Matt Williams's MLS Soccer fan blog

It has been some time since I have recorded my thoughts on this blog, and for now, I am back.  You may be wondering why?  What inspired me to come back to my computer and do this again.  There are a couple of reasons and I’ll get to all of them.

First of all, right now I am sitting with my laptop with the Seahawk football game on.  And I don’t want to watch the game.  It doesn’t help that the Seahawks have not looked good at all this year, but that is not the primary reason (I’m still in love with Washington Husky football and the Seahawks have more wins then them).  I am tired of football and everyday, and I am not exaggerating, I like the game of football less and less.  No joke, everyday.

The game itself is contrived and arbitrary.  Unlike sports like soccer and baseball, the games rules are so complex and complicated.  In baseball, the pitcher throws the ball and the batter tries to hit it.  If he hits it, the players behind the pitcher try to catch it before it hits the ground or by fielding the ball and throwing the batter out at first base.  The core of football is fine.  It’s running, throwing and catching.  But there are so many rules and things like ball placement that are so arbitrary that I don’t like the game.  Not that baseball is without its flaws though.  Did you know that there is not actually a rule in MLB’s rule book that defines what a check swing is?  That’s dumb.

Continue reading "My return...lets see how it goes."

At first I was ecstatic.  A Seattle icon will be the voice of the new Seattle Sounders FC.  Kevin Calabro, in the booth, calling the game, making soccer come alive in Seattle.  But then, I started thinking.  Am I going to like KC calling a soccer match?  When he speaks will I just hear echoes of Sonic basketball?  Am I ready for such a familiar figure donning a different shade of green? 

From a marketing perspective, this is the best move the new franchise could have made.  Calabro is a beloved, respected and trusted broadcaster in the Pacific Northwest.  His voice on the air again will soothe the unsettled stomachs of those still distraught about losing their Sonics.  Others will tune in to watch soccer for the first time just so they can hear the man speak again.  But me, I'm not sure how I'll feel.

Continue reading "Good Golly Miss Molly!"

I love sports.  That is probably an obvious statement seeing as I do have a sports blog, but I wanted to make that clear before I dig into ESPN’s ESPY awards show.

Let’s be honest, the ESPY’s are incredibly lame.  Just like the NBA all-star game, I liked them when I was 12, but seeing as I am older now, my interest has passed.  Now, just like many lame things, they ESPY's has its moments.  Most notably it’s “images” of the previous year and the Arthur Ashe Award for courage.  Both are great.  Other than that, the entire show is a flop.

The premise is not bad.  Bring a bunch of athletes together to celebrate the previous year in sports.  Unfortunately though, they decide to do this by handing out hokey awards for things like “Best Male Athlete.”  It’s not hokey because it’s lame to be one of the best athletes in the world, but it’s hokey because there is no possible way to compare athletes who compete in different sports.

Continue reading "The ESPY's"

Major League Baseball’s all-star game is approaching and in all honesty, I am kind of excited.  I like baseball’s all-star festivities, especially compared to the other main sports in the U.S.  And if you don’t mind, I’m going to tell you why.  Actually, what do I care if you mind?

 First, the NFL’s Pro Bowl is a joke and everybody knows it.  Nobody wants to play and when they do play, it’s like playing a game of chess, except every piece is a pawn.  You can’t really do anything, you’re just there.  The NFL should continue to pick the team, but the players shouldn't have to play.  What they should do is play a game of flag football.  I know they do some stuff like that, but the flag football should be their main event.  7-on-7 flag football with no contact blocking, just like we played in college intramurals.  I might consider watching it that way.

Continue reading "All-star weekend...or middle of the week."

I am furious.  The Sonics are gone and America doesn't seem to care.  On today's Around the Horn 3 of 4 panelists said the NBA is better off in Oklahoma City.  That statement is ludicrous.

The Sonics were 28th in the league in attendance (as one of the panelist pointed out), but that doesn't mean the city doesn't love their Sonics.  One, they had the second worst record in the NBA and two, they essentially played a lame duck season.  Neither of those is often associated with tremendous attendance figures.

Once again, DO NOT tell me the NBA is better off in Oklahoma City.  The team will help Oklahoma City.  Maybe the franchise will make money than it will in Seattle.  BUT, there is no way anyone can convince me that a new Oklahoma City team is better than a historic Seattle team if the teams were to make the NBA finals.  Stern, the NBA, and fans in the U.S. would rather have a team from Seattle than Oklahoma City in the finals.  Don't lie to me anymore about that.

Continue reading "Furious"

Like most, I am upset about the departure of Seattle's beloved SuperSonics, but I am not writing to vent or point fingers, but rather make other interesting points.

Interesting Point #1:  How will the NBA's western conference be aligned?  Or is the NBA just going to rename the Northwest division?  Oklahoma City is not the northwest and as a resident of the northwest I would be annoyed by the labeling of Oklahoma City as northwest.  It's just not right.  Are they going to be put in the Southwest division, where they belong, making western conference divisions unbalanced?  We'll see.

Interesting Point #2: Oklahoma City will have the same appeal to rookies as Salk Lake City and Sacramento.  I hate to drag those two in here, but let's face it, it's the truth.  It's not surprising David Stern would allow something like this though.  He has proposed the ridiculous idea of the NBA in Europe.  No players are going to want to play their home games in Madrid or Oklahoma City.  This move adds one more unappealing destination for rookies in the NBA.

Continue reading "The Seattle SuperSonics"

Germany are favorites...or favourites.

Podolski shines.    Dutch are delightful!    Hat trick for Villa.    Turkey win late.    Croatia win group.    Romanians love Mutu! So do Italians.    Early exit for Greece.    Turkey win late.    Ballack blast.    French miss Zidane.    Russia are through!

Germany bests Portugal.    Croatia win late. Turkey win late.    Dutch are done.    Spanish curse gone.

Lightning in Basel.    Spain are convincing.

44 years!

Xavi best player.

South Africa.

Continue reading "Euro 2008 Wrap-up"

Last year's NBA draft was easy as a Sonics fan.  Take either Durant or Oden, whoever was left.  This year however, it’s a whole new ball game.  As soon as it was announced the Sonics would have the fourth pick in this draft I thought “what does that mean?”  Now, I'm not stupid, I understand what having the fourth pick means, I just didn't know what that would get them.

After looking at numerous mock drafts, reading many player profiles and consuming my share of media I have figured out who I want.  And it turns out, the situation is similar to last year, at least for me.  That is, assuming the first two picks go as planned.

The Supes are in need of a point guard and (outside of Derrick Rose) the top three candidates are Jerryd Bayless, O.J. Mayo and Russell Westbrook.  I want Bayless or Mayo, not Westbrook.  I want their offensive ability, something Westbrook is in short supply of.  Some people say the Sonics need more defense as opposed to offense.  I tend to believe that most players, whether they normally do or not, can and will play defense if their coach demands it of them or they actually want to.  Take a look at the Sonics of 2004-2005.  McMillan had them doing something right on D.  If the Sonics get someone like McMillan to make them play defense, they would.  And Bayless and Mayo are athletic enough to succeed on the defensive end.  The bottom line is if Minnesota takes one of these players take the other.

Continue reading "The Sonics and the NBA Draft"

In many issues in Sports Illustrated there is one feature story, usually many pages, telling a story about a person, team or game.  And most of the time I don't read them.  I like Sports Illustrated, but don't usually care for these pieces.  But in the June 23 issue there was a story I truly enjoyed and I wanted to share it with you.

The story is about the Fudges Family.  They are a soccer team in Clarkston, Georgia.  Not one of the traditional prestigious clubs that costs thousands of dollars to play, but rather a club built for refugees in the town.  Now that is all I am going to say because I do want you to find out yourself.  It is worth your time.

They do have a website, www.fugeesfamily.org, you can visit that has basic information, stories and videos about their players and teams.  Visit the website, read the article and hear their story.  It is not one you will soon forget.

Continue reading "Fugees Family"

The group stage of Euro 2008 has come to an end and the knockout stage is here.  We’ve seen some good and some bad.  Here are my thoughts and predictions for the tournament to come.

Let start with the good and my team of the tournament so far.

Netherlands:  They opened up with convincing victories over two of Europe’s premier squads to win their group before the third matches even began.  And then won a game they didn't need to.  I’m not sold on their chances to take the whole tournament, but for the excitement they provided and the skill and ability they showed in the group stage alone, they're my team of the tournament so far.  And special props to Marco Van Basten for his substitutions.

Croatia:  What else can you say, but they earned max points in a group with pre-tournament favorite Germany.  Even when they didn’t need to win the final game to advance to knockout play, they did, and against a Polish team that did need that win.  And hey, how about not having to play Portugal in the first round?  I say boo-ya.

Continue reading "Euro 2008"