4/24/07: Unemployed

[BuffloSoldier]

So, I'm slightly unemployed. Damn technology.

At this point every day, I'll take a few stories from across the web and blather about them in a concise and slightly uninformed fashion.

If losing the name of the game is defense, then yes--TFC is doing what the Globe and Mail suggests today. (http://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/206324) So now Mo is arguing that a lack of information and familiarity with MLS as a whole is the reason Toronto has taken the collar so far. Perhaps it's just being an expansion team and the talent level is it...but what do I know?

Now MLS has hit the big time: hooliganism in the mainstream media! (http://www.dailysouthtown.com/news/354888,241NWS1.article) It's not just minor fights and arguing in parking lots anymore, kids. While this seems to be an overreaction to a few smoke bombs and the refusal to sit down during games, we're through the looking glass!

English fans hope against hope that a Premiership team will actually be sold to an English group. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_city/6586641.stm) Way to get their hopes up before Uncle Phil or another American crushes them into a fine powder. On the other hand, the more things change, the more they stay the same. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_city/6587501.stm)

Of all the British papers I read (the football sections, I mean), the Guardian has the best quality of writing on a consistent basis. Today, they ask not to judge Inter's title negatively (http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2007/04/24/all_hail_the_nerazzurri.html) while Sir Alex wants to copy the opposition, kinda sorta. (http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2007/04/23/how_ferguson_fell_in_love_with.html)

Lastly, a fashion faux pas? (http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,4-2007180825,00.html) Perhaps Angels red would have been more to David's liking, but on the other hand...it is Anaheim.

Southern Californians can send their hate mail to...

[SankaCofie]

Lastly, a fashion faux pas? (http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,4-2007180825,00.html) Perhaps Angels red would have been more to David's liking, but on the other hand...it is Anaheim.

Southern Californians can send their hate mail to...

David Beckham spotted in Reds hat, news at 11:0o!

[Vicious Lhasa Apso]

So, I'm slightly unemployed. Damn technology.

At this point every day, I'll take a few stories from across the web and blather about them in a concise and slightly uninformed fashion.

If losing the name of the game is defense, then yes--TFC is doing what the Globe and Mail suggests today. (http://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/206324) So now Mo is arguing that a lack of information and familiarity with MLS as a whole is the reason Toronto has taken the collar so far. Perhaps it's just being an expansion team and the talent level is it...but what do I know?

Now MLS has hit the big time: hooliganism in the mainstream media! (http://www.dailysouthtown.com/news/354888,241NWS1.article) It's not just minor fights and arguing in parking lots anymore, kids. While this seems to be an overreaction to a few smoke bombs and the refusal to sit down during games, we're through the looking glass!

English fans hope against hope that a Premiership team will actually be sold to an English group. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_city/6586641.stm) Way to get their hopes up before Uncle Phil or another American crushes them into a fine powder. On the other hand, the more things change, the more they stay the same. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_city/6587501.stm)

Of all the British papers I read (the football sections, I mean), the Guardian has the best quality of writing on a consistent basis. Today, they ask not to judge Inter's title negatively (http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2007/04/24/all_hail_the_nerazzurri.html) while Sir Alex wants to copy the opposition, kinda sorta. (http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2007/04/23/how_ferguson_fell_in_love_with.html)

Lastly, a fashion faux pas? (http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,4-2007180825,00.html) Perhaps Angels red would have been more to David's liking, but on the other hand...it is Anaheim.

Southern Californians can send their hate mail to...

No kidding about Toronto's lack of familiarity with the league: in the Mo Johnston interview piece, he names a forward he doesn't think his players would know about because of the lack of MLS coverage north of the border, and the reporter transscribes the name as "Eddie Johnston"! Not the first time I've seen such a name/spelling gaffe this season by Toronto papers, either, not by a long stretch.

"But they only show one game a week in Canada." If Mo can't get Direct Kick or the MLS online package in Canada to show his players, don't you think someone down here could tape the games for him and, god forbid, mail them to him? This is the same level of intellectual inspiration which has you sending away all-stars for chicken feed because he's blinked first in the battle of wills. They couldn't do better than Goldthwaite for Mulrooney?????

[DoctorD]

Why is Mo complaining? Coverage of the Championship and USL is pretty poor in the US so his players should have the advantage.



:)

[keem-o-sabi]

Moving to Canada has sucked for me too. I miss watching MLS matches on TV. I did purchase the internet package last year, and I have to do the same this year too. Boo Hoo. I know.

[kanonier]

So, I'm slightly unemployed.


I don't know what it means to be slightly unemployed :confused: ... but good luck with that!

[TomEaton]

The article does point out at the end that "all games" (okay, so they didn't get it exactly right) are broadcast on MLS's website.

Even if they watch all of this season's games, though, it's still going to be difficult for a player who's never watched MLS before to get a handle on opposing players' strengths and weaknesses. Not as easily as players with MLS experience who have been watching and playing against MLS players for years. But you have to wonder, if Mo thinks this is such a problem, why he included so many players on his roster without MLS experience. (Are there really that many? I haven't seen any of Toronto's games yet and haven't been following the team.)

[Crew14]

David Beckham spotted in Reds hat, news at 11:0o!

Who knew the Reds were fashionable?

[art]

wierd...I havent had a tv for almost 5 years now and I'm doing fine with knowledge of MLS. The best coverage is on the net anyway; has always been, and likely always will be. Lets be honest here, in the very near future there wont be much of a difference between tv and internet anyway. Mo Johnston, who has played and coahced in MLS for something like 10 years now, should know enough about the league, and where to find info about the league and teams, and if his players really don't know who Eddie Johnson is, all that proves is Mo Johnston sucks as a coach.

What a wierd, lame excuse for having a crappy team.

[art]

Who knew the Reds were fashionable?

the commies are coming back, the commies are coming back!

[Soccer von Fußball]

Now MLS has hit the big time: hooliganism in the mainstream media! (http://www.dailysouthtown.com/news/354888,241NWS1.article) It's not just minor fights and arguing in parking lots anymore, kids. While this seems to be an overreaction to a few smoke bombs and the refusal to sit down during games, we're through the looking glass!


Disclaimer - I hate flares. They look cool, but they stink and I can't see. Two of the most important things at a game for me are breathing and seeing the game.

However - I do agree with the Section 8 folks when they point out the inconsistency of MLS teams poo-pooing the flares and smoke bombs, and then using images of flares and smoke bombs in their advertizing.

[Soccer von Fußball]

wierd...I havent had a tv for almost 5 years now and I'm doing fine with knowledge of MLS. The best coverage is on the net anyway; has always been, and likely always will be. Lets be honest here, in the very near future there wont be much of a difference between tv and internet anyway. Mo Johnston, who has played and coahced in MLS for something like 10 years now, should know enough about the league, and where to find info about the league and teams, and if his players really don't know who Eddie Johnson is, all that proves is Mo Johnston sucks as a coach.

What a wierd, lame excuse for having a crappy team.
Doesn't every professional team in every league in every sport, uh, scout?

[nyrmetros]

Metro did the same thing for years with the ESC. They use pictures of them for advertising, and then have them thrown out the next week by security. MLS can't have it both ways despite 12 years of doing it. Either they came out and support their hardcore fans, or just kill them off right now. With increased media exposure in the future, MLS is gonna have to make a decision.

[Frankie Boy]

Who knew the Reds were fashionable?

At least it wasn't the Giants!!!

[Eric B]

At least it wasn't the Giants!!!That would actually hurt. It's not like the Reds are still in the major leagues or anything...

[Vicious Lhasa Apso]

Doesn't every professional team in every league in every sport, uh, scout?

I was reading somewhere that one of the MLS teams was building up a massive data base of game footage, both domestic and abroad, for use in game and talent scouting. That way if player x comes available, they can call up his games and see what they think.

Mo claims familiarity with the league, and seems to indicate the ill-informed are his players and fans. I would note that his playing days are behind him enough where the league has had some turnover and change, and also note that he was not coach so long that he would be one of the more boundless founts of information on our league. It was less than a year, no?

And he seems awfully passive in the face of the lack of coverage. Aren't there other ways of getting game film?

Furthermore, some of his players are MLS veterans, and others like Sutton at least had a pit stop here. The argument that they don't know us well is probably most true of the TFC defense, which was until this past week's moves composed of defenders and a goalkeeper with minimal MLS experience.

But even then, in agreement with someone who was skeptical of the excuse, I hardly think lack of experience and familiarity explains a defense allowing scores like 4-0. Or explains the failure of a more-MLS-vet populated attack to score. It might hurt at the margins to not know player x is a lefty who likes to use certain moves, etc., but I don't think that explains shut out and clobbered. That sounds like either talent or chemistry is lacking.

[drew_VT_6]

So, I'm slightly unemployed. Damn technology.

I for one hope you get your job back. One stop shopping is much better than sifting through 90,000 articles about Rooney's breakfast and C Ronaldo's hair gel before finding the already elusive MLS/US Soccer related articles.

If I wanted all of the soccer related articles on the web, I'd go to Google News.

[Matrim55]

Mo claims familiarity with the league, and seems to indicate the ill-informed are his players and fans. I would note that his playing days are behind him enough where the league has had some turnover and change, and also note that he was not coach so long that he would be one of the more boundless founts of information on our league. It was less than a year, no?
Mo was Metro's top assistant for 3 years before he became head coach (which, as you pointed out, lasted less than a year). He's been in the league constantly as a player or a coach since it's inception, with the one exception being the 2002 season.

But any amount of experience can be mitigated by unbridled buffoonery, and MoJo's got that in spades. His time with TFC will make Rongen's Chivas stop seem like Shankly at Liverpool. Only a matter of time before the Voyageurs start calling for Holger Osieck to take over the reins.