As the 2006 MLS season kicks into gear with Week Three, these next few games have taken on an added importance for several players.
While teams are just trying to find some cohesiveness this early in the season, the group of players on the bubble to make the U.S. World Cup team has no time to ease into things.
Guys like Brian Ching might have just a few more shots to do enough to make The Bruce realize he can't leave for Deutschland without them.
So if you are a fantasy player, grab those bubble players for the next couple weeks; they should pay dividends as they fight for those last few spots that will be announced at the beginning of next month.
With that, a look around the league and the world of footy:
THE NEWS: The Yanks and Reggae Boyz play to a 1-1 draw in Cary, N.C.
TCS SAYS: I don't see how a game against a Jamaican B squad in a small stadium in North Carolina helps The Bruce learn anything about his players, but that's just me. After the game in Germany where Arena admitted U.S. Soccer made a mistake and then this game, I have to believe no one is thrilled with the way things have gone as of late.
While not many guys helped themselves, one player who hurt himself in my mind was Frankie Hey!Duck!. Frankie absolutely should have been red-carded 11 minutes in for that ridiculous two-footed tackle. And that play had to remind The Bruce that despite Frankie's engine, it is just plain risky to have the guy on the field in a big game.
THE NEWS: A high school football federation has banned the "Fumblerooski" play.
TCS SAYS: In that case, Jamaican goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts can never play soccer again. Are you kidding me with that guy? Granted he made a spectacular save on Chris Albright's header to the low corner with about 15 minutes left, but every time the ball got near him I thought I heard circus music playing.
It was great to see Benny Olsen on the score sheet, but that goal was about as well-deserved as Paula Abdul's new contract on American Idol the way Ricketts let that through.
You want to boost the entertainment value in MLS? Sign Ricketts. He'd be a lock for save of the year and he'd single-handedly raise the league-wide goals-per-game average by a few.
After one of his many blunders, Queen of the Palace turned to me and said, "It's like my mom out there."
I doubt that. Most Jamaicans I've met are pretty warm and can cook.
THE NEWS: Ronaldinho is coming to the U.S.
TCS SAYS: This one is actually true, as Barcelona is coming on a tour of the U.S. in August.
And speaking of rumors, can everyone please give me a break with this Beckham talk. Listen carefully: every chance he, his people or MLS gets, they will say that Becks wants to play here. And he will. In like 4-5 years. He will play in a Spain a bit longer, then he will move to England one more time, and then end up in MLS.
So let's stop over-reacting every time he says he wants to play in MLS. It is old news and a ways off.
THE NEWS: The first edition of the 2006 Honda Super Classico between the Galaxy and Chivas USA is this weekend at The Home Depot Center.
TCS SAYS: As Chivas USA assistant coach Preki put it after the Galaxy beat Chivas like 27 times last year in all competitions, "So far it hasn't been a rivalry at all." And Preki knows rivalries. I think he was playing indoor soccer back when the Hatfields and McCoys were duking it out.
I'm not saying Chivas has to put up a better fight this year, but rumor has it if they don't win a game here soon and turn this into an actual rivalry, Honda will be replaced by Yugo as the title sponsor of this series.
FLICK-ONS:
Speaking of international matches, word out of Checkettsville is there is talk about a Real derby in Provo, Utah, RSL against Real Madrid. I think the rest of Scotty Garlick's facial hair just turned gray.
Talks are going on to have a Chelsea-centric show in the U.S. that would be an American Idol for soccer. Not sure if this will fly, but with the club's new deal with AEG, sounds like we may be seeing more of the Blues in the States anyway.
How great are the Cantona Nike spots, by the way?
Hey, nice piece on this site on Pat Onstad by Hard C. Only Connolly can get an American Idol contestant, Dick Clark and gym teachers into a story about a 40-year-old Canadian goalkeeper.
Fishy's hurt, Ronnie and the gaffer aren't playing nice and Marcos Charras is still in work visa purgatory. Just another season of Hoops footy, huh?
Alexi Lalas to the Newark Star-Ledger on the rumors that he may not be in the long-term plans for Red Bull New York: "Red Bull has incredible plans on and off the field for this organization. If I'm a part of that, great, but if not, I can take my guitar and go down to the Port Authority and bust for a few dollars."
During the season, The Clean Sheet runs each week on MLSnet. Views and opinions expressed in this column views and opinions are the author's, and not necessarily those of Major League Soccer or MLSnet.com. Send any questions and comments to tcsresponses@yahoo.com
