Z.I.P.

And the same in game three vs New Zealand. Perhaps the most unwatchable game I've ever struggled to watch. Both teams knew going in that a draw would advance them (though the US controlled much of the possession). So neither made much effort to score. Two teams packing it in like UNC in the 09 semifinal. Yikes. Not sure who USA plays next, but I'm not expecting to see Souders on the field. Mobi Fehr does a pretty good job, and takes free kicks on set pieces -- I guess that's his advantage. Go sign him Caleb. I really like McIntosh, the US keeper. Completely in charge. As I said before, Caleb... They play Germany who has looked like an absolute wrecking ball so far. The youth talent level in that country is scary. Just out of curiosity -- are DeAndre, Trapp and Gallego eligible for the U17 team? They would have had to turn 18 before 1 Jan 2011 to be ineligible. They are too old. I thought the rule was (effectively), that if they did not turn 18 before 1 Jan 2011 they were eligible for the 17s Age Group. That's the way the USYSA works, I'm almost positive. And all three of the guys have their 18th BD in 2011. Happy 18th to DeA in two weeks.

Three MAC non-con opponents. Are they becoming an affiliated member?

All of the new guys teams won. Have you heard if the Finals will be televised? Been a couple of years since they did that, but I enjoyed it.

Found a little insight into coach Wilmer Cabrera's selection process, going back to the CONCACAF U17 tournament. Fehr is the only fullback getting any credit for the USA advancing. Souders made at least one poor clearance, resulting in a keeper save in the El Salvador game. Looking back at the 2009 U17 WC, Perry Kitchen made some very good passes from the back, but his one poor play in the first half of the first USA game led to his benching for the rest of the event. And in 2007, Kofi Sarkodie got a lot of blame for the USA's poor performance (0-3 in group as I recall). As I mentioned alreaady, the best thing that might come of this is to disqualify Drew from turning pro and leaving for Europe. The USA-Deutschland match is Thursday 4 PM EST on ESPNU. There are some really good players on the US, Guido, Acosta, Fehr, McIntosh, etc. but they have holes also. If they play the way they did vs Czech Republic, they have a chance against the Germans.

And the same in game three vs New Zealand. Perhaps the most unwatchable game I've ever struggled to watch. Both teams knew going in that a draw would advance them (though the US controlled much of the possession). So neither made much effort to score. Two teams packing it in like UNC in the 09 semifinal. Yikes. Not sure who USA plays next, but I'm not expecting to see Souders on the field. Mobi Fehr does a pretty good job, and takes free kicks on set pieces -- I guess that's his advantage. Go sign him Caleb. I really like McIntosh, the US keeper. Completely in charge. As I said before, Caleb... They play Germany who has looked like an absolute wrecking ball so far. The youth talent level in that country is scary. Just out of curiosity -- are DeAndre, Trapp and Gallego eligible for the U17 team? They would have had to turn 18 before 1 Jan 2011 to be ineligible.

Good recovery. Outside chance he could return by playoffs. He was in the booth for FSC game two wks ago and says he holds no grudge against Mullan. Great attitude.

Doogie is at New Mexico State. Since I have visited twice, and will much more, since the Futbol Zips were @ the Lobos Tourney in 2008, I can vouch for what GoZips had to say. There isn't even a sign on the freeway pointing towards Santa Fe when you need to turn -- I ended up halfway to Las Vegas (New Mexico!) I wanted to write a letter to the newspaper suggesting the state visitors' motto be "Come to New Mexico and Get Lost". But, once I arrived in "El Norte", I finally understood why they want El Gringo to keep out. BTW -- Dougie's team opens their schedule at home vs the BobKittens. They'll likely get wiped, regardless of the inside info. And, I got free donuts off that (1987?) UNM victory courtesy of my boss, a Lobo alum.

And the same in game three vs New Zealand. Perhaps the most unwatchable game I've ever struggled to watch. Both teams knew going in that a draw would advance them (though the US controlled much of the possession). So neither made much effort to score. Two teams packing it in like UNC in the 09 semifinal. Yikes. Not sure who USA plays next, but I'm not expecting to see Souders on the field. Mobi Fehr does a pretty good job, and takes free kicks on set pieces -- I guess that's his advantage. Go sign him Caleb. I really like McIntosh, the US keeper. Completely in charge. As I said before, Caleb...

Folks, there is life after football. Can we hook Matt up with Darryl Peterson? Huh?

I hate to be critical, as GoZips will jump all over me. On the other hand: Synopsis: After several years in the playing professional football, KYLE BISHOP is released from his fourth team in three years and returns to his home town, broke and at a complete loss about what he will do for a living... Man I hope they can keep the fans from stormin' the ticket windows.

I am confused. Nothing new there, but...Is this the same league that shows games on FSC -- where they call it the USL??? There is still a USL but it's been weakened somewhat. It's complicated, but the USL effectively split after the 2009 season when a number of clubs, Montreal among them, chose to form the "new" NASL due to differences in opinion between various league factions. This has resulted in a realignment of the entire American Soccer Pyramid.. So the games that Fox Soccer Channel is televising (I only watched about 5 minutes of the game last week, but I think the Charleston Battery were playing (???) vs Orlando??) are actually the "third tier" "USL Pro"? Sheesh!

Zeke Marshall. Think Larry Sanders (not the cable talk show guy, the ex-VCU center). That is a good approximation of his upside. Look up Sanders stats for years 1 & 2. Probably very similar, though I don't know.

The athletic department reported $19.8 million in revenues in 2009. Of that amount, $14.9 million came from direct institutional support and $1.6 million came from student fees. Boy. That's some creative accounting! Any moron can see they actually made only $3.3M, and gave themselves $16.5M to make it appear (or make themselves think, even if it's transparent to any moron) they are less pathetic than they actually are. The saddest part is, EMU is far from the only school in this plight. I imagine most MAC schools are very near this position. And I can't imagine how California public universities can keep playing the Big Time Athletic game. It could be finances that bring down the house of cards faster than cheating, turning college students into pro athletes, or any of the myriad of fundamental problems with collegiate athletics in America.

I am confused. Nothing new there, but...Is this the same league that shows games on FSC -- where they call it the USL???

Alright, I can anwer my own question. He's played in three major FIBA tournaments, the Tournament of the Americas twice. Averaged 18PPG in 09. He gets a lot of free throws -- 43 in five games in the 09 event. I would call him a major slasher! Also, the Montrose Christian site said that he had a 4.0 GPA. Why is he going to a prep school, again?

I think that's the same thing people said when comparing Kitchen to Kofi Sarkodie a year ago.

Check the date -- I think it's Saturday, not Friday. At least that's what I got from the index on my cable system.

I was looking at the TV schedule for ESPNU's U17 World Cup broadcasts (see the thread below, the replay of today's Uzbekistan battle is on Thursday), and found the following: Saturday afternoon at 5 PM EDT (11 AM HST) ESPNU is showing the replay at long last of the Dec 12th College Cup final. My money is on Akron -- anybody wanna bet? The game will be followed immediately by the U17 WC match between the USA and New Zealand/Aotearoa. Now, I can finally count how many times Z.I.P. gets his ugly mug on the national airwaves. I wish the cameras had gotten the scene at Fess Parker's Doubletree later that night -- exhausted Zips players gathered around their trophy proudly waiting for their transfers to LAX -- while in a conference room around the corner Louisville threw a bash for their team and fans that looked and sounded like a football pep rally. You had to wonder who were the national champs. Oh yeah! Akron

Souders is as good an on-ball defender in the box as you will find. He knocks down any balls near him. Great feet. He is not an attacking defender in the mode of Kofi. I can't really remark on his ball skills, but I can't recall him making any passing errors in the games I've seen. He's solid. If Mobi Fehr is better, then let's hope Caleb can lasso Mobi.

Actually...it is exactly the same as every other day of the year. You are obviously referring to the fact the sun stays up longer than any other day. Like you...I like this day but it is not my favorite. For the next 6 months each "day" will be shorter. I prefer it when things are improving and getting better. So...this day is the "best" and the "worst" for me. Now that sounds like a political comment if I've ever heard one! And BTW, I've always dreampt of visiting Ubud. I hear they have a great left wave there. No politics intended.

Sorry that I failed to mention this earlier, but the World Cup started over the weekend in Mexico, and the USA defeated the Czech Republic by 3-0 in Torreon, the best performance I can recall seeing by a US Youth team. It was almost as dominant, possession-wise as the Senior team's victory over Jamaica -- and they won by a goal more than Bradley's team. Unfortunately however, for the third Youth World Cup in-a-row, an Akron recruit has gone from wearing the captain's armband, to being benched. Amherst phenom Andrew Souders has been captaining the U17 team the past two years, but the play of new-American Mobi Fehr (born in Japan) displaced Drew on the verge of his international breakthrough. Souders was moved from the central defender position he's played consistently -- and exceptionally -- to the central midfield. Not sure if he will see the field in this tournament or not. And not sure how it will effect his confidence and future. He was simply the best young center back I have seen. Meanwhile, I also don't know if the game tomorrow, against Berzerkistan will be televised on ESPNU, as Sunday's game was (it starts at 4PM EST, I believe). Berzerkistan may not be recognized as one of the powers of world football, however, they DID deal the USA the final crushing defeat four years ago in the same tournament. That was the tournament where CB Kofie Sarkodie was criticized for his defensive play as the USA went 0 - 3 in the tournament. I hope Souders becomes somethnig of the sort of fullback Kofie was/is. I'm quite confident from seeing him at least three times on TV that he will be a star. And his benching likely ends the prospect of his going pro after the WC.

Alright!! Now I see where Betancourt played (at least his senior year of) high school ball -- at the legendary basketball academy/factory of Montrose Christian, under their legendary coach Stu Vetter. I would have seen Carmelo play last December (I actually may have seen him in 2009), but this was only about the third time in the past fifteen years that Vetter didn't bring a team to the I'olani Classic here. Here is a little write-up about Carmelo the Younger. My only problem with it is the line about his family "visiting America for the first time." Hello! Puerto Ricans are American citizens! Does anyone have his stats? All I could find was what seemed to say he only played in two games this season. Is that right?

I coudn't read the linked article. However, College of Southern Idaho is not a "prep school". It's a JC.

All I recall is that it had a pipeline FROM India! And it took a certain UA RB to complain to dept. officials that no one could understand one instructor. But that was about 1980.

Watched Chivas get beat late by FC Dallas on Saturday. Zemanski was benched, but Zarek started, played 90 at Left Back. None of the other three ex-Zips got in as far as I could see (though I may have missed a late sub, haven't seen the box score). 'Z' played an excellent game, with just one poor clearance that hung up and was received 20-30 yds out by FCD player, but couldn't do anything with it. Again, the Fox announcers referred to Akron, as "The football factory at Akron." Too bad that Chivas again played only a so-so contest, and I recall gave up an own goal that was the difference. They're falling further behind with their poor play at home.