Prime 4- Up Close and Personal

And the hits just keep on coming! This past weekend, the streets of Downtown Los Angeles were laid to waste by, what was clearly, a Decepticon attack. Transformers filming was brought to the heart of L.A., and shortly thereafter, this video surfaced. It shows Autobots Ratchet (Hummer) and Jazz (Now confirmed to be a Pontiac Solstice), driving through the rubble and waste that once were the streets of Los Angeles. And today, we receive a few more images regarding design. The first is an image of Optimus Prime snapped at a recent trade show, and it gives us our first glimpse at the silver screen version of his infamous blaster. You can find that picture here. And, on top of that, we get our very first close-up view of what a Transformers face looks like. And who's the lucky model? Well, none other than Bumblebee! You can see what he looks like here. Hey, people! How about some Decepticons now? I'd like to see what Starscream looks like. July 4th, 2007 is still a ways off, but at this pace, we'll have seen the full cast of bots by next month.

Win Or Lose!

It's been a very exciting and emotional week for Los Angeles Galaxy fans, but it can all be summed up in 2 words: Landon Donovan. What a week this man has had, and our favorite team only benefits from his efforts. Last Wednesday, the Galxians took on the Colorado Rapids in yet another match in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Tournament as they sought to advance into the finals and defend their championship. The game was quite evenly matched, with both teams scoring in the 1st half (Quavas Kirk for the Galaxy). The remainder of the match was strictly denfensive, as both teams failed to secure a victory in the regulatory 90 minutes. Being a tournament match, overtime periods soon followed. And with that, Donovan emerged the hero as he scores, not once, but twice, in the additional 30 minutes of overtime. That secured the Galaxy's victory and eliminated the Rapids from the rest of the tourney. The Galaxy's march to the finals continues as they host the Houston Dynamos on September 6th. They are just 2 games (wins) away from reclaiming the cup. In regular season action, the Galaxy traveled to RFK Stadium as they visited the D.C. United on their home turf. After a very familiar 1st half, tied 1-1 (Goals by Alan Gordon and an autogoal by Chris Albright that benefited D.C.), the 2nd half belonged to Donovan. If he wasn't scoring, he was instigating the plays that lead to the score. The play for the Galaxy's second goal was launched by a free kick by Donovan. Ultimately it met up with team Captain Pete Vagenas, who passed to Chris Albright, who made up for his earlier mistake by giving L.A. a 2-1 lead. The third goal was a penalty kicked awarded to the Galaxy, and marvelously excecuted by Donovan. After a second score by the D.C. United, the Galaxy receive an autogoal of their very own at the hands of D.C. defenseman Bryan Namoff (Off of a kick from Donovan) bringing things up to 4-2. But, not satisfied for the night, Donovan manages to find the net once more 2 minutes into stoppage, for the impressive final score of 5-2. Donovan was playing the crowd that evening, as their loathing for his showmanship was clearly unappreciated.
On a sadder note, the Galaxy traveled to Salt Lake City to take on Real Salt Lake, on what should have been a no contest match. Unfortunately due to a VERY rookie mistake by Galaxy starting goalie, Kevin Hartman, the Real Salt Lake were able to steal victory away from the Galaxy. (BOO-URNS!!) But let's not dwell on the past, let's insted look to the future as the Galaxy return home this Saturday to the good ol' HDC as they welcome the Kansas City Wizards. Let's not let this loss bring us down, we're on a good pace. Keep it up guys, we're all rooting for ya!

Melting Pot

One of the great things about living in Southern California is the diversity of the city, and the proximity to attractions. There are many cultures here that mingle and intermix while living right next door to one another. A perfect example, yesterday we headed over to Dodger Stadium to buy tickets for Tuesday's game against the Cinncinnati Reds. On our way back home we drove down Sunset Blvd. near Hollywood, (Further down the road Sunset becomes Ceasar Chavez, how L.A. is that?), drove past Chinatown, and ended up in Olvera Street (Which is a large Mexican Plaza in the center of Downtown L.A.) Luckily I had my camera with me, so I snapped a few shots of our little trip. Enjoy!It really was a nice day for some sightseeing, and it is always great to be reminded what a culturally bountiful city we live in. We head up to Dodger Stadium again on Tuesday for game 2 of their 3 game series against the Reds. I'll post pictures up of that soon.

Prime 3- WTF??

Like I've stated earlier, this month has been THE month for leaked Transformers Movie pictures and news. First we had those leaked shots of Bumblebee in his all new 2007 Camaro form. (Pretty cool!). Then we had those leaked conceptual designs and photos of a flamed out semi that we later learned was Optimus Prime (Growing on me, but loose the flames and we've got a deal!). We saw those images of the prototype toys that will be released in conjunction with the movie. (Again, very nice, especially that Blackout helicopter!). But just a few days ago, there were some images popping up on the Internets that stated to be the first leaked pictures of the movie version of Megatron. At first glance, I thought to myself "WTF?". Don't get me wrong, it is a pretty cool design, but none of it screams Megatron or Transformers. At least with the Optimus or Bumblebee designs, you can see a progression from the cartoon to the movie, but not here. The production team states that there is a reason for the way he looks that will make sense when the movie is released, but for now, I'll stick to my "WTF?" To check out the pictures, click here.

Prime-2

The Transformer movie news just keeps coming fast and furious. Hot off the heels of last weeks leaked photos of Optimus Prime and some other Transformers, comes word from Dreamworks that the photos are legit, and that those are more or less the designs we will be seeing in theatres next year. Well, today come some more leaked images, included better looks at Optimus Prime, some preliminary toy designs, and a first look at one scary looking Decepticon. You can check them all here. I gotta say, that seeing Optimus in action is going to be so badass! This design is starting to grow on me, even the flames. But, again, the final product will be the true test.

Double Trouble

The Galaxy were in action this past Sunday, finally back at home at the good ol' HDC after a a short roadtrip. And what's more, they found themselves welcoming 1st place FC Dallas. Needless to say, it was looking a little daunting going in. Hot off the heels of last weeks 1-0 loss against Colorado, I was being cautiously optimistic about this match. Due to financial restraints, we weren't able to attend the match in person, and boy did we miss one hell of a game. The majority of the action took place within the first half, with the Galaxy firing on all cylinders. They had a couple of threatening plays come their way at the hands (or feet as the case may be), of former Galaxian Carlos Ruiz, but Hartman was in fine form within the poles. But the true highlights of this confrontation were definitely the goals. The first came from Landon Donovan who, off a long pass from Troy Roberts, managed to narrowly beat out Greg Vanney, and just lightly lop the ball over the head of the WAY out of net Dallas goalkeeper. Next, Washington import Santino Quaranta sought to prove that he is more than just a one-goal pony, as he nailed a 35-yarder straight into the heart of both the Dallas fans and the net. After the first half, the Galaxy were up 2-0, and that would be all the rest of the match would ever see. The Galaxy win on their first match home, and all the attending fans got were 2 goals and a Landon Donovan action (or should I say IN-action figure, according to my friend who was in attendance) figure. Next up, the Galaxy welcome the Colorado Rapids tomorrow to the good ol' HDC as they continue their pursuit of a second Open Cup championship. Can we repeat? We're sure as hell going to try!! Good Luck Guys!

Stakes and Spikes

Okay, time to confess! Guilty pleasure of the summer? Blade: The Series on SpikeTV. There has been constant discussion amongst my buddies and I regarding this show. Either it started off bad, and has steadily become better, or it is SO bad that is comes all the way around to being good. At times, it seems that both are right. Don't get me wrong, the blood, gore, cursing, and gratuitous butt shot from random girls here and there make for some very entertaining television. Balance that with bad acting, cheesy delivery, confusing plotlines, and cliche characters and you got yourself one hella-fun hour! Though it never reaches the depths of the movie series, particularly the 1st and 2nd, and despite the fact that Mr. "Sticky" Jones is definitely no Wesley Snipes, I still find myself week after week engulfed into the vampiric mayhem. It's a man's show made for men by men, who just happen to be comic book geeks at heart! (Sound familiar?) I recommend it, if not highly, then at least wholeheartedly!

Prime-1

There are two things that I am looking forward to next year. Spider-Man 3, and Transformers the movies. Seeing how Spider-Man 3 has released pretty much all the publicity material that it will, at least for the time being, it's time to turn the focus to the Transformers movie. And what better way to do that than with the first released images of what are said to be Optimus Prime's silver screen version. For those of you who aren't into being spoiled, don't worry I won't say much other than it is different than what we are used to when we think of Optimus Prime. And for those of you who can't wait, well just click here. And this is a shot of what he transforms into. Again, a little bit of a departure from what we grew up with, but it has to make sense in terms of the real world and physics. When all is said and done, it is about how it looks up on screen that matters. And with Peter Cullen doing the voice (Original voice actor for Optimus Prime in the 80's television series), it'll probably come down to the essence of what Prime is, than what he looks like. Can't wait to see more!

Omar's Collection Spotlight #5: Clive Barker's Infernal Parade (Part 3)

Man, it seems like sooooooo long since I've done one of these. But thanks to the World Cup and other circumstances, this feature kind of got pushed aside. Well, I'm bringing it back folks!! The conclusion to Omar's Collection Spotlight #5 is long overdue. So here it is, the final installment in Spotlight #5, which, if you remember, has focused on my Clive Barker's Tortured Souls collection from McFarlane Toys. Where Series One showed us the Demonic face of pain and evil, and Series Two brought a more tortured Human element to these same concepts. Now, Series Three brings something completely new. First of all, it isn't called Tortured Souls anymore, although the collaboration between McFarlane and Clive Barker remain. This time around it was called the Infernal Parade, and it ventured away from the evil and painful, and immersed itself in the disturbing, weird, strange, and exotic. The motif for this series is based on a Carnaval sideshow, and all the odd (perhaps mad) characters that inhabit them. Of the all three series, this is the one that is most grounded in reality, perhaps making it the freakiest. Anyway, enough with the introductions. Step right up Ladies and Gentleman. Come one, come all! Feast your eyes on these fine specimens of human deviance!First, the Ringmaster of this little cavalcade! His name is Tom Requiem, and along with his little midget friend, he announces the arrival of his merry band of misfits. As menacing as this figure is, there is something oddly inviting about his stance and his demeanour. On the one hand, he comes across as a charismatic showman, and on the other, he seems just as likely to devour your flesh. Must be all the Voo Doo face paint and paraphernalia that decorates his outfit. A little bit frightning, but not so much on the disturbing side. (Perhaps slightly off-putting!) Anywho, we're off to a good start. Let's move along shall we?This delightful fellow goes by the name of The Golem Elijah, and doesn't he just look sooo cute and cuddly?? Don't worry, the worst that could happen is that he claws your face off and eats it in front of you while you helplessly stand paralyzed and witness the entire ordeal! Freak, maybe? Inbred, perhaps? Not sure about this one. All I can really say is that those bars don't look nearly as strong as they need to be. Whatever this poor fellows story is, you can bet that he's only thinking of 3 things...Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner! How about we move along? I suddenly don't feel so safe!On to the ladies of the big top! First, we have here Ms. Bethany Bled, or the Iron Maiden as she likes to refer to herself as. This beautiful, but deadly, creature is no stranger to pain. (As you can clearly see!) She's not afraid to be impaled by dozens of steel-hard rods at the same time. (If you know what I mean, *wink*wink*!) All kidding aside, how she manages to surivive after being penetrated by...having spikes thrust into her...ummm...There isn't any way to say it that doesn't sound like a euphemism, is there?
On the whole, (Or hole!! lol Okay, I'll stop now!) this is one of the nicer female sculpts that McFarlane has produced, alongside our next guest.This is Mary Slaughter. Now, don't let the name scare you off. She's nicer than it might lead you to believe. She's so nice, in fact, that even if you are a complete stranger, as many of you out there undoubtedly are, she has no problem swallowing for you. (There I go again!!) All kidding aside, there seems to be a sense of euphoric calm that radiates from this figure, despite the compromising position that Mary seems to have gotten herself into. She hangs from her very skin, but she still manages to concentrate solely on swallowing the sword. (Get your mind out of the gutter!) And by the look of all her tattoos, you can tell that Mary is no stranger to pain.From beauty, we move once more to the beast. Literally! Here is a slight twist on the whole Lion Tamer act. This act is called The Sabbaticus: Bleb and Heeler. (Bleb is the hairy fellow!) Heeler, the diminutive fellow, places his fate in the hands of mother nature, and the feral instincts of the beast that is The Sabbaticus. Blinding trusting in the ties that bind master and servant, or owner and pet. But there is one thing that Heeler needs to ask himself before he sticks his head in the jaws of the beast. Did he remember to feed it today? Oh, well, let's not stick around to find out!And finally, we come to our last act. Or perhaps exhibit is a better word for it. Here we have three vials, each filled with the preserved remains of some of Dr. Fetter's greatest discoveries. They are living (pardon the expression) proof that Mother Nature herself could be crueler than any mortal man. Although, Dr. Fetter was a very close second. He did, after all, hunt these three down after their last escape attempt. It remains to be seen wether or not they died of natural causes. Oh, well. Perhaps we could pay the good doctor a visit, and you can address any questions you may have regarding the family directly at him. Hey, where are you going? Hello? The tour isn't finished yet! Hey! Come Back!!

Well, at long last, Spotlight #5 comes to a close. It'll be a while before I do another series like this. I think I'll stick to just individual items. For example, Next Up: Eight legged freaks! Of both the arachnid and cephalopod varieties. Stay Tuned!

Stars and Galaxy

Last Saturday, the MLS All-Stars confronted the 2-time Premier League Champions Chelsea FC. With their roster full of international stars, I was sure that the British Champs had this game fully in the bag. Boy, was I wrong. The good ol' MLS boys showed up to play, and weren't about to let the Europeans tread on them. Playing in front of a sell-out crowd at Chicago Fire's newly constructed soccer specific stadium, the 1st half went scoreless, but once the 2nd half kicked off, the MLS team showed new vigor and determination, which took the Chelsea team by surprise. At the end of it all, a lone goal by Houston Dynamo's Dwayne De Rosario would be all the MLS team would need to snatch victory from the hands of the Brits.Tonight the Galaxy continued their roadtrip, as they visited the Dynamo's down in Houston, Texas. Trying to keep their now 7 game undefeated streak alive, the Galaxy had a tough time with the Dynamo in the 1st half. They opened up many chances that never came to fruition, to the relief of the Galaxy and their fans. But the 2nd half saw a fresh start, as newly acquired Santino Quaranta (traded to the Galaxy from D.C. United just yesterday afternoon!), who was substituted for Josh Gardner in the 58th minute, exploited an opportunity created by Landon Donovan and Cobi Jones. He connects with the net, and produces the matches only goal. The Galaxy win it 1-0. Next up, the Galaxy head to Colorado to face off against the Rapids on Saturday night. Let's try and keep the streak alive, guys!

Las Tres Comadres: The Next Generation

This past Saturday we had a very pleasant reunion with our little gang of friends. It's been a while since we've all been together, what with our various lives and all. But through everything we still manage to be as close as we ever were. These people are my best friends, and I would be lost without them. They've come to define much of my life, and I hope that in some small part I have done the same for them. I remember when we all met in high school, and how goofy we were whenever we were around each other. We hadn't known each other long, I was probably the newest one in the bunch, but we bonded immediately, and ever since then, we've been practically inseperable. Now one has gotten married and has a beautiful baby boy (You all might remember Fusito above? Well, look how big he's gotten!), one is going to start teaching 2nd grade kids at a charter school, and the other just passed her Nursing boards and will starts work at Children's Hospital in Los Angeles this September. (She's also just happens to be the love of my life!) Hopefully these little reunions will be a regular thing, we don't get together nearly as much as we should. And I'd hate for us to begin drifting apart after we've been through so much together. They're my sisters, and my best friends. I wouldn't be me without them. I Love You Guys! (Ummm...Girls!) And Fusito too!

Reventon Super Estrella 2006!!

Last Saturday we were fortunate enough to attend El Reventon Super Estrella 2006 for local latin radio station 107.1. They play mostly latin rock/pop, and this is their annual multi-billed festival. This year was the first that it was held at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, which, if you remember, was the venue for the last concert that we attended this year. It was a very ecclectic line-up this year. Quite a few acts I was actually excited about, and some that my girlfriend really wanted to see. (Plus a few unknowns here and there). It started early, they began letting us in at 1pm. By 3:30pm the whole she-bang was underway. Here now are the acts that we saw, and my reviews of their performances.First off, Miranda. Now, I'll admit that I was a little hesitant about these guys at first. I hadn't heard any of their material before, so I wasn't what you would call a fan. And when they walked out on stage with their matching metallic futuristic jumpsuits, I wasn't preparing to take them very seriously. But, I'll be the first to admit that I was plesantly surprised. Their catchy retro-Euro-80's-Synth-Pop groove really got me going and, I think, really set a nice pace for the entire evening. Now, I can't get their songs out of my head, and I don't mind. Honestly, I'm really glad not only that I've discovered these guys, but also that I had the opportunity to see them live for the first time as well.Mach & Daddy were up next. These guys were the gratuitous Reggeaton act for the night. I believe that I heard that they are from Panama, and they currently have been getting heavy airplay thanks to their hit single "La Botella" (The Bottle). I was really disappointed with these guys. Not because I'm a fan or anything, these guys were another of the ones that I had never heard of. But to think, that somewhere in the crowd of 55,000 people who showed up for the show, there must have been some hardcore fans of these guys. And their entire performance consists of singing the same song 3 times. (Yep, 3 time!) It's not even a very good song to begin with. But luckily their time on stage was over quickly.Next, Gloria Trevi took the stage. Now, here was one of the evenings headliners. She's known in Mexico for her rebellious attitude, and her grungy fashion sense. Many of the girls in the crowd, including my girlfriend, grew up with her as a role model, and they've come to appreciate her music (despite scandals that have plagued her private life). She's a little older now, but she still maintains the rebellious in-your-face attitude. Her performance was pretty straightforward, bringing out some of her bigger hits from back in the day. Her dialogue with the audience seemed to be very heartfelt and inviting as she expressed her gratitude for all the fan's support and love. Overall, a good performance, especially when she started to climb up on the rafters.
Julio Preciado was up next. Now, here is the one act that seemed out of place. Super Estrella 107.1 is mostly a Latin Rock/Pop station. Julio Preciado is reknown for his influential Regional Mexican music. (Think Norteñas and Banda). I, foolishly, believed that he would stick out like a sore thumb. Boy, was I wrong. He managed to bring the house down, and bring the people to their feet. People were getting up out of their seats and dancing in the aisles and rows. His performance was a non-stop barrage of groin-grinding music that most of the crowd really appreciated. I could take it or leave it, but it impressed me that he was able to move the crowd so effortlessly. Next came Julieta Venegas. Here was someone that I was really excited about seeing. I've been listening to a lot of her music lately, and I've come to gain a new appreciation for her. I had been told about her years ago from a friend of mine, but just recently discovered her thanks to a string of popy radio hits. (She's a cutie with an accordion, and that doesn't hurt!) She played mostly the popular hits, and it was a pretty straightforward performance. I can't complain, I really like her, so I was happy to have been able to see her live.Next was one of the bands that my girlfriend was really exctied about seeing. Their name is Sin Bandera, and they specialize in poppy romantic ballads. There are only 2 guys in this band, but they were able to make the girl's swoon like nobody's business. I didn't mind them. Not really my favorite type of music, but I can appreciate good baby-making music when I hear it.Soon after, Belanova took the stage. I've heard a couple of their songs before, and they are really poppy and catchy. They have a female singer, and I really like her voice. She really worked the crowd. Not to mention she look really cute in her little jumper. I asked my girlfriend if we could take her home with us. Needless to say, we came home empty handed. Oh, well. They were another act that I wasn't expecting too much from, but I came to really enjoy. They have a cool digital-synth-dance-electronica style, and her voice just rounds everything out. So, from here on, the night started taking a more electric feel. The big acts were heading our way, and the crowd was buzzing with anticipation. First up was the First Lady of Rock in Mexico. She's somewhat like royalty, and she's considered an 80s icon by latin girls everywhere. Her name is Alejandra Guzman, and she brought the place down! She had a good balance of rocking tunes and some power ballads that all the girls sang along too. (Yep, even mine!) She put on a very dynamic and electifying performance, working the crowd as well as the catwalk. I was really impressed by her, but I shouldn't have doubted her, seeing how she always gives 110%. The evening was getting off to a good start.After a prolonged musical interlude by the DJs, which made the crowd go nuts! There was dancing, conga lines, grinding, stripping, and we even saw a guy in a white thong. (SHUDDER!!) After a good half hour or so of this, we finally got to our next performance. Now, when I heard Ricky Martin was playing, I wasn't expecting too much. I mean, he's been famous my entire life, and when he crossedover to english, he seemed to come and go. So I thought that perhaps he'd lost a little of what he had a few years back. I couldn't be more wrong. That he drove the girls wild goes without saying. There was girl next to us who had been mostly quiet and reserved the entire concert, but once Ricky Martin was on stage, I was half expecting her to toss her panties at him. She went wild, as did all the other girls in the crowd. Whatever Ricky had, he's still got it, and it looks like he isn't losing it anytime soon. His performance was solid and very dynamic. I wasn't disappointed at all by him like I was expecting. He also worked the crowd very well. A true Showman. (And man, can he sweat! He had to change shirt halfway through his performance!)Next, straight out of Spain, as well as the 80s, came Hombres G. Here was another of the acts that I was really excited about seeing. I've heard so many of their songs over the years. They are another of those true Latin Rock icons. It finally felt like a real rock show when they took the stage. And the crowd was loving every minute of it. They did a few new songs, but really brought it home when they did their classic hits. All in all, a solid performance.And finally, we get to the evenings headliners, RBD. We've come full cirlce with these guys. We were there for the very first show of their first ever USA tour, and here we were again at their last. This kids are something of a phenomenon. There were young kids in the crowd who suffered through all the other acts, just to get to RBD. There were more than enough fans dressed in the RBD style (which us basically a prep-school uniform), both guys and girls, and ALL the kids. So, once again, this was a very big deal. And at least this time around the weather was cooperating. They were going to put on a full performance, which they did, and the crowd really appreciated. Who knows if and when they'll be coming through these parts again. It was worth seeing them again just for my girlfriend's sake, seeing how much she likes them. Once again, they did not disappoint, and gave it their all. They are so appreciative of their fan's support, and it shows. A lot of people cut out early to avoid the heavy traffic flow, much to the dismay of a lot of kids who had been waiting for that moment all night long. A lot of people may not have known that they were putting on a full show either. But we stayed 'til the end, and it wasn't so bad getting out of there. All in all, a very pleasant day, and I hope that we may be able to do it again next year.

Galactic Wrap-Up

I know, I know, it's been a while since I've updated you on the state of the Los Angeles Galaxy. But have no fear, I have returned with your weekly fix of all things Galactic. So, on with the show.

When we last saw our heroes, they were preparing to face the Columbus Crew in Ohio for their July 22nd match. Still not having lost since June 17th, and on a 5 game shutout streak, the Galaxy looked to keep the forward momentum going. Unfortunately, the game got off to a bad start. 9 minutes into the match, the Crew managed to penetrate the Galactic defense, and make contact with Hartman's net, thus ending the shutout streak. But the Galaxy would not fold under the pressure exerted by the Crew. Just 6 short minutes after the initial goal, Galaxy Captain Pete Vagenas equalizes the entire mess once more. And that would be all she wrote. The first 15 minutes of the match saw the only 2 goals that would be scored. The game ends in a tie, and Galaxy walks away with one point. (It's better than a loss!)

Next, the Galaxy headed up to UC Santa Barbara's Harder Stadium for an exhibition match with Mexico's Cruz Azul. Donovan would not be present for the match, seeing that he pulled a hamstring during warm-ups. (Already, it was looking bleak!) This was not a pretty match, Folks! Cronin was in the Galactic net for Hartman, and did it ever show. The Cementeros (Cruz Azul's nickname) were off to an early start, having scored late in the 1st half, and finishing the half unanswered. Out of the lockers, one of my favorite newbies, Kyle Martino, even things up for the Galaxy, and suddenly it was 1-1 in the 56th minute. But The Cementeros were relentless. And the 2nd half ended with 3 more unanswered goals by Cruz Azul. Final score, a devastating 4-1. (Thank God this didn't count!) This is the 3rd time the Galaxy have met up with Cruz Azul, having previously won and tied, the score now stands at 1-1-1.

This past Tuesday (Aug. 1st), the Galaxy began their defense of their U.S. Open Cup as they met up with Dallas-based FC Roma, who has been somewhat of a Cinderella story in this year's tournament. They had previously beaten Galactic rival Chivas USA in their advancement. The Galaxy, being the defending champs, had the burden of proof squarely on their shoulders. But the fledgling FC Roma seemed to have met their match at the good ol' HDC. The Galaxy certainly was not going to let their championship slip through their fingers so easily. The Galactic offense was fast and furious, and FC Roma was quite lucky that the final score ended up being only 2-0, with goals scored by Quavas Kirk and Alan Gordon. And just like that, the Galaxy hold on to their title, even if it is for a few more weeks. They advance to the Quarterfinals.

Next up: We head into the All-Star break. On Saturday, August 5th, the MLS All-Stars square off against two-time English Premiere League champions, Chelsea FC. They bring with them German national superstar Michael Ballack, and British Nationals Joe Cole, Frank Lampard, and John Terry. On the MLS side, Donovan was supposed to play, but due to his injury before the Cruz Azul match, he's going to have to sit this one out. But we still have Chris Albright there to cheer on. The game is this Saturday, August 5th, at 3:30pm Pacific time at the Chicago Fire's newly constructed stadium, Toyota Park, in Bridgeview, IL. After that, the Galaxy continue their road trip as they head to Houston to take on the Dynamo on Wednesday, August 9th. We're looking for another win, guys! Let's hope Donovan is better by then.

HELLOOOOOOOOOOO, NURSE!!

I'd like to take this opportunity to congratulate my girlfriend for passing the Boards for her Nursing License. (YAY!!) It's been 2 long years of hard work, long hours, late nights, and lots of sacrifice, but it has finally payed off. Congratulations Sweetheart, I never doubted that you could do it. You are a constant inspiration, and a great role model for all those around you. I Love You, and I'm so very proud of you. Good Luck with your new job! (I may need a nurse every once in a while as well, if you know what I mean!)