The FMF (Mexican league) has been doing this for a few years...MLS announced it as a rule change a few weeks ago. This is one rule change that should absolutely stick and be used in every FIFA-accredited league.
I was going to sort of follow them until I saw how the Timbers Army is even more annoying than Sounders fans. Especially when they get into some sort of meaningless dick measuring contest with the Sounders fans.
im going to say it right now, there is going to be A LOT of "well if the ball had taken a bounce or two our way, maybe if we got some kind of luck, we might have....." blah blah blah bullshit from the timbers this year. they need to learn quick that they make their own luck and the ball bounces the way of the aggressor. right now they look like the worst team in MLS easily.
at least the TA has a history and has supported the team for a long long time. they got no help from rich owners buying them thousands of scarves, if anything the FO of the timbers has, until the past 2 years, openly fought with the TA. the ECS is a completely fabricated supporters group bought by the hard earned dollars of the SEA owners. they talk a lot of shit. if you havent seen a timbers game on tv, it will be like nothing you've ever seen in MLS. the TA creates an atmosphere that even on tv sounds absolutely amazing (PGE park helps with having a low roof).
I've been wanting to see this used for years. Great to see it! Players are still creeping forward (it is a kind of automated response, they can't help it) but at least the official can point out what they are doing when they are called on it.
Vancouver took Toronto pretty convincingly. Suggests their plan of keeping their team from last year to ensure high cohesion might be effective.
i might think the whitecaps have a half way decent team....until i remember that until maybe a week ago there were questions whether or not TFC would even field a full 18. TFC could be one of the worst teams in MLS history, they are pathetically bad.
my hatred for Pablow and Casey continues to burn out of control, both should have been sent off in the game by now. especially pablows card worthy foul, which should have been a straight red instead of just a yellow. casey has had two yellow worthy fouls already and only got one. ******** em both.
I tell ya, I like to see Kenny Cooper back in the MLS. I really like watching that guy play regardless of what team he is on.
Not enough ties. It's a good thing we won, because we have a pace to keep. 2 goals from Davies in sub minutes? Wow. Crew are circling the drain.
And so are the Seattle Sounders. 2 losses in the first week of MLS 2011? Yikes. I smell a refund coming on for their STH's. They havent scored a single goal, but have conceded 2. Not too bad, but still.
Quick overview of how I felt this weekend went, with the LA game still to come (which I expect the Gals to win pretty easily) and way too early predictions on some teams In the East: - NY is easily the team to beat. Agudelo = Altidore... and maybe even better - DC is going to surprise teams this year. They remind me more and more of RSL in the 2008/2009 time - Columbus, if they continue to play like they have in the 3 games we have seen, will be out of the playoffs and competing with Portland as worst team - Philly is good... but has two of the biggest d-bags in the league. The flopping fish and Califf? Wow, good luck cheering for them... - SuKC is quickly becoming a team I really dont like. Bravo is a tool - TFC, calling it now, wont make playoffs (again) - Chicago unlucky to not get a win in Dallas. Ridiculous saves from albino Hartman - Houston (forget they are in the east for this year) will struggle again. Being in the east, though, will give them a slight advantage in making the playoffs I think. - No high hopes, maybe they will shock me tonight (please?) Out West: - LA is our top competitor for top seed over here. They and NY will push us for SS - cRapids play some ugly, but effective soccer. The new Irish douche fits right in - Vacouver will be fun to watch. Lots of heart and great fans. They wont make playoffs, but will lay it all out. Points wont come easy from them at home or on the road - Dallas, lucky to have Hartman playing the way he has been. Will be a top team, but dont think they will be in SS race without the ginger at DC - Chivas. Hope the best for them (exepct against us) for Robin's sake. They look better in their first game this year than almost all of their games last year, for what its worth. - SJ. Will be a good team, but will struggle on bigger pitches. Once we started to get some space on them (even with how small the field is) they got stretched bad. - Portland. Cooper = Cunningham for RSL. He'll score a boat load, they wont win many. - Seattle, at the bottom for a reason. Love it. Though I doubt it stays that way. Had to open up against 2 of the best teams in the league. Keller can be really bad and then do something (pk save) to make you forget. Will make playoffs. Will exit in first round, again. - RSL. Picking up where we left off, seemingly. Depth is key
I assume you meant NE here. I think they'll be a bit better, but still bad. However, they've started out well tonight. Reis made a lovely save off a header and just kept it from going over the line, and then a Juninho goal was called back. Hope the result stands. EDIT: Magee just had a goal called back for offsides as well. NE is under seige. They'll give one up soon. I agreed with most of the rest, although I think TFC might contend for worst in the league. SKC is also looking pretty good. Not a Bravo fan, for some of his past antics, but he looked very deadly yesterday. Also got in the head of Chivas defenders, particularly Jimmy Conrad.
Wow! Three goals waived off for the Galaxy, and a Shalrie Joseph shot goes off the post. Love that it was a draw - LA really seemed to dominate the chances.
NE can't pass and they still got a draw. LA doesn't scare me, although the Beckham pass leading to the last called off goal was sublime.
chad ochocinco not making much of a splash with his trial. i just have to say, what did you expect from a guy who hasnt played in 15 years? http://espn.go.com/sports/soccer/bl...ander/id/6250882/day-one-ochocinco-experiment at least this is getting the league some attention.
Not surprising at all. Thanks for the find. Hopefully the attention he brings will be positive and get a few more butts in seats.
This experiment is actually turning out well for MLS IMO. You've got Chad Eightfive saying things like "humble pie" and "this is hard work" and "the game here is at such a high level" - things Mr. Eightfive the receiver is not known for saying. I'm hoping this might show a few critics that athleticism is not all you need to hack it in MLS - there's actual soccer being played here and actual soccer skills are required.
yup, this is exactly what MLS wants and needs. the bullshit argument that MLS is a weak league that anybody could walk into and dominate is shattered when a loud mouth player like Johnson/ochocinco is saying the things he is right now. i've gained a level of respect for the person Chad 85, he's a good football player yes, but his antics always drove me nuts. his talk of being the best thing since sliced bread on the field was always ludicrous. this will shut up a lot of those hacks in the media.
+1 I also liked his former coach's comments: Sounds like just the type of player that Jason would love to boot off the team!
Marvin Lewis is a two faced hypocrite. He's got no problem with carson palmer openly saying he wants off the team and is trying to find ways to get off of it, but when 85 actually tries something different (athletically) he gets subtle jabs from a weak coach. i've got little respect for marvin lewis, the guy has accomplished nothing in his tenure as a head coach.
Just a question here :: We keep saying that others are saying that the MLS is weak and is not talented. Who is saying that (other than the English media, which if you take anything they say without Morton's Salt Factory you're messed up)? Just wondering what you guys have heard/heard...
hear it all the time in mainstream media, just this condescending tone in articles, on tv programs like PTI, around the horn, other espn shows, etc. its always the same attitude, those silly little MLS guys, they're playing soccer because they wouldnt be able to hack it in any other sport. soccers cute, something the kids play, but real men play NBA/NFL/MLB when they grow up.
Ive watched PTI and they were pretty generous to MLS, actually. I think we're not seeing as many haters out there as we used to... The hate is dwindling and the understanding has grown. Just dont see the hate that everyone is referring to these days.