Total Futbol

Venezuela v. Honduras tonight @Lockhart.

Looking for something to do on this soggy night? Venezuela, fresh off a Copa America semifinal, plays Honduras tonight in a friendly at Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. A large, and spirited crowd is expected.

Real Madrid signs 7-year-old! Bradley to Egypt?

Hey there Soccer-holics. Just getting back from vacation.

In case you missed it, here is my Sunday column addressing Miami's MLS hopes and new US coach Jurgen (no umlaut anymore) Klinsmann. Do you agree? Disagree? Let me know. Would love to get more conversation going on this blog. Don't be afraid. Jump right in. Just keep it clean and respectful.

In other news, soccer matches all over London have been canceled today due to rioting. Very, very sad. London -- one of the great cities of the world -- is burning. Hope it stops soon.

Also read today that Real Madrid signed a 7-year-old! No, I'm not kidding. A 7-year-old Argentine kid signed with Real Madrid today. And his nickname is...Leo!  Read all about him here!

Finally, word is that former US coach Bob Bradley is in talks with Egypt about becoming their coach. Good man. Wish him well wherever he lands.

Chivas stuns Barca 4-1!!

Hi from Sun Life Stadium..place is rocking! Crowd of 70,080 is largest for soccer match in state history! Heavy traffic getting here. A sea of Barca jerseys in the stands (mostly Messi's No. 10)

Barca's starting 11: Pinto, Piqué, Thiago, Xavi, Villa, Keita, Dos Santos, Abidal, Fontàs, Carmona, Cuenca

Chivas starting 11: Michel, DeLuna, Reynoso, Araujo, Esparza, Fabian, Arellano, Medina, Ponce, Baez, Mejia

National anthem. Fireworks! Here we go...

 Chivas nearly takes lead in second minute, but Barca defender Abidal clears it off line in time.

David Villa GOOOAL! fourth minute. Barca 1, Chivas 0.

Halftime: Barca 1, Chivas 0.

Second half: Xavi, Villa, Pique out. Iniesta, Pedro, Busquets in.

60th minute, Chivas SCORES! Golazo by Marco Fabian, into upper left corner to tie the score 1-1.

63rd minute. WOW! Fabian finds back of net again, this one on a gorgeous scissor kick to give Chivas 2-1 lead. Crowd, stunned, begins to chant "Barca!"

72nd minute. Chivas strikes again! Giovanni Casillaas scores to make it 3-1.

And the Mexican team isn't done yet...Jose Luis Verduzco scores in extra time and it's 4-1 Chivas over Barca. Crowd -- and Barca bench -- are stunned. Exhibition, yes. But nobody expected this score.

Thoughts?

MagicJack owner strikes back at WPS charges

From Dan Borislow, owner of MagicJack, responding to Women's Professional Soccer press release below...

"The management of the league is a lot better at lying than running a professional sports league.If you read my request for injunction,you will see that I signed this under penalty of the law.I am sure they would not do the same.Although this does not contain near all the issues ,it gives a good indication of what I have been going through and I suggest you read it.

 

It is ironic that the person being quoted for the league ,is the same person paying players an amount below the poverty line.Further,the comments about the players are an absolute lie.There isnt one player we know of that signed the grievance and the National team players were shocked to see it after the fact.We cut six players in a short period of time,and I am sure between them and a conspiracy with the league that is where the grievance eminated. My players are the highest paid players with the best benefits.Although they are the highest paid,Abby,Hope,Christie and Megan combined do not make what Anne Marie makes and that is a crying shame.

 

The largest lie,is similar to what happened during the World Cuop,where the National team members got an email before the Brazil game threatening them with not having a job and a place to sleep.I refused to answer this grievance while the women were away at the World Cup,no matter what penalty they would give me.I refused because I did not want them distracted where the league and the Union couldn't care less.The largest lie is they were not threatening to take the team away at the end of the season like their letter purports,they were going to take away the team this week.

 

Lastly,lets figure out who was right and wrong about what is best.We have sold out every stadium we play in without any advertising.I begged them not to play while the World Cup was going on.I said it's like me selling a phone service ,but only offering incoming calls and not outgoing calls.How many times would you try it.One and done is the answer.The attendance and the product were absolutely terrible during the World Cup.On top of it,the attendance is a huge lie.The paid attendance is probably half of what you see on the site and some teams just outright inflate the attendance.Meanwhile,the league is selling franchises based upon these numbers and I absolutely refuse to be part of that too.It's fraud,just like the way they induced me into the league.So anyway,I told the league you must embrace the WNT and it's players,it's our only hope.I was talking into deaf ears for the most part.I donated my field and hotel rooms to the WNT for three weeks before they went to Germany and did almost exactly what I thought best for the WNT.That is our bread and butter.So all those Borislow this and that and all their lies,who was right?Who wants our team in their stadium?Who got the attendance for their games?who is showing the best product to the audience?

 

So the good news I guess,Is that the WPS changed their mind and doesn't want to screw up US soccer and the beautiful sport during the year after reconsidering how much damage it would do.I beggeed them for months to not let this happen and told them how stupid they were.Isnt it further ironic,that the thing I got penalized for was the lack of contact with the media,but when I wanted to tell the truth and talk to the media,they wanted to take our team.They just wanted to keep on getting their paycheck and not come up with a sound business model and take the shortcut and find some other suckers.They should have embraced the WNT ,come up with a sound business model and presented it to the USSF to get help.If I was the USSF,seeing this league flounder around like this with these hateful clueless people and ridiculous overhead,(God man,we have only 50 or so games and each one cost us $20,000.00 in league overhead alone)I wouldn't go near this with a 1,000 foot pole.

 

I challenge anybody from the league to get on a lie detector test with me.Who are they to challenge me anyway when they leach off soccer and collect money,when I have in essence donated over $1.5 million to soccer.I Love this sport,it is my salvation and solitude.It is everything that is good.

 

This response was written within minutes and is all over the place,feel free to post it anyway.I just wanted to add,I know that Boston,New York,New Jersey and some degree Philadelphias heart is in the right place.They have been drug around by a group of haters and bottom feeders.It is no wonder why so many teams bailed and two of the owners have stayed completely out of this mess.

 

Dan"

 

MagicJack to fold?

The Women's Professional Soccer league and Dan Borislow, the unorthdox, controversial owner of the Boca Raton-based MagicJack team, have been feuding for quite some time, and it appears the league is so fed up it is seeking to terminate the club after this season. Here is today's press release from the league...

"Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) holds all teams and owners to a uniform professional standard, and all owners must agree to those standards in order to play in the League. When Dan Borislow took over as the majority owner of the Washington Freedom (now magicJack) franchise, Mr. Borislow had an obligation to follow, and embrace these standards and to honor the franchise’s commitments to the League, players and sponsors.

Mr. Borislow has failed to honor his commitments to the detriment of the League, our players and our partners. From unprofessional and disparaging treatment of his players to failure to pay his bills, Mr. Borislow’s actions have been calculated to tarnish the reputation of the League and damage the League’s business relationships. Now, Mr. Borislow has filed a baseless legal action against WPS. The League is not intimidated by Mr. Borislow’s unfounded claims and will not tolerate his mistreatment of players and flouting of the rules.

Mr. Borislow is asking a Florida court to bar the League from exercising its right to terminate his franchise at the end of the season for breach of his contractual obligations. No such entitlement exists under League contracts, and Mr. Borislow’s many contractual breaches more than justify any decision by the League to terminate his franchise.

“It is disappointing that rather than run a professional organization and partner with his fellow owners, Mr. Borislow has chosen to threaten the League by filing this action,” said WPS Board Chairman and Atlanta Beat Owner, T. Fitz Johnson. “All of us at WPS are involved in this business because we love the sport, we are committed to our incredible athletes and fans, and we know that there is a permanent place in sports for the women’s professional game.”

“We continue to focus on our world-class athletes and their accomplishments, and we won’t let the antics of one owner steal the moment from them and from our fans,” said Anne-Marie Eileraas, CEO, Women’s Professional Soccer. “We will defend the League against Mr. Borislow’s latest attack and will continue to hold all of our teams to the same professional standards in order to protect our players, fans, teams, partners and the integrity of the sport.”

It would truly be a shame if the two sides can't work this out. In the wake of the Women's World Cup buzz, MagicJack has been a hot ticket. The club drew a league-record 15,404 in Rochester (Abby Wambach's hometown) for a game against Western NY, drew 9,345 for a game in Atlanta, and last week drew team-record crowds of 3,200 at FAU for their first two home games since the World Cup.

 They have a home game tonight at 7 against New Jersey. Stay tuned!

 

Who will win? Barca or Chivas?

Barca training at UM

Well, the media was told not to publicize where Barca is practicing, but MLS mentioned in a press release that Barca trained at UM, and UM put out a press release about the Barca practices, so...cat's out of the bag. Here's the UM release...

FC Barcelona went through an array of running and passing drills during the hour-long session.

Team captain Carles Puyol was seen working with Barça’s personal trainers, jogging around Cobb Stadium and stretching as part of his rehabilitation from a knee injury. The rest of the club used much of the session to work on short-range passing drills, a testament to the team’s trademark possession game.

Midfielder Xavi Hernandez practiced at full speed, evidence that the starter is recovering nicely from a leg injury that has kept him from preseason play. Meanwhile, starters Gerard Piqué, Andrés Iniesta and David Villa mixed it up with newcomers Thiago Alcántara do Nascimiento and Ibrahim Afellay. Head coach Pep Guardiola looked on and periodically corrected some of the younger members of the roster.

A crowd of about 50 fans gathered outside the gates of Cobb Stadium to show their support, while an almost equal number of reporters interviewed midfielder Seydou Keita following the team’s work out.  

The club will return to Miami’s facilities three more times during the days leading up to their matchup against Mexican squad Chivas de Guadalajara at Sun Life Stadium on Wednesday.

Fans can check out the award-winning Cobb Stadium and the Hurricanes Soccer team in person when the Canes open their home schedule on Aug. 19 against the University of Florida at 7 p.m.

Barca's in town! Chivas arrives today!

Barcelona was scheduled to arrive in Miami Sunday night, and has a training session scheduled for this morning. Sorry, public is not invited. Heard a few players will make an appearance at Soccer Locker on US-1 near Dadeland between 11 a.m. and noon.

Chivas arrives this afternoon.

Word is, 60,000 tickets have been sold for Wednesday night's game at Sun Life Stadium.

Should be a blast! I am on vacation, but will  be back in time for the game. Check the Herald next few days for full coverage.