sooner
All-District
Posts: 119
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Post by sooner on Feb 25, 2012 19:07:10 GMT -6
First, I compliment both teams for a good-spirited game, without a lot of trashy play or fouls (though SH earned the yellow card for a "professional" -- if not at all vicious -- foul.) But speaking as a really-very-almost-but-not-quite-neutral observer, I must respectfully disagree with those who say this particular game was evenly matched or that both teams played good technical soccer. Sacred Heart was vastly superior in individual technique, and tactically as well. While EBR seemed to go either straight ahead or nowhere, SH moved the ball all over the pitch, and seemed almost to be toying with EBR as they held the ball for massive chunks of time in the 2nd half, probing and pulling back to probe again. SH won more balls and made many, many more passes. At times , they looked to be in another class altogether. If SH had anyone willing and able to take a crack from outside the 6-yard box (!) the score might have been more one-sided. As it was, the better team won, and they looked darn good doing it. I certainly do not knock EBR; they obviously had to do a lot of things very well to get to this game. They played with great spirit and effort, staying within a bounce or a spill or a break of equalizing, but it just wasn't going to happen for them today. I have seen plenty enough games to know that the team that looks the best and makes the pretty passes doesn't always win. Only goals count, and it doesn't matter how they go in. But in this case, the team that looked the best got the goals and deserved to win.
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Post by lasportz1 on Feb 27, 2012 13:57:12 GMT -6
Congrats to Sacred Heart. That was quite a run through the higher seeds. Do you think they will go for four in a row next year? Someone said they are only losing two senior starters. Their W-L may not be the best, but they do seem to play all the top Div I teams and tournaments every season.
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Post by ashcards on Feb 27, 2012 14:30:42 GMT -6
Those two seniors will be hard to replace, but the show will go on. During the middle stretch of the season they were starting five freshmen and three sophomores. It is not so much that they do play the SSA, MCA, and Dominican every year, win or lose, it is the superior coaching that they get that prepares them for the big games at the end of the season. This year they were uncharacteristically on the rough end of the D1 games, but the level of effort and the intensity of their play over the full eighty minutes of those games appeared to be that of a team fighting for that winning goal in the final seconds. They are technically and mentally prepared to win that last game every year.
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Post by neutralfan on Feb 28, 2012 10:42:18 GMT -6
Well I sat and thought about this post for a few days, now and after cooling down I'm ready.
First off I am a soccer fan and have no sides in this game, just went to see 2 good teams play for a championship and enjoy the atmosphere.
My issue is with a particular fan of Episcopal who spent a good deal of time screaming at the referee, and the SC players every time something happened that he did not agree with. It got progressively worse until he was screaming for the EBR team to "take out the SC players" then cheered loudly, when they did commit a foul. (not on his instruction I might add) I have a photo of this middle aged hooligan and will gladly post it; unfortunately a moron like him will not be bothered. A number of SC fans did ask him to tone it down and I believe even the fans of EBR said something. Soccer does not need "fans" like him, I would hate for us to degenerate into European Soccer Hooligans. I feel a special sorrow for his daughter for the embarrassment he caused as I have witnessed this sort of behavior at different levels and events over the past years.
My final advice to parents, family, and fans is to let game unfold as it may, cheer or applaud when a good play is made no matter which side makes it, your screaming abuse at players and referees is not going to alter the outcome of the game and is only going to show you up for what you are. The players of any sport will thank you for your good behavior and you may find you will enjoy the game a little more.
Congrats to all players for a great season and excellent final
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sooner
All-District
Posts: 119
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Post by sooner on Feb 28, 2012 13:12:07 GMT -6
Well I sat and thought about this post for a few days, now and after cooling down I'm ready. First off I am a soccer fan and have no sides in this game, just went to see 2 good teams play for a championship and enjoy the atmosphere. My issue is with a particular fan of Episcopal who spent a good deal of time screaming at the referee, and the SC players every time something happened that he did not agree with. It got progressively worse until he was screaming for the EBR team to "take out the SC players" then cheered loudly, when they did commit a foul. (not on his instruction I might add) I have a photo of this middle aged hooligan and will gladly post it; unfortunately a moron like him will not be bothered. A number of SC fans did ask him to tone it down and I believe even the fans of EBR said something. Soccer does not need "fans" like him, I would hate for us to degenerate into European Soccer Hooligans. I feel a special sorrow for his daughter for the embarrassment he caused as I have witnessed this sort of behavior at different levels and events over the past years. My final advice to parents, family, and fans is to let game unfold as it may, cheer or applaud when a good play is made no matter which side makes it, your screaming abuse at players and referees is not going to alter the outcome of the game and is only going to show you up for what you are. The players of any sport will thank you for your good behavior and you may find you will enjoy the game a little more. Congrats to all players for a great season and excellent final Good post and good advice. Fortunately, I was near the closed end of the stadium and did not hear this guy. Many of us (including me) have said or shouted things at games that we regret having said. Fortunately most of us do regret it and learn from it... eventually... though sometimes only when our own kids are finished playing! It's better for ALL (player, parent, fans, & coaches) if this learning takes place sooner rather than later. The obnoxious guy mentioned in the quoted post needs to know this.
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Post by bigchief on Feb 28, 2012 15:43:57 GMT -6
Nice one Sooner.. those without sin, cast the first stone.
Thankfully these were two groups of classy ladies playing and there were almost no fouls that needed a whistle throughout the whole match.
Somehow, I bet this guy already knows his error because I can imagine his wife, daughter, significant other, and anyone else in the vehicle ragged him the whole way home.
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Post by laffysoccermom on Feb 28, 2012 15:54:57 GMT -6
Hard to walk the line between passionate supporter and raging lunatic sometimes...
Most of us have been there, done that to some degree. Hopefully he and we will all learn to be better..
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