MLS 2010 Season Thread ** SPOILERS ** [Archive]

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AmplifiedtoRock

25-03-2010, 03:30 AM

New season, new thread! I'm quite excited for the new season to begin tomorrow night and will be hoping the Sounders can improve in year two. The league as a whole has continued to improve and will certainly continue to do so. What are you looking forward to most this season? And, because I don't remember, tell us who you support!

RyFryy

25-03-2010, 06:10 PM

I don't support a certain team in the MLS, I just support the MLS because I want to see it do well. I have jerseys/scarfs for most of the teams in the league.

I do enjoy watching certain teams more than others. Seattle, Chicago, Los Angeles, Salt Lake, and Columbus mainly. I don't care much for Kansas City, Colorado, or Dallas though. Anyway, yeah, super excited for this season. I thought last year was one of, if not the best season for the league. Also, hoping to see my Stars take down some MLS teams in the Open Cup this year. :D

May261999

25-03-2010, 06:58 PM

Every season, I give the MLS a new chance. Here's to 2010!

Murkurial

25-03-2010, 07:32 PM

Will be pullin' for the Fire and checking out some live matches w/ Toyota Park being so close to my house.

The Sounders are always fun to watch and I'm interested to see how the Union do this season.

RyFryy

25-03-2010, 11:00 PM

Will be pullin' for the Fire and checking out some live matches w/ Toyota Park being so close to my house.
I'm jealous. Did you go to any games last season? The Fire crowd is always rowdy.

May261999

26-03-2010, 02:06 AM

Well, didn't take long for the first booking of the season. Califf knocking down Montero just outside the Philly box. This Califf guy is going to try and be the Dennis Rodman of the league, isn't he?

EDIT: I was just about to post and say that the Union were giving a decent account of themselves as the debutants, and Seattle goes ahead and takes the lead with a well-worked goal. Almost made it 2-0 with a hell of a buildup too. Ljungberg heavily involved in both moments, too.

RyFryy

26-03-2010, 02:16 AM

BiG_MaNC

27-03-2010, 04:32 AM

Come over to NJ if you get the chance, the new stadium is SIIIICKKKK. The surrounding area is a dump though.

Round

27-03-2010, 02:20 PM

This season I think 2010 will be full of surprises personally, I see Los Angeles or New York to make a very good season.

RyFryy

27-03-2010, 10:45 PM

For anyone who follows MLS a lot, this site is great (http://www.settingthetable.info/home.asp) for tracking the table and season progress.

Maybe add "spoilers" to the title? I was going to post some scores from around the league but feel reluctant to.

volcanicleather

30-03-2010, 02:23 AM

I went to the Dallas / Houston match over the weekend. Here's my story...

I work in the Marketing department for my company (~1200 employees) and received a call from a FC Dallas sales rep asking if he could send me an e-mail for discounted ($18) tickets. I told him he had definitely contacted the right person and to send it over. I got the e-mail and asked if they had any "free" tickets as I wanted to take some co-workers who weren't soccer fans. He said they aren't giving away free tickets because they want to "reclaim the value of their ticket which has depreciated over the years" - fair enough... but our company spends a ton of sporting events each year (we are getting a suite at cowboys stadium this season which costs roughly 10 times more than a MLS suite) and "free" will get there attention. So people were kinda appalled at not even being able to get a free ticket to try to show them what the MLS is all about, considering we have received free Stars and Mavericks tickets in the past.

Regardless, I still wanted to go and support what hopefully would be my new team (since I just moved here from Minneapolis with no MLS team). So I went ahead and bought 2 $18 tickets anyways. Still interested in seeing the suites as I'm in on the decision making process for events, I e-mailed back the sales guy and asked if he could show them to me before/after the match, which he agreed and suggested before the match would be best.

We arrived at Pizza Hut Park and I called him to see the suites... after a 15 minute wait in cold 20mph winds he shows up and gives me a brief tour... but I never even got to see the suites! He said they were "all full and didn't want to disturb anyone" (although later on in my seats I saw several empty ones) and just gave me a brief 5-10 minute run through. I was kinda annoyed having to wait so long just for this but said whatever and went to my seat.

It was an entertaining match but I was shockingly disappointed by the turnout - only 8,000 tickets distributed (not just sold) and it looked like only 4-5k showed up. You could have your pick of seats so we sat 10 rows up right in the center of the pitch with our $18 tickets. The environment didn't feel like a match at all and the Houston supporter section was more than double the Dallas supporters despite the match being played in Dallas. I went with my girlfriend hoping to share the experience of a great soccer environment with her and I was extremely disappointed. The stadium is also all the way in the North suburbs and we had to drive 45 minutes to get there despite living in a northern suburb ourselves.

Being new to the Dallas area, I was stoked to go to a MLS match. After today, I don't see any real reason why I should return given the lack of atmosphere, my poor sales/management experience, and the distance I have to travel just to attend a single match. If I'm a hardcore soccer fan who contemplated buying season tickets but decided to give it a try first and if I'm not going to go to matches, how can they expect to bring "casual" fans to the stadium week in and week out?

Overall, quite disappointed.

PS. The sales guy said FC Dallas is focusing their marketing efforts away from bringing the kids to the park and more on the 21+ scene... which sounds nice but when your stadium is in the far northern suburbs of the DFW area where there are tons of families I'm not sure how well it's going to work.

PPS. There was absolutely no mention of the "Dallas Cup" anywhere to be found - not by the sales guy, any billboards, or any marketing materials. I was pissed after I found out because I would have liked to go see U20 US-Mexico AND THE CHELSEA YOU TEAM. Why aren't they flyering the cars or something? Horrible marketing. The sales guy even saw my Chelsea jersey and said he was a Chelsea fan and didn't even mention anything to me. Ridiculous.

deviant

30-03-2010, 03:51 AM

I enjoy watching the Fire play I'll be in full support!

nobuzz

30-03-2010, 05:12 AM

Spoilers added to title.

I look forward to being disappointed by another year of TFC play, it is a shame that Mo cannot get a team together before 2-3 months into the season.

I am also pissed at the MLS streams this year, I bought it last year as I could watch all the games I didn't go to (with a couple of exceptions of US national televised games) only to find out I cannot watch any TFC games as they are all being broadcast in Canada and I cannot view them now as they consider this a national broadcast for me.

dsp87260

30-03-2010, 08:40 AM

I went to the Dallas / Houston match over the weekend. Here's my story...

...

Overall, quite disappointed.

PS. The sales guy said FC Dallas is focusing their marketing efforts away from bringing the kids to the park and more on the 21+ scene... which sounds nice but when your stadium is in the far northern suburbs of the DFW area where there are tons of families I'm not sure how well it's going to work.

PPS. There was absolutely no mention of the "Dallas Cup" anywhere to be found - not by the sales guy, any billboards, or any marketing materials. I was pissed after I found out because I would have liked to go see U20 US-Mexico AND THE CHELSEA YOU TEAM. Why aren't they flyering the cars or something? Horrible marketing. The sales guy even saw my Chelsea jersey and said he was a Chelsea fan and didn't even mention anything to me. Ridiculous.

FC Dallas seems to be one of the worst run franchises in all the league (based on talk over the years from supporters, etc)...I hope you don't let your experience color your perception of the entire league. (Some franchises do seem to run things well in the customer relations/fans experience area.)

Spoilers added to title.

I look forward to being disappointed by another year of TFC play, it is a shame that Mo cannot get a team together before 2-3 months into the season.

I am also pissed at the MLS streams this year, I bought it last year as I could watch all the games I didn't go to (with a couple of exceptions of US national televised games) only to find out I cannot watch any TFC games as they are all being broadcast in Canada and I cannot view them now as they consider this a national broadcast for me.

You think that's bad?...

I can't even buy the damn package AT ALL this year! :mad:

I live overseas and have been buying the online video (and audio too) for the last several years....this year I get the black-out message that it's only available in the US and Canada. :mad:

nobuzz

30-03-2010, 12:17 PM

You think that's bad?...

I can't even buy the damn package AT ALL this year! :mad:

I live overseas and have been buying the online video (and audio too) for the last several years....this year I get the black-out message that it's only available in the US and Canada. :mad:

You're not the first person that I know who is in the situation. Seems like a no brainer to me that if you wanted to grow interest in the MLS you would want to make it available to as many people outside the US and Canada as possible. They have really dropped the ball with it this year, a shame really.

ben

30-03-2010, 01:04 PM

dsp87260

30-03-2010, 02:00 PM

You're not the first person that I know who is in the situation. Seems like a no brainer to me that if you wanted to grow interest in the MLS you would want to make it available to as many people outside the US and Canada as possible. They have really dropped the ball with it this year, a shame really.

The story behind that is that up 'til now they've had the MLB people (?...the people who run the MLB website/online services) doing their website/online services...It seems that their contract is up or something and they've (MLS) decided to do it in-house.

Their whole website is screwed up now! (mlssoccer.com ... the old one, mlsnet.com , is still there, but isn't being updated anymore)

RyFryy

30-03-2010, 02:58 PM

I've been wondering about that switch (mlsnet > mlssoccer). Why did they do this? The old one was just fine!

Did anyone else catch the Earthquakes v. RSL match? Holy Javier Morales Batman! What goals! :eek:

dsp87260

30-03-2010, 03:10 PM

I went to the Dallas / Houston match over the weekend. Here's my story...

...

here's an article covering the Dallas game attendance...

http://www.dailysoccerfix.com/2010/3/29/1395371/notes-on-mls-attendance-fcd-fans
Notes on MLS attendance (FCD fans, hide your eyes)

On an absolutely brilliant spring day in North Texas, 8,016 fans came out to Pizza Hut Park to see FC Dallas’ season opener. (OK, it was windy, but otherwise postcard perfect.)

All the elements were in place. FC Dallas was sizzling as 2009 finished – so fan excitement should have been high. It was a Saturday (i.e., not a Thursday or a Sunday or a holiday, etc.) While it’s true that there’s very little market awareness of this team right now (media, sponsors, etc.), that’s by FC Dallas’ own doing. They are paying a high price for repeated failure of leadership, strategy, attention to the market and for customer service bungling.

Here’s where the rubber meets the road: FC Dallas’ attendance Saturday was probably one of the 10 worst ever for season openers in MLS history.

That’s a little vague, but it has to be. The records I have at hand are incomplete, because I don’t have data for Tampa Bay and Miami (R.I.P.). Read on for more ...

What I can find are a few stinkers in MLS earlier in the last decade. Dallas had 7,359 for the 2004 opener. (FCD has moved back into the Cotton Bowl following the Southlake debacle, and had strategically chosen to be spendthrifts on media and marketing for a year, awaiting the move into Pizza Hut Park. So, there was some explanation for that one, at least.)

Only 7,133 showed up for the Chicago Fire’s 2003 opener. Kansas City dipped below the 8K mark in 2000 and 2007. That’s it, although San Jose did just barely creep above 8K for season openers in 2004 and 2005. (Suspiciously, the 2004 opener attracted 8,230, with the contest one year later attracting 8,730, exactly 500 more than the year before. Wow! What a coincidence, eh? I mean, what are the odds?)

In one sense, I do hate beating up on FC Dallas for ongoing attendance woes. Right now, the people in place in the office probably aren’t the problem. They might be great runners, so to speak, but they are so far behind in the relay race that they have zero chance of catching up.

Besides, at some point this is just the dog that I see limping down the street every day. I don’t want to chase it away anymore, I just kind of shake my head and feel a little sorry for it.

Then again, I’m not a sponsor that paid a bunch of money for signs and such inside the stadium. Oh, and how do you think Telefutura felt, debuting their package of Saturday matches with such a dog (attendance-wise)? A crowd like that devalues the deal for everyone.

I sometimes look at FC Dallas the same way I see the perennially mess in the Middle East: I just don’t know if I see a way out.

nobuzz

30-03-2010, 06:55 PM

Can't you watch the games on the CBC website? I don't know if they're still showing TFC but I watched a few on there last year. I think they stream them live for free, or at least they used to.

A good chunk of them are on GolTV or sportsnet, I think I am going to break down and get cable again. Cheaper than going to the pub for matches.

volcanicleather

30-03-2010, 09:03 PM

here's an article covering the Dallas game attendance...

http://www.dailysoccerfix.com/2010/3/29/1395371/notes-on-mls-attendance-fcd-fans

Interesting read - I wasn't even coming into the stadium with high expectations, but man was I disappointed. It honestly felt like a college soccer match as it didn't even come close to touching anything I've seen in Europe. Also it makes their marketing campaign look awful... they marketed the match on the radio as a "intense rivalry" and an "amazing atmosphere" and a whole bunch of other cliche phrases.

But from what I hear Dallas is more of a "black sheep" franchise and people blame ownership, management, front office, location, etc. Which tells me people honestly don't know why there are attendance problems and who knows, maybe the owner is OK with the lack of fans and MLS needs to step-in and tell them to stop being an eyesore or get out.

dsp87260

30-03-2010, 09:59 PM

Interesting read - I wasn't even coming into the stadium with high expectations, but man was I disappointed. It honestly felt like a college soccer match as it didn't even come close to touching anything I've seen in Europe. Also it makes their marketing campaign look awful... they marketed the match on the radio as a "intense rivalry" and an "amazing atmosphere" and a whole bunch of other cliche phrases.

But from what I hear Dallas is more of a "black sheep" franchise and people blame ownership, management, front office, location, etc. Which tells me people honestly don't know why there are attendance problems and who knows, maybe the owner is OK with the lack of fans and MLS needs to step-in and tell them to stop being an eyesore or get out.

There is some talk that the ticket sales staff were told they'd be laid off (possibly some other term, but essentially the same thing) if there was a strike...and so they didn't really bother to do much.

Their opener last year was almost double the attendance (though that was pretty much their "high point" for the season attendance-wise).

May261999

02-04-2010, 01:27 AM

RyFryy

11-04-2010, 10:49 PM

I made a match thread for capped games last year and failed (laziness, lack of interest, etc.) so maybe this will work better. I'll need people to post in here from time to time so I don't feel like I'm talking to myself.

* = wigan cap

April 1 - Houston Dynamo v. Real Salt Lake - HERE (http://fbtz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=151817) - http
April 1 - Houston Dynamo v. Real Salt Lake - HERE (http://fbtz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=151844) - torrent
April 1 - Houston Dynamo v. Real Salt Lake - HERE (http://fbtz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=151806) - http *
April 1 - Los Angeles Galaxy v. Chivas USA - HERE (http://fbtz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=151851) - torrent
April 1 - Los Angeles Galaxy v. Chivas USA - HERE (http://fbtz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=151836) - http
April 1 - Los Angeles Galaxy v. Chivas USA - HERE (http://fbtz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=151819) - http *
April 3 - Seattle Sounders v. New York Red Bulls - HERE (http://fbtz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=151985) - torrent
April 3 - Seattle Sounders v. New York Red Bulls - HERE (http://fbtz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=151967) - http *
April 3 - Colorado Rapids v. Chicago Fire - HERE (http://fbtz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=151951) - torrent
April 3 - New England Revolution v. DC United - HERE (http://fbtz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=152054) - http

April 10 - New England Revolution v. Toronto FC - HERE (http://fbtz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=152426) - http
April 10 - Houston Dynamo v. Los Angeles Galaxy - HERE (http://fbtz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=152469) - http
April 10 - Kansas City Wizards v. Colorado Rapids - HERE (http://fbtz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=152470) - http
April 10 - Chicago Fire v. San Jose Earthquakes - HERE (http://fbtz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=152440) - torrent
April 10 - Philadelphia Union v. DC United - HERE (http://fbtz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=152440) - torrent
April 10 - Chivas USA v. New York Red Bulls - HERE (http://fbtz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=152423) - torrent
April 10 - Real Salt Lake v. Seattle Sounders - HERE (http://fbtz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=152515) - http

rymert19

04-05-2010, 02:41 PM

DC United to get their first win tomorrow night against KC :D If not a win then a draw...

TheLionLyon

04-05-2010, 05:21 PM

Looking at the table, I'm actually happy to see club from each conference trying to pull away in the standings. MLS needs to establish one or two powerhouse clubs and New York and LA are two good candidates. Hopefully Henry makes the move to Red Bull this summer.

RyFryy

04-05-2010, 06:06 PM

The Galaxy definitely look like becoming one of those powerhouses. They haven't left off from last season where they played very well. I'm still not totally convinced of the Red Bulls, yet. Too many close 1-0 results that could have ended differently.

loconet

07-05-2010, 03:20 PM

.....and Montreal is officially the 19th team.

RyFryy

07-05-2010, 06:17 PM

Big congrats to Montreal! Super dramatic video of Montreal soccer history (http://vimeo.com/11556219). :D

rymert19

07-05-2010, 08:17 PM

What is this I'm hearing about a 2nd NY team? If thats true that is good news, I think city derbys would be great for the fans.

May261999

08-05-2010, 03:57 AM

.....and Montreal is officially the 19th team.

And the southeast continues to be overlooked......... :(

RyFryy

06-06-2010, 04:56 PM

Man.. just how good are the Galaxy this year? 12 game unbeaten streak to start the season. 10 wins, 2 draws. And without Buddle and Donovan for the last few. :eek: 22 goals for, 3 against.. just amazing.

Murkurial

31-07-2010, 09:12 PM

So Ljungberg must've been playing pretty poorly to get moved for a draft pick but if he's got anything left this is kind of a big pickup for the Fire in addition to the Castillo signing. Castillo's another one that I'm not too sure about, however. Not sure where he's been all this time and I recall him being pretty highly touted when he was at (or going to) City.

We need all the help we can get though.

BiG_MaNC

01-08-2010, 01:44 PM

So Ljungberg must've been playing pretty poorly to get moved for a draft pick but if he's got anything left this is kind of a big pickup for the Fire in addition to the Castillo signing.

I heard it came down to the new 3 DP rule, if a team is to have 3, seattle was about to have 3 with the new Uruguayan, then you will have to make a payment to the league and the other teams. So essentially sounds like it was a great deal for Seattle: a player who was probably not going to play again this season for them + no extra money lost (I think it was 250,000) + his salary for a draft pick, mls draft are so random that a late pick may have as much of a chance to succeed as a 1st/2nd round pick.

I heard a week or so back Chicago was about to sign a 2nd DP in addition to Castillo, I wonder if it was Ljungberg all along or did they have someone else, a 3rd DP, in their sights??

deviant

22-08-2010, 12:44 PM

Now this is a quality strike by Rafa... first MLS goal :eek:
v/uDCC4CHf_0c

deviant

27-09-2010, 05:24 AM

interesting fact

David Beckham and Landon Donovan of the Galaxy and Rafael Marquez, Juan Pablo Angel and the injured Thierry Henry of the Red Bulls make a combined $21.7 million in guaranteed compensation from their clubs. This represents about 30% of the entire league payroll of $71.3 million, according to MLS Players Union figures. In fact, those five players combine to make nearly four times as much as the entire team with the next-highest payroll, the Chicago Fire (http://sports.yahoo.com/mls/teams/chi/). And Messrs. Henry and Beckham individually make more than every team except their own. Mr. Beckham, with a $6.5 million salary, makes more than the combined payrolls of the New England Revolution (http://sports.yahoo.com/mls/teams/nwe/) and defending champs Real Salt Lake (http://sports.yahoo.com/mls/teams/rea/).

RyFryy

26-10-2010, 08:04 PM

Top 10 MLS Goals (http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=5725159) of 2010.

Who we like to win the MLS Cup this year? Galaxy are looking good to once again make the final.

Dengar13

26-10-2010, 09:44 PM

Top 10 MLS Goals (http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=5725159) of 2010.

Who we like to win the MLS Cup this year? Galaxy are looking good to once again make the final.

I would love if the Crew did, but with Hesmer out and the way they played lately, it will be a long-shot.

By the way, I went to my first professional match this past Sunday: Philadelphia Union vs. Columbus Crew and it was the best pro sporting event I have ever been to.

RyFryy

26-10-2010, 10:13 PM

By the way, I went to my first professional match this past Sunday: Philadelphia Union vs. Columbus Crew and it was the best pro sporting event I have ever been to.
That's great to hear man. :cool:

marksheets

28-10-2010, 12:59 AM

I would love if the Crew did, but with Hesmer out and the way they played lately, it will be a long-shot.

By the way, I went to my first professional match this past Sunday: Philadelphia Union vs. Columbus Crew and it was the best pro sporting event I have ever been to.

My wife and I went to two Crew games this year, both ending 0-0. We debated and debated going to the game on Sunday (it's a 2 1/2 hour drive). Ended up not going. After watching the highlights I kicked myself repeatedly.

I also don't see them going very far, but I think they'll get past the first round.

Dengar13

28-10-2010, 01:33 PM

My wife and I went to two Crew games this year, both ending 0-0. We debated and debated going to the game on Sunday (it's a 2 1/2 hour drive). Ended up not going. After watching the highlights I kicked myself repeatedly.

I also don't see them going very far, but I think they'll get past the first round.

Yeah, it was roughly 3+ hours for us. I wish I could get my wife to go to a match! I agree, they probably won't go far, but am crossing my fingers and growing the beard!

Doppelganger

01-11-2010, 01:37 AM

Wow... Buddle's goal was ABSURD.

reelone

05-11-2010, 02:20 AM

I don't understand how you payed to bring over Thierry Henry just to have him benched benched until the 80th minute in a possible season ending playoff. Redbulls underachieve once again.

RyFryy

05-11-2010, 06:48 PM

I don't understand how you payed to bring over Thierry Henry just to have him benched benched until the 80th minute in a possible season ending playoff. Redbulls underachieve once again.
Didn't he have a bit of an injury? I do agree though, if he could play 10 minutes or so he could easily have played 20-30 minutes.

I figured Galaxy v. Redbulls in the final.. oh well.

boomersooner

07-11-2010, 07:59 AM

FC Dallas! Between the Rangers and FCD, my two favorite teams are having the best seasons in their history.

Great time to be me

RyFryy

08-11-2010, 08:20 AM

Galaxy the only higher seeded team to win their match, definitely favorites to win the MLS Cup now. If I recall, the other three teams didn't even make the playoffs last season so it's nice to see some new faces in the mix.

http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/6881/bracketp.png

deviant

08-11-2010, 08:02 PM

goooooooo Dallas!

volcanicleather

09-11-2010, 09:19 PM

MLS playoffs annoy the hell out of me... I'm a new resident of Dallas and I've been watching FCD more and more, having a good time as well. I went to the playoff game against RSL and had a good time. Watched the draw in Salt Lake and was excited to see the Galaxy here in Dallas in a big playoff match, all ready to get tickets.

So what do I find out? It's a single elimination game in LA and because of seeding LA gets the game. Stuff like no away goal rule in the quarterfinal is stupid, but I can live with that. But no two leg semi-final? Seriously? It's just idiotic. It's more money for the clubs, the league, everyone and they would only be extending the season a week (not like people notice when the MLS season is over anyways). It's a god damn no brainer. I'm pretty upset.

Sigh, looks like I'll have to head to Trinity Hall and watch... if any FBTZ members want to meet up there give me a shout.

deviant

15-11-2010, 05:06 AM

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHAWWWWWWWWWW Dallas FTW

boomersooner

15-11-2010, 07:35 AM

I will be in Toronto next weekend

Lego

15-11-2010, 05:12 PM

Never expected Colorado and Dallas to make it far but should make for an entertaining final with two historically underachieving teams with nothing to lose

boomersooner

17-11-2010, 02:37 AM

Lego

17-11-2010, 04:33 PM

http://i52.tinypic.com/346xjq1.png

It just so happens that Kansas City will make an announcement of its rebranding. I have mixed feelings of their leaked logo, but it is certainly better than the old one...

RyFryy

17-11-2010, 06:46 PM

Rebranding? I don't get it or like it. Why change? Do they think it will boost attendance/interest?

Lego

17-11-2010, 08:38 PM

The rebranding is suppose to compliment the new stadium and I suppose their new DP

AloneSoul

18-11-2010, 02:32 PM

what's "sporting" anyway ? It's not even a noun... i know there are other sporting's out there, but why would anyone name a club like that

Lego

18-11-2010, 07:12 PM

what's "sporting" anyway ? It's not even a noun... i know there are other sporting's out there, but why would anyone name a club like that

The KC ownership group, OnGoal, are looking to expand their brand into other sports such as rugby and lacrosse in the future, hence the name that emphasize a sports club.

volcanicleather

29-11-2010, 09:29 PM

Cheers for a new FCD fan!

MLS has some pretty dumb rules there's no doubt but things get better every year. It's great to have a relatively high quality team in the area, there's nothing like watching the game live.

I'll be in Toronto, but Trinity Hall is a great place to watch the game.

Check out my FC Dallas blog www.bigdsoccer.com I'll buy you a beer at a future watching party!

That's a nice Dallas soccer blog you have there... right up my alley :)

While we're discussing blogs, here's my blog and my write-up on the MLS playoffs from a couple weeks ago: http://www.trappedfan.com/the-mls-playoff-format-is-a-joke/

May261999

30-11-2010, 05:02 PM

Olsen gets DC United coaching job for next season (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101129/ap_on_sp_so_ne/soc_mls_united_olsen_1)
WASHINGTON – When D.C. United and U.S. national team midfielder Ben Olsen retired as a player almost exactly a year ago, it was noted that his Major League Soccer club was looking for a head coach.

"I am in no way ready for that role," Olsen said at the time.

Well, he'd better be ready now.

As of Monday, the 33-year-old Olsen is the youngest permanent head coach in MLS history, getting the job after a 12-game stint on an interim basis at the end of last season. United gave Olsen a new three-year contract.

Man, how time flies. It sure didn't seem like too long ago that Olsen was considered one of the bright young prospects in the US. Good luck to him!

RyFryy

01-12-2010, 04:25 AM

33? Wow. I didn't even know he was the interim coach this most recent season.