MLS Final [R]

[Michael Crampton]

Wow, there's 3 hours of my life I'm never getting back. When the league MVP and top-scorer doesn't get a serious chance on goal you know what sort of game its been.

Gotta love North American style playoffs (CFL is just as bad to be fair) where the 8th place team in a 12 team league (WITH TWO EXPANSION TEAMS PROPPING IT UP!) ends up the "league champions." Quite an honour you achieved LA. MLS should have a single table balanced schedule for the league championship and call it such - no half-assed "Supporters Shield" crap. Even Brazil is doing it now. Keep the MLS Cup as the showcase end of season play-off tournament with conference based qualification though. Hence, there would be 3 trophies to win: Open Cup, League Championship, and MLS Cup. Don't try to tell me that the 8th place team are "league" champions and don't try to tell me that "Americans won't understand it." Just about every youth league I've ever played in work like this - right here in North America.

At least the winning goal was half-decent.

Mike.

p.s. The "Rev" get my nod for MLS Lame Uniform of the Year. Too much white trim with a terrible font for the nearly invisible (due to the bizarre dark red on navy blue colour choice) "Revolution" inscribed on the front of the jersey. I must admit that the Galaxy have a distinctive look. I wouldn't mistake them for any other team and it doesn't look bad - though I'm sure some would disagree.

[Cheeta]

No, not a very good match at all. Sporting of the Revs to save their worst match of the year for the playoff final. Given a few more years they'll learn to cross. Geezus, my beer league team throws in better crosses if left unpressured. Don't know what was up with that at all.

Too bad. Was expecting quite a better show and the final the last couple of years hasn't been half bad if I remember correctly.

And I'm one of those who disagree. I hate Los Angeles' uniforms. Hate, hate, hate. If I was dead and some of my friends on a lark put my corpse in one of those Galaxy kits at the wake, which is about the only way you'd ever get me into one, my Spectre would haunt those sorry asses into madness in a justifyable vengence. Yuck.

Pizza Hut Park (oh, boy) looks a decent grounds when filled up a little.

[DoyleG]

I wish I had three hours of my life back. MLS isn't going to get rid of the playoffs. Too much revenue potential in playoffs. I think this was the 2nd or 3rd match for MLS on ABC this season.

[bettermirror]

a) i like the galaxy uni - for whatever reason i like ugly uniforms. they are distinctive at least.

horrid match. and the yanks wonder why they get no respect.

c) fox sports world has had plenty of articles about getting rid of the playoff system.

d) you can't say there is revenue potential - it's the only sport where attendance drops in the playoffs. soccer fans don't want playoffs - just cups.

[Michael Crampton]

quote:Originally posted by DoyleG

I wish I had three hours of my life back. MLS isn't going to get rid of the playoffs. Too much revenue potential in playoffs. I think this was the 2nd or 3rd match for MLS on ABC this season.

Nor should they really, MLS Cup as an end of season showcase game makes perfect sense from a marketing perspective. It allows for a focal point for TV exposure to the casual fan (ie. me!) much like the Superbowl or Final Four. I'm just objecting to the suggestion that the Galaxy are somehow "league" champions when they quite obviously aren't. Hell, call them "national champions" if you want... just not league champions. If Americans can figure out that the ACC basketball championship is different from the NCAA national championship they can figure out the difference between the league champion and the national (cup) champion.

Mike.

[argh1]

All I could think of was buddy that was on the board that hated commercials. Everytime the play-by-play guys thanked some sponsor for side-by-side adds. Other than that it wasn't an exciting game.

[Yob]

Seemed like every few minutes there was someone down on the ground, the game didn't have any flow to it.

What would of happened if the US was involved in the World Cup Qualifying playoffs this weekend, would players miss the MLS Cup to play for the national team? Strange the MLS plays on international weekends.

[Alberto7]

quote:Originally posted by Yob

Seemed like every few minutes there was someone down on the ground, the game didn't have any flow to it.

What would of happened if the US was involved in the World Cup Qualifying playoffs this weekend, would players miss the MLS Cup to play for the national team? Strange the MLS player on international weekends.

Interesting that you say that. The commentator said that New England were missing a player who was with the Trinidad & Tobago team playing in the playoff game against Bahrein. Why couldn't MLS schedule the final next weekend when there will be NO international games?

Agree with you all about the poor quality of play. The game only started to get exciting in the overtime when LA opened it up a lot.

The only player who impressed me was Cobi Jones who set up some good plays.

[SamIAm]

quote:Originally posted by bettermirror

horrid match. and the yanks wonder why they get no respect.

Yeah, the whole of world football has just written us off because of one "dreadful" game. Everyone at MLS and USSF should be fired for the dismal state of US soccer!!

[Guest Jeffery S.]

quote:Originally posted by SamIAm

Yeah, the whole of world football has just written us off because of one "dreadful" game. Everyone at MLS and USSF should be fired for the dismal state of US soccer!!

The MLS playoff format is a discredit to US soccer internationally. Noone takes it seriously (though maybe the press will pick up a note on it tomorrow, for the time dif it did not appear today). It would be much more prestigious for the MLS to present a league champ that was the regular season champ, and it might also be a way to ensure that the best team gets into the Libertadores, for example, which would really be prestigious.

Most world fans just see the final as deciding a Cup winner, which is basically what it is.

[SamIAm]

quote:Originally posted by Jeffrey S.

The MLS playoff format is a discredit to US soccer internationally. Noone takes it seriously (though maybe the press will pick up a note on it tomorrow, for the time dif it did not appear today). It would be much more prestigious for the MLS to present a league champ that was the regular season champ, and it might also be a way to ensure that the best team gets into the Libertadores, for example, which would really be prestigious.

Most world fans just see the final as deciding a Cup winner, which is basically what it is.

Oh, I understand this and it will be something I hope they get to do when we have a stable 18-20 team league someday. But right now it is what it is, and a 10 year old MLS can't do what a 100 year old EPL or La Liga can do right now or maybe ever. But to say we get no respect is just kind of over the top, as the league has helped us gain a little respect more than anything else in the world football community.

[Guest Jeffery S.]

quote:Originally posted by SamIAm

Oh, I understand this and it will be something I hope they get to do when we have a stable 18-20 team league someday. But right now it is what it is, and a 10 year old MLS can't do what a 100 year old EPL or La Liga can do right now or maybe ever. But to say we get no respect is just kind of over the top, as the league has helped us gain a little respect more than anything else in the world football community.

The Spanish press pays more attention to Cerro Porteño, America de Cali or Peñarol when they win a championship. That is the reality. Sure, Spanish speaking, I admit it.

The US national team is much more respected than MLS, be assured, as are the individual players who shine, like Beasley doing so well in Holland. The national team, not MLS, this is an erroneous equation being made as most US fans see the success of your nats as being an MLS by-product. I don't think you are necessarily wrong, but I hardly read any substantial respect at all for MLS in the world scene; at least in Europe you have to play a tough team from Russia or are scared to go into Istanbul, Rosenborg gives you a scare (or Artmedia Bratislava), the lesser leagues are respected as they can be bitches.

I don't see that MLS is seen in that light at all. And a playoff like that does not help.

In contrast, in Spain the NBA style playoff is perfectly well understood, they play playoffs in most European leagues in basketball, but of course in a longer series there is more chance for the stronger team with home advantage to keep going. So it is rarely seen as unfair to the regular season winner.

I understand the reason for playoffs though, it keeps the emotion to the end. Usually what saves the conventional leagues, even if there is a winner early, is that teams are fighting for a UEFA spot, others trying to avoid relegation, there is the national cup played late usually (even after the season), this means that the league does not fall off with an early or runaway winner in the single table system.

By the way, I do not like much the Mexican or Chilean system, and I think that Mexico's image especially is hurt by that way of doing things, it is tedious to follow the progress of league play with those groups.

[Guest Jeffery S.]

quote:Originally posted by SamIAm

Oh, I understand this and it will be something I hope they get to do when we have a stable 18-20 team league someday. But right now it is what it is, and a 10 year old MLS can't do what a 100 year old EPL or La Liga can do right now or maybe ever. But to say we get no respect is just kind of over the top, as the league has helped us gain a little respect more than anything else in the world football community.

The Spanish press pays more attention to Cerro Porteño, America de Cali or Peñarol when they win a championship. That is the reality. Sure, Spanish speaking, I admit it.

The US national team is much more respected than MLS, be assured, as are the individual players who shine, like Beasley doing so well in Holland. The national team, not MLS, this is an erroneous equation being made as most US fans see the success of your nats as being an MLS by-product. I don't think you are necessarily wrong, but I hardly read any substantial respect at all for MLS in the world scene; at least in Europe you have to play a tough team from Russia or are scared to go into Istanbul, Rosenborg gives you a scare (or Artmedia Bratislava), the lesser leagues are respected as they can be bitches.

I don't see that MLS is seen in that light at all. And a playoff like that does not help.

In contrast, in Spain the NBA style playoff is perfectly well understood, they play playoffs in most European leagues in basketball, but of course in a longer series there is more chance for the stronger team with home advantage to keep going. So it is rarely seen as unfair to the regular season winner.

I understand the reason for playoffs though, it keeps the emotion to the end. Usually what saves the conventional leagues, even if there is a winner early, is that teams are fighting for a UEFA spot, others trying to avoid relegation, there is the national cup played late usually (even after the season), this means that the league does not fall off with an early or runaway winner in the single table system.

By the way, I do not like much the Mexican or Chilean system, and I think that Mexico's image especially is hurt by that way of doing things, it is tedious to follow the progress of league play with those groups.

[Bangoutoforder]

Guys, there have been plenty of exciting MLS cup finals. Sunday's match was a bit lame but that happens in finals on occasion.

If you decide not to take us seriously, well, please go right ahead. I couldn't ask for anything more.

I'm gutted that my team lost. At least I had a rooting interest in the game.

[amacpher]

quote:Originally posted by Jeffrey S.

The Spanish press pays more attention to Cerro Porteño, America de Cali or Peñarol when they win a championship. That is the reality. Sure, Spanish speaking, I admit it.

Not just spanish speaking. Throughout the entire world, nobody respects MLS, apart from maybe Canadians (why so many people on this board even watched the game puzzles me). Most don't even know it exists. None of this should come as a surprise to anybody, surely.

quote:Originally posted by Jeffrey S.

The MLS playoff format is a discredit to US soccer internationally. Noone takes it seriously (though maybe the press will pick up a note on it tomorrow, for the time dif it did not appear today). It would be much more prestigious for the MLS to present a league champ that was the regular season champ, and it might also be a way to ensure that the best team gets into the Libertadores, for example, which would really be prestigious.

Problem is, USA is a huge country so having one table with a balanced schedule is not realistic. I would just have the division winners play for the championship. And to make the regular season more meaningful for teams not able to contend for first-place, I'd make the top 8 teams overall advance to a playoff tournament that determines the Copa Sudamericana representative(s).

quote:Originally posted by Yob

What would of happened if the US was involved in the World Cup Qualifying playoffs this weekend, would players miss the MLS Cup to play for the national team? Strange the MLS plays on international weekends.

Actually I believe MLS attendance does better when games are played at times when other big internationals are going on elsewhere in the world. That's why MLS season continues during the World Cup, for instance.

[Bangoutoforder]

You're really kidding yourself if you think that "the rest of the world" (whatever that means) pays much attention at all to América de Cali or Cerro Porteño. I'd even guess that more discerning viewers of the game see MLS as more intriguing because of the possibilities that it represents.

And while we're at it, I don't know how seriously "the rest of the world" takes any league that is splits its season into clausuras and aperturas.

Say what you want about MLS and the Americans, at least they understand the concept of the off-season, parity, and the sanctity of contracts.

[amacpher]

quote:Originally posted by Bangoutoforder

You're really kidding yourself if you think that "the rest of the world" (whatever that means) pays much attention at all to América de Cali or Cerro Porteño.

Actually I was surprised in my last couple of visits to Europe how much of the latin american leagues are covered there. Not suggesting that its mainstream or anything close to that, but you can still catch some of the matches on TV if you so desire.

But no sign of MLS anywhere.

quote:

I'd even guess that more discerning viewers of the game see MLS as more intriguing because of the possibilities that it represents.

You mean that league with NFL style chalk-lines on the field, no history and empty stadiums is more intriguing to Europeans than watching leagues containing the future superstars of tomorrow, passionate crowds and solid histories??? I think you're kiddin' yourself. There's even a latin american league that's more popular in America than the MLS is in America. That should tell you something.

quote:

And while we're at it, I don't know how seriously "the rest of the world" takes any league that is splits its season into clausuras and aperturas.

Don't know why you think that should play such a major role in attracting foreigners!? The apertura/clausura system is alot more common globally than a closed-league with a bloated playoff system.

quote:

Say what you want about MLS and the Americans, at least they understand the concept of the off-season, parity, and the sanctity of contracts.

The lengthy off-season only hurts MLS and there's just as much parity if not more in the latin american leagues. Have you checked the league-table in Argentina recently? There's 5 matches left in the season and any one of about 8 clubs can still finish top! [8)]

[Guest Jeffery S.]

I also agree apertura-clausura is odd, but in the end we know that Argentine soccer is strong. A little advantage of that system is that if you have a bad start and are sure not to win, you get a chance to sort things out a few months later. And it allows lesser teams to occasionally win, as the strong sides usually appear over a long season, but can have weak half seasons.

I really do think that one of the keys to keeping the game lively throughout the world is the threat of relegation (or the dream of seeing your main rival go down). That is what makes weak teams down i the table fight hard to the end, better than those playoff runs.