I find it funny that there are so many on a number of threads blaming a GM for the scheduling problems for the galaxy's latest losing streak. I'd personally like to say that over the last few weeks as a galaxy fan and a MLS fan, i've been quite upset over the coaching decisions by Frank Yallops and management positions of Alexi LaLas. That being said, i'd like to say that no matter who made the decision to cramp our schedule in order to help all teams profit can only land on one persons shoulders and that's commissioner Garber. We sit here and point fingers at whoevers fault this has been. infact, from the stories coming out over the last few days, Garber himself is pointing the finger (in defense mind you) towards Lalas and company and their idea to cramp this schedule. In order for the MLS to be a respected league, Garber and company really need to start taking control of all aspects of this league. I think at this point we can all agree that playing every 2-3 days consistantly since the beginning of July would be harsh on any team, let alone a team that was already having problems. Though I feel both LaLas and Yallop should be removed from the galaxy, I still hold Garber accountable for the scheduling issues. Sorry, I had to vent and I hope others will read all the stories and comments that have come out over the past 48 hours before they comment on how it's one person's fault. And keep in mind, this affects all of us. not just LAG fans but MLS fan's as a whole. the success of this year was supposed to be our coming out party in the U.S. and the world as a respected league. the issues we've had over the past few weeks has done nothing but push is further down from a major success.
I agree with you. Lalas didn't have anything to gain for a schedule like this. The schedule is a result of the MLS owners wanting to cash in on Beck's arrival by having him visit their market sometime this season, AEG wanting to make a profit by having more exibition and tour dates, and MLS's FO wanting to have higher attendance averages across the board. How Lalas would benefit from the irregular schedule, how he wouldhave any influence on the outcome of the scheduling, and how AEG didn't see the scheduling as a problem from the beginning is beyond me.
The problem is, they probably knew but didn't care. You see how many jerseys he's selling? How many stadiums he's selling out? The Galaxy just happened to be the sacrificial lamb. Beckham could have went to RSL and it would have screwed them just as much. This season was more or less a throw away. We sold our souls this season for more money and exposure. Sucks, but all you can do is wait till next year.
You're viewing Alexi Lalas as if he's a competent GM who's far more interested in on-field performance than in having his and his team's name in the papers more than anyone else does. He's not. He's always been far more enamored with the idea of public relations side of "Los Angeles Galaxy, Superclub" than he has been in building an actual dominant team. So in that respect, the idea that he requested the Beckham Magical Mystery Tour is not so far-fetched. Gotta strike while the iron is hot and build that LA Galaxy brand all over North America. And I also don't necessarily think it's the job of the commissioner to save an individual team's GM from his own stupidity. Though I do think it's funny that for all the bitching and moaning that there is about the single-entity model, the minute that an individual team does something that its fans don't care for, the bleating begins that the league should step in and do something. Don Garber didn't do anything and that was the right thing to do, just as he doesn't get involved whenever a team makes an incredibly stupid trade or makes a stupid coaching hire. Sure, the backloaded schedule was bad for the Galaxy's competitiveness, but teams all over the world suffer from self-inflicted wounds. Should he have stepped in when the Gals were slowly being run into the ground over the past few seasons by their incompetent management?
How about Lalas (ie AEG) getting the most exposure for the LA Galaxy with Beckham. It's basically a national tour to sell Jerseys. They wanted this as much as the league did, so don't go blaming the sked now for all the problems. We are only what 5 games into this accelerated schedule and they haven't won a game yet! It's not like this team was lighting up the league and all of a sudden it collapsed at the end of September because of all the traveling. If it's only taken this long for the team to fold, then he needs to start looking at the players he selected, and stop blaming everyone else.
The team has been bad for 2 years now, the schedule dosent help, but is no excuse. Trouble is I dont see how they get much better in the offseason, they can add another DP, but that would probably cost them Landon, and they'll still suck.
I expect the expansion draft to cause some league wide turnover. With some international transers and foriegn signings to add to the rate of roster turnover leauge wide.