Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Let's do some catching up
This week has been hectic and this is the first chance I've had to post. I started a Princeton Review GMAT course and...well let's just say, I seem to have forgot a lot of stuff that I once knew.
Anyway, here some things which caught my attention the last few days.
The Brazilian league is now changing it's structure. It seems, they now believe that the traditional European system will work best there. They'll still play a summer schedule and take a break for the World Cup. Where have I heard that idea suggested for MLS?
WooHoo!!! The US-Mexico game will be on live English language TV after all. I guess I don't need to brush up on my Spanish after all. It would have been sad if the biggest game...and the match which may be the one which sends the team to Germany was only broadcast live in a language most of the home fans didn't speak. And while I'm on the subject, I know the guys over at BigSoccer are bothered by this, but I find that it's a positive sign that the sport is making progress in this country that scalpers are making some pretty good money selling tickets to the game on eBay. If you're upset that Mexican fans are buying the tickets, maybe more US fans who wanted to use the tickets should have bought them. They are jealous north of the border.
Can someone please explain the need for the HOF game? At least a game this time of the year. We've already established that there are too many meaningless games going on right now--the match in Madrid was a classic example--but this is just another nothing game. Teams should be focused on the end-of-season run-in...but instead, they are flying off to BFE New York to play this match. Wouldn't it be more interesting if players getting inducted get the chance to choose teams of players they played with/against when they were active. I know that I, as a fan, would be much more interested in that.
Is it just me, or was the sacking of Greg Elliott a bit strange? It seems to show where we are in the development of the professional game here. Elliott appears to have been replaced because he focused too much on the product on the pitch rather than the tickets sold (regardless of if they were filled or not). I've said for a long time and will maintain my opinion that putting the best possible team on the pitch will eventually sell tickets...too bad the owners need the ticket sales now. We'll see what happens with this.
One last thing...Pierluigi Collina has called it quits...not because he can't officiate games any more but because of some silly politics tied to an endorsement deal. I guess it's reassuring to know that those calling the shots in MLS aren't the only ones who seem to make strange decisions. ¶ 2:31 PM
Anyway, here some things which caught my attention the last few days.
The Brazilian league is now changing it's structure. It seems, they now believe that the traditional European system will work best there. They'll still play a summer schedule and take a break for the World Cup. Where have I heard that idea suggested for MLS?
WooHoo!!! The US-Mexico game will be on live English language TV after all. I guess I don't need to brush up on my Spanish after all. It would have been sad if the biggest game...and the match which may be the one which sends the team to Germany was only broadcast live in a language most of the home fans didn't speak. And while I'm on the subject, I know the guys over at BigSoccer are bothered by this, but I find that it's a positive sign that the sport is making progress in this country that scalpers are making some pretty good money selling tickets to the game on eBay. If you're upset that Mexican fans are buying the tickets, maybe more US fans who wanted to use the tickets should have bought them. They are jealous north of the border.
Can someone please explain the need for the HOF game? At least a game this time of the year. We've already established that there are too many meaningless games going on right now--the match in Madrid was a classic example--but this is just another nothing game. Teams should be focused on the end-of-season run-in...but instead, they are flying off to BFE New York to play this match. Wouldn't it be more interesting if players getting inducted get the chance to choose teams of players they played with/against when they were active. I know that I, as a fan, would be much more interested in that.
Is it just me, or was the sacking of Greg Elliott a bit strange? It seems to show where we are in the development of the professional game here. Elliott appears to have been replaced because he focused too much on the product on the pitch rather than the tickets sold (regardless of if they were filled or not). I've said for a long time and will maintain my opinion that putting the best possible team on the pitch will eventually sell tickets...too bad the owners need the ticket sales now. We'll see what happens with this.
One last thing...Pierluigi Collina has called it quits...not because he can't officiate games any more but because of some silly politics tied to an endorsement deal. I guess it's reassuring to know that those calling the shots in MLS aren't the only ones who seem to make strange decisions. ¶ 2:31 PM
