Now that the Euros are over and we have a spare 15 minutes before the Big Leagues start up again, it's time for American soccer fans to do what they do best: obsess over competitions that no one else in the world (and the country? forget about it) has ever heard of. To wit, the US Open Cup, our national knock-out tournament, which continues a perpetually beleaguered and occasionally glorious history that dates back to 1914. (We all remember Brooklyn Field Club's edgy 2-1 victory over Brooklyn Celtic in the first final...and who could forget Greek American AA's dominance in the late '60s?)
Last night's Open Cup action—televised just about nowhere, as far as I can tell—saw three classic giant-killings. The Amalgamated Forces of Satan Everlasting, also known as the Seattle Sounders, wiped out Chivas USA; Charleston Battery beat defending MLS champions Houston on penalties before 3,000 (no, no decimals missing) at Blackbaud; and something called Crystal Palace Baltimore zapped the ever-hapless New York Red Bulls. Unfortunately, our hometown Portland Timbers are "concentrating on the league" after the unpleasant Hollywood United business...but this is still a great tournament.
(ADDENDUM: "Concentrating on the league," that is, except for the two mid-season friendlies against Mexican clubs coming right up, which I believe would qualify as "concentrating on the balance sheet.")
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Concentrating on the balance sheet is correct, especially when you consider they are playing Morelia at home on July 3 and in Seattle of all places on July 6. And then Tigres on July 15. With all the money they make they'll be able to buy another former World Cup striker who will score 1 goal in 16 games!
...the two mid-season friendlies against Mexican clubs coming right up...
It's actually three friendlies against two Mexican clubs. Because it makes perfect sense, when the team is hammered by injuries and has a terminal case of sucking, to play a friendly against the same team twice in 3 days, the second of which is in a condemned field 200 miles away (i.e., Memorial Stadium in Seattle).
Is there anyone at the wheel of this bus? Because it's about to go over the cliff.
Man, obviously there's an untapped vein of Timbers rage that I've been missing out on by being such a crap fan. I'll have to rectify that. Sounds like they're really worth it this year.
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