Krammerheads Uncensored Sports Talk

Video of the day.

2010-08-25T11:50:00.001-07:00

It's been too hot and too busy of a time to update this blog lately. So here's a video clip. It's a game from 1980 featuring Vancouver Whitecaps and AS Roma from Empire Stadium. It was part of a tournament called the Trans-Atlantic Challenge Cup. Also included is an interview with Rudi Krol.

Why Canada will not be good in international soccer.

2010-08-11T11:00:00.002-07:00

The answer? It's the mentality of our up and coming players. For instance here is a story of a person that worked where I did this summer. We talked a lot about soccer in the couple of months he worked and I got a brief insight into how young soccer players think. By no means do I think this isn't the norm:

He's 20 (I believe) and going into his second year of university soccer out in eastern Canada. Although he is a Canadian citizen the team he follows internationally is Argentina. He has no family ties to Argentina but he has grown up to believe that nationality means nothing, just pick a team that you find talented and exciting and make that your team. Needless to say he couldn't care less about Canada's national team. When it comes to club teams he only follows teams that play in the best leagues in the world. He laughs when you talk about watching MLS games on TV or the internet, and you can forget about talking about the league the Whitecaps and Montreal Impact presently play in.

Although he plays a high level of college soccer he has no plans to turn pro. Obviously he isn't skilled enough to play in the top leagues in the world. My guess is he doesn't have what it takes to play in MLS, but that's just a guess. He could possible play in the USL/NASL or whatever name the second division and lower leagues will call themselves in the future, but my guess is that won't be prestigious enough. So he will finish out his college career and that will be it for soccer with him.

This obviously is more common in soccer than anything else. Soccer in Canada has the highest participants of any sport here. Yet for the majority of these young players playing for Canada, or in Canada (or the USA) just doesn't have the allure for them. So what chance does Canada have in creating a good international soccer program? We certainly don't have the money that's for sure.

The Heritage Cup.

2010-08-04T13:07:00.001-07:00

The Heritage Cup is a trophy that was started by the supporters of the Seattle Sounders and the San Jose Earthquakes to be played for between clubs that have the same nicknames as those in the old NASL days. It was a good idea at the time as those were the only two teams in the league with nicknames the same as their predecessors in the NASL. However now that the Whitecaps and Timbers are joining MLS next season there will be a total of 4 teams playing for this trophy. This wouldn't be a problem but three of these teams will also be playing for another trophy-The Cascadia Cup. This trophy is played for by the 3 teams in the Cascadia region of North America. This would leave San Jose out....so both fan trophies will be up for grabs next season. This has lead to at least one supporters group crapping over the other tournament and trophy. Fair enough.

Some of the complaints however is that the Heritage trophy is cartoonish, ugly and looks nothing like soccer trophies in the rest of the world. I'd like to address that last point first. It's good the trophy doesn't look like other trophies. The Cascadia Cup looks exactly like the Voyageurs Cup which looks exactly like a whole bunch of other fan supporter trophies in various sports. Don't get me wrong, I donated money to both the Cascadia Cup and Voyageurs Cup. I have nothing against them, I do have something against those that would insult this other trophy because it's not the one they created. Unlike the Voyageurs and Cascadia Cup, this trophy was designed by the fans (at least one) not "off the rack", so yes it does look different.

But take a look at the Heritage trophy. The design of the Cup with the stars is the exact replica of the NASL soccer ball. It seems to me that that is a perfect representation of what the cup should look like if they are honouring the old NASL.

The trophy looks fine to me.

Memories of old times in the Southside

2010-07-28T12:08:00.000-07:00

The Vancouver Southsiders are the Vancouver Whitecaps main supporters group. I say supporters group as opposed to "fan club" because it's always been about singing, chanting and creating an atmosphere.

It started off as a group of people who congregated behind the goal at Swangard stadium, trying to get away from the soccer moms and their kids, who seemed to be there just to chat and let the kids run around which really took away from the game day experience. Back then the team was known as the 86ers, and they installed a beer garden behind the goal when they realized this area was going to be occupied by loud supporters. At first a group of flag waving, occasional flare lighting group known as the Hrvatski Hooligans came to the forefront. They were more concerned with cheering on Johnny Sulentic than the club though. Cue what has become the Southsiders-the Carlsberg Crew. So named because the beer sponsor was Carsberg, and since there was nothing formal the guys chose that name to identify themselves. This group was started by Ted Carefoot aka "Rasta" and his sidekick Johnny Funch aka "the Colenel" and a group of their friends. I was one of those back then congregating in the area, and joining in on the songs and chants when I felt like it. There was no group discussion board back then so we all started posting discussion over on the official 86ers site's message board. We'd talk about that nights game and what interesting things had gone on in the South side that night. After awhile the club let us know that their message board was not a place for discussions to take place just messages from people who had visited the site who wanted to leave their thoughts on it. It was at this time that I was known for my strong opinions, and the fact that I seemed to be the only guy who actually followed the whole league, not just the home side, even though there were more than twice as many teams in the league in those days. Nobody could put a face to my name though, until one day in sneaky fashion as I entered the south side one of the group yelled "hey Krammerhead", I turned around and looked and they all laughed. One guy yelled "I knew that was you" and I was in for good. Then came founding member Rasta's discussion board. It was also at this time Rasta had started his official supporters group website. Basically a simple one with a few photo's and a list of members (I was not even considered an official member yet, just an affiliate as you will. Still I was listed on the website, not bad I suppose, at least I was acknowledged that I was there at the start.

Then the beer sponsor changed and without much thought the group name changed as well. The group became known a the Canterbury Crew, not the Canterbury Court as the Southsiders official website claims. We were known as the guys in the Canterbury court by the guys who used to do the commentating on the local community channels coverage of games, but only because that is what the club officially named the south side beer garden-The Canterbury Court. At this time with the change of beer sponsors seeming to be a yearly thing it was I (at least from what I remember...and I had a better memory of it than most as I wasn't drinking at games back then) who suggested that the group pick a name that would last longer than the beer sponsors. I can't exactly recall who came up with the Southsiders name, but it was chosen because that what we were, guys who watched the game from the south side of the field.

Then came Rasta's argument with the club over his press pass being revoked. This may have been just before the club became the Whitecaps although Rasta would have a better memory. He deleted his discussion board overnight. I decided I'd fill in the void and started a replacement discussion board. A lot of previous members were lost and only some of them came back once they found out that there was a new discussion board and the group had not disbanded. In 2000 or 2001 I started my own Southsiders website, at times it was the official site, then I decided to just call it an unofficial site, because it contained my strong opinions. There were game day photo's, match reviews, stats etc. After awhile I was asked if I'd let someone else with better website knowledge take over a new fangled discussion board and later a new official website. I agreed.

I was away from the Southside/Whitecaps game's for a couple of years due to burnout. Being an overzealous fan for a decade can wear you out. I returned last season and had some really good times, but it was different. It became more structured, being the show instead of supporting the show seemed to become increasingly important. Paid membership was introduced at the end of the season for this season to pay for supporters things such as Tifo, road trips, etc. Since I'm not much of a Tifo guy (streamers and confetti are not really my thing) and I don't travel to road games due to passport and work issues, not to mention I'm poor, I've decided not to pay remain in a group I was instrumental in starting and helping keeping it alive along the way.

Recently I was reading their discussion board and have seen plenty of arguments from it's members. Some want to light off flares and smoke bombs, others don't. Others are angry that the group doesn't sing and chant all game, and others are angry that some supporters will criticize the home side's players. It has been suggested by some that if you don't like to do things their way (singing all game, only positive comments yelled) that you should get the hell out of the south side.

So I think it's clear. If I find my way at a Whitecaps game in the future I'll probably watch from elsewhere in the stadium, whichever stadium that might be in future years. Soccer games are supposed to be fun, and I suppose I will take the advice of these new guys.

Remember when sports commentators weren't there to be the show?

2010-07-23T19:55:00.000-07:00

I'm old. I remember back in the seventies when I became a sports nut that you could watch a sports event on TV (on the occasion they were on) or watch the sports news and you would be told about the game in proper English by a commentator taking his job seriously. Nowadays we are subjected to a bunch of wannabe television/radio stars trying to be the news event.

I was walking by a TV today that had the descriptive text on for the hearing impaired. Baseball highlights were on and I read that the bases were "juiced". I immediately though the bases must be like half of the players in baseball: on steroids. Then I realized the pun. The bases were loaded, and being loaded= "juiced". Ah, more coolness from the sportscaster. These same guys with gel spiked hair that bring us other great phrases like "there's a buck thirty nine left in the period" which is supposed to mean a minute and thirty nine seconds left in the period. A buck 39? To me that's saying there's a $1.39 left in the period, which makes no sense.

Then we have the live sports events where the guys in the booth get into phony arguments (nearly every NFL telecast seems to have one of these) just to prove to the viewers that they are passionate about the game. How about the games where the commentators talk about everything but the game? Yes it's nice that you had a nice dinner last night and was talking to a very nice waitress etc, etc, but could you please get back to the game?

Man, I'm old.

What I look forward to when the Whitecaps move to MLS.

2010-07-16T17:08:00.000-07:00

Whether I can afford to attend or not here are a few things that I look forward to when the Whitecaps move up to MLS next year. These are in no particular order

-Playing by the official FIFA rule of 3 substitutes instead of the second division rule of 5 substitutes. Yes, I'm aware that the 5 substitute rule for the second division is because of the crappy scheduling that has teams playing back to back games, 3 games in 5 nights and so on. The extra 2 subs allow for the teams to dress fresher rosters. However I find that coaches like to toy around with the lineups too much with the extra two players. It's easier for them to dress a player or two they are unsure of when you get 5 chances to substitute them out of a game. When there's only three substitutes coaches are less likely to make dodgy roster moves.

-No stupid mascot getting lots of screen time. I'd be surprised if we see Winger running around on the sidelines as we do at Swangard.

-No extremely fat referees calling the game as did last week. Honestly if you are that out of shape you shouldn't be refereeing professional games. I'm fat ans you don't see me refereeing games!

-Hopefully more separation of the mens and womens team. That is if I go to the MLS Whitecaps website I hope to see nothing but coverage of the mens squad. If I want some news on the womens squad then I'll go to their web page. The Whitecaps have been awarded a franchise in MLS, their women haven't. So a little separation please, none of this politically correct crap where you think we need to be fed equal amounts of news from both.

-A professional stadium. Whether it's Empire field or eventually BC Place (or whatever corporate name it is going by at that time) it will be nice to see the games being played in a professional stadium.

-Televised games in HD. It's been nice having some games covered by Shaw, and over the years the coverage has become more professional. But watching the games in what I can only call "low def" is a bummer, what with the crappy picture and black bars down both sides of the screen.

-A real, mostly stable league to play in. Having teams drop put of the league each year or watching games being played in empty stadiums is a downer.

Video coverage hurting the image of division 2 soccer?

2010-07-14T16:20:00.000-07:00

It was many years ago when I started getting into lower level soccer. After the NASL folded a person in Vancouver didn't really have anyone local to follow until the Canadian Soccer League kicked off in 1987. TSN televised a game of the week, but aside from that there was very little coverage of the teams outside of Vancouver in the local newspapers. So that one game a week on TSN was all that a local person had to follow the league. Which was probably good. Looking back at some of the stadiums (outside of 86ers home stadium) and overall production of the product today and it certainly looked "bush" league.

Then that league folded and the 86ers joined the APSL, which morphed into the A-League, the USL-1 etc, etc. The thing about playing in these entities was that you could only follow your team at home, either live or on local cable broadcasts of select games. Then came a couple of teams that webcast audio from their home pages. You could now follow a the league the team played in when they were on the road. Then for a year or so the A-League had a free game of the week that they would videocast from their home page. A few years ago they decided to have each team broadcast their home games and sell a video package to subscribers. With the trouble in D2 soccer this year there is a mish mash of games available for free via the home teams web pages. As I sit here trying to watch the Baltimore-Rochester match-up through all of it's buffering it had made me wonder if showing all of these games is actually hurting the image of the league?

I'll explain. Back in the years of very little outside coverage of the leagues the 86ers/Whitecaps have been in I naively believed that the other teams in the league were pretty close to the local side in terms of professionalism. Sure I knew that while the 86ers/Whitecaps were drawing around 5,000 a game most others in the league drew half as many, but in my mind the teams the 86ers/Whitecaps played had similar facilities with supporters that were just as avid as the ones in Vancouver. I could imagine the league the team I supported was at least semi-professional in it's overall product.

Fast forward ahead to today's era. Over the last couple of years supporters across the league have been able to watch a game from every single stadium. Watch a game in Miami and you'll see a mostly empty stadium. The game I'm watching tonight is a Crystal Palace Baltimore home game....played in a mostly empty stadium in Maryland. That's actually a step up from their normal home field at the University of Maryland which usually is empty for games and has some odd non-soccer lines marking it's artificial pitch. But that is nowhere as bad as watching an Austin Aztex home game from House Park stadium. Another artificial turf high school stadium with gridiron lines marking the pitch. Minnesota has a fine soccer specific stadium, but it's really no fun watching a team play in an empty stadium.

So you see my point. In the "old days" I'd never have known how bad it is in the second division. I could put my blinders on and believe it was as good elsewhere as it is at home. Now people like me have video proof otherwise.

Empire Field a template for other new Canadian stadiums?

2010-07-12T17:55:00.000-07:00

A month or so ago I was taking with a co-worker about the new temporary Empire Field stadium. I mentioned that the stadium looked so good that it was a shame that they couldn't leave it as a permanent stadium for the Vancouver Whitecaps. He mentioned that it was impossible because it was built to be temporary and that there was no way it could remain as a permanent structure. I reluctantly agreed but then suggested that they could take sections of the stadium down and replace the section, one at a time, with permanent structures. He agreed that it was possible and we left it at that and didn't bring up the subject again.

Then the other night I was watching the BC Lions regular season opener at the temporary stadium. One commentator mention the price of building the new stadium and wondered why they couldn't build a couple of similar stadiums in Halifax and Windsor (I believe) that would house future CFL teams. The other commentator added that if they doubled the cost they could build similar permanent structures. Then they brought up the idea that I had mentioned to my co-worker. Why couldn't they build a stadium the same way as Empire field and then over the course of a few years replace the temporary structures with permanent ones. It seems I'm not the only one with that idea. It seems to me that in Canada, where we are reluctant to spend money on stadiums unless they are hockey arenas, that this would be a good way to build stadiums without incurring the cost all at once. In places like Halifax, Windsor or even somewhere in the Okanagan (my choice for a place to put another CFL team) they could erect one of these temporary stadiums and the CFL could get a much needed infusion of new teams. They could do it all at once like they did when they added American teams, except these are cities that would support CFL football. Then each year a part of the temporary stadium would be replaced by a permanent structure until each stadium is a complete permanent stadium. Then all they'd need to do is add another team in Ottawa and the CFL becomes a more respectable 12 team league.

Seems to me to be a way for Canada to build much needed sports stadiums. It can even be translated into the building of smaller soccer stadiums for Canadian cities interested in getting division two soccer, below MLS. There are no decent 5,000-10,000 seat stadiums suitable for soccer in this country. Just look at what pro teams outside of Toronto or Montreal have to play in. There are no good soccer stadiums outside of those cities which is why soccer fails at the lower levels in Canada.

I wonder if anybody will try it?

A reason to follow the NBA a little more.

2010-07-10T19:33:00.000-07:00

I've said it before but I'll mention it again, I'm not a big fan of the NBA. The league is full of arrogant self centered assholes. There is not a league in the world where a lot of it's players glorify themselves as they do in the NBA. This was proven once again this week when the Miami Heat signed LeBron James and Chris Bosh.

I was trying to watch the soccer game on GolTV on Thursday night. They had picked up the feed from ESPN, so unfortunately throughout the game we were treated to the ESPN ticker on the bottom of the screen that they ran continually. Every once in a while I'd catch a quote from James where he praised the skill of Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade and most importantly himself. No modesty with him. Anyhow it seems that these three men share some kind of man love with each other, and ESPN ran some special show that was apparently really embarrassing in it's self indulgence. I caught some of it on the sports news, and it was pretty sad to watch.

So back to the point I was trying to make. Now there is a reason to pay a bit of attention to the NBA next season. It will be fun to watch and hope that Miami stinks.

That is all.

Willie Johnston Swigs a Beer

2010-07-07T13:04:00.000-07:00

Since it is too hot to sit at a computer today I thought I'd post a video I uploaded to the net that's been viewed over 150,000 times. It's Vancouver Whitecaps player Willie Johnston taking a swig of beer a San Jose Earthquakes fan offers him before attempting a corner kick at San Jose's Spartan Stadium in 1979. Back in the day players actually were allowed to have a personality. Willie was also famous for mooning an opponent while playing for the Whitecaps. I've actually been contacted by the guy who offered him the beer who happened upon the video clip. Small world indeed.

Bob Probert: Dead at 45

2010-07-05T17:37:00.000-07:00

Legendary NHL tough guy Bob Probert died today at the age of 45. He apparently suffered chest pains while on a boating outing with his family. His father-in-law administered cardio pulmonary resuscitation but he died later on in hospital.

Probert played 935 regular season games in the NHL playing for both the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks, scoring 163 goals and 221 assists while amassing 3,300 penalty minutes.

Good world Cup result good for MLS support?

2010-07-04T16:47:00.000-07:00

I've been reading and listening to a lot of opinions over the last couple of weeks regarding whether a good performance of the USA at the World Cup tournament would do wonders for the support of the MLS or not. Some had suggested that a good run by the United States would create a soccer frenzy that would translate into more people being interested into attending MLS games once the tournament ended. I however disagree.

One only has to look at how a good run at the winter Olympics in mens hockey did for the USA. The Americans won the silver medal, losing to Canada in overtime in the gold medal game. Was there a huge increase in hockey loving fans in the States? No there wasn't. This is because you either love the sport or you don't. The same goes for soccer. Nobody who doesn't like the sport is all of a sudden going to change his mind because his countries national team is doing great. The same goes for the soccer "snobs" as they are called. There's a young guy who just started working at my workplace. He can name all of the foreign soccer stars, the teams they play for, their strategies...etc, etc. He has Setanta on his digital cable to follow the games, and watches as much as he can. When I mentioned to him that I pay to watch MLS games over the computer and he smirks, saying that it's not worth the time to watch.....and this is from a soccer fanatic.

So no, I don't think that a longer run for the USA would have made the difference in the popularity of soccer and the MLS in the United States. What is needed is what is happening now. Soccer supporters groups have popped up in both MLS and the second division. Seattle at present leads the way with the largest and most vocal. Portland and Vancouver are joining MLS next season with what looks to be supporters groups just as large. Toronto FC also has a large and noisy supporters group. Fans in other MLS cities will see how much fun being a vocal supporter can be and will try to emulate the success of these soccer supporting cities and it will grow.

Or we can believe that the American fan thinks like this this.

Clumsy webcast announcers

2010-07-02T17:00:00.000-07:00

A lot of us sports nuts find ourselves watching internet webcasts of our favourite sports via p2p and other streaming sites. Given that many broadcasters and play by play crews have been doing this for years now you'd think that they would clue in already in regards to their microphones being continually on. But no, when the camera cuts away, either to cut to a radio commercial when the game is being simulcast on radio, or at half time when many webcasts take a break from the video, it's seems that the play by play crew seems oblivious to the fact that their microphones are still live.

Take this past Wednesday for example. I decided to watch two soccer games that were being webcast. The first game was a USSF D-2 soccer game between the Montreal Impact and the Vancouver Whitecaps. The game was being webcast by the Impact and so had their play by play crew, which is their English radio crew. At the end of the game when the camera's stopped rolling you could hear one commentator tell the other that "tonight's trivia question will be how many points are Montreal behind Vancouver in the standings?" He then proceeded to give th answer out over the air, completely oblivious to the fact! I'm guessing there were plenty of people phoning in with the correct answer!

The second game was a US Open Cup match between the Seattle Sounders and the Portland Timbers. The game was webcast on the Timbers site with the Portland radio crew doing the play by play. During a lengthy pre-game show the radio cut to commercial, but the guys remained on the air for the people watching the webcast. One guys asks the other if there was going to be a post game show. The other guy responds that there'd be a 1 hour post game show. Comments of "aww man" and "I know, I've got to get up at 5am tomorrow" and "yeah I've got to catch a plane" are clearly heard as they make it clear that they just want to do the game and get out of there. There's nothing like the people at home knowing that the guys covering the game don't want to be there!

Time for these guys to wise up. Your microphone's are live, even when the cameras aren't.

CFL Season kicks off tonight

2010-07-01T00:43:00.000-07:00

Well it's Canada day here in Canada and that means CFL football season kicks off tonight with a doubleheader on TSN. The first game features the Montreal Alouettes traveling to Saskatchewan to play the Roughriders at 4.00 pm Pacific time. The second game will feature the Toronto Argonauts traveling to Calgary to play the Stampeders in a 7.00 pm Pacific start. The week continues on Friday with Hamilton making a visit to Winnipeg for a 5.00 pm Pacific kickoff and then on Sunday when BC visits Edmonton for a 4.00 pm Pacific kickoff. All games are televised on TSN and TSN HD.

I'm a big CFL fan, and I find it's detractors boring. However I hope that in the next few years the league can expand to at least 10 teams. There needs to be a team back in Ottawa and one in Atlantic Canada. A 10 team league will do wonders for the leagues image, if the league remains at 8 then it will just stagnate and give the impression that the league is a bush league.

One of the interesting things this season will be the BC Lions playing out of the temporary Empire Fields site while their home stadium of BC Place is being renovated. Real outdoor football returns to Vancouver, sterile and boring weather controlled football is out!

Flashback to Vancouver Whitecaps 1979

2010-06-30T13:53:00.000-07:00

I've been seeing a few of my video captures that I have uploaded on various sites. So I figure what the hell, I might as well be putting some of them up on my own blog. This clip is a montage of the Vancouver Whitecaps winning the 1979 NASL Soccerbowl and the ensuing parade where it is estimated that 150,000 fans made it downtown for the victory parade. I was one of those 150,000. The Whitecaps will once again be playing in the top league starting in 2011 and once again should be drawing crowds of 20,000-30,000 per game.

Unfortunately it looks like money woes will make me unable to enjoy the new club.

Karma Bites England in the Ass at the World Cup

2010-06-27T20:16:00.001-07:00

Germany beat England 4-1 today in Bloemfontein South Africa, thus eliminating England from the 2010 World Cup. Okay England were ripped off when Frank Lampard clearly scored a goal that the idiot officials missed. But the fact is England were not very good in this tournament. If they hadn't have stunk up the pitch during the group stage they would have played easier opposition. But karma decided to bite England in the ass.

England is cursed for stealing Owen Hargreaves from Canada and having him play for them in the last World Cup. For that they have brought themselves many years of bad luck. Where is Hargreaves, known to many soccer fans in Canada as "Whoregreaves" now? Well, he's recovering from injuries having played in just 3 games in the last two EPL seasons, karma biting him in the ass as well.

Now I know that there are those apologist that say an athlete should always choose to play at the highest level, where he/she wants. This is true if one is talking about club soccer. Hargreaves has every right to leave Canada where he learned the sport and play for any club side in the world. However when it comes to playing for your country you clearly play for the one you were born and raised in. You don't snub your own country and play for a country that is more glamourous for you. There are exceptions. If you'll never have the chance to play internationally for your country because you aren't good enough then fine, if you are eligible to play for another country that will have you, then fine. But if your own country wants you to play for them you should always accept.

Hargreaves was eligible to play for Canada where he was born, grew up, and learned the sport. Hew was also eligible to play for Wales because his mother is Welsh. He was eligible to play for England because his father is English. He should have played for Canada because he is Canadian, and they wanted him. He even said in an interview that he intended to play for Canada, but chose to seek glory with England instead. Hasn't worked out for him, and hasn't worked out for England.

Karma can be a bitch, can't it?

Recollections of Vancouver World Cup Qualifiers

2010-06-22T21:07:00.000-07:00

Watching the World Cup games and seeing the lower ranked countries do well and then reading comments asking how come Canada can't qualify for the tournament has me remembering the World Cup Qualifying matches that I have attended in Vancouver, or more exactly Burnaby's Swangard Stadium. I think it's pretty representative of the World Cup Qualifiers held in other Canadian cities, thanks to the Canadian Soccer Association.

You walk to the stadium and people ask you what event is going on. After informing them that you are going to a World Cup qualifier they respond that they wish they had known there was a game on, that they had no idea as there was very little advertising of the fact. As you near the stadium you can hear the sounds of music coming from inside. Not local music, the music of Canada, but music that originates and is popular to the visiting side. As usual the CSA has decided that they will have a "insert visiting country" theme day. The CSA clearly thinks that they must make the visiting team and it's supporters feel right at home. This is not the case when Canada visits these same countries, the other countries do their best to make the Canadians miserable.

Then one enters the stadium. The opposing teams supporters are decked out in their countries colours, so you look in the concourse for Canadian merchandise. You look everywhere, then realize there is none. No scarves, kit's or any other gear is available. It's as if you are attending an amateur game that has been booked in the stadium. For some reason the CSA has decided that they don't need to sell any Canadian merchandise at the games. No need for extra revenue.

You then take your seat with the other Canadian supporters that have all bought tickets in your section. You look around the stadium and see that the crowd is almost half visiting team supporters, half home supporters. The game kicks off and as time goes by you notice that many of the visiting supporters that purchased cheap seats have now moved close to your more expensive section. They start deriding the Canadian fans, which is pretty funny considering many of these foreign supporters are living in this country. The Canadian supporters then start with some chants and songs that the visiting supporters that have invaded your section object to. Some have the gall to complain to security. Security, being cowards who are afraid of the visiting supporters, then take offense to the Canadian patriotism. Canadian supporters inform the security, and then by this time the police as well, that this is their paid section, the visiting fans can go back to their own section. Being the cowards that they are, they decide to come down heavy handed on the locals because the visitors may be tougher to handle. For visual proof take a look at the photo above right, taken by yours truly, at one of the 2006 WCQ's. A couple of Canadian supporters being harassed by a cop for doing nothing more than explaining that the opposition supporters have invaded their section. Also look at the title header for this blog. It was also taken at a 2006 WCQ at Swangard. It shows a leader of the chants and songs in the Canadian section being hauled away by security. His only crime? Leading pro-Canadian chants and songs. He had done nothing illegal, and there was no reason for him being removed by security.

After watching the game, feeling like a stranger in your own land, and watching the Canadian team (who also must feel like the visiting team) fall behind you then decide you can't take any more of this and leave a couple of minutes before full time. As you walk through the concourse you hear someone yelling and swearing at you in a language you don't understand, offended that you are carrying the Canadian flag. You tell yourself that you aren't going to go through this again...but you do at the next qualifying game where the CSA repeats the same mistakes.

So part of the answer as to why Canada doesn't qualify for the World Cup is that it seems Canada plays all of it's qualifiers on the road, even when they are at home.

No Fun Police Ruin Empire Fields Debut

2010-06-20T18:15:00.000-07:00

The BC Lions played their first game at Empire Field losing to the Edmonton Eskimos by a score of 36-32. This was the second thing to ruin the day for a few of the fans.

First thing to piss off fans was when they found out that parking at the site has jumped to $30 on game days from, I believe, $10 on non game days. PNE spokeswoman Laura Ballance spewed some bullshit about on days when there is heavy usage they raise their prices to encourage people to use transit. Excuse me? If that were the case why not encourage people to use transit every single day? Of course when you run her statement through a bullshit filter machine what she really was saying is "when we know that we are going to have a full parking lot we jack up the prices because we are greedy and we know people will pay."

Then to add insult to injury those that paid the $30 found out after setting up their barbeques to tailgate that they were not allowed to do so. They were accosted by PNE rent-a-cops and told to shut it down. Tailgating is not allowed at the PNE. It's tradition all over the American/Canadian football world, but apparently not allowed in Vancouver because propane burners are dangerous, and my goodness, people had open beer in their possession!

All in all it just goes to show that Vancouver is full of control freaks in charge.

Whitecaps New MLS Kits

2010-06-19T20:22:00.000-07:00

Okay, I'm a little late posting this. The Vancouver Whitecaps have finally let people know what their new kits will look like when they enter MLS in 2011. To nobody's surprise the sponsor on the kit will be "Bell", which was obvious when the address they gave for the unveiling was the Bell Canada offices. While plenty of people have expressed that they are happy with these new kits, I'm a little perturbed that they have removed their distinctive bar from across their chest, where the words "Whitecaps" on the home jersey and "Vancouver" was on the road kit. That bar has been what has made the kit distinctive since 1979. The Chicago Fire left their bar on their kit when they removed the "Fire" that was on the front of the kit and replaced it with their sponsor "Best Buy". The Whitecaps could have done the same and it would have looked good.

The home kit is all white with some blue stripes down the front. The road is mostly blue. There is also long sleeve versions of both kits. I'm no fashion designer who can name all the different shades of colours so I'll just post the pics of the short sleeve versions. To buy a replica for yourself you have to fork out $120 for the short sleeve and $130 for the long sleeves, which is far more expensive than their MLS counterparts. The Whitecaps are probably trying to establish themselves as an elite team for people with expensive tastes. I say it's a rip off and an insult to the common person who soccer is supposed to appeal to.

Lakers Win NBA Championship

2010-06-18T21:11:00.000-07:00

The LA Lakers defeated the Boston Celtics last night in the 7th game of the NBA finals. I don't know the score because I don't watch much NBA. I like basketball, I used to watch the Vancouver Nighthawks play all the time in the World Basketball Association. That was the league where the players had to be under 6-6 to play. Seemed a bit weird that a lower level league would want to limit it's players to being small by basketball standards, you'd think they'd want the best players available. I also paid attention to the Grizzlies, until they were bought by a scumbag who moved the team to Memphis.

So I was reading facebook last night and my nephew was having a wall discussion with some guy from Texas. My nephew is a Lakers fan and this Texas guy seemed to be upset with that. He said that a Canadian should support the Canadian team in NBA or the other team (Memphis) that used to be in Canada. Clearly this Texan doesn't understand Canada. Almost nobody in the west is going to support a Toronto team in anything. They are a rival city with a big ego. As for supporting the Grizzlies, why would anyone support a team that up and left your city? Screw that.

Myself, when I follow the NBA, or should I say when I watch it now that it's more watchable in HD, I try to follow the LA Clippers. They get no love and no respect, something I can relate to! Screw the new NBA champions!

Montreal Canadiens trade Halak.

2010-06-17T19:58:00.000-07:00

The Montreal Canadiens have traded away their playoff hero, goalie Jarolsav Halak, to St, Louis for two prospects. Two players nobody has heard of, centre Lars Eller, and winger Ian Schultz are headed Montreal's way. When I say headed Montreal's way, I say it loosely. Schultz will probably need seasoning in the minors while Eller may or may not be able to crack the Canadiens lineup next season.

This obviously is a money decision. Carey Price is the keeper they are keeping, and he was always second best for the Canadiens at the end of last season. Clearly the Canadiens don't think they'll be making any more long playoff runs in the near future.

I personally don't think this is as bad as the Canadiens fans are saying. Even with their hero goalie they didn't win the cup, and really they don't have what it takes to get there next season. So why re-sign a goalie that is up for a pay increase? He made $800,000 last season and a new contract would have seen him make more than a million per year. So they can go with Price next year, and who knows, as the clear cut starter for the team he may shine.

Soccer (football) haters, wazzup?

2010-06-14T21:33:00.000-07:00

Now that the World Cup has begun and is being covered with great detail even in cities where it isn't the norm, we once again have the soccer haters coming out of the closet in both the USA and Canada. Read any online article that allows people to respond to the news and one has to subject themselves to their usual drivel. Comments asking if men actually play the womens game of soccer, comments on the lack of goals that make the game boring, and of course the comments on the diving. Real men watch hockey because the real men in that sport don't dive. Which of course is ridiculous. If there is no diving in hockey why in recent years have the instituted a penalty for diving in the NHL?

There seems to be some deep rooted hatred for the sport of soccer in these people. They obviously feel threatened that their favourite sport, whether if be hockey, baseball, football, basketball or whatever is going to be surpassed by soccer. Some perhaps are confused because they don't or can't understand why people get so excited over a tournament like the world cup. They don't understand the game, and that makes them feel inferior.

Here's what they fail to understand. They have lost the battle. The world's most popular sport is taking hold in Canada and the USA and there is nothing they an do about it. They can try and put the sport down but the fans of soccer aren't listening. Soccer fans have nothing to defend, so I suggest to those that don't like the sport...don't watch, and don't bother with the negative comments. You just look stupid.

MLS players don't know the rules of the game?

2010-06-11T06:50:00.000-07:00

I was watching the Salt Lake-Los Angeles soccer game on Wednesday night. Without getting into a recap of the game there was an incident on the lone goal of the game where the ball bounced off of a Los Angeles player, may or may not have hit a second Los Angeles player and then bounced to a Salt Lake player who was in an offside position. The Salt Lake player then fired the ball into the Los Angeles net. Immediately the Los Angeles players started waving their hands to signal that the Salt Lake player was offside and then freaking out when the referee called it a clean goal. Then to boot the colour commentator mentioned that the player was clearly offside.

Clearly none of these players were aware that if a defending player plays the ball to a player on the opposite team he cannot be offside, regardless if he was behind the last defender or not. To them make things worse the play by play guy while mentioning that exact fact then said he was not sure if the ball had come off a Los Angeles player, referring to the second LA player the ball may or may not have bounced off of, clearly forgetting that the ball ricocheted off of a Los Angeles player before that.

There are problems with soccer refereeing in Canada and the United States, that comes with the lack of high level soccer being played in most areas. You can't expect qualified referees to get that way refereeing kids, youth and beer league games. Thats why in the USSF second division you see referees that forget they are refereeing professional league players and call the game the same way they would call a 12 year old girls matches. Refereeing wll improve with the MLS growing, and more lower level teams playing in the other leagues. Referees need experience.

It might help if the professional players in MLS actually knew the rules of the game themselves.

Chicago Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup.

2010-06-09T20:08:00.001-07:00

The Chicago Blackhawks have just won the Stanley Cup with a 4-3 overtime victory over the Philadelphia Flyers.

The NHL should be happy that it ended tonight. Had it not then game 7 would have been played this weekend. What is wrong with that you say, nothing better than having a championship game 7 played on the weekend? That may be true most years. But there are two things going against that idea this season:

1. The world Cup of soccer kicks off this Friday. Now some of you soccer bashers might be laughing at that statement. But the fact is it is the most popular sporting event of all time. Come the next month most eyes in the sports world are going to be on this tournament. Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final, which many Americans don't care about anyway not only would be fighting with other sports such as the NBA Finals, Baseball and the other sports for coverage but it would also be overshadowed by the worlds beautiful game. In Canada, where hockey is usually king, it would also be overshadowed. Canadians love the World Cup. This leads to the second reason.

2. The NHL season is stretched too long. There is no reason that NHL hockey and the World Cup should have even come this close to overlapping. The NHL playoffs should be over my mid May. There is no reason that there should be a day off between playoff games, at least in the first two rounds. Series should go like this: Games 1 and 2 on consecutive night, a day off for travel, games 3 and 4 on consecutive night in the next city. Game 5, 6, and 7, if needed, could have a day off in between. There is no reason, as happened this year, to have 4 or 5 days off (I forget the actual number) between the semi-final and final series. Having the playoffs go into June is ridiculous, it's just not the right month for playing hockey.

Congratulations to Chicago on winning the cup, though.

MLS Whitecaps reveal new logo.

2010-06-08T13:32:00.000-07:00

The Vancouver Whitecaps revealed their new MLS logo and name today. As most people know the team will be moving up to Major League Soccer in 2011 and as things are with North American sports the team had to be re-branded to officially become an MLS franchise. To nobodies surprise the team name will remain "Vancouver Whitecaps FC". As we all knew the present logo that the club has used since 2001, the one that resembled an open vagina with a cartoon Whitecaps "superman" font, went into the trash. The new logo appears to the right of this article.

I have many thoughts on this new logo. My first thought is that many mock up's done by soccer fans over the last year appear to be superior to this one. On the other hand it's clean, simple and not as ridiculous as the previous one.

Many Whitecaps supporters have been applauding the new logo, complementing it on not being a cartoon animal, or any such other type logo we see in many sports today. It never was going to be anyway, as MLS clubs have been moving towards classier logos and badges for awhile now.

Hopefully the logo will be inserted inside some sort of badge on the new kit.