[MLS] *crickets*

[Maddog]

Fuck the Premier league, MLS is starting this week!

lol

Anyone else here follow the MLS? I'm a Toronto fan and hoping this year they do better. Definitely have the talent, and with Seattle entering the league this year at least 3 teams will finish below them :p

Speaking of which, the support for Seattle is awesome. Sure it sucks they're playing in Quest but the season ticket numbers look awesome, and getting the Cup game is only going to help. If they turn into the next Toronto (fan wise) then it'll help the league immensely. If Portland becomes the next expansion then that area will be awesome for the MLS. And the Philly stadium concepts looks pretty rad as well.

LEAGUE TABLES -- Last update: 5/19/09
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f212/malkavpunk/MLS5-19-09.jpg

[Walnut]

I'm so getting Philly season tickets when they start playing. A cheap spring/summer diversion that isn't baseball? Count me in. Plus, it gives me an excuse to visit friends in Chester and eat their food.

[cpt.mars]

My interest would be much higher, but there's no MN team mainly due to the fact that our USL Premier Development League team (Thunder) actually has a fanbase, and barring the team getting folded in (lol), would lose it's support.

[Polish Hill]

Chi Fire fan here, they should remain one of the top tier teams this year. I definitely think the fan support and strong offseason should give Seattle a decent chance. Most likely I see them mid table but I wouldn't be so quick to assume they'll be a write in for last.

[Maddog]

well seeing how well toronto and sj did their first year in the leagueI dont have much hope Seattle would do much better. Plus fan support means dick for winning.

[Polish Hill]

Well Chicago won the MLS Cup in its first season so I don't think we can completely rely on history. SBI just released his Power Rankings before the start of the season. And expansion team does not mean instantly terrible. Plus, a home field advantage does mean more than dick. Who knows how much worse Toronto might have been without the rabid fans at BMO.

http://www.soccerbyives.net/soccer_by_ives/2009/03/sbi-mls-power-rankings-week-1.html#more

[Maddog]

I knew you were going to bring up Chicago ;)

@ Home in their first year:
Toronto: 5-7-3
SJ (2008): 6-5-4
Real SL: 5-8-3
Chivas: 3-11-2
Chicago: 13-3-0 (shootouts instead of draws)

Overall in their first year:
Toronto: 6-17-7
SJ (2008): 8-13-9
Real SL: 5-22-5
Chivas: 4-22-6
Chicago: 21-12-2 (shootouts instead of draws)

Other than the Chicago anomaly every team that I saw who was an expansion team did not do well their first year, and their record at home was about the same no matter what the fan base.

Not saying home field has no advantage, but it seems at least for expansion teams it doesn't. Maybe Seattle will break the trend and be the second team to have a kick ass year as an expansion team, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

[Polish Hill]

@ Home in their first year:
Toronto: 5-7-3
SJ (2008): 6-5-4
Real SL: 5-8-3
Chivas: 3-11-2
Chicago: 13-3-0 (shootouts instead of draws)

Overall in their first year:
Toronto: 6-17-7
SJ (2008): 8-13-9
Real SL: 5-22-5
Chivas: 4-22-6
Chicago: 21-12-2 (shootouts instead of draws)

Not saying home field has no advantage, but it seems at least for expansion teams it doesn't.

@ Home vs. Overall wins
Toronto: 5 of 6 wins
SJ: 6 of 8 wins
RSL: 5 of 5 wins
Chivas: 3 of 4 wins
Chicago: 13 of 21 wins

Home field advantage has no effect on expansion teams? Could've fooled me. And I haven't checked the attendance numbers on SJ, RSL, and Chivas in their first year but I'd be surprised if they averaged over 15k.

History is definitely against Seattle but they've drafted well, made good moves to shore up their starting 11, and there are a few teams much worse off out there (cough LA). I'm sticking to my guns here, Seattle could definitely sneak into the playoffs if they don't screw the pooch with a slow start.

[Maddog]

Well if those 3 teams averaged under 15k and TOR well around 20k then I can argue having more fans in your first season doesn't help at all and Seattle's 20-22 season ticket holders means diddly for on the field.

And LA sucked last year too.

[Polish Hill]

Obviously loads of fans in the stands won't make you good without any talent on the field. But if you seriously want to argue that a team players better with 15K versus the nearly 25K Seattle will have well then good luck with that. And never did I suggest that attendance correlates to performance, merely that it helps to have more fans.

And yes LA sucked last year but RSL was almost last in 07' but nearly made the MLS Cup in 2008. Parity in this league is very strong but I still think LA will blow and was simply stating that fact.

[RoommateRiot]

Revs forever. Seven States, One Team.

Thought I'm sad to see their line-up get gutted this year. I'm worried for my team. First match tomorrow! I hope Seattle murders New York.

[BattleWhack]

DC fan here, I try to go to the home games anytime I can.

I also try and bring any non soccer fan friends that I have, the "at the game" atmospere almost always shows them the light. DC has a very good home crowd.

[Polish Hill]

DC does have a very good home crowd. I don't think its in the cards for the Revs or DC this year though. Could see United make a push but I don't think Gomez replacing Gallardo is an even switch. And the Revs well...Parkhurst is a huge loss to that team.

Vancouver & likely Portland in 2011
2 More teams in 2012 (bad idea)

Conferences could be evened by moving Colorado to the East (would lose RSL-COL rivalry though), adding two East teams after an unbalanced 2011 (NY, MIA, STL), or just making it single table. Get it done.

-e- Edited for expansion news

[RoommateRiot]

And the Revs well...Parkhurst is a huge loss to that team.

Uggggh, I know. I can only hope that Alston is everything he's being hyped to be.

Conferences could be evened by moving Colorado to the East (would lose RSL-COL rivalry though), adding two East teams after an unbalanced 2011 (NY, MIA, STL), or just making it single table. Get it done.

Single table would be amazing. It would only improve the league.

[RoommateRiot]

SEA 3 - 0 NY for the first game of the season. Hard to tell if Seattle was playing THAT well, or if NY just still hasn't found their groove since losing Altidore. I guess we'll see ...

[Polish Hill]

NY was missing quite a few players as well but Angel is getting up there in age now so it would be understandable to see his productivity fall off. Still, Seattle looked very good.

[Maddog]

gg Portland

[RoommateRiot]

Revs got lucky yesterday, but I'll still take it.

[RoommateRiot]

Added League Table to the initial post. I'll try to keep up with it.

[Maddog]

well I'm currently eating my words about Seattle

[RoommateRiot]

We have to remember that the Sounders in USL-1 were champions over and over again, and most of their best players made it to the MLS Franchise. I have a feeling Seattle is going to make it at least to the Semifinals. I wouldn't be surprised if they got to MLS Cup.

[Polish Hill]

Its a good point to make about Seattle being strong in USL-1 and I definitely think they're a strong playoff contender. Still, its very early in the season and three wins do not a season make. A little disappointed in the Crew's showing thus far but overall I think a lot of the results have been expected.

[RoommateRiot]

God damn you, United. :gun:

I could throw up.

[Polish Hill]

I hate both teams but I still feel your pain. That is a harsh result :(

[RoommateRiot]

90th minute GTG? Seriously ... :(

[RoommateRiot]

*Updated league table. Tomorrow's Games:

Kansas City at Colombus 7 p.m.
Toronoto at D.C. 7:30 p.m.
New England at Chicago 8:30 p.m.
Dallas at Houston 9 p.m.
Salt Lake at Chivas 10:30 p.m.

[Polish Hill]

Holy fuck guys are we going for a league record in ties here or something, geeze

[RoommateRiot]

Seriously. I'm hating it.

On another note, Chivas has 8 more points than the second place team, Seattle, and has only played one more game. Brutal.

*Updated league table in first post.

[Maddog]

well Toronto is sinking back into mediocre

[RoommateRiot]

Seriously though, was Chivas always this good and I just missed it?

[Maddog]

mls seems like you're good one season, then tank the next, and visa versa

[RoommateRiot]

Truth. All I know is I wish that stupid fucking Robert Kraft would hurry up and authorize New England buying a god damned designated player.

[Walnut]

The Philly team's logo is win.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/7b/PhiladelphiaUnion.png

[RoommateRiot]

That's not official, is it?

[Walnut]

That's not official, is it?

indeed it is

[Polish Hill]

Some people were (laughably) suggesting its too similar to Nike's version of the "Don't Tread On Me" snake but yea, not so much. Looks good although it really bugs me that our teams have a love affair with putting stars on their crests. Its one of the few things I really wish we would avoid to get closer to international clubs. Stars should denote a championship or a series of previously won championships.

Why not write Union in the outer circle, remove the stars, and increase the size of the snake?

[Walnut]

It's all historical shit. The dark blue and gold were the colors of the Continental Army, the light blue is the blue from the Philadelphia flag, the 13 stars represent the 13 colonies... They have a theme going, I guess. Kind of like the Revolution, but less tacky.

Anyway, it looks cool.

[Polish Hill]

So Grant Wahl (probably one of the maybe three big money paid soccer journos in the US worth anything) is releasing his book on the 14th. It basically just chronicles "The Beckham Experiment" and how his time in MLS went. I loved Moneyball because it was an in depth look at a sport that I didn't like but just because you got to look behind the curtains a bit. This seems very similar and likely the best chance we'll have to look at the organization for a long time.

It really bugs me that the release date was pushed up from this Christmas to just a few days before Beckham returns to the Galaxy. Apparently a good portion of the book is shitting on Beckham and his lack of leadership, being a cheapskate, and a terrible teammate. Landon Donovan (his teammate for those not in the know) drops quite a few juicy quotes that were meant to be released after Beckham was long gone plying his trade at another club. But now they are out and the locker room environment I'm sure will be palpable. Beckham's the consummate professional though say I can't see him saying a word. But he will absolutely option out of his contract after this year as if that wasn't a given.

Here's an excerpt from the book for the curious

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/the_bonus/06/29/beckham.book/index.html

Can't decide if I want to pick it up or not at the release. I'm certain Wahl intended to add another 50-100 pages about this final season and that is obviously not possible now. Hopefully the publishing company will give it some time and release a more complete edition that I'd gladly scoop up. Any opinions on the book/excerpt/Beckham's time here?

[Polish Hill]

Well the seasons winding down now and I'm starting to glance back at my predictions. D.C. and the Revs gave me a slight surprise but as long as only one of them makes it (looking like the Revs but there's a lot of soccer to be played) I won't be too taken aback. Impressed that the Gals have done as well as they have. Everyone else seems to have fit into their proper places though. The Crew stayed strong. The Fire and Dynamo also have performed admirably. And even though they need to grab a bunch more points I still see Seattle getting into the playoffs.

This topics been sadly idle lately. Any opinions? Osorio resigned and hilariously the Red Bulls are mathematically out of contention in August. And here's another article to fuel the relegation debate, I've yet to read it.

http://www.majorleaguesoccertalk.com/serious-analyzing-for-mls-single-table-promotion-relegation/2180

[RoommateRiot]

Revs have three games in hand. That's all I'm saying. Hopefully the injuries stop.

[RoommateRiot]

I feel like I owe MLS and apology. Not having television has ruined my chances of seeing many games this season. I feel like we broke up.

[RoommateRiot]

So ... who saw the Revs lose to Chicago last night? :(:(:(:(:(:(:(

[Moe_Rahn]

So ... who saw the Revs lose to Chicago last night? :(:(:(:(:(:(:(
haha there are less posts in here than there are in the baseball thread, are you fucking kidding

[RoommateRiot]

So? There are still a few of us who like/watch MLS. Go away.

[RoommateRiot]

Also if we combine the EPL topic with this...you know what fuck you Moe I posted a ton in that topic and baseball is dying so suck a dick. Also Chicago finally didn't lose to the Revs so praise GOD. Now I'm sure they'll lose to Jason Christ but we'll just have to see.

I hadn't realize that the Fire were undefeated at home in the playoffs. It was an uphill battle, but good show for the Fire -- especially after the first leg at Gillette.

All I know is we better have either a) Twellman and Ralston back next year, or b) more attacking options up front. Revs defense was solid this year, but our attacking third was just gutted.

[RoommateRiot]

Did anyone else catch the RSL victory last night? Great game.

[Maddog]

I was watching it over at Polish's place. I hate PK endings but at least it was exciting.

[RoommateRiot]

Donovan had the choke of his career on those PKs.

[Maddog]

So the season kicked off this weekend.

Toronto lost =\

I do look forward to Philly and New York's stadiums opening though :cool: