#long tan

[sandysreviews]

Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan

Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan: Is based on the true story of 108 Australian and New Zealand soldiers who find themselves trapped in Long Tan against 2500 Vietnamese soldiers in 1966.

This is such an extraordinary story, not only are these men in the fight for their lives they defeat all odds. It is an emotional and raw story of bravery, friendship, brotherhood, and trust. I didn’t know too much about the true story of how many men were involved, I didn’t even watch the trailer before I saw the movie – I honestly saw Travis Fimmel on the poster and decided to see it based on that alone.

It was such a great decision going in blind, for every twist/surprise/explosion/death etc. that occurred it was a surprise for me as well. I was along on this mission with them (from the safety of my cinema seat thankfully) and the courage and performances that are brought to live on screen were amazing. This movie was filmed/made in Australia, all of the cast is created from Australian and New Zealand actors and they all did such a wonderful job.

Generally Australian movies don’t do to great – even in Australia, but I truly loved this movie and I hope that it gets all the support and attention it deserves. It’s one of the best and true to heart war movies I’ve seen in recent years. I highly recommend going to check it out, it is not to be missed. Travis Fimmel was outstanding.

[calendarofsongs]

The First Australian Task Force dealt a major blow to the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army with their decisive victory at the Battle of Long Tan on August 18, 1962, but did not realize they’d won until the following day. The Australian forces had located NVA and VC troops at a rubber plantation near Long Tan in Phuoc Tuy Province, South Vietnam. The 108 men of the ATF1’s D company had battled through the evening through monsoon rains against a VC/NVA force of 1,500-2,500, suffering 18 deaths. They did not realize the size of the force they’d faced, and the following day when the rain let up it was discovered at least 245 VC/NVA troops had died in the battle. They also suffered an estimated 350 wounded, compared to 24 Australians. The battle was the last major combat the ATF1 would face in the Vietnam War. Australian country singer Graham Rodger released “The Battle of Long Tan” on They Answered The Call, an album of songs about the military. The song was nominated for a Golden Guitar (Australian country music award) in 2007.

[1122deactivated2211]

Military flyover at the memorial for the Battle of Long Tan. Canberra, Australia. 18th August, 2016.

[x-years-ago-blog]

On this day, 49 years ago...

...the Battle of Long Tan took place in a rubber plantation near Long Tan, in Phuoc Tuy Province, South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. The action was fought between Australian forces and Viet Cong and North Vietnamese units after 108 men from D Company, 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (6 RAR) clashed with a force of 1,500 to 2,500 from the Viet Cong 275th Regiment, possibly reinforced by at least one North Vietnamese battalion, and D445 Provincial Mobile Battalion.

Viet Cong and North Vietnamese casualties numbered 245 dead left on the battlefield and three captured, while many more were thought to have been removed as they withdrew. Others were so badly mutilated their remains were unidentifiable. Approximately half were believed to have been caused by artillery and the remainder by small arms. The Australians estimated the Viet Cong had evacuated up to a further 350 casualties, including an unknown number of dead buried along the withdrawal route. With such losses representing the operational strength of two battalions, Australian intelligence later assessed that the 275th Regiment—which had borne the brunt of the fighting—would be incapable of mounting a regimental-sized operation for several months.

[mindingthenet]

I May Believe Soon

I May Believe Soon

Arizona United didn’t have many big off-season moves, but they strengthened their back line. That led me to think that they’d do better than last year, when they missed out on the playoffs by a single point.

Even with the improvements plus an actual preseason, there was still the looming question of how the team would do given that they are starting with a long road trip. Could they manage all…

View On WordPress

[owfss]

EXCLUSIVE: Five New MLS Rivalries to Get Excited About!

As Major League Soccer draws close to it's 20th year of play, the league has certainly formed its share of compelling rivalries - derbies, if you will. There are the classics (NY vs DC, Portland vs Seattle) along with a handful of rivalries which seem a bit more forced and fabricated. In that spirit, we decided to craft five rivalries of our own. Take a look:

New York Red Bulls vs Philadelphia Union Sludgefront Derby (Alternatively: The Carcinogen Derby) Separated by a mere 100 miles, Red Bull Arena and PPL Park are indeed two of Major League Soccer’s crown jewels. Visually, RBA is the closest thing any American has to a “cathedral” of soccer, while PPL - with its trademark riverfront view - boasts a more quaint, intimate vibe. Though traditionally overshadowed by the Atlantic Cup, the budding rivalry between the inhabitants of the two stadiums has in recent years picked up steam. While many have referred to this matchup as the “I-95 Derby,” we’re coining it the “Sludgefront Derby.” Yes, both stadiums are gleaming, fresh assemblages of iron and glass. But both are surrounded by some unsavory environmental elements. In Chester, Pennsylvania, the odors of nearby refineries and the screeching tires of high-speed police pursuits frame your soccer experience. In Harrison, New Jersey, the ruins of America’s industrial heritage and yoohoo-colored waters of the Passaic River welcome you with open arms.

Chivas USA vs New England Revolution The Tarp Derby Who’s ready for an exciting encounter between Chivas USA and the New England Revolution? Fans? Broadcasters? Anybody? Yes, there’s actually one group of folks that licks their chops at this match-up: the proud employees of America’s tarp manufacturers, who’ve managed to survive during some tough economic times based solely on income garnered from manufacturing plastic sheeting for these two franchises. The Revolution are traditional candidates for maximum tarpage: they play in an oversized stadium. The tarps are a necessity, optically, to cover tens of thousands of empty seats. Chivas, on the other hand, play in a soccer specific stadium - yet they still require tarps of their own. It’s a problem they won’t have to deal with for much longer.

Colorado Rapids vs Real Salt Lake The Medicinal Derby (alternatively: The String Cheese Incident derby, the 420 derby) Dick’s Sporting Goods park is among our favorite venues in MLS, its stepped overhangs designed to mirror the tectonic plates that created the Rocky Mountains (it’s true, look it up.) And now Colorado lawmakers have incentivized a visit to the Mile High State even more, legalizing the use of marijuana and making mid-July match ups between teams like the Rapids and FC Dallas remotely watchable. Things get even crunchier when a Kyle Beckerman-led Real Salt Lake side comes to town. Highlights of this derby include: watching Beckerman weave flowers into Nat Borchers’ beard, watching Beckerman’s dominating performance through midfield disintegrate when he just zones out and ‘feels the rain’ for ten minutes and watching Chris Wingert try and convince a paranoid Beckerman that no, Joao Plata is not an elf.

Leauge-wide The Awful Announcing Derby Yes, it’s not a traditional rivalry between two local opponents, it’s more of a take-no-prisoners, all-out melee between nearly every team in the league. We’ll use a World Cup style format for this, with compelling group stage round match-ups like "Marcelo Balboa vs whoever the hell that dude is from the Columbus Crew is that screams ‘YEAAAAHHHH BUDDY’” and an even better tag team matchup: LA (Cobi Jones & Joe Tutino) vs New England (Paul Mariner and Brad Feldman.) This will all lead up to the grand finale: a compelling encounter where Shep Messing butts heads with the commentary team from TSN. /shepvoice YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT NEEDING SOME EARMUFFS. YOU’LL NEVER SEE HYPERBOLES LIKE THESE. Ineligible for this competition: JP Dellacamera. Keep doing your thing.

DC United vs Vancouver Whitecaps The Long Tan Derby Frankly, we think it’s outrageous that the league even allows these franchises to exist after both of them cast the Tan-man aside like an old bag of moldy tangerines. Nevertheless, they continue to plod along in post-Tan misery, and every year they meet to decide which team has suffered worse for their incompetence. We'll add Orlando City SC to this mix when they join the league next year.

[owfss]

OUR LORD AND SAVIOR HAS RETURNED.

Arizona United Soccer Club signs Long Tan

PEORIA, Ariz. (Friday, July 11, 2014) – Arizona United Soccer Club is pleased to announce the signing of forward Long Tan, USL PRO and USSF approval. Tan will be part of the traveling squad for Arizona United SC’s match against Orange County Blues FC on Saturday that will be streamed on arizonaunited.com.

“We couldn’t be happier to have Long Tan join our organization,” Arizona United Soccer Club head coach Michael Dellorusso said. “He is a dynamic, attacking player, who has shown that he can score goals. He will fit in very well with the way we play and we look forward to him making an immediate impact.”

Tan, 26, joins Arizona United SC after appearing in seven matches for the Chinese Football Associations Super League’s Harbin Yiteng FC.

Born in Dalian, Liaoning, Tan played for the Shanghai United FC U-18′s before he made his professional debut for Pudong Zubon F.C. in 2007-08, where he made appeared in 16 matches and scored 6 goals. Tan moved to the United States and joined the Premier Development League’s Atlanta Blackhawks in 2009 and amassed seven goals in 12 matches.

Tan joined FC Tampa Bay of the USSF Division 2 Professional League in 2010. Tan played one season in Florida, and logged over 1,700 minutes, and 3 goals in 25 appearances. His rights were traded to Major League Soccer’s Vancouver Whitecaps and he proceeded to make his MLS debut on March 26, 2011, becoming the first Chinese-born to play in an MLS match. In two seasons with the Vancouver Whitecaps, Tan appeared in 17 matches and notched one goal. Tan was traded to D.C. United midway through the 2012 MLS season and made six appearances before he joined USL PRO’s Oralndo City SC in 2013. In his lone season in Orlando, Tan appeared in 25 matches and scored six goals.

In a unique twist, Tan will be playing for the only professional soccer team in America owned 100% by a Chinese-American, Kyle Eng. Eng, whose father was born in China, commented “To be clear our first priority was to sign a high-caliber player to help our team make the playoffs, and Long Tan fits that bill. For that player be Long, and for him to be from China, is an added bonus of cultural pride for me.”

For more information regarding Arizona United SC or to purchase tickets go online at arizonaunited.com. Fans and media can also follow the team on Facebook facebook.com/ArizonaUnitedSoccer or Twitter @AZUnitedSC

[owfss]

EXCLUSIVE: The 2014 MLS Cocktail Book

323 MLS regular season games begin on Saturday. With a referee lockout threatening opening weekend, a World Cup break in the middle, and CBA negotiations at the end, you're going to need a drink.

As always, your mixologists at Open Wide For Some Soccer have you covered. Please enjoy these 16 MLS signature cocktails responsibly.

The Kyle Martini

2 oz. citrus vodka

1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice

1/4 oz. fresh pomegranate juice

1 oz. simple syrup

Shake all ingredients well with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass. Add a dash of rose water if available. Garnish with flamed orange peel, and serve to players mouthing off at commentators on Twitter.

The Robbie Keane

2 oz. irish whiskey

1/2 oz. Demerara sugar syrup

1 cup fresh brewed, good quality hot coffee

Heavy cream, slightly whipped

Preheat mug. Pour hot coffee into mug until it is ¾ full. Add the demerara syrup and whiskey. Float the heavy cream on top of the drink. Holding mug, do a sloppy somersault to blend; anything that stays in the mug, you can drink.

The Shalrie Joseph

Two cups ice

1 oz pineapple juice

1 oz orange juice

1 oz blackberry liqueur

1 oz banana liqueur

1 oz light rum

1 oz dark rum or aged rum

Splash grenadine

Optional: one ounce of Bacardi 151 to float on top

Orange slice (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a tumbler with ice and shake vigorously for 10 seconds, then smash it into someone’s achilles heel. Enjoy your beverage.

The Rules Committee Colada*

1 1/2 oz light rum

2 oz Coco Lopez® cream of coconut

2 oz pineapple juice

1 cup crushed ice

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Service with a pineapple garnish.

(* Ingredients to this cocktail can be changed at any time to suit the needs of the maker.)

The Thierry Henry

1/2 oz fresh lemon juice

1/2 oz simple syrup

1 oz Gin

Champagne

I don’t know if you remember, but fill a shaker with ice. Like I told you before, add the lemon juice, the simple syrup, the gin. Having said that, shake well, then strain in a Champagne flute. At the end of the day, top with the champagne and have a go with a lemon twist.

The Kenny Cooper

1 cup whole milk, room temperature

Sit down at a table with your glass of milk. Drink it, but not too quickly. Call your parents and check in on them. Call your teammates and ask if they’re ok and if they need help moving or anything. Make a donation to charity. Fall over.

The Chris Pontius

2/3 cup pineapple juice, chilled

1/3 cup vanilla vodka

2 pineapple chunks

1 dash grenadine

Pour all ingredients into a shaker and shake vigorously with ice. Strain into a martini glass.*

(* Drink must be consumed topless.)

The Tinfoil Ted

1 can Natty Bo

1 shot Jägermeister

Pour beer into pint glass. Drop shot into beer. Avoid talking about promotion and relegation. The drink may try to interrupt your conversations with others. Do not, under any circumstances, engage in conversation with the drink.

The Chivas USA

1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice

3/4 ounce ginger-agave syrup

2 ounces añejo tequila

1/4 ounce mezcal

Combine lemon juice, ginger-agave syrup, and tequila in a cocktail shaker. Fill shaker with ice and shake until well chilled, about 15 seconds. Strain into a double rocks glass over a large ice cube. Top with mezcal, take a sip, and then throw the whole thing out as a regrettable mistake. Appoint Nelson Rodriguez to make you a new drink.

The Marco Di Vaio

1 oz Campari

1 oz gin

1 oz sweet vermouth

Orange peel

Stir the first three ingredients together in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Strain into a coupe glass. Twist the orange peel to release the natural oils, and drop twist into drink. Sip every time the offside flag is raised.

Cup of Tradition

6 oz DC Brau’s “The Tradition”

6 oz lemonade

Fill cup with ice; pour lemonade into cup and top with the beer. Drink in Lot 8 while reminiscing about all those trophies DC United won over a decade ago.

That’s So Metro

12 oz Sunny D

12 oz cheap red wine

1/2 cup cubed apples, oranges, and lemon

Combine haphazardly over ice in a giant cup. Complain how this drink is missing any creativity. Blame your resulting hangover on Nicola Caricola.

The Peter Nowak

12 oz water

Ice

We recommend making this drink only at temperatures exceeding 95 degrees.

Fill shaker with water and ice. Shake until completely cooled. Refuse to give drink to anybody.

The Donald Garber

3 oz Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 23yr, chilled

Pour chilled whiskey into a glass. Consume while expressing a sudden interest in the league becoming profitable in a CBA negotiation year.

The American Returning From Europe

3 oz. Russian standard vodka

1/2 oz. lime juice

1/2 oz agave nectar

6 cherry tomatoes

8 basil leaves

Kosher salt

Crushed black pepper

Muddle cherry tomatoes and basil with a dash each of salt and pepper. Add lime agave and Russian Standard Vodka. Shake vigorously with ice cubes and double strain into a coupe glass rubbed with lime and rimmed with equal parts salt and black pepper. Garnish with a basil leaf. Get in an argument every week for the rest of the year if this drink is good for your career.

The Long Tan

2 oz gin

2 oz fresh grapefruit juice

8 oz india pale ale or lager

In a shaker, combined gin, grapefruit juice, and ice. Shake until well chilled. Pour pale ale into highball glass, and strain mixture over top. Treat this drink as the greatest thing to happen to American soccer. Never, ever shut up about this drink.