Ted's Polish-Mexican Page
30 kwietnia 2007
Luca on Conan O'Brien
A couple of weeks back, Nick Luca, Chris Giambelluca and Paul Ellis made an appearacne on Late Night with Conan O'Brien. You can check out the video down below. Notice that Nick wore a t-shirt emblazoned with the word "Tucson" (looks to be the same one he's wearing on the cover of Sick of Love). He says he did this to "represent."
Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.
Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.
28 kwietnia 2007
Albuquerque Asylum 1 - Arizona Sahuaros 0
I didn't think either team was more skilled than the other, but it was all about who took advantage of chances. It seemed that nearly every time Albuquerque got near the goal, a shot was taken. Arizona would get the ball up there, but was rarely able to take a shot. I peered over the shoulder of the scorekeeper near half time, and he had only recorded one shot by Arizona, while Albuquerque had nearly a dozen.
In the closing minutes of the second half, Arizona had several good chances that went wide, and one flury of rebounds that just never made it in. Also, near the end, Albuquerque's play became a bit sloppy and several players earned cautions, and one was expelled for a silly hit on an Arizona player.
With a constant commentary on the game was Albuquerque coach Dennis Jenas. Jenas was in constant communication with his players, and at times seemed more engaged in the game than they were. No profanity laden rants, just things like "Did you see that? That was your fault.." or "What? They don't do that in Latin America..." He would praise his players for good play as well. He also tried to encourage more on-field communication. For some reason, talk among the players on both teams stopped after the tenth minute or so, which frustrated him.
His passion was infectious, which is understandable given his pedigree. He played in England for the lower division side Ilkeston Town as well as in the Finnish Veikkausliiga. He was also a coach for Nottingham Forest's Academy, where he coached several players that now play in the English Premier League. One of those players: his son Jermaine Jenas, who has 15 caps for England and is a regular starter for Tottenham Hotspur.
Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.
In the closing minutes of the second half, Arizona had several good chances that went wide, and one flury of rebounds that just never made it in. Also, near the end, Albuquerque's play became a bit sloppy and several players earned cautions, and one was expelled for a silly hit on an Arizona player.
With a constant commentary on the game was Albuquerque coach Dennis Jenas. Jenas was in constant communication with his players, and at times seemed more engaged in the game than they were. No profanity laden rants, just things like "Did you see that? That was your fault.." or "What? They don't do that in Latin America..." He would praise his players for good play as well. He also tried to encourage more on-field communication. For some reason, talk among the players on both teams stopped after the tenth minute or so, which frustrated him.
His passion was infectious, which is understandable given his pedigree. He played in England for the lower division side Ilkeston Town as well as in the Finnish Veikkausliiga. He was also a coach for Nottingham Forest's Academy, where he coached several players that now play in the English Premier League. One of those players: his son Jermaine Jenas, who has 15 caps for England and is a regular starter for Tottenham Hotspur.Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.
25 kwietnia 2007
Arizona Sahuaros v Albuquerque Asylum
The Arizona Sahuaros will face off with the Albuquerque Asylum on Friday night over at Tucson High. Kick off is at 7:00 PM.
The Sahuaros are currently in a "probationary" membership in the USL, while the Asylum is stil part of the "rebel" NPSL. Neither team has started their season, but the Sahuaros are coming off of a tie in an exhibition with the El Paso Patriots. I still remember the rainy game that the Tucson Amigos played against the Patriots back in 1999, which ended with Bob Gansler's son being ejected.
Anyhow, I will be working the game as security and, uh, media. Wave to me.
Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.
The Sahuaros are currently in a "probationary" membership in the USL, while the Asylum is stil part of the "rebel" NPSL. Neither team has started their season, but the Sahuaros are coming off of a tie in an exhibition with the El Paso Patriots. I still remember the rainy game that the Tucson Amigos played against the Patriots back in 1999, which ended with Bob Gansler's son being ejected.
Anyhow, I will be working the game as security and, uh, media. Wave to me.
Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.
24 kwietnia 2007
Spoiler Alert!
I just realized last night that Heroes has ripped off a major plot line from the Watchmen. I'll keep watching though.
You may remember that the main plot line in the Watchmen involved Ozymandias causing a disaster in a major city in the hopes it would cause the whole world to band together. There were also a couple of characters (Dr. Manhattan and, just like in Heroes, an artist) who had ways of seeing what was about to happen and knew about it. As Rohrschach would say, hrm.Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.
22 kwietnia 2007
A Waste of Bandwidth
A pop-up I encountered on MySpace promised $5000 worth of ringtones for my cellphone. The fact that there even are $5000 worth of ringtones in the world worries me.
Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.
Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.
21 kwietnia 2007
Saturday Soccer Notes: Crew Filth
Just in case you wanted to see the hit on Jay Heaps by Andy Herron, it, of course, has been uploaded to YouTube. Soon, everything will be uploaded to YouTube.Crew fans on BigSoccer claim that "clearly" Heaps is doing something off camera. If it's off camera, it is hard to see how it is "clear." What is clear is that Herron looks right at Heaps to see if he is there before he elbows him.
I was just watching the Fox Soccer Channel MLS pregame show. They showed the line-up for the New York Red Bulls, and underneath it said "Coach: Arsene Wegner."Who knew?
Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.
20 kwietnia 2007
Another Rant
Okay, so I watched last night's Revs/Crew game. Yes, the Revs defense was sloppy. Both of the Crew's goals were off of odd defensive errors. And yes, I could call Andy Herron a hack who has had too many chances, but that's been done better I'm sure.
What I'd like to complain about is the new directive from the league office regarding the procedures when a player is down. For the last century or so, if a player was down, whether or not a teammate, someone would kick the ball out of touch to stop play. Then, after the player was attended to, the team throwing the ball in would throw it to the other team so play could resume with no one losing out. This was one of the aspects of the game that made it, for lack of a better word, gentlemanly, no matter what sort of thugs and hooligans were actually playing.
Now there is a new procedure: when a player is down, the referee will whistle the play over at his discretion. We are only three weeks into the season, but I've already seen two occasions when players are down and the referee didn't see fit to blow the whistle. In neither case could the referee say he was unaware of the situation.
In the Revs game against Chicago two weeks ago, a Chicago player was down close to the goal and Matt Reis was pleading with the referee Baldomero Toledo to stop play. Here was Reis, who never shys away from yelling at diving forwards, asking the referee to stop play so a player from the other team could get some help. Still, it took nearly two minutes before the whistle was blown.
In last night's game, Jeff Larentowicz was down for several minutes while Steve Nicol had it out with the fourth official asking for play to be stopped. Once again, several minutes with no whistle.
What I'd like to complain about is the new directive from the league office regarding the procedures when a player is down. For the last century or so, if a player was down, whether or not a teammate, someone would kick the ball out of touch to stop play. Then, after the player was attended to, the team throwing the ball in would throw it to the other team so play could resume with no one losing out. This was one of the aspects of the game that made it, for lack of a better word, gentlemanly, no matter what sort of thugs and hooligans were actually playing.
Now there is a new procedure: when a player is down, the referee will whistle the play over at his discretion. We are only three weeks into the season, but I've already seen two occasions when players are down and the referee didn't see fit to blow the whistle. In neither case could the referee say he was unaware of the situation.
In the Revs game against Chicago two weeks ago, a Chicago player was down close to the goal and Matt Reis was pleading with the referee Baldomero Toledo to stop play. Here was Reis, who never shys away from yelling at diving forwards, asking the referee to stop play so a player from the other team could get some help. Still, it took nearly two minutes before the whistle was blown.
In last night's game, Jeff Larentowicz was down for several minutes while Steve Nicol had it out with the fourth official asking for play to be stopped. Once again, several minutes with no whistle.
Yes, I know they are doing this in the English Premier League too. Who cares? The policy obviously isn't working here, and heck, I don't know if it is working in England either. It's only a matter of time before some ref ignores a serious injury.
By the way, what happens if a player decides to kick the ball out on his own when he sees someone down? Is that a yellow now?
Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.
19 kwietnia 2007
Excuse Me While I Rant
So, if I'm driving around in the early evening, I end up catching Swingin' Down the Lane. The show mostly features jazz from the 40's and 50's, but in small doses, I can handle it.On tonight's show, I caught them playing Mario Lanza then the Ray Conniff Singers. What the hell is that? I don't think the guy who did Lanza's arrangements could even spell jazz. And Ray Conniff? Please. Luckily, their next selection was Keeley Smith and the song swung a wee bit.
Should I boycott the advertisers?
Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.
16 kwietnia 2007
VICE Squad 102 - Copper Queens 28
Copper Queens put up a great fight, but they were under manned (under personed?). The veteran defense of VICE Squad was stingy. For the first two periods, the VICE Squad had the Maginot line, and the Copper Queens just couldn't find Belgium.Despite fatigue (the Queens had only three subs), the Queens had a great third period. This team could be very good with a little more match experience under their miner's belts.
For some reason, VICE Squad decided to play Penny Tenchery on every jam. Seemed to work though. Oh, and during the break, Aja Consent became very tall.
Amanda Finkl, who bears a striking resemblance to Kamanda (formerly of VICE Squad and Iron Curtain), had posted pictures of the bout on her PhotoShelter site.
Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.
15 kwietnia 2007
Coincidence or Conspiracy?
Anyone else find it funny that Don Ho died this week with everything else that is going on?
Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.
Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.
12 kwietnia 2007
So It Goes
Scouting Report: VICE Squad v Copper Queens
So, Saturday at Bladeworld is the first match of the Copper Queens. How will they do?I've met several of the Copper Queens, most of whom are new skaters. They can count on a good performance from Dirty Teri, who is one of the best jammers in the league. The worry I have for them is how well organized their pivot and pack will be with so little match experience. However, I've been told that there are very good blockers on the team, notably novice Blue Maulie.
Aside from Teri, there are only two other veteran skaters on the Copper Queens. Mabel Sugar is injured and will not be skating, and Dirty Ore only has one previous season's experience as Lucy Lunchbox of Furious Truckstop Waitresses.
VICE Squad has lost Teri to this new team, but is largely unchanged from last season (Except for some exceptionally bad seasons for Iron Curtain, the teams are very stable). They will be without Robin Banks, who is taking some time off. They still have an incredibly experienced and well organized team. One has to remember that they are the only team in this league who has ever beaten FTW. Barbicide, the Marty McSorley of the league, will be back and cause no end of problems for some of the more inexperienced Queen skaters. Whiskey Mick will be back as pivot after missing a large part of last season, and she reads and leads her pack very well.
My prediction: I predict a win for VICE Squad, but not a huge one because they've lost some speed with the defection of Teri. I'm hoping for Copper Queens to stay in this until the end. With IC improving, it will be great to see four pretty closely matched teams.
Ya know, I never get e-mail from the skaters on what I write about them. They prefer to complain in person.
Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.
10 kwietnia 2007
Another Chapter in the "Ad Men Not Listening to the Lyrics" Files
I thought it was funny a couple of years ago when the WNBA started using Liz Phair's "Extraordinary" to advertise their league. No one noticed that the song seems to be about a woman stalking some guy.
I saw it again on another ad put forward as a "Girl Power" anthem. Sample lyric:
I saw it again on another ad put forward as a "Girl Power" anthem. Sample lyric:
Yeah, I drive naked through the park
And run the stop sign in the dark
Stand in the street, yell out my heart
To make, to make you love me
I am extraordinary, if you'd ever get to know me
I am extraordinary, I am just your ordinary
Average every day sane psycho
Supergoddess
Average every day sane psycho
Hey, I love Liz Phair as much as the next guy. (Maybe more...too much?) But geez, lets be a bit more, I dunno, selective.
Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.
09 kwietnia 2007
Everyone is Polish On Dyngus Day
Today is Dyngus Day, a holiday in Poland that commemorates the baptism of the first Christian leader of Poland, Prince Mieszko, and also has its roots in a pagan courtship ritual.
Here it is celebrated by Americans of sometimes questionable Polish decent by drinking heavily. This suprises you that Americans would make the holiday into an excuse to drink?Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.
08 kwietnia 2007
Okay, This Might Mean She Has a Sense of Humor
No, really. That really is Alanis Morissette, who we all remember from You Can't Do That on Television, of course. What, did she do something later?
Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.
Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.
07 kwietnia 2007
:25
It took only twenty-five seconds into the Toronto - Chivas game before Max Bretos announced that Mo Johnston and Preki played together at both Kansas City and Everton. This, so far, is the only prediction I came close to correct on.
We'll see how often Bretos elects to mention this as a substitute for saying anything interesting about what is actually happening on the field. Once, during an MLS game, I actually heard him start talking about the results of a World Cup Qualifier between Belarus and Scotland. Belarus!
Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.
We'll see how often Bretos elects to mention this as a substitute for saying anything interesting about what is actually happening on the field. Once, during an MLS game, I actually heard him start talking about the results of a World Cup Qualifier between Belarus and Scotland. Belarus!
Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.
Opening Day Predictions
Okay...here are my predictions, unspoiled by any actual sports journalism, but often horribly biased.DC United 3 - Colorado Rapids 2 (12:30 KGUN): Gawd, how I hate DC United. Nonetheless, their offense is scarier than it has ever been. I am still unsure about their defense, especially after watching the CONCACAF Champions Cup. Colorado will be able to score a couple egged on by the crowd at their brand new stadium and will be in this until the end, but expect United to come out on top.
Dallas Burn 2 - Real Salt Lake 1: Real Salt Lake is due for a few good wins, but I don't know if that will happen yet. The team is well supported and maybe the home crowd can keep them in it. Expect that Freddy Adu will get a start for his new club.
New York Red Bulls 0 - Columbus Crew 2: The Crew had a good draft, expect many of them to start. Heck, they can't do worse than last season. The Red Bulls thought that they scored big when US National Team stalwart Claudio Reyna signed to play for them this year. But given their history, expect this to mean close to nothing. Phoenix native Brad Evans will be playing for the Crew this season.New England 1 - Chicago Fire 0: There is expected to be a snow storm in Chicago, which makes offense and any sort of controlled, meaningful ball movement impossible. Woe be on to the player that tries to head a ball hardened by the cold. I suppose in this sort of slogging, I should predict a nil-nil tie. But, it's Chicago, and New England is always up to play against Chicago.
Toronto FC 1 - CD Chivas USA 2 (7:30 FSC): I give this to the team with a bit more experience. Otherwise, I'm not sure. Interestingly, both coaches are former MLS players with international experience (Mo Johnston for Toronto, Preki for Chivas) making their debuts as head coaches. And heck, they both played for the same darned team for most of their time in MLS. Look for Max Bretos to note this incessantly.
Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.
05 kwietnia 2007
Why I, as a Revs Fan, Am Not Worried
There is handwringing on Big Soccer from the fans of teams that arent the Los Angeles Galaxy, DC United and Chicago Fire. All three teams have made high profile acquisitions under the "David Beckham Rule," but other teams have not taken advantage.The latest big buzz is about Chicago picking up Mexican team and Club América stalwart Cuauhtémoc Blanco. Blanco is on the wane of his career, and was virtually invisible in the last US - Mexico game. Either Blanco was ineffective, or he was shut down by the US defense. That defense was led by the same sort of players that he'll be facing week after week in MLS and there is no reason to think that he'll do any better. Über-fan Prairie Rose Clayton has pointed out that he is largely protected by both players and referees in the Mexican league, and here, he'll be a target (by US Nats and maybe even Chivas USA). Expect disaster here.
DC United has picked up Brazillian player Fred. Fred was a back-up for the Brazillian team at the World Cup. DC United will already have one of the scariest offenses in the league, but even the presence of Fred didn't help them against Chivas the other night. Their defense, highly touted for reasons that escape me, had many errors and miscues that were taken advantage of by Chivas. Decent MLS teams have been able to exploit these problems, and that will continue to happen even if they stock the entire front line with clones of Ronaldinho.
Oh, and LA signed Beckham.
Some Rev fans over at Big Soccer have been complaining about the team not making a big signing. Given what the other teams have done, so what? Despite the probable absence of Joey Franchino for a good part of the season, this team has the best defense in the league. They have a crew of players like Marshall Leonard and Pat Noonan who are not "stars" but are hard working, consistent players that know what needs to be done. Plus, they still have Taylor Twellman and Shalrie Joseph. Why bring in some superstar who may or may not even be enthused about playing there (Lothar Matthaus), and whose ego may cause problems in the locker room (Luis Hernandez)?
Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.
03 kwietnia 2007
It's Passover
So, what is the best way a goyim Polish-Mexican Catholic like me can commemorate Passover on this blog? Why, by linking to JewsRock.org. The site is a commemoration to Jewish rockers such as Bob Dylan, Al Kooper, Lenny Kravitz and a certain famous tongue born under the name Chaim Witz.Despite the great possibilities for the site, there hasn't seemed to be an update of the site in some time now. For example, the poll on the front page is "Matishyahu, Genius or Gimmick?"
The site includes a "Challah Fame" which includes some suprising entries. Randy California, who knew? They also include the band Cream, which is quite a stretch.
Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.
02 kwietnia 2007
Today Access Tucson, Tommorrow ESPN2
Access Tucson will be airing a show called Roller Derby Rocks. The first show will be tommorrow at 9 PM and will air every Tuesday at that time. It will also be shown on Saturdays at 2:30. The show will be aired on Comcast 73 and Cox 98.The show will be hosted by Don Bombshelter, a DJ, Tucson Roller Derby über-fan and fixture of our local public access airwaves. The Saturday showing follows the program he does with his wife, Wiggin' Out with the Bombshelters.
He admits that the first show will be rather dry, but hopes to be able to add a call-in feature as well as live interviews.
For those of you unable to catch the show on cable, you can also watch it on Access Tucson's website.
Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.
01 kwietnia 2007
Why So Many MLS Players, and Jimmy Conrad in Particular, Rawk.
A US National team fan from New York named Juan Perez found out recently that he's got cancer. He left the hospital last week and shortly thereafter got a call from Jimmy Conrad.
Yes, that Jimmy Conrad.Conrad found out about Perez's situation when his fellow fans were gathering US National team swag and autographs as a sort of "get well" gift for him.
From everything I've heard about Conrad, he didn't do this for the props, but he deserves any that he gets.
Our prayers are with you, Juan.
Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.
