News: Thursday, Aug 25, 2016

I've bee thinking about this for a few weeks now. I think that Morris' production is going to explode next year. I think the game in the final third is still moving faster than he is prepared for. That's not to be unexpected for a rookie. You see him rushing attempts and mistiming things. I hope, and believe, that the game will slow down for him, and once that happens, defenses are going to have to watch out.

 

Between worrying and finding out about my friends and relatives in Italy and their situation involving their devastating quake, I literally forgot about our Earthquakes. I guess I didn't miss much considering the scoreline and from what fans are saying in the Quakes threads. At this point, I think the problem is not only the GM and coach but more like the ownership group in Lew Wolff and John Fisher. We are grateful that they brought the club back and built the stadium but I think its time they finally sell their interest in the club.

 

First off, I hope your friends and family in Italy are okay.

That said, on what planet would it make sense for Wolff to sell? He's got a new stadium and his team is in the playoff hunt in the (much tougher) West. All the while doing it on a small budget.

What does the current ownership and management structure lack at SJE?

 

I think he's mad that the SJE ownership group isn't signing over the hill marquee name DPs.

 

I appreciate your thoughts. We are trying to communicate with some family members in the region right now but can't seem to get through as the phone lines are down. We are hoping and praying everything will be ok but its a sad situation to say the least.

I ran into Lew Wolff the other day as he lives on my uncles block in a pretty exclusive area of Santa Clara Valley. He is just getting too old to run things correctly in San Jose or for that matter, in Oakland regarding the A's. Fisher who has yet said a word since he bought the Quakes, is a silent partner and leaves everything up to Lew. They don't really know much about or really understand the game. They let GM John Doyle run everything and I believe he is in over his head. Doyle hired his best friend, Dom Kinnear but they are both one in the same. Doyle has another youth academy (Mustangs) that he runs in the North East Bay Area and he seems to moonlight there quite a bit or at least divides his time with them. They've had the Quakes academy going since 2010 and have yet produced one player from their own or Doyle's group. Lew removed Billy Beane from the Quakes offices because other soccer people complained and wanted him out. They are trying to make the Quakes into another Money Ball Oakland A's miracle team but it only happened once in 2012. Since 2008, when the team came back, the team has made the playoffs twice, backing in once in 2010. That isn't good at all in this or any league. They also just traded away their best DP player and have been dealing with another one they signed who has been benched for two years first for injury and then for ineffectiveness and being out of form. Last I saw of him he was parading around Switzerland in his Ferarri.

 

Posted this in the TV thread as well.

FOX Brings Live MLS Matches Alongside NFL Coverage For First Time Ever

http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/...-matches-alongside-nfl-coverage-for-first-tim

(For Sept 18)

 

This is a horrifically terrible idea.

 

What does Fox have to lose? Think about this Fox used to broadcast the NFL from 12pm to 3:25pm and then their programming stunk. This way they can televise MLS games right after the NFL game is done. It very well may be a horrible idea but it also may bring new casuals into the sport.

 

Maybe I read the article wrong, but the MLS game isn't happening right after, it's happening DURING the NFL broadcast.

...marks the first time in the League’s 21 seasons that a network partner has televised games from the two leagues on the same network at the same time.

Basically, people in LA and Kansas City are going to tune into watch the NFL and get an MLS game instead. And then they will lose their sh*t.

 

Actually the folks in LA will get the Galaxy at Sporting at 11 a.m. Pacific, followed by Seahawks at Rams at 1:05 p.m., both on Fox. In KC it'll be Chiefs at Texans on CBS at noon with Galaxy at Sporting on Fox at 1 p.m., essentially both broadcast simultaneously. The benefit from extra eyeballs in LA probably more than offsets the loss of eyeballs in KC.

 

Admittedly it's been awhile since I've cared about the NFL, but I think what happens is that of FOX's two games, viewers only actually get one depending on their region and the other time slot is usually filled by a movie. So if FOX's 1 PM game is Jets-Steelers and the 4 PM game is 49ers - Seahawks, the East Coast will have the NFL at 1 PM and then MLS at 4 PM, and the West Coast will have MLS at 1 PM and NFL at 4 PM. (All times EST, but you get the picture).

Just to be clear, I'm guessing, I don't know for sure.

 

Ambition and genuine, competitive soccer interest.

 

I knew as much, was trying to point out to falvo that having owners with ambition would lead to signing the players he loathes.

 

All I care about is if the club signs good or even hard working players. Since 2008, I've seen very few good players come to the Quakes. Most San Jose fans feel the same way. Wondo so far has been the one player to brag about and he has been their only discovery. Current coach in his infinite wisdom was the one who traded Cam Weaver for Wondo. This tells you a little about his vision regarding players. God bless Shea Salinas and his specatucular runs going nowhere. Doyle even got rid of two good national team pool defenders because he didn't want to pay them. Unless things change in the next three or four weeks there simply is not enough talent to even make a run for the post season.

 

That's how I read it. I just wasn't as clear as you.

 

Shea Salinas: "God bless Shea Salinas and his spectacular runs going nowhere." He played in Vancouver and was the most exciting player here who never did anything but dazzle and disappoint. It was always a mystery to me, how a guy with such foot speed and skill could be so effectively ineffective. Also, I feel for you. I have cousins in La Marche and an aunt and cousins in Lazio. Fortunately, all live in towns far enough away that they were not subject to significant damage. Hope you get good news.

 

Yeah Shea Salinas' best tactic is straight forward down the wing outrunning opponents then dishing off an occasional cross that usually doesn't produce much. He never learned how to shoot the ball on goal. He does come up with a goal a year on average and a few assists here and there but that is about it. I'll never forget his first game as a rookie in 2008. He missed a sitter in front of the goal that all he had to do was tap it in but instead he shot it straight up in the air like maybe 20 ft above the goal. It seemed to be a foreshadow of how his career has gone. His runs are exciting to watch at times so I applaud his efforts though.

Thanks for your concern. My mom's hometown is like maybe 60 miles from the city (Amatrice) that was most hit but only because of the mountains. By air , we are talking about maybe 15-20 miles away. Many of my relatives felt the quake and were afraid to stay at home and slept in their cars. They were getting ready for an outdoor street festival this weekend and there were many tourists in town. Sadly, I found out yesterday that one of my little cousins classmates didn't make it and that is sad. Many Serie A teams have pledged to give all sales from their next home games to a relief fund for the earthquake victims. In retrospect, it makes all of our gripes and complaints about life one another and/or MLS and especially on Big Soccer seem trivial at best.

 

That would make a lot more sense.

 

You ran into Lew Wolff the other day...............?

 

Yes he has a house in Los Gatos. Its not like he is a big time movie star and unapproachable so it was not really a big deal. Steve Mariucci lives close in Monte Sereno and former MLB player Kevin Youkilis who married and Tom Brady's sister also lives nearby. They were supposed to re-open the Los Gatos Brewery but I don't think it ever materialized.