Dos a Cero

Interview with Jeff Larentowicz

noreply@blogger.com (BJ) — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 01:10:00 +0000

Jeff Larentowicz, a former All-American at Brown University and now a perennial starter with the New England Revolution, was nice enough to sit down with me(aka exchange emails) and answer some questions this past week. Over the past 3 years, Jeff has played in 82 regular season games for the Revs, starting 75, and has scored 8 goals along with dishing out 7 assists. He and Shalrie Joseph form one of the best center midfield tandems in the league, and Jeff is truly one of the most underrated players in Major League Soccer. Check out the my interview with him below and an interesting video interview conducted by Chris Albright (Courtesy of RevsTV) at the bottom of the post.

1. After suffering an injury to your ankle in the season finale last year, how has the road to recovery been and how are you feeling fitness-wise at this point?

The ankle injury at the end of last year was a real set-back and probably the worst injury of my life. I sprained every ligament in my ankle and tore the main ligament on the outside. I spent my off-season at home in the Philadelphia area and rehabbed there with a former trainer of the 76ers. At this point the ankle is still not yet 100% but as the team trains more I'll be more accustomed to dealing with the pain.

2. How is preseason going so far? What is the itinerary leading up to the opener on March 21st?

So far preseason is going well. It's a shame that we have to spend so much time in indoor facilities but the team is looking pretty good. Probably one of the most unfamiliar groups I've seen since being in NE with tons of new faces and guys with 1-2 years of experience, but it's a work in progress. We leave for Austin, Texas Monday the 23rd and we're there for about a week. Once we get back we're only home for two days before leaving for North Carolina. We'll be there for about 10 days and that will lead us straight into the season opener in San Jose.

3. What are your top 3 movies of all time?

Categorizing movies and music for me is tough because interests and tastes change with my moods. But ones that I will always go back to are Caddyshack (I was a caddy for 4-5 years growing up, a bit of nostalgia there), anything Wes Anderson, anything involving Bill Murray and any movie directed by Stanley Kurbrick. As for documentaries, Hoop Dreams will always be at the top of my list.

4. What are your favorite TV shows at the moment, or that are constantly in the DVD player?

The Wire, The Sopranos and The Office (BBC) -- those are the three I own and will continue to watch.

5. What artists/songs are currently playing non-stop on your Ipod?

Non-stop on my iPod at the moment are Radiohead, The Rolling Stones, recently Wilco, and via Pandora on my phone I'd have to say my Gangstarr or Raekwon stations.

6. I saw you did some cooking lately with some of your teammates, who was the best chef?

We went to the Four Seasons on Valentine's Day to be introduced to the chef's there and get a sneak peak into their work. Other than it being a great experience to hear them talk about food and pick their brains, it was also fun to make a bit ourselves. But the best I'd have to say is Matt Reis. He makes a mean chili.

7. After being taken 45th in the Supplemental draft in 2005, you broke through with the first team in 2006; Are there any young, unknown players on the Revs that you could see emerging this year like you did in your second season?

There are a few that I can see being contributers to the team this year like I was in my second year, most likely Chris Tierney who saw time last season. He's similar to me in that he wasn't the most highly touted player coming out of school but has confidence in himself and has show he can compete at the level.

8. In your MLS player profile, it says that you were named one of Boston's "Most Wanted Singles" by Boston Magazine. Any comments?

Comments: none. Advice: thanks, but no thanks.

9. Having been taken in the Supplemental Draft yourself and gaining experience in the MLS reserve league, what are your feelings on the MLS abandoning both? Do you think it will enable young college players to try and make the team of their choice, or will it discourage and make it more difficult for them to break into MLS?

With the league cutting roster size and eliminating the reserve league it's going to be extremely difficult for young players to be given a proper chance in the MLS. If I had been a rookie at the start of this season I wouldn't have even been given the oppotunity, my career wouldn't exist. I think it's a shame because ultimately the league put the reserve division in place to foster the young talent (most usually American college grads) but neglected to follow up on creating an atmosphere of professionalism within those games to make it worth while. Speaking from my own experience, I showed up to those games and introduced myself to half of the players I'd be playing with that day because we had never met. We were forced to call in local players to help us fill roster spots which is incredibly unprofessional. It's really just a microcosm of the catch-22 that is the MLS. The people in charge and the public are looking for a high-quality product that will give our country legitimacy world-wide and draw foreign talent. But those at the top do not expand rosters to handle the "squad" needed to make a reserve league feasible, nor do they pay the players enough to say, "yeah it's ok to be on the reserve team for two years and develop as a player because you're financially stable which allows you to sharpen your game in the hopes of making it to the highest level within your organization". It's a giant ball of wax that (unfortunately was influenced by current world-wide economic climate) continues to move in the opposite direction. For the young players coming in now it's going to be tough, and for the hopeful, undiscovered talent in the college ranks the possibilities in the US just got a lot smaller.

10. With your contract being up at the end of the year, do you have any European ambitions or will you most likely stay within MLS?

With my contract being up at the end of the year my thoughts and aspirations concerning my location aren't set in stone. What is set in stone is my desire to be rewarded and compensated for the work that I've done and will hopefully continue to do where ever I find myself.

11. What stadium (other than home at Gilette) do you enjoy playing at most in the MLS? Why?

Other than playing at home I enjoy playing in 2 or 3 other stadiums. First is RFK. The atmosphere is always great because their fans are raucous, reek of booze and make it feel like a game should. Plus, I always have a good bit of family there because it's fairly close to home. The other is Columbus. I'm not sure what it is but the surface is always great and because of the style of stadium it really takes you back. I don't know what it is but it always feels good walking in there. Lastly is Toyota Park. Last season was shocking for me there but it's one place that (other than location) I can say that the league and the local financiers in Chicago got it right. Always loud, close to the fans, good surface.

11. What actress/ singer/ model is popping in your mind these days? I think I'd have to go with Jessica Alba and Marissa Miller.

Natalie Portman and Shannyn Sossamon are always at the top, but recently Ginnifer Goodwin has caught my eye. And I thought I was a blonde guy.

12. And finally, red hair, a gift or a curse?

Red hair is neither a gift nor a curse.

K'naan - ABC's

noreply@blogger.com (BJ) — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 18:32:00 +0000

Check out the video for "ABC's" from K'naan off of his new album "Troubador". I had seen a couple of his songs posted on Okayplayer but had skipped over them; That was my bad. Thanks to Christian for giving me the heads up. Who says hip hop is dead, now you just have to a look a little harder for the good stuff.

Eric Licaj on Aston Villa's UEFA Cup Roster

noreply@blogger.com (BJ) — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 20:19:00 +0000

In a surprising development, little-known American defender Eric Lichaj has been named to Aston Villa's UEFA Cup roster for their game against CSKA Moscow tomorrow. Although it is unlikely that the former Tarheel will see the field, it is another positive step in the right direction after signing an extension this past year. Lichaj, only 20 years old and a regular for Villa's reserves, could still have a bright future with the US if he continues to develop.

U-20 Roster for CONCACAF Qualifying

noreply@blogger.com (BJ) — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 19:26:00 +0000

Check out the roster below for the 2009 CONCACAF U-20 Championship, starting on March 6th in Trinidad and Tobago. Some notable players include Jorge Flores (pictured above), Bryan Arguez, Brek Shea, Jared Jeffrey, and Anthony Wallace. Not as many big name as last time (Freddy Adu, Jozy Altidore), but hopefully this qualifying tournament along with U-20 World Cup in Egypt will help us identify a few future stars for the senior team. Check out the press release here for the full explanation of Aaron Mund's status with the team.

Player	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	Birthdate	Club/College
Agbossoumonde, Gale	D	6-2	185	11/17/91	unattached
Arguez, Bryan	M	6-2	175	01/13/89	Hertha Berlin (Germany)
Cruz, Danny	M	5-8	180	01/03/90	Houston Dynamo
Davies, Kyle	D	5-10	160	04/11/89	Southampton FC (England)
Duka, Dilly	M	5-9	160	09/15/89	Rutgers University
Flores, Jorge	D	5-11	150	09/16/89	Chivas USA
Garza, Sam	F	5-10	165	10/17/89	University of Denver
Jeffrey, Jared	M	5-10	160	06/14/90	Club Brugge (Belgium)
Johnson, Sean	GK	6-4	220	05/31/89	University of Central Florida
Lambo, Josh	GK	6-0	205	11/19/90	FC Dallas
Marosevic, Peri	F	5-9	160	05/05/89	FC Dallas
Maund, Aaron*	D	6-2	175	09/19/90	Notre Dame
Okugo, Amobi	D	5-11	165	03/13/91	San Juan Lightning Crew
Ownby, Brian	M	5-11	160	07/16/90	University of Virginia
Perk, Brian	GK	5-11	180	07/21/89	UCLA
Shea, Brek	M	6-3	180	02/28/90	FC Dallas
Schuler, Billy	F	5-11	155	04/27/90	UNC
Taylor, Tony	F	6-0	175	07/13/89	Jacksonville University
Wallace, Anthony	D	5-11	165	01/26/89	FC Dallas
Williams, Sheanon	D	5-11	165	03/17/90	unattached

*Pending FIFA approval

Spector and Simek Earn Starts

noreply@blogger.com (BJ) — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 17:56:00 +0000

In a sign of progress for some of the Americans playing abroad, Frankie Simek went the full 90 for Sheffield Wednesday in a 2-0 win and Jonathan Spector (pictured above) started and went 85 minutes in a 2-1 loss for West Ham. Bradley has to be pleased that his defensive depth is starting to get back to its appropriate level. Also nice to see Maurice Edu at least making the bench for Rangers.

Kid Cudi - Day 'N' Nite (plus remix)

noreply@blogger.com (BJ) — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 14:25:00 +0000

Check out the video for "Day 'N' Nite" from Kanye West protege, Kid Cudi. The song is the lead single off of his upcoming album "Man on the Moon: The Gaurdians". Haven't heard much from him, but this single coupled with an endorsement from Kanye makes me excited to hear his album. If you want a more uptempo version complete with lots of hot girls in the video, check out the Crookers remix after the jump.

US Youth Development, Part 4

noreply@blogger.com (BJ) — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 14:18:00 +0000

Here is Part 4 of the ESPN series by Jeff Carlisle discussing youth player development in the US. This piece focuses on the cost of playing in the Development Academy and the attempts made by USSF and the clubs involved to reduce that financial burden. Check out this post for the links to the first 3 installments.

Simek and Feilhaber Back to Playing

noreply@blogger.com (BJ) — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 20:13:00 +0000

This can only bode well for the US, as Frankie Simek (pictured above) and Benny Feilhaber both participated in games for their respective clubs this past week. Simek with the Sheffield Wednesday reserves and Benny with AGF Aarhus in a preseason friendly. If they can get healthy and fit, it will only add more depth to the US midfield and defense.

Asher Roth - I Love College (Official Video)

noreply@blogger.com (BJ) — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 17:33:00 +0000

Official video for "I Love College" from Asher Roth. Hopefully this starts getting him a healthy buzz and backs it with a solid album. Check here and here for songs by him I previously posted.

LA Galaxy Wins First Game at PPC

noreply@blogger.com (BJ) — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 16:20:00 +0000

LA Galaxy won their semi-final game at the Pan-Pacific Championship (AKA a couple preseason games) behind goals from Edson Buddle and Jovan Kirovski. Only saw a little of the game, but a back line of Eddie Lewis, Omar Gonzalez, Tony Sanneh, and Sean Franklin definitely sounds a lot more promising than the crap they put out last year. Check the highlights above; Buddle has a nice little strike with the left.

Beasley, Edu, Guzan Earn Starts

noreply@blogger.com (BJ) — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 19:58:00 +0000

Damarcus Beasley and Maurice Edu both started for Rangers today in the 5th round of the Scottish Cup. Brad Guzan also received a rare start for Aston Villa against CSKA Moscow in the UEFA Cup. I will be back later with updates on how the games went.

Update:

Check out Goff's Soccer Insider for the full recap of American action today. Some good (Maurice Edu) and the bad (possible injury to Damarcus Beasley).

New Videos from Kanye, B.O.B.

noreply@blogger.com (BJ) — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 18:38:00 +0000

Check out the new video from B.O.B called "Generation Lost" above. Very, very simple video, but I am really feeling the song. Then watch the new video from Kanye West for "Welcome to Heartbreak" below. Video is a little hard on the eyes sometimes, but it has some cool visuals sprinkled in there. And don't worry I will be posting about my trip to Columbus, as soon as I get the pictures from my friend that came with me.

Nasty 6 year-old - The Next Zizou?

noreply@blogger.com (BJ) — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 18:26:00 +0000

Damn is this kid serious? I never even played soccer with that many people that could dribble like that as adults. Hopefully his athleticism grows along with his foot skills. Check here for the article courtesy of the Telegraph to get little Madin Mohammed's background. I know it is non-US soccer related, but I figured it would be worth a post.

DC United Stadium In PG County

noreply@blogger.com (BJ) — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 02:15:00 +0000

A Fan's Perspective by PJ

On Monday DC United top brass held a press conference with PG county government officials announcing their intention to build a new 24,000 seat soccer specific stadium in the county.

I'm cautiously optimistic about this development. I'm going to miss the bouncing seats at RFK, but it is literally falling apart. The lights go out during games. There are potholes in the parking lot large enough to swallow an SUV. More importantly, DC is never going to be profitable there. Victor Macfarlane, Kevin Payne and company are business owners. They're not doing this to lose money. In the long run no profits equals no team, so I don't know how anyone can deny the need for a move to a soccer specific stadium.

I and every other DC United fan would prefer the stadium to be in the city. Urban stadiums are just cooler, they're centrally located for the entire fan base, and they look great on TV (see Toronto). On top of that the team is DC United. It feels sort of wrong for them to play in the suburbs.

That said, I'm amazed at how enraged of a lot of fans, particularly those from NOVA, are about the potential move. It isn't like DC United didn't do everything they could to build a stadium in DC. The DC government has made it clear that they don't care about DC United getting a stadium. DC United has spent a ton of time and money on community outreach. They've worked with the city for years hoping to revitalize the Poplar Point area. And they've put up with constantly changing bid requirements for that redevelopment. Meanwhile, the city council is busy focusing on dreams of luring the Skins away from one of the most profitable stadiums on earth. A soccer specific stadium in DC is simply not going to happen. The only conclusion is that DC needs to look for a stadium in Maryland, Northern Virginia, or, god forbid, another city.

This is where a lot of fans lose me. If you read the comments on Goff's blog you'd think this is the end of the world. Admittedly, the comments on a blog are generally not the place to look for reasoned and considered discourse (my man Chest Rockwell excepted) There also are a lot of people saying reasonable things. Still, I'm surprised at how angry some people are. A lot of Virginians are pissed. Check out some of the comments:

"Total Joke. Good bye DC United. The end of a (great) era. No way I am driving out to PG county for games…how would I get home (ie I like to have beers at the game which makes metro a great option) There goes the spirit of the crowd. It has been said, but ask the Redskin fans to compare the two experiences. Thanks for a losing team and bad stadium location Victor." – kramva

"the fact is since dc united started fans from NOVA have been pulling the freight and been the majority of what is widely considered the best fan base in MLS. We just got hosed. Good luck with "changing" your fan base kevin payne. Let us know how that works out for you." – restonhoops

"I think 24,000 seats in PG will be plenty. The Wizzards/Capitals move to town & the Redskins apparent interest in returning is telling. McFarlane is brilliant, but even he can't make a wasteland 'urban'." – SWTrevor

Now, don't get me wrong, I understand Virginia / Maryland rivalry. As a proud Marylander I get angry every time I cross the Potomac. So I would certainly be disappointed about a move to Virginia. Hell, I live in PG County and I'm still disappointed about a move to PG County. But it isn't like the team is moving to the SoccerPlex way out in Germantown. They're looking around Morgan Boulevard. We're talking about four metro stops. It's next to the Beltway. This is adding 15-20 minutes if you're coming from Virginia. We're not talking about Bridgeview or Frisco. We're not talking about FedEx field, which goes out of its way to make the Metro inconvenient and seats 90,000 traffic clogging fans. If the stadium was being built in Arlington I'd be upset about visiting the former confederacy more often, but I wouldn't cancel my season tickets.

To be clear, my defense is conditional on picking one of the metro accessible sites. The stadium needs to be metro accessible by foot.

Finally, we're still a long way away from singing "How Many Trophies Have You Won?" at dejected Red Bulls fans in a new stadium. So until that glorious day, everyone needs to calm the hell down and hope that DC gets an appropriately sized, modern, metro accessible stadium sometime in the near future.

¡Vamos United!

Christian Gomez Goes Back to DC

noreply@blogger.com (BJ) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 21:37:00 +0000

Christian Gomez can pick his drum back up and get reacquainted with the Barra Brava because he is on his way back to DC United. Colorado and DC have completed a trade that sends Gomez, Mike Graczyk (GK), and an international slot to DC and Ivan Guerrero, a 2010 2nd round draft pick, and a DP slot to Colorado (with Colorado picking up about half of Gomez's salary).

Looks like Colorado won on this trade at first, but the more you look at the trade, I think it is more even than it originally comes across. DC picks up an international player slot, and trades Guerrero for Gomez while only picking up about a $60,000 cap hit (Guerrero made $140,000 while DC United should only have to pick up about $200,000 of Gomez's $385,000 salary). Other analysts might highlight the exchange of the DP slot, but that was going to go back to Colorado after this year anyway, so if United wasn't planning on using it, why not give it back? A lot of this depends on Gomez regaining his form of course (At least he'll be on the field more than Gallardo). As for Colorado, they drop an expensive player they didn't plan to use, gain a solid veteran, and now have the option of adding a DP. Not bad.

ESPN Preview of US vs. Mexico

noreply@blogger.com (BJ) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 21:04:00 +0000

God damn, I'm excited. I get to yell at Oswaldo Sanchez in person; that is the kind of thing you think you can only dream about. Nice to see ESPN pulling out the stops advertising this one.

Non-US Related: Goal Celebration

noreply@blogger.com (BJ) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 20:40:00 +0000

This has nothing to do with US Soccer, but this is a pretty imaginative celebration. A little surprised that the ref wasn't going straight to his pocket for the yellow, but I guess he was just as surprised as I was when I first saw it. Worth a look and worth a laugh on a Monday.

20-Man US Roster (A little late)

noreply@blogger.com (BJ) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 20:22:00 +0000

Check out the US Roster for the Mexico game below and click here to see the press release from US Soccer. Notable exclusions from the squad are Freddy Adu, Maurice Edu, and Steve Cherundolo (injury), while Robbie Rogers and Marvell Wynne are strong candidates to get dropped from the 18-man roster on game day. I will be leaving for Columbus on Wednesday morning. Is 10 am too early to start pre-gaming?

U.S. ROSTER BY POSITION
GOALKEEPERS (2): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa: 4/3 SO), Tim Howard (Everton FC: 7/5 SO)
DEFENDERS (7): Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes: 16/2), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA, 1/0), Danny Califf (FC Midtjylland: 3/0), Frankie Hejduk (Columbus Crew: 14/1), Oguchi Onyewu (Standard de Liege: 12/1), Heath Pearce (Hansa Rostock: 7/0), Marvell Wynne (Toronto FC: 0/0)
MIDFIELDERS (6): DaMarcus Beasley (Glasgow Rangers: 21/6), Michael Bradley (Borussia Mönchengladbach: 6/2), Ricardo Clark (Houston Dynamo: 3/0), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA: 6/0), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew: 0/0), José Francisco Torres (Pachuca: 1/0)
FORWARDS (5): Jozy Altidore (Xerez C.D.: 3/1), Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo: 12/6), Charlie Davies (Hammarby IF: 1/1) Clint Dempsey (Fulham FC: 12/4), Landon Donovan (Bayern Munich: 25/9)

Convey to San Jose, Close to Done Deal

noreply@blogger.com (BJ) — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 18:23:00 +0000

2006 World Cup veteran, Bobby Convey, is close to making a move to the San Jose Earthquakes and MLS. Reading FC has released him from his contract and a move to San Jose will give the Earthquakes a formidable midfield of Convey, Darren Huckerby, Arturo Alvarez, and Ramiro Corrales (unless he moves back to defense). At only 25, Convey is a great signing by SJ if he stays healthy. Although, one can only wonder how much he is going to cost the team against the salary cap.

Lil Wayne - Top 10 List on Letterman

noreply@blogger.com (BJ) — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 18:17:00 +0000

Lil' Wayne delivers the Top 10 reasons why he is looking forward to the Grammy Awards on Letterman. It's Letterman so it is a little corny, but it still made me laugh. I think it is hilarious how much the mainstream has accepted that crazy bastard.

Youth Development in the US, Part 3

noreply@blogger.com (BJ) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 19:15:00 +0000

As I mentioned before, ESPN and Jeff Carlisle are doing a 5-part piece on the USSF and its youth programs. Check out Part 3 here, where they look at where the USSF got their ideas from on how to shape their new developmental system. Click here to go back and read parts 1 and 2. Once again, I am really impressed with these articles and glad to see the USSF putting so much effort into doing things the right way.

Soccer365 Does My Job For Me

noreply@blogger.com (BJ) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 18:24:00 +0000

Soccer365 hits us with a bunch of stories today, which makes it much easier for me because now I can take their good work and pass it off as my own (Just kidding guys). First, we have Jared Jeffrey (of Club Brugge and pictured above) looking to make a debut with the first team after just being called into the latest U-20 camp. Second, Benny Feilhaber is close to making his return to practice. Wait does that mean they didn't amputate his leg out of sympathy for the dwindling support that US soccer fans have for the oft-injured player? Finally, Eddie Johnson's career might get a lifeline and he might get some playing time with Swedish club Malmo, after Cardiff City recruited more strikers during the January transfer period.

Rongen Calls 26 in for U-20 Camp

noreply@blogger.com (BJ) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 20:12:00 +0000

Thomas Rongen has called in 26 players for a camp taking place in Bradenton, Florida from Feb. 4-15. The CONCACAF U-20 Championships begin March 6th and this camp roster should give us a pretty good idea of who will be on Rongen's final 20 player squad. After an injury Gale Abossoumonde replaced Ike Opara from Wake Forest. Check out the list, is anyone missing that you would like to see? How do you think this squad compares to past U-20 teams?

P.O.S. - Drumroll

noreply@blogger.com (BJ) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 19:50:00 +0000

Check out the brand new video from P.O.S. called "Drumroll" off of his album "Never Better". I have to admit I had never heard of him before a few days ago, but this video and the song itself are definitely pushing the boundaries of music videos as well as hip hop itself (especially without a big budget). What do you think?

MLS Signings and Player Moves

noreply@blogger.com (BJ) — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 20:38:00 +0000

There have been a few signings, moves and trades in American soccer the past couple days so I am just going to jump right into them. Scott Sealy is no longer an MLS player, having signed with Maccabi Tel Aviv FC yesterday. Toronto FC dealt Todd Dunivant(pictured above) to LA for allocation money (I thought TFC needed defenders?) and re-signed Rohan Ricketts after already re-signing Carl Robinson and Danny Dichio earlier in the season. Currently, the TFC website only lists 5 defenders in all on their entire roster. DC United GK Zach Wells is apparently considering retirement and San Jose just signed a big forward in Cam Weaver(kind of lessens the blow of losing Sealy).

My thoughts on the above moves are as follows. I am already liking Bruce Arena's influence on the Galaxy as he acquires more modestly priced defenders to shore up his defense (no more Abel Xavier). Toronto has a talented midfield and attack, but they are definitely lacking in defense and goalkeeping (they did draft Stefan Frei, but I am sorry Greg Sutton is Pat Onstad's far less talented twin). As a DC fan, I could care less about what Wells does as long as we sign our second round pick, Milos Kocic, to a contract. Concerning San Jose, I don't see them winning the league, but they have done a pretty good job of building a pretty solid roster. That being said, I am not totally sold on Cam Weaver becoming the impact striker they definitely need.