Trials and tribulations of the housing market…..

The storm of the housing market and the impact it has had on the economy has swirled around for months and months now. Foreclosed homes have been dotting the American landscape, and with each broken loan comes a broken dream and a broken heart. It is unimaginable that families can be thrown onto the street, especially in a country where we spend $140 million dollars on “volcano monitoring”.

I am now in the group of people who are trying to sell their home. In a market where qualifying for loans is difficult, buying a home is a lot more challenging than it used to be. A few years ago, you could basically walk into a bank or brokers office, state which home you wanted to buy, and it seemed the people in charge were more than happy to hand over the money – and a little extra to boot. With the economic downturn and the stigma now attached to mortgages and banks, credit has been at a standstill. But with the impending summer season which is often the busy season in the housing market, and the notion that the housing market is on the upswing, money should begin to change hands. The reality is, without credit and money, the economy will never turn around.

I am hoping that somebody has the access to a loan and falls in love with my home…..

Man Utd wage bill

I was reading the British papers this morning, like I always do, and discovered an incredible statistic. Manchester United’s annual salary bill stands at a little under $200 million. When you compare that to the NFL and NBA which teeters a little above $100 million, it is astounding. How about when you compare it to the MLS salary cap of $2.3 million…

It is staggering, when the world is struggling financially, that professional sports can pay out such exorbitant amounts of money on players. Just look at the Yankee’s. They just signed Alex Rodriguez to a $275 million contract, Jeter is already on a $189 million contract, and CC Sabathia just signed a $161 million dollar contract. The kicker is, they are all guaranteed.

World Cup bid

It is now common knowledge that the US is challenging several other countries for the right to host the 2018 or the 2022 World Cup. Nobody can deny the success of the 1994 tournament, and the impact that it had on soccer in this country. MLS was launched in the aftermath, and continues to flourish and grow. The US has held several other major sporting events, including the Olympics in Atlanta in 1996. The Gold Cup and Women’s World Cup showcase that the facilities and the means to execute a plan are all in place.

The World Cup in South Africa next year is a landmark occasion. It is the first time the tournament has been held in Africa, and the excitement is mounting. However, problems are evolving. Stadiums have yet to be completed, and Sepp Blatter has even put England on call in case things fall through. Such a scenario could never happen. It would be devastating for South Africa and the entire continent. Soccer would be on the front pages for all the wrong reasons, and FIFA would be held accountable. As the saying goes, ‘it will be alright on the night’, and I fully expect to see the spectacle of soccer grace the African continent and envelop all the passion and color that South Africa encapsulates.

So the US is putting their bid together, along with England, for the right to host the 2018 or 2022 tournament. Henry Kissinger has been drafted in to add some additional bite to the committee, and hopefully leverage the US bid on the international scene. But why wouldn’t the USA be nominated? It has everything. The stadiums and facilities are spectacular, the support is growing exponentially, the domestic league is established, and there are people in place who have big tournament experience and have a love for the game. The only negative aspect I see is the weather. It can be incredibly hot in the summer.

It would be great to see the World Cup in this country once again. It would be even better to be involved in the planning stages of this bid. I wonder how one can become involved in that ?

Craziness in London

The news has been awash recently with the events in London surrounding the G2O summit. The anarchists, environmentalists, radicals, and those who merely want to voice an opinion, stormed the financial sector in the City of London, wreaking havoc. Windows have been smashed, banks vandalized, police officers assaulted, and a protester has died during this chaotic period. These scenes are reminiscent of other protests gone astray, namely in Seattle during the WTO summit in 1999. A movie was even made of those events.

I completely understand the right to voice an opinion, and a right to free speech, but when does all of this cross the line? We often view environmentalists as trying to do the right thing in order to protect our planet. But there are those radicals who use the platform of democracy as a means to act violently. What good do these people do? I would imagine these scenes that are viewed across the world damage the cause for which they are fighting for. Violence, whether in the form of protests gone wrong or acts of terrorism, do carry a message of some sort. Often this message has legitimacy, but the fabric of violence on which the message is carried tarnishes the very reason why they are doing it. The actions of a few infect the objective of many.

Even with these protests going on, the leaders of the countries in attendance at this summit persevere with their discussions. President Obama is in attendance, and experiences his first appearance on the international scene. By all accounts he is handling himself very well. We all hope that progress can be made on both security matters and the global economy. We plead that we have seen the worst pass us by. More jobs will be lost, but hopefully these losses will be for reasons of restructuring rather than panic. The stock market is bouncing back, and the housing market is strengthening on the back of low interest rates, stabilization in the banking sector, and increased confidence amongst buyers. Long may it continue…..

Premiership race is hotting up….

The race for the premiership title is getting really interesting after this weekends results. Man Utd lost, Chelsea lost, and Liverpool had a resounding win against Aston Villa. Everybody thought that Man Utd had the title won, but it’s fascinating to see how things can turn around so quickly. Fulham not only took three points from Man Utd, but they also made a huge statement to the rest of the league. Manchester United are not invincible.

Liverpool on the other hand are on a surge. They have won their last 3 games by a combined score of 13-1, all against top quality opposition. Steven Gerrard is now considered the very best player in the world, according to Zinedine Zidane. He does have everything a midfield player would wish for. He has a great engine, an ability to play on both the defensive end and offensive end, and he has a knack of carrying the team on his back. I can’t even begin to count the amount of times Gerrard has turned a game or won a game on his own. Think about all those European nights, from the Champions league final to the most recent display at Anfield against Madrid. He’s one of the best to have played in a Liverpool shirt, but we all wish he could perform the same heroics for England.

Easter weekend is always important. I remember when Blackburn beat Man Utd and went on to win the title in 1995. This year will be no different. It’s going to be an exciting time to watch soccer….

Pacific NW – new hotbed for MLS soccer

Seattle came first, then Vancouver, and now Portland is going to be introduced as the 18th team in MLS. Seattle has made a huge statement in regards to the infrastructure, organization, and business operations it has put together. They now have a team to front all the off the field work that has been done. Vancouver and Portland are great choices. They have the history and the support to develop two great franchises, and with their close ties to Seattle, they have the means to get advice and help needed to supersede what was accomplished here. The bar has been set very high.

The most exciting element for all of the former players and fans who experienced the tenacity of the NASL and USL games, is the reintroduction of these great rivalries. MLS can see the potential in this energizing corner of the US and Canada, and this natural competitiveness among these three teams is something that cannot be replicated anywhere else.

What a start for MLS in the NW…

I think I speak on behalf of everybody who was at the game last night – it was fantastic. The build up to the game both on the streets and in the press was impressive. The city of Seattle truly got behind the team, and the noise and excitement in the stadium was palpable. The only question mark that lingered was how the team would play. They answered the call, and played their part in the festivities. From back to front, they dominated a poor NY team. They were faster in all areas of the field, quick in the tackle, and used the energy in the stadium to propel them forward from the first whistle to the last. The back line was solid, stifling the NY offense. Without deep runners from midfield, NY was unable to unbalance Seattle. In the end it was comfortable. The midfield took advantage of some lazy defending from NY, dominating the inside and outside. I counted four NY players walking back at one point when Seattle was on the attack. You cannot play away from home with six players on defense.

The pressure is now off. The team can revel in the glory of their win, and can enter the next game with a huge amount of confidence. Salt Lake need to come and defend strongly across the midfield, and play with greater speed. Quest field is big, but NY didn’t take advantage of their space. Seattle was always able to get back in position before NY could develop their attack, whereas Seattle took great advantage of the open space, terrorizing NY on the flanks.

Now the cat is out of the bag. Teams know how Seattle plays, and can create their game plans accordingly. But the reality is, when Montero gets a chance in front of goal, he is going to score. The focus for opposition teams is how to score themselves, because without the ability to put the ball in the back of the net, teams will struggle to even get a point.

Weekend football

What a game, and what a result for Liverpool against Man Utd. It seems the Red’s can do no wrong this week. They have smashed eight goals past Madrid and Man Utd, arguably two of the biggest, richest, and most well regarded clubs in the world. I think Utd are still the favorites for the title, but with Chelsea winning, it makes life very interesting in the EPL. My grandfather’s team, Everton, continues to build momentum, gaining a good win against Stoke. Leeds also got a win against Swindon, pushing them a little closer to the automatic promotion spots.

The weather in Washington yesterday did not help the soccer on show. I coached the ODP kids with Gary White on Sunday morning before taking a bus with my youth team, out to Pasco. The pass was covered in snow, we had to put chains on, and our game was delayed 1.5 hours. We didn’t even try to get over the pass after the game, deciding to head south to Portland, and then back up north on I-5, a pleasant 6.5 hour drive. Leaving at 9.30am, and returning at 1am for one youth game is crazy.

I need to fuel my competitive nature. I am in the process of building up my distance running for a potential triathlon in the summer, but soccer fitness is so different

Big week ahead….

There are some great games coming up this week in the world of soccer. In the Premiership, Liverpool plays Manchester United, pitting #1 against #2. This game will have huge implications on Liverpool’s title hunt. Do they have what it takes to beat the best team in Europe, maybe the world, on the back of such a big performance in the Champions League. These are the challenges that the best teams overcome. Man Utd have done it many times over the years, and have another opportunity to put them one big step closer to the Premiership title. If Liverpool can snatch a win, it makes things interesting. Man Utd still have to play Aston Villa, Tottenham, with the final two weekends involving Arsenal and Man City.

On the other end of the table, Newcastle play Hull City, in another massive game with completely different implications. Newcastle are one of the richest clubs in the world, and relegation to the Championship would be devastating. They have a good team on paper, but like in years past, they never seem to maximize their potential. Michael Owen is back, and this should give them a great boost in their push for survival.

My team Leeds United play Swindon at Elland Road this weekend. They are in the playoff position in League One right now. Promotion is vital for this dormant giant. Their off the field issues appear to have been resolved. They need to put together a great run now, to give them the chance to move up. With crowds of 25,000 plus still in attendance, the fans deserve to see top level football once again.

For great soccer gossip and information on English and European soccer news, go to BBC Football.

Finally, Seattle Sounders FC play NY Red Bulls in their inaugural game this coming Thursday. The game is sold out, and the city is buzzing for the new franchise in town. The hype is fantastic, but it is results which matter, and it’s the results which keep people in their seats. A successful Sounders team will have a great impact on soccer throughout the area. Kids and coaches alike will be energized from top flight soccer at their doorstep. This excitement will hopefully infiltrate the school yards, parks, and soccer fields across the state. I will be an eager spectator and an interested observer.

Champions league football….

What a week it has been for soccer. The Champions League has been incredibly exciting yet again. Four English teams are through to the quarter finals, with a repeat of last years all English final a distinct possibility. Some results are eye-opening. Liverpool destroyed Real Madrid 4-0 at Anfield, and Bayern Munich continued their domination over Sporting Lisbon with a 7-1 win on the back of a 5-0 first leg result. Some games were a little more tense. Chelsea squeezed through after a tight 2-2 tie against Juventus, as did Arsenal, winning in penalties.

The question now lingers – who will play who in the quarter finals. The draw for the quarter finals is on March 20th.

The Sounders are now gearing up for their first game. It has been a long pre-season, with much coming and going (including me). But the big game against NY is just around the corner and the game is sold out. If nothing else, the Sounders commercial success is turning heads around the country. Even a tough economic climate has not dampened the mood in the Pacific NW. Maybe it’s the crystal blue skies and the sun that is putting a smile on everyone’s face. The proof of it all will come next week. Can the Sounders fulfill all that has been promised and adjust to all the expectation on the pitch?