By Tony Edwards - San Jose, CA (Jan 3, 2012) US Soccer Players -- In the first edition of the new year, Tony looks one organization getting new leadership (not the Rapids), the Pan American Maccabi games, and another organization jumping on the retro name train. Also, did Aston Villa's earlier win against Chelsea make up for Monday's loss to Swansea?
Why is the name Ted Howard important?
He was the guy who played the 'White Shadow' right? No, that was Ken Howard. Ted Howard is CONCACAF's new Acting General Secretary, replacing Chuck Blazer, who left CONCACAF last year. Before he was named CONCACAF's Deputy General Secretary in 1998, he worked for the original North American Soccer League and the National Basketball Association, among other organizations.
How was Brad Guzan's weekend?
If you'd offered Guzan's manager Alex MacLeish three points from the games against Chelsea and Swansea City, before Saturday, he probably would've taken it. After defeating Chelsea, however, the loss to Swansea probably feels like an opportunity missed, rather than a decent showing over two games with a short turn-around time.
Who coached the US men's team during the just concluded Pan American Maccabi games in Brazil?
US National Team alum Dan Calichman, who is a college coach now at Claremont McKenna in California. The team made it to the semifinals, where they lost to host Brazil 2-1.
If you're in Tampa/St. Petersburg and you want to see if National Team alum Perry van der Beck's NASL team is in town, what name do you look up?
Tampa Bay Rowdies. Ownership reached an agreement with the Texas company that held rights to the Rowdies name, meaning FC Tampa Bay has been rechristened. There's no exaggerating the drawing power The Rowdies once had in that area. The team continued after the original NASL went out of business in 1984, providing a club to National Team players like goalkeeper Winston DuBose. Will they take the nostalgia to the next level and have a Tampa Bay Mutiny throwback uniform?
If you're a Red Bulls fan, where are you going to watch the games on television this season?
Probably on MSG Network, after MSG and Time-Warner Cable work out their disagreement, which led MSG and MSG+ to be pulled from TW cable systems this past weekend.
"These agreements invariably get done because there is enormous incentive for both sides to do a deal,” said Dennis Wharton, spokesman for the National Association of Broadcasters, in the New York Times on Monday.
Visiting the MSG site, you notice that Al Trautwig is the Rangers and Knicks pregame show host. Trautwig's first national break was calling college soccer on ESPN and indoor and outdoor soccer for USA Network. Yes, USA used to be more than 'Burn Notice,' 'White Collar,' and wrestling.
