Orangemen vs Chantilly Casuals on a Champions League Final Weekend

25 May, Wembley Stadium, London England, Brussia Dortmund 1, Bayern Munich 2.  Over in Alexandria, Virginia, at Bryant Alternative Field, Orangemen 2, Chantilly Casuals about 6 or 7.

First, I’ve got to get on the no shows last night.  Five “Confirmed” no shows at the start of the game which doesn’t include the “Maybe’s”.  We were ½  in 4 for the “Maybe’s”.  If you say you are coming, particularly on a thin night like Memorial Day Weekend, you have to show.  Luckily Alfredo showed up, having not responded at all, so we started the game 9 v 11.  The Irony here is that Chantilly was supposed to be the short side and we were supposed to give them players last night.  So the first reason that you have to show up, is that it sucks playing 9 v 11.  Oh sure there’s more space, you get more touches on the ball.  The thrill of that ends in about 10 minutes when they score and you already feel like you’ve run a marathon.  Second, if we don’t have 12 paying players show for each home game, I eat the cost.  If we only have 8 confirmed for a home game I’m cancelling the match.  Each game costs us $85 for the ref, $15 for the ref company, and $20 for the field and schedule.  Do the math -- that’s $120/game.  I need twelve players paying $10 each to break even.  With only 8 I’m going to be short $40 dollars.  I love this game but not enough to bankroll the team.  Tommy did show up at half time and paid, so I really appreciate his effort to get there, but he was only one of the Maybes.  

Chantilly is a soulful team with a lot of loyalty.  They don’t offer up to play for the opposition without a grimace.  There were one or two players on the side lines we could have tapped as ringers but I need everyone to understand my policy on ringers for the Spring, Summer, and Fall.  As the league has required us to sign waivers as managers, which I pass onto the team when you acknowledge you will play in the match, I can’t take walk-ons from the field.  I will only take players from the other team, who I can assume are covered under their own team liability waiver.  Unfortunately in this case, Chantilly didn’t realize we were playing 2 players down at the start.  In fact Dick, the casuals manager, was still assuming we would have like 14 or so players milling about so it didn’t even cross his mind that we were the team down.  Dick felt awful when he realized the imbalance and we made the balancing corrections at half-time...in fact Dick went so far as allowing us to play a man up to make up for the imbalance during the first half.  With Tommy’s arrival, we were able to transition to balanced 11 v 11, although this came already 10 minutes into the second half. 

Surprisingly, however, we put some effort into the competition during the first half.  We didn’t just roll over, considering we lost Mikey for a few minutes to injury during the first half, which meant we dropped to 8 on the field, and then we lost Chuck to the parking lot to figure out why is car alarm was going off.  When Mikey returned after stretching out his injured leg he was faster than ever.  Karl, Jan, Mikey, and Chuck comprised our defensive line-up with Alfredo, Scott R, Louis, and Mooch in midfield.  Gene was in goal...that’s how we played the first half, 9 men.  Surprisingly, on a well thrown ball from Scott R into the box, Mooch was able to run onto it, and as Dick, playing keeper for the Casuals, advanced off his line, Mooch was able to pull the ball onto his right foot and direct it near post into the net.  Just near the end of the 1st half, Chuck hyper-extended his knee.  He rolled in to play the entire second half on the tender knee...but unfortunately he will probably be out the next few weeks to recover.

Our second goal came in the second half, and was a shot from Louis at the top of the box. It hit the crossbar and bounced 2 ball widths inside the goal line before quickly spinning back up and out of the goal.  A clear case for one of two things...either goal line technology, or honest players, since the referee was not in position to make the call.  Luckily we had honest players last night and the Chantilly keeper indicated to his mates that the ball did indeed cross the line.  

Later in the match, as tensions flared, particular after Chantilly was award a PK for a seemingly no call in the box and a series of other perceived injustices administered by the ref, Dick C could be heard shouting for his team to maintain their head and to not engage with the other players or the ref.  Peace was maintained as sportsmanship emerged at both ends of the pitch.  However, it shows definitively that the referee has a significant role in maintaining the peace during the match.  A continuous series of no-calls or bad-calls will always flare tensions.  Mooch showed the ref the area of his chest that was clawed by a defender, after Mooch was penalized for shoulder charging.  The ref was not impressed and waved it off saying, “Next time”.   Of course that was the fourth time Mooch had been manhandled with a “no-call” so his temper was flaring too.

As for our play on the field we did great.  Our intent was to pass, and with Louis, Tom, the talented blue player, Troy, who joined us from the Casuals, Alfredo, Scott, Jan, and Mikey all advancing forward, we were controlling portions of the game and setting up great opportunities.  As I said the intent to pass was there, the execution was a little loose last night, primarily, I believe, as a result of our fatigue.  All in all I had fun, and as I can barely walk this morning, attests to a great game.

Enjoy your memorial day weekend and Champion’s League Victory if you happen to be Bayern fans!

Orangemen vs Herndon Attack and the $600M Dollar Game

Another typical rainy day with a temperature in the sixties. However, if you were home watching the Power Ball drawing you were in for a bit of history...the jackpot was up to $600M dollars...the largest ever.  At least two teams were not home glued to the TV...we were out standing in the mist preparing to play.   If you worn a t-shirt and were just standing around it was chilly.  If you put on a long sleeve fleece shirt you were sweating in minutes.  With an early game time, 8 pm, the Orangemen assembled at Herndon High School to take on the Herndon Attack.  One of my players immediately pointed out that red and orange jerseys make for a confusing game.  In particular when our orange jerseys get wet they get darker it makes distinguishing the difference in color even tougher for us older Orangemen.  Steve from Herndon was immediately instructing his team to switch to white which we all appreciated.

The ref arrived and we flipped the coin at mid-field.  Having lost the coin toss Herndon elected to concede the kick to the Orangemen and choose the western goal to defend.  The ref indicated that both Herndon Attack and the Orangemen we well mannered team’s and he didn’t expect any trouble.  We did forget, however to discuss whether slides were in or out...so by default sliding was in...although the entire game I don’t think we had a single hard tackle.

From the very start it appeared that we were going to have a pretty even sided game.  Both sides were able to push forward into an attack and move the ball around through midfield.  It was a very busy game for everyone.  With Chris H and Kendall playing up top we had speed and power pushing forward.  Our first break came however when Kendall was at midfield.  The Herndon defense pushed forward of midfield leaving Kendall alone in the center circle.  When the ball broke and the counter attack was on, the ball was launched forward by Tedd for Kendall to run onto...he had the entire half of the field.  Herndon had a quick appeal to the ref for off-sides but quickly realized they were well over the center line and although Kendall was behind them, he wasn’t past it.  The race was on...Kendall speed was also probably under appreciated by the defense.  He collected the ball and ran unmolested into the box.  The keeper made a vain attempt come out on him but Kendall was able to finish with style.  Orangemen scored first.

Herndon came back repeatedly...and Jan was able to run down most of their attacks.  Uncharacteristically Jan made a mistake passing the ball out to the right.  The pass was a bit weak and off target and Herndon pounced.  The goal came quick and we were even.  It was the only goal we would allow for the remaining 70 minutes of the game.

We made a change to our attack which allowed Emile to take the field and play in his final match for the East Coast Orangemen.  When Emile moves to California next week he says he is making plans to build a West Coast Orangemen team...which would be fantastic.  Playing up top he used his characteristic speed to run onto a few balls and make a few deft touches on the ball to make room for a strike.  Alas, he was never able to finish.  His best move however came in the second half as he was in the box and the ball was played in from the left.  With his back to goal he reached up for the ball with his right foot, his early karate training was of value because his leg was elevated above his head.  The best way to describe what he did was a standing bicycle kick.  With only his foot above his head he connects with the ball, swiveled his hips and tuned the shot on goal.  Unfortunately the goalkeeper had it covered,  he didn’t know much about it, but it hit him square in the chest and bounced to the ground.  Had Dave N not be so mesmerized by the shot he might have thought enough to step forward to sweep up the ball the keeper just spilled to the ground, however the keeper was quicker and pounced on the loose ball ending the opportunity.

We had plenty of opportunities to score so we were well in the game.  Meanwhile are our end of the field, Gene was having the game of his life.  When Herndon came forward they came forward with power.  There frontline has little weakness.  And all of the Herndon strikers seem to have powerful shots.  I didn’t count the total number but for a time in the second half they were raining down.  Our defense was scrambling to get something on the ball which helped to deflect the shots high and over the end-line   This did however mean Herndon had an inordinate number of corner kicks...at least 10 by my estimation.  Their corner kicks were intense but time and time again, Gene stepped off his line to punch the approaching ball out of the goal box.  He also had a number of tremendous saves seeming to have found the right angle on almost every shot that came in.  Also, when Gene collected the ball, his distribution have vastly improved.  While punting out of the box he found Orange more times than not.  A tremendous improvement in ability.  My sense is Gene has been out practicing his punts during the week.

Our defense should be commended for the match...Alfredo had a super energetic game on the left, moving forward into midfield just the right amount to join the attack.  Scott F also played some defense and always seem to pop up in the right place to but a foot on the ball and take it out of harms way.  Jan and Mikey’s speed in the back cleaned up most of the rest of the trouble.

In midfield Mauricio and Will H also put in a tremendous performance winning enough control to start the counter attacks.  Will H also demonstrated a special skill when forward by performing a behind the back kick, crossing his right leg behind his left leg to kick the ball forward, placing the ball into the center of the opposition box.  Nothing resulted by it was fun to watch.

Ben, Tedd, and Chris H did most of the work in midfield...and are our unsung hero’s for this match.

Mooch actually stayed on the bench most of the game...he was playing a pint low having donated blood on Thursday evening.  He could definitely feel like he was playing short.   He wonders how it’s possible for world class athletes, such as those who ride in the Tour de France, to practice and train while preparing for their illegal blood transfusions.  What’s required here is a commitment that goes well beyond anything we would consider ordinary.    Six weeks before the tour the athlete goes into a seedy hotel room and has one pint of blood drawn.  So now, six weeks before the event he must continue training a pint low.  After two weeks his body has replaced the blood.  Then the athlete returns to the seedy hotel room and offers up two pints of blood.  The pint that is now two weeks old is returned to his body.  So now he must continue training, a pint low, and with a pint of two week old blood in his veins...probably 80% or more will be dead blood cells that must be purged by his kidneys.   Yet he continues to train...at high level.  Now, another two weeks later, which is two weeks from the start of the event, he returns to the hotel and offers up three pints of blood.  And once again, the older blood is put back, this time two pints.  Now he is training a pint low, with two pints of old blood in his system.  But, he has three pints of fresh blood ready to be used when the race begins in two.  That’s crazy stuff...and I know being a pint low is definitely felt

Orangemen Man-O-Da-Match honors go this week, hands down, to Gene for his spectacular work in the goal...keeping us in the match.  Final score, Orangemen 1, Herndon Attack 1.  It was a great game...sadly this morning we discovered no one from the Orangemen or the Attack won the PowerBall...a single winning will be crowned in Florida sometime this week.

Orangemen vs Braddock Road Mother's Day Prelude

Before Turf Fields

It’s not just May showers this month we’ve been seeing storms of Biblical proportions.  The Potomac river is so swollen the river boats cannot get north of the Memorial Bridge.  And so it was that the Orangemen assembled on Saturday night at Bryant Alternative Field, most expecting, not to get rained out, but to get thunderstormed out.  The lighting and thunder were tremendous.  Some of the team brought their own umbrella’s, Karl held up one with Cheetah print, all he needed was a skirt.  Someone brought a rainbow beach umbrella and lashed it to the equipment box, at one point it seemed like half the team was huddled under it.  Chris H didn't mind the rain, having come back from several months in the desert, he stayed out on the field getting touches on a wet ball. Gooch came to the field looking like a storm was blowing up the beach and he was gonna go surfing..  At 9:13 the ref showed up to speak with both teams to assess whether we wanted to play or not...of course we did.  We knew the lights on the field wouldn’t turn off until at least 11:15 pm so we could wait for the last of the lighting to pass before we would kick off.  At around 9:30 we took the field.  It was still pouring down rain but the danger had passed and would not return.  When the rain stopped midway through the first half, it didn’t return either.  With a temperature nearing 70 it was a fine evening to be playing.  But remember not so long ago...with that much rain we would be playing in the mud.  Those were the days.

We had several guests playing last night including Will who Kendall recruited and Tom brought to us courtesy of Tedd and the Pentagon team.  Braddock Road was coming up short on manpower so we offered them Gene to play in their goal...we would keep Chris with us to amend for his stellar performance against us last week, a Jan went over to play sweeper.  Just a note here for the Orangemen...my policy is to send over our visitors and guests to play with the opponent.  Last night there was a little too much intervention on my decisions on who was going over to play with Braddock...which created significant confusion and prevented us from evenly dividing the side...and they had to play without subs.  So here’s the policy...I will ask Orangemen guests and visitors to play with the opposing team first.  If I ask a veteran to play for the other team that might have to happen, Karl played with Arlington last week for instance.  If you’re new to playing with us expect to spend some time playing against us...just ask Alfredo who spent half a season playing for the “other guys” and doing significant damage against us.  I try to balance the subs I send.  I’m not going to give them all of our best players and I’m not going to give them all of our less than best players...I’m going to balance it out...so that will mean everyone is subject to alternate duty with our opposition from time to time.  Consider it as being “out on loan” just like in the real world.  What I need is cooperation.  Thank you...’nuff said.

We had a strong side last night, even with Gene and Jan starting with Braddock.  We started Gooch and Maurico in the back, with Karl and Greg on the defensive flanks.  Ben returned to his famed stopper position.  Alfredo on Tom played on the attacking midfield positions with Tedd in the center. Mooch and Chris H started up top.  For the first 20 minutes of the game we dominated pitch.  We were passing well, and although we didn’t have a tremendous number of shots on goal, we kept the pressure on in their area of the field.  I don’t remember our keeper, Chris, even getting a hand on the ball to well into the half.  When the break game and Braddocks fast and star player made a solo break on the goal, Chris might have had one touch on the ball.  He stayed planted on his line for too long and when he finally advance on the Blue striker there was little left to do, and Braddock took first blood.  Special call out to Chris when he punts the ball from goal...we have to take advantage of his long clearances...which can travel 60+ yards deep into an attack.  We’ve never experienced clearances those deep so we have to learn how to take advantage of them when Chris is in the net.

On rotation Kendall and then Will stepped in to the forward positions and continued to apply pressure.  Kendall was able to run onto a ball on the left played through by Tom or Tedd.  Kendall collected it and made a run into the box.  With the ball laying nicely for left footed smash past Gene, he took it, and delivered.  It was a fine goal for the Orangemen.  Well set up and well executed.

Through the second half of the game everybody was having fun.  The game was getting physical as Braddock had two physical giants up top along with their extremely fast and talented all around player.  Ben was playing a physical game for us as well as Gooch and Kendall.  Since Jan was playing for Braddock that gave them another physical player.  Through most of the game Ben was mixing it up with their player and with Jan.  Even Mooch was mixing it up with Jan going shoulder to shoulder and knocking him off his feet at least twice...maybe more.  Because it was our physical players going against other physical players I wasn’t too concerned.  The ref started to get worried when it seemed like the physicality was getting a little more intentional and directed.  He stepped in and sorted it out a bit...nevertheless I think everyone involved was having great fun even as their endorphins and in particular their adrenalin was surging.  Due to the aggression in the box, Braddock took down Ben on one of his spectacular runs and awarded a PK which Ben finished with style.

I’m not quite sure of the final score but we hit 2 or 3 and Braddock scored 4.  So it was a great game...and I’m glad it wasn’t cancelled due to the May showers.  Man of the match goes to Tedd last night for three reasons.  One...he was all over the pitch, two he actually tried to put his head on the ball and almost scored, and three, with regard to physically, I rarely see Tedd off his feet and he could be seen laying on the ground, at least once last night in the opposition box.  Great game Tedd!

Orangemen Orange vs Arlington Green - FA Cup Prescience

His name is Ben...Coincidence?

A little late getting this report out...but now I know why. Had I published it before the final of the FA Cup someone would have put two and two together. The goal “Ben” scored off of Tedd’s corner kick was vaguely reminiscent of the game winner “Ben” Watson scored last night for Wigan to win the FA Cup, their first ever in 81 years. And just like Wigan, the Orangemen struggle near the bottom of the table...but we still play with considerable heart. 

Last week we play Don’s Arlington Team. We provided Arlington with Karl as a sub...thanks Karl for stepping up to give Don a blow. We also provided Arlington with a Keeper....last week we provided them with Chris...who oddly had the game of his life. Keeping us to one goal...and making many saves...too numerous to count. Also, his distribution of the ball was tremendous....with his signature ¾ field punts out of the back. 

I’m giving Orangemen-man-O-da-match honors to Ben for his spectacular goal last week. But overall it's great playing on the same team with a guy like him - super skilled, extremely hard working, always positive and encouraging. He was throwing his whole body into challenges Saturday against a team with a number of good and physical players. It was poetic justice that his hard work was rewarded with a beautiful goal (by any standard) - also great that Ted set him up with an excellent corner kick. Ted put 3 other corner kicks in the exact same position and we weren't able to convert.

On the down side last week we had a dispute between two players...I have spoken with both players and I think the issue is resolved. Everybody makes mistakes on the pitch...and when someone yells at someone else for being selfish with the ball, or making a bad decision, or screwing up the play by making a hash of the pass, etc. It’s up to the manager to provide the criticism or make the correction. We don’t want a team full of coaches. So here’s my philosophy on coaching and making criticisms.

1) If it’s the wrong decision, poorly executed, you will receive criticism from me. Most of what we see in this category are players not passing. Basically, it’s always the wrong decision not to pass. And if you discover that the pass is a bad idea, 9 times out of 10 it’s because you’ve hung on to the ball for too long and your passing options were eliminated. On a positive note, our passing has improved considerably.

2) If it’s a selfish decision, you better turn it into the right decision by scoring. Or you will receive criticism from me. If you don’t score and there was someone is scoring position, it is acceptable for the player in scoring position to say something...within the realm of reason. Then the matter is dropped.

3) If it’s the right decision, poorly executed, there is no negative criticism. Positive reinforcement that it was the right idea. And maybe some encouragement to practice a similar pass, shot, trap during the week or when warming up. On rare occasions I might rib someone I consider to be an exceptional player for something exceptionally bad...if there is something funny about it.

4) If you are out of position...there should be no criticism...just an admonishment to get back in position. If you continue to play out of position it’s time for you to be substituted.

5) If your’re playing too physically, I will talk to you, but that typically builds over time.

6) If you talking back to the ref, offering him criticism, I will talk to you immediately. I’m still the only one who gets to talk with the ref.

We can talk to each other...and make corrections. I’m not trying to eliminate the collective team pressure on any player. Just keep it within reason. Also, I’m not immune from any of this...so please call me out if I’m guilty of any of the points above. Then it’s dropped.

OK..enjoy Mother’s Day. The write up from last night is coming shortly.