MLS

[ZooCougar]

http://www.mlssoccer.com/video/2015...whistle#ooid=00cHBjdDoQly_k8_OyejLYLhjzQH1IX_

This ... haha

 

[SAMCRO]

For those of us that didn't watch the game, what prompted that?

 

[ZooCougar]

I didn't see the game either. I guess maybe the Dallas coach, Pareja, was holding out a tissue maybe because Porter was complaining or crying to the officials too much. But what kind of idiot talks smack when his team loses 3-1?

 

[ZooCougar]

http://www.mlssoccer.com/video/2015...-5-2015#ooid=dybzJkdDqYM69sG20atePUH96SfMcBDs

I was at this game last night. Two goals off of set pieces in 6 minutes of extra time and SKC comes from behind to win. Philly subbed in a Kansas City kid who is a rookie and he may have scored and own goal to lose the game. I was sitting behind his family and I couldn't help but feel sympathy for them.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

http://www.mlssoccer.com/video/2015...-5-2015#ooid=dybzJkdDqYM69sG20atePUH96SfMcBDs

I was at this game last night. Two goals off of set pieces in 6 minutes of extra time and SKC comes from behind to win. Philly subbed in a Kansas City kid who is a rookie and he may have scored and own goal to lose the game. I was sitting behind his family and I couldn't help but feel sympathy for them.

Ouch. I had a friend on my high school yea who was an own goal machine. During his teen years, all arms and legs, he would stick out his leg like Mr. Fantastic on the Fantastic 4 and always get a piece of a pass or a kick. Problem was, he had no control over how it would deflect and neither would anyone else. Saw several go into our own net.

 

[UConnSwag11]

it's going to be hard watching the NYC FC games when they play in the outfield of yankee stadium

 

[ZooCougar]

it's going to be hard watching the NYC FC games when they play in the outfield of yankee stadium

They might as well play in MSG.

 

[ZooCougar]

So I totally forgot about Uruguay and Chile last night. And mostly watched Toronto-Montreal instead.

I know some people here don't watch much MLS. But Toronto has become a really fun team to watch. They run a 4-4-2 diamond, with Michael Bradley as the attacking mid and Jozy Altidore and Sebastian Giovinco up top.

For one, Michael Bradley has really evolved into a solid attacking midfielder. Toronto didn't like Jurgen using him like that, but it seems like they have changed their tune. That Bradley, Altidore, Giovinco combo is really entertaining. Montreal has become a pretty good team this season and they were really shredded in a 3-1 loss last night. They even have a Belgian National Team defender, so it's not like they have a soft back line.

Giovinco is only 28, he's easily the best player the league has ever had along with being the highest paid. I don't know why Juventus didn't like him, I guess they favor larger more physical players. But this is a guy Barcelona wanted pretty badly a few years ago so he is definitely a legit talent. So if you are looking for a team to watch I would check Toronto out.

Also, Pirlo is likely coming to NYCFC. So that will give NYC a really, old but technically gifted midfield. They will either score a bunch, or get run over.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

First case of US hooliganism? MLS has cut 2/3 of the NYCFC supporters tickets for their next game at Red Bull Arena, which I have tickets too, because they brought flares and smoke bombs to the last game in Jersey. Sorry folks, this is MLS and Red Bulls v. NYCFC in Harrison NJ and not a Premiership match between Man City & Man U (more like Arsenal as the Red Bulls have close ties to Arsenal) at Old Trafford.

http://www.espnfc.us/major-league-s...bulls-cut-tickets-for-nycfc-supporters-report

 

[Jaker]

Sacramento Republic beat Sunderland last night, a local kid scored the only goal of the game.

 

[meyers7]

Sacramento Republic beat Sunderland last night, a local kid scored the only goal of the game.

Philadelphia Union had no such luck against new EPL team Bournemouth. The Cherries took them to the woodshed 4-1. Ouch. Of course I doubt Philly put out their best 11, but Bournemouth is in preseason too.

 

[Jaker]

We will see how Sac Republic does against Newcastle United on Saturday.

 

[ZooCougar]

Never know what to make of these friendles. I personally despise them, I wish the MLS teams would get two European sides to play in their stadiums. The MLS managers hate them or just use them to give reserves some minutes and minimize the minutes for the starters. Who else plays friendlies in the midst of a competitive season?

 

[ZooCougar]

So Gio Dos Santos signs with the LA Galaxy. The rich get richer. Once again MLS changes there rules midseason to accomodate LA signing a great player. And I guess it's good to add to the ever growing list of quality players and it's a nice stick in the eye to Liga MX and Mexico.

My main beef is that it disrupts the integrity of the competitition. Basically they added allocation money that will allow teams to pay down Designated Player salaries to less than the Designated Player level. So basically Omar Gonzales is still paid the same but he is no longer considered a DP by the rules.

What's BS is that there were a few teams who had to trade good players away before THIS season in order to stay under the cap, and they could have used this rule to keep them. I just don't think GDS is a big enough player to taint the competition like that.

 

[Jaker]

Really surprised Ronaldinho didn't end up in LA.

 

[ZooCougar]

West Brom lost to Orlando 3-1.

 

[ZooCougar]

Really surprised Ronaldinho didn't end up in LA.

That would be a foolish waste of money. Nobody wants him. I think he's done. The Mexican club he was with gave him the cold shoulder.

 

[Jaker]

That would be a foolish waste of money. Nobody wants him. I think he's done. The Mexican club he was with gave him the cold shoulder.

am talking about a few years ago when he still had some value, not today.

 

[UCFBfan]

So Gio Dos Santos signs with the LA Galaxy. The rich get richer. Once again MLS changes there rules midseason to accomodate LA signing a great player. And I guess it's good to add to the ever growing list of quality players and it's a nice stick in the eye to Liga MX and Mexico.

My main beef is that it disrupts the integrity of the competitition. Basically they added allocation money that will allow teams to pay down Designated Player salaries to less than the Designated Player level. So basically Omar Gonzales is still paid the same but he is no longer considered a DP by the rules.

What's BS is that there were a few teams who had to trade good players away before THIS season in order to stay under the cap, and they could have used this rule to keep them. I just don't think GDS is a big enough player to taint the competition like that.

I just can't keep up with all the crazy rules MLS has. Why they can't be like the rest of the soccer world is beyond me. The whole DP and whatever is too confusing to keep up with. It's part of the reason I have a hard time following MLS.

 

[UConNick]

I just can't keep up with all the crazy rules MLS has. Why they can't be like the rest of the soccer world is beyond me. The whole DP and whatever is too confusing to keep up with. It's part of the reason I have a hard time following MLS.

I think it's because the league is working too hard on making sure that there is geographic parody. While the MLS has of course grown considerably, and can (should?) grow considerably more, we are not yet at the point where we can devolve into a European format, where at best 6-8 teams are so far ahead the rest of the league both talent wise and financially. We don't yet have the national brands to support that. (Fun question: who's the most "national" MLS brand? I'd say LA, Sounders, and Red Bulls.) Therefore, the salary cap is in place to try and keep everyone competitive. That way, regional interest skyrockets.

 

[UCFBfan]

Did anyone catch the new SI on "Where are they now?" (Brett Favre is on the cover) They have an article where they interviewed the people who helped start up MLS 20 years ago. Holy crap was there a lot of crazy s*^t that went down. It's an interesting read if you can find it.

 

[ZooCougar]

I think it's because the league is working too hard on making sure that there is geographic parody. While the MLS has of course grown considerably, and can (should?) grow considerably more, we are not yet at the point where we can devolve into a European format, where at best 6-8 teams are so far ahead the rest of the league both talent wise and financially. We don't yet have the national brands to support that. (Fun question: who's the most "national" MLS brand? I'd say LA, Sounders, and Red Bulls.) Therefore, the salary cap is in place to try and keep everyone competitive. That way, regional interest skyrockets.

That's not it at all. And your post might have been really timely in 2006-2010 maybe. It's really ironic, in the process of pursuing "parity" they are essentially laying the seeds of disparity. Right now the cap is 3.4 Million a year. 1 DP can take a max of $475k out of that and the rest of the DP money comes out of club funds.

Basically the league parses out $3.4 million a year in monopoly money.... the players, other than DPs are paid by MLS. They basically work for MLS. So the problem is that you have small markets, mid markets and large markets.

Toronto, NYC, LA and Seattle and maybe on other are the only "large" markets teams that act like large markets. Red Bulls have gone into cost containment mode, or they are transitioning to a team that actually develops players versus buying DPs.

Then you have duds like FC Dallas, Chicago, Philly, and Colorado. Chicago and Philly just don't have deep pocketed owners. But the Hunts (KC Chiefs) own Dallas and they are tightwads, and Stan Kroenke who owns Arsenal and like 30 other pro sports teams is a tightwad as well.

You also have clubs like Kansas City and Portland, the very definition of mid market. They have full rocking stadiums for every game, large fanbases, and wealthy owners.

These are the types of teams that are really hurt the most by the DP rule and the cap. KC and Portland will never attract a Gerrard, Lampard, Beckham or Gio Dos Santos. They might get a Giovinco. But what they could get are some young pros that can command a couple of million a year. BUT, they can only sign three of them. Whereas LA, Toronto or NYC can easily attract three players that can command 5-7 million a piece.

The problem is that the rule structure and the cap has obviously outlived it's usefulness. Every team gets their 3.4 mil in allocation money, but the majority of teams are very interested in spending 5-20 million a year of their own money on players.

If LA can spend 20 million a year on 3 players then why can't KC or Portland spend 12 million on 6 players? There are so few players that are worth 5-7 million/year in wages that would ever play in KC or Portland.

Lastly, the reason why the costs are limited is because cheapskates like Robert Kraft, Clark Hunt, Stan Kroenke, Andrew Hauptman still want to run teams on the cheap and they have a disproportionate say in how things go.

In the latest CBA talks, there was a group of teams that pushed for greater flexibility in spending. NYC, Seattle, KC, LA and couple others pushed for it, but in the end they deferred to Kraft/Hunt group. I think that in five years time that won't be the case.

 

[ZooCougar]

I just can't keep up with all the crazy rules MLS has. Why they can't be like the rest of the soccer world is beyond me. The whole DP and whatever is too confusing to keep up with. It's part of the reason I have a hard time following MLS.

It just makes you want to beat your head against the wall. But I am still glad I have reasonably high quality pro soccer to watch locally.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Speaking of he'd scratching decisions made by MLS, looks like Beckham's Miami Fashionista soccer club has risen from the dead.

http://www.espnfc.us/major-league-s...ams-mls-ownership-group-deal-to-build-stadium

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

(Fun question: who's the most "national" MLS brand? I'd say LA, Sounders, and Red Bulls.)

When the Red Bulls have failed to even capture the Tri-state market, how could they reasonably be justified as a "national" MLS brand? If anything, they've been pretty much a below average club and nothing brand as the Metro Stars and under Red Bull-direction alike. Is there any national MLS brand? Not in these eyes, but perhaps others see or can justify the existence of a national MLS brand.