http://community.foxsoccer.com/blogs/JamieTrecker No one stirs it up like this guy... Includes his takes on USSF, Garber's salary, US players sold to Europe (and Clint Dempsey), and a Single MLS Table.
To be honest with you, I actually enjoyed the article. I think it touches on a few of the points that I don't like about MLS. The fact that you have All-Stars in a league who make less than $30k per year, and the majority of the games in the league appear to be meaningless. I too, like the idea of having a cup competition, but feel that the league champion should be the team that won the most all year long, not the team who got on a lucky streak in the playoffs.
It sounds like he finally scored an interview with a real live MLS player...Dempsey, and now he just can't talk about him enough. I would agree that EJ should have been sold off to Europe, as it would have made everyone happy in the end, but then he totally goes back on his argument and said that the Beasley thing didn't work out. Not sure what his point is. It's not a very well structured article...even for a sports writer. Garber deserves the money and is doing a great job. If you want a real tragedy lets look at what commissioners make in the other leagues.
What would the benefit be for the US to play a couple of friendlies right now? We don't even have a coach, and even if you designated an interim coach to cobble together a team, the permanent coach would have his own ideas when he takes over anyway. This isn't like Europe, where the Euro 08 qualifyers are starting. The Nats can wait until after the MLS season is over. I know people will be shocked to hear this, but he got his facts wrong on the transfer amounts. Charlton did not offer $3 million for Dempsey and Johnson didn't go to Benfica because HE didn't want to go, not because the league rejected the offer.
Trecker always comes off as a big-mouthed BS-type footie fan rather than a professional. Makes him entertaining, but not credible.
BINGO! Anyone who thinks MLS could survive in the US without a playoff system has their screws loose. If we had no playoff race, there'd be no reason for anyone to show up at any MLS games for the rest of the season. MLS would be lucky to draw 5,000 a game for the remainder of the season. It's the stupidest idea I've heard. Now, I agree with those who think there are too many teams allowed to make it in the playoffs --- they should shrink the field down to six --- but no playoffs would kill this league.
You can knock it if you want, but I am all for anything that helps make the average regular season game more interesting than what it currently is right now. You have playoffs in sports like football because not every single NFL team can play every single other NFL team, twice nonetheless. This is something that can be done with the MLS, especially when it gets to be around 16 or so teams in the not too distant future. I know everyone on here likes to slam pretty much any idea that would radically change the MLS, but honestly, in my opinion, something has to be done. I will have to admit that I like watching a game between mid-table EPL teams far more than I like to watch a game between mid-table MLS teams, simply because it is far more interesting. That one game for the mid-table EPL teams means a lot more than that one game for the mid-table MLS teams simply because there is so much more to play for (UEFA Cup slots, etc.) With that being said though, I do take quite a bit of pride in US Soccer, be it the MLS, Yanks Abroad, or the USMNT. I only offer criticisms not to slam or belittle MLS, but to try and make it and the quality of American soccer better. I was toying with the idea of maybe creating a website and outlining all the suggestions for trying to improve MLS (CONSTRUCTIVE criticisms only). Anyone who has any suggestions or comments, or who is interested in helping or offering some advice, please contact me.
repped I think I can die in peace now, as someone has picked up the "Eddie didn't want to go to Benfica" torch. What makes these errors of fact so, so bad is that they're not incidental to that part of the argument, they're the core.
They're denying the arm chair managers their day in the cyber-sun by not playing. ----- I imagine that New England fans must hate to read the meaningless game meme from Dempsey. At the moment they're sitting some what unsafely in fourth place. While KC and NY are unlikely to knock them out there's no reason to ignore the remaining games. I'd hate to read that complaint out of a Rapids player at this point, as the games right now are very meaningful as we've slipped from 3rd to 4th with a lot of away games left.
It wouldn't do that. It would merely shift around which games are "meaningless." On average, however...
I'm all for shootouts and seven-game playoff series. Limited timeouts for injuries would also be a good idea. How about you?
Well, like I have admitted in my previous posts, I am not the most die-hard of MLS fans, but I find it to be a bit disturbing that last season's MLS champion won as many games as they lost. If there was a single table, there would be much more competition for points, especially if places in this CONCACAF Champions League (not sure when this will kick off) are based on previous season's league position. Like I said before, I know I'm gonna get slammed, but something's gotta give. If there is any team other than DC United that is crowned champions this season, it would be a joke in itself. DC has been the dominant team all season (even though they have hit a bit of a rough spot lately).
A single table system would only work for MLS when promotion and relegation become a possiblity. The idea of a team getting relegated to a lower division would definitely add some excitement to the end of a season.
How many more players and coaches have to comment on all the meaningless games in the league until the league gets it? Wake Up MLS and fix the broken competition format.
I'm hoping that was a joke! I'm not calling for Americanization of the sport, rather the opposite holds true. Some of what I like so much about the EPL and other Euro leagues is the fact that they have a single table that rewards the most consistent performer all year long as the league champion. Makes sense to me.
If MLS "fixed" the "broken" competition format, then they'd still be complaining about "meaningless" games.
The game of soccer is historically different in its structure. You can't draw a comparison to other leagues.
It's not. I'm all for Americanizing soccer at all levels. It's just as radical an idea as yours. Can we agree on that?
Sports in America are historically different in their structure. You can't draw comparisons to other countries. Now I also agree that too high a percentage of the league makes the playoffs, and that can be changed, but the idea of single table, league champion, pro/rel doesn't work in America. Unless you want to be the one to tell Kronke that his new stadium complex that he spent millions to build will only have 12 home games next year, no playoffs, and in 2008 may be hosting the Charleston Battery instead of DC United.
Tell Red Bull management quick that they didn't need to fire Mo Johnston. And also tell your team mods that all those posts bemoaning NY's poor play earlier this year were unnecessary! Huss can delete them now and save server space! In other words, the English FA couldn't figure out how to make those games "meaningful" without providing international competition? You want to see MLS players play balls to the wall every time? Make the 2nd 11 as good quality as the first 11.
You think 8 of 12 teams making the playoffs and the winner of the conference starting off the playoffs on the road not broken?
Repped. Between emulating America or emulating Europe, I wouldn't spend a whole lot of time deciding.