Image via Wikipedia
Like many before him (Michael Orzco Fiscal, Cliff Lee) and presumably many after him Carlos Ruiz loves Philadelphia. In his talks to return to MLS he says that he “never spoke with any other team and was always in talks with Philadelphia Union.” The former Aris forward, and MLS MVP scored in his first appearance for the Union. It was also his first game back in Greece, when he scored against Ergotelis F.C; the only Union goal scored in the 1-1 tie.
Ruiz also talked a little bit about his nickname in an article on the Union website.
“I understand when people talk about me falling so easily, but you (play) soccer how you want to,” Ruiz said. “And even though I’m not saying that what I do is a positive thing, in soccer you have to use all the weapons you can use to win.
“I do hope the league doesn’t have that image of me (as a flopper). Still, if it’s a foul, you are probably going to see me on the ground.”
“My nickname comes from Guatemala, where the fans from Municipal create songs based on the players’ nicknames,” he explained on Tiro Libre. “I was lucky to get El Pescadito because there are others that are named La Rana (The Toad), El Sapo (The Frog) or La Culebra (The Snake). I wouldn’t have liked any of those.”
Don’t look at his diving as faking, look at it like Chase Utley leaning into a pitch, or Desean Jackson scooping an incomplete pass up of the ground. It’s a great thing unless its the other team, and if it goes for the other team congratulations to them for getting away with it. Lying to referees is nothing new to American Sport, diving just isn’t something we seem to allow for.
http://www.philadelphiaunion.com/news/2011/03/ruiz-excited-play-city-appreciates-our-sport
Image via Wikipedia
The Flyer’s asked the Sons of Ben to attend, and liven up a Flyer’s game this season and they were more than willing to do so. For all of you who saw Jody Shelley’s fight with Nolan Yonkan here it is with a little added on to the end.
I may be a little biased but, to me, this is exactly what sports should look like. The excitement and energy from the section was great although reading through a few comment sections in different corners of the internet there were a few people bothered by the showing. Of course if you weren’t expecting this kind of thing I could understand it being a bit annoying. Generally large groups of people screaming and jumping for hours on end can do that to you. Of course most commenting around the web simply resorted to the time honored tradition of calling soccer “a gay sport for pansy-asses” and a special few who ultimately blamed the Flyer’s loss on the Sons of Ben. As far as I could tell they were still rooting for the home team. Some people are pretty irrational.
The Union made a bunch of roster changes this weekend.
First Chris Agorsor never imagined being anywhere but Philadelphia
http://phillysportsdaily.com/union/2011/02/18/when-union-came-knocking-agorsor-couldnt-say-no/
Carlos Ruiz has signed with the Union.
To quote Zoo with Roy
“For the bell never rings without making me sing
Of the awesome-ful Carlos Ruiz;”
http://worldsoccerreader.com/2011/02/philadelphia-union-to-announce-signing-of-carlos-ruiz/
Fred, after his rights moved from the Union to the Revolution, was traded by the Revolution back to DC United where he played before joining the Union
http://nesoccertoday.com/?p=3320
The Union traded Andrew Jacobson to Dallas for a 2013 2nd Round pick,
http://www.soccer365.com/mls/story_18211225507.php
And while we’re on the topic of former players the Brotherly Game is doing an interview with Andrew Jacobson and Shea Salinas
As Christian Arrieta was recently released, we should continue watching for more Union roster moves according to team sources.
Expect more Union roster moves
http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/soccer/20110210_Expect_more_Union_roster_moves.html
Philadelphia Union continue defensive makeover
http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/philadelphia-union-continue-defensive-makeover
Nowak says more roster changes possible
http://www.delcotimes.com/articles/2011/02/09/sports/doc4d5373982ae95650185850.txt
One more sign that we are only a short step away from the beginning of the MLS season is that Kick-Off parties are starting to get planned and passed around. Most importantly, as it says below, they are trying to do a 50/50 and Silent Auction with all proceeds going to Sheanon Williams Charity “Miles For MJ.”
“Section133: The IllegitimateS & Section101: The Tammany Saints are PROUD to Host the Philadelphia UNION 2011 Season Kick Off at Kildare’s in Manayunk. The UNION will be taking on the Houston Dynamo. The Game Will Be Shown On a 8 Foot Projection Screen. There Will Be Philadelphia Union Giveaways!”
Above text in quotations copied directly from: http://section133.com/2011/01/21/2011-season-kick-off-party-kildares-in-manayunk/
First I recommend reading the entire letter, I won’t just reprint it but I’ll give you the basic idea and explain why this doesn’t surprise me at all. You should still read it because its very well written and very strong.
>>http://www.matchfitusa.com/2011/02/response-from-sons-of-ben-member.html
“It also bothers me that he refers to me solely as a skinhead throughout the article. He knew my name and my age, knew my occupation and where I lived. He was shocked to find out that me and the people I go to games with are working class, with full time jobs and full time studies, and that we aren’t some rich suburban kids. But knowing that the Union support isn’t just middle aged accountants wouldn’t do him any good. He knows who I am, but giving me a face would be a lot less interesting than referring to me solely as “skinhead,” a loaded term.
I am a section representative and I help capo. I attend meetings with other representatives and the heads of the SoBs. I am not a hooligan, and I am not a bovver boy. I do not care about the EPL and its casuals, bovver boys and firms. I care about the MLS. I care about Philadelphia. I care about the Union.”
European “football countries” still see American soccer as a sideshow. In their mind it is still, and will always be, a country whose pro-league can’t survive without their Pele and their David Beckham, someone to draw fans into the seats. They imagine that American fans want nothing more than to emulate the English, the German, the Italian way of doing things. They will never see the United States as its own very good footballing country. It will always be a punchline who is nothing more than an amalgamation of the little bits and pieces we know about European soccer. Our fans most dress up as Italian ultras, or English hooligans. There’s no way they could be as loud as they are while watching such a bad game, although teams all over England manage to have similar fan groups doing similar things. I’m sure the guy leading chants at Old Trafford has just as much trouble following the action of the game as the capos here. MLS is a real league and we can do things our own way, this should come as no surprise to anyone. European reporters will always draw American fans as bad caricatures of the worst things that European fans have already gotten past. We will always be a country stuck in the dark ages of football, never to escape. Yet we’re still currently ranked higher than France. We still won our group against England this year. Italy didn’t even make it out. We are as good a footballing country as most, and the best thing about it is that we still have room to grow. England is a good team, but English fans won’t ever spend much more money on soccer than they do now. Americans could very easily do so. Europe has peaked, America is still rising. We are a damn good soccer country, and we’re only gonna get better.
Image via Wikipedia
UPDATE: The headline story on FIFA.com is about Davies and his unbelievable recovery.
http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/clubfootball/news/newsid=1375353.html
In what seems like a done deal (technically only a one-week trial, but with the intention of a one-year loan depending on Davies fitness level) former and hopefully future USMNT striker Charlie Davies will be moving to D.C. United. He has just recently been getting back into good enough shape to make the game-day roster for Ligue 1 club Sochaux. It seems that if he is fit to play, a move to MLS would allow him to get more playing time faster, rather than worrying about having to rise through the ranks. Of course this means that Charlie Davies will be playing just south of Philadelphia for one of our biggest rivals. We still wish him well and hope he gets playing time. Coincidentally, the car accident which Davies was injured in and which took the life of a 22 year old woman who was in the car with him took place in the Washington D.C. area, specifically on the George Washington parkway. Hopefullywherever Davies lands he gets back on the field, and gets a chance to reestablish his soccer career. More importantly we wish Davies the best in his recovery, despite the fact that he will likely be competing against the Union for one of the last playoff spots.
Image via Wikipedia
“Obviously, I want to be back and I’ve given my word to the coach, to our team. This is like my family. I really like it out here. The fans are great…There are just a couple of details here and there that we need to work on. Hopefully we’ll get to the bottom of it.” -Michael Orozsco Fisczl
In summary Michael Orozcso Fiscal loves Philadelphia, loves the Union and wants to make his loan deal from San Luis permanent. The Union naturally wants to keep him on board considering the many issues their defense had last year, it seems that it’s just a matter of sorting out the numbers. Union officials also said they plan to keep midfielder Roger Torres.
“I want to stay here permanently, I want to be here. I want to be a part of Philadelphia.”
>>http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/philly-still-top-priority-orozco-fiscal
bpmangan
mattsant16
Pat
