ESPN's Canales: league organizers bungled scheduling ensures LA will not make playoffs

If Don Garber put the Kibosh on the back-weighted road schedule, every other owner in MLS would beat him to death with their bare hands in the conference room. Regardless of who originally thought up the idea, it was never, ever going to be re-considered or pulled back. And not just due to AEG's stupidity. Everyone else, DC's owners, Houston's owners, etc were greedy and wanted to sell as many tickets as possible.

Basically, Galaxy fans are pissed off b/c we were already handicapped w/ Alexi Lalas and AEG (those grand owners of the LA Kings) running things, and then because of everyone's greed (AEG, ESPN, MLS and the other owners) it just got even worse. Basically, we're sick of being kicked while we're down.

 

Injuries, injuries, injuries. We had our whole starting back line injured before the Beckham Road Show started, and no form of scheduling would have saved the team from that.

Much like last year's Columbus Skeleton Crew.

That, and some really poor trades. I wouldn't have traded Sturgis or Findley for Klein, let alone both of them.

 

I'm sorry but any article that blames only one party for the mess LA finds itself in is not credible to me.

 

ONE MORE TIME

LA has no one but LA to blame for the mess they are in right now.

Did they really have to be included in the Superliga, when Chivas would have been a better choice. Heck, the Fire would have made more sense than the Galaxy (USOC Champ).

Yeah, I know, they "Made it to the Finals", they "Almost Won".., But the fact is now they have to face RSL, days after a 120 minute ball buster that injured their biggest star... So ask yourself, what right do they have to complain after throwing everything they had into the Superliga, while dropping season points right and left...???

Same thing with their USOC run, WTF were LA's top players doing playing in that tourney when LA needed them rested for MLS...?

Why add 4 needless friendlies to the schedule when you already have 2 tournaments (Superliga + USOC), and a psuedo-tournament (World Series) already...?

The other problem that falls square on the the Galaxy, is that they not only had two DP's sucking up most of the air in the room salary-wise, but a handful of other players that are expensive (by MLS standards) for what they produce. Meaning all that was left for roster depth was what could be had on the cheap.

As a result, you have a combination of a roster with no depth, playing one of the busiest schedules in MLS... Duh. Compare that to say>>> Houston, who went on a winning streak while their top players were absent for international duty (That = Depth).

LA should stop whining, and just accept the fact that this season is a wash.

If they were smart, they would start working on next season now, start building the team around a solid backline, and quick counters-set piece scoring formula. In the meantime, play the youngsters as much as possible for the remaining season, and see who is worth keeping.

Everyone could respect that, and everyone would look forward to seeing what kind of team they would have next year with a healthy Beckham at the helm. If the galaxy would come clean about their problems, instead of blaming their schedule, then I think they would garner a lot more respect (throughout the sporting world).

Right now everyone is just laughing at the Galaxy (and MLS as a result) thanks to Lalas' big mouth, and all the unrealistic hype that was built up.

 

Chivas??? And their 12K average reported attendance?

Over the Galaxy's 23K average attendance?

You're shitting us, right?

The Galaxy's inclusion in Superliga was to ensure its success so that the tournament would get off on the right foot.

Be...cuz... the league gave them a shitload of time off in April and May and there was nothing else to do.

And again... the World Series had been in the making for over a year.

THIS falls on the shoulders of management.

But even Garber's assertion that the Galaxy wanted to back-end their schedule has been called into question.

7 of the 9 defenders that get playing time are currently injured.

So... how do you suggest "working on the backline" when they're injured?

 

audio: Yallop goes OFF 'bout the effects of the schedule on his players

Lots o' F'bombs, so beware...

 

AEG may have asked for a back-weighted schedule, but it certainly didn't stop some of the other non-AEG from trying to cash in. And, so, there is probably a little bit added pressure for appearances.

Now, the area where AEG is probably more in control, is the facilities aspect. This schedule is so back-weighted that between Chivas and Galaxy, there are 13 home soccer games between now and October 20th. And, obviously, there have been other events at HDC over the summer. So, although AEG controls its venue, once it has established an event schedule, it probably has less room to move events around.

And, AEG continues to stage events. Isn't the game in Australia still in the works for later this year as well as other promotional tours?

 

Let me guess, if Becks came in and somehow helped this losing team to start winning we wouldnt hear any of this whining.

These are legit gripes sure, no doubt. But atleast speak out about before hand instead of complaining about it when it doesnt work out in your favor.

 

Becks is a great player and all... but how does that help you when 7 of your top 9 defenders are injured and/or playing injured?

And they have to keep playing b/c there's another game in 3 days and somebody's gotta play. So they can't recuperate.

How is Becks going to fix that?

You mean... when the schedule was announced?

'Cuz... he did.

 

I never heard Yallop making a big deal about the schedule earlier on; if he did, then point recinded.

The first part you took completely out of context.

 

That's a bunch of BS.

The largest cheers of the night were for the Galaxy. Just because the majority of Galaxy fans sit on their hands during the match doesn't mean they weren't there.

There were no more then 5,000 Pachuca fans last night.

 

Not only is it BS, but it definitely wasn't the case in the opening round meeting as well.

 

No, I am not.

The POINT was not just to sell seats at HDC, it was to create a tie-in between MLS and the MFL fanbase, and Chivas was CREATED to appeal to that very same demographic.

No, the Galaxy was included because AEG wanted it included, so they could make more money off of your franchise.

No one made the Galaxy participate in the Superliga, they were asked to do so, and they accepted, so it is 100% the Galaxy's fault for adding yet another long series of games to their overburdened schedule.

Really...? Because I was also talking about the upcoming friendlies you have, with the two USL teams (Whitecaps and Thunder) as well...

WTF does having time off in April and May have to do with the moronic inclusion of those two away friendlies in the middle of October...? The very same time period your Front Office is crying a river over having so many away games.

Nice try.

Agreed.

Note that all the top teams right now have not used the DP or Double DP slots, and have instead opted for spreading out their salary allotment to better the team as a whole, not just one or two positions...

But the point stands, that your team, as a result has less depth, and is less able to handle international callups, injuries, and overall team fatigue of an average sesson, let alone one with all the extra crap your management added on...

That's not the fault of MLS, that's your team's choice, that's your team's fault, when it comes back to haunt them later in the season.

I was not that impressed with your defense even before anyone was injured.

Once again your front office chose to spend it's dollars mostly on offensive personnel, and IMO just counted on Cannon covering what got past the defense. What I am saying is that they need to retool the entire squad to something more like Houston's system. I'm surprised Yallop didn't do this during the preseason... But then again, I'm betting that Lalas felt he knew better than Frank, and forced your current team down his throat.

Face it, the subject of this thread is that the Galaxy feel slighted by so many away games in the latter half of your season, but like i have ponted out, other teams have overcome just such an imbalance (06 Fire), so why can't LA...?

The main reason is because the Galaxy did not win enough games in the first half of the season, to carry them through the second half.

That is not the fault of MLS, that is the fault of the Galaxy.

The only thing you can blame MLS for is that it is changing, and the Galaxy no longer have a "free ride" into the Westen Conference Playoffs. This was shown last season, and the situation has only gotten worse with the change in the playoff format (towards overall standings), and the improvement of your competition.

Chivas has gotten much much better, Colorado can beat you, and even RSL has improved to the point where I seriously doubt you will beat them this weekend. Dallas has yet to repeat it's usual second half slump, and Houston is as tough as ever. Add in the fact that you are now competing for a playoff spot with Chicago, KC, and Columbus, and your chances of an early off season once again is looking good.

Sorry if most of us do not feel sorry for LA, after watching your team coast into the playoffs without trying year after year... If anything you suckers play less real "away" games, since you get to "hit the road" against Chivas TWICE every year...

Oooops, forgot about that built in advantage MLS gave you, didncha...?

So IMO the Galaxy can "man up", deal with the new situation, and rebuild itself into a Bad Ass team worthy of respect... Or, It can continue to whine and cry about how "hard" they have it, and continue their rapid decline.


Nuff said.

 

That was, for all intents and purposes, a different team. Albright got injured quite early in the campaign. Marshall, thank god, is gone.

Roberts started off the season injured for weeks, and he was coming around really well after his rookie season. Veris got injured quite early on.

You haven't seen our backline play together.

But Albright -- Harden -- Xavier -- Jazic... not too shabby. That's 2 national current national teamers sandwich a former Portuguese nat and a quality rookie in Harden.

These guys have never played together.

Year after year?

How many years has the Galaxy qualified 4th in their conference? Twice in the entire history of the year: 2003 and 2005.

You mean... like the 27K this year in Chivas' only sell-out?

That was overwhelmingly pro-Chivas.

Oh and... NYRB "hits the road" by taking a freaking train to DC and Boston. LA has no such possibilities. We have to fly everywhere.

Or did'ja forget about the short distance btw some east coast cities and the benefits that that implies...

Did MLS "give that" to us? Is that how expansion works???

 

So you got three guys with an average age of 31 (one of which you didn't add until May), and a second round draft pick.

That's fine, but where's your backup, your "Plan B"...?

Annnnd that's the point. The Galaxy have no depth, especially in with your defense. (that's why you can score 4 goals, and still lose games). With such a thin roster, why exactly are you stretching things even further with all of the extra play...?

Here's a hint, whatever answer you come up with will not be the fault of MLS.

Every team has injuries to deal with. I fail to see what injuries have to do with LA complaining that a harsh schedule of away games is going to keep it out of the playoffs... I only mentioned it because IMO your season is already a wash, and your team should concentrate on rebuilding starting now. And IMO you need to start with your defense first and foremost. (right after getting a new GM that is)

Who exactly, did you ever really have to beat to make it into the past playoffs...? It is only recently that you have had more than one, maybe two decent teams to square off against in your conference.

Granted, that was pretty much the case MLS-wide, but now, when things have changed, why is it that your Galaxy is having the toughest time adapting to the situation...?

This is not 2005, where you can slack off all season, saving your strength for a hard drive through the playoffs and USOC... Nor can you fill up your schedule with needless extra crap, and wear yourselves out throughout your season...

You'll end up in last place <points to standings>

I would not mouth off so much about Chivas, I think you will find that they will grow in the next few years into what they were envisioned to be, and will become your greatest nemesis.

Superliga would have been a GREAT place to showcase that franchise to the proper audience, with the opponents played, and the Telefutura video coverage. IMO this would have achieved the stated goals of creating the Superliga better than including a team that did not even make the playoffs.

Say, how have those nice cushy charter flight-things been going for ya...?

Eastern Conference teams fly to a majority of their away games too... In coach. That is a piss poor comparison between traveling from DC to NY, and your team playing an "away" match at your own stadium.

This means you really do not have an real away game for the next four matches, and then you only travel to Salt Lake and back.

Your next road trip should have been a easy (travel-wise) midwestern two stop, in KC and Columbus, with a week off before going down to Houston, and a return home...

(no big deal, right...?)

But Nooooooo> Some Galaxy genius, decided that you should shove two USL away friendlies in, with one back on the West coast, and the other back over in the Midwest...

And in what way is THAT the fault of MLS...?????????????


I understand your desire to defend your team. But the fact is that they have no one to blame for this mess, and no one to look towards to fix it, other than themselves.

But why take my word for all of this? Why don't you listen to one of your own, as he says the same exact things I have in his Blog Entry, under: Spelling “blame” without “me”/August 30th, 2007 Dan Loney

 

And doesn't LA still have the best all-time record in MLS?

Kinda... sorta... MAJORLY refutes your point.



But let me ask you this: do you think it's smart to back-end the schedule like the league did?

 

No, it does just the opposite, that the majority of your years, has been play against lesser competition in your western conference, meaning an easy ride into the playoffs.

Now that you face tougher competition, you have missed the playoffs for the first time, and are almost guaranteed to miss it again for the second year in a row.

As I pointed out, you really do not have it that bad, if your moronic Front Office had not added in those two USL friendlies, and if you had not played so hard in the Superliga.

If the last two months (being the "back end") are considered, then you actually only have 5 out of 12 matches away from home. FYI, that's less than half...

Your schedule is not easy, but if you had had a better record up 'til now, it would not be such a factor to overcome, and you would easily been a playoff contender.

If anything, It is more your own team playing stupid, than MLS being stupid.

 

Selective, selective memory, sweetheart.

More often than not, the west was more competitive than the east.

Gee.

I thought it was because we just sucked that year.

Did you know that we never finished lower than 2nd place in our conference until 2003? You're making shit up, dude.

Dude.

You're getting Mexican't-esque in your math, here.

The away game vs. Chivas is that: an away game.

 

IIRC, the LAG pub team easily could have avoided the following... Chelsea match, the WS of Soccer matches..and even the USOC matches (*)

* meaning, that they did not have to go all out on USOC, with the best players, since after all, having missed the playoffs last year, LD and company were supposedly looking at bouncing back by making at the very least an appearance in the MLS playoffs...a chance at MLS Cup, so .........USOC should have taken a back seat, or at least not been a top priority....

And without those games, which for the most part LA brought on itself.... people still manage to complain about their schedule?..... Wow, just wow... BTW, as a MetroRB fan, i totally appreaciate how nice it is for LA to get the chance to fly charter.. i reaaally do

 

And yet more often than not, in the past you failed to win in the MLS Cup, losing twice to a certain Eastern Conference team, once to Western Opponent (like I said), and then not winning it until your fourth attempt

No, mostly it is because Chivas got better, and sent you off into an early offseason. In 2005, you barely made the playoffs (beating out only expansion clubs Chivas and RSL). You sucked in the 2005 season too, you just happened to get hot in the playoffs + win.

My point is that you cannot pull that off anymore. It has little to do with your schedule, and more to do with that your team does not have the depth, nor overall quality to afford to play all of the extra crap your team was stupid enough to add into it's schedule.

Take it from a DC United fan, who watched his team kick ass most of the 2006 season, only to wear itself out with multiple friendlies, All Star, and international callups to the point where we had no gas left in the tank come playoff time.

Did you miss the part where I said you never had more than one, possibly two real opponents in the Western Conference each year...? That would logically mean that you should end up finishing no lower than 2nd place...

And you are just trying to change the subject, that I SAID the Galaxy cannot make the playoffs for a variety of reasons (other than your schedule), one of which is a greatly improved competitive environment in both the Western Conference, and the MLS.

I know you have been ne of the better teams in the Western Conference for a long time, but you are not now. And that is what is keeping you from the playoffs, not MLS.

Seriously, Are you trying to ignore that Chivas is not better this year...? That Dallas is not better this year, that you cannot beat Colorado...? Even you have to admit you are seriously worried about your chances against RSL now, which would have been an easy three points for you in the past.

Add that to the new playoff format, where you have to compete based on points, with Eastern Conference teams (which have been even more competitive overall than the West this year), and your Galaxy is screwed playoff-wise.

This all has nothing to do with MLS, and everything to do with you team's mismanagement.

End of Story.

In name only...

Just like the Galaxy being called a SuperClub...

 

Yeah... I vaguely remember that team...

You see... that same team began to suck ASS and eventually missed the playoffs 4 years in a row.

And they've only won one title this millenium, whereas LA's won 4 (four, cuatro). So you'll have to excuse my memory lapse.

We sucked so badly... that we won the US Open Cup as well.

And my point is that that happened only once in our team history, and we were hardly the first team to have that attitude.

That attitude is a function of the set-up of MLS, not a function of anything in the LA water or anything of the sort.

EVERY franchise goes through dry spells, just like DC did.

The only thing is that when we go through dry spells, we still win titles.

Did you miss the part in which I pointed out that more often than the West was stronger than the East?

7 of the 11 MLS Cup champs have been from this supposedly "weak" conference. 6 of the US Open Cup champs have been Western Conference, as opposed to 4 for the east.

So what were you saying????

Yeah. Finally the east is up to snuff.

 

Breaking it down to small words, and simple terms.

Your "Schedule" has nothing to do with your failure to barely make the playoffs in 2005, missing them last year, and your guaranteed exclusion this year.

By blaming MLS, the Galaxy is missing the chance to fix what is wrong, and return to form.

Which actually is alright be me, so feel free to carry on with your suckage. Just don't expect anyone to feel sorry for you.