In the comments on BTB, Hicks relayed KP's thoughts about the fans apparent anger over the RM vs CL debacle. Copy and pasted his statement, and my response,
Actions speak louder than words, Kevin. I hope to hell that the team takes tonight seriously. And your promise about marketing the USOC final heavily better be fulfilled, too.
I don't want them to take "both games this week extremely seriously." They need to take one game extremely seriously - tonight's against Firpo. A friendly against Real Madrid is just a friendly, and by its very definition should not be taken seriously. DC United has had quite a few friendlies in the past. And I don't ever recall seeing the front office behave in the same way with regard to the "seriousness" of those games as they are with regard to Real Madrid. I don't get what the hell makes this particular friendly this particular year so particularly special.
I can't imagine feeling too much pride about beating a pre season-unlimited substitution club, regardless of who they are. As soon as I see the lineup, I'll know they're taking it seriously. I was told by a team official before kickoff that they were taking that leg very seriously too. Fool me once...
Also, do you really think the global image will improve dramatically if we beat them? See a lot more Guaghazou Pharmaceuticals jerseys? How about Malaysia XI? No?
I think we took the 2008 CL as seriously as we could-- at first. When it became apparent that making it through the group was all but impossible, we tanked it favor of the other competitions, particularly, making the playoffs. I can't fault them for that decision. However, this year, it remains to be seen at 10pm tonight how seriously we are taking it this year. Even if we put out the full team (which I would applaud and accept), I still question the decision not to do that last week instead. I am glad the club even sees it as important to respond. I am also glad they need to, in that we see fit to grumble about it all enough to warrant a response. These are good things.
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I'm glad they responded too, but in my opinion, it wasn't sufficient. I realize that front office speak will never be 100% the truth, but thats the nature of sports. I understand that. I also understand that United tanked it after they lost a few of the CL games last year, but it was embarassing to the point that they should WANT to get back in and avenge that showing, and last Tuesday didn't show that. Please team, make me shut about this and spank Firpo!
And slightly related, I wonder if the team is realizing, based on the Namoff-Facebook issue, that they need greater control over their media points of contact. Hopefully the friend who manages his page doesn't get any heat for it. However, on the official DCU facebook page, following a post promoting the game tonight, I made a comment about us having a reserve league this year after all (the CL). It kinda pained me to make a disparaging remark, but I felt it was warranted. If the club gets me to be cynical about it, that's an indication something is amiss. So as I said above, I'm am glad to see this exchange taking place.
The majority of people here seem to think that the percentage of the starting 11 is directly related to "how seriously the club views the game." This is a huge falicty and needs to stop right here. First off, if we didn't have the RM game, we would be playing KC this weekend. Given our standings in the play-offs, all MLS games are now critical as we are a point from not making it *again*. So regardless of who we are playing, the game this weekend is critical. If we weren't playing RM, ya'll would be bitching that TS and crew are blowing the CCL for an MLS game or vice-versa. He can't win in this regard so just get over the fact that we have a congested schedule and things will kinda suck in that regard until the end of the season. Secondly, we are down to a working roster of 21 since there are 3 players out on injury. Out of those 21, 3 are geezers who can't routinely go 90 minutes and MUST be subbed out at some point during the game. This means that 12-15 guys will play a game. Doing the math, this means that some of the team has to play every game. We do not have the roster size to field 2 complete teams. We also know that if we play guys every game, we will break them down and have even fewer healthy guys on the roster - flashbacks of last year. Thus making claims that the team just doesn't care about a game because the starting 11 aren't out on the field is pure BS. If we had nothing but play-off games and championships from now until November, we still couldn't start the starting 11 every game. The players and coach have to decide how many minutes they can play and when they can play them. The guys played on a hot, humid field on Saturday and had a crap game to boot. They now must fly 2000 miles to another, hot, humid field (current temp is 73 with 83% humidity) and play another game. If TS does not trot out the starting 11 because he wants to make sure they can walk for the rest of the week, I completely agree with that. My problem with Tommy usually isn't who is puts on the field but their attitude once they are there. Overall, I think he does a respectable job with managing minutes. I just don't think he can communicate or motivate worth beans and that's what's killing the team. So anyway, starting 11, not starting 11. Doesn't make a difference. Are they playing like they care? That's what makes me determine if a team is taking a game seriously or not.
I think you're being disingenuous there my friend. I know why you don't want it to be so special, but I think you know why it is. We are what is known in the world as a relatively modest club. Sure we've got a great history in our short time, and we have a loyal fan base of a good size but Real Madrid are one the biggest clubs on the planet. They have amongst their ranks a host of house hold names in the world of football, several household names in the world of household names, and depending on who you talk to two of the most highly regarded players in the world including that guy that whose transfer was talked about for months. Sure it's only a friendly, but that should be Real's attitude not ours until such time as we've earned the right to be stuck up about such things. We haven't earned that yet. Last I heard 55K tickets had been sold and I'm sure a goodly portion of those are to folks who are coming to see what the hoopla is all about. Some of those could maybe, just maybe be persuaded to come out to RFK if they got an eyeful of something worth watching from the Black & Red. In addition there will be some treasonous bandwagon jumpers in their lily whites who I hope can be shown that there is a local team worth supporting. I think United has to take each game it plays seriously and unfortunately we screwed the pooch on the home leg of the CL series meaning we'll have to allocate resources in a way the team didn't anticipate. Still the problem against Firpo was substandard performances from several players who are capable of much better (I'm looking at you Mr. Wallace).
The Houston game didn't matter. It was a Western Conf game, we are in the same place we were before it started. IF we had done what we should have done and STARTED with the big guns and pulled them last Tuesday, we could have sent reserves out here and played for a 0-0. But we didn't. So now, I need to see Gomez, Emilio and Fred out there, at least until we can grab a lead.
Yeah, I don't get this false premise that MLS leadership has about playing in these friendlies. I see every year that big boys like RM, BM, Barca ManU or Chelsea play teams from all over the world from all levels and I never see anyone walk away from the game regardless of the result and think, "wow that team Chelsea played is awesome holding them to just a 2-1 loss, I want to get their jersey". This is just for RM to expand their footprint in marketing by coming to play for their fans worldwide. Nothing more nothing less. Even if United wins 4-0 those RM fans will not all of a sudden become United fans if anything they'll become Manchester United fans instead since they're mostly bandwagoners anyway. They would also be more upset with how bad RM played than give any level of credit to United for torching them. And no matter what MLS thinks RM and its fans care no more of this game than NBA fans do a summer league game. I have no problem with the team marketing the shit out of this game because this is a big money opportunity for United, but taking it any more seriously than playing against Charleston Battery in a preseason friendly is stupid.
Unless with the new CBA MLS will open the coffers next year so the RM players are auditioning for a spot with United.
grandiose title? perhaps. But I couldn't think of anything else... "Payne Responds to Smoke from Torch brigade"? "Team Officials Attempt To Pacify Mob"?
as you note, the 8/9 friendly is not about results or converting fans. it is about marketing. but it is a game/event that markets and exposes (helps) both RM and DC United. there will be a big crowd there and the surrounding coverage very well could be the most (or only thing) that a lot of people see of United all year. yes, from a "soccer" and "season" perspective, the CCL needs to be the focus (as the true/long-term fans can point out). but from the business and marketing side I can see the logic in Payne stating that DC United is taking both games seriously -- although one of those games is really just a stand-alone marketing event dressed up like a soccer match.
I like the mob one, but how big does an unhappy group have to be before it can be called a mob? not that I don't think the mob doesn't bring up some fair points. completely agree.
I disagree, there cannot be enough heat applied to this so-called person. I'd chuck her sorry ass in a fire myself. Assuming I thought she could escape with only some semi-minor injuries, of course, no need to go full-Segroves on her for her first (that I know of) offense. But for the next one ......... maybe. Well, it has to be said that at least the game against Charleston would have a real TROPHY on the line!
I can only use my personal experience as my opinion. My first DC United game was against Tottenham, my favorite English club. Since then I attend probably around 10-15 DC United home games a year, I am a member of a supporters group, I purchase jerseys, shirts, mugs and everything else I can get my hands on, I even organized a group of over 25 people to attend a game this earlier this year. So although I will not be attending this game because I would rather attend a game with more meaning, I would suggest you not under estimate the potential for present and future retruns for DC United.
Minor quibble: Folks who were there said it wasn't hot, even allowing for several more degrees heat out on the pitch.