Greatest article ever

No it is not. I like Side-by-Side. But he is right on with the sideline interviews.

 

"a two-goal lead is the toughest to defend." Do American comentators really say that nonsense?

 

Yeah, but I'll blame the English on this one, as I've heard their annoucers say it as well. I think the first time I heard it was in 1996 the Revs were playing the Crew with only a few minutes left in the game. Jimmy Young, I think he was the announcer on Ch. 68 back then, said it and the Revs promptly gave up two goals and lost in the dreaded, and thankfully gone, shootout.

 

What do you actually like about side by side? Is the soccer that bad that you want it shrunk down to a 5th of its normal size?​

Good article though, ballsy and dead on. I liked it. ​

 

Nothing earthshattering or profound in there, but I agree 100% with his complaints.

 

Adriano isn't "German based" either unless Milan somehow got anschlüss'ed recently.

For the record, I loathe side-by-side. The only reason you see that unmitigated disaster is because the soccer ratings are so minuscule, no one wants to spend a penny to make a soccer-specific ad that would be more succinct or reliant on graphics. AFAIK, I will not purchase the products in those ads until the commercials are changed into something more palatable for the game viewer.

 

Greatest article ever? He could have made this a top-10 list in bullet-form and posted on the MLSnet.com site, and it would have been as informative.

By the way, I think the unwritten rule about commercials in soccer is that you don't stop the play on the field for a tv timeout, not that you can't affect the broadcast for a commercial.

Also, although he may be have a point about the sideline interviews, what else is the coach doing on the sideline at this time except before being an interested spectator? I'm sure there are decisions to make on subbing out injured players and the like, but it isn't as if a timeout can be called so a coach can have a lengthy discourse with his players during the flow of the game.

 

Is it really nonsense? I don't think so, but it is very vague and gives the FALSE impression that the speaker is saying that a 1 goal lead is preferable to a 2 goal lead. It is saying that "defending" while enjoying the lead is more difficult with a 2 goal lead compared to other leads. The key words are "toughest to defend". Reasons being that you are easing up while your opponent has not yet given up hope.

Another way to look at is to say that if team A is ahead of team B by two goals, team B is more likely to score the next goal compared to other situtations in which team B is behind.

I'll use some fictitious numbers to illustrate:

Team B losing by 1 goal to team A: probability team B scores the next goal is 40%

Team B losing by 2 goals to team A: probability team B scores the next goal is 60%

Team B losing by 3 goals or more to team A: probability team B scores the next goal is 30% or less.

 

It's just one of those things people say, may be true, may be not, but the way Brandi was asking the question was admittedly stupid (would you like a 1 goal lead or a 2 goal lead better? DUMB)

It's a thinly veiled attempt to get the radio shack logo on the screen. it sucks, it's a waste of time, no one will ever win and everyone knows it. get rid of it.

I would rather have this than have the gamne interrupted and not be able to see it. I am stuck in a hotel with a 20" screen and when the side-by-side comes up I am still able to see what is going on in the game and ignore the commercial. I hate the advertising heavy element in our culture but if it has to creep into soccer, i would rather have it like this than have them actually interrupt the game.

The microphone assembly is in the armpit of the player. it's not exactly in a location that many people are going to hit. This is one of the few gimmicks I actually like. Seeing landon talk with his old teammates in SJ was pretty entertaining. I do like when they wire up a coach as well.

Yes this is exceedingly stupid and you can tell the coaches are getting fed up with it. at first they seemed indifferent, but now you can definitely see impatience. and lately they have been picking the WRONG times, there's some goalmouth action almost every time now!

I hate wynalda but i think these things are put in for people who are new to soccer, or kids, which i think a lot of the viewers who discover mls on accident saturday afternoons on ESPN2 are interested in seeing. You may be a soccer elitist, but there are some who are not quite at your level yet.

 

The two goal thing is actually a common thought. I've heard it dozens of times in other countries, like Colombia, Mexico, Chile. It's just an irony that when they get two up, sometimes a team relaxes more than if they had just a single goal lead. And by relaxing they let a team back in the game, momentum shifts, and...well you get the point.

So freakin what. You'd think someone from the Washington times would have more interesting things to say about this season in MLS than "I don't like the tv presentation." hey dude, prove you've got something interesting to say about the GAME and the not the PRESENTATION.

Like about the fact that FC Dallas is the best team in the league, for the first time in the history of the league. Now that would be worth writing about.

 

I agree 100% with this article and I think the top MLS brass should read it and consider their product on tv. NOBODY likes the coach to be interviewed in the middle of a game. NOBODY likes the stupid microphone on the players because it adds NOTHING of value to the game itself. The split screen commercials are too long in my opinion and they show the same stupid commercials every game. What gives with MLS? I swear they do just as good a job destroying the game as they do trying to build it. Watching soccer around the globe you will see a very basic and simple broadcast of the game and an announcer just calling off the basics like player names, time, score, who did what and who got what card and why... etc. Now we have commentators that are constantly joking during the game as if the damn thing were not even happening.

I would also like to add that stadiums that blast ANY sort of announcements or jock rock/ music during the game is insulting to the players, the coaches and the fans. Some may feel that a stadium with no atmosphere needs a little pep but what little atmosphere that ever transpires is instantly killed with canned crap. People need to learn to watch the game and get involved when it happens naturally, it will never happen when you try to jam it down people's throats.

 

If you scroll up a few posts you will see at least one person (me) that likes the mic'd players.

and in italy they break away during live action and show commercials. in canada they pause the live action, show 2 commercials, and come back to the live action slightly delayed now. in sweden and many other european countries you can't watch any domestic soccer without paying for pay per view or watch international soccer without paying for an HBO-like premium channel such as canal+. side-by-side is preferable to all of these because it allows me to watch a game on tv without having to pay for ppv or miss any action.

if you don't like it, mute it or ignore it. there are plently of people who do like the announcer to have a little life and enthusiasm and would rather not just hear "pires... henry... HENRY... back to the keeper... silence". there is obviously an audience for max bretos because he still has a job and hasn't been told to tone it down.

this is the only part of your post i agree with.

 

How can anybody be pissed about the Magic Minute? They are giving away free money. This season, you only need a player, any player, to score during the minute to win a $1,000. Yeah, I'd hate to get $1,000 for doing absolutely nothing. I'm sure Europeans and South Americans would hate to get free money, while watching soccer on tv. That would suck. As far as sideline interviews go, its just part of our sporting culture in "America." And the side-by-sides aren't great, but you can still watch the game, so it isn't some kind of travesty. What the writer forgot to add, was MLS's failure to provide a booth in stadium during games, that allows people who are tired and embarassed of being American an opportunity to change their citizenship to English, Italian, Lithuanian, etc. Maybe there would be less complaining and overcompensation then, in comparison to their over-romanticized view of soccer around the world.

 

Agreed.

 

It is? Since when? I'd like to see a reporter go up to Bobby Knight or Bill Parcells in the middle of the game and ask them some questions.

Uh...Hunh? I don't get it.

 

I'd rather they do the "goal scoring" minutes several times per game with the various sponsors instead of the stupid side-by-side commercials. That way, someone may actually win a grand and perhaps more people would actually tune in.

This is done on the radio stations all the time and it works well during the sweeps but the key here is that there has to be a chance of winning.

And it's a good way of building up an audience.

 

i hate the way the magic minute is now, but i would prefer this idea to side by side

 

I like the Sierra Mist commercials.​

 

those side by side commercials annoy the heck out of me, as do Winalda and Chastain with their stupid questions and/or comments. I actually do like the coach interviews just to see that p.o'd look on their faces.

 

Gutbomb I respect your opinion but were talking about improving the product on the tv and in the stadium. I feel MLS games are cluttered with all sorts of stuff that distracts away from the game which should be the most important part of any MLS telecast. As for the commercials I am all for it if it helps pay bills but the way its done is not very helpful either when every game the entire year you watch on ESPN2 you have to suffer through the same GD Sierra Mist commercials over and over again for 30 seconds a pop. As for the mics on the players, well, lets say the idiotic fly cam that fell on the field during the game in LA could have killed someone. How is it a player can be mic'd and successfully play the game without it effecting his play. I'm sure you just love hearing a defender barking at his teamates to stay up, pressure, whatever. In a way its interesting but at the same time is it adding to the game or just another. Coaches being interviewed, uselss, its annoying and some of the questions are seriously brainless.

I'm glad you agreed with ONE of the things I wrote... I just don't get why your so defensive about the other points made. We are not Italy or Canada and thank GOD. I personally love the was Fox Sports World covers MLS games... simple and to the point. So far every ESPN game seems to be an experiment or a test to see just what they can come up with or get away with that bombards the viewer instead of just watching the game.