^ I guess we will find out if 1) MLS changes the hosting of the Cup rule and 2) RSL win the supporters shield. In other news, Thierry Henry tells a reporter that RSL is football team! http://www.onceametro.com/2011/11/11/2552540/dear-henry-please-tell-us-mls-is-awful
Part of what I see with the Eurosnobs (and the interviewer in this case drips with Eurosnobbery) is some kind of fantasy that all players in the top leagues, and 2nd level leagues, all the way down to the lowest professional leagues all have fabulous first touch, amazing soccer intuition and vision, pinpoint ability to cross and breathtaking decisions and skills in tackling. I see the same thing with Latinsnobs. It ain't true that even in the top leagues everyone has magical abilities and somehow MLS and US players are inherently inferior, and Henry appeared to be trying to say that. The interviewer wasn't getting what he needed to tell the story he wanted to tell.
Not only that, he names many players on RSL's roster as solid players. Go to the original interview and there is more: http://goal.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/02/qa-with-the-red-bulls-thierry-henry/
We shouldn't run into the same problems as we did this past season with having to use international dates. I see this as potentially backfiring as we would either A) have to cram a game into a weekday on short rest or B) the league would force us to play elsewhere
Why wouldn't the 2012 MLS Cup be at LSP? All that money into a brand new stadium and you won't let them host the Cup?
Because its cold in Kansas City, KS in the middle of November? And its warmer in Houston. Truly, I have no idea. They did it in Toronto last year. I thought it looked horrible, and thats not only because of the teams involved. I am sure if SKC want it bad enough they could convince the other owners it was a smart idea. IMHO, they should stick to semi-warmer places for MLS Cup (as long as its in November) and stick to other cooler climates for summer All-Star Games. The only prob is that most MLS teams are in the cooler locales. SJ could be a future host if they get a stadium. If Chivas got their own they could host. Its been a few years now since Dallas hosted twice. See, this is why a few teams in the southeast would be great!
Building a SSS doesn't seem like a guarantee to host the Cup Final. The list of SSS's that have yet to host a MLS Cup is surprising long: Jeld-Wen, Rio Tinto, Dick's, Toyota Park, LSP, Red Bull Arena, and PPL Park. That's 7 out of 11 current SSS that haven't hosted a MLS Cup. The only ones that have are HDC, Crew Stadium, BMO, and Pizza Hut Park.
Some offseason fun from Australia: [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylf2YS1Qk84"]HYUNDAI A-LEAGUE FOOTBALL BLOOPERS 2010/11 - YouTube[/ame]
this reel makes you wonder a lot of things. One that jumps out to me: what is the record for most own goals in a single season? Also, is that seriously all from just one single season? I know there are bloopers in every league, but it feels like that league averages 1 or 2 WTF moments per game with how long and extensive that reel is. The guy that broke his leg by celebrating - ain't got shit on Espy
And if the league tries to complain we can point to the time in 2006 or 2007 when Dallas rescheduled a league game at PHP, against Houston (I think), for Ozzfest.
(Yes,I know this is already in the players thread) The first actual offseason news: http://www.realsaltlake.com/news/2011/11/rsl-expect-be-add-new-faces-offseason Kries will indeed be heading to South America in search of new players. Looks like he wants better depth for our second try at the CCL.
looks like our educated guesses were right (at least mine anyway), the last offseason was far too short and with so much preparation being done for CCL Garson never had a chance to make a concerted effort to find fresh blood. i think you will see a more determined effort this offseason and i expect jason to come back with probably 2, maybe 3, guys from south america to challenge for roster spots. that means that guys like lefturo, paulo jr, nelson and some of our 20-25 guys who have been on the roster this year are going to have to bust ass to make the roster next year. should be an interesting offseason, roster turnover can be a good thing, get some fresh perspectives and blood into the team. i hope jason finds a few more morales, olaves and saborios.
RSL has put out a lot of good videos over the last couple years, but that has to be one of the worst season highlight videos i've ever seen from a sports team. god that was awful. they put the emotionally captivating highlights in the wrong spot, ordered the game highlights completely wrong, included way to many useless sideshots of nothing, and left out some of the most important and critical times from the season (nay, RSL HISTORY). the last sequence of goals/highlights just left me thinking.....ok, and...uhh, more please? highlight videos are supposed to leave me pumped up, ready for the next step, or with my jaw on the floor saying "ddayyaammnn, that was sick, i'd pay to see that in person." this video accomplished none of that, why the hell would they think i would want to buy season tickets after watching that? what the ********, im very disappointed. maybe its just the stupid allergies/head cold i have right now. i guess the disappointment left by the highlight video matches the disappointment left from this season, RSL was consistent in that area.
It felt like a preview of a movie coming out later a trailer, if you will Though, from what they posted on fb, this is the real deal seriously disappointing given their previous movies they have made. It's better than nothing. but... well, not by much.
Nice memory from Ridge Mahoney, speaking of traveling support at MLS Cups, here 2009: "With RSL as the underdog, I anticipated a pro-RSL feeling (aside from the Beckham Brigade). So as I waited at Occidental Plaza for the March to the Match, which I’d walked and utterly enjoyed during a previous visit in June, I did so with guarded optimism there would be not just butts in the seats, but jeers and cheers and chants and noise. As march time approached and the crowd grew larger, the mood rose as well, yet it was somewhat muted. The essential catalyst soon arrived: boisterous, noisy, colorful RSL fans, shouting, “RSL!” “Beat L.A.!”, and other chants more original and less repeatable. Faces broke out in smiles, fists pumped the air, the Sound Wave marching band belted out a salute. Some Galaxy jerseys also showed up but in the stands, and eventually on the field, RSL prevailed. What those fans lacked in numbers they made up for in spirit, and voice, and creative methods to pump up their players and berate the opposition. They were seen, and heard. To a man, the RSL players gave special thanks to those who had made the trip to share their triumph." I'm glad he - and many of y'all - have these memories. I just have my four tickets, as Family Ismitje was all down with a nasty flu that weekend.
Sorta a tangent, but what do you guys think of idea of having one of the MLS Cup finalists host the Cup aka no Neutral Cup site? In fact the one idea that seems to be strong is having the Supporters Shield winner having a bye to MLS Cup and be the host. Its been talked about alot this weekend. MLS is already pimping out their writers to start supporting it (sorry KIR), therefore I kinda think it might happen. Do you think it would be a good idea? What would happen if Toronto (again), NY or RSL hosted the Cup? Would you think it would be a big hit? Even with the snow and cold? Even with (at best) a 2 week notice?
Solves 1/2 of any traveling fans problem. Greater passion of home fans will bring greater atmosphere to the event. Possible inclement weather is a good random not "you should have known better" like Toronto. Don't see many downsides. Becoming bigger fan of Supporter's Shield winner getting bye into Cup game. Real advantage to being best in regular season. Better than incrementally trying to figure out how to do it like they have been doing. I also feel it would be harder to argue that a winner that comes through a playoff gauntlet to take the prize is unworthy.
It seems like giving the SS winner special privileges, especially this dramatic, is patently unfair, given the move away from a balanced schedule. Given a balanced schedule, a bye to the semifinals at least seems reasonable. And I like the idea of the higher-ranked team hosting the final (again, given a balanced schedule).
I'd be all for the higher seed hosting the cup with a balanced schedule, but how do you determine the best team if it's not balanced? Even balanced, I'd never be for the SS winner going straight to the cup. I could live with them skipping to the conference final though.
From a business standpoint, if the SS winner got a bye to the final, they would lose out on potential extra revenue. They'd go from hosting a maximum of 2 playoff games (conference semifinal and final) to hosting just the final. With a lot more teams owning their own stadium, this could be a significant part of the decision.
I agree with the above sentiments. I'm fine with the SS winner getting a first round bye or something (not like this year) but they shouldn't go all the way to the final and they shouldn't host no matter what. The higher seeded team should host. Bad weather? I call it home field advantage. Which seeding matters, though? Which team had a higher seed in their conference, or the team with the higher seeding overall? Hopefully overall would be the criteria, but I have my doubts with MLS and their undying love for conferences. For example: Using this past season, Seattle would have to go to KC if those two teams made the final if we went off conference seeding.