You kids are coming of age in a world where everything you could want to hear is a tap away.
“Yeti song!” tap and we sing. “Harry Potter book!” Tap and we hear it. “Not that one, #3!!!” Tap tap, fixed.
This isn’t to start a “back in my day” whine session (it was pretty easy in my day frankly {open, slide, slide, push} but your grannies could bend your ear about it).
Instead this is a note about what it means to be that easy, and what we can do for it.
Dear Boys,
If you had told 11 year old me “tap and you can hear five soccer stories from all around the world” I would have been stunned. But when the tap to play revolition began in earnest (about 11 years ago) that was one of the first things I found.
The BBC World Service, a radio station for (as the name implies) the whole world, hosted one of the first podcasts I listened to. For the last decade plus almost every week has included the reminder “world service, world football.”
Robben Island (from Britannica)
I heard the vintage voice of Alan Green bring to life a visit to Robben Island prison in South Africa. The island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned, but found solace in watching the soccer matches that inmates held.
I heard the dulcet tones of Mani Djazmi narrate the experience of going to the World Cup to cheer your favorite side (Iran in his case) even if you can’t see.
I heard interviews with legends, and conversations with modest amateurs. Every report felt important from Samoa’s experience with a gender fluid athlete, to the memories of a globe trotting coach fleeing a dangerous regime. In a world where there’s fierce competition to cover the biggest games and attract the most eyes, World Football was an oasis of opportunity for everyone.
As Mani Djazmi said in the last episode
“We’ve had stories and contributors from at least 160 countries and territories as we’ve tried to shine a light on stories that were beyond the top five European leagues and Champions League. Every week you’ve allowed us into your lives, hopefully as friends…”
World Football “The Final Goodbye” 3.24.23
That friendship is truly one of the main drivers in me writing these recaps and essays for you boys. At times growing up, I felt alone and uncomfortable because while boys my age in my town were fighting over tiny insults or trading pictures of cheerleader teams, I was imagining what it would be like to watch Carlos Valderamma in the green hills of Colombia, or to wear my green Diadora jacket down a snowy Manchester street with knowing nods, or even general indifference (in Montana it reliably led kids to shout “diarrhea” every time I walked by–like I said, I felt uncomfortable).
From Left Heather O’Reilly, Pat Nevin, Mani Djazmi and Peter Odemwinge (from World Football on Twitter)
I hope that, by connecting you two to soccer stories and struggles all around the world, you can see those connections. You can recognize that whether you like soccer, or astronomy, or imagining that you’re an ice princess, you can connect with people far beyond your house, your street, your school.
More than amusement, your connection to the world in all its beauty and difficulty is just a tap away.
World Football’s niche programming, like many shows of the World Service, was cut back recently. I’ll likely go several months between rounds of Mani, and Pat, and Hey-o connecting themselves, and me, to the wider footballing world.
But the connections are still there, even if you don’t grab them every day. Just knowing that we are connected is a comfort.
For the Oaxacans it’s lost two, drawn four, won bupkus. It’s been tough for them to find the net let alone the knock out punch. [Insert heavy sigh here]
Rosenborg 2 – 1 Vålerenga [F]
In need of a rebound, RBK got it against one of the other Big 4 in the Toppserien. Substitute Sarah Kanutte Fornes delivered the late winner to rally the squad for the rush to the finale.
Freiburg 0 – 1 Eintracht Frankfurt [F]
The ladies of Breigsau held on for a good long while, but couldn’t get the ball over the line.
Grenoble 1 – 0 ASPTT Albi [F]
Les grenobloises got their season off to a solid start. Sherly Jeudy notched the winner and in general the ladies of the Alps celebrated what will *hopefully* be a complete season.
Gonzaga Bulldogs 3 – 0 Montana Grizzlies
The Griz went for the gusto in Spokane, but ended up the worse for wear falling to the tough opponents (Thé Bulldogs now have 22 goals for, 2 against). It’s not been an easy start to the season for the Griz, but with conference play on the horizon, we’ll see how valuable these character building battles have been.
News & Notes
BABY!!!
Grenoble’s return to action came without long time captain Laureen Navas. But with good reason. She has une petite Bebe! A little baby with her own jersey. Start em young!
Get Ready for Chompers
Your favorite tooth brushing companion asked geography questions this week, including one about Oaxaca! It gave me a chance to show you Alebrijes (both real and soccer) and I’ll take that as a win in another rough season for our preferred Mexican side.
Player of the Week
In the interest of spreading the wealth, let’s tip a cap to Sherly Jeudy in Grenoble for starting the season right.
Standings Update
I’m not able to update this week’s standings table, but I can tell you the overall positions didn’t change, but the Griz are at risk of slipping to third.
The last glimmers of Rosenborg’s quest for Europe vanished with their loss at home to the French side. Both the men and women faltered in the past two weeks, but both came closer than any other European side.
Cal Poly Mustangs 2 – 1 Montana Grizzlies
The Griz got their first lead of the season on Sydney Haustein’s first goal (a banger too). But a late defensive miscue led to their third loss of the season (more defeats than the entirety of the spring campaign)
Hasret Kayicki got Freiburg off the mark quickly and on top of the league for 11 glorious minutes. Then the second half started with a Hoffenheim equalizer and hope faded fast.
Stuttgart 2 – 3 Freiburg [M]
Woo-Yong Jeong racked up a brace within 10 minutes to send Freiburg flying past former goalie Florian Muller. Fellow striker Carlo Holse made it three before the trouble started. Stuttgart made a good comeback before the first half ended but Freiburg shut the door in the second half to grab the win.
Sochaux 1 – 0 Grenoble [M]
Grenoble got a win last week but slid right back to losing ways this week. Loic Nestor and Adrien Monfry did well to frustrate Sochaux’s attack…but couldn’t beat back the tide.
Houston 1 – 2 Minnesota United
Adrien Honou found his scoring boots and not a moment to soon as an injury ravaged Loons team got a valuable win to end their dry spell. He didn’t knock in any beauties, but he did what needed to be done with the strong service from Ethan Finlay that made it all possible.
[Rosenborg 0 – 3 Barcelona–F Friendly]
This won’t count in our standings as a victory would have been meaningless, but it’s worth noting that this was the first time one of our teams faced one of the game’s 12 behemoths…it didn’t go well, but now RBK can reset and build up to this level.
Emelec 4 – 0 Olmedo [M]
Beating up on the bottom side put Emelec in first place for the moment, closer to claiming the league title outright. Though with 9 games to go, it’s too early to pop champagne corks in Guayaquil. Joao Rojas remains on fire, as the offense shows no sign of slowing down [they’ve scored two in 5 of the 6 games since the start of phase 2]. Emelec’s performance was about as superlative as it’s possible to be…just enjoy the highlights.
Aberdeen 1 – 1 Ross County
Regan Charles Cook hasn’t gotten his name on here nearly often enough (spotty playing time and teammates’ inconsistent finishing on his key passes hasn’t helped). A solid goal following up on a gilded opportunity gave County hope, but he was unable to haul the staggies over the line. But, frankly, we’re ok with that. (Former Minnesota United player Christian Ramirez struck the equalizer in his enthusiastic door busting style. So this is a time when everybody wins even when no one does)
Viking 2 – 1 Rosenborg [M]
Young midfielder Olaus Jaír Skansen gave a strong showing in the new transfer’s first real runout with Rosenborg. Being tasked with providing the replacement creativity for man crush Cristopher Zachariassen isn’t easy, but he showed good promise… fellow midfield newcomer Pavle Vagic…not so much.
UDG 1 – 1 Alebrijes
So…flipping…close!!!
Oaxaca had a man advantage. They got the lead from Lizandro Echeverria’s solid header with just six minutes to play….and yet…
An 88th minute hand ball from (I think) Adrian Vasquez gave the black lions a valuable penalty that turned into the equalizer and left Alebrijes on 3 points in five matches. [Insert heavy sigh]
Montana Grizzlies 4 – 0 Montana State University-Billings Yellow Jackets
The Griz got their first win of the fall. Yes, it came against a lower Division side. No, it doesn’t outweigh the frustrating narrow losses to tougher opponents. But a Jaden Griggs hat trick, and the defense’s first clean sheet, did the job. So let’s root for positive momentum heading in to next week.
The Red Dragons got a few extra days off and delivered a win over the newly promoted Kolubara to push them into a three game winning streak. The newly promoted Green-Blacks never looked terribly dangerous in attack and often appeared wrong footed in defense. Milos Pantovic carved them up with Nikola Vujnovic and Justas Lasickas providing the goals. Before you could blink Vozdovac is in 5th place
News & Notes
Taking a[n International] break
This week most men’s leagues are taking a break to squeeze in a rapid round of World Cup Qualifiers. Simultaneously, we’ll be trekking to and from Montana for farewells to some extended family. So expect few details and more family time.
The Devil’s Candy
Ronaldo’s mirror likeness
When I was a kid, the first European kit I had that most people recognized was Manchester United. An English team with a chunk of championships, a masterful manager, and ubiquitously famous players. They were easy to dislike.
The last decade has been less kind as managers burn out, famous stars flame out, and champs become chumps (especially as their cross town rivals became a dominant side) . But in the span of a few hours this week they relearned all the disgust and loathing from around the world.
How? By re-signing former star, frequent candidate for worlds best, and maddeningly perfect Physical specimen: Cristiano Ronaldo. Thanks for doing what you always do and making it easy to dislike you Man U.
Player of the Week
There were lots of scoring stars we don’t talk about much this week: Woo-Yong Jeong, Adrien Honou, Jaden Griggs. But we can’t deny that we’ve probably owed a nod to Nikola Vujnovic whose excellent form has hoisted the Red Dragons from the depths of Serbia’s league to the outskirts of the European chase.
Standings Update
Rosenborg’s grasp on the top spot slipped after a rough week and the Griz were there to claw their way back to a tie (only goal differential separates them). The same is true for Punjab and Freiburg where Chencho Gyeltshen’s offense helps keep the goal advantage
The Oaxacans continue to struggle to catch anything remotely resembling a break. Even after another Julio Cesar Cruz equalizer and a Lizandro Echeverria goal to take the lead, they couldn’t hold on. In 360 minutes this season, they’ve lead for 18 of them (5% of the season). Clearly there’s still work to be done in the back.
FC Minsk 1 – 2 Rosenborg [F-Europe]
Rosenborg got to host playoff games en route to the Women’s Champion’s League and they kicked off with a big win over FC Minsk (courtesy of your favorite tandem and mine: Julie Blakstad and Lisa-Marie Utland)
Rennes 2 – 0 Rosenborg [M-Europe]
It’s not terribly surprising that Rosenborg struggled against a team from the top tier of French football. And needing two or more goals at home is something they can manage…if they’re on point. (Sidebar: Baptiste Santamaria made his Rennes debut after leaving Freiburg last week…so, the revolving door of Rennes and our favorite teams remains).
Creighton Bluejays 2 – 1 Montana Grizzlies
The Griz had an adventure getting to Omaha (good thing they’re elite athletes, it made running across Denver Airport a little easier), but once there they gave the bigger program all the could handle. Caitlin Rogers put in an iron woman shift on the back line (going all 108 minutes), and Montana’s own Josie Windaur got her first career goal in the garnet and silver, but in the end the Griz fell on a late winner from Creighton. Still a positive start for the team looking to punch above expectations for the Big Sky Conference.
Nikola Vujnovic kept up his strong form with another goal on a stellar little run. Better still, the Dragons’ defense delivered their first clean sheet of the season.
Freiburg 2 – 1 Dortmund [M]
One of the German giants came to Breisgau and left disappointed. Freiburg got ahead early (thanks Vincenzo) and didn’t let up (that second goal…wowza…Roland Sallai did just about everything). But after epic victories, it’s important not just to talk about the goals that won it, but also the defense that made it possible. So kudos to the defensive core of Phillip Leinhart, Nico Schlotterback, and Christian Gunter for stopping a star studded offense.
Grenoble 2 – 0 Quevilly [M]
The sun lifted les grenoblois off the bottom of the table, and for the first time in forever, everybody seemed to be on point. Mableu, Nestor and Monfray held down the back while Yoric Ravet lead the line with both a goal and an assist. Plus Charles Pickel did his best Jessy Bennet. (It was so convincing that right after the game he got to leave Grenoble!)
Minnesota United 0 – 0 Sporting KC
I was very excited to watch this game with you boys. Covid’s return meant I couldn’t take you. Technology issues meant we missed the first 15 minutes. 10 minutes later you decided you wanted a snack and then forgot about the game to go play in the backyard.
We made the right choice.
Stats suggest the Loons should have scored three goals, instead they got zero. The inability to put the biscuit in the basket is starting to drive even the most loyal fans up a wall…
Levante 4 – 3 Rosenborg [F-Europe]
Rosenborg wasn’t able to launch themselves into the group stages of the women’s champion’s league despite home field advantage as Levante prevailed in an epic encounter. The Troll Jenter were chasing the game for the much of the match and this might be the first time we’ve ever seen Kristine Nostmo so wrong footed and out of her element. (It was also by far the most goals scored against the black and white in our time writing about the team). Again Blakstand and Utland delivered vital goals, but it wasn’t enough and Rosenborg will have to wait a year for a shot at the biggest stage in Europe.
Nueve de Octubre 2 – 2 Emelec [M]
It was definitely a point win for Los bombillos, who looked to be facing their second loss in 2021 Liga Pro (the last one also to Nueve). Down two goals and one player with ten minutes to go, Joao Rojas scored twice on a pair of…close…offsides calls. It was all they needed to salvage a point and keep them in 2nd place.
Ross County 2 – 4 Rangers
I try to be optimistic, but I really doubted County’s ability to keep up with Rangers. Granted, the didn’t really keep up, but they scored twice and weren’t played off their own field so…yeah, I guess…moral victory?
Rosenborg 5 – 0 Odd [M]
The troll boys handled Odd with ease, with Stefano Vecchia notching two goals, Verbjørn Hoff getting two assists and Emil Konradsen Ceide getting one of each. (That even leaves out Noah Holm’s blistering run to score) We hope they still feel fresh for the match with Rennes next week (maybe Vecchia and Ceide merit another runout together…just saying))
Montana Grizzlies 0 – 1 Portland Pilots
While the Pilots have a storied history, their recent past gave the Griz some hope, but it wasn’t to be as both back lines stood tough until a beauty of a curler beat blue haired Elizabeth Todd for a gorgeous winner. Again the Griz were tough against a high profile opponent, and Owen got to watch with me as Taylor Hansen flexed her leadership, Ava Samuelson showcased her fresh flair, and McKenzie Kilpatrick did our name proud.
News & Notes
Gre-NOOOOOOOOO-ble
The French side mired at the bottom of Ligue 2 in desperate need of some good news went and found the opposite this week by sending Charles Pickel to Portugal (immediately after his man of the match performance) and releasing captain and strong defender Jerome Mombris. The comments are a special blend of sports fan frustration and French ennui. We thank Charles and Jerome for their work, and would like to Jerome that Madagascar defenders [like his teammate/pal Romain Metanire] are welcome at Minnesota United…just saying…
The only goal in The Griz’s game this weekend was scored when we were vacuuming (well, I was vacuuming, Owen, you were running away and flopping on any soft surface you could find). The lesson is clear: never vacuum. [Another valuable lesson watching the game, be like the bros who rocked overalls, bare chests, and cowboy hats to a soccer game…that’s how we do soccer in the big MT]
Way to Advertise Women in Europe!
I knew there was some news about Rosenborg facing reigning European women’s champs Barcelona (they meet in a friendly Saturday), but in doing that research I uncovered an utterly unremarked upon entry in the local team history, namely that our favorite lady trolls vied for qualification in Europe this week. Some reviews and the kind public service provided by femfootball let us cover it, but a little too late.
Player of the Week
For 10 weeks, Emelec and Rosenborg have dominated the player of the week conversation. Even when other teams were in action their performances never quite measured up. This week there were great showings from all of Rosenborg and Joao Rojas. But there was also Nikola Vjunovic and Yoric Ravet bringing back some struggling sides. But we’ll go with Christian Gunter who both bottled up Dortmund darling Erling Haaland, delivered some delicious passes, and set a new Freiburg record for appearances en route to their win.
Standings Update
And for the first time in a long time, we have a new leader in the standings!! The pair of defeats dropped the Griz from the top to…well..very nearly the top, as Rosenborg was there to capitalize despite their own inconsistent week. It’s going to be a battle for the top as we enter the final four months of the campaign.
Team
W
D
L
PPG
GFA
GAA
Rosenborg BK
24
4
8
2.11
2.6
1.1
University of Montana
9
0
4
2.08
1.7
0.8
Emelec
21
9
10
1.8
1.6
1.2
Punjab FC–b
7
4
6
1.471
1.2
0.9
Freiburg
14
5
13
1.469
1.6
1.5
Minnesota United
7
7
6
1.40
1.1
1.2
Legon Cities–b
11
6
11
1.39
1.2
1.0
Grenoble Foot
11
8
11
1.37
1.1
1.2
Ross County
8
2
12
1.27
1.2
1.4
FK Vozdovac
8
6
11
1.20
1.0
1.6
Alebrijes
4
9
8
1.00
1.3
2.0
Table Updated 8/24/21 b–Team is between seasons
What’s Next
Wednesday, August 25th
Thursday, August 26th
Rosenborg v. Rennes [M-Europe]
Cal Poly Mustangs v. Montana Grizzlies
Friday, August 27th
Hoffenheim v. Freiburg [F]
Saturday, August 28th
Stuttgart v. Freiburg [M]
FK Vozdovac v Kolubara
Sochaux v. Grenoble [M]
Houston v. Minnesota United
[Rosenborg v. Barcelona–F Friendly]
Sunday, August 29th
Aberdeen v. Ross County
Viking v. Rosenborg [M]
Emelec v. Olmedo
UDG v. Alebrijes
Montana Grizzlies v. Montana State University-Billings Yellow Jackets
With their second loss to Sandviken, there’s no denying it anymore: the unbeatable Rosenborg is not the best team in the Topp Serien. Hard as it is to admit, it does focus the campaign not on staying unbeaten, but on reaching the Champions league (So far, so good)
Niort 1 – 0 Grenoble [M]
Mon dieu. It’s getting grim in Grenoble, as manager Maurizio Jacobacci has yet to win a match and our Alpiners are rooted to the bottom of the table.
Minnesota United 0 – 1 Los Angeles Galaxy
Another week, another Loon’s home match I had to miss. This time there wasn’t much to see as despite a strong defense and the usual Bébelo magic, the Loons couldn’t finish their chances.
Emelec 3 – 0 CSD Macara
Despite being a man down for much of the match (why cleat someone on your run Sebastian Rodriguez…why?), Los Bombillos dominated. Jose Cevallos had become an invaluable target man (just ask Dixon Arroyo), and Facundo Barcelo offers another bolt of speed to burn the opposition. Don’t look now, but Emelec’s just two points off the lead in the league and gunning for a season sweep of trophies.
Vozdovac 3 – 2 Novi Pazar
With Nikola Vujnovic leading the way the Red Dragons got another win. None of the goals were beautifully developed, but beauty and Serbia don’t exactly go together, I mean, just watch the wrasslin’ move that took down Milos Pantovic in the second half…eeks.
Mjondalen 1 – 2 Rosenborg [M]
While Carlo Holse hasn’t been the big name on recent Rosenborg score sheets he had a great game here supported by goal scorers Anders Konradsen and Erland Dahl Reitan. It still took some doing for Rosenborg to withstand the final onslaught of attacks, but they managed to make it across the finish line.
San Jose Earthquakes 1 – 1 Minnesota United
A late night match that I wasn’t going to stay up for, the Loons started out with an uncharacteristic gaffe from Bakye Dibassy at the back. Even with the Quakes losing a man a few minutes later, Minnesota struggled to get much of anything connected (playing two games in three days can have that effect on you).
News & Notes
Here come the Griz
It’s Taylor time! The Griz will follow the lead of fifth year seniors Taylor Stoeger in the front and Taylor Hansen in the back as they seek to cement their spot at the top of our MacKenzie Cup standings. The big challenge there will be extending their competition beyond the Big Sky. While Conference games made up 9 of their 11 matches in the spring, they start out with 8 non-conference games including three against power sides like Creighton, Gonzaga, and Boise State. Even their conference schedule is less comfortable with 5 road games (including at co-favorites Northern Arizona and Northern Colorado) as opposed to 4 home matches.
Hopes for Afghanistan
After 20 years, the United States armed forces (including a few dozen of your dad’s high school classmates), have left the nation of Afghanistan. The war started shortly after your mother and I met. It continued long enough for me to teach refugees from it and future soldiers in it. And then, we left with the same people in power as when it began and the same threat to women, girls, and contrary thinkers as we had at the beginning. We hope that the people of Afghanistan are safe and secure and remember that soccer is nothing next to that.
Player of the Week
Despite the lasting Kristoffer Zachariassen sized hole in our Rosenborg hearts, Anders Konradsen’s great form has gone a long way to easing the pain.
Standings Update
The Griz get back into action this week with their lead on the line. Kicking off with the Big East’s Creighton (alma mater of a couple Loons players), is going to put them to the test right away. Meanwhile, Alebrijes slides to the bottom of the table.
The Loons left their come back pretty late (which happens when Emanuel Reynoso spends most of the match on the bench). The absence of Michael Boxall, Ike Opara and Ozzie Alonso continues to be exploited, and coach Adrian’s Heath’s choices are….interesting (that’s Minnesotan for infuriating)
Emelec 1 – 2 Union [M-South American Cup]
Despite coming in with a hefty advantage Los Bombillos bombed out of the competition. Facundo Barcelo’s second half equalizer was diminished as Union peppered keeper Pedro Ortiz with twice Emelec’s shot total.
Ross County 1 – 1 Livingston
Ollie Shaw seems to have found his shooting boots (or skull rather), scoring for the second time in two weeks. Meanwhile Ross Doohan has continued to find himself at the mercy of opponents. Doohan’s let in 7 over 4 games, but with Ross Laidlaw ceding 16 in the first 10, the Staggies might just be sunk between the goalposts (particularly with as thin the defense has been stretched by low cross after low cross).
Rosenborg BK 1 – 1 Sandviken [F]
Rosenborg remained undefeated but the only action came from an own goal off each side, so it wasn’t exactly a thriller or even particularly edifying. The team will now have one last match to try and swipe the title out from the hands of Valerenga, whose loss to Lyn has finally left the two teams equal. Any result better than the Oslo side will do it, Otherwise they’d need to win by 5 more goals than their rivals…
Grenoble 2 – 1 Le Havre [M]
In their first match back from quarantine Grenoble hit their marks with aplomb (it was probably the hot pink tops). Kevin Tapoko built a goal out of absolutely nothing with an interception, secondary assist and goal in about 10 seconds, while Willy Semedo’s winner showed a strength in attack that GF38 sorely needed.
Final Result: Joe Biden [D] 306 – 229 Donald Trump [R]
The Sunday Paper with Elections, sports and murder…
This is probably the most relieved I’ve felt in a looooooong time. And with a 5 Million vote edge translating into just a 77 electoral vote margin that felt more comfortable than it ever seemed on the day. Just for fun, here’s how Grenoble covered both the election and the victory.
RB Leipzig 3 – 0 Freiburg [M]
From one angle, Freiburg started well, only losing one of their first five matches. From the other angle Freiburg are in terrible form taking only 3 points from 6 matches. The truth may lie somewhere in between but we hope Christian Streich finds it and fast.
Cukaricki 3 – 2 FK Vozdovac
Credit where it’s due, from falling behind on an early penalty, the Red Dragons fought back to take the lead in the second half. But a fine Cukariki goal and another penalty wiped that away.
Emelec 0 – 0 CS Barcelona [F]
The quarterfinal in this year’s women’s league was an all Guayaquil affair with the local derby determining the next step towards national triumph. Las Electricas held their own earning a goal-less draw with their rivals. But with a second leg still to come, they actually have a great opportunity. A win or a draw should see them through!
📸 Postales de nuestro encuentro de ayer por los cuartos de final (Ida) de la @superligafef. ¡Vamos #Eléctricas! 💪🏻
After falling behind in the first four minutes, Freiburg stormed back to take the lead back before half-time and hold on from there. Sandra Starke became the first player with two goals (that probably has as much to do with the team’s recent scoreless streak as it does the lack of a dominant force like Klara Buhl).
Viking 3 – 0 Rosenborg BK [M]
Rosenborg lost for the first time in the league since the beginning of August and it wasn’t particularly close. Despite dominating the possession, they got absolutely slaughtered by Viking’s counter attack. Here’s hoping that they took the L so the ladies don’t have to.
Minnesota United 3 – 0 Dallas
We’ve raved about Emmanuel Reynoso, whose first goal was an absolute banger. But it’s worth taking some time to shout out Kevin Molino. The first high profile Loons signee, has paid his dues on the bad teams, sat on the bench to heal an injury during the last good season, and now is leading the charge into the playoffs (though having Reynoso along side him sure helped).
Alebrijes de Oaxaca 1 – 2 Atalante
Oaxaca started out on the right foot, taking the lead through Hector Reynoso Lopez. While the team held on well against the top 4 side for a full hour, a pair of late goals sank their hopes and dropped them back to the bottom of the league.
Emelec 2 – 0 Universidad Catholica [M]
Los Bombillos celebrated the Reddy Kilowatt 5 K with a pair of goals to win their second of five. (For comparison they had only won 2 of 8 to wrap up the first half of the season). Dixon Arroyo’s absurdly placed ball to Romario Caicedo who seemed to be gliding through mile 2 was pretty to watch, and Bryan Carabali hammered home a cross like a quart of chocolate milk at the end of the run. (Trust me, these running references are on point)
Elgin City 1 – 4 Ross County [Cup]
As a Premier League club County should expect to beat up on their fourth tier opponents. As a team in terrible form, nothing can be taken as a given. Fortunately Oliver Shaw (yup, him again) broke open the scoring and the Staggies never looked back). (Here’s hoping Ross Laidlaw gets a second chance soon)
News & Notes
Setting Schedules for the Spring
Both The University of Montana and Punjab FC have announced their schedules for the coming season. The only downside, their seasons won’t start until 2021. But let’s take a look.
On January 9th, India’s soccer will kick off again in Kolkata. Punjab FC will again take part, this time under the leadership of Roundglass Sports, and, judging from the Orange-ified logos, a brand new look too.
The season will be a two part process, rather like the current Scottish style. After one half of the season (a single match against each opponent), teams will be split in to two halves. The top half will play eachother for the title, the bottom half will play eachother to avoid relegation. (Sidebar: Minerva Punjab is also in training…which team we stick with…well…we shall see)
Meanwhile, in Missoula, the Grizzlies have set a very localized schedule in their quest to repeat as Big Sky champs 18 months later. While the fall season was mostly to keep in shape, before the next season, in the spring they’ll be playing for keeps.
Is our Big Sky opener still more than four months away? Yes
Global Energy Stadium is…partially filled! (MSN.com)
Ross County has become one of the first sides to officially let in fans (albeit fewer than they’d hope and farther apart than they’d hoped. But still fans were back and reported being quite happy to sit in the stands again.
France Shuts Down Lower Women’s Leagues
With a spike in Coronavirus cases, particularly around Grenoble, and even within the team, a shutdown seems fair. Not fun, but fair. That it now encompasses all of the lower leagues in Women’s soccer well…that’s a bitter pill to swallow…if only there were some good wine to wash it down.
Championnats D2F, U19F, Ligue et District suspendus
As if the struggles in playing well weren’t enough, Alebrijes de Oaxaca also had to deal with a conflict of a much more serious nature on Sunday. Center Back Yohan Zetuna was subjected to racist abuse by Ronaldo Gonzalez of Atlante. The two had been battling for a while (with each one earning a cuation from the ref), and while the incident is still in the “alleged” stage. We stand with Yohan as every player deserves to be welcomed on the field (wherever they’re from and wherever their field is)
With equal output and effect on the match, we have no choice but to split the honors this week. Handing half of the honor to a widely-regarded star calibre talen, and half of it to a little known, just emerging young talent. So Emmanuel Bebelo Reynoso for your plethora of assists, goals, and innovation: take a bow. Oliver Shaw for your star turn at a time the Staggies need it most: take a bow too.
A week ago, you were cuddling on the couch. Immersed in the hugs of your mom, and grandma, and auntie. Then they stopped, stared at their phones in horror, and tried to explain why they felt so sad.
Dear Boys,
I can’t add to what they said, because while the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg affects me and will affect you, it means something else for women. Also, much of what I’ve drafted has been deleted as it sounds like a man telling young men, “here’s a quick guide to feminist ideology and contemporary sexism”.
RBG was an icon. A diva who turned into a rock star. An idealistic ideologue who made time to share appreciate the passions and of her rival jurists.
Our lives are richer because she was in a powerful position to affect our world. As she said
Vitally, Ginsburg frequently argued before the Supreme Court prior to joining its ranks as a justice. She held, as did the renowned Title IX law, that:
No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.
Title IX of Education Assistance Law (1972)
Too often, sports becomes an exclusionary place, especially in terms of gender. Too often, we fixate on the men of the sport and isolate women’s games to the fine print, or ancillary commentary.
Title IX challenged that notion. It insisted that young women have access to all the athletic programs that young men accessed by default. While college football and basketball are big business; women’s sports have brought in a more diverse and equitable student body.
Without Title IX, there likely wouldn’t be the bevy of young female soccer players in the US. Without that market (and corporate sponsorship that goes with it) there likely wouldn’t be the women’s game around the world as we know it today. Without that international competition, I wouldn’t be reporting breathlessly on the Rosenborg Kvinner, or the Grizzly Soccer team, or Freiburg, Emelec, and Grenoble.
Without Title IX, without a firm and emphatic belief that no person should be excluded from activities, including sports, on the basis of sex, our world would be poorer, our experience, more shallow.
Title IX is a droplet in the ocean of Ginsburg’s work. But the ripple effects of it crash ashore each and every day. We make mistakes (my ignorant titling of weekly MVPs at the start of this year is but one of my many). But with the challenging, strident, and invaluable contributions of women, especially those like RBG in places where decisions are being made, we grow.
While I often wax lyrical about sports as a means of understanding the world, it is also a business. and like most businesses, the employees have more on their minds than just the job in front of them.
For many people, the thing on their mind is the next career move. Going from cashier to manager. Going from the cubicle to the c-suite. From drudgery to your own business.
Sports is much the same. Sure you have to perform in the moment. But it’s impossible to ignore the fact that competitive people (like athletes) don’t just strive to be the best on the day. They strive to be the best they can be.
You rarely become the best you can be by standing still. So athletes are often looking out for their next career move. From the bench to the starting lineup, from starting to starring, from starring to selecting championship rings.
Few players dream of anything less than excellence. And while we have our favorite teams, the truth is our dream of local glory is far smaller than most players, and that is fine. Don’t begrudge players leaving our teams behind, appreciate what they brought while they were here.
Robin flew North (Leeds United)
This comes to mind as I see the slow motion unraveling of SC Freiburg. In the last weeks several stellar contributors have bade farewell to Freiburg im Breisgau. Schwolow, Waldschmit, and Koch May never be marquee names, but each one is a little closer to that honor after moving up to a bigger or more well known side.
Or take Emmanuel Bébelo Reynoso, the latest addition to Minnesota United. The young playmaker is highly touted and, based on his first games, justifiably so. But while it was a coup to bring him to St Paul, it is a fool who expects him to stay forever.
Enjoy Reynoso while he’s here (MLS)
You’re chanting Minnesota Black & Blue as babies. He heard it for the first time…well never because we’re still not going to games. He’s a great player, but I doubt his boyhood dream was to go to freezing cold Minnesota and thrill tens of thousands. An Argentine starlet, he had the thrill of playing for Boca Juniors. I’d wager he’d love to ply his trade in Europe, or to suit up for the national team. Minnesota is great, but great players dream bigger (Note: living in Minnesota you should get used to that, just ask your relatives about David Ortiz, or Johan Santana, or Kevin Love or Kevin Garnett, or Randy Moss, or Maya Moore, or etc, etc, etc)
To some fans, the departures of great players may feel painful. Players who have won the loyalty of fans ought not to go, the fans think. We’ve loved them, why don’t they respect that and stick around?
They don’t stay because, while this is a hallowed ground for us, it’s just a line on the resume for them. What is a life time’s love of ours, is simply the current “To Do” for them.
That may sound sad, but it isn’t. I come to this not as a lifelong big city sports fan but as a kid who’s first sports loves were the Great Falls Dodgers baseball team. If most players dream bigger than a Minnesota, EVERYBODY dreams bigger than Great Falls, Montana. Nobody grows up dreaming of playing Rookie League ball on a patchy field in between dizzy bat contests.
Pedro back Home (Imgur.com)
That doesn’t offend me. I love Great Falls, those players don’t have to. It’s fun to support them for the time they’re there, and hope we helped make them better long term. I’m glad I got to watch Hall of Fame pitcher Pedro Martinez when he was a raw teenager. I’m even more glad I got to explain his brilliance to a bunch of Nigerian students in Ghana as he lifted the first World Series Trophy for over 80 years in Boston. He couldn’t have done that if he just wanted to stay put in Great Falls for the rest of his days. I’m glad he dreamed bigger than that. (If I’m sad about anything it’s that, at the end of this month, teams will stop sending players to Great Falls.)
Pedro’s Dreams were bigger than Great Falls, and it’s been great to see them come true. I hope Freiburg’s departing stars succeed, I really do. I hope Bébelo enjoys being here for now. I have no qualms about loving a place that’s a rest stop for most players on their way to something better, especially if we play a small part getting them where they want to go.
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