He called Messi a “chump” a “has been” and a “cast off”, don’t bother taking these posts seriously, it’s trolling.
He bites who he wants He bites who he waaaaants Luis Suarez He bites who he wants! His teeth are offside His teeth are offsiiiiiiiiide Luis Suarez His teeth are offside!
So MLS is simultaneously such a pathetic league that Messi would never come here if he was good enough to play in Europe and also such a great league that we don’t need Messi and we’re better than him? Make it make sense
I was pretty sure I did explain why an MLS fan should be unhappy - we're sloppy seconds for Messi. Hell, I'd say maybe Fetid Fifths with the level of play in MLS compared to England/Spain/Italy/Germany/France. We as a fan base are supposed to be grateful he's deigned to bless us with his presence? If Messi was coming to MLS in his prime because he thought the league was competitive enough to offer him a challenge, then I'd welcome him with open arms. But he's not coming here in his prime. He's not even coming here when he's cresting the hill or slightly over-the-hill. He's coming here before senility (figuratively speaking) takes him. He doesn't think he can hack it anymore in Europe, so he's coming to the US to play in a scrub league compared to his level and cash a few more years of checks. That's why Cucho coming here impresses me vastly more - he's young and has a lot of upward potential that shows other young potential players that MLS is a great place to come play and by doing so, is increasing the quality of play in the league.. He's increasing the quality of play in MLS and using the league as a springboard, not as a fall-back. Yeah, he might have "failed" (getting relegated is failure in about anyone's estimation I figure) in the EPL, but he's coming here to work his way back, not using us as a cushy fallback for one final big payday. Why should any of that make me, as a supporter of MLS, happy or excited?
The league and fans should have enough pride in themselves and the product that they shouldn't feel the need to have someone who apparently thinks they can't hack it in the best leagues on the planet anymore come here for a cushy payday before retirement playing against the likes of Sean Zawadski.
Because sports is entertainment, and watching Messi is entertaining. When Messi plays his first game for Miami, he'll be a newly-minted 36. That means he'll be roughly six months older than the guy who did this:
Alright. Well, if that works for you, then I hope you enjoy it. I'll stay in my corner with my arms crossed looking annoyed.
I think: 1) It's a joyous occasion for all facets of American soccer ... but 2) Unlike Ohtani, Wembenyama and all the top hockey guys in other leagues .... MLS gets its big foreign names near the end of their career. Top US soccer league, very much still down the pecking order of top US sports leagues (and CFB). 3) If there are some Lifetime Value metrics that increase from this ... great. But, it's does feel like a sugar high. Miami is a trendy market ... after Messi departs, will recent converts still attend? Will Apple TV get retention on subs? 4) If Miami was still to come in my season ticket package, I would definitely go. But ... not going to buy tickets to see him not fully be challenged in MLS after getting to him tested through TV for what ... two decades? It's fresh to others ... and that's fine. I can understand @CybrSlydr posting a lot of things to the insults being hurled at him. It happens when under fire. @KCbus and @Kyle Crew .. do y'all go after folks in your personal and professional lives like this ... for non-threatening opinions that you find stupid? There is definitely a Keyboard Warrior vibe with the vitriol to your disagreeing here, IMO.
Better yet, have the league "punish" teams that don't have SSS and schedule all of those games on Wednesday. It will never happen as long as NYCFC plays in baseball stadiums, but I can dream.
I’m gonna call out horrible takes by people who admit they don’t know what they’re talking about yet keep talking. If you don’t like me, that’s fine. Put me on ignore in the settings.
I don’t like this move. Folks have been screaming about smaller market teams getting the shaft for years. I get that this move will benefit the league as a whole financially and I wouldn’t have as much of a problem if it were Miami’s ownership group footing the bill but it’s each and every one of us who are paying for Apple TV that are covering a portion of this deal. Maybe I’m in the minority here but I’d rather my money go towards Tim Cook’s yachts and black t-shirts than to watch Messi dribble circles around Philip Quinton. I want to see good, competitive, and fair soccer but it really bothers me when the league as a whole stacks the deck against smaller markets.
While I disagree, I think this is a much more fair criticism of the Messi signing. I would just say that a rising tide lifts all ships. Because of Beckham, the league changed, things like: - The DP rule was created - minimum salaries eventually went from $15,000 to $60,000 - Beckham was given a franchise option that eventually led to the signing of the greatest player to ever live MLS has been talked about in the US more in the last 24 hours that the first 3.5 months of the season combined. If people wanna say it’s sad that we have to make a signing like this to get that impact, ok… I guess. It is what it is. This is a for profit business, and people ain’t tuning in to watch Aidan Morris and Patrick Schulte. I’d also point out that Miami is current penalized with a reduced salary cap due to their previous shenanigans, so they are at a cap disadvantage. LA is also penalized. Two big market teams being punished by the league. And RSL just signed Chicho Arango, which is great for them, for $6 million. I reject the whole big market v small market debate. If you’re smart and use your resources wisely, you’ll be just fine.
I'm in the "I don't really care about the Messi signing" camp, though I don't take it as a personal affront that he's going to Miami. I am in the camp - with, I think, quite a few people in here - who don't follow teams across the league very closely. Lionel Messi playing for a Miami team I don't give two shits about isn't going to measurably change my viewing habits. Anyway, I quoted this post because of your second point. Really? How is this signing going to leave other teams in the dust? Which dust? If signing huge name players near the ends of their careers equates to winning hardware, I must have missed that memo. I mean, Zlatan scored a bunch of goals in MLS, during which time the LA Galaxy won nothing, right? So is the goal flash or substance? And, to state an obvious point, Miami hasn't exactly been the poster child for how to run an organization that knows how to blend big names with also ran MLS talent. I hare teams nto named the Crew. Therefore, I really don't care is Messi thrives or fails in MLS. In fact, I kinda hope he struggles, not because he doesn't have the talent, but because (like Gonzalo Higuain when he first came here), he assumed it'll be easy and he can just jog around the pitch and collects a vast paycheck. Now, if he comes in with the kind of attitude expressed by, say, Robbie Keane when he came here, then more power to him. Messi will play, what, a couple of years in MLS? I mean, fine, he'll sell a lot of tickets and merch. Great. Beyond that, I remain doubtful that Miami will somehow shoot to the top of the standings because of this signing. MLS has never worked that way. Thankfully.
I largely agree with your post except for this part. You better believe that the league will do everything in their power to get Miami in the playoffs. You breathe on Messi, that's an instant yellow card.
I can certainly see both sides to this argument. I am finding myself leaning more towards the "don't like it" camp. Having lived through the Adu and Beckham era circuses, I'm leery about what Messi will do to the perception of the league. I think he has plenty of talent to be as good as he wants to be in this league, I have no doubts there. As has been mentioned, Miami is a trash heap of a franchise at this point. They are playing under financial sanctions due to cheating, are at the bottom of the table, have fired their coach. Now they get to be the media darling and will have 1000% more eyeballs on their games than they would otherwise, and it's very likely to look BAD to those new eyeballs. Watching Messi mope around up top while the other 10 guys on the field get mopped up by the opposition won't win over any new long term fans. I have no doubt that Apple will sell a lot more subscriptions in Asia and Argentina. There will be a lot more action on MLS games at sportsbooks around the world. The pink Messi #10 Miami jersey will be sold at an astonishing rate. Messi will dock his new 60ft yacht at Miami beach and have a wonderful 2.5 years in the USA. The rich guys involved will all be a little richer at the end of it. As for the league as a whole, I like the idea of closing the gap between the best player and the worst player as a way to improve the league and its teams. I think getting away from the DP era is a better way forward, fewer teams run like Toronto and more teams run like Philly. I don't think Miami and MLS could pass up the opportunity to get Messi in the league. There will be a lot of good that comes from it, but I very much doubt that it will improve the overall perception of the league and the competitiveness of it.
I got nothing to do with this. I have watched Messi although I don’t watch a lot of soccer in Europe (especially recently) but I watch a lot of World Cup and I use to watch him at Barcelona (not PSG) and His has been definition has no comparison to anything I’ve said. Apples & Oranges If one hasn’t watched a player how could one have a relevant take about this players skill ?
So are we voting non-Crew players because we don't need our guys injured? https://www.mlssoccer.com/all-star/2023/vote/fan-vote
What if Messi signing with Miami finals gets the 4th DP rule over the line, and the Crew immediately use it? Would you care then?
No. Why should I? MLS makes rules up for whatever reason seems convenient at the moment. Or based on financial data I'll never see. All I do is try and stay abreast of what the current set of rules is, not what form of alchemy MLS employed to create them.
FCC making moves FC Cincinnati are finalizing a deal to sign Gabon int'l striker Aaron Boupendza from Saudi side Al-Shabab, sources tell The Athletic. Fee north of $7m, as @FabrizioRomano called. Will be DP.Boupendza, 26, had 13g/3a in 20 apps (1,488 mins) this season.https://t.co/JbfEFzTYHK— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) June 8, 2023