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American Soccer |OT| Life, liberty and the pursuit of the beautiful game

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C

Cornballer

Member
Who's hot, who's not:
@MarkFishkin said:
#MLS Pts Since 8/1:
LAG 24
SEA RSL NER RBNY 16
FCD PHI 15
CLB HOU 14
POR 12
DCU TFC 11
CHI MTL 10
SKC VAN SJE 8
COL CHV 1
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Can't vouch that these are completely correct, but it gives a rough idea of who's playing well.
 
E

Esch

Banned
Cornballer said:
- Marketing and branding experts take a look at the new MLS logo
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I'm glad people like it and are growing into it. These are awesome tbh:

mls_advy_stuff.jpg
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O

Osorio

Member
HARRISON, N.J. -- The Red Bulls’ locker area at Red Bulls Arena houses the usual player accoutrements, including their street clothes, jerseys, scarves, good luck charms and some other soccer memorabilia.

Hanging in the left corner of Lloyd Sam's locker is black Lady Gaga jacket. That's right, a Lady Gaga jacket, and while the Red Bulls midfielder doesn't plan to wear it any time soon although he plans to keep it hanging there in the wake of the MLS team's recent success.

During a post-match interview after New York's 4-1 thrashing of the Seattle Sounders Saturday night, Sam was answering questions about the game when he meandered in one of his answers.

"The defense has been helping us, so that's been evident to see," he said. "Four straight wins and I think six straight wins at the stadium. It's down to this jacket."

Sam then pointed to the jacket as the assembled media got a good laugh. The back of the jacket had a pink-colored skeleton head of the popular singer with Lady Gaga scrawled underneath it.

The English midfielder said that Red Bulls sporting director Andy Roxburgh gave him the jacket, although he admitted he had no idea why.

"Andy Roxburgh brought it to me," Sam said with a smile. "He thought that I might like it. We've left it in there and we've won every game since. So the run continues."
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sam-lloyd-gaga92114a.jpg


Bless Based Gaga
 
C

Cornballer

Member
- Doug McIntyre: U.S. Hot List: Chandler making his case, Johnson's new role

Of interest:
With the national team's first extended training camp since the World Cup now less than two weeks away, here are a few details on how Jurgen Klinsmann's squad might shape up ahead of next month's friendlies against Ecuador and Honduras:

1. It will be big. As many as 30 players could be summoned for the double bill, although with MLS playoff races on a knife edge as the domestic season draws to a close, some of them could be excused for one of the two matches.

2. Because it's an official international break, a full contingent of European players is expected, including many of the youngsters who were involved for the impressive Sept. 3 win in the Czech Republic.

3. The aforementioned friendly in Prague was a stand-alone fixture, meaning Klinsmann had access to his players for only a short time -- in some cases less than 48 hours. With most of the team available for nine full days this time around, not only will the coach be able to work his charges harder (double days!), the U.S. training staff will also be able to conduct the baseline fitness and medical tests that have become a staple during the German's tenure. When it comes to the actual names Klinsmann will call, the six listed below are strong candidates -- even if they are not all trending in the same direction this week.
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KCFbreP.png
 
X

xbhaskarx

Member
added_time said:
I wish TFC could play against Chivas every week. Then they would actually make the playoffs for once.
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Did TFC fans see this:

And when I say "cycle through talent," I mean here's a list of strikers who've played for TFC since 2011, and their stats this season:


  • Joao Plata: 13 goals, 5 assists
  • Luis Silva: 10 goals, 4 assists
  • Maximiliano Urruti: 9 goals, 2 assists
  • Quincy Amarikwa: 8 goals, 5 assists
  • Alan Gordon: 4 goals, 1 assist (in 380 minutes with LA)
  • Robert Earnshaw: 2 goals, 0 assists (in 70 minutes with Chicago)
If you give this striker corps to any GM in MLS, they say "I'm going to the playoffs." If you give them to past iterations of the TFC front office, they say "maybe I can trade this guy for an extra foreign slot, or $25k of allocation cash, or this guy's handful of magic beans."
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That's a pretty impressive list... they also had Ryan Johnson, who had 9 goals and 4 assists in 1800 minutes for Portland last season before heading to China.
 
C

Cornballer

Member
- SI with some follow up on the Drake Davis story (scroll to the bottom)
Recruit Drake Davis has future in football, not soccer

Drake Davis, a highly touted 2016 wide receiver recruit, recently made headlines by opting to play soccer this fall instead of football. It’s a move that has been hailed by some U.S. soccer supporters as a watershed moment for the sport in its decades-long battle of unsuccessfully trying to attract the nation’s best athletes. After all, the 6-2, 212-pound Davis, who transferred to Fork Union (Va.) Military Academy for this season, reportedly has football scholarship offers from Alabama and Florida State among others.

His decision has also been cited as evidence that younger athletes are having second thoughts about playing football because of the sport’s risks. One writer even mentioned Davis in the same breath as Jozy Altidore, a U.S. born soccer player who plays for Sunderland in the English Premier League. Those type of comparisons are baffling to Willie Davis, who coached Davis in soccer for two weeks last season at The Dunham School in Baton Rouge, La. before dismissing him after he skipped a tournament.

“Some of the story is absolutely blown up,” Willie Davis told The Inside Read. “His technical ability was probably as good as my 15th player.” (Multiple efforts to reach Drake Davis were unsuccessful.)

Dunham is a 723-student private Christian school for grades K-12 that's not known as an athletic powerhouse. In the lone soccer game Drake Davis played at Dunham he did score a goal. But Willie Davis emphasized that high school soccer in southern Louisiana is far from the pinnacle of the sport.

“I would be absolutely astounded for Drake Davis to step out of a sport that he’s excelling at and go into what is not a hand-eye coordinated sport,” Willie Davis said. “Obviously, he’s got the athleticism, but not the skill set, the tactical understanding or the years of training to be the next big anything. It could happen, but the chances aren’t very high.”

Willie Davis isn’t some geometry teacher who also moonlights as a soccer coach. He holds a national license from the U.S. Soccer Federation, was an assistant at Franklin Pierce University when the school won a Division II national title in 2007 and is director of coaching for senior players for a Baton Rouge soccer club.

Willie Davis said Drake Davis decided to play soccer after quitting Dunham’s basketball team. He also had “issues” with the football team according to Willie Davis.

Drake Davis’ dismissal from the soccer team also came after he was dishonest about missed practices, according to Willie Davis.

“He’s an interesting kid,” Willie Davis said. “He’s a good kid, but there’s something I just couldn’t put my finger on with him.”

Drake Davis, the son of former LSU and Kansas basketball standout Lester Earl, visited The Dunham School last month and talked with first-year football coach Neil Weiner. Davis is concentrating on his academics at Fork Union and is interested in returning to Louisiana to play football next year according to Weiner.

Weiner said Davis is better at football than soccer and seemed somewhat “unsure” about the football coaches at Fork Union, a notorious football factory. A majority of his friends at his new school are also soccer players according to Weiner.

“Soccer is not a game you just pick up when you’re 16 years old and decide, ‘Hey, I’m going to be one of the best in the world,’” Weiner said. “Drake Davis is a phenomenal athlete, but it takes more than just being able to run fast and jump high to be a great soccer player.”

A college football assistant at a school where Davis allegedly has a scholarship offer according to recruiting services said the program hasn’t extended one. Another assistant whose program is recruiting Davis described his decision to play soccer as “World Cup fever.”

“He’s a very talented football player,” the assistant said. “Not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but a Division I player.”

Both assistants foresee that Davis’ future is on the football field, not in soccer. Just like Willie Davis does.

Said Willie Davis, “It just seemed like it was a big, gimmick hype thing to me.”
Click to expand...
 
Z

Zeke

Member
So is it pretty much a lock that Sacramento gets the expansion slot? Looks like everything is going great for them.
 
T

The Culture Vulture

Member
http://washington.cbslocal.com/2014...contract-extension-to-remain-with-d-c-united/

WASHINGTON (CBSDC) – D.C. United head coach Ben Olsen has agreed to a multi-year contract extension, the team announced on Monday.

Olsen, in his fifth season with the team, has a 46-64-33 career coaching record and the D.C. United currently in first place in the Eastern Conference, with a 14-9-6 season record.

“We are proud of the job that Ben has done leading the team, and we are excited about securing his future with D.C. United,” said D.C. United Managing General Partner Jason Levien. “Proving himself as a coach just as he did as a player, he has kept the group together through adversity, and he has the club poised for immediate and future success.”

“Ben has re-established a winning culture at D.C. United, and I’m very pleased that he has reached a multi-year agreement with the club to continue his excellent work,” said D.C. United General Manager Dave Kasper. “He has forged a playing style that is very effective in MLS, and fostered an identity that ‘the team is the star,’ one that our fans in the D.C. metropolitan area are very proud of. I look forward to continuing a strong working relationship with Ben with the goal of adding more silverware to our trophy case.”

“Close to half my life I’ve been a part of this proud club,” said Olsen. “D.C. United has become my family and my identity. It is where I belong and thankfully, with this extension, it is a place I’m going to be for several more years. My commitment to winning and having a team that our fans and community are proud of will continue to be my priority.

Olsen began coaching in 2010, as an assistant under Curt Onalfo, later relieving him as the interim head coach in August of that year.

He led the team to the Eastern Conference finals in 2012, ending the team’s four-year playoff drought at the time.
 
X

xbhaskarx

Member
Expansion Priority Draft on Wednesday

Orlando City and New York City FC, who are getting ready for their first MLS season in 2015, will go head-to-head in the Expansion Priority Draft on Wednesday. The event will be streamed live on MLSsoccer.com at 2 pm ET and hosted by former MLSer and KICKTV personality Jimmy Conrad.

After a draw conducted by supporters of both clubs to determine which club goes first, head coaches Jason Kreis (New York City) and Adrian Heath (Orlando City) will then alternate selections for priority among the following eight player acquisition mechanisms (for details on all the MLS player acquisition mechanisms, click here):

1. MLS Expansion Draft (Picks 1 or 2)
2. MLS SuperDraft (Picks 1 or 2)
3. USL PRO/NASL Player Priority Ranking (Picks 1 or 2)
4. Designated Player Ranking (Picks 1 or 2)
5. Allocation Ranking (Picks 1 or 2)
6. Discovery Ranking (Picks 20 or 21)
7. Waiver/Re-Entry Draft Ranking (Picks 20 or 21)
8. Lottery Ranking (Picks 20 or 21)

NYCFC and OCSC receive priority in five of the eight mechanisms (picks 1 or 2). They are last in three of the rankings (picks 20 or 21): Discovery ranking, Waiver/Re-Entry Draft ranking and the Lottery ranking.
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"USL PRO/NASL Player Priority Ranking" never even heard of that before...
 
A

Askani

Member
IHTUgVY.gif
Deal time.
IHTUgVY.gif


Get it while the gettin's good.

67% off replica US Home Jerseys at World Soccer Shop: http://www.worldsoccershop.com/61641.html

Plain is $30. Customized with authentic lettering with any name and/or any number is $37.50. All sizes currently in stock.

I think I'm going to get a plain white and just wear it as a work polo. YMMV.
 
X

xbhaskarx

Member
1297609526997_ORIGINAL.jpg

1297609531294_ORIGINAL.jpg
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TFC's stadium set to undergo massive renovations
Toronto Sun obtains new renderings of BMO Field

And, on Tuesday, all parties will be on site to unveil BMO Field 2.0: A massive renovation that will turn the stadium into something more than a “ready-to-assemble” venue.

...

The three photos the Sun obtained ahead of Tuesday’s unveiling reveal a stark upgrade, one with a luxury club level and the addition of a few thousand new seats under roofing. Capacity is expected to grow to around 30,000.

...

Although Toronto FC is expected to remain the primary tenant, MLSE’s top brass has left open the possibility of the CFL moving into BMO Field one day.

“That’s a commitment that is a legal obligation to the city and the province,” Leiweke told the Sun. “We will honour that commitment.”

Construction is under way and is expected to be completed in two phases over two years.
Click to expand...
 
A

Arials

Member
Toronto Problem: empty looking stadium
Toronto Solution: 8,500 extra seats

That said adding a roof is a good idea, and if they needed to renovate anyway a few extra seats can't hurt.

The guy that wrote that article must have a brass neck to describe Sporting KCs 18k seater stadium as world class though. It's not a bad stadium, just very modest by international standards and it falls well short of world class. There are provincial English towns with bigger and better facilities.
 
C

Cornballer

Member
Wooten and Morales starting today for Sandhausen and Ingolstadt, respectively.

There are a few League Cup games in England this afternoon, too, so a few other USMNT guys will hopefully get some time.
 
M

makingmusic476

Member
I've often wondered how TFC sells so many tickets given how few people seem interested in actually going to the games.

That said, the expansion looks nice. Will it lead to more ticket sales to non-attendees??
 
A

added_time

Member
Arials said:
Toronto Problem: empty looking stadium
Toronto Solution: 8,500 extra seats
Click to expand...

It's because Maple Leaf Sports don't give a shit about Toronto FC versus their true cash cow: The Toronto Maple Leafs.

They are doing this expansion because they want to hold outdoor hockey games with the Toronto Maple Leafs at BMO Field (additionally they are also planning to bring the bad kind of football to BMO Field since it's planned that the Toronto Argonauts CFL team will move there in the future)

I think more seats are going to really hurt TFC, especially if they don't make the playoffs yet again.
 
A

ActStriker

Member
it's beginning...

Playoff Game One Section GA12
FORT GA0
26 1 Adult US $14.00 US $14.00
Playoff Game Two Section GA12
FORT GA0
26 1 Adult US $15.00 US $15.00
Playoff Game Three Section GA12
FORT GA0
26 1 Adult US $15.00 US $15.00
Invoice Total: US $30.00
Click to expand...

Oh god I hope we make it
 
A

added_time

Member
Arials said:
Toronto Problem: empty looking stadium
Toronto Solution: 8,500 extra seats

That said adding a roof is a good idea, and if they needed to renovate anyway a few extra seats can't hurt.
Click to expand...

I just read the press release and it sounds like the roof is phase two of the renovation. That sucks. So only the bad part will be done for next season.. The good part (the roof) won't be ready for two years. Rats.
 
A

Askani

Member
http://www.nycfc.com/ said:
New York City FC and Orlando City SC will participate in the Expansion Priority Draft on Wednesday, September 24. The event will be streamed live on MLSSoccer.com at 2 pm ET and hosted by former Major League Soccer player and KICKTV personality Jimmy Conrad.

The Expansion Priority Draft is a system by which two expansion teams entering the league in the same year alternate selecting picks for eight different MLS player acquisition mechanisms:

1. MLS Expansion Draft (Picks 1 or 2)

2. MLS SuperDraft (Picks 1 or 2)

3. USL PRO/NASL Player Priority Ranking (Picks 1 or 2)

4. Designated Player Ranking (Picks 1 or 2)

5. Allocation Ranking (Picks 1 or 2)

6. Discovery Ranking (Picks 20 or 21)

7. Waiver/Re-Entry Draft Ranking (Picks 20 or 21)

8. Lottery Ranking (Picks 20 or 21)

Major League Soccer confirmed that it is the same procedure used for recent expansion clubs Montreal Impact (2012), as well as Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps (2011).
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http://www.nycfc.com/post/2014/09/23/expansion-priority-draft
 
X

xbhaskarx

Member
BMO Field expansion site with renderings

Phase I

Additional 8,400 seats with additional washrooms and concession stands
12 new executive suites, 2 party suites and a loge box
New full service kitchen for restaurants, suites and clubs
Two new private clubs:
West Grandstand, Event Level – 230 patrons
East Grandstand, Event Level – 420 patrons
Expansion of Rogers Club – current capacity of 500 is increased to 750 with upgraded look and feel, improved food and beverage and washroom facilities
New larger full HD videoboard replacing existing north videoboard
New concourse (2nd level) around south end of stadium allowing for one continuous concourse (at the upper concourse level)
Budget of $65M
Completion May 1, 2015
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Phase II

Addition of full size canopy covering all seats with exception of North Grandstand
New sound and lighting system
Budget of $40M
Completion May 1, 2016
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$105 million... that may be more than the cost of the new Earthquakes stadium.
 
X

xbhaskarx

Member
2014_0917_San%20Jose%20Seating%5B1%5D.jpg
Click to expand...

The San Jose Earthquakes began seat installation at their new stadium on Tuesday and unveiled the final pattern design for the venue’s main seating bowl. The club also announced that they have surpassed 8,000 season tickets sold for the new stadium.

The seat pattern includes three different shades of blue as well as a smattering of red seats to pay homage to the club’s NASL history. Additionally, the pattern contains a coded message related to the club. The Earthquakes will host a competition calling on fans to crack the code once the final seats have been installed.
 
Z

ZZMitch

Member
Quakes stadium looks cool, loving that seat design! Hopefully I won't see it during the games because the stadium will be full :p

Also nice goal by Jozy!
 
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