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Golfing in Brazil
Nike (click the image for a larger view)
4 years ago, the Americans paraded around South Africa in a beauty pageant sash. This year, it’s a golf shirt/polo shirt (whichever you prefer). I want to offer a special congratulations to the entire Creative Department for the USMNT Soccer Jerseys and Uniforms at Nike for (again) successfully implementing that rare business plan centered on the premise of designing bland/unimaginative/terrible-looking jerseys that will sell like the complete opposite of something that sells like crazy.
With the biggest window for American commerce to soccer (which only presents itself every 4 years, mind you), Nike has again managed to design the most confusingly bizarre, plain-looking jerseys with the best colors and creative opportunities at their fingertips in red, white and blue, coupled with America’s amazingly inspiring history.
Nike has the vivid colors of red and blue at their disposal and they chose all white. The jerseys don’t need to be loud, but there are infinite possibilities regarding attractive color combinations and sharp designs for a quintessential American look that projects belief, talent and relentless heart (the collar should, without question, be blue by the way).
Is this uniform supposed to symbolize the vanilla and often predictable and mundane ball movement of the USMNT players on the field? If so, then maybe this uniform works.
Where is the creativity from the red and white striped-“Waldo” jerseys?
The premiere of the 2014 World Cup jerseys/uniforms for the United States could not have demonstrated less creativity or fewer instances of inspiring imagination on the part of Nike.
Interestingly, Nike has proven that simplicity can certainly work (see the new oranje Dutch 2014 World Cup jersey/uniform), but it has also proven the opposite (see the American 2014 World Cup jersey/uniform).
Nike had 4 years…4 years. It’s almost unbelievable.
Usually the terms “cash cow” and “soccer” don’t joyfully collide in the United States…and sadly, after this recent jersey/uniform reveal, they still won’t.
Yes, heat will be at least some issue and white is the best color to combat heat. But that’s no excuse for what Nike ultimately and willfully designed. Plus, the heat will not be the determining factor for the USMNT in Brazil. It just won’t. A darker jersey will not prevent them or be the deciding reason for why the USMNT may not progress out of their very difficult group.
Where’s Waldo?
Hopefully in Brazil this summer!
P.S. I had a jersey idea about a year and a half ago…
Conceivably the Best 2-Nil Lead in Fußball
Important Disclosure: I (and many, many other fans) were unable to watch and/or record the Bayern Munich v. Arsenal game yesterday because it was not featured on Fox Soccer, but rather on Fox Sports 2. This channel, unfortunately, is pay-per-view. It’s one thing for a Bundesliga match to be pay-per-view, but a Champions League clash between two giant clubs when past tournament matches have been shown for free?
Not cool Fox Soccer…not cool.
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A question was asked in “The Relentless Journey of a Champion” regarding whether or not remaining on 4th and even 5th gear would be sustainable and ultimately rewarding for Pep Guardiola’s Bayern Munich squad heading into its Champions League clash with Arsenal at Emirates Stadium? This game also came after a German Cup match and a Bundesliga match (both solid victories with its top talent) just this past week.
The answer?
Yes.
It appears to be just that simple.
Even without the dynamic services of the injured Franck Ribéry and Xherdan Shaqiri, plus the recovering manager in the middle Bastian Schweinsteiger, Bayern Munich did not miss a beat as they handled a flurry of dangerous offensive opportunities from the Gunners throughout the first half and then absolutely dominated Arsenal in the second half for a convincing 2-nil victory with stunning goals from Toni Kroos and Thomas Müller (or so I read).
This win was also the first for Pep in Emirates Stadium.
A relieved and joyful check for the Munich manager.
It does need to be stated that there was a shockingly surreal occurrence with two missed penalties by a devastated player from each team in Mesut Özil and David Alaba (a fast right arm and a pesky left post), a red card for the Arsenal goalkeeper minutes before halftime, a few yellow cards and a sidewinder beauty tucked inside the top near post from Bayern’s Toni Kroos.
(Fortunately, somebody posted a free highlight video on YouTube yesterday evening)
What does this all prove?
It’s validation that “Pep’s Boys” (just made that up!) are intelligently and relentlessly preparing, working and reacting the right way in their weekly training sessions and during the all-important games. The team’s that think too much on-and-off the field tend to think a lot after the game about what went wrong.
When you can trust everything you’re doing, that’s one hell of an advantage over any opponent, regardless of the venue. Bayern Munich is playing its brand of fußballing chess and are moving themselves and their opponents with direct force, as well as with a passive aggressive nature that is paying big dividends at the right moments.
Plus, they are quite good at imitating the checkers move of jumping their opponent’s back line with an overwhelming effect when that moment presents itself.
Some could argue that’s a championship advantage.
When Arsenal travels to Allianz Arena in Munich on March 11th for the second leg, expect nothing short of a top-shelf lineup and effort from “Pep’s Boys.”
Anything less wouldn’t qualify as a championship effort.
The Relentless Journey of a Champion
There are multitudinous differences between Major League Soccer (MLS) and the prominent European leagues. Speed, style, talent, history, fan culture and culture in general, scheduling for the season and club priorities, to only name a few. The latter provides a fascinating insight into one of the core distinctions between the soccer/footballing mentality of the best clubs from these two land masses separated by the massive Atlantic Ocean.
Exhibit A: Bayern Munich.
On Tuesday, February 12th, Bayern Munich lined-up against Hamburger SV in a German Cup quarterfinal match. FC Hollywood has been dominant to say the least this season (again) and a victory could have been secured with a bevy of bench players (though all are borderline world-class). But did Pep Guardiola pursue such a lackadaisical strategy? No. Why? Because he’s a championship coach and he doesn’t accept anything less than a championship effort.
The starting lineup for Bayern Munich looked like one a fan or analyst would and should come to expect for a top Bundesliga or Champions League clash. The result? A 5-nil drubbing by Guardiola’s men.
It was a championship statement by a championship team.
Next Wednesday will see Bayern Munich travel to Emirates Stadium to face Arsenal for a UEFA Champions League clash. With a weekend Bundesliga match to play a few days prior, the Bavarians should again enter the opening kickoff with a familiar, confident rhythm from all players and coaches.
Time will tell if remaining on 4th and 5th gear will pay off for Guardiola & Co.
Exhibit B: The Columbus Crew (as just one MLS example).
Conversely, the Columbus Crew has, on numerous occasions, chosen to rest a few of its top players for MLS games only. This has, sadly, resulted in unexpected losses in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup by a less talented opponent from an inferior American league or by an MLS team they should have defeated.
2012: The Crew 1-2 Dayton Dutch Lions in Columbus Crew Stadium.
For the Crew, it seems like the mindset is that the Open Cup is nice, but it’s not as prestigious as the MLS Cup. And perhaps this is a big problem. Why? Because championship teams want to win championships. All of them. Period. No excuses. If the coach wants to get more players quality time on the pitch, then a more suitable strategy may be to mix them in as substitutes and even starters (1 or 2 in a game here and there) throughout the MLS season. In other words, the team dynamic should not be an A-Team and a B-Team, but rather one team that can rotate players from the bench/reserves without much disruption in the style of play for the individual and team as a whole. This could help alleviate some of the exhaustion during extremely hot summer conditions in Texas or a busy week or two straight of competition without missing much of a beat in quality or achieving positive results.
This post is not an effort to necessarily hail Bayern Munich and Europe and criticize the Columbus Crew and MLS, but to shine a bright light on the reality of how a championship team is built, how it evolves and then how it capitalizes on every opportunity for glory. The Crew won MLS Cup in 2008, but that comprehensive drive for achieving all titles each season seems to be lacking and it seems to be contagious among its fellow MLS teams.
For the media’s part, not all competitions are viewed through the same lens of importance as the MLS Cup. There are some legitimate reasons for that. However, soccer coverage in the United States is still limited. Yes, that’s a disappointing fact, but it’s getting better. Regardless, the MLS season is not just about the MLS Cup. While it is the best title and the crown jewel of the league, it’s not the only title (Supporters’ Shield, U.S. Open Cup & CONCACAF Champions League).
There is an intense sense of urgency in Munich right now (as there was last year as well) where any single loss or instances of complacency in motivation or effort is felt, scrutinized and immediately corrected from within.
The best tend to do that.
Jimmy's Daily Planet 
The Beautiful Match?
May 9
Posted by jimmy11lentz
It’s Friday night. People are out. Candles are lit. Magic is in the air, but will Houdini show up and put on a show for the ages or will it be the neighborhood rookie attempting a performance far beyond his skill-set?
Either way, there’s only one man who can tell this story as it happens without getting the least bit nervy.
In the play-by-play sense, he’s a player in his own right.
Talk about pulling out a Diego Forlán in stoppage time.
Gol!
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Tags: awkwardness, Brazil, commentary, dating, Diego Forlán, England, entertainment, ESPN, football, Houdini, Ian Darke, men and women, popular culture, romance, soccer, sports, The 2014 World Cup, The United States of America, video clip