Fleeting Thoughts

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o I'm getting sick of the Wesley Sneijder / Samir Nasri / Luka Modric transfer saga.   It's been dragging on forever and a day, and I can't take much more "will he" or "won't he" speculation.  It does look as if Old Wes is going to end up at Old Trafford, but please let's get it over with so we can all just move on.  It's also looking likely that Luka is headed to Stamford Bridge, and my best current guess is that Samir stays put at the Emirates.

o I write above that I still believe Sneijder is headed to Manchester because I can't help but believe that Fergie still has not completed his summer shopping spree yet.  After all, if you're Fergie -- and I obviously don't presume to be, but I will presume to make some educated guesses here -- you're probably thinking you've got 3-5 years left in the hot seat.  And that's not alot of time to knock Barcelona off their fricking perch.  So you'd better get busy now, and no amount of words are ever going to convince me or anyone else that Ando is the permanent answer in midfield.  He may be part of the equation, but he's not the answer.

Game Day Beer Review: New Holland Brewing Co. Black Hatter American Black Ale

 

(5.5% ABV). From a bottle, the Black Hatter appears Coca Cola black with a shaving-cream-thick head of light brown foam, which leaves behind less lacing than you might expect. The beer is very mild smelling, with the most pronounced smell being malty, roasted hops. Upon first taste, the initial roasted coffee flavor gradually disolves into a hoppy finish. The Black Hatter is decently carbonated, which gives it a lighter than expected mouthfeel.  It feels a bit safe, as if the brewers were trying not to screw this style up.  I'll give it a B.

The Inaugural Ball

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Some very brief thoughts on Manchester United's inaugural victory of the 2011/12 season, a 4-1 thrashing of the MLS' New England Revolution:
o Dear ESPN commentators RobStone and John Harkes: the team's name is "Manchester United," not "Man You." Stop embarrasing yourselves.

PS - the new goalkeeper is pronounced "De Hey-a," not "De Ghee-ya". Do your homework. It's not as if the guy was playing in the lower rungs of the Turkish Leagues last year. He started for a pretty famous team in La Liga.

o Ashley Young saw a lot of the ball last night. He hit a few nice crosses, but looked suspiciously like another right footed player who would be more comfortable playing on the right wing than the left.  Traffic jam, anyone?

The Third Coast: A Mecca for Craft Beer Lovers

Quick quiz for you: Which U.S. State has the second longest coast line?  Bet you'd never guess it's Michigan, unless you grew up in the Midwest.  Often derisively referred to as "fly over country" by east and west coast types, Michigan is a jewel of a state placed smack in the middle of the country, and lined with white sandy beaches and pristine turquoise water -- and lots of it.  In fact, the Great Lakes region of the U.S. holds more than 20% of the earth's entire supply of fresh water.  And to visit it in the summer time, as I recently did, is to take an unexpected beach vacation in the midst of America's heartland.

The Caribbean, or Michigan?

Boasting 400 foot tall sand dunes left over from the last Glacier Age, crystal clear water, and small beach town after small beach town (at least during the summer), Michigan is surrounded by beautiful and very accessible white sand beaches.  In fact, Michigan was a complete revelation to this particular traveler.  Yes, the water was a bit chilly -- but refreshing is probably a more apt description, at least for this South Floridian.  And the sunsets over Lake Michigan, as viewed from Traverse City, rivaled those in Key West and Naples, Florida....

I Love You, Hope Solo

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I've finally calmed down enough from Sunday's emotional win by the US Women's National Team to write  a few lines about the game.  This was a game that had it all: tragedy, farce, cliffhanger, and finally, redemption.  It was the kind of game that makes you love and hate the sport, and all at the same time.  In fact, I'll go so far as to say that this was the most exciting performance by a US soccer team since....well, since the same day twelve years ago, when the US Women beat China on penalties to win the 1999 Womens' World Cup.  July 10 has quickly attained legendary status for US Soccer, and the Women's team has left their male counterparts far back in the rear view mirror in terms of providing this country with legitimate soccer thrills.

Sure, the USMNT will always have Landon Donovan's last gasp goal against Algeria this past year to fall back on, but Abby Wambach's thrilling header in the 122nd minute was all that and more.  Down to ten women, forced by a referee -- who can only be described as incompetent, corrupt, or both -- to play the final hour of the match (including stoppage and overtime) one player short, the US toughed it out and never gave up.  Displaying our very finest national trait, the Americans virtually willed themselves to victory, a victory all the sweeter for how it happened.

Game Day Beer Review: Rahr & Sons Brewing Company's Ass Kisser Double IPA

(9.00% ABV). Poured into a wine glass, Ass Kisser is a dark, ciderish orange, with a small, whitish head that leaves behind little, if any, lacing. This beer is hoppy, aggressively so right from the first sniff, although I also get a certain chocolate sweetness in the scent.

Ass Kisser is appropriately sour on the tongue, but the hoppiness gradually mellows into a a malty, bread-like finish. The beer never really comes together for my liking, and I find it a little unbalanced for my tastebuds.  It's neither fish nor fowl, so I'll give it a: B.

Game Day Beer Review: Collaboration Gnomegang Belgian Strong Pale Ale

(9.5% ABV). This beer is a collaboration between one legendary brewery and one legend in the making: Brewery D'Achouffe of Belgium (the legend) and  Brewery Ommegang out of Cooperstown, NY (the up and comer). 


Poured from a 750 ml bottle into a chalice, Gnomegang is a rich straw color with a slightly off-whitish head that quickly fizzles away.  It's definitely a belgian through the nose, yeasty and reminiscent of a saison, with a bready smell and just a hint of lemon zest apparent. Gnomegang is plenty carbonated, which gives it a crisp, clean mouthfeel, and it has a rich, spicy yeastiness that combines with a faint candy sweetness upon tasting. 


I'm also getting the taste of apples, and the alcohol definitely comes through before it's all done. With two breweries like this working together, I'd like to see some more joint efforts! A-
 

How Quickly We Forget

THIS is what's on Correspondent Ed's playlist -- You can't make this stuff up....
photo by Lunchbox LP	via PhotoRee

His brain addled by the steady stream of music from boy-band Big Time Rush that he's been grooving to on Pandora, Columnist Ed closes the book on farlieonfootie's recent musings on the US Mens National team:

I’ve heard some grumblings lately about this 2010 version of the US Mens National Team, and how we miss players like Tab Ramos or Claudia Reyna, or even John Harkes.  I find this position silly at best.  This current US team is our best in the modern era, and despite the fact that progress is still slower than any of us want, our progress since the 1990’s has been substantial. 

Let’s first tackle what this 1994 team did to earn it’s reputation.  In the World Cup in the United States, this team upset Columbia 2 to 1, tied Switzerland, 1 to 1, lost to Romania 1 to 0 and lost to Brazil 1 to 0.  You may remember that record to be better; but that was it.  Now it’s tough to beat these guys up, as playing Brazil to a 1 to 0 game is an accomplishment, and this was by far a new high water mark for a US team in the World Cup in the modern era.  I will also grant this about the 1994 team:  they played with heart, they put US Soccer on the map, and they had a good run.  Of note from this World Cup was the vicious elbow Tab Ramos received against Brazil – literally breaking his skull and putting him in the hospital for 3 months – as well as the murder of the Columbian goaltender at a nightclub for an own goal against the US when he returned.  

Happy Independence Day

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Wishing a Very Happy 4th of July to our readers in the United States.  And to our readers in the UK, this'll teach you to try and raise the taxes on our tea!

Enjoy the holiday.

This is a patriotic farlieonfootie for July 4.

Rumors and Speculation

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Some thoughts on activity (and inactivity) so far in the summer transfer window:

o I'm going out on a limb here, but I think David De Gea is going to be a wonderful 'keeper.  I've been banging on about him on this website for almost a year now -- I was impressed from the first time I saw him play live for Atletico Madrid, handing Barcelona their only La Liga defeat of the 2009/2010 season.   His long, lanky frame covers a ton of ground, and he's one of the best shot blockers in Europe.  He's young and likely still learning, but I'm confident he'll be able to handle the pressure cooker that is Old Trafford, and that he's going to be United's rock in front of goal for years to come.

o Arsenal should pay whatever it takes to sign Chris Samba.  He's exactly the kind of imposing physical player the Gunners need to be competitive.  I don't rate Gary Cahill nearly as much -- he may be a fine player, but Arsenal need someone with some size, bite and presence.  They need someone opponents fear.  I hope they don't sign him.