2013/2014 MLS Thread

[wlu_lax6]

Well DC picked up Conor Doyle from Derby Co. Loan with the option to buy for the 21-year old Forward from Texas/Creighton. Interesting the Doyle has played for the US u-20s 6 times, Irish U-21s 1 time, and US U-23s 1 time. Also his dad had a long career in indoor soccer.

[wlu_lax6]

Amazing, with the 4-1 loss to Chicago, Ben Olson becomes the longest tenured head coach in DC United History

In terms of duration guiding the first team, though, Olsen’s watch of 2 years, 11 months 18 days is tops.

Last month he became United’s leader in regular season games coached and, with the Chicago trip, reached the 100 mark.

Remarkably, for a club that has collected a lobby cabinet packed with honors since the 1996 launch, United has never employed a head coach for more than three complete seasons. Some left for other opportunities, others were dismissed.

[P.D.X.]

I didn't notice it until the Harbaugh-esque postgame handshake, but Caleb and Bruce were really getting after each other...

[wlu_lax6]

DC United and Mayor Gray have a preliminary deal for a stadium at Buzzard Point. What I love about the artist rendering is how nice they make the area look. Folks who have gone to a Nats game know that this is not realistic. That part of town (which was suppose to get a pretty quick overhaul with the Nats stadium) is still pretty raw. (Waterfront is more of a construction site than area for folks without hardhats).


Also these are not the folks who go to DC United games. I think they used models from the Washington Kastles game. DC United fans are way more ethnic and way more hipster.

[P.D.X.]

That's what architectural renderers do — make the building look like it exists in some diversity utopia.

[A_B]

That first pic, all the other buildings are just concrete.

[wlu_lax6]

Here is what it actually looks like

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Buzzard+ ... 17&iwloc=A" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Sabo]

Starting to sound like all these Clint Dempsey to Seattle Sounders rumors are true after all. If so, I'm stunned. It would be one hell of a coup for MLS.

[brian]

MLS announced they'd like to add four more teams by 2020. Two or three of which will all be in NYC.

[Scottie]

Is that four more beyond the addition of NYCFC (in 2015)? And if there are still more new franchises in New York, does that mean a couple of the East teams will get realigned to the West?

[Scottie]

Further to that, The Atlantic has a gushing review of the MLS All-Star game. And from that article is linked a Guardian article that speculates on where new franchises may be located. (It makes no mention of alignment, however; I suppose it is still too much of an unknown.)

[Sabo]

Starting to sound like all these Clint Dempsey to Seattle Sounders rumors are true after all. If so, I'm stunned. It would be one hell of a coup for MLS.

Done deal. Will be introduced to the Sounders faithful tomorrow night. I think Roger Bennett said it best on Twitter:

Seismic symboic victory for MLS: American captain, returning in his prime, in a World Cup year, to give his best to the American league.

[brian]

Is that four more beyond the addition of NYCFC (in 2015)? And if there are still more new franchises in New York, does that mean a couple of the East teams will get realigned to the West?

It is four more teams after NYCFC though I was being sarcastic about additional NYC teams. One of the four is basically guaranteed to go to Miami & David Beckham as owner.

[Scottie]

Okay. I fell for that. It was just so believable. And with half a dozen Premiership sides in London, it seemed hardly unreasonable!

Found this nifty site while poking around; cartographers and arena geeks might like it: http://www.sportmapworld.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Brontoburglar]

Further to that, The Atlantic has a gushing review of the MLS All-Star game. And from that article is linked a Guardian article that speculates on where new franchises may be located. (It makes no mention of alignment, however; I suppose it is still too much of an unknown.)

FYI, the author of the Atlantic article is from KC and freelances all over the place. Consider it me gushing about how awesome KC was last week. (And it was. But I'm from here and, you know)

[cerrano]

wait. you're hampton stevens?

[Brontoburglar]

wait. you're hampton stevens?

SHHHHHHH

[cerrano]

wait. you're hampton stevens?

SHHHHHHH

didn't mean to blow up yo spot. yo.

[The Sybian]

Further to that, The Atlantic has a gushing review of the MLS All-Star game. And from that article is linked a Guardian article that speculates on where new franchises may be located. (It makes no mention of alignment, however; I suppose it is still too much of an unknown.)

FYI, the author of the Atlantic article is from KC and freelances all over the place. Consider it me gushing about how awesome KC was last week. (And it was. But I'm from here and, you know)

You mean it was awesome (for KC).

[P.D.X.]

WRT the whole Dempsey thing, I love how MLS will throw it's own allocation rules out the window when it involves a $uperstar in a big market. Any team from here on out that accepts allocation positions in trades are suckers.

That said, it's a great pick-up for the league, but not so great for USMNT. I suspect he'll go on loan in the winter to keep form for the WC. And hopefully some hack MLS defender doesn't break his ankle.

[DC47]

I thought MLS teams could sign Designated Players at will, as long as they had a free DP slot?

[Gunpowder]

Put Nats park a few feet south, sign Josh Hamilton, and watch as he launches rivershot pop fouls all year.

[Steve of phpBB]

I thought MLS teams could sign Designated Players at will, as long as they had a free DP slot?

As long as the league wants them to succeed, sure.

The league apparently paid Dempsey's transfer fee, too. This means they will get all the other teams $9 million transfers too, right?

[DC47]

I thought MLS teams could sign Designated Players at will, as long as they had a free DP slot?

As long as the league wants them to succeed, sure.

So they broke a rule in doing this?

Did L.A. have rights to sign Keane and Beckham, or was this an exception?

The league apparently paid Dempsey's transfer fee, too. This means they will get all the other teams $9 million transfers too, right?

Now that's a surprise. I wonder how dissent from other teams is suppressed? Have they been assured of similar favors? Or do they recognize that Dempsey is a benefit to all?

[A_B]

I thought the MLS paid all transfer fees all the time.

[The Sybian]

Now that's a surprise. I wonder how dissent from other teams is suppressed? Have they been assured of similar favors? Or do they recognize that Dempsey is a benefit to all?

This is why I can't get into MLS. The league is like a giant intramural league or intrasquad scrimmages, where they try to keep parity. If one team gets too good, they intervene to level up the playing field. Players have a mysterious knack for ending up on their hometown teams, too. Weird. When it comes to marketing and just about everything, the league comes first, so I think the owners don;t have choice and complaining is unheard of.

[The Sybian]

I thought the MLS paid all transfer fees all the time.

I know they have a hand in receiving transfer fees. I always see the MLS refusing transfers of players abroad.

[P.D.X.]

If a team were to bring in a USMNT and not have him a DP, they'd be on the hook for the transfer fee. So essentially, big name players that would have to be DP's under the salary structure would be subsidized by the league, and thus go to where they want or where it best interests the league. And since small-market teams can't afford the wages of these types of players (nor do DP-level players want to play in soccer backwaters), it means the biggest clubs are left to benefit.

And there really hasn't been any transparency to how the league (other owners) approved this. No idea if they were strong-armed or placated with backroom deals.

[Brontoburglar]

I'm hoping that Kansas City's newfound obsession with soccer means we are close to the front of the line if these type of signings are going to continue to happen.

Sporting has printed shirts that say "The Soccer Capital of America." Uh, sure.

[brian]

The soccer capital of western Missouri and eastern Kansas!

...does not have the same ring to it

[Sabo]

Here's a Grant Wahl story about how Dempsey ended up with Seattle.

[The Sybian]

One thing I have to say about Dempsey's move, I find myself in this thread all of a sudden. Maybe this will be a good thing, after all.

[Pruitt]

Toronto FC President Kevin Payne launches charm offensive.

http://www.wakingthered.com/2013/8/7/46 ... evin-payne

Now, reading the transcript, it doesn't sound so bad. But his tone... well that's another story.

It seems to me that the management of this misbegotten team actively hates the fans.

[Sabo]

This FC Dallas vs. LA Galaxy game is insane. It's 3-3 in extra time, and FC Dallas just hit the post. Landon Donovan has a hat trick, and two of Dallas's goals were offside. Very entertaining match.

[Brontoburglar]

This FC Dallas vs. LA Galaxy game is insane. It's 3-3 in extra time, and FC Dallas just hit the post. Landon Donovan has a hat trick, and two of Dallas's goals were offside. Very entertaining match.

I'm glad I chose it over Rays-Dodgers. Fun game

[wlu_lax6]

Apparently Landon Donovan, the MLS, and Galaxy have come to terms on a multi-year extension. Landon had threatened to leave the MLS if the money was not right.

[P.D.X.]

Apparently Landon Donovan, the MLS, and Galaxy have come to terms on a multi-year extension. Landon had threatened to leave the MLS if the money was not right.

Was kinda hoping he would. It was pretty much his last chance to really make some waves in Europe.

I'm guessing he'll go on loan this winter, though.

[Steve of phpBB]

P.D.X., avatar bet for Friday?

[P.D.X.]

P.D.X., avatar bet for Friday?

Yup.

Although I'll be happy with a draw with our cobbled-together lineup.

[P.D.X.]

P.D.X., avatar bet for Friday?

Hit me.