Bleacher Report - Articles by Tony Asci

Bobby Bowden: A Legacy in Ruins?

Tony Asci — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 23:38:56 -0400

Over the past week, shocking news has surfaced in blogs, news rooms and forums about unrest in Tallahassee. Board of Trustees chairperson Jim Smith has publicly called for Bobby Bowden’s removal as the Seminoles Head Football Coach.

Since Smith’s words hit the airwaves and printed media, it seems everyone close to college football, sports media, and the FSU community has their own opinions and are making them known.

For me, this is a delicate situation. I grew up in Miami in the '70s and '80s, rooted for the ‘Canes and ‘Noles every weekend (as hard as that may seem to believe), and eventually attended and graduated from FSU in 1994. I followed Bowden’s career from the first time I saw the Seminoles play a football game in 1983 up to the present.

It pains me to see the current state of affairs with regard to this football program.

It seems that, in large part, the national media is taking the side of Bowden. On the other hand, local media, young reporters, and many current FSU students (through their web sites, Facebook and MySpace pages) are not only against the coach, they are crusading to have him removed as soon as possible.

Judging from information gathered on the internet and through word of mouth, it seems many alumni are split or torn.

THE PAST. I was there, in the opposite end zone for the epic “Wide Right I” in Tallahassee in 1991. I watched a 16-7 lead evaporate, and was in disbelief for an entire year. I was in the opposite end zone the very next fall for “Wide Right II” as well down in the condemned Orange Bowl.

Like many other students my age, I was part of a movement that took our team from pretenders in the mid-'80s to contenders; and then we became champions. There were quite a few tough losses in the beginning. Win or lose, though, these were games that put Florida State on the College Football map.

Much of it revolved around the Miami game...big wins in ’89 and ’93, both at home, were huge catalysts in propelling us to the lofty height the program reached and sustained for a mind-numbing 15 years.

We felt as though we earned the right to be No. 1 through those years. No one gave it to us; the chips didn't fall our way; we went out and took it. The Seminoles would travel to anyone's back yard and pop them in the mouth.

Long after I graduated, the team maintained a degree of success that will never be matched.

There were other unforgettable moments. The “Puntrooskie” in 1988 at Clemson. The huge victory in Ann Arbor in 1991, when we beat Desmond Howard and No. 3 Michigan 51-31. The back-to-back come-back wins in 1992 at Clemson and at Georgia Tech, which ushered in Charlie Ward's "Fast Break Offense" era in FSU’s inaugural season in the ACC.

The 31-31 tie in 1994, nicknamed “The Choke at Doak,” where the Noles came back from a 31-3 deficit against Spurrier’s Gators in the final 11 minutes. The Sugar Bowl rematch game two months later, nicknamed “The Fifth Quarter.”

The ’96 No. 1 vs. No. 2 game against UF, where our defense pounded on Danny Weurffel and upended the nation’s top team 24-21. The ’97 thriller in the swamp, where Spurrier’s Gators beat the Noles 32-29 in the closing minute, spoiling the Noles shot at a title.

Marcus “The Rooster” Outzen’s shocking performance as back up QB turned starter in an upset win in Gainesville in ’98, which propelled FSU to the title game.

It all culminated in 1999, when the team went wire-to-wire, remained undefeated, ranked No. 1, and won a national championship against Mike Vick and the Virginia Tech Hokies.

It is ridiculous for anyone to shrug off what Coach Bowden has accomplished. We would be remiss if we didn’t hold this man solely responsible for FSU’s football program going from anonymity to infamy; for FSU's athletic department becoming the model for all other NCAA programs; for raising billions of dollars for the school; for one of college football's truly breathtaking stadiums.

The Seminoles’ 15-year run of 10 wins, top-five finishes, five appearances in the national championship game, nine straight ACC titles, and two national titles will never be matched.

THE PRESENT. Take a look at what has transpired after that run. In 2001, Offensive Coordinator Mark Richt left the program to become the Head Coach at Georgia. Despite nominations from the Athletic Department and the Board of Trustees, Bowden insists he wants his son, Jeff Bowden to take the position.

Circumnavigating the rules and procedures that are in place to prevent nepotism, Bowden claims he will resign if his son can’t be the Coordinator. It didn’t take long for the nation to realize Jeff’s limitations.

As the coordinator and the Quarterback Coach, freshman Chris Rix would never really blossom into the player he should become, and three seasons into Jeff’s tenure, the offense takes major steps backward.

The nation’s best offensive line can’t block, points are down, the QB play is terrible, and the game plan is predictable and bland.

Fast-forward to 2006. Linebackers coach Kevin Steele—whom many thought would be the eventual successor to Bobby Bowden—joins Nick Saban's staff at Alabama, and once again the Coach goes against the wishes of those that sign his checks, and brings back Chuck Amato, who was just fired from the Head Coaching position at North Carolina State, and elevates family friend Jody Allen to Defensive Ends Coach.

He also deals with the school's displeasure with the offense: Jeff is finally asked to leave the program, but the Bowden family coerce the university to pay him $500,000—despite the fact that his contract expired—to walk away. Bobby himself makes public statements and displays his anger and outrage at the situation.

It would seem that in some cases in the past nine years, Bowden has put his own wants in front of the program’s needs. With the hirings of Jeff and Chuck, the Coach unknowingly set the program back.

Despite the surprise ACC Championship win in ’05 (where the ‘Noles entered the matchup having dropped four straight games, including a thrashing at the hands of the Gators) the team has fallen into mediocrity. The recruiting classes of ’06 and ’07 marked an all-time low for the program.

Anyone who has watched this team play can see the decline. For most fans, alumni and observers, it seems the team gives a little less effort each year; looks a little less prepared each year; appears to be a bit more confused on the field each year; plays a little less organized each year; and makes more and more mistakes each year.

THE TRANSITION PLAN. 2007: enter Jimbo Fisher, the new Offensive Coordinator, and “Head Coach in Waiting” designee. The former coordinator of the high-powered LSU offense, Jimbo is brought in to breathe new life into a stagnant FSU offense that seems to cost the team victories each season.

For the first time this century, the offense has improved upon the effort of the past. In 2009, the Seminoles offense if tops in the ACC after five weeks, despite the 2-3 record. FSU is the only team in the NCAA to average 400 yards of offense against three ranked opponents. The recruiting classes of ’08 and ’09 were stunning.

Apart from the offense, though, the program appears to be chaotic. Currently, there are rumors swirling about fighting amongst coaches, contradictory messages conveyed to players, and a defense that is nearly dead last in the NCAA in many categories, ranking 112th in overall defense.

When approached about the uprising, and the news of his removal being called for by a trustee, Bowden retorts, “What would I gain from stepping down?”

This is the problem many observers have. Too often, Bowden funnels discussion and focuses conversation on himself. What would he gain? What about the team? When was the last time Bowden made mention of what was best for the team?

In another recent interview, Bowden was quoted saying, “At the end of the season I will evaluate myself.” ...Huh?!

It just seems that, on the surface, based on his own words, it’s all about Bobby up in Tallahassee, and not the team. I recall listening to report after report when the cheating scandal and the NCAA’s ruling hit the press last year.

The only thing that Bowden spoke out about was the vacating of 14 wins, which only affects him. He really didn’t have much to say about the team, the program, or the players involved.

THE BLAME GAME. Quite a bit rests with the university's powers-that-be. Unlike the organized plan Wisconsin unveiled with it's HCIW plan, involving Barry Alvarez and Bret Bielema, FSU never set in stone the three most important facets of a HCIW process: a time table laying out the duties the designee will gradually take over, how the current Head Coach relinquishes control, and when the current HC vacates the position.

Further aggravating the situation is the ambiguity of Fisher's true position in the convoluted pecking order on the Seminoles' staff. It would seem that the HCIW is fourth in command, behind Bowden, Andrews and Amato respectively.

Thanks to these mysteries, the situation in Tallahassee is boiling over. If the Seminoles continue the season on this dysfunctional course and the team finishes with a losing record, there's a chance Bowden may go quietly.

However, if the Seminoles actually finish the year strong, a fiery Bobby Bowden will no doubt make things even uglier in the offseason.

It’s only one alum’s opinion, but I think the merits of one’s past can only hide the mistakes of one’s present for so long. Bobby was once a great coach, but no one—no living human being—can keep up that fiery, energetic pace forever.

No matter how high in regard we hold Bowden, everyone runs out of steam at work. The forerunner of promise and FSU’s bulwark of power, Bowden lived, breathed, ate, slept and bled Garnet and Gold for 25 great seasons.

But in retrospect, he should have rode off into the sunset at the close of that 25th season.

RETROSPECT. In 2001, instead of demanding that his son be the OC, he should have allowed the athletic director to conduct a search, bring in some new blood, and pass the torch to a younger, more energetic coach in '02 or '03.

It would have made sense: the team was in a major transition period: youth prevailed; a freshman QB led the team to an average season (by Seminole standards); the roster was decimated by early exiting superstars; the program would weather the Adrian McPherson issue; and anonymity and question marks prevailed throughout.

It was Bowden’s stubbornness that kept him on board; to attempt to achieve the impossible. To his credit, that stubbornness is what help him reach the pinnacle of success through all the hard times and narrow losses in the '80s.

But it’s that same stubbornness that refuses to allow him to see that this amazing run is over, his time has passed, and his program is heading downhill, despite his best efforts, and has been for eight years.

My only wish is that, at some point this fall, he realizes all of this. There’s one second on the clock, and it’s time he made a timely, unselfish call in life’s huddle (the call that’s best for this program)—to pull one last gadget play out of the Bowden "Bag of Tricks"—pass the team willingly to Fisher, give him his blessing, and let America know that FSU will return to glory very, very soon.

Something tells me there won't be a fairy tale ending. For the next two months, the Seminole faithful will watch each game with emotion tugging from all directions, knowing that every loss hurts that much more, and every win makes the offseason that much messier.

US Soccer: New-Look Americans Top CONCACAF, Sport #15 FIFA Ranking

Tony Asci — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 14:09:32 -0400

It's been nine long months since I last wrote an article about our young, courageous American National soccer team.

Since then, the US side has had plenty of up's and down's. For the most part, changes to the starting 11 has followed popular opinion (at least mine), but many of those spots are still fluid and could change before their next match.

Among all the fluidity, though, Coach Bradley has made one thing abundantly clear: this team is going to be tough in the back third and lightning fast on the wings. In the three matches they've played in Round 4 of the World Cup Qualifiers the US has tried to enforce that, reaching a certain degree of success. Those matches have also left other questions unanswered.

WCQ - ROUND 4

Nothing was more exciting than watching the Americans dismantle Mexico 2-0 on Feb. 11 in their first Round 4 match. At the time, many Americans probably thought that the US was well on it's way in becoming a major world power in the world's game.

Few could have guessed, however, that it was Mexico's lack of organization and inability to maintain shape and balance (especially away from Estadio Azteca) that would be their undoing—a point we would all come to realize in their recent match in Honduras, as they were manhandled 3-1.

Michael Bradley came of age with two outstanding goals (one in the 90th minute to seal the win), the US defense was air tight, and the most critical moment had to be Mexico's Rafael Marquez's thoughtless decision to challenge GK Tim Howard with his spikes, for which he would receive a booking of the red variety.

Howard, upset and winded, would end up with a caution, and would have to sit out the US's next game due to the accumulation rule.

The US team would travel to El Salvador to play their second match on March 28. The US team hadn't allowed the El Salvadorians a goal in over a decade, and has lost to them only once in 18 previous matches. History became a useless footnote as soon as the Americans took the field. This game would be reminiscent of the match against Guatemala a few months ago as the US team walked into a proverbial buzz saw.

The atmosphere was raucous, the fans were insane, the opponent was intense and energetic from the opening whistle, and the American team would be without a number of starters: GK Howard, CB Guch Onyewu and WB Steve Cherundolo. In their places, Coach Bradley opted for Brad Guzan (GK), Danny Califf (CB) and Frankie Hejduk (RB).

The Americans spent 80 minutes sleepwalking. They stubbornly tried to mount their attack through the middle of the field, despite El Cuscatlecos' insistence in packing in the middle leaving the wings uncovered, and playing six and sometimes seven back. Their counterattack proved intelligent as El Salvador scored twice off of US mistakes in their attack.

But 72 minutes in and down 2-0, Coach Bradley made two decisive maneuvers. Reserve Striker Jozy Altidore entered the game minutes prior to the second ES goal, and immediately drew the attention of the Salvadorian defense with his size and speed. Shuffling the formation to get more ball movement, Coach Bradley moved Beasley to LB, and he would send a barrage of long balls at the attack for the rest of the match.

Attacking in the 77th minute, Frankie Hejduk received a perfect through ball while overlapping a stationary Brian Ching and played a perfect cross into the six, where Altidore was waiting near the far post. Altidore headed the ball back opposite post before the keeper could react. It was now 2-1, and a new game.

In the waining moments of regulation, while Salvadorian players littered the field on their backs in apparent pain and exhaustion, the Americans mounted one last attack, and this time Hejduk himself, pushing Altidore out of the way, would head in the equalizer.

The Americans would escape with a 2-2 draw and 1 point, but more importantly, fans would see an emerging star in Altidore, and a fierce attacking flair in defender Hejduk, who looked more like the Frankie Hejduk that starred for the MLS's Miami Fusion nearly a decade ago, rather than an aging veteran, and was making the most of his opportunity to start in place of an injured Steve Cherundolo.

Against Trinidad & Tobago in Nashville on April 1, the Americans would employ a revamped and somewhat surprising line up. Coach Bradley moved Beasley to LWB, Donovan to LM, Dempsey to RM, inserted Pablo Mastroeni at CDM, Onyewu back at CB, kept Hejduk at RWB, Howard back in goal, and Altidore got the start up top with Brian Ching.

Danny Califf (CB), Sasha Kljestan (CM) and Heath Pearce (LB) worked their way out of the line-up due to their mediocre play in the previous match.

The US showed nerves early. GK Tim Howard inadvertently played a ball into Trinidad F Stern John inside the penalty area in an attempt to clear, which caught John by surprise. The ball rebounded out innocently for a goal kick.

Beasley drifted too far into the middle of the defense in support on numerous occasions, and in the 11th minute, unmarked T&T winger Edwards streaked wide open for a ball that had him all alone in the flat; luckily the Soca Warriors couldn't get the ball into the net.

Nerves would be settled in the 13th minute however. Carlos Bocanegra crushed a long ball from the defensive side which found Brian Ching's head.

Ching, outside the 18 and near the flat with his back to the net, headed the ball onto Landon Donovan, who was just inside of Ching by about four yards making a diagonal run. Landon dribbled into the penalty area and sent a gorgeous cross into the six, finding a sprinting Jozy Altidore who only had to put his ankle in the right spot to produce the game's first goal.

Right from the start, it was obvious that Landon Donovan would be a big part of this attack.

It's been so long since fans have seen Donovan do anything positive in a US jersey. Donovan wreaked havoc on the T&T defense, as the Soca Warriors could not contain him. He could have finished the game with six assists had his team mates put his service in the net.

Altidore would get the hat trick, scoring two more in the match, and all were assisted by Donovan. His second goal came in the 71st minute, when he received a drop pass from Donovan, shook a defender at the edge of the 18 taking one dribble step, then beat the keeper far post. It was masterful.

From a broader perspective, the attack was relentless and fluid deep into the match. Six to seven players got involved and all were effective, and the US team had more shots on goal than in any game in recent history.

The key to this game wasn't necessarily Altidore's hat trick. Quite simply, the US scored goals. Frankie Hejduk eluded to that very point in a post-game interview.

WB's Hejduk and Beasley were involved in the attack. Donovan was involved in the attack. Brian Ching was involved. Dempsey and Bradley were involved. It wasn't just the Jozy A. Show. This is the American team every stateside soccer fan was waiting to see. For decades, the US team has been void of an organized attack, and absent a true threat at Striker, save for the flashes Brain McBride would show from time to time. US Soccer may have just found it all.

The Line Up

Curious is this current collection of Americans on the pitch. Against T&T, Coach Bradley put an interesting line-up and formation on the field. Right off the top, the central midfield was odd.

Bradley had his son Michael and Pablo Mastroeni at the central positions. Broadcaster John Harkes mentioned that Bradley would be in an attacking position and Pablo holding, but in truth, the two midfielders played most of the game side by side, with one holding on the left and one on the right, playing as eternal "stoppers" throughout the match.

Neither looked comfortable at all, though, as communication break downs between the two left CB's alone to defend in the middle, and neither ever got up into the attack in a timely manner.

Midfielders Dempsey (RM) and Donovan (LM) played out on the touch lines and moved up high on the attack, but one of them was almost always making a run into the vacant middle of the field behind the forwards. Ching and Altidore played one above the other, with one playing nearly even with the wingers and one up top at a striker position.

This tactic was quite evident on the game's second goal (71 minutes). Hejduk had the ball at the mid-field stripe out at the touch line. Dempsey and Altidore made runs into the open middle in front of the Salvadorian defense. Quickly, the ball moved diagonally from Hejduk to Altidore then to Donovan on the other touch line.

The Salvadorian defense, scrambling to cover all the movement, lost Altidore, who had tucked in behind Ching who was at the edge of the defense. Donovan breached the flat, then dropped the ball back to Altidore. Jozy then only had to shake one defender before he scored.

The Argentinian National team employed this formation 5-6 years ago to a limited degree of success, sort of a 4-2-3-1, or 4-2-2-1-1. Teams who cover man-to-man will leave a huge hole in the middle of their defensive third and right in front of their backers, which attackers can make constant runs into and through.

Whereas it is a great formation on the attack, defensively it leaves gaping holes for the opponent to exploit. Often times one of those six attackers plays into the middle, and when dispossessed, the opponent has an open spot—the area the attacker vacated—to run free, and the counterattack is on. This US team is no stranger to getting burned by the quick counter strike.

Like a hockey team on a power play that continually gives up the shorthanded goal, this US team always seems to be susceptible to the counterattack, regardless of formation.

No matter what combination of players Coach Bradley plays at CM, they never seem to get back in time to help stop the quick strike. With the WB's up on the attack, the two CB's for the US have a lot of field to cover and are often exposed due to the inability of other players to get back and offer support.

Against the world's best next summer, don't look at this latest formation as the answer. Coach Bradley is tinkering with different looks to see what produces the best results. Obviously, Donovan (LM) and Beasley (LWB) are in unfamiliar places on the field, but it's all about the dynamics on the pitch; how they play off of one another and how teammates get involved with them during play.

If these two players make the team better in this current formation, they very well might play there. The obvious problem here is that Beasley is not a shut-down defender. Carlos Bocanegra routinely came to his aid against T&T, leaving Onyewu alone in the central defense, and Mastroeni and Bradley were nowhere to be found. World Class clubs can take advantage of this with great regularity.

A bigger problem the US must face—if we make the foregone conclusion that Altidore is the answer at Striker—is that this squad doesn't have a solid Central Attacking Midfielder. The issue has shown it's ugly head in all three qualifying matches to some degree. Michael Bradley is not a formidable CAM. Is it Donovan? Dempsey maybe?

If Coach Bradley moves Landon into the middle full-time, who plays the wing? It will be interesting to see if Bradley moves his son to a holding CDM (his natural position), Donovan to CAM, Beasley back up to LM, keep Dempsey at RM (who really isn't a true back-to-the-net Striker anyway) and use Cherundolo and Hejduk as WB's once Steve is healthy.

These three matches have shown us a quality US side. The idea of both WB's coming up, overlapping the wing mids and entering the attack proved deadly. Altidore is coming of age at the right time, and is steadily improving at a fast rate. Donovan's emergence as an assist master and Ching's timely, precise passes are further evidence that this attack is on the up and up.

On the other hand, the defense has been suspect in the last two matches. Devoting efforts and players to the attack leaves the back uncovered. This is why it's imperative to identify one holding midfielder—a true "stopper"—whose job is to defend the middle and support the CB's.

When there are two holding CM's on the field, there is room for error, as one is always out of position and neither is sure which is supporting the center of the defense. We saw this countless times on April 1. It seems the Americans have the wings, the back and the top taken care of, but the middle is sorely deficient. If a team cannot control the middle of the field, it cannot win at the highest level.

After the Trinidad & Tobago game, former US National Team player Alexei Lalas mentioned that the Americans need to capitalize on their opportunities.

He pointed out that in qualifiers, a team may get six to eight opportunities to score, but in the World Cup against a team like Germany, for instance, there may only be one chance. The US team really didn't make the most of all it's opportunities; not against Trinidad & Tobago, not against El Salvador and not even against Mexico.

Nevertheless, it will be exciting to see what this team looks like and where they will be in the CONCACAF standings when they conclude their 10th and final WCQ match. World Cup 2010 is staring us all straight in the face, as it looms merely 14 months away.

FSU Beats Miami With 41 Points, 39 Mistakes

Tony Asci — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 19:25:28 -0400

People all over Florida are recovering from a dizzy weekend. This year's installment of the FSU—Miami rivalry lived up to the hype, and it did not disappoint.

The game had it all: big plays, jarring hits, crazy special teams plays and an exciting fourth quarter.

FSU jumped out to a 24-3 halftime lead, but the second half leaned heavily toward Miami, who scored 36 points in the final thirty minutes, due in large part to FSU's many miscues.

But for the first time in the series, the Seminoles self-destructed (again) and still won the daggum game.

A quick breakdown of the two teams reveals a few obvious—and startling—observations.

FSU has play makers. Miami doesn't.

The Canes sole game breaker on offense was Glades Central grad Travis Benjamin. Whether it be a kick return, reception or a reverse, everytime this kid touched the ball something special happened. Miami also has running back Graig Cooper, but other than a 51 yard touchdown pass in the second half, he was quiet most of the evening.

On defense, Miami turned to Northwestern High School linebacker Sean Spence, a freshman, and Carol City D-lineman Eric Moncur. Moncur was injured during the game, though, and all indications in the media are that he will apply for a medical red shirt, which means his season is over.

The Noles have big plays waiting to happen all over the offense, most notably at receiver. Everyone was waiting for Preston Parker and Greg Carr to make a big play Saturday, but Bert Reed, Correy Surrency, Taiwan Easterling and Jarmon Fortson all played a major role in the game plan. It seemed all of them took turns picking on Miami corner-back Brandon Harris.

Jermaine Thomas spelled Antone Smith (who rushed for four touchdowns), and managed 50 yards on just two carries. Broadcasters on WQAM, the South Florida Canes radio network, openly rooted for Thomas to stay on the sideline, because he was unstoppable.

The Seminoles defense played fantastic for four quarters, despite being called on to the field in some less-than-desirable scenarios; Many of which lead to Miami points. Tony Carter made two acrobatic interceptions, and the line hassled the Miami quarterbacks all night, tallying two sacks.

It was FSU's mistakes, though, that would keep the scorekeeper busy on the Miami side. It was an avalanche that nearly cost them the game, like so many other classic Noles—Canes games.

Up 24-0 in the final minutes of the first half, FSU kicker James Esco erroneously pooched a kickoff that went out of bounds which resulted in an immediate Miami field goal.

At the start of the second half, Antone Smith fumbles the ball inside the FSU 20, which results in a Miami touchdown on the very next play.

Later, in the third quarter, a mishandled snap by punter Shawn Powell results in a Miami Safety.

In the fourth quarter, quarterback Christian Ponder is hit in the end zone as he releases the ball and throws an interception at the third-yard-line, which is returned for a touchdown by Sean Spence.

In the middle of the quarter, a botched snap on another FSU punt gives Miami the ball on the FSU 4, which results in a Miami field goal.

In the closing minute of the game, Jamie Robinson gets called for a blatant Pass Interference at the 1-yard-line on fourth and nine, resulting in a Miami touchdown on the next play.

The Seminoles also got hit with 12 penalties for 98 yards. Miami nearly offset FSU's total with 10 of their own for 85 yards.

FSU dominated the game for the most part. They nearly held the ball for 40 minutes, had almost 500 yards of total offense, and better than 300 of it came on the ground. Miami's offense only mustered a mere 250 total yards.

If FSU could have avoided their signature self-destruction act, the 29 points they allowed as a direct result of it never would have happened, and maybe FSU wins this game easily, 41-10.

The game was exciting from start to finish, but it was easy to notice the obvious. If these teams want to win games this year, Miami needs some young stars to step forward, and FSU needs to clean up the devastating mistakes and stupid penalties.

Over the past decade and a half, the Seminoles' achilles heel tends to be dumb mistakes and kicking team blunders. Let's hope this young group can overcome years of frustration.

U.S. Soccer: Not Ready For Prime Time

Tony Asci — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 22:01:43 -0400

Qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa began for the United States Men's National Team recently, and head coach Bob Bradley's makeshift band of outlaws, no-names, and underachievers has many scratching their heads, wondering what the squad will look like in two years. More importantly, will they be competitive.

Long time fans of the beautiful game need to realize this, though: no longer is the U.S. Soccer Federation leaning heavily on MLS to feed players up to the US squad. It's widely known that the quality of play at the MLS level isn't that strong, and the world's best footballers play in the European leagues.

Now more than ever the US Men's National Team is very well represented in Europe, as Coach Bradley has filled his current roster with a record number of Americans who play abroad.

Of the 32 players included in the current pool, half are playing in the MLS while the other half are under contract to play on European club teams. That percentage will change for the better, though, as the World Cup approaches.

It is estimated that once a 22-man roster is in place in 2010, as few as 7 MLS players will be left—a list that will include B. Ching, R. Clark, B. Davis, M. Edu, L. Donovan and E. Robinson—and nearly all will be reserves except for Donovan.

The other 15 (including 10 starters) are players with current contracts in Europe. This can only mean the U.S. is getting better...right?

Not so fast, my friends. We do know this: the three tune-up games the US team endured vs. England, Spain, and Argentina showed us many things about our home team; the good (vs. ARG), the bad (vs. ESP), and the ugly (vs. ENG).

The U.S. defense has trouble defending the set play. We saw this against England and Spain. We also saw it a bit in the second leg against over-matched Barbados.

No matter what lineup Bradley employs on the pitch, the U.S. attack can't seem to get the ball in the net. Other than the eight balls that touched the old onion bag against Barbados (a riff-raff squad made up mostly of amateurs), the Americans have scored seven goals in six previous matches (all in the first three games this year vs. Sweden, Mexico, and Poland, and none in it's final three matches).

Only one goal was scored by a forward, while four came from defenders, mostly on corner kicks and other set pieces.

There is also a massive log-jam at the midfield positions, where there is an abundance of inexperience.

FORWARDS

Up top, it's been all fluids and no solids. Whether you're in the restroom or on the playing field, this can't be good. Bradley has employed seven different starting combinations in the team's last seven matches.

One thing is for certain, though: the coaching staff has given famed MLS striker Eddie Johnson plenty of opportunities to prove himself (four starts in'08), and time and time again, he comes up short. He may be the odd man out.

The buzz surrounds South Florida native Jozy Altidore, who despite only being 18 is slowly solidifying his spot on the roster, and is the pride and joy of the MLS' Red Bulls, and is playing in Spain next season. 19-year old Freddy Adu (who is currently playing in Portugal) has shown a real knack for playing an attacking midfielder role, as well as being a forward who can distribute the ball.

Look for MLS's Brian Ching and Clint Dempsey—currently under contract with Fulham in England and the only American to score in the 2006 World Cup—to be in the mix as well. Though neither did much this summer, both have shown in the past that they can put the ball in the net.

MLS youngster Chris Rolfe may get a look, but his size (5-foot-8) and inexperience might not fit into Bradley's plans. There still has not been a Kenny Cooper sighting, either.

MIDFIELDERS

Alas, the most notable problem with Bob Bradley's squad...too many midfielders, not enough roster spots. The U.S. team is littered with mids.

There is reason to believe the outside wing positions are solidified in DeMarcus Beasley (LM), who plays in Scotland, and Landon Donovan (RM), but the central midfield is still wide open, largely because no one has claimed a starting role.

Michael Bradley—who played in Holland this season—has been very good at times, but his strength lies mostly in attacking rather than holding. Coach Bradley tends to prefer both central mids to hold, which is the safe choice.

Bobby Convey and Eddie Lewis are chiseled veterans who both played in England this season, but are more comfortable on the outside. Sacha Klejstan of the MLS hasn't done much to prove himself yet, either, no matter where Coach Bradley places him.

Bradley's real dilemma is that he has way too many defensive minded, holding midfielders who are better at tackling and dispossessing than anything else: Ricardo Clark, Maurice Edu, Pablo Mastroeni, and Brad Davis (all playing in the MLS) and Benny Feilhaber (playing in England) have all played significant roles in the middle since 2006, but who will represent the team in 2010?

Against Barbados in game one, M. Bradley and Mastroeni got the nod, and with the coach tinkering with Dempsey and Adu in the midfield, everything stays a bit muddy. There's a good chance there will be players left out who never even got a chance to prove themselves.

DEFENDERS

Coach Bradley frequently used a formidable back line of (from L to R) Cherundolo, Onyewu, Bocanegra, and Pearce. All four play for club teams in Europe.

Reserves beyond those four haven't proven their worth thus far. Demirit, Spector, and Califf (who play in Europe) and Moor, Hedjuk, and Parkhurst of the MLS have all seen playing time, but none stood out.

For Hedjuk, a defender who loves to attack rather than hold his line, this may be his last hurrah. Will an aging Jimmy Conrad or the young Eddie Robinson, both playing in the MLS, get chances to prove themselves next month against Guatemala?

GOAL KEEPERS

This is the one position that the US can safely say is A-OK. The GK position has long been America's strong suit, as great goalies have stood between the posts for the US since the early 90's, with the likes of Tony Meola, Brad Friedel, and Kasey Keller. These gentlemen saved the Americans' backsides time and time again.

But the great thing about the U.S. situation is that the group always seems to be remarkably deep. This year, it's no different. Tim Howard had a fantastic season for the EPL's Everton and is the starter for now, but Brad Guzan (EPL) is nearly as good, and Ries (MLS) and Hanneman (EPL) are also available and very able if called upon.

TIME TO TAKE A GUESS

Now that the dance has begun, it's time to take an educated, albeit meaningless, stab at who the competitors will be. Coach Bradley is an old-fashioned 4-4-2 guy, regardless of his tweaking and tinkering. One of his central midfielders is going to have to come up and attack, though, if this team expects to score goals in South Africa.

GK: Tim Howard

WBs: Heath Pearce, Steve Cherundolo

CBs: Oguchi Onyewu, Carlos Bocanegra

WMs: DeMarcus Beasley, Landon Donovan

CMs: Pablo Mastroeni, Michael Bradley

Fs: Clint Dempsey, Freddy Adu

Key Reserves: Jozy Altidore, Brian Ching, Brad Davis, Maurice Edu, Benny Feilhaber, Ricardo Clark, Bobby Convey, Jonathan Spector, Danny Califf, Eddie Robinson (or Jay Demerit) and Brad Guzan.

This might be what the team looks like in 2010. Then again, maybe it won't...

BCS: The Grinch Who Stole the Championship

Tony Asci — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 15:12:10 -0400

Somewhere between late August and early December, Americans everywhere will experience one of the most popular sports of all: NCAA football.

With that comes a metamorphosis which supplants all logic and reason—the BCS equation that decides the postseason, largely regardless of what's happened on the field of play.

Year in and year out, football fans enjoy some of the most exciting, intense, nail-biting games the competitive sport has to offer.

But in December, the game that enthralls so many millions turns into a three-ring circus, as computers and reporters who never played the game decide who gets to play for a national championship, and who is relegated to the other 30-plus meaningless bowl games.

For BCS enthusiasts, the whole "equation" has been a huge success. The BCS brought us Miami-Ohio State, USC-Texas and Virginia Tech-Florida State. They will point to these games (and even stretch to include a few others) and say, "The BCS is working. It's not perfect," they will concede, "but it usually gets No. 1 and No. 2 right."

"Usually gets No. 1 and 2 right." Isn't that what the old system got us, too? Usually. Translation: "Sometimes, the BCS gets it totally wrong."

There are many problems with the BCS. First of all, much is based on the polls. By and large, the polls are popularity contests. Reporters (most of whom never played tackle football) vote on who they think are the best 25 teams in the nation.

These reporters live in specific areas of the country and see their hometown teams play a lot. Subsequently, there are a whole lot of teams they don't get to see at all, but still have to vote for.

Beyond the polls, there are computer rankings. That's right: shiny, plastic, desktop boxes with wires and motherboards who figure out who the best teams are for us.

If this doesn't sound crazy to you, consider the fact that, since the advent of "The Beast" (aka the BCS) 10 years ago, the equation twice sent teams to the title game who didn't even win their conferences.

Nebraska ('01) and Oklahoma ('04) actually backed into the game. Both were thrashed at the end of the regular season, but still got the invite to play for a title—and lost miserably.

In numerous other seasons, teams played for the national championship though they didn't belong there—and all of America knew it. Florida State ('00) and Ohio State ('07) both got invited to play in national championship games despite the fact that other teams were more deserving, and both lost...convincingly.

Another big problem with this BCS system is the fact that it was formed in a reactionary manner. To wit: the BCS was formulated to clean up the mess the Bowl Alliance made in 1997.

No. 1 Michigan was bound for the Rose Bowl because of a contractual agreement: they won the Big Ten, and the Big Ten champ always plays the Pac-10 champ in the Rose Bowl. Their opponent was No. 9 Washington, by virtue of their Pac-10 title.

No. 2 Nebraska had to play a lesser opponent due to the Rose Bowl tie-ins. Pollsters chose No. 3 Tennessee as Nebraska's opponent, and when Nebraska and Michigan both won their bowl games, both laid claim to the title.

In the months that would follow, the BCS was formed, even though all the NCAA had to do was to do away with the conference bowl tie-ins.

With each passing season, the BCS encounters hiccups along the way, and it gets tweaked. In 2000, a one-loss Florida State team got to play for a national championship, leapfrogging a one-loss Miami team who had beaten them earlier in the season.

"Strength of Schedule," an important BCS component at the time, was to blame. FSU played a tougher schedule than Miami, so they got the nod.

When the 2001 season started, the strength of schedule component wasn't just de-emphasized—it was virtually done away with altogether.

Without it, Nebraska was able to lose their final game of the regular season 62-36, not even play in their conference championship, and still get into the national championship game.

In 2004, Oklahoma, despite losing their conference championship game, got to play LSU for the title, rather than USC (who had the same record).

With each one of these "glitches," the BCS powers that be tweaked their beloved yet flawed system. Ironically, the tweaks would cause other problems in years to come.

Why not a playoff system? This question has perplexed college football fans for decades.

There are so many good teams, so many up-and-comers, so many feel-good stories, and so many inflated pretenders. A single elimination tournament would answer all these questions.

Naysayers will conclude that a playoff system will drag out the season, take away numerous paydays from schools, and be a logistical nightmare for traveling fans. But these are all arguments of convenience.

The BCS guarantees that two big-name, traditional powerhouses will meet every year in a trumped-up championship game. A playoff would undoubtedly allow some lesser-known, maybe less popular teams into a title match—and that's not good for business.

The BCS is all about money, and we know this. But what if a playoff system could be adopted that would (a) keep the current bowl system (which allows just about any team with a winning record a payday); (b) keep the season at its current duration; and (c) be scheduled so that fans can still see their teams in person?

The playoffs could take the top eight or 16 teams and put them in a tournament. This playoff could begin immediately following finals in mid-December.

The top seeds would host the first round at their stadiums. The second round games could be played at the same locations, be home games for higher seeded teams, or take place at various neutral sites. Semifinal and final games could rotate among the existing BCS bowls each year.

While this tournament is going on, the other bowl games can still be taking place all over the country, as they weren't going to determine the national champion anyway.

Instead of using a poll or a computer, or the flip of a coin, why not use a method other NCAA sports use with frequent success? The RPI rating scale seems to work for college basketball and baseball. Why not in football?

With an RPI in place, this will create more regular season showdowns between non-conference powerhouses, since the RPI rewards teams who play tough opponents.

With the current BCS equation, teams only need to get to their conference championship game, so scheduling tough out-of-conference opponents is suicide.

The more people try to manipulate the season and set the stage for the perfect No. 1 vs. No. 2 game, the more they mess it all up. Other sports don't seem to have this problem, and though it's obvious, it must be said: those sports have playoffs.

BCS lovers say that playoffs will render the regular season meaningless, that two-loss teams will be playing for the title (didn't the BCS just give us that?), and that the tradition of the bowls will be destroyed (i.e., it won't be profitable).

It's ridiculous to project (but not hard to believe) that as soon as the BCS brass realizes a way to make a playoff system MORE profitable than the BCS, we suddenly will be hearing about how great playoffs will be for the game, how it will raise the intensity of the regular season, and will bring a fitting end to every season of the greatest game in America (i.e., it will be a huge payday for everyone involved.)

Cha-ching.

Hard Hits & Rap Sheets: The State of College Football in FL

Tony Asci — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 14:24:54 -0400

Amid the recent goings on up in Tallahassee, it's apparent all is not well with Florida State football. In fact, sports writers, bloggers, and message board sitters are taking their shots at the program, and rightfully so.

Athletes caught cheating, at least 12 on the football team, are just the current addition of names added to the "Felony State University" bio. Now, FSU's golden boy, Preston Parker of Delray Beach, FL, has been arrested in connection with felony gun charges.

Not too long ago, I read an article about how Urban Meyer was dealing with off-the-field issues surrounding some of his players who managed to get into trouble during the offseason.

Tony Joiner, arrested in October 2007 on felony charges, was the eighth Gator football player to have a run-in with law enforcement in a nine-month span of time. Despite being outside the realm of football, let's not forget UF hoops star Teddy Dupay.

I also recall a few football players down in Coral Gables who had brushes with the law.

UM's Brandon Merriweather, although never charged, acted in self defense and discharged a firearm outside his house. Some young men who had earlier been in an argument with Merriweather and his friends drove by his house and opened fire.

A few seasons earlier, Andre Johnson was caught cheating on semester exams twice. Robert Marve was recently arrested.

Then there's the troubled Willie Williams, who had been arrested more times (19) than years he had been on Earth (18) when he committed to Miami.

And of course, there was the UM-FIU brawl.

Up at FSU, we had the A.J. Nicholson battery issue, which somehow got dropped, and then there's Darnell Dockett and his troubles. Adrian McPherson and Wyatt Sexton are easy names to drop when discussing why FSU can't seem to get the job done under center.

Rather than detail and outline each issue and try to figure out which of the FL "Big Three" schools has the most arrests, or has players who have committed more infractions, there's another view point on the whole mess.

There's the idea that something is amiss in sunny F-L-A.

At an alarming rate, college athletes in or from Florida continually find themselves in trouble with their universities, the law, or both.

The shocking thing, or rather the icing on this foul-tasting cake, is the fact that a number of Florida-born football players at colleges outside Florida get into trouble as well.

Native Floridians wince when they hear broadcasters call out the high school or home town of the offender, like it has become a rite of passage to commit a crime if you are a football player from the Sunshine State.

What is going on down here in Florida that it has come to this? Florida's homegrown talent is getting arrested and charged with felonious behavior quicker than they can say "No lo contendre."

This isn't the 15 minutes of fame that I wish on Florida's football youth. This isn't the ESPN sports highlight that any of them envisioned when they played Pop Warner ball as kids.

Skeptics can look at one case in particular that occurred in 2006 for their moment of clarity.

Antwain Easterling, a star running back and student at Miami's Northwestern High School, was was arrested and charged with second degree lewd and lascivious battery on a minor. This felony stemmed from a sexual encounter which took place at school with a 14-year-old girl.

The event came to light days before the state championship game, but the sex act took place three months prior. The school's principal, Dwight Bernard, attempted to cover up the issue, failing to report the incident.

This is how important football is in parts of FL. It's so big, not even a statutory rape case can stop it's progress.

Florida used to be THE place to recruit high school football talent. They play year round, they are fast, they know the game, and they play hard.

No disrespect to PA or TX: Florida was No. 1. If your university didn't recruit players from Florida, your team probably wasn't any good, and that's a fact.

In 2008, we hear more about Florida's athletes in Police Blotter reports than we do about their excellence on the field or in the classroom. It's obvious these kids can play football.

But how about preparing them for life? How about teaching them how to conduct themselves when they're not playing football?

Something needs to change. This is embarrassing for everyone who played sports at a school in Florida and anyone who grew up or lives there.

Is this going on everywhere in Florida? Of course not. There are hundreds of reputable high school programs out there. The less-than-reputable ones, however, are leaving an indelible mark that won't soon be erased.

This is one sports fan who is ready to weather the storm when telling people what school he attended and what state he grew up in.

But that flimsy umbrella won't hold up forever.