One of my greatest criticisms of MLS' format is how the playoffs just frigging DRAG on forever. Not to mention that when your team is pretty much eliminated from playoff contention weeks (or in the Union's case, months) before the playoffs it leads to fatigue and a lack of connection. I only watched the last 7 minutes or so of the MLS Cup final. I had little interest in seeing two teams with ownership that is willing to spend money duke it out. I saw Toronto win the game and my wife and I both felt sad because it just further drove home the fact that unless there is a change in ownership the Union are somehow hoping that they can cheap their way to relevance or a title.
^^^ I watched a couple of them. They were good games. It is still a good sport even if the Union aren't playing. The buildup on Toronto's first goal was superb.
Isn't this the case for ALL of the major sports in our country and their playoff formats though? The NBA and NHL play 80+ games a season, and then head into a nearly TWO month long playoffs!!! MLS' playoffs last a month. They only drag on because of a FIFA money grab week. If MLS would play through that week (The NASL did, lol) then the playoffs would have ended two weeks ago. Hell Baseball plays 162 games!!!! Then a month+ long playoff format. And let's face it, most teams are realistically out of playoff contention by the All Star Break. It's the same for each league in this country.
It's not the same though. The other leagues have games consistently going on in their playoffs. There were 11 gamedays in the span of like 50 actual days. There were two weeks off for FIFA breaks. two weeks with nothing happening. There's waaaaay too much time with no games.
Yeah, but when they played during those breaks people freaked out. So to get around that they need to finish the season sooner. Then everyone freaks out because they play on more international dates during the season. Or because there are too many weekday games. Or that they are playing games when it is too cold out. Basically no matter what you are going to have a large group of fans (or "people that would be fans if MLS stopped being [insert excuse here]) complain. Don't worry, we'll nail it with our second round pick. Oh wait. We traded that for Adam Najem. Guess I'll just watch the Superdraft from home then.
There’s got to be a middle ground. “Too many weekday” games, what would really be added? 3? 5? If they whacked the last month of four games and sprinkled that before the USOC it’s like 1.5 midweekers per month to start the season. Lemme guess....Widener University?
So apparently MLS transfers tweeted that Stewart "wasn't so thrilled" with the Union job over the summer. So...yeah he could just leave of his own accord.
Yeah, this gem: Heard whispers over the summer Ernie Stewart wasn't so thrilled with the Union job. Will be interesting to see if Sugarman gives him a little more to spend this winter.— MLS Transfers (@MLSTransfers) December 12, 2017
He knew what the job was coming in. He was the one that said it would be a challenge and made it seem like his experience with smaller budget clubs would make him suitable for this job. Anything he says right now about not being happy or wanting out is only, to me, to cover his own failings here. For someone with his rep before coming here he has been a huge disappointment. Ignore the "he doesn't have money for good players" argument. His TAM signings have been Alberg, Ilsinho, Simpson, and Medunjanin. Columbus' TAM signing are Ola Kamara, Justin Meram, Gaston Suaro, and Wil Trapp. Suaro was out for the year with an injury so he provided no minutes or stats. However, their other 3 players managed 8490 minutes, 31 goals, and 15 assists. Our 4 managed 6248 minutes, 16 goals, and 18 assists (half those minutes and two thirds of the assists are one player). He has not been impressive with his signings for the most part and his trading has verged on disastrous (Charlie Davies for GAM, TAM, AND a first round pick!?!?). This off-season is make or break for him. If he can't come up with a couple signings that 1) look like long term investments and 2) actually pan out then it is probably time for him to move along. If after 3 years the team you have in MLS is still achieving the same things then it is you that is probably the problem.
Another case of a European management type underestimating MLS? Supports my suspicion that salary-budgeted soccer leagues have seemingly poor quality of play because of the lack of tactical options in the sport. Even if that budget were $60 million.
Every other team: Let’s market our stars and sell our fans on winning a trophy! Union: Let’s use our GM and let him say we stink and won’t win anything.
To be fair, one of the few times the Union really used one of their players to push Season Ticket sales, the guy never actually came back to play a match. Not surprised they were scared off of that tactic.
That's the rub, isn't it? The kind of talented coach or GM who might be able to overcome the inherent challenges of this organization is the kind of talent who has better options, right? I'm not sure I follow. Can you elaborate on that?
Just a suspicion that if one set up a, for example, Euro superleague with a salary budget system like MLS but obviously much higher, and these teams played each other 3 - 4 times a year, and were otherwise being scouted playing only high level opponents, then there would be a lot of seemingly dull play. Everyone would know everyone else's tendencies and plan accordingly. Sure these teams may play each other twice in a Champions League tournament, but that's more of a one-off event. The implication is that the quality of play in MLS is seemingly low because of parity.
I believe that you are correct. Serie A was terribly boring in the early 90s and I think the quality of the teams played into that.
What has Earnie done in the last 2+ years that has been significantly good? Am I missing something? Would I even notice he took another job?
It was a low bar to step over, but he has been an improvement over Sak. If nothing else, we have had the same starting GK for Stewart's entire tenure.