The Swamp

Rapids supporters walking out at 20' for this weeks game.

Shirley wrote: ↑Thu Sep 14, 2023 1:51 pm

Nonlinear FC wrote: ↑Tue Sep 12, 2023 10:07 am

Shirley wrote: ↑Mon Sep 11, 2023 4:02 pm Is anyone reporting on what Arena actually did? I've read a couple of articles, but there were no details. It's odd that the complaints seem to be coming from Richie Williams and Curt Onalfo who've known and worked with Arena for decades. They both played for him at UVA.

Yeah, it's a really weird, very slow developing story. This has been going on for many weeks if not more than a month and there's been very little in the way of details.

Like you said, he's known these two guys for decades.

OK, so now Richie Williams is out as interim coach and it's now Clint Peay. Huh. I'll give you one guess where Clint Peay played college soccer. This is wild and confusing. Everyone involved in this story has known and played or worked together for decades.

Austin Peay?

Matko's contract terminated

A bit of reality starting to set in re: Messi. Subbed out after 37 minutes after he was held out over the weekend. Almost no path to the playoffs.

Rex wrote: ↑Wed Sep 20, 2023 7:24 pm A bit of reality starting to set in re: Messi. Subbed out after 37 minutes after he was held out over the weekend. Almost no path to the playoffs.

Well clearly that Messi guy was holding them back. Or Toronto just stinks.

Miami has 2 games in hand and only 5 points back of DC. They have 2 against Charlotte, 1 against NYC, and 1 against Chicago who are just ahead of them in the standings. They have Cinn who is 9 points up for the supporters shield and houston who is locked in for a playoff spot.

Us open cup tonight on paramount+ and a few other stations...and it took me.a few minutes to realize I was on Star cam and not that the game just had no commentators.

Houston up 2-0 with inter-no-Messi.

Shoot Ben Olsen may lift a trophy.

Ole Gunnar Soskjaer was at DC United's training facility today......Wayne Rooney and the team were in Texas. Wayne's contact ends this year (mutual option exists) and last month he was complaining that nobody in DC has reached out to him/his agent for next year. DC also looking for a new GM.

It’s all lining up for Rooney to take over Everton in the Championship next year

Well Derby beat blackpool yesterday so he left a legacy of....expected

DC and Rooney get a win tonight...and then agree to each go their.own way

They're eliminated even though they currently sit in a playoff spot. That's how you MLS.

Michael Bradley to hang them up. Twenty year career.

wlu_lax6 wrote: ↑Tue Oct 17, 2023 2:47 pm Michael Bradley to hang them up. Twenty year career.

First Swamp reference, as far as I can tell (and is available).

I think. His name is spelled wrong (and it wasn't even you).

Bruce Arena tossed his name in for the DC United job. Maybe we can Etcheverry and Harkes back.

“As a competitor and as someone who loves this club, and is so proud of who we are, what we've done, to end after a season like this – maybe in a perfect world, that's not the way it would go,” said Bradley. “But then you start thinking about the other side, and I'm really excited about the next chapter of my life and my career. I know what I want to do, I'm excited by that, as motivated as can be to try to coach and to try to become the best possible coach that I can be, to coach at the highest level I can.”

If one were to build a coach he might be it

Odds on Michael Bradley one day coaching the USMNT? I’d bet on him.

The Sybian wrote: ↑Sat Oct 21, 2023 7:39 am Odds on Michael Bradley one day coaching the USMNT? I’d bet on him.

Can it start Monday?

Meh. Let's see where it all goes. A lot of former USMNT guys, including GGG, are part of the problem holding back our tactics.

I assume MB is smarter and more soccer-savvy than, say, Lalas... But does he know how to assess what's going on and make adjustments? Can he take the talent he's given and craft an approach based on that, rather than jamming a system on a talent pool that doesn't have the goods (this is vital for national team, not as much at a club where he can potentially shake up his roster.)

I'd say he's got a better shot to make it as a coach than not... But the field is littered with former players that aren't good managers.

Chicharito won't return to LA
Suarez is going to take a bite out of inter miami

Oh fuck yeah! A sexist asshole who has a losing record in the league. Stellar hire.

So Benny Olsen in the Western finals with Houston and Acosta the MVP with Cincinnati. Man I hope DC's new GM is everything he is cracked up to be because their decision making has been awful.

the atmosphere in Cincinnati for the MLS Eastern Conference final right now is absolutely bonkers. Noise like it's happening in Europe.

tennbengal wrote: ↑Sat Dec 02, 2023 6:31 pm the atmosphere in Cincinnati for the MLS Eastern Conference final right now is absolutely bonkers. Noise like it's happening in Europe.

Don’t think European fans are that into MLS.

the soccer is real good too

Rex wrote: ↑Sat Dec 02, 2023 6:39 pm the soccer is real good too

It sure has been. Columbus was better on the ball all half and down 2-0 despite that. The second half is gonna be the best kind of desperate bonkers as Columbus throws everything forward and Cincinnati counters (which they are so good at).

Don’t know what the “surprise” is a reference to but here’s a good look at the Bailey (the supporters section) in Cincinnati -

tennbengal wrote: ↑Sat Dec 02, 2023 7:13 pm Don’t know what the “surprise” is a reference to but here’s a good look at the Bailey (the supporters section) in Cincinnati -

Someone probably threw goetta on the pitch. That’s my theory.

tennbengal wrote: ↑Sat Dec 02, 2023 7:08 pm

Rex wrote: ↑Sat Dec 02, 2023 6:39 pm the soccer is real good too

It sure has been. Columbus was better on the ball all half and down 2-0 despite that. The second half is gonna be the best kind of desperate bonkers as Columbus throws everything forward and Cincinnati counters (which they are so good at).

It was indeed desperate bonkers. 2-2 headed to extra time.

Columbus with the comeback. Deserved, they were better.

What a game that was. Sad for Acosta who was completely gone in extra time. It’s a tough call but he had to come off.

My own team loyalties aside, I think this Crew team is my favorite MLS team to watch ever. Nancy for USMNT right?

Rex wrote: ↑Sat Dec 02, 2023 8:55 pm What a game that was. Sad for Acosta who was completely gone in extra time. It’s a tough call but he had to come off.

My own team loyalties aside, I think this Crew team is my favorite MLS team to watch ever. Nancy for USMNT right?

Absolutely. Make it happen.

I know the hipsters will point to some crap from 1999, but I'll say that this Columbus team is as much fun as MLS has ever been.

Rex wrote: ↑Sat Dec 02, 2023 8:55 pm Nancy for USMNT right?

Despite the scoreline that was dominance. Boot on LAFC’s throat from the get-go. Great game.

Rex wrote: ↑Sat Dec 09, 2023 6:17 pm I know the hipsters will point to some crap from 1999, but I'll say that this Columbus team is as much fun as MLS has ever been.

Yeah, they peaked at a perfect time and were really good on top of that.

Is MLS being a bunch of bitches?

I just don't get the "too good for that competition" when fucking United might play Cleavington Athletic City FC in the early rounds is the standard for those type of things.

Looks like USSF denied their withdrawal?

So, there is a TON of backstory on this, but it boils down to this:

MLS is always going to lookout for MLS, with very little regard for US soccer's overall mission of growing the sport. They are about making sure MLS is seen as the main economic driver of the sport, which butts up against the Fed's desire to keep the national teams front and center. This is all a power struggle that has been flipped in recent years with MLS franchises valued over $500M and TV deals getting into the 100s of millions of dollars.

MLS has packed their calendar with CONCACAF Champions League, League Cup and various exhibitions. Their (public) rationale here is that the US Open Cup is adding to the midweek fixture crowding. The glaring (unspoken) issue is that the US Open is a Fed jam, so the $$ incentive for MLS is minimal.

The fix for the fatigue issue would be to adjust the contracts for the lower level, MLS Next guys so they can move between those rosters more freely. Basically, make the US Open Cups de facto MLS Next games with some of the back benchers from the A team sprinkled in. But, again, that's not really what this is about. It's about control.

More like when they get beat by those teams. Sacramento in the last final right?

P.D.X. wrote: ↑Wed Dec 20, 2023 11:34 am Looks like USSF denied their withdrawal?

Yep. Still a lot to sort out.

I will say, I'm pretty surprised the Fed pushed back like this. It's the right thing to do, but they've pretty consistently rolled over in these instances.

MLS (and the Fed, to be fair) are full of folks that are used to soccer being in a bubble with a fairly small number of fans and commensurate media coverage. These days, they try to a bad story news drop on a Friday and by Tuesday pitchforks and torches are at their (virtual) door from all over the fucking place.