The Great White/Abby Wambach: The great white shark is the ultimate predator and the most prolific hunter in the sea. They are fast, and powerful with a bite force second to none.If a great white grabs a hold of you, the chances of you getting away in one piece are slim. Great White’s have an hora about them, with a reputation of being one of the most dangerous animals on Earth. Abby Wambach has some of the same traits, she is a prolific striker who instills fear in the hearts of defenders. Abby has great vision and sense, along with being physically dominate. The Great White and Abby also share one more quality that is very unique, they both are deadly in the air. Great Whites have been known to jump out of water to feed on seals, Abby is known for getting airborne and netting spectacular headed goals.
The Bull Shark/Chris Wondolowski: The Bull Shark is a ruthless killing machine just how Wondo is a ruthless goal scoring machine. Alot like Wondo, Bull Sharks are coastal animals that are very versatile. Bull Sharks can both be in oceans and rivers. Bull Sharks are medium sized sharks but have a very imposing force, just like Wondo. Bull Sharks get their name from their tenacity along with their tendency to head but prey. A lot like Bull Sharks Wondo is known to stay shallow in the defense and strike with precision. Also a very unique characteristic they both share is they are both overlooked. Wondo has been hands down the best striker in MLS for the last few years but does not get the attention that Henry gets. Bull Shark’s could be the most dangerous shark but do not get the attention or stigma the Great White has.
The Tiger Shark/Thierry Henry: Another two voracious predators are Tiger Shark’s and Mr. Theirry Henry. Both are lethal hunters who attack with precision. Tiger Sharks are found allover the world just as Mr. Henry’s reputation. Tiger Sharks have a very long life span and Henry’s career feels like it has been going on forever. Tiger Sharks have been known to swim in deep waters along with swim outside their habitats. Henry has been known to play out wide or drop down into the midfield. The similarities continue, a Tiger Shark is a massive shark very large could grow up to 13 feet. Henry stands at a towering 6’2.
Mako/ Dominic Oduro: The Mako shark is a medium sized shark that is not very bulky, they are slim and slender. Mako’s and Oduro are both known for their blazing speed. The Mako is the fastest shark and Oduro maybe the fastest player in MLS. Alot like Oduro, Makos are not that dangerous, their high speed offers up a form of shock but they are not prolific. It may take a Mako a few strikers before they kill their target. Oduro will score goals but by no chance is he an elite finisher in the league.
Last week our writer Pat posted a list of 15 reasons why you should have been at the US Open Cup semi final. We decided that we will try to post a similar list once a week on a variety of MLS or soccer related subjects. Today we will look at why the Philadelphia Union, and MLS as a whole, deserve more media coverage then they are receiving.
1. The Union recently look good
Over the past few weeks Union fans have been enjoying some of the most exciting soccer we have seen from the team since their creation. We are scoring goals, playing incredible defense, and using an entertaining style of soccer. If non-soccer fans are going to watch a match, this is the type of team they should take a look at. Unfortunately, Union games are only broadcast on the Comcast Network with a minimum amount of advertising. The games that do make it onto channels like ESPN 2 or NBC may hit more viewers but still are not marketed well. When was the last time you saw a commercial for a soccer game on a major network that was not shown during another soccer game? Exactly.
2. Other Philadelphia teams either look bad or are out of season.
The Eagles are in pre-season, the Sixers and Flyers are also in their off season, and the Phillies are in last place of the NL East with a 40-51 record. Being a Philadelphia sports fan is a bit of a drag right now. Many people in the city are looking for a team that has been performing well and strives under pressure; the perfect fit for the Union. Sport’s news has also been slow and will probably continue to be until the Olympics start, so why not fill some of that gap with a local team?
3. There is an audience for soccer in Philadelphia
PPL Park holds a little over eighteen thousand fans and the Union have consistently sold out the stadium for league games. When the Union played Spanish giants Real Madrid at Lincoln Financial Field last season the total attendance was over 57 thousand. Over 30 thousand fans came out to see the US Men’s National Team play Mexico last year also. These numbers all prove that soccer does have an audience in the Philadelphia area. Of course teams like the Phillies and Eagles have a stronger hold on the sports fans of the city but these numbers are not low enough to 100% cut soccer out of the media spot light.
4. Philly is already a sports town
As mentioned multiple times above, Philadelphia is a huge sports town. The city tends to soak in any major sporting event that comes to it. If more marketing and advertising were done in the area, there is no doubt in my mind that the number of Union and soccer fans will grow. Thankfully the city is seeing its fair share of large teams coming in, with the next being the return of Real Madrid as they play Scottish Premier league champions Celtic. These games with well known foreign teams are probably the best advertisement the Union can get until they are shown more through television ads.
5. The Union and fans can basically market themselves
Anytime I bring a soccer virgin to a Philadelphia Union game they always leave telling me the same thing: “the atmosphere was amazing.” Yes, the River End is full of passionate and loud fans but so is most of the stadium. Being part of this “third team” in the stands whose only purpose is to yell at players and question the referee’s decisions is quite the experience for most non-soccer fans. It makes you want to go to as many games as you can and to support this club. The team also wants you to pay attention to them. They are a third year team full of young but talented players. This underdog of a team basically is a movie script. All you would need to do for commercials is show the passion of the SoBs and the youth of the team and BAM, commercial. Then you would need to air it once in awhile. I know the Union have some commercials like this already but how often do you see them used?
How do you look at this and not want to be in the middle of it?
Credit to Paul of Jersey Shooter
6. No one knows who we are
You ask any Philadelphian to name some players on the Philadelphia Union and you will get one of two responses: either “The Philadelphia who?” or “Freddy Adu”. There is no connection between the Union and Philadelphians mostly because no one knows who is on the team. Even if you are not a football fan you knew who Donavon McNabb was. The signing of Freddy Adu was great if just to give the team a face that people recognize. Now that the team has a player that most people have at least heard of we can start getting him out there more. Get him interviews on TV, then start bringing in a few other players with him. Eventually, and slowly, the city will start recognizing the faces of the team.
7. Watch the future of American soccer grow up
Last summer we learned that the only time America cares about soccer is during the World Cup. What many people in Philadelphia don’t know is that there are many players on the Union that have a legitimate chance of playing for the US Men’s National Team either this World Cup cycle or early next cycle. Talented players like Amobi Okugo, Sheanon Williams, Freddy Adu, Michael Farfan, Jack McInerney, and Zac MacMath all have shot to be called into the men’s camp. Of course not all of them will be chosen but wouldn’t it be cool to say you were a fan of them before they became national sensations?
8. You still have time to be a fan and not a bandwagoner
Since this team is only three years old the fan base is still growing. If you start following the Union now you will not be thought of as jumping on the bandwagon because you will be one of the originals. Add the fact that the Union started off shaky at the beginning of the season and there is no way you can be called a front runner. Being able to market the team to the population by saying they can be part of the beginning is not something many franchises get the opportunity to do.
9. Union fans are awesome
As passionate as the Union fans are, they are also genuinely good people. There is a sense of community among fans, particularly the Bens, that you do not get with many other teams. I have met numerous awesome people by just going to a few tailgates, walking around the parking lots before games, or talking on Twitter. The Sons of Ben give back to the community by holding charity events or doing public works. The SoBs will be joining the Philadelphia Union Foundation with building a playground in Chester that was partly designed by Chester kids.
Sunday’s match against Toronto FC saw an event which many Philadelphia Union fans have waited months for; the return of fan favorite and Colombian midfielder Roger Torres. Torres has not seen the field for a league match since March 24, 2012 due to a knee injury. Coming in Sunday in the 83rdminute to an enthusiastic crowd chanting his name, Roger’s first touch was less than decent, directly to a Toronto player, but he quickly recovered by feeding a beautiful through ball to a darting Antoine Hoppenot which was unfortunately snubbed out by the Toronto defense. Playing only seven minutes, Torres did not get many opportunities to show off the ball control skills Union fans have grown to love over the time he has spent here, but the fact that Torres did not play noticeably poor during his short time on the field should give Philadelphia fans hope that this major injury won’t be career changing for the midfielder. Although it will likely be a few more months until we see Roger starting, especially with the competition ahead of him, I would expect to see him regularly used as a late sub for Michael Farfan or Freddy Adu.
Roger’s absence in the midfield has allowed players like Marfan and Adu to step up and become a creative force on the field. It will be interesting to see how Coach John Hackworth organizes his midfield as Torres becomes closer to match fit.
Personally, I never really liked Torres as a starter and think he does better coming on early in the second half, where he can use his creative ball-handling on tired defenders to open up passing lanes or to get shots off. Also, the way Marfan has played as of late proves that he is needed on the field. This is the problem with a team that has so much depth; you see many talented players that would likely start at other teams benched. Torres will be joining a bench which already holds many other skilled young players like right back Raymon Gaddis and likely defensive midfielder turned center back Amobi Okugo due to the recent signing of Bakary Soumare.
When all is said and done, I am excited to see what the return of the Roger Torres era has in store. He is a player that is not scared to shoot which has been a major problem for Philadelphia Union until very recently. As Torres is slowly reintroduced to the midfield, Union fans will be watching to see if he is still the creative, offensive minded player that he was before the injury. We saw small glimpses of it against Toronto allowing the Union faithful to hold the hope that one of their favorites will make a triumphant return to the pitch later this season.
So after a bit of a hiatus, due to being one person and not being able to do this site and all its interests justice, we’re back. And it is actually we this time. BSH has a few new writers, some of which are planning on posting their first articles as soon as today. We’re trying to get back into the swing of things as quickly as possible and hoping it lasts a little longer then the first time around. Here’s welcoming our newest contributors and re-founding members!
Here it is. The Red USMNT Jersey’s are officially out. The new motto which is yet to be decided will presumably be on the back, but here is what the kit will look like for this week. Pretty much what we expected, a red version of the World Cup kit, but I’m a big fan of the look.
More images here at US Soccer’s Facebook Page
A veteran-laden roster, very much an A-team will be brought in for the two March friendlies. Headlined by established stars, 16 of the 24 players were a part of the the World Cup roster this past year, the team is expected to be a preparation for the Gold Cup this summer. Of course a few young players (ie. Tim Ream, Mix Diskerud, and Juan Agudelo) made the cut along with a some never before capped dual-nationality players including German-Americans GK David Yelldell of MSV Duisburg and D Timothy Chandler of FC Nürnberg.
“This is an important opportunity to get our core group together along with some relatively newer faces as we consider the roster decisions for the Gold Cup this summer,” Bradley said in a statement. “We have not had these players together for quite some time, so this is a great chance to get in a solid week of training and then face two quality opponents in Argentina and Paraguay.”
The players will have a week to train before the two friendlies; against Argentina on March 26 and against Paraguay on March 28.
GOALKEEPERS Marcus Hahnemann (Wolverhampton Wanderers/England), Tim Howard (Everton/England), David Yelldell (MSV Duisburg/Germany)
DEFENDERS Carlos Bocanegra (St. Etienne/France), Jonathan Bornstein (UANL Tigres/Mexico), Timothy Chandler (FC Nürnberg/Germany), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96/Germany), Jay DeMerit (Vancouver Whitecaps/M.L.S.), Oguchi Onyewu (FC Twente/the Netherlands), Tim Ream (Red Bulls/M.L.S.), Jonathan Spector (West Ham United/England), Zak Whitbread (Norwich City/England)
MIDFIELDERS Michael Bradley (Aston Villa/England), Clint Dempsey (Fulham/England), Mikkel Diskeruud (Stabaek/Norway), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy/M.L.S.), Maurice Edu (Rangers/Scotland), Benny Feilhaber (AGF Aarhus/Denmark), Stuart Holden (Bolton Wanderers/England), Jermaine Jones (Blackburn Rovers/England), Sacha Kljestan (Anderlecht/Belgium)
FORWARDS Juan Agudelo (Red Bulls/M.L.S.), Jozy Altidore (Bursaspor/Turkey), Edson Buddle (FC Ingolstadt/Germany)
The Philadelphia Union defender Sheannon Williams was one of the ten players that Sports Illustrated listed on their website today as the top 10 most likely player’s to have a breakout year in 2011. Williams came up through the American youth system along the same paths as Eric Lichaj although Lichaj ended up going to play in Europe while Sheannon ended up staying at home and bouncing around in lower divisions of US Soccer. Now that he has caught on wit the Union, he is expected to have a good chance of bringing out the potential we saw in him as a youth.
Trinidadian Keon Daniel joined the Union on their preseason trip to Greece. The dreadlocked midfielder was easy to pick out in Union camp, but as the Union had announced a list of players that had signed and those who had not it seemed likely that all of the trialists had been let go unless they had signed. It seems that along with Colombians, the Union have a sweet spot for Trinidad and Tobago players on their revamped roster. Joining Keon Daniel in camp is Thorne Holder who has already signed and will likely bak of Fayrd Mondragon during the season.
Sunil Gulati talked to US Soccer about a few stereotypes of soccer, along with the “reasons the US will never get soccer” that you get to see on every internet forum. I hate posting these kinds of things because I purely think they’re absolutely moronic things to say. Is soccer a men’s game? Isn’t soccer an immigrants game? Also this might be a little old (it seems to be pre-world cup), but I feel almost obligated to put up anything I can from someone in Sunil Gulati’s position.
ASN Philly put up a bunch of pictures from last years home-opener against DC United. First it’s crazy to think that we’ve only had this team for a year and that it has built up such an intense following (of course a bit of the following came before the team). Pictures of Joe Biden, Mayor Nutter are over there. Moreover guys like Moreno, Seitz and Fred are naturally all over those pictures but its still surprising to see exactly how much the team has turned over since last year. We keep hearing that the team should be better because they know each other better since they’ve got a year under their belts together, but really a lot of these players have still never played a league game together, Valdes, Ruiz, Mondragon and Caroll are all expected to contribute significantly to the team, but none of them were a part of last years team. It’ll be interesting to see if it still takes some time for the Union to gel together this year.
Of course after looking at last years home-opener, we can start to look forward to this years season opener. The Sons of Ben will be hosting a match-watching event at PJ Whelihan’s Cherry Hill on March 19th so prepare yourselves.
bpmangan
mattsant16
Pat
