All-Purpose, Never-Ending Soccer Thread

[Webster]

I need to figure out at which Adidas outlet store the "old" 2006 Metros gear will be stocked. I might need to make a drive up to Woodbury Commons.

 

[Pastor]

I need to figure out at which Adidas outlet store the "old" 2006 Metros gear will be stocked. I might need to make a drive up to Woodbury Commons.

Last time I was there they had some German and French kits, but they were size children's small.

The Nike outlet up there had some kick-ass stuff. My wife snagged me a bunch of US throw backs on the cheap.

But, if you are out there, you should check out the Puma outlet. They had the Swiss and Poland kits, I believe. They looked alright.

 

[Webster]

I need to figure out at which Adidas outlet store the "old" 2006 Metros gear will be stocked.  I might need to make a drive up to Woodbury Commons.

Last time I was there they had some German and French kits, but they were size children's small.

The Nike outlet up there had some kick-ass stuff. My wife snagged me a bunch of US throw backs on the cheap.

But, if you are out there, you should check out the Puma outlet. They had the Swiss and Poland kits, I believe. They looked alright.

I got back into soccer about five years ago. When I was in Italy on my honeymoon, I wanted to pick up a cool kit from one of the Italian teams, but those Euros make everything so small that their XXL was like an American L. Finally, I went to a Niketown in Venice and found an Inter shirt which was made in my size. I paid about $80 or so. A few weeks after we got back, we went to Woodbury and I went over to the Nike outlet. They had two soccer shirts in the whole store -- a kids Brazil shirt and the identical Inter shirt that I bought. On clearance for $14.99.

 

[Pastor]

I need to figure out at which Adidas outlet store the "old" 2006 Metros gear will be stocked. I might need to make a drive up to Woodbury Commons.

Last time I was there they had some German and French kits, but they were size children's small.

The Nike outlet up there had some kick-ass stuff. My wife snagged me a bunch of US throw backs on the cheap.

But, if you are out there, you should check out the Puma outlet. They had the Swiss and Poland kits, I believe. They looked alright.

I got back into soccer about five years ago. When I was in Italy on my honeymoon, I wanted to pick up a cool kit from one of the Italian teams, but those Euros make everything so small that their XXL was like an American L. Finally, I went to a Niketown in Venice and found an Inter shirt which was made in my size. I paid about $80 or so. A few weeks after we got back, we went to Woodbury and I went over to the Nike outlet. They had two soccer shirts in the whole store -- a kids Brazil shirt and the identical Inter shirt that I bought. On clearance for $14.99.

Yeah, sometimes you find gold-mines in the outlets.

Last year I remember going to a game and talking with one of your guys and they just picked up the US kit for $20 or so in Marshall's! So, the next day, I was down at Marshall's digging through to find stuff. I did find a couple US kits but they were XXXL or XXL and that is just way too large for me. (However, the stuff I buy when I'm in China I do need to get in XXXL.)

I did, a few months later, find a Juventus kit in Marshall's for $20. It was the long sleeve version and everything.

Now, I need to locate Red Bull New York kits and see what these bad boys look like. Red for home, white for away.

 

[Piotr Rasputin]

And the annals of embarrassing MLS names . . . . lose a member.

Sorry, never liked MetroStars, and really hated it when they removed the city designation. As for Red Bull. . . . well, it's not my local team, so no big deal as far as I'm concerened. It trumps trying to use a year or the word "Real" in a name. I'm ecstatic that MLS has another owner not named Anschutz, Hunt or Kraft joining the club. To me, taht's the most important aspect of this, that MLS is gaining new investors and thus building more legitimacy.

It's just weird to realize that we've had three new MLS names for two MLS teams this spring. Who needs expansion? Just rename 'em.

I should have picked up the jerseys ("kits," indeed. This is NOT England, dammit!  ;D) at the MLS outlet section of the online store when I had a chance.

- Speaking of jerseys and Italy and low prices: I honeymooned in Italy, and the Sunday market in Rome had an interesting booth. They were selling the authentics for the low, low prices the crappy ones go for. I picked up an AS Roma (not a fan, per se, but I really liked that Serie A-winning team they had five years ago) and an Italian national team jersey. Total: 45 bucks. Had I known I would not find a bargain like that on the rest of my honeymoon, I would have bought more. Live and learn.   

 

[Pastor]

Piotr, I'm not sure the name is that terrible.

I'm not a huge fan, but nothing with dethrown Real.

 

[Pastor]

Oh I see.

Actually, I'm partial to MetroStars. I would have preferred they keep the name. However, Red Bull bought it. It is their toy. They get to do what they want.

Now I need to get a new kit.

 

[HoopsMcCann]

i'm more of a sugar-free red bull kinda guy. i just like that taste better than regular red bull

 

[Inky_Wretch]

The Red Bull kits should look pretty good, going by the stuff the company puts out in Europe.

Red Bull Salzburg...

 

[Pastor]

Inky, the colors should be similar. Word is that Red Bull wanted blue, while MLS wanted them to keep the red and black. Red Bull agreed on Red. So the new home will be red. The new away is up in the air. They might be white, they might be blue. A buddy of mine that owns a soccer store said blue, but he also hear white. Another buddie that knows folks in management said white, but he also heard blue.

 

[zizzer]

Screw it, go with both white and blue.... I mean, come on, everyone else is going to three jerseys anyway.....

 

[Inky_Wretch]

Crass, I wasn't sold on the 1836 nickname for Houston. But I like this one. The best way to help the MLS grow is by embracing corporate sponsorship. Coors Light should buy the Rapids and rename it the Colorado Silver Bullets. Change the Wizards to the KC Masterpieces. Anything to help the league and the sport is okay by me.

 

[Pastor]

Ive's weighs in on this.
Several lines I liked:
There once was a soccer team that joined its country's top soccer league just before the turn of the century, figuring it was healthy enough to flourish. Things didn't quite work out that way. Financial struggles nearly led to bankruptcy, but instead led to a sale. The new owners decided that its new club needed a new name and new colors.
...
No, in this instance the club was a little English outfit called Newton Heath. Founded in 1878, Newton Heath almost fell into bankruptcy in 1902 before John Davies, the owner of a local brewery, bought the team and saved it from financial ruin. He changed the team's colors from green and gold to red and white and changed the team's name from Newton Heath to Manchester United.

If you want to ignore that because you feel snubbed by the name New York Red Bulls then maybe you're better off joining the army of zombies who would rather watch European soccer on television than invest themselves in their own domestic league.

If you choose to protest a team because you don't like the name then are you really a fan, or simply an idealist missing the point?

 

[zizzer]

And, for the obligatory New Jersey whiners.....

http://msn.foxsports.com/soccer/story/5400094

My favorite points:

"There are companies all over the world that recognize this point about New York," Lalas said. "Other teams that play in Giants Stadium also reflect this."

The reference to the New York Giants and New York Jets isn't relevant, said George Zoffinger, president and chief executive officer of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority. Zoffinger threatened to kick out the team, which has played at the Meadowlands through its 10-year existence.

"They will not play in our stadium unless they have New Jersey in their name," he said.

I also want to know how the reference to the Giants and Jets isn't relevant.   It's one thing to say it's not relevant, but give me a reason....  Keep in mind, these are also the same morons who were slighted at a friendly played there between two foreign nations that didn't play the US national anthem prior to the match..... Someone's got a bit of an inferiority complex, no?

 

[2muchcoffeeman]

I suspect the Jets and Giants were grandfathered in somehow ...

But the team ought to use this name and logo:

 

[PCLoadLetter]

Ive's weighs in on this.
Several lines I liked:
There once was a soccer team that joined its country's top soccer league just before the turn of the century, figuring it was healthy enough to flourish. Things didn't quite work out that way. Financial struggles nearly led to bankruptcy, but instead led to a sale. The new owners decided that its new club needed a new name and new colors.
...
No, in this instance the club was a little English outfit called Newton Heath. Founded in 1878, Newton Heath almost fell into bankruptcy in 1902 before John Davies, the owner of a local brewery, bought the team and saved it from financial ruin. He changed the team's colors from green and gold to red and white and changed the team's name from Newton Heath to Manchester United.

If you want to ignore that because you feel snubbed by the name New York Red Bulls then maybe you're better off joining the army of zombies who would rather watch European soccer on television than invest themselves in their own domestic league.

If you choose to protest a team because you don't like the name then are you really a fan, or simply an idealist missing the point?

I agree with a lot of that column, but one line annoys me:

If you want to ignore that because you feel snubbed by the name New York Red Bulls then maybe you're better off joining the army of zombies who would rather watch European soccer on television than invest themselves in their own domestic league.

Look, the level of play in MLS is improving and I'm glad to see it seems to be getting onto financially solid footing.  If there was a local team I'd go to a lot of games, and would probably get season tickets.  As a kid I had season tickets to the California Surf of the old NASL, and attended most of the home games for the LA Aztecs, too.

But if Arsenal v. Blackburn is on TV at the same time as Real Salt Lake v. Chivas LA, I'm watching the Prem.  Every time.  As much as the MLS is growing, the level of play is still worlds apart.  That doesn't make me a zombie;  it makes me a soccer fan who wants to watch a better game.

 

[TrooperBari]

And your sitting at home watching two teams you'll likely never see in person will help MLS ... how?

I apologize if that seems a bit harsh, but I'm really amazed at the number of people (not just you) who dismiss MLS as an inferior product, yet refuse to do anything to help the league grow and thrive. It's understandable if you're in Spearfish, South Dakota, and you don't have an MLS team within reach ... I'm talking about people in Denver, Chicago and New York (among others) who'd rather pledge allegiance to some obscure club they'll never see in person than be bothered to turn out - for a much cheaper price, let's not forget - and support the club in their own backyard.


PCL -- honestly, this little rant wasn't aimed at you. It's just one of my pet peeves with the American soccer community ... right up there with Jim Rome and the USSF management team.

 

[Mystery_Meat]

And your sitting at home watching two teams you'll likely never see in person will help MLS ... how?

I apologize if that seems a bit harsh, but I'm really amazed at the number of people (not just you) who dismiss MLS as an inferior product, yet refuse to do anything to help the league grow and thrive. It's understandable if you're in Spearfish, South Dakota, and you don't have an MLS team within reach ... I'm talking about people in Denver, Chicago and New York (among others) who'd rather pledge allegiance to some obscure club they'll never see in person than be bothered to turn out - for a much cheaper price, let's not forget - and support the club in their own backyard.


PCL -- honestly, this little rant wasn't aimed at you. It's just one of my pet peeves with the American soccer community ... right up there with Jim Rome and the USSF management team.

Except PCL or any other soccer fan shouldn't feel morally obligated to watch what they feel is an inferior product. It's MLS's job to produce a product compelling enough to make them turn away from Chelsea-Aresnal on their own voilition for a reason more genuine than noblesse oblige. I as a fan have finite time and finite money (very, VERY finite money). I'm going to spend both where I want to spend it, and if that means watching the ACC men's basketball final instead of a low D-I women's final that involves a local team, so be it.

 

[Piotr Rasputin]

(NOTE: The "you" refers to no one in particular. I just hate writing "one".)

If you are an American, and a soccer fan, it is logical to assume you wish to see the sport of soccer succeed in the United States of America. This includes a stronger league, a stronger national team and pool, and a stronger international presence in how our domestic league and our national team are regarded by those overseas who have had the game longer than we have had the NFL.

Therefore, you should support MLS. Yes, for noblesse oblige. Please do not put your nose in that air while "waiting for MLS to get stronger." Help it get there, be here now, as you hopefully were a decade ago, when it is at the start of something potentially special. No, I don't mean buy season tickets or something, and I certainly don't mean choosing a mediocre MLS game on TV over a quality Champions League matchup (unless you happen to be part of a Nielsen family).

But please don't ignore the league so you can show "knowledge" by understanding that AC Milan-Inter Milan is a more impressive matchup than Galaxy-Chivas USA. Great line, Trooper Bari, about those who pledge allegiance to overseas teams they will likely never see play in person.

Then, a decade or so from now whenMLS is firmly established with diffrerent owners for each team (yes, it's getting there, slowly but surely) and our national team has become even better, you can point at the Johnny-come-latelies who hop on the bandwagon (as so many did after summer 2002) and ask with the rest of us, "Where the hell were you when the league, when the sport in the US needed YOU?" I cannot stand the bandwagoneers, who showed up when the national team showed well. Where will they be after our tough draw kills us this summer?

I will not forget that sense of pride I had when it was clear the 2002 world cup team succeeded largely due to MLS players, and I remembered attending games in cavernous stadiums in 1996. Though I can't say I ever watched the Surf or Aztecs, for what it's worth.

 

[Twoback]

I'm curious as to how many times one would ever encounter a circumstance in which a top EPL game would be on opposite the MLS.
Their seasons have almost no overlap. MLS runs April-October, EPL runs August-May.
In England, the time difference means live games there start here at either 7:30 a.m. or 2:30 in the afternoon. I'm pretty sure MLS never has kicked off before breakfast.