Thank you!! Taylor better start up top with Glen next game because they need to go all out and score at least two goals, which seems to be impossible for this team right now. Bradley sucks, Woly sucks, and the linesman from last night sucks.
Analysis? Why bother -- just jump to conclusion (there is only one): Metros scuk and have bad coaching, marketing, promotion, management and facilities. Why so few attendees? Hmmmm? Let's see: It's late October in the Northeast and gametime is set for 7:30 (after the sun goes down). Why have 4:00 matches in June and July, when the sun is scorching, and night games in October when it is cooler than really comfortable? Did anyone involved in MLS or the MetroStars grow-up in the Untied States? Does anyone in marketing know anything about the impact of climate on a product designed to be used outdoors? Does anyone really think MLS playoffs can compete with MLB playoffs? Metros are a huge disappointment, MLS sucks, Giants Stadium is a shthole! I see little reason to continue being a season-ticket holder. Travel to DC? Yeah, right! Drive a few hours to sit in the cold and watch your team scuk in a hostile away stadium. Yum! Sounds like a real blast! Wow! I feel better!
Watching the game live it looked like we should of had a penalty kick late in the second half. But I was sitting behind goal so maybe it was a good no call. Maybe someone who was watching on FSW could clarify that call for me. 2 goal deficit is not impossible to overcome. Metro will have to play an inspired game free of mistakes and god damnit they need to put the ball in the back of the net.
The only real star on DC is Nowak, the coach. He knows the game, and he has his players doing the max they can. DC players are good players and in addition Nowak has taught them to play a physical european style. They are organized. Every thing, like goal kicks for example, is organized and planned. None of this kick and fetch. Nowak is imho the best coach in MLS.
I figure he's good for one more year -- he did get us into the playoffs, which 80% of the league manages to do. Bradley's sucess in Chicago was astounding -- and he has the most wins of any coach in the league, but you'd never guess that from his stint with Metro. 9 years of mediocrity. This team seems to bring out, not the worst, just the mediocre in everyone involved with it. It will take a vastly improved team to spark the kind of the support the league should have in this region. The soccer doesn't even have to be pretty, just consistently good enough to win at home and tie on the road. We have never had a team like that. As pointed out, every time we have the chance to win the affection on 25 to 30k, we blow it. Only twice, in '96 against Tampa, and a few years ago against DC, did we come back from a deficit infront of a big house, and win the game. Show that kind of heart and ability to win consistently, we would see a lot more people in the stands all the time. DC has come through stretch of bad years, but they had a history of very good years to remind fans the potential was there to return to the top. All Metro has ever been able to offer is mediocrity, and coaches passing through the turnstile.
My wife watched the game at home. As soon as I walked in the door, returning from the Swamp, she said "that was ugly, and I hate Earnie Stewart," so I guess the offside was clearly seen on the tube, especially on replay. She also said Shepp and the other bloke in the booth wondered what the "Where's your father" chant was about. When I told her, she was scandalized. I thought she was going to smack me, and she's taken all our vulgar stuff (English and Spanish) with aplumb. Considering the reaction in the booth -- and the surge of maternal sympathy for the wunderkind it could engender -- it could be dropped from the repertoire; no great loss. It seemed one of the dumber ones to me; I didn't get into that one any more than "Aiden Brown's a heretic." I really get a kick out of all our other stuff -- even the losing chants, which we get to sing a lot these days.
Sitting here still shell shocked. Somebody mentioned Rimando as DC's hero. He was. I didn't think Rimando still had that in him. It's too bad (for us), he was terrible at the beginning of the year. Jonny Walker, though, did much to restore my faith in him, but with Stewart's offside goal, what can you do? Even though SGR makes some nifty passes, I don't think Bradley should EVER sub him in again, much less start him the way many posters here advocate. He doesn't use his body, just his feet! Lisi! Could he have been this year's missing link? Bradley talked about Gilberto during the week, but he didn't play (injury?). If we play 3-5-2 next week, I hope he can come in and strut his stuff. On a side note, isn't he with us on loan (like Taylor?) If so, will we get him back next year? I was impressed though, that the team finally has most of its players available, and hope to see the 3-5-2 again, perhaps with Gilberto or Lisi as wide men instead of Regan. I still believe. Hoping for at least two goals. I think Jonny Walker could win us a shoot out.
I want to see EVERY team in MLS to have tons of fan support, whether it bouys them to some hardware or not. I want to see fannies in those seats, I don't care who or why. My hats off to DC fans who travelled the 4 hours to be there and the Metro fans who will do the same this weekend. It's not beyond the Metros to win the next match by 3. I think that having the season run so late into football season and the world series and whatever else, hurts attendance.
I can't fvcken wait for this trip! The more hostile environment the better! Let's hope Old Bill has to form a human chain around us for "our own protection".....
I have been following this team for 9 years, since day one when they signed Tabby. I am finally losing faith in the organiziation and find the game very boring at this time. Been thru the Parreira's, Bora's, OZ Man and all the other great coaches of the past. Just seems to me the MLS does not favor our team as it seems to do periodiacally for all the other franchises, especially Columbus and Dc right now. Szetella is a typical example. What did we get for the great Clintless.. SGR???, can't be can it? Other teams load up with Sannah and the new CM on DC, what's his name.. Gomez or whatever that kills us. Oh yeah, we get Glen , the human flopper and T Bone the invisible in moves that are basically not even lateral at best in terms of replacement. And we sucked with them. Pope was good addition but he too is past his prime and injury prone. Who was that guy we got a few years ago that played 3 minutes at the end of the year with the pony tail that used to be a great Nationla team player before he hurt his knee?? Jaime sux with us but is a star with DC. How did DC pik up Stewart last year?? How did they get Nelson?? Can our GMs be that stupid or does MLS itself control this? I find it hard to believe we can have 9 years of stupid GM moves. Now I know what it must be like to be a Boston redsox fan.
Oh, and DC's atmosphere IS helped by the smaller stadium and the one side of the stadium being a giant wall where no fans can sit. So, no, I'm not saying that the crowd was HUGE last night, but stick us in the equivalent of RFK and I think our fans can hold our own....
The team played hard all game. They didnt play well, but how many times did we see them play well this season. 3,4,5 times maybe. We just are not a good team, bottom line. We have just as good of players as DC, but we are not nearly as good of a team. Out classed. No way around it. The goal at the end is almost a METRO trademark at this point. For me, Its not about line ups or players or schemes or whatever, to me, this is a team of strangers. No consistency, no creativity, no flow to their game ect ect ect. Bradley did a bad job this year. I hope next year he does better, cause this season is done now.. Man this game bummed me out
By enlarge they have a better fan base than we do.. ESC is awsome, Eagles and bara bara are good too, but when you take those out of the equation our fans are pretty horrific. Your right too, RFK is 10 times better for soccer.
Our history of losing hasn't helped our fanbase. Not to mention LONG TIME OBSESSIONS with the Yankees, Giants, Jets, Mets, Knicks, Rangers, and Islanders.......Oh, and you can throw in the Devils and Nets but people don't care about them anyway. The Cosmos were the one team in the old NASL that had tremendous support(there were probably others), but that was helped by Pele and most of all....WINNING!
Just because they havent won a championship doesnt mean they havent had good seasons with great players. Theyve made it to the World Series a bunch of times, they are contantly in the race for playoffs(something that is actually of worth in MLB). We on the other hand have had 1 good season our whole existance and had very few good players. And to top it all off our Front Office staff continues to chase away fans and make this team look like it belongs in the XFL. Atleast even in losing the Red Sox players and staff give that team hope and some tradition. Its way worse being a Metro fan.
ESC is sh!t to tell you the truth. DC brought in the same amount of people to the swamp. When was the last time(if ever) the ESC brough that many people to RFK? I tell you alot of people here pat themselves on the back for doing nothing. Im all for helping ESC grow but lets not jerk ourselves off for doing NOTHING. We didnt even do anything at home. WHere were the banners?Confetti? Streamers? The kids who were going crazy in 102 had more balls than the people in 101. Sure they were annoying, but its that kind of enthusiasm one needs to display, the ESC needs to involve kids like that and take their enthusiasm and teach them the songs, beats, etc. Instead everyone just ignores those kids and acts as if they are too cool for school.
That's right blame the front office because the team Tank Bradley put together is getting it's ass kicked by DCU.
The banners were there. "The Spirit of the Metros" banner was at the top of the ESC. Several banners were hung below the railing over the wall. I hung 1 up. The confetti and streamers are banned from Giants Stadium. Copant tried to bring in confetti and it was confiscated. Large flags with poles attached to them are banned.
Tank Bradley put this team together. When he took over the Metro were better than DCU. 2 years later DCU beats the Metro like a drum. Any other coach and the "real" fans would be howling for his head. It must help to have relatives in the supporters club.
At least the 2001 team, WITHOUT MATHIS, with an all star midfield of Villegas, Chung, Williams and Paule were able to show some pride and beat the Galaxy at Giants Stadium 4-1 in the first round of the playoffs. The Galaxy went on to MLS Cup that year but not before having to beat the Metro on a fluke sudden death overtime goal after the series was tied after 3 games. Say what you want about the front office and say what you want about the coaching staff pre-Bradley but at least that team showed some heart in front of the home fans.
The Cosmos were the one team in the old NASL that had tremendous support(there were probably others), but that was helped by Pele and most of all....WINNING![/QUOTE] Go to kenn.com for NASL attendance. Like all statistics, the numbers were subject to tinkering. There were impressive numbers for several franchises and poor numbers for others. The desire to match the NFL's number of teams and divisions overexpanded the league, and the lack of a TV contract hurt the bottom line. I doubt that any team actually made money.
See this the kind of DENIAL people are in. The fact is, there was 1 Metro banner hanging from the rail. The other two were supporting the Polish National Team(Theres a Polack joke in there somehere). The Walker one was barely visible. Yet DC, brought in around 8-10 banners to an AWAY GAME! Basically it looked like a home game for them. Its a shame that ESC member think they actually did "good" this game. Im pretty ashamed to have DC fans come in here and basically make this their home. Its so sad ESC members feel they did one better.
Give credit to DC for showing up in strength with their supporters club banners (BB/LN/SE) & another large one behind their section. Also give credit to GS for allowing them to display the banners & allowing them their own end of the stadium in 121 behind the goal. If they were treated like ESC & Metros fans at DC, they would have been in the third level, out of sight & mind.