If any sport is multicultural and multilingual around the world it is soccer. And as baseball in the United States finally integrated more than 50 years ago (which was many years too late), so too have soccer teams in Europeans countries that were previously predominantly white integrated. Which unfortunately has led to overt racism among fans and other players.
FIFA embarked on a campaign five years ago to eliminate racism, although its efforts have been questioned by some. Now, England seems to have taken the effort to a new level by filing criminal charges against the captain of the national team and Chelsea, alleging that he made a racial slur towards Anton Ferdinand of Queens Park Rangers during a league match in October. And while the Crown Prosecution Service was going to criminal court, the Football Association suspended Luis Suarez of Liverpool for racist remarks made to Patrice Evra of Manchester United.
The story is reported in today's New York Times by Jere Longman. While fighting racism in any form is a laudable and necessary goal, I question the wisdom of criminalizing on-field behavior, as opposed to taking steps within the sport as was the case with Suarez.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Friday, November 25, 2011
Can the WPS be saved?
I hope I'm wrong, but things do not look good for the women's professional game in this county.
Fourteen months ago, Women's Professional Soccer (WPS), announced that the Western New York franchise would give it eight teams in 2011 - this after it had lost L.A. Sol and St. Louis Athletica. But in October 2010 the league champion FC Gold Pride, a West Coast team, announced it was shutting down and a month later the Chicago Red Stars folded.
U.S. Soccer by-laws require professional leagues to have six teams but it granted WPS a waiver in 2011. Then a month ago, in a terse two-sentence press release, the league announced the termination of the MagicJack franchise, leaving five teams, all on the East Coast. (The owner of that team has sued WPS.)
Now, as reported by Jack Bell in today's New York Times, , U.S. Soccer gave WPS 15 days to secure a sixth team for 2012 before deciding whether to extend the waiver. If another franchise is not found, it seems certain the league will lose its certification as a D-1 level professional league. Jack Cummings, one of the league's founders, said the damage caused by decertification would be "irreparable.
Fourteen months ago, Women's Professional Soccer (WPS), announced that the Western New York franchise would give it eight teams in 2011 - this after it had lost L.A. Sol and St. Louis Athletica. But in October 2010 the league champion FC Gold Pride, a West Coast team, announced it was shutting down and a month later the Chicago Red Stars folded.
U.S. Soccer by-laws require professional leagues to have six teams but it granted WPS a waiver in 2011. Then a month ago, in a terse two-sentence press release, the league announced the termination of the MagicJack franchise, leaving five teams, all on the East Coast. (The owner of that team has sued WPS.)
Now, as reported by Jack Bell in today's New York Times, , U.S. Soccer gave WPS 15 days to secure a sixth team for 2012 before deciding whether to extend the waiver. If another franchise is not found, it seems certain the league will lose its certification as a D-1 level professional league. Jack Cummings, one of the league's founders, said the damage caused by decertification would be "irreparable.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Sudden death - season over for HMHS girls
Nov,. 15, 2011 -- The end took your breath away.
One moment the Haddonfield girls were battling evenly for a spot in Saturday's state final at TCNJ. In the next, Robbinsville's Christine Levering took a perfect pass from Erin Sutphen on the right and put the shot where coaches hope all their players will shoot - low and into the left corner beyond the reach of Haddonfield keeper Kellie Riley 3:16 into the first OT.
Golden goal. Game over, season over and in the case of many seniors, soccer career over.
The girls probably didn't think of it this way when it ended, but it was quite a season for Haddonfield. A 24-2 slate with the two losses coming to Group 4 state champion Lenape in the South Jersey Coaches Cup final and Group 2 runner-up Robbinsville in the state semi-final is nothing to be ashamed of.
Haddonfield took an early lead in the game at Bishop Eustace on Maddie Kiep's header off a corner from Kylie Kirk in the 8th minute, then had two more chances in the next five minutes but failed to build the lead. Levering tied the score seven minutes into the second half and the momentum swung to the Ravens. Other than a shot by Kirk with 21:40 left that Robbinsville defender Mollie O'Kane cleared off the line, Robbinsville had the better of the play and did not win in regulation largely due to the stellar play of Kellie Riley in the Haddonfield goal.
So Haddonfield went home for the year and Robbinsville advanced to the final at The College of New Jersey, where it lost, 2-1 to Ramsey - on a golden goal.
One moment the Haddonfield girls were battling evenly for a spot in Saturday's state final at TCNJ. In the next, Robbinsville's Christine Levering took a perfect pass from Erin Sutphen on the right and put the shot where coaches hope all their players will shoot - low and into the left corner beyond the reach of Haddonfield keeper Kellie Riley 3:16 into the first OT.
Golden goal. Game over, season over and in the case of many seniors, soccer career over.
The girls probably didn't think of it this way when it ended, but it was quite a season for Haddonfield. A 24-2 slate with the two losses coming to Group 4 state champion Lenape in the South Jersey Coaches Cup final and Group 2 runner-up Robbinsville in the state semi-final is nothing to be ashamed of.
Haddonfield took an early lead in the game at Bishop Eustace on Maddie Kiep's header off a corner from Kylie Kirk in the 8th minute, then had two more chances in the next five minutes but failed to build the lead. Levering tied the score seven minutes into the second half and the momentum swung to the Ravens. Other than a shot by Kirk with 21:40 left that Robbinsville defender Mollie O'Kane cleared off the line, Robbinsville had the better of the play and did not win in regulation largely due to the stellar play of Kellie Riley in the Haddonfield goal.
So Haddonfield went home for the year and Robbinsville advanced to the final at The College of New Jersey, where it lost, 2-1 to Ramsey - on a golden goal.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
HMHS Suffers First Loss in Coaches Cup Final
The Lenape girls showed why they are ranked #1 in South Jersey with a 4-1 win over second-ranked and previously unbeaten Haddonfield in the Coaches Tournament final at Eastern High School yesterday.
Despite general domination by the Indians, the game was closer than the score indicates and a different bounce here or there could have created a different result.
Although Lenape controlled play in the first 10-15 minutes, the Bulldogs had a golden chance in the 20th minute but couldn't knock a loose ball into the net when it was still 0-0. Less than two minutes later Rachelle Ross knocked home a rebound to put Lenape up, 1-0 and with 14:35 until intermission Katie Rigby drilled one into the left side of the goal to make it 2-0.
With 7:48 left in the half, Katie Johnson headed a corner kick from the right side over the bar and less than three minutes later Haddonfield could not score on a corner kick from the left that was placed right in front of the goal.
Haddonfield narrowed the gap to 2-1 with 26:30 left when Lauren Roberts scored off a trademark long throw-in from Olivia Blaber. But Courtney Kovac's goal in the 60th minute, which seemed to roll off Kellie Riley's outstretched fingertips, restored the two-goal cushion. The Indians sealed the win 10 minutes later when Emmy Duffy scored.
"Sometimes we have good games and today we had an excellent game," Rigby told Marc Narducci of the Inquirer after the game. No argument from that assessment here. Lenape, now 20-2-1, deserved to win, but Haddonfield showed why they merit their high rankling.
The Bulldogs face West Deptford Monday in the state play-offs.
Despite general domination by the Indians, the game was closer than the score indicates and a different bounce here or there could have created a different result.
Although Lenape controlled play in the first 10-15 minutes, the Bulldogs had a golden chance in the 20th minute but couldn't knock a loose ball into the net when it was still 0-0. Less than two minutes later Rachelle Ross knocked home a rebound to put Lenape up, 1-0 and with 14:35 until intermission Katie Rigby drilled one into the left side of the goal to make it 2-0.
With 7:48 left in the half, Katie Johnson headed a corner kick from the right side over the bar and less than three minutes later Haddonfield could not score on a corner kick from the left that was placed right in front of the goal.
Haddonfield narrowed the gap to 2-1 with 26:30 left when Lauren Roberts scored off a trademark long throw-in from Olivia Blaber. But Courtney Kovac's goal in the 60th minute, which seemed to roll off Kellie Riley's outstretched fingertips, restored the two-goal cushion. The Indians sealed the win 10 minutes later when Emmy Duffy scored.
"Sometimes we have good games and today we had an excellent game," Rigby told Marc Narducci of the Inquirer after the game. No argument from that assessment here. Lenape, now 20-2-1, deserved to win, but Haddonfield showed why they merit their high rankling.
The Bulldogs face West Deptford Monday in the state play-offs.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Coaches Cup: We'll Have to Wait a Week
High school fans anxious to see the highly-anticipated match between top-seeded Lenape, a Group 4 school, and second-seeded Group 2 Haddonfield in the finals of the girls South Jersey Coaches Tournament, will have to wait a week. It was scheduled for tomorrow at 4:00 p.m. at Eastern, but the weatherman seems pretty certain that we're going to have miserable weather all day. Plenty of rain and maybe even some snow.
I was critical of Rowan a few weeks back for postponing its game with Stockton because it might snow. But this decision makes sense. From everything I have read and heard, this is not a case of might, but rather, when and how much? It's supposed to be gone by Sunday.
I was critical of Rowan a few weeks back for postponing its game with Stockton because it might snow. But this decision makes sense. From everything I have read and heard, this is not a case of might, but rather, when and how much? It's supposed to be gone by Sunday.
Monday, October 24, 2011
1 v 2
It's the dream of any tournament committee: the first seed plays the second seed in the final. And it's a reality in this Saturday's final of the South Jersey Coaches Cup (officially the Coaches Tournament) when undefeated #2 Haddonfield (18-0) will face top-seeded Lenape at 4 p.m. at Eastern H.S.
Haddonfield made a goal by Kylie Kirk in the 4th minute stand up the rest of the way as it downed a disciplined Paul VI team, 1-0 at Eastern. "There was a mess in front of the net, and I just got the ball in the net," Kirk told the Inquirer. Both teams were missing players with injuries but it didn't show as both went all out for 80 minutes.
The Bulldogs were unable to build momentum off Kirk's early goal and neither team had a realistic threat the rest of the first half. But Paul VI started to dominate midway through the second half and several times it looked as though the Eagles would equalize, only to see a good shot veer wide or be saved by Kellie Riley. “That was as gutsy a performance as I’ve ever seen us have,” said Coach Glenn Gess. “I’m very proud of these kids.”
Top-ranked Lenape advanced to the final by way of a 3-1 win over Timber Creek, paced by two goals from Rachelle Ross.
Haddonfield made a goal by Kylie Kirk in the 4th minute stand up the rest of the way as it downed a disciplined Paul VI team, 1-0 at Eastern. "There was a mess in front of the net, and I just got the ball in the net," Kirk told the Inquirer. Both teams were missing players with injuries but it didn't show as both went all out for 80 minutes.
The Bulldogs were unable to build momentum off Kirk's early goal and neither team had a realistic threat the rest of the first half. But Paul VI started to dominate midway through the second half and several times it looked as though the Eagles would equalize, only to see a good shot veer wide or be saved by Kellie Riley. “That was as gutsy a performance as I’ve ever seen us have,” said Coach Glenn Gess. “I’m very proud of these kids.”
Top-ranked Lenape advanced to the final by way of a 3-1 win over Timber Creek, paced by two goals from Rachelle Ross.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Welcome, Soren
Scott beat me to it on his blog, but Coach P says welcome to his second grandson, Soren Andrew Partenheimer Chesla, born October 11, 2011 at 12:16 a.m. local time in St. Paul, MN.
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