Which would be fine, perhaps, but only if there were a lot more of us (and I am a fan of particular players). People want to see star players. Don't we want to expand the fan base? I mean, I never imagined that was such a low priority with MLS supporters.
That's right. Never mind that there's another opinion out there, it's just that you don't like dissent so I must be a troll. You bet.
Lets look at the source of stardom. How does MLS get their stars in the first place? The majority come in from other leagues, even some americans. There have been few that have started off in MLS, Howard, Convey, Mathis, Bocanegra, Beasley. Those are some very good names, but the majority of the public have no clue who they are, so they are really not stars, they are just to us hardcore soccer fans, really really good players that get put some numbers and get talked alot about here. The Majority of the big name stars come from overseas, but their time in the leauge is relitively little so they don't earn the respect they reserve. I think that the young american stars of today will become bigger if they go overseas. The return arrival will have a much bigger fanfare surrounding it. Respect will grow for the league it might even bring those eurosnobs out to see the game.
You've wasted a lot of bits getting upset about the problem. So what is your solution? A barbed wire fence around the country? Ankle bracelets and home detention for the really good players? The truth is that every players dreams of playing in Europe. And I'm sure it's not just the money, it's also the prestiege and the chance for better recognition. There's absolutely no way that players can be stopped from going abroad, if the opportunity is presented them. Fortunately for MLS, most will not get the opportunity. Get over it, Roehl.
Can we at least admit that there is a problem to begin with, whether or not there is anything to be done about it in reality? I mean, one thing at a time, folks. Let's first get down to the fact that there is a problem that needs solving, would that be alright with you guys?
Let's not. Whether or not they are universally recognized is irrelevant. They are the marquee talent in the league, and regardless of their actual pull, their influence will always be greater than that of new and upcoming prospects (unless you're Adu, but how many of him do we have?). That is what you advertise.
So it doesn't matter if the star is internationally recoginzed, right? Any joe blow american soccer player can be the advertisement point if he just puts up numbers. You can have your Jason Kries, I will keep my Landon Donovan.
Wow, thank you, no. That's not what I said, and I am completely amazed at how my words were turned around like that. If they are world renowned, that's fine. But not all of the league's best players are. How many Spurs fans knew about Convey before transfer rumors, for example? The point is, before my remarks get spun, that MLS ought to have an easier time promoting their product with players like Donovan, Ralph, Convey et al., not because people halfway around the world know who they are, but because they are known among MLS supporters, and they ought to be known to those casual followers who we want to convert.
Oh please allow me to retort. Is this not your quote. Is this not what you said about international recogniztion. What does irrelevant mean? irelevant: ir·rel·e·vant: adj. not relevant : innaplicable: something which does not matter to the subject I refer to what I said earlier that you so kindly pointed out. There should be no amazement on how your words can be interpeted that way. To answer you Convey question, I don't have any hard facts, but I think it is safe to say that alot more than before the transfer talks started. Won't it be better if Convey leaves for a while gets better then comes back to light up the league with his new learned and practiced skills than to hide him away here in the States. Wouldn't it be better if the rest of the world saw what MLS can produce. Wouldn't it be better if the USSF encouraged young stars to get their beginnings playing pro-soccer where they will actually play before they can move up to a starting roster in a higher league. Wouldn't it be better for MLS if past stars are on the team that wins the World Cup? Wouldn't be better if those past stars who won the World Cup came back at the end of their prime to the league where they got their start and the fans that watched them from the days when they were getting schooled by Preki? Of course MLS could just keep its star players like Eddie Pope, Chris Henderson, Richie Williams, Jason Kries, and Preki. Those guys are star players who have had great sucsess but haven't done squat to bring in players to increase attendence or awareness.
There isn't. I was counting on not having to resort to the tactics of blowing open semantics. But oh well. Better for whom? The rest of the world doesn't fill American stadia. And why do we care what they think anyways? It will probably be better for the USSF, but it won't do MLS any good if it concedes that it will remain a developmental league. How did that work out for the WUSA? Seriously, if you concede that, then you admit that MLS will continue to be a feeder league. "He got his roots in MLS" is certainly a nice thing to say, but if it comes before "he helped his club win the Champions League final" what statement will people remember? And how does that help MLS? The point is they can, regardless of whether or not they have in the past.
I numbered them so it would be easier to respond to. 1. semantics? come on man choose your words better then you won't have to go back and contradict yourself. 2. That statement just makes me sad. Some people still don't get it. 3. Jumping right in and buying expensive forgien stars won't do the league any good. Having american stars go off and then comeback and be the the expensive ones will be the way MLS gains acceptence and rapid growth in the states. Americans want the best. They are not used to having forgien players being the majority of the best in an American league. Therefore the way to solve the problem of not having the best league and not having the best players is to get the young americans early in as much playing time as possible before moving them up to the elite leagues while making a profit and building a fan base in the process. Once the profit and fan base have increased 15 fold as to what they are now then, and only then can MLS start keeping and bringing back the best american players as well as the forgien stars to fill in the gaps. Right now MLS has to be a development league. In the mens sport we are still a developing soccer nation. 4. The winning of the WWC was a double edged sword for the WUSA. It was great to raise the recognition fo the women's game, but it left nowhere to go. No struggle to overcome. Their is no saga involved. For the majority of americans women's soccer began with the win of the WWC. With the men's there is a fight, and slow but visible improvement. WUSA and MLS are apples and oranges. 5. I assume this was the response to my "Wouldn't it be better for MLS if past stars are on the team that wins the World Cup?" statement? if it isn't please correct me. Yes it would a good thing, the average american joe soccer fan (us on this board are not the average american joe soccer fan) doesn't follow the other leagues in this world. They may know they exist but probably wouldn't know who plays on what team. Also, nobody in MLS will have a statement as the callibur of "he helped his club win the Champions League final" for a very, very long time. The closest thing will be Concacafe Champions Cup or whatever it is called that year. Not even a comparison. But it would be a good thing if a past american star came back and play who did win a champions league from a promotional stand point. 6. The 4 billionare owners could also go out on a Chelsea like spending spree and bring tons of good internationals in too whether or not they have done so in the past, but it won't make a lick of difference in the long term growth rate of MLS.