Today's Links

• Some CEO beats Michael Jordan in one-on-one circa 2003. It's a bit painful to watch. You know MJ was not happy after this.
• Carlos Quentin and Carlos Zambrano bring home the Silver Sluggers at their positions in their respective leagues.
  
• Orton's status for Sunday remains unclear. We need him to play, but if he's hurt he's hurt and he shouldn't push it. Apparently Orton thinks Orton will play, however.
  
• Bulls beat a tired, old-looking Dallas team. After Dallas jumped out to a 19 point lead early, the Bulls stormed back and crushed them on Gordon's 35 points. Oh and Hughes is back and he actually played defense!
  
• Chicago Fire lose in the Eastern Conference Finals. So much for the vaunted soccer expert Rob's prediction.
• Tremendous Upside Potential talks about the Hawks. Decent article though I'm a little bitter that last night when I finally watched a Hawks game, they blew it in the shootout.

Rob Previews Tonight's Chicago Fire MLS Semifinal

Rob will be our regular soccer analyst and fan. He is especially qualified for the job because of his love for the game and minority status. Enjoy!

Tonight, our Chicago Fire will be in Columbus taking on the Crew for the Eastern Conference Championship. The winner will face the winner of the New York Red Bull v. Real Salt Lake “Western” Conference Championship for the MLS Cup. At the risk of sounding extremely presumptuous, I’m going to go ahead and say that tonight’s game is all but for the title. The Eastern Conference has been markedly stronger than their Western counterparts, as evidence by the presence of New York earning a wild card spot in the Western Conference bracket.

As for the game itself, damn I’m excited. This is about as good as MLS soccer (redundancy alert!) is going to get this year. The Crew, under Coach of the Year Sigi Schmid, will be lead by Argentine legend/MVP Candidate Guillermo Barros Schelotto (16 assists!), and talented young Americans Robbie Rogers and (my sentimental favorite) Eddie Gaven. The Fire will be anchored by Goalkeeper of the Year Jon Busch and an attack that features American legend/hometown hero Brian McBride and the player everyone hates-to-love-to-hate, Cuauhtémoc Blanco.* It’s sure to be an entertaining game, but I’ve got two reasons to believe the Fire will come out on top: Defense and Chris Rolfe.

The Fire backline of Gutierrez, Conde, Soumare, and Segares are skilled, physical as all-hell, and seem to have gotten their act back together after a brief stretch at the end of the regular season when they were leaking goals. Most importantly, Chris Rolfe is in the zone right now, with 4 goals and 2 assists in his last three matches. If he plays well tonight, the Fire attack will eventually wear down a sturdy Columbus backline. It’s amazing that a team’s leading scorer gets as little publicity as he does, but I suppose playing with McBride and Blanco will do that to you.

2-1 Fire. Then we can all hope Chicago is gifted an MLS Final against former coach Juan Carlos Osorio.

*Oddly enough, spell check happens to auto correct the word “Cuauhtémoc.” Go figure.

Soccer Weekly With Rob

Rob will be our regular (maybe) soccer analyst and fan. He is especially qualified for the job because of his love for the game and minority status. Enjoy!

Because I was too lazy to write a preview of last night’s Chicago Fire game, I’ve decided to save the analysis until next week’s conference final match-up and address a more light-hearted issue today: fans.

I was at last nights game, and while enjoying the 3-0 beatdown the Fire put on the Revs (avenging last years playoff loss to them…and the year before that…and the year before that…), I came to the realization that the American soccer fan is a better fan than any other major sports fan in this country. Seriously, we’re more knowledgeable about the game and its nuances, more loyal to our hometown teams, and funnier.

For example, last night, even the average (i.e. non-Ultra, non-Hooligan, non-Firm) fan in the stadium last night knew when to cheer for a player that ran 60-yards towards his own goal to make a hard tackle in the middle of the field. Hardly sexy, game changing stuff, but that’s the kind of attitude that leads to very sexy 3-0 playoff victories…and the average soccer fan knows and appreciates this. Additionally, there’s the mock-cheers for awful shots, the mild applause for good attacks that don’t quite work out, and the notable absence of a stupid PA announcer (“Pump! It! Up! Chicago!), cheerleaders, and cheesy jock-rock (“WHO LET THE DOGS OUT!!) amid all the action. This is almost 100% self-motivated.

This brings me to my favorite part, the chants. Imagine entire sections of the stadium belting out these gems:

Every time the opposing goalie runs up to take a goal kick – “Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!” goalie makes contact with the ball – “You suck asshole!!”

When Chris Rolfe is subbed out of the game after a 1 goal, 1 assist performance – “Chris Roooolfe played great tonight!! Chris Rooooolfe is getting laid tonight!!”

70 minutes into the 3-0 ass-whooping – “Chiiiii-town Beeeeatdown, Chiiiii-town Beeeeatdown.”

And that’s just a brief sample. Sound fun? Then go support the Fire (if they snag home-field advantage) next Thursday. Sound stupid? Then go see for yourself how wrong you are. On to more serious stuff next week.

Today's Links--Vinny Screwed Me Out of $5 Edition

• Could the Cubs possibly acquire Peavy (and his big contract) and afford to pay Dempster? A Zambrano, Peavy, Dempster, Harden, Lilly rotation sounds pretty good.
• The punky QB weighs in on his dad's beef with BYU.
• Is Nocioni a dirty player? BullsLive thinks he's the Hines Ward of the NBA.
• Chicago Fire advance to the conference finals. I don't know anything about soccer, but that sounds pretty exciting.
  
• Reasons the Bears could beat the unbeaten Titans this week (yes, even with the Sex Cannon under center).
• Matt at Blogabull is sick of the "Gimmicky" lineups too. I couldn't agree more. In fact I would argue it cost me $5. (Note to StevieY19: get your $5 from Vinny, he's the one that screwed that game up with his "I don't care about rebounding" lineup)

Today's Links--Roided Up

• Terrence Metcalf suspended for steroids. Goddell pities da fool.
• Blackhawks lose home debut to Nashville in a shootout. Two shootout goals in Huet's five hole. Dirty.
• Is Ben Gordon going to "nurse injuries" all year long? No link, just asking.
• Chicago Fire tie Columbus Crew to clinch a playoff berth. Soccer!
• Illinois football grades and some glass-half-empty bowl outlook. More on that later.
• High School football team puts up a 91-0 win. Douchery and gnashing of teeth ensues.
• Vinny likes the new, slimmer Aaron Gray. The ladies undoubtedly agree.