Old Men's Football

Just for point of reference.  The game is for everyone.  I believe that with all my heart. And my soddin' pitch is inhabited by the finest footballers who ever lived.  My club is FC77.  My own crew is Old Nicks.  My home team is Portland Timbers FC.   My game is football.   No, you wanker,  not that game....

Portland Timbers toy with fans- scheme to win games only on the road!

News comes across the wire tonight from the deep green forested country known as Many-Sodas. The Portland Timbers have decisively won a match,  taking revenge against the Minnesota Stars for last Thursday's smack around at PGE Park.   Not having seen the match, even on the stream through the Internets,  I can't comment on the quality of play.  I can almost guarantee the referee was not from Mali.    I was with my own motley crew of very old soccer players getting our zippers yanked on a youth recreation pitch in SW Portland so I had bigger challenges to face down.   I can say with certainty that several of us geezers and our beautiful wives were hunkered down in section 111 of the local stadium on Thursday and had to cover our eyes several times during the match.  I didn't see what infraction Marcelin committed to be sent off.   Perhaps it was just World Cup frenzy where cards are being thrown with a fifty-two card pickup ferocity.  Regardless,  it was not good.  Nor was the stalwart effort of Ely Allen who took the pass forward on a full run, brought it down, controlled it and put a crackerjack shot into the tight angle past Cronin.  Where we sat we got the full meal deal even without 3D glasses and it weren't pretty.    


I love my team.  Rose City Till I Die.  When I Root I Root for the Timbers.   But...Thursday's game was the most recent in a perplexing series of matches where these very talented and skilled young men manage to not do what we hope to see them do.  Scoring goals is only the tip of the proverbial iceberg.   What I want to see and don't is the small side crisp and creative passing that was a hallmark of last year's Timbers.  What I don't want to see and do is the 'boing boing' header to header passing of the ball which allows of no real control.  This style is endemic in the MLS and it ain't pretty.  You don't see Barcelona moving the ball down the pitch from head to head to head in a leaping contest.  They actually put the ball on the mat and pass it to their teammates feet.  Right.


So all that being said.  I'm joyous that the Timbers made their mark back in Minnesota.  I pray it will clear whatever anxieties they have from their brains.  Ryan Pore,  you rock.   And I am sure that others deserve credit as well. Josh Cameron?  Yes.   I intend to be writing about the most beautiful game at this location for some time to come.  Old man on the street corner with a trenchcoat.  "Hey Buddy, wanna see some really hot stuff?  I've got the latest on the game.....heh heh...you know.  THE GAME!"  


Oh...one more thing.  Is there anyone?  Anyone out there who does not think that it was a goal?
You know what I'm talkin' about.   It was a full on righteous goal.   Edu showed total class.   Am I right?  Am I right?