News: MLS 2014 season (non-Revs) [R]

Philly is effing nuts, unless McInerney is a total cancer. Wenger is a Schilawski-level player that Montreal is well rid of. In fact, Montreal was really hurting at that position, and they've just made a dramatic improvement to it. Bien fait, l'Impact!

 

Didn't Wenger play a different position in college, and Montreal tried to make him into a forward? In any case, it really seems like there is more to this story than meets the eye.

 

He played forward his freshman year, moved to centerback his sophomore year (where he was a Hermann Trophy semifinalist), then moved back to forward his junior year and won the Hermann Trophy. Left school early and was drafted by Montreal.

 

McInerney is a total cancer and won't be around after this season anyway. Good move from Philly IMO.

 

Where's he going? Or do you just mean he wouldn't have extended a deal with Philly?

 

[Well, you can have a cool stadium, but if the team on the field stinks then so what? If forced to pick one or the other, then a team that can play outranks a "cool" stadium any day. But I agree, also having a cool stadium is very very nice to have, and having both is what the objective should be. Every season.]

The Portland-Seattle game is the sort of thing that would bring fans in and keep them. It was great, and other than Kenny Cooper's oft-leaden touch, was a pretty decent show of skill and ball movement. It was a fun fun game to watch.

It was easy to see that "scoring" certainly changes the excitement level of a game. Failing to score much, which we often see from Revs, is like some puritanical self denial sort of thing. As I fan I can only handle so much of that. The bohemian alternative of scoring early and often works far better for me as a fan.

 

I just got finished watching SEA-POR game on NBC Sports.

What would be very interesting to see is the full NBC Sports treatment of a Revs game.

Watching a broadcast of EPL or the SEA-POR game today, with all of the camera angles and replays, really does change how you experience your team.

It is great that all Revs games are broadcast on CSNNE, but it is like Soccer Christmas when you see your team with a full non-homer broadcast team and full suite of cameras.

Yes, the stadium and crowd play a part, I know. No need to remind yet again. I'm speaking solely about the impact of the broadcast "presentation".

4/19 vs CHi Fire and 9/26 vs SKC are both on NBC Sports. Wonder if they will get the same treatment in terms of game presentation (# of cameras, etc.) as did today's SEA-POR game?

 

His contract is up and wants a larger contract that Philly didn't want to give him. I'm assuming he'll try his chance in Europe (most likely Scandinavia)

 

Interesting. I suppose he could find a club somewhere, but I doubt he'd make more money in Europe. He's not much of a known commodity and certainly doesn't bring any interest for non-MLS fans. I guess if I could make a living in Denmark, I'd probably move there too though.

 

Really interesting decisions to expand into Atlanta and Miami, two of the most fickle professional sports markets, when MLS has been so much more successful in smaller to mid markets.

 

TV $$$$. It was important enough to ruin college sports, it'll be important enough to throw a team in a poorly supported market.

 

Well, the "cool stadium" is still going to be standing several years from now. Teams on the field will change every year - it was only 7-8 years ago when we were one of the top teams in the league with all kinds of exciting players and a perennial MLS Cup contender. But we played in a crap stadium that was too big and had no atmosphere. Those guys are gone, but we are still in the crap stadium that is too big and had no atmosphere. That's another reason why I scoff at those who trot out the "we've got an exciting young team who play attractive soccer" meme, because in 5 years it will all be different. But the stadium and atmosphere won't.

 

Will be interesting to see how we do for this weekend's game.

Our opener attendance was the highest since 2007 (albeit, not by much), and the highest ever for a home opener before April (out of 9, by my count).

 

I doubt the Revs go against the league wide trend for their 2nd home game - there will be a drop off. In the face of even clubs like Seattle etc dropping off, I doubt there will be an increase.

 

You may be right, but two things will certainly help: it's been 3 weeks since our last home game and the weather is much improved (hopefully it will hold up for Saturday).

 

Colorado's rights to Martin Rivero have been sent to Chivas USA in exchange for a 2015 4th Round Pick.

Pretty good pickup for Chivas USA. I know he hasn't exactly wowed at Colorado, last season dealing with injuries, but he showed some skill and at 24 he's only a year older than most of this year's draft picks.

 

Don Garber diagnosed with prostate cancer. The cancer doesn't appear to have spread, so it should be fully treatable. He said he'll continue to handle his Commissioner duties while undergoing treatment.

 

Jack Mac with a quick start in Montreal, scoring off a Di Vaio flick. Wenger on the other hand, has looked truly pedestrian for Philly.

 

And of course Wenger scores in the 2nd half.

 

Dempsey scores 2 and his shot resulted in an own goal on Seattle's other goal. Safe to say he's found his form for Seattle. Chad Barrett had an assist on their last goal.

 

This is the first genuinely questionable move MLS has made with its recent expansion. "Major television market" aside, none of the Atlanta teams are marquee ratings magnets in the other major sports, and local support for them is iffy at best (the Hawks were 26th in NBA attendance in 2013, the Braves 13th in MLB, the Falcons were 13th in the NFL last year and take a back seat to college football in the region. The NHL Thrashers of course, were moved to Winnipeg).

Of course, the other red flag is that Atlanta will be operated by an NFL owner, and this team will be playing in an NFL stadium. Garber has to stare at the uncuttable Gordian Knot that is the Revs every day. Why does he want to risk creating a second team just like us?