Crossing Broad

Report: Real Madrid to Play Celtic at Lincoln Financial Field

We included this in the roundup, but thought it deserves calling out: Real Madrid will play Celtic at Lincoln Financial on August 11 at 1:30 p.m., according to a Philly.com report.

This will be the second year in a row Real Madrid plays at the Linc (they beat the Union 2-1 last year). Why is that significant? Because soccer is in a crazy growth phase in the U.S. right now, aided by more coverage (FOX Soccer channels, specifically), ESPN getting behind the sport, and successful World Cup runs for both the U.S. men’s and women’s teams in recent years (though the U.S. Men’s team failed to qualify for the Olympics for the first time in 20 years this year). The early success of the MLS in Philadelphia has helped locally, too. 

News of the Spanish powerhouse coming to Philly yet again means that the winner of the most prestigious league in the world (UEFA Champions League), Chelsea, who will play the MLS All-Stars at PPL Park in July... the Scottish champ, Celtic... and perhaps the best team in the world, Real Madrid, will all play in Philadelphia this summer. That’s a big deal for exposure.

As mentioned, soccer is growing rapidly in the U.S., and, often times, more English and other European games are televised here than they are in their respective countries. For example: Every English Premier League match on the last day of the season (there are no playoffs) was televised in the U.S. this year, yet that wasn’t the case England, where fans didn't have the option of tuning in to see the frantic final moments of the season (there are benefits beyond just winning the league-- finishing in the top 4, not finishing in the bottom 4, and so on). Our appetite for sports, combined with, like, 9,000 cable channels, makes U.S. viewers prime targets for sports leagues, anywhere. And having teams like Real Madrid, Celtic and Chelsea (and Juventus, Tottenham and Liverpool, who are playing in nearby cities) play in Philadelphia goes a long way in introducing the game to new potential fans. 

Myself included.

Last year, after watching Real Madrid play the Union, I latched on to the sport. I became hooked last fall and winter watching the English Premier League. I purchased the FOX Soccer app to watch non-televised games on my iPad. I bought two versions of FIFA soccer on PS3, spent many a weekend morning at the Iron Abbey watching matches being played 4,000 miles away, and now say things like pitch and ball and strike. Most of that interest is based off seeing one game last summer. So it works.

Chelsea to Play MLS All-Stars at PPL Park

Cheerio!

Let me tell you about an unfortunate scenario for my friend Dan, who is a huge Chelsea nut. He moved to London for work this year (with an added perk being that he can watch his team in-person), and will return to visit Philadelphia in mid-July, narrowly missing his favorite team when they play against the MLS All-Stars in (near) Philadelphia.

Poor guy. All those miles when he could have just driven to Chester in July.

Anyway, that’s just a long, anecdotal way of telling you that - as first surmised here - Chelsea will play the MLS All-Stars at PPL Park on July 25. Peter Nowak will coach the MLS team, which means you can expect him to get into tiffs with his best players and trot out a bunch of B-listers for the match).

Cue soccer hating comments!

(Union Coach) Peter Nowak is an Asshole

I’ll be honest-- I follow the Union from afar. I enjoy soccer, and have really come around to appreciate the game this past year, but I have a hard time going from high-level English Premier League and Champions League soccer, which is easily accessible on FOX Soccer and ESPN, to the volleyfest that is the MLS. That said, I’ll watch the Union if I have nothing better going on.

Here’s what I know, though: They’re doing something wrong. Through the first two years of their existence, the Union quickly won over many folks by hitting all the points on the new franchise checklist: Great team name and logo? Check. Kick-ass new stadium, positioned perfectly on the water, with outstanding views and the ability to expand? Check. Early success? Check. A small yet passionate group of ardent supporters? Check. Positive community involvement and marketing? Check.

It was all there. 

Now something seems like it’s changing.

For the Union, at this point, it’s still all about perception, and perception was all positive for the first two seasons. But the last few months have been rough.

It seemed like a smart move when the Union signed Freddy Adu late last year. He is one of the most recognizable American soccer players. The move, however, had the scent of an attention-grab. Even my untrained eye can tell that Adu, once a phenom, is not very good at soccer, relatively speaking. He has many tools, yet looks like he has no idea how to put them all together. You can’t help but wonder if the move was more about creating buzz than it was about winning. That said, we’ll give the Union a pass here. It’s hard to argue with a team for bringing on one of the most well-known players in the game (a player who, oddly enough, was once at odds with head coach Peter Nowak when the two were in D.C.).

What happened this offseason, however, was inexcusable.

The Union had one player that 95% of casual fans could identifty: Sebastien Le Toux. He’s a Frenchman, and was the team’s best and most popular player. Think about that for a second: they got a bunch of hardened Philadelphians to like a Frenchman. And not just like-- love. Union fans adored Le Toux. He had his own song. And was even given a heartwarming sendoff at Kildare’s when he was sold to Vancouver. 

Wait, what?

Ah yes, the sale.

A young franchise sold their best, most popular, marketable, likable and recognizable player for cash. Why? To be honest, I’m not sure. But here’s how Le Toux took it, speaking to Delco Times Reporter Chris Vito just days after the trade-sale: 

“The only thing they wanted is the money,” Le Toux said. “Being with this team and being a guy, not to build around, but to help this team, was what I wanted. … They must have wanted to sell me for money because they needed money. We don’t have a nice practice facility and that is something they promised since I am here. It’s terrible.”

“I asked Peter (Monday at YSC) what was going on and he didn’t let me talk,” Le Toux said. “He started to get mad at me, telling me that I was very not respectful to leave Bolton early. I told him, ‘First, I respect myself.’ But I always did everything they asked me to do. I came from vacation in the Dominican Republic for the Bimbo (sponsorship) announcement. I always was respectful. … It was like he was saying, ‘I don’t know if I can trust you on this team.’”

 

When he refers to “Bolton,” he’s talking about a sale, two weeks earlier, to Bolton of the English Premier League. After a few days of tryouts (of sorts), Bolton declined to accept Le Toux, who would later say that he was out-of-shape. So that’s when the Union shipped him off to soccer purgatory in Vancouver.

Needless to say, the relationship between Le Toux and Nowak now seems, um, fractured.

On Saturday, Le Toux will return to PPL Park, and he will no doubt be warmly welcomed by fans. The buzz surrounding the match is akin to Mike Richards returning to play the Flyers in October. So, one would think that Nowak would expect to be asked some questions about his former star’s return, no? 

No.

Here’s what he said during a press conference yesterday when asked about it:

Costa Rican Team Accuses Union of Playing "Anti Football," Aborts Friendly

There was definitely a crane-kick in there

What?!

Yesterday in Costa Rica, the Union played a not-so-friendly match (the puns write themselves sometimes) against Belen. And while we normally wouldn’t care about such meaningless soccer matches played on what looks like a high school field, this one is particularly noteworthy since Belen and local officials did their best impression of the Soviet Red Army hockey team by stopping play after things got a bit too heated.

YouTube video, posted on Belen’s Wordpress webpage, shows a mild scrum at midfield between Union soldiers (looking regal in blue) and Belen players (looking like pussies in yellow). The video appears under a title that accuses the Union of playing “anti-football," or, as some would call it, soccer. - ducks -

Here is Belen’s official account of what happened, translated for readability and hysterics. We highlighted the fun parts: 

Encouraged by his staff and giving an indication that the Fair Play is not your forte, the U.S. team Philadelphia Union kicks and slaps concluded what was intended as a friendly against Bridgestone Bethlehem.

Just halfway through the first half when the team lost 2 invited by zero, an entry "wild" of an American on the wheel led to the brawl Bryan Vega (see video), which in a few seconds literally became a pitched battle. What most annoyed the Belemitas was the attitude of the coaching staff who, from the beginning, did not stop shouting insults not only the players but also Bethlehem referee and his assistants.The scene was so embarrassing that the local leaders decided to suspend the meeting.

"It was an immature attitude of the coach. From the beginning, they just treat us as stupid and officials. The players were dedicated to kicking and elbowing "Said the midfielder Jose Luis Lopez.

Table Heredia, without most of their holders, won the game with goals from Rodolfo Arnaez, of criminal defense and Alejandro Cordero.

 

Kicks. Slaps. Stupid Costa Ricans. Pitched battles. Elbowing. Awesome.

The Union, who were presumably too enraged to speak following this battle royal, declined comment to Philly.com’s Jonathan Tannenwald. 

Video of the melee is after the jump. Caution: VIOLENCE. Not really.

H/T to (@tl1889), via My Sports Rumors and The Brotherly Game

A Pissed Off Sebastien Le Toux Rips Union, Breaks Down in Front of Fans at Kildare's

It doesn’t matter whether you like the Union (soccer) or not. Yesterday, the team sold their best player, Sebastien Le Toux, to the Vancouver Whitecaps* for an undisclosed sum of money that some think will be put toward signing current rent-a-player Roger Torres. As you might imagine, Le Toux was pissed at that reality, and he spoke with Chris Vito of the Daily Times yesterday to tell us all just how pissed he really was. 

*For those who don't know-- Two weeks ago, Le Toux was nearly sold to Bolton in England, but performed poorly at a tryout and was sent back to the Union.

Here’s some of what Seba told Vito: [Delco Times]

“The only thing they wanted is the money,” Le Toux said. “Being with this team and being a guy, not to build around, but to help this team, was what I wanted. … They must have wanted to sell me for money because they needed money. We don’t have a nice practice facility and that is something they promised since I am here. It’s terrible.

“That’s why they pushed me to Bolton — money.”

“I asked Peter (Monday at YSC) what was going on and he didn’t let me talk,” Le Toux said. “He started to get mad at me, telling me that I was very not respectful to leave Bolton early. I told him, ‘First, I respect myself.’ But I always did everything they asked me to do. I came from vacation in the Dominican Republic for the Bimbo (sponsorship) announcement. I always was respectful. … It was like he was saying, ‘I don’t know if I can trust you on this team.’

“I’m sad because of the way I was treated. I’m disgusted,” Le Toux said. “I’m sorry for the guy who already bought my jersey. Maybe he can get the refund.” 

 

[Read the whole article here, including quotes from manager Peter Nowak]

Wow. In this world of political correctness - at least in front of reporters - Le Toux’s comments come as a bit of a surprise. He is undoubtedly playing the role of scorned lover in this performance, and with that comes the hurt feelings and finger pointing, but his comments are sure to resonate with Philly fans, regardless of taste: beloved player accuses local team of a heartless, directionless money grab. 

Needless to say, if this were the Eagles or Phillies, we would be hurling pitchforks CBP and The Linc. 

What’s worse, Le Toux is beloved by the Union faithful. And never was that more evident than when a tearful Seba and his smoking hot girlfriend showed up at Kildare’s in West Chester last night to thank fans, who serenaded him and showered him with gifts. Really.

Must-see video after the jump. In 2012, you rarely - if ever - see an athlete display this sort of gratitude and accessibility to his fans... even if he is only an MLS player.

Union Trade Le Toux to Vancouver...

You're not in Kansas anymore

Wait, what?

Two weeks ago, it was believed that Sebastien Le Toux would be sold to Bolton of the English Premier League (Le Toux even attended a match last weekend), but the deal fell through because Le Toux didn’t impress Bolton during a tryout.

Now, Le Toux, who is back in Philadelphia, has been traded to what I would imagine is the worst place on earth for Soccer-- Vancouver. He confirmed the move on his Twitter:

 

 

Whatever is going on with the Union is puzzling. Yes, they have a promising core of young players, but in the last two days they’ve parted ways with their starting goaltender, Faryd Mondragon, and their best player, Le Toux. Some think this is all to free up money to obtain full rights to their Columbian sensation, Roger Torres. We shall see.

...

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Report: Union to Host 2012 All-Star Game

We’re not turning into a soccer blog, I swear, but this is newsworthy: according to Ives Galarcep - a FOX Soccer writer and a red-stater, no doubt - the Union will host the 2012 MLS All-Star Game: [Soccer By Ives]

The Union and MLS have scheduled a press conference in Philadelphia for Tuesday, where Philadelphia mayor Michael Nutter and MLS commissioner are expected to announce that PPL Park will be host this summer's 2012 MLS All-Star Game.

 

There have been some rumblings that the team the All-Stars will play is Chelsea of the English Premiere League, but that’s not confirmed. Perhaps we’ll find out tomorrow.

Cheerio.

H/T to (@DXFlyers)

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Comment on this post, and you'll entered to win a “Quality Grooming Experience” from American Male, a full-service salon for guys in Center City, Berwyn and Reading that has been helping men look their best for over 12 years. The “Quality Grooming Experience” features shampoo, haircut, scalp massage and much more. We’ll be picking two winners per week. Must enter your email address to be eligible. Oh yeah, they serve beer too.

Report: Union to Sell LeToux

Photo: Philly Soccer Page

Look, I’m blowing apart my soccer hymen this year. Really, I am. I’ve purchased or received as gifts four kits in the last six months. I’m religiously watching English Premier League games on weekend mornings, and, more importantly, I’m enjoying them. Go Spurs! But I’m admittedly still a novice when it comes to understanding the sport. 

Here’s what I do know, though: Sebastien LeToux was far and away the best player on the pitch for the Union. Now he’s being sold to Bolton, a team that if the season were to end today would be relegated to the B-league of English soccer. Fun times.: [FOX Soccer]

Philadelphia star striker Sebastien LeToux arrived in England on Tuedsay night ahead of a potential transfer to Bolton, United Kingdom-based sources told FOX Soccer Wednesday morning. The Union are prepared to sell the 28-year-old French striker in a move that would allow Philadelphia to keep young attacker Danny Mwanga, around whom trade rumors have recently circulated. The move would also free the funds needed to replace the all-star LeToux.

 

Goodbye, Sebastien. The Philly area will always have that time you dooped Dorothy in a West Chester bar... which readers can see after the jump.

Explaining the MLS Cup Playoffs Bracket

Click to enlarge.

Here's a primer to help blow apart your soccer hymen. They do things a bit differently in the MLS...

The Union will face the Houston Dynamo today in the first game of a best-of-two series (sort of). After two games, the team with the most goals advances.

Well, Kyle, what if they're tied after two games? I thought you'd never ask. Here are the official MLS tiebreaker rules:

The four Conference Semifinals will be decided by two-game aggregate series, with the lower seed hosting the first leg and the higher seed hosting the second leg. If the aggregate score is tied after 180 minutes of play, two 15-minute extra time periods will be played in their entirety, followed by penalty kicks, if necessary. The two Conference Championships will be single games hosted by the higher seed. MLS Cup will again be a single championship match hosted at a predetermined site to be announced at a later date.

Those overtime periods are not sudden death, they are two full 15-minute periods. If there is no winner, there will be penalty kicks. The conference championship is one game, played on November 6, and the MLS Cup championship is also one game, which will take place on November 20 in Los Angeles. That's it. Different, but simple.

Today's game is at 5 PM on ESPN 2, perfect timing to roll you right into the Eagles game. DOOP.

Union vs. Real Madrid Tickets Available Right Here

Holy crap, a non-sarcastic soccer post.

I'm not joking. I wrote Monday - perhaps thanks to the power of Alex Morgan-  that I was going to give soccer and the Union a chance. I'm watching tonight- can't wait to see the action of the match on the pitch and whatever other pseudo-douchey terms the foot folks use. I'm also going to Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday to see Real Madrid take on your Philadelphia Union!

I can hear the futbol purists cringing and burning flags, or whatever it is they do.

Anyway, Crossing Broad Tickets has your, um, ticket needs covered for Saturday night's match against Real Madrid. There are over 1,500 tickets available starting at $55. Prices for the event are at an all-time low. Get them now.

See you on the pitch.

#DOOP