Writing on the wall….

There are certain things in history that make you think.  There are certain things in history that make you think and then you wonder why you bothered to think about it.  For example, take the various Russian Csars (or Tsars, if you prefer).  There are litterally dozens, but within that list of Csars (or Tsars) you’ll notice that some have qualifiers.  Peter the Great, Catherine the Great, Ivan the Terrible, etc.  But notice there’s no Steve the Passable, or Bill the Mediocre, or William the Adequate.

Goalkeepers are the same way.  As years go by, if you remember them, they were fantastic, or they were complete failures.  You don’t remember the adequate ones.  Sadly, Luis Crayton was merely adequate in his year with DC United.  He was better than the man he replaced, Zack Wells, but never really seemed to be able to grab hold of the starting GK spot, and then was injured in pre-season, further hindering his chances.  His large salary (for an MLS player) also means that the team couldn’t afford to keep him on the bench.  MLS is about roster economy, and having anybody on the bench every week who’s making over $100k is just suicide.  Also consider that Josh Wicks took advantage of his opportunity, got rid of some unnecessary weight (his copius amounts of pre-season hair) and grabbed the roster spot.  It really wasn’t that much of Crayton losing his role as much as Wicks taking it.  And it’s likely that Crayton, while disappointed that it sealed his fate, will tell you that that’s the way it should be.

It was getting to easy to see United’s roster plans as Crayton wasn’t even making the game day roster, and Milos Kocic was taking the backup role.

Louis is as nice of a guy as you can expect, especially considering he could have come to MLS with a chip on his shoulder, good luck to him in his future endeavors. 

The question is now begged: What does DC United do with the empty roster spot and money?

Confederations Cup FINAL
USA-Brazil
Sunday, June 28
2:30 pm ET

With some skill (and a lot of dumb luck!) the US has qualified for the final round of the Confederations Cup. Come out to your favorite bar and see if the US can pull it off.

The usual spots will have the game: Kitty’s, Momo’s and Babylon Futbol Cafe. If you’re looking for a smoke-free venue in Arlington, we also suggest Union Jacks at Ballston Mall. For folks who are closer to Baltimore, Slainte Pub will have the game.

The FIFA Confederations Cup is an association football tournament for national teams, currently held every four years. The competition is organised by FIFA. It is contested by the winners of each of the six FIFA confederation championships (CAF, CONMEBOL, UEFA, AFC, OFC, CONCACAF), along with the FIFA World Cup winner and the host country, to bring the number of teams up to eight. The 2009 tournament is currently being held in South Africa.

Last Chances for US Open Cup Tickets and Columbus Trip Packages

The SE Ticket Mistress will take orders until 5 pm, Sunday, June 28 for the game next Tuesday (after that you’ll have to either contact D.C. United directly or get them at the gate). Details are here.

4th of July in Columbus: Deadline to sign up for hotel rooms is Friday, June 25 by 2 pm ET (tickets only deadline is Wed, July 1 by 2 pm ET). Trip details are here.

2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup
Round 1
RFK Stadium
Grenada-Haiti-Kick off at 7 pm
USA-Honduras-Kick off at 9 pm

The CONCACAF Gold Cup is the biennial nations championship for North and Central America and the Caribbean, and is the confederation’s premier event. The Gold Cup evolved from a series of championships in the region dating back to 1941.

Haiti-Grenada-kick off 7 pm
US-Honduras-kick off 9 pm
RFK Stadium
Washington, DC

TICKETS
Screaming Eagles Nest (Sections 132-134 and some seats in the 200s):
$32.50 for SE members
$35 for non-members.

The SE Nest is a US Supporters section (but it is not General Admission).

American Outlaw/Sam’s Army Section (GENERAL ADMISSION)

The Screaming Eagles are also handling ticket sales for the AO/SA section. General admission seating is available in sections 127-131 for USA supporters. Tickets are $35 each.

To order:

Send an e-mail to tickets@screaming-eagles.com or call the SE ticket hotline, 202-544-6744, voice mailbox #1. Tell us:

1. Your name, address (no PO boxes), phone, e-mail address, and SE membership status
2. Your preferred location (section 134, 133, 132, 231 or 232 OR the general admission sections)
3. If you are paying by credit card, your name as it appears on the card, the number and expiration date.

All orders will be confirmed by email. Credit cards will be charged closer to the day of the game.

Pick up the tickets at the Screaming Eagles ticket window in the white supporters trailer near Gate B on July 8 starting at 6:30pm.

Tailgate

The Screaming Eagles will be putting on a tailgate for the match where ALL US supporters will be welcome. The tailgate will be at the normal Screaming Eagles tailgate spot in RFK Stadium Lot 8 and will start no later than 5 pm. Tailgate will feature grilled food options, snacks, and beer.

The cost of the tailgate will be $10. If you plan on coming to the tailgate, please PayPal your purchase of tickets to payments@screaming-eagles.com and indicate your name, Gold Cup tailgate, and the number of tickets you will be purchasing in the comments field of your payment. Please help us with food and drink planning by ordering your tailgate tickets in advance.

Generally, in a typical MLS season, we would see it all.  Yet, we pretty much saw it all in this past week.  A great game against Chicago, a bad game on the road in Seattle, and a truly ugly game in Colorado.

The Emerald City

United took it’s act on the road for its first ever regular season game in Seattle (United travelled there a couple of years ago to play some squad from Spain…..can’t remember their name….).  Credit to the folks that both brought MLS to Seattle, and to the fans for proving them right.  Seattle had an energitic and packed house (The House that Steve Largent Built?).  Chris Pontius got United on the board first, then Seattle roared back with three goals of their own, including an Own Goal.  Seattle plays a with an overly aggressive attack, which stretches their team, and they’ve made a habit of squadering leads.  Which played well into United’s ‘Cardiac Kids’ comback style.  Christian Gomez found space above the 18 moved the ball into the area, and found the goal just inside the far post.  Then, Pontius served in a cross that Tino Quaranta had skim off of his head and let Tyrone Marshall just bury the tying goal.  What?  Marshall is a Seattle defender?  Oh well.  It was a beautifully taken goal, even if it wasn’t what he wanted to do.

Key things to take from this game, however, was that Pontius and Quaranta used the entire width of the field.  Combine that with Seattle’s silly thought process of trying to stretch a 2 goal lead late in the second half, results in a lot of usable space for United’s attackers.

The Ugly

There’s no other term for United’s game against Colorado.  Well, none that are even remotely polite.  United tried to rectify some defensive faults (like giving up three goals against Seattle) by changing their formation from the now familiar 3-5-2, to the more traditional 4-4-2.  This was doomed from the start.  But why?  While it’s easy to point fingers at Greg Janicki (with a big enough swing and a miss that Washington Nationals fans would find familiar) or at Avery John (and his David Stokes-like through ball…..for the other team), the real fault is moving to the 4-4-2 and having Christian Gomez as one of the central midfielders.  Gomez is NOT a two way player….at least not for more than, say, five minutes or so a game.  Perhaps Gomez starting as a striker and either Pontius of Quaranta sliding back to central midfield is a better option, or starting Devon McTavish…..two more defensive minded players fits that formation better than Gomez, who effectively made the formation a 4-3-3.  Which is fine if you’re the Women’s National Team, not so much if you’re an average MLS team.  When interviewed at halftime, Ben Olsen mentioned that United couldn’t keep possesion and push the ball up and wide on the wings.  The issue was that United was essentially down a man in midfield, meaning that Colorado could keep possesion more and attack more space, and United couldn’t  use the width of the field to attack.

At least the team has a weak to rest weary legs and get back to the way they were playing before the roadtrip, next game is against the Ocean City Barons at the SoccerPlex next Tuesday.

On a postive note….

Just can’t end on Ugly, now can we?  It looks like Tino Quaranta is going to get a well deserved call up to the National Team for the CONCACAF Gold Cup.  To say that Tino’s been resurgent in the last couple of season’s is an understatement.  He’s also arguably MLS’s best American born player this season.  Maybe a good showing will get him onto later World Cup Qualfying squads and maybe beyond.  Something thought squandered a couple of years ago.

The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Continues…

D.C. United-Ocean City Barons
Tuesday, June 30
Maryland SoccerPlex
Boyds, MD

Kick Off 7:30 pm

The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is an annual national competition that is open to all amateur and professional soccer teams that are affiliated with U.S. Soccer. It is the oldest tournament in the U.S., beginning in 1914 when Brooklyn Field Club took home the very first title. MLS teams were first included in the tournament in the inaugural 1996 season, with D.C. United taking home the title. D.C. United won the title for a second time in 2008.

TICKETS
$20 for D.C. United season ticket holders (if ordered in advance). If you have one season ticket, you get one ticket at the $20 price.

$25 for everyone else and day of game

Send an e-mail to tickets@screaming-eagles.com or call the SE ticket hotline, 202-544-6744, voice mailbox #1. Tell us:

1. Your name, address (no PO boxes), phone, e-mail address, and ticket status
2. Your name as it appears on the credit card, the number and expiration date.

All orders will be confirmed by email.
Pick up the tickets at the Will Call tent at the Maryland SoccerPlex. Go here for directions.

There’s no tailgating at the Soccerplex (no alcohol allowed or sold). We recommend hitting Dogfish Head Alehouse on the way to stadium, (800 W Diamond Ave, Gaithersburg). Directions from DFA to the SoccerPlex are here.

Colorado Rapids-D.C. United
Saturday, June 20
Dick’s Sporting Goods Park
Commerce, CO
Kick off 9:30 pm ET

Viewing Parties

Folks will be gathering at the usual spots: Momo’s and Kitty O’Shea’s (Babylon has a late night dance party on Saturday’s so not a good bet).  Get to places early to hold a seat (makes it easier for the bars to tell people they will be showing a game at 9:30 on a Sat if people are there waiting).

Spend 4th of July in Columbus

Columbus Crew-D.C. United
Sat, July 4
Crew Stadium
Columbus, OH
Kick off, 7 pm ET

Ground Packages (Includes hotel stayed based on double occupancy and game ticket)

SE Member
$135 for ticket and room for Friday-Saturday
$75 for ticket and room for just Saturday night

Non Member
$140 for ticket and room Friday-Saturday
$80 for ticket and room for just Saturday night

Comfort Inn & Suites
650 S High St
Columbus, OH

Tickets Only $15

Sign Up: Send an email to Jimi and tell him how many in your party and how many hotel nights you need. After he confirms you can send us payment (via paypal to payments@screaming-eagles.com or send your check made out to Screaming Eagles, Inc. to Screaming Eagles Roadtrip, PO Box 15878, Washington, DC 20003). Deadline to sign up for hotel rooms is Friday, June 25 by 2 pm ET (tickets only deadline is Wed, July 1 by 2 pm ET).

US-Mexico Road Trip-If you are seriously interested in the NAFTA trip (US-Mex and DC United-Toronto or just one part) please contact Jimi ASAP as we need to see hard numbers to finalize plans. There will be no flight component (it’s more expensive to go as a group, unfortunately) so please go ahead and make your flight arrangements.

Message From Devon McTavish

Devon’s father was recently diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, a condition Devon also suffers from and he wants to let people know about a fundraising event for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation on June 20. You can either participate or make a donation to the cause. More info is here.