clients

The Guardian • FourFourTwo • ESPN • Soccer America

Bleacher Report • SoccerWire • OZY • USA TODAY

Fox Soccer • Huffington Post • Popdose • Bloody Elbow

topics

general soccer • women’s soccer • youth soccer

Olympics • MMA • entertainment / social issues

books

lrg

Long-Range Goals

 spirit

Enduring Spirit

 sds

Single-Digit Soccer

history

B.A.: Duke (philosophy, music) • The Chronicle

M.A.: Duke (liberal studies) • thesis

Work: USA TODAY • KRT • News & Record • Star-News

resume • work history • portfolio

contact

duresport at gmail

Ranting Soccer Dad blog and podcast

  • Bribery scandal’s lesson: Athletes get free passes (also, MIT is a jock school?)
    Being a parent opens your eyes to a few things. You realize how far the USA lags behind other countries in family leave and child care, which is a grossly unfair burden in particular on moms who want to work. You see that youth sports are fun up through, say, age 8, and the whole… Read More
  • Welcome, drive-by pundits. Can we introduce you to the NWSL?
    I’ll toss this into the “maybe tying pay to revenue isn’t such a good idea” argument, and please don’t take one part out of context … Over the past week, per the daily Soccer America newsletter, eight MLS games and one CONCACAF game had better attendance than the WNT’s game in Tampa. What does this… Read More
  • U.S. women’s soccer team v U.S. Soccer. Please let somebody win
    I’ll need to start with disclaimers, for some people in the women’s soccer community have sharp knives and blurred vision, and some people think saying, “Hey, that point you made won’t stand up in court” is the work of a misogynistic craptastic devil in a Belly T-shirt. So let’s start: DISCLAIMERS 1. The point of… Read More
  • A dual thought experiment: 1993 players in 2019 and vice versa
    In my conversation with Dan Loney, we somehow wound up talking about the Colorado Foxes and the old APSL/A-League. Dan made the case that if the 1993 Foxes played in MLS, they would eventually fall off the pace because of a lack of depth and resources, but they would win until that happens. So that… Read More
  • RSD 2-7-19: Dan Loney and I don’t talk about promotion/relegation
    Dan Loney and I have three things in common. First, we’re parents. Second, we have a goofy sense of humor. Third, we’re on the Enemies List of people who push promotion/relegation as The Big Issue That Will Save U.S. Soccer and Make Us A Consistent Global Power. The funny thing is that Dan, unlike most… Read More
  • Coaching education through the years
    This post goes with a short presentation I’m doing at the NSCAA — I mean, United Soccer Coaches (snappy short title to come, but I’m going to say UniSoc here) — convention for the Society for American Soccer History, an organization that has caught fire in the past three years or so. 1941: National Soccer… Read More
  • That time MLS (and many others) was sued for $50 million
    A bit of hilarity from the California court system … In 2014, one James C. Maxey sued Major League Soccer, alleging a conspiracy that involved “John Does 1-1999.” It’s hard to say exactly what Maxey claimed MLS did. He says he was injured on Sept. 11, 2001, and that the injuries were caused by “George… Read More
  • The top 100 women’s soccer players, by the numbers
    The Guardian has released its annual list of the top 100 women’s soccer players in the world, drawing votes from an outstanding panel. It’s a diverse group of voters. The only U.S.-based journalists on the panel are Jennifer Gordon and Jen Cooper, both terrific choices. (You might also include Jordan Angeli, a former player now… Read More
  • The Berhalter hire and why I don’t really care
    As the press conference announcing Gregg Berhalter as the U.S. men’s soccer head coach started, I was at The Fresh Market pondering ways to introduce farro into my diet.  After listening to a bit of the press conference on delay on Jason Davis’ show, I went downstairs to play the following songs on drums:  The… Read More
  • How to save the World Chess Championship
    Imagine you’re watching a two-legged championship soccer final. The games have been interesting but scoreless.  Suddenly, in the 75th minute of the second game, United FC switch formation. FC City freeze, not sure what to do. The City defense responds out of reflex, but United gain the advantage. Finally, the 89th minute, United slice through… Read More
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