Impeach Dr. Bob Contiguglia Now!

[ColomboZelaschi]

On the heels of Bruce Arena's rational solution (http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/2005-01-06-arena-labor-proposal_x.htm) to the current impasse, the USSF has revealed its incompetence, thus the arrogance of its leader, Bob Contiguglia. With the winner takes all and hell or be damned approach the federation is taking, after two years without any notable results on the compensation issue, the time has come to hold the good doctor's feet to the fire.

As the heir to Rothanberg's legacy of multiple successes at the helm of US soccer, the good doctor is on the verge of setting soccer in the USA back to the stone ages again. For what? A few hundred thousand dollars? His resume and his reign do not warrant our trust with the future of soccer in America. His decision to hire Arena in '98 was obviously the right one and I commend him for that, but his decision to silence his coach and the discussion Arena opened with the players opens the door for his departure.

Every organization at every level related to USSF should begin immediately to call for his outster before it is too late. Soccer in this country has come too far to have one person bring it down. The players listened to Arena and so should have the good doctor. He did not, so he has become the thorn that must be plucked.

The players and coach have come together. The USSF should get out of their way and appoint someone who can negoitiate rationally, competently and in good faith. After two years it is clear the emperor has no clothes.

[maverick]

:eek:

[maverick]

With the winner takes all and hell or be damned approach the federation is taking, after two years without any notable results on the compensation issue, the time has come to hold the good doctor's feet to the fire. The players listened to Arena and so should have the good doctor. He did not, so he has become the thorn that must be plucked. After two years it is clear the emperor has no clothes.

Thank you for making me laugh out loud! :D

Post on, my brother, post on.

[Bruce S]

On the heels of Bruce Arena's rational solution (http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/2005-01-06-arena-labor-proposal_x.htm) to the current impasse, the USSF has revealed its incompetence, thus the arrogance of its leader, Bob Contiguglia. With the winner takes all and hell or be damned approach the federation is taking, after two years without any notable results on the compensation issue, the time has come to hold the good doctor's feet to the fire
if the players feel their position is just, why not accept the binding arbitration.The rules are the same for both sides.

[ColomboZelaschi]

if the players feel their position is just, why not accept the binding arbitration.The rules are the same for both sides.

The time for discussing what the players should do or not do has passed. They accepted the overture from their coach, who they trust, and when both were informed they are not in a position to decide the outcome they both fell to the mercy of Dr. Bob. When the good doctor intervened and handed down the fed's ultimatum for tommorrow, the players became boxed in again. Otherwise, they would be in uniform practicing and the lawyers would have another chance to resolve the situation without interfering with the all important qualification fixture against T&T fast approaching.

Pointing at the players after two years of failed negotiations is like blaming the line workers for poor profits to Wall Street. Leaders of organizations are paid solve internal problems, not become the problem. When they fail, then they suffer the consequences and take the blame. Where is Dr. Bob anyway? Why are we listening to Moorehouse, bless his heart? Leaders lead; especially in a crisis. Dr. Bob has had two years too long to accomplish what for most organizations is a no brainer. When your talent performs you reward them and incent them to climb higher.

My point is simple. Let's get off the USSF. It is too abstract. Let's get to the root of the problem, the good doctor. I understand he has a solid practice as his primary income and his family will be fine without his second job as USSF president. There is too much at stake and we, the players and Bruce deserve better, far better.

[GIO17]

I for one agree with Mr. ColomboZelaschi. Dr. Bob schould go back to what he knows best. Practicing Medicine. His remeady right now is very sour and detramental.

Time for the USSF to stop messing around. I say bring back Alan Rothenberg to help this mess out.

[jmeissen0]

if the players feel their position is just, why not accept the binding arbitration.The rules are the same for both sides.


not exactly

the ussf arbitration offer was given with a stipulation... a major one




and yes... dr. bob should not only be impeached... but thrown out on the street, where he will be arrested for wearing no clothes

[TeamUSA]

All of you lemmings calling for the head of Dr. Bob are fools. Do you honestly believe a different person running the show at the USSF would do things so radically different that he/she would be able to please all of the people all of the time? It doesn't happen, someone is always pissed about something. But continue with the posts so all of us can see who you really are here.

[ColomboZelaschi]

All of you lemmings calling for the head of Dr. Bob are fools. Do you honestly believe a different person running the show at the USSF would do things so radically different that he/she would be able to please all of the people all of the time? It doesn't happen, someone is always pissed about something. But continue with the posts so all of us can see who you really are here.
Pay attention genius. The issue is not pleasing people. This is not about some arbitrary something. The issue at hand is the stewardship of the USSF, during which, for the past two years there has not been a resolution to the issue of the player's compensation. This is not about road jerseys, marketing gimmicks or player development. What is at stake is the WC in Germany and the future of soccer in America. The hard work and dedication of all those that have raised the game to its current level are being gambled unnecessarily. There is one man making that decision and if he is not then he truly is a naked leader. He either has his hands on the wheel or he is not man enough to drive. Either way, by cowardice or by arroagance he is heading the program off a cliff for what? Four hundred thousand dollars? I am not interested in being pleased. Please. I am interested in the Nat's getting on the pitch and into camp, just like Arena, just like the players. There is only one person preventing this, the good doctor; Why? I would rather hear from him than from status-quo-self-diluted-it-will-all-work-out who has no clue what it is like to go forty years without an appearence in the WC. I guess I am just another foolish lemming who believes in holding those to account for their actions or obvious inaction in this case. I look forward to your response and am sure you will suggest giving the good doctor a raise, so pardon me if I disagree in advance.

[GIO17]

All of you lemmings calling for the head of Dr. Bob are fools. Do you honestly believe a different person running the show at the USSF would do things so radically different that he/she would be able to please all of the people all of the time? It doesn't happen, someone is always pissed about something. But continue with the posts so all of us can see who you really are here.

I know who I am. I am a supporter of the sport here in the USA who wants to see Donovan, DMB, JOB, Eddie Pope, Eddie Johnson, & the many current and future players get their chances to play for the national team. To Qualify with legitimate players who are members of MLS & Those Americans playing abroad in Europe who are in the current player pool. I won't be proud to see replacement players picked by US Soccer to substitute for our boys and give up free and easy points. At least the man who truly cared about the sport in Alan I Rothenberg gave a damn. Why do you think he tried to bring the World Cup to the USA in 1994. To show that one day our players will be just as good. To show that this sport can live, breathe & grow in our country.

In the past the USSF probably hoped for something like this. They never made any progress. Alan I Rothenberg had the vision, he made good on his promise and now MLS is going to start it's 10 competitive season this coming April. The only good thing Dr. Bob did was hire Bruce Arena and look at what he has done since the fall of 1998. And now this current president of US Soccer is allowing all this good to fall in our faces and he is ready to go to the edge of the cliff and throw it all away.

So tell me. What do you see in me. If you see I give a **** then your right I do. I called up the USSF in Chicago and I told them to get this problem solved. I urged everyone to do the same. I hope that those in Chicago will go to Soccer House and protest on their doorstep to get this problem solved. All 10 matches of the final round are precious points that can't be fritted away like they mean absolutly nothing. USSF right now has changed. All they care about is filling their pockets and that's it. I wish I could believe in what they say, but when Bruce Arena who wants this pissing contest to end and tried to get the players to agree to an idea, they did. When he addressed it to the board, they threw it in his face and told him to get the hell out of their office. "We will handle this, you worry about finding replacement players.".

Everyone wanted to get this January camp rolling with our boys just like Bruce Arena does. But sadly the current heads of US Soccer doesn't see it like that. I have said I wanted the boys to get a fair increase, but I don't want them to break the bank either. Somewhere find an agreement down the middle. Because I understand the buisness side to all this.

The momentum the US Nats had at the end of the Semi-Final Round of Qualifying is fadding fast ladies and gentleman and the ones who are looking to completly kill it is Dr. Bob, Jim Moorehouse & the rest of the head honchos in Soccer House.

So tell me team USA, or should I just call you lemming. Who the heck are you telling us what we should or shouldn't do. Sooner or later the success of the 2002 World Cup was going to be a big issue coming with these labor chats. Sooner or later our youth players are going to get the chance to make the senior National Team. We as a nation still have to compete in the World's public opinion of how we are rated. One major, terrible slip like this can come crashing down on all the good hard work that has been done. If you want to see it crash, then you sir are the minority.

[dtakito]

Any other federations around the world with similar problems???

[maverick]

Pay attention genius. The issue is not pleasing people. This is not about some arbitrary something. There is one man making that decision and if he is not then he truly is a naked leader. He either has his hands on the wheel or he is not man enough to drive. I am not interested in being pleased. Please. I guess I am just another foolish lemming, so pardon me if I disagree in advance.

Dude, I'm giving this thread five stars, and that's no aribitrary something. :cool: It feels like the twilight zone!

[Bill Archer]

To say that the problem here is Bob Contiguglia is almost as absurd as suggesting that The One Who Cannot Be Named would take the job back, which is not quite as ludivrous as the proposition that USASA, USYSA, USFA, AYSO, SAY, USCS etc. are unhappy with Contiguglia's performance and have the slightest interest in "impeaching" him so that USSF can open the vaults and ask the USMNT players to back up a truck to the loading dock.

I'm fascinated by this need some people have for creating a villain they can hate, blame and stick pins into. Conversely, this "Arena as the independent voice of reason" meme is childishly silly. He knows the score as well as anybody else.

This is business. This is a negotiation. Everybody is playing hardball. Big money is involved. You clearly understand nothing about it.

Go rearrange your soccer card collection and leave the thinking to people better equipped for the task.

[bigtoga]

if the players feel their position is just, why not accept the binding arbitration.The rules are the same for both sides.If the PA felt that arbitration was the best chance they had at getting their "wishes", I'd assume the PA would've jumped at arbitration. Since the PA hasn't said, "Okay - let's do it!", I have to assume that they feel they can do better for themselves in another way.

Binding arbitration, in this instance, is a very scary proposition from both sides. The arbitration that the USSF has agreed to says that the arbitrators will be given one copy of each proposal; they must then choose one side's proposal and it will then be implemented in full. That's very scary from both sides... I'm sure that the USSF knew that the PA would not accept this offer hence the offer was made for political reasons. Think about it - if the USSF makes the offer for arbitration and then their proposal is not the one that's picked, that's political suicide. I have to believe that the USSF knew that an arbitrator would never accept the PA's proposal carte blance.

[StillKickin]

if the players feel their position is just, why not accept the binding arbitration.The rules are the same for both sides.
But I thought the rules weren't the same for both sides. I thought USSF was basically telling the players what they could submit. Maybe I'm wrong, though.

[goussoccer]

To say that the problem here is Bob Contiguglia is almost as absurd as suggesting that The One Who Cannot Be Named would take the job back, which is not quite as ludivrous as the proposition that USASA, USYSA, USFA, AYSO, SAY, USCS etc. are unhappy with Contiguglia's performance and have the slightest interest in "impeaching" him so that USSF can open the vaults and ask the USMNT players to back up a truck to the loading dock.

I'm fascinated by this need some people have for creating a villain they can hate, blame and stick pins into. Conversely, this "Arena as the independent voice of reason" meme is childishly silly. He knows the score as well as anybody else.

This is business. This is a negotiation. Everybody is playing hardball. Big money is involved. You clearly understand nothing about it.

Go rearrange your soccer card collection and leave the thinking to people better equipped for the task.

Drop the condescension. While we can disagree about the 'responsibility', we don't need to get nasty about it. As the head of USSF, just as the CEO in any business, Contiguglia should be held responsible for any major screw up of the corporation. This current impasse is absolutely a major screw up; it wasn't handled very well at all and you would have to agree, it certainly doesn't seem to be heading in the right direction. While brinkmanship often happens in labor negotiations, the fact that 'management' let this get this far, and still be surprised at the PA's reactions is a bit disturbing. Additionally, it does appear that the PA said they would play without the current labor issue being resolved and the USSF said no. That sounds like a lockout to me, I would love to hear a credible explanation to the contrary.

What you are hearing in this thread is a reaction to the high-handedness of the USSF. While positions can sometimes be difficult to resolve, attitudes can either help or hurt. The attitude of the USSF seems quite a bit off here. The arbitration 'offer' that the USSF made came with a major caveat: accept all of our terms and structure for the contract, and we will only 'arbitrate' payment.

While Bruce can not negotiate for the Federation, to ignore him as a person who is between the PA and the Federation is inappropriate.

Hence, the one ultimately responsible for the organization should be held ultimately responsible. That is Contigugla. We are absolutely approaching the point in time where if this is not resolved then our ability to field a team that is prepared for T&T is severly hamstrung.

[ColomboZelaschi]

To say that the problem here is Bob Contiguglia is almost as absurd as suggesting that The One Who Cannot Be Named would take the job back, which is not quite as ludivrous as the proposition that USASA, USYSA, USFA, AYSO, SAY, USCS etc. are unhappy with Contiguglia's performance and have the slightest interest in "impeaching" him so that USSF can open the vaults and ask the USMNT players to back up a truck to the loading dock.

I'm fascinated by this need some people have for creating a villain they can hate, blame and stick pins into. Conversely, this "Arena as the independent voice of reason" meme is childishly silly. He knows the score as well as anybody else.

This is business. This is a negotiation. Everybody is playing hardball. Big money is involved. You clearly understand nothing about it.

Go rearrange your soccer card collection and leave the thinking to people better equipped for the task.

Thanks for clearing things up Soccer Jesus. I was completely in the dark about "the business" and "playing hardball." I would take the time to reply to your deep thoughts, but my comic book "villian" wit isn't up to the snuff of yours. Much appreciation Soccer Jesus, for explaining the ins and outs of my absurdity and how crazy it is to expect results from those who are paid to lead. Mister Soccer Jesus I want you to know that I wish I had never suggested that the good doctor be impeached, now it seems, the board should take the responsibility and fire the incompetent-after-two-years-no-results-on-player's-compensation naked leader.
And one more thing Soccer Jesus, when you give orders, you have the credibility of Sergent Carter in a dress.
Doctor Bob is the root of the problem and he needs to step down or be taken down by the board or the affiliate memebers to the USSF. His incompetence becomes theirs if they do not act to recitfy his spineless leadership.

[Adam Zebrowski]

I do agree dr bob needs to be challenged, but I think we need to have a replacement in mind....

I would think the ussf mafia would just replace dr bob with a similarly minded guy....

it's all about the mission of ussf and it's compatibility with the mens national team mission....

[onefineesq]

I know that I'm making a big mistake wading into this thread, but I'm truly miffed at one thing that keeps floating throughout all of these National Team Collective Bargaining Agreement threads. And that one thing is the idea that somehow the USSF is beholden to take advice from Bruce Arena. Bruce Arena is an employee. Plain and simple. No more and no less. Bigsoccer addicts have made this guy into the all knowing watchful eye of the sky who can do no wrong and who rules all that he surveys. Prior to this latest problem, the threads were about who would be the next national team coach of the US, and to my amazement, I read post after post about how Bruce Arena should pick his own replacement or at the very least give his selections who the USSF should then choose from. Methinks that many people have overestimated Arena's role in the hierarchy and are now getting slapped in the face with the truth .......... again, that Arena is simply a well-compensated employee. As Bill Archer said, Arena knows the deal, because he certainly understands the business aspect of what's going on. He's simply at this stage looking, hoping, and praying for a compromise because his own success depends on it.

[ColomboZelaschi]

I know that I'm making a big mistake wading into this thread, but I'm truly miffed at one thing that keeps floating throughout all of these National Team Collective Bargaining Agreement threads. And that one thing is the idea that somehow the USSF is beholden to take advice from Bruce Arena. Bruce Arena is an employee.
On this we agree. Bruce is not responsible for the current impasse. However, he can take credit for an iterim solution he proposed and the good doctor rejected. Bruce Arena is not my hero. His job is to win the World Cup in Germany, if the federation gives him a crack team. With this, if he fails, then he will be dealt with according to his performance. All I want is the same standards to apply to the good doctor. He has had two years to deal with this issue. He has failed and is currently failing to take the lead as he is paid to do. I have read the other threads. I recognize there is blame to go around. In my mind there are no sacred cows. Withstanding all the differences, one thing remains, the house is in chaos and the head of the family is checking tonsils somewhere in the Denver suburbs. He cannot even articulate what is going on to us and the media; he sends Moorehouse into the fire. You call that leadership in a crisis. If he stood up and made a stand, I might think differently. So long as his head remains in the sand, as it has for two years, I will call for his immediate removal. We need thoughtful leadership yesterday, too much is at stake. In any other, especially for profit, organization there would be far less patience and less likelyhood that critics would call out "the employees" as you put it. In this country, when businesses fail, the banks and the lawyers do not hunt down the staff; they go after the executives and the leadership. What is so different with doctor bob?