so DC needs a goal scorer since they only scored 23 goals even though they are in first and they go out and get a proven MLS goal scorer to link up with his former teammate who together scored like 65 goals in 3 years
Isn't it illegal to improve your team when you're in first place? Maybe DC realize that they are frauds and want to make sure they don't get bounced out of the playoffs in the first round again.
Yes, absolutely. I never said they were negotiating with any specific player. As for evidence, go back and find Burns' quotes from Jan/Feb '14 and then again last December. He was quoted a number of times saying that he had needs to fill on defense and dmid and was looking for impact players, not just backups. No, that's not what they did with Jones. They were working towards a deal, but the injury had to have thrown that off the rails. I hear you about bird in the hand, but weren't those dark days of 2009 when we had our best (and highest paid) player unable to play long-term because of injury? What we're seeing at the moment is what it's like having a highly paid superstar unable to play. The chances of the Revs doubling down and getting another DP while one is injured long-term are even less likely than being able to replace JJ with another DP. But they do, it keeps coming up about the waiting and the not knowing, etc. It was just in one of the other threads. They are not stupid and they are not oblivious to what is going on. What they are, apparently, is even worse at finding players and closing deals than what they seemed to have been. As many have pointed out, centerback is one of the less-challenging positions to fill. I'm not a doctor, but I'd be willing to bet that no reputable doctor/trainer would be able to say that after his rehab he'll be all good to go. It has to be pretty bad to require surgery in the first place - and then when it gets re-injured anyway? That's really, really bad IMO. Maybe they just needed more stitches than they thought the first time, but he'll have to play several months, at least, before anyone is going to stop holding their breath (imagine any game where the result is no longer in doubt - wouldn't your first thought be "get Jones off"?). Jones may have made a deal with the devil for WC14. Playing through that injury may end up having been a really, really bad idea. I played through something similar (oblique tear) and ended up having a very long recovery. I didn't say they've done nothing, but they have accomplished close to nothing. Yes. Burns said that it was not. Even I was shocked by that. Nah, he's probably still pissed about it.
So they did something, but they just haven't accomplished anything? Careful, I bet Mike Burns will use that as justification for getting a huge raise next year...
If you feel the need to split that hair, have at it. Not sure why you're hung up on the semantics when the problem is the failure to address obvious needs.
This goes back to the whole "they're trying" comment. I don't care that they're trying. They're absolutely f'in failing. Mike Burns isn't paid to try. At least, I really hope not. With this cheap ass ownership, who knows though. "Hey Mike!" "Hi Jonathan!" "Remember when we told all those suckers that we'd be holding you guys accountable..." [laughter]
All I can do is repeat that I don't think they assign the right magnitude to the problem. If they didn't have enough players to field a team (I believe the LOTG say 8 or more needed to start a match) I believe they would find the extra players because even they realize it is bad for business for your fans to show up and you can't play the game. MLS and several TV networks would be calling Bob Kraft to say, "WTF over." That's the kind of urgency they need to have on these signings (with the important added feature of signing talent vs. a warm body). I will probably abuse the English language by saying they don't care. Don't Care = Lack of Urgency/Incompetence. But it is more or less what you are saying. First, I have to point out that logical arguments like this were stamped out with malice when we were all discussing TNT's rehabilitation to come back to the team post concussion. Second, the point was less about Jones' injury/recovery and more about Burn's inability to gather information.
You beat me to it, this is what I was thinking. Arguing over whether MB was aware of the need, looked around and came up with nothing; or was unaware of the need and did nothing. The results are the same...nothing. Saying it is ok that he was aware of the situation and tried, is the everybody gets a trophy mentality. This is, or should be, a professional team. People are paid to do a job. I liken this to a company running low on parts or people and going to the purchasing agent or human resources for what they need to compete. The depts then look around and go, we have nothing. That company is not long for existence if they don't change personnel.
If you're going that route, he could be paid not for trying, but for appearing to try. Brownie points for telling people how great our season was and how we need to address certain areas, just keep an eagle eye on the scouting budget if you're actually considering following through on anything.
No different than a mayor or governor or some other top executive level pol who has a serious corruption scandal going on below him. Either he knew about it and condoned it, or he didn't know it was going on and is clueless. It really doesn't matter which of those excuses you want to use, because neither one is good.
Finally! The Revs announce some signings! Revolution signs twelve Special Olympics athletes Photos from Friday's Special Olympics signing with coach Jay Heaps and President Brian Bilello July 17, 2015 revolutionsoccer.net
That would be true only if I were giving them an excuse, or some credit for "trying" - but, I'm not. They've been failing at something that every MLS team should and must be capable of. I'm hung up on the distinction because people like to fall back on the images of them being a bunch of idiots or that they're laying about the office not bothering to answer the phone. I think that's completely inaccurate.
I, at least, tend to give them the benefit of the doubt, frequently describing them as indifferent/incompetent. I try to avoid calling them indifferent if they're simply incompetent or vice versa. For the record, though, there aren't many scenarios that explain their lack of results that are completely decoupled from the "bunch of idiots" theory.
http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/artic...c-tried-sign-giovani-dos-santos-says-stars-ar Of note: The deal never materialized, despite months of efforts "Sometimes, players aren't going to want to come. It's a timing thing. Maybe they don't want to come here. Maybe they want to be on the beach. I don't know. It could be a number of things. But we talked to him for quite a while at that time, and his people.” And the money shot: "And so for us to continue to be relevant and competitive, we have to be on top of our game all the time. Because it's not as if it's getting easier.” So, to defend the Revs slightly - I don't know that there were rumors of Gio to KC. So, the Revs might be (and have been) behind the scenes trying to work big deals and hitting some dead ends like this. But Vermes nails it - you have to work harder because the players at that level have a SAY in if they want to come to your team or not. So you need multiple plans and strategies to keep improving. Can you imagine if we lost the coin flip?
I was warching the post game show last night (or maybe it was State of the revs at that point) and they had Mike Burns on. Dalen Cuff asked him directly if ut was possible to get another DP - if they had the resources. He said they did and Jon Kraft spoke to him about it, but that there werent many guys on the planet that would move the needle both on and off field. Found it ironic when the revs drew 28k, many of whom were there to see Pirlo and Lampard who were both rumored to debut. Telling comments from our GM.
And yet, they are getting the same exact results that "a bunch of idiots [who are] laying about the office not bothering to answer the phone" would get....
You left off the most important part to the Buns quote: "weren't many guys on the planet that would move the needle both on and off field in our price range." Well, there's another GM who sees things a little differently. Which method has a better track record and is likely to have more future success?
No, we're talking bread rolls and pastries and all that. And just like everything he does, Mikey messed them up too by leaving them in the oven too long again, and then trying to pass them off as "Cajun blackened" style.
That quote from Burns to me is DP thinking from 5 years ago. I would think if you bring in a player who may not be a household name but turns into a difference maker and leads this team into the cup and possibly end up hoisting one for once then the off the field will difference will come just like Vermes was saying. This the type of quote that tells me they are not committed to winning or committed to delivering the fans a good product. Lets win a damn cup, show commitment to the on field product and maybe Boston will be a more attractive place for future DP's
Well, they sure haven't gotten results acquiring international players over the last year+, that's for sure. Whether its all of the feet of Burns or not, I don't have the access to know. Well, I think one big factor is not having a scouting staff. Nicol struggled for years trying to find time to get out and see players himself and I suspect that Heaps is even more wrapped-up in the day-to-day running of the team and has even fewer opportunities to see players. Maybe that's why they are more focused on players trialing with them here. And, maybe they're finding out that quality, experienced players aren't willing to bother with all that for an MLS team. I also think they're a little gun-shy, having had a lot of misses (most recently with Bengtson). They may be trying to wait until they are more confident in a player than they are ever likely to be. I really don't know, just speculating on the possibilities. Isn't it reasonable that if they're going to invest significantly more money, they'd like to get a player who would help them recoup that at the gate?