Toronto FC GM Kevin Payne said they are "Lab Rats" for Training inexperienced MLS referees. The link on MLS soccer shows that this season, 62-78% of LA, NY, and Seattle games get assigned refs with 50+ games. Toronto has only had that level of experience 30% of their season. He also mentioned those three teams have seldom had refs with 10-15 games of experience, whereas That has happened to Toronto alot. I'm pretty sure these facts apply to us as well. Check out the link below, however, you may have to follow a nested link within it. For some reason, my iPad doesn't capture the final link. http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/artic...-walton-says-toronto-fcs-criticisms-are-valid
Very interesting indeed. Blatant favoritism by the league, I'd be surprised if this doesn't become bigger. This should be an issue addressed by the league somewhere
Hmmm..... Kind of cuts both ways. I am thinking it is probably a good idea that those teams are not getting inexperienced, less confident refs who may be easier to intimidate and may find themselves a little star-struck (by Keane, Henry, Donovan) or "crowd"-struck (in Seattle).
I'd guess that if there's an agenda, it's toward putting veteran refs on national TV games, which disproportionately feature those teams, and almost never feature Canadian teams.
Bruce still isn't happy: "We're the premier club in the country, and we're being shuffled off like that again" The premier club in the country http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/artic...untry-trip-us-open-cup-play-ridiculous-stupid
Should be and will be are two different things my friend, I won't be holding my breath for the upcoming announcement. Didn't think I could dislike him any more than I did but ....surprise!
growing respect for Toronto FC president and GM Kevin Payne. He is helping his team & the league as a whole. I applaud him. Plus, it is nice to hear other folks complaining about the refs besides us
Was "The Bruce" that cocky an SOB back before he got the USNT job? Seems like it was DC United and he was a bit more reserved.
Well, look at his performance... He was a successful college (UV), DC United, USNT (best performance in a WC), and he righted the Filth ship. He can back up the swagger. I don't think he's unreasonable to be cocky. I think San Jose would be better with him coaching. (No one has ever succeeded in New York, can't hold that against him)
bruce-arena-la-galaxys-cross-country-trip-us-open-cup-play-ridiculous-stupid Doesn't this appear like something that should end with "morjad"?
I have no problem with him being cocky. It's the fact that he thinks the Galaxy should get preferential treatment which is the problem. The US Open Cup is meant to be a broad tournament where any American team from any league can compete on a level playing field. MLS teams already get an advantage as they get to come in at later rounds, but that's not enough for Bruce - he wants home field advantage to boot. That's the problem. Griping about what is essentially an unbiased way of determining game venues smacks of entitlement. Nothing new from a guy who is used to coaching a team that outspends the rest of the league and still finds things to complain about.
I get it... I think there are portable defibrillators on the planes... If N is the number of devices on the plane, I think you mean, you want there to be N number of MIs on the plane, before Bruce has his...
No arrhythmia necessary--massive infarction that wipes out the entire blood supply to the left ventricle will do.
I'm not actually wishing for it, but by participating in the discussion I suppose I'm guilty by association.
^This. It wouldn't matter if they had a defibrillator or not. He'd be dead as a stone. But I don't wish that on him. I would really like for MLS to actually enforce its salary cap on the filth though. I'd like for the TV announcers to stop loving the douche-bag, filth-eating, cheating, entitlted, smog-breathing, water-stealing galactopustules so damn much. It's appalling. Oh, and I'd love to see the refs grow eyes and spines and actually call the game the way the rules are written. That would be good for every team. But yeah, Il Bruce is scum-sucking, elitist, bag of crap. "We're the premier team in the league?" Excuse me pus-bag, but this is a single-entity league with a freaking salary cap, which makes your filth eating side no more important than Toronto or Columbus. go quakes! Fire Frank! - Mark