Today on Behind the Badge

[ShannonS]

Jaime's first few sentences were just so disheartening! It seems like he is almost ready to give up.

[gratedjuice]

with quotes like his and santino's it makes me think even more that its not a matter of the lack of heart from the players but something on the management side.

[Marco10]

I think you have to take these quotes in context. The team had just not shown up for a game in Colorado where they were beat upside and down the other. BUT, against Chicago, they played with a lot more passion, but made mistakes and lost. That's what everybody was talking about. For this one match, they did try hard, but they didn't do well. There's no explanation for that other than the other team outplayed them. That's what they are saying. And they're saying it minutes after a tough loss in which they tried very hard. For guys that expect to win everytime they take the field (and I mean any professional athlete after any game) they take losing hard. That's why they are so good to even make it to that level.

Now what they are not saying is that if we had Fred and Gallardo maybe the skill level on the field would have been a lot more equal so maybe the team would have had more creativity in the offensive end. Maybe they would have changed their luck, etc. But, you can't blame the loss on players that weren't there as it undermines the guys who were there. You have to protect their effort or you lose them forever.

Also, Tino mentions how well CHicago worked, how much they seemed faster and better, but really he's talking about a team that has a system in place. It's easier for them to seem faster as they are moving before they even think about it as they are used to each other. We have to think about everything as we are not used to each other, and that nanosecond of thinking is lightyears of time on the field. He's not saying we have no chance as they are better than us, he's saying we are not at the point they are at in terms of quick thinking on the field.

Jaime saying I don't know is not giving up. It's saying the difference between winning and losing in MLS is very fine. There's no simple answer. You just work hard and get your system in place and get healthy and start making your own luck. No good mentioning those problems in a post game interview as it just seems like sour grapes and denial.

Believe me, Jaime and everyone else is far from giving up. Nor do I believe they have lost faith in the coaching staff. This is a bad time, they have to pull together, that's what he is saying in my opinion.

[MattMathai]

I think you have to take these quotes in context. The team had just not shown up for a game in Colorado where they were beat upside and down the other. BUT, against Chicago, they played with a lot more passion, but made mistakes and lost. That's what everybody was talking about. For this one match, they did try hard, but they didn't do well. There's no explanation for that other than the other team outplayed them. That's what they are saying. And they're saying it minutes after a tough loss in which they tried very hard. For guys that expect to win everytime they take the field (and I mean any professional athlete after any game) they take losing hard. That's why they are so good to even make it to that level.

Now what they are not saying is that if we had Fred and Gallardo maybe the skill level on the field would have been a lot more equal so maybe the team would have had more creativity in the offensive end. Maybe they would have changed their luck, etc. But, you can't blame the loss on players that weren't there as it undermines the guys who were there. You have to protect their effort or you lose them forever.

Also, Tino mentions how well CHicago worked, how much they seemed faster and better, but really he's talking about a team that has a system in place. It's easier for them to seem faster as they are moving before they even think about it as they are used to each other. We have to think about everything as we are not used to each other, and that nanosecond of thinking is lightyears of time on the field. He's not saying we have no chance as they are better than us, he's saying we are not at the point they are at in terms of quick thinking on the field.

Jaime saying I don't know is not giving up. It's saying the difference between winning and losing in MLS is very fine. There's no simple answer. You just work hard and get your system in place and get healthy and start making your own luck. No good mentioning those problems in a post game interview as it just seems like sour grapes and denial.

Believe me, Jaime and everyone else is far from giving up. Nor do I believe they have lost faith in the coaching staff. This is a bad time, they have to pull together, that's what he is saying in my opinion.

Mike, I believe you nailed it.

Good post.