NCAA Men’s Soccer…

We are down to the Sweet Sixteen for the NCAA Men’s Soccer national championships, and anything is possible. We have seen BC lose to UMass, a huge loss considering the local rivalry and that BC was seeded No.1. I know how such a loss feels. We (UNC) lost to Indiana in 2000, 1-0, ending our hopes as the No.1 seed and our dreams to win the national championship. Cary, NC, will stage the games. A great venue for what will be a great few weeks of exciting college soccer. My bet is for Wake Forest to challenge, with my old teammate and good friend Carson Porter as the assistant coach. I will also keep my fingers crossed for VT, as my friend and former assistant at UNC Oliver Weiss is the head coach. Those are my bets, any other ideas?????

Soccer in the USA…

After reading and responding to a question, I think the topic is worth challenging on a wider scale……

What’s your take on why soccer isn’t as popular here in the United States as it is across the world?

Joe Max Moore coming to Seattle to talk about Monavie….

Joe Max Moore, a private distributor and nationwide salesman for Monavie, is coming to Seattle for one night to talk about the product and company. His passion about this product is fantastic. For those who don’t know who he is, Joe played professional soccer in the MLS, Europe, for the US national team, and in 3 world cups.

Monavie – A great nutritional product

I was introduced to Monavie (www.monavie.com) approximately 2 months ago. It is a new nutritional supplement drink which has incredible benefits for your health on a wide scale. I’m having great results from this product, including much better sleep, more energy, better recovery after training, less aches and pains, and lower blood pressure. I don’t hit a wall in the middle of the day, and one shot daily provides my 5 servings of fruit and veg.

Monavie includes glucosamine, and the exclusive acai berry from the Amazon, which is an incredible anti-oxidant that fights free radicals. Chris Henderson, Sean Henderson, and Darren Sawatsky introduced me to this product. They are three of the most honest and trustworthy people i know, and their passionate endorsement sold me on the product. Oprah Winfrey, Bill Clinton, and Warren Buffett all endorse the benefits of acai and this product. 50+ MLS players, the Red Sox, the Patriots, and the NBA, all use the product.

Go to the Monavie site, and search for it on YouTube, and you will learn a little more about it…..

You can only order this product through private distributors. I have recently become a distributor, and am really enjoying the benefits of Monavie and the prospects of this company……

Sounders

What a fantastic few weeks for soccer in the NW, and Seattle specifically. As the captain of the current Sounders, it is wonderful that the team will be back next year to defend our title. We have a fantastic team, full of good players and good people, and this team spirit was the main element that provided the success we all worked so hard for. The news that has been brewing for a number of years, has now actually come true, with the announcement that Seattle will host a Major League Soccer franchise. This is fantastic news for the development of soccer in the nation as a whole, and especially for this area. I know the team will work tirelessly to retain the title next year, and end the Sounders current history of soccer in Seattle on a great high. We all hope to see the right send off, bringing some old players back, and truly celebrating both the history and the future of soccer in Seattle.

There are many questions that will arise over the next 12 months. Who will be the coach? Who will play for the team? What will be the name of the new team? The answers will be uncovered in due course, but as a player, I hope 2009 does not overshadow the prospects for 2008……

The woes of England’s national soccer team

What a week it has been for soccer fans in England. Losing to Croatia was a disaster, ending our quest for qualification for the 2008 European championships. As an avid fan of my home country, I shared the incredible disappointment felt by the entire nation. Not only did we lose, but it was the manner in which we lost the game. I was angry at the managerial decisions, notably playing Scott Carson ahead of my old roommate at Leeds United Paul Robinson, and not starting David Beckham from the beginning. Israel answered our prayers by beating Russia, but the stars on the field last Wednesday failed to show up and played well below par (to speak kindly). As a player myself, I understand that bad performances occur, but it appeared there was a complete lack of effort and emotion. The players looked tight, entranced by fear, and void of quality. Winning your 1v1 battles, closing the ball down, and outworking the opposition is the foundation for any successful team. Croatia never seemed under pressure, never ruffled, never thrown off their game. I could go on and on.

My question now is simple. Where does soccer in England go from here?

A focus on youth development and a commitment to the grassroots level has to be addressed again. The Premier league was devised as a platform to create a strong national team. This focus has now gone, replaced by the league and clubs desire for money and power. We do have great players, and on paper we should win tournaments. But why, with the incredible amount of resources available to the English players and the English soccer establishment, have we not won an international tournament since 1966?

My first post

I hope this blog will provide a platform for family, friends, and welcome strangers to communicate and discuss a variety of subjects, important to them and me…… Look forward to hearing from you soon…..