I think the weirdest part of the jersey to me is that they did this super unique "topography" on the front, but the back is just solid red. Why does it not continue all the way around? I hated it at first and still don't love it, but it's not the worst jersey I've ever seen. I still believe it is the worst in the league's jersey drop. The Houston one, as alluded to, at least makes sense for Houston. Further, Houston has an actual unique color scheme that makes their jerseys instantly recognizable.
(Sorry for again plugging the pay-to-play site but) Good piece in The Athletic today titled "Who Deserves the Blame for Unpopular Kits?" about the design process in MLS. There's too much either to count as an excerpt or even to summarize, so instead I'll just start with this: "MLS’s design process starts nearly two years ahead of a particular kit’s release. According to Adidas, this year’s batch first hit the design table in March of 2018, a design process that started with MLS clubs submitting a presentation to the manufacturer with potential wants and needs. “It’s a formal brief,” says Adidas senior license manager Riley Mahoney when reached via telephone on Tuesday. “They tend to be from 16-20 pages. We, along with the league, help (clubs) out with this process. So we show them the kits from years past; we talk about whether they’re launching a home or an away jersey. The team then goes out into their individual cities with their individual fan groups and provides us with a direction.” That direction can be varied; it can be as simple as a “mood board” containing other kits and looks the teams like, or as esoteric as a collection of words and phrases associated with the club’s identity. Some clubs’ in-house designers also submit design prototypes or mock-ups of potential kits. "
Good news on the CBA being signed, so we're guaranteed no stoppage through 2024. Info here; highlights: * All TAM is now GAM; * Free agency is 24 years old and 5 years service rather than 28 and 8; * Salary budgets will rise more than $3m over the five years, to $11.6m from $8.4m; * More charter flights (16 legs) including required charter travel during playoffs and CCL; * Players to share in media rights payments; * New "Under-22" initiative to lower budget charge of high salaried young guys; * Some other stuff.
Wow. Unless I'm missing something, the players got a lot out of this one. 24 and 5 and the 16 charter flights, especially. The TAM to GAM should put upward pressure on domestic player salaries, too.
I'm being that guy, but not all TAM becomes GAM. Discretionary TAM is still available for teams. I want to hear how these changes affect RSL this year, how the roster is/will be constructed, etc.
pretty good news, all around. Really curious how our young GM will use all this money that was just made available to him
Jeff Carlisle says we're likely to sign Justin Meram. Multiple sources tell ESPN that Justin Meram is likely to end up with Real Salt Lake. Most of terms agreed. Would be a solid pickup for them. #RSL— Jeff Carlisle (@JeffreyCarlisle) February 6, 2020 I feel like someone predicted this signing a little while ago...
I've always liked his play, even if he is a bit selfish. Hope this one comes to fruition and isn't expensive.
This signing was also hinted at the town hall. "well known player" and refused to comment on whether it was a free agent or not which made it feel like it was but they didn't want to give too much away.
Funny...I was looking at the remaining free agents a week or so ago and was surprised someone hadn't snatched Meram up. Jeizon seems to have a lot of hype...at least among Tachira fans. So if we assume Meram is the typical Meram, if Jeizon is the equivalent of a 19 YO Sava, and say Rossi works his way into fitness, RSL signs him and he shows 80% of the pre-drug suspension ability. How do you feel about those additions? How do those puzzle pieces fit compared to the departures of Sava, Bofo, Lennon, and Plata? A lot of if's, but interested in everyone's thoughts.
I could be wrong, but it feels like the cobalt is a little darker. Maybe it's just the lighting. I do like it though. Still not sure about the thumb print though. I kind of like Houston's kit. Maybe they could've gone a little more orange than black, but I like the overall look.
Bought one today, but may return it for a store credit. The stripes are still really weird to me. I don't mind the swirl pattern. But the thing just doesn't fit well. The collar is weird. The sleeve cuffs are weird. And the cut on the authentic men's jersey seems a bit feminine with the taper. The replica doesn't have that same taper, which makes it only slightly better. Not a fan.
I think it makes for one good player, one interesting young player, and a guy who seems as likely to be 2020's version of Jordan Allen as to be 80% of what he once was. It's definitely an interesting trio. Then again, Plata scored one goal last year (a PK), Brooks scored zero, and Bofo two. Three goals and five assists are missing from that group, so you could replace them with the draftees and Chang and get that. It's how they replace Sava that matters, and if we become more dangerous when they are integrated.
On that note, I've put way too many hours over the last two weeks researching Jeizon. Here are a few of the comments I've read. Very different player than Sava. Not as technically skilled with footwork, but significantly ahead of where Sava was at when he was 18. Sava's breakout year came when he was 20, and RSL acquired him several months later. Jeizon is described as tenacious, has a powerful change of pace, and explosive. Maybe too much to put an expectation that he'll fill in Sava's shoes this year. Stats don't really support the assertion that he "has a nose for goal", but he is a little more focused on putting the ball on frame or in front of the net than Sava who had a tendency to dance around a bit too much when he got near the penalty area. However, assuming that Rossi doesn't sign with the club for a deal that truly breaks the bank, it feels like there should be room in the mix for another high-level signing. Outside of a potential upgrade at left back, or holding mid, another high-end attacking player could still come into play, couldn't it? Lagerwey used to tell me (jokingly) that I had a better handle on the teams salary cap situation than he did, but I have no insight into it these days. Does anyone have any analysis on this for RSL with the roster as it currently stands?
I cant imagine rossini will cost a lot given that he has not played for 2 years, doping, shape issues. Also, i hope yall chuckle about the Deloy Hansen's fingerprint jersey for years to come. Or tear up... Props to our GM for finally getting something done. I think Meram will deliver more points than the other 3 (Brooks, bofo, plata) did combined last year. I dont believe that Jeizon, Rossi, and Meram combined come close to what Sava delivered last year though.
I think technically no, but I think he's been without a club since then...maybe...I have the memory of a flea, but I'm sure someone here will know the story.
https://www.spotrac.com/mls/real-salt-lake/cap/2019/ I used that website to look at the salary that was shed from last year. You can use the MLSPA website, too. I came up with about $3m in shed salary from last year. I have no idea what the new players (MacMath, Chang, Iloski, Morgan, Jones, Meram, Garcia? and Ramirez) are making or what players (Beckerman, Silva, Toia, Herrera, and Baird) are making on their new contracts. That also doesn't account for salaries usually go up every year. Also, with Sava leaving and adding Meram, Ramirez and supposedly Chris Garcia from the Academy, that puts the team at 29 players. Rossi would be 30 if signed. The salary budget is going up about $600k this year. I sure hope they didn't spend $3.6m of the budget on the above players.
I don't hate the new additions, but I was really hoping they would use that last DP slot on a proven goal scorer instead of an untested 18 year old winger.
Not sure this takes into account Yura and Pool Boy money freed up, and also incoming GAM or the funds formerly known as TAM (Sava sell-off, some HG kid we gave up rights to, Lennon trade, etc). Also, are all of the HG's above going to land on RSL roster or will 1 or 2 end up with Monarchs?
We have 10 roster spots that are off-budget, and by my count we freed 2 - we traded Lennon and extended Baird, which probably moves him on budget. My guess is Iloski and Chang take those spots. I hadn't heard anything about signing Garcia but it wouldn't surprise me. If we extend Herrera as well that'd free a spot for him.