Joseph, Revolution issue statements on post-game comments

From the New England Revolution Communications Department:

STATEMENT FROM NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION MIDFIELDER SHALRIE JOSEPH

"I want to apologize for my comments after our game on Saturday night against Kansas City. I was still caught up in the heat of the match. I regret implying that we were looking for payback. I know my comments don’t reflect the feelings of my teammates or the club."



STATEMENT FROM THE NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION

“We apologize for Shalrie Joseph’s comments following our match on Saturday night. There was no concerted effort to single out any player on Kansas City’s squad. We would never condone such behavior or actions.”


******

I posted this because it was pertinent to my previous post, and wanted Shalrie's explanation to be heard here.

To be frank about Shalrie being frank Saturday night: I wasn't shocked at all to hear what he had to say. It was a brutally honest assessment of how much this team cares about each other, regardless of good (or bad) it makes them look.

From a corporate, pencil-pushing perspective, I understand that such comments are certainly out of line. I can appreciate that. But from a journalistic perspective, kudos to Shalrie for saying exactly what was on his mind, rather than the same recycled cliches that reporters often find themselves drowning in before and after matches.

Directions: To relieve discomfort, insert sharp objects into eyes

Aye Caramba.

Did you see last night's Revolution-Joe Public CONCACAF Champions League match? Judging by the attendance, and that the Fox Soccer Channel telecast was competing with coverage of the Republican National Convention, you probably didn't. Lucky you.

All you need to know, from a writer's perspective, is that by halftime, there were no writers left. Just a gaggle of wannabe comedians.* The jokes were flying left and right, from every angle. The wisecracks outnumbered the keystrokes something like 1,908,013 to 1. Meanwhile, someone turned on the Red Sox game on one of the press box TVs for a welcome distraction. Others took bets on how many balls would escape Matt Reis before the night ended.

(*I have a theory that just about every writer secretly aspires to be a comedian. I haven't quite put my finger on why that is - perhaps it's because we all realize that it's our job to play with words. Sometimes, the seriousness of a standard match report or feature doesn't allow us to convey our uncanny senses of humor. So we compensate for it by turning press boxes into a comedy clubs and publishing half-witty blogs.)

Personally, I stuggled to find adequate words to accurately describe what exactly was taking place on the pitch below. A thesaurus would have been useful. I asked my colleagues what another word for "obliterated" was ("annihilated" got the most votes), as I forced my fingers to systematically pound out the final paragraph.

Thankfully, the the eyewitness accounts were limited, with an announced crowd of about 3,500 on hand, many of whom disguised themselves as navy blue seats.**

(**The cool thing about a near-empty Gillette Stadium is that acoustics were sensational. The chants from The Fort magnificently echoed throughout the bowl.)

BUT ANYWAY, the game was horrid. Absolutely horrid, if you were a Revolution fan. Shalrie Joseph was perhaps the only player in navy that looked like a legit soccer player. Everyone else seemed to be there just to run through the motions. In fact, around the 28th minute, as the Revs crashed toward goal, a fellow writer said "wow, that actually looked like soccer right there." Unfortunately, that was only one of perhaps maybe...two moments where I could suspend my disbelief that an MLS club was getting absolutely pwned by the fifth-best team in Trinidad***.

(***In fact, Joe Public had just lost to eighth place Defence Force 0-1 on Saturday. Like I always say - DON'T SLEEP ON DEFENCE FORCE. EVER.)

Despite the schadenfreude, Joe Public's Gregory Richardson managed to clinch a hat trick after drinking Gabriel Badilla's milkshake all night. The striker was a revelation to many, and it wasn't just his speed. The dude can flat out dish as well as finish. He was simply the best player on the pitch last night.

When asked if he would like to play in MLS, he nodded affirmatively, and stated that Columbus had shown interest. Let's hope that Stevie Nicol gets Richardson's digits before Sigi Schmid scoops (alliteration alert!) him up and puts him in Crew yellow.

********

For those of you in dire need of some humor, check out shalriejoseph.com. In the words of my colleague Sean Donahue, it's "amazing." I couldn't agree more.

I love how Shal-Joe just drops rhymes like Mama Wayans drops babies. Check out this ill rhyme:

"I am doing this for the sake of it…so drink up, but only if you have the age or its aged. Shalriejoseph.com is about to strike as fast as that lightning Bolt. But don’t call me Usain… I am even more insane…I am at the helm of this new realm, and here comes the thunder …let me take a pause and make sure that I don’t lose you, or confuse you, I am delusional, if you have never been there than you have no idea what illusions do…"

And who knew that SJ and I had a common ethos?

"Nothin I write is 2 be taken seriously, unless I’m serious…
I’m serious…"

Word is born. For real. I'm out. One.

Scrooge England Revolution?

Cheap.

It's a pretty unflattering term. But, in the past two weeks alone, I've received numerous e-mails from Revolution fans "commenting" (and I use the term advisedly, since there may be children reading this) on the transfer bid for Taylor Twellman, Andy Dorman's departure, and now, Pat Noonan's club option being declined. Despite the varying topics, there's one prevailing theme among the fan feedback:

The Revolution organization is cheap.

It's not a completely unfounded (or recent) argument if you consider the club's recent track record of contract negotiations with its own players. When given the chance, the club has repeatedly refused to shed its cheapskate label, despite the fact that an unused designated player allocation and some leftover cash from the Clint Dempsey transfer are beginning to attract moths.


That being said, let's take gander at the club's track record when it comes to player contracts.

Exhibit A: Taylor Twellman. The club’s all-time leading scorer signed a four-year contract that, on average, pays him close to $400,000 annually, which isn’t chump change by any means. However, when English side Preston North End reportedly offered as much a $2.5 million transfer fee for the Best XI striker last week, it was apparent that he was clearly worth much more. Twellman's value, in terms of both the club and the league, has greatly risen over the last year alone, and though he signed his contract extension prior to last season, a market adjustment would appear to be warranted for such a vital component of the Revolution machine.

Exhibit B: Shalrie Joseph. Another player at the center of a transfer bid - this one made by the illustrious Celtic FC. The Scottish club made multiple offers for everyone’s favorite Grenadian, and at one point, reportedly offered as much as $2 million for his contract. Naturally, the bids were rejected each time, though all parties involved stood to benefit greatly from the proposed transfer. Embittered by the proceedings, Joseph declined his appointment as club captain prior the start of the 2007 season, as the failed transfer and ensuing contract negations had soured him. After interest cooled, Joseph, perhaps seeing little other alternative, signed a contract extension in August for a figure that probably wasn't even close to the amount money he would have received abroad.

Exhibit C: Andy Dorman. Can you believe that the newly-baptized Buddie was making a schoolteacher's salary ($30,870 according to MLS Underground) last season? Neither can I. After a pretty good season during which he became the club's second leading scorer, you have to believe that the underrated attacking midfielder was due for a pay raise when his contract expired at the end of the year. Instead, the club balked at his requested figure (which, according to reports, wasn’t unreasonably high), then waved goodbye to another crucial piece of their successful playoff-caliber puzzle.

Exhibit D: Now comes Pat Noonan. The highly-regarded striker and childhood friend of Twellman has partnered up front with his old buddy for the past five seasons –all of which the Revs have clinched playoff berths. It’s hard to dispute that the attack is remarkably better when both are on the pitch. Granted, Noonan has had some difficulties staying healthy at times, but when he's fully fit and ready to go, there aren't many better forward lines in MLS. Plus, it’s safe to say that a certain Tecmo Bowl-playing pal would not be pleased if Noonan were to walk.

In hindsight, the recent streak of success of this club has enjoyed must be further appreciated given the organization's tightwad tactics. It's almost an aberration (albeit a fantastic one) that amid all of this player unrest, this club has still made it to three consecutive MLS Cups. But it would be foolish to think this trend will last forever, nevermind the foreseeable future.

This season has the potential be a big year for the Revs. But it also has equal chance to reek of a rebuilding year in which a playoff appearance would be impressive enough. Dorman's presence will be missed, and should Noonan go as well, no rookie or newcomer would be able to adequately fill the respective voids on such short notice.


In essence, Revolution fans are tired of it all. Tired of having their talent club come up short. Tired of seeing management failing to extend itself beyond the “we gave it our best effort” excuse in terms of signing new players. Tired of shortchanging its better players. Tired of reading about the Red Sox and Celtics doling out the necessary cash for big names to improve their teams while the local XI continues to ride the backseat of the New England sports bus.


Most importantly, they’re tired of the organization not doing enough to not only make their club better, but by extension, not doing enough to promote the game of soccer in a region jam-packed with sports fans.

Sunday Morning Striker: Belated and Abbreviated...Revs beat Red Bulls, 2-1

Under a hazy New England dusk, the Revs and Red Bulls kicked off Saturday night’s match with a mere six points between them in the Eastern Conference standings.

With the football-lined pitch as their springboard, the Revs immediately broke deep into the New York end when Adam Cristman paced down the right wing and flicked a quick shot to the left of Jon Conway, who hauled it in with ease in the first minute.

The local lads continued to attack and in the eighth minute, nearly saw their early efforts rewarded when a fully-recovered-from-the-flu Steve Ralston looped a dazzling corner that was thwacked by Jeff Larentowicz point-blank on the Conway piñata in front of the goalmouth.

The Red Bulls finally answered with an attack of their own in the 14^th minute as Matt Reis stepped up and detoured a Jozy Altidore shot that had its ticket booked for the back of the New England net.

Like a well-trained army, Steve Nicol’s boys immediately counterattacked seconds later when Cristman again penetrated the already porous Red Bull defense, and required Conway to once again save his teammates collective neck with a sure-handed save in the 15^th minute.

Amazingly, the guest’s lackadaisical defense almost led to their premature undoing in the 17^th minute. Cristman once again reappeared in the Red Bull area with ball in tow, and in a desperate attempt to abort a dangerous shot, “defender” Chris Leitch tugged away at the rookie’s adidas Climacool kit and brought him down. Referee Baldomero Toledo caught the sour display, and duly awarded the penalty.

In accordance with Revolution PK protocol, Shalrie Joseph lined the ball up the required twelve yards in front of the keeper. The Grenadian took a few steps back, and charged forward with a medium-caliber shot to the left and low that unmercifully clanked off the woodwork, keeping the score knotted at nil-nil.

Soon after the heart-wrenching miss, the clubs played back-and-forth-ball for the next ten (or so) minutes, as the Red Bull attack began to find its footing on the FieldTurf.

Despite being denied previously, Altidore boldly crashed the Revolution area and left Avery John in his wake as the youngin’ pushed the ball past the suddenly-defenseless Reis for the first goal of the game at the 30 minute mark. 1-0, Red Bulls.

Though the Revs attacked early and often, it began to appear that their offensive swagger had hit a bit of a funk until the 42^nd minute. As the home club reassembled their assault, Joseph, centered in the middle of the attack, played the ball wide to Khano Smith on the left. Smith then took a touch, and played a beautiful ball to Taylor Twellman in the box before the striker took a close shot that just missed the net.

Yes, the score was 1-0 in favor of Bruce Arena’s boys, but the tempo of the match almost dictated that the scoreline should have been transposed, as the Revs had largely dominated the first half.

And no sooner did this theory begin to hold water in the opening seconds of Frame Two when, of all players, Reis fired up a quick counterattack when he launched a long ball that cut through the heavy, humid air and crashed near the heels of a fleet-footed Twellman in Red Bull territory. The forward cradled the ball, then weaved through the porous defense, and tapped it into the back of the net, giving the thousands of twelve year old girls on hand reason to screech and cheer, as the score evened at 1-1 in the 46^th minute.

At the hour mark, Nicol made the obligatory Wells Thompson-for-Khano Smith substitution, as the Revs continued to pressure the Red Bull backs.

However, the ever-dangerous Juan Pablo Angel - he of an MLS-second-best 13 goals - snuck through the box before Reis - he of an MLS-best nine shutouts - smothered the threat in the 61^st minute.

In the 67^th minute, the scoreboard still flashed the 1-1 score. Where, oh where, would the go-ahead materialize? Twellman attempted to help the answer the question when he uncharacteristically sent a pass from midfield to a stuck-in-sixth-gear Thompson on the right. The rook tried to cut down his angle before he sent a skipping shot that went wide of the far post.

By the 80^th minute, the home crowd had seen a largely well-played match by their hometown heroes. The entertainment value was already high at this point. But why not throw in a good laugh?

The chortling came unexpectedly after Red Bull substitute Carlos Mendes attempted to play the ball back to his keeper. Unfortunately, the memo must not have fully circulated, as the pass caught Conway flat-footed and well off his line, as the routine dump off slowly trickled into the back corner of the net for the universal punchline of “own goal.” 2-1, Revs.

The score remained 2-1 into stoppage time, and Bruce Arena was sporting that classic "stoic, yet goofy" facial expression he perfected during the 2006 World Cup. Nevertheless, the Red Bulls tried to wipe the egg of their faces on a hasty mini-attack that culminated on a Clint Mathis liner over the bar. Soon after Reis air mailed the goal kick, the match expired, as the Revs collected a well-deserved three points over their Eastern Conference foes.

Well, it’s 12:41am on Monday, and SMS deeply apologizes for getting this witless attempt at humor to you in a length of time that would only make a tortoise proud. He (SMS, not the reptile) just returned from National Soccer Hall of Fame induction ceremonies, and after four-and-a-half hours on the New York and Mass Turnpikes, he’s ready to retire to his bedchamber. Grandpa’s old cough medicine will remain untouched before bed tonight!

Join us after the road DC tilt, where, after nearly two weeks of recuperation, SMS will return in full over-analytical flight. See…zzzzz….you…(clears throat)….zzzz. (Goodnight!)

The Random Mid-Week Rant

You gotta love Steve Nicol keeping the core of the Revolution together. Guys like Pat Noonan, Taylor Twellman, Matt Reis, AJ, and Shalrie are such a pleasure to watch. Pessimists might call it stagnation...hisss! I call it consistency, although it wouldn't hurt to bring in another lad to help improve the club's overall depth. It's sad to note that someday, all these guys won't be on the same pitch together. Why do I wax about this?

Over the weekend, I scoured the local comic book store to find a title involving a character from one of my favorite comic books. I purchased New Warriors #3, as I had heard a rumor that my favorite character from the series - Chamber - was "reincarnated" in the New Warriors book as a character named "Decibel."

When I was an adolescent, I faithfully read Generation X, by far the the most interesting comic book I've ever stumbled across. As much joy that was provided through my devotion toward its monthly updates, I was deeply saddened the book was cancelled in six years ago. Since then, I have scurried through comic book stores attempting to replicate the joy that Gen X provided me as a youngster.

As an adult, without a secure ongoing and interesting comic title to keep me pre-occupired, this current Revolution squad has, in essence become my Generation X. Something that allows me a wonderful distraction from the real world, and provides the same kind of joy that I once attained from sitting against my bedpost poring over the grainy pages of the comic.

Yes, the likes of Noonan, Twellman, and Shalrie , like comic book heroes, won't stick together forever. The shelf-life on this group of footballers has been pleasantly extended with contract extensions to Twellman, Noonan and Reis. But it won't last into my 30's or 40's. Years from now, after the pieces have been divied among other MLS clubs and/or international sides, will I still check in on them every so often, if only for a reprisal of how things were in the past? Surely, much like I continue to do with the comic characters of my youth.

In the not-so-distant future, I'm sure some talent-laden crop of rookies will replace these fine gents long after they exited the confines of Gillette Stadium. But in the interim, it's been one fantastic ride so far.

Red Sox Nation: Get to Know the Revolution!

By now, you may have heard of some soccer player named David Beckham coming to town this weekend. If you haven't bought tickets for Sunday's L.A. Galaxy-Revs match at Gillette Stadium, well then, you'll have to catch it on TV38 because the game is sold out. Nevertheless, should your interest be piqued by the glamour and glitz or the bending banana kicks of Mr. Beckham, here is a cheat sheet for those of you who know the Red Sox, but may not know much about the New England Revolution (colloquially known as "the Revs").

Back to Beckham: He's kind of a big deal in the world of soccer, and although he's not the best player in the world, he's certainly the most popular, with numerous global brands attached to his very likeness. In jest, he is called "Mr. Posh" after his wife, the high-heeled and large sunglasses-sporting former Spice Girl, Victoria Beckham, who you may have also heard of at some point as well.

But, if that's all you know about soccer, then you are in luck. If you're familiar with other team sports- say, the Boston Red Sox - but are new to soccer, then you may have some trouble getting to know the lads chanted and cheered for by soccer fans across New England.

Now if you are indeed member of Red Sox Nation and wish to see what all the fuss is about, the stars are aligned for a perfect afternoon and evening: the Sox are playing at 1:35pm in Baltimore, thus allowing plenty of time for you to mow the lawn, mix some lemonade, give the dog that bath you've been putting off all summer, and still have time to catch the 7:00pm start for the Revs and Galaxy game. So after the Sox play nine against the O's in the early afternoon, you are personally welcomed to take a gander at our sport. After all, it is the world's game. And lucky you - it’s played professionally right in your own backyard by one of the best clubs in Major League Soccer!

So without further ado, in order to better educate you on some of the more notable Revolution players, the following is some crude, yet somewhat insightful (hopefully) comparisons between some notable Red Sox players and some notable Revolution players.

Taylor Twellman is Manny Ramirez. Twellman (#20) is a forward (also known as a “striker”), and his primary responsibility is quite simple: to put the ball in the back of the net. He is not only the most productive player on the Revs roster in terms of doing just that, but is also one the best strikers in MLS, and has 82 career goals in his six year MLS career to prove the point. Like Manny, he is the offensive catalyst for team that has many offensive weapons, and as a result, is also one of the most popular players on the Revolution.

Steve Ralston is Mike Lowell. Ralston (#14) is a midfielder whose primary responsibility is to help organize the attack, and is often a chief engineer of many Revolution goals. The stats don't lie: the MLS Ironman - he's played in an MLS record 328 games and counting - has 115 career assists, which is also an MLS record as well. This year he's recorded nine assists thus far, and a stat like that speaks to his uncanny knack at sparking the offense. Like Lowell, he brings a steadying veteran presence, and quietly goes about his business, letting his team's record do all the talking.

Matt Reis is David Ortiz. Reis (#1) is a spectacular player who is best known for stepping up in the clutch. Like Ortiz, Reis, the club's goalkeeper, has shined under pressure, as highlighted by a spectacular performance during last season's playoff shootout vs. the Chicago Fire. Not only did he deny two of the five attempts - the success rate of penalty kicks is about 80% - but also blasted one home for the Revs during their sequence of attempts as well. Ortiz and Reis are also much beloved players by their respective fans, and Reis often goes one step further by publicly supporting worthwhile charitable causes.

Andy Dorman is Kevin Youkilis. Dorman (#25) is an attacking midfielder, whose primary responsibility is to not only feed the forwards (like Twellman and Pat Noonan), but to take charge and also put the ball on net. Like Youkilis, the tall and lanky (in that respect, the comparison is bad) Welshman is one of the League's most productive and underrated players, with seven goals so far this season, and does well to terrorize the opposing teams goalkeeper. Interestingly, while both players were deserving of accolades, both we snubbed in their respective league's all-star selections this year.

Shalrie Joseph is Jason Varitek. Joseph (#21) is also a team leader - much like 'Tek - but his responsibility is not only to help initiate the attack when the ball is fairly deep in the opposition end, but to also stopgap an opponent's attack as well. He is the prototypical cerebral player: extremely smart, hardly ever makes an erroneous pass, and is most noticeable when he makes hard challenges on the ball – challenges which he often wins. The tall, dreadlocked Grenadian midfielder is the best in the league at his position, and as a result, offers from oversees clubs have come in to try and pry Mr. Joseph from the Revs. His stats won't "wow" you; it's the incalculable impact he has on the field - the intangibles - that truly make him a special player, much like Varitek.

Adam Cristman is Dustin Pedroia. Cristman (#7) is the most productive rookie in MLS right now, with 4 goals and 4 assists on the stat sheet so far. Like Pedroia, the rookie forward struggled in his first handful of matches before he notched his first goal in May vs. the same LA Galaxy in town this weekend. Both rookies have found their spots on their respective clubs, and are leading candidates for Rookie of the Year honors in their respective sports.

Now, a brief LA Galaxy-baseball comparison:

Landon Donovan is Alex Rodriguez - playing for the Orioles, that is. Donovan (#10) is arguably the best player in the league, much like A-Rod, but is surrounded by a cast of underperforming players this season. Before Becks, he was the League's "Golden Boy" in terms of both marketing and skill on the pitch. His status as one of the best American- born players is backed up by his 34 career US Men's National Team goals, despite the fact that he is only 25 years old. It also doesn’t hurt that he is married to actress Bianca Kajlich, giving the nicknamed “Landycakes” an extra bit of star appeal.

David Beckham is…well, there's only one David Beckham. Imagine, if you will, Michael Jordan leaving the Bulls and joining a lesser, talent-deficient team…wait, he’s already done that.
Truth be told, there really isn't a comparable baseball player, or any other athlete other than Jordan to compare him to; Becks carries with him an unrivaled worldwide appeal that brings a newcomer like you to see what the big deal is.

And with that, I hope you get to know all of the local soccer players, and most of all, I hope you enjoy the game!

The Revolution Midseason Report

With the mid-way point officially arriving moments after the Red Bull-Revs match in the New Jersey swamplands, enough has transpired to where an accurate assessment can be made of the local XI. The club finished the first half with a 7-3-5 record, teetering in first place with a one-point lead in the Eastern Conference standings.

There have certainly been surprises, both good and bad, as well as the expected, which one would anticipate when the core roster has remained fairly consistent for the past three years. That being said, let's take a first half snapshot of the footballers from Foxboro.

SUPERLATIVES

Taylor Twellman: Twellman (whose star deservedly warrants a better nickname than “TnT”) got off to a remarkable start, scoring seven goals in seven games, and at one point, was the primary contender for the Golden Boot honors. However, the striker was called to national team duty in back-to-back tournaments (Gold Cup and Copa America), thus limiting his MLS schedule. Despite the nearly month-long absence, he still ranks third in goals (7), and with the major tournaments out of the way, it won't be long before he re-discovers his goal-scoring groove, and remind those concerned why he is one of the best forwards in the league.

Steve Ralston: Like a fine wine, Ralston only seems to get better with age. The Revolution captain, an MLS mainstay since the league's inception, is having one of his finest seasons this year. In May, he catapulted Chris Henderson as the MLS all-time games played king (324 and counting), then leapfrogged former Tampa Bay teammate Carlos Valderrama for the MLS career assists title (115) with his helper on Andy Dorman’s goal vs. RBNY over the weekend. All the while, Ralston, in typical fashion, has made the club better with his acumen for controlling the tempo of the game and commandeering the attack. Suffice to say, this club is nowhere near first place without Ralston on the pitch.

Shalrie Joseph: There have been periodic stretches during the course of a given match when the Revs attack has looked rather disheveled – that is, before Joseph finds the ball, and reorganizes the assault. Since there are no statistics for intangibles, it's hard for an outsider to judge the true worth of the Grenadian mid. But under closer inspection, it's easy to see why his services have been requested by the likes of Celtic FC. In the same vein as Ralston, the first half would have transpired much differently without his presence.

Andy Dorman: Don’t look now, but the attacking midfielder has already accumulated more goals (7) at the half-way point than he did all of last year (6). Some of that is obviously due to his being thrust into Clint Dempsey’s former role, but the Welshman has certainly been up to task in filling Deuce’s shoes the best he can. Barring injury, there’s no reason why he won’t be able to maintain his form, which will certainly have other clubs abroad knocking at the door at One Patriot Place from now until the end of the season. Well on his way toward his finest MLS season yet, the front office would be wise to re-sign the lanky mid before he tests the waters in free agency after the season ends.

SURPRISES

Jeff Larentowicz: The former defender now moonlights as a defensive mid, and has performed outside of himself in that role. While last season was certainly an eye-opener for the former Brown Bear, who often looked horribly lost on the pitch at times, he has quite nicely come into his own as a more than serviceable center-half during the first half, before he suffered an eye injury vs. Toronto last month.

Adam Cristman: The rookie striker showed flashes of brilliance in pre-season, tallying six goals in six games, which had Revolution Nation buzzing with excitement. Expectedly, he has not been able to maintain that remarkable rate against regular MLS competition, but has shown his knack for putting the ball on net. With much of emphasis placed on first rounder Wells Thompson, Cristman, a third-round pick, has quickly become the frontrunner for MLS rookie of the year honors.

Wells Thompson: Speaking of the man they call "Wellsie", the apple of Nicol's eye during SuperDraft has already shown his versatility, with starts on both the left and right flank. Whether he becomes the solution on the left, or becomes Ralston's successor on the right, remains to be seen. He has shown to be a worthy first option off the bench this season, allowing Nicol the flexibility of inserting the rookie almost anywhere in midfield.

QUESTIONS

Khano Smith: Will he ever truly develop into the player that his biggest fan (last name rhymes with “pickle”) hopes him to be? This isn’t 2006, where Smith was injured for most of the season, thus allowing a built in excuse for his lack of consistency. This season, there are no excuses, and more to the point, we’re on Year Three of the left wing experiment for the former Bermudan striker. Once in awhile, the tall winger will tease you with the remarkable shiftiness and speed of a player more compact than him. But the remainder of the time, he has Revolution fans pulling their hair out at the recurrent stumbling and duck launching (see highlights of the 5/26 Kansas City match)

Willie Sims: It’s hard to believe that the Generation adidas player, selected in the 2005 SuperDraft, is entering his third year with the club this year. That in itself is an achievement, but in his third pro season, he has yet to distinguish himself among the club’s younger players. Four rookies have made their MLS debuts this year, while Sims, who played in nine matches last year, has yet to crack the first team. With the influx of talent from this year’s draft, Lil’ Will may seem himself phased out soon after the Revs win the MLS Cup in November. (Yes, I said that.)


Revolution backs: Last year, the club leaned heavily on its stalwart defending when injuries gathered like locusts, and when all was said and done, the club gave up an MLS-best 35 goals. This season, the defending has reprised its 2006 role at times, but at other times, has looked like a trio of matadors, simply allowing attackers to walk right by. As the matches become more critical down the stretch, the back line will have to ante up if the Revs hope to return to the playoffs.

Revolution coaching staff: Allow to me explain this one. Yes, the club currently reigns supreme in the Eastern Conference, but how do you explain draws to such illustrious clubs like Real Salt Lake and Columbus (twice)? Both of these matches could have been accurately viewed as “trap” games, and when said games arrive on the schedule, it is the coaching staff’s job to ensure that the club does take its seemingly overmatched opponent lightly. Two consecutive draws to two of the worst clubs at the time is telling of the level of preparation the club had for the each of the matches.

What will the second half of the season hold in store for the Revs? It appears they are on their way to another playoff appearance, at the very least, and perhaps another MLS Cup appearance if they stay healthy.

But anything can happen – just ask DC United, with the way their 2006 season transpired toward the closing bell. What’s certain though is that the club has the key ingredients – potent offense, sound goalkeeping, and decent defending – to make another run at the MLS Cup.

Unlucky

Shalrie Joseph must have stolen lollipops from infants, or kicked numerous puppies in a previous life. For these are the only explanations one can ascertain the absolute sheer bad karma (or luck, depending upon one’s philosophy) that the Revolution midfielder has experienced in the past seven months.

Case in point is his most recent run-in with Lady Luck: the Revs’ refusal to adhere to Joseph's recent contract demands. Subsequently, the Grenada native has demanded a trade elsewhere, preferably to a club which will satisfy the contractual demands a 2006 MLS “First XI” midfielder certainly deserves.

One might posit that such contractual negotiations souring do not constitute lack of luck. But let us look at the circumstances: Pat Noonan, no doubt a formidable presence on the pitch when healthy, was recently rewarded with a newly-minted extension. As was 2005 MLS MVP Taylor Twellman, but only after months of badgering publicly for a renewal. Thus, Mr. Joseph is apparently third in line for requesting an extension from the now cash-tapped Krafts. Apparently, the well of money (for its soccer team, at least) had run dry just as Joseph was making his demands.

According to a recent Boston Globe report that details some of the inner workings of the situation, Joseph's agent, Ron Waxman, has made overtures to MLS, Kraft Soccer president Sunil Gulati, and Revolution director of soccer Mike Burns in an effort to come to a resolution. Despite the lobbying, the sides appear to be standing at opposite ends of the Grand Canyon when it comes to bonus money.

It is no secret that the Kraft Sports have made hardball an Olympic sport when negotiating with its football and soccer players. To be fair, the club reportedly offered Joseph a very respectable $300,000 in annual compensation just prior to preseason training, with the additional monies in the form of contract bonuses becoming points of contention. Since then, no headway has been made with respect to sealing up an extension. On paper, it appears that this is simply just another stalled negotiation - unluckily for Joseph - as this is just the latest in a series of unfortunate events transpiring around one of the league’s best players.

What must be even more disheartening to Joseph is watching former teammate Clint Dempsey successfully orchestrate his own a transfer overseas in December, in addition to Noonan and Twellman recently having their contract extension requests granted. All the while, Joseph is seemingly “doomed” to the terms set forth in his current contract. All this must have Joseph feverishly pulling his trademark dreaded locks asking “What gives?”

Flash back to last summer. Celtic FC reportedly batted down the doors of MLS to the tune of $1 million dollars in an effort to outfit Joseph in the Bhoys' traditional green hoops. The transfer request was reportedly denied on multiple occasions, unquestionably leaving Joseph astutely aware of the value of his services in the eyes of an internationally renowned club. Using this knowledge as leverage in contract discussions with the Revs, it appears that Joseph's visible disappointment in being denied a one-way flight to Glasgow may have soured the front office to the extent in which the powers that be refuse to budge on the issue of bonus money.

Including the aforementioned failed transfer to Celtic, Joseph was inadvertently caught in the midst of a melee outside of a Boston nightspot last September, leaving him with serious lacerations on this right hand, and subsequently causing him to miss critical games down the stretch. Upon returning to action, he was fined and suspended for an on-field incident vs. Chicago, an incident which went uncarded by referee Tim Weyland (League officials insisted that Joseph launched an elbow to face of Fire defender Ivan Guerrero, while visual evidence of the event in question disputes this claim). Benched for round two of the semifinals, Joseph could only watch his squad vindictively triumph over the Fire. After another failed MLS Cup bid, reports circulated that Celtic had made yet another offer for the services of Joseph, which of course, was once again denied.