Stream of Consciousness: FC Dallas at Real Salt Lake
October 19th, 2008 . 9:08 am . By: DJ WalkerClint Mathis is in the league? Man I gotta pay attention . . . maybe get me one of them internets I keep hearing about. Clint, by the way, if he had some big goggly glasses, would be looking a bit too much like Mr. Magoo for my comfort. Just an observation, no offense meant of course. One minor complaint about Rio Tinto stadium. If you are going to go to the trouble and expense of building a big beautiful soccer stadium, with a big beautiful grass surface, why in the name of Stanley Mathews would you mark the field surface to the EXACT SAME DIMENSIONS as the crappy college football field you just left? There is a good 10 to 15 yards of width not being used on that field. And before you come back and suggest that they’re trying to take advantage of the fact that they’re accustomed to the narrow dimensions of Rice-Eccles Stadium, let me cut you off with a question: How has that field worked out for them, playoffs-wise, in the history of the franchise? But I digress. So, clearly it’s now or never in our attempt to salvage anything at all out of this season, which has otherwise been a dismal mixture of unrealized promise and downright ugliness. And, as you all know, of course, I am nothing if not a glass-half-full kind of guy. However, I generally believe that the glass is half-full of strychnine. Thus I am not hopeful. Not even the early goal I just witnessed, off the head of Marcelo Saragosa, gives me confidence. I actually prefer to see this team behind early, as it seems to be the only thing that puts a fire under them. This team is like the really smart guy in college who couldn’t possibly get interested in writing a paper until the night before it was due, when the panic-induced adrenaline rush kicked in and motivated him to get down to business. Well boys, the paper is due, and it’s a long one. With footnotes. So let’s go. But really, is that Clint Mathis? I was about to make a snarky comment about Clint’s lack of coiffure, but just having officially entered my mid-forties, and having observed that my forehead is proceding up my skull, albeit at a glacial pace, I just don’t find bald jokes as funny as I once did. But again, I digress. Hey, look, Dema Kovalenko just tried to shove his hand through Marcelo Saragosa’s throat. Gosh, who would’ve seen something crazy like that coming? Oh sure, and they both get a yellow for that. Great. Oh, and now just a few minutes later, Saragosa gets ejected on a second yellow for an inadvertent elbow. Yeah, that makes sense, Kevin Stott. Brilliant officiating, that. I guess the way the modern game goes, Saragosa’s best move would have been to fall to the ground writhing in mock pain when Kovalenko pushed him in the throat. Simulation seems to work better than reality these days. Though, if there was any justice in the world whatsoever, Kovalenko would begin every match with a yellow card. Just show it to him at the opening whistle, just to make up for the accumulated thuggery he’s inflicted on MLS over the years. That would be good officiating (Mr. Machnik, paging Mr. Joe Machnik . . . Mr. Machnik please pick up the white courtesy phone). Annnnnnd we’re tied. A terribly unfortunate deflection off Drew Moor’s outstretched leg allows Salt Lake back into the match. That’s about right, though. Luck is not our BFF this season. Luck is not our homey. Luck is not the Cheese to our Macaroni. I don’t even think we’re on Luck’s Friend List on Facebook. Seriously, I’m not even sure I can muster up the courage to watch the rest of this match. Let me go get a beer and think about it. Be right back.
Okay, I’m back. Bud Light is, by default, the official beer of “Matches In Which FC Dallas Disparately Need A Win”. And it’s not helping. And it’s only halftime. At least I’ll be cheered up by the always entertaining “Six in Sixty” feature on Fox Sports Soccer. Really, I like it. What? So, we’re tied at halftime, a man down, in a game we simply must win. Yep, I love FC Dallas. I really do. They mirror real life in so many ways. Never quite bad enough to make you kill yourself, but never so good that you you’re completely free of some pretty serious anxiety. It would be so boring to support a Dynasty. It’s just not realistic to root for the DC Uniteds, Yankees, or Barcelonas of the World. No, give me the FC Dallas’s, the Milwaukee Brewers, or the Newcastles of the world. They’re much more in tune with the real life of the common man. Of whom, I am the commonest. The second half is starting off with Real Salt Lake doing, essentially, a shooting drill against the FC Dallas defense. This is not pretty. I can only hope Cunningham can pull one of those lightning fast counterattack goals that we love so much. Surely Dominic Oduro will be in there before too long. Surely. I’m actually trying to send telepathic signals to Schellas Hyndman at this point, begging him to put in the Birdman. I think the Rocky Mountains are squelching my vibes, however. Yeah, now we’re 2-1 down. Not even James Carville, on his best day, could put a positive spin on this mess. Mary Poppins couldn’t find a bright side to this. Norman Vincent Peale (were he still alive) would at this point be saying “Screw it, boys, we’re toast”. To his credit, that was a great goal by Will Johnson. Chested it up in the air and hit the full volley as the ball fell to the ground. Nice. Of course, as I write those words, my inner DJ is saying “Commie F***** Canadian S.O.B.” Just an observation, no offense meant of course. 85th Minute. This is excruciating. Oduro is in, but it seems, as they say in Mexico, “Muy Poco Muy Tarde”. Well, okay, now it’s official. We’re over for the season. Steve Findlay buries one in the top corner of the far post in the 86th. Just to add insult to injury, Pablo Ricchetti gets a straight red for a hard tackle on Will Johnson in the 89th. Bud Light is now the official beer of “There’s Always Next Year. Which is true, there’s always next year . . . until our hearts get broken again. Could be worse. We could all be Cubs fans. Though to be fair, it might be about the same. Oh, and I guess the whole narrow-field thing worked out okay. I stand corrected. 19 Comments Comments RSS TrackBack Identifier URI Leave a comment |
I’m a season ticket holder for RSL. I gotta give the four Dallas fans in the upper deck props. For the first 20 minutes of the match, they were louder than the 17,000 Real fans. Yes that is Clitus you saw on the field. Not sure why, but he has play around 80 minutes in the last three games. We will give him to Dallas cheap.
FC Dallas’ season always ends with a red card near the 30th minute. At least we didn’t get beat on the last PK this year to colorado…
And all in all, we didn’t deserve to win. We looked like crap. Every time I watch them, they appear to not care.
when it’s a shooting drill, that’s a credit to the shooting team’s mid-field and a knock on the other team’s midfield, imho.
We FCD fans are Charlie Brown and on our next field goal try Lucy will put the ball down just perfect for us to kick right down the middle thru them righteous uprights. right. sure. oh, indubitably
I don’t care how many superstar players or no-name players are brought in, if they can’t play like a team then it dosen’t matter. If they can’t play basic, simple soccer like a team then it doesn’t matter. If they continue with the same on-the-field tactics then it dosen’t matter.
What I’m saying is that they might want to get the players together and watch the successful teams in Europe play and then watch the video of themselves playing and compare the two. Maybe then they’ll get an idea of what to do as a team.
Drop:
Hitchcock
Davino
Saragosa
Guarda
Secure:
Cooper (DP!)
Sala
Richetti
Pitchkolan
Avila
Dax
Sikura
DJ – thanks for sharing your thoughts, but it would be so much better if you could schedule some LIVE appearances next season – the team needs you!
*sigh* sad for the boys, looking for a few moments of tranquility before the roller coaster ride of the true off-season begins with the expansion draft, contract negotiations, loss of many of our favorite players, and the draft of more youth who are not quite ready for 1st team play. I’ll be here watching and hoping that the time spent will result in enough of the right changes to help the team make a positive turn for 2009.
christian said:
Drop:
Hitchcock (something will change here – but I bet he will still be part of the FO mix)
Davino – (can’t – his contract is guaranteed through next year)
Saragosa – (don’t agree)
Guarda – (not going to happen)
Secure:
Cooper (DP!) (YES, Yes, yes)
Sala – (Please!!!! We don’t want to play against him!)
Richetti – (Please!!! oh – sp is RiCChetti)
Pitchkolan – (solid)
Avila – (would be good)
Dax – (I don’t think we will get to keep Dax)
Sikura – (sp is SikOra – depends on $$)
Forget it christian. Not only will that not happen, but our current head coach believes that Guarda and Saragosa are CORNERSTONES to build around.
Anyone hear why Dax didn’t travel?
Max Bretos said that for his money Stott was the best ref in MLS. I’ll just leave it at that…
What is RSL’s home record this year? Forget past years. 8 Wins 6 Draws and 1 loss isn’t too shabby playing on a crappy field…I was surprised to hear that they were going to go ahead and play at Rio Tinto given the home field success, but obviously the dimensions held up…next year they should use the full width.
Dax is gone…………….He and Schellas are not on the same bus !!!
The difference between FCD and the Cubs is at least the Cubs won something in their history…and no I’m not counting the US Open Cup as something.
Shad…thanks for the comments….but technically their were 6 of us in the RSL Nose Bleed section. Would have been a great game to watch 11v11.
Davino is a freakin $400k traffic cone. He needs an injury settlement in the off season. It should be an interesting break this year…a lot of guys out of contract, 2 coaches that know something about guys under 20 (or u-13 if you count the grandkid), but it takes a lot more than talented college kids to win in this league…we will see.
DJ…glad to know your still alive.
Sorry to disagree with everyone about Sala. But he needs to go. Yes he had a pretty good run near in Sep and Oct. But IMO, he cost the team major points in the mid season. Wins dropped to draws and draws dropped to losses due to several of his bumbling decisions. FCD simply cannot afford to keep dropping home points in June, July and August. And I believe a big part of that was Sala’s “passive” GK game during that stretch.
I realize that’s not a popular opinion, but FCD must get past the emotions and make some tough decisions before next season.
Nice stadium, a few quirks but every stadium has some, the only thing I didn’t like was not being able to walk around the inside of the stadium.
As far as FCD goes, chess pieces can only do what they are capable of doing. I don’t blame the players but I think they should be responsible for their actions. I blame every level above the players- the decision makers from the coach to Hitch to the Hunts.
How about a Dutch investment group buy the club and replace the TD, the GM and the coaching staff?!
Ik lust total voetbal!
All one needs to do to realize that his time is done is watch Sala attempt to come out for a cross. I don’t know whether it’s vision, confidence, or athleticism, but he doesn’t have IT anymore. Which is really too bad, b/c he’s an asset to the organization, just maybe not between the pipes anymore.
hitch out. he has done/not done his part. time to go in another direction. hyndman and ellinger out but i know that is not going to happen. sell cooper (he deserves good things). secure cunningham for another year. he scores. he has the record. oduro for multiple years. less emphasis on NCAA draft and more in acquiring journey-man players abroad and in USL. keep this group together and let them develop. quit wasting time on college players and go to the USL, Championship, African Leagues, and Caribbean teams to recruit talent that is already up to speed and ready to go. i hate to say it but the hunts might be the problem too. look at the history of hiring and firings despite the gm. there is another side to this story… but if they did sell… FC Dallas will be St. Louis FC or Barca Miami… but that is extreme thinking, right?
Okay. I know… they will not sell and I really don’t want them too… that was just out of despair. Sorry.
I do miss the Cotton Bowl days… those were some great times… at least on one side of the stadium.