Footballs Are Round!

Week 18 Notes

• After Steve Jolley was subbed out of the game against DC last week, the word was that he’d tweaked his back while doing his Kreis-like back flip goal celebration. The Dallas folks wouldn’t really say one way or the other, but Coach Colin Clarke subsequently banned any further goal celebrations that involve leaving the ground and doing any sort of gymnastic maneuver. Perhaps a simple non-aerial, slowly performed forward somersault might pass muster, but what would be the attraction? For my part, I’ll be happy if the Dallas players have plenty opportunities to break Clarke’s rule, whether they actually do or not.

• Edson Buddle. His finishing is getting more composed and more clinical as the season goes on. Over/under on when a BigSoccer post decries Bruce Arena for not giving him a cap: August 3^rd.

• I’ve been watching Tony Meola play soccer for over a decade now, and I’m pretty sure I’ve never seen him let a shot on goal pass by without taking the opportunity to scream at his teammates. I’m not criticizing him; it’s as much a part of his game as, say, Sammy Sosa’s little homerun hop-step. What I’m wondering is, does he ever run out of things to say and just yell random syllables? Think of how many shots he’s faced. That’s a lot of dialogue. Does he have a writing staff? Is he a gifted ad-libber? Does he scribble crib notes on his gloves? How does he do it?

• John Wolyniec is the hardest working man in MLS. He’s James Brown in cleats. He’s Ted Eck, but with better finishing. He’s Pete Rose, without the gambling. OK, I’m metaphored out. If ‘metaphored’ is a word. Somebody help me; add a metaphor for Woly.

• Fair’s fair. I criticize Amado Guevara in this space a lot. But when it comes time to score, he’s the man. His free kick against Meola was exquisite. You don’t often beat Tony to the point where he doesn’t even get to move toward the shot. The guy is good. If he’d ever cowboy up and quit his divin’ ways, he’d be perfect.

• Leonard Griffin got his cleats up so high on Antonio De La Torre that he left stripes on his back. Up above the numbers on his Jersey. “Easy Leonard. Go easy, man.”

• I guess it worked, because they were blanking Chicago without him, but how in the world does John Spencer not start for Colorado? Injury is the only reason I can think of. Not that Chungy, Peguero, and Henderson didn’t have things in hand, but still. Both Colorado goals in the 2-0 win were crackers. Peguero’s header bounced about six yards from goal and went roof. Impossible to stop. Chung’s goal was a left-footed rocket; Henry Ring had no chance. Break up the Rapids!

• That pretty much does it for the first half of the season. I sure am looking forward to seeing Real Madrid take on the MLS All-Stars Saturday.

• WHAT???