Major League Soccer

I'd feel less guilty about not going if they were playing Baltimore. But I'd also like the option to casually stroll over to the metro and then ride the train for 30 minutes to see them.

I thought Dallas had shitty attendance?

This whole thing makes me nervous if only 'cause DC is one of the more historic, better-supported teams in the league and if they're on the verge of moving it could happen anywhere. Teams with their own stadiums are definitely more secure, though...

http://woodlandparkzblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/seattle-sounders-fc-recruits-zoo-animal.html

^^^^^relevant to my interests

I used to ride the train from Baltimore to DC for work. Nice ride. Occasionally went the other direction when I lived in DC and took the train up to see the Orioles.

I've lived in Dallas for a month so have no idea about it beyond my friend who goes regularly. Quick google puts them below average but growing:

http://mlsattendance.blogspot.com/2011/10/final-attendance-update.html

A finals run last year and a talent like Shea seem to be helping.

I have this tendency to get evangelical about MLS: if you live near Dallas, you should go to some games!

I am hoping the Fire are in the same spot Dallas was like 2-3 years ago. They were utter crap for most of the season then gelled all of a sudden and went on a run, barely missing the playoffs. Since then the coach (whom most everyone had been calling to be fired) has been slowly adding pieces and developing youth players, and they've been perennially solid contenders the whole time.

I'll go next year. Hopefully I'll have sold my house in Maine by then and be able to afford some fun now and again.

i really don't think anybody in favor of the dcu-to-baltimore idea realize how suicidal it is, no matter who'd pay for a stadium up there, and that's good ol' MLS for you in a nutshell

If it moves the fans will get together and start AFC DC and they'll have loads of national goodwill and credibility.

what was being sung during each goal at Jeld-Wen Field this year

good goal by saborio in the playoffs wasn't it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NX3YzdaKZFs

beautiful.

LA are the most boring team to watch, guess that's why they never lose at home.

I have to say, the Guardian's MLS playoff coverage has been pretty good, low on the snark-o-meter which is a bit of a departure from previous seasons.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2011/nov/04/la-galaxy-sporting-kc-houston-dynamo

and... we're #3, we're #3!

http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/dish/201111/nba-no-longer-3rd-best-attended-us-sports-league

And now elevated to Guardian MBM status!

Enjoyed the second leg of LA-NY quite a bit, looking forward to tonight's game even more.

pretty good so far imo

my mans saborío scored again. like wayne gretsky somehow, according to my commentator. feel good abt this bc LA's first was never a penalty.

disquieting to see robbie keane playing a few days before ireland's crunch euro qualifying playoff, even tho a bunch of dudes who'll be there played 12 hours ago in england.

saborio plays a flavorful game

HOT POCKETS HALFTIME SHOW gets me every time you guys, fuckin lol

aw keeper

i guess it was pretty much point blank

Lot of power in the cross and the shot, tough to keep out.

tru.

wow crossbar by espindola

nice pass Donovan

keane is no hugo sanchez

if anything his celebrations are getting even lamer as he ages, tho it seems hardly possible

Yeah that was as raggedy a cartwheel as I've seen.

rsl was the last team besides the gals to have a shot at this imo, oh well

RIP RSL.

I enjoyed watching them and I would have loved to see them prevail.

thought Beckermann was great

he's been a v strong player for a while now, would definitely pick him over most mids in the league

that said I don't know why klinsi keeps calling him up

would rather keane stayed on the bench next friday tbh

both teams owned by AEG btw

git yer dirty rotten stinkin' hands offa seanjohn

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2056999/Manchester-United-hand-trial-Chicago-Fire-keeper-Sean-Johnson.html

I thought these offseason deals were just workouts and not actually trials. No one expects Brek Shea to sign for Arsenal, do they?

idgaf what happens to Shea I just don't want anybody swoopin' for our keeper, no matter how unlikely it actually is

liverpool have signed marc pelosi. who is he?

former usa u-17 from the last cycle. midfielder. german passport? he made the bench for liverpool reserves yesterday.

from today's Guardian Rumour Mill
The former Real Madrid stroller Guti could be on his way to the Kansas City Cheeseburgers of the MLS.

love this name so much more than Sporting (or Wizards) would support them for life...

"the" MLS = n00b status

i was going through some docs today and found this dated march 10. was gonna post it back then itt? i did okay:

mls cup la galaxy
shield rsl
us open cup seattle sounders
mvp
roy darlington nagbe
newcomer omar bravo
comeback
last place vancouver whitecaps
worst attendance new england revs
first rookie to usmnt cap - jalil anibaba

2012 schedule released

http://www.mlssoccer.com/schedule?month=3&year=2012&club=all&competition_type=46&broadcast_type=all&op=Search&form_build_id=form-886332d41861a69c3fa2ea521305a4e2&form_token=6890f5f52014fb2c8bfeb55e6179c481&form_id=mls_schedule_form

some wacky shit considering the unbalanced league this year

hey, I'm in the guardian

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2012/jan/09/mls-superdraft-draft-2012-supporters

Wow, I never spotted that. Well done - despite the rather corporate job title.

Yeah, I would have rather had simply our organization's name for the attribution but my 'official' email address has the full title and that's what they used. So it goes. I'm actually a little more irked at how they edited one of my answers.

No matter what, more coverage of the league is always good. You'd hardly know there was a club here if you only paid attention to the local big media outlets.

Portland signs Kris Boyd huh

so dan are you a big fan of oatmeal/ exreme non-violence?
http://www.footballshirtculture.com/images/chicago-fire-2012-adidas-home-away-football-shirts-r.jpg

The Chicagoats Fire

I'm glad they picked up a quasi-local sponsor and the $ will come in handy as the team finishes rebuilding, but I (and many others) are pissed they changed the stripe across the chest from white to blue.