MLS 2014

Kicking off today, and in a WC year there will be plenty of players looking to get an invite to camp. I think the marquee match between Seattle and Kansas City should of been played at the Champs' casa in KC, but oh well. 2 big stories to begin the season;

• The refs are locked out. Replacement refs in, and since the standard wasn't great to begin with, look for a horrendous call or 3 to bring a resolution.

• A study shows MLS has caught up to MLB in popularity w/12-18 year olds http://espnfc.com/news/story/_/id/17405 ... ll?cc=5901. Not sure how much stock I put into this, but one thing is for certain and that's the league is headed in the right direction.

 

Scab officials? Really? Wow.
Here's a link to a WaPo blog. My favorite lines from this are:

"PRO said it has “recruited a highly qualified pool of replacement officials, all of whom have officiated at the professional level” to work MLS matches." PRO is an independent company founded 18 months ago and financed by MLS and, to a lesser extent, the U.S. Soccer Federation.

Yeah, right.

And this gem:
"In preparation for a possible lockout or strike, PRO conducted a training camp for the replacements in Texas last week."

In case like this, I revert to one of my standard cliche's...many are called, few are chosen.

I hope nobody gets seriously hurt.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...abor-impasse-replacement-officials-called-in/

 

No, I think their main focus is to develop great American soccer players who can overcome the inevitable biased officiating they'll experience at the international level.

 

I saw or listened to many of the MLS games today and the officiating was quite good. I'd say probably better than your usual weekend of MLS officiating. I've heard several conflicting accounts as to what this is all about. Some say money, some say no strike at the last minute clause. Who knows but the MLS refs should be looking at themselves in the mirror after what I saw today

 

I'm going with St. Kilda's in the Australian Rules Football league myself. I just like the name.

 

Me too, had a few Brown Ales at my sister in laws bday party bscene-drinkingbuddies:


Encouraging that Dempsey came on and played well for the final 35 minutes and helped set up the winner for Mo's favorite team :shock: after heading off off the bar.

http://golazo.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter ... ideo/42204

 

A BIG :text-+1:

 

Skeptical on whether he'll stay healthy, but no surprise Jermaine Defoe knows where the goal is. Bradley being himself, and Clint scores a good goal in a losing effort.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2 ... ing-act-im

 

I thought the Toronto vs Seattle match was a good one. It was indeed a nice goal by Dempsey. I'll take that every week - "a goal by Dempsey in a losing effort". Ha ha. It will be interesting to see if the MLS Disciplinary committee punishes him for the cheap shots he was handing out that went unnoticed by the officials. Every time I watch Seattle play I get sad that Osvaldo Alonso can't play for the US. I thought he was Seattle's most important player in the game. Klinsy says its not possible but I would think a petition to FIFA is worth a shot.

And how incredible is it to see Brazil's keeper playing in MLS? I like Defoe so was happy he got off to a good start. Hopefully Roy doesn't turn his back on him just cause he plays in America

Up today, Timbers vs Chicago Fire featuring my favorite player Darlington Nagbe. Go Timbers FC

 

Never a dull moment watching the Earthquakes. Down 1-3 to Salt Lake City at half time last night, and with 5 minute of extra time in the second half, they tied the game at 94:55. Happens a lot with that team.

 

Never a dull moment, indeed! Buck Shaw was rocking last night but I noticed quite a few folks leaving in injury time which is unusual in my experiences (the place only holds 12K, it's not like anybody has to fight 60K others to exit the facilities), and those that left I'm sure heard the crowd roar and know they'd missed another classic comeback. Wish I could've hit The Hut after the match...ahh, but parenthood...

Re the Sounders v. Toronto, I dvr'd and watched the goals but I did see Dempsey cheap shot. I think it was done intentionally and I'm disappointed but the way he was walking by it's hard to tell definitively in my opinion. At least Dempsey struck at least three balls hard during the match...

 

dempsey said he was just trying to get the guy's arm off of him. Based on that video it might be true. But that wasn't the only cheap shot Dempsey dished out in the game. I know Dempsey gets fouled a lot but others in the league get fouled more and don't do that stuff. Maybe it's smart, I don't know.

 

A few observations from my casual Crew fanship now that I can't watch since TWC is the only approved carrier and I gave up my STB's after TWC raised rates yet again. And I'm in the 'blackout zone' for national tv games. Whatever lame-ass exec wrote that contract should be fired. Oh, never mind!!! **.
- The Crew looks like the REAL THING this year. New owner walks the walk, not just talk. ** {which supposedly led to..} GM McCullers being gone will please a lot of the hardcore, problem being getting a new GM that's more like Jamey Rootes than Jim Smith. Don't let the accolades fool ya.. Smith was a 'yes man' to Clark Hunt.
And getting Greg Berhalter in as Manager instead of old tried and -blah- 'from within' looks like genius so far.
- Sched for a game in mid April. Gonna have to think hard if Crew's unbeaten by then. In '08, I didnt go to a single game and we saw how that turned out. OTOH I watched almost every one on tv.
- Gotta be impressed with young Bradley putting his stamp on TOR. could elevate the team from their long term funk. Though I'll be quite satisfied when Crew takes their two games from them again this season.

 

Dempsey leads the MLS in getting fouled, but some of that is Clint drawing fouls in dangerous spots being part of his game. However I did see that WIlliams from Toronto cheap shot early that should of been carded. Everyone knows Dempsey has a thin skin, and most teams are trying to get under it.

Here is a conundrum for Sigi, there needs to be someone on the pitch that isn't going to stand around and watch him get repeatedly hammered. I'm wondering because of the disparity of his contract compared to his teammates if there are underlying issues in the locker room?? Eddie Johnson was allegedly traded because of contract squabbles, he couldn't have been the only one in Seattle feeling that way.