Here is the link to THE OFFSIDE CUP – QUARTERFINAL PREVIEW

So enjoy. And thanks for the support

QUARTER FINALS BEGIN TODAY! THE WILL BE TILL the 24th! MIDNIGHT! Check your emails . . .

+ We have launched a new blog on the offside – games.theoffside.com. It will be the gamers page for the site, focused on footie, but expanding into other sports related games as well. And I am your writer. Thanks to the people who wanted this. I am psyched.

+ I made my debut on The Offside Podcast, and spoke a little MLS. If you want to hear my sexy voice trying to sound smart, click the link.

+ CONTEST ALERT – The Podcast is giving away a NEW YORK RED BULLS FOOTBALL! Listen to the podcast for more detail.

BTW – Yes, that is me.

Catch you all on three different pages! Read the new blog stuff, check out the PODCAST, and overall, have fun with it.

Thanks everyone.

Congrats to all the players in the round of 16. Some heavy competition, and fireworks for sure, but we made it through, unscathed.

With Fiorentina beating Sao Paolo at home 2-1, and 1-0, the round is complete.

Here are your match ups for the Quarters:

BRACKET I

Inter Milan v. Fiorentina

Tottenham v. Roma

BRACKET II

Manchester United v. AC Milan

Celtic v. Barcelona

This round will feature the same rules as the previous – best of three series, with goal differential being the deciding factor in case of a tie.

Passwords and league info will be sent out by Thursday.

Congratulations to our winners!

Here are your Cupdates:

+ Inter Milan advance past Everton to the quarters!
+ Man U squeeks by Palermo!
+++++ Palermo 1 – 3 Man U
+++++ Man U 0 – Palermo 3
+++++ Palermo 0 – 1 Man U
+ Celtic advances past Juventus with back to back 2-1 victories
+ Barcelona advances with a series win against Aston Villa
+++ Barcelona 3 – 1 Aston Villa
+++++ Aston Villa 2 – 7 Barcelona
+++++ Aston Villa 1 –1 Barcelona
+ Totties move forward past Stuttgart
+ AC Milan advances past Lyon 2 games to 1.
+++++ AC Milan 3 – 0 Lyon
+++++ Lyon 0 – 3 AC Milan
+++++ AC Milan 0 - 3 Lyon
+ Roma advances with two convincing wins against Toulouse
+++++ Roma 2 – Toulouse 1
+++++ Toulouse 0 – Roma 9
+ Sao Paolo v. Fiorentina yet to be played.

Well, Spring Break in all its glory has forestalled our little tournament to the point that I had to drop it back a week.

NEW DEADLINE: April 15th @ Midnight.

For now, here are a couple of results to share with you, including two teams advancing to the Quarter Final round!

+ Palermo 1 – 3 Man U

+ Juve 1 – 2 Celtic

And the two teams advancing?

Tottenham and Barcelona

The Totties move on via forfeit (for Fantasy sake, lets say that Stuttgart were not given passports to this event. So Congrats!)

Barcelona defeated Aston Villa 2-0-1, with the following results:

Barcelona 3 – 1 Aston Villa
Aston Villa 2 – 7 Barcelona
Aston Villa 1 –1 Barcelona

I will be on tonite, so if you would like to coordinate some games for the coming week, I will be more than welcome to it.

Thanks everyone. See you online.

Let me begin by saying – this is completely based on the team as currently configured. I know April 15th is right around the corner, and 2 signings can change everything, but this is the current situation.

With that said . . .

Lets begin with a Haiku . . .

Red Bulls 2008

We place all our hope
Into Osorio’s plan
May he guide wisely

SEASON PREDICTION:

12 wins 11 loses 7 ties (3rd in the East, 43 pts., Semi Final finish)

KEY ACQUISITIONS:

Juan Carlos Osorio (new head coach)
Zach Thornton
Oscar Echeverry
Eric Brunner
Luke Sassano
Danleigh Borman

KEY PLAYERS RELEASED:

Dema Kovalenko (you will be missed)
Clint Mathis (ditto)
Ronald Watterreus
Markus Schopp (not exactly KEY, but . . . )
Santino Quaranta (ditto Schopp)
Joe Vide (underrated, well trained CDM who will also be missed)

SEASON PREVIEW:

Nuts and bolts :

We left you last season at yet another brick wall performance against the team I love to hate – The New England Revo-losers.

There were our glaring weaknesses on display, for all to see. Lack of wing play. Mediocre play from our defensive wings. Absolutely no service to the most dangerous forward tandem in the MLS. And a big fat 0 on the goal side.

The list began to be compiled – we need an attacking mid, we need a left back, we need more service from the wings. We need, we need, we need.

So, in an attempt to better our course, we dumped Bruce Arena after a less than glorious reign as coach. In comes Juan Carlos Osorio, magic man who brought the Chicago Fire back from the dead (though I am sure there was some guy named Blanco who helped out situations). And all hopes were heaped on his shoulders.

The signings have been slim. The cuts have been drastic.

And here we are, days away from the first game of the season.

How much have things really changed?

The Stars

As previously mentioned, we feature the Dynamic Duo of MLS forwards – Jozy Altidore and Juan Pablo Angel (dont ask me who is Robin . . . ). Maybe 10 years ago, having that was enough to win an MLS Cup. But in this parity ridden league, you need strength on all ends.

In comes Captain America, Claudio Reyna. Reyna enjoyed a less than stellar year, with reports of a tumultuous relationship with Coach Arena making matters worse. Pile on injuries to this mediocre stew and you have Claudio Reyna, 2007.

2008, however, carries a more positive tone. Reports early and often have praised Reynas play on the field, where he is being asked to play a bit of CDM, his natural position, and CAM, the categorical opposite. And it seems he has been excelling in both areas, even if this display wasn’t quite visible in Carolina (last two games were sleepers, but he did play well in the first).

These are the teams stars, people who we will be relying heavily to carry this team.

The New Comers

Um. Zach Thornton and Oscar Echeverry. So we have depth at goal and the attacking spot.

Besides them, there is this years slew of draftees, headed by Luke Sassano and Danleigh Borman, both who may see time on the pitch as starters. Borman showed some magic in his crosses preseason. Sassano, grit. It will be interesting to track their development as the season commences.

But the most exciting new comer is Juan Carlos Osorio. He takes the cake. And he is carrying this teams expectations squarley on his shoulders.

Keep an eye on

Jon Conway. If anyone on the team is in the position of making this team float or flounder, its Conway. A life long career back up, many Bulls fans are skeptical of his ability to maintain his cool under pressure, come up with the big save, or simply maintain concentration on the pitch. Displays like last years Mendes back pass, or more recently with the mystery goal TFC’s Cunningham scored in the Carolina Cup that was in Conways hands, have fans begging for answers and hoping for the best. This will be Conways job to lose – all season long.

We’ll win the league if…

We avoid injuries, sign a key defender (Chris Innes), or a solid CDM to allow Reyna the CAM position (Lider Marmol). With them, and a healthy Dane Richards and Hunter Freeman, we will have the depth and talent to succeed.

We’ll be in trouble if…

We run into injuries. Why? Our depth cant take it. We will already be without Dane Richards till Summer. Ditto Freeman. We can not afford to plug in holes with rookie players. One more injury, and we will be looking at the Chris Leitches and John Gilkersons of the world to patch us up (in fairness, Leitch has looked ok this preseason).

The Beckham Factor

Will still be strong this season. If he stays healthy.

You might not know . . .

+ Play by Play of NY away games are done in studio, away from the field action.

+ Jozy Altidore had an offer from Reading as an immediate starter – and he rejected it.

+ Our only trophy? The La Manga Cup – a Soccer Resort in Spains club team preseason tourney

+ The logo featured above is the 2007 logo. I couldnt find the new, non-streaky one.

+ I am a Gemini!

Passwords, League Name, and all details have been sent.

Just to revue:

This round shall feature a three game aggregate. You will be measured by Wins and Goal Differential. In the case where an absolute tie occurs, a one game playoff shall be held to determine the outcome.

ROUND OF 16 will be played: March 31st – April 9th Midnight.

If teams finish before then, we can advance the tourney early.

Lets kick it off folks!

And there have been some great upsets. The round of 16 begins Friday and will last a full week

This round will feature a best of three series; as explained before, games can end in ties. In the case of a complete three game tie, we will move to goal differential. If that doesnt decide it, a one game playoff will.

Ladies and gentlemen . . .
Your winners . . .

GROUP A

1 – Everton – Michfan2123
2 – Palermo – Pinturriochio

GROUP B

1 – Manchester United – BigTed11
2 – Inter Milan – StreetAlAbu

GROUP C

1 – Sao Paolo – FourEyedKoko
2 – AC Milan – istalliong

GROUP D

1 – Lyon – IXI James IXI
2 – Fiorentina – GreyGooseGuzla

GROUP E

1 – Tottenham -Tubby Suckerson
2 – Juventus – B0ombots

GROUP F

1 – Celtic – bobbhimx
2 – Stuttgart – BigManOnCampus0

* Stuttgart gets in via goal differential

GROUP G

1 – Roma -eszo4
2 – Barcelona – roven1

GROUP H

1 – Aston Villa -aslothwithaids
2 – Toulouse – handsome hubby

And your games for this weeks action . . . .

BRACKET 1

Everton v. Inter Milan

Sao Paolo v. Fiorentina

………………………..

Tottenham v. Stuttgart

Roma v. Toulouse

BRACKET 2

Manchester United v. Palermo

Lyon v. AC Milan

………………………..

Celtic v. Juventus

Aston Villa v. Barcelona

Congrats to everyone. I will email you all the new passwords for the next stage.

Cheers! And Goodnight!

GET YOUR GAMES IN NOW!

There are a few groups out there that can be decided on one game. Group A, group F, group B for starters. Get those games going, and lets find out who the true champions of the group stage truly are.

The round of 16 shall be one week long, best of three series. The way FIFA does it, there is no OT in these games. So these games will be strictly decided on wins, and then goal differential.

Its been an excellent Group Stage, and I would like to say congrats to everyone so far.

Have fun tonite ladies and gents. Brackets will be released tommorrow.

Well, Group C came in like a hurricane and finished off their Group!

Congrats go out to First place Sao Paolo (yes SAO PAOLO) coached by Four Eyed Koko, and in second place, The Offsides very own resident AC Milan know it all – Gianfranco and his Red and Black crew! You advance to the round of 16.

Here is the Group action, in full, for this weekend.

Remember – Wednesday at midnight Eastern time is the deadline. Play your last games, and lets get this tourney to the next stage!

Enjoy the results – good job everyone:

Group A

Everton 2 – 0 Palermo

Group B

Arsenal 0 – Manchester United 0

Group C

Milan 1 – Bayern Munich 0
Newcastle 0 – Milan 0
Milan 0 – Sao Paolo 3
Bayern Munich1 – Newcastle 0
Bayern Munich 0 – Sao Paolo 5
Newcastle 0 – Sao Paolo 0