10/27/05: Shut your traps and stop kicking the seats!

[GPK]

Rapids in for defensive battle-Rocky Mountain News (http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/rapids/article/0,1299,DRMN_51_4190162,00.html)

Kovalenko tempers his game for United-Washington Times (http://www.washtimes.com/sports/20051027-012614-2022r.htm)

MetroStars seek more than knot-NY Daily News (http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more_sports/story/359570p-306355c.html)

De Rosario's position: Nothing comes easily-Mercury News (http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/soccer/13009201.htm)

Format renders MLS playoff openers stagnant-Houston Chronicle (http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/soc/3419176)

Galaxy: Pivotal pass was perfect-San Bernadino Sun (http://www.sbsun.com/galaxy/ci_3154349)

Quake Trouble-San Mateo Daily Journal (http://www.smdailyjournal.com/article_preview.php?id=50288)

[uclacarlos]

Galaxy: Pivotal pass was perfect-San Bernadino Sun (http://www.sbsun.com/galaxy/ci_3154349)
cool article that we don't get to see that often in the US: LD and Cobi discussed strategy b4 game..

[TrickHog]

cool article that we don't get to see that often in the US: LD and Cobi discussed strategy b4 game..

The key to that discussion before the game - Sampson was not involved...

[stucknutah]

Jaime Trecker on Adu (http://http://msn.foxsports.com/soccer/story/5024556)

Warning...likely to cause BS to implode as Trecker actually makes some good points.

[stucknutah]

oops...error in the link...

http://msn.foxsports.com/soccer/story/5024556

[Brownswan]

A good reason to include Cobi in the World Cup squad: Landon Donovan.

Cobi is the Master of the Calculated Pass -- at least to Donovan. They have an understanding similar to the Gunther Netzer-Gerd Muller synch that worked so well for Germany for a few years.

Dare I make such a comparison? You betcha.

[MightyMouse]

Jaime Trecker on Adu (http://http://msn.foxsports.com/soccer/story/5024556)

Warning...likely to cause BS to implode as Trecker actually makes some good points.

If you haven't noticed lately his articles have been very insightful and have posed some very valid questions. I enjoy his columns, thats right, I know the Treckers have been venemous towards MLS in the past and even maybe so into the future but I think this particular Trecker is starting to sound like someone who really does give a sh!t.

[BobyOne]

If you haven't noticed lately his articles have been very insightful and have posed some very valid questions. I enjoy his columns, thats right, I know the Treckers have been venemous towards MLS in the past and even maybe so into the future but I think this particular Trecker is starting to sound like someone who really does give a sh!t.

Nope, he's still a eurosnob. It's a little bit hidden, but it's there:


The problem though is this idea that winning titles that have little meaning outside the insular world of American soccer is more important than helping kids like Adu or Eddie Gaven or Clint Dempsey become players that can get noticed by the world at large.

In a nutshell:
- Any championship won in America is worthless
- Highest goal to be attained in American soccer is to ship one of our players overseas

[JRstriker12]

In a nutshell:
- Any championship won in America is worthless
- Highest goal to be attained in American soccer is to ship one of our players overseas


Yeah, I was with him up to this point:

"The problem though is this idea that winning titles that have little meaning outside the insular world of American soccer is more important than helping kids like Adu or Eddie Gaven or Clint Dempsey become players that can get noticed by the world at large.

This is the pressure that D.C.'s coach, Peter Nowak, is under — and it's a bit unfair to him and the youngest players in the game. Why hasn't someone piped up and said, "Y'know, one MLS Cup isn't as valuable as a full-blown star player with international appeal?" Why hasn't someone taken Nowak aside and told him that part of his job has to be to sell the sport? Why hasn't someone said that it's all right to lose some games if it means training players? Adu's timing may stink, but MLS has sold the game on his back. Is it so wrong now for him to ask to be taught?"

At least Wilbon got it right that as Coach, Nowak's job is to win games and Championships. DC and MLS marketing cvan worry about "selling the game."

[SYoshonis]

The problem though is this idea that winning titles that have little meaning outside the insular world of American soccer is more important than helping kids like Adu or Eddie Gaven or Clint Dempsey become players that can get noticed by the world at large.So, does the Dutch title have any meaning outside the insular world of Dutch soccer? I doubt very much that PSV gives a rat's ass about developing DMB, they got him because they want to win championships, period.

Now, Trecker's point is a good one, that at this point in time, creating permanence for the sport is more important in the big picture than winning MLS Cups, but how does devaluing the highest domestic honor an American team can win hinder that goal? If MLS wants to be taken seriously in America (and, no matter what Trecker says, its being taken seriously anywhere else is completely irrelevant), it simply cannot be perceived as a joke league. And, saying that developing one kid at the expense of the team says exactly that, to soccer fans and non-soccer fans alike.

Take those two groups out of your fan base, and there's not much left.

Also worth noting, who's to say that what Nowak is doing isn't best for Adu's development in the long run? I have yet to hear any of the so-called "experts" weighing in on that topic. Of course, that would require them to have a clue what they're talking about, and we know better to expect that.

I do give Jamie quite a bit of credit, though, for laying at least a portion of the blame at the feet of the media, himself even included. I also love that he all but came right out and said that the guys who are screaming the loudest are nowhere to be seen when Adu is actually playing in a game.

[SYoshonis]

Oops, I misspelled the guy's name in my quote. Since I can't edit it, can someone who can please do?