This may turn out to be redundant... As I posted in the general MLS thread, I am looking to get more into MLS. In doing so, the best way I know to do that is to choose a team or two to follow more closely. I live in Tennessee, so really no team is close. I do plan on trying to watch games of course, but I can't watch all the teams. I just don't have the time. I have a career, wife, and two kids under the age of 2. So I am trying to narrow down a team or two to follow and watch. My wife and I get little TV time anymore, so I have to bargain and trade off her show for mine a lot. I don' t have many and can use an MLS games. I follow Arsenal in the EPL regularly and US national soccer in depthly. As I have explored teams, what most draw me are 1) style of play and club committment to a style, 2) players (style and particularly those at the US national level, 3) locale (closer to Tennessee the better), 4) look (its last but its there). I hope to find a team I can truely get behind during good seasons and bad. They mean more that way. I have narrowed it down to four. DC United, Sporting Kansas City, New England Revolution, and Real Salt Lake. I can research players, locale, and team look. What I would like information on is your team's playing style, management reputation, and overall expereince as a follower/fan of your team. Mostly I am interested in descriptions of playing style. I am going to post this same message on each of the four teams and compare. I would deeply appreciate your input. I hope that discussing such things related to your mls team is enjoyable enough that this isn't a burden or a favor but a chance to express your opion about your teams history, expereince, and future. Thanks for any comments. ;-)
Granted it was two years ago, but this was one of the most enjoyable sports moments of my life and probably made a lot of fans.
I would suggest that you watch the game against San Jose on Sunday afternoon on NBC to see what our style and stadium atmosphere is like.
are you sure it's on nbc sports? their website says they're showing la @ houston. hmmm, the skc website says our game is on nbc sports. nothing like a little conflicting information. EDIT: sigh. nevermind. i'm an idiot. i see it now. welcome to the skc forum, pragidealist. i'll let others warm you to skc, so the advice i'll give is to cross handball united off your list, pronto. i mean, you can choose them, but you'll then have to shower like 10 times a day just keep the filth in check, and you already sound like you're pressed for time, so...
MLS Cup 2004 KC played DC we were up 1-0 due to a Jose Burciaga goal. Throw in came to Alecko Eskansarian who handled the ball, Michael Kennedy (who also blew the PK call in the LSP opener) didn't call it. Eskansarian scored on the play to tie the game KC lost 3-2. So because of that hand ball they are referred to as Handball United.
I've always felt the best way to latch on to a team is to attend a game. If you ever get a chance to make up to KC for a game, I think you'd be turned on. Out of the four teams you listed, I think we win in that department.
Ok, I have MLS Live. What would be a good match to watch to get a good feel for this team? Sometimes they dont play well, sometimes the other team takes away what they want to do too well, and sometimes they just have lucky games. What would be a good example match?
Question: Is Sporting KC ownership/managment committed to attractive soccer or winning above all? As I said, I like Arsenal in the EPL largely because of their style. Sporting KC definitely seems to embrace attacking soccer this season, but do they embrace attractive soccer? Not necessarily possession Arsenal is primarily a counterattacking team. There is a move to be more possession oriented but that is more recent and is in response to recent international trends. What I like is their passing, combination play, and attacking mindset. KC seems to have the attacking mindset, but is it a coach thing or a club thing?
Not sure this will impact your decision but a good friend of mine is from Knoxville and I converted him to an SKC fan. On top of that, he has converted several people back in Knoxville to being SKC fans as well because they visited him and came to a game. So, you would not be alone as a Tennessean SKC fan. Whatever you do, dont choose DC. Cross them off immediately or you will slowly lose all self-respect and karma will constantly shit on you for your choice.
Are most KC goals scored on crosses? It seems to be what I see the most in the few highlights and I am watching the condensed version of slc vs skc.
Style you say.... Right now, its called: press high and run around the pitch like a bunch of raving lunatics, hit poor crosses on set plays, and compile a poor strike rate. That said, we do have excellent dances for when we do finish. In Sapong, Dwyer, Little K (reserve team player), Kamara, and Sony Saad, we have the best dance team in MLS. On top of that, we have a Parisian centerback who enjoys yellow cards, sun tanning, legitimate theater, and ladies fashion; and, we have a GK-captain who smokes cigarettes after practice, buys beer for the travel Cauldron, and once beat up his own teammate during a practice. Our GM stands in the Cauldron before playoff games, and its not uncommon to see our owners in the parking lot tailgate beer lines during away matches. Our GK aside, we even fight cancer in our spare time. Whats not to like about all that? Absolutely nothing I say. (Should you want to come to a League match at LSP, I'll get you a ticket). We even have a super fan/mad man who runs around the members' stand wearing a war bonnet on match days. He can even repair and custom paint your car if needed. Yes, we have style, and then some....
Don't forget that he once get pelted with a hotdog by a Columbus fan, took a bite out of it, and threw it back.
You know, we were looking to write a new "About Sporting KC" for the website... I think you just did it for us
Prag, I watch waaay more soccer than I should. Of your list, I would say SKC and RSL are the two teams that play the most entertaining soccer. Attacking pressure, ball possession, and organized defending. Both teams have players with colorful personalities, but we have a few more than them. Stadium atmosphere will probably level out to about the same between the two, but SKC has the upper hand right now with the buzz created by the new stadium. Where SKC really shines is the ownership group. Want to go to a game in Chicago to watch SKC...ownership may well buy your ticket! Want honest opinions about what is going on in the business side, ownership makes you feel like you are part of the process. I am a fan that lives outside the KC area, and can tell you this is a fun team to follow from afar primarily because of the steps the owners have taken to put info out on the net. Funny player interviews on youtube (do a search for Sporting Kansas City's channel, you will not regret it), great blogs, great ownership interviews....all available online and more content than most any other team. Keep that in mind as you pick a team, because it really makes following SKC from afar much easier.
Does SKC play with good ball possession? What I am seeign from the concentrated matches are a lot of aerial attacks. Their favorite way of scoring seems to be a cross through the air to a big forward, does that sound correct? OR is a game or two clouding my perspective?
Totally, totally agree! I'm a KC native living down in East Texas - SKC is so easy and fun to follow because of the great use of social media and the web and the awesome leadership of the ownership. I'm driving up tomorrow for a week with family, so I'll be at LSP Sunday and hopefully will make it to Tuesday's Open Cup match. It's one of the fun pluses of visits home. Go Sporting!
Sock puppet. The questions are too weird and outlandish. No ones asks this. Just watch games dude. Coming next will be, "Do you feel that the payers enjoy fabric softener on their socks or are they more 'gritty' when it comes to lower kit replenishment?"
I appreciate all the input. Right now I have four teams to follow. I think I'll naturally get pulled one way or another over time. D.C United is the one, as I watched MLS live concentrated games, I enjoyed watching the most. As a player, Hamid sticks out for me. As a former GK, he is fun to watch. I like the location as many fans mentioned. Its a location that I could enjoy visiting several times with interest beyond soccer. The negative is the word about their ownership/stadium. Where will it be long term, will it commit to attrative soccer long term. I also wish there was a field player that pulled me more. RSL, I like their committment to attractive soccer and team mentality. I like their committment to development. It reminds me of Arsenal. Gil is the interesting one to keep track of there for me. I wasn't overlly impressed though with their attacking mentality. They look more like a baby Barca than a baby Arsenal. I actually get more of the attacking mentality feeling from DC, though I wonder if the committement is there for it long term. SKC, I like the fan love and committment to the ownership. Its the kind of thing that can develop long term appreciation. Zusi is the interesting one for me to watch. Mostly there seems the most excitement about SKC. They seem to depend more on an aerial attack than I care for right now. But I like their intensity and high pressure style of defense. Revolution- I am not sure. I like what heaps is doing. I like Feilhaber. I like the kits, logo, and color the best. I just have to wonder if I would be setting myself for a long term frustration. I have never expereinced so many fans warning me away from the team. I like the idea of coming in on a team that can swing up but not at the top of tables- so I'm not jumping on a team for its recent success. But I would want to have a feeling that they are going to swing up. Overall I have some good teams to follow and can find one I like. I appreciate the help
I'm glad somebody said it. I was going to in a much more rude way but restrained myself. I don't know how you pick a team to follow like you're trying to decide on a pair of designer trousers. Personally, if this isn't just some silly amusement session, I hope he goes with the Revs. They need the most support.
Or, ya know...the poster just wants more info about teams from the people who should know most about them. Being an ass to people who are considering following your team is a pretty poor way to gain new fans. On topic,diego and koprules give a great outline. Skc right now is fun to follow for more than just on the field because the players have a lot of personality and the FO is doing a great job of keeping us "in the loop" so to speak. On field, high pressure, fast pace and physical. Moments of awesome movement and vision that they just can't seem to make happen regularly, but it feels like they are close.
Do you know the story of how Luis Gil came to RSL? Long story short, we won a lottery for him (mind you the was the first one we had ever won, in 15 years), he demanded to play some place "closer to home" ( ie. just not for us) So we were forced to trade him away for a measly 1 year forgein player slot. Where did Gil play the rest of that season? Miami. freaking miami, twice as far from home than KC. Between the U-17 and Olympic qualifying campaigns, he has split equal time between national team and RSL. He has seen far more minutes on the feild for the USA than RSL, if you wan't to give credit for development look at nats just as much. Jason Kries didn't bring this guy up, he was gifted to him.