The team is making the papers again.

I see one of the Detroit papers has a story about the Ignition.

http://tinyurl.com/35peh8

It's a pretty good summary of what is going on.

Coming up this weekend, there's a home and home series with Milwaukee. I have to check on ticket status for the Friday game, but there will be more "almost live" coverage from the audio feed from Teamline. For a direct link, click here .

I'm still trying to find some more content. But failing that, I'll post about tonight's game for my team. We've got some new players coming on tonight, and we may have a full roster.

Can we borrow a player?

Hey there Ignition, can my rec team borrow a player next Tuesday? We are playing a team we simply want to crush. No glory, no playoffs, just pure spite.

( I know it's not polite, but the game is partially about passion, no?)

Detroit Vs. Philly (with dinner!)

It's a foul and crappy day here. There's an ice storm going on, the driveway and sidewalk are scraped and salted. I'm settled in to provide almost live coverage of the MISL game between the Ignition and the Kixx.

Today's coverage is being brought to you with the aid of:

Bell's Best Brown Ale http://www.bellsbeer.com/

(They don't sponsor me, I just had one while watching the game.)

I also had to break coverage occasionally to work on dinner.

The first thing I see in the coverage is coverage of player/coach Don D'Ambra which seems only right for a rec leaguer like me. Then they show a shot of Shawn Boney, who, as they say in the heavy events, is a proper sized lad. But he does have some good feet.

The guys in the booth are Al Powlowski doing play by play and Roger Faulkner providing color (colour?).

First commercial break:
Henry Ford Health System; http://www.henryford.com/
Hometown Life http://observer-eccentric.com/apps/pbcs.dll/frontpage

Both teams are pretty friendly before the game. I guess when you move around a lot between teams, you do make friends or at least good acquaintances.

The opening movement has Beasley making a good shot. Mauricio Sallles is making his debut tonight, and making a good show of it. I notice the mikes make it easier to hear some of what is going on down on the field.

Chile gets a (crap!) call for shoving. The turf monster makes an appearance, breaking up a Philly dive.

Another ad...

Apple gets a good header on goal, but Pappas deflects. Beaslet takes second shot , but it goes wide. "Banana Boat (Day-Oh) " is on the PA.

More commercials:
The Puma Pele ad http://www.puma.com/
Ignition Ad.

Right back at it and GOAL!!!!!

Salles takes a long shot and the ball deflects in off Apple! Detroit up 2-0.

End of first quarter. (Stop to divide up the rolls and put them on a cookie sheet.)

More ads.
Henry Ford Health
Golden Limo http://www.goldenlimo.com/
Bittinger Group http://www.thebittingerteam.com/
Image Business Solutions http://www.imagebusinesssolutions.com/

Back from the ads and there's a cute little schmook in Red Wings gear "waving at the camera".

Philly drives and Boney is deep off to Sanaldo's left. Driving backwards, he sees his opening and back heels it in. The Ig players all get the "oh merde" look on their face. Game tied 2-2.

Al and Roger explain why Sanaldo is in the bright blue jersey. He makes a really sweet block and snap. Sampson makes a sweet steal in the midfield (would it be the Neutral Zone?)

Sight on the night: Josh Rife bringing Boney down. Boney gets up smiling. Do they really have fun at this? Sure seems like it.

More stuff. My notes are kind of confused. Spilled potato skins on them.

Injury. Ptah Myers down, holding his ankle. Never like to see that.

More ads:
Motor City Sports Magazine: http://www.motorcitysports.net/
Kelly Services: http://www.kellyservices.com/

PENALTY: Detroit. Too many men. Penalty killed and after a few more shots, Rife sends it high, Beasley wide. The quarter ends and it's off to half time.

The cameraguy Evan is shown and is ribbed for getting married next month. Remember, when you wake up, apologize immediately. You've already done something wrong.

Back to the action and GOAL! Novi feeds to Droo Callahan and "there it is in the back of the net". Time for him to do some backflips.

Halftime duties: Add potatoes and carrots to pot roast, set table, sharpen pencil and get stuff from the freezer.

Al interviews Greg Bibb, President of the Ignition. He explains what I can only say is the singular way the MISL does playoffs. The semis are best of three, but the final is winner take all. Most cool. In other news, the Chicago-California game is cancelled due to the ice storm, and the Florida team will be called the Orlando Sharks.

Mr. B also does let us peek into the "how to build a team". It's mostly about chemistry. (Not to be too much of a pain in the ass, but I'm an AYSO coach and know that.)

The Spark is having a dance clinic on March 31st.

Some highlights are shown, and some stats, and then another of Boney's goal.

Back at it, 3rd Quarter.

Within a couple of minutes, Detroit scores again. This time it's an own goal, but Worteh Sampson gets the credit. But, right afterwards, Genoni Martinez, who "scored", actually put one in behind Sanaldo. (Aside- is it me or does he bear a resemblance to "Dante" in the "Clerks" movie?) 6-4, Detroit leads.

At this point, Philly was marking everything Detroit tried to get going. I see why they are atop the standings and sure wish I could get my young players to pay that much attention. Sanaldo was having a terrible time getting the ball out for anything.

Detroit gets a penalty called and Ptah Myers (who ankle clearly feels at least tolerable) makes the Ignition pay, tying the game 6-6. He celebrates with a little three steps that would get his own teammates throwing stuff at him in a rec league. (I guess you can have more fun when you are getting paid as opposed to when you are paying to play.)

After this, Philly has no concern with eating more time. They can't get anything together offensively and get called for a penalty. Carlos "Chile" Farias knocks in a 3 pointer on the power play to make the score 9-6.

Josh Rife added another goal at the end of the 3rd quarter to make it 11-6, in favor of Detroit. Detroit suddenly seems to have the offense firing well and keeping Philly from connecting. The quarter ends and I have to miss intermission to work on dinner. The pot roast needed to be set aside and gravy made.

When I get back, I see a shot by the Kixx's Castellanos (a beauty of a doink shot" get stopped by Sanaldo. And then Pat Morris bangs one high and just outside. Boney and Sampson get tied up in the game and it's a sight to behold. Droo sends in another from the edge of the 3 point area, with Novi getting the assist. The Ignition lead 13-6.

Just as the kids sit down with their plates and while I'm pouring milk, I hear another goal scored by John Greenfield "on an area the size of a postage stamp" according to Roger. The score goes to 15-6. And while in the kitchen I hear Djerisilo has made it 17-6 and Beasley gets the assist. I also hear we need more butter at the table.

I sit down and hear Pat Morris of Philly has knocked in a 3 pointer to keep them in the game. I still have to remember how fast the scores can add up in just a few minutes. Detroit still leads 17-9

It's dinner time for me. Just to celebrate, Farias send in another 3 pointer to make the score 20-9 while my back is to the TV. Callahan adds another goal (making the hatty!) while I'm eating, to make it 22-9. I'm in the kitchen dishing up seconds when Martinez adds to his tally making the score 22-12.

The games ends just as I'm finishing. Richardino shows some class but NOT shooting for an open goal tally. He got hauled down for his troubles. Oh well. The kids are sulking over dad making too many veggies, the autograph lines are forming at Compuware (a REALLY classy touch- so thanks to all involved) and it's a school night.

My man of the match: Callahan. Was there even a question, even though Boney's goal was Sportscenter stuff?

It's now a couple of hours after the game, and I've had a chance to enter my stuff. I'll be at it again...

Another game coming up...

This Sunday, the Ig's are taking on the league leading Phildelphia KIXX. As I cound't swing getting across town to the game, I'll provide, (as is said at www.oldweirdherald.com) almost live coverage. I'll spout off about what I see on the tv screen, hear from the announcers, and maybe even sassy at the commercials.

I'll have all the usual features: whining, sniveling, complaining, and KIDS' CORNER, as Zach will probably be here with me.

Evil rears it's ugly head at a nightclub.

http://tinyurl.com/3yrhm2

Was it Nike? Ping? Calloway?

More from Zach

We turn it over to Zach again. We have the rebroadcast of the game on as we speak....

I am trying to see if I can see myself on TV. As of now ,we just sat down. I just saw us twice !!!!!!!!But now is the first commercial. There will be 4 or5 blue cards and we'll win 16 to 10.

The girl on the left is my favorite Spark dancer. She's pretty (but not as pretty as mom is!)

Update by DAD: I've been pestering the Ig's for a clear TV schedule.

More Update: Thanks to Jill T at the Ignition office for arranging everything!

What a game!

In was a dark and snowy night. I made a wrong turn and was running late. We made a couple of detours, but we made it. Only about 40 seconds late.

The game was on. We got to our seats. Man, they were fantastic! Right on glass, just inside the yellow line. Apart from the occasional stripe in the way, we could see everythin in front of us. As we were right next to the tunnel, seeing the far end of the field was a little tough. The guys weren't used to having to crane around to see, so they were learning to adjust.

The arena is pretty cool. It was described as a sell out, and there weren't that many open seats and there appeared to be S.R.O. The kids wanted to explore a bit more than I let them. Maybe next time. Probably next week.

Now, about the game. It is amazing that this is the same game I play once a week. ( I know, you can barely call what I do out there playing...) The foot control, seen up close, is far beyond anything I'd been able to notice before. The amound of side rotation the players put on the ball is incredible. And I think I'd better add some more interval and side to side workouts to keep from killing myself.

For the Igs, I was impressed with how well everyone played. Beasley, Chile, Marojevic (who made my kids' smile with a thumb's up after a goal). Sampson is someone I need to emulate more, as he's similar to my size (though far less circular than I am). I'd like to show the players I coach how much they communicate during the game. I couldn't really hear it being right on the glass, but I could see them talking all the time.

To read the press release vesrion: www.detroitignition.com


Kids' corner (by Zach - Age 8) I liked how much they pass. They hardly ever dribbled. The only time they ever kept the ball, they were playing within a small circle. But when they did, seconds later another player had it.

My dad won the tickets from a raffle at the Total Soccer in Fraser. We got to sit in the front row.

Then we have the Spark. I hereby proclaim it my intention to be the creepy blogger who proclaims just how hot the Spark dancers are. As for which one is hottest, stay tuned...
(As an aside, to the putz two rows back, if the dancers were fat, they sure were hiding it well. Those curves are dancers' muscles. Mostly....)