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October 23 |
Posted by: EskyTime:: 8:35 p.m. |
My Final Blog
It’s been fun. Thank you to our fans and supporters, the readers of this blog, and anyone else who helped us get through this season. For me in particular this year has been a wild and crazy rollercoaster ride and so I am happy to come out of it still breathing.
It was extremely important for us to come away with the Rocky Mountain Cup in that last game vs. Colorado for so many different reasons. First and foremost, we made history, as that was the first ever championship of any kind that this franchise has won. Second, we all wanted to send out Eddie Pope as a winner. Actually let me correct that, as Kyle Beckerman said, “Eddie already is a winner, we just wanted to give him a win in his last game.” And finally, it was important for us to head into this offseason on a positive note. Looking back now, when I got traded to Real Salt Lake we had 0 wins, were in last place, and pretty much the laughing stock of the league. And now, we have 6 well earned wins which easily could have been 9 or 10 wins, we finished ahead of Toronto FC (that makes me feel good), and we have a young nucleus of players that are hungry to win a championship with this club.
Tomorrow we have our final fitness tests and meetings, then we will all head our separate ways. Our strength and fitness coach Dan Barlow hooked us up with a mean offseason program to make sure we come back to preseason in the best shape of our lives. As for me, as some of you may know, this is the final year of my contract with MLS so I am a "free agent." I am in the process of renegotiating with Real Salt Lake, so we will see what happens. But I just want to say thank you to all the fans and especially my teammates for welcoming me with open arms. A special thank you to Nick and Jacqui Rimando for allowing me to stay in their house, I owe you guys big time.
And with that, this is my last blog entry! I am going to be driving cross country back to NJ next week and looking forward to seeing my family and friends. Later guys! Happy Holidays and God Bless!
Esky #11
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October 18 |
Posted by: Esky Time:: 2:35 p.m. |
Eddie Pope - Simply The Best
This week has been one of the toughest emotionally for me because I am witnessing the final games and practices of one of my heroes, Eddie Pope. As you all know, Eddie announced a few months back that he was going to retire at the end of the season. It came as an absolute shock to me and to this day I refuse to believe it. Playing with him and watching him day in and day out, with no bias at all I firmly believe Eddie Pope has been the best defender in MLS in 2007. And for that reason, I am begging Eddie to un-retire. I have been bugging him every day in the locker room, telling him he might have everyone else fooled, but I don't think he is really retiring. I have been in his ear all month, saying that retirement is soooo 2006 – its 2007 and the new cool trend is to play until you get cut. He usually just laughs and walks away when I tell him that haha, but I am hoping if I do it enough he will actually reconsider. Anyways, I figure the least I can do is dedicate this blog entry to him, and so I'd like to share with you my memories of Eddie Pope.
I first heard of Eddie Pope when the rest of the world heard about him. I was 14 years old and watching MLS Cup 96, game goes into sudden death overtime, Marco Etcheverry takes the corner kick, GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL! DC wins! Who scored???? Eddie Pope!!!!!!!! Who?
Haha that was the last time I asked who Eddie Pope was... from that day on he has been the best defender in the history of American soccer. I remember watching Eddie through my days in high school and college. At a time where our U.S. national team was trying to put themselves on the map, I remember watching the games with my Dad and talking about how Eddie Pope was the one guy who stood out, who didn't look like he was out of his element. I remember my senior year of high school watching TV by myself as the U.S. played our biggest rivals, Mexico. And I was tuned in mostly because I wanted to see the great forward for Mexico, Luis Hernandez, and how he would torture the American defense. Instead, I came away from the game talking all night about Eddie Pope. I called my Dad and was like, "You should have seen it, Eddie Pope destroyed Luis Hernandez! And the cameras even caught Hernandez elbowing him off the ball and trying to start a fight and Pope didn't even flinch, he just hit him harder the next time and took the ball away and just never gave him an inch. I've never seen Hernandez so frustrated!" I don't even know what the score of the game was or the exact date, but I do remember thinking, “Wow, this guy is one of the best defenders in the world.”
As I began my professional career, I was looking forward to playing with Eddie in D.C., but instead he was traded to NY in the offseason. In my 2nd season at D.C., I played against Eddie 4 times in the regular season and it was a battle each time. I felt as though I had some good success, scored some goals, etc., but they definitely never came easy. Next we got matched up with NY in the playoffs, and all I know is Eddie Pope took me to school like I was his student and I had been skipping his class all year. He was amazing. The guy was running onto through balls before I even saw them, was physical with me when I checked to the ball, and would be step for step with me when I tried to beat him for speed. I ended up scoring late in the game and we won the playoff series, but as soon as the final whistle was blown I ran across the field and asked him if I could have his jersey. I don't know if he even remembers it, but I told him he is the toughest defender I have ever played against and it was an honor for me to switch jerseys with him. I still have my Pope jersey hanging in my closet and I still refer to him as the best defender I have ever played against.
And finally, it brings me to today, where I am lucky enough to call Eddie my teammate. From playing against him I already had the utmost respect for him, but now that I have had the chance to play with him, all I can say is that he is an even better person than he is a defender. Talk about someone who epitomizes leadership, humility, and class. I mean it from the bottom of my heart, he is one of the best teammates I have ever had. I don't know where he will be going from here, but no matter where he ends up someone will be extremely lucky to have him on their team, whether in soccer, a front office, business, or whatever. So I guess I just want to say thank you to Eddie for showing me what it means to be a true professional. You are a legend and set an example for the younger generations to try to live up to. You helped make soccer in this country grow and set the bar for what it takes to be a world class defender.
But yeah, I guess I can just tell you all this when I see you in preseason next year... please???
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October 8 |
Posted by: Esky Time:: 5:37 p.m. |
Season Winding Down
Wow, it has been a long season. Saturday night was another tough loss for us in a season full of tough losses. I gotta stay with my policy where I won't comment too much about games I didn't play in because I know how easy it is to see things as a spectator and think you have all the answers. But trust me when I say things are VERY VERY different when you are on the field. It’s amazing how many times I will have a conversation after a game with my parents and I will say "So and so had a great game tonight," and my Dad will be like "Are you serious? I thought he was terrible!" I don't know exactly what it is, but when you are out there on the field you can just see someone's work rate and body language and intent much better than when you watch on TV.
The best example is a guy like Brian Carroll from DC United. He is a guy that never really gets much respect, but when you are beside him on his team you can see how much he does to help your team win. Its a common problem with the generic fan, all they really look for are goals or flashy plays or hard tackles, and that’s how they judge a player. On the flip side, you look at Denilson in Dallas and, although he is extremely fun to watch, how much is he really helping his team win games? Don't get me wrong, as a fan I love watching his every move because he is one of the most talented players of all time. But I bet there are times where his teammates get frustrated with it. Think about it, every time he tries something fancy and messes up, there were probably a couple of guys wide open and making a run. After a while, it gets frustrating, especially if you aren't winning.
Anyways, I guess I have found myself in a similar situation this season. For whatever reason, goals just have not been easy to come by this year. Some of it is being on 3 completely different teams in the matter of 6 months, some of it is bad luck, some of it is trying too hard, and some of it is injuries. Regardless, I feel as though I can help make my team better whenever I am out there. A long time ago a wise man told me to make sure I work hard and do all the little things out on the field because, if you're not scoring goals, your teammates are going to appreciate the other things you do and it will help keep you on the field. And that’s basically the attitude I have had since high school, so hopefully it will pay off when the goals start hitting the back of the net.
This is a tough time for us as a team because we were officially eliminated from the playoffs so now most of us are playing to make a lasting impression for next season. Again, I can't say enough about our coaching staff and how well they have done in setting a competitive environment for us to work in. It was nice to see some new guys getting into the starting lineup on Saturday night. Everyone has been working hard in practice and so there is a lot of motivation for us all in these last 2 games. This is my first time as a professional to not make the playoffs, so it is all kind of surreal for me to know that I will have to watch them on TV this year. With that said, this whole year has been a learning experience for me and I know it has made me a stronger person. But all I am focused on right now is getting healthy enough to play these last 2 games before we all head our separate ways during the offseason.
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October 3 |
Posted by: Esky Time:: 6:15 p.m. |
Home Sweet Home
What’s up everyone! Sorry it has taken me so long to check back in. I am currently sitting at home at my parents’ house in Bergen County, New Jersey. It feels so good to be home and to be able to eat my Mom’s cooking and sleep in my bed. I essentially moved out of here when I was 17 and packed up my things to go to UVA. I never thought that would be the last time I would live in this house, so it always brings back so many memories when I come back and go to my old room. My mom has kept everything intact since the day I left, so it cracks me up to look at the posters I have on the walls and things I find in the drawers. A bunch of trophies from days at Bergen Catholic High School and UVA, my signed Pele jersey, a couple Ronaldo and Michael Jordan posters, and, of course, my Hooters Girls calendar. That pretty much sums up my childhood.
Anyways, it always feels good to come home and I always get that weird feeling inside of how much things have changed in the last 8 years. Its funny how when you are younger you can’t wait to grow up and accomplish all sorts of things, but as you get older (I’m 25 now) you keep searching for memories from your youth. I put up a few pics of my room and a few funny old pictures. One was taken when I was about 5 years old when my parents took my brother and I to Arizona to see the Grand Canyon. Somehow we ended up getting dressed as cowboys for this photo op. Needless to say, it’s priceless. If you can guess which one I am you get a prize.
The game on Saturday night was a tough one. I am very proud of my team for the performance we put in on the road against a talented NY team. However, I think I speak for everyone when I say we left with a bittersweet taste in our mouth. We came to NY to get 3 points, we put ourselves in a position to get 3 points, and yet we walked away with 1. There has been a lot of controversy surrounding the mysterious PK that was awarded to NY late in the game, but I can’t say much about it because I haven’t seen any replays. All I can say is that I laughed when it happened. Seriously. I mean at this point that is all you can do. There is no point in arguing with referees, they are forced to make decisions that can’t be changed. For example, look at the US women’s team and the red card that was given to Shannon Boxx in the semifinal game vs. Brazil. Absolutely ludicrous!!! But what can you do? As players, our job is to play the game, not to officiate it. But on the other end, refs need to be held accountable if their mistakes are determining the outcome of games.
Regardless, I thought we played a good match on the road and were unlucky not to come out of there with a win. Although it seems like we might be eliminated from the playoffs, there is no chance in hell that this team will quit fighting or working or winning. I’m not sure about the exact stats, but all I know is when I was traded to this team we were winless in over 10 games and many had written us off. Now with 5 wins in the 2nd half of the season, we are a team that nobody wants to play against. Whether at home or on the road, we know we can beat any team in this league.
Finally, I want to give an update on the fundraiser we had last weekend. Not sure about the final amount, but we raised at least $2,000 for the families of the miners! Not bad for a Sunday BBQ! It was awesome. Such a great turnout and generous donations from everyone. I want to thank everyone who showed up and will have some pictures up later. Sorry to cut this short, I gotta get going, my flight back to SLC leaves in a bit. Later.
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September 17 |
Posted by: Esky Time:: 10:07 a.m. |
Wow, it's been a while since I last checked in. The last 2 weeks have been a roller coaster ride for me. Started off on a high when we were able to get 2 wins in a row vs. tough KC and LA teams. Then we began our 10-day road trip to play games at Houston, DC, and Toronto. I'm sure most of you either watched all the games or read about them already so I'm not going to bore you with game recaps because you already saw what happened.
As for me personally this week was an emotional reunion of sorts, as it was my first time returning to DC and Toronto since being traded by both clubs. And, sure enough, against DC I missed a PK late in the game that would have given us a tie. I was heartbroken, and I still am. I had a chance to help my team get a result and I asked to take the PK. I got my wish and I couldn't convert. In hindsight it is easy to say maybe I shouldn't have taken the PK since Troy Perkins played with me for 3 years and was my roommate. It was definitely a guessing game for the both of us and on PK's anything can happen, as we witnessed when Nick Rimando saved Christian Gomez's PK earlier in the game. But the more I think about it, I have no regrets, except for wishing that I placed the ball in the opposite corner. Troy did well to dive early and he guessed correctly and made a great save. I tip my hat to him, and I know he was extremely pleased to be able to make that save against me since we have personal history. I guess that's just how it goes sometimes, you have to take the good with the bad. Strikes and gutters… but I have been through way too much to let this keep me down.
On a side note I would like to thank all the fans in RFK that night for all the love they showed me before and after the game. It was emotional for me and I was glad to be able to stay an hour after the game to sign as many autographs as I could until security told me I had to go inside. You guys have a special place in my heart forever.
Next up was Toronto, and I just want to say that I'm proud of my team for all the guts and courage we showed to play over 60 minutes with a man down in a very tough environment at BMO Field and still get a result. And the biggest thanks have to go out to Nick Rimando. What else can I say about Nick that hasn't already been said? I just really hope the league takes a long look at what he has done for this team and hands him the Goalkeeper of the Year trophy immediately. Every game he seems to make world class saves look routine and has come up big for us so many times. With all due respect to the other goalies who are having great years as far as stats go, in my opinion Nick has been a notch above the rest this year.
The Toronto game was a physical one, and I'm not surprised at all by it. That is simply the way they play, and, to be honest, I enjoyed mixing it up with them. Late in the first half, Andy Boyens tried to take my head off and I was definitely nervous that another concussion could do some damage to me. But I'm proud to say that I have no ill effects at all from it, and I can finally say my head injuries are behind me now and it is not a concern of mine anymore. Although we were all hoping to come out of this road trip with more than just a tie, we are still positive about our performances and know that we can play with the best this league has to offer. We still have a lot of work to do and we have some tired legs with the 3 games in 7 days, but we will continue to work to make things right.
And finally, there is a very important event that I want to talk to the fans about and need some feedback on ASAP. A few weeks ago while hanging out at Nick's house with some of the guys, we were watching a news update on the terrible Utah mining tragedy. We all kinda just shook our heads and Nicky mentioned how we as a team should have honored them somehow. A few days later, Nick came up with the great idea of having a fundraiser in honor of the victims and their families! So for the last week or so Nick, his wife Jacqui, and I have been planning this barbeque that will be held at our house and we will have some awesome prizes auctioned off and will hopefully raise a lot of money for the poor families who were affected by this tragedy.
We have already received some very gracious gifts from the likes of Nike, Lenkersdorfer Jewelers (Tyson's Corner, VA), MLS, etc. But I think it would be awesome if you, the fans, can get involved and let us know what prizes you would be interested in bidding on. It's for a great cause so we would all be willing to accommodate any of your requests, but please make them reasonable. For example, a Kyle Beckerman dreadlock will not be something that will work. But if there is anyone's signed jersey or cleats or gloves or headgear or whatever that you would be interested in bidding on, please let me know ASAP and let's make this thing happen! I will make sure to keep you guys updated on what items will be auctioned off as soon as you get back to me. Thank you! Also, if there is anyone who is willing to donate a prize or anything, it would be more than appreciated. Let's do our part to help the community and the victims' families to recover from their terrible loss.
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