http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/free-kicks/free-kicks/2008/01/whats-up-with-philly/ Haven't read it yet... EDIT: OK, now I have. Not a ton of new info. The Philly deal might not be final (although that seems like a technicality to me). Cooper remains optimistic.
Also an article in the Post about the Philly plan: http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sp...DB07BEDE88D86D88862573E100114309?OpenDocument Not much we didn't know, except Cooper has some more hope for us. "We've had repeated discussions with Major League Soccer and I've said all along I wouldn't at all be surprised to see Philadelphia get a team before St. Louis. We're full steam ahead and I feel we're very, very close. In fact, for the first time, I feel I can see the finish line." So, who wants to speculate what has happened so that Cooper now "can see the finish line?"
Bill Gates called Jeff and said he woke up and decided he wanted an MLS team in the midwest. Worked for Seattle.
Y'all have said it in here a few dozen times (at least). St. Louis was being used as a stick to get Philadelphia. Once MLS has Philly (which now looks like it will be a 60-90 hours thing, rather than 60-90 days), there's no need to hold out on St. Louis. They'll wait a respectful time (my guess, maybe even as long as the fall) so as to make it look like they weren't actually using St. Louis the way we know they were, then announce St. Louis. Unfortunately, now we have Miami waiting in the wings. I really hope MLS doesn't just move where they use their St. Louis slugger. At that point, I would start getting disappointed with MLS (I have the luxury that y'all don't have -- I have as close to an MLS team as I'll ever get in my city with a USL-1 team planned for '09).
Who is to say that Cooper's "finish line" is a good thing. The second place finisher still technically crosses the finish line ... he just doesn't win.
Anybody seen the recent (it ran alot in December) ESPN TV commercial with Scott Van Pelt walking by a noisy party in a private office hosted by Tony Romo? Scott opens the door to see girls, music, etc., and you know he's dying to be invited in by Romo. Tony however, just says hi without the invitation and Scott, dejectedly, moves down the hallway. Why do I feel St. Louis is Scott and Don Garber is Tony?