Weekend and Bracket Updates

Saturday found Sodium facing the much improved EMFC Magic. It was a hard fought game from whistle to  whistle with both teams mounting several attacks. Just before half Laura Camp lined up for one of her patented corner kicks. A stutter-step or two and then she delivered into the box. A scrum ensued which ended in Jill Farley punching in what would prove to be the game winner! The crowed erupted as the girls surrounded Jill. The second half was the Sahalie Doe (Magic Keeper) show. She has proved a very valuable asset to the Magic and she showed the amazed crowed on several occasions as she leaped high above to snatch the ball on corners or diving headlong to stop the many Sodium attempts. Hats off to Mrs. Doe this evening for a great effort.

Sunday Sodium faced FC Portland. FC has proved the last few years that they are always strong down the stretch. Despite a slow start this spring the FC squad has always been a handful for Sodium and today was no different. As I mentioned in another forum this game was more about missed opportunity than anything. Taylor Luty stopped one actual shot on goal but the Sodium forwards, despite people playing a couple different positions to alter the chemistry, just couldn't find the net. It certainly wasn't for lack of trying though. Break-a-ways were left wide. Corner kicks off the post and so on. It didn't help Sodium's cause that FC Portland's outstanding keeper, Rachel, and the rest of the FC defense was playing well. They certainly did what they had to to keep the ball out of the net and notch a 0-0 tie.

Around The Bracket
USA Hotshots 2 vs FC Portland 1
THUSC 1 vs EMFC Magic 0

THUSC 0 vs FC Portland 0
ESUFC Arsenal 0 vs EMFC Magic 2

Up Next
2/20/10 vs SSC Hotspur @ Tigard HS - 12:00pm
2/21/10 vs OR Rush 95G Nike @ Aloha HS - 9:00am

From the Sidelines
This is where I write my honest opinion on the games and then take heat for it on the other forums. I really toned it down lately, trying to be PC and not say anything that someone might take wrong or whatever. Well, those days are over my friends. It is too difficult for me to try and sugarcoat things and watch what I say all the time when that is not what I feel or observed. Frankly, if peoples skin is so thin that they are affected by what I say on this blog, then maybe they have deeper psychological issues they need to address first before saying negative things about me.
I am disabling the RSS Feeds and notifications from any & all Oregon Youth Soccer related sites. Honestly, I, the team, parents, coaches or club couldn't care less what is written there anyway. The only thing that really matters is what's accomplished on the field.
So here is my official disclaimer; If you don't like what you read here or it makes you upset or angry in any way, shape or form, then discontinue reading immediately. I will not or would not force anyone to read this blog. You read it of your own free will. If you feel the urge to comment then make sure it is to inform me of a statistic or fact I may have cited incorrectly. If you wine, complain, bitch, accuse or otherwise badmouth me, the team, the coaches, fans or club, I will delete it. Period. Frankly I don't care what you think or if your feelings are hurt. I do care if I was incorrect in a fact I stated. This blog is intended as a vehicle for my opinions, period. It will be humorous, it will boost up Sodium and the club and no one else. It will not hesitate to point out the following; If we play bad and get beat. If we play good and get beat. If we play good and win. I will say if I think another team played well and if I thought they played bad. Take it or leave it, just don't complain to me about it because I just don't care.

I think it is pathetic I have to write this disclaimer but it is intended to thwart the closed minded, PC crowed with the thin skin. The people who aren't competitive and don't care if they win or lose. I care.  

My Philosophy
I am a coach with a successful record in every sport I was involved with. I got there by thinking like a coach and not candy-coating things but being direct. If a teams sucks and they beat us, we suck. I'm not going to take heat because I didn't say the other team was better. They WEREN'T better, we sucked. Period.
If we should have pounded a team 3-0 and tied 0-0 it was because we played down to their level and couldn't finish. It wasn't because they were better than we were. On the other hand, if we take the field and get our butts kicked 3-0 it was probably because the other team was better. I will cite what we did correctly and praise the team. I will cite what we did poorly because I would hope we would learn from it. I get crap for being 'mean' to the girls. For God sakes, these are Premier Gold Bracket athletes, if they can't take a little constructive criticism then they need to go play REC ball or to the league where they don't keep score. Not here. Keep that in mind when you read about your team.
If you aren't on the field or court to get better and help the team develop and win, then go home. I was always taught that if you play a sport you love than you should push yourself to be the best you can and thus help the team be the best they can. Otherwise, you are a burden and the team would be better off without you.

So, I'm back in the saddle again. So sit down, buckle your safety harness and get ready for spring league and State Cup. Sodium Style.

GO SODIUM!