Ramblings of a Soccer Junky
Saturday, April 07, 2007
D-Day (MLS Style)
WooHoo!!! MLS season starts today. It's been a long winter (sure, it's still snowing here but it is Spring right?) of having to listen to Ipswich matches over the internet. The way Town have been performing, it's almost a good thing their season is almost over...mid-table obscurity, I guess it could be worse.
With the start of the season comes all the season preview pieces. Everyone is doing it. This season seems different. The media is all over the place...and it's almost all positive. Beckham, new stadiums, new team in a new country and those new TV deals all seem to have even mainstream hacks taking a closer look at the league/sport. I've a feeling there will be a lot of packed stadiums this weekend. My DVR is set and I'm ready to go.
MLS teams still have the same record against Mexican teams on the road. However, both DC and Houston put up great fights this week. Both the matches were exciting and what the Champs Cup needs. I just wish the seasons meshed better and we could something closer to UEFAs Champs League. Oh yeah, there's the SuperLiga. Um...after the battles we saw this week, do we really need the SuperLiga? Too bad CONCACAF runs the Champs Cup.
Oh Waldo, what have you done? Now, I have to admit, even before this was published, I have been agreeing with most of what Waldo's been saying of late. Yeah, every soccer fan in the country will agree with your comments about that Radio host. After 15 years of his little "Cloneopolis", you'd think he'd move on by now. About 10-15 years ago, I used to listen to Rome all the time. I always did disagree with his opinions on soccer. I'm certain it's all an act, Rome has entirely too many "takes" on soccer to not be actively following the sport. The reason I stopped listening to his show was because it really is too predictable. I'd check out ESPN.com, see what stories were in the news and know what he'd be saying during his show. Anyway, unfortunately, even Waldo's public apologies (Press Release, call into Rome's show) don't seem to be enough right now. He's not going to be enough. It seems he's not going to be in the booth for today's game. Foudy? See what you'd done Waldo. We-the MLS fans-now have to listen to her for 2 hours. Couldn't they have got Alan Hopkins to replace Waldo? Just had to ask. So, let me get this straight, Waldo insults a host and he's suspended, Rome insults a sport, those who play and follow it and he's applauded. Yeah, we've still got a long way to go. But, it's one more way the sport has got some media attention on the eve of the season, any publicity is good publicity...or, at least that's what they say. Of course, Rome knows how to play the sensational comment card.
Also, in the article about Waldo's suspension (thankfully it's only a suspension) there's this.
Actually, I'm more excited to see the coverage FSC are going to give the Chivas-Toronto match tonight. Pre AND post-game coverage. Now that's the right direction.
Now, I'm going away (I have a final exam in an hour anyway) and planning to relax and enjoy a could matches today and then tune into Sportscenter tonight to see if the new TV deal will actually get us some MLS highlights on there.
...and it's still three months until the Spice Crew arrive.
With the start of the season comes all the season preview pieces. Everyone is doing it. This season seems different. The media is all over the place...and it's almost all positive. Beckham, new stadiums, new team in a new country and those new TV deals all seem to have even mainstream hacks taking a closer look at the league/sport. I've a feeling there will be a lot of packed stadiums this weekend. My DVR is set and I'm ready to go.
MLS teams still have the same record against Mexican teams on the road. However, both DC and Houston put up great fights this week. Both the matches were exciting and what the Champs Cup needs. I just wish the seasons meshed better and we could something closer to UEFAs Champs League. Oh yeah, there's the SuperLiga. Um...after the battles we saw this week, do we really need the SuperLiga? Too bad CONCACAF runs the Champs Cup.
Oh Waldo, what have you done? Now, I have to admit, even before this was published, I have been agreeing with most of what Waldo's been saying of late. Yeah, every soccer fan in the country will agree with your comments about that Radio host. After 15 years of his little "Cloneopolis", you'd think he'd move on by now. About 10-15 years ago, I used to listen to Rome all the time. I always did disagree with his opinions on soccer. I'm certain it's all an act, Rome has entirely too many "takes" on soccer to not be actively following the sport. The reason I stopped listening to his show was because it really is too predictable. I'd check out ESPN.com, see what stories were in the news and know what he'd be saying during his show. Anyway, unfortunately, even Waldo's public apologies (Press Release, call into Rome's show) don't seem to be enough right now. He's not going to be enough. It seems he's not going to be in the booth for today's game. Foudy? See what you'd done Waldo. We-the MLS fans-now have to listen to her for 2 hours. Couldn't they have got Alan Hopkins to replace Waldo? Just had to ask. So, let me get this straight, Waldo insults a host and he's suspended, Rome insults a sport, those who play and follow it and he's applauded. Yeah, we've still got a long way to go. But, it's one more way the sport has got some media attention on the eve of the season, any publicity is good publicity...or, at least that's what they say. Of course, Rome knows how to play the sensational comment card.
Also, in the article about Waldo's suspension (thankfully it's only a suspension) there's this.
ESPN will add a superimposed graphic showing the offside line — like TV football's virtual first-and-10 line — and replays showing the speed of kicks. Off-air, the radar gun was tested during a recent game and found a Landon Donovan goal reached 92 mph.To be honest. I don't have a problem with the "offside line" or the radar gun as long as they aren't cutting away from live action for too long. Putting a mike on the ref? I dunno. Maybe it'll work. However, those in-game interviews always suck. You can always tell the coach just wants to get the interruption over.
ESPN asked to mike refs and goalies but didn't get the go-ahead for now. But it has the green light to ask permission for in-game talks on the sidelines, including with coaches.
Actually, I'm more excited to see the coverage FSC are going to give the Chivas-Toronto match tonight. Pre AND post-game coverage. Now that's the right direction.
Now, I'm going away (I have a final exam in an hour anyway) and planning to relax and enjoy a could matches today and then tune into Sportscenter tonight to see if the new TV deal will actually get us some MLS highlights on there.
...and it's still three months until the Spice Crew arrive.
Labels: Champions Cup, ESPN, FSC, Ipswich Town, Jim Rome, Media, MLS, SuperLiga, Waldo
¶ 7:33 AM 0 Comments
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
What's most important?
The other day I asked...
Urban goes on to ask...
I've been saying it for going on 12 years now, until the league and the teams focus on putting the best possible team on the pitch that has a sole focus on winning championships both domestically (MLS Cup, Open Cup and maybe Supporters Shield) and internationally (I'm still waiting for an MLS side to knock a Mexican side out of the Champions Cup) they aren't providing the fans with the best possible product. Give the fans of each MLS town something to be proud of and to want to support rather than providing two hours of entertainment and hoping they'll come back.
On a related note, I've said for some time that I don't care when the season is played, as long as no matches conflict with International Dates--AKA MLS matches where the big name stars won't be present. Brucio over at the always great du Nord has what I think is an interesting idea. Move the season up a few weeks. There's a lot of positives to this idea. MLS teams playing in the Champions Cup will be better prepared. The season would end before the North American Championship of Baseball (not to be confused with the famous "World Series") Also, any team sharing their stadium with a football team won't have as many date conflicts. It's not like all the teams haven't been in LA or Texas or Florida or something the last few weeks. Open the season at southern locations for a few weeks before teams in the cooler climates have their openers. But I'm sure there's some explanation why this wouldn't work.
OK, enough rant. We all know the most important thing is financial survival (profit?) for the teams/league etc. But I'm still entitled to my opinion.
Good luck to Houston and DC tonight.
I've waited over 11 years so far, how much longer will I need to wait until winning the MLS Cup is more important than making money?It's nice to see I'm not the only person asking that question...
Apparently, protecting the integrity of the MLS regular season is beneath the notice of decision makers at AEG and the league office. Unbalancing the league schedule of one of its clubs, the putative "Jewel of MLS", in fact, appears to be a small price to pay to secure a couple of ticket-window windfalls. One can only wonder whether the possibility of a split-season schedule was ever seriously considered in the league office, because the Galaxy's schedule would fit almost perfectly into such a format: league, Open Cup, and CONCACAF Cup matches in April-June, July off, then league matches from August until November. Thirteen teams, 12 matches per season, home and away, less fixture congestion, MLS Cup at the end of November between the two champions of each split-season, or playoffs, if you must, between the top four sides.
Urban goes on to ask...
Should the Galaxy fail to make the playoffs, will the blame be laid at coach Frank Yallop's feet? Will Alexi Lalas be the fall guy for galactic failure?
Or will blame be properly laid at the door of those who placed commercial interests ahead of more mundane considerations like a fair and balanced league schedule?
Great question. LA fans should be demanding more. I thought something was up when the schedule finally came out and every MLS side was going to have a chance to see Beckham. It mean that roughly 2/3rds of their road games would be played in the second half of the season.
I've been saying it for going on 12 years now, until the league and the teams focus on putting the best possible team on the pitch that has a sole focus on winning championships both domestically (MLS Cup, Open Cup and maybe Supporters Shield) and internationally (I'm still waiting for an MLS side to knock a Mexican side out of the Champions Cup) they aren't providing the fans with the best possible product. Give the fans of each MLS town something to be proud of and to want to support rather than providing two hours of entertainment and hoping they'll come back.
On a related note, I've said for some time that I don't care when the season is played, as long as no matches conflict with International Dates--AKA MLS matches where the big name stars won't be present. Brucio over at the always great du Nord has what I think is an interesting idea. Move the season up a few weeks. There's a lot of positives to this idea. MLS teams playing in the Champions Cup will be better prepared. The season would end before the North American Championship of Baseball (not to be confused with the famous "World Series") Also, any team sharing their stadium with a football team won't have as many date conflicts. It's not like all the teams haven't been in LA or Texas or Florida or something the last few weeks. Open the season at southern locations for a few weeks before teams in the cooler climates have their openers. But I'm sure there's some explanation why this wouldn't work.
OK, enough rant. We all know the most important thing is financial survival (profit?) for the teams/league etc. But I'm still entitled to my opinion.
Good luck to Houston and DC tonight.
Labels: Champions Cup, LA Galaxy, Marketing, MLS Cup, Open Cup, World Series of Soccer
¶ 6:07 PM 2 Comments
