Major League Soccer

good news imo

today:

acquired 600ft of PVC for flagpoles
ate 5 day-marinated sausages for oktoberfest tailgate
waved a gigantic flag for 1.5ish hours
the team had numerous chances to break the tie but couldn't finish, including a whiffed 6-yard sitter at the last second
hung out with visiting TFC people! (they were nice)

dueling flares at Toyota Park, TFC folks in the background

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2448/3966746068_5c288cff2b_b.jpg

rad

excellent article by o.g. Fire GM/Prez Peter Wilt on the genesis of the team, 12 years ago tomorrow:

http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/10/07/happy-birthday-to-the-chicago-fire/

hamlett out

O, that this too too solid flesh would melt,
Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew.

sounders in, i guess. i've been out of the country but still managing to hate ljunberg while barely keeping up

Multi-tasking.

Our last game EVER in the cavernous coffin known as "Giants Stadium" takes place next Saturday. Then we hunker down for the winter to watch other leagues on the tv machine and wait for this:

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jhmgrWpaaME/StjlL4ngBNI/AAAAAAAAAIA/1eHEs0kgfR8/s1600-h/Panorama.jpg

Okay, THIS:

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e66/LimitedLiabilityGirl/Panorama.jpg

^nice

this, on the other hand...

http://twitpic.com/m94h1

MLS goals of the year

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0m1rAGV0v6k

<3 the turn & volley from McBride at #4

guys when will MSP get a team is whati want to know

Next neversday?

I don't know, not very soon while there are big money groups from places like Montreal and St. Louis waiting to get approval, that's for sure.

BTW if you ever feel like going to a MN Thunder game I know a couple beer-drinkin' bike-ridin' bros 4 u 2 hang w/.

last round of expansion the bill was $40 million + a soccer-specific stadium fwiw

They could play at tcf IMO

The league are being dickish about the whole "having your own stadium" b/c of controlling revenue/parking/beer sales and all that. Seattle gets a pass because they're owned by some of the same people who own the Seahawks.

So, the obvious answer is for UM to start a team and then let them go pro, like UNAM and UAG in Mexico.

Is Portland still getting a team?

To get needlessly pedantic about it, Portland already has a team. But yeah, Philly is brand new next season, and Portland and Vancouver (both existing USL teams) will be in MLS in 2011. I'd say it's pretty even odds on Montreal (also USL) getting in by then too.

Sorry, jergs. Nothing gold can stay. But hey, you're in Champion's League next year.

Semifinals:

LA Galaxy v. Houston Dynamo
Chicago Fire v. Real Salt Lake

(go fire)
http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs088.snc3/15542_550756906647_6602426_32411280_4306020_n.jpg

I love the playoffs, I hate the playoffs. This semi between LA and Houston is like pulling teeth. So much fouling, ping-pong ball, and general not-attractive play.

So uh big game today, eh?

huuuge
um

lol

pks ugh

Donovan's miss = priceless

otherwise yes, f pks

shirts for next season leaked

http://tools.adidas-team.com/Soccer/Q110_MLS_Final_LR.pdf

Cool find. The facts for Chivas USA, Colorado, Dallas, and Toronto are so sad.

I really like the shoulder panels on most of the the teams home jerseys.

I don't like the weird gold(yellow?) piping in Kansas City's jersey, is that somehow a traditional color I've never come across? I also don't like the weird straight sleeve panels on the Red Bull jersey.

I quite like Dallas's new jersey, but I guess they aren't the "Hoops" anymore. Now they can be... the Red Bulls? the Toros? the Stripes? They should have kept the horse from the Burn logo when they changed their name.

http://www.soccerbyives.net/soccer_by_ives/2010/01/clint-dempseys-wonder-goal.html

guys i really like clint dempsey?

otm

I kinda want a DC home jersey so I can wear a gold chain and pretend I'm Mike D. circa 1986.

http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/chicago-fire-confidential/2010/01/cba-update.html

this potential work stoppage business would probably wreck the league, and it a world cup year no less

CBA Update
.Sam Stejskal
on 01.12.10 at 8:56 AM | 5 comments Share..

In the last 20+ years, every one of the so-called "major" sports leagues in America has gone through some sort of work stoppage. Whether it was the NFL in 1987, MLB in 1994, the NBA in 1998 or the NHL in 2004, every stoppage damaged the respective leagues. Attendance declined, playoffs were canceled, interest levels dropped and it took time (and in the case of baseball, two steroid-fueled power hitters) to get the leagues back to their pre-work stoppage levels of success.

But those leagues were all established successes at the time of their strikes/lockouts. They had a large, broad base of fans and -- ultimately -- could afford to sit out part of the season due to a labor spat. Unfortunately, MLS does not have that luxury. Sure, the league is growing. But it's not yet big enough so that it could quickly and successfully bounce back from a work stoppage. That -- along with the fact that 2010 is a World Cup year -- is why it's so imperative that the Players' Union and the league come to terms on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement by January 31st.

"I think a deal has got to get done for a number of reasons," said Fire midfielder -- and Union rep -- Logan Pause. "I think any sort of work stoppage will be extremely detrimental to this league. We want to play. That's not an issue. It's just about getting things worked out."

Surprisingly, financial issues haven't been a sticking point in negotiations -- which have been ongoing for months. What the sides can't agree on is the extent to which players will be granted simple, FIFA mandated rights.

Namely, players are demanding the following:

•Guaranteed contracts. Almost 80% of players in the league do not have guaranteed deals.

•To be able to enter contracts with their specific team. Currently, MLS owns all the player contracts in the league. This issue has led some to go as far as to call MLS a "cartel."

•To be able to freely negotiate with other teams once a player's contract has expired. Under the present system, clubs can hold a player's rights even if his contract with the team has ended.

•The right to consent to (or decline) a transfer. Under the current CBA, players can be transferred (traded) to another club within the league without his consent. This can occur even if the transfer is international.

oops, over-copied there

Oh shit those points of contention would change everything....

glad I haven't bought my tickets yet

draft is on, and even more importantly the Fire's away shirt has a special little addition

http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs216.snc3/22369_268883874788_20210009788_4498282_4121706_n.jpg

full season schedule announced

http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20100203&content_id=8015936&vkey=pr_mls&fext=.jsp

hooray for the Fire having no Sunday midday games

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AucOzX9qqRA

^^^those guys rule, can't wait until they join the league

that is, *if* there's a league any more after all this labor dispute that's been going on

http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2010/03/17/peter-wilts-proposed-solution-to-mls-labor-strife/

Best friend and former ILXor now NOT coming to our opening game in the new stadium because labor dispute making game too uncertain and no one likes to get fucked by an unneeded airline ticket for an inconvenient time & destination.

Aw, boooooooo. Although, that's why I didn't buy a plane ticket. That being said, if that game actually happens, I'll be there w/ 250 or so friends! Yay for 14 hour road trips.

i'm getting excited for the season. i don't think a strike will happen. fuck i hope not. this year i didn't buy season tickets (or a half-season like last year). i just can't watch freddy ljunberg play. i don't think i've ever hated a "home team" player as much as i hate him. what is it? his style, something.

what's getting me interested in the coming season are all the new young guys-the recent draft class and the central and s. americans. and i'm glad about philly. and i am in awe at how beautiful this stadium looks: http://vimeo.com/10207459 nice job red bulls. see, a strike can't happen. they just built that stadium!

That's what I keep telling myself.

http://www.earthcam.com/clients/redbullarena/ !!!!!!

Although since it's a really beautiful day today and there's no snow on the ground, I have to conclude that the cams have frozen and those are not the real current images. When it's updating correctly every minute, it IS a sight to behold.

<3ed watching Ljungberg flip out at the ref over a (correct) non-call v. the Fire last year, get his second yellow, and sulk off the field.

Is Montero back this season? Amazing he hasn't been bought by some European side.

I'm exicted for new players as well: Collins John (ex-Fulham and several Dutch/Belgian clubs, apparently a bit of a basket case but loads of potential) and Julio Martinez from El Salvador, scorer of big goals in WCQs including this screamer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioE470BdWK8