Re: Offseason of Change; Goff Wash Post Team Ignorant has a big damn roster. I can give you links to about 10 threads in MLS General and MLS N&A filled with Tony's teammates.
Re: Offseason of Change; Goff Wash Post If Payne resented Freddy's marketing stature, I have a hard time imagining it would Freddy's jersey being advertised on the jumbotron in the first half on Sunday. I looked up, DC down 2-0, and there's a picture of Freddy's autographed jersey for sale on the jumbotron. Not Jaime's. Not Gomez's. This year, it's such that I almost couldn't imagine it would be one of those two rather than Freddy, and it's stuff like that that fuels the Kornholes out there, and makes them call bullsh!t, not just on MLS, but on DC United. Next year, if Freddy and Nowak are both still around, either DC is going to have to soften the Freddy marketing, or Nowak is going to have to find a way to play him... It's obvious that all the Freddy hype has gotten in the way. KP has step up and make the change himself, because he's the one who's allowed the majority of the mixed signals to go out---maybe not last year---but this year, for sure. The organization has to speak with one voice on the Freddy subject, and despite all of KP's entreaties that he's 100% behind Nowak's decisions, the way the team marketing revolves around Freddy doesn't really back that up. I can't see how DC can continue to be focused on winning, with or without Freddy on the field, while the marketing folks are all Freddy all the time. It's just not good business. I hate to admit it, but this column from Trecker last week was right on, if you ask me: http://msn.foxsports.com/soccer/story/5024556
Re: Offseason of Change; Goff Wash Post I'm sorry, but what exactly is your point? Kornheiser is a clown. He gets paid well to make a fool of himself in public. I said it. You said it. Is he alone in this? Well, no. Does that make him any less a clown? Well, no again. Goff --just write the facts! If you think that's what goes on in any part of the newspapers, I can't help you very much. In fact, Goff's latest piece was analysis. My point was that anyone can be wise after the fact.
Re: Offseason of Change; Goff Wash Post If you think that's something, you should see the US Men's National Team boards
Re: Offseason of Change; Goff Wash Post Seems obvious to me that Freddy is well on his way to being a 90 minute player now. He has played in every game for which he was available. Averaged 60 minutes per game, and the team has consistently been more dangerous with him on the field. I think it is reasonable to assume that if he gets called into Nats camp in January or does an off-season training stint, he will improve still more. He's getting better at a rapid clip...Christian and Jaime, well we'd have to consider ourselves lucky if they are as good next season as they were this season.
Re: Offseason of Change; Goff Wash Post I haven't checked the stats, but thought his minutes were decreasing as the season wore on. You're serious? I hope not. I'd like to see Nowak find a way to get Christian, Jamie, and Freddy on the field at the same time---but without putting Freddy on the wing.
Re: Offseason of Change; Goff Wash Post I hope Jaime has less playing time next year and maybe Freddy can take 1/2 his minutes as well. As great as Jaime is, we rely on him way too much in his position, and it's unfair to run him into the ground like we're doing. You could tell the team was wearing down as the season went on, especially the older players (Jaime, Ben), or the ones who haven't been the fittest or injured (gomez). I'm not generally as critical about per-game substitiutions as alot of you, but why we play Jaime 90 minutes is beyond me. He is brilliant for about 50 minutes a game. Pacing himself for those other 40 minutes is hard to watch sometimes, and he was just worn out by thee time we got to the playoffs. I felt bad for him. Granted, he's the type of player that WANTS that pressure, but tough - it's unfair to heap it on him.
Re: Offseason of Change; Goff Wash Post You don't think a playoff system that essentially does not reward the higher seed is a little off its rocker?
Re: Offseason of Change; Goff Wash Post Are you related to Benedict Arnold? Anyway, first I don't think that was Kornheiser's point, at all. That is Gardner's point in his NYSun column. But then again why play the playoffs if the point is for the higher seed to always win? And just to disagree with Gardner- Chicago vs. NE is a good East final- they deserve to be there. I'm not too worried about the format of the playoffs- once there's more than 12 in the league they can tweak it some more. Plus, I like the playoffs. It's exciting. It's another cup competition. If you want the regular season to mean more, CCC invitation to regular season best record, and cash bonuses to teams according to final standings.
Re: Offseason of Change; Goff Wash Post I have no problem with playoffs, I have a problem with a playoff system that in no meaningful way rewards the home team. And yes, like the pope.
Tony Kornheiser - The Epitome of Soccer Intelligence I posted this in the MLS General also, but would love any comments from DCU fans. . . So now that you all clicked on this wondering who in their right mind could possibly say such a thing, I admit it was a ploy. Did you read his latest article in the Post on "Giving Adu the Boot" ? http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/31/AR2005103101605.html Unbelievable. It is no longer humanly possible that anyone says such stupid things about soccer. He has topped them all. Incorrect statements used by Kornheiser: 1-"If you criticized Nowak and Payne last year for mishandling Adu -- and committing consumer fraud by rarely playing him" Fact - Adu is ranked 8th in total minutes on the roster for the whole season. He played in 25 games and averaged around 60 minutes per game he played in. Last time i checked only 11 guys play soccer so if he is 8th, then that clearly means he is in the first team more than 2/3 of the team. So "rarely" played is FALSE!!!!! 2-"And since he was suspended for the first game in this bizarre best-of-two format, Adu was more or less a bystander. What was his crime? " Fact - Best of two is NOT bizarre as it is the standard cup/playoff format for most countried around the world, but since Mr. Kornheiser is unaware that the rest of the world exists I am not surprised. Fact - Crime is legal term denoting an offense against the state. Mr. Adu committed no offense to the USA, but definitely to his teammates with his comments in the interview. In the family of DC United, his comments were viewed as unacceptable behavior and dealt with accordingly. Normal that a boss disciplines his staff, happens in all places I have ever worked. 3-"Freddy Adu is bigger than his team. Adu was signed to be bigger than the whole league !" Fact - Adu is clearly shorter than most of his teammates and opponents (just look at the stats) so this meaning of "bigger" does not hold up. The other meaning, I assume he means "more important" is incorrect as well. Our dear Freddy is out of a job if MLS does not exist and so therefore he cannot be bigger than his team (which he needs since it is a team sport) and his league (his employer). 4-"Well, they'd better know that Freddy Adu will never become the greatest soccer player in U.S. history" Fact - NO ONE knows if he will be the best. AND FOR GOODNESS SAKE, let the kid grow up. Stop putting the weight of the world on a 16yr old. Admission of Guilt - MLS have over-marketed Freddy and are guilty of using his image to sell everything with MLS on it. That is shameful and not to mention his agent could ask for some reasonable compensation for the exploitation of those image rights! BUT COME ON, why did you buy their sell? Mr. Kornheiser, study the market before you buy. You should know better than to buy the first can of soup on the shelf. DO some research. How many players from the U17 world cup teams around the world actually make it? Very few. Champions at the 2001 U17 World Cup, France's team held the "promise" of French football. Of the players most are trying to get a first-team spot in average French teams (sadly including my FC Nantes. . . ) and only one is on a Premiership team (Sinama-Pongolle of Liverpool) and none of them having been called up to the full national team since! And these guys were the best in the world! Pause . . . for Mr. Kornheiser to engage in some French-bashing if he will stoop to such a low level of civility. SO, end of the story. Let the kid grow up. THe most important aspect of Freddy's career between now and the age of 19-20 is to gain experience and not get injured. Zidane until he was 23-24 was only averaging 60 minutes a game, not because his coach resented him, but because he realised the MOST important fact - creative, attacking players MUST be protected if they are to actually reach the highest levels of the game. Give Freddy a few more years in DC under a coach who knows perfectly well how to manage him (Nowak will be excellent for this), a couple of MLS rings for DCU, world cup qualifying for 2010, and then when he is 21 after the USA have really showed well in 2010 he can go to Spain or wherever. But only when he is ready. PATIENCE!!!!!!!! Just a suggestion not for him to go to England - he will get brutalised there, he should play in Italy or Spain where the tactical demands will raise his game to another level - - - that of winning the 2014 World Cup with the USA! Comments?`??????? If anyone read this far!!!
Re: Tony Kornheiser - The Epitome of Soccer Intelligence You're spending wayyyyyyy too much time on a Kornheiser column.
... mod's note ... I merged the Kornheiser thread with the ongoing Kornheiser discussion. I also renamed the old Kornheiser discussion to something more obvious and appropriate.
Re: Offseason of Change; Goff Wash Post I agree 100%, this is a sign that United is getting some respect even in defeat. The more the mainstream press talks about soccer in the general language the more it will be accepted as the 5th major sport. I heard TK even bring up United briefly on the radio this morning when they mentioned David Patton was bitching about not getting the ball. Tony said if Gibbs subscribes to the Nowak school of coaching Patton will be suspened for the next game and sit the first half of the following game. I thought it was pretty funny actually.
Re: Offseason of Change; Goff Wash Post It's one thing to talk badly about a team...or a sport...but it's another to mock it. It's not a best of two format. It's a total goals format. Someone should explain that to him. It makes it so both games matter, and we don't have things like a 7 game series, that comes down to one game in the end, because the first 6 went back and forth...
Re: Offseason of Change; Goff Wash Post He does that on purpose. Listening to his radio show, he frequently quotes the press releases, especially the part about referring to the team as United not "THE United." He is an intellegent, articulate guy. Does he say what BS posters want???? NO!!! Is he talking about DCU and MLS? Heck yeah! Isn't that what everyone really wants? Examine your feelings, Luke(BS Posters), you know it to be true. Freddy has brought something to this league. It is a respectability and recognition that guys like Olsen, Beasley, Sanneh and Ruiz have never brought. Enjoy it. Disagree if you must. But relish the attention you so seek.
Re: Offseason of Change; Goff Wash Post I'm hoping you meant that you "could NOT care less." Otherwise you are the ignorant one, not Tony K.
Re: Offseason of Change; Goff Wash Post Exactly. He's talking about Freddy at 19, 21, etc "scoring goals in some other city." If it's up to Adu, that's going to be Manchester, London, or wherever his team is that week. You know, not that facts like Freddy's desire to leave in about a year and a half or the fact that MLS will be more than happy to sell him to the highest bidder should interfere with an otherwise snazzy piece.
Re: Offseason of Change; Goff Wash Post Actually he's qualified in many more areas, free food, rakeover hairstyling, the world orthodontia shortage, the list goes on and on. He's a powerful influence on the pulse of DC sport having a vote in the DC Jewish sports hall of fame should never be underestimated. I fear the man.
Re: Offseason of Change; Goff Wash Post Oh get used to it I listen to Tony show all the time you know that soccer commercial nike has the fox plays all the time. Well the guy that is talking about how bad it is in the start of the commercial. Well before that commercial aired Tony had mentioned that Nike offered him a bunch load of money to do that part and he turned it down i thank knowing the crap he would get from the soccer community.He is not a dumb as you thank and you know the crap he gives United about Adu United still kisses his ass hopeing to say something good by sending him little gift bags ..
Re: Offseason of Change; Goff Wash Post Typical American soccer fans... can dish it out (boreball, etc.) but can't take it. Grow some sack. Sachin