This thread and question are aimed towards people who watched both the Crew/Metrostars telecast on ESPN2 yesterday and the United/Rapids telecast on Comcast. I couldn't help but think that the United/Rapids game was the best MLS soccer that I've ever seen. It looked so quality...akin to Champs League or World Cup, or at least dare I say European soccer. And I don't want to take anything from the Crew/Metrostars game, but it looked, well, collegiate. Is it because these two teams are some of the best in the league this year? I'm not sure, the Crew have looked really good other times... Because there were so many players on the field with European/international experience? (Stewart, Kovalenko, Stoitchkov, Quaranta, Olsen, Nelsen, Etcheverry, Spencer, Roberts, Henderson) I was also tempted to say that it was the field, and its size, but isn't Crew Stadium just as large? Finally, I also wondered if I was being fooled by a simple detail...camera angles. The camera for the United game was much higher up and provides a view of more of the field, while ESPN's closer camera seems to make the bad touches and passes stick out more. Could this have possibly been it? I am making an effort to watch more MLS this season, but it will be a lot easier to do if the games look more like DC/Col than Clb/NJ...any other opinions? Am I totally off my rocker? Also, Rongen is still annoying, but Rob and Ty and Wynalda piss me off so much, I'd take the Comcast team over the Deucebags anyday. Nick
For some reason, both games played at Invesco have looked good this year, so camera angle may have something to do with it. Also, it is possible that the field surface is more predictable and has a pace that is different from Crew Stadium--I'm just brainstorming here. Maybe the altitude....