RSL Player News/Rumor/Gossip Part IV

Ellinger made it clear from Day 1 that he preferred Garlick and Seitz was the understudy and he intended to move Rimando. Had no idea cap was the issue (though clearly you don't pay your backup GK $110K). I thought it was just that he preferred Garlick and Seitz.

Columbus had bad luck with GKs last year and Walker has retired but they've got some good bodies there that I think Sigi is comfortable with.

Until the deal goes down, who knows for sure where he ends up. But this is a rough time to be a veteran GK without a team. You've got a bunch of guys: Jordan, Thornton, Meola, Rimando, Oshoniyi who have started in this league and don't have jobs. Conway and either Salas or Hislop is a sub. Seitz was the concensus most talented player in the draft and Ellinger is saying he's not a contender to start. So being able to get anything for Rimando is good knews for you guys--most of the vets have just been cut outright.

Oh, and TFKAM is a takeoff on Prince/TAFKAP except in this case its Team Formerly Known as Metros.

 

NJ Red Bras

 

Does anyone know what is up with Torres' visa? The trib is reporting he is still in CR.
http://www.sltrib.com/ci_5166304

 

Hmmmm . . . ex-Metro already have a Senior International, ex-Dutch international Ronald Wattereus and Jon Conway. Conway played very well for the last third of last season when he replaced Meola. Trade?

 

I think its ironic that there is so much unsigned goalkeeper talent out there in MLS and RSL is stuck with Garlick....

 

What?!?! Garlick is awesome. I love the way he dives after the ball has passed him to show his effort. I love how he sometimes stands rooted to the ground as the ball goes flying by.

 

Kreis was just on KNRS. He said he wants to stay here, and think the team will stay here. Then there was about 5 minutes of him answering questions about Beckham. Not too much time with him. He did say he'd be back on Friday after the announcement is made about the stadium deal.

 

Not RSL related.

Global shift in soccer?

Beckham, Liverpool bid could kick up U.S. interest in soccer




February 7, 2007



Believe it or not, there is absolutely no connection between the news that soccer star David Beckham recently signed a $250 million contract to play in the United States and yesterday's announcement that Texas Rangers and Dallas Stars owner Tom Hicks has joined Montreal Canadiens owner George Gillett in a $430.8 million bid to buy the Liverpool Football Club.

I was suspicious at first, considering Hicks' history of flushing record sums of money down a hole - most notably the only other time anyone has given an athlete (Alex Rodriguez) a quarter billion dollars - but I have been assured of three things: (1) Beckham has no connection to the legendary Liverpool squad; (2) he is not represented by Scott Boras; and (3) the New York Yankees have told Hicks that under no circumstances will they assume the remainder of any more of his $250 million contracts.

That's good enough for me.

These are two independent events that speak to a significant global shift in professional sports. Beckham's much-publicized jump to the Los Angeles Galaxy is expected to raise the profile of Major League Soccer, and the purchase of Liverpool would put 15 percent of the 20-team English Premier League under North American ownership.

(Tampa Bay Buccaneers owner Malcolm Glazer assumed majority ownership of Manchester United in 2005 and Cleveland Browns owner Randy Lerner bought Aston Villa last fall.)

American professional soccer has come a long way in the past decade, but this dynamic (though unconnected) convergence of American money overseas and European star power at home could be a sign that soccer is ready to make a major inroad into the American sports consciousness.

Of course, they said that when Pele signed with the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League in 1975, and the league folded in 1984. Beckham's giant contract could be the beginning of something big for MLS, but there is concern that the league has put all of its eggs in one basket and could end up losing the farm with this glitzy gambit.

One thing is certain, the league is going to try to squeeze every ounce of star power out of Beckham, who is expected to join the Galaxy soon after his current contract with Real Madrid expires on June 30. The MLS schedule that was released yesterday has him visiting every MLS market during the second half of the regular season except FC Dallas, and he'll likely play in an exhibition game there on July 31.

To give him maximum exposure, all but one Galaxy game following his arrival will be televised nationally by one of the league's rights-holders, creating the strange irony that the arrival of a huge European star will transform the Galaxy into the soccer version of "America's Team."

Hicks and Gillett, meanwhile, enter a British soccer market that shuddered when Glazer acquired controlling interest of Manchester United with a debt-laden takeover bid. The Liverpool bid is different, however, because it is expected to solidify the team's finances by retiring $89 million in existing debt and facilitating the construction of a new 60,000-seat stadium.

It's not a done deal. Hicks and Gillett have to acquire 90 percent of the outstanding shares of the team and have commitments for about 62 percent so far, but Liverpool chairman David Moores - who has agreed to sell his 51 percent stake and remain with the club as lifetime president - is strongly recommending the deal.

Liverpool is a cornerstone franchise that was founded in 1892 and has won 18 First Division/Premier League titles, but the most recent one was in 1990.

If the takeover is finalized, Liverpool will be the seventh Premier League club under foreign ownership. Fans of the team should be heartened by the great history of Gillett's NHL franchise, but Hicks may have some explaining to do.

After all, he once spent $252 million on one player and never sniffed the World Series.

In Liverpool, there are probably a lot of people asking the same question: "If we're going to be bought by a Yank, why can't it be the owner of the Yankees?"

 

Is Checketts spinning his wheels over at the Blues on a venture that is doomed to failure?

http://sportsbiznews.blogspot.com/2007/02/theres-no-time-like-present-fire-gary.html

 

Wouldn’t it be nice if Dave asked us for our opinion as well?...
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/em...es.nsf&docid=1000E8665A2002138625727B00174062

 

Sure. But one thing about MLS that's different than the NHL - if you write an email to the GM, he responds personally (Pastorino has done this 3-4 times with me over the past two years) and in a very thorough, thoughtful manner...

Personally, I prefer that over the questionaire.

 

Last season, as I approached Pastorino for the first time, he told me to call him whenever I need anything.

You're not going to get that anywhere else. RSL is very lucky to have this guy.

 

I don't disagree but there are certain trends that can be identified when a business gathers collective customer intelligence...

 

Not RSL related.

The smart money is betting on soccer
http://wagnercomm.blogspot.com/2007/02/smart-money-is-betting-on-soccer.html

 

Without question- his argument is the one soccer fans should always referance vs. soccer haters.

Look at the dollars.

 

That's better than Colorado getting him... who knows though... maybe after he proves he's a bust in MLS (like Mathis) they'll offload him to Colorado for one of their best players.

 

Whither Rimando?
https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=477100

 

Chances are he either had a new contract or an option year for this season which means MLS has to reapply for a work visa for him. Given the notoriously slow speed at which those applications are processed its not uncommon to be delayed a few weeks. Either that or he's seen the weather in Salt Lake and decided CR is a better option.

 

A bright gold star for anyone that can identify the sloppy reporting in this article:
http://www.ussoccerplayers.com/latest_soccer_news/532235.html

 

Andy is making $80,000 not $30,000. He's making 70% of what he was before and did not take a 70% paycut. Hell, even teachers make more than $30,000 a year.

 

Ah, what a difference the word "less" makes.

 

I freaking LOVE Jeff Cunningham!

link.

 

Hey, that was my idea!

And I second that about Jeff. What a total class act, man. From the "people hate me because I'm beautiful" interview to the "I'm just here to play" attitude, the guy's one of the reasons soccer's such a cool sport. Here's to Jeff wearing 110 next year, and 135 the year after that. And all in an RSL kit.

 

Akwari to Russia?
https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=476406