Stokes Army: Now Operating From Camp Lejeune (and other notes)

WE'RE IN STOKES ARMY: Triangle Soccer Fanatics locate DCU alum David Stokes with the Carolina Railhawks. We, of course, wish him the best of fortune with his new team. And thanks to TriSoccerFan for tracking this one down.

NAME ON, NAMOFF: MLSNet wage-slave Dave Lifton catches up with Bryan Namoff. Key graf:

"It's all about adaptation," Namoff said. "You have to ride the ups and downs of a season and work hard so that you're ready once that opportunity presents itself."

True of so many things.

THE FALSE SPECTER OF HISTORY: Fellow toiler in the MLSNet Grammar Mines Charles Boehm alludes to the Pumas match:

Two years ago, United ventured into the lion's den for the second leg of their CONCACAF Champions' Cup semifinal against a top-caliber Primera Division club after a disappointing 1-1 result at home, only to be torn limb from limb as Pumas UNAM took full advantage of a raw D.C. side with a 5-0 thumping in Mexico City.

You know, I was fearful that Boehm was pretty much the exact article we were trying to preempt a few days ago. Fortunately, Boehm points out that the similarities between the Chivas and Pumas matches are pretty much superficial in nature:

In that 2005 meeting, United took on Pumas with an untested back line that was still in flux after the loss of team captain Ryan Nelsen, and most of the lineup produced poor performances that were compounded by the effects of the high-altitude setting in the Mexican capital.

That sounds about right.

SHARE AND ENJOY!: The first real episode of The Soccer Show was pushed to my iPod this morning. Naturally, I listened to the entire thing on the way to work. It's heavily DC United focused, and caters to the United fan. Which is great for me, but that being said, it seems like the potential for a wider MLS audience to get something out of this show exists. For United fans, it becomes one of the two most important podcasts you get.

In Denial

COVER: I don't get paid to take flak for Steve Goff, but the headline at Goal.Com of "Sarachan blasts Zidane-Fire Link" seems a bit excessive. Careful reading of Steve Goff at Soccer Insider makes it clear exactly what Goff's information is, and Sarachan's comments do not directly contradict Goff in any way. We've all (other than Miss Chatter) seen All the President's Men, and we know what a non-denial denial is.

GONE: The David Stokes Experiement is over. The Ricky Shramm Experience is relocating. Neither strikes me as particularly surprising, but I think both of them could catch on as a reservist elsewhere.

NOT FORGOTTEN: Jimmy LaRoue on the end of Matchnight, and the rebirth of UnitedMania. Congratulations on the upcoming nuptials Jimmy, and I hope you are as lucky in your choice of spouse as I have been in mine. You'll know if she starts emailing you links where a writer trashes Landycakes. That's love.

RETURN: It's been a long time, but I think I have to write a match preview this week. Wow. I'm probably going to keep the debrief format we've been working with, but the preview format is in flux. Anything you'd like to see? One of the things I'd like to do this year is write the six word novel preview and recap of every game, but I'm open to suggestions on other things.

Intrigue

Two stories in the Post this morning that are worth your time, especially since there's some interesting details. Steve Goff on Christian Gomez, Brian Carroll, David Stokes, Mattias Donnet, and (maybe) Piotr Nowak. Thomas Heath on those that would buy DC United, and their NBA problems (which Quarter Volley was discussing yesterday...)

I don't have time to analyze it right now, but it will get analyzed as there are some tasty details to be examined.