My Dad was an intellectually rigorous man. He majored in philosophy, racing through college so he could lead a platoon in Korea, then returned from the war to get his doctorate in the emerging field of biochemistry. He remained in the Marine Reserves, rising to the rank of colonel, and was a stern but belovedContinue reading “On Twitter, advocacy, hostility and objectivity”
Category Archives: soccer
Upcoming coverage/career plans
Mid-major announcement to start with: Ranting Soccer Dad now has its own site. I’m not married to the design yet, but it should stabilize in the next few days. This site and podcast will be my top work priority for some time to come. I’m even planning a related book. Stay tuned. Ranting Soccer DadContinue reading “Upcoming coverage/career plans”
The best post-T&T pro-promotion/relegation argument
Predictably, Soccerocalypse has brought out the usual arguments from the promotion/relegation crowd: Youth development will be so much better! Players will be under constant pressure! If anyone could turn their attention away from Twitter long enough to read something longer than 280 characters at a time, they would have seen this addressed in the pro/relContinue reading “The best post-T&T pro-promotion/relegation argument”
Here’s what WON’T help U.S. Soccer
“That’s right, folks! Step right up and get your miracle elixir! Cures everything from chronic flatulence to an inability to qualify for the World Cup or Olympics from CONCACAF!” Doesn’t work that way. The problems have deeper roots. A dash of snake oil isn’t going to make the U.S. men’s team (or women’s, which hasContinue reading “Here’s what WON’T help U.S. Soccer”
RSD 14: The next U.S. Soccer president?
The problems in U.S. Soccer run deeper than the water that flooded Ato Boldon Stadium in Trinidad and Tobago before the U.S. men’s anemic performance and shocking exit from the World Cup on Tuesday night. There’s an arrogance throughout the federation. There’s chaos in youth soccer, where the costs keep spiraling upward with no tangibleContinue reading “RSD 14: The next U.S. Soccer president?”
Women in U.S. Soccer leadership
No, it’s not a blank post. The Guardian recently posed the question of whether a woman could be elected U.S. Soccer president, focusing on one of the more likely candidates (we think) — Julie Foudy. The response from Foudy? “It’s not realistic.” But it’s not because a good female candidate couldn’t win. Foudy also saysContinue reading “Women in U.S. Soccer leadership”
Promotion/relegation propaganda/reality, Part 5: Cons
You’ve read about the pro/rel pros, the history of the U.S./Canada debate, and the major players in the U.S. (including U.S. Soccer). Now it’s time to read about why promotion/relegation can be a bad idea. Yes, promotion/relegation has pros and cons. That’s heresy in some quarters. But what doesn’t have pros and cons? The U.S. sports system hasContinue reading “Promotion/relegation propaganda/reality, Part 5: Cons”
Alex Morgan’s ejection from Epcot: Not a big deal, not not newsworthy
Let’s first get rid of the notion that male athletes or public figures would not make the news if they were tossed from a bar — let alone tossed from Epcot Center, where hundreds of people may have seen the incident — or some similar things: Ric Flair tossed out of bar (pro wrestler) Deshaun WatsonContinue reading “Alex Morgan’s ejection from Epcot: Not a big deal, not not newsworthy”
Spirit season recap and a post-Vegas anti-cynicism rant
In the wake of the Las Vegas massacre, the Ranting Soccer Dad podcast opens with a few thoughts on why we shouldn’t give up on changing people and society as a whole, either on something relatively trivial like youth soccer or something horrifying like one man’s ability to assemble the weapons to wound 500 people.Continue reading “Spirit season recap and a post-Vegas anti-cynicism rant”
Spirit, Reign play a legitimately entertaining soccer game
Things didn’t bode well Saturday. Traffic heading up the Beltway to Maryland was worse than usual. The SoccerPlex didn’t have its usual Ben & Jerry’s cart — Yom Kippur apparently kept the proprietor away. And Seattle’s Jess Fishlock, simultaneously one of the most inspirational and infuriating players in women’s soccer, started the game by clatteringContinue reading “Spirit, Reign play a legitimately entertaining soccer game”
