April 19, 2017

Well, soccer fans. The Champion's League Quarterfinals are now underway:

gotta say Rinaldo and Marcello were too much in leading Real Madrid to Champioon's League quarter-final over Bayern even with the iffy call on Vidal's yellow card and Rinaldo's maybe offside on his 1st extra time goal.

Marcello's burst thru the middle in extra-time was a thing of beauty. Brings back memories of Roberto Carlos.

Hey check out some of the neat soccer cartoons for parents, coaches and kids

Look for us this weekend at the Kensington Day of the Book Festival. April 23, Sunday in Kensington, Md. We will be selling the youth soccer books.

Soccer is not a Communist sport like some of my friends thought when we were growing up. It is an intellectual sport and takes time to unfold and patience to watch.

Today,1/22/2017, the Chelsea Blues prevailed over the Hull City Tigers 2-0. Diego Costa continued his torrid pace of goal scoring with a season high of 15 goals. Chelsea is 8 points up in the EPL standings. 

The big game is February 4 against the Arsenal Gunners.

So here's the deal. Everyone thinks because you are writing books you are making a boatload of money. Not true. It is a passion of mine, a hobby if you will. Something I do for the love of the game or for the love of kids.
Sure I sell a few books but I get to meet interesting people at the book signings and festivals. There is more to life than just making money. Don't get me wrong money is nice. I never turned my back on legal money. But you know there are literally thousands of authors out there selling their self-published books.

When you go to these festivals you meet a lot of authors. Some of their books are of redeeming quality, others are those peeps who cut in front of your table to steal visitors from seeing your books, who would have thunk it?
But really I do give the benefit of the doubt to most of these authors. There are people are out there trying to spread whatever gospel it is they believe in. So give them A for effort in trying.
Everyone's story is not going to be J.K. Rowling's.
By the way, Man City looked real good today defeating Man United 2-1 in the Manchester Darby. My Chelsea maters better watch themselves this year.
See y'all
Yours in Soccer
Lew

I concur with Hope Solo. Sunil Galati and USA Soccer are using her stance on equal pay for gender as a subterfuge to force her out of professional soccer. It is ridiculous to claim that by her calling the women's Swedish Olympic soccer team "cowards" for parking the bus, she should have her international contract struck and now her professional contract as well. She has a right to express her opinion just as Colin Kaepernick can express his viewpoints on the United States flag. Yes, she has a competitive temper which is why she has been our goalie since 2002 but to punish her now and take her livelihood away? It stinks!! You go after them Hope with your usual aggressiveness.

Sidenote- My blessings to Jrue Holiday and Lauren Cheyney Holiday to get through this health scare of Lauren's with a brain tumor. Jrue, my commendations to you for taking a leave of absence from the Pelicans to be with your wife. My added blessings to both of you to have a wonderful childbirth and a healthy baby.

What is the punishment Gulati handed out to Hope? A 6 month suspension in interim time period in between the big competitions. W-h-a-a-a-t??

Brazil gains a bit of Redemption from World Cup ouster By Germany

Most of the Olympic Gold medal match was controlled in the mid-field. No one breaks free for the winning goal. I HATE PENALTY KICKS! But  Neymar Jr. Nets the game winner.

NEW BOOK-"Nimmies of Henri" Follow the blog,   Soccertales.blogspot.com
A Fr./Amer. child's search for a peaceful
world. Paris is still alive!

This book is 'spot-on' for parenting issues. You and the kids should come away from reading it with a joy and peace for life.

...See More

ESPN and Andrew Corcello spin on goalies, "Even as a child a goalie realizes that there's a madness inherent in what he does and who he is: He can never succeed, only not fail. This realization walls him off from his teammates, and from hemself. Eventually he adopts a certain Rambo-esque apartness"
Lew Freimark spin on goalies in "Soccer Tales-Legend of the Shoelace Monster, " One risk about being a keeper is that the keeper is always visible. He or she, has no teammates around them when the shot is taken, especially on breakaways. They are on centerstage and visible to all the spectators and players on the field. It is a lonely position filled with many lulls of standing alone, followed by instantaneous flows of action when shots are taken or breakaways created with players bearing down on goal. There is great glory or instant doom in those moments when shots are taken. Jake thinks that great goalies have courage and usually quirky personalities. They consider the goal area to be their home and they guard it jealously. Some of them stake the goal area out, scratching it up with their cleats and this is part of the ritual associated with being a keeper. They also wear special color uniform jerseys, which differ from the team color, and which make a fashion statement on the field. Part of a keeper’s personality is the type and color of uniform they wear. One of my favorite goalkeepers on the Vipers was Matty who was always able to shrug off goals with a smile and resume his courageous position in the net or ‘THE OLD POTATO SACK’ as true-blue soccer fans call it. Matty went to a birthday party with Jake and was seen talking to his parachute soldiers which he had placed in the scoops of ice cream of his sundae. This was Matty being Matty just having an ordinary conversation between toy soldiers. One of the other kids called him a moron and Matty’s reply with a smile was “ Great, I’m a moron, I’m a moron.!!” Now that’s the kind of personality that me and the Coach say makes a great keeper ! "

Nailed it!!

I can wear my Chelsea hat again with pride. Chelsea ties with Tottenham enabling Claudio Rainieri, their former skipper and Leicester City to win the BPL league title.
Well played boys, finally!!

Book Festival

The "Soccer Tales-The Series" has been approved for the Collingswood, New Jersey Book Festival on October 3, 2015

Carli Lloyd Interview In Time Magazine really shows her dedication to the sport:
1. no friends or family at the World Cup Final
2. She's not getting married till after the Olympics in Rio.

And I heard from kids that went to high school with her that she was totally zoned in like that when she was in school. I am impressed!

She also commented on the inequities in the FIFA payouts for the winning sides in the Men's World Cup vs. the Women's. Highly inequitable. 35 million to the men of the German squad and 3 million to the women of the United States. That has to change. Maybe with some of these indictments we will make some progress.

Take care soccer mates.

We conclude the 2015 Freimark-Women's World Cup Tour. Traveling to Vancouver for the July 5 game and a few days to enjoy the ambience. A great game, Carli Lloyd's hat trick and that 3rd goal, what can I say, its one of those things that players dream of doing.

Next stop the parade in N.Y.C. on a beautiful July 10 day and getting into the City Hall audience. Great parade, team gets the keys to N.Y.C.

It was something every high school coach should have brought his team or certain players to attend.

Signing off on this comment



Coach Lew

"Soccer Tales II-Born to Play the Game" has arrived and is on sale. You can buy from me. Order on Paypal. $ 10.99 plus tax and shipping.  "The Hedgehog Wars" will be available in the next few weeks.

P.S.-Pedro, don't go to Man Utd. We need you at Barcelona to keep working hard and knock in those rebounds!

The books are published by Tate Publishers. You can view samples of them on my website:
soccertales.net or on the facebook page: soccer tales-legend of the shoelace monster. You can order through Paypal.

Hope you like them!

Hi Everybody. 

The new book, "Soccer Tales II-Born to Play the Game" is due to be coming out soon. It is about working hard, and being disciplined as a team to improve your skills. The book is endorsed by Jonathon Vonesh, Coach of the Fischer-Climax basketball teams. Both our high school teams were faced with long odds to overcome lengthy losing streaks.

Watching the Women's World Cup Tournament and the U.S. team, I would note that the team, although not as skillful as that of the championship team of 1999, is gritty and with a fighting spirit just like the men's team last summer in Brazil.

Here's hoping the girls overcome the long odds with Germany and Switzerland playing so well.
GO USA!! Let's hear from all you fans!

The words "good job"

Simmons uses the example of parents watching their kids playing on a playground. When the child goes down the slide, the parents cheer. But Simmons points out that there is no reason for celebration. Gravity did all the work, not the child. And that is what Fletcher touches upon in the film. He tells the student protagonist, Andrew, that all he wanted to do was push someone far enough to become great. When he ponders why jazz is disappearing, why there are no extreme talents like there once were, he blames it on those two little words, ‘good job’. 

A story referencing Charlie Parker's dedication often comes up during the film about how Jo Jones threw a cymbal at Parker after the young Parker messed up a set. Parker vowed to come back better, and practiced relentlessly until his next performance where he played one of the best sets ever heard. While Simmons does not commend abuse, and Terence Fletcher is definitely abusive, I have to agree with Simmons and his character's idea that over-praising is probably more harmful that criticism. 

It’s far too prevalent though. Why does everyone get a sticker on their homework just for completing it? Shouldn’t completing your homework be expected? Shouldn’t stickers be given to those going above and beyond? Regardless of whether or not you agree with the dangerous overuse of the words ‘good job’ within our modern society,Whiplash is a brilliant film that explores the depths a person will go to fulfill their dreams, and well worth a watch. 

What do you think about the words, "good job" ?

Hi all you soccer aficianados:

With the World Cups looming today's blog poses the question of what the U.S. can do to improve its youth talent pool at the international level?

Please leave your comments, suggestions, criticisms or anything else that comes to mind.

HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL AND LOOKING FORWARD TO BRAZIL 2014!!

The Facebook Page

The Facebook Page is "Soccer Tales-Legend of the Shoelace Monster" Sneak preview of book and illustrations.

Soccer Tales and other fun stories

Hi Everyone:

This blog is devoted to funny soccer tales that your little ones may have experienced as they grew up playing soccer.

 Our book is just about such "Tales" and the central theme for us is how the kids can play soccer even when their laces are flopping in the wind. This is a worldwide phenomena so join the fun. Let us know your stories !!


The book is due out in the Spring or Summer of 2012. It is being published by Tate Publishers. Look for it with them.

Yours in soccer

Lew Freimark