5/30/03: They Say it's your Birthday

I know that there'll be a billion comments all over the place on this, but - what are they (United), insane? What happens when both Friedel and Howard are called to the National Team at the same time?

As nice as it might be to be teamed up with a fellow American, that would be a bad situation for Timmy, too. Beat out Brad Friedel? Not yet.

 

Damn $13.5m for Friedel!!! Would have to be at an English record for a keeper right? (I believe one of the Italian keepers, buffon?, went for about $20m a few years back).

However, is $13.5m worth relegation?

 

Who cares if it the ManU link has any validity or not... just seeing a market value of $13.6 million for an American is enough to make my day. Too bad MLS didn't put a career sell-on clause when Friedel left the Crew.

 

I don't really think it's his "market value" unless somebody actually offers it.

 

Same goes from me, too. Happy b'day, GPK.

Mine's tomorrow, by the way.







Mind you, it's already May 31 in my corner of the world.

 

Might not be the place to discuss this, but I found this excerpt interesting:

I haven't heard anywhere that a local ownership group was a priority. We've heard that a committed ownership group is important, but local ownership? Is this accurate, or just somewhat lazy reporting?

 

Not to be the bearer of scepticism here, but maybe that $13.6M figure is something which, in what Michael Lewis points out (to nobody's secret nor any surprise) is a depressed transfer market, and might it be a figure which Graeme Souness might be over-inflating?

In other words, it might mean, "Do not touch, at any price"?

Regardless, if that's his motive when dealing with Manchester United, perhaps the bar should be set a bit higher.

 

Thanks Jim

 

Right on. Even in this depressed market, that price is probably what they'd have to pay for any of the top keepers in Europe, Kahn, Buffon, Friedel, etc. If they want him bad enough they'd pay.

I do agree with the poster who said that wouldn't be the best thing for Howard, who is probably hoping they bring in someone a far less quality than Friedel, or keep Barthez on, so he would have at least some shot at some playing time in the next year or so.

 

Oh, I wasn't saying you shouldn't have posted this article here, I just didn't want open a big ol' can of masturbatory expansion discussion in this thread.

Well, I'm sure MLS would prefer local ownership for expansion franchises, but can beggers really be choosers? I just can't imagine them turning away Steve Jobs if he wanted to operate a team in Cleveland.

 

Well I for one hope that HDC gets the nod on holding the Womens World Cup Final.

Screw those Rose Bowl guys and their pillaging MLS for rent.

MLS / SUM and USSF are going out on a limb to host the Cup - lets keep the money in the family- specifically the MLS family.

 

And indeed, it is truly a pleasure to read an article on expansion without the stench of burning martyr floating off the screen, which always happens when one or the other Fusion fan comes across the thread.

 

In a related story, wwwadriaticfundscom got wood today.

 

Re: Re: 5/30/03: They Say it's your Birthday

 

Big week lies ahead for focused Menace - Des Moines Register

 

Clark: Kids are too young for so much money - Des Moines Register

 

Re: Re: Re: 5/30/03: They Say it's your Birthday

Thank you, Efren! I would love that, sincerely.

It'll be quite some time before this Yank Abroad comes back to the States, unfortunately-- but when my lovely wife and I do, we plan on seeing the whole country, Texas included.

Looking forward to it... even if it is a change from good ol' Aussie BBQ.

 

Re: Re: Re: Re: 5/30/03: They Say it's your Birthday

Do you want to see the rest of the country, or just Texas? Cause if you want to see Texas, unless you're taking a couple months to travel, you ain't seeing the rest of the country. For full effect, visit New England, where you can knock off 6 or 8 states in a single day.

 

Quite right. While Uncle Lamar is the largest percentage owner, there are several (3-10 if I remember correctly) local owners in the ownership group. And frankly, I think that's a great thing.

-Digital

 

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: 5/30/03: They Say it's your Birthday

I've seen a good bit of the States. My wife, being an Australian, has seen none of it. So it'll be safe to say that we're going to set aside a good chunk of time when we travel back over there.

And of course, I'm going to give her the grand tour of all the soccer venues back home... especially the ones that have been or will be built, the SSS's, since I've lived overseas (which dates back to December of 2001).

Oh, and neither of us, safe to say, has ever been to Texas.

 

Baby Tiger and Mt.Mike:

Welcome to Texas. A whole new country –whose topography is probably closer to Australia than to the rest of the U.S..

The Metro areas: Houston --4th city in the country--, Dallas --7th largest city--, and San Antonio --9th in the list-- are modern and progressive.

But the beauty if the state lies in its Gulf costs, its Big Bend expansions, South Texas agricultural riches, East Texas forests and Panhandle's vastness.

Everywhere you turn there is a road. (Texas has more paved roads than all Latin America countries combined).

And the melting pot is nowhere more evident than in the Lone Star state. People from 147 countries are represented in the varied ethnicities of the land.

If you love friendly people, you'll love the friendliest people in the U.S.

 

Well, Austin is progressive and nice, but I wouldn't say that about the rest of the state.