Major League Soccer to be Broadcast On Versus (Soon to be Named NBC Sports Network) In 2012!

I know this was announced on August 10th, but NBC is already promoting Major League Soccer by showing this clip during their Sunday Night Football broadcast on 8/21/2011:

Major League Soccer matches will primarily be shown on Versus (soon to be renamed NBC Sports Network) which already reaches double the households Fox Soccer Channel currently has access to. 41 matches per year will be broadcast on Versus, 4 on NBC.

ESPN will still show matches Nationally, as will Univision.

Fox Soccer's Major League Soccer broadcasts have always had an amateurish feel to me. Based on how Versus/NBC Sports promotes and the quality of their broadcasts of the National Hockey League and the Tour de France, this arrangement will be huge for Major League Soccer!

Details:

http://goal.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/10/m-l-s-and-nbc-sports-announce-new-tv-deal/

New foursquare Badge! The 30 Minutes or Less Badge!

Sweet. Got another foursquare badge tonight!

It's the 30 Minutes or Less Badge. You get it by following the movie 30 Minutes or Less on foursquare, and then checking into a bank or pizza parlor.

The trailer for the movie looks pretty good. It stars Jesse Eisenberg and Danny McBride and is loosely based on a true story that happened in Erie, Pennsylvania in 2003.

I don't see a lot of movies in the theater, but I just might have to see 30 Minutes or Less, especially because it is directed by Ruben Fleischer, who also directed Zombieland, a favorite movie of mine.

Here's the details on the foursquare badge:

30 Minutes or Less

You're either eating a slice of pizza thinking about robbing a bank, robbing a bank wishing you were eating a slice, or robbing a slice while eating a bank. Either way, be sure to catch 30 Minutes or Less, in theaters August 12. Oh yeah, and #DontBlowIt.

Unlocked by jiresell on Sun Jul 24, 2011 at 7:08 PM at Bruno's Pizza in Liberty Twp, Ohio.

Terrelle Pryor Gone

Jim Tressel and Terrelle Pryor in the Good Ole Days

Terrelle Pryor will not play his senior season at Ohio State.

Here's the article from the Columbus Dispatch's website:

http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/sports/stories/2011/06/07/pryor-skips-senior-year-ohio-state.html

Here's his statement:

"In the best interest of my teammates, I have made the decision to forego (sic) my senior year of football at The Ohio State University," Pryor said in a prepared statement read by his attorney Larry James.

Bottom line, Terrelle Pryor had lost the respect of his teammates. Buckeye Nation wasn't going to welcome him back.

He couldn't even get the name right when he announced that he would attend Ohio State University back in March of 2008. THE UNIVERSITY OF OHIO STATE?!?!

Here's the press conference from that fateful day:

Hmmmm....

As I write this, ESPN has reported that Terrelle Pryor made $20,000-$40,000 signing memorabilia for a Columbus Businessman at Ohio State.

Idiot. Good riddance.

Here's the report from ESPN.com:

Terrelle Pryor Signings Netted Thousands

Dan Wheldon Wins the 2011 Indy 500 After Final Lap, Final Turn Crash by J.R. Hildebrand!

Wow, what a finish! Guessing Dan Wheldon feels like Nick Faldo felt when he won the 1996 Masters after Greg Norman's choke job.

After Further Review-Eric Brunner Was Offside, The Crew Got Screwed!

Looks like Portland's Eric Brunner (#5) was offside when the ball was crossed to him, and the assistant referee at the top of the screen was completely out of position to make the call. Brunner scored the only goal of the game off this cross in The Crew's 1-0 loss to Portland this past Saturday, 5/21/11.

Watch the video, and note there is no Crew player at the far post.

It should have been waived off!

Freeze Pops-A Man Alone, A Movie by Brian J Sell

Created By, Directed By and Starring Brian J Sell:

Here's the YouTube link if you are a fan: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrHhL7A1kV8&feature=youtu.be&a

2011 White House Correspondents' Dinner

Saw this last night on C-SPAN and had to post it today. This is great stuff! Seth Meyers of Saturday Night Live is brilliant, and President Obama is not too shabby either.

Check them out. President Obama first:

Seth Meyers:

The Best Soccer Club Atmosphere I Have Ever Seen in the U.S.-Portland Timbers of the MLS!

Last night (April 14, 2011) one of the two new expansion clubs in Major League Soccer, the Portland Timbers, had their home debut. They opened their new/renovated stadium, Jeld-Wen Field. The game was broadcast on ESPN2 at 11pm EST, so I had to DVR it. But I did make sure to catch the opening couple of minutes.

The Timbers took a very prudent approach to their home stadium. The field originally opened in 1926 and has been used by the local minor league baseball team, the Portland Beavers, and the Portland State Football team.

The stadium also has soccer tradition. It was the home of the old NASL (North American Soccer League) Portland Timbers from 1975-1982 and hosted the NASL Championship Game between the New York Cosmos and Seattle Sounders in 1977. That game was historic as it was Pele's final professional match.

After a $31 million dollar renovation, the field opened last night with the Portland Timbers hosting the Chicago Fire. I still have to watch the game on the DVR, but the Timbers won 4-2, sending their fans (18,627 to be exact) including their supporters group, the Timbers Army, home very happy.

The field looked great on TV. Possibly the best atmosphere I have ever seen for a US based soccer club, rivaling the best of the European clubs. The Timbers Army was very well organized, singing and chanting in unison.

The best part of last night's match for me was the decision that Portland Timbers' management made regarding the National Anthem. Rather than bringing in a celebrity to sing the Star-Spangled Banner, the decision was made to have the Timbers Army sing it. A brilliant move, and possibly the best rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner I have ever heard. Check it out!

ADDED:I forgot to mention that the Portland Timbers may have started the best tradition in the MLS when celebrating a home goal. After every goal, the Timbers mascot, Timber Joey, brings out his chain saw and cuts a slice off of a huge log.

After the game the goal scorer is presented with the slice to commemorate his goal!

Steve Sirk, who has contributed articles for the Columbus Crew's website, http://www.thecrew.com/ had a great tweet last night about the tradition:

stevesirk Steve Sirk 

How far MLS has come, part 22567...1996: "Sorry, drums can be used as weapons. No entry!" 2011: "Fully functional chain saw? No problem!"

Here is Timber Joey after the first goal last night:

Portland Timbers Celebrate Their Big Win! (Craig Mitchelldyer, www.portlandtimbers.com)