Charney is officially a Bruin

Uncle John wrote:

FAN,

I had a vision last night.

And in that vision I saw a rout in UP's very near future (and that rout wasn't AGAINST UP).

But I have a question for you and the Geez.

Is there someplace up in Seattle that serves Pliny?

If so, have one (or two) for me.

-UJ-

-UJ-

First off, I hope the "rout" you had a vision about comes to fruition this week-end against either Wisconsin or Syracuse. Hey, how about routing both clubs???

As far as Pliny in Seattle: I'll be in Portland watching my GameTracker screw up. I'll be quite drunk on the Pliny I stole from Geezer.

Geez is the one who will be in Seattle this week-end. Hopefully, he will respond to your post. For his sake, I hope there is Pliny up there.

See you on the ChatBox this week-end?

FAN

UPSoccerFanatic wrote:

Nah. One of those six quarter-final road wins came in 2002 at the expense of Stanford, courtesy of the Pilots, if my memory serves me correctly. With the four recent quarters road losses, that means we're now due for a win, even if on the road.

WOO HOO!!!

We gonna make the College Cup...bring on UNC in the title game for the "Match of the Decade"!!!

And last year not only were we on the road in the QF but we were playing without Enyeart and Colohan!

Oops, I have to correct my numbers about home field advantage in the quarterfinals. From 2000 through 2009, out of 40 quarterfinal games, the home team won 30 (not 34). The home team lost 8 outright and lost 2 by penalty kicks. The details:

2000: UCLA won at Clemson and Portland won at Penn State (in overtime)
2001: Florida won at UCLA
2002: Penn State won at Connecticut and Portland won at Stanford on pks
2003: Florida State won at Florida
2004:
2005: Florida State won at North Carolina on pks
2006:
2007: USC won at West Virginia
2008:
2009: Notre Dame won at Florida State

So, the home team has won only 75% of quarterfinal games over the last 10 years.

You might expect something like 75%, considering that the home team is the higher seeded team.

I also notice Portland in not on the list as having LOST a home semi game. But, then again, have we played any? We usually get screwed out of it.

All,

If you please, I would like to add my 2 cents relative to the 1/4 finals losses the Pilots experienced in the last 4 years (actually the last 2 years).

I was in the stands when UP lost to Stanford in 2008. I remember when the team was lining up across the field from the stands thinking, "maybe rest of the team must still be in the dressing room getting their uniforms on"! I think I counted only 13 girls.

It's real hard to beat a team like Stanford when some of your best players (Ellie, Keelin, Michelle) are playing somewhere else for a differant team --> home field advantage or not.

One must have realistic expectations.

And as Harry menitioned, last year against UCLA, Michelle and Cloee were injured. We all know the spark that Michelle added to the mix. And even in the last 4 games, where UP's defense has not really been put to the test, I've seen how Cloee imposses her will on the opposition. It looks like they don't want anything to do with her!

In closing, my dear friends always remember, God likes those who are patient!

Take a deep breath and sip a Pliny (if I had one, that's what I would do).

- UJ -

Uncle John is right. I remember that Stanford game as being the playoff run where the Pilots were down to 14 active players and about half of those had some minor injuries; national team duties and injuries really hurt us that year. If I remember correctly we had the same problem in 2007, too. Hopefully this year we can avoid the ACL blowouts and make it to the College Cup.

College soccer, at least at UP's level, can sometimes be a very trying and difficult endeavor.

Sometimes, when I am feeling a little over-stressed, I pull out and read some passages out of my old copy of "Warfighting, USMC", Capt John Schmitt, 1989.

For example....

“At first glance, war (read soccer) seems a rather simple clash of interests. But at closer examination, it takes shape as one of the most demanding and trying of man's endeavors. Fog, friction, and chaos are its natural habitat. Each episode is the unique product of the dynamic interaction of myriad moral and physical forces. While founded on the laws of science, war (read soccer) demands, ultimately, the intuition and creativity of art.”

It's amazing the similarities one sees between sport and combat (expecially if you are far removed from the latter).

War is hell. Soccer is heaven (or the closest thing to it). Best to go into the game with the right reinforcements and enough of them.

That and with people that are highly trained and motivated to make decisions on the fly - in extrodinarily high stressed and blury situations.

That is the Marine Corp way.

And, from the women I've talked with that had the opportunity to play for him, that was the way of Clive Charles.

In my book, Clive belongs up there with John Wooden and Vince Lombardi. Leaders with very serious talent.

But enough of this much to serious military talk....

I just hope our beautiful girls destroy the hearts and minds of their Wisconsin and Syracuse competitors this weekend.

Go Pilots!

-UJ-

Thank you for the postand update.
It is great toee these players makebig decisions and go for their goals. I wish Charney the best and hope she sees more playing time there.

Hello scrfn,

I enjoy watching all of the women student athletes as they grow and develop over their college careers. But I especially like the ones who have chosen demanding courses of study like engineering, chem/biochem, or nursing.

That is double tough.

I know, I tried to do that many years ago at Cal but had to drop my sport because I needed every minute I had (outside of the class room) to study to keep my head above water academically.