I was going to post this last night, then my interwebs went buhbye and (true to form) I said "*&%$ it" and went to bed. In any event, away we go... #1 - Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols is going to bat for the St. Louis MLS expansion team. And if you are wondering how such a scenario might end, please see photo. Click to continue reading...

First the soccer news, which includes Angela Hucles' 100th cap (in a career year for her) and another win (over South Korea) for the USWNT.  With two more games left in their post-Olympic Tour, it woulds like the team is pleasing Pia! The NESCAC  Soccer Tournament is over for another year.  (Oh yeah, that's the New [. Click to continue reading...

It's a warm, foggy Saturday morning here in post-election New Hampshire.  Most of the political signs are put away, and gunshots now ring through the hillsides. Rebellion against the new socialist state?  Post-election right wing despair?  Nah.  Hunting season.  It's more personal this year than some, as the doe and two fawns that we've been watching [. Click to continue reading...

It's day two of what continues to feel like a new era.  Obama faces a plethora of daunting tasks, and we are on notice that for hope to burn bright, we need to roll up our sleeves and help.  That's the difference.  Obama's no white-haired GOP fake Father-Knows-Best, but a competent and inspiring leader who's [. Click to continue reading...

On this very special midweek episode of Blossom... A fine compilation of the best goals in MLS this season. Do not miss Lindsay Tarpley's sublime capper from the USWNT's weekend win over South Korea. And from the Champions League... Celtic's Scott McDonald v. ManU. Villarreal's Guillermo Franco v. Click to continue reading...

Having been asleep at the switch on the soccer front for awhile, I was pleased to receive a Google Alert about the USWNT's most recent win.  This one coming in Richmond, VA, where South Korea fell to the USWNT.  Vic Dorr, Jr. describes the game in the Times Dispatch.  Sounds like Angela Hucles continues her [. Click to continue reading...

Check out Susan's comment on Alison's post yesterday (and Welcome, Alison - I'm looking forward to hearing what you have to say here)!  Speaking of the Electoral College, I heard an interesting piece on NPR about the Electoral College - kinda scary how little people know about it! And speaking of scary, the McCainiacs are getting [. Click to continue reading...

As the Senate gets ready to vote on a new bill to stave off economic disaster, and Sarah prepares (feverishly) to debate, and George Will joins the ranks of those who see her as unqualified to serve ... and some (unfortunately) find themselves feeling sorry for the lipsticked pitbull ... my thoughts turn (feverishly) to [. Click to continue reading...

The USWNT beat Ireland 2-0 in the final game of their post-Olympic tour.  Here's the write-up and the quote sheet from US Soccer.  Kate Markgraf scored the first goal of her international career ... almost on Boltgirl's pace. The Bobcats had a tough day down at Amherst.  (Don't worry- you'll all bounce back! Click to continue reading...

The US Women's National Soccer Team is in town this weekend. Chicago Red Stars arranged a photo shoot with our new player - Lindsay Tarpley, Carli Lloyd and Kate Markgraf. I was on hand with a video camera (great footage coming soon!) and a still camera. Here are a few pictures I snapped. SHARETHIS. Click to continue reading...

I'm very excited to be heading over to HollyCornblog's house today for a weekend visit. We'll be doing some chores at the lake like bringing in the dock, bringing in HollyCornblog's sailboat, etc. I'll also be inspecting the amazing and gargantuan work that she and CharlieHopbrew did on the new woodshed up there. Click to continue reading...

You know it works, I may add as the day goes... #1 - English outlets are now talking up young Charles Renken-to-Arsenal academy. It should be quite fun to watch this young man's career unfold. Infamous (trust me... he'll like that modifier) BigSoccer blogger Bill Archer talks about the fuss and argues that he should forgo Euro-training to remain in the USSF Bradenton Residency program. Click to continue reading...

Yes, it's true.  Turdblossom (aka Karl Rove) has spoken out about the excesses of the McCain campaign ads.  To my mind the fact that he would do this publicly speaks, not to any new found sense of decorum or fair play in the doughy sleazeball, but to the fractiousness and internecine warfare within the Republican [. Click to continue reading...

It's been an odd weekend. I'm still trying to regulate sleep after two middle-of-the-night U.S. matches in five days. But the games go on, so let's persevere... #1 - Jozy Altidore made a very strong La Liga debut as Villarreal scored a 1-0 win over Deportivo on Sunday. The U.S. international came on at halftime and displayed an array of power forward skills, drawing raves from Spanish daily Click to continue reading...

My WNT article about their upcoming tour is up. As I was writing the article, though, I couldn't help but muse on the what-if scenarios.

What if Greg Ryan hadn't made the goalkeeper switch? What if the USWNT had only lost to Brazil by a goal, and without the team issues that followed Ryan and other team leaders deciding to ostracize Hope Solo? Click to continue reading...

This morning's post will likely be quick, as I've gotta make 2 dozen sandwiches for some soccer-game tailgating by 7:30 AM.  But enough about me! On Truthdig I came upon this Palin Perspective from John Dean (yes, that John Dean).  Basically he argues, rather damningly, that were a sitting President in the position of having to [. Click to continue reading...

This clip of Charlie Gibson's interview with Sarah Palin pretty much says it all.  McCain may be channeling Bush, but Sarah is pretty much the real thing ... never EVER letting her ignorance stand in the way of her swagger and bellicosity. Here's a bit more from the interview ... Pressed about what insights into recent [. Click to continue reading...

That's Lindsay, of course, who along with Heather O'Reilly is part of the U.S. women's national team 'tweeners - not a veteran perhaps contemplating retirement in the near future - but not exactly a fresh face. After all, both won gold medals in 2004 already, so they've got a set going now.

Anyway, I had a recent interview with Tarp, who is one of the nicest and most articulate players around, even if she does at times pull off the politician's trick of dodging some questions by giving thoughtful answers to ones that weren't asked. Click to continue reading...

 So Rachel Maddow's new show premiered last night and while I didn't see the whole thing (had a meeting) and didn't see Boltgirl there (not yet, that is), what I saw I liked a lot (not surprisingly).  Way to go Rachel! Ariana Huffington has written about Sarah Palin as the Trojan Moose who distracts the electorate [. Click to continue reading...

The USWNT, along with other US Gold Medalists, will be on Oprah today ... whenever Oprah is on in your world.  I do not know whether coaches are included or not ... but am guessing that, if invited, Pia would not turn down this one! It sounds like Abby is getting out and about more.  [...] Click to continue reading...

Wow - I read today in the Swedish press that Pia has turned down an invitation from Dubya to visit the White House and be graced by his presence. I didn't actually think I could like him less today than I did on July 28 (just to select a random date).  But after watching his smirking [...] Click to continue reading...

To my mind, this was one of the finest moments in quite a collection of 'em over the past couple of days.  Bill came through last night, too. The historic milestone that Obama's nomination represents is both cause for celebration and cause for sadness ... because in 2008 we should be well beyond celebrating this [. Click to continue reading...

Here we go!  As the USWNT soccer news slowly dwindles, the news on the political front picks up.  Here's a link to Michelle Obama's speech from last night (text and video), and here's a link to video and an article with Obama's daughters interacting with (and interrupting) him last night.  And below, a new Obama [. Click to continue reading...

Check out the video here on Main St. USA - including Sunil getting on his knees ... and Christie giving Pia her own Gold Medal!  (There's also video of the post-match party in my previous post, along with Beulah's post-match report!) Sphere: Related ContentSHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "More GREAT USWNT/Pia Video! Click to continue reading...

The Phillies won (Mets and Marlins lost) and Beulah has posted her match report! (Sounds like she had a tough time getting it onto her site .. but it's up and a very good read as always!) In other commentary, here's Mark Zeigler on the game ... The rest of the women's soccer world, though, [...]SHARETHIS. Click to continue reading...

I live for World Cups, synchronizing my mind, body and wallet into a four-year cycle. So when soccer plays second string to anything else sporting, as it is at the moment, my brow furrows. While the Olympic Games cannot hold a candle to the World Cup for FANaticism, I still enjoy it, especially as my country is currently burning the opposition to take ‘gold', behind the superpowers of China and Click to continue reading...

(Summary is not available.) Click to continue reading...

Ok, here's an easy one. This post will have stuff on Hope Solo, so if one is tired of that, don't read the rest of it.

Ann's take.

Hopeful celebration

Helene's take

Jeff's view

Mark's observations

Michelle muses

Scott says

Art's aware

People pipes up

Scott F. Click to continue reading...

Then . . .



And now





Click to continue reading...

I think if there was ever any doubt that Pia Sundhage is the ideal coach for the U.S. women's team, they've been erased. In gold.

This piece highlights some of the reasons why her approach works.

I can't help but wonder if the men's senior team had taken a similar chance, had been willing to go a different route and stretch their concept of the game by bringing in someone who looks at play in a fundamentally different way, if they might not be better off in the long run. Click to continue reading...

That was a pretty good movie, actually. Rent it sometime if you haven't seen it.

It's cool to see Meredith Viera get excited for the team. She actually knows more than a bit about soccer and I think that's what also made this interview a good one. I really like what the players said about Pia as well. Click to continue reading...

According to BigSoccer (thanks Dandal and the Swedish press) Pia will be with the USWNT through the 2012 Olympics. That is wonderful news!  Here's a thread about Pia's performance ... note how the comments "evolve" as the USWNT moves deeper and deeper into the tourney! Also on BigSoccer, an interesting thread about Carli Lloyd. Click to continue reading...

Call it change. Call it luck. Call it redemption. Call it bravery. Call it what you will - it's gold and it's real and it stays! The USWNT defeated Brazil 1-0 yesterday in extra time after putting on a gritty performance on the pitch on a wet, humid, Beijing night. [...]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Congratulations to the Golden USWNT . Click to continue reading...

It's been a crazy day, and I got a late start due to rising from 4-6 a.m. to watch the USMNT squeak another "Boring, Boring Arsenal!" victory - and not the fun, sarcastic kind. Anyway, here we go... #1 - Our U.S. ladies had an uphill struggle against Brazil until the final whistle, but an extra time Carli Lloyd rifle job was all they'd need to claim a third Olympic gold medal in four tries (and Click to continue reading...

This is it, people. For country, for glory, for gold.
The U.S. versus Brazil.
Anthems. All the U.S. players are singing along.
Solo, Mitts, Rampone, Markgraf, Chalupny, Tarpley, Boxx, O'Reilly, Lloyd, Hucles, Rodriguez.
Brazil
Barbara, Simone, Tania, Renata Costa, Erika, Maycon, Daniela, Formiga, Ester, Cristiane, Marta,


Kickoff! Click to continue reading...