strongbhoy

Sweet Holy Moses. Google "Jesus Camp" asap.
It is a bit like that movie "Saved" with Macaulay Culkin and Mandy Moore. Only it is real.
The people it shows are just bat crap crazy and I think that they should be brought up on charges of abuse when it comes to their kids. They are scaring their babies for life.

Nope, it's always been at Soldier. Should be an easy ticket, as well.

Well then BOOOOOOOOOOO!

2-0 to the USA!

Now if only Celtic would get their act together.

I know right!!!???!!!

I think the problem with Cooper, is that while he scores goals, he is too rarely in the center and does not work well with other players. For instance, consider Russia's clinical finishing, The player had a shot from the angle, but instead crosses it for the tap in. That has something to do with the fact that most of the players were on the same team, but Cooper never pases up that shot unless he is trying to create something else for himself.

The US, however, clearly needs to do something about scoring goals, especially a target man.

The worst thing about the super classic is that one of the teams is new. Like Houston, you have to have a history. Also, the Seedy Cheetos in El Lay was just arbitrary. It could have been in Dallas, or anywhere with a large Chivas fan base. The real Chivas played here last night in a friendly, and drew a huge crowd that set off flares and threw things at the Dallas fans. FCD Security, always on their toes, told the Dallas fans to watch their language.

Of course I'm going - North Stand, as usual. Gaunna' Scotland !!



I'm afraid I might have to eventually get on the Strachan Must Go bandwagon. He looks like a man who doesn't think he'll have the job long - Samaras and Deke should have been on far sooner than they were - when the Dandies scored, in fact, if not before. Too little too late.

I am not the only one. A lot people will not be renewing their season tickets. These should be air tight sales, but the game day experience is so poor, and the moves of the team are so questionable, that the hard core fans are leaving. Walk up only, if and when the feel like it. If the team does well, they might get most of them back. Most doubt they will win many games.

polar bears rule

I appreciate it.

You would think I should be used to it. Eleven seasons, one US Open Cup, two US Open Cup finals, two appearances in the conference finals, one regular season conference title, but never a MLS Cup final appearance.

I suppose it was predicable. After winning the West last year, and going out in the first round, the coach was fired. He had been given an ultimatum; win the MLS Cup at home, or pack your bags. Colin Calrke knew whaht was coming, though Jamie Trekker thought it was a mistake. When Steve Morrow took over, he quickly changed the winning line up. D mid Simo Valikari was released, and replaced by the more capable Pablo Richetti. Right wing Ronnie O'Brian was sent to Toronto in exchange for their first round pick, Adrian Serioux, and for Toronto not taking any FCD players in the expansion draft. Greg Vanney went to Colorado for a pick to clear up cap room. Schemer Richard Mulrooney was sent to Toronto for another first round pick. So, Morrow traded the right wing, the best (though overpaid) defender, and the schemer, none of whom were replaced. I must wonder what moves he will make this year.

Still, I wonder what might have been. If defender of they year Clarence Goodson did not get a stomach virus two hours before the game, if Richetti had been ready to go 90 minutes, if Dario Salas and Carlos Ruiz had not been injured in the game, if Arturo Alverez had not picked up a silly red card.

Maybe next year. Though when Waldo said that FCD's "time has passed," I am forced to agree with them.

LET'S GO REVS!

Well, I wish Milan was not there, though it took them twice as long to score half as many goals against Celtic than Liverpool.

If we can pull out a draw against Milan in either game, I will be happy.

Neither Benfica nor Shaktar scares me. Celtic should beat those teams in Celtic park, and hopefully a draw in the first game. Seven points will be enough.

I like Gravesen for Everton. He will get some top flight competition there, If he does well, an if he gets back to East Glasgow, he will be loaded with confidence. It also may show something to the EPL,

We could tailgate, if we were willing to stand under the strong Texas sun for three hours. No one would bring a grill or food. So, my home made salsa and the brats I have soaking in beer, red onion, and garlic remain in the fridge, and I at home.

The worst part about it is that there is a place for us to tailgate. It is undercover, has water and electricity, and is close to restrooms. The team will no longer let us use it.


FCD GM Micheal Hitchcock was brought in to sell tickets. That is it, nothing more. He has proven to be incapable of doing so. His biggest success has been getting the FO staff to wear ties everyday. He has every advantage. A good team, a SSS, and a vibrant soccer community. The FO has sold more tickets, generally to corporations who do not use the tickets. So attendance does not increase. My fear is that they are so deluded by their own self importance that they really do believe that they are following the right course; they just need to work a little harder.

So, in order to turn a profit, he has to rent the surrounding fields out for tournaments. Which is fine, that is what they should be used for. The problem is that the FO then denies the use of our tailgating facilities. Why they do that is unclear. Why not make the other people stand in the sun? Or why can we not share the facilities? Blank out. The FO has no response, and will not even address our concerns.

The FCD FO is presiding over a disaster. They have driven some of the most hardcore supporters, such as myself, away. They say they want those of us who have spent thousands of dollars on the team to stay. Everything they do suggests the opposite. Say you want a brat and a beer during the game. As soon as the teams head for the locker rooms at the end of the first half, you head for the concessions stands. After spending $13.00 for a brat and a large draft, you will make it back to your seat around the 60 minute mark. If you are lucky. Forget about getting a pizza; they always run out at Pizza Hut Park. Again, the FO says they are working on this. There are just no results.

The debacle with Beckham not even making the trip, and now they are trying the same thing with Denilson, What if he takes a knock and cannot play? It goes on and on. If they want to increase ticket sales, perhaps they should start by treating the fans they already have well.

I am in a conundrum. I want to support the team, but I cannot support the FO. I suppose I can best accomplish this by loudly proclaiming my loyalty, but refusing to attend games.

I am going to be starting summer school soon. I just want to be done with all of it.

\\m/

A friend I made on the imdb message boards over the years gave La Haine a pretty thorough going over recently over on his blog. In addition to being a pretty good read, at the end he gives a great deal of references through which you could expand your knowledge of foreign films that may relate to this one (since we know you like it, seems like a good point to branch off from), even tangentially. Might wanna give a look some time if you get the chance. You may find something that sparks your interest in some of his other entries as well.
part one
part 2 - video commentary

Great news about the boxing group. It's about time! Hope all is well in the banlieue/hood, sir.

Thanks Man, not great timing but hardly worth mentioning!! Was outside Notre Dame when I got the call!! still, Rome is rebooked for the end of June and I'll go back to paris to finish it soon as possible. For now I work!! hope all is well

Just joined the group, about bloody time. I'll try and join in a bit when I have a bit more time.

Congrats on the new group.

yes it very much based on "paying your dues" but its ultimately the promoters choice what happens to your character. If he's got a good diea, he'll run with it, and just make sure eveyone else gets work. None of us in THIS promotino get paid, so we're all there just trying to ply our craft and get some footage to put on our own highlight reels

How were the fights this weekend? i did not know you were a boxing fan! I taped Castillo on Showtime to watch today (it's easy to stay unware of results as the NYT rarely covers the sport, and I just avoid the Ring) as I had a whole weekend of MLS. Sigh. 12 games in one day with UK, Spain, France, Argentina and elsewhere.

The Houston-LA game on Sunday was good, but the rest of the weekend was rather tepid. the NYRB/CC game was tuff to slog through.

That DUFC game was super -- it might be on Setanta USA today, actually.

Well its raining here today, just in the net cafe catching up on the net before heading for Breakfast, Split is lovely as normal plus I hope we get the three points on Wednesday.

Well, I am a Memphis fan, so I was speaking purely from a stressed out, sleep deprived, lunatic fan standpoint. I went to school there and even taught a class for one semester.

You are never going to turn on ESPN or CBS and get even a remote idea of what an enormous public service Memphis Tiger basketball is to this entire city in terms of creating civic pride in places where there is very little pride or hope to be found; but also in terms of guiding an entire city and county public and high school system that is virtually penniless for any extracurricular activities that do not pay for themselves on how to model athletic programs that can pay for themselves while still fostering academic success.

They really are the perpetual underdog. Conference realignments have screwed them because the SEC already owns the Memphis market, so has no interest in ever really taking Memphis in. Tennessee politics will also never allow it. I could do an hour long lecture on the history of disproportionate spending of both state funds and federal grant money in East Tennessee, where there are much fewer people, by comparison to West Tennessee.

Anyway, I just wanted to extoll their virtues, because I watch TV, and read web sites and get the feeling that Memphis is the EVIL EMPIRE, while tv still so feverishly tries to paint this picture that bourgeouis institutions like Duke and North Carolina, etc etc, ad infinitum are "winning the right way" (with good old middle American (white) family values). As though they are providing some kind of intractable public service that University of Memphis is not providing. See, it's better, because their tuition is higher. See? Do you See? It is really sad.

My bracket was actually looking okay until the Memphis loss, but I rarely take my bracket seriously in any year when I think we have a chance to do stuff. I had them losing in the final against Florida. I got everyone in the Final Four correct except for Ohio State, but not enough with only Florida left among my winners.

You are exactly right about the alums, but also add in studentsand fans who did not even go to the University. Places like Kentucky think they are entitled to championships. Getting into the trounament is not enough. They are not going to get a better coach than Tubby, but I am not sure this can be expalined to them.

NDs recuritng problems have nothing to do with IU. Digger Pehlps took ND to three final fours when Knight was at IU. ND recruits mainly in the Middle Atantic, because the paly in the Big East, and players there want to go to Big East colleges, Notre Dame wants to see good gtades and SAT scores. The players have to keep thier grades up in a very demanding academic enviornment. For instance, the starting point guard was expelled for low grades. Sometimes, it works out. Collin Falls became the best outside shooter in the histroy of the Big East. More often, they cannot get impact players.

I think Duke may be starting to suffer from the same thing.

There is a little bit of lee way. Certain members of the faculaty are complaining that some of the players Charlie Weis has brought in ard "not Notre Dame material." Weis just wants to make sure they have a chance to survive the academics at ND. Brey should follow suit. Even considereing the first round exit, this year was a pretty good year, but he needs to follow up on it.

Pete Gillem, by the way, is doing commentary for a network I have never heard of.

Everything you wrote is correct.