Contenders Watch

[Jntg4]

D.C. hit the corner of the crossbar/post and then kicked it right at the keeper

 

[Jntg4]

Philly wins!!!

Go :fire:!!!

 

[Jntg4]

NYRB has Toronto today (Toronto needs to upset them)
DC has Columbus tomorrow
Portland has Vancouver tomorrow

Not looking good.

 

[giaco]

Totonto winning wouldn't be a surprise.

DC/Columbus will be a slugfest, and I expect Columbus to lose.

Portland and Vancouver will be an interesting match. Vancouver--while shitty, are no slouches at home and with the designation of being 'worst in Cascadia' on the line, neither team will want that.....good game.

 

[Jntg4]

Totonto winning wouldn't be a surprise.

DC/Columbus will be a slugfest, and I expect Columbus to lose.

Portland and Vancouver will be an interesting match. Vancouver--while shitty, are no slouches at home and with the designation of being 'worst in Cascadia' on the line, neither team will want that.....good game.

I hope Columbus wins, as terrible as that sounds.

 

[Jntg4]

New York and Toronto drew. So 3 points out as of now.

 

[AE23]

New York vs L.A
1-0 RedBulls

 

[Jntg4]

****, come on Keane you POS.

Donovan isn't playing, is he?

 

[AE23]

****, come on Keane you POS.

Donovan isn't playing, is he?

nah, i dont think so.

 

[Jntg4]

nah, i dont think so.

That's gonna kill the :fire:, we better win today.

 

[Jntg4]

6 points out, let's just win the Open Cup.

 

[giaco]

I'd say back to the drawing board, but the Fire need to win out and have a little help to get into the playoffs.

 

[Jntg4]

I think we'll be pretty good next season if we keep everybody and if the end of this season has been any indication of future success.

 

[AE23]

MLS needs relegation

 

[Jntg4]

MLS needs relegation

And that would be a breach of contract so we can't do it anyway.

 

[AE23]

And that would be a breach of contract so we can't do it anyway.

that way you could give more cities teams and grow the sport, put pressure to compete and spend.

 

[Jntg4]

that way you could give more cities teams and grow the sport, put pressure to compete and spend.

American sports don't work that way though. If you have a team from somewhere like Cheyenne, Wyoming get promoted, it takes away all credibility as a major league. We need to keep adding team's in major league cities and then organize a minor league system like the MLB's or NHL's, or at least the NBA's.

Just my opinion though, but I grew up with the franchise system of American sports and not watching much international soccer at all.

 

[Jntg4]

Oh, and our salary cap is way too long to encourage spending anyway, except on Designated Players.

 

[giaco]

MLS needs relegation

I'll add this info again for the 4billionth time--

relegation in MLS is not possible at this time. As the league is a single-entity structure, that is not only impossible business-wise, there is not sufficient infrastructure (or talent) for this country to support that kind of league just yet.

Relegation is implausible at this time also because MLS itself struggles to break even, nevermind turn a profit, and remain viable--so there is no feasible way for a lower division to survive in the current climate. With time and investment as well as genuine interest and grass-roots support from people taking an interest in their local club (rather than just wanking of Euro teams), we may see that develop, but first I'd love to see the expansion and development of local sides from amateur to semi-pro as well as development academies as we see abroad--that's when we'll know the traction has begun (there are some signs of that now, but not enough).

In summary, in about 30-50 years, we will see MLS become a solid and respected league, and in from 50-100 years, we will see pro/rel being discussed as an actuality rather than how I've described it above.

 

[Jntg4]

I'll add this info again for the 4billionth time--

relegation in MLS is not possible at this time. As the league is a single-entity structure, that is not only impossible business-wise, there is not sufficient infrastructure (or talent) for this country to support that kind of league just yet.

Relegation is implausible at this time also because MLS itself struggles to break even, nevermind turn a profit, and remain viable--so there is no feasible way for a lower division to survive in the current climate. With time and investment as well as genuine interest and grass-roots support from people taking an interest in their local club (rather than just wanking of Euro teams), we may see that develop, but first I'd love to see the expansion and development of local sides from amateur to semi-pro as well as development academies as we see abroad--that's when we'll know the traction has begun (there are some signs of that now, but not enough).

In summary, in about 30-50 years, we will see MLS become a solid and respected league, and in from 50-100 years, we will see pro/rel being discussed as an actuality rather than how I've described it above.

No, we won't, because we'll all die in 2012...

Really though, I think respectability could be even sooner than 30-50 years, maybe 20-25 years, or even less if we are really lucky.