HTWD Spotlight: KICKTV

So instead of writing about a sporting event/team/person, today I wanted to write a blog about a group that I've been a big fan of for the past few months. That group is KICKTV. If you don't know who they are, don't be alarmed. Read below to find out more about this awesome channel.

KICKTV is a YouTube channel that focuses on soccer, soccer, and more soccer. They launched a little over a year ago, and have been getting more and more popular by the month. As of April 19, 2013, they're at 430,000+ subscribers and have over 46,000,000 views on their channel. I first discovered this awesome channel with their series called "No Holden Back", which followed USMNT midfielder Stu Holden and his road to recovery from his knee injuries. I was quickly hooked, and subscribed almost immediately.

From that point on, KICKTV has gone on to create a variety of shows and series to entertain virtually any soccer fanatic. Here are some of my personal favorites:

Forza Roma: One of KICKTV's newer shows, Forza Roma gives us some insight on what the players  are like. Hosted by Roberta Mastomichele, this new series comes out weekly and has currently gone through 3 episodes. Click here to watch the latest Forza Roma video.

The Rumor Mill: Hosted by Layla Anna-Lee, this weekly show gives us the latest information on the rumors that are going on in world soccer. Every and any big soccer rumor is covered by TRM, and it allows you to stay up to date. Click here to watch the latest TRM video.

The Whip: Want to see the latest trending soccer videos? Say no more. Hosted by Rachel Bonnetta, this weekly video clip show brings you the funniest and most informative videos that are on the web. So, if you ever make a viral soccer video, then you can definitely expect it to be featured here. Click here to watch the latest video of The Whip.

The Gear Show: Out of all the shows KICKTV has to offer, this is probably my favorite. Hosted by Ben Hooper and Bryan Byrne, this show focuses on the latest and greatest soccer items on the market. Ben and Bryan test and review things such as balls, boots, and jerseys. Each review has good insight and humor, and I'm always looking forward to what they'll review next. Click here to watch the latest Gear Show video.

The Mixer: Possibly KICKTV's most frequent show, The Mixer comes out a few times a week to help keep us up to date with the latest scores/news in world soccer. Usually hosted by Ryan Bailey, this show covers every major soccer league and the latest news/opinions on each. Plus, Ryan has a cool accent and is a very soccer-savvy guy, so you'll definitely be entertained. Click here to watch the latest Mixer video.

Jimmy Conrad's American Soccer Spectacular: As you can see by the title, this great show is hosted by the great Jimmy Conrad himself. Jimmy (and his fantastic hair) talk to various American soccer related people (Megan Rapinoe, Jozy Altidore) about American soccer related stuff. In other words, if you're a big USMNT fan like me, you're gonna love these videos. Click here to watch the latest video.

In order to not make this post longer than it already is, I'm gonna have to stop there. There are many more cool videos that KICTV put out daily, and I recommend you go check them all out. And who knows, if you become a big enough fan, you might even be able to get some free gear and become one of their #KICKTVULTRAS. Check them out first, though. They are my favorite channel on YouTube and are awesome at what they do.

KICKTV Links:

YouTube: youtube.com/KICKTV
Facebook: fb.com/kick
Twitter: twitter.com/KICKTV
Instagram: instagram.com/KICKTV
Tumblr: kicktv.tumblr.com

To see what you get for being in the #KICKTVULTRAS, check out my instagram (@jj_sanchez)

Follow us on twtter: twitter.com/HTWDSports - @HTWDSports

Gearing Up

Hello there golf fans, and welcome to a special blog from us. In this blog, I won't be talking about golf or anything related to it really; I'm going to write about a different sport. More specifically, soccer (or what the rest of the world calls football). I'm gonna be profiling the team you see in the photo above- the United States Men's National Team, or the USMNT for short. Since their memorable run in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa last year which included a Hollywood-style ending in their game against Algeria, a win in a group that included soccer powerhouses England, and a near run to the quarterfinals, the hype for this team has begun to snowball. They followed up that World Cup performance with a solid tie against a strong Argentinian team that included the likes of the World's best footballer in Leo Messi. This upcoming Saturday, they host World Cup champions spain in Massachusetts and then begin their 2011 Gold Cup prospects on Tuesday against Canada. In this post I'm gonna talk about their chances against the WC champs, and how they might be able to do in the Gold Cup. (Slight Warning: I have only been seriously watching soccer for a little over a year now, and I mean serious as watching it as much as I watch golf or football when I have the chance. So, my knowledge of this game is still growing and I might not be as fluid in my writing as if I were to write about golf or the NFL. Oh well, here goes...)

On Saturday, June 4, 2011 in Foxborough, Massachusetts (where the New England Patriots play) the USMNT hosts "La Roja"for a high profile international friendly. It will be a good tune up and test for the Yanks, as they see where they stack up against them this year. The last time they faced was in the 2009 Confederations Cup, and quite a shocker went down there. Many people were surprised by the result, and it showed how the USA does show the grit to be able to compete with the best out there. They are set for kick off at about 1:30 PST, with the US wearing their new Red kits and the Spaniards wearing white kits with red trim on them. The weather is set to be at about a nice 70 degrees and sunny, which should make for excellent conditions. As far as the line-ups go, both teams look to be fielding their "A" squads (Spain will be without Carles Puyol to injury, and their midfield madman Xavi is not listed for this game as well). All in all, I believe this game will come down to how the US can crack the amount possession Spain usually has. They will also need to create scoring opportunities and not start slow like they have shown for the past year now. If they can salvage at least a tie against the best team in the world, then I believe they can ride this confidence into the Gold Cup. If not, then at least they'll know their true weaknesses.

After this encounter things become a bit more high-stakes, as the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup begins. The US starts off things with 2000 Gold Cup champion Canada on June 7th. Canada, Panama, and Guadeloupe are all in the same "Group C" with the US. And although these teams aren't necessarily considered big time threats, you never know what may happen. For the Yanks to have a successful Group stage, they have to do as Clint Dempsey said, which was "start fast and score a lot of goals". This theme is going to have to stick with them if they want to go far in this tournament this is because besides the hybrid midfielders/forwards that Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan are, the attacking options are pretty slim for the States. Jozy Altidore is talented, but hasn't shown much for the national team lately. Juan Agudelo has been shining, but is still very young. Freddy Adu has been out of the spotlight for many years now, and its a question as to whether how he'll be able to contribute or not. So, although the defense can get a bit shaky at times, big time goalkeeper Tim Howard usually can hold down the fort pretty well. It will just come down to the ability to score goals from the forwards/strikers. If they can score, then the United States should be able to make it far into the tournament, setting up a possible showdown with border rival Mexico.