Reflecting On A Thankgiving Of Soccer

With Thanksgiving having just passed here in the United States, there was perhaps no better time to reach out to some of my listeners and readers to see just why some of them are thankful to have soccer in their lives.

Enjoy some of the following responses that came in, and feel free to add a few of your own!

Soccer, Life And Everything In Between

A cursory glance tells me that it has been almost two months since I've written an article. Two months? Has the time truly gone by so fleetingly?

Indeed it has, just as time has a habit of doing and just as it always will, regardless of which games we're looking forward to, which teams have or haven't qualified for the World Cup, or which cup final lies on the horizon to captivate us all. Time passes, old games and stories vanish off into the distance, only to be replaced by new ones yet again. So goes the cycle.

And yet, even with the ever present and constantly revolving cycle of time, there are many of us who are hardly able to find enough of it on more occasions than not--myself certainly included. As many of you know, I've done something of a balancing act over the last couple of years in writing for the blog, doing the show, providing match commentary for Auburn Soccer and, last but certainly not least, working on my master's degree. With so much on my plate over these last couple of years, I could have used days that spanned 30 hours instead 24 hours to great effect.

The Ryan Martin Show: 9/30/13

No shutdowns here; yesterday's show is now online. Topics such as woes in Manchester, Tottenham v. Chelsea, Real Madrid v. Atletico Madrid, MLS and the NASL took the spotlight.

The Ryan Martin Show: 9/23/13

Yesterday's show is now online. The hot topics of the day were the Manchester Derby, Paolo Di Canio's sacking, Borussia Dortmund's struggles, MLS playoff races, and more. Enjoy!

NASL Fall Season: Week Eight Preview

On the strength of how the NASL's fall season has unfolded so far, we should hardly be surprised that, once again, we've had a change at the top of the table, as the New York Cosmos now find themselves in the ascendency after last week's results.

Whether they stay there for consecutive weeks might be another story entirely, as this week's slate features a rash of games that will have every impact on the top spot by the time the weekend's business ends on Sunday.

Reflecting On Day One From The Groups

With the respective groups stages of Europe's two continental competitions commencing this week, so too came varying degrees of expectations and anticipation for the teams involved, whether the usual suspects of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League or European new boys Swansea and Wigan in the Europa League.

Indeed, all of the anticipation ultimately gave way to a myriad of talking points by the time Thursday night ended across Europe, with some of the main favorite looking to be well on their way after ninety minutes, while others stumbled heavily at the first hurdle.

NASL Fall Season: Week Seven Preview

Thanks to Tampa Bay's late dramatics against Carolina and Ft. Lauderdale's inability to keep their winning streak alive against an ailing San Antonio side, the top of the NASL table is adorned in green and yellow--if only on goal difference.

As one would predict at this stage, the race for the second spot in this season's Soccer Bowl hardly became any clearer, and indeed, four teams could conceivably find themselves at the top of the table at the close of this weekend by way of wins and favorable results elsewhere.

It's all poised for another fantastic weekend in the American second division, with seemingly every game offering its share of talking points.

United States 2, Mexico 0: Tickets Booked To Brazil

One would be very hard pressed to recall another clash between the United States and Mexico that was so defined by the unknown and marked uncertainty. After all, Mexico came into Columbus having just fired, perhaps inevitably and mercifully, Chepo de la Torre following yet another poor performance, this time losing at home against Honduras, while the United States entered the perpetually pivotal game on the heels of a disappointing 3-1 loss in Costa Rica that was only made that much worse through the pregame injury suffered by Michael Bradley and subsequent yellow card suspensions accrued by the likes of Jozy Altidore and Matt Besler.

Indeed, despite the turmoil permeating the Mexico camp at the moment, there were at least some pieces put into place for Mexico to come away with an unprecedented win against the United States at their Columbus stronghold. Yet, despite finding themselves a bit shorthanded at kickoff, Klinsmann's side showed that, yes, history does have a way of repeating itself.

The Ryan Martin Show: 9/9/13

Yesterday's show, featuring new co-host Carl Gelal, is now online. Amongst the topics discussed were the USA's loss to Costa Rica, the firings of Robert Warzycha and Kevin Payne, the latest from MLS and the NASL, and more. Enjoy!

One note: Cari's microphone, however appropriately for her first show, was having some problems. I've boosted the volume in portions where the microphone was being especially problematic, so you may notice a bit of static as a result here and there.

NASL Fall Season: Week Five Preview

With four weeks now gone in the NASL's fall term, the groundwork appears to be in place for as tight of a race in the second half of the year as we saw during the spring season. Carolina looks to be rebounding from their disappointing close to the spring season in grand fashion, the Cosmos have been rescued by some late magic on a couple of occasions, and San Antonio is hardly looking like the team that snuck back into the spring season race in the closing weeks.

With some of these storylines, amongst others, in mind, one needs to additionally only take a cursory glance at both the table and some of the games on offer this weekend to see that the NASL picture may hardly be any clearer by the end of the weekend than it was before.

Big Show News

For those of you who have been listening in to the Ryan Martin Show over the last year and a half, you know that it has been something of a one man show, both on-air and behind the scenes. In addition to compiling all of the material for the show, I have also been running the soundboard and producing the show independently. Needless to say, it can be a bit of a handful at times, both literally and figuratively.

With that in mind, I've been looking to bring a co-host on for some time, but the challenge in doing so has been one of finding someone who meets the rather high standards that I would look for in a co-host. As many of you know, I pride myself in being able to knowledgeably bring you information and analysis from around the world of soccer, and I would expect the same of any potential colleague.

I'm pleased to let all of you know that such a person will be joining the show, and in turn doing her part to add more perspective and insight to the program. As of September 9th, Cari Gelal will be joining me in the studio on a permanent basis. Having worked with Glenn Davis and the Houston Dynamo recently, she has significant experience in this field, and if I'm honest, she knows her stuff.

Furthermore, the show will soon be expanding from an hour to ninety minutes, which will better allow us to bring you more insight and interviews than ever before. All in all, these are very promising times indeed for the show, and accordingly I'm very excited about what the immediate future has to offer!

The Ryan Martin Show: 8/19/13

If you missed yesterday's show, here's your chance to listen to it now. It was a busy show, as all of the latest from the opening weekend of the Premier League was featured, along with talk about the USA's win over Bosnia, MLS, NASL, action from around Europe, and more.

United States 4, Bosnia & Herzegovina 3: 45 Great Minutes

In venturing into Sarajevo on Wednesday, the United States, on the strength of a remarkable summer in World Cup qualifying and in the Gold Cup, came into the night as arguably one of the hottest national teams in the world at the moment. Indeed, the Americans' eleven game winning streak coming into the game against Bosnia and Herzegovina meant that they were only a handful of wins away from setting a new international record for consecutive wins--no small feat in this day and age.

Of course traveling into such hostile territory against a side that is just about running rampant at the top of Group G in European World Cup qualifying was never going to be easy, and the absence of Jürgen Klinsmann's current first-choice center back pairing of Omar Gonzalez and Matt Besler against the ever-dangerous strike partnership of Edin Dzeko and Vedad Ibisevic was always going to be a cause for concern, especially as Hertha Berlin youngster John Anthony Brooks made his debut in their stead.

There can be little argument that the first 45 minutes were something of a nightmare, as a defensive lapse and a missed offside call meant that the Bosnians, through Dzeko and Ibisevic respectively, found themselves in the well-deserved ascendancy on the stroke of halftime. Refreshingly, and almost expectedly these days, the Americans proved that the 90 minutes weren't up yet, and in turn gave us a few talking points.

The Ryan Martin Show: 8/12/13

If you missed yesterday's show, listen in now for talk about the Community Shield, transfer news, MLS, the Atlanta Silverbacks and the opening weekends in the Bundesliga and Ligue 1. Enjoy.

Dempsey's Seattle Move: The Good, The Promising And The Peculiar

The relatively recent news of Clint Dempsey being placed on the transfer list by Tottenham understandably caused some degree of concern by those in US soccer circles. After all, Dempsey is largely seen as the most dangerous scoring threat and the most visible player on the US National Team, having eclipsed Landon Donovan in such roles in the process. As such, it would hardly do Dempsey or the national team any favors for him to be marginalized and scarcely getting minutes at Tottenham with next summer's World Cup drawing nearer. A move away from White Hart Lane, which had been a dream destination for Dempsey only a year prior, seemed to be a foregone conclusion.

The likes of West Brom, Liverpool, Everton and Sunderland had surfaced in various reports as being potential English destinations for Dempsey in the wake of him being deemed surplus to requirements at Tottenham. Yet, despite these speculations, it was another team entirely whose name was being tossed around in connection with Dempsey: the Seattle Sounders.

As we know now, the rumors of a move to Seattle would become much more than that indeed, culminating in the confirmation of Dempsey's return to American shores by the end of last week. Predictably, the announcement was greeted with varying degrees of excitement, celebration, criticism, anguish and, as tends to happen with many MLS roster moves, pointed questions about just how Seattle came to land the current face of American soccer.

The Ryan Martin Show: 8/5/13

Yesterday's show is now online. Listen in for the latest musings on Clint Dempsey's move to Seattle, MLS playoff races, potential departures of Wayne Rooney and Gareth Bale, the opening weekend of the NASL's fall season, and more.

A Post-Gold Cup Assessment Of The United States

On the heels of a phenomenal run of results that saw the United States impress in a friendly against Germany before vaulting to the top of the table in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying, it was perhaps not all too surprising or unexpected to see the Americans hoist CONCACAF's top prize in Chicago last Sunday afternoon. After all, Mexico was sending what could kindly be described as a B squad into the competition, and the USA's group draw was certainly kind thanks to the presence of both Belize and Cuba. The fact that the United States, despite not being completely at full-strength, still had the luxury of featuring such prominent figures as Landon Donovan, DaMarcus Beasley and Eddie Johnson, did little to hurt their chances of wrestling the trophy away from Mexico for the first time since 2007.

Yes, detractors could point to some of these things that worked in the USA's favor in this Gold Cup in an attempt to downplay the recent triumph under Jürgen Klinsmann's tutelage, but to do so would be a bit rash and alarmingly unfair. Admittedly the road to the Gold Cup victory may not have been as difficult as in years past, but as any manager would tell you, a team can only play against the teams put in front of them.

The United States did just that, leaving very little in doubt during their unblemished Gold Cup run. In doing so, Klinsmann and company did everything to give American fans plenty to analyze and ultimately feel very confident about as next summer's World Cup draws ever closer.

The Ryan Martin Show: 7/29/13

If you missed yesterday's show, here it is for your listening pleasure. The USA's Gold Cup triumph naturally took center stage, but talk about Gareth Bale's shaky future at Tottenham and the latest from MLS also featured prominently.

The Calamity That Is Chivas USA

For those who have only begun to follow MLS in more recent years, it is perhaps easy to overlook some of the realities facing the league little more than a decade ago. Miami and Tampa Bay were contracted by the league following the 2001 season, and indeed, the league was still facing something of an uphill battle for survival.

Accordingly, the league was open and willing to take in almost anyone who was ready to invest tens of millions in the league by way of expansion fees for a new MLS team. Ultimately, two new clubs would emerge from this first round of post-contraction expansion: Real Salt Lake, spearheaded by Dave Checketts, and Chivas USA, owned by C.D. Guadalajara owner Jorge Vergara and likewise named after the famed Mexican club.

In the spirit of the all-Mexican ethos set forth by C.D. Guadalajara, Chivas USA initially set out to cater to the targeted Mexican and Hispanic demographics of Los Angeles by signing players of such aforementioned heritage, whether of American, Mexican or other citizenships. A certain arrogance surrounded this approach, as the feeling was that this first rag-tag group of players would show the Americans how soccer is really played, but in the end, the experiment failed miserably. This collection of journeymen and Guadalajara castoffs, save for former Mexico captain Ramon Ramirez, limped to a paltry tally of 18 points in that inaugural 2005 season.

The Ryan Martin Show: 7/22/13

If you missed yesterday's show, here's your chance to listen to it now. Transfer news from Europe, the Gold Cup and MLS were the main topics of the day.

CONCACAF Gold Cup: Looking Ahead To The Quarterfinals

The Gold Cup has certainly faced some derision over the years for being played every two years instead of four and, resultantly, not always featuring the top players from the likes of the US and Mexico at each tournament. Indeed, this year's Gold Cup is the "off-cycle" edition that sees some of the top notch players from the region focusing on their respective club teams in the wake of what has already been a busy summer in CONCACAF due to World Cup qualifying.

Regardless of the fact that many household names are missing from this Gold Cup, there has undoubtedly been a litany of excitement and intrigue to take away from the recently concluded group stage. Panama's win over Mexico, the United States' run through group C, and Cuba's dramatic, if not unlikely, four goal explosion versus Belize to secure passage to the quarterfinals have served us well in offering plenty of reasons to maintain our interest as the tournament enters its knockout phase.

With the four quarterfinal match-ups now set, one needs to only take a glance at the games in store to see that even more storylines are sure to arise this weekend.

The Ryan Martin Show: 7/15/13

Today's edition of the Ryan Martin Show was a special one, as interviews from the Atlanta Silverbacks' championship media day were featured. Other topics included Clint Dempsey being put on the market by Tottenham, the Gold Cup, and the weekend's action in MLS.

Clint Dempsey Transfer Listed By Tottenham

It was but twelve short months ago that we wondered just how the transfer saga between Clint Dempsey and former club Fulham would play out. Dempsey, unquestionably in the prime of his career following a prolific goal-scoring campaign with Fulham, had spoken very openly about his desire to play at a club that could offer European football, and accordingly the writing on the wall suggested that Dempsey's days at Craven Cottage were indeed numbered.

There were significant rumors of Liverpool being a very likely destination for Dempsey, but as the dust settled last August, the confirmation came that Dempsey would be making the move across London to White Hart Lane. Yes, it looked to be the kind of move that would be quite befitting of Dempsey, but as we know, fortunes and situations in this game can change drastically in the span of a year. Maybe few things are so representative of this phenomenon as Dempsey being put up for sale by Tottenham this week. The familiar wave of speculation about Dempsey's next stop has returned.

The Ryan Martin Show: 7/8/13

If you missed today's show, listen to it now! Atlanta's NASL triumph, the Gold Cup, David Villa's move to Atletico Madrid, Jozy Altidore's transfer to Sunderland, and the weekend's action in MLS were amongst the talking points.

Atlanta Silverbacks Win NASL Spring Title

The winter of 2008 was indeed a cold, bitter one in Atlanta for soccer fans. The Silverbacks, who had already not enjoyed the greatest levels of success since their inception in 1995, announced that they would be going on an indefinite hiatus, leaving the city without its longest running professional soccer club and likewise leading many fans to wonder if the Silverbacks would ever return to the field.

The cold winds of that winter would continue to blow until 2011, when the Silverbacks returned to competitive action in the NASL. However, to put it as diplomatically as possible, the results were hardly of a championship caliber once they were reincarnated. The rekindled Silverbacks limped to a paltry haul of 16 points from 28 games in that 2011 season, and a goal difference of -38 only served to cruelly illustrate just how far off the pace Atlanta had fallen in their time away. Indeed, the opening stages of 2012 looked to be more of the same, as loss after loss mounted and the Silverbacks looked set to make the bottom of the table all their own once more.

NASL Spring Season: Three Teams, One Dream

The NASL's decision to go with a split season format in 2013 was one that surprised many and drew skepticism and criticism from others in American soccer circles. To hear the NASL's top brass tell it, the change in format was brought about to generate excitement and lend more relevance to every game played, while detractors would be quick to point out that such a shift was probably facilitated by the fact that the New York Cosmos would not be ready to play until the Fall of 2013 and that the league scarcely wanted to wait until 2014 to see its perceived crown jewel take the field.

Regardless of whatever the reasons were for this season's new format, and indeed there is likely a myriad of reasons attached to it, there can be little doubt that the 2013 Spring Season has come to a zenith that NASL commissioner Bill Peterson could have only dreamed about in his wildest of dreams. With the Spring Season coming to a close tomorrow with Atlanta, Carolina and San Antonio still alive in the championship race, the NASL is sure to have some Independence Day fireworks of their own before the night is out.

Confederations Cup: Brazil's Demise Has Been Exaggerated

As generations of fans have come to seemingly know and accept, Brazil's place at the top of the world's game is seen as being all but unrivaled and unquestioned. The legendary names to have been adorned with the famous yellow shirt make up a list that reads like something of a VIP list, and collectively the efforts of these near mystical figures have led to Brazil amassing a gaudy collection of World Cup conquests. 

Yet, despite the reverence that Brazil has rightfully garnered for decades on end, a funny thing has been happening with the dialogue surrounding the Brazilian mystique over the last year or so. A growing wave of doubts has been surrounding this Brazil side due to a rash of uninspiring performances in friendlies that ultimately led to Mano Menezes' dismissal and the return of Luiz Felipe Scolari. While performances under Scolari leading up to this year's Confederations Cup represented a marked improvement, doubts still remained about how Brazil would fare in a tough group.

Alas, as we have now seen on the strength of three games in the competition so far, Brazil looks set to reassert its worth on the international stage once again.

The Ryan Martin Show: 6/24/13

If you missed today's show, take a moment and listen to it now. The Confederations Cup, the US National Team, MLS, transfer news, and the Atlanta Silverbacks' title aspirations in the NASL were amongst the topics.

USA 1, Honduras 0: A Dream Month in CONCACAF Ends

Even after a previous four point haul from their last two-game foray into CONCACAF World Cup qualifying that looked to have steadied the ship well enough, it would have taken only the most optimistic of American fans to think that a further nine points from games against Jamaica, Panama and Honduras would have been on the cards. In light of a porous performance in the friendly against Belgium at the beginning of the month, such an output seemed like even less of a likelihood.

Yet, as the dust settled at Rio Tinto Stadium following the USA's scrappy 1-0 win against an injury-riddled Honduras side, the top of the in this final stage of qualifying was firmly in the USA's possession, and it  was certainly no less than they deserved. Though the outing scarcely mirrored the passing clinic Klinsmann's men put on in Seattle, the increasingly cohesive defensive partnership of Omar Gonzalez and Matt Besler earned a few more stripes, and Fabian Johnson continued to show his worth once again in setting Jozy Altidore up perfectly for a fourth goal in four games. With such vital pieces of the puzzle clicking now, the enthusiasm in the American camp could hardly be any higher.

With confidence sky high at the moment, there is perhaps no better time for the USA to head into this summer's Gold Cup. We can't forget, however, that the product we see on the field next month will look a bit different than what we've grown accustomed to of late.

The Ryan Martin Show, 6/17/13

Yesterday's show is now available, replete with chatter about the US, the Confederations Cup, MLS, moves made by Wigan and Hull, and the Atlanta Silverbacks. Have a listen!

US Open Cup: Looking Ahead

If you've not been paying attention to this season's US Open Cup, then it is undoubtedly your loss, as there have been plenty of upsets and compelling games games on the way to the upcoming quarterfinals. So far we've seen the likes of the Des Moines Menace upset the NASL's Minnesota United, San Jose lose away to Charleston of the USL, Real Salt Lake taken to extra time at home by both Charleston and the NASL's Atlanta Silverbacks, and the Carolina RailHawks unofficially crowned as champions of Los Angeles after beating the Galaxy and Chivas USA. Domestic cups around the world tend to throw such massive upsets our way, and the pattern is certainly repeating itself here stateside. 

With already so much to digest from the preceding rounds of the US Open Cup, the quarterfinal draw looks set to give us even more to consider when the competition resumes on June 26th. 

USA 2, Panama 0: Finally Comprehensive

If anything, the last few weeks for the US have been nothing less than an embodiment of what life has been like during Jürgen Klinsmann's reign. Indeed, we've seen an abject performance against Belgium, and initially inspired but ultimately nervy win against Germany, and a late dramatic winner at Jamaica that was only made necessary following an equally late Jamaica equalizer. Still, despite the schizophrenic nature of these aforementioned performances, the US had every chance to sit at the top of the table in CONCACAF once the final whistle blew against Panama, even as a complete performance had proven to be continuously elusive.

While a comprehensive win had been evading the US going into last night, it certainly wasn't at the end of the night, as the Americans resoundingly registered one of their best performances in a meaningful game for quite some time. Indeed, the widely bandied concept of "peaking at the right time" seems apt here, as memories of the overwhelmingly poor performance at Honduras at the opening of this final round of qualifying are surely beginning to subside.

At the very core of such a quality win were several praiseworthy performances to be mentioned. Likewise, there are still of couple of questions to entertain in advance of the game against Honduras next week.

The Ryan Martin Show: 6/10/13

If you missed yesterday's show, here's your chance to catch what you missed. Frank Yallop's departure, the USA's win over Jamaica, and Atlanta's fight for first place in the NASL were just a few of the talking points.

Atlanta Silverbacks: The Spirit of the Game Is Alive and Well

Like many others living in the southeastern United States, I've often bemoaned the fact that MLS has expanded into seemingly every other part of the country outside of this one. Yes, Tampa Bay and Miami were once MLS markets before the Mutiny and the Fusion were contracted following the 2001 season, but as people in Alabama, Georgia and even the panhandle of Florida would be quick to tell you, the Florida Peninsula doesn't necessarily equate the Southeast in and of itself.

While it would be easy for many people in Georgia and eastern Alabama (where I reside) to be resigned to a perceived fate of not having a quality soccer team in the region to support, whether from a distance or live and in person, such assumptions would indeed be quite faulty in nature and rather myopic. For those in this part of the country so longing for a more accessible soccer experience, and indeed a club to support that is not hundreds or thousands of miles away, the collective gaze needs to go no further than Atlanta.

United States: Looking Ahead to a Pivotal Month in CONCACAF

Almost predictably, especially as the US National Team world turns, recent friendlies against a full-strength Belgium side and a patchwork Germany squad gave us all plenty to praise, criticize and otherwise ruminate over in advance of a crucial stretch of World Cup qualifiers that will see the US travel to Jamaica before returning home for games against Panama and Honduras. It's a stretch of games that is just as likely to be problematic for the US as it will be a path to seizing control of the top spot in this final stage of qualifying.

Though the aforementioned friendlies offered us more questions than answers in various doses, the sample size of these 180 minutes certainly presents enough of a canvas on which we may begin to paint the picture of what we think this month will ultimately look like for Klinsmann and company.

The King Returns

It may have only been six years since José Mourinho stepped away from Stamford Bridge in the aftermath of an uninspiring draw with Rosenborg in the Champions League and a falling out with Roman Abramovich, but in terms of perceived time at Chelsea, it must seem like he departed ages ago. Chelsea fans have perpetually, and rightfully so, exalted his name to the point of him being something like a deity in Chelsea circles, and the constant revolving door of the manager's office has done little to placate fans and their desires to see him on the club's touchline again. Perhaps only Roberto Di Matteo has even approached captivating the Chelsea faithful as Mourinho did, but even his abbreviated yet very successful reign fell victim to Abramovich's whims.

There is a German saying, man sieht sich immer zweimal im Leben, that seems so very apt in the wake of yesterday's news of Mourinho's long awaited return to Chelsea and the Premier League. Even with the rather acrimonious circumstances of his 2007 exit, and even as both Mourinho himself and Chelsea have moved on and won their respective trophies post-separation, it just always seemed, if only rather anecdotally, the spiritual cord between Mourinho and the club had never been entirely severed. Fate just always seemed to suggest that the once happy marriage between the two parties would be renewed again.

The Ryan Martin Show: 6/3/13

Today's show was dominated by big headlines, as topics such as the week that was for the US, Mourinho's return to Chelsea, Falcao's move to Monaco, and Bayern's treble were talked about at length. A look back on MLS, the US Open Cup, and the Atlanta Silverbacks also featured prominently. Enjoy!

Belgium 4, USA 2: More Growing Pains

Maybe United States fans are becoming rather accustomed to the roller coaster of performances and related emotions during Jürgen Klinmann's time in charge. Previous wins in Italy and Mexico during Klinsmann's tenure, along with a recent four point haul from games against Costa Rica and at Mexico, have given Americans every reason to think that the national team was progressing quite nicely. In stark contrast, more abject performances on the road in World Cup qualifying against Jamaica, Honduras and even Antigua and Barbuda have accordingly led to more question than sufficient answers about the direction of the team in advance of next year's World Cup.

Given the undeniable fact that Belgium is in the midst of a golden generation of players that the country has honestly never seen before and that could very possibly see Belgium as a fashionable pick for glory next year, there would have been no shame at all in losing to a Belgian side that was as near to full strength as one could want. What is most troubling, however, is that yet another uninspiring performance all but rolled out the red carpet for what would be a rather elementary Belgium win.

Bayern Munich wins UEFA Champions League: just the beginning

It was only fitting that an unprecedented season of dominance for Bayern Munich, both domestically in the Bundesliga and in Europe, would culminate in a glorious night at Wembley that will live on in the memories of many. Indeed, it was an event that showcased both the best team on the continent and the very best that Germany had to offer in both Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, the two-time defending Bundesliga champions before Bayern Munich's juggernaut status this season. 

Yet despite the dizzying heights and gaudy numbers achieved by Bayern Munich over the last nine months, Saturday night's late victory was never going to come easily, whether due to the ghosts of Champions League finals past or the oh so familiar opponents who lined up across the way. For all of the confidence instilled by Bayern Munich's plethora of resounding performances, a side as blessed with attacking acumen as Borussia Dortmund was as capable as any of making everything go horribly wrong for Bayern Munich on Europe's biggest stage, just as had happened against Chelsea last season, Inter Milan in 2010, and, however famously, Manchester United in 1999.

With Borussia Dortmund clearly the better side for the opening third of the game, it began to look as if Bayern Munich's nightmares of seasons past in Europe were manifesting themselves once again. Ultimately this opening salvo was one that Bayern Munich would weather, and Arjen Robben's late winner confirm Bayern's place at the top of the European heap.

Bayern Munich, having exorcised the demons of Europe, now have one last bit of silverware, the Deutcher Pokal, to wrap up this weekend on their way to a magnificent treble this season. However, even with a final moment of glory awaiting Bayern Munich before this term is officially brought to a close, it is hardly too soon to wonder if this season is merely a sign of things to come for the German giants.

Manchester City and the Yankees enter the MLS fray

Finally, after much speculation and conjecture, the news of a second MLS club coming to New York City was confirmed this week amidst much fanfare. With Manchester City and the New York Yankees providing the financial backing for the club, the initial ingredient for the club's health and success, money, will hardly be in short supply.

However, even with this financial clout on offer, their success, both on and off the field, is hardly something to be assumed. Though the club will not take the field until 2015, a myriad of questions exist, though we may not readily know the answers to these inquiries for quite some time.

Winds of change at Napoli?

It was but nine years ago that Napoli faced one of the darkest, if not the darkest, times in their storied history. The club, which had been spiraling into a financial abyss for years, finally went bankrupt, ultimately found itself in Serie C1, and looked to be as far removed from its glory days as possible.

More recent years have seen Napoli climb back up to the more familiar heights of the sharp end of the Serie A table, and their trajectory has only continued on this upward ascent since the October 2009 appointment of Walter Mazzarri. With Mazzarri bringing in Edinson Cavani and allowing the likes of Gökhan İnler and Marek Hamšík to pull the strings in his preferred 3-4-3 system, Napoli has enjoyed the just rewards of finishing second in Serie A this season behind the all-conquering Juventus and causing plenty of noise in Europe in recent years.

However, with Mazzarri's surprise announcement of his resignation following Napoli's final game of the season, yet another massive question will need to be answered in what could be a crucial summer yet.

Deeper meanings of Chelsea's Europa League triumph

However unfairly at times, many fans, and especially those of bigger clubs, have a bit of a flippant attitude towards the Europa League and its place as a continental competition. Many view it as a worthless trophy for also-rans, and more have suggested that it should be scrapped completely in favor of an expanded Champions League.

Thankfully for Chelsea fans, the club hardly dared to view the competition as a nuisance as Harry Redknapp did while at Tottenham (evidenced by his squad selections). Rather, despite the obvious disappointment of being dumped out of the Champions League after the group stage and being denied the chance to defend their Champions League title, Chelsea pushed on, took the Europa League and its collection of good opponents very seriously, and were ultimately rewarded with a second successive European trophy at the end of a second successive tumultuous season.

That Chelsea became the first club to wins Europe's two competitions in consecutive years is nothing short of remarkable, but perhaps there is more for us to marvel at in the aftermath of their late, dramatic victory over Benfica in Amsterdam.

Reflecting on Roberto Mancini

Wasn't it only in very recent times that Manchester City were known for the trophy drought and breaking the hearts of their fans on a regular basis? Yes, only the youngest or most myopic of fans could forget this era that we were once so accustomed to. Never mind trophies and championship campaigns; City fans aren't too far removed from simply being happy with ending up on the right side of the relegation places.

But, as we know all too well in the modern game, money changes everything, and oh how it has changed life in the blue half of Manchester. Gone are the days of Manchester City being something of a lovable underdog when compared to their all-conquering rivals, and those days of yore have been wholly replaced by City's relatively new ambitions of being one of the very best clubs in Europe.

The Ryan Martin Show: 5/13/13

The Northwest of England garnered a lot of attention in today's show, with Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement, David Moyes' appointment, and Wigan's monumental FA Cup winning taking the spotlight. Action from MLS and the races for the final Champions League spots around Europe were also featured in today's conversation. Enjoy!

Wigan win the FA Cup

In a soccer world that is becoming increasing dominated by the biggest of clubs throwing gaudy amounts of money around on their way to trophy after trophy, it was only understandable that this season's FA Cup final of Manchester City and Wigan was branded as something of a David v. Goliath battle, and rightfully so. Manchester City, thanks to new ownership in recent years, an influx of cash and resultantly some of the best players in the world, have quickly solidified their place as one of the top clubs in England, while Wigan, contrastingly, have become oddly famous for dramatically escaping relegation seemingly every season while scraping by on the most meager of budgets as compared to some of the renowned rivals.

No, the apparent gulf in class between the two sides gracing the pitch at Wembley couldn't have been any more vast, and one would have been hard pressed to find anyone who would have actually given Wigan a chance to win, much less remain competitive with last season's Premier League champions. However, as we've seen in years past, magical things can happen during an FA Cup final; just ask former Liverpool and Wimbledon players about that.

Where does Everton go from here?

With today's far from surprising announcement that David Moyes would now attempt to fill Sir Alex Ferguson's sizable shoes at Manchester United, the beginning of a new era at Old Trafford likewise signaled the end of one at Goodison Park. Though Everton haven't reached the most dizzying of heights under David Moyes, fans of the blue half of Liverpool could have hardly had any complaints about a manager who over the course of eleven years in charge steadied the Everton ship and transformed them into a consistent, if not pragmatic, team that few looked forward to playing against and was perfectly capable of beating just about any other team on the right day.

Yes, a solid foundation will greet the new Everton manager, but much like the situation David Moyes is now plunging into, the job at Goodison Park is one that will come with its share of expectations and comparisons to Moyes' time in charge. With that said, it's a job that could be perfect for one manager who has been tipped for greater things in recent years. Contrastingly, it might also be a perfect chance for a once shining star in the managerial world to renew a bit of the luster that he has lost of late.

Sir Alex Ferguson retires: the end of an era

With Sir Alex Ferguson now in his early seventies, Manchester United fans knew that it was only a matter of time before Ferguson would call it a day and accordingly bring an end to his superlative time in charge of the English giants. However, even with that reality in mind, this morning's announcement of his imminent departure still came as a massive surprise to many of us in the soccer world, especially as some of his recent comments seemed to suggest that he had a few more seasons left and his passion on the Manchester United bench looked to be as fiery as even in leading the club to yet another Premier League title this season.

And yet, here we are, bringing the curtain down on a reign that started in 1986 and, despite a rather tumultuous beginning that saw him very close to being sacked, has represented one of the most prolonged  periods of excellence in the game's history. Some naysayers would be quick to suggest that more recent successes have come about due to Manchester United's standing as a multi-billion dollar global brand, but those detractors would be likewise remiss to not recognize that Manchester United, while steeped in history, was nowhere close to their current stature when Ferguson took over, and their transformation into such a worldwide empire can be largely attributed to the conquests to which he would lead the club from the early 1990s onward. Now this empire he has overseen is in a state of transition that is quite unfamiliar to all involved.

Wolves: a postmortem

It seemed that everything had gone as wrongly as it could for Wolves last season, didn't it? Following a fantastic start to the 2011/12 Premier League season that actually saw them topping the table at a very early juncture of the season, the results began to go from bad to worse, Mick McCarthy was inevitably sacked, and longtime assistant coach Terry Connor could do nothing to stop the bleeding as Wolves finished at the foot of the table and exited the Premier League with little more than a whimper.

And yet, even with the sour taste of a dreadful season still in the mouths of the fans, there was plenty of reason to think that this season back down in the Championship might re-instill some hope. After all, Wolves had been able to hang on to the likes of Karl Henry, Kevin Doyle, Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, and Roger Johnson, and Bakary Sako looked to be just the signing new manager Ståle Solbakken needed to inject a bit of flair into a side that, on paper at least, looked poised to have a season at the sharp end of the table. These ambitions would soon subside, and the familiar despair of last season would return. 

The Ryan Martin Show: 5/6/13

Today's show is now up. Reactions to the all-German Champions League final, Wigan's great escape, a crazy final day in the Championship, and Houston's cathartic win were just a little bit of what was talked about this morning.

The true power of the game

There can be times in this day and age of the game when we can all become somewhat jaded and fed up with seemingly everything. Whether because of match-fixing scandals, overpaid players having a laugh in the tunnel despite having just seen their teams relegated, or a certain player losing his mind once again and biting an unsuspecting opponent, our collective patience can be tried over and over again. Maybe in light of these moments we even begin to wonder why we love this game in the first place.

Thankfully in recent days, the actions taken by a few clubs and their players have served to remind us once again of what is indeed still good about the world's game, and it is these fantastic gestures that deserve far more attention than some of the more unsavory headlines that could be written otherwise.

Deutschland über alles: der Pokal gehört nur einem Land

For those of us in the soccer world, whether fans or pundits, the debate over which league boasts the best teams in Europe has been one that has raged on for years, if not generations. It's an argument whose foundations shift every few years, with the likes of Serie A and the Premier League having respectively had the grand occasions of an all-Italian and all-English Champions League final to cite as proof of their place at the top of the European pedestal in the last decade. In very recent times, the near consensus has been that La Liga, thanks to Barcelona and Real Madrid featuring once in a generation talents as Messi and Ronaldo, was at the very pinnacle of not only the European game, but the global game as well.

Yet, as qualitative and almost steeped in mysticism as our opinions on this topic may be, the results tend to speak for themselves and tell us everything we need to know. With that very blunt fact in mind, there can be only one conclusion in 2013: the power has firmly, if not resoundingly, swung to the Bundesliga.

The Ryan Martin Show, 4/29/13

Yesterday's show and all of its talk about the Champions League, QPR, MLS and more is now online. Enjoy!

The Ryan Martin Show, 4/22/13

If you missed yesterday's show, take a few minutes and listen to it now! Thoughts about New England dealing with tragedy, Luis Suarez's insanity and deserved punishment (in my eyes, at least), and more were amongst the main talking points.

The Ryan Martin Show, 4/15/13

Though a bit late, the recording of Monday's show is now up. The Champions League draw, Wigan's Cinderella story, New York's improvements, and more were up for discussion. Enjoy.

Blackburn Rovers: Where is the light at the end of the tunnel?

Oh, it was but only a few weeks ago that things looked to be finally looking up for a beleaguered Blackburn Rovers club and a fanbase that had been left to suffer through the turmoil and humiliation their beloved Rovers had been plunged into over the span of a couple of years following the Venky's takeover. Rovers had climbed back into promotion playoff contention, and combined with a dramatic and legendary win over Arsenal at the Emirates in the FA Cup, Rovers fans could be forgiven for thinking that a rocky road was becoming that much more navigable under recently hired manager Michael Appleton. As recent history has shown us, Rovers will always regress to a regrettable mean, as has been the case ever since that wonderful day in February.

The Ryan Martin Show: 4/8/13

Catch up on yesterday's show and all of the chatter about the Champions League, Bayern Munich wrapping things up in the Bundesliga, Wigan's late heroics, and New York's woes.

Ryan Martin Show: 4/1/13

Missed yesterday's show? No problem. The USA's draw v. Mexico, Wigan's upturn in form, Martin O'Neill, and Bayern Munich's rout were amongst the hot topics.

The Ryan Martin Show: 3/25/13

Yesterday's show is now up. Did the US v. Costa Rica game take the spotlight? Maybe.

US 1, Costa Rica 0: A night we won't soon forget

It would have taken but a quick glance to the skies over the US National Team this week for one to see a flock of vultures circling overhead, patiently waiting to swoop down and confirm the seemingly imminent demise of the USA's World Cup qualification hopes and, perhaps, the beginning of the end of Jürgen Klinsmann's American dream before it ever reached any sort of fruition. Brian Straus' article, released earlier in the week, provided a rather damning look at life behind the scenes of Klinsmann's reign, and even independent of that, last month's performance against Honduras, steeped in doldrums and malaise, failed to give even the most patriotic of fans much hope going into two very vital games against Costa Rica and Mexico.

Yes, the reasons for encouragement going into last night's tilt with Costa Rica were scant, but as we know, soccer can be a funny old game, full of twists, turns, and the unexpected happening so often that it should just about be expected. Yet, even in the spirit of the unexpected that so often greets us during the span of ninety minutes, last night's scenes were nothing short of surreal, bizarre, and downright legendary.