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Your February Questions Answered (Part 1)

Welcome to the first installment of Your February Questions Answered. It is March 1st, the ideal day to look back and begin answering a record-setting number of questions from SBI readers.

I will be traveling quite a bit this week and will hopefully be able to answer as many of the February Questions as possible this week. This first installment includes questions on subjects ranging from TV shows to the future of D.C. goalkeeper Bill Hamid to which non-USA player I would add to the current U.S. national team.

Now, onto the first installment of Your February Questions Answered:

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JAMES T– Hey Ives, if you had to put a percentage on whether or not Landon Donovan is bought by a European club this off season, what would it be? Also, what is your favorite Olympic event?

IVES– I’d put the chances at 75 percent (which may seem high to the folks overplaying his bad miss on Sunday. It was a bad miss, but it was WAY overblown. You would have thought the chance was as easy as Maurice Edu’s vs. Celtic).

As for favorite Olympic event, I’ll assume you mean winter Olympics. The one where they fly down a hill on skies and then do flips in the air before sticking the landing was fun to watch. Whatever that’s called, I was a fan of that. Didn’t watch much to be honest, though I did watch the hockey gold medal match, which was amazing.

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IAN– Lost or 24?

IVES– Lost

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BEN– What is your beer (or drink of choice) while viewing a nice match at the pub or at home? As a grad student mine has to be whatever the cheap special is or a solid dirty thirty.

IVES– I don’t get to watch many matches in the pub, but if I did I’d probably have to have some Guinness. That said, Heineken is my beer of choice.

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DYTMUS– Please speculate as to the reason Nowak left the USMNT. How do you think the loss of Nowak has effected the USMNT? What role did Nowak play in as an assistant coach? (I tend to think it was a bigger role than the outward appearence)

IVES– Sounds like you’re fishing for a conspiracy theory my friend. Nowak left because he was presented with a great opportunity to build a club from scratch and have total power to do that. As for the impact of his departure on the national team, I’m sure it hurt the team to some degree because he had a good relationship with the younger players in the group, but I wouldn’t say the move was devastating for the squad.

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WILYBOY– Who has more of a shot to start against the Netherlands, Torres or Edu?
I'd choose Torres, but wondering what Bradley might be thinking.

IVES– I said Edu last week, before his game-winning goal vs. Celtic, and that pick stands even more now. I’d love to see Torres, but Edu gets the nod. I’ve also heard suggestions that Michael Bradley should sit so we can see both Torres and Edu, but that’s pretty silly. Bradley’s the best central midfield in the pool and we need to see how Edu pairs up with him because they very well could be the starting central midfield tandem in South Africa.

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J MANN– Favorite comic book hero?

IVES– When I was a kid I was a big Daredevil fan.

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TREX– Any update on the Agudelo front? Please tell me RB are pushing hard to get him a GA contract.

IVES- It’s a unique situation because Hans Backe told me he hopes Agudelo signs but I’m hearing the club isn’t exactly rushing to get the signature. One issue could be the fact that Agudelo has grown and improved considerably in the past four to five months. He’s physically matured and is much stronger, and he’s also playing with more confidence. That, coupled with a successful trial at Colombian club Millonarios could have Agudelo looking for more money, which could be why a deal isn’t getting done.

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JOSH ST PAUL– Ives, perhaps you've answered this before…

i'm curious as to what prompted the transition for you to strictly cover soccer. a number of years back (and still, to an extent, today)soccer journalists were few and far between and not too respected. it seems that you must have had some inclination as to where the popularity sport was headed in this country. passion is one thing, but one has to pay the bills. so what is/was your story?

IVES– I covered soccer in college and had a growing interest in the sport and when my newspaper had the beat open I jumped at it. I can’t say I made the move looking ahead and seeing soccer as a growth sport, but I saw it as something I could do well.

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DCD– If you owned a team and had to slap a corporate logo on the jersey, who would be your dream sponsor?

IVES– I do like the Ferrari logo, but I’d probably go with Inca Kola. It would be a great way to rep my Peruvian people, and let’s face it, it’s a great soda.

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PHIL– Do you think there is a chance mike grella would be a call up to the USMNT, if he starts getting playing time, or is league 1 (or probably championship league next season) too low a level for the US?

IVES– I think Grella has showed good promise with Leeds and has transitioned well to the pro game. If he can find a steady role with Leeds as the club moves up, I can see him getting a call in the summer of 2011.

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DOMI-NATE– What do you think about organizing a Vegas trip for those who can't make it to South Africa? Do you know a bar/casino that will give World Cup the respect it deserves?

IVES– Wow, Best Idea Ever. Unfortunately, I’ll be in South Africa so I can’t even get to enjoy that trip. As for bar/casinos to watch the World Cup, that’s a very good question. I’m sure Vegas-based SBI readers could offer some suggestions.

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CAIRO– If you could take one Non-American and add him to the USMNT for the World Cup, who would you choose; or rather, who would make the biggest difference in the team's fortunes?

IVES– Wayne Rooney. A pure goal-scoring forward with an unmatched work rate who is also a professional and relatively humble would do wonders for the U.S. team. I’m sure others would say Messi or Ronaldo, but for what the Americans have and don’t have, I’d go Rooney.

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DARIUS– On a scale of 1 to 7 (7 is the best), How excited should we be for the inaugural Green Soccer Bowl, the Tournament in Detroit featuring Ghana, Malaysia, Puerto Rico and Kenya this May?

IVES– What’s less than 1? Oh right, zero. Seriously, who thought this up? More importantly, who in Ghana’s Soccer Federation thought this was a good idea?

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SETH DAVEY– How old do you think Freddy Adu really is? Some say 26, but I'm guessing he's pushing mid-30's. Thoughts…

IVES– I had the chance to meet and interview Freddy Adu very early on, back in February of 2003 to be exact, and I found him to be smart and confident but I also found him to be totally believable as a 13-year-old. This was well before the real Freddy hype began. At no point back then did I get a feeling that he might be older. Even back then there were questions about his age, but I just never got that impression that he was someone much older.

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JD– With Herculez Gomez's recent form at Puebla, do you think he should get a look in an upcoming camp even though he hasn't been capped in almost three years?

IVES– There are no more camps until December. Now, if he keeps on scoring for the next few months, I’m sure Bob Bradley will look at him. Will that mean a spot on the World Cup roster? I can’t really see it unless the other options are all just not looking good (Davies is still not back, Robbie Findley and Jeff Cunningham aren’t looking that good in MLS and Eddie Johnson’s time at Aris doesn’t get any better).

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T. WHITE– Do you think Mourinho goes back to EPL after this season? I want him at Liverpool if Rafa leaves for Juve.

IVES– I would bet on Mourinho joining either Manchester City or Liverpool, depending on which of them doesn’t finish in fourth place. If neither finishes in fourth, then I think City wins the bidding war.

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PMAC– What are the prospects for a Soccer By Ives show on FSC or FSC2?

IVES– Chances of getting some air-time on FSC? Good. Chances of an actual show? Not so sure about that one. I’ll go with long shot (for now).

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HUTSKIZZLE– If Juan Agudelo was available in this years draft, where would you rank him?

IVES– Based on how he’s looking right now I’d have to make him a Top Five pick. No worse than a Top 10 pick.

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DAVE– Ives, great site, but I miss more regular Red Bulls news and inside information you had in the past. Any plans to bring more of this back in the future?

IVES– There just aren’t enough hours in the day. People might realize that my job now is just different than it used to be when I was a beat writer for the Red Bulls for a newspaper. When you’re a newspaper beat reporter it’s easy to devote a ton of time to a team and focus on them. When I made SBI a national site it meant having to spread my time and energy across the country. I wish I could still cover the Red Bulls like I used to, but it’s just not possible.

That said, I plan on adding a writer to cover the Red Bulls and I will continue to cover the team personally by attending matches and occasional practices.

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TIM– After Bill Hamid's good preseason, as a DCU fan, do you have any idea of what I should expect from Bill Hamid? How good can he become and how long should it take him to reach this potential.

IVES– I think D.C. fans have every reason to be excited about Hamid and I’ll put it down right now. Hamid will be D.C. United’s starting goalkeeper in 2012. I’ve heard some pretty impressive things about him from sources I respect, including one who believes he’s better at his age than Tim Howard. That’s saying a lot, and that’s not to say he’ll be as good as Howard, but he has the tools to be starting in MLS sooner than later.

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Comments

  1. Yes, it was just that bad. Fact is, LandyCakes blew it. Cakes saw the defender’s spikes coming over, and imagined them to be 3 feet closer than they were.

    Remember that Moyes replaced Bily with Cakes for these games. But the last game Cakes played the full 90 (vs. Man U), it was Bily who scored one goal and Bily’s replacement that scored the 2nd. Then Moyes went with FIVE midfielders rather than four, with Cakes being subbed out in the 2nd half. Then Cakes is omitted from the starting lineup, and hits the side of the net with his chance. Cakes knows as well as anyone that things are going downhill.

    Reply
  2. Mourinho isn’t going to Liverpool… no cash to spend there.

    People talk about Mourinho making the move from Inter. If he’s going to move anywhere, the obvious place is Real Madrid – big stars, big money, global platform.

    Reply
  3. Dude, that is the funniest thing I have read in weeks. I’m here laughing so hard that tears are rolling down my mug. Freddy Cougar Adu and Freddy Montero Adu. Yeah, Freddy Adu should be ashamed of lying about his age. He did it for the money and attention. That was the midget’s motivation.

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  4. Isaac, for whatever it is worth, this season Giggs took most free kicks for Man Utd ahead of Rooney. When Ronaldo was on the team, he took free kicks ahead of Giggs. Rooney is a very good player, but he is not as good as Ronaldo on free kicks.

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  5. “In our current system, though, I’d go with Rooney as well. (damn, I hate ManU, so that’s hard to say)”

    oh man, i’m right there with you.

    Reply
  6. Why is everyone talking like Leeds is a shoo-in for promotion? They’re only five points clear with 13 games left, and they’ve won two games of their last ten.

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  7. Tangential tidbit: one of my favorite restaurants in Ventura, CA was a combination Thai-Peruvian place. Odd combination, at least as far as I know, but good food. Is there some Peruvian-Thai connection that I’m unaware of?

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  8. I’ve been away from PES for almost 3 years but I still keep my eye on it. I always loved it but I think FIFA caught up big time. How does PES shape up this year?

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  9. Ives….I actually enjoy the various offbeat questions. Its good for some more lighthearted stuff. I never knew about Inca Kola so I looked it up, now I want to try some.

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  10. People seem to forget that Rooney scored on a good free kick on his debut for Manchester United, and I wouldn’t have bet against him making quite a few himself if Ronaldo hadn’t been taking them for a good 3 or 4 years.

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  11. Omar, i think me and you can be homies haha, you lokey have me laughing sumtimes when you roast on sum of these dudes quick to talk smack over the internet, but know that if they wouldnt say it to our faces,

    BIG UPS TO YOU!

    Reply
  12. There was no dig at BB intended. Historically he has chosen to use more defensive-minded central midfielders and most of the attack is generated down the flanks. I wondered if Ives had this in mind when choosing a striker over playmaking midfielder. Both are positions of need, though the latter less so if it doesn’t make sense in our style of play. Hard to argue with Rooney in any situation though.

    The EA nomenclature is really an argument in semantics. I do agree that some of the terms in there seem redundant (and frankly annoying when trying to build your team or switch formations on the fly).

    Reply
  13. Agree with Ives. Yes, it was a bad miss but it got way overblown. Sky sports started their news with it yesterday!

    Landon needs to know that he’ll always be under a microscope in the UK. And unlike the MLS he’s going to get less chances to score. Hopefully he’ll bury the next one…

    Reply
  14. Inca Kola is the Jam… I like how Ives is repping us Peruvians out here and I never knew that.. I now like your site even more

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  15. haha, just joking around about Detroit… have fun at the PRico vs. Malaysia game. it is true that it is better than nothing (at least for Detroit, not for Ghana). An article I read made it seem like they want to continue it in the future with 8 bigger teams, i say go for it. Right now it looks a bit comical.

    Reply
  16. For beer, Carlsberg is great.

    But, try the Belgium beer named Stella Artois. When I first tried it, I was kinda not too sure. However, after my second one it convinced me. For me, it is one of my top choices.

    Reply
  17. I quit on 24 in season 1…after Bauer’s wife and kid were kidnapped for the third time in less than 24 hours. Keep an eye on your effing ladies, Bauer!

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  18. Ed dog come off it, you’re trying to sound all reasonable but then you insinuate that anyone who disagrees with you is irrational and only “blindly” following Ives. I don’t think I’m alone in saying that some of SBI’s unique features, for example his willingness to interact with his readers, is one of the best things about this blog and why so many of us are devoted readers. We’re not blind. We just like what Ives is offering.

    Reply
  19. so then what would you call that position in a 4231, 442 diamond or 4312 if you aren’t calling it a CAM? (you can argue that all labeling of formations and positions is a bit silly, but that’s not the debate here) in a 4231 you can label it a SS (especially as there really isn’t any difference in a CAM and SS in most cases), but in a 442 diamond like Chelsea was playing earlier in the season or Inter’s 4312 for example, it certainly wouldn’t be a SS. if you just want to say AM instead of CAM, that’s perfectly fine. but face it, its a centrally located attacking midfielder, so CAM makes sense as a description. i just dont really see why you think its fine to say AM but not CAM.

    (SBI-Every position you mentioned above has some other more standard name OTHER THAN CAM. I wouldn’t say AM or CAM, I’d say attacking midfielder. I think anybody using acronyms, particularly CAM, has a good chance of being someone who honed their tactical knowledge of the game playing FIFA or Winning XI or some other video game where CAM would be used (not that there’s anything wrong with that). That’s just me though, a pet peeve, not that big a deal. Everybody’s entitled to use any reference they want, but I just happen to think it’s a little absurd, particularly when used in serious discussions about tactics.)

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  20. Charles, unfortunately I fall into that “pathetic bunch”. Although I’m American, I live over in the UK and prefer to see Donovan playing in England. It’s nice to hear people finally shutting up about him not being able to make it, and I’m afraid that if he leaves people with a sour taste in their mouths (by missing easy goals), it’s going to start all over again.

    I agree with you though. He’ll be fine. 🙂

    Reply
  21. I don’t know about that. The next Gold Cup, I believe, is for a trip to the Confed. Cup. We gotta shoot for that one with the regulars.

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  22. I picked up FIFA this year after being a long time PES guy, and I’m w/ Ives…no clue what EA are smoking with some of these position terms. Besides CAM, apparently CF is different from striker; from what I gather, CF is FIFA’s term for second or supporting striker. And wingbacks can play in a 4-4-2 in FIFA?

    Also the subtle dig at BB was not so subtle. Why in the world wouldn’t you want to add one of the best players in the world at our weakest position?

    Reply
  23. Cairo,

    The US creates enough chances. Many teams do. But finishing them; that’s where the money is. If Rooney couldn’t do it I’d take Benzema, Fabiano or Ibrahimovic.

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  24. SBI, Rooney is a very good choice and he would fit the US style of play really well. However, in your pipedream scenario, I would take Christiano Ronaldo or Messi over Rooney. I would play Ronaldo/Messi in Dempsey’s spot on the right of the midfield and moved Dempsey forward next to Altidore. Dempsey is a very good finisher, but is a liability on defense and has mental blunders that lead to costly turnovers at midfield. Having Ronaldo/Messi in midfield would enable the US to improve possession, give more space to Donnovan to run at people, and provide plenty of service to Altidore and Dempsey. Plus, both Ronaldo and Messi are devastating on free kicks.

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  25. I generally hate Rooney, but I have to admit that I agree with Ives’ choice of him improve the USMNT. My first thought was a world class midfielder like Iniesta, but I think Torres could be a poor man’s Iniesta if Bradley was inclined to play that way. In our current system, though, I’d go with Rooney as well. (damn, I hate ManU, so that’s hard to say)

    Reply
  26. He’s missed in bigger games that that…MLS Cup PK for one. He will be fine.

    I saw the Everton fans started a Facebook campaign to keep Landon there.

    What is funny is that US fans are probably starting the same campaign.

    Man, US soccer fans are a pathetic bunch.

    Reply
  27. Lost has time travel, monsters and gods walking around and i still find it more believable than 24.
    i honestly think the only good season of 24 was the first season which was the only one with a semi-coherent plot and actual characterization. Later seasons just trot out things for shock value (the president is a terrorist OMG!).

    Reply
  28. Whoah – sorry to strike your nerve there. Yes, playmaker was the point.

    As to your other point, do think that video games represent a significant entry point for younger people into the game (at least from an analysis perspective) and that the vernacular is going to catch on one way or the other – or at least be accommodated? How many copies of FIFA 10 have sold?

    Reply
  29. 24 is being kind. The dude’s in his mid-30’s. How do I know?…

    He’s already got two kids, and they’re both in middle-school. (freddy Cougar Adu – 12 years old, and Freddy Montero Adu – 10 years old).

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  30. Let’s be honest… after yesterday’s miss, I’m not sure if any team in Europe would fork out the cash.

    I hope it doesn’t put a massive dent in his confidence. 🙁

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  31. His thinking could be:

    If the team can’t afford to pay $15 million, I am better off in MLS.

    I am in the minority in this viewpoint, but seriously, playing for the 10th best team ?

    They are already out of it for this year, have been for quite a while, and they still have to suffer for 11 more games. That is more than a 1/4 of the season ! Ouch.

    He, unlike others, can make a lot of money playing in the US, and he doesn’t have to put up with the joke of trying to win the EPL on a team that can’t…ever.

    IF I were him, I would get picked up by a contender OR stay in the US and make a lot of money, plus make more on loan to England every year. Why not ?

    Reply
  32. i guess the fact that we live in a world with blogs means that it shouldnt be surprising that someone would feel entitled to come onto a blog to criticize the author not for his take…but for the style of presentation…but it really is kinda rude

    Reply
  33. Ives, when you say that Bill Hamid will be the starting goalkeeper for DCU in 2012, do you assume that Troy Perkins will be traded? By the way, I think highly of Bill Hamid. My son is in the DCU youth academy program and Bill Hamid was helping academy coaches to run academy practices after he signed his professional contract. Of course, after the first team camp has started, this is no longer an option, but his willingness to help his former coaches to train younger players shows loyalty and humility. I think DCU is very high on Hamid and he already beat out Milos Kocic for a roster spot.

    Reply
  34. Cusquena is really good.. However If say the Timbers had Inka Cola on their jersey every Peruvian I know would buy one.. and considering there are multiple local adult teams named “Peru” in just the SF area there must be a lot around. probably a good idea.

    I’m interested in the Superdome tournament for more than the actual games. The new owners of the Superdome have expressed interest in Soccer. They have said they want to bring as many games as possible to Detroit. Given their enthusiasm I wish them well.

    I’m an Adu fan and think he gets a raw deal.. but I would not be surprised if he was one or two years older. No way he’s older than that however.

    Reply

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