Garber Visited Philly Yesterday

[Sport Billy]

Here are some links:
Article 1
http://www.delcotimes.com/WebApp/appmanager/JRC/Daily?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pg_article&r21.pgpath=%2FDCT%2FHome&r21.content=%2FDCT%2FHome%2FTopStoryList_Story_653259

Article 2
http://www.delcotimes.com/WebApp/appmanager/JRC/Daily?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pg_article&r21.pgpath=%2FDCT%2FSports&r21.content=%2FDCT%2FSports%2FTopStoryList_Story_652763

Article 3
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/local/20070907_Pro_soccer_deal_in_Chester_near__investors_say.html

Interesting Quote:
Garber said that, before the league could award its 16th franchise, the funding from the state, county, city as well as an ownership group would need to be finalized.

When did they award the 15th franchise and to whom?

[Sport Billy]

Well, apparently 15 is "West Coast" - I hope we are not fcuked here boys

[Atarian]

Were better off then Philly. If all goes right, there can be a press confrence on Tuesday. I think us and Philly will both get in, keeping the MLS with even teams.

[ReneGoulet]

Well, apparently 15 is "West Coast" - I hope we are not fcuked here boys

Don't get too down about it---St. Louis is still west of Phila., and there is a vote just a day or two away...more than can be said for either Seattle or Philadelphia.

Besides, the Chester/Phila deal is not as far along as some would have you believe. The mere fact that they are discussing it gets everyone's panties in a twist. Typical Philadelphia, though, getting all excited and mouthy and then having our dreams CRUSHED.:p

[jfranz]

If St. Louis gets the stadium approved, they will get a team. Period. Especially with an owner like Cooper, already well know to MLS Brass after actively courting Checketts and a potentially relocated RSL. And with his soccer background/passion, he's the perfect owner, in a perfect soccer market. Add a near-perfect stadium to that equation and it equals an MLS franchise.

Still, I'll keep my fingers crossed and avoid black cats.

[East Side Boy]

Has Garber visited St. Louis and Jeff Cooper in person?

[WestHamUtdFC]

at first i thought it was a done deal.....but it does seem like seattle and philly feel the same way.... but it would be crazy to think that a guy that knows about soccer and has been involved with english soccer could get turned down.... since most likely the other owners dont have the soccer background
i find it hard to beleive though that if the stadium gets passed that we wouldnt get a team..... what three days??? could be the best news in a long time!!!!!!!!

[mitchs3]

I'm going to argue both sides in the same post.

Unless I misread it, the 'unnamed west coast 15th team' reference was just the Philly news reporters' words, not a quote from Garber. With that, and the old advice of don't get too high with the good news, or too low the bad news, during the roller coaster of these expansion processes, there really isn't anything here that should cause us to get to worked up -- we all knew that Philly was a great candidate if they could get the stadium situation squared away, which it looks like the are well on their way to doing. Thus, who's to say it won't be Philly and StL, given that both appear ready to build SSS's.

THAT BEING SAID, like SportBilly, I'm beginning to get that feeling, ala 1993 and the NFL fiasco -- nothing like the Jerry Clinton lease mess; Cooper has played all his cards perfectly as far as I can tell -- but that we are possibly being strung along as the cover bid in case either PHI or SEA fall through.

I hope I'm wrong. Hopefully Cooper is is such frequent contact with the league that he's sure of his place in line.

[methodic]

I love how you St. Louis fans are all ninny nans with your panties in a bunch. What fun you will all be to give stick. St. Louis to the west after the Collinsville yea vote.

[TetsuoShima]

Also about the 15th spot being a western team spot.. they can always juggle around the conferences for a few years till the expansion teams coming in over the next few years settles down. St. Louis could start in the west and end up in the east. I know it may not be a great thing but if they would end up getting enough teams in the central area of the US/Canada. They could also end up adding a central conference and do it how MLB does. Though I would hope they don't do a 3 conference system.

[Angus Podgorney]

Has Garber visited St. Louis and Jeff Cooper in person?

Garber did visit St. Louis several months ago, and was shown the prospective property and the plan for the stadium and the youth fields that were to be part of the project. Bernie Miklasz wrote about it in one of his columns at the time. There should be a link in the St. Louis forum somewhere.

I think Garber is also grateful to Cooper for expressing interest in moving the Real Salt Lake franchise to St. Louis and helping Dave Checketts to get a stadium deal from the state of Utah.

[Z010 Union]

I think Garber is also grateful to Cooper for expressing interest in moving the Real Salt Lake franchise to St. Louis and helping Dave Checketts to get a stadium deal from the state of Utah.

Sort of like the Philly guys saying they'd take KC last year?

How does the league leave either of these teams out?

[Sport Billy]

Sort of like the Philly guys saying they'd take KC last year?

How does the league leave either of these teams out?

Because its MLS and their lack of forethought never ceases to amaze me.

[McGinty]

I love how you St. Louis fans are all ninny nans with your panties in a bunch. What fun you will all be to give stick.

This from a San Jose fan? Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!

[Net_Minder]

Though I would hope they don't do a 3 conference system.

A 3 conference system may not be such a bad idea in the short term. Here's a possible division scenario.

East
RBNY
DC United
NE Revs
Toronto FC
Columbus Crew

Central
St. Louis (exp)
Chicago Fire
Kansas City Wizards
FC Dallas
Houston Dynamo

West
San Jose Earthquakes (exp)
LA Galaxy
Chivas USA
Real Salt Lake
Colorado Rapids

[400lb Gorilla]

I can say I wish they would go single table over 3 conferences. But that is just personal prefrence.

[radfordbg]

I think the league could just as easily abolish divsions and award three teams instead of two.

All three of these teams deserve to get in. Sadly enough, the primary thing holding them back is this stupid divsion nonsense.

We could all congratulate St. Louis, Seattle and Philly together yet the MLS has this fascination with a divisional system (that is even further watered down by the allocation of interdivisional playoff spots after the top two from each).

Why not just take the best eight? People can argue with me but its harder to argue with the systems that European leagues use.

Sadly, one of these bids will be shot down for no good reason.