MLS ESPN Thurs Night Soccer Running Thread

What the hell does that mean? I must have missed Thomas Paine's "Treatise on Ye Offsyde Trappe." There's no common thread among America's favorite sports, and certainly nothing that makes a sport "American" or "un-American."

 

I was saying Boom's post was a troll, not your's.

 

Um, no. As far as quality goes, the major European and South American leagues are major league baseball quality compared to the college baseball quality of MLS, your parsing notwithstanding. So again, inapt analogy. And I bet in the cable TV universe, such decisions do come up, soccer-wise. I'm guessing I'd pick whatever international match was on FSC opposite the MLS match on ESPN. You're not going to make me think MLS is a really quality league, and I won't make you think MLS is pretty lame. But it is an interesting chat, nonetheless.

 

Dooley, why do you hate Amerikkka?

 

I did not give my opinion on anal, so why are you assuming that?

 

Honest question Dools, what would it take for you to think MLS is a quality league?

 

Easy answer: To see quality soccer from it.

Harder answer: 13 separate ownership groups, deeper pockets, paying salaries that will keep more U.S. players from going overseas and will allow more foreign players to come here in their prime. A tacit acknowledgement of the latter point came in the Beckham rule allowing teams to pay more for up to two players.

Yes, there's the arguments about financial prudence. But the MLS model is a model for a safe, sustainable niche league. And that's fine. But I don't think one should pretend it's a formula for a world-class league.

 

It is a bit difficult to contend that I'm parsing words while you are trying to equate S.American leagues with the EPL over MLS. No one is contending that MLS is equal to the top teams of the EPL. But that just goes to opinion.

I think it just goes to the heart of the matter. At some point, given enough time, MLS can grow to the type of quality seen at the top of the EPL table. The same can be said for the Kansas City Royals but not for College Basketball.

 

I don't need to know what can happen 10 years from now. I'm talking about right now. And I'm saying that right now (and likely forever under this business model, which assures not enough money to keep enough top in-their-prime players), watching MLS over many foreign leagues would be like watching a college baseball game over a major league game. The quality is that different.

 

Well, it is certainly debatable.

And you are jumping on the bandwagon.

I will point out that the league is increasing salaries and has elected to keep players recently. Not everyone that can jump does. Some do so because they want to.

 

Wynalda and Smyth as our announce team tonight. Love it