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Well I hope everyones holidays were wonderful and everyone was able to spend time with the ones they love.  It is the start of 2007 and we have already had some excitement in the league...$250 million dollars worth of excitement! David Beckham is coming to the MLS!!!  I think that this will be good for MLS and will definately help the sport of soccer grow in the U.S.  Obviously he is a great player and will hopefully bring positive attention to the MLS.  Now that it is coming to the end of January, all the players are gettting ready for preseason and the start of the season. I think 2007 is going to hold a lot of surprises for the league and the fans.  Last year was just a sign as to how much better all the teams are and how close the playoff race will be for this year.  Being a young player it is very exciting to see the growth of soccer in the US and being able to play against world class players. 

   Now I know Chivas USA has just named our 4th coach in just only our 3rd year, but when you have to replace your coach becasue he is the new national team coach....I think it is ok. Preki is going to have some big shoes to fill after Bob Bradley, but I know that he will do a great job.  We have a lot of players returning, but will have to replace some holes left by Paco and Juan Pablo.  It is going to be an exciting year for us and hopefully we can get back to playoffs and play for a championship!  

  It is still early and will be writing about how preseason and the rest of our preparation for 2007 is going, but until then I hope everyone is enjoying the year 2007 and is looking forward to the start of the season.  Feel free to write back and let me know what you think of the upcoming year and everything that is going on in the league.

Week one of the playoffs are through, and for us(Chivas and all of our supporters) we are heading down to Houston with a 2-1 advantage, but it is not going to be easy.  The playoffs bring a different atmosphere, a feeling about the game that you can not get in practice or the regular season.  It is all or nothing, win or go home, and it is truly going to be a great weekend of soccer in the US. 

Well, as I was surfing the web, I came across the adidas web page and noticed they have this new link for their soccer section,  www.mlsmashups.com .  I did not know what this was, but after checking it out, it is unbelievable.  I would definately recommend everyone to check it out.  I'm not going to tell you everything about it because I want you to experience it for yourself, but I will say it is sweet. 

 Basically, ADIDAS has teamed up with different bands to represent each MLS team and every week they are going to have highlight clips of the games combined with the music of that team.  As a player, watching those types of videos, it gets you pumped and ready to play not only for your teammates, but for your city and fans!!! 

I just wanted to let all you soccer fans out there to check this out because it is definitley worth it!  I hope that everyone will be out in full force this week representing their city and their team. I know our fans will be out in Houston in full effect.  Whatever happens this weekend to your team, you still have to be excited about playoff time in the MLS. With every year, soccer is becoming bigger and bigger and with Adidas presenting the sweet new mash-ups it is only helping our sport!!

Well once again, it is that time of year for the MLS, playoff time! I know that there are only four games left in the season, but it is going to come down to the very last minute of the very last game.  The way the playoff race is going, you can't even begin to predict who is going to make the final four spots.  Although it looks like DC and Chicago are in at first and second, the other two spots are up for grabs.  Now to the west, I'm sure Dallas is going to get in, but after that it is a toss up.  I know all of us at Chivas are confident that we will get in, but we just have to take one gae at a time.  It is going to be very close and extremely exciting for the fans!  We all know, once you get into the playoffs, anythign is possible.  It doesn't matter if you are the number one seed or the at the four spot, all it takes is one and it is over for your team. 

What has everyone enjoyed most about the regular season?  What were the top five goals?  I know there were many and I know there will be some special ones to come, but are the any that compare to the top goal nominations from last year?  I would love to hear back from everyone and hear your thoughts and opinions on everything!

What a match! Although I was cheering for France, I was not sure they were going to make when Italy had three great chances on set pieces.  France looked to be struggeling, but just when you would think they were down and out, Zidane would show his brilliance and start the attack for France.  It was a great game, until Zidane, the golden ball winner, lost his cool and drove his head into the chest of Materazzi.  It was not the smartest play by the best player of the tournament, but know one knows what was said between the two of them. I am not saying that is an excuse to do what he did, I firmly believe he deserved a red for that, but Zidane has done so much for the game and has received so much respect from his piers that something must have happened. It was sad to see him leave the game on that note, but that just shows you that it doesn't matter who you are, noone is above the rules. How was everyone's world cup experience?  I had a great month of watching the games, most of the time at my teammates house, Jesse Marsch.  We would BBQ and watch the games before and after practice.  It was awesome!  What did everyone else do?  What was everyone thinking when the final went to penalties, I was thinking France was going to pull it off, especially with Italy's past in pks.  I'm looking forward to hearing from more people to see what they thought of the game and the tournament.  I love reading everyone's emails. 

I can't believe that the World Cup 2006 is almost over, one more game!   But I will tell you what, there have definately been some great games, great goals, and terrible officiating!!!  How about the semi-finals, the Germany-Italy game was unbelievable!  I was in shock when Italy scored, literally my jaw dropped and I couldn't believe the host country was out.  It was a great goal, and as for the second one, Germany had to push forward to try to equalize. It did not matter if they lost 1-0 or 2-0, but to think that they were 2 minutes from penalties, that would have been something spectacular to watch!  Thank God for tivo, otherwise I would not have been able to see the 2nd game. Although Carvalho admitted to making contact with Henry, I'm not sure about the pk call.  I think at that moment you have to let the game be decided by the players. Unless it is an obvious call, you have to let play continue.  Being an official is very hard as you are always going to upset one side.  But in this world cup, they were AWFUL!  I truly believe FIFA has to go back and look at some of the officials they chose and bad them from the sport! haha!   Now that we all know that this will be Zidanes last game, or atleast that is what he is saying, I have to go for France! What a way to go out, world cup champion, that would just be great as we all know how magnificent of a player he is!  He is so comfortable on the ball in the middle of the field that he makes the game look so easy. He may not have all the glamour that Ronaldinho has, but he makes everything so smooth and fluid!  Right now I still have to think that Maxi Rodriguez's goal in the 98 minute was the goal of the tournament. To take the ball out of the air and then have a beautiful strike on goal to win the game.   Goal of the tournament...........so far!  I know that we the fans are going to be in for a great final from two teams that not many people expected to be playing in!  I am truly looking forward to some great football. All I would say is to soak it all up as the next world cup game won't be for another 4 years!!!    I would love to hear who everyone is picking to win it all and what their best moments of the cup were, let me know!  I enjoy hearing from everyone and love reading everyones thoughts about the games! 

It is saturday afternoon and one that was filled with soccer! I need to be honest here, I did predict Argentina to win it all, but now that they are out, since they can not take a penalty, I am going to go with the host, Germany.  While watching Brazil play throughout the tournament, I just did not think they had it in them to repeat, and as we all saw today the better team won, France. It is hard to think that with all the offensive attacking options, they really did not have too many dangerous chances.  I think  England is just cursed, everytime going to penalties, losing each time!!!  I don't think that they were confident after the 2nd overtime knowing their past when going into pk's.  Who do you think is going to win it all?  An all European final four it will be interesting to see the different styles of football between the teams.  How is everyone's world cup experience going, we have been traveling and watching a lot of the games in the airports, but as long as we get to see them, I'm happy!!!    So I'm not a huge video game player, mostly Tiger Woods, it's relaxing(haha) but has anyone played the new XBOX  World Cup Germany 2006!  It's UNREAL! The graphics are unbelievable, and the fact that you are able to practice with your team before a game or the start of the tournament is pretty sweet.  Sorry Tiger, you just got bumped back to the shelf!!  I would definately go out and get it, I did and am loving it!!  Hope everyone has a great Fourth of July weekend and enjoy the semi-finals!  It feels like only yesterday the tournament was starting.     Look forward to hearing from everyone, Adios! 

Well it is back to the drawing board and hopefully in another four years we can have a better showing. The US just didn't play their best soccer and at this level you need to play well and have a little luck. The luck part definately was not on our side and the officiating was HORRIBLE.  Yes we can argue the pk and many other calls, but at the end of the day we did not play our best.  As I said last week, we have been on the road since last tuesday, 2 ties on the road aren't too bad, so we watched the game in a restaurant in the Denver airport. There just happened to be a man from Ghana watching the game there as well.  Although he was not afraid to express his excitement for them when they score, he also knew that he should applaud when the US scored, as we all gave him "the eye."  It was very disappointing for everyone!  The next big game for us and my teammates was the Argentina and Mexico game.  All I can say is,
world class futbol on the world stage, that is how the game should be played, fast pace, great passing, great goals! The 2nd goal for Argentina was for me ,so far the goal of the tournamnet. Unbelievable strike, that not many goalkeepers, if any would save!  From here on out, the games are do or die and I have a feeling they are going to be tremendous, no more butt kickings!  As I sit here and watch the Australia and Italy match, I am reminded that on any given day, anyone can win. 

One last thing before I go, I know there are a lot of soccer crazies out there and over the last year many of the great soccer clubs around the world have come to the US to play. Again, Chelsea is coming to play the All-Star team in Chicago and through ADIDAS you have the chance to have the soccer trip of your life.  A trip for 2, 2 VIP tickets at the new stadium, meet and greet Pablo Mastroeni, I mean ADIDAS is hooking it up! Check it out http://adidas.eprize.net/mlsallstar/index.tbapp?affiliate_id=1c&affiliat <http://adidas.eprize.net/mlsallstar/index.tbapp?affiliate_id=1c&affiliate_id=1c>     Well my friends until next time, enjoy the world cup, even though the US is out, and enjoy the most popular sport in the world!!!  

Wow! I just got back home from watching the game and well for those of you that missed the US game this afternoon, you missed a thriller.  After the first 15 minutes one would have thought that the US had the game in the bag, zipping around the field, pressuring all over, shooting,  but that is when the referee decided that he wanted to play a part in the game.  When the ref gave the red card to Italy, everything seemed like it would be ok, even though being down 1-0 was not the best situation.  I have to say that was a bad foul and after seeing McBrides face, it was deserved!  Then a questionable play by Pablo left the US at 10 men also.  "OK OK no problem" is what myself and about half of our team were saying at the Home Depot Center as we watched the game.  Go into halftime tied......."we can do this!"    When the ref showed Pope the red in the 46 min. we all almost broke the tv as gatorade bottles, cups, anything in our grasp was thrown at it!!!  What a bad call, maybe it is a foul, but definately not a red.  After holding on for 45 minutes and having a goal called back, I thought the US did alright and will have their hands full with Ghana.  Now we just have to win and win by a lot and hope that everything else falls into place. 

I was glad to hear some responses about the games and all of the world class goals! Sometimes I can not believe that certain plays even happen, these guys make it look sooooo easy!!!!  One thing that I like most about the Cup and soccer in general is that anyone can win on any given day, just look at the Czech and Ghana game, 2-0!!!!   Well, we (US) just need to bring our 'A' game and not hold anything back! Go USA!!!

 The next couple of weeks are going to be a little hectic for me as I will be on the road for the majority of the next 3 weeks.  We have a lot of games on saturdays and wednesdays, so if I do not respond right away to your comments or emails, be patient with me, I will do my best.  Well that it is it for now, look forward to hearing from everyone!     USA USA USA

 BG

 After a long tough weekend for Chivas USA, losing to Dallas 2-1 in what seemed to be 120 degree weather, the USA lose their opening game of the World Cup.  Before I start to talk about the US game, let me inform all of you that the hotel we were at in Dallas did not have ESPN 2 therefore making it a little more difficult then planned to see the games. Some of the guys went to local sports bars to watch the early games and thankfully the Mexico game was on ABC as many of our players were excited to see them do well. So our plane was to leave Dallas at the exact time of the start of the US game.  Many of us were disappointed knowing that we would miss the game and definately find out the score before watching the game.  Well, our flight was delayed and we were able to watch the first half of the game. As we all know, we only needed to watch the first 5 minutes to realize it was going to be a long day!  As many people have already said, the US did not look good and is certainly going to need a better showing against Italy to have any chance of getting out of the group and going on to the next round.  While we were at the airport we were able to catch the 2nd half of the Australia game and boy oh boy! For them to come back from 1-0 and win 3-1 with only 15 minutes left was pretty cool!  That is what the World Cup is about, upsets, great goals, and great soccer!!!  The game of soccer is so beautiful that on any given day anyone can win!     What games have you enjoyed most so far of the tournament?   Who do you think has the goal of the Cup so far?  With the new Adidas ball they are using, there is a lot of movement and making it great for the attackers!!! (Not so great for the goalkeepers, as I know from experience)   Let me know how your World Cup experience is going so far, how you are watching the games, who you are cheering for, etc...   Also, since I know everyone is a soccer fan that is reading this, check out the new Adidas website for player interviews, videos, and gear!!!  IT IS SWEET!!!   www.adidas.com/mls    Lets all hope that the US comes ready to play in their next 2 games so hopefully we can advance.  It will be a tough challenge, but  Impossible is Nothing!!!!      Look forward to hearing from you all!

  BG