3-23-2004: Couldn't think of anything to put here

Fire inks Mapp to 5-year deal-Chicago Tribune

Fire's treasuring Mapp-Daily Southtown

Haitian gets shot at Rapids-Rocky Mountain News

Costa Rican forward headed to join Crew-Columbus Dispatch

It's time to turn RFK into rubble-Washington Times

Adu steps forward for D.C. United-Washington Times

Soccer notebook: Burnout benches Man U's Howard-Star Ledger

Metros add Bonseu-NY Daily News

 

From the NY Times, this seems like big news:

SUM sure is being aggressive. I wonder if it can make as much money off the Nats as it seems like it's making off the Mexican National Team.

This is also an interesting issue: whether to sell players in the middle of the season - much to the consternation of many of their fans - or risk losing them for nothing at the end of their contract, a la Mathis and Bocanegra:

 

If the money is right, sell them. At this point in time, any money would be nice if it was at least a million dollars or so.

I can understand the frustration of the fans, but the money we make today will be able to bring in better players in the future.

 

that RFK article annoyed me. Soccer bashers.

 

Legozzie to MLS?

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Pacific, early start brings benefits

"Legozzie, who has played the sport for about seven years and averages about four goals per season, agreed that starting early helped him. He also is shooting for the professional level, but probably in the United States, he said."

Unfortunately, his teammate Jack Keck wants to "join a Japanese professional team." And, Legozzie's brother Nathan, a former soccer standout wants to move into "motocross racing."

"Cheri Stewart, Legozzie's mother, also has another son involved in soccer. Eight-year-old Nathan Legozzie started playing soccer about three years ago and wants to move into motocross racing, Stewart said."

You win some, you lose some. The game and MLS will survive.

 

It didn't annoy me, but it did disappoint me. If the columnist had only mentioned a possible new SSS - which there has been plenty of scuttlebutt about - it would have made for a fine piece. Instead it talked about sticking them in FedEx field (is that the name of the Redskins field?).

Come to think of it, I guess I'm both annoyed AND disappointed.

 

Yeah but WHEN?

I think Corey Gibbs is the only PROVEN player of interest that MLS has brought back or into the league since LD. (notice how the following statement doesn't include Adu? just wanted to note that before someone starts screaming FREDDY ADU) Is Colorado's de la Torre that significant of a signing? Herzog is just another has been and Kirovski fits the same mold, even de la Torre does.

I guess my real worry is that the stars of this league continue to leave and they are only getting replaced by "future stars". This can't be good for the league and it's street cred.

 

Walker proved himself by taking Colo Colo to a championship (or 2?) and doing well in Libertadores. MLS replaced Howard w/ Walker. That bodes well as it indicates the league is serious about keeping the level high and building on it.

 

As a sidebar to the NY Times story, Ronald Waterreus said he really wanted to play in MLS later in his career when he and the Dutch National Team came to Foxboro in 2002.

"I'm a little crazy about this country," said Waterreus. "I visit every summer."

 

All I can say is THANK GOD Its about frigging time.

IMG SUCKED. Innovative Marketing my ass. Only if Innovative meant NON-EXISTANT. I would have dumped IMG for Krusty the Clown Advertising Inc. At least that guy has burger stands everywhere and the USSF can get some clown makeup tips.

The thing for me is SUM has a vital stake in the future of the national team and can help raise both boats. IMG has been asleeep at the wheel. Its early in SUM yet and MLS marketing has been more submarine than fireworks but at some point they gotta make some noise. Don't they?

 

I disagree. The league is becoming a proven producer of talent. Our "street cred" is fine, with the major problem having to do with our CONCACAF results the last two years more than having some of our better players leave for Europe. And no, I don't think having Tim Howard, Clint Mathis, Brian McBride, nor Carlos Bocanegra would've made a huge difference in our CCC results.

 

I actually like RFK Stadium. Seeing the WC Qualifier games has made me fond for the stadium. I still think its the best stadium to watch US Soccer in the country.

 

I guess it depends on which streets you're talking about. Obviously the major media outlets in this country don't know about our CONCACAF results.

AND it depends on what your vision of the league is. My ideal is France/Portugal, who though not in the Big4 are capable of getting some high level talent and producing great young talent at the same time.

I think in order to get more street cred, on say Madison Ave, we'll have to hang on to Mathis, Howard, LD, Convey,etc.

 

I attended two MLS Cup finals there and had a great time. The stadium doesn't look so polished as a new one but i don't see anything wrong with it except those speakers they have. So i ask what is wrong with the stadium why can't it be used and turned into a soccer complex ?

 

FedEx Field is indeed the Redskins' field, and though I enjoyed my '99 Women's World Cup experience there, it'd be a disastrous move for United. They really don't want to be any farther away from the Northern Virginia fan base.

RFK is good in the sense that it has a bit of soccer history and can hold a nice big field. But a smaller, newer SSS that isn't constantly haunted by the prospect of a relocated baseball team would be better.

 

anyone who's played madden '04 knows that.