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May 29, 2008
February 16, 2008
Can soccer blogs become agents of change?
The aftermath of the bitter and divisive 2000 US presidential elections spawned a myriad of political blogs disillusioned with the bias of the mainstream media (MSM) narrative. On either side of the divide, blogs became agents of change challenging the MSM and supporting candidates who hew more closely to their vision. Blogs have become a potent counterpoint to the Washington echo chamber, a tight knit cabal of talking heads who push narratives like McCain is a maverick and tensions between Hispanic and African Americans voters will determine Barack Obama's candidacy. An establishment that now appears to be on the defensive as millions turn to blogs who espouse a more unfiltered point of view, frequently are quicker on their feet, and do the legwork to expose fallacies and inconsistencies. Blogs have become so influential that candidates solicit their financial support, post up their opinions, and participate in their yearly conventions. The 2006 mid term elections that saw Democrats capture the House and Senate was engineered by the election of many candidates supported by progressive blogs. Many MSM outlets now have their own talking heads who write blogs or invite prominent bloggers to guest column. Blogs are now an accepted part of the political environment with a proven track record of influencing election outcomes.
By the same token, we do not have a similar seminal point in sports blogging. Deadspin, an anti-corporatist website that rails against ESPN, Fox Sports, and other mainstream sports media (MSSM) outlets has been chiefly set up to knock down sports as nothing more than providing entertainment. It is thus irreverent and tongue in cheek, mocking self important talking heads. Deadspin would be required reading for those sickened by Bob Costas and his saccharine sweet jingoism which grates every Olympics, ane event coming up soon. However for all its popularity, Deadspin has not forced a change in the narrative of the MSSM which is driven by above said Bob Costas and Bryant Gumbel who eulogize athletes with crushed ribs and bad parenting.
Deadspin is a US based blog and as such it is targeted primarily towards American sports. Fortunately, the winds are changing, more specifically towards a soccer based activism. Blogs that follow EPL clubs lead the way which makes sense as it is the most widely followed league in the world with more than 200m followers. The enormous bile towards the Premiership proposal of expanding its matches to overseas markets is forcing Richard Scudamore to rethink his proposal. Managers, sports pundits, and administrators have come out against the proposal. The FA hardly an activist organization is dead against the soccer expansion. But it is blogs who have coalesced fan anger, accusing the EPL of being anti-player in its mercenary pursuit of exploiting new markets for merchandising.
The process of forcing change has long been hampered by the fact that fans rarely have a say in the economic matters of the club or its club ownership. But last summer proved to be a milestone as blogs exposed the shady past of Alisher Usmanov as he tried engineering an Arsenal takeover. These Arsenal friendly blogs helped disseminate an unflattering article written by a Craig Murray, a former British ambassador to Uzbekistan even as Usmanov's lawyers sought to muzzle them in a cease and desist motion. The club's governing board was forced to action and installed a lock down agreement that would prevent a hostile takeover. In contrast, Liverpool's takeover proceeded with little opposition. However, later on, the US co-owners dubious solvency and irresolute behavior gave anxious Liverpool fans enough reason to believe that their club would once again be on the market. Blogs channeled this widespread discontent which led to a proposal by a group of committed Liverpool fans to buy out the club and run it as a co-operative. The proposal was passed onto blogs and their readers who crashed the group's website.
June 1, 2007
We are back up again
We apologize for the hiatus as our bandwidth provider bailed on us. Our postings will resume shortly with all the great videos and commentary.
February 16, 2007
Site Review: Sportscheat.org
Here's an interesting site dedicated to fighting cheating in the Premiership.
Midnightjester (not his real name, or is it?) wants you to:
(1) sign a petition against cheating,
(2) send emails to the FIFA, the FA and Barclays, sponsors of the Premiership, and
(3) boycott products that sponsor cheats
SoccerBlog.com support this grass roots effort. Visit the site and get involved!
September 19, 2006
A New Chelsea Blog
A new Chelski blog with quality photos!
Check out bluechampions.com...
July 16, 2006
Site Review: Keeper-Skool.com
Check out John Stevanja's site: www.keeper-skool.com.
If you're remotely interested in getting in shape, or learning more about the fine art of goalkeeping, this is a great, straight-talking, no-nonsense site for goalies and fitness fanatics in general.
A sample of his posts:
- Be An Egg Head...For Proteins Sake!
- Worst Goalkeeper Ever Drives Debate At digg
- Protein Hype: Do You Really Need It?
- Buffon Wins World Cup 2006 Best Goalkeeper
- Why Goalkeeper Fitness Is So Different
- Don't Blame The Ref: They Are Human Too!
- Forza Italia: World Cup 2006 Champions
- Strength Training = Better Soccer
- Healthy Fats From Fruit?
Stevanja's been around the block:
- Sydney United Representative (Australian Premier League) (1995-97)
- Dinamo Zagreb [Croatia] Juniors (1995-96)
- Represented Australia in the Kvarnerska Riviera Tournament (Croatia) (1996)
- NSW (District) schoolboy representative, selected for Australian schoolboys (1996)
- Marconi Representative (Australian Premier League) (1998-99)
- Sutton United FC (Southern Nationwide Conference)[Training] (2004)
- Bury FC (English Premiership Division 2)[Assessment & Trial] (2004)
- Dulwich Hill (NSW Winter Super League) (2005)
And here's what he says about his qualifications:
"I am a fully qualified Fitness Instructor, with international certification from FISAF. There is the link. This is what I have dedicated my blog to. Scientific principles that adhere to the art of goal keeping. You might not think this, but we as goalkeepers are a very unique breed. Therefore, we deserve very specific and unique advice on how to excel in our position."
Learn more, and check it out >>
June 24, 2006
Sweden vs Germany: This might go to a penalty shootout.
Sweden meets Germany, round of 16, today, June 24 in Munich at 5:00 PM German time (11:00 AM EST)
Germany- Sweden head to heads:
31 matches, with 12 wins each, and 7 draws. Germany has scored 56 goals and conceded 53.
The Germany vs Sweden matches have always run close. This Swedish team has its share of offensive weapons with Ibrahamovic, Ljungberg, and Larsson. Marcus Allbeck filling in for Ibrahamovic scored a beautiful header against England. Larsson has been missing in action in the last couple of games but if he comes alive, he could provide Sweden with most of its chances.
Klose has been absolutely phenomenal in front of goal. He also does not hesitate to come out to midfield to create his own chances. Swedish goalie Isaksson has to be on top of his game. Edman and Lucic who effectively shut down England's attack on the right have to contend with Schneider and Ballack.
Germany: Lehmann, Friedrich, Metzelder, Mertesacker, Lahm, Schweinsteiger, Frings, Ballack, Schneider, Podolski, Klose.
Subs: Jansen, Huth, Kehl, Nowotny, Hanke, Neuville, Kahn, Asamoah, Hitzlsperger, Borowski, Odonkor, Hildebrand.
Sweden: Isaksson, Alexandersson, Mellberg, Lucic, Edman, Ljungberg, Linderoth, Kallstrom, Jonson, Ibrahimovic, Larsson.
Subs: Nilsson, Anders Svensson, Alvbage, Hansson, Stenman, Karl Svensson, Elmander, Andersson, Allback, Wilhelmsson, Rosenberg, Shaaban.
Referee: Carlos Eugenio Simon (Brazil)
Penalty shootout stats:
Germany are the best when it comes to winning matches decided by penalty shootout having won all three and converting 13 out of 14. Sweden has also won its only match decided by penalty shootout.
Germany won the World Cup in 1954, 1974, and 1990. Sweden's best finish is second place to Brazil in 1958.
June 19, 2006
Somewhere Down Under A Cabbie Talks Soccer
Here's a great blog from a taxi-driver in Oz.
He finds the positives in the Socceroo loss to Brazil.
Great attitude. We all need some of this!
June 9, 2006
ESPN's coverage of the World Cup: A tip of the hat
ESPN's pair of experts Eric Wynalda and Julie Foudy worked well together in the opener. It's a good team as Foudy is a very well respected player in the soccer world and an icon for all women soccer players. Plus, she has started her own Julie Foudy leadership academy which mentors budding soccer players. Eric Wynalda is MLS alltime scorer.
ESPN put together a nice profile of US Soccer just now- with the Paul Caliguiri shocker against T&T to the present day squad with Oguchi Onyewu.
Soccer Blogging in the Main Stream Media
I must say I'm excited about the MSM getting into soccer blogging. Here are the top MSM soccer blogs. Visit them, then come back to us - the onle and only true soccer blog!
Washington Post: they've been at it longer and do it better than the rest.
NY Times World Cup Blog: not bad, considering they don't know their blogs. They've confused Soccer Bob's World Cup blog with FIFA's world cup blog (there is no FIFA world cup blog).
BBC World Cup Blog: Fairly lame so far, although they have a number of journalists signed up to "do some blogging."
International Herald Tribune: Thanks to their lone blogger, Roger Cohen, the IHT has a blog. I like it quite a bit, though.
USA Today World Cup Blog: Better than most.
Houston Chronicle: They play soccer in Texas? Actually this is a Brain-Ching-centric blog...
AND THE WINNER IS: none of the above.
Probably the most interesting blog out there is the personal blog of Tony Karon (who sometimes guest blogs on this site). Karon is a senior editor at TIME, so the mainstream media actually do have the talent, they just don't use it.
Please let us know if you have other MSM blogs you like, dear readers!
June 7, 2006
Tim & Fabi: Brazilian Husband, English Wife!
"Tim is English and Fabiana Brazilian. Four years ago in Korea they were at the same stadium watching Brazil overcome Turkey with no knowledge of each others presence. The following year they met each other on a boat in Tokyo and by a strange twist of fate are now living happily married in Brazil. This could all change though this summer as England and Brazil head for a semi final show down in Germany. In the land of the Novela this could be the greatest story line yet!" - brazilianworldcupdivorce.blogspot.com
May 30, 2006
Soccer on Your PC - Brazil, England Today
Who said you can't bring your soccer to work?
Now you can watch them all at your PC:
Brazil – FC Lucern
Germany – Japan
England – Hungary
Czech Republic – Costa Rica
Click here >>
May 28, 2006
Cologne: The place to party at the World Cup
RhineEnergie Stadium- Cologne's World Cup venue
The NYT travel section has an article of where to base yourself in Germany for all the World Cup action. And their choice is Cologne. I could hardly argue that. One of Europe's prettiest and historical cities. With an active night life and a thriving art and culture scene. It is well connected to most of the other venue cities and is a short ride from each one of them. But the biggest reason: The Brazilians have made it their hub.
And the reason for their choice? A fluke encounter between Pope Benedict and Pele at the Dom. That was watched by all of Brazil on the news. So Catholicism and soccer came together and Cologne was the beneficiary. And so, Cologne will be playing host next month to 5,000 Brazilians in all their samba drumming, midriff baring glory.
For more on Cologne
May 12, 2006
Movie Trailer: Once in a Lifetime
Back in the day. It was the New York Cosmos that brought soccer to America, leading with Pele - the game's biggest ambassador. Joining him were Beckenbauer, Cruyff, Chinaglia, Carlos Alberto and a supporting cast of crazies. Now it's all on film, a documentary due for release on the 19th of this month in the UK.
Visit the film's official site here>>
There's a lesson here for the Red Bulls. The Cosmos may have failed at a business model, but they succeeded as a brand. I bet you Beckenbauer is going to bring some fireworks back to New York after the World Cup.
We just have to wait and see...
April 26, 2006
Julie Foudy starts a soccer academy
Julie Foudy, the hard running veteran of women's soccer is starting an academy that will teach soccer skills and leadership to girls from the ages of 12 to 18. The theme is bigger than just soccer and is focused on developing one's outlook towards life taking the lessons learned through soccer. (NY Times, Apr 26)
Remember those glory days of Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy, Brandi Chastain, Michelle Akers, Shannon McMillan and Briana Scurry.
For those interested, you can learn more at Juliefoudyleadership.com
Julie Foudy will be speaking at the Peddie School in Hightstown, N.J. this Friday at 7:30 PM. For reservations call:
(609)490-7550
April 12, 2006
Check out this Live Blogging Report
Bob over at WorldCupBlog is a funny guy:
"1-1 final. US looks dreadful. Jamaica looks dreadful. Tony Meola should never, ever play for the US again. After losing 4-1 to Germany and drawing against Jamaica the US is now ranked 3rd in the world. Thanks for joining in folks. I’m sorry that you spent the last 90 minutes watching that."
I loved his minute-by-minute description of the US-Jamaica "friendly."
March 29, 2006
The History of the World Cup (a German perspective)
Fo an interesting look at the history of the World Cup check out this special ARD website- a summary of every World Cup- from 1930 to 2002. The one catch, it's in German. But I think it's very well done...
OK- you see what I'm talking about >>
March 28, 2006
Soccer Market: World Cup Stock Trading Starts Soon
STOCCER is an international forecasting market for the soccer world cup 2006 in Germany where soccer fans all over the world can trade virtual stocks e.g. of national teams and in this manner predict the outcome of the tournament as precisely as possible.
The project is a collaborative effort between the universities of Karlsruhe and Frankfurt a.M. and is promoted by Germany's Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).
I love it! "World Cup" trading starts in less than 50 days...
Visit STOCCER>> (hat-tip to Thorsten Wiesel)
March 21, 2006
The World is Round: About Soccerblog.com
"Time is an awkard inconvenience between football matches," said the french existentialist Albert Camus. He should know- he was a goalkeeper! And not just for the team down the street.
As goalkeeper for Algeria, Camus found the missing link between football and existentialism: "All I know most surely about morality and obligations, I owe to football." And went on to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.
Name another sport where the goalie wins the Nobel Prize. I dare you!
That's why we're here. This site is a site about life, or soccer, as we call it.
The history, the players, the teams, the experiences -- the meaning behind the beautiful game.
Join us on our journey. Don't be a stranger!
PS: Tom Friedman -- the word is not flat, it is round.