By JAMES CLARK
Some long-overdue kudos to Yank Hammer Jonathan Spector for acquitting himself well as the side has consolidated this season, remaining a top-10 team after the chaos of last springs. "Specs" will never win any style points, but his athleticism and versatility have seen him replace new Rangers stalwart Christian Dailly as West Ham's jack-of-all-trades.
Whether employed anywhere along the backline or even in midfield, Specs has shown an admirable willingness to get stuck in for the cause. This son of Chicago has a long, bright career ahead of him in Europe, as well as a near-certain spot on Bob Bradley's USA squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Closer to the Pardew's Guardian part of the world, the three founding members of the Northfield, New Jersey Massive! hope to see Specs up close and personal when the USA hosts Argentina for a June 8th friendly at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford. We have first-row seats in Section 107 -- where the Massive! calls home for New York Red Bulls matches -- on what should be a fantastic night. Carlitos Tevez, Juan Roman Riquelme, Lionel Messi and Hernan Crespo for the Argies; Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan, Tim Howard and Michael Bradley for the home side.
Now that's a match that gets the proverbial juices flowing.
