Errors and omissions highlight today’s news

Welcome SSV blog readers to the blog’s new home here on Center Line Soccer. The SSV Blog will continue to be the place to go for information related to SSV’s core mission (creating a permanent home for soccer in the Bay Area), but Quakes news will be found here.

So, on with today’s news. Since the season starts tomorrow, we’ve got a lot of MLS previews
to choose from today, plus some other items more specific to the Quakes. Sadly, most of it is flawed in some way, but there’s enough that’s worthwhile to pass along. We’ll start with the Quakes news first.

Over on Yahoo Sports, Martin Rogers interviews Frank Yallop for his pre-season story on the Quakes, imaginatively entitled “Yallop knows the way to San Jose.” Rogers goes out on a limb to pick Joe Vide as the “Key Man” for the ‘08 Quakes, an interesting choice since Vide hasn’t featured as a starter in the team’s post recent games.

Another writer named Rogers, this one Andrew, interviews Yallop for Soccer365.com. He asks Yallop if he can name any of the forwards the team is considering.

There are no names at the moments as they are all under contract and we can get in a lot of trouble but we do have a list and we are working very hard to try and bring the right player over from Europe. So we will see what happens.

Soccer365 has also apparently uncovered a major scoop: they say San Jose’s GM is someone named John Boyle. We did not know anyone had replaced John Doyle, so we’ve sent our crack research staff out to verify this breaking news. We expect them back next Tuesday — April 1st.

Turning to a story that’s a bit more careful with the facts, the Peoria Journal Star profiles Quakes forward Gavin Glinton. Writer Bill Liesse even interviews Glinton’s college coach for some added depth. It’s a nice little story although they also make a factual error, citing “Roger Yallop” as Glinton’s new coach. (That’s three Rogers today. What’s up with that?)

On to the MLS season previews and predictions. FIFA.com provides some international-governing-body-of-soccer love, although once again, they seemingly can’t be bothered to get the facts straight:

The return of the San Jose Earthquakes as a club will see a third team in California for the first time in the league’s history.

Or, uh, the first time since 2005. But hey, FIFA’s in Switzerland. Surely the folks closer to home will get things right. Right?

Well, if FoxSports.com is any indication, not really. Their MLS preview notes the Quakes’ new home in Buck Shaw, then adds, “The 11,500 seat ground should provide an intimate setting and plenty of atmosphere when San Jose takes on hated rivals L.A. again in the California derby,” which would be true if those games weren’t going to be played at the McAfee Coliseum in Oakland.

Normally, we wouldn’t emphasize these little errors, but we do so today to make a statement about who we are and what we will be offering here at Center Line Soccer. As you can see if you check out our About Us page, we’ve assembled a crew of professionals who not only know soccer but also know the Quakes.

The Quakes are back and, thanks to dedicated owners, a tireless front office, and coaches and players who are hungry for success, they’re stronger than ever. Similarly, our goal and mission is to provide you with the best coverage the team has ever had.

Check out the rest of the site for examples. Enjoy the Photo Galleries from John Todd and his crew at International Sports Images, Jeff Carlisle’s interview with Shea Salinas, our video featuring reporters Harvey Rañola and Embele Awipi, columns from former Quakes assistant coach Tim Hanley, and all the rest.

We’ll also point out our own Jeff Carlisle’s stories today on MLSnet.com (a pre-season wrapup), his season preview for ESPN.com, and his MLS preview, also for ESPN.com.

Fortunately, there’s one other story today with which we can find no fault. Goal.com polled their staff for MLS predictions, and John Eskilson offered this succinct summary of MLS 2008:

Galaxy attack makes for entertaining soccer, so does the laughable Galaxy back-line.

Ah! So beautiful, it’s almost poetry.