
MLS Game #11: DCU 2 - NE 2
05/30/2008 12:11 AM by Doug Hicks
As you’ll be able to tell by their quotes below, United players and staff aren’t satisfied with their 2-2 draw in New England tonight. The Black-and-Red sparkled early and dominated long stretches of play, but couldn’t hold off the Revolution all night. Here’s a complete recap of the night and here are some photos from the game.
As long as they continue to score goals, but we need to get them more of the ball. When you have guys getting the ball in the net, you have to keep feeding them. We need to do a better job of that.
U-17s get historic win over Sevilla FC
05/29/2008 8:36 PM by Kyle Sheldon
We just received an email from our Director of Youth Development John Maessner, who is currently in Spain with D.C. United's U-17 squad. The team is competing in the 'Quixote Trofeo' U-17 Clubs Youth World Cup. Maessner writes:
"D.C. United 1 - 0 Sevilla F.C.! What a result for the 2007 MLS U-17 Cup Champions, D.C. United. Now we need a result against a very good F.K. Partizan side who were finalists in last years competition.
Chris Hegngi finished a world class goal from six yards out in the 72nd minute off a brilliant cross from Matt Oduaran. We held on and finished the match with a 1-0 win, the first American team to win a game in the competition’s history.
It was wonderful to see how far we have come as a country with the performance on the field and with the fans that D.C. United had at the game - magical stuff! Chants of "United! United!" rang throughout the game."
United's youth lost its first game of the tournament to RCD Espanyol 3-2 on Tuesday. More info on that result here. The 17's will face FK Partizan of Serbia on Saturday in its last group game and will have a chance to advance to the next round of the tournament with a positive result.
MLS Game #11: DCU @ NE
05/29/2008 6:26 PM by Doug Hicks
United has arrived at Gillette Stadium and is set for the game, just one hour away. Head Coach Tom Soehn has announced the line-up and the following are set to take the field:
Zach Wells; Bryan Namoff, Domenic Mediate, Devon McTavish, Gonzalo Martinez; Santino Quaranta, Clyde Simms, Marcelo Gallardo, Fred; Jaime Moreno, Luciano Emilio.
Of note, Gonzalo Peralta did not travel to New England this morning with the reserve team. He and his wife are currently at the hospital preparing for the birth of their second child. Franco Niell will join the 18-man roster for tonight's contest in his place.
Access United: New England preview
05/29/2008 5:10 PM by Kyle Sheldon
We're just a couple hours from kickoff. Access United sat down with a few players and Coach Soehn yesterday to get their thoughts on tonight's game..
MLS Game #11: DCU @ NE
05/29/2008 8:18 AM by Doug Hicks
The boys are in Boston and a national television audience awaits. The Revolution (6-3-1, 19 points) sit atop the League table and will be a tall order for United tonight. That said, the Black-and-Red are all smiles after a stirring come-from-behind victory over TFC on Saturday.
Let's get to the details...watch espn2, listen to WFED (1050 AM) or Radio America (1540 AM) at 7:30 tonight. In any case, be ready.
If you'd like to be fully prepared, the next several links are for you:
The Washington Post points out that United is set to begin a tough portion of the season.
The Washington Times says that Santino Quaranta provides a spark.
The Washington Examiner states that the pressure is still on.
Finally, dcunited.com previews the game.
Marcelo Gallardo on ESPNdeportes.com
05/28/2008 2:35 PM by Kyle Sheldon
Yesterday, Marcelo Gallardo participated in an online chat on ESPNdeportes.com. We've translated his answers from Spanish to English.. lots of good stuff here. Enjoy.
ESPNdeportes.com: (3:43 PM ET ) Welcome to the chatroom and thanks for joining us. In a few minutes we’ll be talking to Marcelo Gallardo of D.C. United on various subjects, including D.C. United, MLS, Argentina and his stint in European soccer. Send in your questions now!
Marcelo Gallardo: (4:04 PM ET ) I want to say hi to all joining this chat.
Tomas Deza, Silver Spring, Maryland: Muñecooo, my name is Tomás, I’m 15 years old and I’m from Tucuman. I’ve always been a fan of yours and now that you’re playing and living less than an hour from my home I couldn’t be happier. Good luck with everything!! Ohhh and I almost forgot the question. Honestly, do you find MLS soccer easier than the other leagues you’ve played in?
Marcelo Gallardo: (4:05 PM ET ) No, the level of play in the MLS surprised me. It’s underestimated in other countries, especially in South American and Europe, but so far I haven’t found it easy.
Alberto, Santiago, Chile: Hey Marcelo, it’s a pleasure to speak to one of the ultimate River icons. How have you felt playing in the MLS? What was the biggest happiness you’ve experienced as a River player? Thanks for all the great memories you’ve given River fans.
Marcelo Gallardo: (4:06 PM ET ) As a River player, I lived many happy moments, as well as sad moments, but the chance to play and win the championship which I was lucky to do with the club I love, the club I grew up with, is one of the best momentos the River jersey gave me. In the MLS I feel better, I’m getting to know the league better and getting used to it very well.
Román, Merlo: Marcelo, we miss you over here. We want to see you in River and we hope you can be back soon. Do you think you’ll come back? How do you see River lately?
Marcelo Gallardo: (4:08 PM ET ) Honestly, I always get asked that question and I say I never left River. Even though I’m not physically there, I think I’m always there, for the good times and the bad. I always follow it, I have friends there and I know how they’re doing. It’s hard to let go and I hope that in the last three matches we can get the opportunity to be the champion.
Cristian Miami, Florida: How are you doing Marcelo? After a seemigly radical change, have you been able to get used to the way of life in Washington? Do you like the city and what don’t you like? Good luck.
Marcelo Gallardo: (4:10 PM ET ) Yes, I like the city. So far I’ve been adjusting and I feel good. It was a change, a good experiencia and I’m living it. In the future I’ll see if it was a positive one or not.
Hugo Madrid, Tegucigalpa: Hey Marcelo, how are you? Tell me, would you like to play for Boca Juniors?
Marcelo Gallardo: (4:11 PM ET ) No. I have a lot of respect for so I’m not going to say no flat out. I say no but with respect.
Oscar, San José, Costa Rica: Why do you think there are so many great Argentine soccer players in the MLS yet they’re not called up to the national team?
Marcelo Gallardo: (4:14 PM ET ) Really, the Argentinian soccer players are doing very well, but for many of us this is a new market. Not only for us Argentines but for the foreigners, this is a young league, very new. It may be that in a few years it will grow to a level where it will be considered. It’s underestimated because they don’t see it. It’s hard if they don’t see it.
Tito Mora, New York: I’m from Ecuador, but I like Argentina’s national team. How do you see the team for the Olympics? Can you take the title? What do you think of the match with Brazil for the qualifiers?
Marcelo Gallardo: (4:16 PM ET ) Mainly I think Argentina has a very good Olympic team, with good players and many chances with a good team, but we have to take into consideration that they haven’t played many matches, even though they have great chances because they have some great players. Brazil vs. Argentina is always a match that is very hard fought, for what it means. It will be very competitive as they always are.
Sergio, Santa Cruz, Bolivia: Marcelo, what do you think about your D.C. United teammate Jaime Moreno?
Marcelo Gallardo: (4:18 PM ET ) Jaime, I met him when I first got here, he’s the all-time goalscoring leader in the league and deserves a lot of respect and he’s a very good person. He has welcomed me into the team. I hope we can put together our experience to help the team move forward
Oscar Espinosa, Tampico, Mexico: How’s it going Muñeco? If you had the chance to bring in to D.C. any player to help you with the attack, who would that be? Maybe a good friend of yours from River or from the national team?
Marcelo Gallardo: (4:19 PM ET ) There would be several but that wouldn’t be my decision. Obviously if they want to give me a say, I’d have an opinion because there are a lot of good Argentinian players that would love to have this experience. (D.C. United’s Hispanic Relations Director Boris Flores says on the phone he’d want Batistuta)
Jorge Raul, Caracas, Venezuela: Hey Marcelo, how did you feel living in Monaco? I was there two years ago and it seemed amazing, although quite expensive.
Marcelo Gallardo: (4:21 PM ET) I think the same haha. It’s a very nice place, a paradise. I was lucky enough to play and live there. I have friends there and good memories. The first day there I was in awe, it’s very impressive, but then I got used to living there in the city because it’s very small, and you get used to it, but it’s very expensive.
Mario Ferrero Cd de México: Hey Marcelo. How do you see the qualifiers for South Africa in North and South America? Who’s your favorite for the Olympics?
Marcelo Gallardo: (4:23 PM ET ) I don’t think it will be very different in Concacaf, the strongest teams are Mexico, the US and maybe some other. I don’t know how Costa Rica and Honduras are doing, two countries that are always fighting. In South America, Argentina and Brasil are always candidates, Perú, Colombia and Uruguay, are others but it’s very competitive. There are few countries but they’re all good. There will be many interesting matches. Chile with Bielsa is dangerous so we’ll see what happens.
Jesus , Mexico: Would you like to play in Mexico?
Marcelo Gallardo: (4:24 PM ET ) At some point I would have liked to, it’s a country I would have liked to play in. I had a chance but for some reason it didn’t pan out. I’ve always thought it’s a championship that has evolved greatly. It’s very competitive and one of the countries I love to visit and vacation in.
Mariano, Buenos Aires, Argentina: Why did you leave River? Would you like to come back and play with Ortega and el Enano? What do you think about el Cholo?
Marcelo Gallardo: (4:28 PM ET ) Like I said before, I never left. I never felt like I left. I’ve never closed any door. I think you should live for the moment and enjoy it fully. When I decide to make a change, I do it quickly and completely. Now I’m here and I’m doing well but tomorrow who knows. I still have several years of play left but you never know. El Cholo is in his first years as coach, and once we were teammates and I can say he’s very passionate. You knew he’d end up being the coach. He’s just starting out, he’s in River, a big team, a big ship hard to maneuver, fighting for the championship, he got eliminated from the cup so we’ll see if he can recover and I really hope they can.
Oscar Espinosa (Tampico Mexico): Tell me, how did it go at PSG? Which players do you get along with the best in D.C.?
Marcelo Gallardo: (4:30 PM ET ) In Paris it was a so-so experience, good and bad. When I was leaving River I thought it was time to have a European experience again. To a country I already knew, a big team and a coach that liked me. But 15 or 20 days into it, they fired the coach and brought in a new one who had his players. I played the first three months but I didn’t factor into his system and decided to leave, even though I had a year and a half left on my contract. I came to the US, even though I had other offers because it seemed like a great experience.
Marcelo Gallardo: (4:31 PM ET ) I get along well with all my teammates. I try to adapt to the different mentalities, ways of living, eating, I don’t have a problem with that. Because of the language barrier I get along better with the Latin players than the Americans but I’d like to learn English because I’d like to be able to relate to them better.
Jorge, Pto la Cruz, Venezuela: Marcelo, first of all thank you for taking your time to answer our questions. My question for you is the following, after having played in a team with international renown like River Plate in Argentina and having European experience, how do you balance personal adaptation to the MLS? Did you think it was going to be easy, difficult?
Marcelo Gallardo: (4:33 PM ET ) Until now, from what I’ve seen and heard and from talking to people, the MLS is a league that is developing and growing, and it has a lot of potential but it can develop a lot more as a championship. People are staring to get into it. It has to reach out to the international market a bit more and no close itself off with it’s own rules if it wants to have a positive evolution, but they’re heading in the right direction. I see potential so that in 5 or 6 years it will be a competitive league in world soccer.
Marcelo Gallardo: (4:34 PM ET ) I’d like to say hello to everyone and thank you for coming and participating in this chat. Warm wishes to all of you.
ESPNdeportes.com: (4:35 PM ET ) Thank you for joining us in this chat with Marcelo Gallardo. Don’t forget to watch him on ESPN TV on Thursday for the match between D.C. United and the New England Revolution. For more information on the MLS, keep tuned to ESPNdeportes.com.
Ryan Cordeiro upgraded
05/28/2008 10:20 AM by Kyle Sheldon
United General Manager Dave Kasper just informed us that Ryan Cordeiro has been upgraded from the developmental roster to a senior developmental spot.
The rookie midfielder was selected by the Black-and-Red in the third round (33rd overall) of the 2008 MLS SuperDraft. He made his MLS first team debut in United's 3-1 loss to Chivas USA on May 17, starting and playing the full 90 minutes at left mid. He has also played every minute of the team's three reserve games, notching a goal and an assist.
Cordeiro came to United after four years at the University of Connecticut, serving as co-captain during his senior season and helping the team to a 20-3-1 record.
MLS Classic: 2004 Eastern Conference Final
05/27/2008 8:15 PM by Kyle Sheldon
If you've never seen this game, you should find it and watch it immediately. Largely considered to be one of the best games in Major League Soccer history is the 2004 Eastern Conference Final between United and the Revolution, a game that included six goals in regulation and a ridiculous penalty shootout. ESPN has put highlights from the game up in advance of Thursday's contest on ESPN2 (7:30 p.m. ET) and we present them to you here...
Video: Dane Murphy discusses reserve season
05/27/2008 3:54 PM by Kyle Sheldon
The D.C. United reserves will play their fourth game on Friday morning versus the Revolution, following the first team game Thursday night at Gillette Stadium. United's reserves are currently 1-2 in the Reserve Division.
Dane Murphy discusses Friday's game and also talks about having to play two different positions...
Photo of the Day: Handball!
05/27/2008 3:21 PM by Kyle Sheldon
In addition to playing a little full field 11v11 in today's training session, the guys also participated in a competitive (very competitive) game of team handball. The photo above fully captures the joy, passion and passing ability that were on display at the RFK Training Fields this morning. Team Red went up early, but Team Yellow came from behind to win 3-2 on a goal by Marc Burch (goals are scored by heading the ball out of the air and into the back of the net).
The South Americans clearly did not play as many games with their hands growing up as some of the young americans... Ben Olsen took to calling Marcelo Gallardo 'Ginobli,' during the game - a reference to the stud Argentine currently in the Western Conference Finals with the Spurs.
Access United: Toronto FC recap
05/25/2008 11:21 PM by Kyle Sheldon
Here's the latest edition of Access United with post-game reaction from Toronto's John Carver and United's Tom Soehn, Santino Quaranta, Zach Wells, Kevin Payne, Clyde Simms and Jaime Moreno. You can see previous episodes on our YouTube page.
DCU 3 - TFC 2: The goals
05/25/2008 8:51 AM by Kyle Sheldon
Here are the goals from last night's win - Peralta in the 41st, Moreno's PK in the 70th and Emilio in the 72nd.
MLS Game #10: DCU 3 - TFC 2
05/24/2008 10:33 PM by Kyle Sheldon
Yes. Yes. Yes.
It wasn't necessarily the prettiest game for the entire 90 minutes, but the boys fought hard and twice came from behind to beat Toronto 3-2. Two goals in two minutes - a penalty from Jaime Moreno and a nice follow-up from Luciano Emilio - were the difference as the team got its third win of the season. Gonzalo Peralta also scored his first career goal in the 41st minute (see it here).
Everyone in the locker room was talking about the lift the fans gave the team - a great performance form La Barra Brava, La Norte, the Screaming Eagles and everyone else at RFK tonight. You guys brought it and everyone took notice.
The team has Sunday off and will train Monday as it now looks ahead to a trip to New England to face the Revolution on Thursday, May 29.
On another note, we announced tonight that Francis Doe has been called up to the Liberian National Team to potentially compete in four World Cup qualifiers. Francis will depart D.C. tomorrow and be gone until June 21. More info at dcunited.com.
I'll be back with some post-game quotes and photos in a bit.
UPDATE: I've added a couple photos to Video & Pics and.. post-game quotes galore below...
MLS Game #10: DCU vs. Toronto FC
05/24/2008 7:01 PM by Kyle Sheldon
The same 11 that started Wednesday's game in Toronto will take the field this evening.
Zach Wells; Bryan Namoff, Devon McTavish, Gonzalo Peralta, Gonzalo Martinez; Santino Quaranta, Clyde Simms, Marcelo Gallardo, Fred; Luciano Emilio, Jaime Moreno.
Subs: Jose Carvallo, Ryan Cordeiro, Marc Burch, Dan Stratford, Quavas Kirk, Francis Doe.
MLS Game #10: DCU vs. Toronto FC
05/24/2008 11:36 AM by Kyle Sheldon
United and Toronto FC meet for the second time four days as the League's lone Canadian team visits RFK Stadium this evening. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET. You can get your tickets right here. If you can't make it out to the stadium, you can catch the game on Comcast SportsNet and the radio in both english (1050 AM) and spanish (1540 AM, 1390 AM, 1600 AM, 1350 AM).
As for the match, the usual suspects have written their preview pieces. Get informed before heading out to RFK tonight...
- Steven Goff of the Washington Post writes that the players are behind coach Soehn.
- John Haydon touches on the player's support of Soehn, in the Washington Times.
- News, notes and a preview at dcunited.com.
- In Toronto, Josh Rubin writes about United's early season struggles in the Star, Larry Millson of the Globe and Mail touches on Toronto trying to continue its unbeaten streak and Bill Lankhof says TFC is simply not that good in The Sun.
- And, finally, the Capital Weather Gang's UnitedCast has your weather outlook for this evening (spoiler: it's going to be perfect!).
Back later with lineups..
Jeff Curtin retires
05/23/2008 5:00 PM by Kyle Sheldon
We had some sad news today, as defender Jeff Curtin has decided to hang up his boots and retire. The decision was made in large part because the 24-year has dealt with a number of injuries over his three-year MLS career. Curtin was signed by United after being selected in a waiver draft on March 4 and saw time in a single reserve game, playing 45 minutes in the team's 3-2 win over Columbus on April 18.
Curtin was originally drafted by the Chicago Fire in the second round (14th overall) of the 2006 MLS SuperDraft after four years at Georgetown University. For two years, he and his older brother Jim were teammates in Chicago. The elder Curtin now plays for Chivas USA.
Jeff was nothing but nice during his brief stay here and we all wish him the best as he looks to the next step.
Reserve game canceled
05/23/2008 3:51 PM by Kyle Sheldon
Sunday's reserve game between Toronto and our boys has been postponed, per Toronto's request. The team from Canada will apparently begin qualifying games for the newly formed CONCACAF Champions League this week and wanted to lighten their schedule load.
No word yet on when the game will be rescheduled, but we'll let you know as soon as we hear.
So, you'll just have to satisfy your live footy cravings with tomorrows night's quick rematch between the two club's first teams. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET at RFK Stadium and it's going to be a beautiful night for soccer. You can get a jump-start on your game preparations with a whole bunch of notes at dcunited.com.
Reserves fall
05/22/2008 11:59 AM by Kyle Sheldon
The reserves fell this morning to Toronto FC's reserves 2-1. I'm awaiting additional details, but know that United's goal was scored by Quavas Kirk via an assist from Ryan Cordeiro. D.C. falls to 1-2, while Toronto improves to 3-1.
The two reserve teams will square off again on United's training field this Sunday morning at 10 a.m. The game is free and open to the public. Field location can be found on this here map.
UPDATE: Scoring summary, lineups and misconduct summary... you'll note that James Thorpe was with the team. In case you missed it, he joined the club earlier this week in training after completing his semester of studies at Franklin Pierce University.
MLS Game #9: DCU 0 - TFC 1
05/21/2008 11:37 PM by Doug Hicks
MLS Game #9: DCU @ Toronto FC
05/21/2008 5:16 PM by Doug Hicks
The game is just an hour away and United Head Coach Tom Soehn has announced his line-up. The following are set to begin the game tonight for the Black-and-Red:
Zach Wells; Bryan Namoff, Gonzalo Peralta, Devon McTavish, Gonzalo Martinez; Santino Quaranta, Clyde Simms, Marcelo Gallardo, Fred; Jaime Moreno, Luciano Emilio.
MLS Game #9: DCU @ Toronto FC
05/21/2008 7:58 AM by Doug Hicks
A healthier and more determined United side has made its way north of the border and is preparing for tonight's match with Toronto FC. The Black-and-Red know that a passionate sold-out crowd awaits and is keenly focused on what will be needed to get a result here, having seen success twice here last season.
Kick-off is set for 7:30 p.m. ET and fans back home can catch all of the action on Comcast SportsNet, not to mention WFED and the Spanish Radio Network.
Here's what some of the major media outlets are printing ahead of the game tonight:
- Steven Goff writes in the Washington Post here.
- John Haydon muses in the Washington Times.
- Craig Stouffer adds his thoughts in the Washington Examiner.
- The official dcunited.com game preview is here.
- And finally, for a look from a northern point of view, here is Larry Millson for the The Globe and Mail.
First Tee appearance
05/20/2008 1:57 PM by Kyle Sheldon
The following was written by our Executive Director of United for D.C., Sara Peterson:
On Monday, May 19 Marc Burch, Devon McTavish and Domenic Mediate made a community appearance at The First Tee of Washington, D.C. at Langston Golf Course. You might wonder what three soccer players were doing at a golf program, but it turns out that these members of D.C. United enjoy a round of golf in their spare time, and the fact that they were able to interact with the kids participating in The First Tee program and share some of their experience was also a plus.
The First Tee of Washington D.C. provides six-week sessions of golf instruction and life skills training to young people from 8 to 18 years old. Burch, McTavish and Mediate spent an hour at the driving range with The First Tee participants as they learned a lesson on shot accuracy. The First Tee coaches arranged a competition, which paired a member of D.C. United with a First Tee participant to see who had the most accurate shot. After a few rounds of alternating shots it appeared that all the teams ended in a tie. In addition to meeting The First Tee participants and helping with the day's lesson, the guys were able to get some shots in at the range to help them gear up for the Seventh Annual United Celebrity Golf Tournament on June 23.
If you're like Jaime Moreno, you're really good at golf. If you're like Fred, you're terrible. Regardless of your golf ability, the Celebrity Golf Tournament is an awesome event for United fans. Nearly all of the players and coaches play - in addition to a few other local celebrities - and everyone has a great time. It's one of the best opportunities of the year to really spend time with members of the club... and all the proceeds go to the non-profit arm of the club, United for D.C. If you're thinking about signing up and haven't, get it done soon - spots fill up quickly!
PS - I've added a few photos from the First Tee event to the Video & Pics page.
Tony's Take: Puzzle, Pieces
05/19/2008 6:21 PM by Tony Limarzi
Tony Limarzi, the Radio Voice of D.C. United, provides live match commentary for all D.C. United games on WFED 1050 AM. He recently published his first book, Forza Italia, which is the story of the summer of 2006 – both Italy’s World Cup win in Germany and United’s MLS season. Tony and his brothers also maintain hoyahoops.com.
Things are bad right now. Just when you thought D.C. United might be coming out of their difficult period of losing, they conceded three goals in nine minutes to lose another road game. Ouch. Everybody on the team is rightly frustrated, and the best fans in the league are contemplating mutiny, and not the Tampa Bay kind.
D.C.'s front office made a lot of moves in the off-season to prepare for the many competitions in which United will be playing this summer, and for the time being none of them have produced the anticipated results. When you look at the roster of D.C., the players are as good as any team in the league. The injury situation for United is bad, but it's no worse than a bunch of teams around MLS. Things just aren't working right now, and even though Coach Soehn talks about the reasons for the lack of wins, the reasons behind those reasons are not as clear. Coach says that the team isn't doing the right things for 90 minutes. Agreed. But why not? It's a puzzle.
Like any puzzle, the key to solving it is getting the right pieces in the right places. Easy enough to do in theory, but not quite so easy what it comes down to the nuts and bolts. But if you take a hard look at D.C.'s players, they have the right pieces to put it all together. Jaime Moreno will continue to do everything he can in the final third, Luciano Emilio will soon regain his scoring touch, and Fred will be back on the field soon. Plus, Marcelo Gallardo is a superstar. His skills when surrounded by opponents are incredible, and he's starting to feel more comfortable in MLS. His goal vs. Chivas USA was superb – an excellent first touch, an even better second touch to exploit a defender, and a cool curling left-footed finish into the top shelf – Magnifico!
There is a lot more to play for this season for D.C., and the team needs to get things going soon – very soon. They are desperate for a few results in a row to at least stay within shouting distance of the final playoff position. But besides the MLS regular season and MLS Cup playoffs, there is a lot on the table for United: Superliga, CONCACAF Champions League, and U.S. Open Cup. Remember, the U.S. Open Cup is more important than ever since the winner of that tournament earns a spot in next year's Champions League.
Finally, try to remember that acquiring new players in MLS is not like doing so in the NBA or NFL. In those leagues the players already basically know each other, and at least know the league. The new players for United for the most part knew very little about MLS before coming in. The adjustment period is much longer with an international change, and there is still over two-thirds of the regular season left to be played. The bottom line is that the results have been unacceptable lately, everybody can agree on that. The next to bottom line is that the team is always getting closer to where they want to be. The third from bottom line is that there is still enough time to reach the lofty expectations for which the club always strives.
In support of a good friend
05/19/2008 4:43 PM by Doug Hicks
I’d be hard pressed to find a more loyal and passionate supporter of D.C. United than long-time television play-by-play announcer Dave Johnson. Whether he is working for WTOP (his day job) or Comcast SportsNet (his night job), Dave always puts his heart into sharing information on the Black-and-Red in the best interest of the game, the club and supporters of both.
BTB merchandise offer: training top
05/19/2008 11:38 AM by Kyle Sheldon
We've got a brand new Behind The Badge merchandise offer for you - this time it's the long sleeve training top and, boy oh boy, is it good lookin'.
Offer: 25% off the Long sleeve D.C. United Training Top when you call the D.C. United Team Store and mention the Behind the Badge offer. Regular price is $70. Offer valid through 5/30/08, or while supplies last.
Official Description: ClimaCool training top, applied 3-stripes down sleeves, 100% polyester.
To take advantage of this offer, call the D.C. United Team Store at 202-546-7023. This offer is only valid via phone orders, so save that number in your cell phone. Please note, as well, that the offer is valid only on non-game days.
Rookie Report: Dane Murphy
05/19/2008 10:16 AM by Dane Murphy
Dane Murphy is currently in the midst of his first year with D.C. United. Signed to a developmental contract on March 28, The midfielder/defender writes periodically for Behind The Badge, offering insight into being a rookie in MLS.
Hello to all the D.C. United faithful, both young and old, and welcome to the Rookie Report. I am Dane Murphy, a recently signed first year midfielder/defender from the University of Virginia. Periodically, I will give the readers of Behind the Badge an insider’s perspective as to the goings-on at D.C. United both on and off the field. Portions will include lighthearted commentary on my interaction with teammates, fans, and others within the United family. Other segments will discuss my take on the state of the team in practice, approach to the game, and first team/reserve matches.
To begin with, I am honored and feel privileged to be a D.C. United player. The name speaks for itself and, as Kevin Payne reminds us frequently, we have more championships than the rest of the league combined. My most exceptional experience, so far, is the rise in the level of soccer I am participating in. Training everyday with the likes of Marcelo, Jamie, and Martinez (and even Tino) has enhanced my knowledge and appreciation for the game tremendously. Just looking at their resumes and hearing about the experiences they have had warrants an unquestionable respect. I have tried to soak up everything I can from them (except for Martinez’s wardrobe) because I know it will only make me a better player. Playing with them creates a different kind of motivation in that you want to be able to play at their level and avoid any extra rookie ridicule that may come your way. Off the field they are great friends and always try to offer a laugh for the younger players. But their on the field demeanor is completely different, and that is what makes them great. They are ultra competitors and if you are not helping them improve or win then you will hear about it. Although it takes getting used to it is more than worth it in the end.
In practice I love playing heads up against Marcelo when I am in my natural defensive mid position. It is like a chess match trying to figure out what he is going to do next and where he is going to do it. He brings the best out of me in every practice and is helping my game grow. When I am playing central defender against Jamie it offers a different challenge. He literally tries to meg me every other time he gets the ball in practice. Sometimes he even calls it before he tries. And for those who will say “Just keep you legs closed” I’d like to see you defend him when his eyes look one way, his hips are faced another, and the ball ends up in a third direction. Gonzalo Martinez is undoubtedly the wisest defender on the team and as I am learning a new position at center back I try to emulate everything he does on the field. Although we don’t play against each other a lot he makes me laugh with his outlandish Spanish phrases in full voice and his villain-like laugh (he also messes with Fred a lot). I firmly believe there is not a better group of veterans in the league for a young player to learn from and play with.
In closing I will leave you with a couple predictions. The first team has had a rough go of it so far this season but look for us to get things rolling in the right direction against Toronto on Wednesday with a 2-1 victory. As for the reserves, we are currently 1-1 and have two games (victories) against Toronto this week. That’s all for now and I hope you enjoyed the first edition of the Rookie Report. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated – feel free to drop a note in the comments below. Stay classy District of Columbia and Go United.
Gallardo's goal
05/18/2008 11:06 AM by Kyle Sheldon
UPDATE: Gallardo's goal is now up for Sierra Mist Goal of the Week. It is far superior to the other choices, so vote now.
MLS Game #8: DCU 1 - Chivas USA 3
05/18/2008 3:23 AM by Kyle Sheldon
We're back to D.C. first thing in the morning. Here's the dcunited.com recap.
Post-game quotes below.
MLS Game #8: DCU @ Chivas USA
05/17/2008 9:30 PM by Kyle Sheldon
We're about an hour from kickoff and tonight's starting lineup will see a few changes. The most signifcant moves see Francis Doe get his first start at forward, Domenic Mediate return from injury to start in central defense and Ryan Cordeiro making his MLS debut as a starter at left mid.
Here's the full starting lineup: Zach Wells; Bryan Namoff, Gonzalo Martinez, Domenic Mediate, Marc Burch; Santino Quaranta, Clyde Simms, Marcelo Gallardo, Ryan Cordeiro; Jaime Moreno Francis Doe.
MLS Game #8: DCU @ Chivas USA
05/17/2008 2:29 PM by Kyle Sheldon
United readies itself for MLS game number eight this evening. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. local time (10:30 p.m. ET) and will be broadcast live on Fox Soccer Channel and Fox Sports en Español. The temperature is supposed to get up into the high 90's (and low 100's in some areas), so we're all hoping it cools down by game time. I'll be back with the lineup about an hour from kickoff, but for now here is a rundown of today's United-related news:
- Steve Goff writes about the two biggest problems Tom Soehn faces in the Washington Post.
- John Haydon's piece focuses on the longevity of Jaime Moreno - from the Washington Times.
- Charlie Boehm writes about United trying to overcome its recent struggles on the road at dcunited.com.
- Grahame Jones looks at the many different story lines in today's game in the Los Angeles Times.