Re: Re: Re: Here's how the Fire built their current roster. Please post the half allocation rule as well. Salary cap burn off, my ass. No way the Fire was near the salary cap in 2002. Facts are there are people who feel the league is fixed and one step away from pro wrestling. The Crew exists to show that money can be made in MLS. When Kronke(sp?) came knocking about the Rapids you think the league showed them the profits from NY, DC and Chicago or Columbus? When LA had a pair of million dollar forwards (which exceeds the salary cap by 1.5 million almost the cap itself) was it the generous profits of the big four markets floating thr bill? Crew should have a better team no doubt about it. But when other fans come in and talk about we are saps and they recieve no help it is like the welfare trailer trash bragging about how much food they can afford to families who work. Crew fans pay the bills and are the business model of the league. Having a share of the spoils is not too much to ask, is it?
2 - We need to stop whining... We lost to DC 3 times in the Eastern finals when they were THE best team in the league going away. Those games really were the MLS Championship, not the semis - DC was just that much better than the rest of the league. The Open cup is a big deal by the time it gets to the semis. USSF just doesn't promote it well. The year Rochester beat Colorado (?) here there was no hanging back on either side and the Crew LA match was terrific soccer.
1999. a good game. after last year's win i became a convert. i love the open cup -- and not just because we won, although that helped. but i caught the fever. on the way up to montreal and quebec city, suzan and i detoured through the finger lakes and stopped at oneonta for the soccer hall of fame. she suggested we go. i'm going to write a "Letter from Oneonta" for my next MLS Corner column. i have photos from the Hall which are very, very cool.
Blah blah blah. If life was fair each team would win the MLS Cup once every 10 years. Guess what life is not fair.
I kind of agree with Bradley that the game needs to be played at Oneonta, even though I have no idea where it is in NY. I just kind of think it would be kind of a cool setting and could help bring fans from around the country to the hall to watch the annual event. Your not just getting a game, but a whole soccer experience kind of thing would be the way I'd promote it. I don't know, I thought '99 would be our year. I just really liked that team make up. Hands down the best defensive unit the Crew has ever had, plus John and McBride. Then throw in the new stadium and the buzz around the city. Of course I have fond memories of '99 because that's when I became a fan.
My parents retired to the Finger Lakes. They had a place on Canadaigua Lake. Beautiful. And I'm all for holding the game there. Number one it's less than an hour from Rochester so you ought to be able to draw a decent crowd. And second, that is the heart of the wine country -little wineries everywhere. You stop in, take a short tour, and then spend the afternoon in the "tasting room". They throw out some nice edibles and, for a buck a glass you can sit on a patio overlooking some of the most beautiful scenery on the continent and get completely smashed. Delightful. And I gotta go with myshap; 1999 was our year. We had it all. Goddam Arena.
You should try that when your uncle lives in Rochester and works for Widmer. We get tours delivered by the winery owners and get to drink bottles of the special reserve - out of real glasses no less - for free. It's great!
Plus in Rochester there is a little place called "Nick Tahoe's" where you can get something called "The Garbage Plate" which was one hell of a cheap meal. Just to echo what everyone else said, the finger lakes are great. I went to school at a small college in Allegheny County (poorest in NY State!) but having Letchworth State Park, and the Finger Lakes within driving distance made it all worthwhile.
Yup, Philosophy and Political Science. And what better way to use my degree than work at a Childrens Museum.
Of course MLS is taking us for granted, and why wouldn't they? We're so massive that we keep the league afloat. This is a sign of truly being great, when the league doesn't need to hold your hand in order to be a mediocre club. We have no hand holding and we are no doubt the biggest club in North America, if not the world.
Columbus shafted? Hello? Lamar is MLS. http://www.stadianet.com/go.php?s=columbuscrew In 1999 you got some high concept helpin', with handy abbreviations like SSS, CCS, SRO... Hmmm, would I prefer Branco or a SSS? I'm not saying there's parity in MLS allocations, but you guys can't see Forest City for the trees. Could San Jose be similarly cheated, please?
Re: Re: Re: Re: Here's how the Fire built their current roster. Hristo did not come free. Chicago Fire has acquired international soccer superstar Hristo Stoitchkov. To obtain Stoitchkov, Chicago acquired an allocation via trade with San Jose. San Jose received an allocation to replace Eddie Lewis, who was transferred earlier today to Fulham of the English First Division. San Jose then traded that allocation to Chicago for the Fire's 2002 1st Round draft pick and two No. 2 picks in the 2001 MLS draft. leftwing already covered this a few pages ago. But if you have evidence to the contrary, please do post it.
Well as it happens, I grew up in Rochester. Left to come out to Ohio for school. And your scenario also works for stockholders. My Uncle bought shares in Widmer, Taylor and several others down through there. The stockholders meetings are a delight (Yearly sales and profits? Screw that crap - gimme some more of that Merlot!) and you can stop by the "tasting rooms" anytime you like.
Re: Columbus shafted? Lamar broke that horse on his own. Used to visit twice a year. My father is from Gates-Chili, and went to the now-defunct Cardinal Mooney HS (class of '66 I believe), and on to Ohio State for college.