THIS

...is SO much better! Thank you thank you thank you. It doesn't suck, its actually pretty sharp looking (in my opinion as a professional graphic artist), and is a great step away from the "league for children" look from the 90's.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/next

SORRY ABOUT THAT PEP...

...not really. Shut up you sore loser!

Look, we all know that one of your players makes more than probably any single TEAM in MLS. Yes they're good players (and good sports unlike you), and valuable. But, tackles happen in soccer. Except for Olanzo's clear and reckless foul, you really have nothing to complain about.

Oh, except you didn't get to rout us like you thought you were going to. You went into the game thinking you would win 5-0, and instead you got beat by two very nice goals. For this you want revenge...honestly I hope they don't take you up on that offer, as we all know a 5-0 beating would probably be a good day for MLS if your team is out for blood!

All in all, a completely meaningless match, but oh so entertaining. Glad I watched it.


ULTRASMLS

AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM

I was posting a long winded comment on an article about Sepp Blatter almost DEMANDING that MLS move to the European schedule. Yeah Sepp, shut up man, seriously. How about your turn those beady eyes of yours on the stadium construction going on in Qatar?

Playing soccer on our currently used schedule is the only way that MLS going to work for this country for the foreseeable future, because of our weather, not to mention the competition from our other sports. So give it up Sepp. Please retire.

Does this cause complications with FIFA's carefully laid out schedule? Unfortunately, undeniably, yes.

However, it also provides several OPPORTUNITIES: The ability to grow without being overshadowed by both forms of American Football, etc. Playing friendlies against European clubs on their summer tours. And, as the quality of our league improves year to year -and the more exposure it receives courtesy of our partnerships with "big" European clubs- MLS will slowly become something ingrained on the minds of our friends on the other continents. Although I'm not sure how wide spread our leagues games are shown internationally, the fact that soccer mad fans have NOTHING else to watch but MLS could over time create an interesting phenomenon...The Amero-snob!

It would be great if MLS could somehow promote itself in England, Germany, Argentina, Colombia etc...I know, I know...first America, then the world!

I for one welcome our Amero-snob brothers from Englagermafrance! Our Columbus fans from Colombia! New England fans from Old England! FC Dallas fans from Dallas, Scotland. Even DC United fans from all those other Uniteds scattered throughout the world!

Thanks for reading.

ULTRAS MLS

Facists Invade Poland!

Ok, so we're not really fascists...but we sure looked like them on the field! Of course I'm talking about Nike's new USA kits. Dark Grey with hints of red...they remind me of the famous (army) uniforms of the Third Reich of Germany. Its not that I don't like them, but I just don't see "USA! USA! USA! when I look at them. Fine for a club side. But I'll take a nice red white and blue combination please, Nike.

And to debut that new look against European whipping boy Poland was just too much for me to ignore. After the blitzkrieg-like ass wooping we put on them, I have to wonder if any of Polands WWII vets where having flashbacks!

Be Champions

This is hilarious satire from Setanta. Remember...Be champions!

USA vs. Mexico

I read THIS article today and it got me thinking...Will soccer divide our two nations, as the trend currently suggests, or will it unite us?

There has been much discussion lately about the possible rise of hooliganism in the USA, and while I can easily see groups of kids getting together to imitate what they've seen on YouTube, I doubt we will see true hooligans here. Will there be some parking lot fights between Chivas and Galaxy fans? Yup. When NYC has two teams? No doubt! Will the media make a HUGE deal out of it? Absolutely!

Thing is, people like to fight, sometimes they just need a good reason. Mix that human trait with the passion of football and tempers will boil over. As a participant in many fraternity brawls, I can tell you for a fact that its also a ton of fun and a unifying event.

Back on topic. As the US and Mexico become more blended together, and as our countries become more powerful footballing nations, I think we will begin to see more respect for each other, and less hatred. After all, with a massive generation of Mexican immigrants comes a massive amount of future Mexican-American national team candidates. Our styles of play will meld together.

This doesn't mean we'll be nice to each other's teams, just not as hateful?

Comments?

Shut. Up.

I'm watching the videos for Sierra Mist Goal Of The Week today, (my vote is for Altidore) and I'm noticing again how often the announcers are yammering on about some sort of nonsensical, barely related to soccer subject while one of the teams is driving towards the goal (see Moreno's and Altidore's goal). I don't care if these guys have been coached to not have any "dead air", their opinions aren't so important that they should keep talking while goal scoring opportunities are happening on the field. Now that the English league is underway again, this just makes our announcers seem even more pathetic.

Read This::: MLS Atmosphere?

If you follow Major League Soccer at all (and you should), you know that while there are many wonderful supporter groups in MLS, many clubs simply don't compare. Home games for DC, Toronto, Houston, RSL, New England and Chicago are loud and exciting. They give us a wonderful view of the future of the sport in this country, and how unique our soccer fans are. However, games for Dallas, NYRB, Columbus, and Colorado are typically poorly attended and quiet affairs. Somewhere in-between fall KC, Chivas, and (Pre-Beckham) LA, who are looking like they will eventually catch up to the best supported clubs.

The reasons for this have been discussed at length in many different forums, but just to name a few: massive NFL stadia, lack of marketing, amd suburban stadiums that cater to soccer moms and not to the true fans.

Here is a wonderful article on 3rddegree.net by Jason Benfield that compares and contrasts the atmosphere of Chicago Fire's Toyota Park to FC Dallas's Pizza Hut Park.

Monty Python Football

To blog or not to blog. That is the question...

Read This

Found a great article about MLS fandom on the Guardian, of all places. (the Guardian is a UK newspaper, FYI) Not only is it well written and informed, but the conversation afterword offers up some interesting points of view, along with a few narrow-minded Englishmen's comments to help stir the pot.

So check out Mr. Steven Wells' fine piece of informed, objective wordsmithing:

US soccer punks 1, McFans 0

"Independent, witty, irreverent fan culture is triumphing over Major League Soccer's preprogrammed Disneyfied McFan experience."