NFL Week 1 Picks: Green Bay Packers Start 2011 Season With Successful Title Defense

Even with the NFL lockout earlier in the summer, did anyone really think that there wouldn’t be football?

This league is too popular and makes too much money for anyone to want to miss out on that cash cab. OTA’s were lost as was the Hall of Fame game, but now we’ve arrived at what really matters. It’s time for Philadelphia’s “Dream Team” to prove what their made of, to show that they won’t be the Miami Heat of the NFL.

Time for the Kansas City Chiefs to prove that 2010 wasn’t a fluke.

Time for the Detroit Lions, St. Louis Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers to play up to the preseason hype surrounding their young teams with very bright futures.

Just thank goodness that the time for the latest Brett Favre comeback saga has passed.

New Orleans at Green Bay

It’s become a trend for the defending Super Bowl champions to defend their title in the new season with a Thursday night home game in Week 1. And for seven consecutive years, the defending champion has won its season opener.

The Packers won’t have an easy time here though. Both teams are figured to be major contenders in the NFC thanks in large part to their talent, a miniscule roster turnover and a familiarity with the coaching staff, the latter two becoming more important than ever after the shortened offseason.

Still, Green Bay is a Super Bowl team that gets even better by getting back their starting tight end (Jermichael Finley) and running back (Ryan Grant) healthy and back from injury.

It’s tough to go against history here.

Green Bay wins.

Atlanta at Chicago

The Falcons are a sexy pick to reach the Super Bowl this year. A lot of hype will surround rookie wide receiver Julio Jones, whom the Falcons traded five draft picks to select. A lot of people are excited to see what he can do alongside standout Roddy White.

Chicago reached the NFC Championship game last year, but there isn’t much confidence in them: case in point Jay Cutler leaving the championship game against the Packers with a sprained MCL. Many criticized him and his “willingness to win”, and that’s not to mention his great potential to turn the ball over.

Atlanta wins.

Cincinnati at Cleveland

No Carson Palmer for the Bengals. No Chad Ochocinco for the Bengals. No Terrell Owens for the Bengals. Could it all mean no wins for the Bengals?

The team will certainly have its work cut out for it this year in trying to be competitive. The team will be reliant on a rookie quarterback (Andy Dalton) and a rookie wide receiver (A.J. Green) to do much of the damage on offense, but it doesn’t look like there’s enough talent across the board for the Bengals to be a legitimate threat.

The Browns aren’t a super star-laden team either, especially at wide receiver, but Colt McCoy did a solid job last year in his rookie season and Peyton Hillis was a breakout star (although he’ll have to beware of the Madden Curse). This team stayed competitive last year and it looks like they’re a leg up on the Bengals right now.

Cleveland wins.

Buffalo at Kansas City

Kansas City surprised quite a few people last year when they won the AFC West and made the playoffs. With a great running attack headed by stud Jamaal Charles as well as having a solid defense, the Chiefs are being overlooked this year in favor of the more dynamic San Diego Chargers.

Buffalo may not have won a lot of games last season, but the late blooming of Harvard-alumnus Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback helped keep the Bills competitive and somewhat interesting to watch. He has some playmakers around him in wide receiver Steve Johnson and running backs Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller. They could wind up being only a .500 team, especially playing a one of the tougher divisions in the NFL, but they’ll go down swinging.

Kansas City at home is just too tough a task. The Chiefs finished 7-1 at home in front of an extremely supportive fan base that only gets rowdier with every win.

Kansas City wins.

Philadelphia at St. Louis

Nobody has wanted the season to start more than the Eagles. It’s time for them to show off all their new toys (Nmandi Asomaugh, Cullen Jenkins, Ronnie Brown and Dominque Rodgers-Cromartie), not to mention some very good older ones (Mike Vick, DeSean Jackson and LeSean McCoy). This was probably the most exciting team in all of football to watch in 2010, and this season should be no different.

St. Louis has some talent. Sam Bradford did well as a rookie, Steven Jackson has been a good running back for many years now and Mike Sims-Walker is a big improvement over anyone Bradford threw to last year.

Still, just look at the talent the Eagles have.

Philadelphia wins.

Detroit at Tampa Bay

It’s not the rivalry of Pittsburgh-Baltimore or the hyped up teams like the Jets and Cowboys, but Lions against the Buccaneers could be the most interesting matchup of the week.

Two teams loaded with exciting young players will square off. Josh Freeman has a lot of people talking in Tampa because of his pocket presence in 2010 but how will he fare with Ndamukong Suh chasing after him?

Matthew Stafford was a number one pick for the Lions, but will he ever stay healthy?
There’s a lot to like about these two teams and both have bright futures. The Lions look like they could be this year’s version of the Buccaneers: a young, up-and-coming team that surprises a lot of people and wins a lot more games than they have in years past.

Detroit wins.

Tennessee at Jacksonville

The best player on both teams in the running back, Chris Johnson for the Titans and Maurice Jones-Drew for the Jaguars. Both teams are also starting different quarterbacks than they did last year. The similarity ends there though, with the quarterback situations incredibly different.

The Titans brought in Matt Hasselback to start before rookie Jake Locker is ready. Hasselback is on his last legs and injuries have plagued him the last couple of seasons. He still knows how to run a team though and he might just even be an upgrade over the Vince Young/Kerry Collins platoon from last year.

The Jaguars, meanwhile, cut long-time starter David Garrard on Tuesday, making the Luke McCown the new No. 1. Cutting Garrard saved the team $9 million dollars but it won’t help them in the win column. He’s been in the NFL since 2004 (with the Jaguars the past two seasons) yet has only played in 16 games. There’s a reason for that.

Tennessee wins.

Pittsburgh at Baltimore

One of the biggest rivalries in football is on display in Week 1. The Steelers and Ravens are two smash mouth football teams and this game will not be any different.
For starters, will the Steelers have a Super Bowl hangover after losing the big game last year?

They’ve also had more off-field issues with their stars this year thanks to Hines Ward’s DUI arrest and James Harrison’s harsh words towards NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and team starting QB Ben Roethlisberger, amongst others, in a Men’s Journal article.

The Ravens went and added more pieces this offseason to add artillery to their offense. Lee Evans was brought in to be a downfield threat, Ricky Williams will be Ray Rice’s backup and Vonta Leach will be the new starting fullback and lead blocker.
Leach was a big reason for Arian Foster’s success last season and the Ravens hope he will make an similar impact on the already successful Rice.

Baltimore wins.

Indianapolis at Houston

Now is the time for the Texans to finally make good on that playoff push. They have flirted with postseason play in recent years but have ultimately come up short.
But with the Peyton Manning being inactive for the Colts indefinitely, the Texans could be the top team in the division.

They shocked the Colts last season in an opening week win when Arian Foster took advantage of a porous Colts run defense. Foster is questionable for this week’s game, but Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson still form an incredibly powerful combination in the air.

Houston wins.

New York Giants at Washington

Rex Grossman claims his Redskins can win the division. Their first test will be against the Giants, who while they aren’t an easy team to beat, they certainly aren’t the cream of the crop anymore in the NFC East.

Eli Manning claims that he’s just as good as Patriots QB Tom Brady. He’ll need to stop turning the ball over as frequently as he does to even make that statement not as much of a joke as it currently stands.

Still the Giants have more talent overall than Washington.

New York wins.

Seattle at San Francisco

The 49ers were preseason favorites to win the NFC West, however an 0-5 start doomed them. They still only finished a game worse than the division winning Seahawks.
Alex Smith leads San Francisco again, much to the dismay of Niner fans, but new head coach Jim Harbaugh is supposed to be a quarterback coaching guru, so there is hope for him.

Last season these two teams opened up against each other and the Seahawks put a beat down on the 49ers, 31-6. That was in Seattle however. In San Francisco in Week 14, San Francisco won the game 40-21 and Smith—returning as a starter after previously being benched—threw for 255 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions.

San Francisco wins.

Minnesota at San Diego

Rejoice, the Brett Favre saga is over. It’s tough to tell if the Vikings are a better team though.

They still have Adrian Peterson. They lost receiver Sidney Rice. And in at quarterback comes Donovan McNabb. He’s been up and down the past few years, not terrible but not helping his team win many games either. He’ll have a good young running back to lean on this year though so that may help him.

San Diego is lead by Philip Rivers, one of the best quarterbacks in the league. Last year’s individual success throwing the ball was without Vincent Jackson and Antonio Gates for most of the year and those two will be back in action this year starting in Week 1.

The Chargers missed out on the playoffs last year even though they had the No. 1 ranked offense and defense. They will be out for vengeance.

San Diego wins.

Carolina at Arizona

Rookie quarterbacks don’t tend to do well. No team with a rookie starting at quarterback has ever won the Super Bowl. And Cam Newton will have his work cut out for him with the Panthers who, even though they had only two wins all of last year, kept their roster mostly intact from last year.

Arizona gets Kevin Kolb in at quarterback. His sample size isn’t very big, but he’s had a little bit of success in the league and Larry Fitzgerald loves catching passes from him.

Arizona wins.

Dallas at New York Jets

Two years with Rex Ryan as their head coach (and Mark Sanchez as their starting quarterback) and the Jets have two trips to the AFC Championship game. They just haven’t won the division, gotten a bye in the first round, or made the playoffs. They need to get a bye to make the process a little easier on themselves.

Dallas should have a nice bounce-back season with a healthy Tony Romo leading the way and contend in the NFC East, but at the newly christened MetLife Stadium the fans will be going nuts for the Jets.

New York wins.

New England at Miami

Miami’s starting quarterback has been booed by the home fans in the preseason, their head coach was given an extension only after the owner tried to pursue a different coach while the incumbent was still under contract and the Wildcat, which made this team unique offensively, lost its top guy when the team let Ronnie Brown go. They also went 1-7 at home last season.

Oh, and they went 0-2 against the Patriots last year and lost the two games by a combined 58 points.

New England wins.

Oakland at Denver

Oakland won only eight games last year and lost its top receiver in tight end Zach Miller and its top defender in corner Nmamdi Asomugha.

Kyle Orton threw for 3,653 yards and only nine interceptions last season but many fans will still begging for Tim Tebow to start and he was on the trade block. He’ll be out to prove his value this season, to the Broncos or any other team.

Denver wins.

2010: 155-96

2009: 151-73

Photo Credits.
Aaron Rodgers: AP Photo/Mike Roemer

Boston Blazers Suspend Operations, Leave a Hole in the Boston Lacrosse Scene

The professional lacrosse teams in Boston are at opposite ends of the spectrum.

The fact that one plays the field version of the game in Major League Lacrosse and the other was part of the indoor National Lacrosse League isn’t the only thing that separates the two teams.

Four days after the Boston Cannons won the MLL championship—their first in franchise history—management for the Boston Blazers announced that the team would suspend operations for the 2012 season. While not participating in the league, management will look for a place to relocate the Blazers for the 2013 season, in a local and national search.

In both leagues the Boston franchises were top draws. This past year the Cannons finished the regular season with a league-best record of 9-3 in addition to their championship. They had a total attendance of 51,971 and an average of 8,661 fans per game, both good enough for second-best in the six-team league.

The big draw for the Cannons is midfielder Paul Rabil, who is arguably the best lacrosse player in the world today and is also the most marketable. The Johns Hopkins alumnus and is a two-time MLL MVP.

Joining him on the field is local-product Max Quinzani, who grew up in nearby Duxbury, Mass. and was a familiar face to lacrosse fans playing his college ball at Duke.

The championship was long overdue for the Cannons, a member of MLL since the league’s inception in 2001. In the past two seasons the Cannons, although a favorite to win it all, lost in the semifinals both years. They’ve made the playoffs nine seasons out of 11 (including this season) however they only reached the championship twice, finally winning it all this year.

Watching Rabil lift the championship trophy was a joyous moment for Boston lacrosse fans. It is unfortunate for such a passionate fan base that darker winter days lay ahead.

In three seasons since joining the NLL, the Boston Blazers never were able to make it out of the first round of the playoffs, losing in round one all three years. Despite the lack of success in comparison to the Cannons the Blazers were still a big attraction in the league.

In the 2010 season they averaged 8,712 fans per game which was 51 more fans than the Cannons and an increase from the 2009 season, where the Blazers had an average attendance of 6,620 fans.



The Blazers made headlines last year when they added star power to their lineup. The team already had Dan Dawson, the 2009 league MVP, and All-Star goalie Anthony Cosmo. They then went out and acquired Josh Sanderson, an NLL veteran who eclipsed the 1,000 point mark this past season, and 2010 MVP and lacrosse legend Casey Powell.

Powell, Dawson and Sanderson—nicknamed “The Big Three”—all finished in the top three in voting for the league MVP in 2010 making it the first time in professional sports history that the top three candidates for league MVP one season were teammates the next.

Expectations were high and ultimately the team disappointed, unable to break .500 during the regular season (8-8) and not winning a championship. Fans still came out and supported the team however and were excited to see what would happen in 2012 when the players would have even greater chemistry after playing a full season together.

The Blazers fans now face a lose-lose situation, in addition to missing out on the upcoming NLL season.

A major reason for the team’s financial woes is because they rented space from the TD Garden (where the Celtics and Bruins play) at a high cost but did not see any of the money made off of parking and concessions. So team president and general manager Doug Reffue will conduct a six-month search to evaluate potential new venues that are more economically beneficial to the team.

The search could mean that the team moves outside of the Boston or New England area all together. This would leave the fans with no team at all, which is never a happy thing.

The Blazers could also potentially stay local to Boston. However, while lacrosse fans would still have the team it wouldn’t be THEIR team, the one they made personal connections with so many players, the one that made headlines.

All players on the current roster will not be retained by the Blazers; rather they will go into a dispersal draft and spread around the league. That means no Dawson, who has been with the team all three years of its existence and been a fan favorite with his series of YouTube videos dubbed “The Danger Zone”.

That means no Powell, Sanderson, and Cosmo. They’d be without Kyle Rubisch, the team’s 2010 first round draft pick that was named to the NLL All-Rookie team last season.

The fans would also miss Kevin Buchannan, Greg Downing and Jack Reid, all prominent Blazers that also play for the Cannons.

It’s a better option than losing the team all together, but it won’t be the same.

So while the Cannons rejoice after finally lifting the trophy, the other side of Boston professional lacrosse will go dark with the long Boston-winter nights.

Happy days for Boston lacrosse fans have come to a stop in such an abrupt fashion. But maybe that will make them yearn for the Cannons even more come May and help them avoid the same fate as the Blazers.

2011 Boston Blazers Video Introduction from YouTube.



Photo Credits.
Dan Dawson: photo from the New England Lacrosse Journal, www.laxjournal.com
Paul Rabil: Larry French/Getty Images

Jozy Altidore Remains the Best Forward for the United States National Team

While the United States Men’s National Team failed to score against Costa Rica on Friday, Jozy Altidore—the starting striker whose primary job is to score goals—proved that he still is the top forward on the depth chart.

Under former head coach Bob Bradley Altidore was the starting forward—sometimes with a partner, other times alone—but due to a lack of goals with the national team and a lack of scoring and playing time at the club level many wondered how much longer that would last.

Some, albeit prematurely, labeled the 21-year-old a bust and longed for a better striker to come along.

Then came the emergence of Juan Agudelo. The 18-year-old scored two goals in his first three matches with the National Team. His energy and work rate when he entered matches brought the team’s play to another level and he exuded confidence. Many labeled him the next best thing, even though Agudelo has failed to score a goal in his past eight games with the United States.

While Agudelo is a promising prospect, Altidore, in his first game playing for new head coach Jürgen Klinsmann, showed that he is the better option up top for the time being.

Altidore has 39 caps compared to Agudelo’s 11 and the elder forward showed his age, experience and skill set are more valuable to the team than what Agudelo brings to the table, especially considering the sample of both players from the Costa Rica game.

Altidore likes to take on his opponents one-on-one from time to time, but he is at his best when he is playing as a target forward with his back to the goal. He is a very strong forward with broad shoulders. Defenders cannot outmuscle him. Altidore’s greatest goal of his career came against Spain in the 2009 Confederation’s Cup when he turned defender Joan Capdevilla off the ball and blasted a shot into the back of the net.



Against Costa Rica Altidore did a good job of making himself a target to his teammates and creating passing lanes. His ability to hold off defenders helped the team get more players involved in the attack. His passing was good and he linked up very well with his teammates, especially Brek Shea and Landon Donovan, which created a number of close chances.

Altidore was active and his presence helped other players get involved which made the U.S. very dangerous in the first half.

Agudelo came on as a second half substitute for Altidore, and although he played with much energy, like he usually does, the offense seemed to stall a bit.

As a lone forward it wasn’t all Agudelo’s fault. The defensive back four, Maurice Edu—the holding midfielder—and the rest of the midfield seemed to tire a bit causing a break in the transition and smooth passing from defense to offense.

Agudelo, however, has a smaller frame than Altidore and got pushed off the ball a bit, especially when the game grew more physical as it dragged on.

While Agudelo seems to have a good partnership with Shea—evident in the tying goal against Mexico in Klinsmann’s first game—his biggest fault is that he can become a bit individualistic.

Part of it is inexperience but Agudelo holds onto the ball for too long. His decision making isn’t always the best and he has a tendency to try and dribble his way out of trouble. This causes teammates to start standing and watching, draws more defenders to Agudelo and causes turnovers.

Agudelo still has his moments of brilliance and he is dangerous when he slips behind the defense. A partnership with Agudelo and Altidore would be one to watch and develop.

But at the current stages of the careers of both players Altidore is the guy who belongs at the top of the depth chart.

Photo Credits.
Jozy Altidore: AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh
Juan Agudelo: AP Photo/Alex Brandon

Chris Konopka Makes Solid Spot Start in Goal for the New York Red Bulls

Chris Konopka, a 26-year-old alumnus of Toms River High School East (Toms River, NJ) and Providence College, got the opportunity of a lifetime Saturday night. After spending three years in Ireland, the six-foot-five-inch goalkeeper made his first ever MLS start for his hometown New York Red Bulls in front of a sold-out crowd of 25,177.

“I grew up watching the MetroStars. I grew up watching Tony Meola, Tim Howard,” Konopka told the media. “They were the guys that I watched.”

The only other thing he could’ve asked for was a win.

Konopka made three saves as the Red Bulls came from behind to earn a point in a 2-2 draw against the Chicago Fire.

He was a surprise start to begin with. Konopka is an MLS pool goalkeeper, a resource available to teams in the league to bring in goalies in case of emergency. New York starter Frank Rost was ruled out earlier in the week due to a quadriceps injury. Former starter Bouna Coundoul was thought to be the logical replacement, but his flight back to the States after playing for the Senegalese National Team was late and didn’t arrive until late Friday night.

So it was down to Konopka, who had been training with the club, and Alex Horwath, who had made one start earlier in the season and didn’t surrender a goal in a 0-0 draw. Even though Horwath had the edge in “experience” and had been with the club longer, Konopka did enough to become the fifth goalie used by the Red Bulls this season and earn his first MLS start (Konopka spent 2007 with the then-Kansas City Wizards—now Sporting Kansas City—but did not make a regular season appearance with the team).

“Konopka has been outstanding this week,” head coach Hans Backe said. “He’s looked very sharp. That’s why we have him over Alex Horwath.”

Konopka didn’t do terribly. There were two goals allowed, but the team’s defensive effort was subpar and he was put in a difficult spot on both goals as the Fire’s speedy forwards beat the Red Bull’s backline multiple times.

On the first goal, Patrick Nyarko got free on the left side and sent in a cross in front of the net to former-Red Bull Dominic Oduro, who had gotten between the two centerbacks—who seemed to not notice Oduro made a cut to goal and was open. Konopka got a piece of the shot, but it trickled underneath him and into the back of the net.

The second goal came on a fast break. Once again, Nyarko got behind the defensive thanks to a through ball from Marco Poppa. Nyarko attempted to chip the ball over Konopka but the tall keeper was able to knock the shot down. The ball fell in front of Fire midfielder Sebastian Grazzini, however, who then put the rebound away.

“It’s a little bit unfortunate about it but it is what it is,” Konopka told reporters after the game. “I just had to turn and keep my head up and play the rest of the match.”

Konopka did make a nice save in the second half to preserve the tie. With some good passing from the Fire, Orr Barrouch slipped behind the defense after receiving a through ball (a recurring motif for the night) and dribbled in one-on-one with the goalie. Konopka came out, stayed low, cut off the angle and made a point-blank save.

While it was a story-book setting for Konopka, the total result probably wasn’t the kind that Konopka dreamed of in his ideal situation, especially when the Red Bulls could’ve really used a win as they make a push for the playoffs. Still he may have done enough to earn another chance.

Rost is out for a month. Coundoul is inconsistent and has fallen out of favor with club management. Greg Sutton was loaned out to the Montreal Impact. So, for at least one more week, if Konopka can continue his strong practice sessions, he may be given at least one more opportunity to start between the posts ahead of Horwath.

“You just gotta’ try and stay positive,” Konopka told the media after the game. “There’s nine games left till the end of this season. I’m a part of this team through and through till the end.”

Given the revolving door that has been the Red Bulls goalkeeper position this year, it certainly isn’t far-fetched to think that the big and athletic keeper will be seen again.

Photo credits.
Chris Konopka: photo from Waterford United, waterford-united.ie

Jürgen Klinsmann and the German feel of the United States Men's National Team

The United States Men’s National Team is going through an identity crisis. All that’s left is changing the flag from red, white and blue to the black, red and gold of Germany.

The signing of Jürgen Klinsmann as head coach of the senior team gives this team an increasingly strong German presence, one that had already begun to develop prior to the new skipper’s arrival.

Klinsmann is a former World Cup winner for Die Mannschaft, as well as a player for a European Championship winning team and a German Footballer of the Year award winner in 1994. He is one of the most famous and well-respected players in Germany’s soccer history. And as a manager he revamped the nation’s playing style and helped them finish third in the 2006 World Cup, when they hosted the tournament.

As he writes in his manifesto, Klinsmann transformed the German National Team into an offensive minded squad; attacking, being aggressive and “proactive”. To help the senior team accomplish this transformation, Klinsmann reached out to many of the German Bundesliga coaches to help implement that style of play throughout the country, creating a national identity through style of play.

It’s a style many USMNT supporters have wished their country would adopt and it seems that Klinsmann plans to implement. And he’s relying on players with strong ties to the German game to introduce it to the rest of the USA.

The team already has midfielder Jermaine Jones. He grew up in Frankfurt-Bonames with his mother and his father was an African-American soldier stationed in Germany. He played professionally in Germany from 2000-2011 before being loaned to EPL side Blackburn Rovers. Jones even made three appearances for the German National Team (under Klinsmann’s assistant-turned head coach Joachim Löw) before using a FIFA rule change to allow him to switch eligibility to the USMNT.

There is also the tantalizing prospect, Timothy Chandler. He was born in Frankfurt—also to an African-American soldier and German mother—lived in Germany his entire life and has played professionally only in Germany. He plays right fullback, but can also play on the wing.

Fans want to see more of Chandler, already labeling him the next starter at right fullback, but he was not named to the Gold Cup roster (left off due to concerns from his club team) and was an injury scratch for the Mexico friendly. Still, he figures to play a large role on the team moving forward.

Also, Steve Cherundolo and Michael Bradley, while they are not German citizens, have played in the Bundesliga during the time of Klinsmann’s influence on the club level.

Don't forget that Klinsmann was also the coach of Bayern Munich when American star Landon Donovan was on loan there in 2009.

All five players were named to Klinsmann’s first roster as head coach of the USMNT, but there’s even more ties to his German background lurking on the team, and they are with some surprising players.

DaMarcus Beasley, Ricardo Clark and Edson Buddle have all thought to be completely out of the National Team picture after the 2010 World Cup. All three, to the shock of many USMNT supporters, have been placed on the 22-man roster for the Mexico friendly, earning a chance to prove their worth to the new coach.

What do all three have in common, other than thought to be finished with the USMNT? They all have played club ball recently in Germany.

Clark has played both midfield and center fullback for Bundesliga 2 side Eintracht Frankfurt and Edson Buddle has scored three goals in 17 league appearances since joining fellow Bundesliga 2 team FC Ingolstadt 04 last summer. Beasley, though he just joined Mexican –side Puebla this summer, was a member of Bundesliga club Hannover 96 the past two seasons.



One would imagine all three are in an “Impress now or forever hold your peace” situation with the USMNT, but it isn’t far-fetched to imagine that their experiences in German soccer have earned them all one last chance.

Don’t expect the parade of German-Americans (or those playing professionally in Germany) to end soon either. Some other options still exist.

Goalkeeper David Yelldell, a German-American who has made one career appearance for the USMNT, signed with Bundesliga club Bayern Leverkusen this summer. He was briefly named the team’s starting goalkeeper in July, although he did not play in the team’s first game of the season. He could emerge as a No. 2 keeper behind incumbent starter Tim Howard.

Alfredo Morales is a 21-year-old German-American defender for Bundesliga side Hertha Berlin. Young players on top-tier teams usually get a good amount of hype from the American soccer media (think Eric Lichaj), so Morales’ name could get mentioned frequently in the upcoming years.

Luis Robles is another goalkeeper who plays in Germany. He plays for Bundesliga 2 team Karlsruher (previously with FC Kaiserslautern) and has made one appearance for the USMNT in the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

So Klinsmann (and USMNT fans) wants the team to play more offensive-mindedly, more aggressive and with more technical skill. He wants them to play more like the German National Team. So to do that he’s bringing in players with ties to Germany who have experienced the style of play Germany plays, a style Kilnsmann influenced onto German teams with support from their soccer federation in 2004.

And how bad a model could the German National team be for the United States? Historically they are one of the most successful nations to participate in the FIFA World Cup and have finished third in two straight editions of the tournament (not to mention a second-place finish in 2002, pre-Klinsmann).

The Mexico friendly will usher in a new era for the American team, the “German era”. Now it’s time to see if Klinsmann can replicate that success of Die Mannschaft in the “land of the free and the home of the brave.”

Photo Credits.
Jürgen Klinsmann: AP Photo/Mary Altaffer
Jermaine Jones: AP Photo/Stephan Savoia

Pieces of Jürgen Klinsmann's introduction as USMNT head coach. Video from YouTube.

Hunter Pence Should Be the Top Trade Target for the Philadelphia Phillies

While the Philadelphia Phillies will be looking for bullpen help at this summer’s MLB trade deadline, as they do most seasons, but their biggest weakness is their offense.

After being a feared lineup before last season the team’s offense has sputtered. They went missing in the NLCS against the San Francisco Giants and this season are 18th in all of baseball in home runs (81, a shame in their supposedly hitter’s ballpark), 19th in OPS (.700), 21st in batting average (.248) and 22nd in slugging percentage (.379).

The man they should target is Hunter Pence, an outfielder with the Houston Astros.

Outfield is the position that the Phils could upgrade and Pence is a righty, which will help balance their lefty-heavy middle of the order (Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Raul Ibanez).

Pence is enjoying a great year. He has 11 home runs this year and 61 RBI and those totals would be third and second-best on the Phillies right now. His .318 average would lead the team and he’d also be in the top few in on-base percentage (.359) and OPS (.843).

This season the Phillies have mostly used a right-field platoon of Dominic Brown and Ben Francisco. Combined those two have hit 11 home runs and only 47 RBI. Add John Mayberry Jr.’s 24 RBI and that total just eclipses Pence’s total by 11. And none of those three are hitting above .243.

It isn’t just his hitting that makes Pence the perfect fit in Philly though. He’s a good fielder who has never committed more than six errors in a season, has a career fielding percentage of .986 when playing right field (he spent some of his rookie season in center field) and has a good arm. Pence also has good speed and runs the bases well (he would be fourth on the Phillies with seven steals and he hasn’t been caught stealing yet).

His contract situation is also suitable. He’s making a manageable $6.9 million this season and, more importantly, is signed through 2013. He won’t just be a rental player.

Having Pence would also let Brown develop on his own pace better this year with less pressure, as the rookie looks has struggled this year after missing the beginning of the season due to an injury.

The Astros should be sellers at the trade market, owners of the worst record in MLB (30-63). Word from Houston’s management is that they aren’t terribly interested in trading Pence, but that’s not to say the Phils don’t still have a chance to swing a deal.



Philadelphia and Houston are familiar trade partners. Astros General Manager Ed Wade previously held the same position with the Phillies, and he has swung some nice deals with his old employer. Before the 2008 season he sent Brad Lidge and Eric Bruntlett to the Phillies and both played big roles in helping the Phillies win the World Series that year. Last season Wade shipped long-time Astro-ace Roy Oswalt to Philly.

It’s not like the Astros haven’t received anything in return either. The Lidge trade netted them Michael Bourn, a speedy centerfielder who is enjoying a career year with a .287 batting average, 60 runs, seven triples and 35 stolen bases. In exchange for Oswalt Houston received J.A. Happ, a solid middle of the rotation guy.

And while the Phillies farm system has been depleted over the past few years with trades for Joe Blanton, Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay and Oswalt they still do have some young talent that would be available to move.

Brown came in the season as the Phillies top-ranked prospect. He would be a major-league ready prospect that the Astros could slide into the lineup immediately. Another young player on the Phillies major league roster that could interest the Astros is starting pitcher Vance Worley. He is 5-0 this season with a 2.15 ERA filling in for injuries on the pitching staff. When Oswalt and Blanton come back off the DL however he will most likely be the odd-man-out.

Other prospects that interest teams are first baseman/outfielder and slugger Jonathan Singleton (currently blocked at first base by Ryan Howard), catcher Sebastian Valle and pitchers Brody Colvin, Jarred Cosart, Jesse Biddle, Trevor May and Phillippe Aumont.

Pence may cost the Phillies more than some of the other available outfielders on the market—Josh Willingham, Ryan Ludwick and Jeff Francoeur—would. But look at those names. None of them have been more consistent throughout their careers than Pence. Francoeur leads those three in career batting average (.267) but doesn’t come close to Pence’s (.292). Their power numbers this year aren’t even that much different from Pence. Willingham and Francoeur have 12 home runs while Ludwick has 11 and all three have fewer RBIs.

Also, are any of those three really that much better than Dominic Brown? Pence is a significant upgrade, but the other three don’t improve the position that much more to merit making a trade.

The Phillies championship window is getting smaller and smaller with guys like Howard, Utley, Rollins, Halladay and Lee all in their 30’s. Now is the time to take advantage of their talents by adding equally talented players to the roster to complement them.

Pence fits the bill. All other options are just cheap substitutes.

Photo Credits.
Hunter Pence: AP Photo/Dave Einsel
Dominic Brown: AP Photo/Tom Mihalek

Hunter Pence video diary. Video from YouTube.

MLS All-American Starting XI

AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez

Independence Day is the USA’s birthday and a great opportunity to celebrate being an American.

Not all the best American soccer players play in MLS, and not all the best players in MLS are American. So in honor of this great nation here is a starting XI of the best American players in MLS so far in the 2011 season.

The list features one goalie, three defenders, five midfielders and two forwards. To be eligible for this list the player has to be eligible to play for the United States Men’s National Team.

Goalie

Nick Rimando, Real Salt Lake

Goalie is a position of strength for Americans, and MLS has its share of talented American keepers. Rimando is at the top of the class.

Compared to other goalies that have played in 10 or more games, the 5’8” net minder is third in winning percentage (43%), second in save percentage (79%), second in goals against average (0.64) and second in shutouts.

He missed a few games due to his inclusion with the USMNT in the Gold Cup, but with Rimando in net RSL is one of the stingiest defensive teams in the league. They currently have allowed only nine goals all season.

Defense

Omar Gonzalez, Los Angeles Galaxy

At 6’4”, Gonzalez towers over the opposition and he uses his size and strength to his advantage. He is the defensive centerpiece for the Western Conference-leading Galaxy. The team has allowed only 15 goals against—second in MLS—and is first with a plus-10 goal differential.

Because of his height Gonzalez can also be used in set pieces in front of the goal, registering one so far this season.

Jay DeMerit, Vancouver Whitecaps

He was the high-profile signing for the Whitecaps for their inaugural season and, when healthy, provides great leadership for one of two expansion teams.

The captain, as he has his whole career, is aggressive and a fighter and that rubs off on his teammates. The key for him is to just stay healthy, playing in only 10 games due to a groin injury. Still, when he plays he makes an obvious impact on the game.

Tim Ream, New York Red Bulls

National team duty is the only way the Red Bulls can get this promising prospect off the field.

Since joining the team as a second-round draft pick last year, Ream has played every single minute of every possible game he was active for. No injuries, no substitutions and no suspensions; the only reason Ream has missed time this year is because he was taken away to play with the USMNT in the Gold Cup.

Durability is not his only special trait. Ream has a great calmness on the ball and plays with much poise out of the back. He is a crisp passer and his ability to successfully begin the transition from defense to offense is not only perfect for the possession-obsessed New York Red Bulls, it is rare amongst most American centerbacks.

Midfield

Benny Feilhaber, New England Revolution

The 26-year-old made a huge splash in the league when he was signed by the Revolution in April. Attendance at New England games has increased thanks to Feilhaber’s presence, but that is the only thing that has improved about this club.

In the seven games he’s played in he has played every single minute. He has two assists this season, his first coming within his first 12 minutes of his debut. He’s an offensive-minded player and he has helped the struggling Revolution do a much better job of moving the ball around and push the ball up the field.

Brad Davis, Houston Dynamo

Brad Davis may be the best-player you haven’t heard of. The midfielder is a master of setting his teammates up. He has tallied 12 assists the past two years, finishing third in MLS last season, and already has nine this season, first in the league. He has two goals of his own this season as well.

He doesn’t get the headlines, he doesn’t get the individual accolades but Davis is very good on the wing and does a lot to help his team get a victory. The number of assists he produces on a yearly basis is quite impressive.

Jack Jewsbury, Portland Timbers

The 30-year-old midfielder is having a career year. As captain of the expansion Portland Timbers, Jewsbury has already tallied six assists (tied for fourth in the league, second-highest total of his career) and four goals (tied for a career-high).

Portland is not high in the standings, but they are a competitive team—especially at home—and it has to do with Jewsbury’s emergence from role player to the main man in the middle of the field.

Kyle Beckerman, Real Salt Lake

The dreadlocked one has been a mainstay in the Real Salt Lake lineup now for the past four years. He serves as the team’s captain and is tenacious on the defensive end of the field.

It’s hard to imagine there being a 50-50 ball or a tough tackle that Beckerman has ever shied away from. He maintains a positive attitude and has a strong will to win. He is the heart and soul of Real Salt Lake and a big reason for their transformation into one of, if not the most well-rounded team in MLS.

He hasn’t lost a step this season.

Brek Shea, FC Dallas

Always recognizable for his long blonde hair, Shea’s play has been just as noteworthy this season. He has a tremendous amount of talent and this year he is doing a good job showcasing it.

Currently he is one of four players tied for the league lead in goals scored (8). He has four goals in his past four games and is taking up the slack left behind by injured 2010 MVP David Ferreira. He also leads the league with four game-winning goals. He also puts a lot of pressure on opposing defenses, taking 42 shots this season, sixth in the league.

Shea’s dominance on the field has helped FC Dallas climb the standings to second place in the Western Conference, sitting only one point behind the Galaxy. He’s an early candidate for league MVP.

Forwards

Charlie Davies, D.C. United

Every American soccer fan’s favorite story, someone it seems like everyone is rooting for, Charlie Davies is making a remarkable comeback for his first action on the pitch since that heavily-publicized car accident in October of 2009.

He is tied for the league lead in goals (8), even though he has only started eight games and played in 14. While his speed still may not be at the same level it was pre-injury, Davies is fast enough to get behind defenses and really cause trouble on the offensive end of the field.

For most, it has been fun to watch Davies resurgence. A number of his goals have come from the penalty spot rather than in the run of play and he still is not quite ready to make his return to the USMNT, but Davies is taking advantage of every opportunity he gets for D.C. and is enjoying a very good first season in MLS.

Landon Donovan, Los Angeles Galaxy

Donovan is not only the face of the Galaxy, not only the face of MLS, but he is also the face of American soccer. His play on the field this year is once again top-notch and the perennial MVP-candidate is making another run for the trophy this season.

In only 11 games (missing time with the USMNT in the Gold Cup) he has eight goals, also one of four players tied for the league lead. He is the team’s captain, longest tenured player, and its leader. His team has the most points in the entire league and with no National Team matches coming up he should be on the field for the remainder of the Galaxy games, creating goals.

He’s a versatile player, which allows him to slide up as a forward in this starting lineup. He only has one assist this season, which is unusual for Donovan, but with more games and more time to get acclimated with his teammates he should improve on his assist number.

Bench

Kasey Keller, GK, Seattle Sounders; Todd Dunivant, D, Los Angeles Galaxy; Chad Marshall, D, Columbus Crew; Robbie Rogers, M, Columbus Crew; Jeff Larentowicz, M, Colorado Rapids; Teal Bunbury, F, Sporting Kansas City; Chris Wondolowski, F, San Jose Earthquakes