SoccerProse.com

If reading about soccer isn’t enough for you, head over to www.soccerpro.com/goalmouthscramble and check out the newest soccer podcast where your soccer addiction can further be satisfied.

“Goalmouth Scramble” will cover every topic in the soccer world, including in-depth discussions on league roundups, transfer rumors, current issues in the game and fantasy soccer discussion.

“Goalmouth Scramble” made its debut last week with host Curtis Stelzer, a former professional soccer player for nine years, and jumped right into the Cristiano Ronaldo transfer-saga. Other podcasts highlighted the Euro 2008 Championships and the world’s largest online soccer sim game at www.soccermanager.com.

Brought to you by SoccerPro, “Goalmouth Scramble” delivers intelligent, insightful commentary and will also feature a rotating mix of guests and special guests, including former U.S. men’s national team goalie Tony Meola, U.S. women’s goalie Hope Solo and ESPN writer Jerrad Peters.

This podcast delivers the goods for your soccer cravings. So check it out and let “Goalmouth Scramble” know what you think.

Just a quick note or two about the first round of group stage games at Euro 2008.

How good did Holland look? Sick, but of course the Dutch always have to be surrounded with controversy. Ruud - offside or not? - they absolutely destroyed the reigning world champs of futbol. But, we all know the Dutch can never seal the deal.

Spain beat a very disappointing Russia team 4-1 and things don’t look good for a Russian team that had high hopes coming in. They need to re-group quickly.

Portugal looked strong, even though the best player in the world, Cristiano Ronaldo, wasn’t all that impressive.

France, blah - but that is how they started out in the 2006 World Cup - and they went to the finals.

Switzerland was a dark horse - but they are done after losing their captain and best player/striker in Frei.

I think Germany might have been the second best looking team so far, and if Klose and Toni get going and Podolski can stay on form - Holy Crap!!! That’s it - that’s all I have to say - 10 hours and 30 minutes (at least when I’m typing this) until the Czechs and Portugal play - I don’t think I will sleep a wink.

Go England - oh wait….never mind!!

Rumor is passing through our ears here that the biggest event on Wednesday night/Thursday morning was not Manchester United winning the UEFA Champions League.

No, this has to do with Cristiano Ronaldo’s future with the Red Devils.

Rumor has it a deal with Real Madrid has been struck for 125 million Euros ($250 million)!!!!!!!!!

That would easily be the biggest transfer fee ever if this rumor holds up to be true.

If it is, is any player worth that much? If so, who? Also, what would you want Man U to do with all of that cash?

Arsenal’s Cesc Fabregas is widely considered the best young midfielder in the world and one of the world’s top midfielders in general. This video should not only give Arsene Wenger nightmares, but serves to show how cool under pressure the young one is.

Honestly, would the Cleveland Cavaliers let LeBron James do this?

As we have said many times before, all of us at SoccerPro.com are fans first. We are lucky enough to know some people that have some connections in Europe – and these are just a few of the things that have been rumored to happen over the summer. […]

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As I walked along Matt Busby Way I saw it. Just there, creeping up over a few buildings. As I continued my walk with an ever increasing pace the football cathedral began to cut an even more ominous figure into the Manchester skyline.

Before I knew it, I was standing at the giant doors of the famed Old Trafford, the Theatre of Dreams and the home of Ferguson’s Red and White Army, Manchester United. I had finally made it, and my pilgrimage was nearly complete.

I then spend the next several hours perusing through the Manchester United mega-store, and after forcing myself away I made it up to the museum where I stood in awe at the trophies and exhibits. I even had my picture taken with the Premier League trophy won by United last year.

After another two hours the moment finally came, when my time was called and my tour of the Theatre of Dreams began. I was mesmerized the entire time, as I walked amongst the memories made in that stadium, sat in the same locker room where the likes of Roy Keane, Eric Cantona and George Best once sat and where Giggs, Scholes, Rooney and Ronaldo still do.

After the tour, I just kind of ambled around the streets of Manchester for a bit, trying to soak it in before what was to come.

I rose early the next morning and made my way back to the grounds in hopes of getting a ticket, which after a bit of haggling I was able to obtain. So there I was, watching and waiting for the whistle that would commence the war of Manchester United and Arsenal.

I sang and cheered the entire game as United scrapped for a victory thanks to a Ronaldo penalty and punishing Owen Hargreaves free kick, and after the whistle I stayed as long as I could stand it, still trying to soak it all in.

It was an adventure that I wont soon forget, and one I encourage everybody to experience.

Cheers!

We here at SoccerPro are soccer players first, fans second, and businesspeople third. In that order. The owners are not businessmen who decided to open a soccer store because it would be a good cash-flow opportunity, they are lifelong soccer players who opened a soccer store for love of the game and to provide the finest soccer equipment with first hand knowledge. Years of professional and amateur playing experience as well as an avid (and sometimes work-disrupting) fan culture gives us a unique advantage only we can pass on to the fellow player or fan looking for the right soccer gear.

We also recognize the importance of the soccer blogging community, the fan buzz and interest it creates, and the tension it can build. Not to mention the entertainment soccer bloggers can provide!

With our soccer background in mind, we set out to learn what the soccer playing community has to say about soccer blogs. Bloggers talk about other bloggers all the time, which is wonderful, but we here at SoccerProse were asking ourselves the deceptively critical question: To which soccer blogs do real soccer PLAYERS look for entertainment and insight into all aspects of our beloved game?

In order to hear that all important voice and tally the soccer player vote, we figured there’s no better way than to give away a pair of soccer shoes in exchange! And why not give away the players’ most popular shoe, the Nike Mercurial Vapor IV ?!

The players and fans have spoken and these are their favorite soccer blogs. Let the link juice flow.

We would like to thank all who entered the contest, congratulate the two Vapor winners and especially thank all the bloggers who responded to the contest so well!

Most Popular Soccer Blog:

Sniffing The Touchline
blowing it up the arse of the beautiful game…..
http://sniffingtt.blogspot.com/

Other Heavy Hitters:
(in no particular order)

Soccer By Ives
Spanning the world of soccer with an American voice and a Jersey flavor
http://www.soccerbyives.net/

The Offside Rules
Spilling red wine on soccer’s social fabric since 2007.
http://theoffsiderules.blogspot.com/

du Nord
for futbol fanaticos
http://www.dunord.blogspot.com/

This Is American Soccer
Adam Spangler’s baby
http://www.thisisamericansoccer.com/

From College to the Pros
The US Soccer Ladder
http://collegetopros.blogspot.com/

The Offside
Looking at club football from leagues around the world.
http://www.theoffside.com/

Red Rants
Manchester United Blog
http://redrants.com/

Arseblog
an Arsenal blog (in no way connected with Arsenal football club… repeat to fade…)
http://arseblog.com

Pitch Invasion
exploring football culture around the world.
http://pitchinvasion.net/

The shameless plug award goes to:

SoccerProse
www.SoccerProse.com
A soccer blog for soccer players, fans, parents, and coaches.

Spineless and soulless thanks go to the corporate mama-teat:

www.SoccerPro.com
The Authority for Soccer Gear and Training!
(huge clearance sale going on right now, by the way)

Once again, congratulations to the winners!

Starting May 28, 2008 we are going to know a lot about the United States Men’s National team.

Why is this date important? It marks the first of three friendly matches against teams in the Top 11 of the FIFA World Rankings. The first one will be against England at the new Wembley Stadium. England is currently ranked 11th in the world. You can catch it on ESPN Classic and see how the Americans fare against an England side that missed out on Euro 2008. This could definitely not be England’s full A side but either way it will be a test for the U.S. Having this game in Europe is great as well because historically we have not done well on European soil. This gives a chance to gain more experience away from home which is vital in World Cup qualifying and World Cup play.
[…]

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Nothing is faster than Nike’s Vapor cleats and now there isn’t an easier way to get a pair than with the help of SoccerPro. Already your authority for soccer gear and merchandise, SoccerPro wants to help put you in a pair of the world’s finest cleats even easier.

To get $10 off your next purchase from SoccerPro enter our Nike Mercurial Vapors giveaway. You could be one of two lucky winners to nab your own pair of Nike Vapors! Don’t pass this opportunity by!

First and foremost: I like Javier Mascherano.

He is one of those players who scrape and scrap and get under an opponent’s skin. He is tough as nails and never backs down from a challenge. You want him on your team, but you don’t want to play against him.

Needless to say he also got under the skin of referee Steve Bennett when Liverpool and Manchester United faced off over the weekend. Mascherano earned his second yellow card of the match, halfway through the contest, for dissent. The resulting red card to send him to the showers has raised speculation over the decision and its impact on the game.

I’m going to digress from whether or not Mascherano’s presence would have prevented United from having its way with a Liverpool side that can’t find its way out of a paper sack in league play. I want to take time to applaud Bennett for his decision because it was not an easy one.

See, the Football Association is trying to crack down on the hissy fits these millionaire footballers are throwing every time a decision does not go their way. They huff and puff and cause a big stir while in the recent past referees have stood by taking the abuse like one of Michael Vick’s pit bulls.

Now referees have been told to come down harsher on player dissent. It not only sends a message to the cry babies to shut up, but it makes the players and the game look better. Also, it sets a better example for every 10-year-old out there admiring a player of Mascherano’s skill.

Maybe the decision on Mascherano was harsh, but it was needed. After Ashley Cole’s act of petulance for his horror tackle on Tottenham Hotspurs’ Alan Hutton earlier in the week, and resulting argument and tirade when shown a yellow when a red was mightily needed, a message needed to be sent to the players in the Premier League.

Perhaps Mascherano’s red card was the fallout from the buildup of abuse referees have taken, but it was a step in the right direction.