Hello all. It is Thanksgiving Day, one of those rare days during the year when soccer goes on the backburner and there are no major games to watch (Well, unless you count the handful of Coppa Italia matches being played today).
American soccer fans have plenty to be thankful for this year. The U.S. national team is heading to the World Cup, MLS enjoyed another solid season and the number of quality soccer viewing options on TV is growing by the day. These are great times in that regard. I'm sure those of you who remember what life was like for American soccer fans 20 years ago can agree.
What will I give thanks for from a soccer standpoint this year? Here are some things that came to my mind this morning:
The SBI Mafia
Charlie Davies' recovery
Seattle's addition to MLS
FC Barcelona's beautiful soccer
Philadelphia's pending arrival in MLS
My first visits to Costa Rica and Honduras
The Champions League's move to Fox Sports
Having the chance to cover soccer for a living
Major League Soccer's departure from Giants Stadium
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Now it's your turn. What will you be giving thanks for as a soccer fan today?
Share your thoughts below (And have a Happy Thanksgiving).
I’m thankful for grass at BMO
Grass @ BMO and farewell to Giants Stadium!
RSL and the MLS Cup, Jason Kreis, and a fantastic sss, US over Spain in the Confed Cup and the first half of the Brazil match, and WC qualification
I’m thankful for all the volunteer youth soccer coaches out there who take the time and make the effort to really make soccer grow in this country at the grass roots level.
I’m thankful for Red Bull Arena!
FC Barcelona? wtf
(SBI-I’m thankful for the beautiful soccer they play, soccer that any fan in the world (well, aside from Real Madrid fans maybe) can appreciate.)
FIFA 10, Landon Donovan, high school soccer and ESPN’s decision to show some European games in HD.
I know. It is finally fully visible how Barca top the SBI Power Rankings every week. LOL.
(SBI-That, and they didn’t lose to Wigan this year.)
The Columbus Crew…while the Playoffs were a disappointment, a Supporters’ Shield and advancement into the knockout rounds of CCL is still MASSIVE…
I’m thankful Real Madrid is going to beat Barcelona this weekend.
(SBI-Like you were thankful they’d reverse the scoreline against Alcorcon?
)
I’m thankful for the Sounders, ESPN EPL mornings, FSC, the USMNT, CD9′s ongoing recovery and the opportunity that I get to play indoor soccer every Sunday with some of my best friends!
CD9′s recovery, FIFA 10, footy on ESPN in HD, and Liverpool not making it out of the group stage.
england’s finally realizing some of their potential in WC qualifying, Wayne Rooney dominating, experiencing all the Sounders games, LA losing the final, Liverpool’s ongoing struggle, the discovery of placenta blood as a healing agent, the rebound of Arsenal as a EPL contender
CD9′s recovery, HDTV + DVR, and Cherry Starburst.
Red Bull Arena of course!
Happy Thanksgiving, Ives! Thanks for the site!
Denis Hamlett is no longer the Fire’s coach.
I’m thankful for this site which keeps my soccer needs fulfilled each and every day.
I’m thankful for ESPN early Saturday morning EPL in high def. I’m thankful Tommy Soehn is gone, that Ben Olsen got a retirement celebration that was appropriate for his great contribution to DC and finally for year-round soccer!
Ives, just wondering why you are thankful the Champions League moved to Fox Sports. I personally preferred it on ESPN where I can watch it for free on computer. I don’t think ESPN broadcasted the games in HD, but I fell their video quality was far better than what Fox Sports is ging us.
(SBI-Freddy, do you have DirecTV? Since the Champions League moved to Fox, fans can watch multiple matches live (we’re talking almost EVERY match) in HD at the same time on DirecTV. That’s WAY better than when ESPN would broadcast ONE match live.)
No DirecTV for me. Just the pub and my trusty pc!
its time to refer a friend ives,lol
1) Red Bull Arena
2) U.S. qualification for South Africa 2010
3) The emergence of Landon Donovan
4) U.S. goals from unlikely sources (Casey, Bornstien)
5) The designated player rule
6) Soccer taking over hockey
7) SBI and the wonderful news, posts I read daily.I for one appreciate everyone who posts and cares about the sport. I especially appreciate that the MLS offseason is no longer as boring as it used to be because of sites like this.
Gotta be RSL winning the cup for me. Thankful that soccer is growing in Utah and that people are realizing what a great sport soccer is!
Thankful for this website. Bornstein’s goal in RFK. Beer. Food. God
I’m thankful that soccer gives me a great way to spend quality time with a great group of friends: on the pitch, in the stands, and on the couch (in that order).
Gotta say, when it comes to soccer, I’m grateful for SBI. Beats the stuffing out of some of the tripe that’s out there.
Also grateful for:
1. USMNT WCQ
2. CD9, his emergence and recovery
3. The ref who actually added the right amount of extra time vs Costa Rica
4. Soccer on tv. Watched FCB vs RM ’05 last night. Frickin’ Ronaldinho at his peak, Ronaldo and Beckham still great, and Zidane on the same field. Wow.
Happy Thanksgiving, all.
my birthday!!!! (which is today)
Happy ThanksBirthday!
Red Bull Park, Tottenham’s great start, being at RFK for you know what, and SBI
(and NOT Champions League on Fox, seeing as how I don’t have DirecTV… thank God for streaming)
1. Thankful that Pearce is not the US starting LB
2. Thankful that US got a seed in the WC draw
3. Thankful that the Galaxy won the MLS Cup.
Well…1 out of 3 is not bad.
Happy Thanksgiving, Ives!
I’m thankful for friends and family, SBI, and thankful that Davies survived that horrific accident. I’m thankful that Red Bull Park is FINALLY opening next year, and thankful that the Galaxy didn’t win the MLS Cup!! I’m thankful for Barca’s midfield, more Americans playing overseas, and some new East Coast rivalries appearing in MLS starting next season. I’m thankful for the Sounders’ fans, thankful that Honduras qualified ahead of Costa Rica, and thankful that Ray Domenech is such a bad coach that by the end of the first round, Henry’s handball will be a moot point b/c France will be eliminated. Whew! Did I forget anything?
Vancouver Whitecaps!
- CD9 gettin well
- Qualification
- Scoring group stage US tickets for WC 2010
- LAG’s return to playoffs
- Getting to see LD play live throughout his MVP season
- The continued construction of soccer specific stadiums
- All the Designated Players
I’m thankful for (Soccer related only) : Qualifying for the WC,Soccer By Ives,Celtic Fc (Even though some of the games makes me shake my head and yell at my TV),CD9′s recovery,my favorte retirement home in the MLS (My LA Galaxy),USMNT,Being lucky enough to travel from So cal all the way to Columbus,Salt Lake,and DC for the WCQ,Alex Morgan(Beautiful),and Making the MLS cup final after three awful years.Oh yeah and I’m also thankful for Philly making terrible picks :]
Thankful for:
- Improvement of the Galaxy
- USMNT beating Spain and giving Brazil a run
- The development of Charlie Davies, Altidore, Holden, Feilhaber, Spector, Demerit
- USWNT winning the Olympics
- Creation of a women’s professional soccer league
- MLS’ ability to weather the recession
Depressed over:
- Champions League moving to Fox Soccer. I can’t get it online and it’s not at the gym. Would have preferred one game on ESPN family
- Injuries to Gooch, Davies, Edu, Demerit and J.Jones
- Not enough playing time for Torres on USMNT
- Lack of development in Adu
DIRECTV’S coverage of the UEFA CL and EUROPA League. so many games in full hd, no graphics on the screen, no annoying commentary….its wat heaven is like.
1) A soccer team in Philly not named “freedom” or “liberty”
2) Beer
3) “Massage” parlors in Chinatown
4) D-Cell batteries
5) Sean Hannity protecting my freedom
6) My left hand
7) Unemployment benefits
8) Plastic Surgery
-All the MLS players making well below the national average annual income
-To be an American, yet still realize soccer is the beautiful game.
-The continued emergence of soccer in America
-David Beckham in MLS
I Will also state I’m just thankful for the sport Soccer in general….one of the only true things I can always count on to make me feel better,whether I’m stressed out or in any other situation. I’m thankful for Coventry FC for giving me a chance to play with there youth team when I’m 14. I’m thankful for my legs,I’m still only 19 and still want to be a professional Soccer player.I’m thankful for all those who have believed in me making it,as well as those who have doubted me and written me off (most notably my Dad), you guys are the people that make me work harder and harder each practice. Happy thanksgiving everybody.
Happy Birthturkey
I’m thankful I survived Azteca – poor winnersville – PLUS I was sitting next to the guy waving the SBI Mafia banner.
I’m thankful for the NY Red Bulls, otherwise San Jose would have been the worst team this year.
I’m thankful for Darren Huckerby’s time in San Jose, it was too short but it gave a big boost to professional soccer in the Bay Area.
I’m thankful for Lew Wolff’s commitment to the Quakes despite all of the hard times this year.
1. Real Salt Lake are the 2009 MLS Champions! (Jason Kreis, Dave Checketts, Garth Lagerway, and Bill Manning for making it all happen)
2. World Cup is within a year, and the USA is in.
3. soccerbyives.net (thank you for this Ives)
4. Rio Tinto Stadium
5. Soccer being broadcast ( HD or not,but HD rocks)
6. Donovan airmailed it!
7. All 3 of my kids competion soccer teams
8. My wife loves soccer as much, if not more than me.
9. All of my fellow bloggers. I enjoy the opportunity you all give me to discuss everything soccer, and take a few minutes to escape the everyday stress’s we all have. Thank you.
a good draw for the world cup and for champions league soccer to go back to ESPN, happy turkey day Ives
True story. But Chelsea have played two extra games so who knows who Barca could lose to. Oh and Chelsea are top of their league, which is more than Barca can say.
(SBI-If being in first place in November meant anything then Liverpool would have a few EPL titles, now wouldn’t they? Do you really refuse to admit that Barcelona has been more impressive than Chelsea so far this year? Let’s see after this weekend where things stand.)
It was a pleasant surprise that Fox Soccer Channel on DirecTV had extra channels that showed almost every Champions League game live in HD … I thought it would be blocked or was some type of special subscription, but it wasn’t
Not sure if cable and other providers of FSC offers the same extra channels?
ESPN will broadcast SA 2010 in Portuguese…
link to prnewswire.com
Happy Turkey Day!
I’m with you on CD9′s recovery and the folks at Seattle as well. I know, I know, everyone thinks Sounders fans brag too much, but until my Fire start selling out every game, I’ll still be envious of them.
Also I feel like the only person who finds Toyota Park to be remarkably ugly, so I’m thankful to the league for getting nicer-looking stadiums like Red Bull Arena up. As far as I can tell, that new stadium in Chester is looking like it’s going to be really nice, too.
And of course, thanks for running this place, Ives. Gives me something to read when I’m bored, which seems to be more and more each day. Keep up the good work.
For sitting in a sports bar in Boulder Colorado with my son watching the US beat Egypt 3-0 while Brazil beat Italy, beginning a beguiling run through the first half of the final.
And for the feeling that yes, soccer is finally happening this country.
And for the Holy Hand Grenades, my boys U12 house team that was the most fun, hardest working, most enjoyable of the 20 plus teams I have coached over the last six years.
I’m thankful for the awesome crop of rookies in MLS this.
I’m hopeful that it’s indicative of player development in this country and it starts becoming more the norm.
Charlie Davies is still with us. I didn’t think it was possible after seeing the photos of that car. I’m more thankful for that than anything.
I am thankful for Soccer By Ives
I am thankful that my sons like soccer as much as me.
Charlie Davies’ improving health, Red Bull Arena, and this website of course! Happy Thanksgiving Ives and all!!
Ben Olsen
In the world of soccer, I’m thankful for two things: (1) my son’s godfather from Hamburg, who has sparked my 8 year-old son’s interest in playing soccer, which in turn has caused me to follow soccer; and (2) Ives, who through this website, has been a great teacher to a novice like myself about soccer! Happy Thanksgiving everybody!
Word up.
I’m thankful for Ives, who has inspired me to look into the career of sports/soccer journalism.
I second that,I’m only 19 and would love to do exactly what Ives gets paid to do in the future
Thankful for SBI, for the bird and mash potatos and corn bread and stuffing and desert that the family and I put away.
Thankful for McBride and CJ Brown to re-sign, for some good memories from Toyota Park.
For classic Peanuts thanksgiving.
And for cold beer in the Globe Pub.
I’m thankful for the new SBI layout so I can reply to the right targets with my attempts at zingers and debate. Now I know my inane comments will be appreciated more efficiently.
as a relative newby to EPL, why all the hate from many of SBIers for liverpool?
Thank god for the Crew and Guillermo.
-RSL getting form at the right time, winning the Cup! way to go boys!
-that I won 4 world cup tix in the first draw- ok I won the “right” to buy them… gonna be awesome!
I think a lot of people long to see the big four being broken up, regardless of the team. Apart from that, personally, I like to see them fail because their fans kind of remind me of Red Sox fans. But that’s just my personal and completely absurd feeling
Okay, I can understand that…so the yankees would be Manchester United?
-that being a soccer fan makes me different, and different is good
Not to mention FSC for basic cable people like me had live matches on Tuesday and Wed, then replay’s at 5,7, and 9 both days….just non-stop CL – never got that on ESPN. Hopefully FSC does go HD in Jan – but it is my favorite channel – I do love the morning matches ESPN shows as well.
Yes. Yes. and we have heard that before. Just busting your balls a bit. I think you have alot of reader who think that Chelsea should top that list who aren’t Chelsea fans.
(SBI-If I do, there aren’t many making their voices heard. It always seems as though the few complaining are people with Chelsea in their author name. I can’t expect you to think otherwise. When I see Chelsea being ahead of Barcelona I’ll put them there.)
Ives, I’m thankful for the awesome blog you provide us with day after day….never anything like this for US fans even 5 years ago. Thanks man.