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    Saturday Night Live

    Much Adu about soccer: Can Freddy & Landon Donovan spark U.S. over Mexico inGold Cup final?

    David Theis
    Jun 25, 2011 | 8:02 am
    • Freddy Adu
    • Landon Donovan

    Often criticized for being too cautious, U.S. coach Bob Bradley has made some unexpected decisions in recent Gold Cup matches. Since they’ve worked out pretty well, they’re being called bold moves.

    For starters, Landon Donovan began the semi-final match against Panama on the bench (as he did in the quarter-final against Jamaica), and stayed there the entire first-half. Donovan is the undisputed face of U.S. soccer, so what gives? Some have wondered if Donovan was being punished for attending his twin sister’s wedding in California the day before that match. (Clint Dempsey was at his own sister’s Texas wedding on the same day.)

    When the first half ended 0-0, with the U.S. looking anything but sharp, questions about Donovan’s benching became acute. How far was Bradley willing to take this decision? Isn’t he aware that many U.S. fans wish he were ex-coach Bradley? Of course he is.

    Despite all of Mexico’s apparent advantages, and all of the U.S.’s sluggish play lately, the U.S. has a terrific record against Mexico in recent years, especially in the U.S.

    Bradley made another head-scratching decision before the Concacaf tournament began: He included Freddy Adu, the one-time savior of American soccer, on the roster. It’s amazing to realize that Adu is only 22. It seems a lifetime ago that he was a 14-year-old appearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated and being courted by top Italian teams. But his glorious future never happened, and these days he toils in relative obscurity for a second-division Turkish team. He hadn’t played for the U.S. national team since 2009. Yet here he was on Bradley’s roster.

    Happily, both decisions worked out. Adu and Donovan each contributed brilliant passes to set up Clint Dempsey’s winning goal against Panama. Adu should’ve had another assist, as he brilliantly set up Michael Bradley right in front of the Panama goal, but Bradley inexplicably passed rather than shot, and the opportunity came to naught. In short, Adu looked suspiciously like the future of American soccer. Now that’s a story.

    And perhaps Bradley was just resting Donovan for the big challenge against Mexico Saturday night at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. Because the team wasn’t cruising as expected in early tournament matches, Donovan, along with Dempsey and other veterans, had been forced to play long minutes.

    So maybe Donovan will be relatively fresh against Mexico. (He will start, won’t he?) The U.S. will need for him to revisit his Mexico-killer role of earlier years in order for them to beat the high-powered Tri, which has a +16 goal advantage in the tournament. (The U.S. has a +5 goal advantage—but they didn’t get to play Cuba, who lost each of their matches—including one against Mexico--by five goals.)

    Led by Javier Hernandez “Chicharito,” Mexico has more firepower than the U.S. midfielder Giovanni dos Santos (the wishful rumors that the Dynamo might pry him away from his England club have sadly died down) is a spectacular open field performer. Both teams play solid defense.

    The only clear U.S. advantage enjoys is at goalkeeper, where the sometimes erratic Tim Howard is capable of brilliance. But despite all of Mexico’s apparent advantages, and all of the U.S.’s sluggish play lately, the U.S. has a terrific record against Mexico in recent years, especially in the U.S.—even though the huge and vibrant Mexican crowds in American stadiums ought to take away the home field advantage. But so far they haven’t.

    It ought to be quite a game. Maybe Freddy Adu will save the day.

    unspecified
    news/sports

    pucker up

    Growing pickleball franchise smashes into Houston with 2 locations

    Jef Rouner
    Apr 29, 2025 | 5:30 pm
    Two men play pickleball on a Picklr court.
    Photo courtesy of The Picklr
    A Picklr court campus similar to the ones soon to open in Houston.

    Pickleball is one of the hottest sports sweeping the nation, and one of the biggest names in the game is setting up two new facilities in Houston. Picklr is scheduled to open indoor sports campuses in Cypress and The Woodlands in the coming months.

    “Bringing a pickleball facility to Cypress will not only provide a fun and engaging recreational outlet for residents of all ages, but will also foster a sense of community and promote a healthy and active lifestyle,” said Steve Nguyen, owner of The Picklr Cypress.“This facility will serve as a vibrant hub for social interaction, skill development, and friendly/competitive competition, enhancing community bonds and offering a welcoming space for everyone to enjoy.”

    Although the game is approximately 60 years old, pickleball saw a massive spike in popularity following the pandemic when people were looking for fun group activities with easy points of entry. Though a racket sport like tennis, it is far easier and slower thanks to using perforated balls, smaller courts, and lighter paddles. This means the game is open to players of all ages, and was originally most popular with retirees. Now, there are roughly 5 million players across America, with players under 24 making up the majority. Houston even has its own professional team, the Hammers (not the Texas Hammer; that's this guy).

    The court in Cypress will be located in the old ASI Gymnastics building at 8920 Barker Cypress. It's a relatively modest facility with only six courts including a practice court. By contrast, The Woodlands location will be much more opulent. At 66,517 square feet, it will have 20 courts, 4 private event spaces (one with an exclusive viewing area), as well as a shower, changing room, dry bar, and kitchenette. Picklr The Woodlands will be located at 16590 Interstate I-45 South.

    These locations are the first for Picklr in Houston. They have twelve locations all throughout Texas, including in Round Rock and McKinney, and many more nationwide. Picklr locations operate on a membership model similar to a gym. Memberships run $159 a month for adults and $89 for minors, with unlimited access to open play, league play, and tournaments , as well as four free clinics a month. Additional coaching is available.

    There is currently no set opening date for the two Houston-area Picklrs. Players interested in learning more may sign up for updates at ThePicklr.com.

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