How long do you guys think it'll be for MLS to ditch the whole pointless east/west format and go for a single format, maybe MLS is not ready for relegation but if they make it as if the top four teams qualify to participate in international tourneys it would make the season a lot more interesting. Just imagine right now Dallas, New England, LA, and Chicago would be fighting for the top championship spot. Whats the point in finishing number one in the Eastern or Western Conference when you could be knocked out in the first round? all those months of hard work for nothing. They should save the playoff system for the Open Cup. What do u guys think?
as in: Check the forum history... we've discussed this ad nauseam. Odds are that there's a thread about MLS going to single table on the first two pages of the forum.
This is a common topic, and you have a Peruvian, not an MLS team, as your favorite. If you want a single table now, explain how many games you want on the schedule and would it be unfair for teams to miss internationals for like 1/3 of their games as happens now. Right now the MLS Cup finalists qualify for the Champions Cup. Perhaps if this Sudamericana thing is permanent that could be a further incentive. Also you got to spell standings correctly.
Re: Take away our uniqueness as a nation Playoffs are what sports fun. It would be stupid to not have a playoff. Other countries stop being entertaining about a little more than half way through the season because only three or so teams have a chance. If the top 6 or 8 teams went to a playoff, then the season would be interesting longer because more teams would have at least a hope to win the title. Plus, a team is not the same team at the end of a season as the beginning. The playoff system rewards teams for improving throughout the season. Plus, it just makes me upset that people are trying to Euro/Asian/South Americanize an "American" league. All countries have their little quirks and so does America. Someday you people will realize that we are in America and have our own language and way of doing things. While I am at it let me get some things off my chest that make me want to punch a wall everytime I hear it. --It is called a shutout, not a clean sheet. --It is called a field, not a pitch. (what are they "pitching" anyway) --It is called a uniform, not a kit. --It is a sports club, not a club deportivo. (Chivas USA should've just been the LA Goats or at least the LA Chivas - hopefully when Club America takes over San Jose and moves them to Houston, they somehow keep their brand and also make it a traditional American sports name like the Houston Americans. One can only hope.) --It is royal, not real. (although, I do like the logo...um, sorry, "crest" of Salt Lake. I love the royalty theme, but they could've accomplished the same thing with Royal Salt Lake or Salt Lake Royals and still paid homage to Real Madrid and their affiliation. The next thing you know, Charlton Athletic will buy an expansion team in New York and call it New York Athletic.) --It is standings, not a table. (hey, maybe you can take that shiny white clean sheet and lay across the table and eat off it!) --It is a tie, not a draw. --It is a schedule, not a fixture list. --It is a rivalry, not a derby. Okay, I think I have made my point. Do all of you people out there not realize that now that the NHL has gotten rid of ties and will decide tied games after overtime with a shootout, that MLS is the only league in America that has ties? I know people who might actually watch soccer if they got rid of the ties. It is a pretty stupid reason to not follow the sport, I know, but it is still a black mark against the sport -especially now that the NHL has a shootout now. I personally don't mind ties all that much as long as there aren't as many of them as a team has wins or losses, but almost all of regular sports fans hate them. It wouldn't hurt me if MLS ended tied games after overtime (a period with only 8 men per side and an extra sub) with penalty kicks. I can stand the way it is, all I am saying is it wouldn't bother me if they ended the tied games that way and thus, satified the folks who just can't stand ties. Simply put, MLS should just look at the other sports leagues in this country and copy them. Before I go, it is "MLS" not "the MLS". Please get it right. -JCS
Re: Take away our uniqueness as a nation Not all of those are terms that are just "Euro" terms... Most of them are "soccer/football" terms. It's just like they don't change the term "football field" to "football pitch" when they play American football in Europe. There's no need to "Americanize" the simple terms of the game. It is a pitch. It is a clean sheet. It is a table. It is a draw. etc... leave it at that. and you can't be serious about the 8 v. 8 overtime, followed by PKs... WORST. IDEA. EVER.
Re: Take away our uniqueness as a nation Isn't that what MLS tried to do at first? I dont think it worked and thats why you get teams changing names and not name their teams after animals. I like watching MLS and I follow the league regularly, I was just making a suggestion.
Re: Take away our uniqueness as a nation There are only 6 teams in each conference, If there were at least 10 teams then yeah a play-off system would be nice.
The East/West format is the way to go for now. The United States is not small in area by any means. To do a single table with a balanced schedule would be extremely difficult on teams and their travelling costs. MLB did the same thing a few years ago. Although they have had divisions for awhile, only a couple years ago did they move to an unbalanced schedule. Again, we are not the size of England or Germany. Conferences are a positive in MLS for many years to come.
I didnt say they were the top four teams, I was giving examples. Dont take this too serious guys, you know I am a fan of MLS.
Re: Take away our uniqueness as a nation Along those lines... You don't "sack the manager." You "fire the coach." Considering that we call it "soccer", should a team have "FC" in its name? And if we overlook that, since in English the natural inclination would be to say "Dallas Football Club", shouldn't it be Dallas FC instead of FC Dallas? Doesn't anybody realize that part of the problem with getting people interested in soccer for the first time is that is just seems a little too foreign? A little too unfamiliar? Names like "CD Chivas USA", "Real Salt Lake", and "FC Dallas" just make casual sports fans go "What the hell are they talking about?". Why don't we just move the whole league to Europe?
Re: Take away our uniqueness as a nation Shouldn't it be the LA Striped Goats? At least that's what they are called in Guadalajara. So sorry Chivas Ralladas de Guadalajara. Ralladas o Rayadas my spanish is no bueno.
Re: It should be Dallas SC Guess what, guys, I have read over your comments to my post and have decided that...... I like cheese! -VON
If you made a single table, then San Jose would play fewer games against LA, LA would play fewer games against Chivas, and DC would play fewer games against the Metrostars. I can't see that as a good idea.
The SOLUTION for pro soccer in america(MLS) REVISITED -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The SOLUTION for pro soccer in america(MLS) ________________________________________ hey guys , i am new to the boards but i wanted to put down my thoughts and suggestions for MLS expansion and Improvement for the League....... so far i like all those ideas already posted and hopefully maybe MLS would one day put some of those ideas to use. but hey i have beeen thinking of this solution: OK CHeck this out, right now MLS has 12 teams under 2 conferences. i think for all markets and future markets of MLS can benifit with a structured format that can reflect booth american soccer fans and others abroad. her goes..... Lets expand from 12 to 24 within the next 5 to 7 yrs. continue to utilize the current MLS tables format but with a twist. ,ake MLS COnferences east and west in to league of there own with 12 teams each. each team during the regular season will play 22(home n home) games within there respective conference. At the end of the season the top points team will win the Conference(league) and recieve auto matic berth to CONCACAF champions cup(2 top US MLS Teams). NOw also u might ask what about the other 12 teamsin the regular season.. simple answer. Also in the regular season each conference team will compete with all the other opposite conference teams in either a 12 game or 24 game(home nhome) those number can be tallied under a different cup lets say MLS interconference cup or something, at the end of the season the top points winner will win the cup regrdlees of conference. now u probably ask again what about the MLsCUP? Good question, first let me say before i get into this. in america its common and traditonal to have playoffs after the regular season unlike the euro leagues, which is unique to us americans.....so i suggest to set up the MLS CUP PLAYOFFS as its seperate "go getter" type competition. think like this, before major legue baseball did interleague yrs ago they traditonally had the teams play within there leagues( american and national) then the only interleague competion u see is the allstar game and world series. NOW here is what i suggest for MLS CUP. take the top 4 teams of 12 in each conference,and set up a 8 team championship tourney pairing each conference teams against the other and in agg knock out format. Ofcourse the Championship will be at a netural site and the championship match will be a single game. the MLS CUP will be awarded to the best team of that tourney. to be continued...... part 2 The SOLUTION for pro soccer in america(MLS)cont.... ________________________________________ ok now if u read the first thread then you will have a better understanding of this one....the suggestion was basiccally to expand from 12 to about 24 teams and split the league to seperate leaguess under named conferences. each team will have 22 regualr season gameswithin there conference and the top points winner will win the conference league and auto berth to champions cup. then i expalined the interconference matches for a cup. and explain how to reformat the MLS CUP as well. also i have other suggestions start gradual, but set format- what i mean is there 12 teams this yr, and possibly 2 more to make 14 total for 06. maybe if possible to add 2 more by 06 so there at least 8 teams per conference, and start the transition from one league to dual league there. Establish conferences and seperate leagues or sub leagues.- show case the conferences (east and west) more set up a more regional concentration toshow more intensitiy in rivalries(chivas -galaxy)in each confereces. if possble maybe down the road in a few yrs each conference have there own telivision contract (look at NFL NFC teams are on FOX afc on CBS) therefore with the tv exposure and a fair revenue agree ment among all teams to share this can be profitable and increase popularity. ie lets say the east gets a NBc game of the week and east get a abc game of theweek of something then all the other games can be on cable like FSC or ESPN2 or something, or locally. AND restablish a trophy and cah pay out for winner of the conferences at seasons end.(MLS cup will be BIG pay out) make a possible euro/Nascar approach---- what i mean by this is like euro teams and other international team maybe it doesnt hurt for a little euro thrown like adding coroprate sponsors in front of the jersey, at least do it on international club matches( ie champs cup or copa libertadores). also i think u should integrate title and nicknames- for example lets say FC DALLAS '96 is the team Name right add a "secondary" nickname ie REDBULLS or something. or maybe DC united Diplomats(from old washington diplomats in NASL in70s and 80s) i think it can related and satify most soccer fans debating euro and american names. also some euro teams have nicknames but not priioritied like arsenal (gunners) and manu(red devils). also REMEMBER AMERICAN SOCCER IS DEVELOPING A IDENTITY... current teams in mls. east--- dcu, metrostars, revolution,kc wizards, crew,fire west--- sanjose, lagalaxy, chivasusa, colorado, realsl,fcdallas96. here are markets that should be in great concederation for MLS. Atlanta, Miami, Orlando, Tampa, charlotte, raliegh durham, philly,rochester, ny seattle, las vegas, portland or, st louis, houston, san antonio,baltimore,san francisco, anaheim ca, minnesota, milwaukee, hartford conn, cleveland, detroit,maybe indy. also maybe set franchise in larger metro areas for derbies new york city or long island, chicago.
Re: Take away our uniqueness as a nation You sound like those SportsCenter idiots who said the NHL should eliminate ties to "conform to every other North American sports league." Huh. Well I guess baseball should eliminate innings and go to a clock then. After all, every other North American league uses a clock. As a die-hard hockey fan, I will refuse to watch the shootout. It's a bastardized, artificial way of ending a game. It's even worse than college football's overtime.
Re: Take away our uniqueness as a nation Yeah, you're probably right, but I still like cheese. On a side note, as a hockey fan, it probably will not be too hard for you to not watch hockey since you went a whole year without it anyway. At least you still have lacrosse; I hear they don't have a shootout, but they do have a 2 point arc and a shot clock. Oh yeah, since when did I say I hated ties. All I said was I wanted overtime with less players to clear some space. I just said to go to pk's if they really wanted to satisfy the folks who hate the sister kissing. I also hate the way college football does its overtime. I am just as much of a soccer purist nerd as everyone else on here for the most part. I love the game just the way it is, but I do think there are a few very simple things the sport could do to make it even better that would not be gimmicky. -Von
Re: Take away our uniqueness as a nation What is wrong with college football's overtime? I hope you meant the NFL's. NCAA's is actually fair. And there is nothing wrong with having a shootout to end a game. If the two teams can't break a tie in overtime, then going to shootout is pretty proper. I'd like to see a winner.
What's the point of finishing third in the Championship in England if you might just get knocked out in the playoffs while the sixth-place team gets promoted?
Re: Take away our uniqueness as a nation What pissed me off the most with the NHL was the OT winner gets two points an the loser gets a point because if two divisional rivals play then 3 points can be given out between them instead of two.