Category: soccer

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On Twitter, advocacy, hostility and objectivity

BD

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 beloved faculty member at the University of Georgia for more than 40 years. At one family holiday gathering, he demanded to know everyone’s views on abortion. The answers ranged from the biological (we had one doctor in the room) to the theological (one Episcopal priest) to … Continue reading On Twitter, advocacy, hostility and objectivity

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Upcoming coverage/career plans

BD

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 Dad deals primarily with youth soccer, but it ties into everything in the soccer world — U.S. Soccer politics, the national teams, the pro leagues (men and women), etc. Even if you think you’re not interested in youth soccer, check it out. You’ll find some interesting … Continue reading Upcoming coverage/career plans

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RSD 14: The next U.S. Soccer president?

BD

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 tangible results. My guest on Ranting Soccer Dad: Episode 14 is out to change that. He’s Steven Gans, and he’s challenging Sunil Gulati for the presidency of U.S. Soccer. The election will be at the federation’s Annual General Meeting, Feb. 8-11 in Orlando. He believes he … Continue reading RSD 14: The next U.S. Soccer president?

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Women in U.S. Soccer leadership

BD

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 says that most women are unable to even consider running for the position because it is an unpaid role with a high workload. “How much work does Sunil do for a volunteer position?” Foudy says. “There’s no pay for the president so what woman who needs … Continue reading Women in U.S. Soccer leadership

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Alex Morgan’s ejection from Epcot: Not a big deal, not not newsworthy

BD

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 Watson kicked out of bar (football player) Something about a hat (also football) Something about paying with bubble gum (also football) Noooo! Harry Potter himself tossed from bar! (male actor) Underage college drinking (football) Underage college drinking (basketball) More college drinking (football) Remember Freddy Adu? (soccer) … Continue reading Alex Morgan’s ejection from Epcot: Not a big deal, not not newsworthy

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Spirit, Reign play a legitimately entertaining soccer game

BD

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 clattering into Washington’s Mallory Pugh, the type of foul that does nothing other than send an early message. Then a funny thing happened. An actual soccer game broke out. Free-flowing. Long strings of passes. Good runs. For Spirit fans, it looked a bit like 2016 all … Continue reading Spirit, Reign play a legitimately entertaining soccer game