HOLY FREAKIN' CRAP!

Joe D fired Curry!

In a bold and completely unexpected move, Dumars canned Curry this afternoon. Following a dismal 39 win season - 20 fewer than the year before - the coach should certainly feel the heat. Yet, on April 30th, Dumars held a press conference confirming that Curry would return. So, what gives?

The first explanation is... GMs and owners lie all the time. Yes, we accept that. But I truly believe Dumars planned on bringing Curry back. I postulate that two things happened between April 30th and today:

1. The full weight of the lockerroom drama came to light, culminating in the Drew Sharp article. Yeah, it was clear that Rip was pissed that Chauncey got traded. And he was probably pissed that the Pistons got him to sign a contract extension a few days before the trade. And getting pushed from the starting lineup in favor of AI? That must've sucked. But the last straw was Curry making that announcement in front of the whole team, without consulting Rip first. Not cool.
2. Dumars landed a replacement. I can't imagine Joe D would fire Curry this late in the game without a replacement in place. The rumor on MLive right now is that Dumars landed Doug Collins.

Regarding #1, I'm hoping that Dumars at least knew of the lockerroom drama prior to the article. He works at the Palace, sees those guys every day, and Joe D's not an idiot. He had to know. It just proves that the NBA is a player's league. Coaches are just passengers. The players drive the car. If the Pistons have any hope of competing next year, they need a happy Rip Hamilton. He's an elite player, and they'll be wise to keep him.

As for Doug Collins... yes, he was fired once before as coach of the Pistons, but he did resurrect them during the teal years. He would be a vast upgrade from Curry. With so many years out of the game, the emotional Collins may have mellowed. Collins has a good basketball mind and has molded some fantastic NBA players (Jordan, Pippen, Grant, and Hill). Perhaps he can work the same magic with Stuckey.

Dead Bats & Villanueva

The Tigers had a seven game win streak going into their road trip. Since then, they're 1-3. The one win courtesy of Inge's dramatic 9th inning, 2-out bomb. They've averaged 2.5 runs/game on this road trip, hitting against some pedestrian pitchers. What's happened to the bats?


The answer is simple. In the last four games, Miguel Cabrera has notched just one RBI - a solo home run. If Miggy ain't hitting, the Tigers ain't winning. Sure, Inge came through that one game, but there is nobody else on this team stepping up. Granderson? Polanco? Maggs? Granderson, Inge, and Cabrera have 18, 18, and 16 HRs, respectively. Who's next in line? Ramon Santiago. Ramon friggin' Santiago! No knock against Ramon - he's done a fanstastic job as a utility infielder - but he's not getting paid to hit dingers. About ten other dudes are, and they're not carrying their weight.


Last night, Porcello got rocked by a team riding a 5-game losing streak. Sure, the A's were bound to get hot, and Porcello will experience rookie inconsistency. Did the bullpen come in and slam the door? Nah. They gave up 2 more runs. This is why the Tigers are a house built on quicksand. They're a top heavy team - Verlander, Jackson, Cabrera, and Inge. When those guys falter, the house falls down. To date, those four have been phenomenal, and, on occassion, a role player will exhibit a moment of brilliance (see Ryan Raburn, Santiago, Don Kelly). I doubt the big four will keep up this pace the entire season - even now Inge needs time off to rest an injury. If the rest of the team doesn't step up, Minnesota will overtake first place.

Villanueva
Most folks haven't heard of this guy. He's a 24 year old power forward who spent the past few years on the Bucks. He's the rare specimen who truly blossomed once he hit the pros. I remember him in college as an underwhelming big man. Yet, as a pro, he's developed an all-around impressive offensive arsenal. And the Bucks don't want him.

Joe D best make an offer, because this kid offers much the same upside as Carlos Boozer, but is younger and healthier. Boozer is a better rebounder, and both are pretty lax on defense. Nevertheless, Villanueva could be the first or second offensive option on the Pistons. That might inspire him to try a bit harder on both ends.

DVRs, Tears, and HRs

I went up North this past weekend. Prior to leaving, I set up the DVR to record the US/Brazil match. Our DVR is usually reliable. There have been a few instances, though, when it's failed to record for no foreseeable reason.

While I was driving home, I had a sinking feeling that the DVR would somehow screw up the soccer game, but, as I walked in the door at 4pm (with the game in progress), I saw the lovely red "recording" light. Minutes later, I plopped down on the sofa, ready for Alexi Lalas's pregame thoughts and a fun afternoon of US/Brazil.

Cue: country music and extreme CUs of Aces, Kings, and Queens.

What? Texas Hold-em? ESPN2 moved the soccer game to ESPN, and I had 90minutes of poker instead of soccer. Sweet. Normally, my DVR is smart enough to follow the game if it gets switched to a different time or channel. For some reason, the TV guide was not updated, and the DVR thought it was taping soccer. Ugh. So, I flipped over to ESPN and saw that the US was up 2-1 in the 68th minute. Any other day, I would've been jumping for joy. 2 goals against Brazil? Unreal. Yet, my DVR travails cast an ugly cloud over the game, and I said to my wife, "It's only downhill from here." She shrugged, "They're still up 2-1."

Of course, my pessimism proved warranted as Brazil dominated and struck for two late goals. I thought at least the US would extend the game to extra time. Nope. Big time bummer. In the interview after the game, Bob Bradley was asked if he felt the US would garner more international respect after the Confederation's Cup. Bob said, "I hope so." This irked me. Landon's reply to the same question was much better, "We don't really care about earning respect. We want results. The respect will follow." Giving up 3 goals in the 2nd half? Just a heartbreaker.

After Brazil scored the 3rd, I couldn't watch. I flipped over to the Tigers game. They were down 3-2 in the top of the 9th. With 2 outs, nobody on, Thames was at the plate. Strike one. Strike two. Ball one. Then I flipped back to soccer. Sadness, tears from Dempsey, and a massive Brazilian party. Ugh. Back to Tigers. Hey! Thames earned a walk! Up came Inge. I said to the TV, "Come on... just a little magic"... thinking I was owed a little positive sports karma after the 3 goal outburst and DVR fiasco. Well, Inge=HOF did not disappoint. He provided the magic with a massive bomb to left field that put the Tigers ahead for the first time all game.

Rodney pitched a solid bottom of the 9th for the save, and the Tigers left Houston salvaging the final game. Great, late game heroics from Inge, and, suddenly, the US loss didn't sting so bad.

As I watched the post-game ceremony, I realized the tournament was a definite positive for the team. Despite losing 3 of 5 matches, their schedule was insane - Brazil (twice), Italy, Spain, and Egypt. Not a single slouch amongst them. The US scored eight goals, conceding nine. That's solid production. After the game, Alexi Lalas said that the US's lack of depth proved costly in the 2nd half. Bob Bradley chose to play roughly the same starting 11 the entire tournament, and those players did look gassed. Further, Bob's sub choices proved questionable at best. Sacha Kljestan offered nothing but turnovers at center mid. And Conor Casey? He's simply not ready for prime-time. Bob continued to ignore Freddy Adu and Jose Torres - two players extremely adept at attacking. Nevertheless, Bob did realize (albeit late) that Damarcus Beasley should not see the field.

Some positives:
Jon Spector is a great option at right fullback. Jonathan Bornstein - a player I previously felt was rather underwhelming - proved a capable left fullback. Yes, he was often overmatched, but he's young... and, come on, it's Brazil!
Charlie Davies showed he's a fine option at striker, and Jay Demerit did an excellent job filling in at centerback. So, it was a very telling five games. With the Gold Cup coming up, Bob will get to look at even more players (Adu was included on the roster), so he's got no reason to give run to any out of form has-been (Beasley). Mexico awaits in August. Coming off a blistering 5-game Confed Cup, the US should be steeled against anything they'll encounter in Mexico. Of course, football is a weird game, and the US could revert to their old, intimidated selves. But, let's think positive.

Jackson
If you've followed this blog at all, you know I've been a big Edwin Jackson supporter for months. He's got the 2nd best ERA in all of baseball, but I'm convinced he will be ignored come All-star time. Why? Because, for some bizarre reason, people put more stock into a pitcher's wins. Edwin gets little run support (52nd out of 66 pitchers with 8+ starts). His 6 wins will not wow the voters or media, so he'll be sitting home at the All-star break. Perhaps the three days off will be beneficial, but it'll be quite a snub.

Draft

Pistons fans: spoiled or frustrated?

Either way, most weren't too happy with the Austin Daye pick. Said one fan on mLive.com: "Finally. Someone with less muscle than Tayshon [sic]." Egregious misspelling aside, this Piston fan did echo the popular sentiment. I don't get it. If basketball ability was measured in muscle mass, Russell Carter would be an all-star. Who's he, you ask? At the '07 pre-draft workout, Carter out bench-pressed everybody - lifting 185lbs a whopping 25 straight times. Kevin Durant, '08 Rookie of the Year, benched 185lbs a total of zero times. Russell Carter is currently plying his trade for the D-League Tulsa 66ers. Kevin Durant averaged 25pts/game and will be an All-star next year.

Now, I'm not jumping for joy over the Piston's draft, but they did address a glaring need. They've been looking for a backup small forward since '04. Remember Tremaine Fowlkes? Ronald Dupree? Carlos Delfino? Mo Evans? Ronald Dupree again? Jarvis Hayes? Walter Herrmann? None of 'em stuck. With Austin Daye, they finally have a guy who can match Tayshaun's athleticism. The Pistons likely wanted Earl Clark, but he went #14. Nevertheless, any player in the mid-1st round is going to be a question mark. These guys usually don't pan out. Despite the Darko-taint, Joe has had massive success drafting outside the lottery - Prince, Okur, Stuckey, Maxiell. I've never seen Austin Daye play, but he evidently has a decent jump shot. He also blocked 70 shots last year at Gonzaga - that shows at least a passing interest in defense. In the 2nd round, Joe D selected another forward, Dajuan Summers of Georgetown. 2nd rounders rarely stick, and this guy will likely be battling last year's pick, Walter Sharpe. They're both extremely athletic and turnover-prone. Whoever plays the better D will likely make the team.

Did the Pistons improve? Most definitely. With the 15th pick, they landed a player who should be able to contribute immediately. But Daye is no impact player... at least not yet.

The impact players will be in free agency. After dealing Amir Johnson, the Pistons now have room for two big names. Listening to Pistons VP, Scott Perry, this morning on the radio, he reiterated the Pistons plan to be very active in free agency. It's looking less and less likely that Boozer is the #1 target. A more likely scenario is that Joe targets Ben Gordon and trades Rip. That's sort of a lateral move, but it would make the team a bit more interesting. It's also possible that Rip could command a decent big man in return. Unlikely, but possible.

And where's the love for Richard Jefferson? Next year, the Spurs will be his 3rd team in three years. What's not to like about this guy? All he does is score, play solid defense, and rarely get hurt. I wish the Pistons would've made a play for him. He could've been an excellent complement to Stuckey and Rip.

The World's Game

The Confederation's Cup is like the Golden Globes. A win will get you noticed, but everyone's true goal is the Oscars. That's why, despite the monumental upset, the US's victory over Spain, is not quite as important as any (modern-era) World Cup victory. I would, however, rank the win ahead of the victory over Brazil in 1999. While that game also shocked the world, it had three factors going against it:

1. It was in the Gold Cup - a minor tournament that nobody cares about
2. Brazil did not bring their "A" team
3. The game was not televised on an English-language channel

The Confed Cup is a bigger deal than the Gold Cup, and Spain brought all their stars. Some folks on espn.com posted that Spain didn't take the US seriously. I doubt that. In the first few seconds, Spain had the ball in the US's penalty area, forcing the attack. So, this was a great win, that I would rank #4 on the all-time list:

1. US 3 Portugal 2 - While this game was only in the 1st round of the World Cup '02, it served as the catalyst for the improbable run to the quarters. Portugal featured world class talent with Rui Costa and Luis Figo, and the US was without Claudio Reyna and Clint Mathis. What cements this as #1 is that this game wasn't the usual let's-get-one-goal-then-bunker. The US put 3 in the net (4, including Agoos's own goal) and downright took it to the Portuguese.
2. US 2 Colombia 1 - Colombia was the brash new kid on the block. They had Asprilla and flamboyant Carlos Valderrama. No less than Pele picked them to win the whole thing. Prior to this win, the US was a non-entity on the world stage. This game marked the beginning of the new era of US soccer.
3. US 2 Mexico 0 - Many would argue that this game should be #1 on the list. It's the US's only win in the knock-out stage of the World Cup. I list it at #3 because the opponent was Mexico - a team the US faced (and beat) regularly. Yes, it was a dominant and impressive win, but not quite as impactful as the games above.

I should also mention that none of the prior games would even be possible without the one historic moment - Paul Caligiuri's goal against Trinidad. If the win over Colombia marked the US's arrival onto the world stage, Caligiuri's goal was the knock on the door. If he hadn't scored, the US would not have qualified for the World Cup in '90 nor been awarded the host country in '94.

In 1989, a great US soccer moment is a goal against Trinidad in a Qualifier. 20 years later, it's a win over the world's #1 team - a team that hadn't allowed a goal 451 minutes and was unbeaten in 35 matches. That's significant progress. After the game, ESPN put up a poll: How much do you care about the US beating Spain in the Confederation's Cup? 58,000 votes later, 82% care a lot. In years past, that poll would've been overrun by soccer-haters, but the world's game has slowly worked its way into the American sports landscape. Thanks to ESPN, average folks know about the American's rivalry with Mexico and are familiar with marquee internationals like Christian Ronaldo, Kaka, and, of course, Beckham. And the World Cup? It's huge. No longer a cult event in the States; it's front-page news. So, the game has arrived. Will the US team follow?

A few days ago, I wondered if the US would win the World Cup in my lifetime. It's still unlikely. The massive footballing nation of England has won just once. But the win over Spain allows for a glimmer of hope.

The Game

Surprisingly, it was a much more enjoyable game when the score was 0-0. End-to-end action with both teams creating genuine chances. The US did not begin the game in a defensive shell, as Bob opted for a 2-striker formation - only one change from the Egypt game. Jon Bornstein was out, and Carlos Bocanegra was in at left fullback.

Spain demonstrated their quality from the onset with pinpoint passing. They had no difficulty advancing the ball into the US's final third. They did have difficulty penetrating the box, though. The US defense did well man-marking and did not allow any open space near Tim Howard. Spain dominated early possession, but the US was dangerous on the counter-attack. Around the 10th minute, Altidore and Dempsey worked the ball into Spain's zone. Dempsey sent a low cross into the box, and Charlie Davies unleashed a wicked bicycle kick, sending the ball just wide. Later, Spanish striker Torres had two glorious chances. On the first, he beat the US defense and was one-on-one with Howard, but the play was ruled offsides (replays showed the call was questionable). Then, after Spain worked over Spector on the right flank, they sent a sharp cross to the far post that met Torres who volleyed the ball off-target. It was good man-marking by Bocanegra who disrupted Torres just enough.

Minutes later, Donovan fed Dempsey about 22 yards out, and Dempsey unleashed a strong shot that went wide left of net. Then the US finally broke through in the 27th minute. It wasn't the prettiest play. Dempsey and Davies worked a nice give-and-go to win some space in Spanish territory. Dempsey then passed to Altidore, marked tightly about 25 yards from goal. Dempsey's pass deflected off a Spanish player but bounced toward Altidore, who shielded the ball like he was Bill Laimbeer boxing out Karl Malone. Altidore's defender (a teammate at Villareal) fell down, and Jozie quickly shot the ball off the bounce. The goalie got his fingertips on it, but it wasn't enough. The ball nestled in the back of the net, and Jozie rushed toward the sideline in celebration. Spain looked surprised but not rattled.

Not surprisingly, the next 8,000 chances went to Spain. Torres burst down the left flank into the box (perhaps Bocanegra's biggest blunder of the match). Torres cut back to his left foot and shot low, near post from about six yards out. Tim Howard made a fantastic kick save, and the rebound floated to about the penalty marker. A Spanish player tried to head the ball to no avail. Spain had numerous attempts inside the box but could not get an open shot. The US found ways to block or disrupt the attack, usually at the last minute. Harkes called it "emergency defending."

The US did have one more excellent opportunity before the half. Off a restart, Donovan sent a perfect cross toward goal. Bocanegra was in position to head the ball into the net, but Dempsey actually beat him to it - heading the ball wide.

The 2nd half was all bunker-ville. Spain completely dominated. The US gave up tons of space in the middle and allowed Spain to work the wings. For the most part, Spain could still not get a clear shot on net. Perhaps ceding the US's aerial advantage, Spain rarely sent in long crosses. They almost exclusively tried to dribble into the box. Spain's best chance came around minute 50 when striker David Villa unleashed a rocket left foot shot on net, but Howard blocked it wide. Seconds later, Bocanegra got sucked into the middle of the field, leaving the left side wide open. Spain worked the ball to the open space and earned Sergio Ramos a great opportunity from a sharp angle. Howard, positioned perfectly, deflected it wide. The Spanish players were frustrated, but not giving up. And the US players looked tired... it seemed only a matter of time before Spain would at least equalize.

Around the 60th minute, the game slowed down. The US actually managed to string some passes together and force Spain to play defense. Bob Bradley took out Charlie Davies in the 67th minute. Benny Feilhaber went in, moving Dempsey up to Davies' forward spot. Feilhaber's possession skills would pay immediate dividends. Near midfield, Dempsey and Bradley combined to force a turnover, and Bradley passed across the field to Feilhaber. Feilhaber dribbled toward goal, made a nifty move to beat a defender and fed Donovan inside the box. Donovan's first touch - not great - took him away from net. He spotted Dempsey far post and sent a shot/pass toward him. Miraculously, the ball bounced off two defenders and settled neatly near Dempsey, who whirled around and slotted it home. Extremely lucky goal, but kudos to the tireless Dempsey and Donovan who somehow found the energy to attack after logging so many minutes in this tournament.

To say the 2nd goal was against the run of play would be an enormous understatement. Spain did continue to attack, but I think that 2nd goal crushed their spirit. A Spanish player did manage a dangerous shot from 10 yards out, but Ricardo Clark dove in at the last minute to block it out of bounds. That was the story of the game for Spain... and the US. Just incredible timely defense.

Final score: 2-0 USA. The US men's national soccer team shocked the world. If interested, the highlights are here.

Notable grades:

Donovan: A. He didn't score a goal, but he outplayed perhaps the entire Spanish midfield. He's played every minute of this tournament (something like 4 games in 10 days) and still had energy to burn. Somebody posted on bigsoccer.com that we've finally figured out Donovan's best position - "endline to endline defensive striker." That's what he was. Although he wasn't wearing the captain's armband, he was the leader on the field and played his best US game since '02.

Onyewu: A. Dominant. Perfectly positioned.

Howard: A+. A classic performance, reminiscent of Keller vs. Brazil in '99.

Bradley: B. Earned a red card late in the match for a studs-up tackle. Like most of the other reds earned during this tournament, it would be a yellow card in Concacaf. Nevertheless, the US players need to adapt. Whether it was fatigue, bad luck, or a bad call, Bradley will miss the final. Otherwide, he was solid.

Coach Bradley: A+. Coaching is all about results, and he got it. Even though I hated his insertion of Conor Casey late in the match, his gameplan worked perfectly. The players were motivated and somehow fit enough to beat Spain on 2-days rest.

USA!

"There's a soccer game on today. It's not like they're going to win, so who cares?"
- Jim Rome, earlier today

What an amazing and shocking result. This is a huge win for the US. It's not quite in the same echelon as the World Cup wins, but it's next in line. This win will get the US noticed, and, for all those who disregarded these kids (i.e. me), they showed us they got heart. Plenty of heart. My shame is palpable, but right now it's overshadowed with pride. USA!

(more later)

RyRay

I tried working last night, but I kept getting pulled back by the Tigers/Cubs game. I watched the early innings, as Jackson dueled with Zambrano. I've often praised Jackson on this blog, and it was warranted again last night. He did not have the best command (4 walks), but he pitched out of every jam. He left after the 7th, allowing just 2 runs.

The Tigers were down 2-1 in the bottom of the 7th, when Brandon Inge lit up Zambrano for a 2-run homer. It was just the 6th dinger allowed by Zambrano all season. Zumaya relieved Jackson in the top of the 8th and easily dispatched the first two batters - striking out the first with a 104mph fastball. Derrek Lee then lined a single to left. With the runner on first and two outs, Zumaya was one strike away from ending the inning. He decided to throw a change-up (first of the inning), and Micah Hoffpauir sent the pitch deep into the seats in right field to take a 4-3 lead. Rod and Mario immediately questioned Zumaya's decision to throw him a change-up when nobody could catch up to his heat. I'm a little more forgiving. The art of pitching is as much about deception as natural skill. Zumaya's fastball is only effective if he mixes in a few pitches at 80-85 mph. The decision to the throw the change was fine, but the location was poor -- and Zumaya let his frustrations be known by dropping a few (silent) F-bombs.

At the bottom of the 8th, Polanco got hit by a pitch with one out. He stole second on Cabrera's 3rd strike. Thames, perhaps not realizing that a single would tie the game, promptly swung for the fences on 4 straight pitches. End of the inning.

The score was still 4-3 in the bottom of the 9th. Recent call-up Don Kelly stepped up to the plate. After about a 9 pitch at bat, Kelly earned the walk. Sunday's hero, Brandon Inge, was next. Two homers in a game was too much to ask, and Inge popped up. Josh Anderson was supposed to bat after Inge, but Leyland called Ryan Rayburn to pinch hit. Rayburn does not get regular action, and the team tried to trade him during the Spring. No takers. I've always like Rayburn - he plays almost every position (including catcher) and has decent extra-base power. This is where things get interesting...

To rewind a bit, after about the 6th inning, I handed the remote to my wife and went to work (in the next room). I could hear the announcers going crazy over Inge's homer in the 7th. So, I quit work and got to watch Zumaya blow the lead in the 8th. Frustrated, I went back to work.

But the Tigers kept pulling me back. After a few minutes, I found myself watching Thames strike out at the bottom of the 8th. Argh! I tried going back to work and decided to open up the ESPN Gamecast. I saw that Don Kelly got a walk but Inge popped up. I figured... I'll go watch these last two outs. Unfortunately, the wife had engaged herself with an old Jimmy Stewart movie, The Shop Around the Corner. Knowing that the game would likely end in a loss, I didn't force the issue and walked back to work. Before I sat down, she yelled, "They won!" I ran back to the TV, and Rayburn was getting mobbed at home plate! I was shocked. My wife apologized for not flipping back to the game in time, but the crazy up-and-down nature of the game left me dazed with joy.

So, good 'ol RyRay came through. And Leyland gave him a monster hug. Great win.

AP Photo

Enjoy It While We Can

The three-game round-robin format of the Confederations Cup, like the World Cup, forces soccer fans worldwide to overreact even more than normal. One loss can doom a coach (Lippi?); while one win can restore national pride (Egypt). And all is well, until the next game when fortunes reverse as quickly as a Brazilian counter. Such was the case with the US team.

After beginning the tournament in fine fashion against Italy, the wheels fell off when Ricardo Clark recklessly tackled Gattuso in the 33rd minute. Despite conceding a penalty kick before half time, the Italians controlled the rest of the match and won easily 3-1. Then Brazil completely dominated the Americans, winning 3-0 in a match that more resembled Arsenal vs my Sunday rec team. Make no mistake, the US was awful, and Bob Bradley deserved the criticism. His odd roster selections backfired (Beasley, Kljestan), and the team played with no sense of pride or urgency.

To his credit, Bob Bradley rallied the troops. Unlike his predecessors, who regularly trotted out the scrubs for Game 3 of big tourneys (WC '06, '98), Bradley stuck with his A-squad, inserting Ricardo Clark and Charlie Davies in place of the aforementioned "odd roster selections." I doubt the US considered actual advancement prior to the game. They just wanted a result... wanted to prove to the world (and, especially, the critical fans at home) that they belonged. Well, they proved it.

Soccer games are often boring affairs, with staunch defenses crippling every attack. This game was the opposite. Both teams attacked relentlessly from the onset. Egypt took advantage of Clint Dempsey's poor marking in midfield and forced fullback Jonathan Spector to routinely save the day. They managed a couple crosses that Onyewu and Demerit cleared out of danger. About 15 minutes into the match, the US began to take control. Dempsey sprung Charlie Davies with a pinpoint through-ball that forced a fine save by the Egypt keeper. Then Donovan burst down the left flank, beating the defense. One-on-one with the keeper, Donovan decided to cross the ball to no one. Bad decision, but he would make up for it later. In the 21st minute, Altidore collected a throw-in deep in the corner. He beat his man and sent a low cross into the box. Charlie Davies charged, but the keeper beat him to the ball. In a strange twist, an Egyptian defender accidentally tipped the ball out of the keeper's hands, and Davies, in the middle of the scrum, pounced on the ball, shielded his man, and kicked the ball off the keeper and into the net.

Yes, it was lucky, but I don't want to diminish Charlie Davies' effort. He earned that goal by charging the ball and causing havoc. In hockey, they'd call that a goal-scorer's goal.

The keeper, shamed and bleeding, lay prostrate on the pitch for about 5 minutes.

The US continued to pressure. Donovan played just brilliantly in the midfield, springing Davies and Altidore on numerous occassions. Egypt, as well, came close in the 1st half, with a long range effort grazing the crossbar. Nevertheless, US keeper Brad Guzan was not severely tested in the first 45. After the break, Egypt seemed less energetic, and the US capitalized. Around the 50th minute, the US strung together a series of passes (in a display normally reserved for games against Concacaf) and found Altidore alone near the penalty marker. Jozie's low, hard shot was cleared off the line by a defender's thigh and forearm. Jozie pleaded with the ref for a penalty shot, to no avail. In the 63rd minute, Donovan took an outlet pass from the D and hit Bradley at midfield. Bradley rushed toward goal and passed back to Donovan near the 18. Donovan quickly passed back to Bradley who slotted it home. Just a fantastic goal that had me (despite my sleeping wife in the next room) screaming for joy.

In order to advance, the US needed to win their game by 3 goals, and they needed Brazil to beat Italy by the same margin. The US players learned at halftime that Brazil was beating Italy 3-0. They started to believe.

In a strange move, Bradley took out Altidore in the 69th minute and inserted Benny Feilhaber. Altidore had been extremely effective. Dempsey, with his poor defense, seemed a more logical sub, but Dempsey stayed in and moved up top. Two minutes later, Jonathan Spector dribbled down the right flank and sent a swerving cross into the box. Dempsey outleapt his defender and headed the ball into the net. Dempsey, and the team, went nuts.

Sometimes the stars align. The US defense held strong for the rest of the match, save for one Eygpt header that sailed over the goal. In shocking fashion. both the US and Brazil won 3-0, which put the US in 2nd place and, more importantly, into the semifinals to face Spain. While I criticized Bob Bradley severely after the last match, all his moves worked wonderfully. Donovan, who I felt played well in the previous two games, proved again how effective he can be out of the midfield. Jozy, Charlie Davies, and Michael Bradley, all under 23, gave the US fans a reason to feel optimistic. Perhaps the future isn't so bleak. We all have a reason to smile... at least until the next game.

Most Bizarre Rumor Ever

I don't want to give credence to every internet rumor floating around, but I found myself compelled to share this one. The Oklahoman reported that Dumars may trade the #15 pick plus Amir Johnson for OKC's #25 pick. Why, on God's green Earth, would Dumars give up a player to trade down? It makes no sense, unless it's another cap clearing move.

The story postulates that freeing cap space is more important than the #15 pick. Without Amir on the roster, Dumars frees up $4million.

It would be a gamble. But, if Joe D could parlay that cap space into an actual baller (Bosh?), it would be a helluva move.

Reverse the Curse?

A few days after ripping the US national soccer team, they respond by drubbing Egypt 3-0 and somehow advancing into the semifinals of the Confederations Cup. Then the Tigers, who I said were a house built on quicksand, proceed to sweep the 1st place Brewers. Is there a reverse Thatballdontlie curse?

Los Tigres
Two things allowed the Tigers to sweep the Brew crew: 1) the bats came alive and 2) the bullpen pitched well. On Friday, Galarraga spotted the Brewers an early 3-run lead. It looked like the latest ride on the Galarraga Express-train-to-Toledo. Yet, the fightin' Venezuelan buckled down and limited the damage. Marcus Thames responded with a 2-run homer in the bottom of the first, and I believe that home run served as the catalyst for the entire weekend series. Galarraga survived the next few innings and even a rain delay. Yet, after another rain delay, Leyland trotted out Miner, who pitched well enough for the win. Despite the early Milwaukee lead, the Tigers pounded the ball for 10 runs.

They continued the torrid hitting the next day with 17 hits and 9 runs. It was enough to get first-time pitcher Alfredo Figaro his first win. There's a lot to like about Figaro. He throws a wicked fast ball and has a solid slider to match. On the other hand, he didn't have great command, and the Brewers pounced on every miss-pitch. He gave up 8 hits in 5 innings but did manage 7 Ks. He's got potential, and is a major step-up from D-train.

I didn't catch the game last night (conflicted with soccer), but looks like Verlander pitched another gem. The Tigers beat the Brewers' ace, courtesy of a Brandon Inge home run. Over the weekend, Pat Caputo said Inge will be this year's All Star snub. Who would've thought "Inge" and "All Star" would ever be used in the same sentence after last season? My guess is that the Tigers will have three All Stars - Verlander, Edwin, and Cabrera. Those three deserve to go.

Will the US win a World Cup in my lifetime?

I think it's a pretty fair question. In light of some fantastic articles from the AP and Ives Galarcep, it's now common knowledge that the US is light years away from competing with World Cup powers, let alone defeating them. It's sort of a bitter pill for someone like me to swallow. I've followed international soccer faithfully since the '94 World Cup. Bringing the world's greatest show to the US was supposed to draw more fans to the sport. Well, it worked for me. The problem is that my team stinks. Despite millions of young kids playing the sport, our beloved country can't seem to produce world class talent. Sure, there are millions of reasons why... football/basketball/baseball take away the best athletes, no soccer culture, poor coaching, etc. Yet, you would think that, in a country of 300 million people, at least one soccer prodigy would come forth. (Well, it's possible that soccer prodigy did come forth in the form of Guiseppe Rossi, but that's another story.)

Hasn't happened. That's why we gotta trot out out-of-form, clubless Damarcus Beasley as our 1st choice midfielder. That's like Sheed getting the start on the Olympic team just because he was an Allstar eight years ago. Where the heck are the players? Where are the coaches? Bob Bradley is a sharp dresser and very fit, but does he have a single creative bone in his body? He's got as much charisma as this guy. Down 2 to Brazil, and his halftime answer is Conor Casey? Yikes. You got Freddy freakin' Adu on the bench. And Jose Torres. Either of those players have the fire and skill to actually take the ball to the Brazilians. It was just a mess yesterday, and, if you didn't see the game, best continue avoiding it. After scoring the 2nd goal, Robinho actually took the time to give a sideline interview. That's how seriously he took the US.

This Sunday, the US faces Egypt - a team that almost tied Brazil except for an injury time penalty kick. It could very well be another shellacking. During the Brazil game, John Harkes said the team lacked confidence. That's the key. Against Egypt, we'll find out if they have any pride.

If they come out flat, I think it should be curtains for Bob Bradley. It's the true test of a coach to rally his team when they're suffering. Not that Pat Fitzgerald is the greatest coach of all time, but he definitely impressed me when, in '06, his 2-8 Northwestern team went into Iowa city and beat an Iowa team still fighting for a New Year's day bowl. The team had nothing to play for but pride. Can the US match that spirit?

Quicksand

I'm gonna keep harping on these Tigers. They're a house of cards, people. Or a house built on quicksand. Or a sinking ship. Or any other cliched analogy. The bottom line is that Cabrera, Verlander and Jackson can't carry the team all season. Eventually, other dudes need to step up. That hasn't happened. Now that those three are going through mid-season doldrums (although still performing pretty well), the losses are piling up. Four straight so far, with some tough games still looming.

The problems are many, and we've covered them extensively (Bullpen, Nate, D-train, Maggs, Polly, etc). Thanks to the ineptitude of the AL Central, the Tigers somehow find themselves still in 1st place. With 97 games remaining, the Tigers might actually make the playoffs, but only if they move some players. At the current pace, they'll soon fall below Minnesota and likely finish with 75ish wins. So what should they do?

• Find a way to sign Matt Holliday. It will likely require Wilkin Ramirez. Holliday is having a subpar year, but, on the Tigers, he'd be one of the better hitters. He's only a few years removed from an MVP-like season. Granted, he produced inflated numbers hitting at Coors, but it's not like he's Tom Brookens at away ballparks. He's worth the gamble.
• Cut D-train, Nate, and potentially Maggs. The first two are obvious. They're just taking up a valuable roster spot from some kid who might actually throw strikes. The Maggs situation is trickier. If he gets 457 plate appearances, he gets $18million in guaranteed money for the 2010 season. Yet, if the Tigers cut him to avoid the $18million kicker, they could run into trouble with the player's union. Teams can't cut players for financial reasons (unlike just about every other sport and industry in the world). Maggs is underperforming, but is he underperforming enough to get cut? The Tigers better hope he either turns it up or turns it way down. Staying the status quo sucks. I dig Maggs, and I hope he catches fire... but the realist in me says it aint gonna happen.
• Sign a starter. I'm not talking about Johan Santana, but the Tigers need a reliable veteran to replace D-train. The Tigers would probably take Brad Penny and his 4.95 ERA.
• Change the mentality. This year's Tigers have won with small ball. Realize that the bats are pretty weak, so focus on bunting, stealing bases, and finding some way to hit a freakin' sacrifice fly. They have pretty fast guys on the roster (Anderson, Santiago, CG) - let 'em run. I'd rather they get thrown out stealing then watch another pathetic Magglio GIDP.

Soccer

US got smoked by Brazil. Less said about that the better. I'd love for the USSF to hire a foreign coach who opens up a can of whoop-ass on the complacent US nats, but it just ain't gonna happen. US Soccer head guru Sunil Gulati will simply not fire Bob Bradley until after the World Cup. Fairly or not, he'll give Bob that shot. So we gotta live with seeing Beasley and Kljesten on the field for at least another year. Ugh.

The aftermath

Make no mistake, Red Wings fans are reeling. Few considered Pittsburgh a threat, even after winning Game 6. The Wings were just too strong, right? I suppose that's what happens to spoiled fans. I see it all the time in Ann Arbor. Despite last season's horrid season, I have no doubt that Michigan football fans will still expect to run roughshod all over the Big Ten. The spoiled tendencies are tough to break.

Heck, the Titanic sank, Goliath fell, and the Colossus of Rhodes only stood for 56 years. The Red Wings do not have a Stanley Cup birthright, and it's possible, just possible, that Pittsburgh was the better team. For all my objective posturing, I do have a hard time stomaching that one. It seems to me that the Red Wings team we saw after the Anaheim series was not the same as the one who started the playoffs. While the Wings are keeping relatively quiet about injuries (a herniated disc here, speared testicles there), they were slower, less sharp. They beat Chicago on sheer talent. But that wasn't enough against Pittsburgh.

Of course, injuries are a part of the playoffs. In recent years, I don't recall the Wings ever winning the Cup while enduring a major injury. The team that stays healthy and hungry wins. Pittsburgh beat them on both fronts.

So where do the Wings go from here? The discussion immediately following Game 7 was all about Hossa. Most Red Wing fans want Hossa to stay, but there is definitely a vocal opposition. I agree with Babcock: "A 40-goal scorer isn't something that's easy to find." He couldn't get going versus Pittsburgh, but I watched the guy fly throughout the entire regular season. He's a phenomenal talent and has said he'll take less to stay with the Wings. I guess the question is... how much less? Ken Holland said he had productive talks with Hossa's agent, so there's a glimmer of hope.

Samuelsson and Hudler would be certain casualties if Hossa re-signs. In fact, Hudler may bolt regardless. His minutes dropped sharply in the playoffs. Babcock doesn't trust his defense. The likely replacement for Hudler will be Ville Leino. Helm will also start on the senior squad next season, as, of course, will Ericsson.

Tigers
I heard the perfect description of the Tigers yesterday, courtesy of Terry Foster on 97.1FM - The Tigers are a house built on quicksand; sooner or later you know it's gonna sink. They have an extremely difficult schedule coming up. I doubt they'll be over .500 for very much longer. Strangely, the bats have gone silent. Polanco, Maggs, Granderson, and even Cabrera are struggling. And, of course, we all know about that awful bullpen. A few weeks ago, we were all thinking there wouldn't be room in 5-man rotation for Bonderman. Now, with Willis back to his old self and Galarraga barely above water, the Tigers may need to find a free agent just to finish the season.

US vs Italy

For those unaware, the US was invited to the Confederations Cup after winning the Gold Cup a few years back. This non-historic event now serves as the dress rehearsal for the World Cup, in that it's scheduled the year before the World Cup in the host country.

Eight teams made it to the Confedersations Cup: Reigning World Cup Champion (Italy), Host country (S. Africa), and the six regional champions from around the world (New Zealand, Iraq, Spain, Brazil, Egypt, and the USA). To tilt the tournament in the host country's favor, South Africa was grouped with New Zealand, Iraq, and Spain, leaving the USA as minnow in Group B, with Italy, Brazil, and Egypt.

The tournament opened yesterday, with the US taking on Italy. It was not the typical US showing versus a European opponent. The US actually played farely well in the first half. Bob Bradley opted for most of the starters from the Honduras match, with the exception of Benny Fielhaber and Michael Bradley as the center mids. Altidore was the lone striker up top. Italy controlled most of the possession, but the US had some effective counters. After a turnover, Donovan raced right through the center of the field and fed an onrushing Bradley in the box. Bradley muffed his shot from short range, and dribbled harmlessly to (Italian keeper) Gigi Buffon. A few minutes later, Donovan again set up Altidore beautifully in roughly the same spot as Bradley. Altidore neglected to shoot and tried to cross back to Landon to no avail. Two great chances, zero goals. Meanwhile, the US defense effectively shut down the Italian attack for the majority of the half. In the 37th minute, American central defender Ricardo Clark was late in tackling Gattuso and clipped him on the knee. It was a reckless tackle, and the ref showed Clark the straight red. The US team was pretty shocked. While it was a hard, stupid foul, Clark normally would receive a yellow. Needless to say, the red card completely changed the game.

The Italians had more room to possess the ball, but the US still countered somewhat effectively. Late in the half, Feilhaber sent a nice lob to Altidore in the box. Jozy deftly trapped the ball and cut inside. His defender blocked his path, and Jozy fell head-over-heels to emphasize the obstruction. The ref awarded the US a penalty kick, which Landon calmly converted. 1-0 USA at the half.

The second half, unfortunately, was a mess. Italy had all the possession, and the US had a tough time crossing midfield. Around the 55th minute, Italy subbed in Guiseppe Rossi. For those unaware, Rossi is actually an American. He was born in New Jersey and trained with the New York Red Bulls youth academy. In his early teens, he signed with Man U and made the move to Europe. Despite courtship by the US team, Rossi always said his dream was to play for his father's country, Italy. To further the snub, the bastard scored two goals against the US yesterday. The first was a bomb from about 25 yards out after he stripped Feilhaber near midfield. The second goal was in injury time, after Italy was in full control of the match. Final score 3-1 Italy.

The loss was expected, but it was a heartbreaker the way it transpired. The shameful red card (shameful for both Clark and the ref) ruined what could've been a competitive match. As it turned out, the US was lucky to hang on for as long as the did. Ultimately, Italy grew tired of trying to work the ball into the US's box and instead opted for long-range bombs which worked beautifully.

Next up for the US: Brazil. Sweet.

Notable grades:
Dempsey - D. Is it burn out? Why can't he replicate his Fulham form for the US team? Hardly made an impact.

Donovan - B+. Strong game by the 27 year old. Attacked relentlessly in the first half and tracked back well on defense throughout. Almost had 2 assists against one of the best defenses in the world.

Spector - B+. Another solid performance by the youngster. He's getting better and better.

Buzzkill

What a sad night. Less than two weeks after the Wings "won" the Cup after Game 2, the Detroit fans realized that it actually takes 4 games to win it. Now, the Penguins are skating around the Joe with the Cup. So sad.

All I can say is that the Wings looked like a different team all throughout the Finals. I'm not sure if it's due to injuries or if Pittsburgh was just that good. Either way, they disrupted the Red Wings offensive flow. And the Pens did just enough scoring. I'll be seeing that Talbot breakaway in my nightmares all summer. But, hey, we should all look at the bright side, right? At least the NHL has a true Kodak moment with Crosby raising the Cup. We'll get to see that for the next 20 years.

Zoom

Zumaya's stat line from yesterday: 0.0 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 1 R.
After Granderson gloriously tied the game on the Tiger's last out with a 2-run home run, Zumaya pitched the bottom of the 9th and didn't register an out.

For those out of the state, I'll let you know that Zumaya is no longer the crippled shell of the '06 version. He's recovered 100% of his velocity and is trim and fit. Yes, he's throwing 103mph with control. Perhaps not with the same regularity, but the problem with Zoom is no longer the injuries. It's something much more nebulous. He can't get batters out. He's still one of the better relievers in the Tigers pen (how's that for an offhanded compliment??), but he's shown no signs of his '06 consistency.

My guess is that the time off has hindered Joel's baseball acumen. While I'm usually not an optimist when it comes to Tigers pitching, I do hold out hope that Joel will improve over the course of the season. Now that he no longer has to worry about velocity, he can focus on becoming a better pitcher, and the Tigers have a stellar pitching coach. Thanks to the pitching of Verlander and Jackson, the Tigers find themselves in 1st place. They'll need Zumaya to maintain that spot.

Nate
How much longer will the Tigers keep this guy? We all like Nate, but it's clear his career as a Tiger is over. He simply can't pitch out of the bullpen. For the season, Nate's inherited 10 runners. 7 scored. Ugh.

Draft
For the Pistons fans out there, mLive's blogger par excellence Dave Dial wrote a preview of Piston draft targets. I still think Joe D will make a deal with the Wizards, but that likely won't go down until draft day.

Game 7
It's tough to postulate too much about one of the biggest games in Detroit history. In 2005, I called my brother John prior to the Pistons' Game 7 against the Spurs, and I said, "I'm just going to try to enjoy it. It's a Game 7? How often will this happen?" That sorta worked. I still had a feeling of anguish as the loss slowly became inevitable. But the Red Wings have a slightly better chance.

All I ask is that they come out of the gate with some fire. They've got the rest of the summer to relax. Nobody wants to see the patient, methodical Wings of Game 6. Take it to the Pens. Play aggressively. The refs will be too scared to call too many penalties, so take advantage.

Go Wings.

Which team will show?

On Saturday, the Wings were determined, focused, fast, and fresh. Last night, they were methodical and a step slow. Which team will we see in Game 7? If they can't rally themselves for a one-game showdown in the Stanley Cup Finals, then perhaps we should fold the franchise.

At this point, I have to wonder if the Wings problems are self-induced (injuries, poor strategy) or a result of Pittsburgh's strong play. I will say this... Pittsburgh is far better defensively than I ever imagined. They are shutting down the Wings' attack as effectively as the Ducks. The Pens don't have the physical presence of Anaheim, but somehow the Wings still can't string together passes in the offensive zone. For all the hoopla of Crosby and Malkin, it's the defensive play of the Pens' forwards that are causing all sorts of havoc, on both ends of the ice. That's been the difference in the series. They're relentless.

The Wings will have to match that.

I believe they will.

Well, this sucks.

I suppose those idiot Red Wing fans got their wish. Game 7 is upon us. The Pens staved off elimination by playing a desperate, aggressive style that the Wings hardly matched. At best, the Wings were patient; at worst, they were slow.

Not until the 2nd period did the Wings even show signs of life. I was pleased they killed off the Pens two power plays in the first, but, man, they should've been taking it to the Pens. I don't get it. Granted, it took a bit of luck for the Pens to win. That Zetterberg shot that hit the post should give Fleury nightmares.

So, it's back to Detroit. The Red Wings have no chance but to put the pedal to the metal.

Piston moves

Excellent piece by Dave Dial on mLive today regarding possible Piston moves. Evidently, the team may have cooled a bit on Carlos Boozer and is now targeting Paul Millsap. Utah would like to keep Millsap, but I imagine Dumars will make it extremely difficult for them. No doubt Joe D would like some revenge for Utah offering way too much for Okur back in '04.

In a dream scenario, the Pistons could sign Millsap as a free agent, and then trade the #15 pick for Tyson Chandler. Chandler is a risk coming off surgery, but anybody at #15 is a risk. If Chandler recovers 100% from the surgery, the Pistons would have one of the best front courts in the East, and Stuckey would finally have some big men to help create space. Even during an injury-riddled season, Chandler averaged 9&9 last year, while shooting 56%. And he's 26.

The article linked above also mentions the possibility of Dumars targeting David Lee. While he would be an excellent addition, I just don't see New York letting their 2nd most popular player walk.

Tigers vs White Sox

Tonight, we have the following pitching matchup:

Det: D. Willis (1-3, 6.84 ERA)
CWS: M. Buehrle (6-2, 2.91 ERA)

Now, I'm a big supporter of the "anything can happen" philosophy in sports. Appalachian State beat Michigan in the Big House. Villanova beat mighty Georgetown in 1985. The Spartans beat the Persians in the Battle of Thermopylae (sorta). So, yes, anything can happen.

Except tonight.

Aint no way Dontrelle outpitches Mark Buehrle.

Wings Fans

Are fans just the same everywhere? Listening to the callers on Pat Caputo's show yesterday, it was like the Stanley Cup Finals were best-of-five, and the Wings took the Cup on Saturday. They hate Crosby, they love Hossa, and some fools even want the Wings to lose Game 6, so they team can win the Cup at home. Geez. Talk about spoiled.

If the Wings lose Game 6, I'm blaming Wings fans. It'll be the God of karma shoving it in their face -- "You want a Game 7? I'll give it to you, complete with its requisite heart attack!"

Now, the Caputo show wasn't without a bit of humor. Some caller brought up Sidney Crosby's "Timbits" commercial, where Sid's playing hockey with a bunch of kids, and Caputo said some of those Timbits could grow a better playoff beard:


Now, as for Hossa... I was thinking about his situation over the weekend. Last summer, he signed with the Wings because he'd have a better chance to win the Cup. That doesn't make any sense. Pittsburg was 2 games from winning the Cup last year. The core of the team is 21, 22 years old, and, according to NHL commish Gary Bettman, the Pens are the "model franchise." Why, really, did Hossa leave? It couldn't have been about the Cup. There's more to that story. And, I don't buy that he didn't want to be the 3rd wheel, behind Sid and Malkin. Nobody comes to the Wings to become a solo superstar. For some reason, he wasn't happy in Pittsburgh. We need some moles to uncover this story.

Concacaf
Strange goings-on in Concacaf these days. Honduras and Costa Rica are all-of-a-sudden the class of the region. And, if you didn't hear, Mexico lost again - this time to El Salvador. At the near-halfway point of the Hex, Mexico is in 5th place, with a shocking 3 pts out from four matches. Mexico is too good to not qualify, but this signals a major shift in the region. I doubt the US and Mexico are dramatically worse; I think the other countries are getting better. With the globalization of the game, players from Honduras and Costa Rica can now hone their skills with European clubs in the best leagues in the world. And these home field advantages are no joke. Somebody posted on bigsoccer.com that the US would have a better chance against Italy than an away match against Costa Rica. There's history to back that statement.

Despite the US's less-than-stellar 2-game stretch this week, there was some good news. I saw a surprising lack of gamesmanship from the players. Less hacking, less collapse-on-the-ground-whining, less pansy-ism in general. And, I hate to say, there was some damn pretty soccer from both Costa Rica and Honduras. From the US's standpoint, Bradley may have found his right (or left) back in Jonathan Spector. Perhaps the next game will be a truer test - at Mexico City against a seethingly hungry Mexico squad. Also, Ricardo Clark proved to be the top pick for defensive midfielder. The US squad has a few holes and no great central midfielder, but at least they won't have to rely on Beasley at left defense.

Thumbs down to the US Soccer Federation. They scheduled these qualifying games at massive stadiums so they could earn some major cash. Big mistake. The primary concern for scheduling should be finding a stadium that offers the best home field advantage. Immediate financial return should be secondary. So don't schedule a game against Honduras in a city with a ton of Hondurans!!! Soldier field was 70% Hondurans on Saturday. These games are too critical. The US would lose a ton of money if they failed to qualify for the Cup. The next home game is in Utah (good), but the final match against Costa Rica is in RFK. Why?

5-0

Who saw that coming? Wow. Just a complete turnaround. Another indication that momentum does not carry between games. Thankfully, this also breaks the Cavs vs Pistons '07 comparison. Phew.

Red Wings started slowly, but that Cleary goal changed everything. Mickey Redmond, in the post-game, said it was like Staal's shorty in Game 4 - it just completely shifted momentum. The Wings looked focused and confident. And how about Kronwall's power play goal? That was freakin' brilliant. What? You missed that goal? Well, here it is:


On to Game 6 for Tuesday. Getting two days off won't hurt either.

Soccer
Just a scary, scary night for the US. First they give up another early goal, then, after they retake the lead with some decent play, they just let Honduras take over the game and almost equalize. The US was incredibly fortunate to get 3pts. Suddenly, Honduras is taking it to the Americans. Everyone is. No disrespect for Honduras... they've always been talented offensively. But they seem to be the US's equal, and that's a bit disheartening for us bloated yanks. Where's the D? When Bocanegra got injured, the defense sputtered. Bob Bradley has some major holes in his lineup, though I do give him a small bit of credit for at least addressing two problem players from last game - Wynne and Beasley. Both earned a spot on the bench, replaced by Jonathan Spector and Jon Bornstein. Spector was especially brilliant. Great game for the youngster, in his first real US national team appearance. His time in the Premiere League paid off.

Edwin
A complete game 4-hit win. Solid. ESPN said he's the best pitching acquisition of the year. Couldn't agree more.

Yes, the sun did rise...

But I'm no more optimistic. True, the Wings have two of the remaining three games at home, but that does nothing to alleviate my fears. Pittsburgh, right now, is the better team.

And I doubt Pavel Datsyuk would make much of a difference - at least not in Game 4. Perhaps Pavel's return in Game 5 will lighten the load for Zetterberg. But it wasn't like Pavel was lighting up the scoreboard before his injury.

Just like the regular season, the turnovers are killing this team. I'm not sure how they flipped-the-switch once the playoffs began, but they need to flip it on again. Pittsburgh's forecheck is top-notch, and they're ready to pounce on every defensive miscue. For a 6 minute span in Game 4, that's all the Pen's needed. Strangely, the Wings hardly threatened after they lost the lead. That's not the championship mettle we've come to expect. These are the Stanley Cup Finals - aren't they supposed to leave everything on the ice?

Unfortunately, they may have nothing left.

How do they turn things around? It starts with desire. If I were Lidstrom, I'd call a team meeting. Invite everyone but Ozzie. This could be Ozzie's last chance at a Cup, and, right now, he's in line to win the Conn-Smythe should the Wings pull off two more wins. He's been a great leader and a solid teammate for almost twenty years. Win it for Ozzie.

Next, they need to address the penalty kill. To this point, they've employed the passive zone that allows the Pens to pass the puck around the perimeter. The results? Pittsburgh power play success is close to 50%. Yikes. It's fair to say the passive strategy failed. Ramp up the aggression. I know it's not pretty hockey, but they need to start hitting, like they did against Anaheim. If they get another penalty, who cares? Pittsburgh is scoring on the 5-on-4, so what does it matter if it's a 5-on-3? Put some Penguins on their butts. Disrupt their flow.

Lastly, they need a day off. Rest. Play Sega '94. Spend time with the kids. Whatever it takes to get them refreshed.

That's all I got, except... Go Wings.

Bad Feeling

Had a bad feeling after Game 2 of the Wings/Pens series. I had visions of the Pistons/Cavs in '07. The Pistons took two home games from the Cavs in unimpressive fashion. Then the Cavs went on the take the next four. Please tell me the same thing won't happen to the Wings. They're too good for that right? Better coached? More disciplined? And Lebron James doesn't play for the Pens.

Tonight's loss really sucks. I'll have to wait until tomorrow to gain some perspective. In the meantime, I'll have to amuse myself with this.

Ticos

"Harkes upset to the point of anger tears."

"Bob (Bradley) should get fired for giving birth to his son."

"Can we put a second goalie on for our last sub?"

"Obama for manager?"

These are quotes from the angry members of bigsoccer.com. Last night, Costa Rica completely dismantled and humiliated the US national soccer team. It was 1-0 after 2 minutes. 2-0 after 13 minutes. Costa Rica almost added a 3rd before the US even managed a shot on goal. Early in the 2nd half, Costa Rica made it 3-0, and, in injury time, the ref took pity on the US and awarded a penalty kick. Final score: 3-1... though it could easily have been 5-0.

That the US lost an away match to Costa Rica is no surprise. They are 0-7 in Saprissa stadium. Yet, the fact that Costa Rica so thoroughly outclassed them, in every facet of the game, sent shockwaves throughout the US soccer community. This is the type of shoddy performance the US normally reserves for European opponents.

The blame starts at the top. While he didn't play on the field, Bob Bradley's influence was all over this game. Without Frankie Hejduk (who knew he'd be so crucial?!) or Steve Cherundolo, Bradley had a tough decision on who to start for his defense. He opted for Marvell Wynne, a young, speedy right back from MLS, and Damarcus Beasley, who didn't earn a start with his club team (Glasgow Rangers) all year. This decision, more than anything, determined the outcome of the game. Beasley was beaten soundly in the first minute. Neither Torres or Mastroeni, the midfielders, could cover for Beasley, and the Costa Rican player beat Howard with a sterling, curling finish. Bad defense all around, but it started with Beas.

Next it was Wynne's turn. Costa Rica attacked down the right flank and strung together a succession of square-passes that would make Trevor Francis swoon. Onyewu also got served, as Costa Rica burst past him into the box. They sent in a short cross that was easily buried past Howard. Witness the bloodletting:



So, yes, the players obviously sucked, but I'm still gonna pick on the coach. He tried Beasley, a career midfielder, at left defense once before - against Trinidad. While Beasley looked decent in that match, he exhibited signs of rust. Bob should've known that Beasley did not have the experience nor ability to shut down a talented Costa Rican attack on their home soil. I have less of a problem with Wynne. Wynne at least IS a right back. Might as well throw him to the fire. Yet, there were better options at both positions. Carlos Bocanegra, a guy who actually plays for his club team (Rennes) could be slotted over to left defense. He's normally a center back, but he has experience on the left and played that exact position in the '02 World Cup. On the right side, Jon Spector was available. Inexplicably, Bradley continues to ignore the youngster, who is one of just two American field players to play in the English Premiere League (West Ham). I don't get it... and neither did John Harkes who raised the Spector question during the last night's broadcast.

A lesser quibble with Bradley is his substitution of Jose Torres - the one American who actually had poise on the ball. Yes, Torres got burned on the first goal, but should he really be the scapegoat and subbed out at halftime?

The rest of the blame falls on the players who looked slow, disinterested, and overmatched.

Unfortunately, this loss was bound to happen. Costa Rica is a proud team with World Cup experience, and they continue to churn out players with equal or better technical ability than the US. No American striker has impacted the Premiere League (or any European League) like Paulo Wanchope. Yes, US soccer has made strides - a fact I normally report with pride and childish optimism. In the late 90s, this game wouldn't have even been on TV. Now, ESPN airs all the US's games, even friendlies. ESPN also broadcasts the World Cup, Euro Championship, and the Champion's League. Folks can now say they're looking forward to watching Barcelona and Man U and no longer get punched in the face. That popularity has translated into more players, but not more talent.

I look at Donovan and Dempsey, and they're no better than Claudio Reyna and John Harkes. Tim Howard is no better than Friedel. Mastro of '09 is not as good as Mastro of '02. Perhaps Jozy Altidore has a greater upside than any US player, but the dude can't sniff the field for his club, Villareal. And the coaching... well, the coaching is probably worse. Bruce Arena, for his many faults, always had the US ready to play defense. While it was rarely attractive, Arena would pack 10 men behind the ball and pray for a tie. What was Bradley's strategy?

This game will be a wake-up call. The US aint as good as we thought. Hopefully, they're not as bad as we thought either.

Newsflash

After a twenty year wait, the NBA Finals will begin tonight.

Late Post

Sorry for the late post, y'all. I got stuck in a conference all day.

Definitely a heart-breaker last night. The Wings played perhaps their best all-around game but ended up with their first loss. That's how the breaks go, I suppose. That penalty on Cleary was a good call, but I'm not sure sure on the Ericksson one. His "interference" looked an awful lot like what defensemen do throughout the entire game. Nevertheless, the Wings should be able to kill off at least 2 out of 3 power plays, right? Wrong. The PK has sucked and continues to suck, and I imagine that's all they'll work on in practice.

Is it just me, or does Zetterberg seem to be shouldering the entire offensive load? He needs help, fellas. Hossa? It's game 4. Now's your time to shine!

I'm still not sold on Pittsburgh's defense. Their forwards have a great forecheck, but the Wings should be able to hold possession better than they have. I'm surprised they haven't taken the game to the Penguins more aggressively. They began to do just that in the 2nd period last night, but then the bottom fell out in the 3rd. No doubt a healthy Datsyuk would help in every facet of the game. And Draper too. Yes, he'll help with faceoffs, but he's also a valuable penalty killer.

More on the Fracas

In the comments below, Doug was kind enough to link to a youtube clip of the Zetterberg/Malkin fight. On second viewing, it's even stranger than I remember.

I was under the impression that Malkin was initially involved in the scrum. That's not true. Malkin was 15 ft away from the scrum and then made a B-line straight for Z. I also noticed that Filppula tried to separate the two. That must've been what brought Satan to jump into the fray. Filppula quickly jumped out of the fracas once he realized these two dudes were throwing real uppercuts and, in Malkin's case, "stick punches." Satan still tried to pull Z off Malkin but only succeeded in jerseying Z.

What a weird fight. One of the comments under that youtube vid is "Nice to see some passion from the Europeans." I hear/read this all the time. Since when do North Americans have a patent on passion, fighting, and grit? Have these fans never seen a World Cup game? Europeans play sports with a passion that far exceeds anything we can comprehend in the States. Nor should we want to comprehend it, since the passion often boils over. Nevertheless, it's anti-European prejudice that leads to the stereotype that Euro players are soft. Would the typical NHL fan have the guts to call one of these dudes soft? It's like most fans think the Euros are all Pavel Bure, and North Americans are Mark Messier. I don't get it.

Weekend Recap

My bro, John, sent me a text last night after the wings won: "I'm used to the Wings being on the other side of these types of matches." Hitting two posts, outshooting the opponent, frustrated by a hot goalie... these are usually the Wings problems. It's so unlike the Wings to get these breaks and ride a hot goalie. Having watched the Wings all season (heck, all my life), it's difficult to feel comfortable, despite the two wins.

Thinking back on the game, it's pretty clear that Pittsburgh has an issue with defense. The forwards do an excellent, Wing-like forecheck. They force a ton of turnovers and stifle the Wings puck possession. Yet, when the Wings get inside the Pens' blue line, they're dangerous. That's been the difference. Pittsburgh's had tons of shots and puck possession. In fact, the Wings only managed 3 shots for the entire 3rd period. Yet, the Detroit defense allowed only 2-3 decent opportunities. It's not pretty to watch, but the strategy resulted in two wins.

Will it be enough to get two more? That's debatable. How often can the Wings rely on scoring from Abdelkader? Or the refs not calling interference on Homer? The good news is the Wings can improve. Now, I doubt they can play any better defensively, but they can limit the defensive zone turnovers and force more play in the Pens' zone. Datsyuk is just the type of player to help with that - but the team is still mum on his progress.

The fracas
The most unexpected event of the night was Malkin's fight with Zetterberg. It was Zetterberg's first-ever NHL fight. After Talbot blatantly slashed Ozzie, the Wings swarmed him. Malkin decided to go one-on-one with Zetterberg, and, with the help of Satan (the player, not the deity), jerseyed him. Zetterberg jerseyed Malkin too, and both players started swinging. Malkin got a good punch in before his second punch missed completely. Zetterberg dodged the 2nd punch, and the momentum carried Malkin down to the ice. At that point, the ref intervened, but that didn't stop Zetterberg from throwing right hooks. Some punches may have actually hit Malkin, but most landed on the ref.

When the dust settled, Malkin was hit with an "Instigator" penalty which calls for an automatic one-game suspension. It took the NHL less than 60 minutes to review and overturn the automatic suspension. What? You thought the league would actually suspend the Penguins best player? This isn't the NBA (hello, Steve Nash suspension), where they stand by the refs decisions to the detriment of the league. This is the NHL, where they change, re-interpret, and ignore rules with little logic or consistency.

Said NHL VP of operations Colin Campbell:

Suspensions are applied under this rule when a team attempts to send a message
in the last five minutes by having a player instigate a fight. A suspension
could also be applied when a player seeks retribution for a prior incident.
Neither was the case here and therefore the one game suspension is rescinded.

Did Malkin seek retribution for a prior incident? Absolutely. Zetterberg's completely frustrated and disrupted the Penguins for two straight games. He's been, next to Osgood, the Wings best player. There's a reason Malkin didn't take a run at Maltby or even Hossa. He chose Zetterberg. With that said, I'm happy the league didn't suspend Malkin. He's perhaps the Pens most dangerous player, and it's best to beat the opposition at their best. This is simply another example of this horribly-run league making itself look foolish.

NBC/Vs. Coverage
Yes, I'm biased. I truly miss the days when Hockey was an ESPN event. They hyped it up. It was the Avs/Wings era, and Barry Melrose actually had clout. Since the lockout, the NHL is on life support. They made it to NBC but are treated as a 2nd class citizen. Getting bumped by I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Outta Here? That surely wouldn't happen to the NBA Finals. So, yeah, I'm biased against NBC, but I'm trying to achieve some level of objectivity. Mike Emrick, as play-by-play, is fine. No mispronounciations of names, no obvious slant. I wish I could say the same thing about Pierre Maguire.

I was originally impressed with Maguire's detailed observations. On the Ericksson goal, he quickly pointed out that Samuelsson "slightly interfered" with a Penguin player to free up space for Ericksson to shoot. The replay confirmed that Samuelsson set a slight pick as they went for the puck. Very astute observation. Then I realized Pierre Maguire felt the Wings should've been penalized on 2 of the 3 goals, and, earlier in the broadcast, he announced that the Pens should've been awarded a penalty shot in game 1. Is the refereeing truly that one-sided?

Edwin
Just great stuff from Edwin Jackson yesterday. 8 innings, 2 hits, 1 walk, 0 ER. Stellar. This dude is getting overshadowed by Verlander and Porcello, but, holy crap, he's been awesome. The two Tiger wins over the weekend salvage what could've been a disappointing trip to Baltimore as Luke Scott singlehandedly won games 1 & 2.

And somehow Rodney is 10/10 in save opportunities. Ride the rollercoaster while you can.

Lebron
Okay, so the dude didn't shake anybody's hand. He didn't talk to the press. Blah blah blah. I really have no problem with that. Even in my rec soccer league, I get emotionally involved and find it difficult to shake the oppositions' hand immediately after the game. I give hockey players massive credit for keeping that tradition alive.

I always find it a little strange seeing players socialize after a hard-fought, emotionally-charged game. Perhaps they're able to let it go. More power to them.

Lebron's incident, I believe, is less egregious than the Pistons famously not shaking hands with Jordan's Bulls. The Pistons beat the Bulls three straight times in the playoffs. With such a lengthy history (and dominance), the Pistons should've put pride aside and congratulate the opposition for finally getting over the hump. Yet, the Pistons learned from Celtics before them. When the Celtics did it, they were proud veterans. When the Bad Boys did it, it was proof the Bad Boys were bad for basketball. But give the guys a break. Emotions run high and losing sucks. That's what you want from players representing your city.