http://soccernet.espn.go.com/feature?id=315540&cc=5901 Derek Rae's impressions on several players in the Champions League. Some observations on Beasley, and a comment on MLS development "Like Klasnic, Damarcus Beasley at 24, is no youngster in football terms. Yet a brilliantly taken goal to give Group E leaders PSV a 1-0 win against Rosenborg suggests a bright future for the American, who signed a 4-year contract during the summer. Blessed with pace and sharpness, Beasley learned his trade in the perplexing environment of his country's Major League Soccer, where hype and marketing rule the roost and loud music and corny adverts blare through the tannoy while games are taking place. Nevertheless, Beasley and Carlos Bocanegra at Fulham are proof that if you look past the American league's presentational oddities, they've been getting quite a lot right on the player development front. That above all, must be the priority for a domestic league still trying to find its personality in a fledgling football country. "
Well, he's still "not a youngster in football terms." This isn't a reference to age, but to experience, and DMB does have quite a bit of experience (more impressive in a 22 than a 24 year old, but the article couldn't be more praising).
If he was a Scottish player, Rae probably would have said he was only 18 and a sure-fire star in the making.
If he was scottish, every Scot would have DMB's name, age, shirt number and style of play memorized. We may have (we do have) a better national team than scotland, but we can't touch their fan commitment.
Too bad stupid, snide remarks are not Euros (or Pounds, whatever the case)...that way, they could pay for their impending Social Security timebomb (makes our problem look pretty tame, in comparison)..
I'll add criticism of the fact that the article is also pretty wrong in its core premise. Sure there are plenty of things different about MLS game presentation. Still, at least that games that I attend don't have music blaring during the match. I've only been at the Meadowlands though. Do others?
I guess "Tannoy" is generic for loudspeaker over there, just like "Hoover" for any vac. cleaner -- or "Coke" here for practically any soft drink (except in NY, where we say "soda" for everything, including a Coke). Anyway, only a few of our stadiums still blow the corn through the Altec/JBL/ElectroVoice during a match -- and maybe they'll get it right next season. But if there's a deal on at Popeye's you bet I wanna hear about it -- screw the Euros.
And they do play music over the speakers at 1Bund games, at least at the renovated olympic stadium, site of the next world cup final.
Derek used to be a very good play-by-play man for the Revs broadcasts from '96-'98 (I think...I could be wrong on when his run ended). I'm not sure what he's been up to (beyond Soccernet articles) since then, but he has more than a passing familiarity with MLS.
He does the commentary on ESPN2's Champions League broadcasts, along with Tommy Smyth. You're right, he is a great play-by-play man. He also hosts ESPN's press pass, a soccer discussion/interview show- unfortunately I believe it's only on ESPN International, as we don't get it here in the States. However, they often post clips from their interviews on the US section of soccernet.
Christian Gomez (of DC United) said that one of the reasons he loves playing in the US is that the paychecks come on time...I imagine that is a reason for many.
Quote: Originally Posted by MarioKempes This is yet another case of "you don't do it like Europe, so there must be something wrong". More money, maybe? Mike, I think you took this quote out of context, football in Europe is clearly better, but I think the point is we're sick to death of Euro-snobs(like Rae, not yourself) telling us exactly how we should do things. Most of us feel absolutely no need to do things exactly like Euro leagues, we need to find our own identity and brand of football, and well if they don't like it, screw 'em.
"Major League Soccer, where hype and marketing rule the roost" That's the part that makes me laugh. As if it doesn't rule the roost in Europe. MLS bigwigs can only dream of the "hype and marketing" that goes on in England football.
Money. Why is this so hard for people to understand? Do you think Brazilians and Argentinians would run to Germany or England if they could get paid as much to stay in their own beautiful countries? Pleeeeezzzzeeeeee.