A couple more posts went up at MLSsoccer.com earlier this month as part of their '10 Things' series, where some of the premier players in the league were featured.
Representing Toronto FC were both Sebastian Giovinco and Marky Delgado. It was a pleasure to speak with both of them, to dig a little deeper on some of their personality, both on and off the pitch.
Check them out – Giovinco and Delgado
Tuesday, 22 March 2016
Sunday, 20 March 2016
Beyond POV-FS – WTR Mailbag & How You Doin' Sporting KC at Waking the Red
The usual pair of weekly articles went up over at Waking the Red earlier this week.
In the WTR Mailbag, readers are invited to submit their questions to the comments below, where myself and the rest of the staff do their darnedest to respond to the best of our abilities. This week's threads include whether Montreal is for real, an attempt to clarify the opaque MLS roster rules and regulations regarding salary cap hits and whatnot, as well as a discussion about Jozy Altidore's value and the potential of trading a designated player within MLS.
Check it out
And for the How You Doin'? Segment, WTR linked up with SB Nation's Sporting KC site, The Blue Testament, exchanging questions and answers ahead of Sunday's match in Kansas City.
Cody Bradley was kind enough to respond to WTR's enquiries here, while our replies to his can be found at TBT here.
In the WTR Mailbag, readers are invited to submit their questions to the comments below, where myself and the rest of the staff do their darnedest to respond to the best of our abilities. This week's threads include whether Montreal is for real, an attempt to clarify the opaque MLS roster rules and regulations regarding salary cap hits and whatnot, as well as a discussion about Jozy Altidore's value and the potential of trading a designated player within MLS.
Check it out
And for the How You Doin'? Segment, WTR linked up with SB Nation's Sporting KC site, The Blue Testament, exchanging questions and answers ahead of Sunday's match in Kansas City.
Cody Bradley was kind enough to respond to WTR's enquiries here, while our replies to his can be found at TBT here.
Sunday, 13 March 2016
Beyond POV-FS – How You Doin' NYC FC & Weekly Mailbag at Waking the Red
A couple of posts went up over at Waking the Red this week.
The Weekly Mailbag kicked off a few interesting conversations, including over who should take up that left-sided attacking role while Jozy Altidore is out, especially considering that Dan Lovitz looks to have picked up a knock, the role of Benoit Cheyrou and some formation talk ensued, as did an interesting little thread on concerns over the pitch dimensions at BMO Field.
Check it out.
And ahead of Sunday's match at NYC FC, WTR spoke with Jake Gofman of Hudson River Blue for the How You Doin'? Segment, where the two SB Nation sites exchange a series of questions.
Jake's responses can be found at WTR – and he can be followed on Twitter – while WTR's answers are over at Hudson River Blue.
Check them out.
TFC got a huge three points on opening day, another three today would go a long way towards their road-trip minimum. Should be interesting.
The Weekly Mailbag kicked off a few interesting conversations, including over who should take up that left-sided attacking role while Jozy Altidore is out, especially considering that Dan Lovitz looks to have picked up a knock, the role of Benoit Cheyrou and some formation talk ensued, as did an interesting little thread on concerns over the pitch dimensions at BMO Field.
Check it out.
And ahead of Sunday's match at NYC FC, WTR spoke with Jake Gofman of Hudson River Blue for the How You Doin'? Segment, where the two SB Nation sites exchange a series of questions.
Jake's responses can be found at WTR – and he can be followed on Twitter – while WTR's answers are over at Hudson River Blue.
Check them out.
TFC got a huge three points on opening day, another three today would go a long way towards their road-trip minimum. Should be interesting.
Thursday, 10 March 2016
Beyond POV-FS – Jozy Altidore, Clint Irwin, Sebastian Giovinco, & TFC 2016 Team Guide: January & February Posts at MLSsoccer.com
As faithful readers will have noticed, I am now doing some writing for MLSsoccer.com. It's pretty excited, getting to cover this team I've been watching so long from a closer vantage point.
Over the past two months, several pieces have gone up, on topics ranging from the impact of Clint Irwin's signing, Sebastian Giovinco raring to get 2016 started, Greg Vanney & Company on bracing for the eight-match road trip and the renovations at BMO Field, as well as the leaner, happier Jozy Altidore ahead of his second season back in MLS.
In addition, the 2016 TFC Team Guide went up as well.
Check them all out, and look forward to the March coverage, which includes some features on Marky Delgado and Giovinco, as well as a little insight into the kitchen at the KIA Training Ground.
Over the past two months, several pieces have gone up, on topics ranging from the impact of Clint Irwin's signing, Sebastian Giovinco raring to get 2016 started, Greg Vanney & Company on bracing for the eight-match road trip and the renovations at BMO Field, as well as the leaner, happier Jozy Altidore ahead of his second season back in MLS.
In addition, the 2016 TFC Team Guide went up as well.
Check them all out, and look forward to the March coverage, which includes some features on Marky Delgado and Giovinco, as well as a little insight into the kitchen at the KIA Training Ground.
Sunday, 6 March 2016
Beyond POV-FS – Mailbag & How You Doin'? New York at Waking the Red
A couple more posts up over at Waking the Red this week to note, including the introduction to another new feature: the mailbag.
In the Mailbag, myself and the rest of the WTR staff will be fielded questions from the audience and doing our best to respond to whatever topics may arise. Think of it as a sort of open forum, where staff and readers alike can mingle and discuss whatever issues arise throughout the course of the season.
The first one has gone rather well so far – check it out
As well, with the first game of the season set to kickoff in less than an hour, WTR also sees the return of the How You Doin'? Feature, where questions are exchanged with a sister-SB Nation site.
This week it was Jason Iapicco of Once a Metro who let us know just how the Red Bulls are doing ahead of Sunday's opener. Huge thanks to Jason for his help.
Check it out - as well as WTR's responses at OAM
In the Mailbag, myself and the rest of the WTR staff will be fielded questions from the audience and doing our best to respond to whatever topics may arise. Think of it as a sort of open forum, where staff and readers alike can mingle and discuss whatever issues arise throughout the course of the season.
The first one has gone rather well so far – check it out
As well, with the first game of the season set to kickoff in less than an hour, WTR also sees the return of the How You Doin'? Feature, where questions are exchanged with a sister-SB Nation site.
This week it was Jason Iapicco of Once a Metro who let us know just how the Red Bulls are doing ahead of Sunday's opener. Huge thanks to Jason for his help.
Check it out - as well as WTR's responses at OAM
Beyond POV-FS – Jozy Altidore on Extra Time Radio & Players are People Too at Waking the Red
I put up a post at Waking the Red in the past few weeks called Players are People Too, the first of a new series of columns, weekly is the plan, though hard to guarantee.
It was a gentle call that on the eve of the season, with the festivities about to commence, it should always be remembered, amongst the hustle and bustle of the campaign, that these players, coaches, and the like are all people too.
Fans can get overly involved in their team. It's expected, and for the large part, it's all good fun. Investing in your team is part of the magic of sport.
But sometimes things can go a little too far.
And when that happens, it is good to ground our criticisms, valid though they may be, in the realities of generally being nice to other people.
Further to that point, Jozy Altidore was on Extra Time Radio this past week and he expanded on a quote from earlier in the off-season, where he discussed a similar idea to the post at WTR.
“A lot of the times, as professional athletes, people forget that we're human, we have lives and we go through stuff, just like you do. You have your highs and your lows,” said Altidore.
“I had some highs and lows in my personal life that I had to go through, which is normal,” he continued. “That affected my profession, which is normal too... but it's not so forgiving in my line of work. I've overcome a lot of those things, it's made me a better person, a stronger person, and I'm allowed now to refocus back on what matters, which is my soccer.”
Every player, like every person, has their own way about them. And at risk of playing amateur psychologist, Altidore did have a little cloud over him last season, one which appears to have cleared.
His first interview back in Toronto exhibited a different beast: he was happy, smiling, jovial, and unshackled, as though a weight had been lifted off his back – Carbs man, they're evil (not really; and delicious by the way).
Unfortunately, a muscle injury looks to keep him out of the first match or two, but expect a different sort of Altidore to take the pitch for Toronto FC this season. Should be fun to watch.
It was a gentle call that on the eve of the season, with the festivities about to commence, it should always be remembered, amongst the hustle and bustle of the campaign, that these players, coaches, and the like are all people too.
Fans can get overly involved in their team. It's expected, and for the large part, it's all good fun. Investing in your team is part of the magic of sport.
But sometimes things can go a little too far.
And when that happens, it is good to ground our criticisms, valid though they may be, in the realities of generally being nice to other people.
Further to that point, Jozy Altidore was on Extra Time Radio this past week and he expanded on a quote from earlier in the off-season, where he discussed a similar idea to the post at WTR.
“A lot of the times, as professional athletes, people forget that we're human, we have lives and we go through stuff, just like you do. You have your highs and your lows,” said Altidore.
“I had some highs and lows in my personal life that I had to go through, which is normal,” he continued. “That affected my profession, which is normal too... but it's not so forgiving in my line of work. I've overcome a lot of those things, it's made me a better person, a stronger person, and I'm allowed now to refocus back on what matters, which is my soccer.”
Every player, like every person, has their own way about them. And at risk of playing amateur psychologist, Altidore did have a little cloud over him last season, one which appears to have cleared.
His first interview back in Toronto exhibited a different beast: he was happy, smiling, jovial, and unshackled, as though a weight had been lifted off his back – Carbs man, they're evil (not really; and delicious by the way).
Unfortunately, a muscle injury looks to keep him out of the first match or two, but expect a different sort of Altidore to take the pitch for Toronto FC this season. Should be fun to watch.
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