Do I think the 2020 cup was a complete and total fluke? No. Do I think that a random hypothetical team that wins a championship in a playoff system that had 0 road wins the entire season is the best team in the league? No.
For sure. I agree with what @ZipSix and @Bill Archer said above as well. We deserved to make the playoffs and worked to win every game we played once we got there. It was tremendous in so many ways. It also behooves us to remember that things broke our way in a lot of ways. But every champion needs a bit of luck. It takes nothing away from the fact that we won it all. The fact that it was only 18 months ago is the most shocking thing you said. It feels like forever ago. The world is such a vastly different place. The team moving venues plays a part too. We played a few other games there but it was basically the old place's last hurrah. The roster is still stuck there, that's the problem. We're stuck trying to play the 2020 season in 2022. It's just not working. Or we'll go on a 3 game winning streak and most of us will look like fools.
It's not exactly uncommon for teams to get hot late in the season or in the playoffs and go on to win the Championship. The league sees that as a feature and not a bug. The Crew played well when it mattered the most. They deserved the title. Now they deserve to break up the team.
If they had been "far and away the best team", they would have had a home game for the final. They didn't. That doesn't mean they weren't good, and it doesn't mean they should not have been favored, but they weren't "far and away" the best either.
As I understand it, that's exactly the package that MLS is trying to peddle to broadcasters; they want to hire "neutral" talking heads for each match and eliminate the homers. (And actually, that would save the teams some money) If that actually comes to pass, I would expect to see Jordan Angeli get a job and Neil Sika get the boot.
Remember it was in 2010 when the Crew unceremoniously dismissed club legends Hejduk, Padula, and GBS after 2 years from winning the cup (and 1 year from Supporter's Shield). This team is past their expiration date. Time for the garbage man to collect.
Goddamnit. Apparently Cyle Larin is gonna re-sign with Besiktas. He’ll make $1.8 million net. That’s nothing, and he’s staying in Turkey. I’m kinda shocked by this. He could earn more in MLS and he could play somewhere better than Turkey. Well… since it looks like Larin won’t happen, I’m finding it hard to believe the Zardes trade will be redeemed. 1527679144678539264 is not a valid tweet id
Eh, it will probably all be done out of a studio somewhere as opposed to having announcers at the event--so whoever gets this will likely use their own people, local to where they are.
If I ever mention the word asterisk on The East Coast Elite Group Text thread I am shouted down by some ornery bastards. I'll forever be thankful for the 2020 Cup and nobody can take it from me. But I also agree with Kyle, that by no means were the Crew the best team in the league. That's the beauty of the playoff system though, it gives team's like the Crew a chance. That all said, I doubt in my lifetime, or in another 50 years, or maybe ever that we will see another MLS Cup Champion with exactly zero road wins during the season or the playoffs. The season was such an anomaly, in so many ways, that it's never likely to be duplicated.
Larin should have been a fairly easy addition. Hardest part might have been getting to the top of the allocation order. Maybe the Crew are aiming higher. We can hope. Or maybe Cyle was too ambitious for us.
Well, it wouldn't surprise me if it were done out of a studio, although everyone is in love with those stupid "sideline interviews" they do. I would suspect that they would have regional people to keep travel expenses down rather than fly everybody out of New York, but that's just a guess. Ha ing your broadcast team on site gives it an air of authenticity; this isn't the Eredivise on Fox Sports World in 1999. (Only the oldsters will get the reference) But the package MLS offered the broadcasters included league-employed game announcers as part of the deal.
Because it's Friday afternoon and I'm pretending to still do work, here's an update on the Zardes jersey I "angry ordered" a while back. Pretty darn pleased with it, though I have decided not to attempt messing with the mutant C patch.
Nice. That jersey looks better in person than my first impression in images. I am not sure I will be able to say the same for this year’s Pride jersey if I ever see one in person. @LaMacchia, odds on Parley doing a white Crew jersey this year? In the end, I wish any/all of those specialty jerseys were available in youth sizes.
That’s so disingenuous, stop it. 4 games at the MLS is Back tournament. Then we played 20 regular season games, 10 on the road, 0 wins. Only 1 other team in the entire league had 0 road wins, which was perennial shitshow Chicago. Get outta here with that.
My wife ordered this year's pride shirt and it's a lot better in person - to my eye - than in pictures. As for Parley: I decided that I'm not going to buy a Yellow shirt this year, but rather hold out for a red keeper shirt (waiting on the hate for that statement), but the retail availability of keeper shirts isn't looking good. So, backup plan: Either Parley (as long as it's not blue again) or the military appreciation kit.
I was going to say that I would expect sideline reporters on site. But the studio worked for Toby Charles too (to go back even further).
Shout out to the persistence of the Superfans and Porter Truthers who in year 5 of Porter's reign are still trying to "Well, actually...." away his road record. That's true love.
That is good to know about the Pride jersey. I wondered as much. Moreover, I was convinced my better half would want one, but he passed. I hope you are able to acquire a keeper jersey, no matter the color. Markus lived in that bright green one when Steffen was here. I would really like to get a second chance after not buying the white Parley jersey during the dark season. Who are you talking about?
I think I might buy one of the new jerseys just because I really want a new yellow one. I havent had one since like 2017 I think. But since im still sour over the logo change, im just going to get a cheap knock off one, lol.