The 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 CanadaIt’s finally happened– World Cup call ups have happened. What will that mean for the Thorns facing Orlando? And what happened in New Jersey? Why does John use so many mixed metaphors? Join Patrick, Richard, John and (drumroll please) Shannan for the newest episode of Riveting!
Read More EpIsode 24: Mixed Metaphors“To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift. “ ~ Steve Prefontaine At about the 20th minute of this match I was already thinking about this column, and the image I had in mind for the header was a flaming dumpster. Because that’s how furious I was the the Thorns had […]
Read More Thorns FC: SacrificeWe beat Orlando! (Though maybe we shouldn’t have). We drew Chicago (though maybe we shouldn’t have). What about Sky Blue?
Read More Episode 23: Dr. Sinclair, PhDWhatever else you could say, you sure as hell could say “it wasn’t boring”. On Matchday 2 the Chicago Red Stars and Portland Thorns combined for eight goals – including a penalty conversion each. Exciting? It was surely that. It had everything that makes soccer a great sport. Great team and individual skill. Multiple lead […]
Read More Thorns FC: Taking the CTA to CrazytownThere’s a story about a frivolous and fashionable lady of the French court of Louis XIV whose chaplain tried to impress on her the importance of diligent seriousness by recounting the story of an early Christian martyr whose faith was so powerful that, after he was decapitated, he made a pilgrimage by walking to Jerusalem […]
Read More Thorns FC: First StepsIt’s time! The Thorns play Orlando for the third time for a season opener. We talk preseason, the upcoming season and what happens when it’s time for the World Cup. Plus, your questions!
Read More Episode 22: Let the Games Begin!