Ice Bucket Challenge

Well yes, it's been a long, long time since I last wrote a blog post. I think the last time I wrote was before the USA vs. Belgium knockout game in the World Cup. Wow! That was awhile ago and a lot of stuff has happened since then... like the actual final of the World Cup, plenty of transfers (and transfer rumors), new kit releases, and all the usual fun summer soccer stuff. One reason I didn't write was because I was in Seattle drinking coffee and exploring the Pikes Place Market, along with going to Soccer City USA (Portland), and eating maple cookies while in Canada. All that took place during the World Cup, so after watching all the group stage games I missed a lot of the knock out rounds. Luckily I did get to watch the final in my hotel room in Seattle. That was just 2 weeks out of my summer so you might say, "you gooner why didn't you write when you got home?". That's a pretty good question but I guess I was lazy or something like that. If there was one person to light the fuel to get me writing again it would be Pep Guardiola doing something as horrible as he is.

A few days ago the MLS all star game took place in Portland, a city I just enjoyed a few weeks ago. The all star team was very strong this year featuring players like Tim Cahill, Thierry Henry, Clint Dempsey, Michael Bradley, Deandre "Soon to be a Spud" Yedlin, Nick Rimando, Landon Donovan, Bradley Wright Phillips, Diego Valeri and many, many more. They went up against the horrible coached, but still my second favorite team, Bayern Munich. The German giants started their new Polish star Robert Lewandoski and the Alpine Messi, Shaqiri. The other big stars were there and would feature a little later in the game. Although this was a friendly the MLS All-Stars clearly wanted to win but fell behind to a wonder goal from Lewandoski. I thought this was the start of a 7-0 defeat but it went into half time 1-0. Henry looked great for an old man, he had some great passes, great moves on the ball, and a few good looking shots.

At the beginning of the second half Caleb Porter subbed in 10 new all stars and left one out on the field, Thierry Henry. A minute or so into the half he subbed out Henry so he would get the standing ovation in what might be his last all star game as the French legend is thinking about retirement. Bradley Wright Phillips is having a great season up in New York for the Red Bulls and he showed how good of form he was in when Diego Valeri, playing on his home pitch, put a perfect ball over the top of the defense which was headed into the path of a surging Wright Phillips. Wright Phillips set him self up and blasted it passed the Bayern keeper. This tied the game up and gave the MLS momentum. And then who else but Landon Donovan to put one past Neuer to give the All Stars a win. Donovan was in a tight space but slid the ball right under the Golden Glove winner. He then took of his shirt and paraded around with his undershirt showing which read "take that Jurgen". Okay, maybe he didn't do that but he wanted to.

Yes the All Stars beat the German champs 2-1, but really it was still considered a friendly. I don't think this means Bayern will do horrible this season and I don't think it means the MLS is now the best league in the world, however it is good that the MLS can put up a fight against a team like Bayern. Sometimes these all star teams don't perform well... AT ALL. So it should make the MLS feel some what better as a league. I do think that its improved greatly just over the last three years, but more on that later.

The thing everyone will remember from this match was at the end when the worst coach in the world, Pep Guardiola didn't shake Caleb Porters hand, the All Star coach. During the second half 2 all stars made some questionable tackles on some of Munich's important players. There have been worse tackles but these might have been uncalled for. Still Guardiola didn't have to wave his finger at Caleb Porter who was trying to be nice and shake his hand, he might have told his players not to dive in and they just didn't listen. I know its a friendly Pep, but you came to play a game of soccer and every now and then something like that is going to happen. If Guardiola is such a gentleman like everyone says he is, he would've shaken Porter's hand and not ignored him. Not the "World Class Guardiola" I always hear about.

So some of you might I've heard about the Ice Bucket Challenge. I need to do a little more research on it but I know its raised money for ALS. Someone will pour a bucket of ice cold water on themselves and then challenge specific people to perform the challenge. If they don't pour icy cold water on themselves they are supposed to donate some money to help ALS. It's all about raising awareness for the disease. Well Caleb Porter decided to do that challenge and challenged a few people including Alex Morgan, Jurgen Klinsmann, and oh yeah, Pep "no handshake" Guaridiola. Will the Bayern coach participate, or leave Caleb Porter hanging again?