Major League Soccer

http://espn.go.com/sports/soccer/story/_/id/8194367/mls-hopes-build-national-profile-roger-bennett

A Handler campaign deployed on ESPN2 during the Euro 2012 clash between Italy and England turned the subsequent Portland-Seattle match into the third-most viewed MLS regular-season game of all time with 888,000 people tuning in.

worked for me, those timber fans made me a believer

srsly those wacky pacific northwest hipsters going apeshit was infectious

MLS starters: Nielsen, Beitashour, Collin, DeMerit, Morrow, Alonso, Beckham, De Rosario, Donovan, Henry, Wondolowski

Not really sure why I'm gonna watch this... Other than hoping Osvaldo Alonso breaks John Terry's bones, somehow.

recording this

may possibly watch a replay.

i'll watch some. why not, it's fun.

more importantly though, wtf: Sources tell FOX Soccer that Tim Cahill's NY Red Bulls contract is 3.5 years, at $3.5 million per season.

interview with san antonio prez and also the head of refereeing in the usa

http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2012/07/26/14514/

cool! thanks for that.
I know that there were (and still are some lingering) doubts about hartman's (owner) scorpions succeeding, especially since the spurs were trying to start a USLpro team simultaneously and there was feeling that bc of their success in the NBA, they'd be better suited to eventually get a team to the MLS. but they did some bogus things wrt to stadium and Hartman has been able to get enough private investors to get a SSS going by next year. I don't know if this is a surebet to get into the MLS, though. seems like MLS is in search of more tv ratings and SA won't help that v much (though we do have e largest local market share of any professional team in the country w the spurs iirc).

oh hai more sounders cast-offs that's cool I guess

always my least favorite sounders too, how does that work

Ljungberg had some good games here but the team was in such disarray that it didn't matter a whole lot. With the way they're set up now I can see Fernandez being a good replacement for Pappa when he finally goes. Still seems like a good creative central mid would have been a better move. If Fernandez comes to play the collective game I think they're trying to instill he could be very successful, and I won't deny it's good that they made a move for someone successful. I'm actually kind of surprised Seattle wanted to get rid of him.

hoo boy, just got back from a lopsided scorpions win, 8-0 against Carolina. Pablo campos scored fuckin four goals, he's an absolute beast of a striker.
I'm interested to see attendance figs, didn't seem like the 10,500 we drew last week, but I could've been deceived.

cool rendition http://deadspin.com/5929877/this-is-the-worst-national-anthem-rendition-ever

attendance was a shade over 7000, which is among the lowest turnouts for our club this season (but would still be the highest turnout of any other NASL club).

we got fucking JOBBED

5 mins of stoppage turns into 8 & SJ ties it on the last kick of the game, how magical

There was definitely some home cooking after the deserved sending off.

As a neutral, it was an amazing game to watch. Not a lot of midfield play, but both teams were able to move it to the attack very quickly and to great effect. Also didn't get too chippy or cheap until late on, which is rarely the case these days in MLS.

Chicago looks good Dan - much better than their showing in New York would indicate. Sean Johnson last night was as good a display of goalkeeping as I've seen in quite some time.

Johnson is riding a great streak right now, can't remember if his contract is up after this year or next. He's gotta be Euro-bound eventually.

Shalllllllllriiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeee to the fake goats = lol

Toronto fc really cleaned house against Aguila in concacaf champs league, huh

aguila, club of eternal fire fan inside joke defender deris UMANZOR http://www.neogeoforlife.com/images/smiley/rock.gif

(he sucks bad)

hope tfc got the goals out of their system and got nice & tired 'cause they're coming to chicago this weekend

salaries updated: http://www.mlsplayers.org/files/August%201,%202012%20Salary%20Information%20-%20By%20Club.pdf

I looooove the raucous Portland fans

what a sick strike from jewsbury

i've hated the lakers, angels, raiders, rams, usc, and ucla for so long. but all i care about now is soccer. the galaxy fit.

nice night. 60k, 4-0, 80°. hell yes.

I hate the Anaheim Ducks.

Seattle was impressive last night, but man the one thing missing in the whole equation is GRASS.

The Fire newcomers Fernandez and MacDonald handled themselves well on Saturday, both had very good chances to score but couldn't quite put it away. TFC is SO BAD though, it's really incredible. Poor guys finished with 9 men on the field too.

I watched that Fire/TFC game on MLS Live last night and it was pretty brutal. As you said Dan, TFC is horrid, though I have to say Chicago still needs better finishing. Hell, the whole league needs better finishing. So much buildup petered out around the 18 yard box. I think MacDonald looked pretty good though, and as he rounds into shape and gains rapport with the midfield Chicago will be dangerous. Chance to make some noise in the East playoffs if they don't gift teams goals like that one the other night.

Sean Johnson is quickly becoming special - forcing that save onto the post was something. A little luck, but strong fingers nonetheless.

Watching last Friday's Houston - New York game. The new Houston stadium is nice! And close to downtown. FC Dallas has a nice home but it's over 30 miles from the city center, with zero mass transit infrastructure. Appalling.

Appalling. might as well be DFW's tagline

Hey! I'm finding a lot to like in Dallas. Though the car culture and dead downtown are disheartening.

sorry, obligated to hate Dallas as a rule. my wife is from dfw (euless) and its aight.

have you been out to frisco for a game?

meant to say, as a San Antonio native, obligated to hate....etc

btw, SA drew over 10000 last night in a loss to puerto rico
hope don garber watching this shit

Sadly, I haven't, though I hope to go this fall. Had tickets for a spring game but had to give them away when I had to travel out of town. Sure as hell won't be going out there in this heat. I haven't acclimated at all and I can't get used to it being 100 at 9pm.

I think the funniest thing I've found talking to people all over Texas is that no matter what one town thinks of another, everyone agrees Houston sucks.

fuck houston, bc 1000000% humidity is hell on earth, and also their horrible toll roads and also most of the big Texas oil money is there

See? Everyone hates Houston. I've never been, but I'm not dying to go. I do want to make it down to your neck of the woods sometime during my Dallas sojourn.

come to a scorpions game while you still can and while they are still playing on a high school football field

garber has got to be paying attention. 10k w/ no stars, HS field? that's close to competitive w/cbus & NE already

Pablo campos is a star! in my eyes. bc he's so tall and has scored 16 goals.

new stadium going up next year iirc, plans are expandable to 18500

http://sanantonioscorpions.com/stadium/stadium-plans

we v nearly had an MLS team in 2005 but the incoming mayor did not like MLS' plans bc iirc the city would make like zero dollars so he nixedit. that team became the dynamo.

afaik dallas makes a significant amount of money off of the surrounding soccer fields in the development where their stadium is, enough to stay afloat at least

USOC final tonight, first time the Sounders have had to play on the road in a minute. Predictions?

I think Sporting KC takes it.

i don't want to make a guess, but i'm feeling pretty good about tonight. going to a packed bar will make it more fun. hopefully.

i liked these:

-the sounders haven't lost in regulation in USOC since 2005
-Sounders riding a 7-game unbeaten streak vs. Sporting KC (6-0-1). They've scored the game-winner in the 89th minute or later 4 times

Has Tiffert officially signed with Seattle?

yeah, he made a cameo in their game against LA on Sunday

another sonarrileybroadcast! http://ustre.am/DEtU

@mcnarnia @McNarnia: This is a cup final. The cauldron is sitting down and getting pumped up by their dog mascot.

Clowns