No matter how much confetti you provide the stadium with, you still just can’t claim the name “super clasico” and expect people not to be weary.

MLS needs to be careful about how they market league rivalries and understand that history and tradition (as well as auspicious play) must be established before they can start claiming the limelight enjoyed by seasoned fixtures, such as Barca vs. Madrid, River vs. Boca, and even America vs. Chivas (not to mention some of the other great European club rivalries).

Don’t get me wrong! Everybody loves to watch an intense rivalry, but it’s hard to swallow when allusions of grandeur are so blatantly thrown into the color commentary. No really savages, I am not just angry that Chivas USA lost! But Landon Donovan must have read my preview because he showed the “world class” form needed to break the stride of Chivas (luckily not much conference damage resulted in the loss).

Donovan started early in the 8th min. for the LA Galaxy as he finished off the easy scraps, left by the mix-up between Chivas’ center-back Claudio Suarez and the keeper, to provide the early pressure. He showed up again in the offensive 3rd in the 17th min. to play a one-two for Harmse to finish with a drive at the near post.

Chivas fought back a goal in the 2nd half as Suarez made amends for his early mishap by deflecting home a goal after a series of deflections in the LA penalty box; however, it was the Galaxy that finished off the game, as Donovan again spear headed the drive, exploding from midfield on the dribble and delivering a back post pass for super-sub, Cobi Jones to finish for LA’s 3rd goal.

And while the game was decent enough, MLS should hesitate on unveiling the “Super Clasico” again until it can deliver mesmerizing, pulsating action in front of frenzied, standing room only crowds, or just simply have commentary that steers clear from such hyperbole. 

To read Apr. 27, 2007 Edition, Click here

To learn more about Aerobic Soccer Training, Click here

As displayed by their final penalty to take the crown of best in the Western Hemisphere. Yes, on the global scale Mexican Soccer has weighed in as the heavy weights.

First capturing South America through 2006 South American Cup honors and now taking North America with 2007 CONCACAF Champions’ Cup honors, Pachuca is now on course to take a 3rd trophy by winning the Mexican League.

Savages, when have you had the chance to see the Champions of a whole hemisphere? Well, for the last time you have the chance. See Pachuca play one of their last matches for the season tomorrow.

The game starts at 6 pm on Galavision. If you don’t have Galavision, then you missed out on when the getting was good. You missed watching one of the best teams Mexico has ever produced, and one that dismantled the current MLS champs by coming back from 2-0 down to go up 5-2 when the final whistle blew a few weeks ago.

These guys are the real deal, and for any of you fogies that can’t accept Pachuca as number one, lay down because Los Tuzos are either running over you, or splicing through you with ease—10-1 vs. Toronto FC right now.

Oh, Mexican vs. Canadian match-ups, what a twist! Be on the look out for our European Season summaries that will be released as the leagues are winding down.  

Enjoy your weekends, players and poets!

Chivas USA and the LA Galaxy will face each other this Saturday for this season’s 1st Hollywood derby, and it seems that not much has changed for the Galaxy squad which finished in the bottom of the conference last season.

Having played only 2 games, it seems that LA is trying to keep their games to a minimum before Becks-star arrives to a basement club. Maybe one of the worst teams of MLS does need a world class player to turn out results—I thought they all ready had one though, but I guess Donovan falls short of world class. 

On the other hand, Chivas seems to be building nicely off their success from last term. Having just steamrolled (4-0) Real Salt Lake, Preki has the Mexican farm-league squad high in confidence walking into the showdown this weekend with their neighbors.

The victory would pull them up above Dallas at the top of the Western Conference for a spell with Dallas facing off against New England on Sunday.

One last match and all will be told—AC Milan vs. Liverpool with the Italians putting the ghost of 05 to rest and restoring amends against the English bogey side that loves to pull trumps.

That’s right savages! I am saying that AC Milan (even at a deficit) will defeat Man. United in the San Siro next week, as well as predicting even the bigger upset of Liverpool (also at a deficit) over Chelsea at Anfield—to start the beginning of the destruction of the Chelsea Empire.

Most of you would think me crazy to stake claim for two losing clubs, but I must remind you that it is only halftime, and the consequences of the 1st match have not yet determined the finality of the round. In fact, you would think that the home coaches actually have the advantage, as the probability of pulling out victory at home is far greater than winning on the road.

Look for Kaka to have another awe-inspiring performance (he scored twice easily and with class at Old Trafford) that will make even Cantona proud. With the Italians holding strong and nullifying the speed of Man. United away from home, Rooney, Ronaldo, and Co. will have to settle for their final with Chelsea for any chance of cup glory.

Serie A was the first major league to crown a champion this past weekend—as all the European leagues are reaching their home stretch. Inter Milan secured the scudetto on Sunday behind a brace of goals scored, of all people, by defender, Marco Materazzi.

With only a handful of games left, it will be interesting to see how Inter approach their remaining games, the toughest against Lazio, who started off in negative fashion and have pushed up into a Champions League spot for next year (just like AC Milan mind you).

Knowing that things will return close to normal by the beginning of next season, Inter will probably have to sell off their monopoly of players, as the gladiator’s field actually becomes competitive once again. 

Still Inter had a great season with their only loss (thus far) coming at the hands of Roma so late in the season. It really was their away form that paid the dividends though as they still remain undefeated on the road.

Perhaps the only blemish on the year was their demise in the Champions League (losing out to Valencia in the Round of Sixteen)! With two consecutive scudettos, one can almost see the Champions League as their guiding light for next season.

To read Apr. 20, 2007 Edition, Click here

To learn more about Aerobic Soccer Training, Click here

Sunday vs. Siena will see Inter Milan legitimate champions of the Serie A for the first time in a long time. I say legitimate, because they have finally proved on the field that they are champions.

You say, “Come on Mongoose, this will be their third title in three years.” Yes, but they received those titles only by default, when some other Italians got their hands caught in the cookie jar, and ipso facto Inter pulled down the crown.

As I check my stat book, the two top scoring Inter players in the league this season are Crespo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Both were not members of last year’s squad, but with 25 goals between them, Inter relied heavily on them. Things worked out great this season with a surplus of strikers to offset the big headed Brazilian attitude that ravaged Adriano. The stars were aligned for Inter to set records and destroy most all challengers.

Oh, the roses smell great right now, but what will happen when Juventus B rises to Serie A and A.C. Milan don’t have to start deep in the basement? Competition gets a lot more intense, and the noise will be turned up in this now quiet runaway competition. I say next year is business as usual, with phone calls and payoffs, all under the table of course, but anything for an Italian owner to get an edge on the competition!

Savages, do you think Inter was clean last year, or too good to be caught? Regardless, this year was a gimme—next year is when the nails get bitten, and the silencers get screwed back on!

I really thought Chivas USA would pull off the win last week against Houston, but the Dynamo showed their Champion’s character and bruised into (1-0) victory thanks to a Brain Ching header.

The loss definitely pushed us down in the conference, but at least we’re only 1 pt. from 1st place Colorado. Chivas has an excellent opportunity to put pressure on the leaders as they face Real Salt Lake, who followed up their (2-2) draw to Dallas with a zeros stalemate against Columbus.

In the weekend’s other Western conference fixtures, Houston plays early Eastern conference contenders, the Red Bulls, while Colorado and Dallas face off in a Western frontier gunfight.

On the Eastern side of things, the early defeats of DC United and Twellmen’s resurgence of goals for New England are the present talking points, as well as the fact that Kansas has played only one game so far with the victory keeping them in check and with games in hand.

Kansas plays Chicago this weekend as New England has already played (ESPN2 Thursdays) salvaging a (2-2) draw against Columbus.

Pachuca drew level (2-2) against Guadalajara on the road this past Wednesday to set up a chance at a brace of trophies for the modest Mexican club.

Though Pachuca took the lead early in the Jalisco stadium, Chivas’ and Mexican International striker Oscar Bravo scored two unanswered goals to put the all-Mexs in the driver’s seat before Pachuca scored the leveler in the last 10 min. of the match to reclaim the advantage for next Wednesday’s 2nd Leg decider.

Pachuca, which has already claimed the Copa Sudamericana, is enjoying a rich form of late as they are also with a superior goal difference in La Liga Mexicana and look likely to also press for the league trophy like Mongoose said.

Of course, Guadalajara is still within shouting distance to claim the silverware, and considering their experience and knowledge of winning trophies, they are probably favored to lift the CONCACAF Champions’ Cup.  

Still, I’ll be pulling for Pachuca to stay on course for the treble.