Glory Glory Revolution: (Take 2) 2007 edition

[SirFozzie]

Well, we'll see shortly. I've just about decided what I'm going to do (let you know after the update)

Up next after the San Jose beatdown we served up, was a game against the LA Galaxy, who are fighting for first place in the west (with about three other teams, it's a mess over there).. and it's the boringest game I've watched all season. No Goals. 7 shots total (no, not 7 shots on net.. 7 shots!). 0-0 Draw sends us out of first for the first time in a while.

[SirFozzie]

In a rarety, Sergio Flores, a defender, scores both our goals in the 2-0 win at home over FC Dallas. One of them was a corner, the other was a scramble around my net that got sent out a couple times and then immediately back in. Flores was pushed forward and it finally bounced out to him after a botched clearance.

I can just imagine the coach on the sidelines yelling at him "SERGIO! SERGIO! GET YOUR ASS BACK.. SER.. AW HELL.. GET IT BACK IN... FLORES GET YOUR STUPID ARSE BACK TO.. SHIT HERE THEY COME AGAIN.. NICE D.. FLORES THIS IS THE LAST TIME.. GET YOUR.. AW hell. Nice Goal Sergio.. Don't let it ever hapen again"

[SirFozzie]

Another bore draw is at hand, against Kansas City.. the game was marred by the 2nd appearance of the super Pop-Up Card machine (12 more yellow cards, 5 on us, 7 on them). Somehow, despite over half the players on the field having a yellow.. no one got sent off. Wow. KC actually committed the most fouls in one game I can ever remember seeing in FM2006.. 24. Wow.

Up next is a game against Colorado, who's manager, Paul Mariner, used to be my assistant. Sadly, he could be on the block, they just can't get it together. I don't make it any easier on him, however, Josh Wolff puts together a hattrick of goals, and we beat them 3-0.

After that, we had a game against Chivas USA who are in first in the West right now (check back next week, the way that conference is going, it could all change). It was just nuts. Busch didn't have a good game. Chivas goalie Brad Guzan didn't have a good game. The scoreboard operator didn't have a good game. All in all, 8 goals are scored. (Russell, John Allen scoring twice, and Daniel Mendes) in a 4-4 draw.

That led to the big one, against DC United. First place in the East is at stake.. and we destroyed them. Josh Wolff had a hattrick, and John Allen added an injury time "insult to injury" goal, and we outshot them 16-7, and won 4-0.

We have a midweek friendly in Portugal at Liga de Honoria club Oriental, part of the Pedro Junior transfer, before returning to MLS play.

Now.. the future of certain players. I have decided to keep Larsen.. he's just 25, and can work with us for many more years. I have decided to keep Barroso.. after all, from what I can tell, he will be a #1 keeper in this league for years and years to come.

So that means two things.

1) Jon Busch, sadly, has to go. He is 31, and has only played in 7 of our games this year. Time to let him get first team football where he can. He's put on the trade/transfer list.

2) Pedro Junior hasn't lived up to his bidding, and with Hernani doing well on the left side, and quickly learning center positions thanks to the training he's on.. he's surplus to requirements. he's listed as well.

[SirFozzie]

The standings after 20 games.

| Pos   | Inf   | Team        |       | Pld   | Won   | Drn   | Lst   | For   | Ag    | G.D.  | Pts   | 
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 1st   |       | New England |       | 20    | 11    | 5     | 4     | 42    | 23    | +19   | 38    | 
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 2nd   |       | D.C. United |       | 20    | 10    | 6     | 4     | 25    | 18    | +7    | 36    | 
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 3rd   |       | Columbus    |       | 20    | 9     | 5     | 6     | 20    | 14    | +6    | 32    | 
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 4th   |       | MetroStars  |       | 20    | 6     | 9     | 5     | 25    | 23    | +2    | 27    | 
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 5th   |       | Chicago     |       | 20    | 6     | 7     | 7     | 30    | 27    | +3    | 25    | 
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 6th   |       | Kansas City |       | 20    | 3     | 6     | 11    | 16    | 31    | -15   | 15    | 
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
|       |       |             |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       | 
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 







| Pos   | Inf   | Team        |       | Pld   | Won   | Drn   | Lst   | For   | Ag    | G.D.  | Pts   | 
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 1st   |       | Chivas USA  |       | 20    | 8     | 8     | 4     | 21    | 22    | -1    | 32    | 
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 2nd   |       | Los Angeles |       | 20    | 8     | 5     | 7     | 27    | 30    | -3    | 29    | 
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 3rd   |       | Salt Lake   |       | 20    | 8     | 4     | 8     | 25    | 18    | +7    | 28    | 
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 4th   |       | San Jose    |       | 20    | 7     | 7     | 6     | 30    | 27    | +3    | 28    | 
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 5th   |       | Colorado    |       | 20    | 5     | 6     | 9     | 22    | 29    | -7    | 21    | 
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 6th   |       | FC Dallas   |       | 20    | 3     | 4     | 13    | 17    | 38    | -21   | 13    | 
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
|       |       |             |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       | 
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

[SirFozzie]

One burst of updates today, with all the family gatherings and stuff, it'll probably be an only one.

We travel to Portugal to take on Oriental, and win 2-0, Wolff and Henning scoring for us. Conor Casey is back playing with the main squad, and he starts to get offers. Lots of offers. Many Lots of offers.

We lose 2-1 to Real Salt Lake (they have players with names right of the old fiction books, Emanuel Centurion and Dusty Swinehart scored for them), John Allen scoring the revs only goal. That bounces us from first, at least temporarily.

We have an immediate rematch with Real Salt Lake, this time in the US Open Cup 4th round, and this time, it's OUR turn to win 2-1, with Allen (again, he's really having a good year) and Santiago Biglieri scoring the goals. That puts us through to the fifth round.

We travel to Columbus, where goals from Hernani (his first as a Rev) and Conor Casey mean we win, 2-1. Casey at this point had five offers rejected and four accepted.. we're just waiting for things to die down to see which one he accepts.

Hernani played attacking midfield for us in our last game, as both Greg Brown and John Allen were called up by Bruce Arena for the 2008 Olympic Games, in Beijing China, and they will play for the USA U23's.

[SirFozzie]

I'm up (don't know for how long), so more updates are here.

Pedro Junior departs for Portugese SuperLiga team Maia for 75K.

Conor Casey takes a deal with German Bundesliga team Bayern Leverkusen that sees no money change hands, but the german team will owe us 2 million dollars when Casey scores his 10th goal for the team.

BTW.. SOOOOOO frustrating. Pat Noonan has scored NINE league goals for Toulouse.. they owe us $650,000 after 10.. and as the French Ligue 1 starts, he's in the reserves..

[SirFozzie]

John Allen played in the USA U23's 1-1 tie with Italy at the Olympics.. did rather well too, rating of 8. They still have games against La Cote d'Ivorie (Ivory Coast), and Senegal, but this was an important game.

[SirFozzie]

Brown and Allen both play (Allen as a starter, Brown as a 2nd half sub), in the USA U23's 1-0 win over Ivory Coast. They now lead Group B with four points from two games, and will advance with a draw in the next game against Sengal.

Busch won't be going anywhere for a bit, Larsen injured himself in practice for up to 2 months, and Barroso will join in just a couple days.

Khano Smith is recovered from injury, but with the sale of Casey, we were getting a little short rostered at striker.. we look for a player to acquire when the transfer window opens up.

[SirFozzie]

USA fail to make the medal round in the Olympics as they lose 2-1 to Sengal and lost out to Ivory Coast on total goals scored (both with a goal differential of +0, they scored 4, US scored 3).

Barroso signs, and we'll throw him right in against San Jose, see how he does.

[SirFozzie]

Barroso makes a couple great saves in the first half (including one session where he makes the save, but gives up a rebound, is seemingly wrongfooted when the ball comes back in off a deflection.. but somehow tips it on to the post, and it's 0-0 at the half, despite San Jose being the better team so far.

He makes a couple more good saves early in the second half, and you can see the air just go out of San Jose (nice to see a computer team deal with the Supergoalie ), and we score twice (Daniel Mendes and Josh Wolff, Wolff's being a PK), in the last half hour to win 2-0.

Not bad, an 8 on Barroso's debut

[SirFozzie]

The media, the ones who were asking me after every game if we could hold on to Casey are back, this time about Barroso, saying that he looked very impressive against the Earthquakes, and how did I view his first game.

I'm very pleased with him, I believe Alan will prove to be an excellent signing for this club, and there will be lots more to come from him.

High praise for a new player.. but I figure after the game he's had, he deserves it.

[SirFozzie]

For the 2nd time this season, we have a back to back, league and cup thing going on this time with San Jose. Barroso again starts, gets a 7, and two goals by Daniel Mendes wins the US Open Cup Quarterfinal match up, 2-1. We are through to the semifinals.

[SirFozzie]

A pair of 1-1 draws tightens things up in the East (Wolff scored our goal in the 1-1 draw with the Metrostars, and Allen scored in the 1-1 draw at Kansas City)

We have a double shot with the Galaxy coming up, first in the MLS, and then in the Semi-Finals of the US Open Cup, then it's just about all east games the rest of the way, as we'll take on DC (who we're currently ahead of by goal differential), Columbus, Dallas, Colorado and Chicago.

[SirFozzie]

One final update for the night.

We manage to bring home two American players to fill out our roster, what with all the guys we've been losing..

Zak Whitbread had been toiling at Scottish Premier League side Livingston, we decided to bring him home, he cost us $375K, but he really will help shore up any defensive holes we have.

We also brought home 24 year old midfielder/attacker Mike Magee for $1 Million, from Greek side PAOK. He can play the attacking midfield as well as the striker position.. this was his offseason, so he'll need some time to get up to speed, but we'll do our best.

We get shmucked by LA in the first of our psuedo-double header, 3-1. We don't even have a goal scorer, our goal was scored an own goal. The loss knocks us out of first place in the East.

The 2nd game, is quite frankly, the most tense match I've played since joining New England. The US Open Cup Semifinal match was back and forth 90 minutes of soccer. and that was just to start. I give Barroso a night off and put Busch back in, Barroso needs some time to get his morale up, and Busch made four key saves in the first 90 minutes.

At the 90 minute mark, it was 0-0, and we were headed to OT. Khano Smith had taken over for Josh Wolff when Wolff went out injured in the 34th minute.. and early in Extra time, had a good opportunity, but was scythed down by a LA defender. I cheered as the referee awarded the penalty.. but I saw the little green cross appear by Khano's name. I had used all three of my substitutions, so I was really worried.. but after a few moments, he signaled he was ok, but he was heavily limping.

So.. imagine my shock/dismay/fear when Smith grabbed the ball and strode to the penalty spot. HE was going to take it?

I was about to call him off, and Gary, the assistant manager grabbed my arm. "Nah. He's got too much adrenalin goin through his veins right now. He'll bury it."

Full of dread.. I saw him place the ball, and the ref signal..

and Smith took the best damn penalty I've ever seen. Top Corner Right. No goalie in the world could have saved it. 1-0 Revs.

He eventually DID have to come out in the 112th minute when he couldn't continue, but that was ok. That was the winning margin... 1-0 Revs. Off to the Final we go.

[SirFozzie]

Well, I'm finished barfing, at least for the moment.. might as well wait for the next time my stomach declares war on me by posting what's going on.

We have a chance to reclaim first place when we travel to DC United, and it looks good early, as we have a 5th minute goal by John Allen give us a 1-0 lead.. and we hold that lead for 84 minutes.

I hear you say, But Foz.. that only takes you to the 89th minute..

Perceptive..

Their South African striker Lungisani Ndlela scores in the 90th minute, and DC escapes with a 1-1 draw. They are still three points up.

Up next is a bore draw against Columbus, 0-0. TOok about 20 seconds to play. Fortunately, DC loses, so we gain a point on them.

Then it's time for the game against Colorado in the US Open Cup Final. They recently fired Paul Mariner, and Bob Bradley took over, so the new boss could have a trophy in his cabinet a week into his new job.

It's really a defensive struggle, there's a total of 7 shots on net the entire game.. but the difference is John Allen's 73rd minute strike that seperates the teams, and we have our second US Open Cup trophy in four years, 1-0 final.

Unfortunately, our players are really knocked out, they've been playing two games a week for a while now, and we just don't have the finishing touch against Dallas. We hold them to zero shots on net, but none of our 8 shots (4 on net) go in either, so we have our third straight MLS draw.

DC lost again 2-1 to Colorado, so we're now one point out.

That's game 30, so we have two games left in the year, and there's still a lot to play for.

East: DC United (51), New England (50), Chicago (46), Columbus (44), Metrostars (39), KC (30)

The East can change rapidly, the top three teams can all take the title, but realistically, it's between DC and myself. The Mutts need a miracle to make the playoffs, Chicago and Columbus are jockeying for third.

West:San Jose (46), Chivas USA (43), LA (42), Salt Lake (38), Colorado (36), Dallas 18

Well, San Jose, Chivas have clinced playoff spots. LA is pretty much clinched too, but the positions are not set in stone.. more like Oatmeal.

[SirFozzie]

My contract with the Revs has three months to go, and they offer me a new contract.. being the first offer, they naturally try to offer me a small pay cut (from $15,500/wk to $14,250/wk) for two more years.

I counter offer, $15.5k/wk, plus they agree to improve the training facilities.

[SirFozzie]

They think the training facilities are fine the way they are but agree to the $15.5 K a week. That works.

[SirFozzie]

We end the season horribly, with another 1-1 draw with Colorado, Daniel Mendes scoring the Revs goal, and then Zak Whitbread gets sent off in the 5th minute against Chicago, and we go down in flames, 5-2.

We finish the regular season having not won in our last 8, but still in 2nd place, and we get Columbus in the playoffs. Time to pull things out.

[SirFozzie]

To call our defense tattered would be charitable, as entering the first round we have:

Whitbread suspended for at least the first leg against Columbus, due to his red card.

Namoff injured (Gashed head)

Zotinca getting cortisone shots after he tweaked a hamstring in practice.

Add Allen being out for 1-3 weeks, and we're in trouble.

[SirFozzie]

((I'm up, don't know for how long, but at least long enough to get the rest of the season in))

We manage to make it through the semifinal, rather easily dispatching Columbus in the first leg at Columbus, 2-0, Magee and Denton scoring. We know that we don't have to do much to win series in the 2nd leg, and we take it somewhat easy, winning the home leg, 1-0 (Wolff) to advance 3-0 on aggregate.

Daniel Mendes is injured for the Eastern Conference Final. Our.. Fifth? Sixth? in a row? Yet we've never gotten past this point, and we'll take on DC United, who survived a penalty shootout after a 2-2 draw with Chicago in the other semifinal. It's at DC's new DC United Stadium

Sheesh, are we cursed? Hernani comes out injured in the fourth minute. There's one of our allowed three subs right there. Khano Smith comes on for him.

Josh Wolff gives us a 1-0 lead in the 16th minute, with a rebound off a Khano Smith shot.. but it doesn't last long, as DC's Nick Van Sicklen equalizes in the 19th minute.. it's back and forth, but neither side can break through, and it's 1-1 at half.

Wolff scores in the 51st minute, on a counter one on one breakaway.. and the minutes tick by, and I'm starting to get my hopes up. I use my second sub to replace Santiago Biglieri, who still isn't 90 minutes fit, with Eric Denton. He takes the left midfield side position Khano Smith was in, and Khano moves forward to replace Magee, who replaces Biglieri.

84th.. 85th.. 86th.. I remember what happened previously, and I hope that we can just hold out..

Damnit, Lungisani Ndlela did it to us again. He really should have business cards made up that state "Professional Rev Killer".. in the 87th minute, the South African striker heads home a cross to tie things up.. 2-2. Don't get your hopes up, they'll just be dashed. DAMNIT. Jim Henning comes on for Luke Vercollone right before the full time whistle.

Off to extra time we gooooooooo.

Early in OT, KHANO SMITH PUTS US AHEAD, 3-2! He heads home a Wolff cross, and I'm dancing on the sidelines. Once again, we are less then a half hour from victory.

Of course, we never do things easy, and we give up a bullshit handball call in the box (no card or anything, it's painful enough).. and DC's Eric Lewis converts. 3-3.

*sigh*

the whistle blows, and we are now 15 mintues from penalties.

Oh look, here comes Ndlela again. There isn't a New England jury that would convict me if I hired someone to Gilooly him in the offseason, is there? He scores in the 113th minute, and now we're seven minutes from doom.

Except we fight back, and it's Mike Magee who scores in the 115th minute to tie things again. 4-4.. are you kidding me?

Off to penalties.

DC goes first..

Eric Lewis.. who made his penalty in extra time.. SAVED BY LARSEN!

Khano Smith... GOALLLLL! 1-0 Revs

David Wagenfuhr for DC... Off the post and in.. 1-1

Josh Wolff.. SAVED! Still 1-1 after two rounds.

Ndlela.. Of course he scores... God I hate him. 2-1 DC

Ohbum.... GOAL! 2-2!!

Ben Olsen... SAVED BY LARSEN! 2 Huge saves...

Denton to put us on the brink... WAY WIDE... 2-2 after four rounds.

John Wilson is the #5 for DC... GOAL.. 3-2..

Mike Magee to keep it going..

Saved.

Shit.

4-4, 3-2 in penalties. We've failed at this hurdle again.


*sighs*

[SirFozzie]

Some final New England Revolution stats for 2008..

| Pkd   | Inf   | Name              | Apps    | Gls   | Ast   | MoM   | Pas   | Tck   | Drb   | Sh T  | Av Rat| 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| DC    |       | Sergio Flores     | 39      | 3     | 3     | 2     | 70%   | 3.76  | 0.18  | -     | 7.03  | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| DMC   |       | Luke Vercollone   | 38      | -     | 1     | 3     | 71%   | 4.13  | 0.43  | -     | 7.16  | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| -     | Inj   | Daniel Mendes     | 27 (5)  | 13    | 5     | 2     | 68%   | 0.62  | 2.17  | 60%   | 7.03  | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| ML    |       | Hernâni           | 27 (4)  | 1     | -     | -     | 73%   | 3.21  | 3.21  | -     | 6.65  | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| DR    |       | Drew Moor         | 27      | -     | 1     | -     | 70%   | 3.28  | 0.45  | -     | 7.07  | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| FC    |       | Josh Wolff        | 26 (1)  | 16    | 7     | 3     | 69%   | 0.77  | 3.39  | 66%   | 7.37  | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| MR    |       | Ohbum             | 24 (6)  | -     | 9     | 1     | 66%   | 3.30  | 2.33  | -     | 7.00  | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| FC    |       | Khano Smith       | 23 (10) | 8     | 12    | 4     | 67%   | 1.32  | 4.11  | 57%   | 7.30  | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| -     | Inj   | John Allen        | 23 (5)  | 10    | 5     | 2     | 77%   | 1.60  | 1.32  | 66%   | 7.07  | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| -     |       | Alex Zotinca      | 20 (7)  | -     | 1     | 1     | 74%   | 3.08  | 1.78  | -     | 6.81  | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| DL    |       | Bryan Namoff      | 20      | -     | -     | -     | 70%   | 3.29  | 0.73  | -     | 6.85  | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| GK    |       | Jan Kjell Larsen  | 18      | -     | -     | 2     | 72%   | -     | -     | -     | 7.39  | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| S1    | Wnt   | Jon Busch         | 15      | -     | -     | 3     | 72%   | -     | -     | -     | 7.40  | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| S2    |       | Jim Henning       | 14 (5)  | -     | 2     | -     | 70%   | 3.92  | 0.37  | -     | 7.00  | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| S5    |       | Robbie Russell    | 13 (7)  | 1     | 2     | -     | 66%   | 2.94  | 1.54  | -     | 7.10  | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| AMC   |       | Santiago Biglieri | 12 (9)  | 1     | 3     | -     | 63%   | 2.60  | 3.23  | -     | 6.48  | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| DC    | Inj   | Zak Whitbread     | 10      | -     | -     | 2     | 72%   | 3.32  | 0.30  | -     | 6.70  | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| S3    |       | Eric Denton       | 9 (4)   | 1     | 1     | -     | 64%   | 2.84  | 1.75  | -     | 7.00  | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| -     |       | Alan Barroso      | 7       | -     | -     | 1     | 65%   | -     | -     | -     | 7.00  | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| S4    |       | Mike Magee        | 5 (2)   | 2     | 3     | 1     | 71%   | 1.35  | 2.53  | -     | 7.14  | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| -     |       | Greg Brown        | 3 (12)  | 2     | 1     | -     | 75%   | 2.54  | 2.39  | 45%   | 6.67  | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| -     |       | Jason Myers       | 0 (4)   | 1     | -     | -     | 72%   | 2.27  | -     | -     | 6.50  | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| -     |       | Tony Medina       | 0 (2)   | -     | -     | -     | -     | 30.00 | -     | -     | 6.00  | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| -     | Lst   | Jeff Stewart      | 0 (1)   | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | 6.00  | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| -     |       | Ryan Rudisill     | -       | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| -     |       | Brian White       | -       | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| -     |       | Matt Smith        | -       | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| -     |       | Ryan Johnson      | -       | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| -     |       | Chris Tanner      | -       | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| -     |       | Mike Suarez       | -       | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| -     |       | Paul Johnson      | -       | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| -     |       | Ryan Donaldson    | -       | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| -     |       | Scott Palmer      | -       | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| -     |       | Peter Hunt        | -       | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| -     |       | T.J. Tomasso      | -       | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | -     | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
|       |       |                   |         |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 

[SirFozzie]

Well now, this is interesting..

Maccabi Tel-Aviv have fired their manager, they are 9th in the table after 9 games, and the hot rumor is that yours truly will take over the Isreali power (39 league and cup championships in their long history.

I think long and hard, and decline to make a statement on this one. If they make an approach, I'll consider it.. but right now, I may be overreacting to another Revs playoff failure..

DC United wins the Cup again (they seem to win it in odd years.. 04/06/08) on penalties after a 2-2 draw with LA. They become the first team in MLS history to win all three rounds on penalties.

In awards:

Robbie Russell finishes 2nd in the Defender of the Year awards..

John Allen wins the Gatorade Rookie of the Year award.

Russell, Wolff and Smith are All-Pro's.

Chicago's Nate Jaqua wins MVP.

Next year's transfer budget will be around $450K, and they did end up improving the training facilities. Our youth acadamies may not help us, but at least we will bring out the best in the players we do have.

I'm also linked with Czech Republic team Sigma Olomouc, but I also issue no comment on that one.

Jose Mourinho didn't last long at Barcelona, and he's fired. Sadly, I'm not considered for that job

[Tekneek]

Man, this is like the Colts not being able to get past the Patriots. But this time, Kraft is on the losing end.

That sucks, but this kind of drama is what these dynasties are all about for me. It really pulls me in and makes it seem real.

[SirFozzie]

Hey.. stay tuned for an important update regarding this dynasty.

I've been offered and accepted a new job.. but for WHOM?

[SirFozzie]

Actually, not going to leave you all hanging for hours.

Bruce Arena retired at the end of 2008, after having guided the US through the first two phases of World Cup 2010 in South Africa.After much deliberation...

I'm the new manager of the USA

And hoo boy are we in for a crowded schedule in 2009.

In January, we have the North American Gold Cup.. at least two games, then a knockout phase.

Then, from February-June and August-October, we have 10 World Cup Qualifiers.

And finally, we have in June, the Confederations Cup. at least three games plus a semifinal/final knockout stage

That means we have at LEAST 15 National Games this year, and could have up to about 20 or so. Wow. There's gonna be some unhappy teams if we advance far in these tournies, about us using up their best players.

[SirFozzie]

We draft (and keep) two players at least until training camp in the MLS superdraft.

Matt Myers, 21, DC (Valued at $24K)
Bill Allen, 22, ML (Valued at 7K)

So far, looks like Myers will stay, Allen will go.

[Tekneek]

Have you ever looked to see if any of your draft castoffs are still in football? Maybe if they have hooked up with lower level clubs, or just retired from the game? I'm curious about that.

[SirFozzie]

Usually, if they don't make the Revs, they retire six months later. a very few hook up with USL teams.

[lytic]

You should get that US Keeper: Gargan from a lower level Icelandic Club. He's from the Boston area and has potential.

[SirFozzie]

He's not in my game, sadly

Couple transfers to report: We sign Mexican U21 defender Edgar Castillo from Seattle for 130K. He's got American citizenship, so won't count as an international.

TJ Tomasso is released on a free transfer.

We receive an offer from Kansas City. The 2nd pick in the Supplemental Draft for Eric Denton. Sounds fair to me..

back to the USA game before sleep time

[SirFozzie]

Ok, back to the Revs after the USA's Gold Cup adventures, as well as the WCQ against Panama.

I draft Brandon Prideaux and Kevin Thomas from the Supplemental draft. Prideaux might have a chance to make it. Thomas is a long shot.

[samifan24]

Are you still playing this dynasty?

[Tekneek]

He got a new job or something like that.

[SirFozzie]

I just don't have time right now.. I will try to update this when I can, but don't expect it anytime soon