Author: justmytake.net

Odds Are 10 to 1.

(10) x 2 = the number of Democrats running for President. No politics/no religion. Just a fact.

(9) Years ago it was 2010 and the United States economy was just beginning to recover. It has been on an amazing run for more than nine years.

(8) It has already been that number of years when Seal Team Six took down Osama bin Laden. Eight years ago this coming Thursday.

(7) Worn by: Mickey Mantle, John Elway, Phil Esposito, Cristiano Ronaldo, Nate ‘The Skate’ Archibald, David Beckham, and Pete Maravich.

(6) Goals scored by Atlanta United after seven games. This includes last night’s 1-0 win against win-less Colorado. After last year’s first seven games United had scored 17 goals. Head-shaking.

(5) Months to college football. Thankful for Major League and European soccer, as well as the NBA playoffs, to carry the spring and summer.

(4) Walking blocks south to Lake Eola, one of the better looking downtown parks in America.

(3) The number of people injured in this weekend’s terrorist hate crime in San Diego. There has to be a solution.

(2) KIds in Brooklyn living the dream. Do what you can while you can.

(1) Special lady.

Adios and Have a Funday Sunday!

He Is An Enigma. Paris Sad. Where Are the Cliff Notes?

Last week I called out Tiger Woods. An enigma was what I called him. From his stringent upbringing, his personal strife, the million dollar endorsements, many incredible performances on the golf course, and his fight to recover from serious medical issues. For many years, Tiger Woods and the sport of golf intrigued me for two reasons: 1) though a decent athlete, with most sports coming relatively easy to me, I have always found it difficult to achieve a respectable score for eighteen holes. So I watch some golf, including last week’s final round of the Masters, to try and understand how really great these players are; 2) Tiger Woods. If he was in a tournament I tried to catch him playing in the final round – to witness his determination, drive, and passion to win. Not that Arnold and Jack were any less competitive but Tiger brought a whole new level of desire to dominate the sport. Last Sunday, Tiger again showed his remarkable attributes: physicality, desire, perseverance, and competitiveness. Earning his 5th green jacket for winning The Masters, Tiger stomped on every naysayer who predicted, some with glee, that he would never be the golfer he once was. Multiple surgeries on his back and knee stopped Tiger from playing. Even when he felt he was healthy enough to get back on the PGA Tour, his injuries limited what he could do on the golf course. But due to pure desire to again compete at the highest level, Tiger, at 43-years-old, won another green jacket. His first Masters win, at 21-years-old, was twenty-two years ago. To me, Tiger winning his 5th Masters is the greatest sports comeback….ever.

I cannot pretend to be a historian or understand the details of world history. Sure, I have heard of and seen photos of Notre-Dame Cathedral, but until this week, for all the wrong reasons, I had no clue about the historical significance of the building. For those who are well aware of Notre-Dame facts and figures, my upfront apologies. For those of you who were unaware of the cathedral’s significance, here is ten seconds of info: Construction started 856 years ago, in 1163. The building is the most famous of the Gothic cathedrals of the Middle Ages, distinguished by it’s size, antiquity, and worldwide architectural interest. In 1805, the cathedral was declared a ‘Minor Basilica’, the honorary title for churches in Roman Catholicism. It is sad that my awareness was heightened only by last week’s devastating fire, but I do feel confident that the rebuild will yield another significant piece of architecture.

We have heard about ‘the report’ for two years. Now that the 448-page document has been released for public review, can someone please send me the ten significant points contained in those 448 pages? Even if I had any level of interest in politics, I have neither the time or desire to read this ‘long-awaited’ report. I will presume that we all have a few better things to do on Passover and Easter weekend then read 448 pages of opinion and rhetoric? https://www.justice.gov/storage/report.pdf

Adios, have a great Easter and a Fun Weekend!

My Take On Things I Think.

Julian Assange – the ultimate spoiled brat.

Brexit – paralyzation from over-analyzation.

Robert Kraft – a Super Bowl winner and a loser at the same time.

Measles – as mentioned last week, childhood diseases are back with a fury. If you live in the Williamsburg area of Brooklyn measles vaccinations are mandatory. J & D – get it done.

Atlanta United Wins! Interesting to ponder if last night’s game at New England would have gone in the same direction if Ezequiel Barco had not come on for the injured Eric Remedi? A road win and three points. As a friend texted me last night, United would have taken their first win against Roswell High School. Hoping that Remedi can recover from concussion-like symptoms soon.

CBS – both the online and television coverage of The Masters is about as good as it gets.

To the Bloomington, Minnesota police department – please put the man who tossed a five-year-old off the third story atrium in the Mall of America into general population. For as long as it takes.

The Trump Family – a hybrid – 50% Bundy and the other half the Adams family. Not Ted and not John.

Last Thursday Night’s Falcon Heavy Liftoff – amazing. #FalconHeavy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ne-hI31F2kk

For Those in the Plains Dealing with a Foot of Snow – it is April 14! Atlanta is looking good at 80 degrees and Delray Beach at 85 degrees. Just sayin’.

Fake News – Bryce Harper – can you say self-centered? He signs a new contract with a new team. He schedules a personal vacation during the baseball season. In August. His contract: 13 years, $330M.

Not Fake News – Chris Davis – speaking of Major League Baseball, until last night, Davis had not had a hit in his last 49 at bats dating back to September of last season. He has not hit above .221 since signing a seven-year, $161 million contract, and he has surpassed 30 home runs just once. Since last September, 1 for 49.

Tiger Woods – the definition of enigma. Personal issues, health issues, injuries and surgeries…..and in contention going into the final round of the Masters.

Orlando Drivers – no clue and rude. Maybe it is the heat but if the lights are blinking and the gates are down you might want to stop somewhere other than on the railroad tracks?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhYz0Vo1luc

Today’s Final Round at The Masters – even if you are not a golf fan, this 4th and final round is fun to watch. Note: due to weather, the final round started at 7:30am this morning.

Adios and Have a Funday Sunday!

Today’s Dozen To Ponder.

• Your divorce settlement results in you losing $35 Billion of your net worth….but you are still the wealthiest person in the world.

• I used to wonder about the sanity of the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT). No longer, as the Florida Department of Transportation, with their I-4 lack of planning and foresight, makes the GDOT look like Einstein.

• Tactically, I get that his impact is incredible at the 75th minute when the opponent’s defense is worn down. With that said, there has to be a way to get Orlando City’s Chris Mueller some more minutes on the field. This young kid, with guidance and a bit more quality, should certainly be considered for the U.S. Men’s National Team pool. #Chris Mueller

• Joe Biden – I could care less about your politics, but your attempt at humor on Friday was demeaning and shameful. You are a leader?

• Goalkeepers in the world of professional soccer, according to some pundits and backed up by analytics, reach their peak in their early 30’s and some play into the 40’s. On Friday, an Israeli professional team started a goalkeeper, who set a Guinness World Record, at the ripe age of 73. Yes, 73.

• The Brexit drama. It is important but the process to make a decision is in a word: ridiculous.

• For many years, even with a high level and presence of many game wardens, so-called hunters have been illegally entering South Africa’s Kruger National Park. They do so on foot to seek out and kill rhinoceros as their horns are for some reason treasured in many Asian countries. Yesterday, some of this barbaric poaching will undoubtedly come to an end. It seems like the Park’s rhinos have friends in their fellow elephants and lions. As a poacher was pursing a rhino for a clear shot, an elephant decided to take the law into its own hands. Yes, a very bad outcome for the poacher – I will not go into the gory details but it started with the elephant and was finished off by a family of lions. Hey morons…lesson learned?

• NATO has been around for seventy years – $10 to anyone, off the top of their head, who can give me three benefits of membership? Most people have no clue what the four letters stand for.

• If the Atlanta Hawks tough season results in the silver lining of dealing for a top draft pick….will they select someone that could be the missing piece to a playoff run….and someone who will fill State Farm Arena? Can you say Zion Williamson? One of my supporting readers can certainly answer this question.

• We have all been vaccinated against those long-forgotten childhood diseases…..or most of us anyway. Now, in 2019, the Centers for Disease Control (#CDC) reports that some of those are back. Bubonic plague, mumps, measles, tuberculosis, and scarlet fever – all with recently reported cases in the United States as well as worldwide. I am sure there is no correlation with me not feeling well after returning from a business trip to Mexico. 🙂

• The best week of the Spring. This weekend’s men’s and women’s Final Four, Major League Soccer in full swing, the European leagues in their title races, this week’s Champions League and next weekend’s Masters.

• The Atlanta Braves. They are cool again.

Adios and Have a Funday Sunday!

Manage This. Brexit Exit? Is Four Days Too Long To Be Married? We Are Up By Three! Bedridden and Compensated. CDMX Very Nice. Lyft Going Public. A Very Tough Start.

BBC. Not the network in Great Britain, but the bad-behaving customer. You know who you are. You are self-absorbed, not a partner, and don’t care about your agency or service-provider’s welfare. You are disorganized, don’t plan, and try to pawn off business issues. You have limited business skills and have no idea of what and how to budget. All of us who provide top class goods and services have encountered you. A good start for those BBC’s is to start treating your partners they way you like to be treated. I always believe ‘what goes around, comes around’.

As mentioned last week, the neighbors across the Atlantic Ocean are still working how how, why and when to leave the European Union (EU). I guess to people outside of Great Britain it becomes a ‘who cares’ scenario, but eyebrows need to be raised regarding the $50 billion Britain will pay to leave the European Union, and the impact on trade and travel. Never mind how Britain and the EU will treat each other’s citizens, especially the impact on the people and economy of British controlled Northern Ireland. On Friday, for the third time, Britain’s Parliament again rejected Theresa May’s Brexit deal. Can you say massive mess? #Brexit

Speaking of a mess, Hollywood movie star Nicolas Cage is on the move again. His fourth marriage started eight days ago and lasted until Wednesday. Why waste time Nicolas?

March Madness made me mad. I am not sure of the exact scenario but I think I am spot on: UCF played the powerful Duke basketball team last Sunday in the NCAA playoffs. With time running down and UCF up by three, Duke’s superstar Zion Williamson drove the lane for what should have been an uncontested layup. That would have left UCF with a one point lead and by taking the ball out and calling time out, UCF would have been allowed to take the ball in at half court. Sounds like this makes sense, right? But no, UCF’s 7’6″ center challenges Zion at the basket and unbelievably fouls – and the layup is good. Zion sinks the free throw and the rest is history. Bad coaching or a dumb play by UCF? Someone enlighten me.

Do you like to sleep? Do you like the bed? Contact #NASA, who is paying women to stay in bed for 60 days to help them study how weightlessness affects the human body. The stipend: $18,500 for the two months of “work”. Anyone interested?

This massive city sits at an elevation of 7,300 feet. Mexico City, with its population exceeding 21 million, has once again become a travel destination for many around the world. I am in the Polanco district of the City, attempting to take in as many interesting parks, museums (OK, one) and monuments as possible. The Polanco district is absolutely beautiful, with its tree-lined streets and retail similar to what you would find on 5th Avenue or Beverly Hills. I only hope I have time to take it all in before I climb back on the plane to Orlando.

I know there a few ways to value a ride sharing service. With the initial public offering (IPO) of Lyft, another unicorn has amassed billions in valuation. Is there a discernible difference between Lyft and ride sharing leader Uber? Is the play to invest in Lyft and wait for Uber to convince the Federal Trade Commission to allow them to acquire/absorb their competitor? Friday’s IPO event – in a word, amazing.

Without a win after winning the Major League Soccer championship back in December. As mentioned in previous posts, the combination of a coaching change, the departure of Miguel Almiron to Newcastle, some injuries, and the ridiculous schedule of playing seven games in 24 days has taken its toll. After last night’s loss United as a bye week to try and work through a few issues. A tough situation to say the least. Too bad the summer transfer window does not open up until July 9.

Adios and Have a Funday Sunday!

Read the Fine Print. We Got A Basketball Jones. Leave Or Stay…Just Make A Damn Decision. Bye Bye Cable. Winning On The Road. All Nine Children. Fill It Up.

• The no-brainer of the week: many airlines are cancelling their orders for Boeing’s 737 Max aircraft. Something about the lack of consumer confidence.

• The NCAA basketball tournament is fun – especially in these early games. UCF takes on Duke later today. UCF has their 7’6″ center playing very well but I am not sure he can deal with ‘The Zion’ from Duke. #ZionWilliamson

• With all due respect to Great Britain….we have had enough of the drama of Brexit. Forget the politics and religion and get on with a decision that is fair and equitable. Just get on with it. #Brexit

• The #2 no-brainer of the week: as I have mentioned more than once the days of staying wired to a cable company’s offering and ridiculous monthly pricing is steadily coming to an end. ‘Cutting the cord’ is now top of mind for many people, especially with digital offerings including the Amazon Fire Stick. Here are the latest metrics: People are fleeing expensive cable TV bills for digital media. They are cutting the cord in record numbers. According to research, net cable subscribers fell 4.1% during the last three months of 2018, a decline of 985,000 customers. This was reported in the February 22nd edition of Fortune. It is a no-brainer.

• Orlando City Soccer Club (OCSC) – a force to be reckoned with? Yes, the New York Red Bulls roster was depleted due to injuries and international call ups, but going to Red Bulls stadium and winning on the road is huge. Nani, who has a massive international C.V., is now regaining his fitness and form. Dovetail his impact with a solid defense and a bit of luck and three points on the road is a great thing. Well done OCSC. Time to fill up Orlando’s awesome soccer stadium next weekend. #OCSC

• The perfect parent story of the week: The esteemed Governor of Kentucky, Matt Bevin, took his nine children to a neighbor’s home. Not so much for play time but to expose his children to chicken pox, as one of his neighbor’s children had contracted the virus. Oh, I get that you want to contract chicken pox as a child and not as an adult, but really Governor, that was your collective strategy? Can anyone say DFACS?

• I attended the U.S. Men’s National Team (USMNT) match against Ecuador on Thursday night. A beautiful night at an outstanding venue with temperatures hovering around seventy degrees. The U.S. ended up winning 1-0 against what I thought was an uninspired Ecuador side. That was part of the story of Thursday night but the other story is the U.S. Soccer Federation, who for some reason feels it is necessary to charge very high ticket prices for U.S. National Team games. Yes the men’s national team, who fell out of favor with many American fans after their disastrous run up to last summer’s World Cup with the end result of not qualifying for the competition. No one can convince me that this model of not filling up stadiums, including the Orlando City stadium with a capacity of 26,000, is a best practice to build back the fans (and TV networks) confidence in the national team. U.S. Soccer: if the pre-sale is under 12,000 on the day of the game, how about reaching out to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Florida, or the other organizations that can fill the stands with appreciative children? Charging ridiculous prices for USMNT games and leaving thousands of seats empty is asinine. Yes, the other side of the stadium had the planned “fill the seats” strategy for ESPN’s cameras’ line of sight, but the other side of the stadium was no more than half full. Below is the photo I took one minute before kickoff. In one word: stupid. #USSF

Adios and Have a Funday Sunday!!

She Is Amazing. Don’t Wait For Another Tragedy. Terror Dealt With Directly. Money for Nothing. Making Changes. It’s Getting To Be A Lot Like Spring.

• Inspiration comes in many flavors. I gave a glimpse of inspiration many posts ago showing off a youngster with one arm who plays tournament-winning golf. I like to remind myself to ‘cork the whine’ once in awhile, especially after viewing this video of a young golfer who deals with Down syndrome. The setting is at the Phoenix Open, with professional golfer Gary Woodland, in front of a large group of spectators. Take the two minutes and find some inspiration:

• Many countries, in light of the tragedies involving crashes of two Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft, immediately put a ground hold on these jets. Two of these relatively new aircraft have crashed shortly after takeoff within the last six months. Pilots who have had issues with handling the new jet have filed complaints with the #FAA, complaints that included poorly written fight manuals as well as issues with the nose dropping down when the autopilot is engaged. The FAA, for some ridiculous reason, had not immediately put a ground hold on these aircraft to allow time for engineers to work through both indicators and software that might have been sending false information to the cockpit. Finally, last Wednesday, the President gave the order to ground these jets. This scenario and the delay to take action feels really wrong, especially with documented complaints from pilots of the Max 8. Was the U.S. government delay in grounding these jets related to Boeing being a U.S.-based airline? Please tell me no.

• I have no comment or words with what happened in New Zealand on Friday. My thoughts and prayers are with all who were involved with this tragedy – but sometimes it is best not to give time to violence and hate. I am happy that the main suspect was captured. Maybe he will be turned over to #NZSAS – New Zealand’s bad ass special forces based in Auckland. I hear they have their own unique way of dealing with terrorists.

• You are wealthy and I am assuming for self-glorification you pay massive money to a scumbag who bribes college administrators and coaches. The money paid motivates the administrators or coaches to circumvent the admissions process to get your kid admitted into your college of choice. I am not going to pretend that this pretentiousness has not been systemic for many years, but in light of last week’s developments that included two Hollywood ‘stars’, something is really wrong with our world when people go to this degree to ensure they can tell their other self-absorbed friends that their kid has been accepted to USC, Yale, Georgetown, Stanford, or UCLA. Outrageous and disgusting behavior.

• In last week’s post, I was not shy in giving my opinion about Atlanta United and their unfortunate start to the season. I was focused on the ethos of the team and their new manager, and I could have come across as being critical of Frank de Boer. My opinion really was meant to focus on “knowing your audience” with de Boer being Dutch and a large portion of Atlanta United’s player pool being South American. With that said, after Wednesday’s win against Monterrey, it looks like Atlanta United and de Boer have turned the corner with their system and style of play. Adapting to a new manager always takes time with any team, but when you combine the change in leadership with Miguel Almiron’s absence and the compression of the schedule, it is probably wise to be a bit more patient. Now that Atlanta United is out of the Champions League, and only two games into the regular season, de Boer will now have time to sort out the right system for his players.

• Spring is coming fast (yes, Orlando is borderline summer)…amazing that we are in the middle of March already. I enjoy this time of year with March Madness gearing up, the Premier League top four race in motion, Major League Baseball getting ready for opening day, and Major League Soccer finishing up its third week. Easter Sunday is coming soon as well so enjoy the Spring before we get hit with the dog days of the hot summer.

Adios and Have a Funday Sunday!

Tata and Frank. ORL City and Minnesota United. Open Positions. Don’t Forget About Venezuela. Jaguar Wins In a Split Decision. You Can’t Handle The Truth. $330M To Play Baseball. Let There Be Light.

Atlanta United manager Frank de Boer, in his first year after replacing wildly popular Tata Martino, is from the Netherlands. He brings strong credentials as a successful manager winning championships with Dutch club Ajax. Former manager Tata Martino came to #AtlantaUnited with a great resume as well, and brought to the team both an open and aggressive style of play and what I will call the ‘Papa’ syndrome. Tata was tough and aggressive with his players as well as showing tremendous enthusiasm and leadership. The difference between these two managers, along with Atlanta United’s ridiculous schedule, and the departure of Miguel Almiron, has led to some poor results early on. Atlanta United’s player pool, and specifically their usual starting eleven, is made up of young and talented South Americans. Frank de Boer, coming from the Netherlands, has brought an ethos of discipline and directness to Atlanta United that may be yielding, in the short term, diminishing returns. From my standpoint and my experience playing in Miami, the South and Central American coaches I played for, due to the nationality of most of my teammates, never really spoke about pure discipline and ‘keeping your shape (formation)’ on the field. What they expressed, with the passion and enthusiasm ingrained in most South American coaches, was free and open play, pressuring all over the field, and the attitude of no risk, no reward. Are Atlanta United’s players, especially the South Americans, having an ‘allergic’ reaction to de Boer’s European style, discipline, and attitude? Only time will tell, but as my father always told me, no matter what you do and what you say: “know your audience”. Hoping today’s home opener sees Atlanta United back to their old self.

Speaking of Major League Soccer, kudos to the management and coaching staff of Orlando City. Two tough games, and two points after two draws. Yes, yesterday could have been a “W” and three points…but on the road on a nasty day in Chicago, taking home a point is not a bad thing. Also, watch out for Minnesota United and former Orlando City coach Adrian Heath. Heath’s club, in their first two matches has come away with two road wins. Big and positive changes for both OCSC and Minnesota United.

With most of his #Cabinet leaving their posts, President Donald Trump is now working with Randstad and Kelly Services, two of America’s largest temporary staffing agencies, to quickly back fill the open positions. (Was that political?)

I have been closely following the crisis and sadness in Venezuela. It is remarkable to me that most news agencies have begged off of their daily coverage of this humanitarian debacle. Out of sight, out of mind? Not for me – this situation is in two words: Dire Straits.

An unfortunate incident at a zoo near Phoenix, Arizona. A woman was attacked by a jaguar as she was photographing this beautiful animal. That is her story. The real story is that she crossed over a barrier with signage that read: “Don’t Cross Over This Barrier”. Call me crazy but if their is a barrier between me and a #jaguar, would it be a good idea to cross over the barrier? The photographer thankfully will recover from her injuries – she will be joined by R. Kelly at their next appointment with a mental health specialist.

My sources tell me that Michael Cohen is being paid a tremendous stipend to appear on Truth or Consequences. For those too young to remember that game show….don’t talk to me. #TruthorConsequences

I originally reported that a hostile takeover for Tesla is in the works led by Stephan Curry, John Wall, and Neymar.  Curry’s $40m per-year deal was trumped by Wall’s $42.5m per-year deal, only to be superseded by French club Paris St. Germain, who paid Barcelona a $256m transfer fee for Neymar – whose salary will be $35m annually AFTER taxes. But no, that was #falsenews, as the suitor is now Bryce Harper, who signed a 13-year, $330M contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. Telsa and Major League Baseball…..meh.

The clocks for most of the United States went one hour forward last night. Daylight Savings Time is here which in my mind is a very good thing!

Adios and Have a Funday Sunday!!!

He Definitely Needs A Comb. Too Many Games, Too Little Time. Freddie Well Done. Click To Buy. Massive Oversight.

As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, the leaders of North Korea and the United States staged their second battle of bad hair last week. The political battle will not be mentioned but I would say the Kim Jong Un got the best of Donald Trump by a split decision.

Sometimes a good deed goes unpunished. Not so much for Atlanta United. Along with their regular season kicking off later today at D.C. United, their award for winning the Major League Soccer championship included a slot in the #CONCACAF Champions League. The Champions League is in short the tournament of all clubs who are located in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean. (FYI: the Champions League in Europe, which also is held during the regular season of all participating clubs, is recognized as the best club championship worldwide). While it is an honor to qualify and play in the Champions League, the compression of Atlanta United’s schedule is now a bit problematic. After Thursday’s win against the Costa Rican club Herediano, #AtlantaUnited, between Champions League and regular season games, will play seven times in the next 16 days. Even for the world’s big clubs, for example Manchester City, Tottenham, Liverpool, Barcelona, and PSG, who have the money to basically carry two teams on their roster, this schedule will push Atlanta United’s players to the maximum. Their next Champions League opponent, #Monterrey, is in second place in the Mexican first division (a.k.a. Liga MX). A very tough beginning to the 2019 season for Atlanta United.

The only benefit of too much travel is the ability to catch up on movies. With a bit of hesitation, I watched Bohemian Rhapsody last week. Hesitation only because I was never a fan of Queen’s ‘opera rock’. My assessment: great story, well written, and Rami Malek, who played #FreddieMercury, was excellent. I would suggest you watch it even if you were not a fan of Queen.

I can have an open mind to most issues and topics. I use Amazon Prime to purchase online so why am I surprised that Tesla’s distribution model, for their new $35,000 model 3 automobile, will be online only. To cut costs and keep the model 3 at $35,000, Tesla is closing their stores in North America and moving to 100% online sales. The premise: No dealer network is needed to buy clothes or groceries from Amazon. Why should buying a car be any different? Like I said, I have an open mind to most things so why not online purchasing of cars… it is just a simple click on the ‘buy’ button.

I try to keep away from the political or religious slant with this blog. I guess when the Food & Drug Administration (#FDA) is mentioned, it could lead you to think politics. This comment has nothing to do with politics and everything to do with the opioid epidemic….and don’t be confused, it is an epidemic. I make decisions based on facts, but if what I learned in this 60 Minutes segment is half-true, the United States has a massive oversight issue with drug distribution. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-opioid-epidemic-who-is-to-blame-60-minutes/

Daylight Savings Time: one week and counting.

Have a Funday Sunday!!

Nani To the Rescue? Maduro The Dictator. The 77-Year Old Billionaire. The Second Time Around.

The end of Orlando City’s 2018 season was a downer. A losing streak, the media pummeling the management and ownership, and the fandom in deep decline. With many of the supporters still in the nay-saying mood, kudos to the OCSC ownership and management for instigating ‘the pivot’. By that I mean hiring a seasoned technical director, discarding and re-purposing the player pool, bringing in a veteran goalkeeper who will anchor ‘the spine’ of their system, and securing an impact player in Nani. Will Orlando City make the MLS playoffs? Will they be a team to be reckoned with… at least at home? Next Saturday starts the test but at a minimum the team and their ownership/management have stirred the pot for what I think are many positive moves to start the 2019 season.

I will stay out of the political slant to this issue, but the drama and sadness in Venezuela continues. While tons of supplies, food, and medication has been sent help the people of this devastated country, Venezuela’s president has now closed the Colombian and Brazilian borders, keeping this much needed aid sitting idle. It is amazing to me, that in 2019, #NicolasMaduro, Venezuela’s dictator, can control the destiny of millions of people in a South American country. I don’t have the answer to this and really do not know what the tipping point will be to instigate armed conflict…but if politics and relative detente’ can’t fix this…then other countries, not just the U.S., should. So very sad.

Owning an NFL franchise. A net worth of $7 billion. Winning six Super Bowls with one of the most successful football teams of all time. And at 77-years old, Robert Kraft, to most of us, must be on top of the world. Then on Friday, reality strikes as Mr. Kraft and many others are charged with soliciting prostitution at one of those random massage parlors. Not in the rural areas of north Florida, but in the exclusive area of Jupiter, FL, a beautiful area with luxury ocean-side homes and golf courses. No matter the intent or reason, can anyone explain why a 77-year old billionaire has any motivation to enter a massage parlor in Jupiter, Florida? I guess the answer is obvious, but if you tell me it was to correct his L-5 or L-6, you need to get smart, soon.

They sucked bad. There is no other way to describe Atlanta United’s performance on Thursday night in Costa Rica. Twitter and soccer blogs blew up on Friday calling for manager Frank de Boer’s head. The rhetoric related to the ass-kicking received by Atlanta United at the hands of Herediano, a Costa Rican club, who similar to Atlanta United, qualified for this year’s #CONCACAF Champions League. For all of you naysayers, lets keep things in perspective: 1) The coach, Frank de Boer, is new 2) The player pool has changed a bit 3) Playing in San Jose, Costa Rica has not yielded a positive result for many U.S. clubs 4) Herediano, like most clubs around the world, is in the middle of their season. Major League Soccer plays March to November, so this was Atlanta United’s first competitive match of the season. 5) Pity Martinez, the reigning South American player of the year, is very good but is not an exact like-for-like for Miguel Almiron. Almiron was sold in the winter transfer market and Thursday night may have reinforced how valuable he was to Atlanta United. 6) de Boer started two very young players on defense in George Bello and Miles Robinson. The defense, maybe due to de Boer’s tactical decision to play three in the back, was shredded by Herediano’s very fast counter-attacks and stupid giveaways by Atlanta 7) Remember that Atlanta United won the 2018 MLS championship after starting off the season with a blow-out loss to Houston. None of these seven points are an excuse for not matching the physicality of Herediano on Thursday night. The second match of this two-leg aggregate is this Thursday night at Kennesaw State’s stadium. de Boer must do many things different with the starting eleven as well as the shape (formation) he uses in this rematch. The away goal Atlanta United scored Thursday night was important, as a 2-0 win at home will advance United to the next round. Let’s see what de Boer comes up with on Thursday night, and here is hoping that he uses the wisdom of his years at the Dutch club, #Ajax, to make Atlanta United play like last year’s MLS champions.

Two weeks and counting to daylight savings time!

Adios and have a Funday Sunday!!