Columbus Crew Upset by The Richmond Kickers 2-1 in US Open Cup Round of 16, 6/28/11

1,845 of my closest friends and I watched the Columbus Crew get upset by the USL Pro League Richmond Kickers 2-1. The loss eliminated The Crew, who lost in the finals of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup last year to the Seattle Sounders, from the 2011 tourney tonight.

I thought it would be interesting to attend tonight's match. My daughter Mallory came with me. I anticipated seeing several Crew players who have not seen first team action this year, and rumors were that Robbie Rogers, returning from National Team duty, would play, as would Danny O'Rourke, in his first competitive match following knee surgery.

You can read the recap of the match on thecrew.com:

http://www.thecrew.com/news/2011/06/recap-crew-vs-kickers-usoc

Pretty uninspired performance. Danny O'Rourke got a straight red in the 67th minute when the game was 1-1. The ten-man Crew still were able to attack, but the defense (no regular starter played in defense tonight) looked unorganized when Richmond knocked in the winning goal in the 85th minute.

I was a little surprised with the lack of effort put in by Jeff Cunningham who played 90 minutes at striker. He seemed to disappear for several minutes at a time in tonight's match.

Robbie Rogers looked good in his return, creating several scoring chances for The Crew with some good one-on-one effort.

But The Crew lost. Should have figured it wouldn't be a good night when Mallory and I noticed that only half of the Crew Stadium lights came on as the sun set. I thought the match was going to have to be finished in the dark. Late in the match all of the lights did finally come on, but The Crew still couldn't find the back of the net.

Weight Watchers, Tracking My Progress 6/28/11, Gained .2 Pounds

Well, I weighed in today and actually gained .2 pounds this week. I weigh 259.4 pounds and have lost 25.6 pounds since I started the program 13 weeks ago.

I didn't do as well exercising this week. I exercised 5 of the past 7 days. All of my exercise consisted of brisk walks. I walked a total of 11.7 miles this week.

Everything I have read about healthy weight loss advocates for no more than 2 pounds per week weight loss, so I feel good about losing 25 pounds in 13 weeks. More importantly I physically feel great! Sunday I bought a new belt, as my waist has shrunk to the point that my old belts are way too large.

I followed the program diligently this past week. I will chalk up my very slight weight increase this week to the fact that I was wearing my work clothes to my weekly meeting rather than shorts and a t-shirt the last two meetings and not getting as much exercise as usual.

Hitting my 10% loss of body weight milestone is within reach. Should be within the next two weeks.
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

Again With the Galaxy! Major League Soccer Power Rankings, Week 15, 6/27/11

The Galaxy are #1 Again!

The Los Angeles Galaxy keeps the top spot this week giving them six #1's in a row.

This week the gap closed between the Galaxy and second place Seattle. We may be ripe for a change next week.

Biggest moves up the rankings this week? Sporting KC and Real Salt Lake each moved up 4 spots.

Biggest drops? The Philadelphia Union and Colorado each dropped 3 spots.

Who has the best current form? Seattle, Sporting KC and the Galaxy.

The worst? Portland, New England and Toronto.

My Week 15 Major League Soccer Power Rankings (UP or DOWN from last week):

1)LA Galaxy (West)

2)Seattle Sounders FC (West) UP

3)FC Dallas (West) DOWN

4)Columbus Crew (East) UP

5)Sporting Kansas City (East) UP

6)San Jose Earthquakes (West) DOWN

7)Real Salt Lake (West) UP

8)Philadelphia Union (East) DOWN

9)New York Red Bulls (East) DOWN

10)Chicago Fire (East)

11)Colorado Rapids (West) DOWN

12)D.C. United (East)

13)Houston Dynamo (East) UP

14)Vancouver Whitecaps (West) DOWN

15)Chivas USA (West) DOWN

16)New England Revolution (East) UP

17)Toronto FC (East) UP

18)Portland Timbers (West) DOWN

A Plethora of Goals! The Columbus Crew Win 4-1! 6/26/11

I have always wanted to use the word "plethora" in my blog. Seems pretty apropos (another word I have wanted to us) to use "plethora" to describe last night's Columbus Crew victory over the Colorado Rapids. Four goals in one match? Yeah, The Crew did that.

I missed the last home match against the Chicago Fire, so I didn't blog about that debacle. But last night was a very inspired performance by The Crew. After giving up an early goal to Colorado's Conor Casey (who was later red-carded after going in hard on a ball saved by Crew keep William Hesmer) The Crew racked up four goals, two by Andres Mendoza (who received a standing ovation when he was subbed off in the 68th minute) and one each by Eddie Gaven and Tommy Heinemann. The Crew got a measure of revenge against the Rapids, who eliminated The Crew from the 2010 MLS playoffs on penalty kicks last November at Crew Stadium.

If Mendoza continues to convert his scoring chances, The Crew fans will learn to appreciate him. He clapped for the fans when he came off the pitch. Maybe he has learned a little to show a little appreciation for the fans. We really aren't hard to please.

I really thought Emmanuel Ekpo played one of his best matches of the season. He controlled the midfield and made very good decisions with the ball. I also continue to be impressed with Rich Balchan as a holding midfielder. And Sebastian Miranda has turned into one of the best outside backs in the MLS. The guy just doesn't make a mistake.

There was some interesting goings-on in the Nordecke last night. During the first half, the whole group moved to the upper deck. I was trying to track what was going on via twitter during the match. Looks like Chris LaMacchia of the MassiveReport.com captured what happened here:

http://massivereport.com/content/nordecke-takes-vacation-corner

It will be interesting to listen to the Massive Report's podcast tonight, as Crew President and General Manager Mark McCullers will be the guest. I'm sure Nordecke-Gate will be discussed.

Two wins in a row for The Crew now finds them tied for second in the Eastern Conference with the New York Red Bulls with one game in hand. The Crew are playing some quality soccer right now, and I'm enjoying it.

The LA Galaxy are #1 for the 5th Week in a Row! Major League Soccer Power Rankings, Week 14, 6/22/11

The Galaxy are #1 Again!

The Los Angeles Galaxy keeps the top spot this week giving them five #1's in a row.

This will be a brief post, been busy, but still wanted to get my rankings out there.

Biggest moves up the rankings this week? The Columbus Crew moved up 6 spots, Sporting KC moved up 5.

Biggest drops? The Houston Dynamo dropped 4 spots, Colorado and Real Salt Lake both dropped 3.

Who has the best current form? The Galaxy, FC Dallas and San Jose.

The worst? Portland, New England and Toronto.

My Week 14 Major League Soccer Power Rankings:

1) LA Galaxy (West)

2) FC Dallas (West)

3) Seattle Sounders FC (West)

4) San Jose Earthquakes (West)

5) Philadelphia Union (East)

6) Columbus Crew (East)

7) New York Red Bulls (East)

8) Colorado Rapids (West)

9) Sporting Kansas City (East)

10) Chicago Fire (East)

11) Real Salt Lake (West)

12) D.C. United (East)

13) Vancouver Whitecaps (West)

14) Chivas USA (West)

15) Houston Dynamo (East)

16) Portland Timbers (West)

17) New England Revolution (East)

18) Toronto FC (East)

Weight Watchers, Tracking My Progress 6/22/11, Down 25 Pounds!

Weighed in tonight at 259.2 pounds. I now have a total weight loss of 25.8 pounds. Got a medal for hitting the 25 pound mark!

Exercised 6 of 7 days this past week. Brisk walks. Went a total of 16.5 miles this week.

With my Dad still being in the hospital up in Columbus, I was a little worried that I wouldn't be able to maintain my discipline and follow the program with all of my travel there this week. But I did. I'm also pleased I got some exercise too.

I Googled the term "25 pounds" as I wanted to find a cool graphic. But I found something even better! Check it out:

Quite Possibly the World's Largest Potato-25 Pounds!

Father's Day

At this time last Sunday I wondered if Father's Day today might not be a reason to celebrate.

My Dad (He has involuntarily contributed to my blog from time to time.) fell during my daughter's graduation from Ohio State last Sunday. As a result of the fall, he required surgery on his neck (Waiting...). The great news is that he is doing well and will fully recover.

I credit both my Dad's perserverance and the wonderful care he is getting from the Ohio State University Medical Center for my optimism and for his long term prognosis.

I knew Dad would be OK when at one point this week the nurses asked him if he knew where he was. His answer? Ann Arbor! (Dad is a Michigan grad.)

So I can celebrate Father's Day. Dad will be OK. My daughter Mallory is attending her first National Athletic Trainers' Association Meeting as a certified Athletic Trainer fresh out of Ohio State. My son Brian has moved to New York City, has a job and is close to finding a permanent place to reside there. And my youngest son Michael has just finished his junior year in high school.

Everyone is happy!

Oh, not to mention my wife Tammy and I will be celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary in 3 1/2 months.

Get Well Fast Dad!

Waiting...

What actually happens in a hospital waiting room?

Old magazines. Really old. I swear they had a Time magazine celebrating the fall of the Berlin Wall.

People seem to be in a better mood than they should be.

As I sit here, I begin to get curious. Are the operations that people's loved ones are having significant? The jovial mood would indicate otherwise. But it's a Monday afternoon and in some cases there looks to be four, five or even six family members waiting for loved ones. If it wasn't serious, would they be here in the middle of a workday?

My next thought is that the perceived jovial mood are peoples way of redirecting the serious of their situations.

While I write, I look around...two middle-aged women just returned from getting lunch at the Wendy's located here in the hospital, talking, but not smiling.

A large family across from me seems to have separated a bit. A half an hour ago there were at least nine people, a mixture of older and younger. Six have left. Bored? Needed a walk? It is a nice day outside.

The three that are left are messing around with their smart phones,  or reading the random pieces of today's Columbus Dispatch and USA Today that were left at their seats. Are these three the one's who are most concerned about their loved one? Are they the one's who are standing vigil? Are the one's who left just feigning that they care?

In the corner are three people in deep conversation, sitting hunched forward.What are they talking about? Maybe they are discussing the worst case scenario for their loved one. Or maybe their backs hurt from sitting for so long.

Waiting room furniture wasn't designed for actual waiting. If I had the job of designing the furniture, I would make sure that the arm rests moved up and down, so if a person wanted to lie down they could.

To my right are two people, feet planted firmly on the floor, heads bobbing as they attempt to sleep. Both have the luxury of having the backs of their chairs against walls. They can lean their heads back. But their chairs are too close to the wall, so even if they try to lean back, their heads soon lurch to forward or to the side...nocturnal whiplash.

There's a video board on the wall. When you check-in at the waiting room desk they give you a six digit code that corresponds to the person whom is in surgery.

Look on the board, match the six digit number to the one you are given:

Patient in Pre-Op
Patient in O/R
In Recovery
Exited Recovery
Transfer to Room

The volunteer also gives you a beeper, similar to the one you would get at your local Cheesecake Factory, buzzing, lights blinking...O/R Nurse on the phone...

"Your Insert Here (mother, father, brother, sister, friend etc.) is still in the operating room. Doing fine. Any questions?"

"I don't think so."

"OK. I will give you another update in two hours."

"OK. Thanks."

Click....

Waiting...

Weight Watchers, Tracking My Progress 6/14/11

Weighed in tonight at 261.2 pounds. I now have a total weight loss of 23.8 pounds.

Exercised 5 of 7 days this past week. Brisk walks. Went a total of 14 miles this week.

Feel pretty good about this week's results, as I had my daughter Mallory's graduation from Ohio State this weekend. The whole family came in, and we had plenty food and drink as part of the celebration. But I stuck to the program, counted all of my points, and stayed within the limits.

Apparently Lance Armstrong is a Bully Too!

Check out this report from the NYTimes.com:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/15/sports/cycling/altercation-between-lance-armstrong-and-tyler-hamilton-interests-fbi.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

Tyler Hamilton, Lance Armstrong's former cycling teammate who recently came out on a 60 minutes report accusing Armstrong of doping, was at the same restaurant as Armstrong in Aspen, Colorado this past Saturday night.

Lance Armstrong and Tyler Hamilton in Better Times

Lance Armstrong decided to berate Tyler Hamilton at the bar.

Two questions:

Why was Tyler Hamilton at a restaurant known to be frequented by Armstrong? Bad decision.

Second, why would Lance Armstrong decide bow-up on Tyler Hamilton in public?

If I were Lance Armstrong (and I'm glad I'm not) I would keep my yap shut. But he just can't help himself. Witness tampering? Hmmm...