Actually, MLS suffers a lot more neglect than outright abuse at the hands of 50+ year old sports journalists. That, and the corprate suits at ESPN. In fairness, the Four-Letter has lately been taking nervous forays into showing actual MLS regular season highlights on Sports Center. I guess if their hate-mailbox doesn't runneth over as a result, we'll see even more.
The more you pay attention to the stronger teams in the world the one thing that I really noticed (aside from individual skills) is the ruthless attack that is initiated as soon as the ball is recovered. There is no settling of the ball and multiple pass backs which allow the other team's defense to set up. Instead, the movement is positive and up field facilitate by movement off the ball by those without the ball or a run or movement into a space with the person who has the ball that opens up passing lanes. Time and time again, this approach unbalances the defense or hits them before they have time to provide defense in depth. This version of United is poor, its tactics are poor, its vision on how to play is either non existent or so poorly executed that I can't tell what they are trying to do. I hate to say it but I'm enjoying non DC United games more than United games because I don't get so discouraged when I see such crap.
Haha. I cannot rep this enough. Anyone who grew up with the beltway knows that a turn signal only gives the your enemies an advantage and/or signals complete ineptitude of skills such that you need to wave a white flag so someone will take pity on you and let in thereby allowing yet another inferior gene a chance to pass on.
I think of getting ripped off for MLS Cup 2000 something where some lottery was supposed to allot tickets and I applied, including a credit card number which they required, thinking DC had a chance (haha, joke's on me!) and I was denied tickets, so I went to some secondary markets to secure tickets to the game. However as the game approached, Columbus was eliminated from the playoffs, and presumably MLS and Clumbus decided the "home" game for Columbus might not be so well attended, so my credit card was run and I was sent 4 tickets right before the event which I couldn't unload if I attached a hooker and crack pipe to the offer. Now, mind you I was already going, but Columbus forgot to mention their was some marathon going that same day, so our bed and breakfast was literally roped off that whole morning and we couldn't get away until the last minute so I got to the stadium cow pasture parking less than 30 minutes before game time hoping to unload my tickets amongst a teeming mass of others similarly waving tickets around like Brits waving around Euro semifinal tickets in a frog pond. So to say I was sour at that game and even though DeRo won that one in OT in a fairly thrilling game is to say that I enjoy the pain of a tooth removed because it means I'll be picking food out of a hole in my mouth for the forseeable future. However, that wasn't even the final nail in the coffin. As we were driving home, leaving the state of Ohio as expeditiously as possible, Mrs Marco driving like a bat out of hell, we were following a convoy of trucks when some cop just came out into the road waving people over like he was he was the king of Egypt. Trucks, cars, everyone pulled over, like 4-5 plus vehicles went to the side of the road. We sat there like dopes for a few minutes, but it was apparent the cops were focused on the trucks and seemed to be waving on the cars. I told my better half let's go and count ourselves lucky. Ah, NO! We pulled out and about 10 miles later some smokey pulled out of the woodwork like a jackrabbit in heat and pulled us over. Hand on his gun, he accosted us and demanded to know why we left the scene. He not only wanted to pursue a speeding ticket but a resisting arrest warrant too. Frankly, if I had been driving, we'd have been cattle prodded into jail, luckily the wife slapped me to silence and talked us down to simple speeding ticket. I have not been to Ohio or Crew stadium since and I will not go back ever. DC United might well win an MLS Cup there one day, but I will not be there as the Crew nor Ohio will never get another dollar of my money ever.