Major League Soccer releases 2018 MLS offseason calendar https://www.lagalaxy.com/post/2018/12/10/major-league-soccer-releases-2018-mls-offseason-calendar Atlanta Celebrates MLS Cup Title With Parade, Gets Set to Turn Page Quickly https://www.si.com/soccer/2018/12/1...cup-parade-rally-future-moves-almiron-martino Boehm: Portland still lead the way in sustainable soccer support https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2018/12/10/boehm-portland-still-lead-way-sustainable-soccer-support Former Galaxy coach Sigi Schmid hospitalized https://www.latimes.com/sports/soccer/la-sp-sigi-schmid-hospitalized-20181210-story.html Don Garber advocates for solidarity payments for MLS Academies https://www.soccerwire.com/blog-pos...es-for-solidarity-payments-for-mls-academies/ How Columbus is growing into a soccer city https://theathletic.com/705597/2018/12/10/how-columbus-is-growing-into-a-soccer-city/ River Plate's Gonzalo 'Pity' Martinez confirms Atlanta United move after Club World Cup http://www.espn.com/soccer/soccer-t...irms-atlanta-united-move-after-club-world-cup Renowned British Broadcaster Jon Champion Will Move to the United States as ESPN’s New Play-by-Play Voice for Major League Soccer https://espnmediazone.com/us/press-...w-play-by-play-voice-for-major-league-soccer/ ESPN hires veteran soccer voice Jon Champion as its main MLS announcer https://awfulannouncing.com/espn/es...e-jon-champion-as-its-main-mls-announcer.html
Nice to see the note about Timber's Army folks doing a volunteer tree planting during their visit. So long as it's a species native to the area!
It was always mostly snark, absolutely, but I used to rail at Portland fans for using as a team mascot of sorts a logger with a massive chain saw gleefully cutting down the forest. Environmentalists chain themselves to trees to keep guys like Joey from trashing natural habitat and yet 20,000 supposedly woke Portlanders cheer wildly as a symbol of deforestation trashes a hunk of tree.
The tree planting was reportedly being supervised by Trees Atlanta. If it's anything like Our City Forest in San Jose, the non-profit has the expertise to ensure it's the right tree in the right place. I've been involved in several such plantings over the past couple decades here. Some of the trees I helped plant are mature already. I may see about inviting Timbers Army to join us for a planting when they're in town next season. There should be enough of them to plant more than one tree.
http://www.showbuzzdaily.com/articles/skedball-weekly-sports-tv-ratings-12-3-12-9-18.html MLS Cup draws 1.6 million on FOX (1,563,000)
http://worldsoccertalk.com/2018/12/...tlanta-triumph-over-portland/#comment-1922640 World soccer talk as always spinning positive MLS News into negative since 1868.
A lot of folks get hung up on the whole "English Announcer" vs "American Announcer" argument. And it certainly has some merit. For a long time American play-by-play guys just didn't get it. Guys like John Strong have changed that. But I just want good play-by-play announcers. And Jon Champion is one of the best in the business. He also has an understanding and appreciation for MLS and American Soccer. I like Adrien Healey. But this is an upgrade for sure...
Yes, the days when a soccer announcer had to be English are long gone. There are plenty of great American announcers, such as Glenn Davis. Also, I happen to love Max Bretos; if he had gotten the job, I'd be perfectly happy. But Jon Champion is on another level. If Martin Tyler is the Vin Scully of football, then Jon Champion is the Ernie Harwell.
Doc Emrick rules. Hey, what about that guy that does PBP for the Bruins? Maybe he could call some soccer...
Pretty good analogy. As a Michigan native I dig it. But I would argue that both Tyler and Champion are cut from the Ernie Harwell cloth. Both just stick to the game. They don't try and overwhelm you with anecdotes and statistics. That was the Vin Scully way. Kinda like Arlo White...
I love Glenn Davis' voice, but he does say some dumb things sometimes, especially when saddled with a canker sore like Eddie Robinson for a color commentator.