The first matches in the group stage are now complete. The final match in the sequence was Group F, the USA versus Thailand. We have seen four of the matches in person and watched all but two of the others on local television. Nigeria versus Norway was the first match held in Reims. Norway won […]
Read More Riveting in France – Group stage round one completeThe opening match of the 2019 Women’s World Cup was tonight in Paris. France faced South Korea in what turned out to be an entirely one-sided affair. For example, France had 10 corners, 16 shots and 3 goals in the first half – Korean got one corner and nothing else. Former Thorn Amandine Henry assisted […]
Read More Riveting in France: Opening matchThe Thorns finally had a home game, and it was quite the day. The 3-0 win kicked off the introduction of the “Nat-free Thorns” to the home faithful in high style. But the fun started before the first whistle. Hammered Rivets The stadium update is pretty impressive. Aside from the obvious new stand, there were […]
Read More Home at Last!“Everything is great! Let’s score some goals!” ~ Mark Parsons, about 3:15pm, 6/2/19 Did the Portland Thorns dominate the visiting Chicago Red Stars last Sunday afternoon? Leo Baudhuin of Stumptown Footy certainly saw that; Thorns dominate Red Stars in home opener was the headline of the STF match report. At the NWSL website Jacquiline Purdy […]
Read More Thorns FC: Let’s Score Some Goals!or: who you gonna believe? me, or your lyin’ eyes? You all probably know that I’m kind of a stats geek. And, yes, I am; I think that we can learn a lot from breaking down individual and team metrics. I like fooling with numbers. Damn, I really AM a sad sort of stats geek. […]
Read More Stats break: keep awayThe good thing about playing bad teams is that you beat them. The bad thing about playing bad teams is that it’s often difficult to figure out what to make of that. Sure, if you thrash Sky Blue FC 5-nil you’ve pretty much made the statement “We’re waaaaay better than Sky Blue FC”. Mind you, […]
Read More Thorns FC: ZzzzzzzzThe funnest part of the Thorns’ 3-1 loss to the Washington Spirit came at roughly 56:24 in the Yahoo! Sports stream. It wasn’t actually part of the matchplay, but, rather, during a weather delay when the Yahoo! crew dove for cover but left the microphone open. At that time we learned that we weren’t playing […]
Read More Thorns FC: Protect the preciousIt was one ugly ass road win. It was an ugly opponent; Orlando, this season’s Sky Blue. And boy, howdy, were they ugly. Defensively porous ugly. Offensively impotent ugly. Hacky, cheap-shot-foul-y ugly. It was an ugly game. Sloppy; 63% passing, Thorns? 59% passing, Orlando? Ugly. Dirty; twenty-six fouls and only twenty-seven shots? Yep. That’s ugly. […]
Read More Thorns FC: Winning UglyThe Thorns’ Big News Wednesday was a slug of player personnel moves, including three replacement-player – sorry; “supplemental” player signings, two players waived, the activation of Andressinha, and the return to Portland of Hayley Raso – only now with 100% more green cards! But what does it all mean? I hear you ask… Fortunately for […]
Read More Thorns roster moves – World Cup, Part 1(This is the blog post Richard mentioned in Episode 24. It is very worth a read. –Patrick) Read it and weep. This long blog post from February details allegations, with supporting detail, about misconduct by coaches in the Vancouver Whitecaps girl’s academy back in 2008. It’s such a now-familiar story that it’s hard reading: girls […]
Read More When Sorry Won’t Do in Canada