5/13/06: MLS Week 7

[GPK]

Rolfe, Barrett give Fire a real kick-Daily Herald (http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/fire.asp)

Fire at Red Bulls-Chicago Sun Times (http://www.suntimes.com/output/fire/cst-spt-firebx13.html)

Fire rookies eager to get their licks, er, kicks, in-Daily SOuthtown (http://www.dailysouthtown.com/southtown/dssports/pro/131sd8.htm)

In Columbus, Rapids find unfamiliar Crew-Rocky Mountain News (http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/mls/article/0,2777,DRMN_23926_4696585,00.html)

Ugly win better than loss-Columbus Dispatch (http://www.columbusdispatch.com/crew/crew.php?story=dispatch/2006/05/13/20060513-E1-00.html)

Schmid obliges Martino’s desire for trade-Columbus Dispatch (http://www.columbusdispatch.com/crew/crew.php?story=dispatch/2006/05/13/20060513-E2-03.html)

Crew preview: Colorado Rapids-Columbus Dispatch (http://www.columbusdispatch.com/crew/crew.php?story=dispatch/2006/05/13/20060513-E2-02.html)

A great home run for FC Dallas-Dallas Morning News (http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/soccer/stories/051306dnspofcdlede.2666149.html)

Midfielder's return is a boost for lineup-Ft. Worth Star Telegram (http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/sports/14571921.htm)

MLS chief backs 'Beckham Rule'-Washington Times (http://www.washtimes.com/sports/20060513-120445-4904r.htm)

United, MLS to Feel World Cup's Impact-Washington Post (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/12/AR2006051201700.html)

Wizards to tap into reserves-Kansas City Star (http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/sports/soccer/mls/kansas_city_wizards/14568328.htm)

Dutch star van den Bergh pays Wizards a visit-Kansas City Star (http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/sports/soccer/mls/kansas_city_wizards/14568329.htm)

Wizards (4-1-1) at D.C. United (3-1-2)-Kansas City Star (http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/sports/soccer/mls/kansas_city_wizards/14568327.htm)

Galaxy Parts With Grabavoy, Ngwenya-LA Times (http://www.latimes.com/sports/soccer/la-sp-galaxy13may13,1,6246775.story?coll=la-headlines-sports-soccer)

Galaxy obtain Martino, Wolyniec from Crew-Carson Daily Breeze (http://www.dailybreeze.com/sports/articles/2797721.html)

Galaxy obtains Martino in four-player trade-Orange County Register (http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/sports/atoz/article_1140552.php)

Frustrated Galaxy makes move-Pasadena Star News (http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/sports/ci_3818683)

Dearth of Donovan-Press Enterprise (http://www.pe.com/sports/soccer/stories/PE_Sports_Local_D_galaxy_feature_13.3cca9f7.html)

Red Bulls still search for first win-Daily Record (http://www.dailyrecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060513/SPORTS/605130317/1002)

Red Bulls need wings-Herald News (http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkxMDYmZmdiZWw3Zjd2cWVlRUV5eTY5MzQwNjMmeXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk2)

Opportunity excites Howard-Herald News (http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkxMzcmZmdiZWw3Zjd2cWVlRUV5eTY5MzM2ODImeXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk2)

Bayern Munich to play Red Bulls-(AP) (http://www.nj.com/sportsflash/redbulls/index.ssf?/base/sports-2/1147478065159400.xml&storylist=nj_redbulls)

U.S. World Cup Hopes Lie at Donovan's Talented Feet-NY Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/13/sports/soccer/13soccer.html)

Reis saving the day again for Revs-Boston Herald (http://sports.bostonherald.com/soccer/view.bg?articleid=139093)

Rookies game for challenge-Boston Globe (http://www.boston.com/sports/soccer/articles/2006/05/13/rookies_game_for_challenge/)

RSL keeps its new look secret from the Galaxy-Salt Lake Tribune (http://www.sltrib.com/realsaltlake/ci_3818375)

Winless Real have hope vs. depleted Galaxy-Deseret News (http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,635207095,00.html)

Dynamo appear ready to rumble-Houston Chronicle (http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/soc/3860608.html)

Romario's 2 goals give Miami 1st win-Miami Herald (http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sports/soccer/14568936.htm)

Just for kicks-Tornoto Sun (http://torontosun.com/Sports/OtherSports/2006/05/13/1578114-sun.html)

Unbeaten Rhinos wary of being overconfident-Rochester Democrat & Chronicle (http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060513/SPORTS05/605130326/1007/SPORTS)

Sports Briefs-Winston Salemm Journal (http://www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSJ%2FMGArticle%2FWSJ_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1137836047791&path=!sports&s=1037645509200)

Menace start title defense vs. St. Louis-Des Moines Register (http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060513/SPORTS1301/605130352/1003/SPORTS)

Real estate fee hike could pay for stadium-Cleveland Plain Dealer (http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/summit/1147509811181800.xml&coll=2)

As Donovan matures, so does his role-News & Observer (http://www.newsobserver.com/122/story/439159.html)

Sounders seeking revenge-Seattle Times (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sports/2002990973_sounder13.html)

El Paso downs Shell Shockers-Times Picayune (http://www.nola.com/sports/t-p/index.ssf?/base/sports-23/1147500650143670.xml)

For Donovan, Past Is History-Washington Post (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/12/AR2006051201937.html)

[Beech]

I just have to say I still can't believe how much more press MLS is getting in print these days as compared to even a couple of years ago. This wonderful news thread just consistently keeps getting longer and longer every day. Kudos to all of those that make the effort on this consistently.

[Michael CM1]

I just have to say I still can't believe how much more press MLS is getting in print these days as compared to even a couple of years ago. This wonderful news thread just consistently keeps getting longer and longer every day. Kudos to all of those that make the effort on this consistently.

The Washington, NYC, and LA areas all seem to do very well. The NY Times piece about Donovan and the USMNT was the usual golden work the NYT gives you. Real Salt Lake usually gets good coverage but recently it has been like they were nicknamed the "Salt Lake Avian Flu."

Meanwhile Miami FC got more press time for one game than the Atlanta Silverbacks do all season. They give Wendy Parker a weekly blog now and maybe 2 paragraphs if the Silverbacks play at home. Oy.

[The Blind Pig]

The Flip Side - Baltimore Sun (http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/bal-sp.flipside13may13,0,4841628.story?coll=bal-sports-featured) (amusing Twellman note)

Team shortfall $10 Million this Season - Salt Lake Tribune (http://www.sltrib.com/utah/ci_3818201) (hold on, perspective)

Latvia, US Soccer here for World Cup tune-up - East Hartford Gazette (http://www.zwire.com/site/News.cfm?BRD=1642&dept_id=10303&newsid=16632179&PAG=461&rfi=9)

[peteo]

MLS chief backs 'Beckham Rule'-Washington Times (http://www.washtimes.com/sports/20060513-120445-4904r.htm)The 2006 league average is 16,917.Even though it's early in the season, nice numbers so far. :) To recall, taken from Kenn Tomasch's site:

MLS ATTENDANCE SUMMARY 1996-2005 (http://www.kenn.com/soccer/mls/basic.html) :cool:

1996 160 2,785,001 17,406
1997 160 2,339,019 14,619 -16.0%
1998 192 2,747,897 14,312 -2.1%
1999 192 2,742,102 14,282 -0.2%
2000 192 2,641,085 13,756 -3.7%
2001 158 2,363,859 14,961 +8.8%
2002 140 2,214,878 15,821 +5.7%
2003 150 2,234,397 14,898 -5.8%
2004 150 2,333,797 15,559 +4.4%
2005 192 2,900,716 15,108 -2.9%

[Michael CM1]

Even though it's early in the season, nice numbers so far. :) To recall, taken from Kenn Tomasch's site:

MLS ATTENDANCE SUMMARY 1996-2005 (http://www.kenn.com/soccer/mls/basic.html) :cool:

1996 160 2,785,001 17,406
1997 160 2,339,019 14,619 -16.0%
1998 192 2,747,897 14,312 -2.1%
1999 192 2,742,102 14,282 -0.2%
2000 192 2,641,085 13,756 -3.7%
2001 158 2,363,859 14,961 +8.8%
2002 140 2,214,878 15,821 +5.7%
2003 150 2,234,397 14,898 -5.8%
2004 150 2,333,797 15,559 +4.4%
2005 192 2,900,716 15,108 -2.9%

Last season oughta scare you considering there were 2 expansion teams that averaged more than 15,000 per game. Hopefully with the new SSS going in attendance can bump up to the 16k threshold. FYI Kansas City, New England, and Colorado are killing the early average. All 3 are under 12k. FCD is right at 15k, everybody else is 16k and above.