If the Middle School League Had a Lick of Sense

I found it entertaining because when I read it, it immediately reminded me of the anti-pettyfog. I knew it would harbor a response, get things happening on this site with some of you, and I just happened to agree with general principles of getting your ass kicked in international competition, not by Real or Barcelona means much at this time, but by pub league Trinidad & Tobago teams really is counterproductive to the presentation of your league in the world and a pretty good reason for all of the kool-aid drinking MSL fans to put a sock in it.

If nothing else, the non-competitive set-up in MSL should foster more competitive international matches, not less. There is no relegation, no fear of losing much, much more than a few spots ion the standings at the end of the season. If you want to draw better talent, before thinking you can take on the best in the world, how about just starting with beating the best from the Caribbean?

Raise your hand if you think MSL helped themselves with matches against the European powers this summer?

They helped fans come to the stands. They helped people watch on television. They helped scratch a European itch that many Yanks (or Hispanics) have. But I seriously doubt it is going to help attract better players to the league, put more people in the stands (unless the Europen team comes back), or have any of us ask ESPN to not continue their expansion into European Football.

The biggest winner this summer was European Football, without a doubt.

And here agin come the questions, what about teams from the USA playing in Europe?? Starting to seem not so crazy, is it?

 

If I was going to find a domestic league to throw my support behind, for right now, it would be the USL, not MLS. I like thier business model better, and I like the fact that they seem to be in touch with the reality that a viable and healthy team and league will grow from the roots up, not top down.

There is a reason that The Sounders have been record-breakingly successful in their first season, and it is their fans and the fact that USL groomed them so well. I only hope that the USL figured out how to capitalize on it and make some money from the deal. Portland and Vancouver would be in position, perhaps with a few others, to do the same. And perhaps as the MSL realizes that fostering growth from the community up is best for long term viability and success, the league will improve as the fans improve, and many of the current ones will quit worrying and being so preoccupied about what European Football fans think of them.

 

Already have, The Panama City Pirates! We had about 15 of them show up for the last day of our tournament, "Soccer By The Surf", at the beginning of the Summer. All ages were out there having a Friendly with them, and they put on a clinic. Good guys, Great PR!

And it is not so much the league I trash (although I do see the weaknesses, unlike many of their fans), but the numpty fans they have. In general, their knowledge of the world game, and as a result someof its best players, teams, and leagues, is just disgraceful.

It's like the allegory of the cave. They see shadows cast on the wall by their other numpty fans and think it is reality. Wake up, crawl out of your hole (or off the sofa in your living room), and see the light!

 

Oh dear, I do believe I struck a nerve.

Well these are all opinions. And opinions, like assholes, many time stink. But if this has become the venue of only those who agree with Don, then I fear the future of FulhamUSA.

However, I imagine many who visit enjoy my dance on this issue as you and a few others walk lock-step into the issues, as you pat each other on the back, "good point", "way to go", "it may not be good, but it is Our team/league, so better support it and not say anything negative" nationalistic bullshit.

Don, you make good points quite a bit, but recent spate of intolerance has come over you. You no more have the authority to tell me to get lost than the next person who signs up for this site. Get a grip, and don't be such a baby.

I forgive you and love you man.

 

I'd give you a man-hug if I could reach you.

 

And a follow-up from a for-sure MLS-lover.

http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/blog.php?b=6443

 

I wonder if Loney removed comments that he didn't like on this post too?

And he also didn't get the memo that blog posts, even if they're really good, should never, ever be nearly 3000 words long. Are magazine cover stories even that long anymore?

 

Noticed both of those things with his last two efforts. He's no pulitzer prize winner, but I did manage to choke this effort down. Started, skipped, read the end, then went back to finish in the middle.

 

[re: thread topic]

how about streamlining the schedule?

the Revs and Wiz have four games in hand compared to the Dynamo, yet there's only nine weeks or so left in the season. so the Dynamo have to play 5 games in that span, while the Revs and Wiz have to play 9.

not to mention the other teams that have differing amounts from another.

silly stuff, and that's excluding the playoffs.