Tickle v. Tackle 2

Tickle

• DC United is undefeated in three and has two straight wins. They still don't look as good as they should, but at least the results are starting to come. This week against Houston is a big match for the two pre-season favorites to really stake their revival claims.
• La Liga is the best league in the world right now. I still find the EPL to be somewhat more entertaining, but that's probably because I'm more familiar with the history, the clubs, and the players. Plus, the blood and thunder, back and forth, high paced affairs in the Premiership are great fun, if not technically or tactically always beautiful. Put it this way - La Liga is a like a sophisticated, gorgeous, intelligent woman who you can admire from afar, but might be reduced to a drooling idiot should you actually get to talk to her. The Premiership is sexy, easy to talk to, and a good laugh, even if she's not the prettiest girl in the room. Oh yeah, and Serie A is the heroin-addicted ex-supermodel turned whore with a gambling problem tossing down highballs and chain smoking in the corner of the bar.
• Drew Carey is hosting a video game tournament to raise money for the Mooch Myernick Memorial Fund, which benefits urban soccer clubs and organizations. He's donating $10k for any losses to US National Team players (men and women) and will take on the winner of an auction. I'm not a huge fan, but this is very, very cool of him.

Tackle

• Gol TV needs to get the guy back that they had doing commentary last year. Shoen and Hudson are terrible. I mean, I like Hudson as a turn-of-phrase/quote machine, but these guys spend the whole match calling out the wrong names, virtually licking players boots (particularly anybody from South America), waxing on about things that have nothing to do with the current match, and generally hyperbolizing their way to new heights of inanity. I loved that Hudson kept going back to Barca's first goal against Atletico and making offsides claims throughout the game despite the fact that they showed the replay at least half-a-dozen times and you can clearly see that Eto'o is even with the defender at the top of the screen. That's it! I'm throwing my spear in the ground and giving a real fist-shaking performance here! Christ, can you imaging how quickly the Apocalypse would be upon us if the stars align to put Hudson and Tommy "Onion Bags" Smyth in the same booth? Heaven help us all.
  
• Big Clubs have big-time players, right? They have the best and the brightest on their rosters, but they consistently play this negative crap when it comes to cup finals. It's not that I want a whole load of Arsene Wenger "style over results" performances in every match, but it would be nice to see a few. Just go for it! You've got fantastic players who should be putting on a fantastic show. I know that the game is all about money and results at the moment, but wouldn't it be wonderful to see two teams just go and try to dazzle us with skill and flair in an important game?
• DC United may be resurgent at the moment, but their attack just isn't clicking. Gomez just seems off, Emilio started strong but has faded since, and Moreno is some sort of infectious molasses slime mold that slows the whole show down when the ball lands at his feet. Kpene is the only one who seems to be playing with confidence and speed, both in the head and on the ball - and he's a freakin' rookie! It's put up or shut up time against Houston. If we've truly turned things around, the home fans should have something to shout about this weekend.