Wednesday, July 06, 2005
Alexi Lalas is the best thing to happen to MLS
Seriously. As a player, I was honored to see him in his prime with LA. He was solid at the back and went a long way to helping the team bring some silverware to the Rose Bowl and HDC.
As GM for San Jose, he did what he needed to do in order to bring more attention to the team but even he couldn't do enough to stop the sale of team and their move to Houston.
So, now he's in New York and the media there seem to love to quote him. Yesterday's New York Times seemed to stir up things a bit by publishing this quote from Big Red:
To be honest, I read that yesterday and laughed it off as just Lalas giving a dumb media question a dumb response. Of course he'd love to have young Freddie in Metros stripes. But I can't see any way he thought his comments would be taken seriously.
But they were...
C'mon Kevin (and I'm assuming DC fans...I haven't check BigSoccer about this) there's no way he was serious about that comment. Hell, anyone who's listened to or read an interview with Alexi the last 15 years (has it really been that long?) knows 90% of what he say's is tongue-in-cheek.
Then again, it's media ink for the league. If it sells a few more tickets in DC or NY (or rather, NJ) then I guess it's all good.
OK Alexi, I'm waiting for your response to the next press hack asking about David Beckham in Metros colors. ¶ 7:05 PM
As GM for San Jose, he did what he needed to do in order to bring more attention to the team but even he couldn't do enough to stop the sale of team and their move to Houston.
So, now he's in New York and the media there seem to love to quote him. Yesterday's New York Times seemed to stir up things a bit by publishing this quote from Big Red:
"The MetroStars would love nothing more than to have Freddy Adu," Lalas said in a telephone interview last night. "He would certainly play in New York. It's evident that he loves competition and wants to play, and we are certainly a team that would provide him with time on the field. I would love nothing more than for him to get fed up with D.C. Right now, I think the situation is a little like a Bruce Lee movie without a fight. He's got the star power, but there hasn't been the payoff."
To be honest, I read that yesterday and laughed it off as just Lalas giving a dumb media question a dumb response. Of course he'd love to have young Freddie in Metros stripes. But I can't see any way he thought his comments would be taken seriously.
But they were...
"It's extremely inappropriate," [DC Gm Kevin] Payne said yesterday. "I'm disappointed. I have a lot of respect for Alexi and a friendship with Alexi, but he crossed the line on this, in my opinion. It's tampering, in any league. It's totally unconstructive.
C'mon Kevin (and I'm assuming DC fans...I haven't check BigSoccer about this) there's no way he was serious about that comment. Hell, anyone who's listened to or read an interview with Alexi the last 15 years (has it really been that long?) knows 90% of what he say's is tongue-in-cheek.
Then again, it's media ink for the league. If it sells a few more tickets in DC or NY (or rather, NJ) then I guess it's all good.
OK Alexi, I'm waiting for your response to the next press hack asking about David Beckham in Metros colors. ¶ 7:05 PM
