Eniee, Menee, Minee, Moe: 2010 WPS All-Star Roster Solidified

Abby Wambach and Marta are perhaps two of the most notable names in women’s soccer. Marta of course the brilliant Brazilian striker who has not only been honored four times as FIFA Woman’s player of the year, but is also the star forward for F.C. Gold Pride of Women’s Professional Soccer.

Wambach, a big, physical player with skill to match has been a mainstay on the United States Women’s National team for almost a decade. At the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Abby scored the game winning goal in overtime against Brazil to help the U.S. win the gold medal.

Wambach is now enjoying her second stint with the Washington Freedom; 2002-2003 in the Women’s United Soccer Association and currently with Women’s Pro Soccer.

Tonight, Marta and Wambach will captain their respective teams in the second annual WPS-All-Star Game in Atlanta’s KSU Soccer Stadium, home of the expansion Atlanta beat.

You see Abby and Marta were selected as captains by virtue of being the top two vote-getters in 2010 WPS All-Star voting. The all star coaches are Albertin Montoya of F.C. Gold Pride and Paul Riley of the Philadelphia Independence, who teams currently sit first and second in the league table here at the all star break.

Kudos and high fives to WPS for thinking outside the box on this one and going with an idea that I would love to see filter over to other Professional sports.

The teams for tonight’s all star game were picked one player at a time by Marta and Wambach, much like we used to do back in grade school when we would pick teams for kick ball or tag. Hey Rock, Paper, Scissors would have been pretty Rad too.

Each side had just 30 seconds to make their selections. So as top vote getter Abby XI and Coach Riley went first and picked Atlanta Beat goalkeeper Hope Solo. Marta and Montoya then followed with the selection of Sky Blue keeper Karen Bardsley. Unfortunately, Bardsley was injured in a training session yesterday and had to be replaced by FC Gold Pride goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart.

After the keepers, the coaches and captains when through defenders, midfielders and forwards sequentially.

In all there were 22 WPS All-Star Starters voted on by media, coaches, players and fans with the All-Star Reserves picked through coaches and commissioners selections.

If you are missing your daily dose of World Cup Soccer from South Africa and would like to see some of the World’s best women’s players then check out tonight’s all-star game on Fox Soccer Channel or check your local listings. At Least you won’t have to listen to that annoying buzz of all those Vuvuzelas, although by now you are probably entranced by the noise.

I am the game day PA announcer for the Philadelphia Independence so I get to see these ladies play on a regular basis and trust me when I tell you their skill set is just as good as the men.

2010 WPS All-Stars

Abby XI (green/home; Abby Wambach – Captain, Paul Riley – Head Coach)

Starters
#1 – Hope Solo, GK, Atlanta Beat
#3 – Amy LePeilbet, D, Boston Breakers
#6 – Lori Lindsey, M, Philadelphia Independence
#7 – Shannon Boxx, M, FC Gold Pride
#8 – Tina Ellertson, D, Atlanta Beat
#9 – Eniola Aluko, F, Atlanta Beat
#10 – Heather O’Reilly, M, Sky Blue FC
#11 – Lauren Cheney, F, Boston Breakers
#17 – Lori Chalupny, M, Atlanta Beat
#20 – Abby Wambach, F, Washington Freedom
#84 – Cat Whitehill, D, Washington Freedom

Reserves
#4 – Angie Kerr, M, Atlanta Beat
#14 – Karen Carney, M, Chicago Red Stars
#19 – Kelley O’Hara, F, FC Gold Pride
#21 – Laura Kalmari, M, Sky Blue FC
#66 – Tasha Kai, F, Sky Blue FC
#85 – Jillian Loyden, GK, Chicago Red Stars
Kate Markgraf, D, Chicago Red Stars (injured/not rostered)

Marta XI (white/away; Marta – Captain, Albertin Montoya – Head Coach)

Starters
#1 – Karen Bardsley, GK, Sky Blue FC
#3 – Allison Falk, D, Philadelphia Independence
#4 – Rachel Buehler, D, FC Gold Pride
#7 – Kelly Smith, M, Boston Breakers
#8 – Sonia Bompastor, M, Washington Freedom
#9 – Ramona Bachmann, F, Atlanta Beat
#10 – Marta, F, FC Gold Pride
#12 – Christine Sinclair, F, FC Gold Pride
#13 – Kristine Lilly, M, Boston Breakers
#14 – Brittany Taylor, D, Sky Blue FC
#24 – Aya Miyama, M, Atlanta Beat

Reserves
#5 – Christie Rampone, D, Sky Blue FC
#11 – Becky Sauerbrunn, D, Washington Freedom
#17 – Amy Rodriguez, F, Philadelphia Independence
#18 – Erin McLeod, GK, Washington Freedom
#22 – Alex Scott, D, Boston Breakers
#78 – Cristiane, F, Chicago Red Stars
Caroline Seger, M, Philadelphia Independence (injured/not rostered)

Hey Dad What Are You Doing This Weekend? Well Son, It Just So Happens......

Most of you probably won’t not care about this story while some of you will be able to relate, but this weekend signifies a bit of irony in my life.

You see for the past 20 years or so I have worked as Sports Anchor/Reporter here in Philadelphia and during that time became a father three times over. My children are now 15, 11 and 10 years old.

Given the work load that often accompanies the job of television journalist, I consider myself lucky to have been in the delivery room for all three births. However, there were also numerous occasions when I was away from home for long stretches at a time; Super Bowls, World Series, Rose Bowl, Orange Bowl, two weeks at the United States Tennis Open. I think you get my drift.

I can’t tell you how many little league, soccer and basketball games, I have missed, in addition to dance recitals and other family functions.

At the moment I am unfortunately unemployed and while I miss the Anchor Desk and the camaraderie that goes along with the job, being out of work has given me the chance to rediscover my family.

For instance last year I coached my youngest sons Pop Warner football team, two years ago I it was my son and daughters coed soccer team.

And I can’t tell you how much I have enjoyed watching my older son go from sixth grade CYO tackle football to a strapping 6 foot 200 plus pound, two sport athlete in High School.

I think it’s true what they say about Dads living vicariously through our kids when we watch them participate in sports.

Now that I’ve painted a picture for you, let me tell you about my weekend, which actually started a little after seven o’clock this evening when we sat down to watch Phillies Ace Roy Halladay work another masterpiece as the Phil’s played a road game in their own stadium. You heard me correctly, this weekend the Phil’s will play the role of visiting team at Citizens Bank Park here in Philadelphia.

You see, this weekend’s Phillies-Blue Jays series was initially scheduled to be played in Toronto, Canada, however due to security concerns over the G20 Summit being held in Toronto, the Jays and Phil’s agreed to play the series in Philly.

Do you know how strange it is watching the Phil’s walk out of the visiting dugout, wearing their road gray unis at home, batting in the top instead of the bottom of the inning and oh yeah, Ryan Howard in the designated hitters role.

Anyway, game just ended with the Phillies winning 9-0, their fourth straight win in row as Halladay was on point against his former Toronto Teammates, going seven innings, allowing six hits but no runs, while striking out four. Halladay now 9-6 on the year.

To think, the weekend has only just begun. I probably should think about going to bed soon, must be up early to drive out to Valley Forge, PA to watch my oldest son and his PYLA lacrosse team take part in the Battle of Valley Forge Lax Tournament.

The games are nicely spaced; 10am, noon and 1pm. The ending of that third game should give me just enough time to find a local sports pub to watch the United States Men’s National Soccer team take on Ghana in the FIFA World Cup 2010, round of 16. Go U-S-A!!! By the way, I will not be taking my son to the pub with me, I am hoping at that time his lax team is progressing through the play-off rounds at Valley Forge.

Hey did anyone know the National Hockey League is currently holding their entry draft in Los Angeles as I write this. The Philadelphia Flyers don’t have a pick until the end of the third round but they did manage to trade the rights of defenseman Dan Hamhuis to Pittsburgh for conditional picks in next year’s NHL Draft.

Flyers actually just picked up the rights for Hamhuis earlier this week trading defenseman Ryan Parent, to Nashville. Unfortunately Hamhuis and his agent could not agree on financial terms of a new contract so, the Flyers have passed the puck.

Anyway I digress, back to that USA-Ghana game. I need Bob Bradley and the boys to score early play good defense, and let’s cut back on the diving, I need as little extra time as possible, even though it was in extra time against Algeria that Landon Donovan got the game winner to help propel the Americans into the knockout round.

I probably will not be able to watch the end of the game, because by 4:00pm I need to be in West Chester, PA to start prepping for my job as the Game Day Announcer for Women’s Pro Soccer (WPS) as the Philadelphia Independence (5-3-3) host the Washington Freedom (4-2-3) at West Chester University’s John A Farrell Stadium.

Hey a win for Philadelphia will give them a solid hold on second place in the standings, six points ahead of third place Washington and just one point behind table topper F.C Gold Pride.

Hold up, wait a minute BREAKING NEWS!!!!: Edwin Jackson of the Arizona Diamondbacks has just thrown the fourth no-hitter of the season, leading Arizona to a 1-0 victory over the Tampa Bay. Jackson by no means was perfect for the game, walking eight. It was the second no hitter in Diamondbacks history.

Anyway, as far as the expansion Philadelphia Independence are concerned, I’ll just go out on a limb now and say they will make the play-offs in just their first year in the league, good luck ladies.

Speaking of expansion, time to talk about how we wrap this weekend up. About 12 noon Sunday, yours truly, the wife and two sons, will head south on Interstate 476 towards Chester, PA. What’s in Chester you ask?

Why PPL (Pennsylvania Power & Light) Park, new home to the Expansion MLS (Major League Soccer) Philadelphia Union (2-7-1). Unlike their female counterparts, the men have struggling during their rookie season, but their fan base has not.

In two home games at Lincoln financial field, the Union drew and average of 25,000 fans which should translate nicely into the friendly 18,500 seat confines of PPL Park. Sunday marking the long, but much anticipated opening of the Unions new home as they host the Seattle Sounders.

Professional soccer is back in Philadelphia and expectations are it will be around for quite a long time.

So as you can see, this is a weekend crammed with non-stop sports, but instead of covering or reporting on it, I am getting the chance to actually enjoy the action and do so with my family.

Of course there is this thing called Monday that kind of brings everything back to reality. You know getting up early, giving the wife a kiss goodbye on her way to work, making breakfast for the kids getting them on the bus for their second to last day before summer vacation, then spending the rest of the day thinking about what to make for dinner.

Boy from sports anchor in the fourth largest media market in the country, too Mr. Mom in the Andrews household. Now tell me there’s no irony in that.