The Swamp

I'm trying. Took the whole weekend off and now frantically writing up my time for August.

Here you go.

I might just use this as my avatar after the week is up.

This thread sure is getting a lot of love.

Big game tomorrow night with PTFC:RSL, #1 & #2 respectively in the West, with the winner potentially being bumped to the lead in the Supporters' Shield.

The biggest thing at stake, however, would be Steve's avatar.

DC United needs to win the last two games to avoid the least number of W in MLS history. GGGRRR. Well they do have a trophy, will get first pick, first allocation, first re-entry draft pick, extra money for being last, plus extra money for being in the Concacaf champions league.

On the re-entry front that could end up being Torres, Edu, or Gooch who are all out of favor in playing time with their teams. For the college Draft that likely will be Pat Mullins from U of MD (Herman Trophy Winner last year who decided to stay at Maryland this year).

Plus the DC owner now owns Inter...so maybe in addition to having a roster slot filled by a Indonesia (owner is Indonesian) who got 0 minutes United can get some Italians on loan.

P.D.X. wrote:This thread sure is getting a lot of love.

Big game tomorrow night with PTFC:RSL, #1 & #2 respectively in the West, with the winner potentially being bumped to the lead in the Supporters' Shield.

The biggest thing at stake, however, would be Steve's avatar.

Why not. I'm in.

I hope you tie 0-0 or 1-1 or 2-2, whatever. Just tie.

And if New York ties with Houston, that'd be grand too. I think those two results mean that with a win at Philly next week, SKC would get the Shield.

We froze our butts off tonight at Sporting Park. First time it's been below 40 here since May. But an ugly 1-0 win? I'll take it.

AB_skin_test wrote:Beckham trying to take his talents to South Beach.

Beckham has what must be the best agent and the smartest advisors in sports.

From the article:

Further reports suggest 12 major investors have expressed an interest in starting a new MLS side, yet Beckham is said to have an advantage over his rivals after he secured the right to purchase a cut-price franchise as part of his final Galaxy contract.

It has been suggested that Beckham might eventually look to sell the franchise for an inflated fee as a potential $25 million deal with MLS organizers would represent a huge reduction on the price that is normally demanded by U.S. soccer chiefs to establish a new franchise.

Seattle:Colorado tonight (aka The Ganja Cup) in the western play-in game. I don't see Col winning, but it would be awesome if they did so I could see the Timbers play them when I'm in Denver this weekend.

But of course, a SEA:POR semifinal will be epic as well.

The DC Purge is on.
DeRo won't be back. Club won't pick up option nor try to sign him at a lower rate.
Lionard Pajoy, Carlos Ruiz, and midfielder Marcelo Saragosa also informed that they won't be back

That is 600K off the book for the Canadian and $375,000 for the other 3.

Add that to the front office firings of Doug Hicks (chief marketing officer). Aprile Pritchet (community relations who oversaw the club’s charitable operations), and Sarah Lerner (communications manager).

Still no official word on the GM (50/50 chance on staying) and Ben Olsen (expected to be retained but no guarantee)

Oh and as DeRosario was leaving the stadium after being told he was not coming back
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/soc ... ll-at-rfk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

wlu_lax6 wrote:Oh and as DeRosario was leaving the stadium after being told he was not coming back
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/soc ... ll-at-rfk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Come back to Toronto!

By the way, the following comment under the blog should be the death of the hashtag.

#WhatYou'dExpectForATeamThatFiresItsPRGuyAndCharityOrganizerAfterAHistoricallyBadSeason

Oh, and Toronto FC is supposedly going after Jermain Defoe.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/s ... e15174652/

I say "supposedly" because it's based on a report in the Daily Mirror.

The hardest working team in sports (remember that line) has hired Gregg Berhalter as their new coach. Thought this was Friedel's job but guess the buyout from Spurs or concussion from Llores or he has a coaching gig lining up in the UK.

wlu_lax6 wrote:The hardest working team in sports (remember that line) has hired Gregg Berhalter as their new coach. Thought this was Friedel's job but guess the buyout from Spurs or concussion from Llores or he has a coaching gig lining up in the UK.

I've been following the Crew's coaching search a little bit, and I don't think Friedel was a slam dunk for the job. The buyout was a factor, but I think the team was scared off by his complete lack of coaching experience. I think most Crew fans expected Guillermo Barros Schelotto to get it instead.

The Crew have a lot of work to do. Getting the new coach (and sporting director) in sync with the players is a big enough job, and they'll need to replace Eddie Gaven on the wing. His sudden retirement came as a shock to just about everyone in Columbus.

Wow, so that game last night was incredible

Brontoburglar wrote:Wow, so that game last night was incredible

Yeah that was crazy.

I'm pumped for tonight. People were camping out on the sidewalk at the stadium last night. Helicopters were already buzzing around at 7:30 this morning.

GUT THE FISH

Brontoburglar wrote:Wow, so that game last night was incredible

Saturday, you will lose!!

And that concludes my one post in this thread (unless I made others I don't remember).

P.D.X. wrote:

Brontoburglar wrote:Wow, so that game last night was incredible

Yeah that was crazy.

I'm pumped for tonight. People were camping out on the sidewalk at the stadium last night. Helicopters were already buzzing around at 7:30 this morning.

GUT THE FISH

I had to call my mom and bail on her for tonight's game. Too many filings due tomorrow. Fuck.

Giff wrote:

Brontoburglar wrote:Wow, so that game last night was incredible

Saturday, you will lose!!

And that concludes my one post in this thread (unless I made others I don't remember).

If we get out of there 0-0 or 1-1 I will be ecstatic

So ... Thierry Henry, Gone.
Landon Donovan, Gone.
Clint Dempsey, Gone.
Robbie Keane, Gone.

Take that, big spenders!

Damn. MLS has really expanded since the last time I checked

Steve of phpBB wrote:

P.D.X. wrote:

Brontoburglar wrote:Wow, so that game last night was incredible

Yeah that was crazy.

I'm pumped for tonight. People were camping out on the sidewalk at the stadium last night. Helicopters were already buzzing around at 7:30 this morning.

GUT THE FISH

I had to call my mom and bail on her for tonight's game. Too many filings due tomorrow. Fuck.

Are you going to make it Sunday? A bunch of my friends are driving down, but I'm going to be too tied up with the move to go.

And I'm really looking forward to this series. RSL has obviously had our number this season, but we haven't faced them yet being fully healthy and clicking.

At the stadium.

Well, for the two or three of you who are paying attention, this is for all the marbles.

Bronto, are you going? Gonna be fucking cold.

Steve of phpBB wrote:Well, for the two or three of you who are paying attention, this is for all the marbles.

Bronto, are you going? Gonna be fucking cold.

Work. Brother and friend had the tickets.

And holy shit what a game.

I was going to go (would have gotten to party with the club!), but sprung my disposable soccer money for spurs-liverpool tix for next weekend.

I regret not going, though I'd probably still be hungover. I hate penalties, but that was an epic fucking match.

testy boxcar wrote:I was going to go (would have gotten to party with the club!), but sprung my disposable soccer money for spurs-liverpool tix for next weekend.

I regret not going, though I'd probably still be hungover. I hate penalties, but that was an epic fucking match.

Just so fun. And so conflicted when that PK bounced off the bar because of what happened in Atlanta.

Also, Jimmy Nielsen retired tonight. Can't think of a much better way to go out.

(Also x2... the afternoon blowhard on the big sports station in KC said that all soccer games should end like that because it was so great. Sigh.)

It is Re-entry draft time. Round one is Thursday. You have to take the player at the full price of their previous contract. Round 2 will allow teams to draft at a reduced price. Only 6 players have ever been picked up in round 1. I am intrigued by Boswell, Franklin, Rolfe, and Zakuani. However, I am pretty sure none of them are worth their current salary. Many of these players are pretty excited about MLS expansion becuase it is the reason that they will have jobs in two years. A year in the A-league/USPro/NASL and then back to Orlando and NY2.



2013 RE-ENTRY DRAFT ELEGIBLE PLAYERS BY CLUB

Chicago Fire (9): M Corben Bone, D Shaun Francis, M Joel Lindpere, M Daniel Paladini, M Logan Pause, M Chris Rolfe, F Maicon Santos, M Wells Thompson*, M Michael Videira

Chivas USA (3): D Ante Jazic*, D Steve Purdy, M Josue Soto

Columbus Crew (2): M Danny O'Rourke, M Konrad Warzycha

Colorado Rapids (3): GK Steward Ceus, D Brian Mullan, M Jamie Smith

D.C. United (6): M Dwayne De Rosario, D James Riley, F Carlos Ruiz, M Marcelo Saragosa, M John Thorrington, D Daniel Woolard

FC Dallas (3): F Kenny Cooper, M David Ferreira, D Ugo Ihemelu

Houston Dynamo (5): D Bobby Boswell*, F Calen Carr*, D Mike Chabala, M Alex Dixon, F Cam Weaver

LA Galaxy (4): M Colin Clark, M Laurent Courtois, D Sean Franklin, M Pablo Mastroeni*

Montreal Impact (1): M Sinisa Ubiparipovic

New England Revolution (5): D Kevin Alston*, F Chad Barrett, F Ryan Guy, M Clyde Simms, M Juan Toja

New York Red Bulls (5): F Andre Akpan*, D Brandon Barklage, F Fabian Espindola, GK Kevin Hartman, D Heath Pearce*

Philadelphia Union (1): D Chris Albright*

Portland Timbers (2): D David Horst, D Ryan Miller

Real Salt Lake (4): M Yordany Alvarez, D Brandon McDonald, GK Josh Saunders, M Khari Stephenson

Seattle Sounders (6): D Marc Burch, GK Josh Ford, M Blair Gavin, M Mauro Rosales, F Steve Zakuani*

San Jose Earthquakes (4): D Nana Attakora, M Mehdi Ballouchy*, D Dan Gargan, GK Evan Newton

Toronto FC (2): F Justin Braun*, M Bobby Convey

Vancouver Whitecaps (4): GK Joe Cannon, F Tommy Heinemann, F Corey Hertzog, GK Brad Knighton

And it is official. Jason Kreis trades in his Salt Lake Clipboard for a New York City FC one. He will be working with Man City proper until NY kicks off.

DC United get Sean Franklin and Bobby Boswell in Phase 1
Zakuani to Portland
Bone to Union
Burch to Rapids.

Looks like DC United is going to get Eddie Johnson for some allocation money to the Sounders. Seattle got tired of his "Pay Me" attitude. They will redo the deal and make him a DP.

MLS 2nd phase re-entry draft was today.
Fabian Espindola (Red Bulls) and Nana Attakora (SanJose) to DC United
DeRo (DC United) back to Toronto
Seattle gets Chad Barrett in and Corey Hertzog
San Jose gets Shaun Francis and Brandon Barklage
Mehdi Ballouchy to Vancouver

rass wrote:OCSC encourages the use of smoke bombs by fans

There's a real shitstorm amongst the Ralph's Mob (Rowdies fan group) fellows that I follow on social media, and sort of know. Apparently one of these guys snuck into the Ralph's Mob section and a 12 year old ended up getting punched.

There's probably only a 1 percent chance that Las Vegas will get the last expansion franchise, but if we do we'll have the coolest (literally, ha!) SSS in the country.

Psyched for the Spurs-TFC game tomorrow night...

Even if the Toronto players seem irritated to have to play four games in the next ten days. Hopefully ultra-stiffs Eric Lamela and Roberto Soldado will be able to score against Toronto's backups.

Still, not many chances to wear the paraphernalia and boo the players who ruin so many of my Saturdays.

brian wrote:There's probably only a 1 percent chance that Las Vegas will get the last expansion franchise, but if we do we'll have the coolest (literally, ha!) SSS in the country.

Odds starting to look better.

I could easily see myself going when Portland would play there.

ETA:

This weekend, Justin Findlay is back in Portland with more locals — Derek Stevens of the D Hotel, Jonathan Jossel of the Plaza, Cam Walker of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority Board, and others — showing them how he believes downtown Las Vegas can be on MLS game days.

One of the traditions they’ll observe is the March to the Match, when supporters march throughout the streets leading into the stadium. They sing fight songs, wear team apparel and create a true home-field advantage.

There's no March to the Match in Portland.

P.D.X. wrote:

brian wrote:There's probably only a 1 percent chance that Las Vegas will get the last expansion franchise, but if we do we'll have the coolest (literally, ha!) SSS in the country.

Odds starting to look better.

I could easily see myself going when Portland would play there.

ETA:

This weekend, Justin Findlay is back in Portland with more locals — Derek Stevens of the D Hotel, Jonathan Jossel of the Plaza, Cam Walker of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority Board, and others — showing them how he believes downtown Las Vegas can be on MLS game days.

One of the traditions they’ll observe is the March to the Match, when supporters march throughout the streets leading into the stadium. They sing fight songs, wear team apparel and create a true home-field advantage.

There's no March to the Match in Portland.

I love the thought of Derek Stevens, Jonathan Jossel, Cam Walker, and others, aimlessly walking around downtown Portland in search of the March to the Match. Hey, there's Voodoo Donuts!

Question inspired by the San Jose game in Levi's 501 Stadium: who will be the first MLS team to commandeer the local NFL stadium for itself when the NFL falls into financial ruin? I guess Seattle's in the lead for that.