One hesitates to mention reading the NYTimes in Oakland County. But for soccer fans, particularly female soccer fans, there may be some interest in checking out today's NYTimes Style Magazine and cover boy Cristiano Ronaldo and other men of Manchester United. Alas, native Brits (namely Sir Alex Ferguson and everyone's favorite quasi-thug Wayne Rooney) don't look so good in comparison to their continental counterparts. Whither Beckham? Rooney's 5 thousand dollar Tom Ford coat ("make me look like a Liverpuldian post-war tough guy wearing scratchy wool from dieing/ dying wool industries") on page 129 or so is kinda cool though.
http://www.nytimes.com/indexes/2011/09/11/t-magazine/mens-fashion-issue/index.html
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Match play, Sept 10
The Force have learned -- or should have learned -- that any game against the Novi Jags Green 00 team will be unusually physical. Such was the case in the opener of the first week of match play.
The Novi Jags came out banging, as usual, and the Force got no help -- and was to get know help from the officials. To complicate things, the Jags have improved their ball control, and thus they were not only able to bump away in the corners to get opportunities but pass back and move the formation up field.
Kate came up big, though, to keep the game in reach. She stopped a point blank shot midway through the first half. And when the rebound trickled to the open side of the net Sophie made a nice play to clear.
Offensively, Christina had some terrific runs in the first half but the Force was pinned so far back that she had little help when she got down field.
But the pounding the Jags delivered finally drew some attention from the official.
Emmi lobbed a penalty kick from the right side, dropping it perfectly in front of the goal. Christina dug hard but was denied by Kate-like goalkeeping by the Jags. Grace had positioned herself perfectly, though, for the rebound and drilled it into the left corner to put the Force up 1-0.
In the second half Jill outdid her "pound for pound the toughest kid on the field" performances of earlier games by stopping up the Jags attack at midfield. She owned the left the side for the first 15 minutes of the half. And Kate continued with the great ball stopping, snagging two point blank drives -- without giving up a rebound (although, in fairness to the Jags, the second one was so hard it seemed to get stuck in Kate's gloves -- the only harder sound the ball made was when Lauren was taking her now vintage headers -- Abbey Wambaugh [sp?] to be).
Then, the official decided to insert himself into the game, calling a trip in the box on the Force (see earlier post on how women are learning to "dive" just like men in soccer). Kate read the play well and almost got a piece of what turned out to be a weak shot. But it spun in to the corner.
Seemingly demoralized by this turn of events -- and with the help of another penalty -- the Force quickly gave up another goal.
Final -- an infuriating 2-1 loss.
The Force came out sluggish in Game 2. This was a catastrophe in that the LSC Meteors turned out to be a very skilled and very well prepared team. They dominated play as the Force struggled to clear and then win balls at mid-field against the quicker well coached opponent. LSC forwards cut through Force defenders and ended up 3-0 15 minutes in.
The Force would hang tough though. Emmi continued to step up and make plays from the backline. Sending balls up to Rhea and Christina who gave the Force some offensive thrills with nifty give and gos and both forwards came up with goals.
5-2 loss.
The Novi Jags came out banging, as usual, and the Force got no help -- and was to get know help from the officials. To complicate things, the Jags have improved their ball control, and thus they were not only able to bump away in the corners to get opportunities but pass back and move the formation up field.
Kate came up big, though, to keep the game in reach. She stopped a point blank shot midway through the first half. And when the rebound trickled to the open side of the net Sophie made a nice play to clear.
Offensively, Christina had some terrific runs in the first half but the Force was pinned so far back that she had little help when she got down field.
But the pounding the Jags delivered finally drew some attention from the official.
Emmi lobbed a penalty kick from the right side, dropping it perfectly in front of the goal. Christina dug hard but was denied by Kate-like goalkeeping by the Jags. Grace had positioned herself perfectly, though, for the rebound and drilled it into the left corner to put the Force up 1-0.
In the second half Jill outdid her "pound for pound the toughest kid on the field" performances of earlier games by stopping up the Jags attack at midfield. She owned the left the side for the first 15 minutes of the half. And Kate continued with the great ball stopping, snagging two point blank drives -- without giving up a rebound (although, in fairness to the Jags, the second one was so hard it seemed to get stuck in Kate's gloves -- the only harder sound the ball made was when Lauren was taking her now vintage headers -- Abbey Wambaugh [sp?] to be).
Then, the official decided to insert himself into the game, calling a trip in the box on the Force (see earlier post on how women are learning to "dive" just like men in soccer). Kate read the play well and almost got a piece of what turned out to be a weak shot. But it spun in to the corner.
Seemingly demoralized by this turn of events -- and with the help of another penalty -- the Force quickly gave up another goal.
Final -- an infuriating 2-1 loss.
The Force came out sluggish in Game 2. This was a catastrophe in that the LSC Meteors turned out to be a very skilled and very well prepared team. They dominated play as the Force struggled to clear and then win balls at mid-field against the quicker well coached opponent. LSC forwards cut through Force defenders and ended up 3-0 15 minutes in.
The Force would hang tough though. Emmi continued to step up and make plays from the backline. Sending balls up to Rhea and Christina who gave the Force some offensive thrills with nifty give and gos and both forwards came up with goals.
5-2 loss.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Practice is on today, despite the rain -- thank goodness!
Practice is on today, September 8, even though it started raining last nite and has been raining throughout the day. Thank goodness! While last spring's rains were record setting the repeated decisions not to allow kids to play or practice -- decisions made mainly by assorted school systems and park systems -- was simply bizarre. Certainly there are days when the fields are simply too soggy to play -- but those days are rare. More often than not it seems that school systems simply got in the habit of restricting use for the sake of restricting use. If fields in various districts were meticulously maintained it would make sense to use the utmost care in April and May. But most public school fields and parks are not that carefully groomed. Whatever use they incur in April and May is repaired by underuse in June and July.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Sept. 10 Match play schedule
Saturday Game Times at Independence Park
12:30 arrive by 11:45 wear BLACK Jags Green 00 Field 6
3:30 arrive by 2:45 wear WHITE LCSC 00 Meteors Field 6
Monday, September 5, 2011
Link to Game 3 photos
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=1AZMmTdu3bsnbQ&eid=118">Click
More great photos from Pam -- including the foul against Rhea in the box!
Also: kudos to John for what was easily the best (non-corporate) ad in the Force Invitational Program (U14 girls' ad pretty good, too). John's ad should have been the cover.
More great photos from Pam -- including the foul against Rhea in the box!
Also: kudos to John for what was easily the best (non-corporate) ad in the Force Invitational Program (U14 girls' ad pretty good, too). John's ad should have been the cover.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Force Invitational Game 3
0-1-2. Not what the Force wanted for its own tournament. But not bad either. One has the sense that The Force U12 Purple girls are quickly getting a feel for 11 v. 11 play. Next week: league match play.
The girls arrived in great spirits this AM (645!) to take on a much bigger WAZA team. Good ball movement for the Force created pressure throughout most of the first ten minutes. This pressure, in turn, led to one of Chistina's brilliant individual efforts, cutting hard on the left side and driving a strike into the back of the net. A few moments later it looked like the Force would take a commanding 2-0 lead when Sawyer scored. But a tough offside call went against the Force, disallowing the goal. Waza quickly tied things up (but parents stayed calm as many missed the "no goal" call for Sawyer).
The good ball movement continued, however. Sophie drove a nice header to Sawyer just inside the midfield line and Sawyer provided a terrific lead to Anastasia who dashed down the left side before being almost forced out at the baseline. "Stasia" stuck with it, though, dug it out, and set up the always active Christina for her second goal.
But Waza played hard, and came up with a tying goal again.
Tough officiating, again, seemed it would cost the Force when Rhea snagged a breakaway and was knocked to the ground just inside the penalty area -- but no call. Sports has its own poetic justice, though -- in addition to make up calls -- and when Waza took a penalty a few minutes later Lauren dropped the ball nicely into the front where Rhea got the tap in.
Things looked good. And this blogger headed for an 840 tee time. Just as I reached the parking lot, hower, Waza came back again. Commenters will have to fill me in.
Two terrific tournament efforts.
The girls arrived in great spirits this AM (645!) to take on a much bigger WAZA team. Good ball movement for the Force created pressure throughout most of the first ten minutes. This pressure, in turn, led to one of Chistina's brilliant individual efforts, cutting hard on the left side and driving a strike into the back of the net. A few moments later it looked like the Force would take a commanding 2-0 lead when Sawyer scored. But a tough offside call went against the Force, disallowing the goal. Waza quickly tied things up (but parents stayed calm as many missed the "no goal" call for Sawyer).
The good ball movement continued, however. Sophie drove a nice header to Sawyer just inside the midfield line and Sawyer provided a terrific lead to Anastasia who dashed down the left side before being almost forced out at the baseline. "Stasia" stuck with it, though, dug it out, and set up the always active Christina for her second goal.
But Waza played hard, and came up with a tying goal again.
Tough officiating, again, seemed it would cost the Force when Rhea snagged a breakaway and was knocked to the ground just inside the penalty area -- but no call. Sports has its own poetic justice, though -- in addition to make up calls -- and when Waza took a penalty a few minutes later Lauren dropped the ball nicely into the front where Rhea got the tap in.
Things looked good. And this blogger headed for an 840 tee time. Just as I reached the parking lot, hower, Waza came back again. Commenters will have to fill me in.
Two terrific tournament efforts.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)