Top Stories

The Trouble With Substitutes

Good morning class. My name is Shawn Francis and I will be your substitute for today as it seems that your regular teacher, Mr. Galarcep is away for a teachers in service day…whatever that means. You can just call me SF because I like to keep it loose. Now I know that I do not have the same qualifications as Mr. Galarcep so I won’t even attempt to continue with his focused, and educational lesson plan today.

What does that mean for you? Well it means that today we’re going to do some things that deviate from the usual structure but I think that you may find them interesting & informative nonetheless. And yes, like any substitute worth their salt I will be letting you chill out and watch movies.

Our 1st lesson of the day will be Current Events. Last night the New England Revolution once again tried to exorcise the demons of prior MLS Cup failures against the Dynamo, and succeeded magnificently. That is with the help of Dynamo keeper Tony Caig (who in my opinion brought shame upon all who are saddled with the "substitute" title). Dim the lights please:

Now it seems to me –and remember "those who can’t, teach" so what do I really know– that Mr. Caig could have been better served to have reached forward for the ball, that to have reached sideways for the ball in the 1st goal. As for the second one…well what do you think class? If a ball hits you square in the chest it would probably be a good idea not turn your chest inwards toward the goal. OK now you guys go to recess, I’m going to the teachers lounge.

Comments

  1. Houston fans need to Fire “El capitan” at that sorry excuse of a keeper. They were better off with Well, although not by much.

    Reply
  2. Caig’s own-goal of wonder still doesn’t hold a candle to James Riley’s own-goal of the decade. That was a work of art – Most resembling a Jackson Pollack crossed with an enema.

    Reply
  3. I will vote for Caig when goal of the week voting begins on Sunday. If he was a striker, that would have been an excellent shoulder flick into goal…unfortunately he’s not, but he should still get credit for that.

    Reply
  4. Reis is … not God … but a mere mortal upon whom other mortals question his mortality.

    In other meandering thoughts …

    Does Caig know goalkeepers can use their hands?

    Reply
  5. “And yes, like any substitute worth their salt I will be letting you chill out and watch movies.” Nice

    For the first video, I’d say it was a combination of poor on-ball defending and nonexistent weak side help rather than bad goalkeeping. To reach forward in that situation, Caig would need Matrix-like reflexesl IMO he was in the best position unhe could be in.

    As for the second vid, yeah that could have been better. Speaking from experience, there is a weird dead zone around the neck on a keeper’s body where it is neither natural to let the ball go to the chest nor to trap the ball with your hands. It’s a moment where you have to reposition yourself rather than plant your feet. Unfortunately in the millisecond you realize this, the ball is already doing some awkward bounce off you into the goal…like so.

    Reply

Leave a Reply to Unoriginal Aaron Cancel reply