Beckham scores!

[azsouthendzone]

Zeno, I think this needed its own thread. In his first start he scores on a free kick and gets an assist in a 2-0 victory over DC United. That goal was a thing of beauty. The best part was when the goalie threw his hands up. My dad kept asking me if it was deflected. Superliga has been a great tournament. That goal was unreal. Check it out.

http://web.mlsnet.com/index.jsp

 

[Stout]

That was a big wiley veteran goal. He didn't 'bend it like Beckham', or at least not how he would by reputation. It didn't bend 'around the wall'...it passed the wall on the OTHER side, and THEN curled away. WOW. SO much harder than to bend it around the wall, and that is what stoned the keeper.

 

[Mulli]

Are you kidding me? That was like a video game or something. So true about the goalie. Looked like a little kid throwing his arms up like that.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

That was a great goal. That ball has so much movement on it, the goalie was frozen.

 

[Mulli]

That was a great goal. That ball has so much movement on it, the goalie was frozen.

Careful, DCR, you might get hooked on soccer.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Careful, DCR, you might get hooked on soccer.

I like soccer video games, but overall it is pretty boring.

 

[Stout]

That's what makes it so brilliant. The goalie naturally thought that the wall had his right post covered, and that to get around the wall Becks would have to curl it to hi left post. Becks is one of very few that could actually get it around the OTHER side of the wall and keep it bending AWAY from the keeper. The keeper was dead-set he'd have to go left, and had no chance to go right.

 

[azsouthendzone]

Just watched it again. Damn that was an awesome goal. The two things that will make soccer in America blow up is better awareness/ skill of the MLS and the success of the National Team. My money is that DCR will be wearing a USA kit during the next World Cup. As a former soccer hater, once you get to really know this sport, there is nothing like it. It is EASILY my second favorite just behind the NFL. A big soccer game is light years ahead of the MLB, NBA and NHL when it comes to excitement. Just my opinion. That goal helps show why. Youtube Donovan's goal vs. Mexico to see another.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=lHn4otnGAeI

Scoring in a big soccer game is the equivalent of a grand slam in the world series. So much pride riding on it. Think about it. In World Cup, you have invested 4 years in those games. There is no other competition like it. If you lose, there is no next year. And all of these games are a prep for that competition. I love that sport. 6 years ago I never thought I would say that.

 

[Zeno]

As a former soccer hater, once you get to really know this sport, there is nothing like it. It is EASILY my second favorite just behind the NFL. A big soccer game is light years ahead of the MLB, NBA and NHL when it comes to excitement.

I'm pretty much with you there, as far as I'm concerned the NHL and NBA don't exist. NFL, Int'l Soccer, MLB, other pro soccer leagues(EPL, Serie A and La Liga) and then MLS. I still don't have a favorite pro soccer team though--I do like Fulham just because of the 3 Americans that play there though but I can't say they are my favorite or anything.

I'm really hoping that next year when I am in London I can at the very least catch a pre-season match then I can fall in love with a team.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Just watched it again. Damn that was an awesome goal. The two things that will make soccer in America blow up is better awareness/ skill of the MLS and the success of the National Team. My money is that DCR will be wearing a USA kit during the next World Cup.[.b] As a former soccer hater, once you get to really know this sport, there is nothing like it. It is EASILY my second favorite just behind the NFL. A big soccer game is light years ahead of the MLB, NBA and NHL when it comes to excitement. Just my opinion. That goal helps show why. Youtube Donovan's goal vs. Mexico to see another.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=lHn4otnGAeI

Scoring in a big soccer game is the equivalent of a grand slam in the world series. So much pride riding on it. Think about it. In World Cup, you have invested 4 years in those games. There is no other competition like it. If you lose, there is no next year. And all of these games are a prep for that competition. I love that sport. 6 years ago I never thought I would say that.

I guarantee that I won't. Too cheap to buy one. I have a hard enough time buying Cards/Suns gear.

Seriously though. Of all of the sports that I have seen in HD, soccer appears to be the best. (yes, this is subjective, but still)

 

[Zeno]

I love this from Donovan....

Donovan had lined up behind the wall that Beckham's free kick breached, and he followed the trajectory of the ball into the side netting.

"It was something special," Donovan said. "We all watch on TV, and think, 'They [Beckham's free kicks] can't be that good.' I turned around and thought, 'Holy Jesus! You've got to be kidding me. Unbelievable.'"

 

[Stout]

I'm pretty much with you there, as far as I'm concerned the NHL and NBA don't exist. NFL, Int'l Soccer, MLB, other pro soccer leagues(EPL, Serie A and La Liga) and then MLS. I still don't have a favorite pro soccer team though--I do like Fulham just because of the 3 Americans that play there though but I can't say they are my favorite or anything.

I'm really hoping that next year when I am in London I can at the very least catch a pre-season match then I can fall in love with a team.

Newcastle United...get with the Magpies, mate!

 

[Compa]

Scoring in a big soccer game is the equivalent of a grand slam in the world series. So much pride riding on it. Think about it. In World Cup, you have invested 4 years in those games. There is no other competition like it. If you lose, there is no next year. And all of these games are a prep for that competition. I love that sport. 6 years ago I never thought I would say that.

This is truth...Dempsey's goal against Ghana last year was easily one of the top moments of my life as a sports fan. As a person that grew up loving the big 4 sports, I didn't know that a simple soccer goal in the first half of a game could bring me such joy until it happened. Soccer has killed my interest in the big 4 American sports.

 

[Compa]

I still don't have a favorite pro soccer team though--I do like Fulham just because of the 3 Americans that play there though but I can't say they are my favorite or anything.

I also don't have a team, but I realized a few months ago that I enjoy not having a team. I like turning on a game and letting the teams decide for me who I am rooting for. I casually support teams with Americans (except for West Ham), but I think it would be hard to force myself to pick a team. Plus, unless you pick one of the big clubs as your team (not cool), your team always has the risk of going down, and then it would be almost impossible to follow them. That's why it's got to be so hard to be a Sunderland fan.

 

[Chaplin]

I would love to really get into one of the big time Euro leagues (I've got Arsenal and Juventus jerseys), but it is so difficult to keep track. How do you guys that are here in the US do it?

 

[Stout]

Newcastle United...a big club that isn't in danger of relegation, and yet an underdog because they haven't won anything in umpteen years.

And soccernet.com is a great resource to follow your team. You can also catch games on fox soccer channel.

 

[Mulli]

Fox Soccer Channel and GOL TV. And the Sunderland Thread on ASFN. Soccernet is good as well.

 

[SO91]

soccertv.com will also show you the dates and times of most televised matches in the US from around the world.

 

[azsouthendzone]

This is truth...Dempsey's goal against Ghana last year was easily one of the top moments of my life as a sports fan. As a person that grew up loving the big 4 sports, I didn't know that a simple soccer goal in the first half of a game could bring me such joy until it happened. Soccer has killed my interest in the big 4 American sports.

Exactly. I would say the Italy game, with all of the ups and downs, was mine. My whole family sat by the tv and screamed our heads off. The Ghana game was very memorable because for the first time I felt what it was like to invest 4 years into the National Team, watch all of the guys on their way up in MLS, follow all of the friendlies, the qualifiers, and then feel the utter sadness as they lost to Ghana. The feeling I had that day doesn't even compare to any other feeling i have ever had, except maybe the time ASU lost the Rose Bowl. It is an amazing game, for many reasons, and I think Americans are slowly but surely starting to realize why.

 

[azsouthendzone]

I have a hard time really rooting for a team in europe, simply because i have nothing invested. I cheer on the American players, but I can't justify cheering for a team, or even acting like I am a fan if the reality is I am not. I love watching the games for the sport, but until then my side is the MLS team with the shortest drive time, and the only one I have seen live, the LA Galaxy and that is only until Phoenix gets a team.

 

[Compa]

I would love to really get into one of the big time Euro leagues (I've got Arsenal and Juventus jerseys), but it is so difficult to keep track. How do you guys that are here in the US do it?

I think Fox Soccer Report on FSC has been maybe the best in helping me keep track. Of course, soccernet, BBC, and other websites and blogs can give me info, but usually a half-hour of FSR can get me all the big news from the Euro leagues.

Plus, I would guess that FSC shows five Premier League games each weekend, and one or two Serie A games per weekend.

 

[Mulli]

Great googly moogly, the Galaxy are terrible.

 

[Zeno]

Great googly moogly, the Galaxy are terrible.

Yep, you'd think with players like Xavier, Donovan, Pavon and Beckham they'd be better but nope. They sacrificed a lot of depth for those players, their defense is absolutely miserable and the rest of their team mediocre. 4 good players out of 11 should still get them better results though especially against teams like Colorado, Salt Lake, Toronto and put them at least on par with Columbus and Chicago(although Chicago with Blanco and Wanchope is looking better).

 

[Mulli]

Yep, you'd think with players like Xavier, Donovan, Pavon and Beckham they'd be better but nope. They sacrificed a lot of depth for those players, their defense is absolutely miserable and the rest of their team mediocre. 4 good players out of 11 should still get them better results though especially against teams like Colorado, Salt Lake, Toronto and put them at least on par with Columbus and Chicago(although Chicago with Blanco and Wanchope is looking better).

Is the Brazilian that Dallas picked up any good?

As for the Galaxy, do they have any decent "headers" in the group? Seems to me Beckham's crosses get there, but there is no one to finish.

 

[Zeno]

Is the Brazilian that Dallas picked up any good?

As for the Galaxy, do they have any decent "headers" in the group? Seems to me Beckham's crosses get there, but there is no one to finish.

They got rid of their best guy in the air(Nate Jacqua--and he's nothing special) prior to him arriving.

Denilson is OK, not your typical great Brazilian but a good player nonetheless. He'll contribute though on a solid Dallas team.