Coors wasn't here then. Remember "Smokey and the Bandit"?? But there was Stroh's locally then. Genesse Cream Ale too. Now I was joking a bit, but some bars stuck with one brand on tap in those days. Light beers often covered for 3.2 beers, as they were low enough. Some campus joints only sold 3.2 beer so they didn't have to worry about carding differences between 18 and 21 year olds. It really was a different era.
Bingo. Not that there weren't immigrants here. German Village is one result. My wife is half Italian, due to folks coming to work on the railroad. But they'd assimilated, largely, by the time I got here in 1978.
I was talking to a current OSU grad student and he couldn't believe they once strung wires between light posts along High Street in order to keep the drunks on the sidewalk. Of course, that was also back in the day when $1 bought quite a lot of beer.
It wasn't always the 3.2 beer (you'd likely get sick before you got drunk). But Zach's Red Eye's were legendary (I never did them, but.... 161 rum (I think you could get it flaming, but that may be my imagination). I do not recall the wires, but I mostly stayed, as a grad student, up on North Campus. Hung out a lot at the Black Forest Inn at Lane and Neil (I think it's now the Thirsty Scholar). Esther and her accordion used to play there....
It was before my time, but I heard the stories of how it was literally a bucket. No. Not four or five bottles *in* a bucket, but a straight-up bucket.
Jeff Carlisle is leaning toward a work stoppage..... http://www.espnfc.com/major-league-...eague-soccer-is-edging-toward-a-work-stoppage
It will be interesting to see if FIFA weighs in on this. For one, there won't be any think like the last NHL strike where players went overseas. FIFA would not allow that, excpet with the approval of MLS, and I doubt that woul dbe forthcoming. I think they will strike, barring an agreement from the mediation. And I don't think the results will be to their liking.
There's no way FIFA is going to allow MLS players to freely transfer or loan during a strike unless it's within the rules that are already in place.
It's Ohio that now has a 100 or so craft breweries. The Columbus MSA has 26 open or in development. Agreed re: taps, though. It probably started with Bodega.
I don't know if anyone here as any real insight or not. But I wonder if there was a strike and the owners went and tried to field replacements, how many players would break ranks? I mean, in my head, I'm not sure how striking serves DP players, unless they just do it for solidarity. Which I think some of them would, short term. I'd also have to think that the fringe roster guys, while they might want free agency, a good number of them probably have to know that this is their shot at playing. While Free Agency would be a nice to have for a lot of players, i've got to imagine it's only critical for a few (but maybe I'm wrong), probably mostly mid-tier guys. Also, does the players union have any duty or legal requirement to let the players vote on an owners proposal, or can the union negotiators (/whoever) have the authority to make the executive decision to approve/decline?
The Massive Report 3-part on this summed things up pretty well. http://www.massivereport.com/2015/2...t-3-how-the-players-can-mostly-win/in/7815400 I really don't think Free Agency, which as noted above only helps those making the most money, is the line on which the MLSPA should fall on it's sword.
I feel like the players are overestimating what free agency will do for their salaries. Any high end player right now is getting bumped into DP contracts (Zuis, Besler, etc). The low end guys roster guys who don't play are likely taking small increases if they can even get them. The middle group will get some action but how many teams are going to fight over those players to the point where their salaries go way up. Maybe I am wrong but increases in the minimum, expanded salary cap, and little better version of the player movement mechanisms will serve them better.
Consider where they may be getting their advice (the NFL Union was helping them and may still be). Single entity works for MLS but is a possible threat to *other* sports down the road. A firm stance may not do much for the MLS players but may be valuable to their advisors. We are not going to pay salaries like Europe just by having the same system. Or if we do, it will be for European players and not Americans. There are few current US players that are not replaceable by a dozen just like them. The KHL tried to compete with the NHL and is on the verge of bankruptcy. Is that the model MLS wants?
Do the players desire free agency for significant salary increases (as has happened in other US sports) or do they desire free agency to have greater personal control over where they're employed? I guess I've been under the impression that the players want free agency so they have an increased level of control - or at least input - in player movement with increased salaries a secondary benefit as opposed to the opposite.
Yup. Sure some players will end up being able to demand higher wages, but it's more about being able to play somewhere you want to play. No, this doesn't mean LA is going to always get the best players because there will still be a salary cap. The only real argument against free agency is whether or not MLS could lose their single-entity status. If they would, then I'm ok with no free agency. Maintaining single-entity status is pretty important.
Another stupid waiver draft today. For 6 guys. Just let them be free agents already and have their agents find a team willing to give them a look. Hope this CBA does away with these silly things - they've lost their relevance to the MLS model anyway.
Back in the 90s, we saw a ton of "MLS signs player XYZ and assigns him to such-and-such team." I don't recall seeing: "MLS signs David Beckham and assigns him to Los Angeles." I did, however see a ton of "Seattle signs Dempsey" news, as I'm sure we all did. They're slowly but surely getting away from the original model. Unless these press releases are written funny, it seems the league only *signs* the lower-level (and maybe mid-range) players these days. This league is the finest example of Calvin Ball. Bill Watterson would be proud.