With a full week before Game 2 of this ridiculous 3-game series, why in the world are we playing on Friday?!?
I have no faith whatsoever that we can win a best-of-three against them, with two of the three in Miami. With nearly two weeks to sell tickets, and the front office selling the opponents much harder than our own guys, I would expect at least half the fans to be wearing pink for the home match, too. But I would also expect a legitimate 60k+ crowd, so that should be good!
We're playing with house money. Miami's players have no business in this league, so we either lose to a rich bully club or we pull off a great upset for the regular teams in MLS.
Can anyone think of a weirder playoff construct than this one? A one-game "wild card" to see who gets a best-of-three against the one-seed, then single elimination after that? Why? Why not best-of-three the rest of the way? Or home-away? Or just single-elimination the whole way? Who thought this was a good idea?
Playoffs in a league is in and of itself weird. But if they're sold on them, at least use UEFA's CL format of two legs.
* double checks game time and date! * Inter Miami vs Atlanta United Chase Stadium, Ft. Lauderdale Friday, Oct. 25, 8:30 PM Apple TV MLSsoccer.com preview here. AJC.com United coverage AUFC home page Miami home page Player Availability Reports here. So, if you're like me you're probably stocking the fridge or liquor cabinet for tonight's entertainment: Taking a drink for each time the broadcast tosses out effusive praise for Senor Messi as if no one watching has ever heard of the guy. Hell, half the coverage of MTL v ATL was "Who will advance to play Messi? Which team gets the honor of losing to Messi? Oh by the way, watch Apple TV just to see Messi." Anyway. Assuming press reports are correct, Atlanta will actually be on the same pitch tonight as Senor Messi, so we can at least continue our evaluation of personnel ahead of the off-season Keep or Dump discussions. That, plus I have no life, so I'll be watching. Vamos Atlanta!
I have to retrieve my kids from the high school football game just before kickoff tonight, so hopefully I don't miss much of the first half. Man-child said he wanted to watch the soccer game. I hope that translates into him convincing his sister to be ready to leave when I get there to pick them up.
Thiare gets the nod up top, the rest is as usual. Heaven help me. Taylor Twellman on the call. Switching to 92.9.
Slisz gives Miami their first ever playoff goal within 2 minutes. Luckily, my bourbon glass is already 1/3 empty.
LOL. Messi is one of the most boring players to watch when he doesn't have the ball. Good luck to all the band wagoneers on TikTok watching Messi-Cam.
BTW, Luis "Jaws" Suarez with the goal. Would love to know what drugs and therapy resurrected his career, cause I could use some of that boost now and again
A. They tried but there wasn't one available, willing, and worth the cost. It will be a priority come January. B. Suarez alone isn't worth it, if we're just doing a poacher then resign Martinez to appease the fanboys.
I wouldn't pay $21M for him, but Josef has scored more than anybody on Atlanta this year. And Gregersen is also now broken, so Cobb gets some playoff time.
Oh, and also we've used two substitution windows in the first half. Strategic subs will have to either be via hockey line change, or some subs at halftime...
I say play the most deep seated bunker ball from here out and choke the game to the most boring levels possible. Since the Stripes got punished with the brief schedule to accommodate Messi-vision, punish Apple and MLS by making for s*** TV.