Two New York Red Bull Legends Ready to Retire

The New York Red Bulls, now in their 15th year of existence, have been a roller coaster of a franchise. There have been some extreme highs but also some terrible, unthinkable lows. There has been a revolving door of coaches and players, a name change, and a new stadium for the team to call its own.

Two players, more so than any others, have been through almost all of it. And after the 2010 season, they’ll be a part of the club’s history as well.

Forward John Wolyniec has retired effective immediately, and defender Mike Petke will finish out the current season before hanging up his boots.

Both are New York natives, were drafted by the club, and have spent the majority of their careers with the Red Bulls. They also both have two appearances with the U.S. National Team.

Wolyniec spent seven of his 12 MLS seasons, over three separate stints, with the New York club. He is second in franchise history in regular-season games played with 142 appearances and fifth in goals scored in all competitions with 36.

Petke is a 13-year veteran, seven of which (over two stints) have been spent with New York. He is the club’s all-time leader in regular season games played (167), games started (158), and minutes played (14,006). He was most recently voted by the fans as one of the Red Bulls All-Time Best XI. He also recently became only the 12th player in league history to play in 300 MLS games.

These two players endeared themselves to the fans for so many priceless moments on the field.



Wolyniec shined during the 2008 Playoffs. In the second leg of the opening round Wolyniec scored a goal in the team’s 3-0 rout of the Houston Dynamo, and then proceeded to do the Thriller dance. He continued his scoring ways scoring in the Cup final against the Columbus Crew. That strike is the first-ever, and only, goal scored by the Red Bulls in the championship game.

Petke was forever embedded in club lore when in 2000, the then spiky-haired bleached-tips defender stood up for his fallen teammate.

In a game against since-folded franchise Tampa Bay, opposing forward broke the ribs of Metrostars goalkeeper Mike Ammann by kicking him although Ammann had control of the ball. No disciplinary action was taken by the league.

In the team’s next game, Petke scored and lifted his jersey revealing a t-shirt that read “August 16: Crime of the Century” on the front and “Revenge is Coming” on the back. The league fined him, but the fans’ love for him was permanently cemented.

After a strong 2000 campaign, Petke trialed with Bundesliga side Bayern Munich and was offered a contract by FC Kaiserslautern, but elected to stay with the Metrostars, the club he has always called home, no matter who he played with.


Mike Stobe/Getty Images One thing that really has been evident in both of their careers has been leadership and strong work ethics. No matter what the circumstance those two have been true professionals. Even if the season was a lost cause those two continued to work as if every game was the championship.

The fans loved Wolyniec for his ability to come off the bench, no matter how early or late in the game, and change the action. The “Staten Island Ronaldo” could score in a mere few minutes of work, but most importantly, he brought life and energy on the field when the team needed it most.

Petke returned to the Red Bulls for the 2009 season, a disastrous season resulting in a 5-19-6. However there was Petke on the practice field every day pushing himself and his teammates, and calling them out when they weren’t performing up to par.

Rewarding these players is a must. They were both fortunate enough to finally play in Red Bull Arena, a home stadium rumored to be built for what seemed like the entirety of their careers yet finally came to fruition this season. Wolyniec will be honored before the team’s October 2 game against Kansas City.

There is still one thing that the team can do, at least for Petke, and that is to finally win the championship.

It would be the perfect ending for the perfect Red Bull.

Photo Credits.
Mike Petke: AP Photo/Mel Evans
John Wolyniec: AP Photo/Bill Kostroun

Randy Moss Not a Part of the "Patriot Way"

Two high-profile New England Patriots players are pining for contract extensions. One is going about it the Patriot way, the other, not so much.

Franchise quarterback Tom Brady and prolific wide receiver Randy Moss are both in the last years of their deals. Both have performed extremely well for the Patriots, deserving of new deals. But they are going about it in two completely opposite ways.

Head coach Bill Belichick is infamous for not giving away too much information to the media. He likes to keep all issues in the locker room and keep everyone outside guessing.

Brady, drafted by Belichick, is his top disciple. The quarterback doesn’t give up too much information and is all about the team.

When he was asked about his ongoing contract-extension negotiations Brady responded, “I don't want to get into it. For me, it's the same as it's been. I'm trying to find a way to score some touchdowns against the Bengals. I didn't spend five minutes yesterday thinking about my contract or future.”

He continued to say that even talking about it made him “pretty uncomfortable” because of how Belichick and owner Robert Kraft feel about handling such situations.

Since the turn of the new millennium Brady has been the face of the Patriots franchise, the main part to the Patriot dynasty. He deserves a new contract. However, if he in the slightest way felt disrespected you would never know.

Submit Vote vote to see results The situation won’t distract him. He wouldn’t allow it to affect his play. He certainly won’t tell the media he’s upset.

It’s all business for Brady, and his business is beating the Bengals on the road to attempting to win another Super Bowl.

This is not to say Randy Moss doesn’t want to win the Super Bowl, but he’s also not afraid to voice his opinion.

Moss whined that no new contract proposal made him feel “unwanted”, that the Patriots organization did not respect the hard work Moss has put in and the exceptional numbers he’s put up.

He says he understands the nature of the business, but that comment seems contrary to everything else he has said. If he truly understood how the business worked then he would understand that he has a contract he needs to play out. He would understand that the Patriots had to pay Vince Wilfork over the offseason and also have to pay Tom Brady and Logan Mankins as well.

If he understands it’s business then he wouldn’t feel unwanted; he’d feel like he needed to have another good year to earn a new contract. That’s all.

The pressing nature for a new contract is obvious, as the league’s CBA is set to expire and a labor stoppage is a popular point of discussion. Moss wants to be financially secure and wants a favorable contract before a new CBA changes the values players can reach.



Submit Vote vote to see results The worry becomes what kind of attitude Moss will have heading into the season. While Brady says the right things and the public knows his contract situation won’t get to him, it isn’t so clear for Moss.

NFL fans have seen a moody Moss and it isn’t a pretty picture. He mopes on the sidelines and essentially refuses to play. The more disenfranchised he gets the bigger a distraction he becomes.

To Moss’ credit he has not been a problem at all for the team. It seems as if Belichick and Brady have turned him into a model citizen and they won’t allow him to revert back to the Moss of old. They’ve both praised Moss since his outburst to the media, saying how valuable he is, how important he is, and how they do want him on board.

With the latest news that Brady and the team have agreed to a contract extension, it may also be closer to Moss’ turn. If the team wishes not to actually negotiate during the season they can at least focus on Moss and communicate with him, let him know that he is next in line.

Still, the differences between how Brady handled himself and how Moss handled himself reflect most on their status as a Patriot. Like the topic of how, unlike New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez wasn’t a “true Yankee”, it comes down to winning; Tom Brady has lead the Patriots to three Super Bowl victories. Randy Moss has not won anything.

Therefore, rewarding Tom Brady for his victories is top priority. Ensuring one of his favorite and most dangerous passing targets is around is secondary business.

Business. Nothing personal.

NFL Week 1 Picks: Houston Texans To Beat Indianapolis Colts in Upset

AP Photo/Michael Conroy

Are you ready for some football?

The NFL is back in action, starting with the New Orleans Saints beginning their title defense against the Minnesota Vikings, the team that they beat in the NFC Championship game (and in case you couldn’t keep track of all his flip-flopping once again, Brett Favre is returning for another season).

The cliché is that the start of a new season is a clean slate for everyone. The parity in the league makes picking winners for Week 1 difficult. There are always surprises in the league, and there is not much to go by when choosing one team over another.

Yes, teams have strengths, weaknesses, home field advantage, and talented players, but to really judge a team accurately you need to see how they play (and the preseason doesn’t help much).

Still for the fans, Week 1 is chock full of great matchups.

Let the games begin.

Minnesota at New Orleans

For the past six seasons, the defending Super Bowl champions have started their seasons off with opening night wins. It is an exciting atmosphere. The team comes back to the field for the first real time since the big win and raises the championship banner in front of the ravenous home fans.

The Vikings, with Brett Favre returning at least one more season and with an axe to grind after losing to the Saints in the NFC Championship game last season, will look to successfully crash the party.

New Orleans will look to keep the momentum rolling. Drew Brees and company are considered strong Super Bowl contenders. Who Dat Nation will be in full force and recent history is also backing the Saints.

New Orleans wins.

Carolina at New York Giants

Generally speaking, two things happened to the Giants last year: injuries and egos.

The Giants started off a dominating 5-0 but finished the season at .500. There are a number of intricate things that went wrong, but overall there were a number of injuries to high profile players and the Giants became a collection of talented individuals rather than a united team.

The Panthers actually came together at the end of the season. With Matt Moore inserted as the starting quarterback the team won its final three games and four of its last five.

Moore might have been productive, but that didn’t stop the Panthers from drafting Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen.

The Giants say they are committed to returning to the ways of a strong team. The belief is that the group of players wants to prove that themselves as individuals as well as the team as a whole are out to prove that last year was a fluke.

Opening up the New Meadowlands Stadium, they have the chance to prove it firsthand to their home fans.

New York Giants win.

Atlanta at Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh's No. 1 receiver Santonio Holmes was traded in the offseason and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was suspended for the first four games of the season. Those are major roster changes.

Dennis Dixon is a promising prospect who should do considerably well in Roethlisberger’s absence. He still has Hines Ward at receiver and a lot of focus will be paid to running back Rashard Mendenhall.

However, even with Roethlisberger’s suspension Dixon wasn’t the guy the Steelers pegged to replace him until Byron Leftwich went down with an injury. There’s a reason for everything, and the reason here is that Dixon still needs a little seasoning.

Matt Ryan hit a sophomore slump last season, lowering his completion percentage and yards thrown, and had more interceptions and fumbles.

He did however throw more touchdown passes and has another year of experience under his belt—yes, it counts for something.

Winning at Heinz Field is not an easy feat, but right now this Steelers team will have some growing pains.

Atlanta wins.

Cleveland at Tampa Bay

Offensive weapons will be hard to come by in this game.

A lot of people were excited to see Browns rookie running back Montario Hardesty, but he is lost for the season due to injury.

Cadillac Williams appears to, once again, be the Bucs starter at running back but he has strong injury concerns.

Young wide receivers will be the highlight in this match as Browns’ second-year WR Mohamed Massaqui and Tampa rookies Arrelious Benn and Mike Williams are top targets.

The Browns brought in quarterback Jake Delhomme in the offseason. He has struggled mightily the past couple seasons, but he is a veteran leader that has played, and played well, in some big games. It’s highly unlikely that he leads the Browns to the playoffs, but in a matchup against another weak opponent, he may be able to bring them to victory in this game.

Cleveland wins.

Denver at Jacksonville

Josh McDaniels turned his starting quarterback and No. 1 wide receiver against him and both worked their way out of Denver. After starting the season 6-0, they finished the season 2-8—for an overall record of 8-8—and missed the playoffs. Mike Nolan, the man who helped improve a weak defense, was let go. And finally last year’s NFL sack leader Elvis Dumerville is out for the entire season.

There’s also some quarterback controversy brewing. The Broncos traded Cutler for Kyle Orton, who came in and played smart and efficient football. He solidified himself as a good starting NFL quarterback. This offseason, though, the Broncos traded for Brady Quinn and drafted Tim Tebow. Competition is a good thing, but this raises a lot of questions.

How short of a leash does Orton have? Was the trade for Quinn a statement that the Broncos didn’t believe Orton would last as starting quarterback? Was the drafting of Tebow a sign that they felt the Quinn trade was a mistake? Orton is the starter, but who is the No. 2? Will Tebow even play quarterback, or some other position and used as a Wildcat type guy?

Meanwhile in Jacksonville, while the team finished with a losing record, David Gerrard was his reliable self, throwing for only 10 interceptions, and running back Maurice Jones-Drew finished fourth in rushing yards and second in rushing touchdowns.

Facing a weakened defensive line, expect the Jaguars to rely on a heavy dose of Jones-Drew to wear down the Broncos further.

Jacksonville wins.

Indianapolis at Houston

In the history of the franchise, the Houston Texans are 1-15 against the Indianapolis Colts.

2009 was the team’s first winning season, yet they were swept by the Colts. To truly turn the corner the Texans need to get over the hump and start beating the Colts. That’s not saying if they don’t win this game their season is doomed, but at this point it is as much a mental issue as it is a physical one.

The Colts take some time to find their groove, and this preseason was a rocky one as the issue of how the referees spotted the ball affected the way the Colts ran the no-huddle offense and threw off their rhythm.

The Texans are an athletic, skilled, and explosive team that needs to get up for this game. With a slow starting, out of sync Colts team the Texans need to take advantage of the opportunity and take it to the Colts.

Houston wins.

Miami at Buffalo

While the Jets and Patriots get all the publicity, the Dolphins went about this offseason looking to improve their roster and be able to compete with those two teams for the division crown. They added wide receiver and deep threat Brandon Marshall and linebacker Karlos Dansby. Ronnie Brown is also healthy and will complement Ricky Williams in an already strong running game.

Buffalo lost Terrell Owens and is still extremely unsettled at the quarterback position.

Miami wins.

Detroit at Chicago

The Bears were very active in the beginning of the offseason, spending cash to bring in defensive end Julius Peppers and running back Chester Taylor. Both are nice additions.

The Lions also nabbed a defensive lineman and a running back, but did so through the draft. Jahvid Best is a quick and electrifying back from California and Ndamukong Suh is a monster of a man who knows how to hunt down the quarterback.

While the Lions have not been a good team in recent years, the Bears have had talented teams with high hopes that have underachieved, which is more worrisome than just being a bad team and performing like it.

Jay Cutler was supposed to finally solve the quarterback issue in Chicago, but he threw a league leading 26 interceptions. Confidence was an issue.

Offensive coordinator Mike Martz was brought in to energize the offense, which could be interesting. However he has a history of not using the tight end effectively. This is a problem because Chicago’s best receiver is tight end Greg Olsen.

Meanwhile, while Matthew Stafford did not have the greatest rookie season, he did show a lot of courage. He started for a team in an obvious rebuilding phase and took control of the offense. In Week 11 against Cleveland, Stafford suffered a bad shoulder injury, but threw for five touchdowns, the last one coming with zero seconds remaining on the clock to help the Lions to a 39-38 come from behind victory.

And while Mark Sanchez gets good reviews because his team went far in the playoffs, he and Stafford had very similar stats. Sanchez’s completion percentage was a couple of tenths higher than Stafford and he threw for a little under 200 yards more, but Stafford had one more touchdown and was sacked two less times. They both had 20 interceptions.

With questions swirling around Cutler and the job security of head coach Lovie Smith, there is a prime opportunity here for a Lions upset.

Detroit wins.

Oakland at Tennessee

When Vince Young entered the Titans starting lineup, he immediately ended the team’s six-game losing streak and went on to win five consecutive games, eight of the final 10, and put the team in playoff contention.

Young needs to prove he can have consecutive successful seasons, but he has talent around him to help. Kenny Britt, Nate Washington, and Justin Gage form a nice receiving corps and of course there is the 2,000-yard sensation Chris Johnson at running back.

Oakland should improve with newly-acquired quarterback Jason Campbell taking over the offense from JaMarcus Russell. Campbell provides a solid, steady, calm leader for a young and inexperienced offense.

Still, the Titans are the more talented team.

Tennessee wins.

Cincinnati at New England

Four iconic wide receivers will be on the field in Massachusetts: Chad Ochocinco, Terrell Owens, Randy Moss, and Wes Welker. All are talented and three of the four (exclude Welker) have big egos.

With Tom Brady slinging the ball to Moss and Welker, and Palmer throwing to Ochocinco and Owens against a young and inexperienced Patriots’ secondary, expect this game to be a high-scoring aerial battle.

Gillette Stadium was an impenetrable fortress last year for the Patriots, who finished 8-0 at home in the regular season. However they were run over by the Ravens at home in the playoffs, and some believed that the loss marked the end of the Patriots dynasty.

Season-ending injuries to defensive end Ty Warren and cornerback Leigh Bodden have left already suspect positions in even more disarray.

With no pass rush and poor coverage, Palmer should have plenty of time to find an open player from his strong stable of receivers and tight ends.

Is it time for Boston to panic?

Cincinnati wins.

Arizona at St. Louis

Kurt Warner retires. Anquan Boldin leaves for the Ravens. Karlos Dansby signs, at the time, the largest contract for a linebacker and joins the Miami Dolphins.

This is not the same Arizona team that went to the Super Bowl two years ago, or lost to the Saints in the second round of the playoffs.

And the quarterback that was originally drafted as the future of the franchise, Matt Leinart, was released.

It looks grim for Arizona but new starting quarterback Derek Anderson was a Pro Bowler. And they still have Larry Fitzgerald, who catches anything thrown in his general direction.

They also get a good confidence boost against St. Louis in the opening week.

The Rams are just not a talented team. Their top wide receiver Donnie Avery is injured. They are starting a rookie quarterback who missed all of last season because of a shoulder injury. Steven Jackson is a very talented running back, but how much of the burden can he carry?

Arizona wins.

San Francisco at Seattle

San Francisco has stockpiled young talent all over the field. Joe Staley, Mike Iupati, and Anthony Davis—all former first round picks—anchor the offensive line. Michael Crabtree will be ready for the entire season this year, and he will be joined by former first-round pick Ted Ginn, Jr., who while having difficulties catching the ball still has blazing speed. There is also linebacker and defensive leader Patrick Willis, rookie safety Taylor Mays, tight end Vernon Davis, and running back Frank Gore.

The key to San Francisco realizing their potential will be quarterback Alex Smith doing the same. The former first-round pick has yet to live up to expectations but will be given the keys to the offense.

He doesn’t have to win games; that’s what Frank Gore and a tough defense are for. If Smith can muster up some confidence though and show off some of the talent that made him such a No. 1 pick, then the 49ers can make some noise.

It all depends on Smith though.

San Francisco wins.

Green Bay at Philadelphia

Kevin Kolb will begin his attempt to succeed a franchise legend. The Eagles traded Donovan McNabb, who spent the past 11 seasons as Philadelphia’s starter and most accomplished quarterback in franchise history, because they felt Kolb was ready to take on the starting role.

It’s a tall task to take on, something Aaron Rodgers is very familiar with. Rodgers enters his third season starting in place of the “retired” Brett Favre.

Rodgers has done a magnificent job gaining the fans trust. He has lit up the stat sheet and has the media pegging him as an MVP candidate and the Packers a Super Bowl contender.

Kolb is getting quite a bit of praise, but Rodgers has the experience of having such lofty expectations put on him and right now the Packers are a better team.

Green Bay wins.

Dallas at Washington

Neither team has wowed early on in the preseason. Of the two though, Washington looks to be in more trouble.

Donovan McNabb is an upgrade from Jason Campbell, but he is questionable for the opening game. High-priced defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth missed the beginning of camp because he could not pass a conditioning test, and the team has recently been shopping him, yet McNabb says the team can’t win without him.

Dallas may not have put everything together yet, but they have a slew of explosive players on offense that, when a big play is needed, can deliver.

This game may not be pretty, but the Cowboys have the weapons to pull it out.

Dallas wins.

Baltimore at New York Jets

The first Monday Night Football game is a great one. Fresh off their season of “Hard Knocks” Jets head coach Rex Ryan, linebacker Bart Scott, and safety Jim Leonhard face off against their previous team, the team with the famed elite defense, the Baltimore Ravens.

It is also the Jets' first regular season game at the New Meadowlands Stadium.

Both teams brought in some considerable talent this offseason.

The Ravens vastly improved their passing game by bringing in wide receivers Anquan Boldin, T.J. Houshmanzadeh, and Donte Stallworth (who is out the first eight weeks because of a foot injury).

The Jets added cornerback Antonio Cromartie, linebacker Jason Taylor, running back LaDainian Tomlinson, and wide receiver Santonio Holmes (who will miss the first four weeks of the season due to a suspension).

During the preseason, the Jets could not put all the pieces together. When the starters played well, the backups failed. When the defense played strong, the offense was anemic. When the running game was pounding it out, the passing game was errant.

The expectations are high for the Jets so they need to figure out how to get some continuity in their play.

The Jets offense may be a little shaky, but the Ravens defense, specifically the secondary is significantly weakened. Already a cause for concern, they will also be without safety Ed Reed for the first six weeks thanks to a hip injury.

If the Jets' running game can pound out the football and take advantage of a questionable secondary, then the defense and home field advantage, with the fans amped up because of the team’s expectations and a new stadium, could push them over the top for one night.

New York Jets win.

San Diego at Kansas City

The Chiefs are at the comfy confines of Arrowhead Stadium and the Chargers are without star wide receiver Vincent Jackson.

Still, it’s tough to imagine that the Chiefs have made enough improvements to knock off the Chargers, the team that has won the AFC West the past four seasons.

It should be an exciting game however as the Chargers’ Ryan Mathews and Chiefs’ Dexter McCluster make their NFL debuts. Both running backs are expected to ignite their teams’ offenses.

San Diego wins.

Last season (beginning in Week 3): 151-73

Should the New York Red Bulls Loan Teen Prospect Juan Agudelo?

In the New York Red Bulls first game after the summer transfer window closed they play a Real Salt Lake team that was very active in player movement.

The movement featured a lot of players going away from Salt Lake, on loan to be specific. The team has temporarily moved a number of younger players to USSF Division-2 Pro League teams in an effort to get them more playing time.

David Horst (24), Collen Warner (22), Chris Schuler (22), and Alex Nimo (20) all had seen limited MLS regular season action and were loaned out to get more game experience. With no reserve division in place for youngsters to see some action, Real Salt Lake added to their loaned list when they sent highly regarded 16-year-old prospect Luis Gil, who had yet to play in a league game yet has been dubbed a future “number 10” for the United States National Team, to AC St. Louis.

All the activity is a creative solution to the youth development issues that plague the league. The players may not be ready for the demands of MLS, but there is no longer a reserve division in place in order to get players much needed game experience.

Still, Real Salt Lake is the only team in the league to use loans as an option. It’s difficult to figure why other teams have not taken the same route.

With that in mind the question is, should the New York Red Bulls loan out the highly touted Juan Agudelo?

Submit Vote vote to see results The 17-year-old forward is a tantalizing prospect. He represented the United States in the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup, scored the equalizing goal against Brazil in the U-20 Copa Chivas tournament, had a strong performance in the Milk Cup where the United States was crowned champions, and was recently named to the U-20 roster for a tournament in Peru.

For New York, he has appeared in three U.S. Open Cup games and also played in exhibition matches. Scheduled so the reserves could get some time, Agudelo scored twice against Army and once more against Rutgers.

While he has shown to be a dangerous player, he has not played a single league game for the Red Bulls. He also does not appear to be remotely close to the field as he is buried on the depth chart behind Thierry Henry, Juan Pablo Angel, Macoumba Kandji, Salou Ibrahim, and Connor Chinn.

Currently, it is not a bad thing to be training with the likes of world-class forwards Henry and Angel, watching them, and learning the position and the game from two elite players. However, there is no substitute for experience gained in live games; something Agudelo is getting none of currently.

With so much depth at the forward position, no reserve league, and the future of a promising young player at stake it might be in the best interest of New York to follow Real Salt Lake’s strategy and loan Agudelo next season.

Photo from newyorkredbulls.com

Key Red Bulls Missing In Action

After a long offseason of changes and the recent Designated Players added during the summer transfer window, the New York Red Bulls have quickly developed into one of Major League Soccer’s elite teams.

They are a strong contender for the MLS Cup and their resurgence makes Saturday’s first-matchup with defending champion Real Salt Lake huge.

However, the game will become an even tougher task for a club trying to prove that they are legitimate contenders—not just headline heroes—as the Red Bulls will be without four starters, making them a very different team.

Midfielders Rafael Marquez and Dane Richards, defender Roy Miller, and goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul will all miss the match because they were called-up to the national teams for the next set of FIFA International dates.

Marquez, Mexico’s captain for the past three World Cups and has earned 95 caps, was selected to play in the September 4th friendly against Ecuador and the September 7th match versus Colombia.

The team’s third designated player, Marquez has been a calming force in the Red Bull’s midfield, and he will be missed. He has provided good possession, good passing and vision, and great service from free kicks, not to mention his crackling goal against Toronto FC in a 4-1 Red Bulls victory.

Richards is a player who has benefited greatly from the acquisitions of Marquez and Thierry Henry. The two attract a lot of attention on the ball and have great field vision, which leads to a lot of open space for the speedy Richards to run into and receiver brilliant passes, which he has capitalized on.

The Jamaican International was at the beginning of the season a target of criticism from fans, but he has turned it on as of late with his latest heroics coming in the form of a goal and assist in New York’s 2-0 victory of San Jose.

The Red Bulls and its team’s fans aren’t the only ones who have noticed his impressive play as of late. Jamaica called him in for the team’s game August 11th when he scored his first international goal, and has recalled him for the matches on September 5th against Costa Rica and September 7th versus Peru.

Miller was signed in the offseason and has been a good contributor to a much-improved defense. He has played in 19 games, mostly at left-back, and his pace out wide and his ability to overlap and get involved in the attack while still being organized enough to get back and defend have been a welcome addition to the squad.

He will play for Costa Rica September 3rd against Panama and September 5th versus Jamaica.

Coundoul, with his agility and acrobatics, has seven shutouts this season and leads MLS in saves with 76. He has his moments of less-than-stellar play but overall he has played very well for the Red Bulls. Senegal will rely on him for their Africa Cup of Nations qualifier September 5th against the Democratic Republic of Congo.

These players are key contributors for New York and they will be sorely missed. However, championship-caliber teams can rely on their depth for instances like this and the Red Bulls bench has been productive this season.



There are a variety of possibilities for how the Red Bulls can respond; they have a versatile group of players who have been featured at multiple positions on the field.

The most obvious replacement will be Greg Sutton for Coundoul. Sutton is the only other keeper on the roster and played in his place August 11th against Toronto when Coundoul had been selected to play for Senegal.

In that game, his only regular season appearance, Sutton shutout Toronto and helped the Red Bulls earn three points.

In place of Marquez, look for Backe to go with Seth Stammler.

One of the longest tenured Red Bulls on the squad, Stammler had started the game before Marquez arrived and in his place August 11th when he was called in for another Mexico exhibition match.

A defensive-minded player, the team might play a little conservative in an effort to gain points on the road with a depleted lineup. Stammler would provide good coverage in the back while still allowing promising rookie Tony Tchani to spring forward and connect with Henry and Juan Pablo Angel.

While Richards was missing, Macoumba Kandji was playing on the wing.

The young and raw, yet inconsistent Kandji lost his starting spot when Henry arrived on the scene.

He has been watching and learning from Henry and Angel, two highly skilled forwards. Kandji is admittedly unfamiliar with the midfield position, but is eager to get on the pitch and the Red Bulls could use his speed and his appearance as another offensive weapon.

Miller’s absence is the one that leaves the most possibilities for someone else to step in. Many fans may be calling for the return of favorite Mike Petke to the starting eleven. However, Petke would only be available to play center back and the defense would have to be further broken apart.

In a lineup that will see a lot of shake-ups, finding some consistency—something that was never present in previous head coach Juan Carlos Osorio’s regime—is important.

The central tandem of Carlos Mendes and Tim Ream has been exceptional. They have anchored a defense that has allowed only two goals in five August matches. Those two will stay in the lineup, leaving Petke on the bench again.

Coming in should be midfielder/defender Danleigh Borman. He has appeared in 16 matches, started 11, and is seventh on the team in minutes played.

While there is a lot of movement going on for such a big match, there are two things that should keep the organization and its fans happy.

One is that workhorse midfielder Joel Lindpere has declined any Estonia National Team call-ups for the remainder of the season, stressing the importance of being with the Red Bulls on their quest for the team’s first championship.

The other thing is that Thierry Henry and Juan Pablo Angel are healthy and will both be starting against Real Salt Lake. The best forward tandem in MLS will put the pressure on Salt Lake’s defense, possibly even hiding some of the vulnerabilities of the rest of the makeshift squad.

The Red Bulls would have loved to trot out their complete lineup to strut their stuff against the reigning champions, but that is not the case. It still is an important fixture, and the team is still talented enough however, to compete and earn at least a point.

Photo credits.
Rafael Marquez: AP Photo/David Banks
Seth Stammler: AP Photo/Will Powers

New England Patriots Leigh Bodden Out For Year, Youngsters Need to Step Up

AP Photo/Elise Amendola

The New England Patriots were dealt a huge blow Tuesday as cornerback Leigh Bodden was placed on injured reserve with a shoulder injury.

Bodden played 15 games last season as a starting defensive back. He was the Patriots’ most productive player on the weakest unit of a defense that struggled.

He registered 55 tackles and a team-high five interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown. New England rewarded him this past offseason with a four year, $22 million contract.

Bodden had missed most of training camp with a knee injury. He had returned to practice last week and played in Thursday’s preseason game against the Saint Louis Rams.

Without Bodden, a seven-year NFL veteran, the Patriots’ already thin defensive backs unit will rely on several young corners that have yet to prove themselves.

The injury means that the starting positions will be handed to Darius Butler, projected to start alongside Bodden, and first-round draft pick Devin McCourty.

The second-year Butler played in 14 games last season, five as a starter, and picked off three passes, one for a touchdown. The Patriots felt confident in Butler as a prospect and were ready to let him, although inexperienced, earn a starting spot.

McCourty is another prospect highly regarded by the Patriots’ brass, but the coaching staff wanted to bring him along more slowly.

Will any Patriots cornerback pick off more than five passes this season?
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Submit Vote vote to see results An athletic as well as intelligent player, McCourty was expected to play on special teams as well as contributing to the defense as a nickel back.

He has impressed at training camp and could have eventually worked his way into a starting role, but Bodden’s injury expedited the process. Now New England places the starting cornerback positions in the hands of two players who have one NFL season and five starts between them. While not the most enviable situation, if the two players are talented enough it could be a welcome change to inject more youth and skill to the defense.

The depth becomes the problem.

Two players the Patriots desperately need to step up are third-year corners Jonathan Wilhite and Terrence Wheatley.

Wheatley is a second-round pick, like Butler, but has not matched his productivity. Wheatley has played in only 11 games, has four tackles, and has zero interceptions. Most of the action he has seen has been on special teams and return units.

In his third year and with the team in need it is time for Wheatley to live up to his second-round billing and perform.

Wilhite, a fourth-round pick, has been a bit more productive and has progressed in his first two years. In 2009, Wilhite played in two less games than his rookie campaign (14) yet recorded 17 more tackles (45) and one more interception (2).


Patriots rookie Devin McCourty, shown here at the combine, will step into a starting role.
Scott Boehm/Getty Images He now has a chance for even more playing time, and if Butler or McCourty slip up he could even earn some starts.

The inexperience is the most prevalent issue at hand. Butler, McCourty, Wilhite, and Wheatley have a combined five seasons of NFL experience. There has been inconsistent play from this group, and although there is confidence in those players from the coaching staff, there simply has not been enough of a sample size to be brimming with optimism, not for 2010 at least.

Need more reason to worry? The Patriots will face Carson Palmer, Joe Flacco, Philip Rivers, Brett Favre, Ben Roethlisberger, Peyton Manning, and Aaron Rodgers; all considered some of the best quarterbacks in the league.

They also need to cover Chad Ochocinco, Terrell Owens, Brandon Marshall, Anquan Boldin, Reggie Wayne, Calvin Johnson, and Santonio Holmes.

The New England secondary was already in question heading into the season.

Now, those remaining need to learn on the job and grow up fast or else the Patriots will get burned by an all-out aerial attack.

Five Biggest Games for the New England Patriots in 2010

The Patriots head into the 2010 season as the reigning AFC East champions.

As they look to repeat as division winners and work deeper into the playoffs to return to the Super Bowl for the first time since the 2007 season (Super Bowl played February 3, 2008) when they lost the chance at a perfect season when they were defeated by the New York Giants.

The Patriots face a tough schedule, as their opponents’ 2009 combined record stands at 114-94, a .548 winning percentage. Seven of the team’s 10 non-divisional games are against teams with winning records in 2009, six of which went to the playoffs, and two that made the NFL’s final four.

However, of those seven games, only two of them are away contests. If the Patriots are as dominant at home as they were last year (8-0, tied for best record in the NFL) then they could be in good shape.

Here are the five most-important games of the Patriots season.

Week 6 vs. Baltimore



The Patriots will come into this game fresh off a bye week and having finished the first quarter of their season. This contest pits them against the team that absolutely trounced them in the playoffs, not only ending their season but also inspiring talk that they ended the Patriots’ dynasty.

Raven running back Ray Rice rolled over the Patriot defense in Baltimore’s 33-14 Wild Card weekend win over New England. Rice ran for 159 yards and two touchdowns.

The game was also played at Gillette Stadium, where the Patriots had won eight regular season games without losing.

This year, Baltimore got a boost when it added Anquan Boldin and Donte Stallworth to its receiving corps, as quarterback Joe Flacco continues to develop into a star. These additions make Baltimore’s offense much more balanced and allow them to make plays and hurt opposing defenses in a number of different ways.

In the Patriot’s favor is that New England has won the game after their bye seven straight years, and has won eight of the last 10.

Look for Tom Brady to test a suspect Ravens’ secondary as he looks to not only avenge the playoff loss but to also show Mr. Flacco that he is not quite yet up to Brady’s level as a passer and winner.

Week 7 at San Diego

There is no rest for the weary.

Week 6 is sure to be a slugfest and the Pats will not get a break the following week as they travel cross-country to visit the defending AFC West champions.



The Patriots have won two of their last three matchups with the Chargers, but the loss came the last time the teams met in 2008.

San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers has become one of the top statistical players in the entire league. Last season he threw for a career-high 4,254 yards to go along with 28 touchdowns, a 104.4 QB rating, 65.2 completion percentage, and only nine interceptions, his lowest total since 2006.

The Patriots’ secondary was questionable last season, but New England hopes that Leigh Bodden, a more-experienced Darius Butler, and first-round draft pick Devin McCourty will be able to form a much improved unit.

Pitting an inconsistent secondary against a top-ranked passer, after a cross-country trip away from the friendly confines of Gillette, one week after the defense is tested against one of the NFL’s most improved offenses means that the Patriots will have their hands full.

This game will show how the Patriots handle adversity, especially on the road, and who emerges as team leaders, specifically on the defensive side of the ball.

Week 11 vs. Colts

Throughout the new millennium, the Patriots and Colts have established a strong rivalry.

Last year’s clash was another memorable game, or on the Patriots’ end, extremely forgettable.



There was the infamous call by Bill Belichick to go for it on fourth down with two minutes left, even though his team was winning by six points. The Patriots—on a play that even if connected wouldn’t have recorded a first down—failed to convert, handing the ball to Peyton Manning needing only 28 yards to win the game, which he did.

Whether he admits it or not, Belichick has this game circled on his calendar. Up until that moment Belichick was widely considered one of, if not the best coach in the game. Yet that one play caused a lot of people to reconsider that opinion. He now has control of the offense and defensive play-calling duties and he’ll be on a mission to outsmart Indianapolis. The only question is will he outsmart himself?

Another interesting wrinkle to this matchup is that both Manning and Brady are playing for new contracts. Considered the two best quarterbacks in the NFL their ownerships will be looking to see how the other player’s contract situation shapes up.

Between Manning and Brady, this game has the makings of an old fashioned western-style duel.

Week 13 vs. Jets

Hated division-rival New York Jets have stolen a lot of the media attention away from the Patriots this off-season, and with big-name acquisitions and their Hard Knocks show, the Jets have high expectations and a big target on their back.

The Week 2 matchup at the New Meadowlands will be big. However, neither team will be playing their best football at that point and a lot can change in 11 weeks.



That’s why the Week 13 matchup will be huge. The game could go a long way in determining who comes out on top of the AFC East. It will also have a huge spotlight as it is currently slated to be that week’s Monday night game.

One interesting aspect of this matchup involves one of the Jets’ new acquisitions, Jason Taylor.

Formerly of the Miami Dolphins, another division rival, Taylor has a history of coming out against the Patriots and really pressuring Brady. The Jets have a lot of talented individual defenders that will take a lot of attention, so the older Taylor may get free, which would be disastrous for Brady and the Patriots passing game.

If Matt Light isn’t healthy and/or Steven Vollmer does not continue to develop properly, then the New York pass rush could really expose a weakness in the Patriots’ offensive line.

Week 15 vs. Green Bay

If the Patriots were to make the Super Bowl, a rematch of the 1996 Super Bowl with Green Bay could be in order.


The Packers are one of the top contenders in the NFC and are a big matchup problem for New England.

The Patriots strength on offense is their passing game. In 2009, the Packers were, statistically, a top-five defense against the pass. They also were first in interceptions (30) and tied for eleventh in sacks (37). They have what it takes to stand toe-to-toe with the vaunted New England aerial game.



So the Patriots could need the running game to step up. However, the running game is the most inconsistent part of the Patriots’ team. Shaky performances, injuries, and a revolving door of starters makes the position one of weakness for the Patriots.
Now take the likes of Laurence Maroney, Fred Taylor, Sammy Morris, Kevin Faulk, and BenJarvus Green-Ellis and put them up against Green Bay’s top-ranked run-defense, who also boasted the best takeaway total (40), and it could be a rough day on offense for the Patriots.

Meanwhile, the New England secondary, another position of concern for the team, will have to go up against Aaron Rodgers, who has developed into one of the top passers in the league. Rodgers threw for an astonishing 4,434 yards, 30 touchdowns, a 64.7 completion percentage, a 103.2 QB rating, and only seven interceptions.

The cliché is that a group is only as strong as its weakest link. Against the Packers the two weakest positions on the team will be put to the test.

Photo Credits.
Tom Brady: AP Photo/Dave Martin
Ray Rice: AP Photo/Elise Amendola
Philip Rivers: AP Photo/Jeff Chiu
Peyton Manning: AP Photo/Mike Groll
Jason Taylor: AP Photo/Bill Kostroun
Aaron Rodgers: AP Photo/Jim Prisching